Kisaku for my bi-monthly ship art quota. I wanted to draw another piece to be posted together but I've been physically burnt out lately so I made a no Kidou goggles file instead. Heh
This doubles as a character analysis art so I will write down my thought process under a read more. It's very christian so if you're not comfortable it's okay to not read it
I had been having the idea of making a Kisaku art with christian imaginery since early January, but I only managed to sketch a good composition for it last week.
This art is based on a post-Shin Teikoku arc scene that's also one that's very memorable for me. Like, it's just a very tender and profound one, especially when one can see Kidou's hand holding Sakuma's tighter after Sakuma told him he can't shake his hand. I also referenced the scene when Sakuma faints right before the match end whistle.
Another thought that inspired this was the christian concept of being saved from sin and its consenquences by Jesus' death and resurrection (salvation); which is pretty much what happened to Sakuma in this arc. Sakuma fell to the temptation of the aliea meteorite (sin), but it's Kidou's love that saved him from destroying himself physically and mentally (salvation).
An interesting part from Shin Teikoku arc was that while it ends with Sakuma and Genda being saved, Kidou came out becoming even more traumatized especially after seeing what happened to his friends and hearing Kageyama's words. And that's without mentioning that he also witnesses Someoka's sacrifice.
Kidou and Sakuma are two people who feel deeply yet tenderly for each other so I wanted it to show in the colors and rendering. I used colors that could remind someone of the dawn. I wanted to color in low contrast but the initial palette hurt my eyes (physically) so I ended up opting with shading with only highlight, with the soft light peeking through behind the pair. Subtlety was all I was aiming, so I tried to draw Kidou's expression that could express it too.
The text on the background is,
What is Salvation? Salvation is... to be saved from sin, and its consenquences from death, and eternal separation by your cross.
The text was thought and written by stream of consciousness, unlike the drawing where I worked on it precisely unlike my usual drawing style. Initially I wrote it by hand to see where should I type the text but I found that handwriting conveys the emotions in a rawer form so I went with it.
I also free style-ed the text's content because NGL, scrolling through christian articles and wikipedia pages gave me religious trauma based anxiety so I let my instinct and write whatever came to mind.
I was torn between "crucifix" and "cross" as I wanted a word to replace "love and suffering". I went with "cross" because crucifix is used to specifically refer to the cross Jesus was crucified on and the portrayal of it. For people, the word used is "cross" (referring to the christian concept of carrying one's cross). Kidou is very much associated with pedestalism, even Kageyama saw him in an idealized manner of a perfect creation to bring him back to his childhood. But despite everything Kidou is only human, and he's as sinful everyone else.
I had so much fun working with this piece, and I think I'm more satisified than I was with my previous character analysis art. I hope I could do more of this type of works in future.
Ahhh, this is a really good essay!!
There's a really good scene of Minamisawa that's in (currently untranslated) a drama CD that takes place between Holy Road and Chrono Stone, where Minamisawa got agitated over Gouenji and Kidou calling Sangoku's version of Rairaiken's rice bowl "not real Rairaidon" and went on an argument with Kidou over it loolll. I love how he went from apathetic to openly defending his friends...
(yes Gouenji and Kidou picked fights with middle schoolers. And Kidou got offended over Minamisawa calling him old. Grown ass adults)
I love Minamisawa's arc, I'm sad he left Raimon so early on bc I would've loved to see more of him, but it's still so satisfying.
I really like that he and the rest of Gassan Kunimitsu had to learn that they can't always depend on Fifth's rules. the team had already been following them even before Minamisawa joined, and he was already okay with - and kind of hoping - to just be able to fall in line and graduate with a good-looking student record. but having been in Raimon before, that seed was already planted about fighting for what you love, and he realized just what it was that he truly wanted- and that the only way for him to get it, was to fight like hell for it.
and I love that his teammates saw him give it his all and realized that Fifth's rules had been holding them back, and then and there decided to abandon those rules and throw themselves into the battle. not just to win, but for Minamisawa. because he fought so hard, against his old team no less, for something they were all hoping would just fall into their lap if they behaved and did as told. he, a newcomer, proved to them that standing by and watching wouldn't help them, and instead of disregarding him, they accepted his influence and fully committed to playing a fair and fun match. in a way, Minamisawa was to them what Tenma was to Raimon- a revolutionary wind.
him playing against his old team in the first place brings a lot of good drama also, like the betrayal and the anger and confusion- I don't know just how close he was with the other third years, but I think one of them mentioned that he hadn't told them anything about what school he was transferring to, or even that he was transferring at all. to their knowledge he just quit the soccer club and that was it. any feelings of betrayal make sense, this came out of nowhere for them.
and on his end, there seems to be some frustration about how things unfolded- he didn't leave for no reason after all, and even though he jumped at the opportunity to, it doesn't mean he feels apathetic about it. Minamisawa seems like the type of guy to act cool on the outside, but ruminate on things quite a lot inside his head. and he's not emotionless, leaving the team and Raimon as a whole had to be a big step for him, I just believe that he chose not to show it. it would be easier for everyone that way.
I really love that he acknowledged Tenma as a good player and a worthy addition to Raimon, giving credit for stirring the team with the wind of revolution. the effects that Tenma had on the team may have lead to Minamisawa leaving, but it also lead to him finding new friends and his own soccer at Gassan Kunimitsu, and ultimately reconnecting with Raimon after that match. he wasn't exactly welcome to change at first, but acknowledging and vocalizing Tenma's role in changing his life for the better is proof that he's changed and grown a lot.
and on top of that, Raimon assuring him that no matter what he'll do or where he'll go, there'll always be a spot for him at Raimon? that they'll always be waiting for him? ahhh man it's so good, it's that promise of eternal friendship and support, even after everything, even though he was the one who left. and they acknowledge that Gassan Kunimitsu needs a player like him, that he belongs to that team too now, but that it doesn't matter which uniform he wears- he will always have friends at Raimon.
it was my afternoon lunch eating pho where i had a newfound appreciation of genda’s character because my guy is the nicest guy to ever guy and he doesn’t have an inherent flaw compared to kidou and sakuma but the series still lets him experience insecurity and weak moments because he is a Person. OG teikoku trio are all loving in their own ways..
(Machine Translation)
Kidou: Truth is, I want to go to the finals with you guys (at Teikoku)
Genda: ………
Genda: You’re carrying our hopes as you’re wearing Raimon’s uniform
Tears in my kigen eyes
2:30 AM and can't sleep thinking about how sakuma has 0 selfish bone in him and his "i can't see your world" @ kidou line in shin teikoku arc is him venting his desperation over not knowing what is in kidou's mind 💔💔💔💔 even post shin teikoku he's beefing on fudou never about what fudou did to him but instead over the risk he could do to kidou. sakuma who is made of 100% pure love for better or worse
what they don't tell you about making friends is you gotta be a lil annoying. you gotta push past the fear of "what if they don't want to talk to me" and simply ask someone how their day is going, send a meme. you cannot connect to people if you're both just awkwardly waiting for the other to start.
kisaku for christmas
stop… making… her… a… MOM FIGURE !!! *my psychic powers throw everything across the room*
constantly switching between “this is MY tumblr and i post whatever i want” and “oghg god . oh my god. okh god. okay. im going to talk abt. an interest now. im so sorry.”
ina11 blog for sakumaposting purpose (art and text). 20⬆️ twitter: fraybury bsky: sakumajirology
276 posts