#right let this post whenever

[stromblessed]

Mizu, femininity, and fallen sparrows

In my last post about Mizu and Akemi, I feel like I came across as overly critical of Mizu given that Mizu is a woman who - in her own words - has to live as a man in order to go down the path of revenge.

If she is ever discovered to be female by the wrong person, she will not only be unable to complete her quest, but there's a good chance that she'll be arrested or killed.

So it makes complete sense for Mizu to distance herself as much as possible from any behavior that she feels like would make someone question her sex.

I felt so indignant toward Mizu on my first couple watchthroughs for this moment. Why couldn't Mizu bribe the woman and her child's way into the city too? If Mizu is presenting as a man, couldn't she claim to be the woman's escort?

However, this moment makes things pretty clear. Mizu knows all too well the plight of women in her society. She knows it so well that she cannot risk ever finding herself back in their position again. She helps in what little way she can - without drawing attention to herself.

Mizu is not a hero and she is not one to make of herself a martyr - she will not set herself on fire to keep others warm. There's room to argue that Mizu shouldn't prioritize her quest over people's lives, but given the collateral damage Mizu can live with in almost every episode of season 1, Mizu is simply not operating under that kind of morality at this point. ("You don't know what I've done to reach you," Mizu tells Fowler.)

And while I still feel like Mizu has an obvious and established blind spot when it comes to Akemi because of their differences in station, such that Mizu's judgment of Akemi and actions in episode 5 are the result of prejudice rather than the result of Mizu's caution, I also want to establish that Mizu is just as caged as Akemi is, despite her technically having more freedom while living as a man.

Mizu can hide her mixed race identity some of the time, and she can hide her sex almost all of the time, but being able to operate outside of her society's strict rules for women does not mean she cannot see their plight.

It does not mean she doesn't hurt for them.

Back to Mizu and collateral damage, remember that sparrow?

While Mizu is breaking into Boss Hamata's manse, she gets startled by a bird and kills it on reflex. She then cradles it in her hands - much more tenderly than we've seen Mizu treat almost anything up to this point in the season:

She then puts it in its nest, with its unhatched eggs. Almost like she's trying to make the death look natural. Or like an accident.

You see where I'm going with this.

When Mizu kills Kinuyo, Mizu lingers in the moment, holding the body tenderly:

And btw a lot of stuff about this show hit me hard, but this remains the biggest gut punch of them all for me, Mizu holding that poor girl's body close, GOD

When Mizu arranges the "scene of the crime," Kinuyo's body is delicate, birdlike. And Mizu is so shaken afterward that she gets sloppy. She's horrified at this kill to the point that she can't bring herself to take another innocent life - the boy who rats her out.

MIZU'S ONE MOMENT OF SOFTNESS AND MERCY, COMING ON THE HEELS OF HER NEEDING TO KILL A GIRL TO SPARE HER THE WORST FATE THAT THIS RIGID SOCIETY HAS TO OFFER WOMEN, AND TO SPARE A BROTHEL FULL OF INNOCENT WOMEN WHO ARE THE CASTOFFS OF SOCIETY, NEARLY RESULTS IN ALL OF THEIR DEATHS

No wonder Mizu is as stoic and cold as she is.

And no wonder Mizu has no patience for Akemi whatsoever right before the terrible reveal and the fight breaks out:

Speaking of Akemi - guess who else is compared to a bird!

The plumage is more colorful, a bit flashier. But a bird is a bird.

And, uh

Yeah.

I like to think that Mizu killing the sparrow is not only foreshadowing for what she must do to Kinuyo, but is also a representation of the choice she makes on Akemi's behalf. She decides to cage the bird because she believes the bird is "better off." Better off caged than... dead.

But because Mizu doesn't know Akemi or her situation, she of course doesn't realize that the bird is fated to die if it is caged and sent back home.

Mizu is clearly not happy, or pleased, or satisfied by allowing Akemi to be dragged back to her father:

But softness and mercy haven't gotten Mizu anywhere good, recently.

