#and i don't relate at all to azuma's backstory - i.. relate a lot to his coping mechanism and general behavior tho | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

the-art-of-sanshoku · 4 months

Text

Manga Recommendations from Things I Read in 2023

I wanted to make an end of the year post highlighting things I read last year and want others to know about! I tried focusing on manga that don't have anime adaptions (although a few of these are getting ones soon) and covering a variety of genres. Anyway, let's get right into it with:

Ikoku Nikki (Tomoko Yamashita)

Status: Complete, 54 Chapters, unlicensed - complete fan translation (Note: When I say something is licensed or not this only refers to having an English release.)

Genre: Josei, SOL, Drama

Synopsis: After the loss of her parents, 15 year old Asa finds herself in the custody of her aunt Makio Koudai. Makio, the introverted novelist, has no experience with children but will do what she can for Asa.

While this isn’t an ordered list I will start with what is probably my favorite manga I read this year. Ikoku Nikki is a very cathartic read for me as there are a lot of adult characters who are just trying to figure things out (although this also applies to the teen characters, but it’s just more relatable with the characters closer to my age). Figuring out how to like yourself even when you don’t fit to society's “norms”, figuring out how to process traumas from growing up that still affect you well into your 20s and 30s and beyond, figuring out how to love others, figuring out who “you” even are. And it’s written and worded so lovely and deliberately that sometimes it says something and just puts into words a feeling you’ve had for forever but were never able to express and all of a sudden it just makes sense.

The cast is diverse and I think everyone can find someone to relate to. There are neurodiverse characters, and characters that widely spread the LGBTQIA + spectrum. But they don’t feel trope-y or anything, they’re just well fleshed out and well realized people. Ikoku Nikki just has a very “understanding” vibe that is just comforting to read and be seen by media. In a way it was a little of a life changing (life affirming?) read for me and I highly recommend it to anyone, and I pray it gets an official English release in the future so I can add it to my collection and support the author properly.

Tenkaichi: Nihon Saikyou Bugeisha Ketteisen (Yousuke Nakamaru & Kyoutarou Azuma)

Status: Releasing, 32 Chapters, unlicensed - ongoing fan translation

Genre: Action, Battle Royale, Seinen

Synopsis: 16 historical figures participate in a grandiose tournament of 1v1 battles to determine Nobunaga’s successor

On the opposite end of the manga spectrum we have Tenkaichi, which is just a very fun read. And sometimes I feel kind of crazy how little I’ve seen this talked about online by anyone, as it’s a super quality battle manga. It feels like a manga written by battle manga lovers for battle manga lovers, and in the author’s notes you can see this to be true. They love unpredictable battles with over the top powers and larger than life characters and they deliver. Tenkaichi lacks a “main character” so every fight feels like either side could win and I have even been surprised by a few outcomes of the battles. And even without a main character, the characters that exist are just super cool and easy to pick one to root for. They also usually become a bit more fleshed out via backstories so they’re not super shallow either. The art, paneling, and character designs are also really good, if you like fighting manga at all check this out.

Medalist (Ikada Tsuruma)

Status: Releasing, 36 Chapters, licensed

Genre: Sports, Drama, Seinen

Synopsis: A cinnamon roll coach and his cinnamon roll student aim to make her a gold medalist level skater

Medalist is a classic underdog story that is really elevated by its superb main characters and art. Inori and Tsukasa are a very silly and endearing duo, but are also incredibly dedicated and hardworking that make them impossible not to root for. Their relationship and belief in each other really forms the core of the manga. The art can be really funny with silly faces, but also really intense and beautiful to capture the figure skating and emotions of the skaters pouring their blood, sweat, and tears into their work. Each competition feels really thrilling and has you on the edge of your seat, and it does a good job of getting into the specifics of the scoring so you can follow along. It’s inspirational in the way that great sports manga are, it just makes you want to work hard to become someone you can be proud of.

Souboutei Kowasubeshi (Kazuhiro Fujita)

Status: Complete, 250 Chapters, unlicensed - complete fan translation

Genre: Supernatural, Horror, Action, Shounen

Synopsis: A lovecraftian mansion poses a threat to Japan. To handle this, a team of supernatural/paranormal/spiritual experts are sent in along with - a scrungly artist?

