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iwritenarrativesandstuff · 2 years

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Actually, I had this thought about Akutagawa in the latest chapters, specifically concerning the cliffhanger where he is ordered to kill Aya.

We see Rashoumon pierce fabric but I doubt that Aya was actually killed or harmed in any way, which means Akutagawa must be resisting the vampire brainwashing.

I think the sskk dynamic might play a part here.

I think we've already seen that resistance is possible with Chuuya - look at the panels with him as a vampire: he's visibly sweating and panting from exertion, but he's not doing anything that should have him quite that exhausted. I really do think the implication here is that Chuuya is trying to fight back.

And then there's the whole speech Dazai gives to Chuuya which is... really something, and I could definitely talk about that a lot, but that's not the point of this post. The point is, it seems specifically designed to reach out to Chuuya by making him emotional - mostly by winding him up to make him angry enough to finally fight off the vampirism. Chuuya's eyes even seem to clear a bit in that scene! (We'll see if it actually worked... someday. Ten years from now...)

So, what about Akutagawa? Well, I haven't seen anyone bring up this possibility yet (maybe someone has and I just haven't found it) but there was a fair amount of sskk content right before Akutagawa was killed. These two tend to go through some relationship development each arc, and yet there was no real payoff for the interaction in this arc - at least not yet.

But boy, is there set up. Atsushi learns in quick succession that Akutagawa

is dying from a lung disease

the above contextualizes why he so desperately wants Dazai's approval before he dies

has kept his promise not to kill anyone for six months (! this is important!)

Akutagawa meanwhile is handed the opportunity to finally kill Atsushi by Fukuchi's offer and... doesn't take it. Fukuchi asks if Atsushi's life means that much to him and we get a significant close up of both their reactions.

Of course, Akutagawa's actions in this chapter were still heavily motivated by impressing Dazai but this situation brings up the possibility of... maybe he does care about Atsushi in some capacity. But we get no confirmation of this because Akutagawa is killed shortly afterwards, leaving Atsushi to wonder about his actions and their significance (along with the audience).

Atsushi doesn't know yet that Akutagawa was turned, and I find it unlikely that he's going to get out of his situation with Teruko fast enough to intervene directly. But there is an indirect way Atsushi's words may aid Akutagawa in fighting off the brainwashing.

I am, of course, talking about the promise he made to Atsushi.

Thing is, we've only seen Akutagawa turn people ever since he was infected, not kill them. Higuchi was just bitten, Jouno was already dying - this seems deliberate. I could be wrong about this but the vampires don't seem undead to me, they're more like monsters - what's more, it's an ability that can be neutralized, and the people restored (...I assume).

But now, Akutagawa is ordered to kill and he... hits fabric. No blood spatter. I've seen some theories that Aya being a child might've triggered him to resist, but I'd like to bring up the possibility that it's actually the no killing promise that will instigate it. Akutagawa has kept his word so far. He hates the idea of losing to Atsushi, just as Atsushi hates the idea of losing to him. Do you really think he'd take "oh I was brainwashed so it doesn't count" as an excuse? No way. This is a direct challenge from his rival, who he desperately wants to one up.

It'd be an interesting turning point for his character because we know Akutagawa actually really listens to what Atsushi is saying to him (see the aftermath of the Akutagawa vs Hawthorne and Mitchell fight if you want to see a really good example of what I mean). And if he chooses to fight back based on Atsushi's words, it would be based off a choice he made himself to honour that promise - something that isn't directly based off Dazai's approval. It'd additionally recontextualize the earlier question posed by Fukuchi - if Atsushi's words are starting to matter to Akutagawa in some way, then so too is Atsushi as a person, since those words are born of something Atsushi personally believes in.

Besides, the entire point of the promise was that Akutagawa might learn something from it. The value of a human life, maybe? Especially that of an innocent child's. Maybe even his own.

I could be way off base here but I think it'd be neat if this is the direction the story took.

Just imagine we get Chuuya fighting off the vampire infection at Dazai's words and Akutagawa fighting it off at Atsushi's.

I think this would be both satisfying character wise and equally hilarious.