There is so much tragedy layered into Mizu's character, and it includes the things she has to witness and the choices she makes - or believes she has to make - involving women, when she herself can skirt around a lot of what her society throws at women. Although, I do believe that it comes at the cost of a part of Mizu's soul.

After all, I'm gonna be haunted for the rest of this show by Mizu's very first prayer in episode 1:

"LET" her die. Because as Ringo points out, she doesn't "know how" to die.

Kind of like another bird in this show:

#blue eye samurai #mizu #akemi #kinuyo #bes #women are birds okay they are BIRDS #the let me die line is so SCARY AND SAD like a part of Mizu wants death but she cant? she doesnt know how?? excuse you show??? #when all these other delicate birds are dying all around her #akemis character gets more and more gutwrenching upon subsequent rewatches because whenever she says her life is in danger #NO ONE BELIEVES HER - certainly not other women #because shes rich and pampered and that means shes safe and is worrying about nothing right? right????? #and it turns out that all of akemis instincts were right and she was in danger the ENTIRE TIME #also I need to make a post just for kinuyo because I am sad

[burningboxes]

thinking about. transfems. and trans girls. and how cool they are.. literally if you're a tgirl or girl-adjacent transgender person i want you to know that. you are so wonderful and beautiful and kind and talented.. we need you on this site now more than ever, and im so sorry about literally everything that's happened here. none of you deserve to be treated like this; you deserve so much better, and i'm sincerely hoping that other people (especially people with power to instate significant change that affects a lot of people) will understand this and work towards making this a safer platform for all of you. please don't let anything that's happening right now on this literal hellsite make you think that you're any less than amazing; i love all of you so so so much <333 please stay safe out there!!!

#boxes full of rambles #not fandom #let's get serious #transgender #trans #trans positivity #trans rights are human rights #transfem #trans girl #trans women #trans pride #literally whenever i find something new that i love so so much and i look at who made it #its always a trans girl. always #how are you all so awesome at literally everything #also this includes nonbinary transfems!!! that should go without saying #everyone whos transgender and feminine in any way at all. i love you so so so much <333 forever and always #fuck photomatt this will always be the trans people website #on that note seeing so many people posting transition pics in light of this incident is. really inspiring to me #it gives me hope that someday i'll look the way i want to as well #just... i love trans girls. it cant be put into words how much hope you all give me just from existing and surviving #please keep doing it. please keep existing and surviving #its so so so important that you live #please remember that #sorry if this post is kind of incoherent my brain is. mush. because im thinking about how cool trans girls are

[fatedroses]

He laid at the brink of death once more, staring at the face of despair. He remembered the path that led him to this purgatory, and with a smile could only ask:

"Shall we be friends?"

#ffxiv #digital art #concept #zenos yae galvus #endsinger #endwalker spoilers #adventurer zenos #eurydice #is just the tag im going to use for the post endwalker endsinger stuff I'll draw #alisaie lives in zenos' head rent free- #but for a man with no fear i find the potential idea of him reaching out to a weakened endsinger both sweet and kinda funny #“oh hey she was right- im not alone here- lets see if I can actually do better” <- the beginning of adventurer zenos #part of Adventurer!Zenos motivation is finding examples of happiness he sees and finds himself to tell her whenever he visits the ultimatum #the eternal question: did he adopt the bird or did the bird adopt him #Also thus begins Zenos having to dig through his own recollection on how to help people- i.e emulating the WoL lol #and endsinger having to deal with reading his mind only to probably get very random thoughts/static and only occasionally something helpful #she very quickly learns that nihility bounces off this man like a ball #he is simply immune

[dhmis-autism]

#dhmis #lets settle this once and for all #tbc the best and realest answer is my answer which is that #duck is the EASIEST to draw YG is relatively easy #and whenever i draw RG you will know bc i will make a post on this site abt how much i fucking hate art #and he makes me want to cut my hand off #my dhmis postings #if u say rg is the easiest ur a LIAR btw and i expect an essay in the replies explaining why ur right #like he has SO much hair and its so stringy #and hes so BIG #ITS INSANELY HARD TO DRAW #all the detail on that hair is probably what gave me fucking carpal tunnel

[seokmattchuus]

When Matthew tells you he's been a bit stressed with debut preparations, you help him get his mind off of things. With some handcuffs and a torturous, never-ending hand job.

