Fandom: John Rich & the Big Picture by Ngozi Ukazu
Relationships: Tyler Hughes/John Rich
Tags: POV John Rich, mutual pining, spoilers, boys kissing, anxiety, hopeful ending, mutual pining
Summary: While trying to leave Tyler's dressing room, John stumbles and falls. Tyler catches him, leaving them in an awkward position. One that puts their faces far too close to each other. Oh no.
Set during Chapter 14: Sunday in the Park with Susan
Thoughts on 黄泉のツガイ | Yomi no Tsugai | Daemons of the Shadow Realm, Episode 15: Yuru and Danji (it was wonderfulll XD)
New art for Asuma and his tsugai!!
This will be spoilery for the manga. Volume 11 comes out in English on August 11, 2026, so that's soon!
Yuru shounen protagonist angst tiime XD But it's okay, he's got a pug to squish (very intensely alkdjalj)
I really love when animators can just go, "hey, the place we live is really pretty, come see". Obviously fantasy landscapes can be neat, but when Japanese animators go ham on animating how pretty Japan is, is fun. There's a kind of sense of that in the manga, with the immortal daemons and these groups associated with territory they fight over. Clan relationships in Japan are complex but the series creates this reminder that places remain long after the people there pass away, and human conflict feels so small in comparison. This might just be partially because I was rewatching Dan Olsen's video essay on Ralph Bakshi's animated adaptation of The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, where Olsen goes on about how LOTR is as much about the land as it is the people in it. A similar Japanese story with natural landscape is probably Princess Mononoke. Ghibli tends to do a lot of environmentalist works, but that's probably the most environmental work they have? Like Spirited Away is somewhat similar, though it's as much focused on the Bathhouse as anything else. And then Howl's Moving Castle focuses a lot on the castle itself, though it does take time to appreciate the beauty of the world to emphasize the evils of warfare. The Deer King by Nahoko Uehashi also emphasizes this a bit (better than the anime adaptation, though I do love the movie and you should watch it and pretend it isn't trying really hard to be Princess Mononoke).
I love the way Bones animated Danji scooching closer to Yuru while Yuru is crying. It's so sweet. Danji, being a daemon and already part of the fake "Asa" scheme, trying his best to offer what comfort he can, while likely conflicted about that and having to sort of help keep Yuru in the village. And Poor Yuru, alone in the world. All of his anchors being torn away one by one. People are shocked Yuru is as strong as he is, but he's had to be, for so long. Someone else pointed this out about the OP, where Yuru is talking until Dera yawns, and then Yuru is frustrated and stops talking, and then Hana lectures Dera for it. Yuru is a survivor and does his best to get by. Getting support from people who allow him to be sort of a child and to make his own way in the world matters.
I always found the femme pug daemon's comment/scene, "Dogs aren't people" to be funny, and I'm glad it was kept for the anime. I wasn't expecting it to be dropped, but well...
Left thinking, I imagine, about the limitations of being trapped in stone and unable to help comfort Yuru. Even Danji did more than she could when Yuru needed help most. Left is very distant a lot, but she still cares for him. I'm also wondering if there's some significance to the fact Yuru hid by her statue, but not Right's. Considering she's Yuru's opposite and meant to deal with him. Maybe something about halves feeling whole with other halves or something, especially since Asa was actually gone, even if Yuru didn't know.
The femme pug daemon's little chuckle as they acknowledge Left's appreciation for the pug XD Both of them chuckle in the manga. Also interesting, in the manga, it's the masc pug daemon who says the line about daemons and humans not being able to survive on their own.
I get why the change, but I'm just saying, in the manga, the pug was facing the other direction when he rolled onto his back, so his lower half was visible. Entirely.
This was one of my favorite manga moments and it's animated so well. The seiyu for the pug daemons do such a good job.
It's so cute to see how much the pug, despite being a dog, clearly cares for people, particularly his daemons. Obviously he probably treats them as his owners, but well. Cute. Trying to imagine these daemons learning dog training and how that process went, especially with the awkwardness of their situation. Like I don't think they named the pug (although maybe they did? To get him vaccinated?), but he does seem well trained. In the little we see of him, anyway. He's fine in his kennel, anyway. Maybe he's just naturally well-tempered.
