#todoroki family melodrama

[quidfree]

who do you think is mischaracterized the most in the bnha fandom?

the bigger the franchise the bigger the fandom the bigger the range of interpretations, so everyone gets a good deal. probably i’d say golden trio are the worst offenders bc theyre the biggest characters so the most people care about them.

as to who is the ultimate winner… hmm. there’s a lot of nice/mean/deadpan going on with the trio.

izuku i think can get woobified/edgified to the nth degree, when in fact he should be a nice mix of genuinely shonen good guy empathy bleeder and unhinged self-sacrificial relentless weirdo. like izuku is so fucking strange really. when you think about it. but in the most 😀 im just a little guy 😀 way. no he should be bawling while beating someone into pulp and destroying his bones in the process. he still called his middle school tormentor kacchan 😃 like he is… very fun. deeply sincere despite it all (even in his grimdark era).

shouto gets made sooo boring sometimes, and not just when people reduce him to being this type of anime guy -> 😐. shouto is also deeply charmingly weird. hes deeply Noble and kind and good and all the sort of disney prince traits but hes also an angry antiestablishment teenager but hes also an awkward kid but hes also bluntly funny. i think of all of them hes maybe the hardest to get right tho so i have some sympathy for the way he often gets boiled down to only some of the traits, esp bc they get played for comedy. what does grate me is when people start taking the comedic bits as his entire real personality. and ignore how seriously fucked his upbringing has been in favour of other peoples angst.

maybe katsuki takes the win tho. like obviously. people love to either dumb him down to the extreme FUCK OFF IM ANGRY AND AN ASSHOLE or go in the other direction so he's actually a sensitive, kind soul who loves to a) blush b) talk about feelings c) raise children or something idk. and then theres the sadboi version. and the edgelord. there are bakugou haters and bakugou ride or dies. all of these takes are boring and wrong, and actually in a rare twist canon is 100% (...ish) good and true when it comes to him. he contains multitudes and they're all, like, on page. im not even going to go through them horikoshi does this very plainly for us.

actually scratch that you know who gets mischaracterised the most? endeavor. yeah that's right it's been too long since i went on one of these tangents. idc that canon has directly caused this with enji’s storyline i legitimately think that choice was a mistake and i dislike that every popular media has to have its villains explained or redeemed now. canon can do as it wills but there are some things that i just don’t want to move past. hes not a grouchy dilf who's earned forgiveness he was a grown ass man married with kids treating every member of his family like dirt for years. i do not care that he started wising up in canon his youngest child is like 16 by then it took him what TWENTY YEARS to get a grip? this man was so caught up in his ego about being number 2 he married a woman to breed a rightful heir, fully neglected the two kids he considered unworthy of that role, isolated the other two to push training on them from infancy, coped terribly with the mental strain this was putting on them, and didn’t think to reconsider his choices when a) one of them lost it and vanished into the void b) his wife snapped and disfigured the youngest, etc etc etc. i will not stand for the ret-conning this man is a loser.

[bakudekublogblog]

i feel so greedy and gluttonous for even suggesting this but haha what if bkdk crumbs in the leaks tomorrow hehehe

[delawaredetroit]

As a Shouto fan, I despised the PLE arc with a passion but after reading your analysis on it... I still do, sorry. It just feels so humiliating to have your have singled out like that, specially when they're put in the same boat as Bakugou of all characters. I guess part of me feels like this arc marks a turn for Shouto's character that he never truly recovers from, like you said, this is the last time he gets focus on his own which is at least something but after everything is said an done, it didn't feel like having him fail was worth it... imo

That's fine. You're free to disagree.

I don't think he was in "the same boat" as Bakugou though. Shouto got through the first round without trouble where Bakugou spent much of it as a meatball and had to be babysat and saved. Shouto also immediately grasped what he did wrong in this exam and could start working on fixing it. Bakugou on the other hand did no introspection and had no clue why he failed. Then he had a tantrum, got three days house arrest, and forced someone else to have to put up with his melodrama.

It makes sense why Shouto failed here and it was a good opportunity for character growth. Unfortunately, the narrative didn't take that opportunity and began to shift the focus of the Todoroki Family subplot to Endeavor after this arc. But it's less a problem with this arc and more with what comes after it.

It's a matter of perspective, but I don't see failing an exam where you just didn't have the skills tested yet as humiliating. Sometimes you're way ahead on one major exam but it takes several tries on the next one because of differences in what is being tested (especially if you didn't have to prepare as hard for earlier exams). I've been there, it sucks. It builds character but I don't think it's a humiliation. Especially because it only kept him out of the game an arc or so.

[robotlesbianjavert]

ideal version of bnha is where instead of whatever pointless bullshit was happening with deku and star n stripe we just got an entire arc of the todorokis being forced by authorities to be shuttled off somewhere for their own safety against the furious civilian masses, along with the toga and iguchi families, for a tense and brutal exploration of both the toll and stress inflicted on the families of criminals/villains, but also the ways those family environments planted the seed for those criminal acts. except it’s all framed as a sitcom where the todorokies are the collective straight man, the togas are chewing the scenery with their melodrama, and the iguchis are locked in an intense debate over whether their kid is gay and if it’s homophobic for him to be gay.

[arkus-rhapsode]

Internships I wish would happen in MHA

Deku and Endeavor

I know that Deku has already interned under Endeavor, but that arc felt more like it was trying to continue the Todoroki family plot, which was nice. But I’d like to see Deku actually get more training with the current Number 1.

I like to see more Endeavor being able to understand Deku’s long analysis and teaching him how to use his multiple quirks in unique ways.

Be real interesting for Endeavor to tell Deku about his insecurity next to All Might and Deku to realize what might happen if he becomes number 1 and how other heroes might feel.

Also be fun to see Deku bonding with the other Endeavor sidekicks.

Sato and Fatgum

I’d just love to see them eat out.

Like they both just got candy bars in their pockets and get to trade them to see what thee other thinks.

I’d also like to see Fat teach Sato to utilize his quirk’s drawback to his disadvantage.

I could see a moment where to build up power, Sato uses Sugar Rush on Fat Gum to super charge a punch and take out a villain.

Iida and Miruko

They’re both characters who use their legs to fight, HOW HAS IIDA NOT LEARNED UNDER HER?

I feel like Iida would try and emulate Miruko’s feral personality and be surprisingly good at it, given his acting capabilities.

Now that Miruko has lost an arm, it be intresting for Iida to talk about how Tensei got crippled by Stain and maybe see if one day there will be technology that can help him walk again.

Miruko would probably tell Iida to eat more carrots to improve his eyesight.

Sero and Hawks

Might seem weird but notice how their quirks are used to multitask while also assist and save people.

They’d probably be the most chill duo there ever was.

Yet no one would be prepared for how smart and calculating the two are.

I think Hawks would comment on how Sero looks so much more “darker” with his mask on.

Tsuyu and Gang Orca

Big whale dad and tiny frog daughter

Orca would probably teach Tsuyu to tie her tongue to look like a neck tie.

