#special guest: tanaka. | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

wolfofwinchester · 4 months

Text

@casketdweller (beloved) asked: For Claudia to find tucked in among the gifts for the children, was a stuffed toy of her own. Shaped in the form of Gelert, There was a blue-green ribbon tied around its neck. There was obviously no, indication who left it for her, but it had her named written in that familiar script on the tag lovingly attached to the ribbon.

It was the boy that found it first, somewhere among the rain of paper and ribbon, and bounding black hounds chasing hollow wooden balls tossed by giggling maids. It was cleverly hidden, Vincent thought to himself, tucked behind the biggest boxes beneath the branches of the pungent tree (one's nose would clear right up if got too close!). The little canine was carefully retrieved and given an eyeballing, and the name tag, after a moment, earned something of a sly and smug grin.

Poke. Francis's new wooden sword jabbed Vincent right in the shoulder, earning a playful and muted 'ooow' as he drew a hand to clasp the spot. ”What are you smiling about over here?” She inquired suspiciously, twirling the wooden end side to side as if to dig in. “Bring it out. You are meant to open your gifts where we can all sight it.”

“It's not mine,” Vincent responded, wiggling the mini Gelert at his little sister who scrunched her brows curiously. “it's ma's. Let you have three guesses as to who it came from.” His grin only widened, knuckles crowning beneath his chin.

Down drooped the wooden sword as the young maiden examined it, eye quick to catch the tag dangling from the ribbon. Her brows scrunched deeper, tapping it up to the light. “How did he get in here? The morning has been too busy, someone should have seen him.”

“You are only asking now how he gets into the manor? Only now?” Vincent chuckled. “How many times have we spotted him and we hadn't the slightest clue where he popped from? He could be coming down the chimneys for all that we know. Would you be surprised if there was a secret door through the solarium?“

That earned a scoff and a roll of those blue eyes. ”Not in the least.“

”Ask not from whence Mr. 'Callows' came, my little sister.“ Vincent tapped at Francis's nose before giving it a buzz with a pinch. ”Ask where he is going only.“

”Beneath our pine?“

”Perhaps he is hidden amongst the ornaments, shrunken down to the size of a thumb.“

”You're daffy.“ The sword drew up and gave a gentle bonk to Vincent's noggin. ”Give mama her present, it is not polite to hold hostage gifts meant for ladies.“

”Since when is it that ma has enjoyed being treated with the courtesy of a lady~?“

Another bonk. ”Daffy boys are run through with swords and left outside for crow's pinochle, you know. National decree by the Queen herself.”

“Oo,” Vincent made a face, squinting his eyes at his little sister and pointing at her. “You, my sword maiden, are malevolent.” A swat at the sword and a rustle of his fingers through her hair with very audible protest, and Vincent rose up and wandered across the floor to Claudia at last. Francis was naturally tailing him, fixing her hair with grumbles beneath her breath and huffs. “Ma?“

Ma — Claudia — was somewhere on the nearest lounge buried beneath a long draped blanket, a shawl, a slumbering wolf, and fresh curly wood shavings, her wood cutter's blade fiercely at work shaping out the crude satyr. Her brows popped in acknowledgement, white-pupiled eyes flicking up from her work. ”Aye? Are we ready to move outside?” She inquired with a grin and squint of the eyes. Oh yes, despite the horrible fact that it was sheet upon sheet upon sheet of snow out there, Claudia would expertly drum up the interest of playing in it with the children. Just because she hated the blasted cold did not mean they needed to inherit her grudge for the season!

But lo, her eyes hooked onto the Gelert and lit up into a bloom. “Ohhh.”

“It's for you.” Vincent offered, hopping up next to his mother, never minding the wood chips. Francis flanked on the other side, very much minding the wood chips and sweeping them off before getting cozy and burying her face into Gelert's coat. “Hidden in the tree.”

Crooning with adore, Claudia abandoned her work to cradle the toy and bring it in close to embrace, stroking fingers over the head and tapping at the little ears, her expression completely melted with drooping lips and a matching hum. ”Did you fall asleep again? You got a pup now!” She remarked to the wolf, who only snored in response. Her eyes rolled and a hand clapped heartily at his side with affection before pinching at the name tag.

Ah, there it was. A knowing, twisting smile grew across unpainted lips. Her heartbeat skipped a few regulated pulses. Vincent and Francis both observed, sharing a look with one another that matched in thought before glancing back to their mother and her 'mysterious' unnamed gift.

“Isn't that the sweetest little wolf ya ever seen?” Claudia asked, winding both arms around her children to yank them in and hug them close, patting the small wolf to her chest. “Soft the touch, too. Either of you really felt him?” Her head tilted, wiggling it at Francis's nose and making it give her a kiss, which made her face scrunch, yet earned a small smile in its wake. “He's even got a ribbon! I don't know whether to keep it tied, or put it on one of you.”

“All the better to noose Vinny with.” Francis hummed, leaning her head into Claudia's shoulder and finally reaching up to actually pet the little wolf plush, stroking the top of its noggin. Claudia gasped with false shock, hand drawn to her chest.

“Ma, she is wicked this morning.” Vincent shot, fist pinning to his cheek. “I don't think Franny should have gotten any presents for such behavior. She's likely to turn green and grow warts with that very attitude. It's more fitting for a goblin.”

“I am deserving of them. I have dealt with you all this year, have I not?” Francis clicked. “You are utterly incorrigible and sneaky as a fox.”

Vincent fluttered his eyes at Claudia. “I?”

“You.” Claudia smirked, gently elbowing his shoulder. Her son only sighed defeated, shoulders slumped. “She does have a point, you know.”

“If I may say,” Tanaka spoke from his perch behind the chaise, a gentle but impish smile of his own on his face. “he has you for a role model, my Lady.”

A scoff! “I?!“ Claudia exclaimed.

”You.“ All three responded.

”Damn and double damn.“ She relented, holding mini Gelert up to her face and wiggling him. ”Am I worthy of this persecution, little Gelert?“

The toy wolf's eyes only shined in the light of the morning. While it held no opinion itself just yet, perhaps the stealthy gifter would be a fourth to agree.

#(( this is ur boy ur working with in the future. this is ur boy that is learning u like a book. ))#(( he lov u ))#(( francis does too but she is stubborn and will not admit it so easily unlike her daughter who is like 'THAT'S MY BEST FRIEND!!' ))#(( azzie having deep connections to the phantomhives that are given childhood depth!! ))#(( vincent messing with azzie and fully and /purposefully/ making the mistake to call him 'pa' at least once ))#(( at *least* once ))#(( this is so cute. thank u tickeroo. ;w; <3 ))#casketdweller #【 ic. 】 ¦ & with a wolfish grin.#【 v. the watchdog. 】 ¦ & the game begins.#【 &ship. 】 ¦ ní féidir le haon uaigh mo chorp a choinneáil síos; fillfidh mé dó.#special guest: vincent.#special guest: francis.#special guest: tanaka.#【 asks. 】 ¦ what all that howlin’s for.#inventory.#xmas 2k23.

2 notes · View notes

autismswagsummit · 1 year

Text

Hmm. I've realized 2 things.

1: Despite being on the Wheel of Doom, Gundham Tanaka has never (as of posting this) lost a round. If he loses against Norma Khan, he risks permanent elimination despite it being loss #1 for him.

2: The Wheel of Doom is moving at a snail's pace, and at its current rate is set to have 3 more rounds than the main bracket, all occurring after semifinals. Nobody wants to wait that long for a finals match.

So, I have a few proposals for all of you to decide how to fix these 2 things. Within fair fashion, it will be held over polls to determine what the most favorable option is. Due to poll text limitations they will be presented in a numbered list.

Option 1: Spare Gundham if he loses in this round (and for fairness, spare Norma if he wins). To prevent uneven competitors, include a special guest character that didn't make it to bracket in the next round. The next round will be a free-for-all style match, with all matches having 3 or 4 competitors (decided by wheel spin, of course).

