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deadscanlations · 5 years

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The Wooden-Mortared Kingdom - Garo 20th Anniversary Memorial Issue - VARIOUS

Here’s a proper post for it. For Garo’s 20th anniversary, a massive anthology was put out collecting all of the authors that had been featured in the magazine up until then (at least it looks that way), haven’t verified). 1200 pages.

DDL Torrent (600dpi scans) Mangaupdates

Abe Shinichi AKASEGAWA Genpei AKI Ryuuzan AKIYAMA Shigenobu ANZAI Mizumaru ARAKI Nobuyoshi ARASHIYAMA Kouzaburou EBISU Yoshikazu FUJISAWA Mitsuo FURUKAWA Masuzou HAGA Yuka HANAWA Kazuichi HAYASHI Seiichi HIGO Tomiko HINO Hideshi HIRAKUCHI Hiromi HIRATA Hiroshi HISAUCHI Michio Hoshikawa Teppu IIKO Junzou IKEGAMI Ryoichi ISHII Hisaichi ITOI Shigesato IWAMOTO Kyuusoku KAMOSAWA Yuuji KANNO Osamu KATSUMATA Susumu KAWASAKI Yukio KIMURA Tsunehisa KOBAYASHI Norikazu KOJIMA Goseki KONDOU Youko Kou Shintaro KUSONOKI Shouhei MASUMURA Hiroshi MATSUMOTO Michiyo MATSUO Hiroshi MINAMI Shinbo MINEGISHI Toru MITSUHASHI Otoya MIURA Jun MIZUKI Shigeru MOMOTAROU Kotarou MORISHITA Hiromi MURANO Moribi NAGASHIMA Shinji NAKA Keiko NEMOTO Takashi OKUDAIRA Ira OSAWA Masaaki SAKURAI Shoichi SASAKI Maki Shimizu Satoshi SHIRATO Sanpei SUGIURA Hinako SUZUKI Oji SUZUKI Seijun SUZUKI Shigeru TAKAGI Jun TAKAYAMA Kazuo TAKITA Yuu TAMURA Shigeru TANI Hiroji Tashiro Tamekan TATSUMI Yoshihiro TERUHIKO Yumura TSUGE Tadao TSUGE Yoshiharu TSURITA Kuniko UESUGI Seibun WATANABE Kazuhiro WATARI Futoshi YAGUCHI Takao YAKUWA Masako YAMADA Murasaki YODOGAWA Sanpo YOSHIDA Mitsuhiko YOSHIDA Shouichi

タイトル : 木造モルタルの王国 : ガロ二〇年史出版社 : 青林堂初版発行日 : (昭和59年)1984年12月1日 ISBN : 4792601320 サイズ(函) : 縦23㎝横18㎝サイズ(本) : 縦22㎝横16㎝ページ数 : 1200ページ備考 : 各作品の欄外に作者の経歴･コメント記載収録作品　『ざしきわらし』 - 白土三平　『ねこ忍』 - 水木しげる　『海原の剣(武蔵の巻)』 - 諏訪栄(小島剛夕) 　『顔の曲がった男の物語』 - 星川てっぷ　『真昼』 - 渡二十四　『愛 : 新釈武士道物語』 - 加治一生　『チーコ』 - つげ義春　『若草漫歩』 - 藤沢光男　『宇宙の出来事』 - 田代為寛　『夏』 - 池上遼一　『かかしにきいたかえるの話 : シリーズ･黄色い涙』 - 永島慎二　『六の宮姫子の悲劇』 - つりた・くにこ　『巨大な魚』 - 林静一　『どろ人形』 - 日野日出志　『海ほおずき』 - 仲圭子　『花あらしの頃 : 寺島町奇譚』 - 滝田ゆう　『長持唄考』 - 矢口高雄　『雨季(2)』 - つげ忠男　『わかれみち』 - 辰巳ヨシヒロ　『たこになった少年』 - 淀川さんぽ　『かんたろ月』 - 勝又進　『うらぶれ夜風』 - 川崎ゆきお　『雨の色』 - 鈴木翁二　『マツコおじちゃんの嘆き』 - 秋竜山　『ぼくのデブインコちゃん』 - 佐々木マキ　『無頼の面影』 - 安部慎一　『幻の少女･和小路伯爵邸のトラブル』 - 谷弘兒　『肉屋敷』 - 花輪和一　『北への旅人』 - 吉田昌一　『彩雪に舞う･･････』 - 楠勝平　『おざ式』 - 赤瀬川源平　『「ガロ」第一期 : ガロの時代をひらく』 - 上野昂志　『再会』 - 増村博　『紫の伝説(イメージSTATION)』 - 古川益三　『絶対休日』 - 秋山しげのぶ　『荒れた海辺』 - 安西水丸　『クシー君の発明』 - 鴨沢祐仁　『毆者(ボクサー)』 - 吉田光彦　『昇り凧』 - 村野守美　『ペンギンごはん』 - 湯村輝彦.糸井重里　『愛の嵐』 - 蛭子能収　『ぼくの弟』 - 糸井重里　『？』 - 南伸坊　『それからの岩本武蔵･怪談』 - 岩本久則　『ハリー氏のこと』 - 松尾ひろし　『愛妻記』 - ひさうち・みさお　『ギョーザ定食の昼』 - 平口広美　『お父さんのネジ』 - 渡辺和博　『長靴をはいた猫』 - 清水聰　『ものろおぐ』 - 近藤ようこ　『モダン・ラヴァーズ』 - 奥平衣良(奥平イラ) 　『性悪猫』 - やまだ紫　『青春の汗は苦いぜ』 - 小林のりかず(小林のり一) 　『夜行』 - 高山和雄　『ぷいさん村放送局』 - 八鍬真佐子　『五人だまし･道糞武士道 : 幻想の明治』 - 高信太郎　『怠屈な日』 - 泉昌之(和泉晴紀[作画].久住昌之[原作]) 　『K』 - 大澤正明　『海のお話』 - 滸太郎　『二つ枕(初音)』 - 杉浦日向子　『PHANTASMAGORIA』 - たむら・しげる　『野辺は無く』 - 三橋乙椰(シバ) 　『少年』 - 森下裕美　『糸口』 - 松本充代　『ママと呼ばれて三ヶ月』 - 根本敬.高木順　『ローカル線の午後』 - 菅野修　『ホトホトなんぎなパパとママ』 - みうら・じゅん　『扁桃腺の夏』 - 峰岸達　『戻ってきた日』 - 肥後十三子　『スラップスキップ』 - いしい・ひさいち　『はぴー・ばーす・でい』 - 芳賀由香　『どうなってんの : イソップ式漫画講座』 - 水木しげる　『浪漫写真 : 私のアリス達』 - 荒木経惟　『図象の学習塾 : 肖像イメージ選挙』 - 木村恒久　『目安箱 : 「書けないということについて』 - 上野昂志　『嵐山の人生相談』 - 嵐山光三郎　『重坊のスーパーマーケット : 悪評嘖々』 - 糸井重里　『劇画風雲録 : 嗚呼、貸本の灯は輝やいて』 - 桜井昌一　『連載随筆 : 夏と暴力』 - 鈴木清順　『白土三平論 : 英雄論』 - 石子順造　『清文入道のウンチク寄席』 - 上杉清文　『読者サロン』　『「ガロ」第二期 : 多様化･拡散の時代』 - 呉智英　『木造モルタルの王國の貴賓室』「木造モルタルの王国」によせて(※寄稿文.小冊子) 　『「ガロ」有罪説』 - あがた森魚　『ガロはきっと大丈夫』 - 秋野等.井上章子　『二十年のランナーへ』 - 有川優　『(タイトルなし)』 - 岩家緑郎　『ガロには貧乏がよく似合う』 - いしかわじゅん　『(タイトルなし)』 - 糸川燿史　『「ガロ」は忘れない』 - 小野耕世　『とにもかくにも、エライ！！』 - 川崎徹　『すてきな可能性を持ったマンガの世界』 - 金子勝昭　　『長井さんと苦労のこと』 - 川本コオ　『(タイトルなし)』 - 桑原甲子雄　『(タイトルなし)』 - 小島剛夕　『「ガロ」われらの聖森』 - 佐々木守　『大プロデューサー・プランナー長井勝一さんへの手紙』 - 佐々木昭一郎　『(タイトルなし)』 - 末井昭　『(タイトルなし)』 - 杉本博道　『(タイトルなし)』 - 谷川晃一　『高校時代、文学、エロチシズム、思想の香りを味わっていた』 - 高取英　『(タイトルなし)』 - 高橋章子　『祝・開店20周年』 - 長新太　『(タイトルなし)』 - 竹宮恵子　『『ガロ』に』 - 鶴見俊輔　『きみよ』 - 堤任　『(タイトルなし)』 - 栃谷隆　『(タイトルなし)』 - 内記稔夫　『(タイトルなし)』 - 野本三吉　『(タイトルなし)』 - 萩尾望都　『(タイトルなし)』 - 原田三郎　『安倍慎一』 - 松岡博治　『(タイトルなし)』 - 松田哲夫　『(タイトルなし)』 - 村上知彦　『「ガロ」創刊20周年、本当にバンザイ！』 - 森田芳光　『青林堂はえらい』 - やなせ・たかし　『(タイトルなし)』 - 吉弘幸介　『(タイトルなし)』 - 四方田犬彦　『(タイトルなし)』 - 渡辺一衛