Kazuhiro Fujita is a mangaka that I feel is super underrated in the west. Despite getting anime adaptations of 2 of his works in Ushio to Tora and Karakuri Circus (although the Karakuri adaption was not the best unfortunately), I feel that these were overlooked and he doesn’t really get talked about. Which is a shame because I think he’s a really great mangaka. He’s been around since the 90’s, and you can tell through his artstyle and storytelling style. Despite Souboutei coming out in 2016 it still feels very old school shounen, but this isn’t a bad thing at all. Fujita’s manga are full of heart and his artwork really exaggerates faces and body language to communicate the character’s feelings. I like his manga a lot because from the start it will often tell you “the big bad” and the whole manga will build up this antagonist until a satisfying end and climax. It doesn’t introduce new threats, or powerscale indefinitely, or pad its runtime with unnecessary filler, it starts - brings you through an emotional rollercoaster of twists and turns - and then ends.

Souboutei is no different in this regard. It builds and builds on the primary antagonist (in this case the mansion of Souboutei) and its mysteries to make a journey full of intrigue where you want to keep turning the page to find out more. The mansion is also a great setting that becomes a character in its own right, a twisting labyrinth full of malice and various horrors. Fujita also always makes a unique cast of characters with varied motivations, ages, character designs, and abilities that make each memorable and likeable. Fujita also likes to make every little detail count and sometimes add to the main plot where you least expect. Being a shounen there’s also plenty of action, and his battles feel creative and the abilities are inventive to make for some exciting fights. Souboutei has a bonus for the main character being an artist and having large themes on passion and creation and “what is art” that gave me an extra layer of enjoyment. Also it must be said that Sakamaki Deido would totally be a hit as a tumblr sexyman if this manga had any fanbase at all. But whether you read Souboutei or one of his other works, I hope you give Fujita a try.

Rojica to Rakkasei (Kinome)

Status: Complete, 25 Chapters, unlicensed - has complete fan translation

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: The titular characters Rojica and Rakka spend wacky days in their wacky world.

Rojica to Rakkasei is a breath of fresh air with a fantasy world that’s just plain weird and unique. A lot of manga fantasy lately feel like derivative goblins and dragons and slimes type worlds in medieval european-esque settings. Not Rojica though, it kind of feels almost like surreal and absurdist manga, but doesn’t go quite that far so it’s easier to follow as a series of episodic adventures. It’s a short, creative read that I enjoyed from start to finish.

Witch Hat Atelier (Kamome Shirahama)

Status: Releasing, 74 Chapters, licensed

Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Drama, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: In this world there are people born as witches who can wield magic to help others. Or at least that’s what the world is made to think. After one fateful day, ordinary girl Coco, will learn the truth behind magic and become a witch apprentice.

Speaking of refreshing fantasy worlds, Witch Hat Atelier is a wonderful manga with great worldbuilding and setting. The “magic system” used in the manga is unique and feels very naturally woven into the world and society. This magic is harshly regulated and has many rules of its use, but Witch Hat Atelier lives by the creed “restrictions breed creativity” to create interesting solutions to difficult scenarios. The characters are delightful, focusing more on a younger cast of aspiring and bright girls who aim to become witches proper. Their struggles to make a magic unique to them and find their own voice in society make them a relatable bunch. Kamome Shirahama’s artsyle and paneling is also to die for, I love just looking at this manga. This manga isn’t all just school life and rainbows though, there’s a dark undercurrent to the story in the form of the antagonists the “Brim Hats” that bring some extra excitement and thrill to the story as well. Just a brilliant manga. Also the only manga with my little meow meow Qifrey

Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Uoto)

Status: Complete, 62 Chapters, recently licensed

Genre: Historical, Drama, Seinen

Synopsis: We’re studying heliocentrism! But it’s the 1400s…

A manga that really touched me on its themes of legacy, and passing knowledge down to new generations. This manga focuses on the secret studies of those who look at the stars and dare to challenge the current knowledge of the world. It takes place in Poland, which is a rather unique setting, in the 1400s. The constant threat of the inquisitors is felt at all times and our characters are left to question if this pursuit of knowledge is worth the weight of risk. What is the worth of my life? What is my purpose? What does it mean to be fulfilled? Philosophical, romantic (in a literary sense), and profound, this manga stands out among the crowd.

