#bashu

[drinkingdownthepoison]

Bahram Beyzai, Bashu, Gharibeye Koochak, 1986

#film #Bahram Beyzai #Bashu Gharibeye Koochak #bashu the little stranger #bashu #Firooz Malekzadeh #iranian cinema #80s #film still

[lasdeliciascinema]

#the report #bashu #Iranian films

[bisonews]

Nouvelle attaque des combattants ADF : Maisons en flammes et bétails pillés à Bashu

Au cœur de la région de Beni, un mal insidieux continue de sévir. Les rebelles d’Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) ont récemment perpétré une nouvelle attaque, cette fois-ci dans le village de Kavandya, à seulement un kilomètre de l’agglomération de Katula. La nuit du samedi au dimanche 21 mai, au moins cinq maisons ont été réduites en cendres et du bétail a été emporté. Cette tragédie survient à…

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#ADF #Bashu #Beni

[skyrocketeer]

There is a cat on me.

Help I cannot move

#cat #her name is Nuna Bashu Babikat #but we just call her Babi

[hundredsspoons]

This.... is a reeeeeeally stupid thought, but I feel like I have to put it out there so people smarter than me can tell me it doesn't make sense and I can let it go. Ok.

Everyone's always making fun of Rem's decision to name the twins Vash and Knives aka Bob and Axe Murderer. But in Japanese, v and b are pronounced similarly. Is it possible that they were supposed to be Bash and Knives at some point, you know before even the manga was out?? Like violence that is less sophisticated, but often more comical and less risky vs violence that is more calculated and dangerous?

#I mean that would just raise more questions about Rem's naming choices tbh but #when I look in my japanese dictionary for words that make the sound Bashu though #I only get Basketball shoes interestingly enough #trigun #trigun stampede #there's really no reason to be thinking about this #but I was thinking about it anyway

[mako-neexu]

#bashu bashu...nai... #trigun #vash the stampede

[exotic-indians]

#Sanchita Bashu Indian #IndianWomen

[ilyricshub]

Inna Sona Lyrics - Deedar Kaur | Sanchita Bashu

#InnaSona #DeedarKaur #SanchitaBashu #AmjadNadeem #AmjadNadeemAamir

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#Amjad Nadeem #Amjad Nadeem Aamir #Deedar Kaur #Sanchita Bashu #Zee Music Company

[biancalattei]

bashu the stambeede 🐝💛

#trigun #trigun stampede #trigun maximum #vash the stampede #trigun vash #bee vash #i love the stambeede

[asksythe]

I read your tweet on how Wei Ying’s Guidao is orthodox cultivation based on real Guidao and that it’s descended from Bashu witchcraft. I’m very interested in that. Can you elaborate on it? What parts of WWX’s Guidao are based on real-life folklore? I’ve also seen people talk about how his cultivation is bad because it locks souls in their dead bodies. That doesn’t sound too credible to me, but I don’t know enough to be sure. 

Hmm… I’m not sure what you want me to elaborate on exactly. It’s a lot of materials to cover. Dry materials at that.

In any case, Guidao 鬼道 (Path of the Dead, Ghost Path) is a real-life orthodox cultivation. WWX’s Ghost Path, aside from sharing the name, has two main aspects that draw directly from real-life basis: 1/ the summoning, nurturing, and utilizing of ghosts or wraiths (in the novel, those would be the ghost lady and the ghost child that killed Wang Lingjiao and Wen Zhuliu. In the Donghua, they are represented as ghost brides), and 2/ commanding fierce corpses.

These two aspects are drawn from two different sources.

I. Maoshan Sect’s Guidao:

As I mentioned in the tweet, the ghost path belongs to one of the three main fulu orthodox schools of Daoism: the Maoshan Sect (the other two being Quanzhen and Zhengyi)

The earliest mentions of Ghost Path are in Han and Jin history records as well as the Three Kingdoms: Zhang Lu biography texts. These texts talk of a Daoist named Zhang Lingzhi, whose Daoism is called Guidao 鬼道. Zhang Lingzhi taught the people the way of ghosts and dao and raised an army. His soldiers and generals were called ghost soldiers and ghost generals. Zhang Lingzhi’s Daoism was itself descended from Bashu ethnic group witchcraft. Zhang Lingzhi founded the 天师道 Tianshidao School.