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#manga #garo #ガロ #scans #oneshot #anthology

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beans-shadow · 4 years

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looking for the truth (pt 9)

Fandom: Naruto

Relationship: Kakasaku

Characters: Hatake Kakashi, Haruno Sakura

read on ao3: here

part one / two / three / four / five / six / seven / eight / nine / ten / eleven / twelve / thirteen

The most talked about event of the festival final arrives -- the masquerade.

----

When Kakashi had gotten ready for bed, he prepared himself for another night of restlessness and zoning out Sakura’s light snoring.

However, the weirdest thing happened when he woke up that next day in the Village of Mountain Streams.

He realized he had slept the entire night, free of any chakra expenditure. With a lurch, he sat up in the bed in search of the wall clock. The second hand ticked steadily as he read the time as nine twenty-seven. Nine? Kakashi thought with astonishment. He couldn’t remember a time when he’d missed the break of dawn, either working in his garden, practicing a new move, or taking his ninken out.

Immediately, Kakashi was on high alert.

On instinct, he sent a surge of chakra to his left eye, with the sharp pinch of energy reminding him of his loss of the Sharingan. With shake of his head, Kakashi ripped off the covers and stood in a ready stance, hands together preparing for any necessary signs. Scanning the room, Kakashi went cold when he noticed Sakura’s side of the bed empty, no traces of heat signatures or chakra residue.

Mind racing, Kakashi listed reasons for the current situation. The only probable explanation he came up with was a jutsu of unparalleled power that had snuck into his senses just before they went to bed, resulting in his loss of awareness. And where was Sakura?

And then he heard a squeak in the bathroom. It suspiciously sounded like the movement of a door. Light on his toes, Kakashi inched towards the door. Keeping his breath as shallow as possible, Kakashi prepared himself for the incoming fight.

Just as he was reaching for the door, it slid open, releasing a thread of steam and Sakura wrapped in a towel.

“Kakashi?” Surprise was evident on her face, open and honest. “Is everything okay?”

Sakura was completely relaxed; did she not realize the danger they were in? She gripped her towel around her small body, but that was the only rigidity that Kakashi could observe. She tore off the wrap from her head, and shook out her pink hair, splattering Kakashi with a few droplets. “Are you going to continue standing like that, or explain to me what’s going on?”

Kakashi looked down at himself, now noticing his fighting stance: legs splayed, arms up and fists clenched at the ready. With a snap he straightened himself, but not before he took a quick surveillance around the room.

“Do you feel anything off? Did you notice anything when you woke up?” He questioned her, eyes wide.

Crossing her arms, Sakura contemplated his inquiry. “I did a perimeter check, and found nothing. No seals, no chakra signatures, no heat residues. You were sound asleep snoring like a bulldog, so I decided to let you rest while I got ready.”

The shinobi let the last sentence absorb. Had he heard her correctly?

“I was sound asleep?” Kakashi repeated.

Tilting her head, Sakura’s eyes glimmered with amusement. “Yep. I even stubbed my toe on the bed frame which may have resulted in some loud swearing,” she admitted. “But even that didn’t wake you up."

There was no way. Kakashi didn’t believe it. Rubbing the fabric of his mask, Kakashi turned away from the female ninja. He hadn’t gotten a full night’s sleep in over a decade, maybe more. But all other signs pointed to Sakura’s account being the truth.

And now that Kakashi was out of danger mode, he was frighteningly aware of the fact all that was around Sakura’s body was a small, thin towel. Hiding his face, Kakashi turned away and fled back to the bed. His spine felt fuzzy, and it made him uncomfortable to say the least.

Traces of Sakura’s scrutiny followed him as he sat back on his side of the bed, but Kakashi’s nonplussed state quenched anything she would have said about the matter.

Cutting the tension in the room, Sakura said, “You know what today is?”

Still relatively absent, Kakashi answered in a muted voice. “No.”

“It’s the culmination of Futoshi’s festival: The Celebration of Inner Beauty. They have the carnival tonight, as well as masquerade,” Sakura explained.

“Masquerade?” Kakashi parroted.

Placing herself in front of Kakashi, Sakura nodded. “Yeah. You know, parties where people wear masks? The point is to appreciate how people contain beauty, and how we love others not for superficial reasons. Perfect for you, as you never go anywhere without a mask.” She flicked his nose, and Kakashi finally stepped out of his funk.

“I’m not sure about that. I mean, besides Jiraya, I’m probably the number one fan of Itcha Itcha girls. And goodness knows it’s not because of their intellect…”

“Kakashi!” Sakura threw her hair towel at Kakashi. “Don’t be gross!”

The towel obscured his view of the shinobi as she withdrew back into the bathroom, sliding the door shut. Kakashi was left in a perplexed state, holding her damp towel on his chest allowing moisture to slowly make its way through his shirt and contact his warm skin.