Futari Ashita mo Sorenari ni (Suzuyuki)

Status: Complete, 87 Chapters, recently licensed

Genre: Romance, Comedy, SOL, Seinen

Synopsis: Long term couple moves in together - fluff ensues

This is likely my favorite romance manga as it is one of the few to depict fluffy domestic life with your partner. Finding manga that deal with established relationships can be hard, but to find one about a healthy romance where the characters just live together and love each other and feel like adults and not the blushy “oooh she h-hh-holding my hand??” teenager mentality is a super fresh and nice thing to read (although I like those kinds of romances too, it’s just a bit oversaturated of a market comparatively). It’s a feel good romcom SOL with pretty much zero drama which some people may not like, but it had me grinning from ear to ear like a madman the whole time. If you like cute domestic fluff it’s a must read. Doesn’t overstay its welcome and has a great ending.

I have some more manga I want to talk about, but this post is pretty long so there will maybe be a part 2 ^.^

#manga #manga recommendation #mangacap #witch hat atelier #tongari boushi no atelier #ikoku nikki #tenkaichi #medalist #souboutei #fujita kazuhiro #rojica to rakkasei #chi chikyuu no undou ni tsuitei #futari ashita mo sorenari ni #my post

9 notes · View notes

icharchivist · 3 months

Note

i'm back!! it's been a while since I've been in your askbox, i forgot how nice it was :) and i am having fun! talking about chs 10-21 right now... this will probably be ask 2/3 about winter!

i really loved how everyone just kind of rolled with the android thing, and after suspecting that he was human, still attested that like. okay well whether he's human or android, let's care about him. he's guy, after all. I'd suspected guy wasn't actually an android (though admittedly, I kind of wanted him to be, because like, thats fun, and i have a lot of thoughts on robots-as-humans, but I think it's a bit too high concept for a3... well, real-life a3, at least. clockwork heart can deal with that stuff instead)

but, to that end, I'm glad that they figured it out pretty quickly? like, guy has that "defragmentation" dream, and azuma comes in the next day like. pretty sure he's human, guys, and then it gets resolved from there. I felt like they let it go on for a proper amount of time. i got so excited when one of the ch titles was "defrag" bc I'd listened to guy's chara song before... can't wait to look up the lyrics once i finish act 2! azuma bringing up the idea is also very neat, since he's the one that calls guy "mr. android" / android-san... like it shows, I think, a kind of awareness from him, when he calls guy that? as a playful sort of test like, ah yes, you, an android, which I totally believe you are... it's very neat is what I'm saying. it's really funny that azuma's so confidently like. androids don't dream. I've never read it but there's this one book called "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" and it's the inspiration for like, the film Blade Runner? so i kept thinking of that every time they brought it up.

i have a couple of thoughts on guy and citron's relationship and his backstory but!! a couple things i wanna address first of course: the play, and the various looks into winter we get

I think it was really neat that guy got to have an individual interaction with every member of the winter troupe! it was such a great way to reflect back on what they'd been through, and a clear demonstration that the a3! writers absolutely UNDERSTAND what they're conveying!! like, it's nice to know that a3!'s story being so good isn't just like, chance or accident--they absolutely have set up winter to me a troupe that's a bit older and a bit more reserved. it's really nice, too, that as with tsumugi saying that they needed to learn how to close that sense of distance, every member tries to offer up information about themselves and bond with guy. they're trying to not repeat the same mistakes! with the android thing, they even overstep a little while questioning guy, and that's like... something they would've never done before! because they wouldn't have tried to push anything.

the homare section probably hit me hardest. i mean, i was anticipating it and all, but it's like... i was proved so right that it hit me harder? like, yeah, homare relates to guy about not expressing or understanding emotion in a "standard" way... that's exactly what i'd wanted to happen! his poem in this segment was also ace. great vocalization the syllables of it sounded so fun and good. i wonder if homare likes to repeat fun-sounding stuff that gets stuck in his head... i do that all the time. like killua's low voiced baaaka. i repeat that to myself just for fun sometimes. i also really like how homare talked about his watch. like, first off, he so easily says that tasuku will fix it for him again... it's just such a lovely feeling of like, homare can trust his friends enough that he knows his watch is fine... how dear! but also he describes this was as "a symbol of sorts of that fear" referring to the idea that he's "broken" and can't function normally in the world and will like... be discarded, right? and then he says that despite that fact, he keep s it with him because it's also part of how he's overcoming that fear of his. I really liked this presentation of it because I think it's one that is respectful of like... my complicated feelings towards homare's grandmother, who loved him, but wasn't kind about the way she did, I think. so I like that he acknowledges the watch for the gift it is but also doesn't shy away from the fact that it caused him pain. I also really like that he said the point isn't to understand but to feel compassion... yeah! like, there's different ways of communicating with others that's not just simple empathy, which I think is so cool.