Option 2: Do not spare Gundham, permanently eliminate him if he loses this round. The next round will be a free-for-all, as detailed in Option 1, except all matches will have 3 competitors due to a more favorable competitor number

Option 3: Spare Gundham if he loses (or Norma if he wins), and feature a guest next round to even the number. Proceed at current pacing

Option 4: Permanently eliminate Gundham if he loses. Proceed at current pacing

#autismsummit2023 #autism #polls #apologies for any confusing wording it is very late at night

128 notes · View notes

ciaossu-imagines · 4 months

Text

KHR CELEBRITY AU PART 2

OTHER CELEBRITIES

Skull - I'm kind of cheating here and taking from canon, but Skull is a daredevil through and through. Whether it's playing it up and astounding live audiences or putting on thrill-rides of a show for the television camera while doing special and guest spots, Skull's fame is accomplished through his career as a daredevil and his penchant for insane, death-defying stunts.

Bermuda I see as a mixed-martial artist or an ECW fighter.

Small Gia, Didi and Jeje are all notorious serial killers with their own dedicated fanbases. Birds is another infamous killer along the lines of Manson, who never physically killed anyone himself but orchestrated the murders of people. Daisy is another infamous criminal whose trial was hugely publicized, especially given the insanity defense used. Glo Xinia is infamous in the same way - a serial criminal who gained a lot of mainstream publicity.

Ricardo was a wrestler, well known for playing a heel. He became a huge celebrity though due to press coverage of his many out-of-the-ring fights and his later murder of another wrestler at a nightclub. He was acquitted of the charges due to insufficient evidence but everyone knows he did it.

Knuckle is, of course, a rather famous boxer.

Shoko Tanaka is a well-known female mixed martial artist.

Daigo Kazumi, Kenshiro Yamaki, Gosuke Takada, Renzo Oshikiri, and Nobuhiko Kakuta are all Olympic level athletes.

Giannichi and Giannini are both famous inventors and for anyone in the robotics field, they're absolute legends.

Timoteo is a famous movie director who owns Vongola Films, a large studio. He's recently moved from directing only movies to directing what's become a hugely popular television series. Coyote Nougat is an assistant director for Timoteo. Croquant Bouche and Ganauche III are really well known producers who often work with Vongola Films and Timoteo. Visconti does all the special effects work on Timoteo's movies and now the television show. Brabanter Schnitten is the sound mixer and Brow Nie Jr. the production coordinator on all Timoteo's works, employed with Vongola Films.

Hibari's famous to a select group of people who are already in the know and famous in their own rights, as he's the head of a company who supplies the rich and famous with the best of the best in security. Notoriously publicity shy, he's never been caught on camera himself and avoids seeing any of the actual clients himself.

Tetsuya Kusakabe is one of those well-respected, oft-photographed bodyguards to the stars. Romario is as well as Dino's private bodyguard. Gamma is bodyguard to the girl group Yuni is a part of, while Olgert is bodyguard to Bel and Rasiel both and is just as paparazzi-photographed as those he looks over. Nigella Beabankul is another paparazzi famous body to the stars.

Daemon Spade and Elena are famous politicians.

Bel and Siel are infamous socialites. Part of the Royal Family of another country, their diplomatic immunity protects them against any charges that arise from their very hedonistic lifestyles and the press coverage of their fights, accidents, and the bad endings of those hedonistic lifestyles are splashed all over the tabloids. They do eventually get their own reality show.

Spanner is known for his work in special effects and puppetry, kind of along the lines of Jim Henson.

Parenza and Tras are both stunt people.

Kensuke Mochida and Brutus are celebrities within the WWE circle.

Tyr was an ECW champion who became most famous for his live death in the ring against mixed martial artist turned ECW fighter Squalo Superbi.

Michael Chianu is a tennis star, Bluebell an Olympic gold medal winning diver, while Kaoru Mizuno is a famous baseball player with one of the major teams.

'NO JUST NO' OR NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER IN BEING A CELEBRITY

I honestly don't feel that Luce is the most comfortable in front of a crowd and she doesn't like to be the center of attention. She isn't comfortable with the idea of fame and celebrity, with no desire for them. She just wants a peaceful, happy, low-key life and I honestly don't even see her as someone who has Facebook, much less any other type of social media.

Fon has no desire for fame and celebrity either. There are some YouTube clips of him, found if you Google him, of prior martial arts matches he's been part of when he did compete in martial arts tournaments. However, he's not entirely comfortable even with that level of public attention, since he prefers a quieter and simple life.

Big Pino

Lanchia

Haruyoshi Miura

Alaude

Dr. Shamal

Fuuta de la Stella was actually a child star from babyhood until he was around six or seven, when he retired and now he just wants to stay out of the spotlight and be a normal kid.

Iemitsu is a retired action star, famous for a lot of big 80's action blockbusters. He no longer has an interest in acting, in fame and celebrity in any form but he supports and starts his child's film career despite being estranged really from Tsuna.

Enma Kozato was born into a world of celebrity but prefers to just live his life and doesn't want any attention on himself.

#replies #katekyo hitman reborn #khr #celebrity au #au headcanons #headcanons

17 notes · View notes

myjunkisyuzuruhanyu · 9 months

Text

Shoma Uno @ his Mizuno Talkshow with host Keiji Tanaka and special guest Kazuki Tomono ❤️

#shoma uno #kazuki tomono #keiji tanaka #figure skating #mizuno

38 notes · View notes

chaoticevilorange · 2 years

Note

hi! I'm so excited to make my first req ^^ I love your blog so can you do hq boys on their wedding day? But I want to ask who do you think would cry when they see their s/o walking down the aisle?

Im so sorry for the delay! My schedule has been all over the place this last month ;-;

Wedding day

It's all settled, the guest are on their seats, your future husband is talking to the priest to make a small chat out of nervousness, at least he was until he heard the massive sound of the wood doors opening and the music starts to play, and there you are, his beloved, walking gracefully towards him

He smiles gently at you, you're stunning as ever, he remembers everything, since the moment he asked you out, to your first kiss and everything forward, he can't help the fluttering feeling on his chest, he knows he shouldn't be nervous, after all you're willing to spend the rest of your life with him, still he lets out a shaky breath looking at you lovingly

Matsukawa, Daichi, Yaku, Ushijima, Akaashi, Kita, Osamu

He's on awe, you look so beautiful, like a princess of a fairytale or something, he feels his throat close abruptly all of the sudden, vision blurred for tears, he hides his face with one hand, letting out a sob he wipes the tears away and looks at you again with a bright smile and blushed cheeks, this time with no tears and the soft smile you're so in love with

Kyotani, Hanamaki, Sugawara, Yamaguchi, Satori, Aran, Koganegawa, Aone

Thus guy is a stress ball, he has been a jumpy mess since the beginning of the day, his family and friends had to calm him down a couple of times, now standing there looking at you walking to him, he breaks in silence, hot tears of happiness running down his cheeks, he feels so lucky , decides to calm down to not spoil your special day

Asahi, Hinata, Tanaka, Yamamoto, Terushima

This guy is in shock, can't believe how beautiful you look, his mouth hangs open until he sees one of his friends or siblings making a silent indication for him to close his mouth, he smiles back at you feeling like a teenager again, he's excited beyond words but won't show it much, when you're standing besides him he smiles telling you how stunning you look

Oikawa, Kageyama, Nishinoya, Lev, Goshiki, Bokuto, Atsumu, Futakuchi

He gives you a soft smile, sighing a bit he recomposes himself, feeling butterflies swarming on his belly he places his hands behind his back and flex them several times, is one of his small habits to de-stress, he's nervous but he won't show it, he won't ever admit how nervous you manage to make him, how weak he is for you

Iwaizumi, Tsukishima, Kuroo, Kenma, Semi, Suna, Sakusa

Thanks for reading 🐨✨💖

247 notes · View notes

hyeahgaku · 9 months

Text

MASTERLIST

> Greetings. I'm Soy (they/them), and I thank you for stumbling on this page and/or following me here. This blog is dedicated to Yūto Suzuki’s incredible masterpiece called “SAKAMOTO DAYS”. Support Suzuki-sensei by reading the manga on the official site: Read here!