#akutagawa voice: 'failing a challenge from the jinko? unacceptable'#'what do you mean am i fond of him? this is spite'#i'm probably totally off but whatever #theorizing is the only thing tiding me over as i wait for more content #bsd #bsd meta #is this meta? idk #bsd analysis #bsd akutagawa #bsd atsushi #bsd dazai #bsd chuuya #sskk #shin soukoku #a little bit of #skk #soukoku #ok i'm going to post this before i psych myself out any further #storyrambles

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degenerateshinji · 6 months

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ngl i did vote for porn in the hopes of it hitting 69% bc i’m never above a good laugh but also because making choices is hard and if there had been an option for all of the above and more i would have smashed. really i was stuck between normal sskk comic (sad) bc they’re so sad and so sweet and they heal something in me when i read them, can’t explain it, and then your csm sskk comic bc it’s brilliant and i’ll never get tired of watching how your art develops with literally each panel, those lil guys have inadvertently become a part of my everyday life, i get off work and check tiktok to see if you have a comic update, don’t ever be discouraged by your audience, like i started following you for your little doodles on here and then one day your sunset comic popped up on my tiktok and i still voted for porn even tho your art deserved a more serious vote (still not complaining about it tho, just that not only do i enjoy your art but find it inspiring and hope you continue csm sskk and pls never stop the sskk angst)

okay on a more serious note, thank you so much that's very kind😭😭😭

also i like drawing naked ppl helps me brush up on my anatomy so literally nobody worry abt having voted for the porn option i put it there cause its fun and i like to draw. I'm glad my comics do something for you, it's always my intention to make the reader either cry or laugh or some mix of the two.

i'm actually pretty shocked how many people liked my csm x sskk au, but i'll keep doing it until i run out of ideas because i'm still having fun with it (i literally go crazy about csm & bsd. i cannot be stopped) and I will never stop making sskk angst i will kill them over and over again its a promise.

#ask #and this is my self insert oc their name is guy #say hi to guy #my art #bsd #sskk

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stlangels · 9 months

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Time for some sskk focus...

Ehat is happening in tjis panel

Like what is rashomon doing?? It looks like its trying to strangle atsushi and also its tightening around his torso? Based on the previous chapters, is Akutagawa going to try and squeeze his head off???

Also, I really like Vampire Akutagawa has a different fighting style than Normal Akutagawa. I dont think Akutagawa has ever used Rashomon to squeeze or pull someone apart. He really only uses it as a cutting and stabbing device. Or like to carry things. I also like how the squeezing and oulling seems so much more cruel and grotesque than Akutagawa's usual fighting style.

#bungou stray dogs #grahambles #bsd spoilers

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stuffgoeswrong · 1 year

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For the shipping game, how about shin soukoku?

. . . I'm gonna get some flack for this😅

Shin Soukoku

Don't ship it

Why don't you ship it?

Listen, listen I tried to like SSKK. They've got the black and white dynamic, they improve each other's weaknesses and make each other see the light in their differences. I read analyses on their different ways of thinking and how they complement each other, I like art of them together, their animated vines/tiktoks are hilarious. But, throughout watching the series and reading the manga, I personally just couldn't get behind it because Atsushi and Akutagawa rarely have moments where they openly enjoy being in each other's presence. To me, they weren't teasing like Soukoku and they certainly aren't outwardly loving. Akutagawa just stabbed Atsushi too many times for me to get behind and is usually running ahead without him until they come to an agreement in battle plans. I like that Atsushi stands up to him and takes the lead at times. I'm not entirely sure why, but something about them just hasn't sunk in with me yet enough for me to ship them romantically. Maybe by the time chapters 85?-88 are animated I'll have made room in my heart for them, cause I really loved their fight against Fukuchi (← fuck that guy). They gradually have grown to a more equal power dynamic and are slowly coming to terms that they are in each other's lives for good. Right now I ship them platonically, like to anyone else they would say they hate the other, but alone they actually really enjoy the company.

2. What would have made you like it?

Branching off of the last paragraph, I explained to my friend when we were watching it that I just don't like SSKK because they're not at that frenemies spot like Soukoku and Fukumori are. When Atsushi and Akutagawa (mainly Akutagawa) have had more time to mature, then I think I'll like Shin Soukoku more. They can't really be their normal selves around each other, at least not in the main story, because they always feel challenged by the other. If they had more time together outside of missions, that would boost my opinion of SSKK, but they'd probably still be a meh ship for me.

