theevilthatismokke

[theevilthatismokke]

so this image exists...

obviously, the 6 made many people think, "hakubo?".... but I don't really understand that!!! Because Hakubo and Sumire have already been seen in this AU, in the 28th anniversary of GF illustration. They are MICROSCOPIC but they are THERE!! Seemingly Hakubo in a guardian/caretaker position over Sumire. He has horns. Sumire appears to have a... tail? she might have a horn, but she also might just have a party hat on like everyone else here.

if that egg is Hakubo, it'd be a retcon, which isn't impossible...! But the circumstances make my brain go "but what if it isn't a retcon? why would the egg say 6..." and then I think.... ? Hakubo and Sumire laying eggs ? 😩 together 🤔 ?

(they are both "No. 6" after all) .... 😶 ? w-well. it's a very amusing (h-.... hot...) thought even if I'm crazy 🥴

#a mokke reblogs #still thinking about this post #it will haunt me for a long long time (compliment) #hakumire egg… #hakumire egg!!!! #no words just brainrot

[theevilthatismokke]

Broadcasting Club + Dramatic Reveals

#a mokke reblogs #broadcast club is the definition of ‘teleports behind you’ lol

[theevilthatismokke]

/spoilers for chapter 105/

AAAAAAHHHHHHhHAAAHHHHHHhHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAaAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I’m not dreaming, right? I’m not dreaming, right?!??

*kisses frozen Nene*

MY ASSISTANT NOW

Agshxbvd Holy shit I love Tsukasa, the fucking gremlin!! The fucking innocent gremlin!!

“I kissed her ❤️!!” stop smiling like a maiden in love you shit I love you so much

yugi8 here we go…. YUGI8 HERE WE GOOOOO

also lol Hanako. (stop complaining, let your wives interact)

#a mokke's idle ramblings #spoilers spoilers spoilers #I told myself not to expect anything…. #I told myself not to be hopeful or delusional…. #but here it is!! happiness!! joy!! #thank you Aida and Iro-sensei!!!

[theevilthatismokke]

/chapter 101 spoilers/

What an interesting chapter…!

Gotta say, I didn’t expect the new chapter to give us a Yugi twins flashback right from the start.

And, honestly, there’s quite a bit to unpack here…

First, I guess we can add clockmaker (or… tinkerer..? in this case) to the myriad of Amane’s nerdy abilities, heh. Very curious as to why HE specifically had to fix the clock before the school festival was over.

A few things to note:

a) The mysterious hand/ghost mentioned an accident, all but outright stating it had to do with the school play;

b) The Yugi shinju is heavily implied to have happened during summer, due to the twins uniforms;

c) It’s very likely that the conditions presented to Amane (so he would fix the clock) have to do with Tsukasa. Otherwise, I doubt Amane would do it.

I think it’s very probable that he felt, or knew, that they’re going to be separated again. The clock, the power to (literally and figuratively) control time, Amane could make sure that he could either fix or prevent whatever was coming to separate them again.

But Amane failed. Or he didn’t get the answers or results he wanted. Or Tsukasa decided for both of them to disappear again (like he callously tells Amane, urging him to decide whether he wants Tsukasa to stay or disappear).

After that… Amane probably decides to take drastic measures and kills his brother (so they won’t be separated again), committing suicide immediately after.

All I’m unsure about is whether the timeline. They are in their first year here. Meaning they are 12, while they died when they were 13. Sooo, there’s a gap of nearly a year, maybe, between this scene and the shinjuu. Did he kill Tsukasa during another school festival? Or was it unrelated?

Also, I know we’ll likely learn it soon, but… what the heck is the deal with the Clock Keepers?

Do they really need so much help with their clock that they constantly need to threaten teenagers with their beloved’s lives to get the work done? Are there literally no clockmakers in the After Shore? Because…

That’s genuinely hilarious. Good job, AidaIro lol

Now, onto the other stuff…

I was not expecting Wizard of Oz as the play??

Did AidaIro get interested in Lloyd Webber’s other works after the Phantom of the Opera Musical?

It’s a very interesting choice, to say the least. An adventure about a lonely and misunderstood girl who craves more from life, a story about people yearning for things they think they don’t have and could only attain through magical means- only to discover they didn’t really need such changes, as they were capable of it all along… A Wizard without any real powers, from the same world as the protagonist… Dreams and wishes… hm…

Also!! Also!!

Both Tsukasa and Nene being interested in theater!! Musicals at that!!

Small note, but, yes, The Wizard of Oz was the play that Tsukasa’s class did back in the day! It’s not just that Hanako somehow knows it after Nene recites a few lines…

But I’m pretty sure that’s “Over the Rainbow” they’re singing!! The notes match!

I’ll be expecting the Tsunene Wizard of Oz fanarts/animatics/fics. Don’t disappoint me fandom!!

Tsukasa is even singing along here!! And considering that Hanako knew the lines of the play, 50 years after, makes me think that Tsukasa may have been quite excited about the play!! Did he know all the lines?? How much did he help?? I wanna know!!

And speaking of theaters, accidents and Lloyd Webber musicals…

Is there going to be a “Phantom of the Opera” situation here? Was there one 50 years ago??

I mean, look at this auditorium:

It’s begging for something to happen!! Pleeeeeaaase, AidaIro!! I wanna see some chandeliers drop!! Get Nene the main role lol

Not to be that person, but. Nene’s class has absolutely no taste.

Look at her!! Looook at heeeer!! She’s so cute! So charming! Where you gonna get a more passionate actress, huh?!? Huh?!

Honestly, though, I love how AidaIro really hammers how Nene’s an artistic, romantic girl at heart. This is very cute too:

Awwww. Can’t wait for Hanako to drop those chandeliers and get scolded by his girlfriend again

Wasn’t expecting for Akane and Aoi to retain their firework party looks. But I guess this is it!! They’ve changed, and so do their looks! It’s a really nice, simple way to signify their character development, I love it.

Akane isn’t going to lie (to Aoi, at least) anymore, nor is he going back to pretending he doesn’t see Aoi for who she is, even her flaws, so, he’s ditched his glasses.

Aoi isn’t going to wear her mask all the time (to Akane, at least), or worry she isn’t loved by anyone (aka Akane) anymore. She can relax a bit, she has someone she doesn’t need to wear her mask of saccharine perfection for, she’s literally letting her hair down, heh.

EDIT: it has come to my attention that maybe Aoi can’t tie her hair well anymore because of her hand. And of course, she’s not ready to talk about it with Nene yet. In this case, the hair down can also signify a distraction. Just because she’s not going to wear her mask around Akane, that doesn’t mean she’ll do it for anyone else.

How lovely for them. I can’t wait to see the shenanigans that’ll make them do crazy shit for each other again!

Finally the two funniest scenes of the entire chapter (plus a comparison):

How dare…! You leave miette?? Out of fun?? Jail for daikon!! Ten thousand years jail for daikon!!

And the final scene:

Look, I’m sorry. Honestly, AidaIro do make him get across as very shady and menacing here, it’s a wonderful cliffhanger!

But…

I can only imagine Akane going “who the fuck are you” immediately after ( insert old most popular girls meme)

Like, in the very same chapter, Nene goes:

She’s forgotten!! She has Natsuhiko’s number and she’s forgotten!!

He’s shady, and he has an agenda, and he can look menacing and creepy and he’s air!!

He’s air!! (Also the probable reason he can do as likes. But still. So funny.)

Also, lol at AidaIro flexing their knowledge. Is that a warning? Should I be prepared for more Alice in Wonderland parallels/nods?

All in all, really enjoyable and cute chapter! Can’t wait for the horrors and heartbreak that await us in the future!

#a mokke's idle ramblings #what a fun chapter #I could go on and on about the role that art has in this manga #and the characters that aidairo often connect to art #even when you don’t count AUs #it’s fascinating

[theevilthatismokke]

/bakeneko ryokan hanakotei commentary part 2/

I’m still laughing at these

of course Hanako still messes with Nene even here, but him liking catnip, heh. Actually this Hanako is living the life, huh? He’s got both Nene and Tsukasa with him (forever), he’s got catnip, he’s gonna eat his snacks…

his is so funny. Teru’s literally so petty, freaking 1-star review, wwwww… The fiend!!