“What? It was just a joke!” He called through the wall.

“Oh, shut up, you nasty old man,” Sakura called back.

Stricken by her harsh words, Kakashi simply stood there. Never had Sakura ever talked back to him in such a way.

But then he started to chuckle, and before long he was full-on laughing, holding the towel close to his body.

Timidly, the bathroom door slid to the side. Sakura peered through the small crack she made, still glowering. “What’s so funny?”

Straightening his mask, Kakashi explained through laughs. “I would never have imagined my most obedient student ever speaking to me that way. I just thought it was humorous.”

Taking a beat before responding, Sakura decided this was indeed something to laugh about. Although she wasn’t one to easily let go of a feud, no matter how petty or little, she let herself smirk lightly.

“Fine, you’re right.” She opened the rest of the bathroom door. Today she dressed in almost her normal attire – a simple red shirt and a pink skirt. Only the elements of shinobi were removed. They must be her civilian clothes, Kakashi thought. He didn’t have any, but she’d come from a civilian family, so of course her parents would always have clothes for their beautiful daughter.

“Kakashi, you’ve gotten yourself all wet.”

Kakashi blinked. “What?” He’d lost his train of thought yet again.

Tutting, Sakura yanked her towel out of his hands. Sure enough, a dark splotch of moisture was left on his chest. Sidestepping him, Sakura shoved him into the bathroom. “Get ready for the day, and let’s try and decode as much of the scroll as we can before the masquerade.”

“Yes, the scroll…” Kakashi scratched his head. “I can do that. We can do that. Let me just get ready.”

Feeling the eye roll from beyond the bathroom, Kakashi heard Sakura mutter “Yep. That’s exactly what I just said.” Even more quietly, he heard a soft, “What a weirdo.”

As Kakashi removed his shirt and left it to dry, he glanced at his body in the mirror. Not completely vain, Kakashi was willing to admit he looked in great shape. Slapping his abs, he admired the six pack that had been present since he was a teenager. His slim figure hid the strong musculature underneath, including the intense chakra levels he could summon for short periods of time.

But then, as always, his eyes would catch the jagged “X” buried in his chest. The many small puncture wounds, be it from kunai piercing his skin or shiruken finding there way through his defenses. Lines of scar tissue, lumps of callouses, and discoloration made a topography map out of his body of his entire career.

And of course, his eyes drifted upward. Staring at the left half of his face, Kakashi reached out to his reflection. Anticipating the touch on his own skin, Kakashi brushed the scar running down his forehead, over his eye, to his cheek on the silvery surface. The mark of his first failure as a ninja; a mark of his first failure to his first friends.

Eyeing the door that separated him from the pink-haired shinobi waiting on him, Kakashi wondered. He’d felt something at the picnic. He’d heard something in her voice, just now. Was he going crazy? Was this assignment making him soft?

He returned to his ugly face. No, he thought. Finally touching his own face, Kakashi covered his left eye. He would never turn soft. If he did, something horrible would happen. Sakura was soft, and always will be. She’d never feel anything towards him, so why should he entertain these fleeting thoughts? They were just a result of their cover story, nothing more.

-----

“This doesn’t sound good,” Kakashi grumbled from the couch.

After moving to the living room to continue decoding, Sakura had placed herself to his immediate left, much to his discomfort. He doubted he’d ever get full control of his vision again, and the weak position list left him in was disturbing. But Sakura was fully focused on the message.

Little by little, they’d put together the message over the course of the entire day. The festival was quickly approaching, but neither had stopped to think about that as they drew closer to uncovering the scroll’s secrets. The coffee table was a mess of drinks, snacks, schematics, deciphers, and half-completed codes.

More flowers needed for Leaf shipment, increase total fertilizer by two tons. Fertilzer and seeds alike, Continued instruction of planting as usual. Infiltration about 95% complete. Suspicion low, Hokage not involved in plant industry. Preparation ready and awaiting the go.

“Infiltration? Suspicion?” Sakura asked, rubbing her chin. “Infiltration of what, flowers? That’s all we get. And we would notice if anything else came with the order, we always have our entrance guard check cargo.”

“It is an odd thing to say,” Kakashi agreed. “Overall, this scroll isn’t all too alarming. But combined with the secrecy, and select vocabulary…”

“There must be something we are missing,” Sakura finished his sentence. “We should snoop around some more. Not at the fields, it’s too in the open with too many pairs of eyes. Do they have a holding area, or something along those lines?”

Kakashi shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. The maps I was given of the area were very crude, and it would bring up questions if we asked for a more detailed map now.”

Sakura glanced out the window. “It’s inconsequential for the moment, anyways. The sun is starting to set, and Futoshi would probably send a squad of scent dogs after us if we don’t show up to this festival.”

“Agreed. But maybe Pakkun can find something while everyone else is preoccupied.” Kakashi stood up and summoned his companion.

“I’ll also send a bird to Ino, maybe she’ll have an idea about this. Her mom knows everything about everything if it concerns flowers.”

Kakashi gave Pakkun the details as Sakura scrambled into the bedroom to write her letter to Ino. She admonished Kakashi after he reminded her to make sure to write it in a way that only the two shinobi would understand the true intent.

“I’ll have a look around, boss,” Pakkun said, licking his paw. “I have an idea where to start, too. What will you be doing in the meantime?”

With a groan, Kakashi said, “Sakura and I have to attend a festival tonight. That ‘celebrates inner beauty’,” he used finger quotes.

Pakkun looked up, one dog-brow raised. “That must be faked exacerbation, right?”

“Excuse me?” Kakashi crossed his arms.

“C’mon, young Hatake. You and Sakura will be having a blast, enjoying yourselves, while I do all the grunt work,” Pakkun said.

“I’d much rather be moving the mission forward. This isn’t exactly a vacation, Pakkun, and I’m not one to relax.”

“True,” the dog admitted. “But you sure have let your guard down more easily these past few days than I have ever seen before.”

Rubbing the back of his head, Kakashi looked away. “That night of sake was an accident,” he defended himself. “I’m sure you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Standing on all fours, Pakkun shook himself out. “You mean the newlywed game meant nothing? You didn’t need to have that picnic either, Kakashi. Plus, us canine have special senses about things like this.” He glanced up one last time at his summoner. “But what do I know?” And with a poof, he disappeared.

Coughing away the bellow of smoke, Kakashi walked away from where his dog used to be seconds ago. No, he angrily thought. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. He’s crazy.

“Did I miss Pakkun again?” Sakura came out of the bedroom, letter in hand. “How does that always happen?”

Wordlessly, Kakashi shrugged. Squirming by her to enter the bedroom, he rummaged through his bag for a change of clothes.

Following him lead, Sakura went to her bag and started pulling out piles of clothing. “It’s fine, I’ll see him later.”

Kakashi grunted.

“This… festival, ball, whatever,” Sakura said as she sorted her clothes, “seems important to Futoshi and the entire village, so we need to at least make our presence moderately known. No skipping with surprise picnics or anything.” She turned, casting a smile at Kakashi, but he kept his back turned away, rejecting any hint of relaxation.