#you know what. maybe i am delulu but the more i listen to this the more i think it sounds like him. oh whale #caption kinda sucks but you get the gist. the one i had before was even worse because brain no worky #it's also almost 6am and i just worked a wink shy of 12 hours so who knows if i'm even in the right headspace to even be editing and postin #i just kinda remembered that it's been a minute since i proposed it and i'm in a fuck-it-we-ball kinda mood #if it's a flop kindly let me know and i will delete in the morning i.e. when i wake up #whenever that'll be #i'm like 82% percent sure it's a flop though #so don't be afraid to tell me if it sucks bc trust me i already know #ayo have i ever rambled this much in my smut post tags? i think i've finally lost it #in my flop era for sure because what is this. what am i doing. why am i the way that i am #def going to bed now #pls don't hate this as much as i think y'all are going to #zb1 smut #zerobaseone smut #seok matthew smut #kpop smut

[justanisabelakinnie]

You. I’d like to shake your hand. You understand. You GET it. You are my new favorite person!

#i love the last part especially because now that i think about it they’re right it IS peak white feminism #saying that the dark-skinned indigenous woman being portrayed as beautiful and feminine is vapid and basic is just so so wrong like #let indigenous girls have this character and stop telling them that their femininity is bad or stereotypical #it’s funny how whenever we get a black or brown girl who gets to be portrayed as feminine and attractive WHITE women always want to say #‘but isn’t that so boring and sexist and stereotypical’ TO YOU #for woc being feminine is inherently subversive and unique #and that’s that on that #isabela madrigal #isabela my beloved #isabela is best girl #luisa madrigal #encanto #my post

[its-about-the-toxicity]

guys I just want you to know that this is what the panel was gonna look like when Lore like officially developed romantic feelings

#I’ve finally accepted that I’m never gonna finish this in comic form #not gonna get into the reasons bc it’s complicated #but I think I am finally in the right headspace to keep writing abt it #so if ppl are still interested I’ll let y’all know whenever I post the written version on ao3 #star trek #star trek tng #star trek ds9 #fanart #fan comic #fanfic #lork #star trek lore

[joy-girl]

Fushiguro Toji ~ Jujutsu Kaisen 2x02

#the dignity leaving my body whenever I see him #Not even 2 minutes in and I'm already on the floor #they were right to say that when toji would be animated we would all be feral #i would let him ruin my life #WHY IS HE SO FUCKING HOT #fushiguro toji #jjk #jujutsu kaisen season 2 #jujutsu kaisen #toji fushiguro #guya posts

[thisismeracing]

Since when did we start charging money on patreon for fanfics 😭😭😭😭 is this for real😭

hi, love. I haven't seen that many people doing the Patreon thing when it comes to fanfic, but it's pretty common for people who draw for example to set up a Patreon. I believe that everyone who does, just like myself, needs the money. I wouldn't be doing it if i didn't need to. I figured the Patreon setup was the best idea since it's not really that common for people to tip writers, we've been struggling with getting reblogs and comments, so you can imagine.

Right now, I'm applying and doing tests to get an internship, which still won't be enough because I'm also trying to apply for a master's. So, yeah, I'm really thankful for everyone who tipped me on ko-fi and subscribed to my Patreon, last month my savings were over, and the Patreon money was what helped me pay for some medical stuff I needed (Idk if you saw the whole mick schumacher's sick club, but yeah — huge thank you for everyone who subscribed/donated btw).

We often see fic writers as little robots who don't eat, drink, or sleep. We request stuff, and expect an instant reply, and when we get the content we don't even go back to the page to tell the writer our thoughts. We don't reblog, nor leave comments, but still, we expect them to keep writing and keep sharing everything as if it didn't take hours, sometimes days to come up with a 1k piece polished to what we think readers will like best. I hope I don't sound rude, I'm just trying to make a point because I'm tired of seeing writers deactivating, tired of seeing my friends getting writer's block and then people still demanding things.

