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y2kidz · 3 months

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𝚆𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙷𝚎𝚕𝚙: 𝙴𝚍𝚘 𝙹𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚗 𝚂𝚝𝚞𝚏𝚏 Mega 𝙳𝚞𝚖𝚙.

I'm basically in love with historical fiction/plots set in the past no matter the time period or where it was. Here's Stuff I have compiled (I'm happy to get suggestions on what else to incorporate or corrections if something on the list is wrong!)

This is for your writing needs perhaps you can incorporate this into your plot, help with character making and or world building etc

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CLOTHING:

1. Kimono:

- Appearance: A traditional Japanese garment with straight-lined robes, wide sleeves, and a broad sash called an obi. It is usually made from silk or other luxurious fabrics, featuring intricate patterns or motifs.

- Occasions: Special events, formal occasions, religious ceremonies, tea ceremonies, weddings, and festivals.

2. Yukata:

- Appearance: A casual, lightweight cotton kimono, typically made with simpler patterns and fewer layers. It has slightly shorter sleeves and is often worn with a narrower obi belt.

- Occasions: Summer festivals, hanami (cherry blossom viewing), informal gatherings, hot spring visits, or as loungewear.

3. Hakama:

- Appearance: Wide-legged trousers that are pleated and worn over a kimono. Typically, men wear hakama more frequently than women.

- Occasions: Formal events, weddings, graduation ceremonies, martial arts practices (kendo, aikido, etc.), tea ceremonies, and traditional dances such as Noh or Kabuki theater.

4. Haori:

- Appearance: A short, jacket-like outer garment, typically worn over a kimono. Haori often features bold colors, patterns, or intricate embroidery.

- Occasions: Informal gatherings, special occasions, tea ceremonies, cultural events, or as a fashionable addition to modern attire.

5. Furisode:

- Appearance: A formal, vibrant-colored kimono with long, swinging sleeves. Furisode is primarily worn by young, unmarried women and is considered the most elaborate kimono style.

- Occasions: Coming-of-age ceremonies (Seijin no Hi), weddings (for family members), tea ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, or formal parties.

6. Uchikake:

- Appearance: A highly decorative, luxurious kimono-like garment, often worn as a bridal robe. Uchikake is usually floor-length, heavily embroidered or embellished with metallic threads, and lacks obi ties.

- Occasions: Weddings (specifically the bride's attire), traditional Japanese theater performances, stage appearances, or museum exhibits.

7. Happi:

- Appearance: A colorful, loose-fitting coat featuring square sleeves and a straight-cut silhouette. Happi often showcases family crests or bold patterns.

- Occasions: Festivals, street parades, celebrations, group events, team uniforms, or as a souvenir robe.

8. Samue:

- Appearance: A cozy, loose-fitting workwear-inspired clothing set consisting of a jacket and trousers or skirt. It is typically made from durable cotton or linen fabrics and often comes in plain or modest patterns.

- Occasions: Zen meditation practices, temple visits, casual outings, casual gatherings, or as comfortable home attire.

9. Jinbei:

- Appearance: A comfortable, summertime clothing set comprising shorts or trousers and a light jacket. These garments are often made from breathable fabrics like cotton or linen.

- Occasions: Home loungewear, summer festivals, casual outings, beach trips, or as sleepwear.

10. Zori/Geta:

- Appearance: Traditional Japanese footwear. Zori are flat sandals made from cloth, while geta have wooden soles, elevated with two supports called teeth. Both are worn with tabi socks.

- Occasions: Traditional attire matching (kimono/yukata), festivals, cultural events, or to complete a Japanese-inspired outfit.

BUILDINGS:

1. Samurai Residence (Yashiki): These were homes of samurai warriors and their families. Yashiki typically included a central house for the samurai, private quarters for family members, training areas, and gardens. These buildings depicted the social status and hierarchy of the occupants.

2. Teahouse (Chashitsu): Serene and elegant, teahouses were designed for the Japanese tea ceremony. These buildings had simple, rustic designs with low entrances requiring guests to bow before entering. The interior was adorned with tatami mats, sliding doors, and a small alcove for displaying art or a flower arrangement.

3. Shinto Shrine (Jinja): Dedicated to Shinto deities, shrines were sacred places of worship. They often featured a torii gate at the entrance, vermilion-colored structures, and open courtyards. Shinto shrines were built using natural materials and designed to blend harmoniously with the surrounding nature.

4. Buddhist Temple (Terakoya): Buddhist temples served as places of religious practice and education. They featured large worship halls, pagodas, monastic quarters, and meditation gardens. Temples were adorned with intricate wood carvings, religious statues, and colorful paintings.

5. Merchant House (Machiya): These were traditional Japanese townhouses mostly inhabited by merchants. Machiya had storefronts on the ground floor for businesses, while the upper floors were living areas. They often featured wooden lattice windows, sliding doors, and concealed inner gardens.

6. Kabuki Theater (Kabuki-za): Kabuki theaters were venues for classical Japanese theater performances. The main auditorium featured a large stage with movable parts, specifically designed for kabuki plays. The building also included various seating levels, private rooms for VIP guests, and chaya (tea houses) adjacent to the theater.

7. Geisha House (Okiya): Okiya were traditional houses where geishas lived and received training. These buildings had refined interiors with tatami-floored rooms for entertainment and traditional arts practice. Geisha houses were known for their elegant entrance halls, decorative hanging lanterns, and exquisite tea rooms.

8. Castle (Shiro): Edo period castles, such as Edo Castle, were fortified structures serving as residences for feudal lords (daimyo). They featured imposing stone walls, watchtowers, and gates. The interiors included multiple buildings housing the lord's living quarters, reception rooms, and defensive structures like stone walls and moats.

9. Bathhouse (Sento): Sento were communal bathhouses where people went for hygiene and relaxation. These buildings had separate sections for men and women and usually featured large tiled baths, dressing areas, and steam rooms. The exterior of sento often displayed vibrant signs or murals.

10. Inn (Ryokan): Ryokans were traditional Japanese inns where travelers could stay overnight. These buildings offered Japanese-style guestrooms with tatami floors, futon beds, and sliding paper doors. Ryokans also provided communal baths, tranquil gardens, and exquisite kaiseki meals showcasing seasonal ingredients.

11. Fire Watchtower (Machibikeshi): These tall towers were used for fire surveillance in densely populated areas to prevent and extinguish fires. Fire watchtowers were strategically located, providing a vantage point for spotting fires and sounding alarms to the townspeople.

12. Warehouse (Kura): These strong, fire-resistant buildings were used for storing goods and valuable items. Made of thick clay walls and reinforced wood, kura featured small windows and heavy doors for security. Some kura buildings had elaborate lattice patterns, showcasing the wealth and importance of the owners.

FESTIVALS:

1. Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus)

- Period: Late 17th century onwards

- Held in Kawasaki, near Edo (Tokyo)

- Activities: A celebration of fertility and protection against sexually transmitted diseases. Features giant phallus-shaped mikoshi (portable shrines) parades, street food, and humorous, phallic-themed souvenirs.

2. Setsubun (Bean-Throwing Festival)

- Period: February 3rd (beginning of spring)

- Celebrated nationwide

- Activities: To ward off evil spirits and bring good fortune for the new year, people throw roasted soybeans while shouting "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi" (Out with the demons, in with good luck). Some dressed as demons are also pelted with beans.

3. Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing)

- Period: Late March to Early April (depending on weather and region)

- Celebrated nationwide

- Activities: People gather under blooming cherry blossoms to appreciate their beauty. Picnics, sake drinking, singing, and sometimes poetry readings are part of the festivities. Edo had famous viewing spots like Asukayama Park and Ueno Park.

4. Sanja Matsuri (Sanja Festival)

- Period: Third weekend in May

- Held at Asakusa Shrine in Edo (Tokyo)

- Activities: One of Tokyo's biggest festivals, it honors the three founders of Senso-ji Temple. Processions featuring mikoshi, traditional music, dances, and performances attract millions of visitors.