Not letting his fluctuating emotions bother her yet again, Sakura kept smiling. “Word on the street is the Daimyo went all out this evening, as well. Lantern lights all over the village, special food trucks on every corner, and even a live band. I can sense it will be a beautiful night, with great weather. Let’s try to enjoy this, Kakashi, if we have nothing else to do besides be vigilant.”

Kakashi’s back only seemed to get tighter as she continued talking. Knowing her next question would piss him off, Sakura walked over to him with a shit-eating grin. She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, and he flinched, making Sakura jut her hand back. She tried to not let that bother her, chalking it off to shinobi jitters.

In lieu of touching him, Sakura leaned over his back. “Are you nervous, Hatake?” She whispered to his ear.

Now Kakashi stood up straight as an arrow, hands holding the clothes so tight Sakura thought he would leave permanent wrinkles in them. “I’m going into the bathroom to get ready. Let me know when you’re finished as well, and I’ll come back out.”

He rushed to the restroom with such urgency, Sakura’s hair flipped in his wake. Shaking her head, Sakura went back to her pile of laundry and selected her nicest dress. An ankle-length, sunrise dress with a sweetheart neckline was her selection. The ombre effect would be dazzling in the festival lights, the seamless transition between purple, pink, and light orange complimented her hair as well. The dress would hug her in all the right places, but was roomy enough for quick movement if she needed to spring into action. With the long skirt, she could also hide all sorts of items she refused to leave in the apartment.

Knowing this night would be semi-traditional, Sakura also picked out a cover that looked like a see-through kimono. Light green and powerful silver brushstrokes mixed together in a harmony that Sakura could stare at for hours, if she did not have other pressing matters to attend to.

For the final touch, Sakura picked up her mask. She’d gone out and bought it a little while ago by herself, as Kakashi did not find the need to accompany her when his outfit always consisted of a mask.

Hers was the opposite of Kakashi’s – it covered the top half of her face, instead of the bottom half. The structure was brown, shaped like branches, with leaves and cherry blossom flowers sprouting all around the top and sides. It was hand painted, fit her name perfectly, and Sakura simply could not control herself when the salesmen pitched the object to her. It also ended up being contoured to her face like a glove, and with that, the money was exchanged.

Sakura slipped on the mask now, feeling as though she was putting on a costume for a play. Playing the part of a happy couple, without any risks in the world to worry about. It sounded nice, and she was ready to fall into the fantasy.

But she could not let herself. With a deep breath, Sakura turned to her knife bag. She slipped her knife sheath over her thigh, and secured kunai knives out of anyone’s sight. In her bust, she stuffed some small scrolls for healing summons. On her other thigh, she slipped some paper bombs, just in case.

Straightening out her dress, Sakura called to Kakashi. “Okay, I’m ready. You can come out now.”

Kakashi was still busy fussing with his hair that refused to lay flat when he exited the bathroom. But when he finally laid eyes on Sakura, all the air left his lungs.

It seemed without his noticing, Sakura really had turned into a full woman. Standing tall in her pink dress, she looked like a fearsome warrior who had grown strong and independent throughout her life. She knew herself, knew her needs, and knew her duties in life. Whoever talked to her should feel honored she took the time to acknoldege their presence given all of her responsibilities. She held herself wih so much confidence, Kakashi almost forgot she used to be the small, pathetic genin no one had wanted on their team.

She didn’t have the body of females from Jiraya’s novels, but that did not matter at all. She shone from under her silver kimono that Pakkun surely must have picked out, and Kakashi realized he had been staring too long.

Her bright eyes shown through her mask despite all the noise, analyzing Kakashi’s outfit much more scientifically than he had hers.

Kakashi wore only the top half of a black Haori with white wave patterns, skipping out on the hakama for gray dress pants. He’d try to get his hair to obey gallons of gel, but it still spiked all around in the air. And of course, he still wore his signature black facemask.

“Alright, you look pretty well-dressed, considering what I know you’ll put up with,” Sakura said, teeth shining from under her mask.

“Why thank you, Ms. Haru,” Kakashi said with a bow. He extended his arm to her. “Shall we?”

Sakura bowed back, chuckling. Taking his arm, she replied, “Don’t mind if we do, Mr. Hate.”

----

They’d walked to the festival site in complete silence, arm in arm the entire journey. Sakura, along with not wanting to pressure Kakashi, was tired of initiating conversation, so instead she just took in her surroundings. From time to time, she expended some chakra to sense any dangers, but nothing came up besides Kakashi’s brief flares as well.

When they finally reached the center of the festival, it was clear some sort of pre-game had happened. Many of the attendees were already wasted; they clamored for food in the way only drunks did, and swayed to the music without any inhibition. The main street was unbelievably crowded, surprising Sakura even when she had the knowledge this festival was famous around here.

Wordlessly, Sakura dragged Kakashi around the sights. She admired the interpretive artwork that ran around the perimeters of the festival, laughed at the lantern lights. She greeted the few people she recognized even with masks on, and surveyed the food carts. Sakura tried chicken treats, feeding Kakashi as a fiancé would, and thankfully Kakashi played his own part, even if he still did not speak up.

He seemed absorbed into his own world again, eyes slightly distant. They refocused whenever Sakura demanded his attention, but quickly drew inwards when they dropped the act. But Sakura genuinely wanted to appreciate this festival. Its intentions were pure, even if there was something sinister hidden in this village. Tossing out conventional ideals of beauty, and instead celebrating the beauty on the inside? She was all about that. Sakura might have grown into her large forehead, but there were always going to be aspects about her body she would hate. She’d much rather find someone that loved her for who she was, not what she looked like.

Hands locked with Kakahi’s, Sakura led them towards the music’s source. With a noisemaker like Naruto, Konoha was no quiet village, but it did lack a sort of spice when it came to musicality. These talented musicians attracted Sakura, their movements enchanting, and she wanted the sound to be clearer.

Weaving through the thick crowd, Sakura lost her grip on Kakashi, but she kept moving towards the band. Eventually, she was close enough to the stage where she could watch them. She laughed and clapped along to the tune, even sang along when they played more traditional songs. She lost herself in the music, jumping and swaying to the melody, momentarily forgetting their dire mission.

There she was, just a woman in her early twenties, having a good time. Maybe later she’d accidentally bump into a handsome fella, who would ask her out to dinner. They would get to know each other, discover they shared a favorite color, and then debate philosophical ideas.

Or maybe she would find a lifelong friend, just by shouting out the words to a popular song and making eye contact across the crowd. They would dance towards each other, sing at the top of their lungs for the rest of the night, take shots together, and form a pact to never reveal what their night of drunk shenanigans led them to.

Or just maybe, she would decide when wants to learn how to play an instrument as well. After the concert, she would go up to the band and request a teacher. Finding her to be serious, they would take her on their tour of the world, and she would become a world-renowned artist. Armies would chant her names at auditoriums, and she would let in their words and channel their energy through her music.