On top of that, I'm still posting a lot here, from smau to blubs and long fic requests (and I won't even talk about how some pieces aren't even getting a hundred notes, which always makes me wonder if I'm doing something wrong, if my writing is bad, or if there's anything that I could do to make the reader's experience more enjoyable), and it takes a lot of time, it's even harder to balance the two profiles now, but still, I keep sharing some of my work for free. so please, please, don't make me feel bad about needing money. thanks ❤️.

#I'm still searching like crazy for the best internship that gives me enough time to study for my application and enough money to pay for + #the stuff that I really need #medical bills are expensive #school books and stuff are expensive #we do what we can #and I say we including other writers that relly on donations too #anyways #Im sorry for letting my heart run wild here but I really needed to share this because I'm tired #and I do feel a bit guilty some days for sharing paid stuff because I wanted everyone to read what I post #wanted everyone to enjoy it and gush with me about college!mick and ghost!lewis and so on #but right now that's the best way I found to deal with my current situation #so please please try seeing your writers side #and on top of that make sure youre supporting the people that are here everyday putting their hearts on each piece #and I mean support as in reblog and let them know you liked it and so on #if you can support someone with money thats great #but most of the times a comment and a reblog will make the writers days #it makes mine #I wish you guys could see the smile on my face whenever someone comes back like “hey Im the one who requested x and I loved it” #anyways Im sorry for ranting #I hope I did not come across as rude again #and Im not saying you don't reblog or support your writers this is more of a widely rant #<3 #millies inbox #anon #patreon #f1 fandom

[outismm]

OUTIS send help, Doctor Who is the gift that keeps on giving 😭😭😭 i thought the Toymaker would be the end of it but folks in my Toymaker server made a few jokes about Six. and i had -no idea- about what kind of character Six is. holy FUCK i am in LOVE with this pompous, arrogant asshole 😖💖💖💖💖 he's so cute!!!!! so abrasive!!!! so......PASSIONATE!!!!!! i didn't know he was such a freak!!!! yes yes yes please do rewatch his era because i'm doing it for the first time and having a blast 😂💖

yes,,,, YYYYEEESSSSS. This is perhaps the best development that could have happened. I need you to know how quickly I scrambled downstairs like some sort of Ghoul to try and find the old boxsets and AUGHE!!!!

I FORGOT WHAT AN ABSOLUTE CHARACTER HE IS!!!

He's got such an incredible amount of drama and charisma and wild-eyed charm inside of him, I can't believe how this man has slipped to the back of my mind for so long. Even outside of his borderline regeneration-induced-mania during his first storyline, he's just. such a delight. Colin Baker is having the time of his life delivering every line, and you can TELL

Look at him - what's not to love?

Also, this isn't directly related to our dear multicoloured man, but - thank you for giving me an excuse to Stare Affectionately at Classic Who! There are so many of those delightful quirks and silly set-pieces you can only really find in early 70s-80s sci-fi, sprinkled all throughout, I just,,, ah <3333 it has been so long

OKIE IM RAMBLING BUT >:) EHEHE I cannot wait to see you slip further and further into Doctor Who Fevers. Come yell with/at me anytime, I love seeing ppl experience Classic Who and all the wonderfully wild things it has to offer