5. Sanno Matsuri (Sanno Festival)

- Period: Mid-June (odd-numbered years)

- Held at Hie Shrine in Edo (Tokyo)

- Activities: Celebrating the protective deity of Edo, this festival includes a grand parade featuring beautifully adorned mikoshi, traditional music, and dancing. It symbolizes the wealth and prosperity of the city.

6. Tanabata (Star Festival)

- Period: July 7th

- Celebrated nationwide

- Activities: Originating from a Chinese legend, people write wishes on small pieces of paper and hang them on bamboo branches. Festivals feature colorful decorations, traditional dances, and various cultural events.

7. Fukagawa Matsuri (Fukagawa Festival)

- Period: Mid-August (once every three years)

- Held in Fukagawa district, Edo (Tokyo)

- Activities: Known for its water procession, participants carry portable shrines through the streets while being splashed with water. Other events include traditional performances, parades, and fireworks.

8. Shichi-Go-San (Seven-Five-Three)

- Period: November 15th

- Celebrated nationwide

- Activities: Parents take their children, aged three, five, and seven, to a shrine to pray for their healthy growth. Children wear traditional attire and receive blessings, often followed by family outings and special treats.

9. Bon Odori (Bon Festival Dance)

- Period: Mid-August

- Celebrated nationwide

- Activities: Honoring ancestral spirits, people dance in circles, often wearing traditional yukata (summer kimono). Festivals include outdoor concerts, fireworks, and food stalls. Edo's Tsukiji Honganji Temple hosts a notable Bon Odori.

10. Edo Nagashi-Bina (Float Festival)

- Period: March 3rd (Girls' Day)

- Celebrated in Edo (Tokyo)

- Activities: Families float traditional dolls down rivers, symbolizing the departure of bad luck and ill fortune. The dolls are made of paper or wood, representing ancient customs associated with purification and warding off evil spirits.

GAMES:

1. Shogi: Shogi is a traditional Japanese chess game played on a 9x9 board. It involves two players, each with an army of 20 pieces, including the king, that correspond to different ranks. The objective is to capture the opponent's king.

2. Go: Go, also known as Igo or Baduk, is a strategic board game for two players. It is played on a grid with black and white stones. The goal is to gain territorial advantage by surrounding and capturing the opponent's stones. Go is known for its simplicity of rules but complexity of strategies.

3. Hanafuda: Hanafuda is a card game that originated in Japan during the Edo period. It consists of a deck of 48 cards, each depicting various seasonal flowers and plants. The game involves matching cards to create combinations, earning points. Hanafuda can be played with two or more players.

4. Koi-Koi: Koi-Koi is a popular card game played with a Hanafuda deck. Two players compete to collect specific combinations of flowers and animals to earn points. The game involves strategic decision-making and can be played with more than two players.

5. Sugoroku: Sugoroku is a traditional Japanese board game similar to backgammon. Players use dice and counters to move around the board, aiming to reach the final destination first. The game often incorporates themes from folklore, history, or educational content.

6. Karuta: Karuta is a card-based game similar to matching games. It involves two or more players and uses decks of cards depicting different images or phrases. Players compete to quickly identify and grab cards based on specific cues or vocal prompts.

7. Kemari: Kemari is a ball game that dates back to ancient Japan. It is played by a group of players who form a circle and try to keep a small ball in the air without using their hands. The game emphasizes coordination, agility, and teamwork.

8. Kendama: Kendama is a traditional cup-and-ball game that requires hand-eye coordination. It comprises a wooden ball with a hole and a wooden handle with three cups and a spike. Players try to catch the ball on different parts of the kendama using specific techniques.

9. Tosenkyo: Tosenkyo is a Japanese target-throwing game that involves tossing small paper disks to score points by landing them on different targets. Players use a wooden fan or their hands to create wind resistance for controlling the flight of the disks.

10. Senninbari: Senninbari, meaning "thousand-stitch belt," was a game popular among women during the Edo period. It involved sewing a thousand stitches, each representing protection and blessings, onto a piece of cloth. The completed belt was believed to bring good luck and ward off evil.

PROFESSIONS:

1. Daimyo: Feudal lords who ruled over large territories and held significant political power. Their duties included managing their domains, collecting taxes, and serving as military commanders. The daimyo were typically samurai.

2. Geisha: Highly skilled entertainers skilled in various traditional arts, such as dance, music, and conversation. They entertained guests at teahouses and social gatherings.

3. Ronin: Samurai warriors without a lord or master. They were often skilled swordsmen and sought employment as bodyguards, mercenaries, or instructors in martial arts. Ronin could be from any samurai background.

4. Ninja: Espionage agents and assassins skilled in stealth, disguise, and combat techniques. They were hired by daimyo or samurai to infiltrate enemy territories, gather information, and carry out covert operations. Ninja came from various backgrounds, including lower-ranking samurai.

5. Fisherman: Individuals engaged in coastal fishing activities, such as net fishing, line fishing, or shellfish harvesting. The duty of fishermen was to catch fish and other seafood to supply local markets.

6. Sumo Wrestler: Athletes specializing in traditional Japanese sumo wrestling. Their duties involved daily training and participating in tournaments. Sumo wrestlers hailed from a wide range of backgrounds and were often revered as cultural icons.

7. Samurai: Members of the warrior class who served a daimyo and held a high social status. Their main duties included protecting their lord, engaging in military campaigns, and upholding the samurai code of honor (bushido). Samurai were primarily from warrior backgrounds.

8. Shogun: The highest military rank and title in feudal Japan. The shogun was the de facto ruler of the country, serving as the military and political leader. The position was typically held by a daimyo who gained enough power to control the centralized government.

9. Merchant: Businesspeople engaged in commerce and trade, including selling goods, managing shops, and importing/exporting products. Merchants were from various backgrounds.

10. Farmer: Agricultural workers responsible for cultivating and harvesting crops. Their duties involved working the land, managing livestock, and supplying food for local communities. Farmers comprised the majority of the population.

11. Artisans: Skilled craftsmen specializing in traditional arts and crafts, such as pottery, woodworking, sword-making, and textile production. Their responsibilities included creating high-quality goods and serving the demands of the elite as well as common folk. Artisans were from diverse backgrounds.

12. Tea Ceremony Master: Experts in the art of the Japanese tea ceremony (chanoyu) who preserved and passed on the cultural traditions related to tea. They conducted tea ceremonies, taught students, and often belonged to the samurai or merchant class.

13. Kabuki Actor: Performers in traditional Japanese theater known as kabuki. They portrayed various characters and entertained audiences with their dramatic plays. Kabuki actors were primarily males from non-samurai backgrounds.

14. Ronin Banker: Individuals who managed financial affairs, loans, and investments for the samurai class. They were responsible for overseeing wealth distribution, monitoring debts, and other monetary matters. Ronin bankers were often skilled in finance and mathematics.

15. Imperial Court Noble: Members of the aristocratic class associated with the imperial court. They participated in cultural and diplomatic activities, held positions in government, and enjoyed a prestigious social status. Court nobles came from noble or samurai families.

WEAPONS: Dear fellow writers please give your Characters More than just Katanas I'm begging you.

1. Katana: A curved, single-edged sword with a long handle and a sharp blade, typically associated with the samurai class. It was primarily used for cutting and slashing motions in combat.

2. Yumi: A traditional Japanese longbow made of bamboo and layered with lacquer. It was mainly used by the samurai and was known for its long range and accuracy.

3. Yari: A spear with a straight, double-edged blade mounted on a long shaft. It was versatile in combat, allowing for thrusting, stabbing, and slashing attacks, effective in both open-field battles and close-quarter engagements.

