More Members To The Pink-haired Princess Club

I feel like a lot of ppl don’t see that kousano is so interesting because of how they conflict with one another not because they’re like both mean women or something. for me it’s all about how on the surface they’re a bit alike and would probably get along but when it comes to their deeper beliefs they completely clash and that’s what makes it so angsty good. also the fact that their backstories parallel one another but had opposite outcomes is so compelling to me. Yosano was trapped and traumatized under Mori’s control but she was able to escape her situation. Kouyou was trapped in the mafia by the previous boss but her failed escape attempt only furthered her belief that people like her can never escape to a better life. which ofc is exactly what Yosano did. they’re each other’s antithesis in that sense which is why I love exploring their potential dynamic cause I think they would really ruffle each other’s feathers but respect each other at the same time. also there’s the fact that Kouyou straight up hates love because the one time she chased it she was only left further traumatized and so she closed off her heart (but ofc we see through her relationship with Kyouka that she can’t completely stop herself from caring about anyone) and all of the angst potential that creates. I could go on forever

The rot was inevitable

While Gunko's not necessarily geeking out over Brook like we would have expected, in a way this is probably the closest a Celestial Dragon does get to being starstruck. If 'starstruck' means immediately wanting to kidnap the artist in question so that they cater to you and you alone.

We also saw Charlos attempt to do the same thing in Film Red. He liked Uta's music so much that he tried kidnapping her mid-concert to be his personal musician.

And what ended up happening there was Uta not only flat-out told him no because her music belongs to the world, but also put him on blast for being a scumbag before putting him in his place with her Sing Sing powers.

And that's what Brook does here too, with the added bonus that he's sticking by his captain, even to the point where he's willing to lay down his second life. Which is a huge deal for Brook since his dream is contingent upon him getting to reunite with Laboon.

While Gunko is the one who's giving a physical beatdown to Brook, look how she's clenching her chest as if her heart was breaking. And she then proceeds to stomp on Brook some more even after Sommers told her to leave the Strawhats alone.

You could write this off as her throwing a tantrum because she's not getting her way, like Celestial Dragons are wont to do when they're not given instant gratification, but I think there's more to it than just that. It reminds me of how upset Gunko got when Loki vehemently rejected being a God's Knight because they're scum.

Look at what it was Brook said: "I would sooner embrace death than live without honor"

Both Loki and now Brook seem to be confirming Gunko's inner doubts about being a God's Knight. She's getting continual proof that she's backing the wrong horse and the universe keeps sending her those signs no matter how fiercely she denies it.

The Strawhats themselves remark on how odd it is that a Celestial Dragon is a fan of Brook's music. Like those two things are incompatible.

And they kind of are because Brook's music, especially New World, is all about the wonders and adventures of piracy, breaking the status quo, and pursuing freedom as the sun shines down. Everything the Celestial Dragons are against.

And yet, what is Gunko's favorite song?

But what is it that Gunko is most afraid of?

Something doesn't add up.

I'm usually on the camp of "Nezuko's mental age regression is a bad writing decision because it takes agency away from the sole female main character" - but after Tamayo's explanation that Nezuko traded consciousness for changing her biological makeup to co-exist peaceably with humans, I am forced to admit that as usual any writing decision in KnY I initially hate ends up lining up unexpectedly with the themes of the centrality of love.

The reason Nezuko is such a special demon is because Tanjirou's protection and guidance allowed her to become one.

Most demons focused on the day-to-day of feeding themselves, finding somewhere to rest, and fending off humans who wanted them dead. Nezuko is a rare demon who had the protection of someone else, so she could afford to sleep most of the time and change her biology. Only Nezuko could afford to trade so much of her consciousness away and to become so childlike, airheaded and defenceless because Tanjirou took care of the day-to-day for her. Unlike the other demons, she didn't have to always be on guard and live with an everyone-for-themselves mentality.

Nezuko was also able to not taste a single drop of blood because Tanjirou carried her away from their family's bodies (while trying to get her to a doctor) and was strong enough to hold her off until she got a grip. And only she lived past being discovered by a demon slayer, because Tanjirou defended her and she defended him. And when she did feel the urge to eat (Red Light District arc), Tanjirou was there to stop her.