Orca and Tsuyu are also best at using their mutated animal forms to their fullest in fights, so I’d wanna see Orca teach Tsuyu how to turn her frog croak into a weapon like his sonar.

Bakugou and Mt. Lady

I’d like to see Mt. Lady teach Bakugou how to actually act on camera.

“You can be as shitty as you want off screen, but not on it!”

Kamui would wonder if the two are related.

Just all day bickering

Kaminari and Electroplant

Kaminari in America!

Electroplant might now be an old man given how young All Might was in the Two Heroes movie. So crotchety old electric hero trying to mentor hip, young new trickle hero would be fun.

Electro would probably teach Kaminari not to burn himself out in his discharge.

Jirou and Mandalay

I would hope that Mandalay can teach Jirou that being the recon and communication specialist hero can still be highly skilled.

Both of them would talk about their teammates making them tired, but they still love them.

If Jirou ever becomes a hero in a team, Mandalay would definitely tutor her in being a leader.

Mina and Aoyama and Uwabami

The commercials they’d do, could you imagine it?

These two would just bask in all the attention and Uwabami would love showing off her sparkly pupils.

Mina would also get a chance to show off her dancing on TV.

They would just be all about having fun.

Momo and Best Jeanist

I think he’d be able to push Momo out of her comfort zones in the right ways.

Show he how to use her quirk to its full potential.

Probably even make her an outfit out of jeans for her to wear.

He’d also ask how Bakugou is doing and all she’d be able to do it sigh.

Tokoyami and Ryukyu

Just picture Dark Shadow coming out and seeing dragon Ryukyu.

That would scar him back down into small form.

Ryukyu would probably be cool with all of Tokoyami’s melodrama.

She’d also probably so him how to become one with Dark Shadow in Ragnorak form and use it like a kaiju

Kirishima and Crust

SO MUCH MANLINESS!

Both would use their defensive based quirks offensively to save people.

Crust and Kiri would have just great manly cries.

“Showing your tears doesn’t make you any less of a hero or a man!”

Bet Crust is a Crimson Riot fan

[tonya-the-chicken]

Got any Todoroki family headcanons you want to share?

Ok, I will try to make something fluffy

Fuyumi watches melodramas since very young age. They were late on TV so she use to fall asleep on the couch to be found and carried to bed by Enji. One day he asked her why she watches TV so late and she said "It's cause when I fall asleep on the couch, Daddy comes from work and puts me to bed!" Enji was like *enji.exe stopped working. processing_emotions.iisk not found* but he began to come home earlier

Because of Fuyumi's love of TV she got bad eyesight. What makes matters worse - since Rei loves to read their family has a whole library-room that Yumi read throughout

When Rei is pregnant she has a cravings for exotic fruits. She literally used to woke up Enji at 3 am asking for a pineapple. And he called Kurumada (chauffeur) to bring a fuxking pineapple. At 3 am

Rei's first pregnancy were pretty hard and Touya was a weak child. Enji was forced to spare some time from heroing to help out his family. As a result, his ratings slightly drops

They used to have breakfast together. Fuyumi always retold latest episode of her favourite dorama. Only Enji is capable of keeping track what is going on their

When Rei married Enji she barely knew how to cook and stressed out about it a lot. Enji was like wtf let's just hire a maid but Rei's traditional raising was telling her that cooking is wife's responsibility. So she asked their maid to teach her to cook

After Touya's death Enji was avoiding his family as much as possible but developed a fear of losing another kid. Every evening after work he checks out if everyone is in their beds and says Goodnight - Natsuo usually responds with middle finger

They have a whole wall filled with their "happy" memories in Enji's room. Kids never saw it since Enji forbids them from going their but it all started as Rei's idea. There were a place where Enji's parents' wedding photo was so Rei said they need to took it off and put their own instead. Enji agreed since he hated that photo anyway. Rei kept on adding "happy memories" to cling to. Even after her hospitalization Enji sometimes adds a new picture their (he asked Burnin' to take a photo of trio interning in the agency)

Rei and Enji used to play shoji a lot and taught Touya. Rei always won

Eeeh, it's kinda messed up sorry I am tired. If you want something more specific, send it in

[psqqa]

the part of me that is perpetually delighted by fandom is fucking thrilled that the main two ship options i’ve seen for hawks thus far are dabi and endeavour. combined with the dabi is a todoroki theory that is just chef’s kiss level drama. 

like, the fics, the epics, that could be written here. the salacious household angst. the maelstrom of intensity. the mary poppins bag of secrets. the going down in literal flames. it’s like the fucking graduate with superheroes. 

horikoshi decided the todoroki family drama needed an outsider inserted right into the middle of it all, and he decided hawks was to be that outsider. who are we as a community if we do not immediately up that drama ante from ‘tension’ to ‘sexual tension’? what, i ask you, is even the point, if we do not squeeze out every drop of melodrama there is to be squeezed from this situation?

[spookenstein]

Character Meme

@some-cookie-crumbz tagged me in this like an asshole like a week ago (j/k) but I was busy finishing a summer course for college. I gotta pick my favorite characters from 10 different fandumbs so this will be fun.

I’m really inactive on here so the only people I know who may do it are @space-exeggutor, @waytootired, and my horrible husbando @newgroundsguru. I’m doing this in no particular order.

Also this post may contain decades old spoilers so you know read at your own risk, all 5 of you out there in Tumblr land.

Luke Fon Fabre (Tales of the Abyss)

It’s hard not to like a character who causes so many people to drop the game within the first 10 hours because they find him so unbearable - never getting into the meat and potatoes of his character. While I hate that he loses a bit of his asshole-ish ways, but the combination of killing an entire town of people and the big plot twist (he’s a clone, and he’s been alive 7 years) it makes sense. He’s both figuratively and literally a child mentally - as he was raised to be a brat in the sort time he’s been around. Watching Luke strive to become better, come to terms with who he is and his own worth, and just bonding with the rest of the cast really makes it worth while. 

Kuron (then Takashi Shirogane aka Shiro) (Voltron: The Legendary Defender)

Prior to season 3, while I enjoyed Shiro - he really started sticking out to me as a character. Kuron, even though a clone, clearly had some of his own little personality quirks that made him stick out to me more. He was more willing to put his foot down and take charge opposed sort of smiling and taking it. Poor precious clone baby, how I will miss you. You will always be a paladin in my heart. Shiro is second only to his clone - it’s hard not like Shiro the best when it feels like he’s the only character who has had any well rounded character development throughout the series.

Relena Darlian/Peacecraft (Gundam Wing)

Moving away from the clone character trend, but staying with the mech show that’s more melodrama than actual robot fighting - the most hated characters of the early 2000′s that I loved. Much like with Shiro, Relena felt like the only character who had a legitmate arc throughout the series and grew as a person. She starts as a spoiled rich girl, attempts to avenge her adopted father but ultimately decides to take on her biological families ideals, is a political puppet at one point, and then ultimately takes up her adopted father’s role. Did I mention she’s only 15? I’ve always felt bad for the amount of flak she gets, despite all she does throughout the series, because of the “Heeeerro come back and kill me” schtick. Also I was torn between her and Duo but I knew if I said Duo it would be because he was my first husbando.