(Citation: Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences - “巴蜀的“鬼道”如何变成了道教?” - How did Bashu’s ghost path become Taoism? http://www.sass.cn/912/default.aspx If you want to dig deeper, you can contact the academy directly for their research paper.)

Tianshidao School underwent several name changes over the year. To this day, they are known under the name (or descended, as some would say) Maoshan Sect in Jiangsu Province.

Maoshan sect has four major specialties: talisman, array, sorcery, and the nurturing of ghost familiars. After the cultural revolution, Maoshan sect lost a lot of its scriptures and relics. But it has been around for literally thousands of years. So there are still things there. It’s not the titan it used to be, but it’s still very much a cultural icon. There are numerous movies, books, and games that draw from Maoshan history and legends. One of them happens to be a movie cited as MXTX’s inspiration for aspects of MDZS in the recent Subaru magazine.

(Mr. Vampire, the movie cited in Subaru magazine features the adventure of a Maoshan Daoist)

II. Tujia 土家族 ethnic group’s stiff corpse driving sorcery - Hunan:

The other aspect of WWX’s ghost path: the commanding of dead corpses by a warlock. In the same Subaru interview, MXTX also talked of folk legends of Jiangshi (stiff corpse, or commonly translated as Chinese hopping vampire) serving as the basis for her fierce corpse, ranging from things like general abilities, toxicity, and tricks like using rice gruel to cure their poison.

Jiangshi has been around since the Ming dynasty, but tales of warlock with the ability to command them originate from the Tujia ethnic group in Hunan.

A jiangshi warlock process the corpses, plaster them with paper talismans to restrain their ferocity, tie them in a row, and leads them using a bell that the warlock continuously rings.

(Hoppy hoppy! It's edgiest conga train!)

Well, I don’t think I need to point out the similarity between the real-life Tujia warlock and WWX’s corpse commanding ability.

This specific sorcery was created in a time of war, when young men died in far-off lands. Their families, wanting to bury them in their home soil, would pay a warlock to go fetch their corpses and walk these corpses all the way back to their home province.

These legends might seem very fantastic but the corpse walking part is a very real job that still existed until the last 50 years. It’s featured in Liao Yiwu’s real-life journalism record “The Corpse Walker”

(It's a really thrilling read. I got the physical copy over 13 years ago while I was in my last year at university. I recommend it.)

III. How does Tujia warlock (and WWX) supposedly command corpses?

Regarding the whole, did WWX lock people’s souls inside their dead bodies. Uh…. I don’t think so.

Why?

Because Chinese beliefs about souls are different from Western beliefs. In Chinese lore, a person has three souls and seven spirits (三魂七魄). The three souls represent the positive aspects of a person, with one soul literally being a divine spark. The seven spirits represent earthly taints and degradations and are bound to the body. When a person dies, the three souls will go to the heavens, the next life, and the underworld, respectively. The seven spirits, on the other hand, dissipate after death after 49 days.

This belief is shared in other Sinosphere nations as well and is featured in other media franchises. If you read Inuyasha, you will remember the Jewel of Four Souls and the Four Souls concept being a close relative to three souls seven spirits. In Vietnam, there is folklore of Ba Hồn Bảy Vía and rituals on how to call a person's soul home.

It’s these seven spirits that create Jiangshi. If the spirits do not completely dissipate, the corpse turns into a Jiangshi, a literal life vampire that has only the worst aspect of the dead person and who is forever hungering for life energy. It is these seven spirits that a Tujia warlock (and WWX) controls.

When you have this context, you can put the creation of Wen Ning in a different perspective, and why is it that it's such a big deal he retains his consciousness as a corpse.

(Citation: https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E5%83%B5%E5%B0%B8/80733

#ask sythe #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #wei ying #wei wuxian #Ghost Path #Guidao

[fengshenjunlang]

No one said that raising the dead is culturally inaccurate. Raising the dead is morally unacceptable to the other characters in MDZS because of Chinese cultural beliefs of respecting the dead and allowing them to pass to their next reincarnation. Even when the dead animate on their own, it's a cultivator's goal to lay them back to rest. That's why Wei Wuxian is "culturally unacceptable". (I don't think he's a bad guy btw. I just don't think he's 100% morally pure.)