and then homare and hisoka... along with homare smiling while talking about what a pain hisoka is, his voice sounds so clearly joyful. and homare says that, too! that it's all such a joy.

i was attacked in particular by this moment bc I'd had a small wip from when I'd just finished awakening moon, concerning like... chikage and homare, where they kind of examine their relationships with hisoka and stuff? and there's this bit I'd written where chikage asks homare something similar to what guy asks here, which is essentially like: why do you bother. isn't hisoka kind of annoying the way he is?

and I'd written:

"But you see, the fondness I feel for our dear troupe’s Hisoka… I find it blooms even more when complains!" Homare's eyes twinkled. "An anger that’s sticky sweet and light as air… surely the Hisoka who is more fair is less himself, true? So, to see him as he is, for me, is a great treasure!”

and. putting that up against a3!, which has homare say this:

"I find myself quite fond of Hisoka Mikage, and everything that makes him, him. I would rather not have another."

it's like... the same intentions! so I was absolutely stricken. and as always i love how much homare adores hisoka... like, just before this he's like. yeah hisoka's a pain. and he's unsociable. and like other insults to his character. and then he's like. well. i do love all of that. it's so... homare!! i love you...

hisoka's bit was very nice... and he's right, azuma does need to be protected sometimes. I like how clearly they state some stuff here, it's so cool. on that note I'm so happy azuma's got a roommate now and won't sleep alone. like... that's so awesome. and when azuma tells guy about a bit of his past, guy!! instinctively pats him on the head!! that's WONDERFUL!! i cheered when that happened. i feel like azuma would really benefit from being around someone who's like... just very naturally physically affectionate, and if guy is patting azuma's head on instinct... i bet he'd help make azuma feel less alone. also azuma saying that he used to think of tasuku as someone cold and insensitive... but now he's realized just how sweet he is, that got me!! i think it also really outlines how like. serious nocturnality was. like, azuma and tasuku not being super close wasn't just like. minor awkwardness. they'd kind of majorly not understood each other? which is why that event is so good.

it was also neat that tasuku was like "oh you'll understand tsumugi through acting" and tsumugi said the exact same thing. nerds (affectionate). they're so funny like first off all the fact that according to azuma when they get drunk they just argue about theater together... or like, after tasuku and guy did that impromptu street act, tsumugi was like. how could you not invite me??? and instead of tasuku being like. it was spur of the moment how could i have he instead decided to be like well someone doesn't wake up early enough in the morning! like. they're so sweet. also the way tasuku's like. guy, do NOT ask tsumugi stuff about me. that's a real "old friends" thing you do...

next point on the list: the phantom of the opera!

had to wikipedia the actual phantom of the opera bc admittedly. i did not know anything abt it. i think it's really interesting how tsuzuru leaned harder on themes of revenge in order to make the play work without romance, and i have to say, I think he achieved it! like, from a quick google, the phantom was born with his face being disfigured, where as here, he was burned in the fire of like. competition. so it really changes him from being like. a guy that never received love and is desperate for it, if he's someone who hasn't been like, hiding his face since birth. the phantom being like, “this scar is evidence of your sins" reminded me of skip beat! which I don't know if you've ever read... but there's a character someone acts as, called mio, who's like that.

since tasuku said guy could understand tsumugi through his acting, I have to say I'd agree, because chris here has a lot of qualities that remind me of tsumugi? like, the criticisms of his voice levelled towards him is that it's “delicate, intimate, ill-suited for a concert hall” which is rather... similar to how tsumugi's acting has been criticized, isn't it? it's nice to see tasuku play raoul and be nicely supportive of tsumugi, too. I would be so interested to see how they staged this, like, did they sing the opera? did they get voice samples? did they get someone to play strings for all the opera bits as a way to suggest voice? would be cool to know. there's a line in the play where raoul's annoyed that the phantom has completely Replaced chris’s voice in one of his performances... they kind of drop that line of thought in this abridged version of the play, so I wonder if it'll get addressed a little in the story? i'm excited...

them watching winter's original performance was cool! like, apart form the fact that guy had seen it, which is neat, i imagine it must have taken some skill to play christine. in terms of winter playing female roles, my mind went to homare instead of azuma first, which proves that. we're of the same mind. he's right, anyways--“beauty and art know no gender!” homare can be the tallest most beautiful lady if he wishes...

i did laugh when izumi was like. the phantom in the play hides all his pain and suffering inside, motivated by only the thought of revenge… I wonder if guy can express that kind of emotion?