Hanako’s gonna eat Teru to prevent the poor review, isn’t he? pffft

Hanako voice: aw, c’mon, don’t leave yet! we must have you for dinner :)

Ah… at least Tsukasa is living his best kitty life. Doesn’t matter if he isn’t an actual bakeneko, he’s more of a cat than any of the other bakenekos.

IT HAS BEGUN

/bakeneko ryokan AU twitter event spoilers/

Ahh!! I was looking forward for this one!! And it’s here!! Ahhh!!

unfollow me everyone this is all i’m gonna talk for the rest of the week

Ahem. Excuse me.

Anyway, I figured we’d be “playing” this AU event as the Minamoto siblings (Kou, in this case), but I was kinda surprised we didn’t start already at the inn. But it’s nice to see this little introduction!

Poor Aoi-chan, looks like she was harassed to the point of quitting her job… From what I understood, apparently she told Teru she was going to come back for her diary (that she got from Akane?) after she got a better job (?)…

But then she invited Akane to go with her to the spooky inn, that’s infamous for UMA sightings and people turning into cats.

Hm.

I’m unsure whether Aoi is already thinking about “disappearing” (like whoever was suicide baiting her wrote), and invited Akane to go with her for one last pleasant moment, or if her choosing the cursed cat inn isn’t that intentional, and the place is calling to her instead, because she may feel unhappy. Maybe it’s both. Maybe it’s neither. Maybe it’s something more… normal? We’ll see.

Watch it be a third, crazy option like, Aoi was a cat/bakeneko/nekotama who tried to fit in the human world, realized it sucked and now’s going back home with her bf lol

“If could see that beauty one more time… I would gladly turn into a cat…!”

Did I ever mention here that I love Natsuhiko? Because I do. I love Natsuhiko. The funniest guy ever, hope you and your lady meet again and live happily ever after on cat heaven, Natsuhiko (lol).

On a side note, I’m curious about Natsuhiko’s earring. It’s green in the colored merchandise for the cafe, a color commonly associated with Sakura in JSHK. It’s also just one, so it might be just a fashion/style kinda thing, but it makes me wonder if Sakura may have given that to him.

Or maybe Natsuhiko just bought it because it reminded him of her. Either way, I like it, and it’s, to me, a nice parallel to the brooch Sakura always wears, which matches Natsuhiko’s hair color.

Look at them. Loook at theeem!!

Sumire peaking from behind (Hakubo’s too tall lol). Hakubo wearing a suit. They’re so cute.

Also, lol at their small exchange about political marriages. It kinda looks like Hakubo was trying to placate/dissuade the paparazzi and Sumire took him too literally. Or maybe, in a way that’s classic them, Hakubo didn’t know that Sumire wanted to get married to him (even if it was a political marriage). And likewise, Sumire didn’t get that Hakubo likely disliked the notion that he would marry her only out of political gain, since he emphasizes on the absurdity of a political marriage. (In other words, he’s saying he’d marry her out of love)

Well, who knows. Glad to see they’re still bumbling about, the idiots.

Makes me wonder what they’re gonna do at the ryokan. Is it going to be their honeymoon? Are they eloping? Just hoping to get away from the press and their yakuza families? Did their families send them there? I mean, I doubt it, but gotta think of all the options

I am… pretty amused that they are part of the yakuza, though. I was just thinking a while ago, that if you were to write and adapt Hakubo’s story belonging to a more modern time, he’d probably be part of a mob family.

Same with Natsuhiko’s situation? Him meeting Sakura as a child and being persistent in seeing her again was one of the scenarios I had considered for them before. As in, what their backstory might be like. Good to see it’s an option in one of the AUs, haha.

Though, this one might be a common theory among the fandom? I actually don’t know.

Very peculiar that Amane is already a nekomata here, but Tsukasa doesn’t even seem to be a bakeneko (if the flashback and newspaper are anything to go by. his cat ears were also a headband in the original shikishi).

Sooo. Considering the myths around neko mata and bakeneko, I’m going to assume that:

a) Tsukasa and Amane might not be related in this AU;

b) Amane took the form of his owner (Tsukasa);

c) Amane might have started the fire.

Also, judging by Teru’s reaction towards Natsuhiko’s declaration of love, and the assumptions above, it makes me how is the “general” relationship between kaii and human in this AU.

I mean, kaii in this seem to be part of daily life; no one calls Natsuhiko crazy for seeing a beautiful bakeneko lady, nor does anyone seem to bat an eye at Hakubo the oni appearing in the news. But maybe relationships between kaii and human are looked down on? Thus, why Natsuhiko’s a “freak” for loving Sakura, according to Teru, or why the news seem to jump at the conclusion that a relationship between Hakubo and Sumire could only amount to a “political marriage”.

Teru’s comment also makes me wonder… if something’s gonna happen to him, either in this AU or in the main series soon. You can’t judge other people (specially their relationships!!) without shit happening to you. JSHK’s “talk shit get hit” cosmic rule has been pretty consistent so far after all.

And, last but not least…

Nene?? Is that you??

*sees flower decorations*

It is you!!! Nene!! look at how cute she is

Dancing under the moonlight, Nene is romantic even as a cat, huh? That’s so cute, never change Nene-chan lol.

All in all, I look forward to the inevitable shenanigans. Whether it’s sad, messed up or just plain bizarre, hilarity is still guaranteed!

#a mokke's idle ramblings #is teru leaving a bad review bc of hanako #or is it bc of all the couples surrounding him? #both? it’s both right?

[theevilthatismokke]

IT HAS BEGUN

/bakeneko ryokan AU twitter event spoilers/

Ahh!! I was looking forward for this one!! And it’s here!! Ahhh!!

unfollow me everyone this is all i’m gonna talk for the rest of the week

Ahem. Excuse me.

Anyway, I figured we’d be “playing” this AU event as the Minamoto siblings (Kou, in this case), but I was kinda surprised we didn’t start already at the inn. But it’s nice to see this little introduction!

Poor Aoi-chan, looks like she was harassed to the point of quitting her job… From what I understood, apparently she told Teru she was going to come back for her diary (that she got from Akane?) after she got a better job (?)…

But then she invited Akane to go with her to the spooky inn, that’s infamous for UMA sightings and people turning into cats.

Hm.

I’m unsure whether Aoi is already thinking about “disappearing” (like whoever was suicide baiting her wrote), and invited Akane to go with her for one last pleasant moment, or if her choosing the cursed cat inn isn’t that intentional, and the place is calling to her instead, because she may feel unhappy. Maybe it’s both. Maybe it’s neither. Maybe it’s something more… normal? We’ll see.

Watch it be a third, crazy option like, Aoi was a cat/bakeneko/nekotama who tried to fit in the human world, realized it sucked and now’s going back home with her bf lol

“If could see that beauty one more time… I would gladly turn into a cat…!”

Did I ever mention here that I love Natsuhiko? Because I do. I love Natsuhiko. The funniest guy ever, hope you and your lady meet again and live happily ever after on cat heaven, Natsuhiko (lol).

On a side note, I’m curious about Natsuhiko’s earring. It’s green in the colored merchandise for the cafe, a color commonly associated with Sakura in JSHK. It’s also just one, so it might be just a fashion/style kinda thing, but it makes me wonder if Sakura may have given that to him.

Or maybe Natsuhiko just bought it because it reminded him of her. Either way, I like it, and it’s, to me, a nice parallel to the brooch Sakura always wears, which matches Natsuhiko’s hair color.

Look at them. Loook at theeem!!

Sumire peaking from behind (Hakubo’s too tall lol). Hakubo wearing a suit. They’re so cute.

Also, lol at their small exchange about political marriages. It kinda looks like Hakubo was trying to placate/dissuade the paparazzi and Sumire took him too literally. Or maybe, in a way that’s classic them, Hakubo didn’t know that Sumire wanted to get married to him (even if it was a political marriage). And likewise, Sumire didn’t get that Hakubo likely disliked the notion that he would marry her only out of political gain, since he emphasizes on the absurdity of a political marriage. (In other words, he’s saying he’d marry her out of love)

Well, who knows. Glad to see they’re still bumbling about, the idiots.