> In an effort to make this blog resourceful for all Sakadays fans, i try my utmost best to post everything associated with Sakadays here; articles, news, interviews, poll results, draft sketches, mangaka's comments, magazines extras, etc.

> I have X/twitter so you can consider followin me there. I make an effort to post everyday especially when new chapter are released.

> Most importantly: This blog is absolutely not spoiler-free.

> Second most importantly: If you use any of my translated works, please credit me. You can attach the hyperlink to my original post, or just credit my username "hyeahgaku" it's that simple.

> I read both the EN & JP versions of Sakadays and I do JP->EN translations sometimes but it's all self-learn. I am by no means a certified professional translator. Moreover, English isn't my best language so I'm not 100% fluent in both languages (MEGA LOL). So my translations aren't 100% accurate and are subjected to changes when the official versions drop. Pardon me for any grammatical, spelling and translation mistakes that you may encounter.

–

My Translated Works.

SAKAMOTO DAYS Light Novel:

Suzuki-sensei illustrations & extra pages

SAKAMOTO DAYS Jump Festa 2024:

Q&A Special with Yūto Suzuki-sensei

SAKAMOTO DAYS Special Stage, featuring guests commentaries

Interviews or Q&As with Yūto Suzuki-sensei:

Exclusive Interview with Yūto Suzuki-sensei (Jump GIGA Winter 2023 extra)

WSJ Magazine Extra - Character Profiles:

Tarō Sakamoto

Shin Asakura

Heisuke Mashimo

Slur / Kei Uzuki

Lu Shaotang

Nagumo

Osaragi

Shishiba

Kashima

Gaku

Natsuki Seba

Takamura

Aoi Sakamoto

Hana Sakamoto

Boyle

Obiguro

Tatsu

Hyō

Lu Wutang

SAKAMOTO DAYS Bonus Omake *Unofficial translations by me:

Vol. 4 Bonus omake (featuring Natsuki & Tanaka-san)

Vol. 7 Bonus omake (featuring Slur, Kashima, Uda & Gaku)

Vol. 9 Bonus omake (featuring the casts for 1st Popularity Poll)

SAKAMOTO DAYS Popularity Polls:

"No. 1 Spread Campaign Poll" Results - Top 20!

1st Character Popularity Poll Results - Top 10!

1st Character Popularity Poll Results (full list with all names)!

1st Character Popularity Poll Top 10 Characters + Yūto Suzuki-sensei comments!

/note: These are mere fan-translations. All titles, synopsis and descriptions are subjected to changes in the official version.

–

Official Volume Extras

Japanese version:

Vol. 1 • Vol. 2 • Vol. 3 • Vol. 4 • Vol. 5 • Vol. 6 • Vol. 7 • Vol. 8 • Vol. 9 • Vol. 10 • Vol. 11 • Vol. 12 • Vol. 13 • Vol. 14 • Vol. 15 • Vol. 16

English version by VIZ Media:

Vol. 1 • Vol. 2 • Vol. 3 • Vol. 4 • Vol. 5 • Vol. 6 • Vol. 7 • Vol. 8 • Vol. 9 • Vol. 10 • Vol. 11

–

Other SakaDays-related Materials

Sakadays Movie References

Sakadays Trivia

Suzuki-sensei's Weekly Comments

Compilation of all Sakadays Volume Covers & Info

Compilation of all Sakadays Colour Pages from WSJ Magazine

Compilation of Sakadays Featured on WSJ Magazine Covers

Sakadays Official Lockscreen Wallpapers

–

Others/Misc

About this blog

My replies to your asks

#yo and a warm welcome to you #masterlist

21 notes · View notes

landofanimes · 1 year

Photo

Sailor Moon 30th Anniversary Musical Festival -Chronicle- (2022)

Current/Nelke Myu Sailor Moon Riko Tanaka (2021-) with special guests

First Nelke Myu Sailor Moon, Satomi Okubo (2013-15) and

First Bandai Myu Sailor Moon, Anza (1993-98)

#sailor moon #sera myu #sailor moon musical festival chronicle #anza ooyama #satomi okubo #riko tanaka #bssm #sera myu cast #I just realized satomi and anza mantched!

117 notes · View notes

saga-jihen · 7 months

Photo

A photograph of host, Asami Tano (the voice of Saki Nikaido) & special guest, Minami Tanaka (the voice of Lily Hoshikawa), from the recording of the 4th episode of Saga FM’s special “Because Franchouchou's Saga of No. 2 is a Saga” broadcast on May 9th 2021. The radio program on Saga FM was hosted by Asami Tano & broadcast every Sunday from April 18 to June 27, 2021, from 10:00 PM to 10:30 PM, syncing up with the events of the second season of Zombieland Saga where Saki Nikaido & Franchouchou take over White Ryu’s radio broadcast “So that Saga remains Saga.”

#Minami Tanaka #Asami Tano #seiyuu

7 notes · View notes

docrotten · 2 months

Text

THE H-MAN (1958, BIJO TO EKITAI NINGEN) – Episode 173 – Decades Of Horror: The Classic Era

“What if by some bizarre phenomenon, his physical form just melted away? Would that fit your crime scene?” Hmm … bizarre phenomenon? Let’s run with it. Join this episode’s Grue-Crew – Daphne Monary-Ernsdorff, Doc Rotten, and Jeff Mohr along with guest host Chris Peters – as they discuss Toho’s The H-Man (1958), directed by the great Ishirô Honda.

Decades of Horror: The Classic Era Episode 173 – The H-Man (1958)

Join the Crew on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel! Subscribe today! And click the alert to get notified of new content! https://youtube.com/gruesomemagazine

ANNOUNCEMENT Decades of Horror The Classic Era is partnering with THE CLASSIC SCI-FI MOVIE CHANNEL, THE CLASSIC HORROR MOVIE CHANNEL, and WICKED HORROR TV CHANNEL Which all now include video episodes of The Classic Era! Available on Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, Online Website. Across All OTT platforms, as well as mobile, tablet, and desktop. https://classicscifichannel.com/; https://classichorrorchannel.com/; https://wickedhorrortv.com/

When a narcotics dealer disappears, leaving only his clothes, Tokyo police are stumped. A scientist claims H-Bomb tests in the Pacific have created radioactive creatures – “H-Men” – who ooze like slime and liquify anyone they touch.

Directed by: Ishirô Honda

Writing Credits: Takeshi Kimura (written by); Hideo Unagami (story)

Produced by: Tomoyuki Tanaka

Music by: Masaru Satô

Cinematography by: Hajime Koizumi

Editing by: Kazuji Taira

Production Design by: Takeo Kita

Special Effects by: Eiji Tsuburaya (director of special effects)

Selected Cast:

Yumi Shirakawa as Chikako Arai, singer in the nightclub

Kenji Sahara as Dr. Masada

Akihiko Hirata as Inspector Tominaga

Eitarô Ozawa as Police Sgt. Miyashita (as Eitaro Ozawa)

Koreya Senda as Dr. Maki

Makoto Satô as Uchida, gangster

Yoshifumi Tajima as Detective Sakata

Yoshio Tsuchiya as Detective Taguchi

Ayumi Sonoda as Emi, lead exotic dancer

Hisaya Itô as Misaki, the dissolved gangster

Nadao Kirino as Shimazaki, the waiter-thug

Naomi Shiraishi as Mineko, Dr. Maki’s assistant

Tetsu Nakamura as Mr. Chin, gangster

Tadao Nakamaru as Detective Seki

Minosuke Yamada as Chief of Inspectors Kusuda

Akira Sera as Horita – Fisherman

Haruya Katô as Sochan – Fisherman

Yasuhiro Shigenobu as Yasukichi – Fisherman

Senkichi Ômura as Daichan, 1st dissolved fisherman (Let me try on the pants!)

