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ARATA’S CONFESSION 💕

#chihayafuru #chiharata #arata x chihaya #ayase chihaya #wataya arata #should’ve been endgame

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the avatar, and the last airbender :: an aang meta

I’ve been wanting to write this meta for about six years, and now seems like as good a time as any, so without further ado: Why Aang Sparing Ozai is the Most Important Scene in ATLA, from both a Character and a Thematic Standpoint.

And with that thesis out of the way, let’s go all the way back to the beginning.

Aang is the titular character of the series, two fold. He is both the Avatar, and the last airbender, and it’s these two facets of identity that inform his arc as much as the duality of Zuko’s scar informs his. So why then, is one arc written about and praised endlessly and the former is rather left in the dust, so to speak? 

There’s a few reasons for that, I think. The first is that Zuko is a more traditionally masculine and therefore Western protagonist. He has a more understandable loss, too. People can relate to losing a parent, or to an abusive household. These are traumas and ghosts, the brooding nature, that we are regularly shown in Western media, over and over again. The angry man who lost his wife/daughter/sister. Who does bad things like burning down villages and kidnapping people, but can’t you see that he’s just sad inside? And I’m not saying that’s all Zuko is. There are plenty of subversive things about him, his arc, and his poignant story of overcoming emotional and physical abuse. He is an incredibly important character and deserves all the praise he gets.

I just think Aang is just as noteworthy, and doesn’t get nearly the amount of credit he deserves. Aang is not a traditional Western protagonist at all. He makes jewelry, is vegetarian, loves animals, cries easily, tries to avoid violence, and has a fun loving nature. Many people deride Aang’s behaviour as childish - and sometimes it is - but the best parts of him, his forgiving nature, his fun loving nature and compassion, isn’t because he’s young. They come from him being an Air Nomad. And without those same traits being displayed towards him, Zuko never would have become the character we know and love (but more on that, later).

So yes, as above, Aang’s arc is about the reconciliation of him being the Avatar, and him being the last Airbender. Each part is equally as important as the other. If you can’t understand that, then you don’t understand the show, full stop. 

Okay? Okay.

Keep reading

#avatar the last airbender #atla #aang #avatar aang #really good analysis

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— What's the matter, Aqua? You look like you saw a ghost.

#oshi no ko #onk #akane kurokawa #shes so silly

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Coriolanus Snow & Lucy Gray Baird + Space in THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES

#lucy gray baird #coriolanus snow #snowbaird #the hunger games #tbosas

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He took a deep breath and turned to where she sat, casually fixing the white rose behind her ear. She always seemed to be improving her appearance. Arranging her ruffles in District 12, grooming her hair at the train station, and now adorning herself with the rose. He extended his hand to her as if she was the grandest lady in the Capitol.

Coriolanus Snow & Lucy Gray Baird in The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023)

#tbosas #coriolanus snow #lucy gray baird #snowbaird

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I hope my best friends will be safe and happy, eat well, drink well, always get a good night's sleep, have plenty of choices and meet friendly people.

WHEN I FLY TOWARDS YOU 当我飞奔向你 (2023) dir. Mao De Shu

#when i fly towards you #wifty

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“What changed your life?”

Free! The Final Stroke - Part 2

#rinharu #rin matsuoka #haruka nanase #REAL LOVE

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i know you dont post about them as much anymore but could you also do a masterlist for rinharu? i always loved reading your thoughts on them but its okay if you cant!

Fear not anon, I have a collection of RinHaru Masterlists lol

★ FREE! And FREE! ES

RinHaru Meta Masterlist Free! ES Meta Masterlist (organized by episode) RinHaru Compilations Free! Theories Free!: Opinions & Ramblings

If you lose this post, you can find these links anytime by clicking on the "Meta" button that's in my blog's sidebar :D

#rinharu #rin matsuoka #haruka nanase

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Masterlist: My AquaKane Posts

It's been a while since I've needed to make one of these 😂

How it started:

Playing myself and not dropping OnK because of Akane

The beginning of the Akane brainrot (back when I didn't ship AquaKane) + 1

How it's going:

In defense of Akane:

Some of the things people say about Akane make me wonder if there’s an alternative version of the manga out there somewhere

Akane's Star Eyes (+1)

Akane wasn't a bad influence on Aqua (the manga literally tells us the opposite

Akane wasn't trying to manipulate Aqua by acting like Ai

Akane wasn't being manipulative when she tells Aqua that he needs to be careful if he wants to date Kana, she was looking out for both, Aqua and Kana

Was Akane wrong for telling Aqua to make his own choice?