Also very importantly, Nezuko's love for Tanjirou provided her a very strong motivation to stay in this sub-human state of consciousness for the long period necessary.

Most demons did not have a very strong reason to force themselves not to eat. Either they had no respect for humanity to begin with (Gyokko, Muzan, Spider Demon Ryu), or everyone they loved had died and they were subsequently in too much despair to put up a fight (Tamayo, a certain spoiler demon who was so suicidal that forgetting his loved ones ironically helped him live longer).

Meanwhile Nezuko really needed to return to being human, because her brother will not stop fighting demons otherwise. Regaining consciousness and convincing him to quit isn't an option for her because the demon slayers wouldn't let her live, and Tanjirou won't let her die. (And if he did, he would never recover from her death.) Like I don't know how much Nezuko thought this through, but Tanjirou's plan to shake information out of demons while trying to kill them is frankly terrible, while Nezuko's course of action to just change her biology was wildly successful lol. She had the better idea. Just as Tanjirou walked this long road for Nezuko, Nezuko did for Tanjirou.

Man, this is why I really love KnY. When the narrative said that nothing could break the bond between Tanjirou and Nezuko, when it said that love lets people exceed any reasonable expectation and achieve the impossible, they weren't just saying it. Everything has always been there, lying out in the open and waiting for us to realize it. Like, which other demon could spend so much time sleeping away so that they can change their biology. Only the little sister whose big bro is still alive and willing to take care of everything for her, and who herself loves him enough to achieve the impossible, of course.

small art for aku bday :>

chapters 63, 78, 105 and 121.

and each time, Atsushi's reaction was to acknowledge Dazai's presence and be motivated by it:

but, now that the veil has been lifted, it's very easy to see that this Dazai hasn't been very nice in his approach at all. Here, let me help you visualise it a little:

Looking back, that Dazai's words were systematically accusatory and harsh, and if at the start his face resembled the man Atsushi knows, recently his expressions have turned dull and cold, much more reminiscent of what we've seen from the orphanage headmaster.

Yes, the headmaster was cruel. Yes, it was unfair. No, Atsushi didn't deserve any of it. He should have been protected, he has every right to despise that man and to feel all the conflicting feelings he has about it. But it happened. It happened, and he was shaped by it, and every step he takes as he makes his way through his new life has the echoes of the way that man raised him. He's making the choice not to let anyone go through what he has to if he can help it, but also makes him prone to self-sacrifice because of his lack of self-esteem.

Atsushi's been struggling hard since the Decay of Angels arc began, and the voice that's been motivating him whenever his determination waned has been the one of the man who raised and abused him hidden behind the mask of the one who brought him to his new home. It's fucked, and it worked.

And the Loki-Luffy parallels just keep growing!

This one is particularly poignant not just because of the fact they both looked up to strong pirates, but the circumstances of why they looked up to pirates are also connected.

From what little we can glean of Luffy's early childhood, he had basically no one looking after him and no other friends his own age. Makino is the only adult living on the same island as him who treats him kindly but even then she's not his guardian. Loki was the pariah of Elbaf who had even less of a support system than young Luffy.

When a child is abandoned and ostracized, they'll naturally throw themselves at any scrap of potential positive affirmation they can find no matter the source. Even if said source is socially frowned upon like piracy. Sometimes it works out really well like with Luffy and Shanks. Other times, it puts the child in danger and sets the wrong example like with Loki and Rocks.

SHE'S BACK!! SHE'S BACK!! SHE'S BACK!!

Cover 91 redraw or something

I legit hate drawing zoro, I can never do it right for some reason. Nami is like the exact opposite, shes so easy to draw. She's the best. And Robin with brown eyes, I like it that way

OUTFIT SWAP BETWEEN THE VINSMOKES AND THE ASUL SIBLINGS YIPPIE

+yonji and Zoro because I didn't want to exclude him 💚🫶