Tumgik
#not to say that the manga itself is some perfect masterpiece but it’s so… it gives me everything that I like in such a violent story
tariah23 · 3 months
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I feel like if you like ichi the killer and have only ever watched the movie then you’re missing out sm, omg. Kakihara is 1000x more entertaining in the manga than he is in the film even though I like both. And he’s so much uglier jsjsj. I love that about him.
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psychewritesbs · 1 year
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It's the JJK writing ask one here! I really like reading your thoughts on the matter and truly give me a lot of great insight. I did want a little more of hakari during his fight when i saw your hakari panel insert (hehe i love him) but he's very entertaining. I honestly believe I will always adore the story despite my own personal issues with it because although I want to see its ending, I have enjoyed reading it when I started it. I really like what you said about failing and I agreed immensely with that. This is more personal, but I do believe that failure leads to growth and I'm curious to see what he can do in the future. I can try and imagine his reasoning for going the way he did with cg but spending that time doing that just seems kind of pointless when the manga is still ongoing. I do try to balance my negatives with my positives and take the story as it is. After all, we won't be certain if the cg was more than he could chew or not until the story is probably done. But, yes, wanting the destination has been a thought I like to selfishly indulge in and I'm terribly impatient I must say haha! Despite my own personal frustrations, I can't say I like having too many expectations, especially regarding jjk. Whether it's intentional or not, gege kind of keeps me on my toes and it can be pretty fun after a while whether I end up liking it or not Authors can be really spontaneous when it comes to their stories and we don't really know what changes they undergo especially as people or in a mangakas case how harsh they take the industry in general and how it affects their choices when it comes to their story. My optimism is not always up to 100%, but i do believe that while criticism is natural and i encourage it to have really rich dicsussions, a constant state of negativity for any series isn't all that beneficial. Anyway, I still love thinking about JJK and thank you for reading all my word vomits, I really appreciate it and you. If it's no trouble I might have another ask in regards to hana/yuji/megumi.
HOLA HOLA!
Yessssss for insights! 
Hiding the word vomit under the cut :)
So glad we both vomit words like there’s no tomorrow 🤮dfkjsd ;bgs.
“This is more personal, but I do believe that failure leads to growth”
Honestly? This is one of the things I struggle with the most. Sometimes I have such a hard time just allowing myself to not be perfect and giving myself the grace of being a flawed human.
GASP WHAT IF I FAIL AND OTHERS CAN SEE HOW HUMAN I AM?!
The irony is that I am such a romantic about fictional characters that are depicted as “flawed humans”.
Also. Don't let me fool you tho. I'm totally such a shit talker 😂.
I recently finished a Gundam Seed re-watch that left me perplexed. 
I’ve come to the conclusion that the writers were both REALLY GOOD because they wrote the kind of melodramatic masterpiece that only a melodramatic teenage girl would love, but also REALLY BAD because they wrote the kind of melodramatic masterpiece that only a melodramatic teenage girl would love.
But to go back to my point of “what is good enough for you?” and finding reasons to love a story... while I won’t be watching Gundam Seed any time soon (or quite possibly ever again unless it’s in fast forward or in gifsets), the re-watch was totally worth it because the show has one of my OG anime crushes and OG OTPs. 
In my opinion, both Athrun as an individual, Cagalli as an individual, and the pairing itself actually happen to have some of the best writing in the series--I seriously think these two carry the show on their shoulders in terms of writing ability.
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Shameless Athrun and Cagalli plug because I have been looking for an excuse to use this gif because it’s one of my favorite scenes with them. Also, did I mention they make me fangirl like a melodramatic teenage girl?
Point being, I’ve been vocal about the writing being bad in Gundam Seed and I think all 15 people still engaging in the fandom have probably blocked me by now bahaha.
So... yeah: 
“I do believe that while criticism is natural and i encourage it to have really rich dicsussions, a constant state of negativity for any series isn't all that beneficial”
I totally agree with you and love how you put it :)
“Despite my own personal frustrations, I can't say I like having too many expectations, especially regarding jjk. Whether it's intentional or not, gege kind of keeps me on my toes and it can be pretty fun after a while whether I end up liking it or not”
Yessssss. This is what I’ve always loved about JJK.
Unpredictable story-telling my beloved. 
I think another thing that’s helped me stay with JJK a lot is that I can self-insert my psyche into Megumi’s character. I simply adore Megumi.
Have I mentioned that before? Yes? Ok. No worries I’ll probably say it again a bunch more times lol.
I simply adore Megumi and think he’s stupidly beautifully written.
“If it's no trouble I might have another ask in regards to hana/yuji/megumi.”
Awesome, I’ll do my best to answer if if you do get around to sending it!
Good talk good talk!
Thanks again for vomiting words with me, Recurring Anon :)
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justshitandanime · 1 year
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Mahō Tsukai no Yome/ The Ancient Magus Bride – Anime review from an otaku witch.
This is one of these MASTERPIECES that deserve a full 10 stars from now on. As soon I saw the first episode, I end with a merge of euphoria and happiness because YES THIS IS MY SERIE.
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It has so many good things that I should make the list:
Characters: WAY TOO GOOD. Even the lady, who seems kinda boring at first, SHE HAVE HER REASONS, and her growth is a delight.
Elias is by far one of my favorite characters EVER from now on, and the fact that he has basically no facial expressions, make it better, because they manage to show you his feels ("feels") and intentions with such a subtle way that you can get a glimpse of his thoughts even when he don't move or say a word. His own persona is a full different aspect. His backstory, his lore, his unknown reason to be. Not even mention that his face is pretty much a witch symbolism, but well, I will touch the witch aspect of this serie in my witch blog lol.
The secondary ones are also amazing, even the ones who basically don't even move. They are made in a way that you feel they NEED to be there, they are not a filling or a decoration.
Music: Great music, especially in some special sad moments, where you can cry your ass off. Lindel’s song (Iruna Etelero) make me cry each single time. And is, by far, one of the best anime’s song to my taste.
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Design: This is an anime that is beyond beautiful, it carries so much artistic visual that in some moments, you need to make a pause just to contemplate a single frame. It replaces the "lack of action" (yeah, don't expect a fight each episode because will not happen) with the slow pace of the visuals.
Lore: Okay but now HERE is when the things get GOOD. Besides my otaku side, I'm also a witch, so I can tell you that a huge chunk of the magical lore is ACCURATE. From creatures, myths, material, ingredients, techniques, all. IS WAY TOO ACCURATE, it let me think that the writer has a witch expert near to learn about these shits.
Story: Besides all that, the story is phenomenal, magnificent. The sad parts are SAD AS FUCK, and this serie touch death in so many artistic ways that is almost a thesis of the process of life and death. That also make it fall a little in the dark and horror side, it has some good chunk of dark gore (what can be a little too much if you are not used to that) which play a lot with the light pretty parts, just as life itself, in a mix of tragedy and joy.
Not even mention how, in a subtle way, show us about PTSD, suicide and depression, how slowly heal from traumatic events, how grow and take healthy coping mechanisms; how a person under a traumatic past can get numb to the point that everything seems bland and pointless, about codependency, grief. Is a book about psychology with pretty stuffs in the middle.
A big bad point: A hint of Antisemitism. The main bad character is the Wandering Jew, and one of the “good” ones is a German scientist called Adolf Straud. Meanwhile, IRL existed Adolf Strauss, a German general from the Nazis. Like… * cringes *
Score: 4.7/5 and 9/10 Almost perfect if is not because these bad points, and the serie is dead and apparently the writer too (?), so is a serie that will never end and that make me sad. Nobody who is an even mild otaku can't not watch this short serie. I don't mention the manga because apparently is HUGE and well, no end.
One of the best shits I ever saw.
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pair-annoyed · 4 years
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Anime I Watched This Summer
Summer 2020 has officially come to a close. It’s fall in Animal Crossing and the trees are beginning to turn. Much like quarantine, I spent a lot of my free time watching anime when I wasn’t stressing over starting college. Now that the school year has begun, I thought it would be nice to reflect on everything I’ve watched! 
These Anime were seen between 6/14 - 8/31 (my Birthday!) and are listed in chronological order.
They will be rated on a 1-10 scale; 1 meaning complete garbage, 10 meaning masterpiece. I will offer my thoughts on what I did/didn't like about each show!
1. Bakemono no Ko - 8/10
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This was such a great way to start out the summer! I love the dynamic between Kumatetsu and Ren. Overall its a little cliche, but it’s also very wholesome. It’s by the same studio that made Wolf Children (which I loved!). so I knew it was going to be good. My favorite aspect of this movie was its backgrounds and world building! 
2. Wan Sheng Jie - 9/10
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Oh my gosh! I know that this is technically a donghua, but its on MAL, so it counts. This show quickly became my favorite slice of life of all time. I adore the art style and all of the characters. The comedy, plot, and design blends so well together. Everything in Wan Sheng Jie feels warm and comfy. It’s also confirmed for a second season! After seeing its cliff hanger ending, I’m so anxious for what comes next! 
3. Dororo - 7/10
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I’ll be honest, I’m a sucker for studio MAPPA. I really liked the historical aspects of Dororo. From the outfits to the ways characters behave, its grounded in the constraints of feudal Japan. I would have given this show a higher score if it was a little more grounded in science. I feel like more time should’ve been given to the demons and antagonists of the show. Our MC was so over powered, which made the final fights of the series more lack-luster. I think its less of the anime’s fault and more because the original source material is from the 60s. That being said, I loved this show! It was cute and action packed. Though it isn’t perfect, it holds its own.
4. Bungou Stray Dogs - 5/10
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The concepts and action are misconstrued in Bungou Stary Dogs. This is one of those shows that I chose to watch because it was all over Tumblr. The powers themselves are cool, but I can’t understand why this series is so praised. At it’s core its predictable and basic. The fights seemed low stakes and low energy. None of the humor really felt like it belonged. It tried too hard to be something it isn’t. I don’t think I’ll watch beyond this first season. 
5. Kami no Tou - 4.5/10
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First off, fuck Rachel, me and my homies hate Rachel. I really really had high hopes for Tower of God. It paves the way for Webtoon adaptations in the future. Its such a shame that this adaptation SUCKED. I have not read the source material, I’m going solely based on the anime. It wasn’t good? It was horrible. I hate Bam, I hate Rachel. I think all the characters expect Rak were awful. Please don’t make a season 2. Please. If you’re interesting in Tower of God, just read the webtoon. 
6. Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun - 7/10
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Shoujo anime is my guilty pleasure. I especially liked the way Gekkan Shoujo tackled Sakura and Nozaki’s relationship. Besides just the main characters, even the side characters were enjoyable! It was a fun and creative show. My only complaint is how dense Nozaki is, but I also absolutely love that part of him.
