Latest Posts by oneforblu - Page 4
yona of the dawn 268 thoughts!!
once again, we have yet another hakyona-centered chapter; only this time, it’s a true testament of their love. i have been waiting for a hakyona reunion for SO LONG, and i am feeling so bittersweet now that it happened.
yona is faced with the decision to go to the heavens or have hak die. this is the last trick the gods have for her, and it was the best decision they could make. yona's love for the dragons is powerful, but her love for hak is immeasurable.
hak was the one to save her from soowon, was the one who protected her throughout their many obstacles, loved her so much yet was fine never telling her for her own sake. time and time again, hak has proven to cherish and deeply love yona. all these memories from the manga come to light in this moment to emphasize the strong connection between the lovers.
“i could never let you die.” despite yona’s perseverance in the chalice, this is the one time she has given up. her connection to hak is more profound than anything. the dragons may all be connected to one another, but hak is the one person she has stuck beside since childhood. in the face of danger, how could she possibly allow hak to get hurt? the one person whom she has vowed to protect? she picked up weapons IN ORDER to protect him, so how could she give up the love of her life? the answer is she can’t. not by a long shot!
“i’m counting on you.”
another important component in this chapter is hak relying on soowon. from the moment soowon betrayed hak and yona, hak has not been one to let it go. unlike the others, he can’t easily move on from such painful memories. although it seemed he was calm and collected, everytime he faced soowon a part of him was slowly breaking. hak’s love for Yona is undeniable, but he has also come to love the dragons & yoon. his desire to protect the ones he loves knows no bounds. he’ll put himself on the line to save yona repeatedly. however, now since he can call soowon his ally, he’s more than willing to rely on him.
after all this time watching hakyona and soowon become more estranged, we have FINALLY reached the point where all three of them can work together. although so much pain and suffering has happened, the love for one another has never changed. soowon is the best possible chance of saving everyone, and i’m so glad hak can see that again.
this chapter ends with a bittersweet ending of hak proposing to yona. despite the circumstances, he has managed to somehow stay alive in the chalice and even SPEAK to yona. although yona was more than willing to return to the heavens for him, we all know hak isn’t one to back down when it comes to yona.
i believe hak has no intention of giving up on saving yona and the dragons. he has shown many times that he isn’t one to back down when it comes to his loved ones. all he can do in this instance is keep yona pushing forward with her goal to save the dragons. the only one who has stuck beside her since the beginning has been hak. he has seen her at her weakest and has seen her at her strongest. he knows yona has what it takes to stand up again. so, all hak can do is give her some encouragement, show her he loves her, and believe that yona can save them all.
this chapter was beautiful, and although i was waiting for a hakyona reunion, i wish it was under better circumstances. but i’m so happy to see their love stay strong even through this painful arc.
mitsumi iwakura you are so loved
Happy birthday Mitsumi!!!! Yipeeeee
i am never moving on from this. they are so madly in love it makes me want to cry. hak holding her so gently, with the sweetest smile on his face while yona smiles so brightly. hakyona changed my life. they are just so beautiful and perfect to me!!!!!!!!!!! MY NEW FAVORITE HAKYONA DRAWING!! <33333333
i loved this!! very nice to revisit this chapter through your eyes! and all the foreshadowing kusanagi writes is insane!! akayona is so perfect
Yona of the Dawn Chapter 12
The Valley that The Voice of God Calls
Enter Ik-Soo and (more officially now) Yoon! Previously Soo-Won rejected the gods in favor of the power of the people, establishing an ongoing theme of gods/heavens vs. humans + old ways vs. new.
"I want the power of people, not god"
"I will restore the Kingdom of Kouka to the strength and glory it possessed...anything that stands in my way...even the heavens...will be crushed"
Now–through Ik-Soo, the subject of priests, and the prophecy–we get more about these topics. Ik-Soo presents himself as someone who shares the voice of god–who knows all that is happening and will happen in the world–with the people. In learning more about why the priests were kicked out of the palace temple and arrested or executed, Yona is told that the priests were once deeply involved in political matters with "an authority even the king couldn't overrule," meaning they could pretty much do anything and justify it as "the wrath of god." Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
We’re told Soo-Won's father was focused on expanding Kouka and perceived the priests as a threat to that goal and the crown's power in general, so he got rid of them. Is the expansion of Kouka by annexing other countries' territory a good thing or a bad thing?