3. Despite not shipping it, do you have anything positive to say about it?

I do love the moments they have together where they bring out the funny sides of each other (Akutagawa using Atsushi's ear as a turn signal, Akutagawa only replying with "yes" to Atsushi's questions in the van, the anthology panels where Atsushi's judging Akutagawa's shopping habits only for him to reveal that his salary is pretty high). I like their aesthetic, it's very yin and yang, "run, you fool" is such a goddamn good line--I can't imagine the guilt Atsushi feels, their stage play actors hugging had me🥰🥰. Beast switching their roles is really cool and if there was a fanfic about them realizing in the normal world what it was like to live through what the other has, I'd probably read it. Most of my favorite moments or ideas about Shin Soukoku are the fandom making headcanons and scenarios. I did have an idea for a fic about Akutagawa remaining part vampire and having to live with Atsushi that was cute in my head, but who knows if I'll ever write it. Overall, a pretty good ship, just not for me.

Thanks for the ask, happy shipping!

#shin soukoku #there ya have it #me disappointing all my mutuals #bsd ships #atsushi nakajima #akutagawa ryuunosuke #asks #bungou stray dogs

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scriveyner · 3 years

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kinktober (2021): 16 - when you’re through thinking, say yes

Prompt #16: Intercrural

Mature, ~2200 words, SSKK/AkuAtsu

Things on Atsushi’s Friday to-do list had not previously included standing in the doorway of a bathroom that looked slightly larger than the entire dormitory room he lived in with Kyouka, but here he was now and that to-do list was crushed somewhere under Dazai’s heel. He blinked at the room; a large shower area boxed in by glass walls, and an enormous tub that would easily fit three people. The room was clean, well-kept…and felt unused.

Continue on Archive of Our Own, or:

Akutagawa had pointed him toward the bathroom the moment they had walked into the apartment. Atsushi had followed him in, clutching a duffel bag to his chest and looking absolutely baffled, at both the building and the apartment itself. “You live here?” he repeated, following Akutagawa barefoot down the hall and staring around the spacious apartment with clean, minimalistic furniture and a lot of natural light. “You?”

Irritated, Akutagawa responded, “you don’t have to sound so surprised, weretiger.”

He was surprised, in no small part because he’d come to imagine Akutagawa lurking in some underground hovel, as dingy as his tattered overcoat; but this place looked like it came out of a magazine of luxury apartments. Atsushi was immediately hyper-aware of how out of place he felt, and that was not made any better by Akutagawa commanding him to “go take a fucking shower, you stink.”

Which, ouch, but fair. He hadn’t had a chance to bathe yet, he’d splashed some water on his face and neck at the bathroom sink and got dressed quickly because Akutagawa kept opening the bathroom door and asking if he was ready yet. And then they’d taken a taxi and here they were clear on the other side of town, within spitting distance to Port Mafia headquarters, and Atsushi still wasn’t sure how he’d survived this sudden escalation in their relationship.

And now here he was. In Akutagawa’s apartment.

What the fuck was even happening anymore.

Atsushi exhaled loudly, scrubbed both of his hands through his hair, and stepped into the bathroom proper. Shower. He could do that, turn off his brain and just exist for a bit and try not to think about the way his entire life had just been upended over the course of a single day. Honestly, he wasn’t even upset by the turn of events anymore…but it was still a lot to process.

(Akutagawa was his boyfriend.)

The shower, when turned on full blast, looked like it could strip paint from walls so he kicked it down a few notches and finally stepped into the glass enclosure. And, oh…bliss. The water was hotter than it ever got from the dormitory faucets, and Atsushi decided he could live here, in this shower for the rest of his life and be content.

He lost track of time at some point, as the water beat any residual ache out of his muscle; he eventually looked up and through the steam-streaked glass panels saw Akutagawa seated on the edge of the bathroom, watching him quietly. Atsushi immediately turned a vivid shade of red and turned around. By this point Akutagawa had definitely seen every part of him, but there was something doubly vulnerable about being seen while showering and it made him shiver.

Also, seeing Akutagawa watch him made his stomach fold over itself in a good way; and there was absolutely no way to disguise it in here if his dick decided to wake up. Atsushi shivered again, glared down at himself, and then sighed and tilted his head under the spray.

When he looked up again, Akutagawa had moved. Now he was standing just outside the glass, arms folded. He was still fully dressed—well, without his overcoat; but still in his traditional ruffled shirt and trousers, and Atsushi swiped his hand through the steam on the glass and glared through it. “Do you mind?”

Akutagawa made a show of looking him up and down, although it couldn’t be much of a view with how fogged the glass was. “No,” he said, and his voice was muffled coming from outside the shower.

Atsushi looked at the fixed shower head, and then over to the sprayer, unused, attached to the wall. He unhooked the sprayer and opened the door to the shower, and Akutagawa realized what he was about to do mere seconds before it happened.