Raising the dead is culturally unacceptable and messing up reincarnation cycle? Nowhere in MDZS stated that. Please respect the original source when it never stated any of such thing. In Chinese belief soul parts are divided into part that went to reincarnation, and Hun part that was left on earth as resentment. So where did you gain your so-called "Chinese Belief?"

Furthermore, Please do not forget, That MDZS is a Taoism story. And even in Chinese real world Taoism, raising the dead is culturally acceptable technique. Read more on this:

Wei Wuxian is not 100% morally pure?

Whoaaa MXTX wished for her readers in MDZS end notes to have character like the not so 100% morally pure-Wei Wuxian.

Also in MXTX's interview:

#Anon do u prefer the Author's words or those Bloggers' words? #defying what the Author has said #mdzs #wei wuxian #Funny to think how many fans tried to say WWX not morally good #mo dao zu shi

[bizarrequazar]

GJ and ZZH Updates — November 19-25

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This is part of a weekly series collecting updates from and relating to Gong Jun and Zhang Zhehan.

This post is not wholly comprehensive and is intended as an overview, links provided lead to further details. Dates are in accordance with China Standard Time, the organization is chronological. My own biases on some things are reflected here. Anything I include that is not concretely known is indicated as such, and you’re welcome to do your own research and draw your own conclusions as you see fit. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, concerns, or additions. :)

[Glossary of names and terms] [Masterlist of my posts about the situation with Zhang Zhehan]

11-19 → Rising with the Wind completed airing for VIP viewers.

→ The Instagram posted eight photos of "Zhang Zhehan" and a drawing of a whale.

→ Gong Jun posted a douyin of himself with a paper airplane. Caption: "The finale [of Rising Against the Wind] has its own rules and can break the situation with one strike! Goodbye, Xu Si" Fan Observation: The hoodie that he's wearing is the same brand as the one worn by the figure in the golden mountain photos he posted on 2022-12-17 that many speculate to have been Zhang Zhehan.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a behind the scenes video (flashing lights cw) of Gong Jun with a puppy. Caption: "It’s time to cook, and the puppy patted Mr. Xu Gong Jun Simon and said: Hurry up and add more dog food!"

→ Gong Jun posted a video of Xu Si for the show's completion. Caption: "Exploring what can be done and what cannot be done is Xu Si’s investment rule. Dear investor Xu Si, I wish you good luck in the future!"

→ Gong Jun Outdoor Office posted eleven gifs of Gong Jun from the Rising with the Wind set. Caption: "The project is over, Mr. Xu please take a rest"

11-20 → Zhenguoli posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ Fresh posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

→ 361° posted a photo ad featuring Gong Jun.

11-21 → One of the Zhang Sanjians arrived at an airport in Singapore. In a video of this, he seemed to respond to someone saying "Bai-laoshi".

→ 361° posted eight photo ads featuring Gong Jun.

11-22 → Gong Jun's studio posted three photos of Gong Jun in costume as Xu Si. Caption: "EP41 (extra chapter) has been updated: Xu Si @ Gong Jun Simon’s winter greetings are continuing to be transmitted 📱"

11-23 → Vogue+ posted two polaroids of Gong Jun to their Xiao Hong Shu.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a video teasing the outfit Gong Jun would wear to a Vogue event that evening. Caption: "Embroidered panda, full of charm. A preview."

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a video from Gong Jun's photoshoot that day. Caption: "Curves weave everything, and the charm of ink is hidden in the texture. @ Gong Jun Simon wears 'home' on his body and inherits the prosperous ancient heritage."

→ Gong Jun's studio posted four photos from his shoot that day. Caption: "Use needles as pens and threads as ink, fully displaying the charm of Bashu. Elegant and modern, with a harmonious artistic conception, @ Gong Jun Simon pays tribute to the intangible cultural heritage culture."