Then the song ended, and reality struck Sakura again. She slouched, but resigned to her world. She was a ninja, bound by duty to her Hokage. That’s just the way it was. And her life was full of adventure, she couldn’t deny that. But sometimes, she envied her civilian’s parents lack of drama.

The band switched to playing softer music, and couples took each other’s hands to slow dance. Someone grabbed Sakura’s hand, and for a second she thought one of the dreams was coming true. But it was just Kakashi. She’d thought she lost him in the crowd before, but didn’t let the startled feeling show on her face. Wordlessly, Kakashi brought Sakura in close, holding her steady with a palm on the small of her back. She was grateful for her mask that covered the rush of blood in her cheeks.

They moved to the music with several inches separating them. Sakura looked up at the tall man in front her, but Kakashi looked forward, face pale. Taking a chance, Sakura tugged him closer. He obeyed her without any fight, letting her rest her head on his chest. She could feel his neck bend down to look at her, Kakashi’s chin brushing the top of her hair. His heart beat at an alarming rate, making Sakura worry he was expecting an ambush at any moment.

Sakura took the proximity as a chance to talk about covert details, and mentioned the deciphered scroll. “I told Konoha to analyze the soil they received from this land. Hopefully Ino will get back soon. The scroll said ‘infiltration’. I’m worried we’ll need to eventually take someone out on this mission,” Sakura said.

Kakashi’s heart slowed down slightly as his voice rumbled through his chest. “Don’t worry. If it comes to that, I’ll do the deed. No problem.”

The conversation’s quick turn direction churned her stomach, but Kakashi was talking to her again, and she did not want to go another evening feeling like she had one step forward, two steps back with this man. “I know I’m a soldier of our village, and I have taken people’s lives… but I’m a healer. Every life hurts me inside. How can you say that so casually?”

“The more you kill, the easier it becomes to distance yourself. The more you distance yourself, the less you will hurt. The more easily you can bring yourself to hurt others. I embraced the bad that is Konoha, letting the good seep away, so you can commit bad deeds.”

Shaking her head, Sakura retreated from the comfort of Kakashi’s chest. He looked down at her, eyes gray and empty. “You can’t just stop being good, because you’ve been exposed to so much bad,” Sakura answered, eyes pleading to Kakashi’s impassive face. “You have to be good, despite all the bad.”

Without thinking, Kakshi blurted, “But what if I think I’m what’s bad with this world?” His voice almost quivered, and Kakashi glanced away to hide the terror in his eyes of what he just admitted.

Sakura stopped dancing, forcing Kakashi to stop as well. He just stood there, eyes looking to the side, as she stared him down with those piercing green eyes. “Kakashi, why would you even suggest that?”

Now looking at the ground, Kakashi gave a sorrowful shrug, and resumed dancing. But his shifting of weight was slower, and less balanced. Sakura gave him his time, hoping he will eventually answer if she just waited it out.

Her patience was rewarded about a minute later, when Kakashi spoke in a soft voice, on the verge of being too quiet to pick up, even with her trained hearing.

“All the people I grow to care for, they all die. Sometimes by my hand. How can I not think of myself as bad? I can’t even keep those that I lo---”

His voice cracked. Kakashi swallowed hard, and resumed. “I can’t even keep them safe. There’s no room in my life for good, not anymore.”

Mouth agape, Sakura shook her head again. “I can’t even believe I’m hearing this, Kakashi. After everything you’ve done for our village, the countless missions you’ve completed, the ninja you’ve taught, you don’t think you’ve done any good, ever?”

Kakashi watched a lantern move with the soft breeze. “All of that was in service of the village, which isn’t the most pure institution, as I am sure you know. I don’t feel great about a lot of the missions I’ve been assigned.”

Kakashi had a point, so Sakura tried to find another source of argument.

“Well, what about Team 7?”

Kakashi looked down at Sakura, gray eyes sparking for the first time since they started talking. “What about it?”

Sakura smiled wide. “You taught us so much, showed us how to be the best versions of ourselves. You also saved us countless times throughout our missions, no matter how fucked up they became. I consider that a good deed.”

Kakashi snorted. “Yeah, because Sasuke turned out so great.”

“Forget about Sasuke for one second,” Sakura growled. She calmed herself. “Think of Naruto, think of me.” Kakashi locked eyes with her. “I know Naruto looks up to you still for guidance. He loves you. And I am thankful every day I had you as my teacher. You were the best team leader anyone could ask for. And now, I’m thankful every day I have you as a friend.”

Kakashi’s mask twitched, so Sakura guessed the man was attempting to hide a smile. His eyes dilated, and his cheeks reddened slightly. Laughing, Sakura reached up and brushed his cheek with her thumb. “You are so hard on yourself, Kakashi. Please see the good you spread in this world, and try to forgive yourself for what you may have done in the past. And if you struggle to give yourself that forgiveness, only ask me, I’ll gladly give it to you.”

Like a puppy, Kakashi leaned into her touch, eyes closing. She felt him calming under his hand, and smiled. To an outsider, they probably really looked like two intendeds, enjoying the intimacy of their quiet conversation.

“Thank you, Sakura,” Kakashi breathed. He reached up to cup her hand in his, and held it there as he turned his face into her palm. She felt the slight pressure of fabric against her skin, and stopped breathing when she realized Kakashi was giving her a soft kiss.

Quickly, she withdrew her hand from his grasp. Immediately Kakashi snapped out of his soft behavior, staring stupidly at her. He clearly did not realize exactly what he was doing, and his mind was still racing to catch up with his actions. But only surprise had wrenched Sakura’s hand away, and she did not want to punish him for being vulnerable. So, she rushed to him, wrapping him up in a bear hug, burrowing her head in his chest yet again. After a second, she felt Kakashi’s arms reach around her as well, and all the muscles in his body relax.

“I’m always here for you, Kakashi,” Sakura said to his body.

She felt him hum. “I know, I know,” he replied. His gratitude was not expressed again, but she knew it was still there.

She squeezed him a few more times, until Kakashi started protesting. “Please, Sakura, you’re going to break my back,” Kakashi laughed slightly. He removed her hands from around him, keeping her at a distance, but still holding her hands as if he could not bear the thought of letting go again.

But Sakura remembered something, and pulled her hands away. Kakashi looked downtrodden, but then a truly happy look on his face replaced it quickly.

“I just remembered,” Sakura said. “I bought you something when I was out looking for my own mask.”

Sakura reached into her bra and pulled out a small scroll. She unfurled it, revealing a seal with writing so small, only someone with surgical-like penmanship could have written it. Makings sure no one was paying them any attention, Sakura whispered a quick jutsu. She arched her back over her hand, and after a small puff of smoke disappeared, revealed the item.

A ball of silver and green fabric lay in her palm, glittering delicately in the lantern light. Sakura held up with both hands, smiling when Kakashi’s eyes widened in realization about what exactly she was offering him.

“It’s a new mask! I know you didn’t buy one since you already have so many,” Sakura explained, “but I figured tonight called for a special gift.” She held it out to Kakashi to take, who gingerly fingered the fabric. It felt like feathers in his hands.