As with the once authority of the priests, this information is presented somewhat neutrally rather than ascribed a moral position. Interesting! As it is, Ik-Soo is seen as "good" while Soo-Won and his father are more aligned with "bad," but they are also clear individuals not representative of entire groups. Arguments both in favor and against their point of views and actions are easily understood. Right now this feels more like an exploration of an idea instead of a definitive stance, but we shall see where it all goes.
Expansion of Kouka's territory and power seems like a good thing for Kouka but that does not necessarily mean it is morally good. And the tangled history of priests and war (and what we haven't learned yet) has led to a country in which "the towns are packed with poor people" and "a few folks in the capital are the only ones who're well-off." Things are not good.
This history lesson comes from Yoon, whose resentment of royalty and nobility is something he takes out on Yona. But though ashamed of her ignorance and saddened by the state of Kouka, Yona takes Yoon's criticisms in stride and actively seeks out the knowledge she lacks.
Ik-Soo and Yoon's personalities and characters are made very clear to the reader through their words and actions–this is a very good introduction to them–and likewise, Yona's character and growth are made clear through hers. After her symbolic death, she is like a small child learning about the world for the first time. Her tiny world was shattered and now she's learning about the larger world that her father and her status kept from her.
Along with death/rebirth, the hair symbolism also continues for Yona. Cutting her hair was like a rebirth and an establishment of distance from Soo-Won and her past. But as Hak notes, she is still holding on tightly to the hairpin–she is surely growing but hasn't fully let go. She also can't completely shed how her past and upbringing shaped her. She crossed over to a new world but is bringing some baggage!
And speaking of Hak, their dynamic continues, but with their near-death experience and all that has happened, that dynamic comes with an increased closeness and care. Yona's expression of that closeness and care gets to Hak, but she remains oblivious to his feelings. But even if she doesn't get things on the romantic end, Hak is intensely important to her and part of her goals.
"I need you right here with me"
"I wanted to live. I wasn't going to let anyone take away my life, or Hak's. That's all I wish for right now"
(they are also just adorable here)
Seeds of a larger goal to help Kouka and its people have been planted, but for now, Yona has shifted from barely surviving to wanting to live and her focus is on preventing the death of another loved one. Like Soo-Won, she rejects god in this moment. As she has decided what she wants, she does "not see much point in asking god" what her path should be.
However, as Ik-Soo states–for Yona, "living means calling up a storm that will shake Kouka to its very foundation." Her "burning blood...can't be controlled"–if she is to live, she cannot live a normal life. There is something inherent to her that makes it impossible; her very existence will cause change. So along with Yona's personal goals, there is a larger fate being established for her.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE EXCITED FOR A NEW SEASON THAN I AM FOR SKIP AND LOAFER S2!!!! THEY LOOK SO BEAUTIFUL AND HAPPY!!! SHIMA AND MITSUMI LOOKING AT EACH OTHER AND SMILING SO BRIGHTLY!!! I CAN’T WAIT FOR S2 🩷🩷🩷
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MITSUMI 🩷🩷🩷
one of the best mcs ever written, so lovable and so kind. her determination and friendliness are so inspiring. she has the ability to light up an entire room. i love her so very much 🩷🩷
NOT ONLY ARE WE GETTING ONE OF THE BEST MATCHES ANIMATED ALL BY ITSELF BUT WE’RE ALSO GETTING FUKURODANI’S MATCH!!! all the amazing scenes in karasuno vs kamomedai finally being animated i don’t think you understand how excited i am!!! WHICH MEANS TIME SKIP GETS IT’S OWN ADAPTATION AHHH!! I LOVE HAIKYUU I LOVE KARASUNO I LOVE KAGEHINA AHHHHH BEING GOOD MEANS BEING FREE
i love hakyona so very much. ever since i first watched yona of the dawn, their relationship has been so special to me. from leaving the place they called home to running around looking for the dragons. they saw each other at their best and worst. their love was slow but so beautifully written. they see each other for who they truly are. what i love the most is how they BOTH are willing to do anything to keep the other safe. hakyona’s love story is one of the best ever created.