Makes me wonder what they’re gonna do at the ryokan. Is it going to be their honeymoon? Are they eloping? Just hoping to get away from the press and their yakuza families? Did their families send them there? I mean, I doubt it, but gotta think of all the options

I am… pretty amused that they are part of the yakuza, though. I was just thinking a while ago, that if you were to write and adapt Hakubo’s story belonging to a more modern time, he’d probably be part of a mob family.

Same with Natsuhiko’s situation? Him meeting Sakura as a child and being persistent in seeing her again was one of the scenarios I had considered for them before. As in, what their backstory might be like. Good to see it’s an option in one of the AUs, haha.

Though, this one might be a common theory among the fandom? I actually don’t know.

Very peculiar that Amane is already a nekomata here, but Tsukasa doesn’t even seem to be a bakeneko (if the flashback and newspaper are anything to go by. his cat ears were also a headband in the original shikishi).

Sooo. Considering the myths around neko mata and bakeneko, I’m going to assume that:

a) Tsukasa and Amane might not be related in this AU;

b) Amane took the form of his owner (Tsukasa);

c) Amane might have started the fire.

Also, judging by Teru’s reaction towards Natsuhiko’s declaration of love, and the assumptions above, it makes me how is the “general” relationship between kaii and human in this AU.

I mean, kaii in this seem to be part of daily life; no one calls Natsuhiko crazy for seeing a beautiful bakeneko lady, nor does anyone seem to bat an eye at Hakubo the oni appearing in the news. But maybe relationships between kaii and human are looked down on? Thus, why Natsuhiko’s a “freak” for loving Sakura, according to Teru, or why the news seem to jump at the conclusion that a relationship between Hakubo and Sumire could only amount to a “political marriage”.

Teru’s comment also makes me wonder… if something’s gonna happen to him, either in this AU or in the main series soon. You can’t judge other people (specially their relationships!!) without shit happening to you. JSHK’s “talk shit get hit” cosmic rule has been pretty consistent so far after all.

And, last but not least…

Nene?? Is that you??

*sees flower decorations*

It is you!!! Nene!! look at how cute she is

Dancing under the moonlight, Nene is romantic even as a cat, huh? That’s so cute, never change Nene-chan lol.

All in all, I look forward to the inevitable shenanigans. Whether it’s sad, messed up or just plain bizarre, hilarity is still guaranteed!

#a mokke's idle ramblings #bakeneko ryokan bakeneko ryokan #not gonna lie the neko mokke look extremely cursed

[theevilthatismokke]

NARISOKONAI SNOW WHITE, game summary, character summaries, and summaries of all 7 endings, +the afterstory, with some analysis-- link to a .DOCX document, CLICK THRU

+ A .rar file of in-game images.

after reading the document in general, this simple reference chart of 'events' may help you understand/digest how these swap in-or-out depending on the route.

please mind the disclaimers on the document! Myself and my husband @7ban-sama are not seasoned translators. Nonetheless, we were sad that little to no thorough documentation of this game exists in English for those who for any reason cannot play the game or begin to understand how to move through it. I feel like something is better than nothing in this circumstance. I sought to make the sort of guide I would have been happy to stumble across.

Errors and inaccuracies in route descriptions or events are possible. Please see it as a matter of "something is better than nothing" philosophy and forgive our mistakes.

'Narisokonai Snow White' is a visual novel produced by AidaIro back around 2009-2010, under their old handles Tokuna (Iro) and Hano (Aida). Iro wrote the story, and Aida drew the images.

All I really want to do is provide information out into the world, so please, if you in part or in whole want to redistribute any part of this, use it, edit it, pull from it, repost it, discuss it in groups without affiliation to me etc, please do so, and do not worry whatsoever about crediting us. We do not need any credit for this information. I am fine with it being parsed and separated from my (frankly slovenly) presence. I want information dispersed, I do not need attention.... and as the effort is half-baked in our lack of professional expertise, its best to invite reinterpretation. Think of it as a free resource.

general route information was colluded with this webpage, which did prove to work at reaching all endings for us. I can't be sure if all decisions are truly necessary for all routes, or if we transcribed it accurately, but I did my best to report what we experienced. It's pretty complicated and gets jumbled, so apologies for any errors in trying to transcribe what we did.

and finally, I want to link to my saved copies of webpages concerning discussion and response to this VN from AidaIro's old web blog. I don't feel confident translating these. Please, someone translate them TT_TT at the very least, please save them to archive the information, so it doesn't die with meeeeeee!!

Q&A with Rasphard Ambrose.

Q&A with Estelio Ambrose.

Q&A with Bianca Neige.

Q&A with Tokuna&Hano

FAN POLLS & Tokuna response

GEN GAME FEEDBACK & Tokuna response

thank you.....

#a mokke reblogs #narisokonai snow white #today marks 5 years since someone posted #an incomplete English translation of this game… #so let’s all thank op and her husband for their hard work!!

[theevilthatismokke]

/chapter 100 spoilers/

I... struggle to write something about this chapter, because it feels like I'm just repeating myself from last chapter...

The most interesting thing to note here are Mitsuba's feelings about how he wants to die. Once again we have the preciousness of life contextualized through the lens of someone who wants to die.

Mitsuba thinks he's a monster, his cravings for hearts, be them supernatural or human, and his inability to stay together without them, leave him feeling like his dream of becoming human is impossible.

And without his dream, there's nothing out there for him. No family, no lovers, no friends...

Love is the driving force within JSHK. Life without love (and as always, I reiterate that this love can be various things; platonic love, romantic love, familial love, the compassion and empathy for those around you, self-love, or even passions/dreams/desires you can follow, sometimes, it can be all of these all at once) isn't worth living in the world of JSHK.

Which is why, seeing Kou cry over him... just seals the deal to Mitsuba.

To Mitsuba, it means his life has value to Kou, and that their bond, that meeting each other, has meaning. To die, knowing it wasn't all pointless, that he was cared by someone, that's what Mitsuba wants.

That Kou can suffer over losing him, is proof for Mitsuba that somebody actually cares about him, even if it isn't all that special, even if Kou would do that (as far as Mitsuba knows) for anyody else.

This is also a recurring thing in JSHK. There's this... tendency, where the characters can only, truly conffirm that their beloved cares about them through tears, grief, suffering or any other extreme act or show of emotion.

We have this with Akane knowing Aoi reciprocates his feelings when he sees her crying (and she never cries!!) over the mere thought of him hating her.

We also have this with Hakubo and Sumire, as Hakubo's grieving over Sumire for centuries (it's not just that he was miserable over her, he was cursed by their love) and his boundary being his personal hell, are proof to them both of their mutual feelings.

I don't think I need to elaborate on the "extreme acts or show of emotion" lol. Pick any character. Go ahead.

And, you know, this makes sense, even without the aesthetics of the manga, because...

Well, this is a story about a bunch of lonely, self-loathing, unloved people whose communication skills and emotional intelliegence are of a collective sum of negative points.

...but I digress.

Meanwhile, I find Kou's reaction to Mitsuba's assessment of his character to be very interesting:

Mitsuba seems to see Kou as this ridiculously kind person, who cares about everyone just about equally.

And he's not particularly wrong. Kou's a kind boy, and that's been established many times. I do think a part of his wish to help others is genuine.

buuuut, Mitsuba's not entirely right.

At least, as far as Kou is concerned.

You see, JSHK doesn't deal in black-and-white, even when it comes to things like selflessness or selfishness. Many times, we've seen that an apparently "selfless" behavior isn't treated as simply as such. Like Yako's wish and actions to bring Misaki back.

And Kou’s a similar case.

Kou wishes, more than anything, to become a strong, reliable, selfless ideal hero. Well, no that’s a lie. Kou struggles with his own self-worth, and because he equates said worth with strength (the strength of a good exorcist, to be specific, as that’s what he grew up hearing from his clan), he tries to emulate the heroic image he has of the Minamoto exorcists and Teru.

Kou’s desires to “save everyone” are strongly rooted in these self-worth issues. He… wants to be needed. Kou wants to be a hero, at least partially, because he wants to feel good about himself.

something, something, insert panel comparing kou and yako for the nth time

But Kou’s, so far, had big problems with admitting his more selfish motives.