4. Naginata: A polearm with a curved blade mounted on a long wooden shaft. It combined the reach of a spear and cutting power of a sword, making it effective in both melee combat and as a defensive weapon.

5. Tanto: A short dagger or knife with a single-edged blade. It was commonly used as a secondary weapon by samurai and also by commoners for self-defense.

6. Kanabo: A spiked club made of solid wood or iron. It was used primarily by samurai and warriors to deal heavy blunt force to opponents, capable of causing severe injuries without requiring much skill.

7. Shuriken: Throwing stars or blades, typically made of metal, used mainly by ninja as a ranged weapon. They were designed for quick and silent deployment, used to distract or disable opponents rather than causing fatal injuries.

8. Kusarigama: A chain sickle weapon combining a sickle attached to a chain and a weighted iron ball on the other end. It provided versatility in both close and long-range combat, used predominantly by ninja or skilled warriors.

9. Tessen: Folding fans made of iron or steel that were used as concealed weapons. They were often used by samurai or bushi class as a means of self-defense, as the fan could unfold to reveal sharp blades.

10. Tekko-Kagi: Claw-like weapons worn on the palms or forearm, enabling steely hand-to-hand combat. Used primarily by ninja, these were designed for grappling, disarming, or delivering efficient strikes against opponents.

11. Jutte: A metal rod with a curved hook-like end, featuring a handle perpendicular to the shaft. Often used by police or lower-ranking samurai, it helped in parrying and trapping an opponent's weapon.

12. Fukiya: A blowgun used by samurai and hunters for long-range stealthy attacks. It utilized darts, typically dipped in poison, to incapacitate or kill enemies quietly.

13. Nunchaku: Two wooden or metal sticks connected by a chain or rope. Originally a farming tool, these were also used as a self-defense weapon by martial artists, offering great speed and versatility in combat.

14. Tetsubo: A large iron war club with a heavy, cylindrical head. Used extensively by both samurai and ashigaru (foot soldiers) in battles, its weight and brute force were effective against armored opponents.

15. Makibishi: Small, spiked caltrops used to impede enemy movement or slow down pursuing forces. They were typically employed by shinobi or ninja as a defensive measure or to create distractions.

#writing #writing help #writing ideas #ideas #writing prompt

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ggmahougenerator · 1 year

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Name: "The Wielder Of The Teleporting Stone, Makita!" Character: Pragmatic Color Scheme: Cerulean with Cinnamon chevrons Symbols: ribbons and dragonflies Costume: A furisode-esque outfit with a crop top, a square neckline, bridal gauntlets, a peplum skirt, kneesocks, and an anklet Powers: Electricity And Teleportation Familiar: the flamingo-like fairy of eternity

#magical girl #randomly generated #character description #art prompt #daily result

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queenofcandynsoda · 2 years

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Paradise!Inosuke AU: Kizurenka

Kizurenka

Name: Kizurenka

Kanji: 傷蓮香

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Age: 20

Height: 5’4 ¼” (163 cm), 5’9” (176 cm) [With Okobo]

Affiliation: Eternal Paradise Faith

Occupation: Teacher

Base of Operations: Paradise Faith Cult

Status: Alive

Relatives: Roku/Si-Woo (fiance)

Appearance: Kizunrenka is a young woman with long black hair and light red eyes. She has a slender body and several large scars on the left side of her face, which she often when wearing a takuhatsugasa, and throughout her torso and back. She always wears the okobo geta Roku/Si-woo bought for her. Her makeup is similar to a maiko, or geisha apprentice, and it has red and pink tones. She carries around a gunbai that has a symbol of a lotus engraved on it. For casual wear, she wears a pink edo kimono with a white obi. As a teacher, she wears a pink iromuji kimono with a yellow obi. For being one of Inosuke’s tutors, Kizurenka wears a red hōmongi kimono with designs of pink lotuses on a pond and a pink obi. When she’s working in the temple and monastery, she wears a white button-up dress. To greet new members or visitors who are not in the women’s santucary, she wears a light blue tsukesage with white lotuses patterns and a white obi. For formal events, she wears a pink chu-furisode kimono with designs of violets and a purple obi. Since she got married, she starts wearing kuro tomesode with designs of cranes flying in the blue sky and white and blue obi. For her wedding, she wears a white shiromuku kimono with the wataboshi, replacing the takuhatsugasa, and tabi socks for the ceremony. Kizurenka then changes into a red iro-uchikake kimono for the reception. She isn’t wearing her takuhatsugasa durin this, rather that her hair is put up with bridal kanzashi.

Personality: Kizurenka is a flamboyant and eccentric young woman, juxtaposing with Roku’s humble and quiet personality. She is full of energy and cheerful. She takes enjoy on things that is deemed for children, such as making flower crowns, sing nursery rhymes, and eating the Kashiwa Mochi. Whenever she’s in the temple or monastery, she becomes more reserved, especially around Douma. She can be very extravagant, hence why the monastery had Roku, a fellow tutor and her fiance, to handle finances for the school. Kizurenka loves to teach her students everything from the scriptures of the Eternal Paradise. Her childish personality appears to be a result of her extreme emotional suppression during her childhood.

History: Kizurenka came from a family who had suppressed her emotions throughout her childhood and tried to mold her as a “perfect wife”. Since age twelve, she married into a rich family. She does not like her arranged husband and in-laws as they mistreated her and forced her to work as a servant. They often beat and whipped her regularly, leaving her to have scars around her torso. One day, her husband saw her talking to a handsome merchant. In a fit of jealous rage, he scarred her face by hitting her with a glass vase repeatedly. In shock, Kizurenka quickly ran out of the house and into the wilderness while bleeding heavily. She stumbled onto the gates of the Paradise Faith village and begged for help. Seeing her plight, Douma let her in to take refuge and made sure that her in-laws couldn’t get to her. The young girl was depressed about her maimed face as she repressed mentally and isolated herself. Roku was the first person to talk to her and would visit her daily, helping her recover and improve her health. Seeing her being insecure due to the massive scar, he bought her a pair of okobo, which she loves greatly. As time passes, she studies the scriptures as she starts to taught the children in the village various lessons. These lessons improved the children’s reading and writing as it came from her rich background. Eventually, she and Roku became tutors for Inosuke, for which they are held in high regard. When she was seventeen, she started to date Roku before become engaged to him three years later. Currently, they are planning their wedding.

Abilities:

Enhanced Agility

Enhanced Endurance

Enhanced Speed & Reflexes

Enhanced Stamina

Enhanced Strength

Keen Intellect

Teaching Mastery

Fighting Style: Tessenjutsu

Unlike Douma, Kizurenka’s variation of Tessenjutsu focuses on using on one gunbai. She would use her gunbai as a bludgeon to hit opponents, as a shield, or as a signal.

Equipment: Gunbai

Kimetsu Academy: Kizurenka Fukunaga is an elementary school teacher who has a colorful sense of fashion. She is quite popular among her students and their parents for her mix style of teaching based on each student’s strength and weaknesses. She suffered harsh abuse from her ex-boyfriend, which led her to suffer a scar on the left side of her face. Despite the scar, her students loves her and enjoys her lessons with many saying she loves beautiful, which causes her to cry in joy. She is engaged to the high school social studies teacher Si-woo. They are so affectionate that they are referred to as the “Toffee Couple”.

#kizurenka #paradise faith cult #eternal paradise #eternal paradise faith #paradise!inosuke au #demon slayer #demon slayer oc #kimetsu no yaiba

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kyotokimono · 5 years

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Sunday Showcase…

“Pastel Noshi” Woman’s Furisode Kimono

$249 Click here to purchase or browse.

Use the coupon code TB2019 to receive 10% off your entire purchase.

This furisode features a large sweeping noshi (bundled ribbon) design in pastels on cream. There are two bundles tied - one on the front panel and upper back with the ends extending across the entire kimono. Beautiful floral jacquard, couching embroidery, and smaller repeated patterns stenciled in gold and silver.