i don’t think i will ever be able to move on from skip and loafer. it’s become such a large part of my life. i am so emotionally invested in the characters and all the storylines. especially shima and mitsumi. these two make me so incredibly emotional every chapter it’s almost embarrassing to admit. i’m so grateful to live at the same time as shimamitsu and skip & loafer!! <3
and now i’m crying again
skip and loafer - chapter 68 / alex dimitrov - love and other poems
skip and loafer has done it again. i am a WRECK. shima has become one of my favorite characters EVER written and this chapter just made my love for him so much stronger. his growth has been highlighted for so many chapters and getting to this moment where the truth of the incident is revealed was incredible. he had buried his true feelings all these years, all for his mother’s sake. younger shima had so much pressure with no way to let it all out for so long. however, because of the new path he has created, he finally had the courage to face his past. he has grown to the point where he can confidently say that he isn’t miserable anymore. that he’s finally okay. he performs for his past self now, to show younger shima that it does get better, that there are happier days to come. stl 68 was so moving, you can read it over and over again and never stop. shima has come such a long way from the beginning and i can’t wait to see what else is in store for him.
whenever i'm feeling down i find myself going back to my favorite shoujos for comfort. it just feels so nostalgic and comforting!! rewatching all your favorite scenes and even remembering the things you missed is so much fun!! sometimes all you need is some classic romance to make you feel a bit better <33
oikawa can say he hates tobio all day long but I KNOW YOU’RE PROUD OF YOUR KOUHAI! he teases him all the time but we all know he took the time to help tobio out when he needed it!! we all know oikawa cares!! their dynamic is so silly to me like cousins on opposite sides of the family that “hate” each other but still care for one another…love these guys
i’m so kagehina coded that whenever i think of soulmates i think of them…because what else possibly explains their relationship?? from that game in middle school, to meeting again at karasuno?? that fateful meeting at karasuno changed their LIVES!! they became better players, better people, and finally found someone to call a PARTNER all because THEY FOUND EACH OTHER AGAIN! during timeskip, it didn't matter that they were on opposite sides of the world because THEY WERE CONNECTED!! they were destined to stay together forever! i can just imagine them as old grandpas playing volleyball like they were first years again…
what i love about the apothecary diaries is that maomao simply loves the work she does and jinshi pops out of the corner simply admiring her. it’s so beautiful to see how maomao worked hard to get to the point where she’s highly respected by noblemen while jinshi finds her so breathtaking. he’s so captivated by her every move and isn’t afraid to show his feelings i just love their dynamic so very much!!
i can’t even imagine how amazing it would have felt to hear this from someone you admire and love so much. after living like a puppet for others, never being honest with his desires, and always doing what people want, shima is told by his favorite person that no matter what, she will like him. mitsumi is such an honest and genuine spirit, although breaking up with shima was a hard decision to make, she did it so gently. this scene is such a testament to their relationship. they have so much respect and adoration for one another. even though it’s been a short time, you can easily tell they see each other as lifelong partners whether it’s romantic or platonic. although their first shot at an relationship didn’t work out, this moment opens up so much opportunity for growth. i just love this scene so very much!!!!
the ending i deserved
(kofi request) the scene we had all been anticipating 💙
romance as a subplot is SOOOOO GOODDDDD because 98% of the time it's an intense slowburn that develops over several chapters. the story focuses on the plot or character development more but somehow it makes the romance SO MUCH BETTER!!! idk how to explain it it's just so good...like when an author's focus is more on characters and plot it gives you as the reader a deeper connection to the characters which makes the romantic/platonic aspect so much better
the last episode of castlevania was so perfect. all the pain and suffering led to this moment of happiness. the trio who met by fate together again! trevor and sypha reunited and madly in love, alucard finally having a place to call home, and all three of them together in the same place. the thought of the trio taking it easy and enjoying life makes me so happy! they deserve it and more <3
i finished castlevania.
this was the perfect ending for these three. i could not stop crying while watching this episode. after all the struggle, fighting, pain, and death, they can finally be together again.