Being selfish, having a… less noble motivation, breaks this heroic image he strives to achieve. Kou doesn’t want to admit his own selfishness, which is why he sees the Red House “temptations” (that’s how he sees them, as cheap tricks, temptations of an evil spirit).

it's interesting that kou only relents and kinda admits he wants those things when he encounters his (dead) mom. because that's a wish he can accept. he still gets conflicted abt mitsuba tho.

“That’s not what I want”, Kou yells to the desires revealed by the Red House.

“I only wish to save [Nene]!”, Kou justifies. He’s a hero, after all, who is going to save everyone, right?!? His motivations are only saving others and slaying evil kaii, of course he’s not selfish!!!

…right?

This also applies, I think, to his relationship with Mitsuba.

There are some key factors that leave Kou confused when it comes to Mitsuba, and why he tends to… try to push Mitsuba to the back of his mind.

There’s, of course, the fact that he doesn’t consider “this Mitsuba”, the “real Mitsuba”. But also, there’s the fact that… I think Kou is disturbed by his growing feelings toward Mistuba. He doesn’t want to admit that there might be a person who’s slowly become more important than all others. More important than Nene or his brother or even his want to become a “hero”.

Because that would be selfish.

And because these feelings are intense.

Both, in ways that are, unbecoming, unfitting of an ideal, selfless hero.

…and because, deep down, there’s a part of Kou that wants to devote himself solely to Mitsuba, and have Mitsuba, in turn, depend solely on Kou.

Basically, Mistuba’s suicidal, Kou’s selfish but doesn’t want to admit it, and that can only end well (lol).

As always, communication, self-discovery and acceptance of love are the only way things can move forward, so let’s see where this will go.

Other than that... I'm curious about the school festival. And the little things they mentioned, like... the cafe, the haunted house and the little play with, princes and princess. Because of the twitter events and all that.

well, who knows lol.

Also!! One last tinfoil moment before I go!! (as if this post and every other post in this blog wasn't enough... )

what the heck are you planning for chapter 101, aidairo?

#a mokke's idle ramblings #this arc shall be remembered as... #fishception

[theevilthatismokke]

Considering the new chapters, I wonder if like Hanako and Nene, we're going to get a... continuation of sorts, to the issues arised on the Picture Perfect arc for Mitsuba and Kou.

What I mean is, after hearing Nene wished to live in the real world, "for 90 more years", Hanako took it upon himself to make her wish come true... while sastifying his urge to have some sort of impact on her life, the possessive and controlling need to be the one to give her life...

So, Hanako went from trying to make her "live forever" by locking her up without her ever knowing about it, including his role in it, to extending her lifespan via sacrificing her friend, while letting her know he was the one responsible, that he was the one to give her life.

The original issue was not resolved (i.e. Nene’s lifespan was not prolonged, Hanako continues to be controlling and doesn’t believe they have a future together), but it did have some sort of progress, in the sense that Hanako was both willing to let Nene live out her life, instead of being locked inside of a painting forever, and became more self-aware (and self-indulgent maybe?) of his feelings for her. Compare his wistful expression of “Why am I doing this?” when confronted by Nene in the PP arc, to his admission that he “wished to be the one to breathe life into her [Nene], not the kid or anyone else” towards the end of the latest arc.

So, in that vein, I could see the “Kou wanting to become a supernatural to understand Mitsuba” conflict coming back. It doesn’t strike me as if the thought has left him completely. Not when he was apparently so determined to make it true in the last arc. And now that Mistuba’s got the munchies, so to speak. And that it’s all but confirmed that Natsuhiko told Kou about becoming a kaii by eating one…

Hm.

And then, there’s that pesky Halloween event from last year…

i’m not insane i swear

Ah, well. Who knows, really lol

Kou, supernaturals and red herrings

Or, Six was a red herring, Kou is going to replace another School Mystery and other smaller musings.

Warning: Not spoiler-free, this theory was mostly developed upon chapter 90’s release, but it has spoilers up to chapter 94. Also, it is ridiculously long.

Read more under the cut

Kou becoming a supernatural has been theorized for quite a while, and as of chapter 90, most expected (still expect?) Kou to take Shinigami’s place as Mystery no. 6.

I, however, thought it was a little bit odd- why would Six suddenly vanish and be replaced by Kou when a reunion between him and Sumire was often hinted at in previous chapters? And although Kou becoming (or at least trying to become) a supernatural was not by any means unexpected, I had my doubts about him being the new no. 6, even if I could not put my finger on why…

After pondering on it a little, I realized what it was: we got the wrong mystery!

Rather than no. 6, Kou is going to become the new no. 2! Or, well, he’ll try to and fail, or he’ll become bound to Yako/make a contract with her.

Here, I’ll try to examine the patterns concerning the Seven Mysteries, which includes their names and first appearances, some of the lore we got about humans either being bound to a supernatural or becoming one, and how this information could be interpreted into foreshadowing about Kou turning into a supernatural (specifically, No. 2).

Also, for clarity’s sake, I’ll be referring to the Original No. 3 as such, the current No. 3 as Mitsuba and his living/original counterpart as Sousuke. Likewise, mystery No. 4 will be referred as Shijima and her creator/living counterpart as Mei. Akane (boy) and Aoi (girl) will be referred by their first names.

1. What’s in a number?

The Seven Mysteries are each assigned a number, which are also often referred to as “seats” throughout the series. And, as many have noticed already, these characters are quite connected to their number: maybe it’s in their names, maybe it’s the chapter they first appear.  That’s what we’ll examine in this section!

1. 1 ) First appearances and chapter number

Upon some re-reading, I noticed something really interesting: all mysteries we’ve seen so far (with the exception of Hanako) have first appeared, in some way or another, in a chapter corresponding to their seat number!

Starting with the obvious, Mitsuba (the one “created” by Tsukasa, and which would go on to become the new No. 3) first appears at the end of chapter 30!

Shijima (or rather her… paint clone, as we later learn) first appears at the end of chapter 40:

Shinigami makes his first appearance at the end of chapter 60:

Hanako, obviously, first appears in chapter 1. Instead, the one who first appears at the end of chapter 7 is none other than Sakura:

And, considering the reveal that she might have had a hand in assigning the seats to the Seven Mysteries, makes this very fitting. Whether that means she was formerly No. 7 or not, remains to be seen.

Akane doesn’t make a full appearance, but he does have a pretty neat cameo in chapter 1!

I mean, Kou kinda does too, but…

Akane’s more visibly distinct. Not to mention, unlike Kou, who was chatting with his brother, the only other relevant character in the first chapter other than Hanako and Nene, Akane doesn’t really interact with any of them in a meaning way. So other than fitting into this particular pattern, there was no reason for him to appear here.

Tsuchigomori first appears in chapter 11. However, it’s in chapter 5 that we first hear the idea of a supernatural being a teacher…

…which is exactly what Tsuchigomori turns out to be!

Finally, Yako first appears in chapter 5 (or maybe even chapter 4, if you consider the introduction of her rumor as her debut). However, if you pay attention, a good part of the later half of chapter 2 takes place near stairs:

And who is it that appears at the end of chapter 2, atop (sorta) the stairs? None other than our dear young exorcist, Kou:

A few notes:

So far, most of the mysteries/characters that appeared at the end of a chapter corresponding their ‘number’ have had a wish granted by Tsukasa: Shijima, Sakura and Mitsuba. Shinigami’s character arc seems to be leaning towards him understanding his own desires, whereas little Tsukasa has witnessed plenty of Kou’s desires in the Red House.

Akane first appears in chapter 1, but is only revealed as a school mystery at the end of chapter 24. Mirai first appears in chapter 25 and Kako, in chapter 27. Their rumor is introduced in chapter 23.

Sumire first appears in chapter 66.

Looking at these, I predict that Mirai and Kako will reappear at the end of chapter 100. So, for you Clock Keeper fans out there... it might take a while.

1. 2) Names, titles and numbers

This is another one people have noticed. Some characters have their seat numbers in their names. Sorta. Others… it’s a little more subtle.

Let’s start again with the most obvious one: Mitsuba Sousuke (三葉惣助) has 'mitsu' (三) in his name, the kanji for ‘three’.