7. Jojo no Kimyou no Bouken (Parts 1-2) - 6.5/10
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Jojo is not the saving grace of shounen anime. It isn’t something super revolutionary and it certainly will never be a 10/10. Part 1 was so slow and boring. Jonathan was just mediocre at best. I definitely liked Joseph a LOT more than Jonathan. Part 2 overall was much easier to watch than part 1. The fights are good, but there’s just something about Jojo that I can’t get behind. Although I’m completely bashing this series, I’m going to keep watching it. At this point, I wanna know what a stand is. 
8. Clannad - 5.5/10
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I was expecting Clannad to be sad, but instead I got a cute, slice of life, romance. It wasn’t unenjoyable, but it was also a pretty slow-burning show. I loved watching Nagisa and Okazaki slowly fall in love with each other. It was funny at times and sad at other points. I am currently watching Clannad: After Story (which I’ve heard is heartbreaking), so I’m hoping to get some catharsis out of that. 
9. Otome Game no Hametsu Flag shika Nai...  - 6/10
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This show is only 12 episodes, and yet it still has filler episodes for some reason? I’m a person who doesn’t typically watch isekai because the genre is so over done. However, when it’s done in a very specific way it’s really fun to watch! This show was definitely a lot of fun, it’s also cute and has so many interesting character-character interactions. The ending is painfully cliche, but I think it adds to this shows charm. 
10. Kaguya-sama wa Kokurasetai: Tensai-tachi no Renai Zunousen  - 8/10
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I loved Love is War so much! I love their weird romantic dynamic. I love the characters, and I love the animation. It’s over the top and executes it humor masterfully. The entire show fills you with anticipation for the two main characters. Kaguya is my favorite character. Although I haven’t seen season two yet, I most certainly will! I’m so upset I hadn’t seen this show sooner.
11. Great Pretender - 8.5/10
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This show is so colorful and bubbly. The animation is so smooth and they are able to tackle so many different kinds of things given its plot. The whole show itself just feels like summertime. It came out not to long ago, so some people may not be familiar with it. On top of the show itself, the music is great, with a Jazzy OP and and ED that features Freddie Mercury
12. Steins;Gate 0 - 8/10
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 I loved the original Stein;Gate so much! So it’s no surprise how much I liked the second season. It builds significantly off the first season in a sort of “off shot” OVA kind of way. The events of Steins;Gate 0 don’t actually happen, but that doesn’t stop it from being meaningful. The big “twist” was predictable and a bit of a let down, but I still enjoyed this. Granted, I’m bias. 
13. Seishun Buta Yarou wa Yumemiru Shoujo no Yume wo Minai - 9.5/10
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I sobbed. So much. This movie was phenomenal, it was such a trip. Having watched the original series, this tore my heart apart. It gets a high score for being able to take the characters I love and creating a wonderfully emotional experience. If you haven’t seen Bunny Girl Senpai, please watch it, and then watch this movie. You won’t regret it! 
14. Hotaru no Haka - 6/10
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Grave of the Fireflies made me stop watching anime for a while. Studio Ghibli created something grim, something that leaves the viewers feeling hollow. Its a movie about WWII from Japan’s perspective. As an American, all I could feel while watching this was immense guilt. I will say though, that some of the movies main plot could have easily been prevented if the main character had swallowed his pride. His younger sister was also my least favorite character. I get that she’s a kid and that kids are fussy, but you would think that during wartime, she’d be more understanding and at least try to eat the things she dislikes. 
15. Yagate Kimi ni Naru - 9/10
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This was a great way to end the summer. This is more that just GL romance, its a love story. Its about growing up and learning to understand your feelings. I related to Yuu so much, which made this more emotional than I expected. It’s really unlike another romance anime I’ve seen. I hope it gets confirmed for a second season. If not, I’ll be reading the manga. 
Seasonal Shows: (Things that are still airing as of 9/5/2020)
1. The God of High School  7.5/10
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Another thing done by studio MAPPA. Are you surprised? I absolutely love the action in GoH. The plot however, is all over the place. The story seems fragmented and hard to follow. Like Tower of God, it was poorly adapted. I’m giving it such a high score, because it’s SO much more enjoyable then Tower of God. 
2. Enen no Shouboutai: Ni no Shou - 4/10
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My thoughts on season 2 are about the same as my thoughts on season 1. The only difference is that this season has more Jojo references. I’ve rated it lower because its so repetitive. I’m so sick of watching it, but I’ve got to see it through the bitter end.   
3. Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu 2nd Season - 8.5/10 
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All I’m going to say about Re:Zero is that I love it. I can’t give an accurate review of it because I’ve been hyping this season since it was announced. If you’re into non-typical isekai, watch Re:Zero, its so enjoyable!
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mahiwaga-bghn · 2 years
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GO WATCH/READ SPY x FAMILY
I have just finished watching episode one and also screaming gleefully because finally, this long awaited moment that I've always wanted ever since I decided to read this series has finally come and to see that it is getting more love from the people than before and appreciating it is more than enough to make me the happiest person.
See, despite the title, I am not here to make some kind of essay how Spy x Family will revolutionize the world and end world hunger (but believe me, I will read that if ever someone will make it 😆) or something. I only came to Tumblr because I am still a giddy idiot that can't contain her happiness with just episode 1 so she's here to blast it all in one go cause she'll flood her darn twitter wwww
Still, please go watch or read the series if you love the perfect formula of action, comedy, family wholesomeness and some razzle dazzle of romance here and there! 💖
WARNING: SPOILERS ALERT FOR EPISODE 1 + A MADMAN'S RAMBLINGS
Anya's introduction:
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LOOK AT HER-
LOOK AT HER IN ALL HER CUTENESS AND GLORY-
PRECIOUS DAUGHTER THAT DESERVES ALL THE BEST IN THE WORLD ; - ;
Her VA, Atsumi Tanezaki-san really brought out her character, too! I love her very much just from the manga but actually hearing her plus all the little noises she makes is what really makes her even more lovable and I appreciate Atsumi-san for that ❤️
They really did choose the best for this series and for what? ; - ; I don't deserve this much from a series I very much love T.T
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This scene hurts even more animated :')
6 years old, which she only made up to be adopted by Loid is already too young enough as it is. For her to be experimented, used like a lab rat only to run away from said facility. Yet, even after that, she was tossed away from family to family because she just can't fit in.
She's just a child damn it. Let her experience it ; - ;
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Loid being a child abandoned in an ongoing war and only wishes that other children won't experience what he did so he did his job to the fullest...
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Snippets of scenes from each of the family's past like this hurts me on a spiritual level.
But that's exactly why, I cherish their happy family moments. Even with the painful past they had to endure to get to where they are now, they moved forward from it to get to where they are.
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Just broken people that lived strong for themselves and eventually found a place they could call home together 💖
The ending song which I vibed with already the first time I listened to it, now also holds quite the special place in my heart just as much as the series. It holds everything that I love for a series. The specific genre/theme I look for.
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Yea I'm quite the found-family hoe
I could make a whole 'nother bullcrap of an essay just about this ending song and how it resonates with me but let's leave that for another day 😆
Before I even rewatched Gintama again after so many years, which I've already forgotten about the story, I was able to read this masterpiece first.
I am saying this quite early even though the series is still pretty much new and there are only few arcs to judge it but the perfect combination of genres and how well it was executed along with the beautiful artstyle was what drew me into it. And a wide variety of cast whether minor or major, some that appear only for a short arc, holds their own personality which makes almost everyone atleast likable for me.
That's what draws me into a series because the characters itself are what makes the story.
(Though I am just rambling to myself, no this is not a this is better than this and that copied that.)
Maybe that's why, despite having completely different plots, Gintama and Spy x Family has such similar themes working around them that I can't help merging the two ( and even making silly crosover fanarts 😆)
Aaaaand that's really all I have going. I probably already exhausted enough excess energy I had to be able to write this wwww
Overall, this adaption was all I could ask for! I will be waiting for each episode every Saturday which makes me have something to look forward for every week 💖 And well, maybe I could also sorta go back to making more Spy x Gintama thingy since I still have some ideas left to do 😆
Plus, nothing makes me more than happy to have Anya and Kagura drawn side by side ❤️
I'm really excited to see Yor and Bond be introduced!!!! Would really love to see the Forger Family be completed 💖
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joy1579 · 3 years
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self indulgent
I've been sad. so i wrote a thing to make me less sad. maybe it'll make someone else less sad too or at the very least they can laugh at my “cringe” but either way it did make me less sad so goal accomplished.
Mc and jumin organize a bookshelf jumin asks what neko girls are and MC short circuits his brain for a couple of seconds. no smut just fluff
Moving hadn’t taken long. You had opted to donate your furniture to the local homeless shelter since Jumin’s penthouse was furnished with the highest quality furniture you could dream of. Honestly most of your things paled in comparison to the lavish goods Jumin considered tawdry. Still there were a quite a few boxes you had decided to save, filled mostly with sentimental keepsakes and the few odds and ends that catered to your specific tastes. You were practically finished by noon save the three or four boxes that sat in the main room next to the larger than life bookshelves. Certainly there was plenty of room on them. You never where a fan of negative space on bookshelves but if you were being completely honest that had more to do with how many books you needed to fit in such a finite space. Jumins bookshelves had plenty of room with just enough negative space to look perfectly balanced and while you knew Jumin had told you to do whatever you wished this felt intimate. Bookshelves where holy spaces after all, housing books that change hearts and minds alike that shape the soul and … okay so maybe you just really liked books and that made them seem important to you either way this was definitely something you wanted to do with Jumin. When you heard the door rattle with Jumin homecoming you bolt towards it excited to greet him after work.
“Jumin! Welcome home!” you cried bouncing in place as he made his way inside. You smiled as you saw the creases in his brown flatten and the stress slip from shoulders when he saw you. You waited all of 5 seconds for him to close the door giving you both some privacy from the bodyguards stationed outside before you pounced, leaping upon the business man wrapping your arms around his neck. You delighted in the deep honey of his laughter as he caught your waist in kind and kissed the top of your head gently.
“darling. I’m so glad to be home. How was your day? did you get settled?” Jumin asked as you pulled yourself back slightly giving him room to loosen his tie and set aside his coat.
“everything is in its place except um Jumin there is one thing I need if you don’t mind”
“name it and its yours”
“I wanted to share your bookshelves and I was hoping that maybe you could organize the books with me?” you admitted shyly. It had seemed like such a good idea in the beginning he could show you his favorite books, walk you through his favorite plots and tell you his favorite quotes and you could do the same with him. Yet now as you presented the idea to him you worried. What if he was to tired he had worked all day after all, what if he thought you too needy, or your books to childish. what if he didn’t want your books displayed in the living room because they weren’t very pretty, all of his books where gorgeous leather bound tomes or mint condition hardcovers, yours where second hand at best many where decommissioned library books or garage sale rescues, broken in battered and bruised by years of use. It would make sense to have them put away in a back room where they couldn’t tarnish the pristine collection Jumin had on display. Perhaps you where spiraling, working yourself into a nervous frenzy in the span of a few seconds.