s4 ep9 was PERFECT. the trio reunited again, having to face their biggest battle yet. i had been waiting for them to reunite, and their reunion was done so well. i loved seeing them fighting together again. their chemistry while fighting is incredible, protecting each other like they've been fighting for years.
trevor telling sypha he loved her right before he fought death was so moving. i could not stop crying after that scene. these two have become one of my favorite ships, and seeing their relationship grow throughout the season has been such a beautiful watch. although the episode leaves on a cliffhanger, the buildup to the season finale was incredible.
trevor finally has someone he truly loves, and because of that love, he can become the hunter his family would be proud of. while sypha is trevor's strength, trevor is also sypha's. she was able to go on the adventures she always dreamed of and discover her strength thanks to her meeting with trevor. they saved villages, helped people, and fell in love along the way. not only did they find each other, trevor and sypha also found alucard. their connection and friendship give them all a start to a new life. these characters meeting in gresit was a fateful encounter that changed their lives forever.
in the series finale, we finally have sypha tell trevor she loves him, too. at this point, i could not stop crying. the love between them is so genuine and perfectly written. their development was done so well that you fall not only for their relationship but also for them as characters. they have so much respect for one another, they see each other for who they are. the bad, the good, and the ugly. they've seen it all on their journey, yet their love is stronger than ever.
alucard's ending made me so happy. after being consumed by grief and guilt, he's now FINALLY content with his life. even though he's dracula's son, he decided to defend humanity to honor his mom. he lost his parents, his new friends left him, and then he was alone in that big house. later on, he was betrayed by people he thought he could trust. alucard's humanity and vampirism will always be apart of his life, a constant battle that will go on for the rest of his life. however, he still loves people. he still values connection, and it has much to do with trevor and sypha. alucard learned the value of friendship from them, giving him hope despite the dark time he went through after they left.
now, at the end of the series, he has people and a community who depend on him, and he finally sees how much he has to offer the world. alucard now has his two favorite people by his side, a village that depends on him and humans he can trust. although there will be moments where he will grieve and be in pain, at least now he has a place to belong with people he cares for. i'm so happy he's finally able to smile <3
the ending with dracula and lisa was also very beautiful. finally reunited, given a second chance at life, and happy to be together again. it's so beautiful to see the series start and end with them.
i'm so happy I finally watched Castlevania, and i can easily say that the trio will be a favorite of mine for a long time!
i love skip and loafer so much!!! it's one of the best new mangas being released, and the anime captures the beauty of the manga so well. characters like mitsumi are so hopeful and hardworking that you feel inspired to be just like her!! she's someone everyone can look up to, her energy is so infectious i can never get enough of her character! shima's character is so amazingly written, and his journey of self-discovery is so moving. shima is taking the time to find his interests and navigate his feelings toward friends/potential partners. it makes me so emotional to see how much effort he puts into bettering himself, and you can't help but root for him!! mitsumi and shima are one-of-a-kind characters that remind you of how special youth is. i will always love shimamitsu and skip & loafer!!!!!!!!!!!
new kagehina illustration where they are kids with elementary teacher suga!!! poutyama and silly shoyo are back! they look so adorable i can’t stop smiling!! makes me think that in another universe kagehina grew up playing volleyball together and always had a partner there for them!! <33
everytime i think of fruits basket i get a tight feeling in my chest. it's such a beautiful story of overcoming abuse and healing. the sohma family suffered so much, especially kyo, yuki, hatori, and rin but they never allowed it to change them into terrible people.
yuki's development is one of my favorite parts of the show. because of akito's abuse, he was always scared to be his true self. He felt like he had to be perfect and never made genuine connections, but he was finally able to break free from that thinking and find his own path.
kyo and tohru's story made such an impact on my life. kyo suffered with his guilt and feeling like an outcast his whole life while tohru had to grow up quickly putting aside her own feelings for her mother's sake. they were able to heal each other and eventually fell in love. kyo's story, in particular, makes me cry to this day. he was a boy who couldn't help what he was; he wanted to be loved and valued, and it's only until tohru honda comes into the picture that he can finally feel worthy of love.
fruits basket is incredibly heartbreaking while also beautiful. kyo, tohru, and yuki will always be my favorite characters, and i will always hold fruits basket close to my heart!