me, reaching through the screen to place a hand on her shoulder: listen, tsuzuru wrote this. expression may be an issue but guy likely has at least some of these emotions in him. tsuzuru’s a precog about this kind of thing and also probably particularly emotional about citron right now

speaking of, apart from tsuzuru writing the play and chikage getting data from the microchip, spring's kinda been... absent? like, I guess it's because citron is gone, and it's not like we've seen much of summer or autumn, either, but like... i dunno. I wouldn't be surprised if they were concocting travel plans to zafra without telling anyone. mostly because I think it would affect citron emotionally if they were that ridiculous for him. and spring's always been kind of ridiculous... see how they were with itaru leaving, or with chikage, or with masumi at the airport... I think citron should get something dramatic there, too.

while I'm on ridiculous speculation I can't believe citron's brothers are orange, navel, and tangerine. like... really...? do you have a gay cousin called grapefruit, too? like at least citron is citronia, yknow? anyways, like he said, he gets along quite well with his youngest brother, in comparison to the other two. of the little we've seen, his youngest brother seems kind of muku-esque? and citron's always so sweet towards muku... I wonder why that's part of it. like, he was willing to play prince for muku in blazing beachside passions iirc? i think he just values like. having that sibling connection be strong, too.

right but my wild speculation was that orange and navel are soooo hammy in terms of implying, like, wow, citron, I thought you were dead! and saying they hope his coronation goes without...... .... .... incident, so it would be fun and also devastating if the person plotting for citron's demise was actually his youngest brother. just saying.

the two CGs so far were also really really good. guy with the flowers was like... so pretty. and then him having a nightmare was. well he was also pretty there. but it was a good moment to pick. "defragmentation" is literally his character song and his mental turmoil with emotions and stuff is a pretty big part of him. now that he's actually emoting in rehearsal, izumi was like "i'm sure the play will go smoothly!" and in my head i laughed bc hello. we hae 17 chapters left. i don't think so.

and now finally i get to discuss citron and guy's relationship!

first off, it makes even clearer sense that citron speaks of class / status difference when discussing how a clockwork heart relates to him and guy, because he knows that guy isn't even an android. i really enjoyed the little moments of conversation that guy flashbacked to, because they're really interesting in terms of what citron's saying. like when he's asking "guy, why must we always fight like this?" or other things, citron is trying to prod him into expressing his emotions, but he's doing it with this sense of insecurity in their friendship, too. like, he wants guy to have fun when he's having fun, so the relationship feels real and not one-sided. he wants guy to feel sad about them fighting, because it means they care about each other. etc. citron's been so good this entire arc so far... i really love that we get to see him being kind of perceptive and stuff. he's always been that way, it's just more obvious here. and i love that it doesn't really change what we know about citron, too. he can say cutting words towards some of his brothers and tell zafra guy betrayed him, and he can extend so much love and care towards guy by giving izumi that charm, which is a really sneaky thing to do. ah. it's interesting how izumi and guy differ in their views of citron and guy's meeting... guy thinks of himself as a new interesting toy that a prince picked up, and izumi denies that, but I actually think both are a bit incorrect? like, I think citron picked guy as his attendant in a very selfish, kind of bratty move as a prince who wanted friends. and then after he'd done that, he decided to treasure him as much as possible. but that initial meeting... I think it was a rather ordinary spark of curiosity, and then guy became important for citron. which he clearly is, now. I can so clearly imagine a younger citron seeing that message from guy's dad and then committing to trying to find a way to make it work.

speaking of. i was sympathetic regarding guy's mother's worries, because like, hey, she's in a foreign country and married to someone who's not really financially stable in any sort of way. however, considering that her new husband was The Worst, it's not like she was divorcing guy's dad out of concern for guy, I'm pretty sure. it was nice to learn about guy's past, though! the VA did such a good job with guy's initial emotional outburst--it startled me when he got mad the first time! i realized just how much of a contrast there was. also when he cries and instictively calls it oil and homare is like. well, taste it, why don't you? that's such a poet thing to do...

i think that's the sum of my thoughts! i've been taking a few notes on zafra... seeing that it's described as being from west asia, it feels like the writing is pulling from... lets say, flat? depictions of like, i don't know. the disney aladdin kind of vibes. I'm kind of intrigued by the tourism industry being such a big part of the the country, though... like, would citron's disappearance not be more public news? or does no one know the heir until he's been coronated... just some musings. it's very nice that they have jasmine there... it's one of my favorite plants, and in the indian weddings I've been to, we all wear it in our hair. part of the reason I'd kinda wanted guy to be a bonafide android is because I think it would be interesting for a place like zafra to be a really tech-heavy place considering traditional depictions of that region. anyways, I suppose I'll just see what's going on as it develops...