“nothing would make me happier love. We can call the chef to start dinner and begin emptying the shelves for rearranging while he works.” You couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face or the giggle that escaped your lips. The surprise on Jumins face was evident if only for a second before it gave way to a warm sort of fondness. “had I known simple redecorating would make you this happy I would have stayed home and done it all with you” he said affectionately running his fingers through your hair.
“it’s not that I just,” you paused face flushing a bit “books are a big deal, ya know? My dad used to tell me that every book you read becomes a part of you and that you can learn more about someone by the books they love than by the words they say so I wanted to share that with you” jumins eyes where so soft and gentle in that moment you felt your breath hitch “I want to know everything about you and, and I want you to know everything about me” suddenly his lips where on yours fervent and full of passion the hand that had been in your hair now on your chin guiding you too him. The kiss was short and when you parted from him he stayed close, just a hairs breath from your face.
Jumin voice was little more than a whisper as he asked “how is it that every day I manage to fall more in love with you?” you couldn’t help but lean forward and kiss him again an all too familiar giddiness bubbling its way through your soul. You loved this man more than life itself and you knew that would never change.
 “so your ‘Encyclopedia of Fairies’ should go next to the Catherynne M Valente series so we can reference it while reading agreed?” you giggled thrilled that his collection of mythological reference books slotted together with your fae fiction so perfectly. Puzzle pieces connecting to create a masterpiece.
“yes I think that’s perfect. I can’t wait to read her interpretation of such ancient mythos. I also have ‘The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves and Other Little People’ if you’d like to add it to that shelf” he said grinning like a child at show and tell.
“oh my goodness yes! That’s perfect and your book on Romanian vampires should be near my ‘Dracula’ and ‘vittorio’ that way that shelf over there can be dedicated to the occult, hauntings, and psychic reference books”
“that sound wonderful and takes care of all the written word but we still haven’t found a place for your comics” Jumin informed glancing toward the woefully large stack of manga you had brought.
“not comic Jumin manga and yeah I think we’re out of space though. I um I didn’t think I had that many books. Sorry” you admitted not meeting his eyes. He tilted your head up to look at him.
“there’s no need to apologize it simply means that tomorrow we can go shopping for another shelf and the next day we can organize those. I’m quite curious about ‘la petite cossette’ you said these where Japanese but that is most certainly a French title.”
“oh I actually think you’d like that one a lot it’s about a man who falls in love with a woman in a cursed portrait its actually pretty tragic in the end.”
“How interesting” he mused retrieving it from the pile of books and skimming through it “the art is truly enchanting and you said that manga has its own subculture?”
“yeah from neko girls to shonen action tropes it has its own vocabulary, history and groups of people its really fun”
“neko girls?” Jumin repeated and your eyes widened at his confusion. This was definitely something he of all people should know about! You jumped up and sprinted to the closet you had filled earlier that day with the few cosplay supplies you had. At the time it had taken nearly half your pay check but if Jumin liked them right now the purchase then would be completely justified. You put on your surprise as quickly as possible before rushing back out to greet Jumin who had just made it to the edge of the living room to come find where you had gone. He froze for a second processing what you were now wearing. White cat ears that moved and twitched fairly believably and just as he was able to cope with that your made paws with your hands and tried your best “nya”. For a moment you feared you may have broken him. He didn’t move his face blank, eyes fixed on you. You tried again hoping to spur some sort of reaction from him “nya?” you said turning to the side slightly to show off the other half of your surprise a white tail complete with pink bow and bell at the base where it attached to your skirt. You tilted your head to look up at him through your lashes trying every trick in your arsenal to look as cute as possible but nothing. He was completely frozen. “Jumin? Hello?” now you were getting worried “darling are you okay?” you asked placing the back of your hand on his forehead to feel for a temperature. The second your hand touched him however his face flushed.
“neko girl.” He muttered “that’s neko as in cat” you could see him trying to calm himself. Fiddling with his shirt sleeves and attempting to stay in control. You smiled standing on your tip toes to kiss his cheek and whisper in his ear.
“am I a good little kitten at least?”  you couldn’t contain your giggle as you heard him choke slightly before scooping you up bridal style.
“certainly not, in fact I think you’ve been a very bad little kitten.” He said his voice deeper than normal as he carried you back towards the bedroom.
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elliotapricot · 3 years
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My Anime 9/10′s
With probably no spoilers cuz I don’t wanna talk too long about them zzz.
1. Fullmetal Alchemist
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YALL ALREADY KNOW THIS A 9/10. The only real reason this show is not a 10/10 is because it’s just a story that I’d never rewatch. There’s like 70 episodes, which is way too long for my short attention span, especially since I’ve seen it already. But yeah, by all accounts, this story is a masterpiece and is one of the only “shounen” anime’s that I genuinely enjoyed. No random sexualization. No dumb filler. All the characters have an actual purpose and role in the plot and everyone has their own morals and ideals that interact to make the story interesting. I couldn’t bring myself to really hate anyone, even the villains, because everyone was pretty well written. Also super satisfying ending that ties up everything properly without leaving me confused or upset. If you only watch a few anime in your life, Fullmetal Alchemist is pretty much a MUST WATCH to see a beautiful example of a modern classic anime as an artform. Also I should say that I really don’t like Hunter x Hunter (AN EXTREMELY CONTROVERSIAL OPINION BTW) but I love Fullmetal Alchemist so take from that what you will.
2. Parasyte: The Maxim
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Same kinda shit where you already know this a 9/10 for me. It’s just a very satisfying anime that doesn’t have random sexualization or random filler or anything like that. Ending is also very good and ties up the story in a way that doesn’t leave more questions but also allows the characters to have a “life” outside of the scope of the story. I think Parasyte, because of its more horror and psychological-esque vibes, counts as a seinen and not a shounen, so for more mature audiences. I also really liked how the story was successfully adapted to modern times since the manga is from the 80′s. I have actually rewatched this anime, but what stops me from giving it a 10/10 is a few things that I found kinda “stereotypical” that I don’t wanna discuss further too much cuz it’s spoilers. I still obviously really like this anime and highly recommend it.
3. Zankyou no Terror
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TBH, this anime is pretty hard for me to properly describe in a lot of words as to why I like it. The art was really pretty as well as the music, which was just straight up amazing. The cinematography of this anime is excellent as well, and a lot of scenes have that sense of being acted out by real people, as opposed to feeling completely drawn/animated. I was a teenager when this anime came out and I think a lot of the themes presented in the show really related to me. The show does kinda have some leftover questions when it ends that prevents me from rating it a 10/10, but I have such a soft spot for this anime. It’s from the same creator as Samurai Champloo and Cowboy Bebop, and although those two animes are also very good, they did not impact me as much as this anime did. Recommended for people looking for idk something that gives off Inception vibes?? In the sense that it’s much more about its themes and its message more so than the believability of the events that occur.
4. Magic Kaito 1412
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THIS IS JUST A PERSONAL PREFERENCE BTW LOLOL I DON’T KNOW ANYBODY WHO’D PUT THIS AS A 9/10 ANIME. I JUST REALLY LIKED IT OKAY. It’s made by the same person who does Detective Conan but I like this a lot more because it’s a much shorter series and slightly more mature (more for teens than just straight up kids). I really liked the main guy, I think he’s funny and charismatic. He’s a pervert at times but Imma forgive that cuz of the 90′s. Idk it’s just a really fun anime that I don’t have to take seriously and can just watch and enjoy.
5. Mob Psycho 100 (season 1 AND 2)
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Imma put season two as slightly better than season one. So season one would be like a 9 and season two is like a 9.25 for me. Super super funny anime and I like it SO much more than One Punch Man. I liked that there was a good balance of serious moments, but you can definitely still count this anime as a comedy. I’m typically not the type to watch “comedy” but this anime genuinely had me laughing out loud, while also crying and freaking out right alongside the main character. The main guy is super great because he’s just this shy and sweet middle schooler, and it’s really interesting watching him balance trynna have a normal life while also using his powers for good and such. Apparently the anime was decently faithful to the manga and there’s apparently enough material for a third season so I’d be pretty stoked for a season 3, but season 2 ended on a pretty good spot and was satisfying. TBH, if I had the time, I’d probably rewatch both seasons and bump it up to a 10/10.
6. Vinland Saga
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This anime is just the first season of what I hopes to be a whole series that will be stay beautifully and faithfully adapted from the manga. As someone who read very far into the manga (but quit like years ago simply because I hate slow updates lol), I actually didn’t enjoy watching the anime at first. I was impatient and kept waiting for when like the “major” events would happen. So I watched like three episodes and quit. But when I had some free time, I decided to get stuck in and commit to watching the whole series and I was so pleasantly surprised with just how good it was. I was impatient but I needed to realize that there is no “filler” or like “wasted time” in the entire anime. I hadn’t read the manga in years, so so many things were only vaguely familiar but I think this helped me stay surprised and excited throughout the anime. I’m looking forward to the rest of the manga being adapted because it’s just a good Viking saga lolol. Major themes of stuff like growing up, violence vs. peace, what it means to be a good person, etc. Lots of blood and LOTS of violence like a LOT they are VIKINGS CMON but tbh not really any gore which I liked cuz gore makes me ughhhh. A very good watch and only a taste of an excellent story.
7. Demon Slayer
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It’s just Demon Slayer duhhh. Of course this a 9/10 for me. I don’t wanna write much just cuz the show is so popular. Just read a REAL review of this anime somewhere else lmaoooo. Also yes I did watch the movie in theaters and yes I liked it a lot as well mmkay. I’m mad hype for season two. My S/O doesn’t like Demon Slayer as much as me, but also has Hunter x Hunter as their all time favorite anime. Do with that information what you will lolol.
8. Attack on Titan Season 3 Part 2
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Same shit as Demon Slayer. Just go read someone else’s review about why it’s so good lol. Also, unlike Mob Psycho 100, I can’t include all of the seasons in this, because I have very various opinions about how good/bad the other seasons were. But this season 3 part 2, was just plain and simply amazing. While I might not like each season equally, as a whole Attack on Titan is also a modern masterpiece of storytelling. Read the manga if you can.
