Still not over the fact that Ramuda canonically called Jakurai as the person who fills the doughnut’s hole in their new duet.
Tonight before the bed I’m thinking about the references of Ku-jaku Posse (Emptiness) and the hole. The torn-out journey of Ramuda between the “optimist” and “pessimist” side of his doughnut. Jakurai— his journey with Jakurai. Combining them into one and reminding Ramuda that both sides are him, and it is safe to be himself, both sides are okay and accepted and welcomed.
Jakurai in return, canonically stating that Ramuda’s soul gave him something Jakurai himself could never have had [without him]. Appreciating Ramuda’s attempts at teaching him how to rap. Stating that Ramuda showed him more to life than Jakurai could have ever imagined.
Both of them celebrating the birth of a baby— any baby. The song is released in april, in fucking April. It’s not even close to their birthdays! But they point out that every day, there is a birth, hence every day is worth celebrating. I mean… Evil Line Records. Shirai-san. Hayami-san. I’m in tears. Did you all really bless us with JakuRamu at the toughest of times? Thank you. I’ll one day pay back for this. Just like Jakurai said.
Seen at least one (1) person complain about Crocodile losing his "unique faceshape" (now having the same facial structure that 90% of OP men have) after episode 1086 came out and like
To be fair, yes, the shape of his head HAS changed since his first appearance in The Year 2000. The thing is, Toei's latest Crocodile Offering is frankly more in-line with how Oda drew Crocodile during Impel Down and Marineford than ever before. Like yeah he looks different, but this change isn't new
But that comment really did make me think about how FUNNY it is just how different Croc really looks from his first appearance, like. The evolution in how Oda draws the bastard is so facinating to me
These are from chapters 155, 160 and 205 respectively.
No massive changes happening here in the middle of the arc, but you can kinda tell that Oda was definitely still figuring out how this asshole was supposed to look as he got further into the Alabasta (which is perfectly normal), which just makes That First Appearance look even funnier with time because. Who the fuck is that lmaooo
But then we get to see him briefly during Miss Goldenweek's cover story, this being from the cover of chapter 413!
All things considdered, bastard hasn't changed that much, still looks pretty much the same as in Alabasta. His head is maybe a little less elongated than before but still, chin is quite pointy still
And now we're in Impel Down at chapter 540. Again, dude looks about the same as he did before...
But it really doesn't take long for Oda to start reshaping this bastard's entire head at this point
Chapters 544, 546, 578, and cover of chapter 584
The chin is easily the most obvious part, but you can tell Oda kind of defaulted to giving him that same ol' evenly square-ish head most his conventionally attractive characters have during these story arcs (instead of the elongated shape he originally had).
And then we have the latest appearances, from 1082 and 1100
I do feel like comparing these to what's come before would be a little unfair considdering his health and eyesight and how those affect the artwork itself, but. They're there, for comparison's sake
But the point is still there. Crocodile's face shape has changed since his first appearance, but it's not like Toei was behind that, the change was (mostly) gradual and from Oda himself. And it mostly happened in 2008, so it's not new by any means either
So really, all Toei did was just update his character model because ⬆️ is more accurate than ⬇️ for One Piece right now
Regardless. The sheer difference between the two is hysterical to me
Okay but I wonder if Lucien’s parents were also tieflings?? We know Lucien and Aldreda are—and probably Elric too—but has their bloodline always been infernal? Or is it something new because of a pact their parents made? I feel like it’d be really interesting to see King learn more about the Tavelle’s heritage, a long history of tieflings with a gift for charms and enchantment. But I can also see their parents taking some dark bargain that changed their family forever. They were in debt to the Jagentoths, and even struck a deal with a hag. They certainly have a history of making deals with the devil—
“In death, Jane became the ultimate consort; unblemished (especially in the eyes of her capricious and tyrannical husband), ever young, and the mother of a surviving son. Instead of merely being the wife who ‘died’ and in recognition of her saint-like life — which went beyond the medieval ideal of saintly queenship — Jane should actually be remembered as the wife who was (effectively) canonised.” - Aidan Norrie
I played RE3R again for like the 6th time and I was doing shit at the second to last nemesis fight and started taking way too long and so nemesis got up on the front of another tank and so Carlos smashed him with the crane AGAIN except this time he said "IT'S SMASH TIME" and I almost had to pause the game to take in that absolutely dorky line I loved it. I love finding new things in games. I love this game.
I am so grateful to the fact that Ramuda exists, and that my paths crossed with him. Here is the character I unquestionably, 100% identify with, in all his qualities, including his aesthetic. I don’t even have to match my aesthetic or attitude to him, it’s just the same like— thank you Evil Line Records for changing my life 💝💖🍭🎀
I remember I was watching Katie stream the Jack’s 55 Birthday DLC and this line from Mia had me laughing with the delivery. She’s so adorable when she’s all happy!
was thinking about devil’s flower again and like what really gets me 🤬🤬🤬 about not having a full release of devil’s flower is that it wasn’t a one and done appearance???
for his hypnosis wave radio, jyushi was promoting the song so we again heard a sample of it and in the staff report of his radio episode, the reporter went out of their way to mention jyushi was handing out cds of the song and it felt they were talking to an upcoming star there was further narrative???????????? and yet????????
I should be studying right now, but… do you ever think about how Arakawa didn't have to die?
Not even in the meta sense that it's RGG "tradition" to take faceclaims/father figures/antagonists out of the picture and that traditions should sometimes be broken, or that Aoki would've changed his mind, or that Ishioda or Tendo could've been stopped. But because Jo is the captain (and later second patriarch) of an organization specifically stated to specialize in faking deaths. A practice that originated in the Bubble Era years after Jo had already joined, and that Jo was no doubt intimately familiar with.
Like, isn't that why Arakawa was able to take that risk shooting Ichi? It just feels like things could've gone so much differently had Jo "accepted" Aoki's orders and "confronted" Arakawa with some kind of escape. Perhaps the Ijincho homeless camp would be off-limits, having drawn too much attention recently, but an assassin would surely know how to lay low for a while.
And maybe Aoki, Ishioda, and Tendo would've been undone by their own ambition anyway. And Arakawa could've kept his word and ran the security company with the pillars of the Tojo and Omi, while Jo could've been the chairman of the Tokyo Omi Alliance; light and shadow, opposite to their respective sons. And so many more yakuza wouldn't have been left with nowhere to go.
And hell, maybe none of it would've worked out in the end, maybe it would've all folded like a house of cards, but wasn't it worth a shot? Perhaps it was Yokoyama he who didn't think of it (or couldn't/didn't pursue it even if he did), perhaps it was Jo. But there's something so tragic about being so fundamentally opposed to lifting a finger in violence towards your co-parent and patriarch that you decline the opportunity to save him.
I wonder if the thought has ever occurred to Jo.
I wonder how much he regrets it.
UGH RIGHT IT'S SOOOO....
Like of COURSE I'm upset about Arakawa's death in that we lost a wonderful character and father figure in the franchise, but also it's cause it's just... for all the scheming Arakawa and Jo have been doing behind Aoki's back this entire time, Jo folded on this opportunity to get Arakawa out of Aoki's radar for good this time- or for at least the time being.
It's a testament to the humanity he convinced himself he threw away, and that's why it especially makes me want to scream. From our understanding, Jo is supposed to be very pragmatic and tries to deal with matters as efficiently as possible and generally seems emotionally detached from his work (of course we know that's not the case, but just from a surface-level perspective that's how it appears). So the one time Jo does show an ounce of humanity, it has the greatest consequence.