YIPEEE WELCOME BACK!! twice in one day, you've advanced fast!!! always nice to see you back in the askbox ;DD

under cut!

YEAH GOD i love how they rolled with it. tbh the fact it was Winter probably made it easier to swallow i mean. Team "i mean we experienced supernatural events in here, so why wouldn't an android exist". But it's nice that once they had doubt about him being human they still tried to approach it kindly as it is and still were really concerned about him. (understandable though, but yeah, this would be only for Clockwork heart in that regard)

but yeah i do like that it's been handled quickly, and like… it makes sense from our resident night terror guy to look at Guy trying to frame his own night terrors as something else and going mhmmmmm yeah no something is up here. + Azuma being a therapist he was basically having all of the reasons to see right through it. but yeah i do think they managed to keep it up for the right amount of time. And Defrag is such a good song so <33 hope you'll enjoy it once you check the lyrics! And you're so right about the way Azuma himself calls him android-san in a way that's so playful since he's the one person who can figure out just how human Guy actually is. And true about that book, it probably fits the theme pretty much on that regard.

YOURE SOOO RIGHT this chapter really showed the writers are really deliberate in their way to write Winter and it really worked wonders on that regard. Honestly as someone who was pointing those things out before the release of this chapter, i was so vindicated when they kept putting into words what i've been saying all along. I was so happy.

Guy is really in this situation where he has a bit of everyone's struggle in him, so the way Winter had to learn to approach one another is really having its pay off right here with how, now they know, and Guy is joining, and they know how to help him now. it was so so good. In the past, indeed, they would have ignored it. but now they had learnt so much from one another that they were ready to take care of Guy. It's so much to me.

God i was waiting for you to experience the Homare section. you already felt so strongly for Homare with his own focused stories, and you immediately figured Homare should connect with him on the android side, and the story reward you by giving you exactly what you expect. Also loving the little moment of you relating to how Homare loves sound <3 it actually reminds me of how when i was in poetry class in my English cursus, our teacher read us poems in other languages that even he didn't understand, and he said "poetry isn't always in the meaning, sometimes it's just about how it sounds. It could mean nothing, but the fact those words sounded this way is what makes it precious. sometimes it's even better to read poetry from language you don't know, because then when it clicks, you understand the poetry without having to understand what it says". During that lesson i immediately thought about Homare and the fact he canonically has a lot of fans oversea. This is exactly this logic going on here. THE WAAATCH GAAAH THE WHOLE THING. EXACTLY LIKE YOU SUM IT UP YEAH. Like it is all of those feelings that really brewed since MMMBM that it just ends up being so good when Homare can put everything into words like this. it's so touching.

AND YEAH. THE PURE JOY. GAAAHH. I love them your honor……..

AND OH MY GOD. OH MY GODDDDD??? you literally nailed Homare so much that on writting a piece before The Greatest Journey you nailed EXACTLY how Homare would so fondly talk about Hisoka being a pain in the ass (affectionate) and how he wouldn't be Hisoka if he wasn't also a little annoying. I love this so much it's so so good. you totally nailed it.

AND YEAH… The way Homare talked baout Hisoka here just makes me cry like. it's really just, loving him even so, or like, bECAUSE he's a pain at time. because it's so Hisoka, it's so unbashedly him, that it's just so good and just. god. it's adorable. Homare you're so sweet i love you so much he's so loving.

Hisoka's bit was really soft yeah. The fact he immediately talks about protecting Azuma just makes me so teary. Like yeah Azuma does need it!! but at this point where they haven't had big moments aside from how Azuma always take care of Hisoka it's just so so touching. AND YEAH. AZUMA FINALLY HAVING A ROOMMATE. i'm so happy for him. I looked forward the winter rookie ever since Azuma opened up about his night terrors and the fact Guy is the perfect roomie makes it so perfect i'll never stop crying about it. AND GOD YEAH. Azuma both having done so much work he's able to open himself up like this AND Guy being able to give Azuma the affection he needs even though at this point Guy has closed himself from his emotion it's just. it's so touching. As for Azuma's comment on Tasuku it's something that really got me too because, 1) i had the same process with Tasuku back then so i felt it, and 2) this is really the confirmation of just how their relationship in the first winter chapter was genuinely incompatible at the time. Like both of them basically were miscommunicating on their affection language and it really actually put a major divide between them, but since they're polite adults, a lot of people don't really realize that they REALLY didn't get along in the first chapter??? Nocturnality really changed the way they viewed each other, especially how Azuma saw Tasuku, and it was so great and i love that The Greatest Journey just plainly said it. again it was a moment of vindication for me because i've been saying it ever since i've first read Nocturnality and it clicked, and i've seen a lot of people not really realizing how bad it was??? (of course it's not your case, we were discussing it so much back then ahah). I love how The Greatest Journey really show us, well, what a journey it was for Winter to finally come to the same page. what a time.