Vegeta (Dragon Ball)

I actually hated Vegeta growing up, and it wasn’t until high school that I really came to appreciate his character. I like the villain becoming a good guy thing, and that in Vegeta’s case he really still seemed more like the “grey” guy then good guy - like he wasn’t necessarily bad anymore but he wasn’t really good either. I like that in a weird way he surpasses Goku in being more human the longer the series progresses - he genuinely cares for his family’s well being even if he’s a little tsundere about it. I’ll admit too, while Super maybe horrible in certain aspects, I really do appreciate Vegeta of all people sort of becoming a voice of reason among everything that happens within the series. Like, it’s hard to believe the former antagonist is in that role.

Todoroki Shoto (Boku no Hero Academia)

This was a real hard pick because I like a lot of character’s from BnHA and I can think of at least 3 more I could say are my favorite all for different reasons. However I think Todoroki would be my number 1 pick. He’s a character who’s gone through a lot and post the sport’s festival fight with Deku, he’s growing. Todoroki could’ve stayed a quiet, anti-social, sticking to his guns kind of rival like so many shonen do but instead elects to grow. Reconnecting with his mother, not squandering his opportunities to use the resources his father has, and willing to crack the occasional joke - it makes Todoroki a breath of fresh air as one of Deku’s growing list of rivals.

Tadano Hitohito (Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu)

I started reading Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu when it was first getting translations because I thought Komi was so adorable, but as time as gone on Tadano really stole my heart. Tadano is the definite of average - and that’s literal, his whole character is being basically vanilla ice cream in 31 flavors. I never truly understood the concept of moe until this character. He’s just a earnest, hardworking guy who’s willing to help anyone - even people who treat him poorly (which is basically everyone considering his standing with Komi, the class idol). Out of all the smile I want to protect, I want to protect Tadano’s the most.

Tangy (Animal Crossing)

Cute, orange kitty cat. I don’t know what to say, she’s peppy, talks about being a super star and she’s an ORANGE KITTY CAT. She’s just too much, too freaking cute.

Gill (Harvest Moon Tree of Tranquility/Animal Parade)

I was torn between Gill and Ellen from OG Harvest Moon, but elected to go with Gill because I’ve married him so many times. Truthfully, the type A pretty boy types aren’t normally my thing but I made an exception for him. I like to think that the MC and Gill start off as a couple of convenience - Gill wanting that sweet farming bux and the MC wanting to have a political in. It’s stupid but that’s how I like to play Harvest Moon, by inventing soup opera drama in my head.

Matsuno Choromatsu (Osomatsu-san)

Again, I’m not normally into the type A personality but Choromatsu is almost like the pseudo-middle child so I feel for him. Also, I’m a terrible person so I can relate to feeling like your the least piece of shit in a room of crap (i.e. all my coworkers even though I know I’m not even better). Plus I’m otaku trash and I love cute anime girls (opposed to his idol love). In a lot of ways he pales to the other Matsu’s but everyone needs a straight man, and he’s good at it.

Hatsune Miku (Vocaloid)

She’s cute, she can sing, she can dance, and because she’s different depending on who’s writing the song she’s can be easy to relate too. My bedroom is also decked out with like 10-11 Miku figures so she had to go on here somewhere. My dream is to see her live one of these days.

Thanks to anyone who took the time to read my post on characters I enjoy. Even if I don’t know you, feel free to do it yourself. It’s a real head scratcher.

[quidfree]

Do you think the rehabiliation/redemption of an abuser is ever a valid storyline?

good question, many possible answers, so excuse my limited attempt at one below.

in the first instance i’d say i don’t think art should be dissected in terms of ‘validity’ because, well, that’s pretty subjective and also restrictive. a lot of sensitive, uncomfortable or downright nasty subjects are always going to be depicted in media for various reasons, because they’re a part of the human experience and humans create art. so whether a storyline is ‘valid’ isn’t really a question i can answer.

that said, i think if we’re looking at topics like these a lot depends on framing and intent. so, for example, in lolita the book, nabokov set out to create in his protagonist a self-deluding monster who abuses a child, and framed the story through his eyes with that in mind- something which movie adaptations of lolita have strayed from by replicating his predatory gaze and delusions rather than using cinematographic language to clue the audience in to his lies. it will depend on what a story wants to do: critique? glamorize? observe?

rehabilitation and redemption are tricky by nature, of course. yes, redemption is obviously a good thing, and something society should encourage, but i think we often shift the focus from the person doing the redemptive work to whoever they’ve wronged, with the expectation that the ‘final step’, or what’s key to unlocking redemption, is forgiveness. and that rubs me the wrong way, because no one is owed that just because they’re improving. especially in terms of abuse, and especially when this is a parent abusing a child for years and years on end (since i assume our point of reference here is the todoroki situation).

what grinds my gears with the todorokis, going back to my point on intention and framing, is that i think horikoshi kind of dropped the ball there on both counts. in going so hard on the extent of enji’s abuse, the lasting trauma he’s caused in his family, the way this lasted well into the youngest son’s teenage years, he made it very hard to swallow the change in enji’s narrative role, and also made everyone else’s in-text response to it frustrating. yes, the todoroki boys retain some spite against him after his midlife crisis, but this is 1) contrasted with their saintly female relatives holding 0 grudge and being framed as morally correct 2) routinely challenged by the narrative purposefully creating dramatic situations where they worry for enji’s life and/or are in high stakes emotional moments almost forcing them to acknowledge his various heroics. their reactions make sense to some extent given the above, but it’s horikoshi who decided to write the story that way- to switch from enji being shouto’s traumatic backstory to suddenly a principal member of the cast, with all of his own extended plotlines and inner turmoils and sympathy-inducing traumas. for me, if this was always the end game, he misstepped in the framing by making him so vile for what, twenty years of mistreating his wife and young children for no reason than his own ego, and then about-facing and beating the reader over the head with ‘no but actually he’s trying to be better now so everyone has to forgive him immediately and if they don’t they’re just as bad as he is’ (lest we forget touya the villain son).

maybe controversially but i think mitsuki is kind of a good example of this whole intent and framing thing. mitsuki is, by definition, also an abusive parent to katsuki, since she physically hits him and also berates him pretty constantly. however, this is very clearly meant to be played for laughs from the start, and we are meant to infer that she actually has a good relationship with katsuki, but they just have similar short-fused temperaments. some people may not like any kind of parental abuse being framed for laughs, which is fair; for me, arguing and the stereotypical slapstick physicality is within acceptable bounds. so if we saw mitsuki have a sitdown with katsuki to awkwardly say she’s working on her temper, i would buy into that far more quickly than enji’s schtick, since the initial issue was never presented in-text as that serious. with enji, because his abuse is taken so seriously at the start, the way it subsequently gets ignored and ‘forgiven’ feels incredibly jarring.

people always jokingly compare shouto to zuko but i think that’s actually a fair comparison in this regard. if ozai, mid ATLA, suddenly looked inwards and decided to be a good father, would we all expect his kids to forgive him / acknowledge him as a good person? despite the abuse he inflicted on ursa, the way his kids grew up fundamentally fucked up, the fact he defaced his teenaged son in combat? i would hope not, because personal reinvention does not mean anyone else needs to acknowledge that. and people who do bad things don’t need to be redeemed at all costs.

anyways that was a very reductive answer but in short yes i think it can be a ‘valid’ storyline, it just depends on why the author wants it and how they presented it.