Similarly, Shijima Mei (四島芽衣) has 'shi/yon' (四) in her name, the kanji for ‘four’.

Curiously, both of them and their living/human counterparts are referred to differently:

Sousuke is referred in the manga as Mitsuba (三葉) using kanji. However, Mitsuba the supernatural/’artificial ghost’ is referred as ‘Mitsuba’ (ミツバ) with katakana.

It’s the same with Shijima Mei. Mei is referred as Shijima (四島), whereas No. 4 is referred as ‘Shijima-san’ (シジマ).

Mitsuba and Shijima could both be considered as “creations”- Shijima was created by Mei as her ideal self, and Mitsuba was ‘created’ by Tsukasa, in the sense that Tsukasa gave Mitsuba his new body and powers. Or perhaps, we could look at them as neither 'human' nor 'supernatural', but maybe something in-between. Either way, it’s interesting that they share this pattern.

Both Sakura and Nene are similar cases. Sakura’s full name is Nanamine Sakura (七峰桜) and has 'nana' (七) the kanji for ‘seven’. Nene’s full name is Yashiro Nene (八尋寧々) and has 'ya/hachi' (八) the kanji for ‘eight’.

Curiously, both of their names are often written in katakana when said by Tsukasa and Hanako. As in, instead of Yashiro (八尋), Hanako calls her ‘Yashiro’ (ヤシロ). And with Tsukasa, instead of Sakura (桜), he calls her ‘Sakura’ (サクラ).

(Basically, Nene and Sakura share the same pattern as Shijima and Mitsuba. What does that mean? Well, we have yet to see.)

But what about the others, you’re probably wondering- these are the only characters with numbers in their names, after all! And only Mitsuba and Shijima are official school mysteries!

Well, yes, but it doesn’t mean the names and numbers aren't connected!

Tsuchigomori does not have the kanji for ‘five’ (五) in his name, as it is written (土籠龍仁郎), read: Tsuchigomori Ryūjirou. However, the ‘go’ in his name might still be a reference to his seat number, as it’s phonetically the same. Other than that, his name is likely a reference to the “Tsuchigumo” spider-demon, considering he’s a spider-demon himself.

Why is that relevant? Well, “Tsuchigumo” is also the name of a Noh play, and is categorized as a "5th thing of Noh" type of play. So, either way, there’s a connection to the number 5.

Hakubo/Shinigami is an interesting case, in that both his name and what he's first referred as, other than his seat number, are connected to the number 6.

His title of “Shinigami-sama (死神様)” can refer to the number 6 in two ways: 1) it is believed that, in order to cross the Sanzu River and reach afterlife, one must pay the toll of six mon.

Or, it can refer to the performance, “Shinchuuha ha Koori no Sakujitsu” in Hoei 6. I specifically chose this one, as it refers to a shinjuu committed by a man and a woman, which I believe is relevant to his and Sumire's backstory.

His actual name, Hakubo (薄暮) also has a connection with the number six, as it means 'dusk/twilight', during which the Sun’s disk is 6° below the horizon in the evening.

Unfortunately, I could not find any connection between Yako, Mirai, Kako and Hanako/Amane’s names and their corresponding numbers. To take note, Yako (ヤコ) and Mirai (ミライ)'s names have, so far, only been spelled in katakana. Kako (カコ/過去)’s name has been spelled in both kanji and katakana. Meanwhile, Yugi Amane (柚木普) has (柚木), which means 'citron' and 'tree', respectively, and (普), which means ‘normal’. Hanako (花子) is a direct reference to the urban legend of “Hanako-san”.

Akane’s name apparently also doesn’t have any connections to the number one. Instead, his name, Aoi Akane (蒼井茜), and the little word play with his similarly named love interest, Akane Aoi (赤根葵), seem to be a reference to the urban legend of “Red Paper, Blue Paper”. He even wears a cape and a mask! The Hanako-Akane enmity just gained another layer…  

There can be only one toilet-based ghost. ONE

Instead, I would like to present to you, Akane’s formal introduction in the manga, in chapter 8:

Pictured: Aidairo, thinking they’re slick

(This is honestly just so funny in hindsight. This is his official introduction. He's seat Number One.)

So, although it’s not in his name, like many other mysteries, he is connected to his number.

Similarly, Kou may not have the number 2 in his name, but…

…he has introduced himself as the second son more than once!

A few notes:

Aoi (葵) is also called 'Aoi-chan' (アオイ) in katakana by Hanako. Akane calls her 'Ao-chan' (アオちゃん) in katakana as well, but the feelings conveyed are quite different.

Misaki (ミサキ), Sumire (スミレ) and Katakuri (カタクリ) have all, as of chapter 94, only been called by their names in katakana. The original Mei has also been called 'Mei(-chan)' (メイ) in katakana.

Yashiro, Sumire, Katakuri and Aoi have been referred as kannagis. Misaki, Mei and Mitsuba have not, but they still had connections with the supernatural and died. All had their names spelled in katakana at some point.

Aoi, Sumire and Katakuri are all named after flowers! Aoi is hollyhock, Sumire is violet and Katakuri may be named after trout lilies.

Sumire's name probably has two types of violet in mind. First, the violet most commonly known as just 'sumire', the V. mandshurica, which, curiously, has a subtype that is also known as "Fuji Dawn". The other type of violet it may be referrencing is (アカネスミレ) 'akanesumire'.

Tsukasa's name (司) means 'leader, chief'. However, he's often referred as (つかさ) in hiragana. He also often refers to Amane (あまね) in hiragana. The Well God/Red House Entity has called Tsukasa and Akane by their names in hiragana.

2. Cooking Kou

One of Kou's key characteristics is how good of a cook he is- it's not only about the skill itself, it's a very important part of his issues and his relationships with other people.

It's portrayed, I think, in a mostly positive light. He uses it to cheer up his friends, Nene and Hanako, he teaches Mitsuba and that brings them closer in 'Houkago Shounen Hanako-kun', he cooks for his family... it really highlights the warm, 'caretaker' aspect of his personality. Later, it gains a more nuanced light, in that Kou resents being shoved into this role by his life circunstances and Teru, but doesn't necessarily hate the act of cooking and taking care of others themselves.

Cooking and eating, in general, are cast in a warm, fun light in the manga, as something that brings people together.

Which is why it's so interesting that one of the ways to become a supernatural is to eat one.

Curiously, we're introduced to both concepts (eating as a way to connect people, eating to become a supernatural) at the same time, in the very first chapter of the series!

The mermaid scales Nene eats both turn her into a half-supernatural, bounding her to the Mermaid supernatural... but they also bound her to Hanako! It's even likened to 'marriage'!

Later, the rule of becoming a supernatural by eating one is turned more explicit. First, when Tsukasa makes Mitsuba eat the Original no. 3's heart, and then, when Teru explains how this works to Akane, Kou and Nene, in a particularly funny scene of the manga, as he reveals they ate an oni's hand he finely chopped into their pizza.

So, we've always sorta had these two concepts from the get-go. And Kou, our dear mini-chef, the character that is connected to food more than any other, wanting to become a supernatural by eating it? It makes sense, and nicely ties both sides of the same coin into one character.

Now, the question is, could there be a supernatural that has a similar connection to food? I mean, if Kou is the cook, and he has something he plans on eating, then what's his dish?

KITSUNE UDON

Sure, it is a gag, but I wouldn't put it past Aidairo to just... make this much darker and heartwrenching in hindsight.

Of course, numbers and food aren't the only ways Kou and Yako may be connected.

3. "He's kinda like you, isn't he, No. 2?"

Kou and Yako have a very interesting dynamic. Although it starts as antagonistic, with Yako going wild and attacking students, among them, Satou and Yokoo, Kou’s friends, it felt less personal than the Yashiro-Nene dynamic. Probably because there was no confrontation between Kou and Yako. Instead, the focus was on Yako and Nene’s similarities.

However, that doesn’t mean we wouldn’t eventually get something more out of this pair!

The first time they interact in a meaningful way is in the ‘Hell of Mirrors’ arc.

Hanako and Kou, in order to reach No.3’s boundary, ask for Yako’s assistance, as she’s the School Mystery who controls/oversees ‘space’.