“Don’t you dare—!”

Atsushi blasted Akutagawa full in the face with the sprayer. He stumbled back a step, sputtered, and yelled angrily as Atsushi leaned against the shower panel and laughed. “Weretiger,” Akutagawa roared, Rashomon erupting from his sopping shirt, the water evaporating—or being absorbed, he really couldn’t tell which—by the ability.

Atsushi sprayed the sprayer against his hand, the water moving through it wasn’t immediately hot, but it warmed up. Akutagawa flinched when he looked up—his clothing might have a self-dry option, but his hair was dripping wet. “Oh, that felt great,” Atsushi said and pointed at Akutagawa. “Get in here, I’ll wash your hair.”

Akutagawa took another step back. “No.”

Atsushi paused, surprised at his reluctance. “No?”

“I will not allow you to strip me of my defenses after you just so brazenly attacked—” This time, Rashomon surged up between Akutagawa and the sprayer, absorbing the water into the material and seemingly dissipating it before it could hit Akutagawa. “Weretiger!”

“You don’t get to stand out there and watch me bathe like a pervert,” Atsushi said. “If we’re doing this thing we have to be able to trust each other, right? So, get in here. There’s plenty of room for it.” He pointed the sprayer at the tiled floor. “I won’t even spray you again, honest.”

“You are lying.”

“Yeah, probably.” Atsushi grinned at him, felt lighter than he had in days. “But you have to trust me to find out.”

Akutagawa glowered at him, hands curled into fists at his sides, shoulders held tight. After a moment though, the tension seemed to release from his shoulders and he sighed, brushing a hand back through his damp hair before flipping up his cravat and unbuttoning his shirt.

Atsushi leaned against the inner panel of the shower, the door still hanging open and steaming up the rest of the bathroom proper as he watched Akutagawa get carefully undressed. He realized, at about the point that Akutagawa’s shirt came off, that he’d never actually seen Akutagawa fully nude before. Every time they’d fucked around, something had stayed on. Shirt open but off his shoulders, pants bunched around his thighs; Akutagawa had never just been entirely naked and Atsushi finally understood why.

Without his clothing, Akutagawa didn’t have Rashomon.

This was a level of vulnerability that Atsushi hadn’t even realized, and here Akutagawa was now, naked in front of him and still glaring as he stepped into the shower with him. Atsushi closed the shower door to keep the steam in and dropped the sprayer. It sprung back on its lead, banging against the metal pole and hanging loose, and Akutagawa was in the process of turning to Atsushi, puzzled, when Atsushi grabbed him by the shoulder and kissed him.

Akutagawa was startled but did not put up a fight, letting Atsushi step him back so that his shoulders hit the glass panel beside the door. He put his hand on the back of Atsushi’s head, the other sliding down to his ass and squeezing. Atsushi disengaged and let out a small laugh, water dripping from his hair; Akutagawa didn’t release him.

“Your skin is so hot,” Akutagawa sounded startled, as Atsushi shifted them together, sliding his leg between Akutagawa’s.

“Yeah,” Atsushi murmured, not really paying attention to what it was Akutagawa was saying, more interested in nuzzling along his neck and kissing his shoulder. Akutagawa shrugged, shifting him and Atsushi seemed to remember suddenly what his purpose was. Akutagawa was watching him carefully, guarded, and Atsushi leaned his palm into the glass, tilted his head, and watched him right back.

The words were there sitting on his lips but Atsushi swallowed them, instead dropping carefully to his knees, the water from the shower head tickling his feet as he got situated. The water hadn’t lost its temperature yet, somehow—but Atsushi really wasn’t thinking about that, kissing down Akutagawa’s stomach and heading straight toward the goal. “Weretiger,” Akutagawa grunted, didn’t dissuade him, but he did put his hand on Atsushi’s sopping head, closing his eyes and exhaling as Atsushi stroked his waking cock.

Atsushi looked up at him, head tilted, as he stroked Akutagawa. He hadn’t put his mouth close just yet, watching him tremble at every touch, fluid beading across the slit, quickly smeared by Atsushi’s thumb. He said nothing, just maintained eye contact, waiting.