“Sakura, I… thank you,” he said, still admiring the handiwork. Then he looked up at her, distressed. “I don’t have anything for you.”

“Oh, please, don’t worry about that,” Sakura said, genuine. “I just wanted to do something nice for you. That’s what friends do.”

Wonderment still shined in Kakahsi’s eyes, and Sakura had to wonder how often Kakashi’s friends did things like this for him. Who were Kakashi’s friends, anyways? Guy? He was great, but seemed a bit airheaded to Sakura. Genma would never buy anything for anyone, and Asuma was gone. Her heart pained for Kakashi now; those really were his only friends left.

Kakashi has lost almost everyone, Sakura remembered Pakkun mentioning to her earlier this mission. Not for the first time, she wondered how exactly he lost those people who were so close to him.

But she did not want those dark thoughts to consume her, nor did she want to remind Kakashi of his melancholy past. So instead, she clapped her hands. “Go ahead, put it on. I’ll look away.” She turned around, closed her eyes, and for good measure, cupped her hands over her eyes as well.

Not willing to disappoint her, Kakashi obeyed her wish. He slipped off his black mask and replaced it with her silvery green gift. It was obviously made from expensive material; it was thick enough to appear opaque, but breathed much better than the old masks Kakashi had grown used to.

After briefly touching his own cheek, he tapped Sakura on her bare shoulder. She spun in an instant, the smile already lighting up her face, which ignited a quick heart beat in Kakahi’s chest.

“It looks amazing, Kakashi,” she murmured. Kakashi smiled wide under his mask, and from the way Sakura’s eyes fluttered down for a split second, he guessed this new mask did not cover up his mouth as well as his others. But he did not mind, even if he was more accustomed to emotional privacy. This was one of the most thoughtful gifts he had ever received, and he could not contain the joy that emanated from his every limb.

On a whim, Kakashi grabbed Sakura and spun her in place, lifting an arm high above her head. She let out a breathless squeal of happiness. He then twirled her back close to his body, and dipped her low. He doggedly followed her descent, almost touching noses with her just a foot above the ground.

“Truly, Sakura. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift.”

Sakura’s upper cheeks started to flush, but whether it was from the dancing or the blood rushing to her head from gravity, Kakashi could not begin to guess. He hefted her back up, and drew her close to slow dance together. Feeling completely comfortable around her, he rested his chin over her shoulder, breathing in her scent. It was sweet and floral, and calmed his every nerve. How had he not realized before now how much comfort Sakura gave him? Kakashi closed her eyes, breathing nice and even, finally fully enjoying the festival.

Sakura was tense in his arms, her shoulder hard as a rock. She’d initiated the close dancing before, so he wasn’t sure why should would react this way. But momentarily, she relaxed as well, returning to her resting position on his chest. He tried to force his heart to not beat as fast as before, but having Sakura this close messed with his mind, which in turn messed with his head. She relaxed him so much, but still made him so nervous. He hoped he would get over whatever this feeling was soon, so he could just be himself without any distractions. He knew his behavior was abnormal always, but his current behavior was exceptionally weird, especially after his talk with Pakkun.

Simply listening to the music, the two of them held the other tight, eyes shut. As one, they moved across the floor, never stepping on each other’s feet, or having to speak about their next movements. Kakashi felt Sakura’s thumb on his shoulder rub him rhythmically, and he swore it was some medical technique to make him even more at ease.

Kakashi’s guard was so down, he did not even notice when the hurricane Futoshi approached them.

“Look at you two!”

His piercing voice shocked Kakashi out of his drowsiness, and he sprung up from Sakura’s shoulder nook, blinking rapidly. Arms crossed, Futoshi looked smug, as if he knew some secret they did not.

“You’re both just so adorable, absorbed in your own world. I wish I could bottle you two up and keep you preserved here forever!” He clapped.

Sakura, always remembering her manners before Kakashi did, bowed. “My lord, it is a pleasure to see you again. This festival is wonderful,” she said, gesturing around her.

Futoshi’s chest puffed out. “Why thank you! I tried hard to make this as fun as possible. But I think you two only need each other to have fun,” he winked at them. Sakura blushed severely, and Kakashi tried to make his face as unemotional as possible. Don’t think about it, don't think about it, he repeated over and over in his head.

Futoshi touched Sakura’s cover slip, appreciating the material in his hands. “This is beautiful, Sakura.” He looked to Kakashi. “Your fiancé’s clothing certainly brings out the color in your hair,” he motioned to Kakashi’s rat’s nest that had refused to cooperate with him earlier. Kakashi, now very self conscious, mussed with it again. “Did you two coordinate?”

Angrily tugging at his locks, Kakashi grumbled. “No, we absolutely did not.” He failed to keep how irritate the was about Futoshi’s interruption. Sakura lightly slapped him on the arm.

“Well, you two must really just have a special connection,” Futoshi admired. He bowed to them, prompting a bow in return. “I’ll leave you two. Please, enjoy yourselves.” He returned to hosting the event, picking up conversations with everyone around him.

Kakashi was still grumbling and messing with his hair as Sakura tugged him back to her. She reached up and brought his arms back around her, massaging his upper arms. “Kakashi, please don’t be rude to him. We still might need more information from him later.”

“I know,” he muttered, offering no explanation. He would not know what to say to her. That he did not want to go back to the feeling of being a shinobi right now? That he actually preferred that innocent bliss he had felt for a few minutes back there with her?

Instead of pestering him, Sakura refocused his energy. “It’s okay to let yourself just be you sometimes, but at times, we don’t let out our best behavior.”

This felt almost like a continuation of their previous conversation, but Kakashi felt better whenever he let something off his chest to this short medical ninja. “I’m not used to holding back, when everyone back home knows to just let me be."

“Why is that?” Sakura asked, beginning to sway in place again.

“I’m not sure…” Kakashi said. “I think it’s because they know who I am, and that I’m not as nice as I ought to be.”

“You have it in you, I’ve seen it for myself,” Sakura replied, fixing her mask. Before Kakshi could ask when exactly, she continued. “But that happens to all of us. I know I’m far from being what I ought to be; sometimes I have to ask myself, will I ever be? But eventually, I just decided that others go to various lengths to hide their true selves. I used to do that, but people go to such lengths to hide their true selves. I used to do that, but it was exhausting.”

“I’m glad you don’t anymore. I like who I see in front of me.”

Sakura hid her smile by burrowing into Kakashi’s chest. He felt her speak against him. “Well, I can say the same to you, since I like who’s in front of me as well.”

A warm fuzzy feeling crept up from where she spoke, through his clothes, and into his heart. It pumped heat through his entire body, and Kakashi knew he had to cut this feeling off quick before he did something stupid.

So he did the stupidest thing he could think of: he mentioned the Uchiha. Mentioning her romantic interest should surely end his idiotic fantasies.

“Have you heard from Sasuke recently, Sakura?”

His question had the (reluctant) desired effect: Sakura removed her head from his chest, eyes scrunched in confusion. “No, why would I have?”