#I FORGOT HOW SNIPPY AND SARCASTIC HE WAS POST-REGEN #I MEAN HE ALWAYS IS TO SOME DEGREE BUT ESPECIALLY SO RIGHT AFTER.... #“that's three 'I's in one breath - makes you sound a rather /egotistical/ young lady” SIXXXXXX <3333 #I do also love Peri being like '>:( god-DAMN you're ugly and old and mean' RIGHT OFF THE /BAT/ AMSDNASMND #AND HIM BEING LIKE 'clearly im having some sort of breakdown. I need to become. a hermit' #STAR I AM SPINNING AROUND W/ U IN A FIELD. HAPPY DAYS ALL AROUND. #I know 6's run is controversial bc he's a lot more arrogant but tbh. so far I'm having a lot of fun. Batting my lashes at him. #call him a showpony because I'm going to ride h- <- outis is forcefully dragged away #I think I only really watched 6 w/ my nan so the memories are more sparse than some of the other docs #a bit more familiar w/ 4th bc he was around for 17234823 billion years (affectionate) #but AUGH <3!!! SIX!!! HE IS SUCH A GOOD TIME!! I'M ENJOYING RE-DISCOVERING HIM SO VERY MUCH!! #also the background music is so good??? like the music in The Twin Dilemma is amazing?? that little musical sting?? #I can't remember if it's like that all throughout this season but AUGH <33 Classic Who you never let me down #I also love his little gestural quirks. whenever he fiddles behind his ear I feel my heart go <333333 MANSDMSAN #ANYWAYS ANYWAYS. outis rambles in the tags. an extremely expected development MNASDMAN #OKIES GOOBIE. STAR HAVE SO MUCH FUN. #doctor who #sixth doctor

[brittlebutch]

i hate that there is Work Behavior and Home Behavior and that the two do not overlap it’s sucks; they should get rid of that immediately and forever

#N posts stuff #this is basically a remake of the ‘they should let me bark at work’ post from like. a week ago or something #but i’m right. if i want to pace around and talk to myself and bark and get excited and hit stuff or get mad and hit stuff and growl #i should be able to do that whenever. #this place talks big shit about ‘employee wellness’ they even have a mandatory program i can’t actually access yet for some reason but i’m #not asking about that again bc i think the whole thing is done. anyway i’d think it was less dumb if they’d give me points or whatever #for like. being a little freak. #unfortunately they will not. i do worry that the placement of my desk means that the sound of us whispering to ourself still travels #but no one’s said anything yet. anyway get me out of this muzzle (the workplace) #actually wait it’s worth noting that i Do probably still act like a freak at work bc i can’t uh. can’t figure out how to do anything else #BUT i’m quiet about it bc i have to be. well i’m tired of being quiet about it #anyway i’m also entertaining the notion of getting my tongue pierced

[jrueships]

tbh tho i think my art is fugly af LMFAO

#not in a '>w< eeeek! i wish i could drawww 🥺 i can only cobble such measle crap with my lowly peasant paws.. *unveils mona lisa*' #sense but like a my style makes me want to hurl whenever i look at it bcs it's a constant reminder that it can only be what i can make it be #and bcs it looks bad to me then that means i cant make things look good if u get my sense like #idk man 😭!! im just sick of being scribbly!! and not clean! i wanna ink my art! have crisp lines! dark lines!! #not have to put stupid darkening filters on everything bcs i cant color or shade so my art is just stuck with the blinding white background #well the frustration is more how i CAN color and shade.. i CAN ink my lines with a darker one #lets not excuse my laziness now cmon ted omg dumbass bitch #it's just that doing so makes me . crazy #my attention span like. crumbles when i try to add color or ink over lines bcs thats Such a commitment to me #i HATE leaving things unfinished when it seems so monumental #like unfinished sketches or prompts? fine. those are sketches. little prompts. even if u post it it's shit #but starting big things is a COMMITMENT.. with CONSEQUENCES ! ! i just want to avoid them ig #it's like im stuck between art being a fun lil past time and being a perfectionist actually so no. no it is not #but also i NEED to draw i NEED to write SOMETHING! SOMETHING!! then i realize the weight of things and purposefully hinder myself #then later hate myself for hindering even tho it felt so good and right in the beginning ORGHH or WHATEVER #idk one of my friends told me my style reminded them of the new tmnt movie (which has been praised yeah #for like beautiful ugliness tho) and like. i KNOW it's a compliment... but. why did it make me Feel 😭 like i wanted to rip my art 2 shreds #once i lined my art and my friend (an artist i admire) said smthin like 'omg finally! ted lined art! gorgeous!' #& i KNOW. I KNOW IT'S A COMPLIMENT. BUT WHY AM I THINKING LIKE. SO VIOLENT. NOT ABT THEM. BUT MY SHIT NOW #like UGHHH i just HATE feeling trapped and helpless when actually theres help available but im just DUM!! JUST LINE UR ART TED #art is like playing sport is like making good grades is like working well is like being a good friend is like being a good person #literally. just be GOOD. #it's all a performance to me ARGHARGH! I HATE THE JOKER! I HATE BEING CRINGE@! RAGGHH I HATE THIS SHIT #<- mfs when no basketball #mfw i cannot avoid enlightenment via the meaningless distractions i codepently craveRAGGHG!!!!!!1!