→ Gong Jun posted six photos of himself from that day. Caption: "Thanks to @VOGUE for the invitation, GJXM is here 🐼"

→ Gong Jun's studio posted four photos of him at the Vogue event. Caption: "The ink is smudged, delicate and elegant. @ Gong Jun Simon uses the beauty of Sichuan embroidery to convey the romantic quintessence of China."

11-24 → Gong Jun's studio posted two promotional images teasing a new single by Gong Jun. (1129 kadian) Caption: "On the count of three / please hold your breath and / recite my name silently again. 'Tomorrow Will Be Clear and The Sky Will Be Thousands of Miles'. Countdown to the release in 3 days"

→ The Instagram posted eight photos of "Zhang Zhehan" at a stage rehearsal.

→ Gong Jun's studio posted twelve photos from his photoshoot for the Vogue event's second day, where he would speak in a panel with Jason Wu. Caption: "Profound, mellow and elegant. @ Gong Jun Simon explores the integration and development of traditional culture and modern fashion."

→ Gong Jun's studio posted six photos of him at the event. Caption: "Drawing on the power of fashion, @ Gong Jun Simon explores the cultural texture."

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a video from that day's photoshoot. Caption: "Walking as usual, hiding in ink. @ Gong Jun Simon went to the fashion appointment calmly and touched the spark of ideas." BGM is The Rime by SCSI-9.

→ Vogue posted three group photos and a solo photo of Gong Jun from their event. They later also posted a video spoken by him. [subbed video]

11-25 → Gong Jun posted six photos from the Vogue event to his Instagram. Caption: "Special work, from my hometown. Thank you Jason and Kang Ning!"

→ The lawsuit against Nada, the Word of Honor scriptwriter, was resolved with her found not liable. [details here]

→ Gong Jun's studio posted a teaser of the upcoming single. (1129 kadian) Caption: "Count to two / and say yes. No matter how long it takes, / you will never forget. Countdown to the release of 'Tomorrow Will Be Clear' in 2 days."

→ Jason Wu posted three photos of Gong Jun in the suit he had designed for him to his Instagram. He also shared a number of photos and videos in his story, with the caption on one including a 🍊.

→ The Instagram posted ten photos of "Zhang Zhehan". This was later followed by another ten.

→ The scam held a concert in Singapore. At one point Jian dropped the mic without it making a sound, which is... not how mics work when they're on. As refreshers, [here] is my breakdown of the previous Bangkok concerts and [here] are notes from a space that discussed how these concerts are most likely fronts for money laundering.

Additional Reading: → N/A

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#Zhang Zhehan #Gong Jun #Word of Honor #woh cast #lld timeline

[obscurefossils]

Bashuchelys

Bashuchelys was a genus of bashuchelyid turtle from the Middle Jurassic. Its type species is B. zigongensis. The other included species is B. youngi. Its known specimens were found in the Sichuan Basin, China. Bashuchelys' known material is made up of many fossils originally assigned to Chengychelys.

"Bashu" means "Bashan," which refers to both the Ba mountain of the Chongqing area and the Shushui river system (also an alternate Chinese name for the Sichuan-Chongqing area). "chelys" is greek for turtle. B. zigongensis, originally assigned to Chengychelys, is named after the nearby town of Zigong, China. B. youngi honors the original discoverer of Chengchelys, C. C. Young.

Its autapomorphies include one pair of mesoplastra that meet at the midline, a hypoplastron-mesoplastron suture that is very close to the pectoroabdominal sulcus, regular and elongate neural series, the fourth vertebral scute is twice as wide as it is long and notably wider than the third vertebral, a sulcus between the third and fourth vertebrals on the sixth neural, the plastron sutured to the carapace, a fan-shaped bridge with long axillary and inguinal buttresses, a short area of contact between the epiplastra at the midline, the humeropectoral sulcus lying far anterior to the axillary notch, a notably longer pectoral scute than the abdominal, an omega-shaped femoroanal sulcus that extends onto the hypoplastron, a leaf-shaped entoplastron with serrated posterolateral margins, one pair of intergulars extending deeply onto the endoplastron, and four inframarginals.

Bashuchelys is known from several shell fossils of various completeness. Its family, Bashuchelyidae, is a primitive member of Cryptodira.