A traditional vintage furisode kimono originally created for a young, unmarried woman. Furisode are worn for formal events, such as Seijin-no-hi (Coming of Age Day, sometimes translated as Adults Day) in early January. Furisode are also worn for weddings, recitals, receptions, and other celebrations calling for formal attire. Note the long sleeves (furi = long, sode = sleeves) sometimes called "butterfly sleeves", which flow with grace when she gestures, attracting male attention!

#furisode #furisodekimono #woman's kimono #japanesekimono #vintagejapanesekimono #kimono #formal kimono #vintage kimono #noshi #weddingkimono #bridal kimono

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amens-closet · 5 years

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A Christmas gift. To myself...

#furisode #hikifurisode #kakeshita #wedding kimono #bridal kimono #wedding #peon

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meandmyechoes · 3 years

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Notes on Visions’ costumes

Kara (The Ninth Jedi): cannot for the life of me decide if Kara’s hoodie classify as a kimono. The shortened length puts it in Haori but it doesn’t have a straight collar. Also it’s serving more as a main piece instead of a jacket over the kimono. And the fact that it is properly closed with possibly a Hanhaba Obi if not something even simple with the lack of a visible knot. The sleeve length is common though sleeve hole is not small so I can’t put it in Kosode despite the straight slanted collar. So in the end it’s really more a hoodie jacket with overlapping collars and kimono sleeves? I did consider if I could call her whole ensemble a Jinbei but there’s the Obi and she is wearing it as a formal representation of herself. Yeah, so it’s more a kimono-inspired design but the sleeves, belt and Tasuki cord has all the most recognizable elements.

F (The Village Bride): Naturally all the kimono-wearing ladies has a modern/fantasy twist to it. Out of the bunch F’s ensemble might be closest to tradition, but it was still paired up with high heels instead of ankle boots. This point was particularly noted on during the special programme by director Hitoshi Haga as he mentioned the crew brought in heels to try the look on. Another deviation is that her single-layer collar is open quite wide over a turtle-neck, plus the sleeves are cut much shorter than the usual combo of furisode and the belt area is simplified. So you’d call her look 和洋折衷/Japanese-Western fusion (term applicable not only to fashion).

Haru (The Village Bride): The silhouette of Haru's bridal costume is closer to a 1840-50 evening dress with an off-shoulder neckline and poofy skirt. Though white only became western bridal standard after Queen Victoria's example, it has been a symbol of purity and choice of wear in rites of passage since the 15th century in Japan. The complementing blue recalls the craft of indigo-dyeing, under the spotlight courtesy of Tokyo 2020's designated colour. Despite a classic bridal/princess dress, Haru's horn headdress could be a smart subversion to the traditional Japanese bride's Tsunokakushi hat. 角隠し literally means "hiding the horns", as a metaphor to remind the bride to hide her temper and to become an obedient wife. It is the opposite case with Haru, where her love gave her courage to face the bandits.

Ocho (Lop and Ocho): I was a bit confused at Ocho’s childhood look at first because her ensemble is the standard festive costume for three-year-old girls at Shichi-go-san. I suppose it lends to the character’s innocence? The red-mustard-turquoise palette is a bit garish at first but the components from head-to-toe is actually quite typical: A (tsumami/fabric flower) kanzashi/hairpin, contrast lining or juban, hifu/poncho with the same hinata kamon/three-dots-in-a-circle family crest as her father and a pair of tabi/socks and funegata geta/wooden flip flops. Even the crest placement is faithful. Oh— the white chrysanthemum wouldn't be out of place if it was her mother that just died…

Ocho’s grown-up look is dramatic, over-the-top, perfect. The palette is the same except a darker shade in navy blue replaced turquoise. The gigantic bow reminds me, besides her namesake/kanji ‘butterfly’, of kabuki actors. I found the character Genkuro wearing a similarly exaggerated tasuki and side-slit kimono. While the character doesn’t share much in common, its play Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura, bears a similar backdrop of sakura blossom season and sibling rivalry. In kabuki makeup called kumadori, red is hero and blue is villain. In the mean time, scarlet eye makeup for geisha ‘wards off evil’ (along with the practical effect of making one look more spirited). I am fascinated by the conjecture that while Ocho’s costume is hinting at her antagonistic role, the dramatic blood eyeliner signifies Ocho’s mindset in seeing herself as the hero of the story. Then there’s the usual colour symbolism (or lack thereof) of stripping one’s identity with plain white armour/uniform. The cherry blossom + river motif is fairly normal. Before I noticed the Kabuki connection, I thought the side-high-slits were perhaps inspired by cheongsam and anyway is an act of rebellion against tradition by cutting up the furisode (thank goodness the sleeves are visibly longer than Kara’s). Either way, that’s a really cool look for a crime boss with the thigh-high boots and tattoo sleeves.

#yeah this for now #The Duel gets it own post. if.#star wars visions #The Ninth Jedi #The Village Bride #Lop and Ocho #my sw meta #sw visions #star wars

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koikishu · 2 years

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Hello I would love to hear your thoughts and analysis of the Kimonos being worn in a YouTube video called "Kyoto Japan in 1930 " by the YouTube channel "glamourdaze"

Thank you for your question! I don't see too much to analyze for a 2-minute video, but I'll do my best.

The AI enhancement for the color and frame rate makes it a very pretty blast from the past. Very nice to look at.

For the most part, the hostess is correct about women's kimono kitsuke follows rules related to the wearer's age, time, place, and occasion as well as the ease of wearing zori. The hostess is wearing a lovely, saturated irotomesode (the 2nd most formal kimono for married women), which reflects what she feels is the formality of the video recording. Most interesting about her outfit is how low she's wearing her obijime, which might indicate her age as the lower it sits, the older the wearer. While it's true that the purpose of the obi is to hold the kimono in place, it is not true that obi knots don't carry any significance or meaning. I assume she left out such information because she might've felt pressed for time or decided that it wasn't worth getting into such minute details for the benefit of foreigners/ non-natives.

She introduces the pair of furisode models as wearing the most formal evening wear, which is half right. It's the most formal kimono choice for unmarried women. She also makes a point of highlighting the sleeve length, which is an important distinction but doesn't explain why. It gives the impression that the sleeve length is a personal, or aesthetic, choice rather than a conveyor of important information about the wearer. Since most furisode worn traditionally would have worn used maru or fukuro obi, she's right about the obi being the most expensive piece of the ensemble.

I find it interesting that the version of the bridal outfit being modeled is the kind most likely worn by merchant class families. It was very common for non-noble/ non-samurai classes to repurpose as much of the very expensive bridal ensemble as possible after the ceremony. So, repurposing her last furisode (an indicator of unmarried womanhood) into her first kurotomesode (i.e. the most formal kimono of a married woman) would've been very appropriate. Her comments about the formality of black and the family crests are spot on as well as her comment regarding the tsunokakushi being comparable to a veil.

Lastly, her explanation regarding raingear is very charming! Her line "the more it rains in Japan, the taller we grow" is kind of cute and very funny! Overall, like the hostess said, this is a short overview of a very small selection.

#kimono #kimonoasks #asks

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ariadnekurosaki · 4 years

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By Your Side

Prompt: Day 18, Tradition

Pairing: Kuchiki Rukia/Kurosaki Ichigo

Rating: G

Read on AO3.

Summary: Ichigo and Rukia are looking forward to their wedding day. Assuming Isshin and Byakuya don't kill each other while planning it.

By Your Side

The yelling two rooms away has been going on for nearly half an hour, and even with the doors closed Isshin and Byakuya’s voices reach into what Rukia has dubbed “operational headquarters.”

“Do you think they’ll just kill each other and let us do what we want?” Ichigo leans back against the loveseat and scrubs a hand through his hair. It’s gotten long, below his collar in the back, and it’s starting to fall into his eyes in front.