Tasuku and Tsumugi are such major nerds though god. and YESS they're just so cute i love Tsumugi being pouty about not being able to join. They have such a good dynamic, always. And i love love everything you say there yes. it's so perfect.

And ooohhhh, welcome to the world of POTO i actually had. so many thoughts about Guy being casted as Erik then because a lot of things made sense to me from that moment. So, Erik's facial disfiguration depends on which adaptation you read/watch in general also, so it's probably the reason Tsuzuru picked inspiration from others adaptations. To me it struck me to have Guy play Erik because Erik is not a phantom -- he's a guy, who's basically been made the monster by the people around him so much so he basically believed himself to be a monster. but it's being shown compassion by Christine that makes him realize he doesn't have to be the monster people made him out to be, and it's why he let her go, let his bitterness go. So i kinda saw coming that Guy wasn't an android for the same reason -- he's just a guy (lol) who was told he was an android by people around him, so much so he basically believed himself to be an android. But by being shown compassion, he realizes he's not what people tried to make of him. Also in the original book, Erik once travelled in the (orientalist) middle east and became the assassin for the royal figure of that country, and killed for him and all, until eventually he was considered a liability and had to run away back to Paris, and he's followed by the Persian, a man who is trying to take care of him because of this situation. On that end i think it kinda suck that A3 stuck to it lol but the "became a tool in the middle east to the royal family, but once he came back home he still had people from here showing him affection" is also here in guy's storyline. tho the similitude to skip beat seems cool :oo

In term of Tsumugi=Chris, you really nailed it, it really fits him very well. Ironically just like Chris(tine), Tsumugi needed a little push from good friends and maybe supernatural intervention in order to be given a chance. i think they mention somewhere for the opera, how they did it? so if they don't mention it since then i'll tell you, else you'll see -- however i must address that, to "train", the N cards for POTO are all about the Winter Troupe going karaoke in order to see if they could be opera singers. (also major recommandation of Hisoka's SR Backstage because he's so funny in it it's one of my favorite backstage ever)

Honestly nowadays most of Winter could easily do feminine roles and like. I feel you, Homare would be perfect. Hell, considering he played a woman role recently and he was the most gorgeous woman i've ever set my eyes on, i think it's fair to say that Homare is 100% right and that Hisoka dismissing it is WRONG and STUPID and --

AND HELPPP. Izumi, how could you doubt Tsuzuru? Like sure Guy may struggle, but the whole point is that with Tsuzuru's ability you just need to wwait a little and Guy will connect with it so hard it's going to rewire his whole life. This is Tsuzuru's power. if Tsuzuru wrote it this way, it'll be fine. and you're personally so right about how you word it lmao

"it would affect citron if they act ridiculous for him. and they're kind of ridiculous" this is the best summary of spring i've ever seen. you're so right. They're so overthetop and ridiculous. You know that if they want to get Citron back they'll get him back in style. they're only keeping quiet for the grand final. or something.

gd yeah Citron's brothers' names are awful. ALSO THE GAY COUSIN LINE IM DLKFJDLKFJDL KIRI YOURE AMAZING. but yeah. Citron i could believe with Citronia and all, but the brothers' names are just… A3 please try to not make those a joke……… Tangerine really is a lot like Muku yeah. It's mentioned at some point and yeah, i think Citron really saw Tangerine in Muku so much so he imprinted on Muku right away. It's really sweet.

your speculation game is incredible though no note lmao

and you're sooo right about the CG. In the spring chapter the CG were Chikage at what he does best (trickery, also "playing" games with Spring), Chikage at his most vulnerable (crying with Hisoka) and Chikage's journey with his troupe (sleeping with them) (you know what i mean). Autumn and Summer kinda had another formula but one that fits both of them. it's Kumon and Azami doing what they do best (Baseball, Make Up), an emotional catharsis moment (Kumon crying after the play, Sakyo worrying about Azami), and members of the troupe without the rookies, but concerned for them (Yuki&Tenma's phonecall, Autumn's fursona beatdown). So far Guy is pretty much "Guy at his most Vulnerable" (Defrag), and Guy discovering new way to do things, which i think fits closer to the first paterns, as he's bonding with Winter/Tsumugi there. But yeah it was just, such a good choice aaaahhh.