Akutagawa had one hand flat against the glass panel, the other on Atsushi’s head, and he wordlessly guided him, pressing the head of his cock into Atsushi’s cheek. Atsushi didn’t turn his face, continued to maintain eye contact and Akutagawa let out a gravelly-sounding noise of pure need. “Weretiger,” he groaned, “please—”

Atsushi rewarded this wit a broad swipe of his tongue over the head, cleaning all the fluid in one go. Akutagawa gripped his head with both hands, urged him forward, eyes locked on him as Atsushi began very carefully cleaning the condensation beading on his skin from the heat of the shower. He licked, delicately, following the vein down his shaft, and Akutagawa’s other hand went from Atsushi’s head to his mouth, eyes closing.

Atsushi stopped.

Akutagawa’s eyes flew open, and he glared down at Atsushi, who was giving him the most innocent expression he could muster while naked and wet on his knees. Atsushi gave him another teasing lick. “Don’t take your eyes off me,” he said; Akutagawa’s eyes widened at the command, but Atsushi was already focused on him again, this time sucking Akutagawa’s cock into his mouth entirely.

Things didn’t take nearly as long as Atsushi expected them to, as Akutagawa unraveled quickly. He had fully intended to swallow, but as he pulled slowly off Akutagawa choked out a noise that only gave him enough time to close his eyes before Akutagawa finish across his face in thick, sticky stripes.

He heard Akutagawa thump back against the panel, panting audibly, and Atsushi squinted open one eye, wiping his thumb over the bridge of his nose and sticking it into his mouth, fully aware that Akutagawa was still watching him. “Fuck,” Akutagawa complained hoarsely, still panting. “Do you have to do that?”

Atsushi cleaned his lips, tilted his head as he looked up at Akutagawa. “Do what?” he asked coyly, and Akutagawa groaned again, nudging Atsushi with his knee as if that would explain his grievance. Atsushi rose to his feet, his own cock achingly hard, and put his hand on the glass panel beside Akutagawa’s head, leaning in to kiss him. Akutagawa didn’t shy away from that at least, and Atsushi reached down between them as they kissed, fisting his hand around his cock.

“No, no—” Akutagawa broke away, caught Atsushi’s wrist. “Don’t do that, I want you to—” Akutagawa’s cheeks were flaming red, his skin as hot as Atsushi’s, the steam coming from the still-running shower making it harder to breathe.

“We can’t,” Atsushi protested, thinking about the prep, and Akutagawa turned against him, one hand on the panel as he pushed Atsushi back slightly. “You’ll be hurt…”

“No, idiot,” Akutagawa hissed, shifting again slightly. “Don’t put it in.” He was standing strangely, knees together. “Use my legs.”

Atsushi stared down at the curve of Akutagawa’s back, the sharp lines of his hip bones; he rested one hand there and the other around the root of his cock. “Your legs?” he repeated, because he’d never considered such a thing, and Akutagawa huffed a noise of annoyance, standing up on the balls of his feet to raise himself up.

He slid the head of his cock along the cleft between Akutagawa’s cheeks, felt him tremble as the tip passed his rim, but he let his dick slip lower, until he felt Akutagawa’s legs squeezing around him.

It was…different. Atsushi groaned as he leaned against Akutagawa’s back, thrusting shallowly, their skin sliding together. He could hear Akutagawa grunt softly when his cock slipped up, pushing against his balls, but then Akutagawa arched his back and shifted, changing the angle between them.

Akutagawa had both his hands on the panel as Atsushi rutted against him, and Atsushi said, “Akutagawa, fuck—” and covered one hand beside his head, pressing down as his thrusts went off-rhythm, hips jerking erratically as he came.

After a long moment, Atsushi panting raggedly into the back of Akutagawa’s neck, Akutagawa turned his head slightly. “Are you going to get off me?” he asked, and Atsushi’s panting turned into a laugh. He kissed Akutagawa’s bare shoulder.

“You’re comfortable,” he said, and Akutagawa elbowed him, aiming blindly but clearly hoping for something soft. Atsushi got the message and pushed off, stepping back under the spray of water and exhaling, closing his eyes and turning his face up toward the showerhead.

“Give me a second and I’ll wash your hair like I promised.” He scrubbed his hands over his face, hoping to get whatever traces of fluid remained, and when he leaned out of the water to address Akutagawa, was greeted by a blast full in the face with the sprayer.

Atsushi sputtered, blinded, as Akutagawa primly said, “got you.”

#bungou stray dogs #sskk #shin soukoku #akuatsu #kinktober #lemony fresh

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afterthelambs · 2 years

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sskk parallelism

((spoilers for chapter 83 onward))

The leg that Akutagawa throws at Atsushi in their fight against Fukuchi is the same leg that he cut off during their first encounter. They’re both the right leg, even cut at the same place: slightly below the knee.