Haruo Nakajima as Chosuke, 2nd dissolved fisherman & Liquid Human Being

Shigeo Katô as Matchan, 3rd dissolved fisherman

Paul Frees as Various Voices (American dubbing)

Are you ready to battle an invasion of liquified men? Watch out, The Blob (1958), The H-Man (1958) is here to make you rue the day. Toho Films and director Ishirô Honda (Godzilla, 1954) blend sci-fi, horror, film noir, and… cabaret… for all kinds of horrifying shenanigans. Yup, people liquify left and right throughout the short 87-minute runtime. That’s right, only gooey globs of clothes and hairpieces remain. Join the Grue-Crew along with special guest-host Chris Peters (aka, José) as they revisit and review this unusual yet highly entertaining entry from the film company that gave the world Akira Kurosawa, Ishirô Honda, Godzilla, Mothra, and so much more.

At the time of this writing, The H-Man is available for streaming from the Classic Horror Movie Channel, Classic Sci-Fi Movie Channel, and Tubi.

You may be interested in these other Decades of Horror episodes focused on Ishirô Honda-directed films:

GODZILLA (1954, GOJIRA) – Episode 58 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

HALF HUMAN (JÛ JIN YUKI OTOKO, 1955) – Episode 16 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

RODAN (1956) – Episode 101 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

MATANGO (1963, ATTACK OF THE MUSHROOM PEOPLE) – Episode 135 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

THE WAR OF THE GARGANTUAS (FURANKENSHUTAIN NO KAIJÛ: SANDA TAI GAIRA, 1966) – Episode 57 – Decades of Horror: The Classic Era

SPACE AMOEBA (1970, YOG: MONSTER FROM SPACE) – Episode 127 – Decades of Horror 1970s

TERROR OF MECHAGODZILLA (1975) – Episode 165 – Decades of Horror 1970s

Gruesome Magazine’s Decades of Horror: The Classic Era records a new episode every two weeks. Up next in their very flexible schedule, as chosen by guest host Scott Wells is King of the Zombies (1941), a horror comedy directed by Jean Yarbrough (The Devil Bat, 1940; House of Horrors, 1946; The She-Wolf of London, 1946) and starring Dick Purcell, Joanne Woodbury, Henry Victor, and the great Mantan Moreland.

Please let them know how they’re doing! They want to hear from you – the coolest, grooviest fans: leave them a message or leave a comment on the Gruesome Magazine YouTube channel, the site, or email the Decades of Horror: The Classic Era podcast hosts at [email protected]

To each of you from each of them, “Thank you so much for watching and listening!”

Check out this episode!

2 notes · View notes

ask-the-diamond-kingdom · 2 months

Note

[Hisuian Decidueye] Wow you must be in some deep shit if you pissed off a demigod.

"A demigod? What the fuck are you-" the Hisuian Decidueye frowned before hissing when Tanaka leaned down and grabbed them by the throat. He lifted them up with relative eyes and tilted his head to the side. You can tell by Tanaka's hold alone, it wasn't strong enough to stop them from breathing. However, it was clear he was willing not to hesitate to do so if needed.

"Ah, they're just rambling about boring nonsense. Let's focus on you. How did you manage to get inside? I know our guests here were lucky to slip...but you're not as special as them," Tanaka hummed. "Remember be careful with your words~"

The Hisuian Decidueye seemed flustered by this, clearly not expecting the advantage that these two Pokemon had. He clamped his beak down in the form of agitation before giving a much softer, annoyed reply. "I came in through that cave, but I ended up stumbling up those...Basagiri. One of them managed to get my shoulders pretty good, and fuck me up a bit."

Tanaka tilted his head towards Yuuto, who simply gave him a nod. "He's not lying to us."

Tanaka returned his gaze to Hisuian Decidueye. "You didn't kill any did you?"

"Fuck no I didn't. I seen how aggression those guys were just getting near their kids. I'm not stupid enough to risk my life trying to kill any," the Hisuian Decidueye snorted.

#pokemon ask blog #pokeask #ask-the-diamond-kingdom #ask #pokemon #story #yuuto mewtwo #tanaka zoroark #rui hisui decidueye

2 notes · View notes

yugonoashiato · 8 months

Text

The Unwavering Passion of SixTONES for Radio - An Interview with Jun Nagahama

The Unwavering Passion of SixTONES for Radio - An Interview with Jun Nagahama, Who Graduated as a Program Producer, on the Charms of Being a Radio Personality with the Group of Six

Source: https://realsound.jp/2023/09/post-1416645_2.html

SixTONES no All Night Nippon Saturday Special" (commonly referred to as "SixTONES ANN"), hosted by SixTONES members, stands out as a particularly unique radio program. Airing on the iconic "All Night Nippon" network, this show has garnered a dedicated following among both SixTONES fans and general radio listeners alike.

Broadcasted nationwide from Nippon Broadcasting every Saturday night, it has become a cherished presence in the lives of its six hosts and their fans. As of July 2023, Jun Nagahama, the producer at Nippon Broadcasting who had been in charge of the show since its special pre-debut era, is graduating from his role. In light of this transition, we spoke with Mr. Nagahama to understand why this radio show has become such a beloved entity and to explore the charm of SixTONES as radio personalities

"We always said, 'We want to do radio.'"

— First, please tell us how you and SixTONES first crossed paths.

Jun Nagahama (hereinafter referred to as Nagahama): It all began with a special program called "SixTONES no All Night Nippon," which aired in August 2019. I had the privilege of working on that, followed by the New Year's special program called "Sutōnzu no Oshaberi," which aired in January 2020. Subsequently, I became involved as the program producer for "SixTONES ANN," which became a regular show in the spring of 2020. However, this July, I was assigned to the Content Planning Department in the Programming Section, which is typically involved in scheduling, and as a result, I will be graduating from the program.

— So, what exactly does the job of a radio program producer entail?

Nagahama: To put it succinctly, it's like being a director on set. I oversee the program while taking care of various aspects such as quality control of content, budget management, and public relations and promotion.

— You've been involved with SixTONES since the special program in 2019, for approximately four years. What were your initial impressions of SixTONES?

Nagahama: I thought they were fresh and passionate young individuals. Even outside of the broadcasts, they spoke fervently about their love for radio and consistently said, "We want to do radio." Personally, I believe that the enthusiasm of both the speakers and creators is essential, so I think people who genuinely love radio should be radio personalities. Therefore, it was heartwarming for me that they conveyed their love for radio so passionately.

— Indeed, it seems that "SixTONES ANN" is beloved not only by SixTONES fans but also by listeners of "All Night Nippon." Could it be that their genuine love for radio is a contributing factor to this?

Nagahama: When they took on the "All Night Nippon" slot, they expressed a sentiment of "We're here as guests." They said, "We're not just here for our fans to listen; we're guests in a program with a long history like 'All Night Nippon,' and we want to create a show that can be enjoyed by a wide range of radio listeners." They genuinely had this attitude of "We love radio, and we want to entertain," and I believe that attitude gradually communicated itself to the listeners.

The Charms of the Six Radio Personalities

— When "SixTONES ANN" became a regular show, the format included having Juri Tanaka as the main MC with different members appearing on a weekly basis. Regarding Mr. Tanaka, what do you find appealing about him as a radio personality?

Nagahama: I think he excels in assessing the situation. He not only keeps in mind the rotating members in front of him but also imagines each and every listener tuning in on the other side of the microphone. He communicates with the staff, maintains eye contact, and steers the program in that context. He's an excellent MC. He doesn't just focus on his own stories; he has a knack for drawing out the charms of others while taking a step back. So, I had a great deal of trust in him in that regard.

— Did you initially sense Mr. Tanaka had the talent to be a radio personality?