Kakashi raised his eyebrows. “Are you not in correspondence with the rogue ninja? I thought lovers kept in touch even over long distances.” Kakashi really had never approved of her and the Uchiha’s relationship; they’d seemed like an odd match, with far too much history and struggle. Some would have romanticized their past, and Kakashi would have it was in one of his novels. But in real life, he never forgave Sasuke for his actions.

Sakura blushed with embarrassment. “Kakashi, Sasuke and I were never lovers. I was a fool, believing to be in love with him. But that wasn’t love, it was a teenage infatuation. When he turned his back on Konoha, that was it for me.”

What? That was news to Kakashi. “But when he returned—"

Sakura cut him off. “I meant the second time. He could have stayed, but he went off alone. It’s his choice; I respect that. But it made me realize, when I didn’t feel anything when he walked away, that my feelings were gone, were temporary.” She stepped away from Kakashi, brushing out her dress as if Sasuke was the dirt sticking to her clothing. “I was never in love with Sasuke.”

I was never in love.

Her words broke Kakashi’s fixation of his goal. This changed everything in his mind. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he said, unsure how this revelation made him feel. It definitely affected him: he wanted to smile, wanted to rejoice in hearing that Sakura had finally realized how awful of a match the emotionless Uchiha was for her. Instead, he kept his cool. And he was damn proud of how well it did that.

“Don’t be,” Sakura responded, crossing her arms and looking away. “It never meant anything anyways.”

Dammit.

Now he was smiling again. Good thing Sakura was still gazing in the other direction, since this mask failed to cover up his emotional indicators.

“Regardless,” Kakashi reached out and drew her close again. “The Uchiha wasn’t good enough for you,” he said.

“Mmm,” Sakura said. Kakashi wasn’t sure if that was an agreement or not. But that did not matter, since his mind was elsewhere already.

Am I good enough?

But Kakashi didn’t have enough time to think about that, as Pakkun sent him a signal. His hand tightened on Sakura’s waist, and leaned in to whispered to her, “Pakkun is here, we need to find out what he’s discovered.”

Nodding, Sakura let Kakashi drag her from the dance floor and into an alleyway. They wound through the village for a few minutes until they were certain no one was following them, and they wouldn’t be found.

Pakkun ran up a few seconds later, ears flopping with sprint.

He stopped in front and center to Kakashi and Sakura, and started reporting without preamble.

“I found several places that are pretty well defended, but I assume some of those areas relate to this Land’s history, or precious items. There was one that seemed out of place, with an extraordinary amount of guards.”

“Describe it to me,” Kakashi demanded.

“It seemed to lead underground, but it was plain. Just gray concrete, airtight locks. But when someone walked through, I think I picked up the feint scent of plants.”

“That might be the one. We can’t go out again tonight, it would be too risky, but I need to you to survey this area a bit more. Once we have something definite, Sakura and I will make a move.”

Nodding, the dog disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rubbing his forehead, Kakashi looked to Sakura. “Do you want to go back to the festival?”

Sakura’s arms were crossed, one hand holding up her chin in deep thought. “No, my mind is back on mission-mode. Besides, Futoshi saw us, so our cover is still held in place.”

Slight disappointment raked Kakashi for a moment, as he already missed the intimacy of dancing with Sakura, whispering secrets to her that he’d never expressed to anyone else, except the night sky and the graveyard. But he had to agree with her; the magic of the previous few hours was gone, and his body was on high alert now.

Then a load growl permeated the alleyway. Eyes wide, Kakashi looked at Sakura who rubbed the back of her head in an apologetic motion.

“Ha, sorry, but sounds like my stomach has other ideas,” she said, embarrassed.

Kakashi laughed as well. “No problem. Let’s grab some little bites to eat, and head back. We can munch back at the inn.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

Kakashi reached out a hand. Sakura stared at it for a split movement before swiftly taking it in hers. “Let’s go, Kakashi,” she smiled up at him.

He smiled back down, loving the way she looked at that moment, still living the lie they were betrothed.

They gathered their food, and after having a mini feast, they resealed the rooms and went to bed. Laying there, Kakashi found sleep not coming easy to him, but not in the usual way. It was because he found himself explicitly admitting his feelings for the first time that day, and his mind was moving so fast he would not let him rest.

Kakashi realizes he wants more than what he currently had…. Being just friends.

He wanted Sakura.

But he could control himself, and control his body. He would never act on these feelings, now that they were in the open, at least to himself. It would be suicide to do so.

But the problem was, nobody can control what dreams they have.

And Kakashi dreamed of Sakura. The most talked about event of the festival final arrives -- the masquerade.

#kakasaku #kakahsi #sakura #fanfic #looking for the truth #naruto #my writing

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kihocrystal · 6 years

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Spring 2018 - Final Impressions

Sorry this post is so late (again)! I had a *really* busy July, which really didn’t help at all. But anyway, here’s my thoughts on the shows that I finished this past season! All but one are sequels, though (and the one non-sequel was a carryover from last season)... Don’t worry, I’ll watch stuff like Megalobox and Hinamatsuri eventually! :’D

All “reviews” are listed in alphabetical order!

Amanchu! Advance - 8.0 / 10 (B-)

I liked season 2 as a whole! (Except for one episode / thing…)

QUEERBAITING SUCKS

I dunno if this is the fault of the anime or the source material…

…but this is still the most blatant example I’ve ever watched >_>

episode 11 didn’t need to happen!!! Why couldn’t Kokoro just… be a girl

or y’know, just let Pikari and Teko continue to “love” each other as they have! OTL

maybe why it annoyed me so much is that it’s like… a total bait & switch that went on for 2 SEASONS

to be fair, the reveal kinda went over my head? But when r/anime pointed it out, that’s when the salt began :/

yet the finale still has them blushing over reading thank you notes? It’s like this show wants its cake & eat it too

at the end of the day, the Kokoro stuff just… got in the way of Teko & Pikari’s interactions, platonic or not >_>

Also I’m one of the few people who actually liked the Peter arc

and it gave Ai some spotlight time!!!

it’s nice to have a little story arc to change things up (as opposed to an episodic structure)

(though I understand why many didn’t care for it… it leans a lot more towards supernatural than usual)

IMO they at least gave precedent w/ that one lucid dreaming episode w/ Teko, though

AND THERE’S ACTUAL SCUBA DIVING THIS TIME \o/

the underwater moments can be very magical… definitely the visual highlight

And the cast of characters is still enjoyable to watch too~ (def. a good group dynamic there)

Kokoro is considered a polarizing character for sure

I didn’t mind him that much until, y’know… his gender reveal led to the queer-baiting thing >_>

The finale was really nice though! It had pretty diving scenes and had cute Teko & Pikari moments~

In any case, this is still a very relaxing and heartwarming anime~

It has all the things I enjoyed about S1 here; it’s just the things added on top were a mixed-bag

Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card - 8.0 / 10 (B)

EVERYONE IN THIS SHOW IS BEING VAGUE AS SHIT

But at least the mystery is interesting!

It’s just too bad it took like… 20 episodes to start getting any kind of explanation :’)

I actually watched the original series through a r/anime rewatch at the end of last year!

(meaning there wasn’t much time for me going from that series to this sequel)

I enjoyed the callbacks to the original series as well!