Once they enter her boundary, the first thing they notice is how much it’s changed since Yako’d been stripped off her seat. Kou, in particular, has a very interesting reaction, calling it ‘pretty’.

While they climb up the stairs, Kou asks Yako how she felt when she was under the influence of her slightly changed rumor. Angry at such an insensitive question, Yako snaps at him, until Hanako cuts in and explains Kou’s situation to her, of how he lost someone he just can’t forget. He then remarks:

Athough, Yako denies it, it’s clear she’s affected by Hanako’s words. So much so, she relents, tells them how she felt and even goes as far as to comfort Kou, telling him that his words probably reached Mitsuba.

I would like to remark that, pretty much all the Seven Mysteries have a loved one who died and they can't forget/stop thinking about, so it's pretty significant that this direct comparison only happens between Yako and Kou.

It all ends in a really cute exchange, with Yako telling Kou to call her ‘Yako-nee-san’.

I think, other than Hanako and Nene (and maybe Natsuhiko), Yako is the person who knows and understands Kou’s motivation, regarding Mitsuba, the best.

It’s pretty interesting that they bond in this arc in particular, as we’re introduced to a Mitsuba that’s brought back in an artificial body. Tsukasa even compares him to ‘Frankenstein’!

And, may I ask, who is the other supernatural that tried to bring a loved one back to life by giving them an artificial body…?

So, Yako actually does have a solid parallel and connection to Kou and Mitsuba’s situation.

After this, Kou and Yako seem to be on good terms, which is most apparent in the ‘Tanabata Festival’ arc. They are constantly hanging out together. It’s cute.

The current arc has our three main characters facing a pretty hard dilemma: they're each at a crossroad, they all have to sacrifice something in order to get what they want.

To illustrate: If Nene wants to live, she has to either sacrifice Aoi, her best friend, or Sumire, someone she symphatizes with and likes. If Hanako wants Nene, the girl he loves, to live, he has to destroy his yorishiro eventually... his dear little brother, Tsukasa.

So, thinking about that, Kou sacrificing Shinigami for his goals doesn't make much sense- Hakubo doesn't mean anything to Kou, there's no emotional weight to him killing the current no. 6 and replacing him, when it's not a difficult choice to make, between destroying him and saving Mitsuba, Nene, Teru, Akane and Aoi.

Kou also believes he can just figure out how to turn back into a human with Mitsuba. I think... in his mind, he figures he can just turn into a supernatural, then go back to being human. He's too focused on saving 'everyone' so it maybe hasn't hit him yet that... it's probably not that simple.

Nevertheless, Kou having to chose between all these people he holds dear and a supernatural he actually likes, that's his friend, that understands him... that holds much more emotional weight and it matches with Hanako and Nene's own current dilemmas.

4. Sharing Seats

Now, does that mean that this will end with Yako dying permanently and Kou taking her place as a School Mystery? Possibly.

But I believe there may be other possibilities as well.

But before we get into them... I actually do wonder if the Original no. 3 is gone in the truest sense of the word. Everything indicates that yes, he was eaten by Mitsuba and is now, deader than dead.

However, there are two things that make me question this: the rule that nobody can die in a boundary and the manga comparing Mitsuba to "Frankenstein".

Regarding the rule about nobody dying in a boundary, so far, only Aoi has been confirmed to die, and she was brought to the Far Shore with the intent to be sacrificed. Actually, it's hinted that, it wasn't until she fell into that hole with Akane that she died. So, it's something to keep in mind.

And then we have Mitsuba, our very own Frankenstein's Creature. Tsukasa, the one who essentially brought him into existence, compares him to this character, and tells Kou and Hanako he 'made' Mitsuba out of the bodies of weaker supernaturals and the original Sousuke's mind. Later, he also gains No. 3's heart.

What I find curious, is that Mitsuba had the more concrete wish of 'becoming human' after he ate No. 3... who himself seemed to aim to replace humans, as he tells Nene and Mitsuba.

Mitsuba's personality and issues clearly come much more from Sousuke than anything else, that is true. If Mitsuba is an amagalmation of different beings, then Sousuke's essence/personality is the more prominent one.

Still, it makes me wonder: if Kou ate Yako, would he gain some of her feelings? Some of her desires, making them become one? Would she actually exist as a separate being inside him? If so, could this be reversed somehow?

Of course, I'm talking if he eats her heart/her wholly. I believe there can be different results.

First things first, to get the elephant out of the room...

Kou technically already has eaten Six.

And so have Nene, Teru and Akane!

Because unless the village managed to capture and enslave another oni to do their bidding, I'm pretty sure that's his hand.

(Did they cut him into pieces after/while killing him? Was the thing with Yako foreshadowing for him as well? Well, damn.)

The small amount, according to Teru, means they can temporarily borrow its powers and not, well, die or be easily noticed by supernaturals.

A similar thing also had happened before this!

Nene, of course, had also eaten a supernatural before even that. Or at least, part of one, in the very first chapter of the series.

As discussed before, Nene would've remained as a supernatural fish had Hanako not eaten a mermaid scale as well, to share the burden of her curse.

Later, when we meet the little supernatural fish that work for the Mermaid, we're told Nene, due to eating part of her flesh, is now in line to become their next 'master'. She only has to drink her blood to seal the deal and be now bound to the Mermaid instead of Hanako.

Note that the current Mermaid is still alive, and apparently doesn't have to die in order for Nene to eat her flesh and blood and become an... heir of sorts to her.

So here, we have two things: one, the concept of sharing, be it the power of a supernatural or a curse, and two, a supernatural doesn't necessarily has to die in order to share some of its power.

We also see it with the Clock Keepers.

School Mystery No.1 is actually composed of three beings: Mirai, who oversees 'future', Kako, who oversees 'past' and Akane, who oversees 'present'. We don't know whether Kako and Mirai tricked Akane into eating something of theirs as well, but the important thing to notice is that a school mystery can share its powers with someone else.

Of course, time here has 'three facets', so it makes sense that they have this ability. Viewed like that, it would probably make more sense for Hakubo to share his powers with someone, since he rules over 'death and life', right?

However, it's implied that the Clock Keepers are not the only ones sharing their power. The way Sakura refers to 'Hanako-san' (asking Nene if 'hers' is like a cat as well) makes it implicit that this particular mystery is composed of both Amane and Tsukasa.

Both can grant wishes. They do seem to work around that, by having Amane grant the wishes of the Near Shore, and Tsukasa grant the wishes of the Far Shore, so they 'technically' have this more than one facet thing going on.

It's implied that their power also comes from the Well God/Red House Entity, which, as we saw, seems to have fused with Tsukasa in the past. Is the current Tsukasa an amalgamation of Amane's little bro and the Well God? Did they essentially become one and the same, indiscernible from each other? Who knows.

And how or why Amane has these powers when it was Tsukasa who fused with the Red House Entity? Again, who knows.

(Did you make a Tsukasa udon out of your little brother, Amane? Did you nom Tsukasa, Amane? Did you nom Tsukasa's heart, Amane? Is that why you stabbed yourself in the gut, Amaneeee?)

But we can still consider this an example of a School Mystery sharing its power with someone else, and a supernatural not really needing to die for that to happen.

If it's a possibillity for Yako and Kou, I don't know. But it's there.

5. Red Herring (conclusion)

Kou probably still intends to become a supernatural. It won't be Hakubo, but instead, Yako will become, at very least, important to his arc later on.

But it's not like there hasn't been certain hints around Hakubo being eaten. His severed, mummified hand being the key for Kou and the others to access the place nearest the Far Shore, the Broadcast Club (especially Natsuhiko)'s interest in his power, Kou pretty much declaring that he needs his powers to save everyone...

But that's why it's a red herring. Hakubo was a red herring for Kou... and Kou was a red herring for Hakubo!

Before chapter 94, I had theorized Sumire would be the one to eat one of Hakubo's eyes. It's funny how I was wrong about that, but still managed to get the whole 'romantic (literal) eating of your partner' thing right.

...of course, I do think the possibility of Hakubo being eaten is still there, but considering he doesn't seem to be no. 6 (as of chapter 94) anymore, it would be pointless for Kou to eat him. (Maybe. Would he still have his powers over life and death if he no longer has his seat number? They could just have been weakened... but, again, it would still be kinda pointless to eat him...)