Atsushi leg jokes aside, I doubt it’s just a coincidence. The likely meaning is that it represents how they have gone full circle. Atsushi is alone once again facing a more experienced foe while his friends depend on him. Akutagawa's goal is once again to retrieve Atsushi, only this time his goal is to retrieve and save him instead of retrieve and capture him. It’s a subtle reminder of how much sskk has changed before their biggest fight yet.

BUT since I’m a sad wreck who over-analyzes, here’s an angsty interpretation for you:

‘Returning something’ can symbolise repayment. It can be a form of reparations, where you offer something as an apology for previous wrongs. It can also be a way of thanking someone for what they have done for you. If viewed this way, the scene symbolises how only Akutagawa has changed his perception of Atsushi, is maybe even grateful for the things he taught him, and is fully ready to embrace their partnership. There’s evidence for this in the rest of the fight. First, Atsushi is shocked to find out Akutagawa actually kept his promise, which means he didn’t have that much faith in him. Second, there’s this pair of panels that absolutely hurt me:

It’s self-explanatory. Atsushi still doubts the two of them while Akutagawa is just all. in. Full confidence in their capabilities together. And finally, Fukuchi later on points out that it was Atsushi’s fault for not trusting Akutagawa to protect him, and Atsushi agrees. So while Akutagawa has begun to value him and already trusts him as his partner, Atsushi doesn’t feel the same. Yet. Hopefully.

This one scene of Akutagawa returning Atsushi’s leg that he previously severed hints at the entire dynamic of the fight. They’re not on the same page yet, and that’s why they lost. If sskk is ever going to be a fully-fledged partnership, Atsushi will have to take that final step and symbolically ‘return’ the favor somehow, just like how Akutagawa returned that leg.

Probably not gonna happen but imagine. Just imagine. If the thing that Atsushi symbolically returns to Akutagawa is his coat. I would die of angst.

#i dont know if anyone pointed this out before but its been killing me all this time #akutagawas development was beautiful in this fight #and the fact that atsushi STILL has his coat #i better see you give it back to him when this whole fiasco is over #i just want these boys to get along :((#bsd #bsd manga #bungou stray dogs #bsd spoilers #bsd atsushi #bsd akutagawa #shin soukoku #sskk #bsd sskk #bsd analysis #atsushi nakajima #akutagawa ryuunosuke #my post

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kyouka-supremacy · 9 months

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Hot take, Bones doesn't deserve the amount of hate they are getting. Some, I understand but the amount I'm seeing is ridiculous. They have multiple projects they're working on and I get it, rushing through BSD isn't great but they can't animate everything. Also... the way they animated Aku makes more sense. Hard to give a soft smile losing such a large amount of blood from your neck.

Mmh, I understand that it can be disheartening to see something you like so heavily criticized, but I do believe the studio is doing some major mess up this season and that people are legitimately enraged.

I'm the first one to say that we're all here to have fun and there's not really any point on focusing on things we dislike, but I think it's also valid to be upset when something you care about a lot is treated unlovingly, and people are in their own right to express such disappointment. Moreover, I feel like in this case there is a point in expressing one's disdain. It's important to be critic of the media we consume: we could all pretend to be satisfied and settle on complacency, but wouldn't that be deeply detrimental? Otherwise, sometimes it's important to acknowledge and even state loud that you don't like something, because it's only by recognizing something is wrong that people can get to work to change it and improve. If we all tamely pretended we liked the new season, if there was no one to ever evaluate its direction, animation quality, pace, there's little hope for any of them to improve, simply because there's no need to change something people are happy with.

Theodor W. Adorno is my favorite sociologist. He once said, “the splinter in your eye is the best magnifying-glass available”. With that he meant that pain is the greatest source of knowledge. Pain allows to see things that otherwise would go unnoticed: only by acknowledging pain one can understand that something is wrong, that something needs to be changed and improved. I think it's always important to state: “this is wrong”, because nothing can ever be fixed if you don't first recognize it's broken.