9. Great Pretender
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I love this anime so much. Such a good and fun wild ride. The whole show is ridiculous but in a fun way. I’m a HUGE fan of heist films, so of course I absolutely enjoyed a heist anime. I’ve watched this show in sub AND dub, due to the fact that everyone is “technically” speaking English the entire time. If you’re a purist, just watch in sub OR dub cuz I did get confused here and there, especially when I would go back to compare language discrepancies.  Because basically I did this super high maintenance thing where I switched back to Japanese whenever the main character had flashbacks, since he’s ya know, Japanese. The dub also has this confusing thing where the first five minutes or so are still in Japanese, but switches to English when a little cue card on the screen goes “For the Viewers sake, everything from now on will be translated to Japanese.” It’s cuz in the sub, the inverse obviously happens where the characters are initially speaking broken English to each other, but for convenience sake, everything from that point on will be in Japanese. It’s confusing at first but I liked it cuz it just proved the whole international vibe of the show. It’s funny either sub or dub when they joke about how bad the main guy speaks English, cuz in the dub he’s speaking perfect English, while the sub has him not speaking English at all. But anyway, great anime that WOULD have gotten a 10/10 if not for the last episode. Like without spoiling ... WTF WAS THAT LMAOOOO. The anime as a whole is super wacky and zany but at least I could try to think it’s real life, but that last episode was just so unbelievable and bizarre and pulled my suspension of disbelief into the STRATOSPHERE that I just had to convince myself that this show takes place in some improbable alternate reality where something like what happened in the last episode is at least 5 percent possible CUZ HOW DID ANY OF THAT WORK LMAOOO??? Once again, great show, one of my absolute favorites, BUT THAT ENDING THOUGH WTF.
10. BNA
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Good super underrated anime that I don’t hear people talk about at all. If Beastars is anime Zootopia, then BNA is Disney Beastars lmaooo does that make sense? It’s a lot more fun and zany than Beastars and I liked it way more. Made by the same people who made Kill la Kill. I really like that more classic, animated “cheap” art style that the anime has, and I also really liked the plot of the story. Not a 10/10 cuz the show does leave a few unanswered questions at the end of it, but this show was such a fun and interesting ride. When I finished the last episode, I was left with a big smile on my face because I just genuinely enjoyed this anime. Recommended if you wanna watch something a little unique and more on the silly and wack side. Talks about some serious stuff, but luckily the show never takes itself TOO seriously, and remains overall lighthearted for a fun action/sci-fi show.
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tribow · 3 years
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So I watched Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress
First of all I just want to say that anyone who calls this show an Attack on Titan clone is dumb as bricks and either didn't watch it or were unable to admit they were wrong because of their own sense of pride. Are there similarities and/or inspirations? Sure, but Kabaneri's story and conflict are extremely different from Attack on Titan.
With that out the way, Kabaneri is an anime original written by Ichiro Okouchi and directed by Tetsuro Araki. Okouchi is the name that caught my attention as he has done screenplay for a lot of stuff I like and has also done the writing for SK8 the Infinity which I heard a lot of people were enjoying.
I kept my expectations low since I heard a lot of people were dissapointed by Kabaneri, but now having watched it I don't understand why. This isn't a masterpiece or anything, but it's pretty enjoyable and doesn't waste any time. In fact, it could have used more time if anything.
The only issue I would say this anime runs into is time constraints. It clearly had much more story to tell, but with only 12 episodes it can only do so much. The story keeps a heavy focus on what is currently happening and does not spend much time fleshing out the details or doing much world building. There are some characters who end up experiencing developments off-screen as well. With a longer run-time this anime would be golden, but it is what it is.
Anyway, the general plot is that there is a zombie outbreak that has happened during what seems to be industrial revolution times for Japan. These zombies are called Kabane. They lack much intelligence, but they're superhuman and difficult to take down. The story starts probably several years into this apocalypse. A city* (might've been a town) has gotten infiltrated by the Kabane and the survivors barely manage to escape by train. The rest of the story follow these survivors and I found that pretty cool. You don't see many stories have a train as its main setting.
I left out a lot of details, but I believe the impact of the characters would not hit as hard if you knew what their deal was before watching. For the most part, these characters are pretty good. Their motivations make sense and the decisions they make do not betray who they are. Some characters make stupid decisions, but those decisions are believable and that's very important.
Outside the conflict of survival, there's other conflicts the characters must deal with as well. Knowledge about how the Kabane work is very minimal. Many believe them to be more cunning than they actually are and treat them like some kind of youkai hiding in society. That fear can frequently make the situation worse by exaggerating what the Kabane are actually capable of. It's a common theme explored in the show. Speaking of society, the way the government responds to this apocalyptic situation is also a conflict in its own way. Will the government abandon the people to protect itself or will it use its influence to stand and fight? Both options are explored in different ways and I found that nice.
However, as mentioned before many of these conflicts are not given the chance to be fully explored so you may end up not getting enough information to be satisfied with the answer you got, or maybe you get no answer at all. It's really a shame. Perhaps the manga adaption expands on this more, but I haven't read it so I wouldn't be able to tell you.
I have watched the movie, "The Battle of Unato" though. Without explaining much, it sucked. The conflicts were super forced and it did not come up with good excuses for the dumb shit that happened. The ending was nice but overall it sucked. It doesn't even expand on the world building. Netflix also released it as a 3-episode anime instead of a full length movie. Way to ruin its pacing. It's a full-length film not an episodic series, what the hell were they thinking?
My hatred of Netflix's practices aside, the animation of Kabaneri is amazing, and I'm not just talking about the movie. The television series is just as good. It was handled by Wit Studio (yes, the same people who did Attack on Titan). If you know anything about them then you know they're good. Everything about the animation is great. Character expression is exceptional and the aesthetic is simply perfect throughout the show. There's some great visual storytelling done as well sometimes. Action scenes are stellar cause of course they are. Wit Studio is great.
The music is really good as well. The ending theme is amazing and one of the best I've ever heard. They knew it was good too, there's some orchestral arrangements of it used during the show, or sometimes they'll just straight up play the song. It happens almost too much, but I don't blame them, that songs slaps like no other.
I would recommend this anime for sure to anyone that's interested. (maybe not the movie though). The time constraint issue does harm this show a lot and I have some minor gripes, but it's still really good despite that. I don't like the idea that Kabaneri will be remembered as some Attack on Titan clone, it deserves more respect than that. Plus, it's an anime original! Stuff like that should be supported.
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Yeah, no. Wonder Egg Priority is pedo-pandering suffering-porn written by and for men who want stories about how girls kill themselves for stupid reasons because they're controlled by their emotions.
Hi to you too, Anon!
I appreciate your using an anon, this is very courageous of you and it’ll definitely make this conversation much easier to have in depth with you personally (seriously, though, couldn’t you have shot me a DM? Consider doing so now)
I’ll try to address all of your points.
“It’s a story about how girls kill themselves for stupid reasons because they’re controlled by their emotions”
It’s a story that isn’t over yet. It’s a really short show, a single cour, and it isn’t over yet. You can make inferences, and so can I, but the show hasn’t reached its conclusion, we’ll have to wait a couple more episodes for that. If WEP fumbles the bag and doesn’t stick its landing, you’ll have been right. Except... I don’t think the show’s writing and directing choices are there to make us think, “look how dumb and stupid these stupid emotional characters are for killing themselves.” Why do you think that? Is the show making the case that these characters should be feeling different things and that they’re idiots who deserve what’s happening to them because they let their emotions get the better of them, and also, weird gender essentialism? (see that’s when knowing who you are and being able to talk to you comes in handy, because we can exchange ideas and points of view and maybe come to a mutual understanding). I don’t think you’re sincerely engaging with the show and what it’s trying to do here.
“it’s p*do-pandering suffering-pron”
Is it nonce-pandering stuff though? Anime has a deeply-ingrained nonce problem. Japan has a deeply-ingrained nonce problem. Nonces are bad and shouldn’t be given a platform to spread nonce imagery because that’d be awful. When nonce stuff is present in a work, it should be pointed out and denounced for what it is. I’m glad we seem to be agreeing on that.
Now, Anon, is WEP made to titillate nonces, are the people making WEP nonces? I must say I tend to avoid shows that give me nonce vibes, and WEP doesn’t give me these vibes, but perhaps you and I see different things in this show. Here’s what I think. The characters who are teenagers sometimes behave childishly, the character design makes them cute and KyoAni-like, but is that nonce-pandering? No, of course, that alone wouldn’t make you think that. You’d need creative decisions that have the nonce audience feel hot and bothered. Are these directing decisions there? Is there iffy fanservice in WEP? I only watched each episode once and I can’t say I recall that happening in a recurring fashion or at all? Is it about teenage characters wearing relaxed indoors clothes that real teenagers would wear indoors to relax? I don’t see the nonce-ness in that. There’s that one leg shot in one episode but it seems like it’s an isolated incident, and more like general anime bs than purposefully nonce stuff, plus it’s very much in-character. I didn’t like it, but is that nonce-pandering? Is it the fact that these characters sometimes discuss sex and have sexual encounters? Boy have I got some news about what allo teenagers sometimes talk about and go through. (it’s not like the anime isn’t not telling us something about that either) I don’t think the directing and the writing turns its characters into sexual objects or portrays them as mini-adults, you aren’t meant to feel hot and bothered by these moments. (If you could point out what you think is nonce-ness in WEP so we can discuss that without being vague, I’d be happy to have this conversation with you, Anon)
If there’s nonce-ness in WEP that is meant to be appealing to nonces, it flew right past me. Maybe it’s really well-hidden. Maybe I’ve been distracted by the plot and the symbolism. But you aren’t meant to think that the nonce character is a good guy, ever? He’s not physically monstrous but he clearly gives off awful vibes and that’s a deliberate artistic choice, and each and every scene he is in doesn’t portray what he does as good and acceptable. Have we been watching the same show? As I’ve said, I’ll rewatch the entire show once it’s over to have a better, more complete appreciation of it. (and hearing your more complete perspective on that would have been really useful, Anon, again, please DM me if you really want to talk)
WEP has a lot of its characters suffering, yes, undeniably. Is their suffering the main draw of the story? (I don’t think so) Are you supposed to feel some kind of pleasure seeing the girls hurt like that? (I don’t think so either) Is the main draw to the show the fact that there’s blood and girls who get hurt? (You guessed it, I don’t think so). Is this a show about endless suffering and girls getting punished for being girls? (Maybe there’s more to it than that?) The violence is spectacular, it is part of the spectacle. What is the function of suffering in WEP? Is this suffering literal or metaphorical? Who causes that suffering? Is there a point being made about that? I’d like to have this conversation again when the show is over to be able to give you a definitive answer. I wouldn’t say that this is suffering pron at all.