[nekrophoria]

.

#Don't mind me I just need to vent real quick #Ignore this post by all means #Just feeling anxious af right now #Have barely been able to sleep the last two weeks #Plus I'm feeling even more I'll than usual and it just won't pass #Might be down to lack of sleep ofc #Or stress #Cuz I'm basically stressed 24/7 for no reason #Eitherway my gut keeps telling me something is seriously wrong #Like I'm seriously ill #But ofc I can't tell whether that's just anxiety #My doctor just gives me a shrug whenever I show up there #And getting a therapist in this economy is almost impossible #They don't even put you on waiting lists anymore cuz they're just too long #I wouldn't even know which type of therapy to go for anymore #Cuz my diagnoses are a giant cluster fuck and I don't know what to tackle first #It's just a tad bit overwhelming at times #Sorry #Needed to let this out somewhere real quick #Illness tw #Mental illness tw #nonsims #saviorhide

[antisocialxconstruct]

.

#auuuughhghghg I am thinking about. The Hustle™ #I understand why people gravitate toward stickers and pins and charms and zines and such #I've been mildly successful with commissions in the past but right now I'm really in the headspace of like #I can NOT be giving that much time to other people just for the added income. I'll never finish a single personal project that way :/ #I would much rather dedicate a chunk of time to designing something and making it available #and just letting people have it whenever they want. and maybe the most ongoing work I need to do is weekly post office trips :| #I am serious about re-launching my enamel pins next year but I have to remake all the templates 😭 #bc the original AI files are all on my old nearly-dead imac... #but also stickers. low manufacture cost low resale so maybe they move faster? #also toying with the idea of selling some of my cross stitch patterns 🤔 NOT the pomegranates. #that's probably not gonna have super wide appeal but like. I made them for myself anyway might as well let other people have em for a few $ #all this because my dad may not be able to help me cover therapy costs next year :||| so that extra $500 a month has to come from SOMEWHERE #I hate capitalism I hate having to exist!! exhausting!!!!!!

[mo-ok]

My Favourite Episode Of:

Mahou Sentai Magiranger

Stage 10 ~ If the Flower Blooms

#mahou sentai magiranger #magiranger #sentai #super sentai #felt like tumblr needed more magi content so #comfort episode right here #whenever i get that magi itch this is the episode i put on #(got that special kind of 'watch the same things over and over and never get sick of it' tism) #despite being a Makito focus ep this episode does an amazing job showing the different personalities of all the siblings #tsubasa ace headcanon - he's just like me for real #urara is only ever one rude statement away from punching a bitch #magiranger is a season about love (in all its forms) dont let them fool you with all this talk of 'courage' #also the comedic timing in this ep is perfect #thinkin bout making a set for my favourite episode of each season... purely for self indulgence <3 <3 #(just gotta decide which episodes are my favourites LOL HOW HARD COULD THAT BE) #gif post tag #best of the best

[msws-art]

华碧楠, Martyr

#the first person who guesses the reference picture right gets a free drawing of a blorbo; one rule: I must know the blorbo #2ha spoilers #hua binan #shi mei #erha #to sure about the face but I have soo much work I have to let go of this one #not* #and I won’t stop working on it unless I post #might fix it at some point but now WORK #procreate #I don’t like my style but whenever I try to learn something new I just abandon it and start something in this style again #anyway shi mei was right about everything #2ha #husky and his white cat shizun