Nagahama: I believe he had the potential, but certain aspects of his talent were brought out as he accumulated more broadcast experience. "SixTONES ANN" began its regular broadcasts with all six members, and from the second episode, we had to switch to remote broadcasting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While it was an emergency response, it was a challenging situation because the team hadn't yet fully bonded. He endured quite a bit of stress during this time. However, I think it was precisely because of this situation that Mr. Tanaka came to appreciate the importance of communication with the staff.

— As mentioned earlier, the regular broadcasts feature Mr. Tanaka as the main MC, with different members appearing on a weekly basis. What do you think are the attractive qualities of each member as a radio personality?

Nagahama: Regarding Yugo Kochi, he brings a sense of security. I think that Juri Tanaka tends to want to share his own stories when Yugo Kochi is there. Mr. Tanaka, who always tries to draw out the other person, feels comfortable entrusting his own stories to Yugo Kochi when he wants someone to listen. Yugo Kochi is also someone who is considerate and attentive, making him someone that listeners of various generations can comfortably and trustingly tune into. That's why I think we entrusted him with the morning time slot, which many adult listeners tune into, during the "Radio Charity Musicthon," a charity campaign to support visually impaired individuals. (SixTONES served as main hosts for three consecutive years.)

Taiga Kyomoto, on the other hand, is like a toy box. He has the most excitement and curiosity about what kind of "toys" will come out next. He hosted the solo "All Night Nippon" segment within the "Radio Charity Musicthon," and he has a clear taste in music. He can shine both as a musician and as an actor. I find him to be a very fascinating individual.

— How about Hokuto Matsumura? What do you think of his qualities as a radio personality?

Nagahama: I feel that Hokuto Matsumura is like a scholar. He's always a person with a lot on his mind. He seems to want to show a different side of himself here, distinct from his roles as an artist and an actor. He's particularly someone who has been listening to "All Night Nippon" for a long time, so I believe he approaches it with the intention of being a certain way on "All Night Nippon." Also, he tends to have long conversations (laughs). However, I think that's because he has a lot he wants to convey. If he can harness that and organize it, I believe he'll become an even more wonderful presence.

— Nevertheless, many listeners seem to feel a sense of loss when Hokuto Matsumura's free talk segments are shorter.

Nagahama: Since he thinks about many things, he often delves deeper and deeper into a topic until we don't quite reach a conclusion (laughs). But that might be part of his charm.

— What about Jesse and Shintaro Morimoto, the youngest members of the group?

Nagahama: Jesse is often referred to as the "Sun of SixTONES," and for a good reason. When you hear his voice, it can truly brighten your day and make you forget about various troubles. His laugh is probably the most distinctive aspect. When we combine his laughter with the ideas from our side and Juri Tanaka, it goes from "Ahaha!" to "Ihihi!" and eventually becomes "Uhuhu!" It becomes quite an amusing broadcast. As long as his laughter resonates, it feels like the sun in our hearts won't set.

Morimoto, at first, was the type to come up with a lot of material for free talk during our discussions. He used to share many short anecdotes. However, I think one significant turning point was when he portrayed Ryota Yamasato from the comedy duo "Nankai Candies" in the drama "But, There Is Passion" on Nippon TV. As an individual who loves radio and portraying the life of Yamasato, he started embodying Yamasato in a unique way, which notably improved his storytelling abilities. I've seen significant growth in him, where he can now dig deeper into topics and roll them out humorously.

— When we hear your insights, it's clear that each member has a distinct personality. Having such diverse types of members appear on a weekly basis must be interesting, but it also likely presented challenges in creating the program. Could you tell us about any difficulties you encountered?

Nagahama: At first, we had concerns about whether listeners who tuned in one week would return the following week, among other anxieties. To bring out the members' autonomy and to add an element of unpredictability, we introduced a segment called the "Jingle On-Air Battle," where the possibility of members other than the designated ones for the week also making appearances was included. In today's context, playing back last week's jingles on-air is one of the innovative ideas from those times.

Members other than Mr. Tanaka would only appear on the show once in a while. Finding a way for fans of the members who were on air last week to continue listening this week has always been a challenge. However, I feel that it has gradually changed because individual fans and program listeners, beyond just fans of the group, have grown. I've also noticed an increase in people from other professional fields telling us, "It's interesting," when we meet them elsewhere.

Experimentation and the Establishment of Radio Culture among Fans

— You've been hosting the program for a long time, from the first episode. Are there any episodes that left a particularly strong impression on you?

Nagahama: There are many memorable episodes, but if I were to choose three, the first one would be the episode when we returned to the studio after the remote broadcasts (May 30, 2020). It felt like reuniting with comrades after a battle. The period of remote broadcasting lasted about two months, and it felt much longer than that. So, the sense of excitement and emotion when we returned was remarkable.

The second one would be the "48th Radio Charity Musicthon" episode where we live-streamed "SixTONES ANN" with video for the first time (December 24, 2022). The members had been expressing their desire to do video streaming for a long time, and this time, we were able to make it happen while still being a radio show. Initially, we thought the listeners would focus on the video element, but on social media, we saw comments like, "I want to watch the video, but I still want to enjoy the regular 'All Night Nippon' because that's the way I usually enjoy it." It showed that each listener had their own way of enjoying the show, by listening on the radio, participating on social media, and sharing the atmosphere, all of which are part of the usual enjoyment of the program. Realizing that this regular way of enjoying the show had caught on was truly satisfying. I also won't forget that they sang "Always" as a Christmas present on that day.

The third one would be the episode that aired as part of the "All Night Nippon 55-Hour Special" to celebrate the 55th anniversary of All Night Nippon (February 18, 2023). It was a part of the extensive special program spanning 55 hours with a common theme for discussions: "What you want to tell your past self." In line with this theme, we looked back on the path we had walked so far. It was striking how they talked brightly about the days of struggles and doubts they had faced. Particularly, when Juri Tanaka said to their selves from a few years ago, "I want to tell you about the future, where we have a regular radio show," and Taiga Kyomoto added, "They'll be thrilled," with a smile. It was a wonderful moment. When you spend time together, you sometimes encounter moments that feel like " reconciling with the efforts they had made over the years." It's a precious moment where you can start walking forward again.

— The story about the "Musicthon" episode is indeed amazing. Many people appreciate their visuals, but the fact that they choose audio over video suggests that the culture of "radio" has truly taken root among fans.

Nagahama: It was really heartwarming to know that fans who like SixTONES also appreciate SixTONES' radio, "All Night Nippon," and radio culture in general.

— "SixTONES ANN" being a live broadcast also seems to add to its charm.

Nagahama: I think this applies not only to SixTONES but to all live broadcasts. Sharing at the same time creates a special connection, and listeners can feel that they're spending that moment together.

— SixTONES often do live broadcasts remotely even when they are on concert tours, even if they are far away.

Nagahama: "All Night Nippon" has a culture of being primarily live, and they have a stance of being part of the "All Night Nippon" culture, so they do live broadcasts. I think it can be physically demanding, but I believe they approach the broadcasts with the intention of delivering their current voices. I'm grateful for that.

— Up to this point, we've been talking about the members' discussions. On the other hand, "All Night Nippon" also has a culture that values music. In "SixTONES ANN," how do you think SixTONES' music plays a role?

Nagahama: Since their primary performance stays consistent and their identity as artists is firmly established, I think they can go all out on the radio. I believe music is one of the things that gives them confidence. Sony Music also cooperates with us, and sometimes they choose radio as the place to debut their new songs, like the 11th single "CREAK" released this week. I grew up being told by senior directors that "radio is a treasure chest," and I want to cherish the excitement of listeners opening that treasure chest. Therefore, when we create the contents of this treasure chest together, it's important to be excited, and SixTONES' music becomes an essential element of that.

— As you mentioned earlier, you graduated from the program in July. What kind of role do you hope the listeners, or "Little Stones" (the general term for "SixTONES ANN" listeners), will play in supporting SixTONES as radio personalities in the future?