“All of that is written BY and FOR men”
The Anime industry still is, for the most part, a sausage fest when it comes to high ranking positions, that is art directors, lead writers and overall directors. That’s something that still needs to change, and to change quickly. If that’s part of the point you’re trying to make, I agree with you on that wholeheartedly. It is a shame, because there are tons of really talented women in anime, writers and directors who aren’t Naoko Yamada, Sayo Yamamoto and Mari Okada, who aren’t given the opportunity to make more shows and to have leading roles that would allow for different creative directions. And WEP would perhaps be a very different show if women were occupying the lead creative roles. So far, Maiko Kobayashi has been the only woman directing an episode of WEP.
Yes, WEP’s lead writer is a man. Yes, it’s unclear what he’s trying to do with that weird gender essentialism stuff, if that’s on purpose to make a point later on or if that’s him being disappointing. But also he’s been writing for decades now and here’s pretty experienced and he’s been able to reach many kinds of audiences over his career? He’s not incompetent is what I’m saying.
You know what show was written by and directed by men and is rightfully hailed as a feminist masterpiece? That’s right, Utena. It’s not perfect by any means, but many women found themselves resonating with Utena and it’s an excellent show (and my personal favourite). It has two girls as the lead characters, and many other characters being girls too. I feel like the manga by Chiho Saito on which the anime is based isn’t nearly as progressive as the show, it has fewer things to say about gender, cycles of abuse and oppression than the anime (once again, written by men) had. 
Does this mean that men should be the only ones telling these stories? No, of course not. Does that mean we should run away from any and all productions that have girls as the lead characters when it’s written and directed by men? Also no. Does that mean that women are inherently incapable of making very regressive awful garbage set in a school setting with teenage girls as the lead characters? No, obviously.
WEP’s creative team being almost strictly men is certainly disappointing, but is this, in and as of itself, a disqualifying factor that makes it being a good show impossible? Not in my mind, no. Does it make it trickier, considering the topics the show attempts to tackle? Undeniably. Does it mean it’s an ontologically doomed project? No.
Is the show made with an audience of adult men in mind? I… Don’t feel like it is? Are there signs of that in the creative process and in the finished product? Are there smexy figures being sold, or articles in anime magazines, or official art explicitly pandering to an audience of adult men? 
There’s a really interesting conversation to be had about this, but you’ve given me very little to work with here, Anon. I’m not going to do the job for you and find arguments and examples to accommodate your vision. You expect me to make sense of the thirty-two words you’ve written and find things that support these thirty-two words so that I can refute your point in good faith later on. 
You’ll have to do that first part yourself. You’ll have to do a bit more than thirty-two words.
You say a handful of words and you expect people to give very thorough answers. You raise a few vague points and then run away. 
That’s not exactly brave or a show of intellectual honesty now is it, Anon? Surely, you are better than that.
My DMs are open, if you really want us to have this conversation, just send me a message, if you don’t, maybe don’t send me anonymous asks again?
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athela-3 · 3 years
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@julias-cherry-garden I volunteer to give this a shot! (Although, disclaimer, I'm not actually a writing blog so this is gonna be mostly a 3 am ramble transposed to 3 pm).
Taichi Nanao + writing a love letter for his S/O
As soon as he decides to do it, he's a mess. A jumble of excitement and anxiety, nerves tangled like a ball of yarn that'd been assaulted by four consecutive kittens and one parakeet. It has to be perfect! It has to be cool! He will give his 110% effort into it and then some more!
He keeps on mentioning the letter around Mankai. Not in a braggy way, just, it's consumed his mind and he can't not blurt out about it every hour like a cuckoo clock. It takes precisely half a day for the whole company to know about it, whether they want to or not.
He asks Muku for help, because who better to ask about romantic gestures than the local shoujo manga expert? They spend hours poring over love letters in Muku's stack of manga, looking for ideas and heart-stopping one-liners to steal.
Homare advises him to let the words flow from his heart, which Taichi promises to do. (The poet also recited something florid and abstract about young love, at least until Hisoka complains about the noise.)
Citron tries to give some advice as well, mostly about the way love letters work in his country. But—written in gold ink, sealed with a drop of exotic tree gum, and sent attached to a tiger's collar?! How is Taichi gonna do any of that?! His love letter could never be as awesome as that!
Tsuzuru has to assure Taichi that no, Citron's probably just making that up. Taichi tries to ask him, as the resident writer, for tips, and after thinking for a bit Tsuzuru says: "Just don't forget to tell them how they make you feel. That's what matters."
Finally, he drags Kazunari into the stationery shop, trying to find the best snazzy paper and pens with cool colourful ink. Should he add stickers, or is that lame? Glitter, or is that too elementary school? What about scented paper, that's a thing, right? Kazu helps him pick out the good stuff without going overboard, even lends some of his personal art supplies. Puppy Pair solidarity forever, piko☆!
After the agony that is stationery comes the agony of actually writing the letter down. Taichi probably makes several test drafts before he rewrites the best one on the pretty paper, tongue sticking out and face scrunching in concentration as he tries to make his handwriting as neat as possible.
His letter is gushy. Hoo boy, is it gushy. He goes on and on about all the things he loves about his S/O, and trust me, it's a lot. He comes close to filling the entire sheet of paper, so his handwriting gets progressively smaller and more cramped the further down the page you go. He can't help it! He loves his S/O too much!
(He tries to keep all the advice he's received in mind, but in the end, once he gets started he's on a roll, and most of the advice flies out the metaphorical window.)
By the time he's done, the paper is slightly crinkled at the corner from where his arm rested against it, and some of the ink is slightly smudged. He tries to draw a cute doodle in what little space is left, in hopes of distracting his S/O from the (minuscule) flaws in the writing itself.
And there it is. His masterpiece. Not as aesthetically-pleasing as Kazunari's art, as grandiosely verbose as Homare's example, as snappily cool as Muku's manga, or as immediately impressive as Citron's story.
But he did write what his S/O makes him feel, and what he lacks in finesse he more than makes up in passion. Not a single word ends on that paper that didn't come from the sincerest depths of his heart. And that, Omi assures him as they turn off the lights to go to bed, is the most important thing.
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Chapter 3
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Storywise there isn't much to analyze cause, yeah, u guessed right, it's hot 'n' steamy time *eyebrow wiggle* ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Anyway, this is the perfect starting point for my main and also personal favorite thesis. And that is to explain why Jaxx's works are just top tier BL rn and what makes them so outstanding. (I really wanted to do this for a while now cause I just ADORE her works and at least for me she's the absolute No.1) Like, I always say stuff like that with friends but I couldn't quite explain why it is the way it is. So I'm really looking forward to take a rather analytical approach to explain what exactly makes the difference. Of course, that's my subjective opinion and perception but here I'm trying to prove it based on "facts" or rather examples. I mean the ratings for it speaks for itself.
Lets divide this into the two main aspects:
1. Character Design
When I was first reading Walk On Water it was so unusual and even kinda weird for me to see all those big, bulky men. It seemed like some sort of Bara manhwa to me. No wonder I thought this way when up to this point I was coming from all these rather "stereotypical" representations in mangas etc. As long as I remember Walk On Water was one of the first manhwas being like that. Just to be clear I really don't mean to degrade those types of mangas. I'm just trying to say that as a regular yaoi reader it can be quite tiresome and predictable to see in every story the same stereotypes, regarding appearance as well as in character traits.
So for one we've got most commonly the rather "manly" (bigger, straightforward, dominant,...) seme and the more "feminine" (smaller, fragile, shy,...) uke. Here, we got for both sides those big ass men and therefore it takes a lot of more time to figure out who is who. Specifically, up until to the first intercourse. This as well is a major reason that keeps us hooked on it. Also, the whole comment section in the time period until chapter 13 proves the point. There were everywhere hints and guesses who's gonna be the seme/uke and let me tell u it was pretty much up to 50/50. To sum it up, it is just so refreshing to see for both sides these "manly" men bc that just rarely happens, tho changes can be seen, especially regarding the manhwa scene. My point is that me, as a female reader, I ain't reading BL to see some sort of substitute for a female character.
That is obviously not the one reason to break it down to. This of course only works for Under The Green Light and Walk On Water. There are manhwas which does not work like that and still they're absolute masterpieces. One current example: Dangerous Convenience Store. Absolutely gorgeous. I won't dig in any deeper but think about it.
2. Art Style
Actually, dunno exactly how to name it but her overall art style and construction of story telling. Here I will give some examples. Basic features are the actions of the characters and how they're drawn. One outstanding feature is Jaxx abilities in drawing expressions and therefore creating an IMMACULATE level of atmosphere, especially for the steamy scenes. So let's go.
Short recall to the previous argument, what it also makes it so intriguing is that the prescribed attributes are reverted here. Jin, as far as he's being the uke, is the actual dominant and straightforward part. And this is just a different level of hotness, to see the "receiving" person to express their desires, even act on without any hesitation and want it as much (here actually more lmao) than the "giving" person. Another point, she just uses so many "tropes" that are just so highly erotic: the neck kissing/biting, licking, kissing in general, biting while kissing. And all those in one chapter, u can imagine how red my fucking face was.
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Also the damn dialogue, Matthew just being so damn honest and overwhelmed with the situation, having no words. And THEN Jin asking him, like I can literally HEAR him saying it. He's eating him up ALIVE and he doesn't stand a single chance. Um, can I get devoured like that as well? Then he's just being a tease. Also, pls have a look at Matthews face here, totally dazed, UGH same boy. Peak of it being their faces while having sex.
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Where I am trying to get at is that is seen so rarely how they're fully enjoying it. Usually there is whining, crying and denying and rarely the uke is enjoying the sex as much as the seme. It is just so well drawn, the struggle of keeping one sane thought, the total lust overcoming him, the dazed gaze and the furrowed brows. PERFECTION.
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hamliet · 3 years
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I think your blog is one of the best out there. Maybe becuase of this , maybe because of your awesome takes... I find it hard being in the fandom. And I wanted to share this very unpopular opinion. The more it goes on the more I wonder : how did Enji turned into this? Most of all in fandom tends to justify touya because he’s the result of Enji’s abuse. However Enji isn’t a natural born abuser. I’ve read and saw plenty: he has not manias of control. He accept easily his wife to leave him (he wanted to build an house for her and since Shoto’s accident he hadn’t forced himself on her). He wanted an heir, true and he was more neglecting (which is a form of abuse). But many time were found evidences in studies neglecting parents have issues of their own. Which can be found in their original family and / or society (if no mental illnesses are implied).
This made me wonder. I love Japanese culture , novels and society. And one of the most recurrent theme , especially some decades ago, is the high pressure people are exposed. It was and sometimes still is a nichilist model in which you die or fly and sometime you can’t hope to Rise once again when you fail. For example the concept of “you need to go at a go prek to get in a good university and find a good job” is often depict and put to extreme in many media. This inspire even books in which families are up for anything to push their children and they are under great pressure. Since Enji seems a not so bad man per se, has no mental illnesses , the only thing left is his immense obsession that must come from something. And the fact that in society a man must be successful... I think here it is.