[the-nysh]

Whats your opinon of kiri//baku and todo//deku?

!!!!! 👀 Oooh, *takes deep breath* so I’ve finally been askedthe big question. (Thank you for courteously using the /s to block the ship names out of the tags) Because I DO have opinionsabout them. I’ve mostly kept them to myself, but since I’ve been prompted, Iwill try to be as honest and thorough as I can. :’)

Disclaimer: If you high-key shipeither of the two, please proceed with caution! 

To preface:

If it wasn’t already obvious from the content I reblog (and rave about in thetags), my decisive fav character of the series is Kacchan, and similarly, my otp of the series is with him and Deku(as bakudeku, aka bkdk for short – which is how it’scommonly called on twitter). So going in, that’s my given stance already.

But it wasn’t always this way! :O When I first started theseries I went in pretty cautious, wary, and undecided; I actually never plannedto fall so hard for either the character or the ship (and I rarely ship things tobegin with). That is, until Hori repeatedly bludgeoned me in the face and heartwith all the reoccurring and carefully consistent character development, to thepoint ch120 became the final, decisive nail in the coffin - the point of noreturn for me. :’3 So now, I’m fully invested in seeing how their story pulls through to the end, nomatter what it might become (it doesn’t even need to be shippy). With them thematically established as two sidesof the same coin – on opposite ends of the same spectrum of heroism – the twohalves of All Might who both win and rescue:I want to see how they push each other towards greatness and mature into a pairof the best heroes. It’s a long-term investment of hope and a case of slowburn positive development, in direct (and on purpose!) contrast to its rockyand strained foundations (they ARE immature and emotionally constipated teensafter all), but it’s all been carefully laid out through a steady path ofnarrative foreshadowing. Where the prospects at the end of that path – of mutualsupport, understanding, reconciliation, cooperation, teamwork, trust – arebeautiful and rewarding things that make their ongoing journey of growth worthit. So…for Hori to smash any original expectations I might have had, and makeme fall hard for something I never intended to happen, are examples of whatI consider GOOD writing.

After I realized this, I went and did my research. Which inmy case, is reading up on countless character/relationship meta and fanfics togauge how the fandom sees their potential too. So I am very aware of the multiple sides of existing arguments and the dramathat’s already happened in the fandom (from across both tumblr and twitter). Iknow the western fandom considerably favors kr/bk and td/dk (at least for now), BUT in the eastern fandom,it’s actually bkdk that’s more popular. Hmm, curious why that is?

One of the reasons is partly thanks to the widespread availabilityof fan mistranslations (FA group) that have greatly exaggerated certain characterizations(ie Kacchan), leading to fandom fearmongering and the perpetuation of stigmasagainst the canon development of certain relationships (ie bkdk), which in theoriginal text, were never nearly thatflanderized or as offensive in context to begin with. Include also, adifference in cultural expectations/values, and we get a prickly concoction ofmisunderstandings ready to brew. It’s a poor and unfortunate case of important subtleties/complexitiesgetting lost in translation, while the bad things are blown way out ofproportion, to the point the story’s original intent is sidelined, or worse, canonis deliberately obstructed by translators who already dislike seeing suchcontent (because it’s ‘not their ship’) – so they prevent and hurt othersfrom fully enjoying the progression of the series as the author intended. Peoplecan like what they like (that’s perfectly fine), but in all of my lurking, Ihave SEEN examples of these things (andworse) actively happen, and quite frankly, the spread of this blatant toxicityand compulsive collective ignorance sickens me. So, I choose not to getinvolved with it, and instead focus on the positive.

Because of my preference for meta and faithfulinterpretations of the text (making sure available translations are reliablefor analyzing, for instance), I’ve gathered enough information (andacknowledged enough counterarguments) to make an educated decision for myself onwhat I value most and want to see from the series. Unless Hori veers offotherwise, I’ll stick by that conclusion and enjoy following the series throughto fruition (regardless of what the rest of the opposing fandom might say).

For example, one of the first dedicated and respectful metawriters – back when only the FA scans were available, but who ALSO providedcorrections from the Japanese text where necessary, came to this conclusionabout Deku and Kacchan’s characterizations:  

From ryokure:

“Deku is such a super special case that if a fanfichas him and Kacchan in it - no matter the parings - and they don’t have somecase of mutual obsession, I actually consider that OOC.”

Which, after everything I’ve seen of the characters, I can fully concur withthat statement.

MEANING, if the fandom portrays them off alone, together, or involvedin relationships with other characters and they lack this intrinsic magnetism that binds them together (for betteror worse) – if they can somehowfunction completely normal without being influenced by the presence of anotherand magically not even care about each other anymore, then my suspension of disbeliefbreaks. They’re too OOC. (Unless it’s a fic au where they never met or grew uptogether.) These two are TOO canonically wrapped up in their mutual complexesto simply cut ties, wrap up all their unresolved issues with a band-aid,and essentially ignore a core issue of the series for the sake of ‘shipconvenience’ with others. Their canon relationship is too complex to make such simplifiedportrayals of them believable, or even such flimsy ‘solutions’ for their issuesfeasible. Thankfully, we have Hori actively doing all the hard work for us sowe don’t have to worry about such transgressions like that happening in canon. (InHori’s consistent characterizations we trust!)  

Now then, with all of THISestablished, I can finally answer your main question: my opinion on kiri/bakuand todo/deku.

Let’s start with todo/deku:

Because believe it or not, when I was still new to the fandom and in my earlyresearch stages, I actually lowkey shipped them and read plenty of fics aboutthem too! I was open to them as a pair, but still undecided and wary because I didn’t know who to ship withDeku: either Todoroki or Bakugou. I saw all the widespread (western) fandomcontent for td/dk, with the apparent foundations for the ship based on eventsfrom the Sports Festival, where Deku ‘saves’ Todoroki and acts as the catalystto allow him to defrost his issues with his father and realize his true power.I thought, ‘ooh there’s something interesting in there worth looking forwardto; I’ll keep an eye on how canon develops their relationship from here.’