Citations: Bashuchelys formal diagnosis; "Chengchelys" baenoides description; "Chengchelys" zigongensis description

Wikipedia article: here

#reptile #reptilia #turtle #paleoart #paleontology #artwork #original art #human artist #bashuchelys #bashuchelyidae #cryptodira #testudines #obscure fossil animals #obscure fossil reptiles #obscure fossil tetrapods

[daughter-of-the-dead]

Victorian Flower Language

Victorian Flower Language came into popularity in the Victorian era (1840s - 1890s), hence the title. Flower language was often used to send secret or silent messages, whether that be to a lover, a friend, or an enemy. Here are some common flowers and their meanings:

Red Rose - Love

Pink Rose - Happiness

Yellow Rose - Jealousy/Loss of love

Red Tulip - Passion

White Lily - Purity

Yellow Lily - Happiness

Orange Lily - Hatred

Peony - Bashuful

Pansy - Thought(s)

Lavender - Distrust

Iris - Wisdom/Faith/Trust

Daisy - Innocence

Baby's Breath - Undying Love

Carnation - Interest

If this gets enough notes I'll do a more in-depth version!

#flower aesthetic #flower child #flower language #victorian era #victorian flower language #tumblr fyp #tumblr #sapphic #romantic academia

[paganimagevault]

Emperor Gaozu of Han (aka Liu Bang).

"Emperor Gaozu of Han (256 – 1 June 195 BC), born Liu Bang (Chinese: 劉邦; pinyin: Liú Bāng) with courtesy name Ji (季), was the founder and first emperor of the Han dynasty, reigning in 202–195 BC. His temple name was "Taizu" while his posthumous name was Emperor Gao, or Gaodi; "Gaozu of Han", derived from the Records of the Grand Historian, is the common way of referring to this sovereign even though he was not accorded the temple name "Gaozu", which literally means "High Founder".

Liu Bang was one of the few dynasty founders in Chinese history who was born into a peasant family. Prior to coming to power, Liu Bang initially served for the Qin dynasty as a minor law enforcement officer in his home town Pei County, within the conquered state of Chu. With the First Emperor's death and the Qin Empire's subsequent political chaos, Liu Bang renounced his civil service position and became an anti-Qin rebel leader. He won the race against fellow rebel leader Xiang Yu to invade the Qin heartland and forced the surrender of the Qin ruler Ziying in 206 BC.

After the fall of the Qin, Xiang Yu, as the de facto chief of the rebel forces, divided the former Qin Empire into the Eighteen Kingdoms, and Liu Bang was forced to accept the poor and remote Bashu region (present-day Sichuan, Chongqing, and southern Shaanxi) with the title "King of Han". Within the year, Liu Bang broke out with his army and conquered the Three Qins, starting a civil war known as the Chu–Han Contention as various forces battled for supremacy over China.

In 202 BC, Liu Bang emerged victorious following the Battle of Gaixia, unified most of China under his control, and established the Han dynasty with himself as the founding emperor. During his reign, Liu Bang reduced taxes and corvée, promoted Confucianism, and suppressed revolts by the lords of non-Liu vassal states, among many other actions."

-taken from wikipedia

#chinese history #history #ancient history #han dynasty

[starbudspresents]

Re.Gray 025 - Regeneration

[ Masterlist ] [ Read on AO3 ] [ Raws ]

Summary: Road puts Allen through his moral paces.

♦ 161

sfx: DODODODO [gunfire]

25th Night - Regeneration

♦ 162 & 163

No text, just a gorgeous chapter cover depicting Allen with his cursed eye active, sitting on fallen statues of saints with Komui, Lenalee and Kanda in the background.

♦ 164

"Lounge" vol. 7

Q1. Why does Komui-san wear slippers?

A. Because they're comfy. And because if he wears shoes all the time, his feet start to stink, and Lenalee takes exception.

Q2. Does the Earl ever launder his beloved overcoat?

A. He does. The Earl is the type to look after his things, his coat very much included.1

Q3. Why is Allen such a glutton?

A. All parasitic-types eat a lot. Holding their Innocences within their bodies makes things much harder on them than they are on equipment-types like Kanda.

Q4. Is Kanda a man or a woman?