The fact he can’t express his feeling correctly for the most of MHA , neither he can’t read them at the point of being perceived “with no compassion at all” comply the stereotype of the father with way too high standard , this can’t come from nothing. It’s not hard unreasonable thinking he was most likely pressured as much when younger , and that broke him at some point (which is a recursive theme in many others novels). This doesn’t justify him, but it might explain why he ended up like this.
But while everyone seems to be able to... forgive dabi , justifying his doings becuase of how he was raised while condamning 100% Enji. However the lingering theme of my hero’s villains is that they aren’t a monster , they’re turned into one; and society played a huge role. I don’t stand for Enji’s actions (who would) but ultimately? If all villains were broken by society at some point (being AFO the only exception for now) why can’t be him too? Broken by a society that demands from heroes to be perfect , to never be weak, even through total desperation? Society even made a joke of all might who gave his life entirely and part of his organs for Japan. Rather than only condemning Enji for his doings , much like is doing with Dabi, the spotlight should be society again.
He did wrong. Terribly wrong. and now everyone is ready to crucify him. But how society taught him better ? How society perceive heroes as humans , how far they can be weak and fails and not be blamed? Like father , like son. Touya is the result of his family , I think it should be considerated Enji was the product of a corrupted society. Which never correct itself , never tries to change... they just discard heroes and villains alike just for not being “perfect”.
Hi! Aw, thank you for your kind words <3
So, I’ll break this down a bit, because I think this discussion needs a lot of nuance. I agree society affected Enji, but I don’t quite think that a victim of society is remotely comparable to being a victim of parental abuse.
To start with, I fundamentally disagree with the notion that abusers are born, and hence don’t buy that Enji is somehow different (or better) because he wasn’t born that way.
To note, I talking specifically about physical/emotional/spiritual domestic abuse, not about sexual abuse (and I don’t wanna talk about that because it’s not relevant here, so no one send me asks about it, thanks).
Abuse is a description of an action and its affects. I’ll quote @linkspooky’s meta on Hawks last week: abuser is not a bad word, it’s not just something that bad people do. It’s an unhealthy relationship dynamic that even good people, even sympathetic people can participate in. It’d be great if we could just do a genetic test and determine if someone is an abuser (actually it wouldn’t be great; it’d be dystopian and terrifying), but that’s not how people work.
However, “abuser” is seen as a bad word, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing (nuance/abuse is horrific and takes such a toll on people that I’m glad it is given serious weight in some respects, although imo it’s overemphasized in fandom places and underemphasized in real life) and I’m not getting into good/bad/pluses/minuses of linguistic connotations here.
Hence, I would actually categorize what Rei did to Shouto as abuse, and I do think the story indicates she was neglectful towards her other children. However, I have never labeled her an “abuser” because of the negative connotation as is clear she is not a repeat offender and Shouto doesn’t even blame her--he blames Enji, and I don’t think that’s an incorrect assessment either. It’s complicated. Abuse victims can be abusers at the same time as they are victims (ask many a kid of an abusive dad what their mom was like; at best if they didn’t intervene it’s usually neglectful and often people go no contact with both parents). People we love and care for can participate in abuse.
Mental illness is also complex in its relationship to abuse. Mentally ill people are far more likely to be victims of abuse than perpetrators, and  mental illness doesn’t make someone predisposed to being a bad person. Mental illness does affect how I see Rei’s actions, because she was clearly out of her mind at the moment she burned Shouto’s face; at the same time, mental illness doesn’t erase harm done even if the person can’t be held super culpable. Enji on the other hand was not mentally ill in the same way; he was able to think logically and separate right from wrong even within society (because society clearly still views beating your kids as bad).
It’s actually not really accurate to say that Endeavor didn’t try to control Rei and just let her go--he put her in the institution to keep her away from Shouto, which may have been motivated of course by trying to protect Shouto, but was more likely “trying to protect his masterpiece.” Rei instantly regretted what she had done; Enji didn’t show regret until after Kamino. Also, Shouto himself views it as taking their mother away, not as protecting him. In fact, he sees it as removing his protector and leaving him with just the abusive dad. Plus, Rei’s doctors probably wouldn’t have let him see her. So I absolutely do think Enji is a control freak.
For Enjii, there’s no indication of prior trauma besides just not getting what he wanted. But, as you say, I do think Enji was absolutely a product of society--culturally, though I’m not qualified to comment on that, and within the manga’s own framing of that culture. However, while Enji is a product of society, he is not framed with the child framing that is present around Touya; hence, why he’s not a victim in the same sense. He was an adult when he started doing bad things, capable of reason, as far as we know and there’s no indication this isn’t the case. He was ~20 when Dabi was born, so that means he was looking for a quirk marriage at the very latest by 19. That’s like starting your career as an administrative assistant and being pissed you’re not CEO like, a year after starting! That implies that he had a sense of entitlement at a very young age, entitled to the point of believing kids were not full people but instead extensions of himself to ignore, beat up, and cast aside as he pleased. Every aspect of Enji’s personality screams of toxic masculinity as well.
Also, almost every person who has ever done something wrong (and those who haven’t!) is a product of their environment as well as of their genetics, but I wouldn’t classify everyone as a victim--even though technically I suppose they would be, but the connotations are just not particularly fitting--and I wouldn’t call Enji one. Enji might be a product of society, but his kids are victims of a deliberate choice he had to be a terrible parent. Society sucks, but we don’t choose it and it doesn’t choose us in the same sense a parent chooses to treat their kids a particular way.  So, rather than saying Enji’s a victim of society, I think it’s more of society reaping what they’ve sown in terms of their #1 being revealed as a mass abuser; it’s karmic.
So to return to his character and Enji is also a representation of toxic masculinity--that is why for me personally, his crying this chapter  actually resonated. Like, I think it was well-framed in that his victims didn’t feel sorry for him and he cried before he knew they were coming, and while I get that people think he has no right to cry (as Rei and Natsuo said!). I see why people interpret that as manipulative, and while I absolutely think it was self-pitying, I also personally see it as human and realistic, and perhaps as a slight chipping away of the toxic masculinity that he embodies. We’ll see. I’m still no fan but that was the first moment in his redemption arc that struck me as sincere.
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bonnieisaway · 4 years
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A Stupidly Long Critique of Saiki K: Reawakened
A Fuckton Of Spoilers Ahead
So I went and watched the new season/continuation of Saiki K today on Netflix and.
Boy, do I have some words. 
Spoilers under the cut!
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Alright. So as I’ve said, today, (Dec 30th) Netflix decided to rip The Disastrous Life Of Saiki K out of Funimation’s hands and make their own continuation- Saiki K Reawakened. A 6 episode continuation and ending to our beloved show, that’s been hyped up for weeks now. 
..Except, it doesn’t really feel that way. 
The first episode, (Three Men, A Little Girl, A Police Officer, And A Dog) first of all struck me with this- they no longer had opening/ending theme songs. I posted about it earlier but this made me really upset. The op/ed songs are one of my favorite parts of the anime. Youth Isn’t So Cruel is a beautiful song, The Most Favorable! is hyper active and just a fun listen, Silent Prisoner is bad ass, and Put Your Hands Up always put a smile on my face, and that’s just the opening. But Netflix decided to take away the songs and it’s upsetting. I would’ve been happy even if they just re-used an old opening, because I was expecting something and it was really disappointing. 
The episode itself was a bit upsetting itself. I like watch things in order, but the chapter this episode is based off of is literally like the 10th chapter of the manga. I can’t find the exact one at the moment but I remember it was early on (hence, Nendo and Kaido arguing about which one of them is Saiki’s friend and such.) Even then- I went in expecting 6 episodes about his powers reawakening, not “Here’s 5 episodes of chapters we skipped and then we’re gonna mention the powers being reawakened.”
That’s probably one of my biggest problems with Reawakened. It’s just makeup work.
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I think it would’ve been better if they put these episodes either in the places they belong or in the Season 3 category under the original show. They didn’t deserve all this hype for filler. 
Another thing I missed was that usually, after the ending song in every episode, there’d be a small narration by Saiki of what would come next week. Those were also super funny and I missed that. I feel like Reawakened was a bad fanfiction Netflix wrote which just killed the original work. I thought Reawakened was gonna be a bad ass, slow escalation of Saiki’s powers cranking themselves back up to what they were before the ending of Season 2. And it kind of disappointed.
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That isn’t to say Reawakened didn’t have it’s few funny moments. I think the “useless powers” bit actually made me pee a bit.
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But it was only of a few. Most moments felt out of character, or out of place, and the bit with the whole “teacher with a 10-year-anniversary-Jump’ was excruciating to sit through. I did like Saiki’s little smile at the end though. It felt like Saiki’s few expressions that make my heart scream ‘uwu’ were the one thing keeping me watching the show.
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In Episode 3, (New Teacher with an Outstanding Feature), I personally felt like Iguchi’s existence was a dead horse they kept beating with a stick every time they called him a pervert. He just genuinely made me uncomfortable and felt like a bad forced joke. 
On the contrary, Hii felt like a great addition. I think they should’ve added her in the original two seasons in the first place, where she was supposed to be. I didn’t know till the other day that she came in way earlier. She’s a lovable unlucky klutz and she produced some genuinely funny moments. (Though, that whole ‘what happened last time’ bit kinda hurt my soul.)  Episode 4 was one of my favorites just because of her. It felt like she brung back what Netflix stripped away from the original anime. 
Before I get to the big money maker, episode 6- I have to point out the elephant in the room.
The fucking English dub.
I figured out that I could turn it on at some point during the episode with the useless abilities so I turned it on. I had heard the trailer with Saiki’s..new VA… but I figured he’d grow on me along with the rest of the cast. 
Oh my god I was so wrong. 
All I heard was Kuniharu’s and Saiki’s voice and genuinely, I nearly threw up. I’ve never had such an urge to slam my head into a brick wall until I heard the voices. I can’t even say much else because I didn’t and still do not have the willpower to sit through the English dub. It’s just.. so.. bad. I can’t stand it. I know that we can’t have the original English cast back because Funimation copyright yadda yadda I get it. But good lord. I can’t stand Saiki’s voice actor. The sarcasm sounds forced, the pauses are uncomfortable, and it just..hurts. The original one felt fluent, and just organic. The English dub made me, in short, want to blow my brains out. 
That aside- episode 6. Saiki Kusuo gets his motha’ fuckin powers back.
I had my hopes low when I started this episode out of fear since some of the others literally just made me want to gag myself. 