Unfortunately…canon didn’t give me anything else substantial to build on. Andin my case, those are foundations I NEED to be fully on board and convinced fora ship. It was the equivalent of fandom hyping me up for something to lookforward to, with me sitting there with a huge smile and my arms raised inanticipation…only for the rest of the manga to leave me dry. It was a hugedisappointment. Because except for a few scattered incidents, like from theStain arc and maybe the recent ‘it’s ok for heroes to cry sometimes too’moment, canon progress for their relationship has been severely underwhelmingand virtually nonexistent. Todoroki has chilled into becoming a supportive (yetstill socially awkward) friend for Deku yes, but even Iida has had more canon incidents of concern for Deku’s wellbeing,and challenges Deku into becoming a better person/hero with their interactions.(And yet, fandom support for Deku and Iida is virtually nonexistent incomparison, because their friendship resembles the camaraderie between bros, Iguess??)    

So then I was like, ‘wait, am I missing something here? WHY does the fandomlove td/dk so much, when their canon interactions are so limited, and the onlybig thing that’s happened between them was all the way back in the SportsFestival??’ So, I went and investigated the potential of their relationshipfurther in fanfics (which are quite numerous and popular on a03 I might add).

After taking a look, I began to see trends. Most td/dk fics are heavily skewed in Todoroki’s favor, tothe point of being practically one-sided in character development. The mainconflict in almost all their ficnarratives revolves around solving Todoroki’s issues with his father and comingto terms with HIS powers, leaving Deku as a passive, supporting participant inhelping Todoroki out with his problems. Which, while the two of them could bondtogether over their missing/difficult father issues, after a while this same familyconflict gets old and stale. What else is there? What about Deku’s problems for equality’s sake?He’s the main protagonist! How abouthis difficulties in learning how to make One for All his own too? Ah nope, hecan’t canonically confide in Todorokiabout the secrets of his quirk, now can he. ;) Oh wait. What about his problems with Bakugou? Is the biggest elephant in the room going to be ignored for the sakeof typical couple melodrama, or is my fav character going to be demonized so that Todoroki, the ‘prince’on a white horse, can ‘save’ Deku, the ‘damsel’ in distress, from him?! No way. And THAT is another hugeproblem I have with the ship.

Because in all the fics I’ve read of them, I never once was convinced ofDeku’s feelings for Todoroki. I can understand Todoroki gaining a passing crushon Deku thanks to their fight in the Sports Festival. But Deku? How does heeven fall for him? Just becauseTodoroki is nice and considerate and listens to him? Like a friend? (Deku has Uraraka and Iida forthat too, what makes Todoroki any more special than them in Deku’s life?) Thisties in to my previously mentioned suspension of disbelief and ooc territorynow. Because Deku is not some haplessdamsel in distress ready to be swept off his feet and easily charmed by somepotential suitor; he’s a BAMF with a heroic spirt that’s even feared byBakugou. And these traits are so rarely utilized to their full potential intd/dk fics - Todoroki’s influence rarely even challenges or inspires Deku toBECOME the best he can be to draw out his latent potential. (Iida’s canonicallydone more in that regard thanTodoroki’s ever done.) Again, it feels too one-sided in Todoroki’s favor toimprove as a better person/hero.

Oh yeah, and since Deku became one of Todoroki’s first ‘true friends,’ forTodoroki to fall for him feels like putting too many eggs in one basket,without giving Todoroki the chance tobranch out and make normal/healthy relationships with OTHERS first beforesettling down. He’s a socially awkward kid emotionally repressed by domesticabuse; for him to latch onto Deku, the ‘first’ person he’s finally (andliterally) warmed up to, feels like the budding symptoms of unhealthy copingmechanisms and compensating for Todoroki’s deeper emotional issues. Where it thenbecomes Deku’s ‘responsibility’ to care for the turnout of his wellbeing, whenNO - Deku’s got plenty of his OWN issues to become burdened with someone else’s on top of those. Plus in canon,Todoroki’s doing just fine and is perfectly capable of handling his personal problems onhis own without having to depend on Deku.

Again, it’s all touchy territory that feels like it sidelines the mainintent of the series itself – by branching off into the deep end of Todoroki’sangst at the expense of Deku’s, or worse: simply wrapping everything up with afluffy bow called ‘the power of love.’ Nuh-uh, not only is that immenselyidealistic and unrealistic, but it’s totally not the kind of content I signedup for when I started the series. I’m frankly not interested in delving into thoseoff-tangent topics in opposition to canon, where Deku’s problems are oftensidelined, his characterization compromised, and my fav character (Kacchan) eitherbecomes an exaggerated, antagonizing impediment to their ship or is simplytreated like he doesn’t even exist. (My patience and willing suspension of disbeliefonly go so far.)

In the end, Todoroki’s a supportingcharacter. In a tertiary tier after the protagonist (Deku) and the deuteragonist(Bakugou). Yet in td/dk fics he’s almost always turned into a main protagonistsomehow. I can understand his appeal and why he’s so popular in the fandom, yes(and I like him too!), but there’s a point where this exposure becomes TOO much,the limit to his available canon issues becomes saturated and repetitive, and itultimately becomes so tiring to keepcoming back and addressing the same topics in fanon when canon has alreadymarched on to focus on more pressing issues. I’m more interested in exploring those other things.

So nowadays, whenever I see td/dk content, I go ‘ayy that’s nice (or cute),’and keep on scrolling. It doesn’t bother me, but it doesn’t interest meanymore either. I probably won’t touch anymore fics of them together either;I’ve seen and had enough. I’m actually more receptive to seeing Todorokiinteract and develop friendships with other characters, like Inasa (the wind guy from the rival school)or even Momo for instance. Either of those ships I see around, I’m cool withtoo.

The final line: I don’t ship them (anymore), because canon swayed me over with the more pressing and compelling developments of bkdk.   

NOW, it’s time to talk about kiri/baku:      

To start, I actually LOVE Kirishima as a character. And I’ve alreadyestablished upfront that my fav character in the series is Kacchan. So whatgives? It turns out their ship has neverbeen on my radar.

Kirishima is a great character, but I’ve only ever seen him as a supportive bro. To EVERYONE in their class. Whichis precisely how Hori designed him: to be a compassionate/empathetic nice guywho bridges the gaps between the class with his vigorous enthusiasm and support(same role that Denki shares, by the way). And he fulfils this role splendidly.But he ALSO has his own insecurities and developing friendships with manyothers in the class – Denki, Mina, and Deku included. All of those people areimportant to him (and I’m cool with all their ships with him too). Kirishimadoes not solely revolve aroundBakugou.  

It’s true that near the beginning of the series, Bakugou was an angry loner,Kirishima trailed after him on his own accord, and after seeing his version of‘manliness’, decided to stick by him and support him, because Kiri saw thepositives of his character that ‘no one’ else bothered to see. (NOT true; Dekuhas always seen and admired Kacchan’spositive traits since they were children.)And so what’s canonically established is a budding friendship where Kirishimafulfils his given role to bridge gaps (whenever Bakugou strays away from theclass), essentially working as a rubber band plot device, and as a secondperspective – aka a fresh lens, for the audience to view Bakugou’s positivequalities.

All of this I’m cool with. I actually enjoyseeing their canon interactions and the kind of fun, slapstick way they bounceoff each other. (I even like the concept of Dragon!Kiri too!) BUT, it’s whenfanon starts twisting their canon relationship into shippy territory, that’swhere things start getting…ugly, at least for me.  