Thoughts on people calling akane obsessed instead of in love?

Is Akane a plot-device?

AquaKane:

Let's talk about Aqua "using" Akane

Chapter 42

Akane wasn't just "a tool" to Aqua (and it's an insult to both characters to claim otherwise)

What did Aqua mean when he said that Kana helped him figure out his feelings for Akane?

It’s so funny how Aqua talks big about manipulating Akane, yet she ends up being the person he is most honest with in the entire manga

Aqua wants Akane to know he's Goro

I’ve seen people criticize Akane’s reply to Aqua in Chapter 52, but I think Akane actually said exactly what Aqua needed to hear (+ clarification/follow-up)

Theory on why Akane's White Star is on when she tells Aqua that she'll always be his ally

Thoughts about Chapters 71 & 72

When Aqua wants to think the worst of himself, Akane reminds him of the kind person he is (Chapter 78)

I keep seeing people saying “aqua only wanted to date akane because he couldn’t date kana”, but i’m not convinced things are that white-and-black

Aqua, Akane and their relationship during his “freedom” period

Could Akane be wrong about Aqua having romantic feelings for Kana? (Yes, she could be)

Ichigo/Miyako & AquaKane foreshadowing

Aqua & Akane’s phone call in Chapter 97

Aqua, Akane & Chapter 98

Can we please talk about how silly Aqua is? (Chapter 116) +1

Replies to the Aqua's Black Star Eyes AquaKane Theory: 1 | 2

Has Akane ever made aqua smile? 

Aka treats Akane like an extension of Aqua himself

Tokyo Blade and the narrative

Toxic traits in their relationship? Sure, they’re both self-sacrificial people to a fault (+ 1 ask)

What I like about AquaKane +1

Do you think Aqua and Akane will get back together or stay close friends?

Aqua in a nutshell

AquaKane Parallels:

you're better off without me

too many to count

do you like this Akane? (aka the moment AquaKane got me)

their development

soon or later, you may end up being a real couple

Extras:

Replies to OnK-related Messages/Asks

Opinion on Aqua and Kana

Thoughts on the Akasaka 2021 tweet about Akane and Kana

Kana's parallels with Ai: I do think that Aqua’s feelings for Kana actually being platonic is the most interesting route

Aqua's "obsession" with Kana

Kana's parallels with Sarina: Kana is everything Aqua idolized Ai to be (aka, honest like Sarina) +1 + Even more parallels and a theory about their purpose

Kana may be meant to be "Everyone's Heroine" just like Fujiwara in Kaguya

Thoughts on the Starry Eyes

Thoughts on OnK's writing

#oshi no ko #aquakane #aquaka #akane kurokawa #aqua hoshino

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I keep seeing people saying Aqua only wanted to date Akane because Kana wasn't available, but I'm not convinced things are that white-and-black.

The thing is, I think a lot of us underestimate just how attached Aqua got to Akane. Sure, at first he wants to keep her near because of her intelligence and incredible insight, but that changes the moment Akane figures out his secret.

The Japanese side-text even gives us a helpful ただのビジネス、 カップルを越えて— telling us that they're becoming more than just a business couple.

This little moment right here pretty much disarms the guy. He gets a taste of what being understood is like, and he can't help himself after that. Suddenly he is letting down his walls and allowing Akane to watch his childhood videos, something that even takes Gotanda aback because Aqua doesn't let anyone watch those.

More importantly, he even goes as far as to confess his goal to Akane. It was a clear gamble to gauge just how honest she was to him when she told him that she would be his ally no matter what, and Akane gives him more than he bargained for.

Akane is the real deal. What she is offering him—unconditional understanding and support—is the real deal. And Aqua doesn't know how to react to that. His black star even reverts back to white!

However, we see just how important this was to him a few chapters later, when we get this gem:

"Did you think you finally found someone who understands you after meeting Akane Kurokawa?"

In hindsight, the fact that Goro is highlighting Akane's understanding of Aqua and putting her right up there with Kana completely sets-up the events that would follow.

Because, what happens after Aqua finds out that he's finally free?

He thinks of both, Kana and Akane. She has managed to get under his skin to the point he is genuinely considering her as a romantic option, something he said would never happen.

This is when things get pretty interesting, because Aqua began dating Akane just to use her, right? So he no longer has any reason to keep her around.

Except he wants to keep her around, and this time it's for entirely personal reasons. He knows his growing attachment to Akane will do her no good though, so he shoots that selfish thought down at once.

Akane is young and she has a bright future. I can't hold her back forever...

