No matter how bnha ends, I'm grateful that I became invested because it brought me joy, and it gifted me the euphoric experience of getting to know one of my favorite characters ever: Touya Todoroki, Dabi. I will always love him, and he will always have a special place in my heart. Nothing can change that or take that away from me. Shouto, too. The soba brothers are eternal to me.
It's so typical of me to be drawn to the mysterious, cold, brooding characters, haha. Shouto and Dabi immediately captured my attention when I first watched/read bnha with @fox-conscious. I took a break from following the series for a few years until November 2020, when I casually logged into Tumblr after months of not checking and saw chapter 290 Dabi's Dance leaks. It must have been fate. Suddenly, I was fully immersed in the manga again, excited that the obvious familial connection between my two favorites was officially confirmed. This reveal reignited my excitement and gave me something to focus on and look forward to during a challenging first semester in grad school, when I was on the cusp of realizing I needed professional help for my eating disorder.
To deal with the stress and have fun, I turned to reading and writing meta, and trying to make friends to share the experience with. That's the most important thing that has come from following this series... I've met so many incredible people who mean a lot to me:
@haleigh-sloth has become a really dear and close friend of mine. We met because of this manga and bonded over crepes, breakfast foods, pasta or ramen dinners, shopping at the mall, swimming in the river, walking her dogs, sleepovers, traveling, and road trips because of our shared love of the characters and story. We are basically the same person and constantly say the same things at the same time. Through the ups and downs of school, work, moving, and even now, we've always had each other's backs and shared countless moments of laughter and ugly cackling because we can't take shit seriously, ever. She's one of my best friends for life and I can't imagine NOT having her around!
@todomitoukei was one of the first friends I made in this fandom. I can always count on her to make the funniest jokes I've ever heard, especially during a completely serious conversation, and I'm astounded how smart, quick-witted, and talented she is. Truly an inspiration. I always look forward to seeing notifications that she messaged me because she brightens my day <3
I've had the great pleasure of meeting and hugging @hamliet TWICE! She has a generous heart and an inviting, calm aura. Her kindness and intelligence are remarkable. I genuinely enjoy discussing all sorts of topics with her, both silly and serious: life, hopes and dreams, fears and daily struggles, funny memes, reading and writing. I also love seeing her pet photos and can't wait to meet them in the future.
@transhawks is truly my most insane friend, and I say that lovingly and in the most ironic way because he's level-headed, creative, articulate, and self-aware. I'm always learning from him. I can talk to him for hours and never run out of things to say, and I always look forward to his insightful commentary about anything and everything.
And of course, I'm grateful for all the discord shenanigans with my friends: watching the anime together, voice calls, memes, sharing ideas, etc. @chocolate-biscuit who always pops into the chat with funny one-liners that leave me cackling for days when they flash in my head randomly, @bootlickerhawks who is the bestest horse person ever and I get excited to see on my dash, @helga-grinduil who is the saltiest and funniest person on this hellsite and also happens to make the best bnhaedits in this entire fandom, @jecook who is one of the sweetest people I've ever met and can't wait to read fix-it fics from, @mettywiththenotes who sends cute dog pictures and makes the most hilarious memes. Together we are all unhinged, and I love it. Despite living in different time zones, different counties, we've all create a fun space to cohabitate, and I think that's really cool and beautiful.
Hmm. Looks like the real treasure was the friends I made along the way, and the shared trauma of having our favorite characters mishandled by their creator was worth it. Can't wait to keep writing fics, making memes, and making new friends like @shortstrawberryshake because of this manga. And, I can't wait to keep loving Touya and Shouto Todoroki, of course <3
💚❤️
KENDRICKS PROFORMANCE. KENDRICKS. PROFORMANCE.
1. When he went silent for the word pedophile he looked at trump which caused Trump to leave the stadium
2. One of his people came on stage and waved a palestine and Sudan flag and ran across the field well being chased by security
3. The people wearing red white and blue formed the us flag and then moved around at the end to turn into the trans flag
4. He talked abt how the superbowl is rigged
5. When booking him the NFL asked why there weren't any white ppl on stage and his manager said "I thought we didn't do DEI hires anymore"
6. He brought up SERENA WILLIAMS. Her blackness has been fucking dogged on and she crip walked.
+TONS more stuff. He knows he's not fucking coming back and he doesn't want to.
FUCK FOOTBALL. FUCK THE NFL. ART WILL ALWAYS SHOW THE HEART OF THE PEOPLE.
I think there is a reason why the players have the roles on the court that they do. For example Andrew plays goalie because he is always the one who swoops in last minute to help the foxes even if its too late. His role to the foxes is always to defend them both on or off the court he is always playing defense, however there is no one there to defend him. He is always too busy looking out for the foxes that no one is looking out for him. Neil calls him out on this but Andrew retaliates by saying no one can help him - he is confident in himself that he can watch his own back without any outside interference. He learnt that no one will be there for him so he will do anything necessary to protect himself or others.
He became a "monster" for doing whatever it takes to protect those around him without caring about himself or the consequences. The reason Andrew got put on the medication was because he beat the shit out of the people attacking Nicky in the year before "The Foxhole Court" takes place. He also protected Aaron with his biological mums "accident". Aaron never asked him to help him in that extreme way but Andrew never regrets what he did. He always tells people that "She had it coming" he had only known Aaron for a few months before the "accident" but that didn't matter even is he treated Aaron like he didn't exist he still cared so deeply for him he would do whatever it took to protect him for good. He even signed with the foxes just to get Aaron through medical school even though he had no interest in university or college sports or even becoming court. (he says this in the extra content) If Andrew had actually cared about Exy he would of joined Kevin on the Raven team (thank God he didn't) as that would of been his best chance of success but instead he joined with the foxes to get Aaron and Nicky on the team as well so they had a secure future and so he could protect them.