Remember, I’ve always only seen Kirishima as a supportive bro, and I MEAN that. They have the samered eyes. The same style of spikey hair. The same pumped up mannerisms whenthey get going. Too many similarities that rub me the wrong way when put in aromantic context. (The only difference is that one of them is the soft-hearted ‘niceguy,’ and the other is the outwardly prickly ‘asshole.’) To me, to ship them feels like the equivalentof taking the parallel ends of two polarized magnets: you can manually forcethem close together, but in the end, they cannot touch because the same ends ofmagnets naturally repel. Now, flip one of those magnets around (aka turn it intoDeku), and boom, the opposite ends attract with explosive force. And THAT ishow bkdk feels to me in comparison.

However, the kr/bk fandom doesn’t stop there. I know there exists plenty of fics about them, but I’ve never read any, and frankly, I never will, not even for curiosity’ssake. Because from the overabundance of otherfandom content, I already know what their ship dynamic is about. And it doesnot appeal to me at all.

Remember how I said Kacchan is my favorite. I do not appreciate when thefandom warps him into either a demonized or castrated caricature of himself –aka when they turn him into someone he most definitely is NOT, all for the sakeof a ship. Or worse: when they use Kiri’s relationship as a means of changingBakugou into a character they findmore appealing. NO. Even more worse: when they treat Kiri’s whole character as awalking plot device for ALL of Bakugou’s positive character development. Fuckno! Kirishima doesn’t deserve this dehumanizing treatment by the fans, andneither does my fav, getting subjected to this…betrayal to his whole character.

What am I talking about? When fans insist that Kiri is the ONLY personBakugou can be ‘nice’ to, outright forsaking or ignoring the canon developmentseither of them have with other characters – what about Denki, the rest of the‘Bakusquad’? Or Deku? Remember my dislike for ignoring the elephant in the room back in my spiel about td/dk?Well here, it’s infinitely times worse.

Because Kiri does not become aconvenient narrative replacement to ‘solve’ all of Bakugou’s problems or themeans to correct his bad behavior. It’s not even Kiri’s business orresponsibility to do so! (Same deal if Uraraka is shipped in Kiri’s place.) Hispresence doesn’t challenge Bakugou’s current conduct or world views to improvehimself as a better person, OR actively affect his drive to become the best hero.At most, Kiri endures the brunt of Bakugou’s outbursts when they happen(because he can harden with his quirk, he can ‘take’ it, and their banterbecomes ‘humorous’ and ‘harmless’…no, it absolutely does not) and amicably slides off any further implications with a ‘heyman, that’s not cool’, or excuses/accepts it with a ‘it’s fine because he’s justbeing himself.’ Now we have a situation where Kiri becomes a passive ‘butt-monkey’to Bakugou’s whims and actually enableshis unacceptable behavior to persist. And Bakugou somehow becomes fully invested in a single confidant who babies andpicks up after him (how the heck? no way would he allow himself to get ropedinto a relationship like that, if any at all. He’s strong and independent enoughto handle himself fine.). Even when it’s portrayed where Kiri is the ‘only’ oneBakugou’s nice to, they’d exist in a vacuum tunnel, sealed off from the influenceof others, and become a spiraling fester-hole of static development. None ofthese prospects are the ‘healthy’ long-term results that fandom seems to claimthey are. Tell me, if Bakugou was reallyan abusive character, would his behavior magically ‘fix’ itself simply thanksto Kiri’s passive influence or ‘the power of his understanding kindness and love’?The answer is a resounding and definite NO. The only person who can canonically stand up to Bakugou’s behavior (andnot brush it off), fundamentally challengehis world views and complexes, match him in equal and opposite intensity with themutual drive to be the best, and receivethe full extent of his turbulent feelings, is Deku.

This is what I’m referring to when I say fandom often ‘ignores the elephantin the room,’ because THIS (Deku and Kacchan’s relationship) is an established,ongoing and important core issue of the series itself, that many shippers wouldrather sideline for the priority, current gratification, and fluffy convenienceof an opposing ship. Aka, simply slap them together with the first nice friend theymeet (in both Todo and Baku’s cases, it’s the ‘too many eggs in one basket’problem again…), who will solve all their problems and work to ‘change’ theminto better people…somehow? No, that’s the case of unrealistic, wishful thinking bad writing andtaking the easy way out when something -the elephant in the room- is too challengingand complex to tackle head on. Thankfully, Hori IS tackling their story head onas purposely intended, so I don’t have to worry about canon jumping the sharkon the progress of their relationship.  

So, instead of Kiri being shipped with Bakugou, I much prefer him as a supportingcharacter (a supportive bro!!) who helps ease Bakugou into social/emotionalsituations that he’d normally avoid (which is how Hori originally designedhim??? to bridge those gaps -aka Bakugou’s loner distance - in the class) I’veread plenty of bkdk fics where Kiri becomes the mvp BECAUSE of his natural abilityto do this! With him as a much-needed wingman, voice of empathetic reason, and trustedsecond opinion who Bakugou can confide in to help confront his chronicemotional constipation over Deku. Shipperscan claim that Kiri helps Baku come to terms and become receptive to ‘softer,’ affectionatefeelings when they’re together, when it’s actually the opposite: Kiri becomes astepping stone for Bakugou to learn how to ‘make friends’ with other people whenthey’re apart. ‘Other people’ meaning: Denki, the ‘squad’, Todoroki, the restof the class…and most importantly, Deku.Let my son -Kacchan- learn how to form healthy, genuine relationships withpeople again, so he can gain the necessary experience and maturity to reproach hislifelong treatment of Deku and decide to patch up their relationship on his own terms. This, I feel, is a much more satisfyingoutcome and effective use of Kiri’s character, both in his involvement withBakugou and for the long-run benefit of the series itself.

But instead of seeing it this way, much of the (western) fandom overexaggerates the importance of Kiri and Baku’s relationship, to the point it notonly overshadows the content of other ships, but obfuscates the actual translated GEN contentof canon itself. (WHY!?!) I’m not even going to touch the propensity, hypocrisy, and irony of their shippers to harassand bully others for their opposing shipping preferences (that’s a whole other can of worms). Overall,it’s gotten so bad and obnoxiously rampant that I’ve been forced to block the ship tag for my own sanity and enjoyment of theseries. The ONLY time it’s ever beenrequired for me to use the blacklist function here, and that’s saying something.

Therefore: I support their friendship as supportive bros, but kr/bk as a ship was never on myradar. I’ve never shipped it, and I will notbecome interested in their potential as a pair. I used to be ok with seeing fan content of them around…until thefandom essentially and unfortunately soured it into a notp for me. Welp!   

And there we have it, my full opinion on both ships. I hope that satiatesanyone’s curiosity on the matter, as so far I’ve had plenty of personal reasonsto stay in my own lane and only show my avid support for bkdk. This I’ve confidently decided and I will continue todo so, for as long as I’m invested in the series.  

