Whc2 Spoilers

“Call me if you’re in a pinch, chant these words three times: ‘The Hero Appears! The Hero Appears! The Hero Appears!’”

—Peco

i've been trying to put my finger on the exact reason ping pong the animation hits so hard for a while now, and i think i finally got it : there's just so much love in it.

the effort and determination poured into creating this masterpiece, every frame painstakingly drawn by the person behind it, every dialogue voice acted in a way that transcends language barriers, transcends the screen itself, the music that pulls you along, promising an unforgettable ride if you just get up and dare to hope. kensuke ushio, i am forever grateful for your existence and your creations. i stumbled upon ping pong by accident while listening to the csm soundtrack, and it is perhaps the best thing to ever happen to me.

and of course, the story itself. the brilliant mind behind it, who put this story into words for all to see and appreciate, Taiyō Matsumoto. the way this story treats its characters, never afraid to show failure, never afraid to show flaws, never afraid to show the ugly and the regret and the desperate and the sadness. never afraid to stand back up, to show passion and friendship and hard work and determination and confidence.

it takes the characters by the hand, it takes you by the hand, and it tells you it's okay to fall because you can get up again. it redefines the word hero again and again, and stops at the simplest yet grandest form of it : the one who shows up when you call them. the one who transcends logic.

genuinely, altered my brain chemistry forever. so jealous of anyone who watches it for the first time.

vanitas vanitatum et omnia vanitas

ponyo doing the most for a random kid, a bucket with a hole in it, and some ramen 🍜

I just realized with the 8 year timeskip kiana and Mei are almost 30 and I'm kind of losing my mind

I have. Something to talk about and its very very VERY important.

We know that last scene of TDJ where its just PEAK yearning but can we PLEASE appreciate the micro-expressions that passed over both Yohan & Gaon's faces when they faced each other DIRECTLY after a MONTH (if im not wrong) of that whole blowing up fiasco + Yohan's arrest before that??????? Because my GOD.

So we see Gaon call Yohan by his Full Government Name™ (which wasn't very wise for a declared dead enemy of the state who is ALSO wanted but we'll let it pass for romanticisms' sake) and look at his face. His face is one of a scared man. He's not hesitant but he is afraid of how Yohan views him after what transpired between them.

In turn, Yohan looks back and well.

He is also somewhat apprehensive. They're both testing each other & the waters they're in. Although Yohan doesn't have a revenge vendetta shackling him down anymore, Gaon, on the other hand, has tremendous stuff to unpack. They're carefully, if not gently, evaluating the distance between them.

And then, Yohan gives a clear sign that he holds nothing against Gaon. An open arm, an open invitation. To join him? Maybe. To decide what to do with them? Perhaps. It's vague but it's also clear that Yohan is done manipulating Gaon & that he has left the ball in Gaon's court.

Then come the positive changes. With Yohan's green signal, Gaon is somewhat relieved but also incredibly guilt-ridden. I think these frames speak for themselves.

The wet smile & the eye crinkles. He is so relieved to be in Yohan's good graces but also just looking at Yohan be his ever glowing self after serving his life's purpose.

Yohan. My dearest Yohan. Look at him. He's equally heart-broken to be seeing Gaon like this, to be leaving him behind but that little nod he does???? Like he's made a decision that he needs to stick with for the betterment of Gaon???? That's what truly gets me. It's so clear the distance between them is hurting him but he also knows that it's necessary to give Gaon space & time, to unravel & to explore things on his own. Perhaps another assumption on his part because who truly knows what Gaon wants except Gaon himself?

Then it's a brief look exchanged. As he turns, giving Gaon one last reassuring smile as he turns and leaves behind one of the most important people to him.

And gaon watches. Look at his micro-expressions here. Look at his breathing. His sagging shoulders. His eyes. His wet smile. His balled hands. His tiny nods.

He also thinks this is necessary but you can so clearly see its taking every bit of nerve & fiber in him to stay rooted to his place & not chase after Yohan. He's DELIBERATELY not taking a single step towards Yohan. He thinks he doesn't deserve to chase after him, that hes content to see Yohan: alive, well and so utterly free. That's all that matters.

I would genuinely like to appreciate both jinyoung and jisung for their acting bcs they NAILED the raw emotions needed for this absolutely stunning yet gut wrenching scene. It's so difficult to convey such complex emotions through such little means yet they did it to PERFECTION. They both gave their characters LIFE. And for that i will always be grateful bcs i dont think anyone else could've done Kang Yohan and Kim Gaon the way they did.

who do i need to sacrifice so i can get these two in a wlw film filled with fluff & pastel sarees?

there is 0 reason for saiki to wear glasses that are green. also, he can shapeshift, so he should be able to change the color of his hair easily. yet he chooses to keep his brilliant hot-pink/neon-green theme, because he secretly loves looking funky, but wishes others would perceive him as average. in this essay i will