A. Unmistakably a man.

Q5. Is Allen left-handed?

A. He's ambidextrous.

Q6. Is there anything under Komui's beret?

A. That's a secret. Sometimes his subordinates hear things coming out from under it, but who knows....

♦ 165

sfx: zah [Allen and Lenalee square up against Road and the Akuma]

♦ 166

Lero: Leroro~? They seem oddly lively, lero.

sfx: ohhhh [Road, easily balanced on Lero, floats over to observe the clock-face dome]

Road: ...... Road: That one they called "Miranda" is an Accommodator, isn't she? Road: I dunno what she did, exactly, Road: but it looks like she's fixed them all up.

sfx: tsu... [Miranda sweats with exertion] sfx: kata kata [her hands tremble where they're clenched in the fabric of her dress] sfx: dokuh dokuh dokuh [her heart beats hard and fast]

Allen, flashback: Thank you.

sfx: dokuh [overworked heartbeat]

♦ 167

sfx: gyuuuuuh [Miranda clutches her chest over her heart]

Lenalee: Who is that girl, Allen? Lenalee: Didn't we see her at the theater...? Lenalee: ! Lenalee: An Akuma?

Allen: ...... Allen: ...No. Allen: She's human.

Lenalee: ...Oh.

Road writing in air: A-L-L-E-N

♦ 168

Road: Allen Walker. Road: "Can see the souls of Akuma."

Allen: !

Road: Our lord's actually told me a bit about you. Road: You became an Exorcist to save Akuma souls, right? Road: Because your beloved father cursed you? Road: That's why I decided if I was going to mess with anyone, it'd be you.

♦ 169

Road: Hey, you.

Icefire: Yes'm.

Road: Self-destruct.

sfx: gyoh [pupils widen] Icefire: Huh?

Allen: !?

Road: Countdown from ten, umbrella.

Lero: T-- Lero: Ten, lero. Lero: Nine, lero. Lero: Eight, lero.

Icefire: W-Wait.... R-Really, Lady Road...?

sfx: suto [Road settles in to observe]

Lero: Seven, lero. Icefire: But I've finally levelled up...!

Lero: Six, lero.

♦ 170

sfx: mushi [Road ignores Icefire's protests]

Lero: Five, lero.

Icefire: ...! Icefire: Lady Road?

Allen: Hey, what are you--

Road: Y'know, Akuma who aren't destroyed by Innocence.... Road: Who self-destruct, for example?

Lero: Three, lero.

Road: Their souls are extinguished along with the Dark Matter, y'know? Road: No salvation for them after that, hah!

Lero: Two, lero.

Allen: Don't!!

♦ 171

sfx: don [Allen sprints for Icefire]

Lenalee: Allen, don't!! Lenalee: You won't make it!!

Allen: If I destroy it Allen: before it explodes--

Lero: One, lero.

♦ 172 & 173

Icefire: UGYAAAAH

sfx: kachi [the explosion ignites within the mouth of the sorcerous body inside Icefire]

♦ 174

sfx: dohhhh [the sorcerous body disintegrates, and Allen catches one last glimpse of the doomed soul reaching out to him in desperation]

Soul: Help me--

sfx: pan [it winks out of existence before Allen's eye]

♦ 175

sfx: doh [Allen and Lenalee skid to a stop; she hit him at a run and knocked him out of the blast zone]

Road: Kyahahahaha!

sfx: zuki [swollen veins spread from Allen's cursed eye, which has seen something unbearable] sfx: tsuu [the full weight of what he just witnessed sinks in] Allen: Aaaugh....

Lenalee: !? Lenalee: Allen....

Allen: Dammit. Allen: Why'd you stop me!?

♦ 176

sfx: bashu [Lenalee slaps him hard across the face, furious] Lenalee: Of course I did, you're one of mine...!!2

Road: Holy cow, haha! Road: Didn't expect you to jump face-first into the explosion!

Allen: You....

Road: What about her? Road: Think she's okay?

♦ 177

Allen: !!

sfx: buh [Sickle doing its best to break down Miranda's dome]

Miranda: !!