"izumi was like "i'm sure the play will go smoothly!" and in my head i laughed bc hello. we hae 17 chapters left. i don't think so. " DLKFJDLKFJDLKFJDFLKJDLKFJDKLFDJFD PLEASE HELP. yeah. yeah.

As for Citron and Guy let's go-- yeah it reframes how Citron immediately related to Clockwork Heart, because even if S isn't human, Citron could just see his relationship with Guy there - and Guy is human, so S is just as human to him. Doesn't matter what would make him less of one. he's like his good friend. And i love the way you explain it, yeah, completely. Like Citron just wants it to be real for Guy too, and of course he's hurt by Guy's standoffishness, a bit for his own reasons of course, but also mostly because Guy himself is isolating himself and Citron would love to just be allowed in. And i think it reflects also on his relationship with Spring, why Citron was always bothering Masumi in particular for instance since Masumi was the one who closed his feelings off the most- i think Citron just saw how much Guy closed himself in and therefore made this distance between them and just, didn't want it to happen again if he could avoid it. And i really agree on the way their first meeting went there. I do think it was a mix of both. Izumi is projecting an emotional and rational adult she knows on an isolated child, while Guy is projecting a lack of emotion that he has been subjected with his whole life on Citron. but i 100% agree on how you read Citron was actually like.

and god. yeah the mother's stuff were a bit rough. I admit it's something i had such a difficult time with for very "related a bit too hard to the situation and hurt myself in the process" type that a3 does too well (because why is it that when it's relatable it's genuinely cutting ways too deep and close to home? a3 answer for your crimes). But learning about Guy's past and how much it affected him was really nice, yea. And you're SOO right about the voice acting, it was such a good job, god. I love the range he has, especially when he sets up this monotony with Guy and then finally he's allowing the emotions to burst. it's so so good.

AS FOR THE OIL. OH GOD. first, so true about Homare being so poetic about it. second, That reminds me of a post i saw once on here about how the rookies are, all four of them, the four characters of the Wizard of Oz. Four people who are set to look for something they're missing only to realize they had it all along. i'm summing it up a bit but definitely read it, it's no longer spoilery for you and the wording of the post itself makes me cry because it really made it so clear. Chikage as the Scarecrow looking for a brain, because Chikage was so lost in his grief he couldn't think for himself. Guy as the Tinman looking for a heart, not believing he had emotions while they were here all along. Kumon as the cowardly lion looking for courage, because his anxiety is what is holding him back, and yet he still has the courage in the end to seek a better ending for himself. And Azami as Dorothy, just looking to return home, even though his family here wouldn't listen to them, having to chose between home and something they loved and being told they can't have both while they want both.

S O Guy seeing his own feelings running like oil really fits in this metaphor as well because the tinman in the wizard of oz constantly needs people to oil him so he can move - in this situation Guy needed poeple who could help him process his emotions some way so he could move forward.

Just. muah.

as for the closing words yeah i. i do think that Zafra is basically an orientalist caricature in some way, which is pretty sad. A3 is such a fantastic game once it comes to how some people process trauma, a lot of mental health related deep dive that i rarely saw treated with this much love and compassion anywhere, also with quite the way to play with gender norms and all…. but when it comes to being culturally sensitive, they end up dropping the ball more often than not and that's really such, such a shame. Zafra being such an important "lore piece" it ends up being really more cringey than when it's just their plays being insensitive. it really blows. But in a more wastionian approach it can be funny to think about how this country is supposed to work, as you said about the tourism and all. As for Jasmine, it's so nice that you ended up liking seeing it aahh. Guy makes a big deal out of Jasmine flowers during his base SSR backstage if you ever feel like reading it? it was pretty nice. Though you're right, Zafra being tech heavy with an actual android could have been very fun. and i'm sure there would be some interesting storylines to have with that but alas…

I hope that despite the insensitivities you'll end up liking the end of the story.

as usual i loved to read your takes <333 it made me emotional about the boys all over again… them…. Take care and see you soon ;D

#ichareply #long post for ts #aranarumei #ichafantalks a3

1 note · View note