“Ichigo!” Rukia smacks his arm. “Nii-sama is the Head of the Kuchiki Clan and charged with maintaining our oldest traditions.”

“Yeah, yeah. But he and Tou-san have been arguing for a week about which shrine we’ll be marrying in. I had to stop Byakuya from using Senbonzakura on him, yesterday,” Ichigo grumbles.

The low table in front of them is filled with the finery and frippery of a wedding in process. There are fabric samples and pictures of bridal attire scattered amidst invitation choices and a guest list that has so many scribbled names it’s four pages long. “It’s very important to Nii-sama that our wedding be fitting of a member of the clan and a hero of Soul Society,” Rukia reminds him.

Ichigo just grimaces. “I’m not a hero,” he protests quietly.

Rukia’s hand finds his and their fingers twine together. “What you are is a good man, Ichigo,” she murmurs. Then she pokes him in the side with her other hand. “But you’re also my betrothed and we need to pick an invitation design from the three choices Nii-sama and your Tou-san approved.”

He groans in response, but his free hand reaches for the three “pre-approved” invitations. They look almost identical to his eyes: all three use smooth, heavy white paper and have modest floral designs embossed into them. “At least that only took one day of yelling,” Ichigo grumbles.

“I like the one with the forget-me-not pattern.” Rukia taps it with one finger.

“Yeah?” he looks it over more closely. A translucent silvery ribbon wraps around the borders, and the envelope is lined with paper of a similar hue. “Yeah, okay,” he agrees.

The shouting from the other room grows louder, and suddenly the door slides open so forcefully that it nearly cracks. “Fine! We’ll have the wedding at your shrine, but I want to pick the san san kudo set!” Isshin Kurosaki bellows.

Ichigo and Rukia stare first at each other and then at Isshin and Byakuya, the latter of whom is actually flushed with anger.

“The san san kudo set I have proposed has been part of the Kuchiki clan for six hundred years. You propose buying a set like this is some cheap Rukongai wedding?” Byakuya’s voice is quieter but more threatening.

Ichigo sighs again. “We’ve picked a wedding invitation,” he says, in a pathetic bid to try and distract them.

As expected, it doesn’t work. The men ignore him and Isshin shouts, “Of course not. I want him to use the set that Masaki and I used at our wedding!”

Byakuya stops and his hands fall to his sides. He seems to notice suddenly that they have an audience and looks at Ichigo and Rukia. “Yes, that will be acceptable.”

Rukia lets out a sigh of relief under her breath.

Ichigo just whispers, “We haven’t even started talking about the reception yet.”

Unfortunately, Byakuya overhears him. “I will host the reception here at the manor, of course,” he announces.

“It will be held at the Shiba manor, of course,” Isshin says almost at the same time.

The men glare at one another, and Ichigo and Rukia slump on the loveseat with a simultaneous groan. Fortunately, Rukia is ready for this one and she begins to tear up, crying softly as Ichigo takes her into his arms.

“Wait! Wait, don’t cry, my third daughter!” Isshin cries.

“It’s just that Nii-sama has offered to hold our reception here,” Rukia sniffles and dabs her eyes with the sleeve of Ichigo’s shihakusho. “He is my only family, and I am so – so honored.”

Faced with a crying woman and a son who is glaring at him, Isshin quickly gives in, “Of course, of course we must have the reception here. I’m sure Kuukaku will understand.”

Rukia sniffles again for good measure and then turns a brilliant smile on Isshin. “Oh, thank you! Thank you, Kurosaki-san!”

Ichigo, who knows all about Rukia’s terrible acting and for once has decided to go along with it, just kisses his wife-to-be on the forehead.

A few months later, Ichigo and Rukia walk together through the red torii gate of the shrine within the first district of North Rukongai. Rukia wears a shiromuku, although she has foregone covering her hair.

The white fabric of her furisode is woven and embroidered with white cranes, while her obi is covered in a repeating pattern of snowflakes and crescent moons. An obijime wraps around the obi to keep it in place, and a pair of crescent moons decorate it in the middle. In Rukia’s hair, in lieu of any head covering, are clear crystal kanzashi. They sparkle and gleam against the midnight silk of her hair. The white zori she wears gives her three extra inches of height.

Ichigo is her opposite, wearing a formal silk kuro montsuki kimono and striped hakama. The black haori he wears bears the emblems of the Shiba and Kurosaki families, as well as of the Gotei 13. His haori-himo is decorated with a blackened metal sun, and his hair is as tamed as he can make it.

Behind them trail Isshin and Byakuya, and Yuzu and Karin follow in pretty pastel furisode. Yuzu and Karin have been given the task of carrying Sode no Shirayuki and Zangetsu, respectively; Zangetsu has permitted himself to be sealed for the occasion and so both blades are peace-knotted with white fabric. Kuukaku and Ganju are last, both wearing formal dress.

A priest and shrine maiden meet them just beyond the gate, after the wedding party have washed their hands and mouths. They lead the way into the temple and as Ichigo and Rukia reach the doorway, they stop for just a moment, turn, and smile at one another in the sunlight. His hand finds hers, and they step forward.

#ichiruki #irmonth2020 #ichirukimonth #bleach fanfiction #fluff #deathberry family

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masshirohebi-moved · 5 years

Photo

Affections Starter ✔ - to carry my muse bridal style // @peepingtoad “If alcohol poisoning doesn’t kill you dear, Tsunade-hime certainly will,” they say, golden eyes following their team mate with little amusement. This mission certainly was a slap in the face. A measly C rank, for shinobi of such high caliber they demanded nothing short of an S rank. Of course, that had been due to banter and tomfoolery. Where the trio got up to shenanigans that truly weren’t up to the standard of their reputation. Again - not their fault. That mission had also been a waste of their talent. And when sharp minds were not presented a challenge, they so often sought appropriate stimulation for themselves. As such, a lesser task is given as some kind of punishment. Either way, drinking on the job (even an easy job) likely wasn’t advised. Regardless of if the group could handle this assignment half asleep. It had been the serpents idea to have the first drink, and maybe the second and third... But they swear on a shinobi’s oath that the drinks to follow were all Jiraiya’s idea. And so, they decide to pull this game to a stop, so that if Tsunade did come across the drinking duo, they could swiftly place all blame on the man beside them. Getting out of jail by truthfully saying they had told him to stop too. Underhanded? Yes, but he knew who he was dealing with. The trio had been told to fit in, and as such, formal attire is donned over their figures. And what an experience it was to see how eye catching Jiraiya could be in flows of his dark hued haori and kimono. They catch themself staring a bit more than was acceptable for mere meaninglessness curiosity, but then, they swear he passes them the same look. And they can not help it, with the moon cast a glow over their figures, the lanterns casting a glow on the scattered cherry blossom path, the gowns, the music, the stolen glances and of course, the stolen breaths. It is truly romantic, even if the serpent isn’t one for such cliches to begin with. Something about him under the pale night sky makes each aspect more enchanting. Running off to share a few secret drinks behind thicker forest foliage proves a grave mistake when they feel something cold cling to their lower leg. Water splashes on to their furisode, the reflection of mud evident on the shades of lilac. They huff softly, a hand running through their hair to keep it out their face as they examine the damage. “How wonderful,” they mutter, tossing their partner in crime a rather unimpressed look, but his smile doesn’t waver, and they’d have called him out on his sadistic pleasure if only he hadn’t solved their problem with one long stride. Their slender form is scooped up, the mud below no longer able to reach the flowing bottom of their gown. He will evidently sacrifice his own attire, which had been more practical from the get go they now acknowledge. And perhaps it is the alcohol, or the fact that their lips are so close, but they feel a flutter in their stomach which forces brief silken laughter from their throat.

for it is then that they realize what a powerful thing love was. That love could make people stronger. That love could fill empty spaces. That love could bring people together.