Nagahama: I believe the existence of "Little Stones" will surely be a support for them. Just as listeners have been a source of strength for me, they may already serve the same purpose for SixTONES. I hope "Little Stones" can be like a stabilizer that allows them to enjoy any challenge they take on, and I would be delighted if the program continues to grow with their support. I also hope that it has a positive impact on their main profession. I'm truly grateful to the six members who love "radio," love "All Night Nippon," and have joined us here. They have passion and strong bonds, so I hope they can run forward with confidence.

5 notes · View notes

hobbit-in-kuroshitsuji · 1 year

Text

Kuroshitcember 2022 Prompt Nr. 25 - Christmas Special 3/3

prompt: Sebastian bears an awful resemblance to someone held near. Pick a character and let them realise this!

You can find all prompts here!

All of these will be uploaded/archived to this blog's Ao3 eventually

📌Because I ended up not being able to participate in quite a lot of prompts lately, I decided to put together a 3 part little story for 23rd, 24th, and 25th of December, each chapter inspired by that day's prompt. I tried incorporating as many characters as I could <3 I hope you enjoy!! I hope I can keep up writing after Christmas though <3 these prompts have been amazing, and it's been so much fun participating <3

Summary: On Christmas Day, the Phantomhives host a special Christmas Dinner. This year, it's even more special than they anticipated... as memories of Vincent flood everyone's minds. CW: kuroshitsuji spoilers (if you don't know about o!ciel and r!ciel, do not read this 3 parter!!), mentions death, suicide, anatomy study, workhouses - please be careful if you are easily triggered by real events that happened in the past. oh, if you don't ship Vincent/Undertaker, please don't send hate <3 it's just a fleeting mention, but still <3

“What…” Sebastian and Ciel stood in the dining room, forty minutes before the annual Christmas Dinner was set to begin.

The decorations that the servants, along with Agni and Prince Soma, had put together were………..

Interesting.

It was all made of paper and glittering glue. Tanaka had tried to show everyone the best way to create Christmas crafts to decorate everything – but the servants weren’t the greatest at following orders.

Amidst well presented art made by Tanaka were some that were… either plain ugly, burned to a crisp, or confusing imitations of Christmas trees.

Sebastian hoped they were Christmas trees, at least…

Oh, and the Undertaker had shown up early to the party, inviting himself to aid in the Christmas crafts to add some “festive skulls” to the decorations – of course, because why not?

Prince Soma had also taken it upon himself to change the way the table had been carefully prepared by Mey-Rin, removing all chairs for everyone to sit on cushions on the floor, and removing the “confusing amounts of cutlery”. How Prince Soma had managed to find a low enough table that housed over 14 people, no one knew. Not even Agni.

“He looks positively pale. That means we succeeded in what dear Finnian called the ‘wow’ factor,” the Undertaker said with an air of sarcasm only Ciel and Sebastian seemed to pick up on. The glares they sent his way only made the Undertaker fall into a fit of laughter.

“My lord, I will immediately change–“

“Don’t.” Ciel interrupted his butler. He sighed. “Despite what I might think of the decorations… it does incorporate the culture and personalities of everyone at the estate including the varieties of guests we’re serving. Christmas doesn’t belong to aesthetics. It belongs to the people. Just leave it. Spend the time double checking the food is… up to standards though. I’m starving.” Ciel turned to leave, but paused to add a quick: “Focus on the desert, actually.”

Sebastian sighed. This Christmas was definitely not running the smooth, traditional way it usually did. Then again, what else did he really expect at the Phantomhive estate?

“I think he liked our decorations,” Finny whispered to the others with glee.

Shaking his head, Sebastian left them to their joy to double check Agni had saved the food.

…

“He acts awfully fatherly, doesn’t he?” Ronald pointed out. He and his red dressed reaper partner were on their way to give William the… (sort of) bad news.

The holidays were a time when reapers had to work overtime. For a full 24 hours, they had to deal with suicides (this was not on Ronald’s pay-roll, only certain reapers were allowed to handle these), murders, starvations, people freezing to death, and other freak accidents (a lot of people die from candles, surprisingly)… Normally, there was a night shift. But with the added family drama humans often brought to the holidays, the night shift also had to work 24 hours alongside the day shift.

“Who?” Grelle asked.

With three more hours to go, things were starting to calm down. When Ronald and Grelle walked through the office, people weren’t running around with papers and bloody scythes anymore. People were starting to clean up instead, or slumping down in their chairs with a hot beverage to calm down.

Ronald pitied the reapers that had to take first shift in the morning after all these hours – but this was the life of a reaper. They had to suck it up.

“That demon of his. Of Phantomhive’s.”

“If you ask me, it only shows what good potentials he would have as a husband,” Grelle said simply, smirking.

“You want children?”

“If they’re mine I wouldn’t quite hate them so much,” Grelle scolded. “If they were mine, they would have impeccable taste and not shout so much. Obviously.”

Shaking his head at Grelle’s words, Ronald refrained from commenting on it. Truth be told, Ronald could see her being quite a good mother. There was empathy and gentleness hidden away behind a façade of craziness.

Though… that was not what either reaper should be focused on anyway, because they had just reached William T. Spears’ office door. Preparing themselves for the scolding of a life time, they opened the door to find their supervisor hunched over his table, paper everywhere from table to floor to even one stuck on the ceiling, and with his hair a complete mess. The long shift had taken a toll on him too, it seemed.

Which most likely only meant the scolding was going to be ten times worse.

“Ehm…” Grelle pushed Ronald ahead, forcing him to take point on the bad news. “Mister Spears, sir. We uh… We just came back from London-“

“Yes?” William snapped, lifting his gaze from piles of papers to try and locate a report in Ronald’s hands. Upon not seeing one, his eyes narrowed into anger which was dangerously murderous.

“Uh – Well, you see… Those uh, workhouse children you asked us to reap?”

“Yes?” Despite only speaking so few words, it was crystal clear what William still meant. Honestly, it was a gift that he could portray so much with just the inclination of tone… and glares…

Hurry it up, Knox, I have work to finish.

“Uh, we didn’t get their souls. The demon – Sebastian Michaelis – got in the way… We did, however, get some other souls that took their place if that’s-“

“What?” William straightened up behind his desk. “What do you mean he interfered? We- We would have known if he was going to! Those children were set for death, we were not told of any inclinations of possible fate twisting changes-”

Standing up, William began rummaging through the mess on his desk, lifting papers, throwing some to the floor even, to try and find what he was looking for.

It was madness, really. William T. Spears was never disorganised.

“William, darling,” Grelle piped up, stepping up beside Ronald with a less crazy look in her eyes than she usually had around Will. “Have you allowed yourself even a second’s break?”

“What does that have to do with the – There,” William found what he was looking for, apparently, and lifted one folder for him to read through. “Six souls, aged between 6 and 10…”

Then it got quiet.

“They’re not deceased?” William asked again for clarification.

“No, sir.”

“None of them?”

“None.”

William flopped back down into his chair, folder falling to the floor as he let out such an exhausted sigh that it looked like he had given up on life – again.

“It’s not in the report. Which means Sebastian acted upon a nature which was not predicted by fate, which indicates it even goes against demon nature… Those are four separate reports for me to fill in after work, not to mention the two reports I will have to write taking your statements, then write up a full conclusion of my own investigation as I go down there-“

“William,” Grelle interrupted. “That’s impossible for you to do all alone after this shift.” She walked up to him, noting he was still listing reports and documents he needed to take care of because of this one incident under his breath, not listening to her.

He was beyond exhausted. He was getting delirious.

“William…”

“No, you cannot help. There is a Christmas dinner being served for all who have participated in this long shift.” The words ‘you both should go, I’ll handle this’ were not said, but it was heavily implied.

“William, darling, you do so much for us all…” Grelle tried with a frown, earning nothing more but a shake of his head. Approaching him, she sat down on the arm rest of his office chair, wrapping herself around him, arm around his shoulders. William didn’t budge, not even leaning away from her to try and recover some personal space.