Allen: Don't you dare-- sfx: dodododo [Allen blocks the flying sickles]

♦ 178

Sickle: Windcutter Sickle!! sfx: babababababa [sickles fly forth]

sfx: hyuuu [Lenalee is airborne] sfx: don [she puts a foot through Sickle's body]

♦ 179

sfx: baaan [Lenalee does a vertical spin that bisects Sickle] sfx: ohhh [the dust settles around Allen]

sfx: kasa [Road alights on the detritus-strewn ground behind Allen, facing away from him] Road: Ooh, you got 'em! Guess that's enough for today. Road: Had more fun than I expected, anyway.

♦ 180

sfx: sugogogoh [a crowned and heart-shaped door rises heavily from the floor; it looks extremely Wonderland3] Road: Seeya. sfx: goh [the door lurches to a halt, fully emerged]

sfx: gachi [Allen slams the mouth of his cannon-arm to the back of her head]

Road: Oh, Allen, you're so kind.

♦ 181

Road: You hate me, don't you? Road: But don't shoot. Road: Your arm's a weapon, too, you know.4

sfx: gih [Allen clenches his teeth]

Road: Exorcists shouldn't cry when Akuma kick it, y'know. sfx: goh [she steps into the open doorway] Road: You'll end up friendless and alone someday.5 Road: Let's play again sometime, Road: Allen....

Allen: Dammit.

♦ 182

Art in a style unlike Hoshino's, depicting Lavi (for the first time), Miranda, Road, Allen, Lenalee, Bookman (also for the first time), Lero and Tim, with people's names written on and around them.

Special thanks

On Lero: Nao-chan

Beside Road: Tojima-san

Over Lavi's head: Komui-chan, Okei-chan, Sana-min

On Lavi's sash: Hoka-chan

On Bookman: Koro

In open space: Gunma, Miyazaki-kun, Oi-chan

On a sign Miranda holds: Yoshida-san, Akiyama-san, Yuubuu

Signature?: Oi

♦♥♦

FOOTNOTES

This is very funny when you consider the later implication that the coat has a will of its own and is part of the divided "Earl". Bathtime, bitch. [ ♠ ]

仲間だからに決まってるんでしょ　nakama dakara ni kimatterun desho

More literally, "Isn't it a given because we're friends/comrades/partners/associates?".

仲間 nakama is a largely untranslatable but very common term in shounen manga. The kanji separately mean "relation(ship)" + "space/interval/enclosed area", and the term is used to describe people existing within the same "space" (circumstance, occupation, group, path, etc.) who are initially bound together by virtue of sharing said space. The emotional bond it refers to is usually quite profound, however; most colleagues would not describe themselves this way unless the workplace was so tight-knit as to be a "family".

I wavered between "one of us" and "one of mine" for this line, and am going with the vaguer version for now, but it's easy to hear what she really means. For Lenalee specifically, that's the heart of it: Allen is one of hers, a newly fledged piece of her "world", and she'd do anything to protect him, even from his own savior complex. [ ♠ ]

Wonderland definitely numbers among the many sources of inspiration behind this manga. I can't find it now, but I remember reading a Q&A in which Hoshino said that Allen's character was originally meant to be a girl, but she got talked out of it because a female protagonist (of a shounen manga) who cries as much as Allen does would get eviscerated in the court of public opinion (true enough). Ever since, I've been convinced that her name would have been "Alice". [ ♠ ]

Road draws a parallel between the Akuma and his arm: if he shoots her, he will reinforce her claim that weapons are for human beings (such as Allen) to kill other human beings (such as Road) with. He wouldn't be acting as an Exorcist and merely destroying one of the Earl's weapons if he shot her, because she is not an Akuma; he would be attempting to commit the sin of murder, self-defence notwithstanding. [ ♠ ]

This line always makes me really emotional on reread because he very nearly does end up friendless and alone, and tries very hard to push everyone away, but Johnny Gil and Kanda Yuu of all people refuse to allow it, diving face-first into exile after him. Road couldn't have predicted that. Nobody could have. It happens precisely because Allen is who he is, compassionate to a self-sacrificing fault; he wins people over, even those most determinedly set against him. That big heart nearly gets him killed so many times, but it also ensures that he isn't alone when it matters most. Gets me every time. [ ♠ ]

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