(Though, considering he shares the pattern of appearing at the end of the chapter corresponding to his number with Sakura, Mitsuba and Shijima, he could also give up at least one eye to Tsukasa, in exchange for a wish.)

(...I often wonder about what price Shijima paid Tsukasa for her granted wish, just as much as I think about Mitsuba never showing both of his eyes and hands after becoming a ghost/supernatural/school mystery. An artitst's hands are valuable after all...)

Lastly, even if Kou does end up eating Yako, I believe there's at least one way to reverse it, and it will involve the Clock Keepers' powers. The presence of so many time-travels and time-loops in the series... there has to be a reason behind that. And I think there's a chance of an in-universe retcon happening in future chapters.

(Which, personally, I think would be hilarious- imagine, all the shit that's been going on, undone, but everyone remembering everything. Hysterical.)

But that's for another post.

#a mokke overthinks #but if that happens #(and that’s a big IF) #we probably will only see it #later on in the manga

[theevilthatismokke]

@rapidfur

One thing i liked here was mitsuba seeming to possibly admit hes eaten people? And if not, he is showing at least the slightest sign of being a threat to humans--AKA, Teru's minimum requirement to killing a supernatural. I love how relevant that is here!! Kou's already being forced to contend with his brother's ideals, and he clearly can't accept them. Now if he can only KEEP THIS MOMENTUM GOING maybe he can finally be interesting. :D

I LOVED Mitsuba admitting that!! SO MUCH!! Kou’s always brushed him off as a harmless light ghost, but now that Mistuba’s shown signs of being dangerous… Mitsuba, who Kou can’t let go off, even when he can’t decide whether he sees him as the “real Mitsuba” or not…!

So, yeah, Kou’s gonna have to reflect, to act, to finally do something of substance…!

I… to be fair, I don’t exactly think Kou’s… not interesting. There are some things there that make me curious/hopeful, like the fact that he finds Nene’s screams cute, how horrified and in denial he generally is about the notion that he can be (and is) selfish, his hypocrisy…

He is, however, ridiculously stagnant when compared to most of the other characters and that can get frustrating after a while, considering the amount of screen time he gets as a main character. But I do get that’s also… probably intentional.

That said, I’ll (probably) always think of him as the least charming/interesting/fun character/love interest. He’s pretty annoying… so unattractive, compared to all the other male love interests/characters lol

Also yess weirdly wholesome Tsukasa <3 I saw some people saying Tsukasa was mean or up to something this chapter and tbh maybe??? But a lot of his exchange with Mitsuba came off as... I dunno... nice! A little brutally honest, but that's just how he is. He says it like it is! Mitsuba DID want that snack. Such a great opening scene... it almost stole the show.

...what? Tsukasa was mean? Tsukasa?? was MEAN??

oH!! So, KOU can be an aggressive, violent asshole, but when TSUKASA-

…I guess I can understand people thinking he’s up to something. Everything he does is probably for the sake of either getting to play with Amane or a small step in his grandiose plan to help his brother get laid make Amane happy.

Though I would argue that even with his ulterior motives, Tsukasa’s feelings of curiosity over people’s hearts, emotions and desires, and his joy when people embrace said desires or go through some sort of self-discovery/breakthrough when it comes to understanding themselves… re-reading now, it feels very genuine, a mixture between Tsukasa's child-like curiosity and the Red House Entity's existence rooted in granting wishes.

...But regardless of sincerity and intent of the above, this...

Has Tsukasa treating Mitsuba much softer than he usually does- heck, even softer than Kou treated Mitsuba this chapter (...and, how he treats him in general, if I'm honest). He brings Mitsuba what he needs to eat, points out where the heart is, but doesn't force it on him; he’s quite patient too.

There's something... so sudued about this scene, Tsukasa really cradles Mitsuba's head very delicately... with such a serene, but serious expression... but it’s not meant to… shame Mitsuba, or anything like that. It sorta feels like… ‘I’m not hungry’ ‘you look hungry’, kind of exchange, or even, ‘I’m not happy’, ‘you’re smiling tho’. It really feels as if it’s only meant to be an honest observation.

Sure, it sounds crude when he points it out like that, but, like you said, Tsukasa is brutally honest. Whether that's good or not for Mitsuba's mental state, who knows...

But, yeah, Tsukasa's being oddly wholesome here, the strangest nice boy in the whole series lol.

Actually, I'd argue that's on purpose, a direct contrast to Kou's behavior this chapter.

See, this chapter made it quite clear what I've thought for a while, that Kou's is deeply jealous of Tsukasa- of his relationship with Mitsuba, specifically!! He... almost subconsciously regards Tsukasa as if he were a love rival lol; 'why are you always going to him', 'why do you rely/trust him more than me', and such. He was like this in the PP arc too.

So Tsukasa being comparativately soft and nice, the one who gets to be relied on, by Mistuba, is not only fuel to Kou's insecurities and jealousy , but also almost a confirmation that Kou's perspective on the Tsukasa + Mitsuba dynamic (which he sees as stupid, helpless Mitsuba being tricked/abused/forced into doing anything by evil, heartless Tsukasa) is heavily biased by Kou's own issues (again, mainly his jealousy and inferiority complex).

Of course, Mitsuba makes decisions again and again when it comes to his relationship with Tsukasa, who himself, does seem to make an effort to be a friend. in his own way.

TLDR: Kou is just throwing a jealous tamtrum for most of the chapter, lol

also, unpopular opinion: kou only gets away with this kind of shit in the fandom bc mitsuba's a boy

#a mokke replies #had to delete and repost this #sorry if you get a notification for this again

[theevilthatismokke]

/chapter 99 spoilers/

So, considering the consistent hunger/eating = desire theme jshk has, I’m gonna assume Mistuba’s hunger (for hearts, specifically!!) is a metaphor for his (self-perceived and, to an extent, true) loveless existence and yearning for love and friendship.

So he eats and eats and eats but is never satisfied, and it just can’t keep him sustained, because there is no connection between him and the nameless, blurbs of kaii (and whatever other creatures he’s eaten).

That he’s also been holding back from eating Kou so far, the one he feels an inexplicable pull towards, also indicates this.

Now that he knows he means something to Kou, I wonder how his hunger will fare.

That Tsukasa not only helped keep Mitsuba alive, but tried to help him with his confusing emotions is kinda sweet, in weird way (but what isn’t in this manga?)

Kou really is such a brute, lol. But I guess it was endearing to see him being so violent and forceful out of despair (he doesn’t wanna lose Mitsuba again) only to bawl like a baby afterwards (“jus’ eaaaaat iiit buaaah”).

he’s still the least charming characterlol

Who knows what’ll happen next. Will Kou start hunting down kaii for Mitsuba to eat? Will they go to Tsukasa for help? Will Kou start on his quest to become a supernatural (after he’d just excitedly sworn to become a better, stronger exorcist who’d kill Hanako if necessary lol) ?

On a side note, we’re almost at chapter 100!! What a milestone!!

who wants to bet the clock keepers are gonna appear at the end of chapter 100?

#a mokke's idle ramblings #anyway the main takeaway from this chapter is that #mitsuba is a picky eater #and fast travels aren’t his thing

[theevilthatismokke]

rapidfur

Hanako's hat emblem is 8 pointed, too... they're not the same of course but that's something to muse over. :0 I agree, so cute! I love how much AU they can always pack into the little shikishi boards... (i like to think the cheek booboo is just a skating accident, Mr. Skates-for-hands injuring him in earnest seems a little off here...)

you're right!! the 8 conspiracy continues... (whelp, time to go into the obscure research/tinfoil hat theory rabbit hole again!!)

edit: haha, turns out I'm a dummy and the 8-point-star (which, after a quick research, can also be a kagome mon...! I only knew about the six-point-star one...) does appear quite a bit in the manga! I'm gonna. take a few notes. It... might take a while lol.

Honestly... we should treasure AidaIro while we got them... like, what other mangaka do this?? The twitter events, all these little AUs, on twitter, on the shikishi boards... ahhh, I really appreaciate it...!