By his own admission, he thinks he is holding her back, so he decides to break up with her to set her free. He even says as much as they're walking to the bridge, almost like he's trying to convince himself it's the right thing to do.

I don't think... it's good for me to keep you tied down forever, Akane.

In other words, Aqua isn't breaking up with Akane because he isn't romantically interested in her. At the contrary, he even ends up admitting that he is attracted to her.

However, he doesn't seem to be entirely sure of what he feels for her and he is under the impression that Akane isn't romantically interested in him.

All this to say, Aqua mainly wanted to break up with Akane for her. Because he has been deceiving her and holding her back.

Case in point, a chapter later he goes on a date with Kana, who even asks him what he plans to do with Akane. You'd think that this would be the perfect moment for Aqua to confirm his romantic-disinterest in Akane by telling Kana something like:

I tried to break up with her but we got interrupted

I'm going to break up with her

Or any variation of those lines, since that's what he intended to do last time we saw him with Akane. He tells her this instead:

We talked about it the other day, but we got interrupted.

Oh, so breaking up actually isn't a done deal.

We'll probably get an answer... the next time we meet.

So, it isn't only Akane who is trying to figure out what Aqua is to her. Aqua himself is thinking about what Akane means to him.

Something about his conversation with Akane got to him, so he starts second-guessing whether he should break up with her or not even though it's "a little too late", since they talked about breaking up already.

If he were 100% intending to pursue Kana, why would he be telling her all this? Not to mention, why is he thinking carefully about his relationship with Akane instead of focusing on his relationship with Kana?

When it comes down to it, ever since Aqua found out that he is free to love someone, Akane and his relationship with her remain at the forefront of his mind. He even broaches the subject right after Akane finds his corpse, which was far and away not the time for that lol

Which of course leads us to the moment they get the answer Aqua alluded to earlier.

Akane finally understands what she feels for Aqua, and while she tries to keep a smile on for him, her true feelings come pouring through her tears.

Aqua wondered if Akane even harbored any romantic feelings for him. Those tears seem to be the answer to that question.

Which leaves us with: What does Aqua feel for Akane?

Aqua seems to realize it in very much the same way Akane did earlier. Through it all, they have been supporting each other, getting to know each other, understanding each other and having fun together.

Their relationship hasn't been a lie. Akane sincerely wanted to get close to him to help him. He sincerely wants to stay close to her to protect her.

Since Aqua had already resolved the question of 'should I fall in love?', that left him with two other questions to answer.

Can he fall in love with Akane?

Does he want to fall in love with her?

Going by this, he obviously decides that the answer to both questions is yes.

Now, this post isn't here to claim that he did fall for her or anything, he obviously still has unresolved feelings for Kana. What I'm 100% here to say though is that Aqua's feelings were way less set in stone than people make it sound, and that that the order of events clearly show that Aqua actually gave his feelings for Akane a whole lot of thought, even before he realized he should keep his distance from Kana.

#akane kurokawa #aqua hoshino #aquakane #oshi no ko #onk #aqua x akane

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#across the spiderverse #into the spiderverse #across the spiderverse spoilers #miles morales

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“Even without confidence, I want to acknowledge that I like him. The moment I acknowledge it, is also the moment I decide to prepare myself for a love that won’t come true.”

- Yuna Ichihara

Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare (2020)

#omoi omoware furi furare #yuna x rio #rio x yuna

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"Yesterday, you told me something of your story. And I...thank you."

QUEEN CHARLOTTE: A BRIDGERTON STORY (2023) dir. Tom Verica

#queen charlotte: a bridgerton story #queen charlotte #bridgerton #lady danbury #lady violet bridgerton

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COME. ON.

so in the recently released Free! fanbook, there's a huge character relationship chart showing the relationships between the 2343984 characters in this damn series.

Most of the arrows pointing from one character to another are solid and indicate, based on the color, how the first character views the other. Some of them have dotted lines connecting them, though, showing that they feel the same way about each other.

Haru and Rin both share a dotted line that says "Destined to swim together forever"

💙 ❤️

#free! #rinharu #canonically soulmates

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Can I sit? Uh, sure, sit. 

#gilmore girls #jess mariano #rory gilmore #jess x rory #literati

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Get to know me meme: 1/? favorite character pairings: Rory and Jess from Gilmore Girls

This was fate. I think it was.

#literati #gilmore girls #jess mariano #rory gilmore #jess x rory #THEY DESERVED SO MUCH BETTER

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It’s okay. I can be alone with you here. Thanks ever so.  (requested)

#buffy the vampire slayer #btvs #buffy summers #spike btvs #spuffy