Personally, I do believe what Bones studio is doing is wrong. I don't think it's fair to have such a drastic quality drop with the last season just like it wasn't in the third. I don't think it's right to not have an original opening sequence nor an ending sequence (that we know of). I don't think it's right to have such a fast pace that you can't keep up with the events. I don't think it's right to have a season filled with reused animations. I don't think it's right to have very little animation to the point there's up to 36 seconds of the same static frame in a single scene. I don't think it's right to have a quality drop in the drawings and quality inconsistency between one episode and the next. I think it's outrageous that the Fukuchi vs. sskk fight was so poorly animated and completely striped of any emotion. I don't think it's right of them to assassinate Akutagawa's chapter 88 panel. But most of all, I don't think it's right to have a season come out three months after the other. I don't think that's in any way ethically sustainable, and I don't think anyone needed that. I don't think it's right that studios don't get that people don't want an uninterrupted flow of content, people want quality content, and it's important to say that, or they'll never get it. I think they messed up greatly with this season, and I don't think being working on multiple projects can use as an excuse in any way, because as a studio you should be able to tell when you've got your hands too full to handle another project without meeting the quality standard. If Bones studio was working on too many projects, they simply shouldn't have set this season up for release so early, because again, NO ONE needs a new season after just three months.

I can see why you would say that the way they animated Akutagawa's last words makes more sense. It definitely is more rushed, and ugly. I guess one could argue that it conveys how death is precipitous and unpleasant, and doesn't leave space for last words. ... But I highly doubt that much was intentional. The sskk scene in its entirety was so poorly curated that I can hardly see the direction make thematically relevant choices. Even in the rare hypothesis it was a conscious and intentional directing choice, the outcome was still extremely underwhelming, because the moment itself doesn't feel rushed in particular since it's coming right after an episode that was rushed in its entirety.

I agree Akutagawa's death scene in the manga isn't realistic the slightest. But realism in that moment was never what the reader was asking for in the first place! It's a moment of conclusion for Akutagawa. It's the end of his cruel and hated life, and the author chooses to end it in kindness. By giving him a moment to smile and redeem himself, the author is showing Akutagawa the compassion he never received in his violence ridden life. Death scenes in media are almost never meant to be realistic! Their main aim is to move the audience, not to portray a realistic death. It's part of the deal the audience makes with the media the second they start interacting with it, to suspend their belief in order to enjoy the media at its fullest. It's, fundamentally, the same reason why you wouldn't question the characters having superpowers.

All the same, if you find yourself to be on average satisfied with the anime, that's perfectly valid too!!! I'm sorry people's disappointment may have resulted disheartening, and I understand it's hard to avoid, but my best advice is to try and curate your own internet experience to be so that you see the least negativity as possible. You might want to consider blocking and unfollowing people whose comments you find unpleasant, even if it's just temporary for the time the season airs. If it gets too much, refrain from visiting the main tag on Wednesdays when new episodes drop if that can work for you. I recognize we as a fandom could work better to build a space that is enjoyable for people who are liking the new season and wouldn't want to meet so much negativity, and I'm the first to admit I've been quite inconsistent in tagging my posts recently, so in the future I'll try to tag negativity accordingly. I do appreciate you for reaching out and sharing your opinion Anon! Let's all work together to build a better fandom space for everyone (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*.✧

#bsd #bungou stray dogs #bsd s5 #bsd season 5 #bsd negativity #mine #people asks me stuff #Look‚ an opening sequence is the bare MINIMUM. I knew the season would have been a bad one the second I saw the opening.#If you don't have an opening ready‚ just postpone the release. Seriously. It's infinitely better than releasing an half assed season.#Nobody wants that. We're not getting a second chance to see chapter 88 panel animated‚ it's just gone.

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kyouka-supremacy · 1 month

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Fukuchi for the ask game please!

Fukuchi, sure!

Favorite thing about them: Causing Akutagawa to die for Atsushi I think he's a very well written villain!! He's sympathetic and likeable and his motivations are sincerely noble and understandable. His plan fell a little short, but that's just bsd for you ahah. I like how he poses real and relevant political questions, I dig any sort of political discussion. Overall, he's just a character I have lots of fun to reflect over and talk about, but that's primarly due to being a politics nerd pffttt.

Least favorite thing about them: I find some of the gags he gets into quite unpleasant, it's not for my taste personally.

Favorite line:

Self-explainatory. But like, something that actually has to do with Fukuchi...

It's just, I get the sentiment? Like, I get the feeling of being willing to do anything if it's to save even one single person.

brOTP: Sorry for being predictable, but highkey Fukuchi and sskk lol. Because Fukuchi seems to care about them /so much/. I find it a truly moving part of chapters 84-88, how Fukuchi doesn't want to fight even more than sskk themselves. He's genuinely sorry for them. He offers them heartfelt advices. He waits for them, he gives them time to regrup. He offers to spare one of them. Fukuchi has been a kinder mentor figure to Akutagawa in twenty minutes than Dazai has been in six years. He compliments Akutagawa and acknoweladges his value and spares him words of respect even after his death. I just,,, in a perfect world he would have loved them dearly, and be the first supporter of their union.