Too caught off guard by the closeness, they can not help but dread him kissing them. Even if they have wanted it since first sighting him all dressed up. They fear it now. That if they lock eyes a moment too long, he may expose them more than they are willing to be exposed. That they may fumble and lose their mask of being perfect, that they may miss his lips and make a fool of themself. The pressure is too much, so they brush him off with a far too well done lie of carelessness. Looking away to leave him as the last one lingering with a ‘what if’ look in his eyes, returning to what they are, mere friends, “you owe me this much, it was your bad idea to come here,” they settle with saying, a friendly sounding accusation. But perhaps it merely being friendly is what will be hurtful all the same. If there is any pain in his eyes from rejection, they do not look to see it. For if they do sight any disappointment or misery, they will know that he had in fact been wanting the same. That they had blown off the chance due to a crippling dread that he didn’t see them that way. When he places them back down, they are among the festivities once more. They offer to fetch something from the buffet, in a means to settle any nausea that may follow from drinking. To ‘sober up quickly’ they had said, but both knew the viper never cared for eating much. So if ever there had been a poorer lie to spin for getting a momentary breather, they had certainly spoken it. All the same, the moment away from him gives them time to think. To reread his body language, to go over his words again and again. The signs... they were not imagining them, surely? Maybe once or twice, but this has not been the only occasion where their male companion offers a suggestive moment, where he leaves it in their hands to answer. Fear has made them behave this way too often, perhaps that is it. Perhaps their cautiousness is costing them. And since when did they ever let fear be their master? It is decided rather finally in their mind, that they would set the stage again. That a moment lost didn’t end the game. That they could make the first step and see his reaction, to finally get an answer to their question. They cross the enchanting path and search the crowd for him, but it is perhaps their biggest regret to find the man. Golden eyes land on his figure, then hers. And how he looks at her with the same eyes... if not something more. Tsunade and Jiraiya always did look far more comfortable together. The scene made more sense. He didn’t have to play guessing games with her, he didn’t have to catch her socially in situations, nor predict when a mood had declined and he needed to clear the crowd. And it catches them by quite the surprise how cold they feel when they spot the two speaking. How natural it is for the two to converse, how his smile is so brutally genuine. And they realize now that perhaps thinking him shy due to their hesitance was a juvenile belief. He wasn’t shy when she said no, why would he be shy when they had merely said maybe? Fools did not let evidence lead them to a conclusion, they found a conclusion and let it lead them to evidence. Was that what they were doing then? Playing the fool and tricking themself in to thinking he was just as enchanted by them as they were him? Suddenly they feel a great detest for the misleading moon and it’s promising glow, they feel repulsion at the scattered pink petals across the cobbled floor, the grotesque shades of light emitted from lanterns, the sickeningly cheery music, the charade of pretty gowns.

For it is then that they realize what a powerful thing love was. That love could make people vulnerable. That love could create empty spaces. That love could tear people a part.

#||●ANSWERED-❝disclosed❞#peepingtoad #my read more is broken heh #so no hiding this essay for the dash I'm afriad #also :')#these two need to a relationship councilor before they have even gotten to the dating section of love #they are useless #/long post #/novella #||●QUEUE-❝the white serpent hides❞

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ecoamerica · 20 days

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youtube

Watch the American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 now: https://youtu.be/bWiW4Rp8vF0?feature=shared

The American Climate Leadership Awards 2024 broadcast recording is now available on ecoAmerica's YouTube channel for viewers to be inspired by active climate leaders. Watch to find out which finalist received the $50,000 grand prize! Hosted by Vanessa Hauc and featuring Bill McKibben and Katharine Hayhoe!

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tanghanwa · 2 years

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I posted 74 times in 2021

19 posts created (26%)

55 posts reblogged (74%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 2.9 posts.

I added 113 tags in 2021

#kimono - 60 posts

#furisode - 14 posts

#hanfu - 10 posts

#tomesode - 6 posts

#menskimono - 5 posts

#tangdynasty - 5 posts

#komon - 4 posts

#oiran - 3 posts

#hanbok - 3 posts

#heian - 3 posts

Longest Tag: 22 characters

#asianclothingfigurines

My Top Posts in 2021

Source: https://twitter.com/yokuramu333/status/1341703485016838144?s=20

0 notes • Posted 2021-01-18 01:30:36 GMT

Source: https://twitter.com/yum_clean/status/1334859646851457026?s=20

0 notes • Posted 2021-01-11 01:30:35 GMT

Source: https://twitter.com/tanaikeya13/status/1335570009125343233?s=20

1 notes • Posted 2021-01-14 01:30:21 GMT

Source: https://twitter.com/ushi_mt/status/1338672962719817728?s=20

1 notes • Posted 2021-01-16 01:30:44 GMT

Asian Clothing Figurines Review

Asian Clothing: Japanese Kimono

Kimono Type: Hanayome Kimono: Uchikake & Kakeshita

Accuracy Rating: 4.5/5

Explanation: It’s a very lovely bridal kimono ensemble! Unlike the all white shiromoku, this is a very vibrant iro-uchikake, i.e. colored padded-hem kimono. This ensemble more closely mimics what would have been worn by upper-class brides before the Japanese Meiji period as, like much of the world once did, there was no set bridal attire and the bride’s would’ve worn her best clothes for the occasion.

The pale yellow uchikake has a very delicate feeling, especially with the shibori-style of the flowering trees; the clouds also add soft touch of mystery. Meanwhile, the deep green kakeshita (under kimono with slight hem padding) with the golden mustard lining is very luxurious and provides excellent contrast to the very pale uchikake. My only complaint is that the motifs throughout the uchikake and kakeshita aren’t very bridal in nature.

Up near the neckline, you can see the black and red striped fabric of the futokorogatana and hakoseko, which confirm that this is meant to be a bridal ensemble. The futokorogatana, meaning 'clothing-hidden blade,” was expected of upper-class samurai women to defend themselves and their new family. The hakoseko is a traditional woman’s wallet, which holds cash as well as a small mirror and comb.

2 notes • Posted 2021-10-16 00:30:45 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

#my 2021 tumblr year in review #your tumblr year in review

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marzipan-moon · 6 years

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Everything.

Characters: Korekiyo & his sister. Warnings: Graphic descriptions of illness/dying. No spoilers for DRV3 beyond Korekiyo’s freetime. Crossposted: To AO3 Author comment: Phew!!! This really took a lot out of me, haha. I’m really, really proud of this, though! There’s a lot of folklore: I tried to use good sources wherever possible, however, I’m no professional so please take it all with a grain of salt (ha.) Also, a massive, massive shout out to @kumaspagheddi . Without you, I don’t think I would ever have given myself so deep into our shared hell. I was thinking of you and our discussions a lot while writing, so I hope you don’t mind if I dedicate this piece to you. Thank you for everything.

“In the Anmatyerre tribe of central Australia, the women and children are taught to fear a great spirit called Twanyirika,” she begins. She’s speaking so softly, the cover of her futon pulled up to her chin. “Now, Korekiyo, what does central Australia look like?” She always begins stories like this. She needs to know the geography, paint the landscape. Peel back the walls of this room and let in the hot dust and red-whipped sand. “It’s a desert. Flat but peaks that jut out of the land like boils. Green shrubbery, snakes and kangaroos. Frequently subjected to bushfires, violently red as the earth it chars. ” “A harsh landscape, wouldn’t you say?” She smiles. “Can you imagine? We’d melt in the heat.” She glanced down, humming a laugh. He could tell she still wanted to see it, a melted puddle or otherwise.