(including going from *anime* canon! i.e. the 2nd movie actually being canon)

The visuals look nice! Even though it almost looks a bit… *too* rounded in comparison to the original

I enjoyed watching Sakura capture all the new cards in different ways~

Even though this season was VERY light on plot (mostly), this aspect provided the action~

Also I enjoyed watching the character interactions too ^^

But yeah… the lack of overarching plot development and VAGUENESS kinda holds this season back

that being said, the final episodes set up some potentially interesting developments to come

and the finale itself *definitely* was not a conclusive one, so S2 better be confirmed soon!

Overall, I still enjoyed this continuation for the things it did right! I’ll be looking forward to a S2~

Darling in the FranXX - 8.0 / 10 (B)

Well this is/was a… polarizing show, to say the least.

I enjoyed it overall, but certain things about it hold it back from a higher score for me.

There’s two main elephants in the room with this series, really

#1 is… the heteronormativity

this was basically from the get-go, and in the roots of the story / themes itself

since the themes revolve around male/female partnerships & the importance of that… Yeah

one of the core quotes being “a female and a male aren’t complete w/o the other” …Yeah, again

also the sex-like positions of the “stamen” and “pistil” while piloting also doesn’t help

the workings of this world’s society has hetero relationships as the standard and doesn’t really allow for other options

(i.e. the FranXX piloting, Ikuno’s female attraction not working out in both operating the mech & her feelings for Ichigo, etc.)

at least Ikuno and Ichigo got a scene to talk about their attraction feelings & make up somewhat ^^

plus the Nines are basically gender non-binary but are seen as antagonistic forces for most of the show… Yeah

and just basic hetero things (like sex & pregnancy) were like being attacked in this show (when it’s not in real life???)

there’s an image meme that’s like “no, Prime Minister Abe… this will not get people to have babies” (…agreed :’D)

sure, there are *many* ways you can interpret this show, but the fact that so many people have seen it as such is Not Good

#2 is… the show supposedly “jumping the shark” towards the end

the main culprit of this (for many people) seems to be the “suddenly aliens!” reveal in episode ~20

this didn’t really impact my enjoyment of the show at all, but I definitely understand why people would be disappointed

in a way, it does kinda shift the story away from the themes it was using prior to this…

perhaps the lack of foreshadowing was another reason the shift in plot didn’t go well

plus it tends to directly riff off of certain visual cues from other mecha (like Eva & Gurren Lagaan)

Those two main gripes aside, the directing & visuals in this show were what kept me interested throughout

music choices, visual choices, etc. just really made certain moments better than they probably should’ve been

I enjoyed the characters as a group as well (even if most of them individually weren’t anything to write home about)

Goro’s a good bro, Ichigo went through good development, Kokoro & Mitsuru developed as a good pair…

Futoshi ended up being kind of a fat joke to the end though (& it was interesting that him & Kokoro didn’t end up together)

of course, Zero Two is the one everyone loved (& I liked her & Hiro’s dynamic as well)

sure, some people felt like she had “no personality” after she realized the truth about Hiro, but I didn’t mind the change

Plus I like that this show had a… pretty good ending, actually! (All things considered)

Directing as always was on point, and we got to see everyone’s lives over time (& Hiro + Zero Two eventually re-uniting as kids)

I just wish the main group got to see the two of them again :’)

though I do wish VIRM actually got full-on destroyed instead of a “we might come back” ending :/

and the ending was also kinda like “oh yeah, all the Children sent away didn’t actually die!” ???

This show will likely have a legacy not unlike Guilty Crown going forward, but I thought it ended better than that show, for the record

But yeah, this show is far from perfect and has questionable themes. But I still enjoyed it over all for the things it did well~’

Nanatsu no Taizai S2 - 8.0 / 10 (B-)

Unfortunately, not as good as S1 (but I still enjoyed this season overall)

S1 felt like its own self-contained story, but this season is clearly a “Part 1” for things to come

I wish Diana had more to do this season… she lost her memory early on and STILL doesn’t have it back

she was out of the main conflict (& separated from the group) for most of it :/

she also had these WEIRD ANGLES & POSES all the time… the fan service w/ her was *Really* distracting

the only consolation is that we got to learn some backstory for her & meet her fellow giants

oh well, at least she’s met up with King again and is enjoying his company by the end :)

The Gowther twist is interesting, but the way they revealed it was kinda… underwhelming

plus that *also* hasn’t been resolved yet (like many other things this season)

Some good moments this season were centered around Ban

such as his relationship w/ Jericho, time w/ a resurrected Elaine, and the small arc w/ his foster dad :’)

Also the final Sin got introduced w/ Escanor! PRAISE THE SUN

he’s a fun character; skittish by night and INVINCIBLE by day

The addition of power levels was kinda weird

it wasn’t necessary in S1, so why add it now???

The training arc gave us a full flashback to Melodias’ past w/ losing Liza, which was nice (and sad ;~; )

plus the vs. 10 Commandments fight actually showed Melodias full-on dying? That doesn’t happen much

it was a brutal death too! Hard to watch ;~;

plus they even changed the OP animation to reflect that he died… now that’s commitment

of course he came back later on, but there’s a catch… (since he loses some emotions every time)

There were some good fights, mostly during the “tournament” arc

(especially Melodias vs. all commandments… a sakuga highlight for sure)

The finale had a good stopping point, but it definitely makes clear that the story’s not over

so yeah, unlike season 1, this season *needs* a season 3 to be worth the watch

So yeah, there were some good moments & fights this season, but as a whole, it’s weaker than S1

Shokugeki no Souma S3 (Part 2) - 8.5 / 10 (B+)

I enjoyed this season! Continuing on the darker tone that the first half of S3 set up

This plot line of Central taking over the school is still my favorite plot point thus far, tbh

in other words, shit is finally going down!

…even if many of Central are just mustache-twirling villains :’D

Erina’s gotten great development from this arc too…! She’s not just a typical stuck-up tsundere anymore

her backstory is definitely a harsh one. It was great seeing her gain the courage to stick up to dad!

We also learned more about Souma’s dad! :O

Especially about how he was seen as feared, and the pressure of success got to him :’(

along with how this backstory tied into Asami’s motivations as well

Most of the season was kinda a gauntlet of opponents for the “resistance” to face off against

seeing Akira turn evil (for a bit) was interesting, but it’s a good thing he turned good again~

we oddly haven’t seen a lot of the Elite Ten in cooking action yet???

The final part of the season started off the big Team Shokugeki! …but it only got through the first round

the stakes are definitely high for this one, and also seems like the big conflict of this arc for sure

it’s just, y’know… the season ending in the middle is not a good look, really

at least the ending wasn’t abrupt; it was open-ended but still had a sense of conclusion

All in all, a good second half of season 3 (with some of my favorite plot content thus far!). Keep it up!

#amanchu #amanchu!#amanchu advance #cardcaptor sakura #cardcaptor sakura clear card #darling in the franxx #nanatsu no taizai #the seven deadly sins #shokugeki no soma #food wars #Final Impressions

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