castlevania season 2 finale was so bittersweet. highlighting sypha and trevor's development while also emphasizing alucard's grief. i was so happy that sypha and trevor had decided to stay together. their relationship has so much potential to grow, and i am so excited to see where it goes from here! on the other hand, alucard sitting alone in his home breaking down made my chest hurt so much. the only people who have known him since birth are gone and now he's left all by himself. i'm hoping alucard can heal from everything that happened and even have a chance to find his own happiness.
these three have grown so close in such a short time, i'm hoping it won't be long until they reunite again <3
castlevania s2 thoughts!! *spoilers*
I have been looking forward to watching this series FOR SO LONG. I have always loved dark fantasy in medieval settings, so I knew this show would be fun to watch!
s1 was a short but perfect way to begin the rest of the show. You meet the main characters, get introduced to Dracula and his rampage on mankind, and towards the end of s1, we finally get our trio together.
S2 began the journey of fighting Dracula. What I loved the most was watching Sypha, Trevor, and Alucard warm up to one another as the season went by. The annoyance between Trevor and Alucard while Sypha was the mediator was so sweet to see! They were able to rely on each other despite barely meeting.
Once the trio found their way to the Belmont house, I knew I would love these characters for a long time! Watching Trevor remember his family's relics was so bittersweet. Knowing that he was forced to flee his ancestral home because of the church was heartbreaking, but as he walked through the halls, you could see the inner child in him heal little by little. Sypha running around excited about the books was so cute; she's such an intelligent woman who's not afraid to put herself in danger for what's right. While she's studying and Trevor is looking, Alucard is roaming around looking at all the deceased vampire remains. Although Alucard is on the side of humans, he is part vampire at the end of the day. It added more to Alucard's character. You could see the individual character's personalities shine brighter as they take in the belmont library and i love that!
The Dracula plotline is very interesting because he always seems indifferent to his scheme to end the human race. While the vampires who worked under him are desperate to wreak havoc, Dracula sits in his room quietly. Obviously, he wasn't as involved in his plan as he once was. He was a shell of the man he once was, which became more evident in the season finale. Watching him tear up at the thought of killing his son DESTROYED ME!! As stated many times in the series, Dracula is a brilliant man, yet it is clear to Alucard and himself that he is no longer the person he used to be.
Carmilla was an interesting character who constantly worked to make her plan succeed. She manipulates Hector, uses the vampire's anger to hatch her plan, and persuades Dracula to move the castle, all steps toward her potential success.
However, all it took was a hunter, a witch, and a half-vampire to take down the most feared creature in the land. As the trio storms the castle, they quickly take control and fight off all their enemies. The teamwork was insane to watch. It was like these three had known each other their whole lives. The chemistry between them is what I love the most about this series. It's obvious they were all destined to meet and save the world together.
The season finale was so bittersweet. For starters, Sypha and Trevor's decision to travel together and continue their mission was so beautiful!!! They have so much respect for each other; you can see how much stronger they are together. Trevor was able to find a meaning for himself, while Sypha was able to realize how much she had to offer the world. These two together will be unstoppable!! I'm so excited to see their continued character growth and how their romance grows!!
On the other hand, the ending scene with the Alucard broke my heart. To save the world, he had to kill his father in his childhood home. Alucard understood his father was grieving; he was too, yet he knew he had to protect the human race in honor of his mother. Watching him cry alone brought tears to my eyes. He's such a lonely soul. Although Trevor and Sypha gave him a new purpose, his grief and sadness are still too much for him. I'm hoping we'll be able to see him heal in the next season.
overall, castlevania s2 is easily 10/10!!! It is such an amazing season, and I can't wait for more!!
might be because i’m so emotionally attached but rereading haikyuu in my 20’s really did help me. it’s so motivating and so relatable. yes, volleyball is a large part of it, but the emotions and thoughts throughout the story are much more than that. you can apply all the lessons throughout the story to your own life. it is SO MUCH MORE than a sports manga. it changed my life for the better. all the effort you put into things will work out in the end. you’ll find your passion. the connections you make will fuel your life and last forever. you might not feel you have accomplished anything, but all your hard work will pay off in time. TODAY YOU WERE THE DEFEATED, BUT WHAT WILL YOU BECOME TOMORROW?