Yuru not having any feelings for Danji at all. None whatsoever.
Poor Ken, so traumatized T-T There are normal people out there, bebe!
The pug daemons being otaku never stops being wonderful.
Poor Danji alkdjalj so overwhelmed and upset with everything. Sad about Yuru, worried about Kiri and Kyoka... Everything's a mess.
That moment you walk home and there's a horse in your living room aldkjalja
So in the manga, the daemons are actually also watching Fullmetal Alchemist, albeit with largely different shots of it (e.g., Nina is not in the footage shown, though Ed is).
But the joke with Shou Tucker talking in the background while Dera winces is from the manga.
They also seem to be using Brotherhood/ for reference footage. This is a wider shot of what's in Episode 4 - An Alchemist's Anguish, which better mimics what's in the manga (and the dialogue is from the original English manga translation in Volume 2, Chapter 5: The Alchemist's Suffering). Maybe it's from the DVD/blu-ray? It would make sense why the Nina shot is also a match for the episode but she looks a bit shinier and Alexander's eyes aren't closed in that sequence in the anime (but in the manga, his eyes are closed). DVD/blu-rays often get redone footage. Or Bones made entirely new shots for it using the footage they had, which would be a bit odd but neat.
A part of me wonders about the copyright side of this because obviously both of these series are Arakawa's works, and Bones made the anime adaptations for both of these manga (including both FMA anime). But the FMA manga has had a complex publication history in English. Square Enix published/s both FMA and YNT in Japanese (and YNT in English). But Viz originally published FMA in English, and the digital rights later went to Yen Press. And at least the English sub for YNT's anime is using FMA's manga's English wording, not the anime's (not sure what the English dub will use since I don't have access to it). Both the English sub for the Japanese dub and the English dub of Brotherhood do not say what Tucker is saying. That's a manga thing. I'm not sure if it's fine because it's all Arakawa, or Viz and/or Yen Press had to get paid for this episode specifically. Additionally, did Arakawa/Square Enix have to ask Viz and/or Yen Press, specifically, if it was okay if she included the joke in her own work when the manga was being translated to English? Neither Viz nor Yen Press are credited in Volume 5's English release and I didn't spot them in the episode credits but I could have missed that. Copyright messes. Maybe. Who knows?
Arrest them!!! For cuteness crimes!!! And also traffic violations!!
Right and Left see right through Yuru's stoicism. He aint' foolin them!!! He cares for Danji still! Yuru has a heart, even as he tries to bury it!
I love Dera's team choosing to work in the dark for no reason aldkjalj Like it's not secret or anything alkjdlaj Though Yuru works better in the dark so maybe he likes it.
Hikaru is a wonderful example of how you truly do not know anything about an author/artist based purely on the art they produce. There are a variety of reasons people make what they make in the way they make it. Insisting that, "oh they depicted this so they must believe that" is silly.
My friend, @freyadragonlord pointed out this shot and how it's probably foreshadowing what's going to happen with Akio. It's also in the manga, so it would imply Arakawa meant something specifically by having three of the four birds grouped up and the fourth so specifically far from the others.
Akio do be turning away from them all.
I'm curious what "Natsuki" is talking to Gabby about on the phone. Maybe a picture of Yuru. For no particular reason.
Bones made Yozakura as truly creepy as they should be. I was truly spooked the first time we saw Yozakura on-page.
I may be an appreciator of Ivan, Asuma, and Yuru specifically, but we also appreciate Dera in this house.
It's moments like this I remember that Asuma's daemons were also Iori's daemons once upon a time. How scary was it to let one of his biggest mementos of her be in the hands of someone like Ivan (for the teleportation)? Obviously he's willing to risk it all to take down his uncle, but this had to be worrisome.
ASUMAAAAA :3 Bebe :3
Poor Yuru, feeling so motion sick T-T I love Yozakura's worried turn alkdjalj
Hanthum danger boi and his scary daemon.
