The western fandom seems to be really focused on the four kids, but personally I really enjoy the Spirits and Such Crew. My favorite type of story is these four misfits that are lonely in their own different ways, just hanging out together.
Viktor: Yuri, what would you like me to wear?
Yuri: Oh, just your usual clothes please
Me: this is the man who spends half of his screen time naked
my beautiful son
…. I want to talk about this. Specifically Shigeo’s lines. I honestly have no idea how this will manifest in the anime—whether it gets cut out or changed in translation—but I interpret this as a form of self harm. Mob is overwhelmed with grief and self-loathing from the realization of what he’s done to Teru in this moment (he only became internally lucid a few pages ago, when Teru kneeled before him, pounding his chest and screaming his name). Even though he’s “woken up” from his coma-like state, he’s not in control of ???%/‘Shigeo’s’ actions and cannot stop his body from hurting Teru. He’s seeking punishment for this, asking Teru to be violent toward him and to use his powers to subdue and hurt him. Convincing others to hurt you as a form of punishment is a self-harm behavior.
Well, he’s actually trying to convince Teru to hurt ???%/“Shigeo”, with Mob himself as acceptable collateral (“You don’t have to think of ‘that’ as me…Yes! Use your psychic powers on me!”)
And then, a shot of Mob’s teary eyes wide with horror as he thinks, “Better yet, just hurry up and…”
I personally think he was about to try and encourage Teru to kill him.
The way he words it builds it up as a step beyond hurting him and using powers against him. He honestly looks a little out of his mind in that panel. This is quite literally Mob’s worst fears realized to the most intense possible degree. It’s a waking nightmare, and he’s spent every day since hurting Ritsu trying to avoid this. He’s overcome with such intense panic and self-hatred at hurting another person he loves. I’m pretty sure he’d rather die than be doing that.
This entire scene makes my stomach drop when I read it. Something about this whole arc is just so… grown. And real. It feels deathly serious in a way fighting with floating skyscrapers and defeating a supervillain organization doesn’t. This scared little boy wants to be seriously hurt because he feels like there’s no other option, and he feels like it’s deserved.
I’m not looking forward to Wednesday. :(
〘 #46: Reason to Fight 〙
Gokudera Hayato
As a fan of character relationship dynamics, I'm seeing a lot of odd "Serizawa and Reigen's relationship has no weight or substance" discussion on my tl recently, and it's important to me that this fandom actually understands the connection between these two characters.
The most prominent and probably most important narrative parallel being how Toichiro "freed" Serizawa by having him depend on him and CLAW, whereas Reigen freed Serizawa by encouraging him to be his own person while still including him in S&S and promoting real healthy connections with other people.
Toichiro towering over Serizawa while Reigen kneels to be at his level... Reigen sees Serizawa as an equal. Despite technically being "his boss," he includes him and encourages genuine discussions in both a personal and workplace environment.
This, and the way the two of them seem equally amazed and supportive/reliant of the other. Serizawa in Reigen's logical knowledge and street smarts and Reigen in Serizawa's psychic powers and spiritual experience.
On a more wholesome and personal note, there's also the fact that, after the climax of the finale, Serizawa was definitely calling Reigen in a panic to find out if he was alright.
Long story short, there's a lot of character interactions and development of these characters and their relationship if you really pay attention! Sure, they both have their own lives (Serizawa going to night school and Reigen... doing what Reigen does), but it's not like they're "just coworkers." They're very close, and they have a lot of canon material to work with!
come get your free ammunition, hanahaki writers
(i tried to get most of these flower meanings from hanakotoba but also added in some interpretations from other cultures if they all seemed to share a common theme)
red dahlia: perseverance, resilience, dignity red carnation: admiration and love + red rose: love white daisy: hope, peace, innocence white buttercup: joy, youth, friendship, purity
cherry blossom: spirituality, transience, (mortality, self-sacrifice) cape/normal daisies: humility, loyalty white gardenia: trust, hope, protection pink hydrangea: pride, gratitude, (pink: sincerity)
Choromatsu: Ichimatsu, what are doing in the trash can?
Ichimatsu: I’m in my natural habitat.
That wouldn’t be a radio in your lap, would it, Mr. Pitts?
Dead Poets Society | 1989 | dir. Peter Weir