It was both an act of affection from Grelle, and her making good use of this version of William so she could have some intimacy… But it was mainly a testament to William’s exhaustion. If William had been feeling alright, he would have pushed further, moved away from Grelle’s attempts to let her help him.

“How about, we give you a break not for you, but for someone else?” That sentence was entirely confusing, even for Ronald. Both male reapers glanced at Grelle in confusion. Gently, she brushed some stray strands of hair away from William’s face, an act normally not needed should the supervisor be feeling like himself. “If you can’t take a break for yourself, then take a break for someone else…” That didn’t clarify it either. “Besides, you have to go there anyway to investigate the premises and search for that demon.”

…

Apologising profusely, Mey-Rin wobbled up the ladder. Her glasses were fogging up from the sheer anxiety… But she soon calmed down when Agni remained gently smiling at her, doing nothing more but climb the second ladder to assist her.

The entrance hall to the Phantomhive Manor was huge. Literally. It was a testament to the wealth of the Phantomhives, and a testament to the dramatic flair of a certain demon who had “helped” rebuild it.

Of course, the servants and everyone else didn’t know about the latter part.

Its grandness meant that the walls were extremely tall, perfect for fitting large portraits of long lost family relatives onto it; watching over the going-ons in what used to be their domain.

One such portrait was that of Earl Vincent Phantomhive, the previous head of the family before Ciel.

“Sorry to disturb you, sir,” Mey-Rin whispered to the portrait. “Twas all my fault, I’m too clumsy.”

In harmony, Agni and Mey-Rin lifted the long line of tinsel up and stuffed it back behind the top corners of the portrait. Around the entire hall, Christmas decorations were put up high up to create a flair of glistening beauty as a welcome to the guests. Mey-Rin had… somehow… tripped and let one plate fly up into the air, only for it to bring the decorations down with it.

Agni had been present, catching Mey-Rin before she fell face first onto the floor, before then proceeding to help her fix the decorations.

“There we are,” Agni calmly said, “all fixed again, and no one will ever know anything even occurred here.”

Yet, despite being done, both stayed up on the ladders, staring at the portrait. It was immaculately done, with details only the finest of artist, or closest of friend, would have known existed on Vincent’s face.

“He looked like a kind gentleman,” Agni eventually said. His voice echoed against the walls, but no one paid it any attention. All guests were currently in the dining hall, enjoying the peculiar decorations, the fine food and each other’s company. Even Ciel had been seen cracking a smile from time to time when Elizabeth said something – that in and of itself was a Christmas Miracle, truly.

“I wish I could have known him… I bet it woulda gladdened the Earl plenty if someone could tell stories about his dad,” Mey-Rin pondered.

“Tanaka could, no?”

“Tanaka does, but… There’s something between the two of them. I can’t tell what, but sometimes it feels like Tanaka doesn’t want to remind Ciel of the past, even the good stuff.”

“It can be painful sometimes… To know the good will never come back.” Agni sighed. “I see it in my prince’s eyes sometimes. He does not want to go back home, but he does miss it… I know he does.”

“But there’s new good things here,” Mey-Rin said.

“Yes.” Agni smiled at that, offering an appreciative smile toward the maid. “And that is the case for your master too.” Slowly, the two started heading down the ladder again. “I heard he spent the afternoon helping the poor.”

“Yes he did indeed, sir. My master is the kindest. He took us all in too, even if we were… not exactly the best of servants.” Done on the marble floor once more, the two continued to stare up at the portrait. “I wish he could have something other than a portrait of the good times, I do.”

“He has a great Khansama. Actually…” Both servants suddenly cocked their heads to the side, realisation hitting them both. “His Khansama looks a little like…”

“Yes,” a third voice said, “so you’ve noticed it too?”

…

“That was mighty kind of you, sir,” Ronald praised, stuffing his mouth full with leftover stuffing.

“You are meant to eat that with the turkey – Oh why do I bother? You’re going to do whatever you want anyway,” William sighed, rolling his eyes.

He, Grelle and Ronald were perched atop the church roof once more. Down below them, Christmas carols were being sung by a choir, their voices a beautiful background to a Christmas morning sunset. Across the road, the workhouse stirred with laughter, cheers and prays of gratitude. Not only had the children been offered toys that day, but the children had also been given a mysterious feast of Christmas food – prepared, unknowingly to them, by the reapers who had wrongfully predicted their deaths.

Sitting atop foldable beach chairs, the reapers took in the sight of their charity as kids rushed around sharing the food amongst each other; food they otherwise would have never gotten, not even a goose to share between them.

“It wasn’t my idea, Knox,” William corrected. “Though I suppose no one will ever believe it if we said Sutcliff offered up a luxury of hers.”

“Hey,” Grelle commented with offense, “I can be nice sometimes. Besides, you really needed a break from working with the dead.”

“That’s… awfully insightful of you,” William said in surprise. In his hands, he held a plate of food he was enjoying at the end of their shift. His held more turkey than the others. He’d been forced to have more turkey on his as he had made a simple comment that he enjoyed turkey – apparently, hearing William say he ‘enjoyed’ something was seen as a Christmas Miracle, which then urged Ronald and Grelle to fill his plate with turkey.

“I take offense to the fact you sound so surprised.”

“And I am surprised Miss Sutcliff isn’t throwing a tantrum over all these offenses thrown her way,” Ronald teased. “’Tis a Christmas Miracle!”

Ronald’s last words were said in unison with one of the kids rushing outside to throw themselves into the snow, creating a little snow angel out of glee to have new toys and food all within the span of 12 hours.

All three reapers – yes, even William – chuckled at that.

Sometimes, working with the dead meant little appreciation was offered to the living. All they saw was the suffering toward the end, moving past the good they saw in the cinematic records like it was nothing, but always taking note of the bad. The good… was easy to forget, and easy to set aside when in reality that should be what people focused on the most. Successfully eating three meals a day, successfully brushing one’s teeth, seeing a puppy on the street, having access to one’s favourite books, being able to go for a walk, laughing with friends – or, in this case, sharing Christmas dinner on the roof of a church whilst enjoying the merriment of happy children being fed by luxuries no one on Earth had (William was going to get in trouble for this, but for now… he didn’t worry about it).

As shifts ended, other reapers joined them too. It wouldn’t become a tradition, but it was a pleasant way of spending Christmas morning together as a found family in the afterlife.

…

“Yes,” a third voice said, “so you’ve noticed it too?”

The Undertaker had been taking a break from the merriment of nobles. He didn’t mind it so much, really, he was used to accompanying the Phantomhives at holidays. It was just… a lot, and a lot of colour and a lot of jokes that only made half sense to him as a being who knew the intricacies of the universe.

It got tiring to dumb it down sometimes.

Besides… lately… these holidays had been a tad more difficult for him. It used to be that Vincent sat at the head of that table, Rachel by his side and twins running around the table until they were told off by Madam Red. It used to be that the Undertaker sat on one end of the table, next to Vincent, whilst Rachel sat opposite him on the other side of Vincent.

It used to be that Vincent would hold both their hands under the table, offering glittering, appreciative glances to both as they secretly celebrated a shared holiday as a family bigger than the onlookers thought it was.

It used to be…

But it wasn’t no more.

Now, a child pretending to be another child sat at the head of the table, with the Undertaker far away… watching as a demon who had stolen the looks of his beloved tended to the butler duties and whispered in the young lord’s ear. It was suffocating to know more than even demon and master…

But it was also pleasant to be reminded of the old days, in a sad sort of way. And it was pleasant to be reminded of what he was attempting to change… what he was trying to accomplish…

So when he had walked back to the bathroom and heard the maid and prince’s butler talk about Vincent, the Undertaker had stayed in the shadows to listen in. He couldn’t quite help it.

Nor could he help but butt in once they realised a truth he so desperately wanted others to realise too.

Why did the demon choose a father’s face if demons could not care for humans?