Andrew always seems aloof and at the beginning Neil thinks he doesn't care what happens but throughout the AFTG trilogy and also in the newer books TSC and TGR we see that he will do whatever is necessary to protect them.
I know in the books it says the reason Andrew plays goalie is because the officers at juvie were worried he would hurt someone but I think the reason he fits the role of goalie so well and is a amazing goalie that even Kevin thinks he is worthy of being court is because he plays goalie for everyone on and off the court. He cares so deeply for them even though he acts disinterested in everything they do.
(idk if this has been mentioned before it was just a random thought I had lol)
for atsushi to comment on akutagawa’s eyes here makes me crazy because of how much it means
in a manga where the artist visually portrays character mood and morality in their eyes, especially during key moments, this means a lot
atsushi recognizes those eyes… he recognizes akutagawa’s true character and his virtue, he’s no longer holding a morality bias over him
he understands him, finally…
akutagawa might not recognize him but atsushi remembers
and he understands now.
comic from forever ago
Fem!BokuAka
Reading TGR and seeing Jean finding himself with the help of the Trojan's and getting the chance to heal makes me realize how much the Ravens still effect Kevin. Kevin having to down half a bottle of vodka before his interview with Jean and still being unable to talk about Riko and the nest without breaking down. Kevin also still heavily relies on Andrew due to the Raven's "buddy system" and still feels like he can't be alone.
His dependency on Thea is also a problem as Thea still hasn't properly spoken out against the Ravens past she only bashes the current line up for being a disgrace to the Ravens legacy. I wonder if Kevin clings on to her is because he saw what Riko did to Jean when he realized Jean was queer.
Jean has similar problems to Kevin's but he's only been out of the nest for about 4 months, whereas Kevin left 3 years ago. Kevin has nothing besides the court. Jean has his friends and his motorbike whereas Kevin has nothing and is still scared he will lose his court again. In the fight between the Foxes and Ravens he favors his right side to protect his hand cause if he loses that again he loses everything. He could just as likely add to the fallen Ravens as the current line up has. Jean is obviously still traumatized from his time at Edgar Allan but he knows he didn't deserve what happened to him and is actively seeking help and is being supported by the Trojan's every step of they way. Whereas Kevin pushes everything down or drowns it out with alcohol. He knows the ins and outs of the Raven's abuse but still doesn't know how to handle it. After Neil spent his winter break with the Ravens Kevin tries to comfort Neil but if he can't help himself there's no way he can help anyone else.
I wonder how Kevin felt seeing Jean doing so well after only a short time away from the nest...
Donate to:
Operation Olive Branch's (https://linktr.ee/opolivebranch) spreadsheet of verified fundraisers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vtMLLOzuc6GpkFySyVtKQOY2j-Vvg0UsChMCFst_WLA/edit?usp=drivesdk of people suffering the genocides of Gaza, Congo and Sudan.
@Nabulsi and @El-Shab-Hussein's list of verified fundraisers: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1yYkNp5U3ANwILl2MknJi9G7ArY4uVTEEQ1CVfzR8Ioo/edit?usp=drivesdk for Gaza and @El-Shab-Hussein's list of verified fundraisers from his direct contacts in Gaza and Sudan: https://www.tumblr.com/el-shab-hussein/748756401076207616/hey-guys-i-have-a-priority-fundraiser-rotation?source=share
Focus Congo, an ONG accepting donations to provide aid to the Congolese: https://www.focuscongo.com/en/spende/
Friends of the Congo, another ONG that accepts donations to help Congo: https://friendsofthecongo.org/
Khartoum aid Kitchen: an initiative to feed people in the Sudanese state of Khartoum, affected by famine: https://www.gofundme.com/f/fight-hunger-in-sudan-the-khartoum-kitchen-appeal
Gazafunds.com: a website that presents you with rotating verified fundraisers for Gazan people and prioritizes those most in need: gazafunds.com
Esimsforgaza: initiative to donate e-sims to provide the essential Internet acess to families in Gaza, so that they can receive donations, search information useful for survival and contact their relatives: https://gazaesims.com/ Instructions in english for donating an esim: https://gazaesims.com/ and instructions in Spanish, translated by me: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DHHsHSAFJQrr3GPtZ5iG_5xUSGkIjVwpkpQy57XR3x8/edit?usp=drivesdk
Crips for esims: initiative to buy esims for Esimsforgaza. If you don't have the financial stability to maintain an esim, it is recommended you donate here; the initiative will use that money to maintain esims steadily: https://chuffed.org/project/crips-for-esims-for-gaza
We always talk about the dorky and unstable side of Bokuto but he's also such an inspiration!
Sometimes a simple and positive outlook at things is actually the best approach when dealing with stuff you have no control over.
We waste too much energy on catastrophizing because we feel like a negative mindset somehow protects us from being surprised by the worst possible outcomes, but it doesn’t.
That’s why Bokuto saves Akaashi from the traps of his overthinking, just as much as Akaashi saves Bokuto from the traps of his overfeeling.