I specially like to think that Amane got his cheek booboo while either being distracted by Nene, or trying to impress her by doing something dumb, lol. And it all ends with Tsukasa "Skates-for-hands" Yugi accidentaly crashing into him... probably bc he just got too excited... or tried to help his big bro lol.

#a mokke replies #and then it somehow leads to yugi8 #bc everything becomes yugi8 sooner or later #(in my delusions)

[theevilthatismokke]

This is… so cute…

It’s nice to see this after what happened to Nene in the valentine twitter event lol. Yes, Amane, be awestruck by Nene, you fool… you scrawny little nerd…

I love Nene’s energy, tho! She looks like she’s having so much fun!! And she looks like she’s pretty good at skating too! I wonder if this Nene… doesn’t have a complex over her legs? She’s not using anything to hide them or her ankles, after all. It’d be nice if that were the case…

Just look at Nene!! So cute, so happy!! I hope she wins every competition…

Akane and Aoi skating in the background is pretty cute!! I love how Aoi is like… taking the lead this time and helping Akane skate!!

No words for Tsukasa… except I wanna see him try to skate on all fours, chaotic little gremlin he can be. Actually, if anyone can be successful at this, it’d be Tsukasa. Go my child, invent a new choreography on ice just like this.

…Amane totally fell in the ice and that’s why he’s bandaged, right?

Also, it’s pretty funny how Tsuchigomori is the coach when, according to Aidairo, he both really hates and can’t handle the cold lol. And Teru as his… assistant, maybe? Training to be a coach? Heh.

On a last note, is that… an eight-pointed star/octagram? Nene is even using it as an accessory (a hairpin and a necklace)… is it supposed to be the school’s symbol?

Hmm.

It’s interesting either way. Who knows, maybe that symbol has appeared before in the manga, in the school, and I just never noticed lol.

#a mokke’s small thoughts #what a cute AU…

[theevilthatismokke]

i want to give you my heart...🤍

#a mokke reblogs #op’s art style is really cute #the outfits aida drew for the twins #in this event are really really good

[theevilthatismokke]

/jshk’s valentine twitter event commentary part 2/

.

.

Hanako… what did you do to Nene… Hanakooooo!

Poor Nene-chan… although at least she’s forgotten her scumbag senpai (he’s got a face… it’s always so weird whenever aida gives him a face… wtf)

Still, wth Hanako! Just… why, tho? Why do you even need to alter Nene’s memories here? Is it so she’ll come back? Did you find her love for her shitty senpai pitiful and decided to erase it? ‘Cause the alternate memories aren’t much better, you know!

Well, I guess he did say he’d polish it (her heart/love) so much, Nene wouldn’t even remember ‘the original color’, whatever that means.

Alternatively, I guess Hanako could’ve just… I dunno, kept Nene’s real heart and traded it for someone else’s since Nene wouldn’t remember ‘the original color of her heart/love’ or something like that anyway…

Just regular Hanako stuff, y’know.

(For the first time, I looked at the comments on twitter and the disparity between the JP fans and western fans is pretty funny lol. won’t make a habit of it tho)

Also:

lmao aidairo

Right in front of Mokke’s salad?!!

#a mokke's idle ramblings #my poor sweet nene #you should get to slap Hanako once more #in the manga just for this AU lol #aidairo’s been kinda wild so early this year…

[theevilthatismokke]

/jshk’s valentine twitter event commentary/

.

.

It’s here once again, folks!! Let’s gooo!

So, Hanako claims he’ll preserve your love forever into a sparkly, one-of-a-kind jewel and that you’ll never forget about it… buuut he also mentioned that it could be ‘sold’ for a high price. Hanako’s offer seems tempting, and he sells it well (���don’t you want your love/heart treated right?”), but he’s obviously being vague about the consequences. What happens to your love once you turn it into jewelry? I don’t trust him.

On the other hand, Tsukasa seems much more honest. He straight up tells the customer (Nene and us) that he’ll take unrequited love, crush it and turn it into something beautiful, all the while letting the person forget all about it. It’s also a very tempting offer, but, you gotta wonder if people can grow if they forget about each and every heartbreak. But it’s still the best out of all 3 options.

I love how in both pictures, the hearts have sweat drops on them, somehow the hearts look nervous as hell, like they know what these two are all about lol

Also… both Hanako and Tsukasa are wearing little pendants with hearts inside… why, I wonder…

Finally, this: “the managers have decided that whoever collects the most love―"❤" before Valentine's'll do whatever the other asks of them.”

lmao aidairo

#a mokke's idle ramblings #I wondered if they’re supposed to be Eros and Anteros #hanako doesn’t give me Eros vibes for the moment #buuut Tsukasa does sorta ‘avenge’ unrequited love in this #so who knows… #eh I’ll take it #aidairo’s jshk twitter events are really something else

[theevilthatismokke]

thoughts on chap 98 (major spoilers)

There isn’t much to say about this chapter. The aquarium “date” was cute and it’s nice to see Mitsuba having fun with a friend for a change.

Since, y’know, that’s how he chose to spend his last day/final moments. With Kou.

Surprisingly, Kou and Mitsuba got along pretty well this chapter. Often, their meetings start with or involve Kou trying to zap Mitsuba with his weapon, so it was nice not to have that for a change. Kou even got flustered after Mitsuba got cute and thanked him for the penguin keychain.

Guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder, huh?

On a side note, the others’ reactions to Kou going on a night out (on the town) were pretty fun.

Of course Nene immediately jumps to the conclusion that it’s a date. And she sounds so happy too!! She really does not see Kou in a romantic light at all, huh?

Meanwhile, Teru is so, well, shocked, almost miserable to hear Kou being out like this… Aidairo’s really leaning on the brocon aspect of his personality and I love it. It’s way too funny.

“Your big bro misses you uwu 🥺”

I also love how Aoi and Akane are supportive. Specially Akane. “Send pics and don’t get arrested lol”.

Of course, Teru has his own reasons besides being clingy. He knows kaii tend to pop out at night, it’s been repeatedly shown that he often works at this hour.

And speaking of them, I love how the “aquarium” itself is almost like a anglerfish.

How it’s bright and that’s how it attracted Mistuba’s attention. The little thing resembling an esca at the top of the entrance. The fact that it’s free (lol).

Also, I really love Aida’s artstyle and I don’t often comment on it, but the scenes at the aquarium were so pretty and so fun to look at; the fishes, and the seal, and the little penguins.

And, of course, anglerfish-like kaii. Great designs!!

Kinda interesting that they seem to feed on ghosts, tho, and not humans, which is what we’re used to. At least, that’s the impression I got.

Considering Mistuba’s comment from earlier that he wasn’t okay, but brushed it off, plus the fact that he quite literally started falling apart at the end of the chapter and never turned into his “No. 3 form” (something he always did immediately whenever he felt threatened), I can only assume he no longer has his seat among the Seven Mysteries.

So… how did it happen? Did someone destroy his yorishiro? Did Mitsuba destroy it himself (either for personal reasons or because he was forced/coerced to)? Did he get motion sickness from the Severance and vomited the Tengu/Yatagarasu/Whatever bird-like yokai the original No. 3 is supposed to be?

...This makes how many times Mitsuba has 'died'/almost 'died' now? Three? Four?

Who knows. Boy's a phoenix.

Gotta admit, this chapter was way less disturbing than I was expecting. And, you know… I was kinda mad at Kou at the beginning of chapter when he was all, “You’re okay!! I was so worried!!”

Bitch, you were all smiles at the thought of exorcising kaii not 2 seconds ago, don’t you pull that card now!!

Still, this was the nicest he’s been so far to Mitsuba, he actually took him out to have fun, and he didn’t zap him once, so… that’s cool, I guess. Hopefully, we'll get some interesting development for Kou, Mitsuba and their relationship next chapter.

Goodness knows that Kou desperately needs it.

On speculations… do these anglerfish kaii have anything to do with that mermaid kaii? But then again, maybe not. After all, there were a lot of fish-like kaii in chapter 70, and they didn't seem to have anything to do with the mermaid.

Also...

Kou is dead. Long live "Cringe-Ass Chuunibyou Scaredy-Cat Goody Two Shoes Earring Boy". Jr.

#a mokke's idle ramblings #spoilers #mitsuba was the highlight of the chapter #very charming #Teru’s brief appearances were also gold