But episode 6… (muwah.) A masterpiece. No anime is perfect but oh my god. 
I loved how Saiki kept forgetting he couldn’t use his powers. Call it weird but the way he’s kind of a tsundere in the sense of lying to himself that he doesn’t like any of this and would be much better off without them is one of my favorite things. And it’s even better when he runs out of lies and has to face it. And even then- as his powers slowly integrate back, I about died. It was so funny, with Tortisuka holding his shoulder when he went invisible and Saiki using that as a way out of it, or hearing others thoughts and thinking of it as an auditory hallucination. I didn’t like how the thoughts sounded distant and kind of echo-ey compared to when they were easy to hear before, but that might just be me. 
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Also? This scene right here? Where all of his friends protect him and he’s upset because he had to be protected? I started bawling. Maybe it’s because Aunt Flo’s in town and I have an unhealthy emotional attachment to Saiki, but it just hurt so bad watching him upset like that. And on a personal level, I felt where he was coming from. I don’t cry much at movies or TV or anime but good grief, I was crying in the club. 
The whole meteorite heading to destroy Japan had me in a bit of shock. I saw the cryptic advertisements hyping Reawakened but I almost forgot about them and even then a meteorite didn’t seem dire until it seemed like Saiki had no say in anything. 
As the climax builds and Saiki hears his friends panic-
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-also featuring the best line uttered by Akechi ever- but even as Saiko says “I need to get my friends to the bunker aswell!” (which, holy shit, I didn’t care for Saiko but that got me to tear up?) I was losing my mind. After so much disappointment and just agony from this continuation- this had to be the best scene there. It’s hard to describe. It’s just so much emotion.
And then it happens. 
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The ever tsundere-lying-to-himself Kusuo accepts that he’s a psychic who doesn’t mind his disastrous friends sometimes. What a way to end the anime. Call it a cliche beginning-is-the-end but I’ve never been happier to hear those Japanese words. I’ve never loved an ending so much. It emotionally hurt and was hell, but I loved it. This has been my stupidly long criticism of Reawakened!
So, tl;dr, Reawakened had it’s hard weak points but I’ll be damned if I didn’t love the ending. We love my favorite boyo, Saiki Kusuo. Also I’d die for Hii. Goodnight. 
edit: recently i noticed that Saiki's eyes compared to everyone elses doesnt have detail (no pupil/shine etc) except for that epic ending scene with Saiki and I jsut- HOLY FUCK here's a gifnthat kinda shows my point- his eyes transition from normal to detailed
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pair-annoyed · 4 years
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Anime I Watched in Quarantine
With some of the restrictions being lifted, I wanted to make a sort of master post to see just how much I’ve watched in my time off. Plus, I wanted to share something more lighthearted with everyone.
All of these anime will be rated on a 1-10 scale, 10 meaning masterpiece, 1 meaning complete garbage. I’ll also share what I liked/didn’t like about each show. This list will go in chronological order, and will encompass all anime from 3/13 - 6/13. Multiple Seasons will be grouped together. 
1. Beastars - 8/10 
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I dig how human and down-to-earth Beastars is. The pacing was a nice and the animation was unexpectedly great! It’s driving force is its characters and their interactions. Felt a little slow at times, and Juno annoys me, but that’s okay. I’ll be watching season 2.
2. Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun - 8/10 
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Oh my god! This visuals for this were absolutely wonderful! It did feel a little cliche at times, I won’t lie. But, I still loved all of these characters and the nice balance between creepy and comedy. 
3. Ao No Exorcist - 6/10 
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I posted about this one after I finished it. The ending really pissed me off. I feel like if I had watched this when I was 13, I would’ve given it a higher score. Compared to some of the other shounen I’ve watched, this felt a bit basic. That doesn’t mean I still didn’t like it. Still have to get around to watching season 2...
4.  Kaichou wa Maid-sama! 6.5/10
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Shoujo usually isn’t my cup of tea. Maid-sama was a nice way to ease into the cliches of shoujo. Misaki is a great protagonist and the ending Maid-sama was so satisfying. I’m only giving it a low score because of its slow pacing and lack of certain character development. 
5.  Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eien to Jidou Shuki Ningyou  - 7/10
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I’m a big Violet Evergarden fan to begin with, so of course I liked this movie. It did not resonate with me as much as the series itself, but I still enjoyed it. Kyoto animation is never disappointing in their visuals and sound design 
6.  Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! - 8/10 
Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai! Ren - 6.5/10 
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Chuunibyou was a breath of fresh air for me. It was so different from all other romance anime I had seen at the time. It for sure has a slice of life vibe to it, but it was still so good! It reminded me of being in middle school and my “chuunibyou” phase. The second season was not as enjoyable as the first. I guess I just had higher expectations for Rikka and Yuuta. 
7. Dr. Stone - 7/10
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Dr. Stone is honestly such a perfect shounen for me. I’m a science nerd, and with taking AP Chem this year it was kind of nice to sorta apply my knowledge. This show also has some of the best reaction images ever. The tone, however, is a little inconsistent which made it hard to keep watching. I do love the relationship between Senku and his Dad, that whole sub-plot was so endearing.
8. Oshiete! Galko-chan - 6/10
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This one only gets a low score because its so short and the op takes up like half an episode. This show had been in the back of my mind for a while. I decided to watch it after seeing a video essay discussing it. Its masterful subversion of tropes and stereotypes was refreshing. The message of this show is so positive, and everyone can benefit from watching something like this.  
9. Mairimashita Iruma-kun  - 5/10 
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The second half of Mairimashita Iruma-kun was so much better. I’m not completely sure why I didn’t like this as much as I should have. Overall, its a really average show. The comedy (and musical numbers???) give this show and charismatic and chaotic vibe. I’m someone who focuses primarily on character-character interactions, and this show definitely had it. It isn’t monogatari levels of dialogue but it’s still nice. For the studio’s low budget, they were able to make a really bright and colorful show. I’ll be watching season 2.  
10. Byousoku 5 Centimeter - 8/10
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Very. VERY. Pretty!! This one was another one that didn’t completely resonate with me emotionally. I still loved the story and the way it was told. Its not like Your Name or Tenki no Ko, it’s realistic and grounded.
11. Mob Psycho 100 - 8/10
Mob Psycho 100 II - 9/10 
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Style alone made Mob Psycho 100 so impressive. By the second half of each season I was emotional invested in Mob and his whole journey. Season 2 is receiving a higher score because it was able to make me cry. That’s something I NEVER expected. I’m mad I didn’t watch this sooner. It is a great balance of action, comedy, and heart. 
12. Noragami Aragoto - 8/10 
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Not sure why I put off Norogami’s second season for so long. I absolutely loved it. The focus on Bishimon was a nice change of pace and it was great to see Yukine develop more as a character and begin to loose his arrogance. Kazuma was my favorite character in all of this. His ability to affect the people around him was presented nicely. I was emotionally invested the whole way through, and I’ll probably pick up the manga. 
13. Ookami Shoujo to Kuro Ouji - 3/10
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Ah yes. My least favorite thing on planet earth. This is a wonderful example of Shoujo at its worst. Their relationship was incredibly toxic, and the characters themselves were poorly developed and generic. The whole time all I could think was that I was watching normalized Stockholm Syndrome. Our MC deserves so much better. 
14. Youjo Senki - 6/10
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I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting to like Youjo Senki as much as I did. I’m not usually one for iesekai. The action was great, but the use of CGI bogged down scenes. I do NOT really like the protagonist that much because she came across as apathetic. Towards the end, I started to like her more. This was also my first military/warfare-focused anime. If either a movie or second season is made, I will probably not watch it. 
15. Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica - 6.5/10
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I wanted to like Madoka Magica more than I did. I really did. The style was compelling and the story was interesting. Especially in the beginning, a lot of the death and sad stuff didn’t feel all that sad. The last 4 episodes are a solid 8/10, I love time shenanigans. The emotions and character development really shined through in the end. Madoka is such an inherently kind-hearted person, I love her so much! 
16. Yakusoku no Neverland - 8.5/10 
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I was expecting Yakusoku no Neverland to be more graphic, but I’m kind of glad it didn’t go that route. Like Madoka, the last four episodes had me really invested. However, the character development was not as rushed. It’s a smart show and welcomed change of pace. Emma is my favorite character and you bet I’ll be watching season 2. The more I think about this show, the more I appreciate it. 
17. Mo Dao Zu Shi - 9/10
Mo Dao Zu Shi 2nd Season - 8/10 
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I know that is is technically a donghua, but I’m counting it as an anime because its on MAL. Amazing visuals and an incredibly layered story.  Censorship makes it difficult to fully appreciate this work and its original novel. Even though I was confused for the first 2 episodes, Mo Dao Zu Shi did a great job of developing the time period and character relationships. The second season wasn’t as satisfying as the first but still great! I don’t think I’ll be watching the live action anytime soon, but I believe that a 3rd season is confirmed for 2020.
18. Banana Fish - 8.5/10
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I knew nothing about Banana Fish going into it. Although I didn’t cry at the ending, it definitely made me feel some type of way. Kind of... numb. Banana Fish is painfully realistic. So much so that I had to take a break after episode 15 because I felt sick to my stomach. I also praise Banana Fish for it’s healthy, non-fetishized relationship representation. Eiji and Ash have such a complex but healthy relationship. I hope Banana Fish is able to pave the way for better representation in media. 
19. Promare - 5/10 
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Why do people praise Promare so much? I hated how predictable it was. The whole movie felt like a 2 hour animation flex for Trigger. The only character in this movie that didn’t manage to piss me off it some way was Lio. The only other thing I’ve seen by studio Trigger is Kill la Kill, so compared to that, this felt like such a step down. :( I was disappointed. 
20. Given - 6/10
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Given made me both sad and made me want to start a band. Overall the animation is nothing special, I do like the reactions that some of the characters had. Especially that “It’s Mutual” gif set. I couldn’t get over how much Ritsuka looks like Kageyama. My only complaint was how rushed Mafuyu and Ritsuka’s relationship felt. More time should have been dedicated to Mafuyu dealing with and moving past the loss in his life. All that said, I’m still watching the movie.
21. Enen no Shouboutai - 5/10 
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Generic Shounen, bad ending, great animation. Need I say more? I did not watch Soul Eater (made by same creator), but this was enjoyable. Really cool fights, not so cool character development. A lot of the explanations towards the end felt like complete bull shit. Same energy as using fancy sounding science words to explain things. 
22. Hataraku Maou-Sama - 5.5/10
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This is another show I felt I would’ve liked more if I watched it when I was younger. The iesekai trope is so beaten down that classics like this don’t really carry as much weight as they originally did. A 24 episode season with more Slice of Life episodes would’ve benefited this series greatly.