“Yeah, we would.” She smiled. “Well. Anyway. The Anmatyerre tribe have long adjusted to these conditions, and of all the things to fear between the heat and the fire and the venomous creatures - a child is taught that the scariest of them all is the great spirit Twanyirika. He grows up hearing, with the other children and the women, the sound of his eerie, booming call screeching from the bush. Whenever a male child is to become a man, he must face Twanyirika himself - be consumed by him and reborn.” “Not an uncommon theme,” he offered - kneeing next to her. “There are countless stories of man facing death only to come back stronger. Siberian shaman hallucinate having their own limbs shorn off and consumed right in front of them before they may practice their medicine and tricks…” She nods enthusiastically, a pale hand reaching to squeeze his knee. “Mmhm. That’s right. But there’s a little more to this story.” “Oh?” He tilts his head, bringing his hand over hers. She pulls it back, fluttering it on her chest. “So! The child grows up. His social unit is just a little cluster of his intimately known relatives, all of whom, in the heart of the desert, walk naked. He learns everything orally, written knowledge eschewed for the stories of his elders. He relies on them wholly, they are the secret-keepers to the universe. So he trusts in them, even, when he is just twelve and taken to be circumcised. He learns the stories of his ancestors through the twisting and turning of dancers, the present and the past mixed together all at once. And throughout it all, he is reminded that he must stay still, he must not cry out, he must remember that Twanyirika awaits. And he can hear the spirit, while all this is going on - his voice swelling out from the bush.” “Finally, the boy is circumcised. All the while, the tribesmen sing in thunderous, deep tones - so loud that they begin to drown out Twanyirika’s cries. Can you imagine? The madness of that moment, the way the world swirls as the men you trust so much pull your foreskin forwards and cut it off - your so paralysed with awe and fear that you don’t even think to cry out. The smell of their bodies, the rounded sound blaring all around you, the frightful beast drawing ever closer.” “And then…” She looked up at him, smile widening. “And then. Out from the bush come other tribesmen, bull-roarers in their hands. They bring the little wooden instrument up to the boy’s wound, catching his blood. And they tell him, then - this simple little slat of wood, carved from a knife and swung round a man’s head, vibrating the air to produce a deep, eerie sound - they tell this child, this new-man, that this is Twanyirika.” “‘Here is Twanyirika, of whom you have heard so much’”, She laughed at that, her fringe flopping over her eyes. “And so, the last of his childhood is destroyed. The final monster is slain. A joke to be laughed at, a screening technique to separate the men from the women, the adults from the children. Can you imagine that? Can you really, really imagine that?” He lifts a finger to his chin, rubbing the material of his face-mask. “Yes… quite the relief, I would imagine. And what a rush of power. If Twanyirika is just a joke, then all else must seem trivial. Ah… Sister! I can see why this story excited you so.” He beams at her, the room slowly fading in - the roar of the bull-roarers and the sound of strange songs and pounding feet being replaced by their quite little home. Tatami mats and low candle-light, their whispers barely above breathing. She smiled back. “Well, Korekiyo. The next story’s yours.” — Needless to say, anthropology had become somewhat of an addiction for them both. “Now, which story should I tell you today?” She was sleeping, but it wasn’t a natural sleep. He didn’t know if she could hear him, but that wasn’t to matter. Even like this, it was enjoyable just to speak to her. The air in the hospital was stagnant, the lights far too bright. The machine that pumped air into her made the most unpleasant noises, the air-conditioning unit humming just to the left of her bed. He hoped she would not listen to that drone, and would instead be lead by his voice. “… Should we look at some manga, dissect it together?” She lay unmoving, the world completely out of her reach. No matter. She was just like a caterpillar wrapped in its cocoon, the shaman deep in his transformative trance, changed into a bird and drifted far and away to the spirit plane - at any rate, she would soon be back. He reached into his bag, pulling out a parcel-shaped book. Leaning his head onto hers, careful not to dislodge the strings of tubes that flowed into her, he flipped it open.

— “Ah! Yes, there - you see the way they merge into each other to gain one another’s powers?” She asked, excitedly, pointing at the page. This was usually how things went. No matter what they were reading, they could never get through it at a quick pace. Everything had to be discussed, every mythology picked out and pointed at. Author-intent be damned, they could open anything and see the strings of the world pulsing through. “Mm. Yeah, I do.” “Well, notice how beautiful and androgynous their bonded form is,” she stroked her finger over the page. “Ah! Isn’t that such a common motif?” “Hmm… Yes. The Ancient Greeks thought that in the beginning, all peoples were joined together. Creatures of male-male, female-female, female-male varieties - powerful things that Zeus himself feared so much that he had to separate them. Romantically, they say that we - the decedents of those creatures, are always searching for our other half.” There was a briefest of pauses as they shared glances, a soft laugh tittering out of her. “Yes. And from Adam - the androgynous mirror of God, out from him came Eve. Angels with no genitals. Eunuchs trusted with holy power. Mmm, and even Yin-Yang, the perfect state of balance, the merging of the two halves back to the perfect one, the wholeness.” She stroked the page again, smiling wider. “And they really are beautiful, aren’t they?” — She said none of this as she lay quietly in bed, his voice a river running over her. The world was still rolling outside, the pulse of it seen through those black and white pages. He analysed everything for her, every page another story, another insight, another thing that tied them to something far, far away from all this. It was so quiet without her voice singing the song of the world alongside him, but he wasn’t alone. She was here, in some way, in the sound of her machines - the warmth of her hand. Her consciousness just a tiny, frail ball - buried somewhere deep, deep inside of her. He hoped it was warm in there. He hoped it was a pleasant dream.

He hoped she wasn’t alone.

—

Sometimes, they’d sing. When they couldn’t play or grew tired of reading or she had a headache - sometimes they’d sing. Singing had curative powers, supposedly - but really, it just made for an excellent distraction. Folk-songs suited their voices best. It was the way they were meant to be sung, by unprofessionals, brimming with passion and a sense of purpose. Songs to pass the days, songs to honour the dead, songs to remember some event that history had long lost.

And their singing, at least, could drown out the awful hum of those roaring machines. —

When they were younger, she a little healthier - they were still telling each other stories. Countless stories. Yes, with less detailed analysis - primitive interpretations, he was sure - but still, this was how they grasped the world. A thousand different threads, but in each moment they could pick just one. Better than that, it used to be that they didn’t just tell their tales through soft whispers over quiet candle light. Mother and Father worked long hours - and so, she’d raid their closet. She was particularly attached to Mother’s bridal furisode. The long sleeves, the draping train - matched with her hair, it was like everything flowed away from her. Of course, it was much too big for her. Nor was she particularly good at tying, worse still at doing her hair. He was equally hopeless. So there she was - a mess, no make-up, her hair loosely tied and sticking this way and that, in clothes that neither fitted nor entirely suited her - but in those moments, she transformed. They transformed. The walls of their house fell down, and suddenly they were up in the snow covered peaks. She became Princess Kaguya - a child born from bamboo, her eyes wide and staring up at the moon, longing to return but all the earthly attachments winding round her feet to keep her here. He’d hold onto her ankles and pretend to sob as she was dragged away by mythical forces. Or, she’d drop her hair - throwing the ornaments to the floor, wrapping herself up in her thick, black strands. A beautiful woman come to visit him, to tempt him - and he’d ask her to come to the bath. Run it until it was warm - beg her to join him. And when she finally did, she’d scream and disappear under the water - a mess of bubbles, just a coil of thick black hair. The ice-woman melted. A fantasy as fleeting as snow. Or, she’d sneak up on him - padding quietly through the house, hair completely covering her face. And then she’d grab him by the mouth, whisper some chant in his ear, drag him back into hell and pretend to eat him. Sometimes he’d catch her first, run into the kitchen - drawing salt circles on the ground. Sometimes he’d throw the salt on her, watch as she wailed and writhed and melted into the ground - before bursting out into a laugh, melting the dark night and the freezing snow and bringing back a warmth louder than any fire. She’d get her revenge, she warned - pulling her face out through her hair. And he was any number of mythological creatures. He “borrowed” masks from his Father’s trips around the world, a Kitsune his favourite. But when he wasn’t a trickster fox, he was Mwaash aMbooy and Xipe Totec and Krampus - and each one filled his spirit with its own and suddenly he was so much more than himself. Suddenly these countless, stiff stories became real. It was all fun, wildly inaccurate, even - but all of it was something far, far away from here. “Stab me, Korekiyo, stab me harder. Stab me like you mean it! I took everything from you! I gobbled up your children and your wives and your siblings and you think stabbing me like that will get you anywhere?” She’d scolded, once. He didn’t want to, but by her encouragement, he squeezed her ribs harder. And when that didn’t get him anywhere, he tickled his fingers down her sides and she roared out in ‘pain’, kicking him in the stomach with a laugh more ferocious than he’d ever heard. And with that weakness discovered, no matter what monster she changed herself into, he knew how to defeat her. Then she got tired too easily.