For some further reading and similar informed opinions:  

http://explodo-smash.tumblr.com/post/165154054112/not-to-pit-ships-against-one-another-but-i

http://explodo-smash.tumblr.com/post/163895267877/why-do-you-ship-bakugou-and-deku-if-its-abusive

http://tinyshinysylveon.tumblr.com/post/168731953134

https://punkbakugo.tumblr.com/post/170514358890/do-you-think-that-the-fandom-over-exaggerates

Also related: my opinions about Kac/chako. And Izu/Ocha.

Edit: now cross-posted on a03

[abla-soso]

God the Todorokis are starting to get on my nerves. Not Dabi or Endeavor who have their own characters but I can't understand why all their by now done-to-death melodrama with no real storytelling is lauded.

I'm still enjoying the Todoroki family drama, but I'm so sick and tired of Shouto's forced, poorly written relationship with Dabi. It's pretty much the only terrible development in an otherwise well-written and interesting subplot.

[mdccanon]

I told my friend he would've gotten me into the show a lot faster if he told me it was about an even angrier Joey Wheeler/Naruto, let alone an even more neurotic Yugi/Rock Lee, a dumbass Seto/Sasuke. I would have watched the entire show just for the brief glimpses of Purple Psychic Gaara.

He was so confused. "... Shinso? Wait, why is Shinso an insomniac? Yeah, you know what... Shinso is SO Gaara... but psychic." Exactly.

My Hero Academia is a Rock Lee-centric AU made by a Generation 1 Naruto fanboy, and I'm living for it.

Katsuki Bakugo = Katsuya/Joey Jonouchi + Naruto Uzumaki. Explosive, blond, intuitive warrior. Starts friendship by bullying the other for not being assertive enough. An amazing story of an adolescent narcissist struggling with gifted child syndrome and some serious inferiority-superiority complex.

Izuku Midoriya = Yuugi Motou + Rock Lee. Badass Normal who thinks the answer to every problem is overtraining and over-analyzing. 1,000 push ups! 1,000 squats! If that doesn't work, losing my entire identity in hero-worship to my mentor and the legacy I represent should help! What do you mean, that doesn't help?!

(Back in the day, fangirls cooed over Yugi and Joey's names combined being the word friendship. "Yujou" It was our favorite thing in the world.)

Shoto Todoroki = Seto Kaiba + Sasuke Uchiha. All of the genius in the world doesn't help him understand what plot he is in. Must be all that brooding family drama. Seriously, Todoroki is a freaking genius for "Are you All Might's love child?" compared to how little Seto comprehended that he lived in a story with magic. Someone make a fanfic combining Sasuke, Seto, and Shoto's stories because I want to see Shoto given access to the 7 Holders and all of Re-Destro's resources and somehow come to the absolute MOST WRONG conclusion. Like, "All for One is a time-travelled Neito Monoma."

Ochaco Uraraka = Anzu Mazaki/Tea + Sakura Haruno. Every series has The Girl, so what is Horikoshi's ideal Girl? Uraraka is genuinely kindhearted without being a wuss about it; she notices that she has weaknesses and addresses them without fanfare or melodrama; she recognizes she has a crush on a classmate and decides her once in lifetime career is more important than getting intense with a friend; her character arc is going to be minor compared to the Main Three, sure, but its just as complete. Because you can be a great character and not have anything utterly horrific happen to you... yet. I approve. I definitely approve. LOL, plus, as a cherry on top, Ocha means tea and she has Hinata Hyuuga's birthday.

Uravity + Ground Zero = Zero Gravity

Hey, you shippers, I entered this entire fandom, like, last month, but I just wanted to ask if anyone else thinks it's funny that Uravity + Ground Zero = Zero Gravity.

I didn't even know this was a ship until Last Friday, because I'd already thought Bakugou and Uraraka would be great Pro Hero partners because if she got propulsion boots, together they'd be an unstoppable air-based team. Even imagined them flying around Inuyasha/Kagome style.

Hey, does anyone else know what I'm talking about, or did I just wake up in a fever dream?

[recentanimenews]

Peter's Picks for the 2017 Anime Awards

It’s that time already. The 2017 Anime Awards are upon us and competition looks even fiercer than last year. Now that voting is open, I assume you all are fulfilling your civic duty and making your voice heard by voting. In case you find yourself stuck on a category, however, I’ve laid out all my votes and the reasons why I think each deserves to win on February 24th.

Best Action: My Hero Academia

My Hero Academia has all the best features of shonen series when it comes to fighting. The battles this season were creative, strategic, and possessed an emotional heart. Feelings are a tangible force in shonen that can both determine the outcome of a battle and ensure the struggle possesses real meaning. The fight between Deku and Todoroki put the absolute best of the series on display and Bones brought out the big guns, ensuring all the highlights were given unforgettable visual sequences.

Best Drama: Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinju

On my shortlist for best anime this year, Rakugo is difficult to summarize; a story tackling many different themes and spanning over half a century. Following the practitioners of a niche form of Japanese theater, Rakugo tells the story of one performer's life, his influence on his loved ones and the future of his art, and his struggles with intimacy and his own mortality. It’s a disservice to this anime to describe it as anything other than a true masterpiece from the story, to the voice performances, to the wonderful visual direction.

Best Comedy: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid

Although some of the other series on this list may have drawn out more consistent laughs, I don’t feel like any of the provided such a complete package as Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, effortlessly weaving jokes in between cathartic moments and the daily life of one supremely bizarre found family. The series tackled humor from a number of directions so it never grew stale and often felt inventive, even using it in service of the plot. Discovering this series may have been one of my most pleasant surprises of this year.

Best Slice of Life: Tsukigakirei

This may be my most selfish pick among any of the categories, but I really feel like Tsukigakirei was something special, offering a romance that wasn’t about getting together but staying together. Kotaro and Akane experience firsts together, step outside their comfort zones, and force each other to grow. It’s a wonderfully affirming reminder that we’re all awkward. The series dips slightly into melodrama from time to time but the resolution is inevitably a message to do the right thing and put in your best effort. You may not always get what you want, but you can be satisfied in the end.

Best Continuing Series: March comes in like a lion

I’ve been onboard this train since the very beginning, but the new season of March comes in like a lion surprised even me, taking everything that made the first season great and turning it up to 11. Seeing Rei growing and learning to rely on his support network is indescribably rewarding and the new subplot with Hina absolutely devastating. This season delivered what I consider to be one of the best single episodes this year, introducing a conflict so frustrating and authentic you’ll be left feeling genuine bitterness until it reaches its resolution.

Best Girl: Chise Hatori

While many seem focused on a certain bone-headed magus, I was originally drawn to The Ancient Magus’ Bride by Chise. One of the joys of the series is watching her slow emergence from a dark place, the victim of abuse and certain that there is no person or place in this world that will have her, into a confident and capable individual with a sense of belonging. Chise finding satisfaction in the opportunity to help others and learning to allow herself selfish happiness are one of the features that make the series truly magical.