“Yes, so you’ve noticed it too?” Mey-Rin and Agni spun around so quickly that the Undertaker simply had to cover his lips with oversized sleeves as he let out a giggle. “The face of a dead father returns in the shape of a black butler, mimicking the human like a raven found at cemeteries, picking at the dead… waiting to pounce…”

“I… sir?” Agni voiced as Mey-Rin was too scared to ask anything at all.

This particular guest was always an enigma to all. He helped the young lord, yet he also… was curious. Scary, sometimes. As if he was an antagonist waiting to show his true colours.

“teeeheee – look at your faces,” the Undertaker giggled. “Did I fool you? Vincent was a great friend of mine. If you want to know anything ever all you have to do is call on me. I aid not just the dead.” The Undertaker was beginning to walk away, when Agni stopped him with his words.

“Sir? Do you think Earl Ciel chose Sebastian as his Khansama because he felt… that the familiar face was comforting?”

The Undertaker dramatically turned around in a slow gesture, tilted his head to the side and offered a tooth revealing grin as he said: “Oh no, I think it was the exact opposite. Those with dark hearts are not meant to become attached, but I think something in the past of our beloved hell of a butler changed the man to want the child to choose him as his most trusted protector. Like a father. I think the man chose the son.” The Undertaker grinned at their confusion. “But then again, I’m just a crazy fool speaking far too many truths. I should return to the feast.”

Indeed… the Undertaker had a feeling that the face was chosen purposefully, so Ciel would feel calm around that which was a demon of hell, meant to scare kids. Whatever past the demon held had meant that the demon understood how a child’s mind works… It knew Ciel needed a father figure to help feel comfortable as he exacted revenge. To keep motivated.

And to feel safe.

…

“I don’t mean to speak ill of the master’s guests but… What a strange man,” Mey-Rin pointed out.

Agni quietly nodded his head, not wanting to speak ill of anyone either. “Let’s return to our work. The feast will be over soon.”

…

“Sebastian?”

The demon paused in the doorway. Room dark from the night. The only light source was the candle held by Sebastian, and the moon shining brightly outside. The child barely saw Sebastian. But the demon saw him as he turned to look.

It had been a long day, and Ciel was exhausted, his breathing even a little ragged from poor health making him even more easily tired.

“Yes, my lord?”

“If Timothy wanted you to be his father, how could you… take his soul?”

The question struck deep within the demon, eyes turning red. Enough about Timmy, already. His master really needed to learn to let go of the past – then again, if Sebastian started teaching Ciel that, his work to get Ciel’s vengeful soul to perfection would fail.

“In truth, my lord, I found ways to extend the contract. I am not proud of it, but I did. It was… a confusing couple of years.” Staying in the doorway, Sebastian only felt comfortable admitting this because of the distance between them, and the fact that Ciel’s question had come out slurred, indicating the boy was half asleep and might not remember this. “And it was not easy to take the child’s soul. Nor will it be this time.”

There was no reply. Sebastian assumed Ciel had gone to sleep and left the bedroom, locking the door behind him.

Left alone in the darkness, Ciel, quietly, pondered those words. The face of his father had spoken those words… It felt… Strange. Oddly comforting.

When Christmas Day ended, Ciel fell asleep with a peaceful smile on his lips…

taglist: @eemoo1o-animoo

20 notes · View notes

kjshams · 11 months

Text

Chapter 1: That butler is talented

Since this is the first chapter I don't expect this post to be that extensive, neither I expect that for the few next chapters, but not for that I want for people to assume this is a spoiler-free blog, even though I don't recall exactly all the plots of this manga I still remember many things, so if you haven't read the manga or seen the anime please be careful of spoilers (even though I don't think that's the case for anyone here).

Now, to the Chapter 1 review!

We start this first chapter with Ciel being waken and attended by Sebastian as they go trough their schedule of the day. There isn't anything special about this (at least to me), but then we jump to this:

Ciel has arranged a "battle" between Sebastian and some master of kenpo, a match that obviously we know Sebastian would win as he is a demon.

Ciel probably arranged this "battle" to tease Sebastian (this could also be an attempt to find any weak points in Sebastian in case he needs to protect himself from him), but in return Sebastián reminds him of his great abilities, that "please review what you learned today" sounded to me more like "please stop trying to tease me with this sort of things, you are wasting my time" (or am I reading to far into it?).

Then Ciel gives Sebastian a lemonade prepared by Tanaka and commands him to drink it entirely in one go, compensating Sebastian for his work this way doesn't fit Ciel's character, then why would he do that?

See that kid's evil smile! He sure has planned something!

Then Tanaka notifies Sebastian that a call has been received from Italy.

If I do remember right the Klaus that is mentioned is one of the "Evil Aristocrats" (I think they are called that way?) from Ciel's underground world connections.

Then Ciel and Sebastian go to Ciel's office and discuss the matter in more detail.

Here we can see why Ciel gave Sebastian the lemonade:

I don't know if you have heard this, but in some cultures it is said that salt manages to keep away evil spirits / evil beings, so the salt might be what is hurting Sebastian, if not, then I have no other way to explain why specifically this salty lemonade has made a demon hurt in his chest. Probably Ciel was trying to determinate if the salt thing might work on Sebastian, and in case it didn't work at least he would make Sebastian to drink a very un-delicious brebage.

Though I don't recall this happening ever again in the manga; given that Sebastian often is the one cooking and being in the kitchen it would be weird to don't bring up the salt thing again, so it probably was a one time sort of event (maybe due that the story was only starting to develop Yana Toboso might have just forgotten about this or decided to leave it aside as this might not benefit the story telling).

After this we get to see a sequence of Sebastian's preparations to receive Klaus as guest, but his cooking is interrupted by Ciel calling for him:

And, I don't know if this counts as Sebastian not obeying Ciel's orders (?...

Well, while Sebastian was away with Ciel these three have ruined all the preparations:

When I was just starting to get into Kuroshitsuji, when they were first introduced, I used to dislike them for being bad at their jobs and being annoying, now I just adore them! Specially Finnian, he's is a sweetheart ♡ Hope to see more of them once I catch up with the manga!

When Sebastian notices that everything is ruined he then has to find a way to solve everything since Klaus is soon getting to the Phantomhive manor, here we see his quick thinking work up and solve the problems.

Klaus finally gets to the Phantomhive manor:

I remember Ciel's height, weight and thin body being brought up by many people trough the manga, so I don't know if this is just these people trying to mess with him for still looking as the child he is, or if this is something else, I personally think it is rather weird for Ciel to be this thin given that he is well fed and enjoys sweets/dessert very much; maybe this is due to that somehow Sebastian feeds from him and that doesn't let him grow/develop properly (?

Everything goes smoothly thanks to Sebastian, and when Klaus and Ciel are at the table ready to eat, Klaus gives Ciel a game:

I include this due that I don't find why this is placed here, maybe it's a reference I don't understand (most probably) but to me it seems like a Nintendo game (?

Then again everything goes smoothly in the dinner thanks to Sebastian. Klaus seeing how good of a butler Sebastian is, decides to make a compliment:

That last part, with Ciel seeing himself in the spoon's reflection (specially with those black shadows/reflections of the spoon around his face!) and saying "I haven't eaten any dessert as delicious as his" makes me feel like is a parallel to what Sebastian seems to think sometimes of Ciel and his soul, or I am digging to deep?

Well, whatever, everything turns out fine with a delicious dessert.

We finish the chapter by Finny noticing that even though he only brought Iris seeds, they were now blooming in the recent garden created by Sebastian (given that the original one was destroyed by Finny when he was trying to get it ready for Klaus visit), so this the first direct demonstration of Sebastian's demonic powers/abilities!

This is everything for today's chapter, hope you liked my post! I'll try to do this regularly, have a nice day everyone!

#kuroshitsuji blog #kuroshitpost #kuroshitsuji #black butler #kjshams #kjshamsrev #kjshamsrevchp1 #sebastian michaelis #ciel phantomhive #anime and manga

8 notes · View notes