Suddenly, she didn’t want to pretend she was a vengeful spirit anymore. He didn’t think that she grew out of it - after all, nothing seemed to embarrass her anymore. But she didn’t want to play those games anymore.

—

Sometimes, he wondered if she was Kaguya. When she slipped away from them, disappeared into the sheets of the hospital bed, he wondered if that was the moon calling on her. Was the heavenly entourage coming to take her away, a feather robe to wipe away all of her sadness and compassion for the people of Earth?

—

Anthropology wasn’t just a way to peel back the four walls that always seemed to surround them. It was a shield to the world - a great knowing, a tap into the higher knowledge that only they knew how to turn on. They could see the knot that bound them all together, even if the ignorant fools around them couldn’t see the obvious. You see, their behaviour can be explained. All behaviour explained. Everything with a reason, everything with a story attached. It was so much more interesting to look at what compelled them to act in such a way, rather than being hurt by their words. Detached from the situation, looking at it like one of their many stories - life eased. Every instance just a mirrored reflection of one that had happened a trillion times before. To be made beautiful, precious in its own way. “So, you see, those bullies are simply exerting in-grouping behaviour. It’s an obvious human behaviour, no? Useful for creating homogenous societies, whom are much easier to manage and control.” “Ahh… Father’s detachment from us is a coping mechanism, his constant ‘overnight’ shifts just an escape. Like any victim of a Yuki-onna. He’ll suffer for it, in the end.”

She was screaming at him. “You don’t understand any of this, any of it at all!” Her fingers gripped the cold railing of the hospital bed, her knuckles threatening to push through what was left of her skin. “You get to have a normal life,” she snapped, “You can learn languages and play instruments and travel the world, you’re going to get to go to high school and university and have all these nice, wonderful friends - while I’m sitting here just rotting in this… this disgusting, filthy, rotting body.” “I can’t do anything,” she’d say, rolling her fingers over her eyes. “Except read. Read and read and read and read until my head turns to mush and the words don’t make any sense anymore. And… and you can. You can. You can do all this stuff. All that living.” He lowered his head, patiently listening. “All of it. You can do all of it, anything you want to. I… I can’t even taste anything anymore, did you know that? Everything’s just the same bland mush in my mouth. I’m so sick of this, I’m sick of this… ! And you’re just sitting here like my eulogy singer. I’m not dead! I’m not dead yet!” “So… why don’t you just leave? I’m serious. Stand up and go live somewhere else and be happy. Leave me alone here so I can… I can finally just, just, just rip my skin off. Rip it all off,” she lifted her fingers to her arms, nails digging into the skin. “Peel it all back so I can get out of this fucking prison!!” There was a tremble in his voice, but he looked at her, and said, “A selkie.” “What?” “The selkie tears its skin off and transforms into a seal. She can only maintain her human form for so long, often long enough to fall into a tragic love affair from which she must depart from - the sea forever calling her as her true home.” She looked at him poe-faced, her mouth parting. “Or the Squonk, an American creature whose skin is so ill-fitting, covered in warts and blemishes that cause it to become ashamed of its appearance. It spends much of its time weeping. Clever hunters who try to catch it are often baffled, for on capture, it will dissolve completely into a pool of tears.” Her lips trembled. “Or perhaps you’re…” She laughed, she was laughing loud and clear. “You’re trying to analyse me, is that it, sweet Korekiyo?” She buried her face in her hands. “I… I must apologise.” —

She died. He stopped thinking that she’d returned to the moon, or that the sea had called on her, or that she was on some epic journey within herself - waiting to be returned stronger than ever. And though they’d read a thousand, million stories about death - it’s trappings, it’s grief, it’s effect on every single behaviour anyone could think of…. None of them came to mind. It was like all his memories had been stripped away and there was just a great wide nothingness. All her wires had come undone, the threads that bound them snapped. There was no knot at the centre of the universe. Everything was disconnected, far-flung and moving ever further away. Alone. Getting colder. He’s not scared of anything, anymore.

— The cord’s bound too tight, his neck drawn back like he’s stargazing. The noise is impossible to bear, deep throated chanting thunderously enveloping him. The ropes bleed into him like the endless tubes that fed into her. Nothing makes any sense. Not that, not this - his hair spilling out of his head and drowning the room, pouring out of this paper house and coiling round the whole world. Winding round their necks. Down their throats. Suffocating them all. Suffocating every single thing. The world goes to scratches and stars, his lungs aching in a red hot burn that takes his consciousness. And suddenly he’s not so helpless, rigid and stiff - unable to move. Suddenly he’s crawling along his own hair, fluid and shapeless, spilling outwards. Spilling upwards.

Nothing, nothing. It’s a great wide nothing. And then there was light. And then there was warmth. The cords slid round him, all the lines of every story like thin movie reels, swirling through his hair. The single red rope around his neck. A tangling of hospital tubes. Vines bearing roses, obi ties and belts, bandages wrapped around a body, wrapped around his hands. Blood lines, rivers, stiff kanji black lines of ink, the flow of time like one huge line that pointed straight to. Her. She’s standing there. Her face a mess of lines. Pale and naked, her hair like cracks in her skin revealing an infinitely dark sky. There’s the roar of the hospital. That eerie call of the air conditioning, the screeching, booming gasp that came from her ventilator. It’s so loud, it’s all he can hear, and there’s nothing more frightening in the world because when he hears it he can’t see her. But then behind him, her fingers slipping over his mouth. And as soon as her fingers brush his lips, everything goes silent. He can feel her body at his back. It’s a shape he’s so used to, a shape that’s so unmistakably hers. And she’s warm. She’s so so so warm. But it’s not until she whispers in his ear that he finally understands. He understands all of it. Every single thing. “Here is Death, of whom you have heard so much.” She’s laughing. It was all a joke! Do you get it? All of this, this whole time - a secret for only those who have been initiated. The curtain peels back, the cry of the machines pumping air into her tired lungs just the bull-roarers calling from the bush. She’s laughing, she’s laughing - Death had been twirling all around them, driving them mad, making them afraid. But don’t you see, Korekiyo? The last of your childhood is gone, this was the secret! The final monster slain. Don’t you feel relieved?

Don’t you feel powerful?

Doesn’t it all just seem… so trivial, now?

All that suffering was just to make the punchline funnier.

“I have so much to tell you.” “I know it all already.” She lifts herself up, twirls through the air. Earth stretches out long and far away, every person and every place and every story at the tips of her fingers. She’s looking at him, her hair covering all of her face except for her smile. “Now go. Go and do all that stuff. All that living.” She’s laughing, she’s laughing, he’s laughing. Whirling their own bull-roarers, the secret theirs to keep.

Earth comes back to him, and suddenly, everything’s connected.

We’re never alone.

クククククククククククククク

#korekiyo shinguuji #Danganronpa V3 #NDRV3 #korekiyo shinguji #korekiyo #ayumu #any feedback is most appreciated #thank you so much for reading!!#writing

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