Best Boy: Rei Kiriyama

Rei is probably the most moving portrayal of an individual suffering from chronic depression and anxiety I have seen in fiction, full stop.  The series has tracked his progress of overcoming his self-isolating instincts of feeling that he is a burden upon others to reaching out to those who bring him happiness. Where Chise may be able to one day find contentment, Rei’s quest feels less certain, but he’s gained the conviction to find and hold onto as many moments of happiness as he can.

Best Hero: Izuku “Deku” Midoriya

All-Might describes Deku and the quintessential hero and who am I to disagree with All-Might? Horikoshi’s vision of what defines heroism is one of the features which I believe elevates My Hero Academia to the stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the other legendary shonen series and Deku is the personification of that ideal. A person who instinctively reaches out to those in need, even to his own detriment, even if he knows he will regret it. Honesty, empathy, and altruism made him a true hero even before All-Might gave him the power to realize the demands of his heart.

Best Villain: Stain

The obvious choice, Stain is both a villain and the central point upon which the new arc of My Hero Academia turns, inspiring an entire generation of disenfranchised individuals to rise up against the authority which has failed them. This aspect of his character also makes him the only sympathetic villain among the nominations. He sees rampant corruption among the pantheon of heroes dedicated to protecting the helpless and rejects them. Although his methods are evil, the truth of his criticisms resonates with those who have suffered as he has.

Best Manga: My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness

I don’t know if I’ve ever read any work of sequential art as real as My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness. Nagata’s experiences reach the extremes of debilitating anxiety, depression, and existential uncertainty, but have such a universal element of struggle told with such candidness that it's impossible not to engage with her autobiographical tale and draw a sense of common struggle and optimism from her hard-earned lessons.

Best Opening: “SHINZOU WO SASAGEYO! (心臓を捧げよ!)”

Of all the ways Studio WIT delivers with Attack on Titan, their OPs and EDs may be my favorite part. Each and everyone feels like they deserve a place among these nominations (if only the Anime Awards had been around during the first season), delivering a concentrated dose of the bombastic, over-the-top style of the show itself. The newest is no exception, with an energized anthem to get your blood pumping for 20 minutes of tension, violence, and horror that will inevitably culminate in a cliffhanger.

Best Ending: “STEP UP LOVE (ステップアップLOVE)”

Blood Blockade Battlefront & Beyond has an emotional and thematic rhythm that is very unique, portraying the extreme deadliness neighborhood of Hellsalem’s Lot in a strange, light-hearted sense, like a quirky clubhouse full of misfits that often kill each other. How is the ending sequence captures that bizarre contradiction is beyond me, but it sure is fun. I love everything about the ending, from the music to the psychedelic animation, showing off the cast at their wackiest.

Best Film: In This Corner of the World

Possibly the hardest choice on the list is between In This Corner of the World and A Silent Voice, but I have to give it to MAPPA’s creation half-a-decade in the making. The staff went in trying to tell a human story and portrayed one of the most evocative tragedies I’ve ever witnessed without exploiting the characters suffering as a selling point. The film is both devastating and inspirational, carrying with it a message that all-too-relevant at this moment in time.

Best CGI: Land of the Lustrous

2017 may have been the single greatest year for CG in anime, with several releases that really showed how it could be utilized in ways that 2D can’t replicate. I was surprised not to see Polygon Pictures’ Blame! make it into the nominations. Barring that, Land of the Lustrous was a beautiful adaptation that took Haruko Ichikawa’s framework and made its own visual world. The hand-painted backgrounds and CG characters never felt awkward against one another and the characters gestures and use of the gem’s colors on the environment were spectacular.

Best Score: Made in Abyss

I remember reaching the theatrical climax of the very episode. The camera panned across the city as the light from the sunrise broke over the top of the mountain and into the caldera then dove into the gaping maw of the abyss. The score in the scene absolutely sold the moment for me and the completeness of the experience had me sure the series was something special. It’s one of those series you know early on is going to have a vinyl soundtrack release.

Best Animation: A Silent Voice

As much as I’m a fan of Yutaka Nakamura battle cuts, Yoh Yoshinari’s absolutely wild effects animation, and the immensely evocative visual style of March comes in like a lion, A Silent Voice seems like the obvious choice since, well, it was a film that allowed the already sterling consistent quality of Kyoto Animation to put their absolute best into every moment. A necessity in a story that focused so closely on expression and gesture.

Anime of the Year: Land of the Lustrous

I can’t help but give this one to Land of the Lustrous. Haruko Ichikawa’s exploration of human nature through the unlikely lens of anthropomorphic gemstones is utterly captivating, stripping away all of our superficial layers one by one to reach some sort of ultimate truth of humanity. Orange’s adaptation is inspired, presenting one of the greatest arguments yet for the use of CG in anime. It’s gorgeous, mysterious, eerie in its ever-present sense of danger, and almost heartbreakingly tragic.

Those are my favorites for this year! Choosing between the nominees wasn't easy, but I feel confident the best of the year was represented in each category. What do you think of my picks? Do you disagree my choices? Share your picks in the comments below!

---

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

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[quidfree]

I think the evil deku with a bowtie hc's come from people who wanted deku to go grey or villainish during his vigilante arc or DFO stans

More commonly in fanfiction from people who hate bakugou and want deku to curbstomp him as a genius angsty villain, which in my opinion is utterly unrealistic as the core strength of Deku as a character us his unflinching kindness

hm i don’t disagree. it’s all in the sort of “aren’t you tired of being nice? don’t you want to go apeshit” vein of thinking. which is all fine by me, but 1) izuku already regularly goes apeshit, without going Evilz 2) if you desperately want the character whose core trait is how infallibly good of a person they are to stop being so nice (in a shonen at that), maybe modulate your expectations lol. even if he was more of a villain he wouldn't be the goddamn onceler.

personally, characters like izuku who always turn the other cheek no matter the horrendous shit thrown at them absolutely stress me the hell out, but that's why all my faves are characters who are less, ah, christ-coded. so i can't really relate to craving a joker moment for them. but genre conventions can be quite limiting, so i do empathise somewhat. for instance horikoshi deus-ex-redemptioning the todoroki family into wholesome reconciliation era.

i wouldn't know re fanfic but that makes sense. i somewhat feel for the bakugou haters bc he was a menace in early canon but like that era of bakudeku interaction basically died in season 1 so it may be time to let go. horikoshi was on his bakugou growth arc early. (inb4 anyone starts on the 'why is one redemption good and the other not', at a base level let's all contemplate the difference between a 15 year old and a middle aged man w nearly grown kids and agree to get on w our lives.)

[quidfree]

Just reread I want you (to want me) and Cruel to be kind, and Shouto's issues with burns specifically was more obvious in the first but very subtly conveyed in the latter, so very in character 👏🏼 he'd probably be devastated if Katsuki actually got a serious burn, even worse if it's by his own hand.

yeah i just assume given *waves hands at family history* shouto would not be keen on burning anyone, let alone his friends. in canon people’s quirks often just seem to work as magical energy instead of, like, what they are actually made of so that issue seems to be dodged a lot, but still.