#yes I'm projecting but I'm right so who care. Also my hijichan's name is really close to Toshiro so perhaps I was overcome with feelings

[rasairui]

I'm glad more people are pointing out how racist people's reaction to the Toshiro/"Shuro" Laios thing is because oh my god. Like okay hi. I'm an autistic white passing Japanese american. And while I haven't read the whole manga through, I have read bits of their confrontation and I adored it. Like it was really painful but it was also a misunderstanding that is so so realistic and I empathized with both of them.

The stoicism and really specific social rules are something I've had to navigate with my extended family, my Hijichan specifically. I've never had fights or blow ups with him over it, or anyone else for that matter, but being an autistic person who has lots of traits very similar to Laios' and growing up trying to figure out how to effectively communicate with my family- that whole scene, despite how difficult it was to read, was really cathartic. I adored it because I understood both of them and it was exciting seeing that very specific dynamic and how it could blow up written well. Like it was that bit that made me more interested in Dungeon Meshi as a whole because I felt seen in both of them. It is such a well done conflict and I'm obsessed, I was excited to see what other autistic people thought. And then it just turned into white fans completely woobifying Laios and acting like Toshiro is some deliberately ableist aggressor and dismissing the cultural context surrounding his behavior. And needless to say I'm not fucking impressed.

Baffling how many white people talk about loving manga/anime and Japan obsessively but when Japanese Media actually comments on Japanese Culture it completely flies over their heads or is deliberately completely and utterly ignored. I really do hate some of you and I will defend Toshiro Nakamoto until the day I die.