OTP: I REALLY like Fukuchi and Fukuzawa. Tragic yaoi FOR REAL. Very characters who aren't canonically gay but whose behavior just makes so much sense if you read them as gay. Also my other personal shipped them before they got popular. They just care about each other SO MUCH they didn't ever denied it and yet are forced to be on opposite sides... Ultimate star crossed lovers fr.

nOTP: Nothing. I need to delete this section.

Random headcanon: I can't think of anything of a proper headcanon, but I feel like he's looked to Fukuzawa and Ranpo many times and intimately wished they could have created a family together. I feel like the chapter 83.3 cover (the one a little further below) is exactly what Fukuchi would have dreamed his life to be if the world was different.

Unpopular opinion: I'm glad he killed Akutagawa. Duh. I've said this so many times but the “I wish Akutagawa didn't die” is a sentiment I really can't share.

Song i associate with them: I can't believe I could actually think of something, but Knife by rerulili is perfect as the love triangle / katanas / dying in your gay lover's arms story.

Favorite picture of them:

Favourite panel from the manga:

Favourite illustration:

Favourite illustration in the anime art style:

Send me a character?

#Took a break yesterday because i wasn't home the whole day! I'm taking these indefinitely btw #Still haven't been asked the characters Ryuunosuke Akutagawa and Atsushi Nakajima from the manga Bungou Stray Dogs. Btw #ōchi fukuchi #bsd #mine #people asks me stuff #Thank you for asking <333

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kyouka-supremacy · 1 month

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Ask game umm,, fitzgerald

Oh Fitzgerald!!!!

Favorite thing about them: His motivation / how much he loves his wife. To me he was a pretty :// character the whole Guild arc, but the second it was established that his motivations were led by his love for his wife his popularity for me skyrocket. I'm just VERY week for the trope of men loving their wives A Lot, especially when they're villains and especially if they love them the wrong way but still love them with everything they have nonetheless (Hades from Hadestown!!!). Also, he's funny! He doesn't take himself seriously and that makes him genuinely likeable for me.

Least favorite thing about them: I don't like stereotypical caricatures in general... I'm not even from the usa and I hate usa cultural (and non) colonization as much as the next person, but I don't think moral principles should be applied only to the people (in this case, countries) you like, y'know. I think stereotypical caricatures are detrimental for everyone. When his ability was revealed I rolled my eyes hard, like, c'mon, at least pretend to treat your characters equally.

Favorite line: “You're like two peas in a pod” sskk enabler line there was an unfortunate page layout here so I can't share the panels without clogging the post, but “I will bring back my family. No matter the price I must pay.” from chapter 35. I like the double meaning in how he's both referring to his ability and to his being willing to do anything, literally even give his life if it's for his family. I find it really bittersweet, Fitzgerald is fully willing to die if he can't build an happy world for his family.

brOTP: I REALLY LIKE HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH SSKK AJKHVAJVGM I made a post about it forever ago but I really like the idea of him being this kind of weird uncle figure to them. It's really fun and endearing to think about.

OTP: I mean, I don't know Zelda, but I can safely say that I want them to be together? Other than that, the concept of putting Fitzgerald in the fukufukumori equation but just for the drama is endlessly amusing alhkcjvsblcfkusbcfwl.

nOTP: Really nothing I can think of. I barely remember ever seeing Fitzgerald ships at all tbh.

Random headcanon: He bought a nice house for his bald neighbour from chapter 45.

Unpopular opinion: Look I don't know what opinions the fandom has on Fitzgerald. I think his new brown suit is even more atrocious than his previous creme + pink combo.

Song i associate with them: He's the last character I would be thinking about when listening to music lmao. I feel like I'm not good at this section.

Favorite picture of them:

Favourite panel from the manga:

Favourite illustration:

Have not spent enough time thinking about Fitzgerald to have a favourite anime picture of him

Favourite Mayoi card: (terrible butler etiquette)

Send me a character?

#Thank you for asking!!! <333 #This is the first time in my life I go through chapters 34-36 without focusing on the ss/kk LMAO #francis scott key fitzgerald #bsd #mine #people asks me stuff

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