23. BNA - 7/10
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BNA, in my opinion, was so much better than Promare. Like Hataraku Maou-sama, BNA would’ve benefited from a longer season with more Slice of Life Episodes. Trigger’s newer animation is beautiful and I really hope BNA gets renewed for a second season. The ending was cliche as hell, but still really enjoyed this show!
24. Devilman: Crybaby - 7/10 
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A.K.A. The one show I’ve got to watch when I know I’m alone. The use of multiple languages besides Japanese in the sub was a unique take. The animation was also a little jarring at first, but I came to love it. The themes in this are not the most positive. The end left me feeling numb, but also appreciative. Ryo pissed me off as soon as he tried to kill that cat, so it was hard to sympathize with him in the very end. It is a really good show, but also sickening, Watch at your own discretion.  
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thisizaraisu · 4 years
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Spring 2020 In Review
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It’s been an incredibly interesting season for anime. Despite Kaguya-sama once again dominating the landscape, other series were able to get their foot in the door and provide some phenomenal weekly content. Millionaire Detective and My Next Life as a Villainess impressed, the ending of Sing Yesterday for Me disappointed, there were delays, and there were series that should have taken a delay but refused to do so.
Over the course of the season, I watched five different series. These include: -Kaguya-sama Season 2 -Tower of God -Gleipnir -Houkago Teibou Nisshi (3 episodes before delay) -Tamayomi (4 episodes before dropping)
SPOILERS BELOW
Rather than going in-depth on each series (because I’ve already talked about them extensively), I’m going to hand out some superlatives for the shows I watched this season.
BEST OP: Daddy Daddy Do (Kaguya-sama: Love is War)
Yeah, what did you expect? Other series like Gleipnir and Tower of God had great OPs but Masayuki Suzuki is legitimately in a league of his own. I sincerely hope the directors of Kaguya-sama never get someone else to do an OP.
BEST ED: Night Running (BNA)
I didn’t even watch this one but this song was more than enough to put it on my watch list. It’s basically the essence of “Lo-Fi Hip Hop Beats to Study to” but something about it indicates that BNA is probably a lot more eventful and tense than the song lets on. It just sounds great, with phenomenal vocals and a serene background track to match.
Most Pleasant Surprise: Gleipnir Episode 12
Episode 12 of Gleipnir puts the edgy death game formula aside and focuses on storytelling, and the story it chooses to tell is actually incredible and heart-wrenching. After 11 episodes of Shuichi and Clair encountering coin hunters with selfish desires and lust for power, the backstory this episode sets up shows how the game has also hurt those who acted selflessly with their wishes. Honoka’s story is absolutely tragic, but at the same time you know Kaito’s actions are somewhat justified given the little knowledge he has of the situation. It’s one of the best emotional masterpieces of the season, right up there with Kaguya-sama S2E11.
Biggest Disappointment: Tamayomi Quality Drop (between ep. 3 and 4)
When I said some shows should have taken a delay, Tamayomi is the first one that comes to mind. For a sports anime of all genres to take this sharp of a decline in animation, during the episode with the first real game of baseball no less, is unforgivable. It was honestly enough to make me drop the show entirely, along with the fact that I decided to watch Tower of God on Wednesdays instead.
Honorable mentions: -“Sing Yesterday for Me” ending. From what I’ve been told this is a MUCH more substantial disappointment, but I haven’t seen the series itself so I can’t just give it the award without knowing what makes it so bad. -Houkago Teibou Nisshi delay. This would have been the winner if we didn’t already have a release date for the new episodes.
MANGA SPOILERS FOR KAGUYA SAMA BELOW
Best Character: Miko Iino (Kaguya-sama)
Kaguya-sama finally added their “straight-man” archetype with Miko Iino, and the results are actually perfect for comedy. As repetitious as some of her gags may be, they had me losing my mind every time. Also her future relationship with Ishigami is one reason I’m really hoping for a season 3.
Honorable mentions: -Clair Aoki (Gleipnir) -Khun (Tower of God) -Rak (Tower of God) -Lero Ro (Tower of God)
Worst Character: Rachel (Tower of God)
Rachel’s selfish and heinous actions are integral to the set-up for season 2, but god dammit I still hate her. I also can’t understand her rationale in the slightest, she decides to increase her chances of climbing the tower by killing the Mary Sue that’s willing to protect her at any cost. I’m very interested to see where her manipulation of Bam’s friends goes, but at the same time I feel like this is a series of events that didn’t need to happen. The show went from Hunger Games to Catching Fire just like that.
Honorable mention: -Ikeuchi (Gleipnir). Name a character with less reason to exist. I can’t say I was upset when he was killed off.
Best Episode: Gleipnir episode 12
I feel like I’m going to be burned at the stake for this one, but yes, I went with this one over Kaguya-sama episode 11. I already rambled on about why I love it in the “Most Pleasant Surprise” category, and I just think it’s a better emotional masterpiece. One of the big reasons I put it over the Ishigami episode is that this was a much bigger subversion of expectations. Kaguya-sama is a show that hits you with comedy for 10 episodes and then does everything in its power to screw with your emotions, we saw it before with “I Can’t Hear the Fireworks.” However, this episode is what took Gleipnir from a formulaic edgy death game to a genuinely interesting story. The set-up for season 2 is so damn interesting and this episode is right at the center of all of that.
Best Overall Series: Kaguya-sama Season 2
Again, what else did you expect? I absolutely LOVE this series, and Season 2 delivered just as greatly as season 1, if not more so. The humor, characters, interactions, emotional beats, everything is always spot-on. I could write another college thesis talking about everything this show does right. It is far and away my favorite anime of all time and I’m so glad we got to see more of it, and I hope there’s more to come.
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thejestersjack · 4 years
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Japanese Drama/Movie Recommendation
Heyo this is my first time doing a recommendation on anything actually :,) anyways the dramas/movies am recommending are a mix of genres and thus there will be romance, mystery,family, psychology etc well let's get started.
1. Unnatural
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Boi this drama is just perfection the overall concept is circled around a group of specialists that investigate the cause of the deaths of people which are mostly ruled as cold cases.
The main lead has a really headstrong personality about her that serves as an advantage as well as disadvantage to her in situations occurring in the plot.
The other side characters really play out their role well and boost the overall atmosphere of the drama.
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2. 12 suicidal teens/children
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Thisss this right here has got to be the most unexpected Japanese movie i have watched so far (based on my own opinion) it follows 12 suicidal teens coming together in an abandon hospital to find an unexpected dead body situated there and so they try to solve this unforseen mystery.
And please don't judge it by its title i can gurantee its not what you actually are thinking . I seee youuu~~
Please watch it~
You gotta watch it
Like seriously watch it.
3.  Jimi ni Sugoi! Kōetsu Girl: Kouno Etsuko 
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[Ok first of all to clear things up the main lead that is Etsuko is played by Ishihara satomi and am quite a fan so yeah y'all are gonna see her like in atleast three of these recommendations]
Anyways~
This drama is like a ball of sunshine, comedic relief, romance and lots and lots of proof reading . It brings out a unique concept of proofreading honestly before watching this drama i did not even know the existence of proof readers (i apologize to all the proof readerss out there) but after watching this drama it really opened up my eyes to see the actual people who work in the shadows (not only in regards to books but to all the people who do not get the actual credit they deserve for their hard work) so yeah it reallly gives off a new feel to all the dramas out there and is like in a way a fresh lemonade on a hot summers day.
P.S { There is a sequel movie on this drama so if you are interested you can check it out also}
4. Dear Sister
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Dear sister is revolves around the lives of 2 sisters in which the older sister is a mature, career women whereas her younger sister is more like a vagabond. The plot follows the rigid relationship between the 2 sisters and how its slowly reveals the jealous nature harboring them whenever they are near each other.
Satomi Ishihara again hehe ......... moving on.
This drama is really warm hearted and centers around family relations and the growth of 2 young women in society ( Note : The drama is not slow pased and does have some mysteries that really hook the audiences in later episodes)
5. A tale of Samurai Cooking - A true love story
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Yup that's right this movie will suit all you food lovers out there not to metion it will not only fill you tummy but also your heart ( cringe) the romance is well played out and does not try to push itself in the plot.
As the title suggests its about a young women living in the Edo period who is a very skilled cook and is able to bring out the best of any ingredients presented to her it follows her second marriage life in which she somehow ends up with quite a selfish young man who only cares for what he thinks of what he defines as "right" or "correct". So the dynamics between them is quite off but that makes it all the more interesting.
The show not only brings out romance and family theme but also gives some history lesson on the food culture back in the Edo period and the political tension that occured.
6. Pure! (2019)
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This drama has got to be the best drama i have ever stumbled upon by accident.
I was just bored one day ( as usual) and then BAM!! this was there ( not to mention i really love the actress Minami Hamabe and admire her acting skills and presence) moving on~
The plot revolves around an unknown and nameless J - idol who is elected to be a commissioner for a day in a parade thats when she accidentally discovers a dead body and is suddenly involved in a serial murder case with a whimsical detective.
I really love the dynamics between the idol and the detective they have a sort of sarcastic, passive-aggressive nature towards each other that makes it really entertaining to see.
Not to metion their intense narcissism
Amazing~~
7. Kaitou Tantei Yamaneko
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Another mystery/detective drama to save your boring days.
And no it does not involve an actual cat detective.
The drama has an anti-hero so to say as the protagonist with his so called partner ("so called" cuz he's actually a police officer) and a high school student who is a genius hacker, quite an odd mix huh.
The protagonist has a really playful character to him and never actually shows his serious side that makes him all the more scary and mysterious ( reminds me of Dazai in a way)
There are lots of mysteries that slowly upon up and reveal themselves as the episodes go on and ola la the twist is just chef's kiss. ;)
8. Drowning love/Oboreru knife
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[ Disclaimer: If you are the type who cannot comprehend slow paced as well as shifting scenarios that take time to actually understand the real meaning behind each scenes and are easily triggered with the themes of rape please proceed with caution]
Well now its time to reveal the masterpiece this movie is adapted from a manga of the same name and involves psychological themes that can make it hard to understand but gives a sort of fresh aspects compared to the previous recommendations. But let me tell you this the actor and actress did a really good job in portraying the emotions of the characters and am saying this as someone who has already read the manga.
The story starts with a beautiful and mature sixth grade (yes sixth grade) girl moving away from the busy streets of tokyo to a small town in the countryside where she meets a mysterious boy named Kou and soon starts to get entangled into a series of events ever since that fateful encounter.
And that wraps up my recommendation for now. I actually wanted to add 2 more but the capacity for the amount of images that can be added were limited.
Anyways if y'all want a part 2 i would be glad to do so.
Have a great day/night/evening/morning ahead
Peace ;>
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