Again, this moment where Yozakura puts its chin in Asuma's palm is actually in the manga, but it's still very cute, especially because Asuma seems to pet/scratch Yozakura:
His little pleased chuckle aldkjlaj
Danger hanthum mothman.
Right calling Yozakura a "moth blob" aldkjaldjalj
The terrible handsome night prowler man returns :3
We're closer and closer to Ivan v Yuru. I am not ready for it. Ahh I'm so excited. Been waiting for so long, back when we prayed for it to get an anime adaptation. It's going to be fascinating given how many fucking weirdos there are in this fandom who can't separate fiction from reality and are probably going to have tantrums over it. Especially Ivan already you know... being a kind of way about Yuru.
That being said, if you want a less messy attractive Bones-animated swordsman, seriously watch Sword of the Stranger. Nanashi is wonderful.
Right saying he called Left out alkdjlaj He loves and supports her and her violent tendencies. You love to see it.
Overall, it was a great episode XD This arc is so fun! Looking forward to Episode 16: Kagemori and Shingo! More Asuma :3 More fighting! And dramatic reveals!!
This likely doesn't need to be said at all, given Hiromu Arakawa is one of the most well-known mangaka in the world, but she's done a lot more than Fullmetal Alchemist, even just since FMA (she had works prior to FMA, but obviously most people know her for FMA). It's just frustrating when folks solely talk about FMA when talking about Yomi no Tsugai, when she's actually done a lot of things, many of which also use the same tropes. Although this is a bit more dubious for someone as well known as Arakawa, this has the side effect of people thinking her only works are the two that people are talking about. I've seen many folks shocked about some of the things she's doing with YNT because FMA is their only standard of comparison, when these concepts have come up elsewhere in her works.
ストレイドッグ | Stray Dog was a one-shot manga published in 1999.
Summary: "A warrior, plundering the people for money, finds a military dog, a creation that with the power of a dog and the intelligence of a human and takes the dog in as his own and becomes the dog's master."
上海妖魔鬼怪 | Shanghai Youma Kikai was a manga published in 2000.
Summary: "In the year 2050 AD, Humans live in a world filled with science and electronics, but the "Demon Capital" Shanghai has never been rid of demons. Fortunately, the supernatural Demon Taoists Corporation is here to ensure that neither vampires, demigods, or even trans-cultural literary icons trouble the citizens... at least, for too long."
鋼の錬金術師 | Hagane no Renkinjutsushi | Fullmetal Alchemist released as a manga from 2001-2010. It was adapted into two anime series (2003-4, and Brotherhood in 2009-10), two OVAs (2005, 2011), three live-action movies, a series of novels, and several video games. It's one of the most recognizable manga around, one of the most successful shounen, and both anime were incredibly popular while releasing.
Summary: "Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in this power to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg…and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living steel. Now Edward is an agent of the government, a slave of the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders…even to kill. Except his powers aren't unique. The world has been ravaged by the abuse of alchemy. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher's Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are…"
RAIDEN-18 released from 2005-2021.
Summary: "A humorous shounen story about a Frankenstein tournament".
蒼天の蝙蝠 | Souten no Koumori is a one-shot manga from 2006:
Summary: "This is the story of a shinobi, Henpukumaru, who awakens in an enemy's mansion. She is introduced to the future master of the mansion, Chiyozuru. Chiyozuru is able to get the unemotional Henpukumaru to smile and react differently than she normally would. But, one night, there is an attack by Henpukumaru's former allies..."
獣神演武 | Jūshin Enbu | Hero Tales was a historical fantasy manga that ran from 2006-2010. It was also adapted into an anime (2007-2008).
Summary: "Taitou Shirei is a young fighter who makes a habit of attacking members of the corrupt Imperial Army and stealing their supplies for his village. The time has come for him to have his coming-of-age ceremony, for which his family has called in the monk Ryuukou Mouten. After battling Ryuukou and completing the ceremony, Taitou is given the Kenkaranbu, a supposedly legendary sword.
That night, a mysterious and cruel sorcerer, who introduces himself as Shimei, attacks in order to steal the Kenkaranbu. He tells the legend of the Hokushin-Tenkun, seven warriors who are incarnations of the stars of the Big Dipper. He informs Taitou that he is Hagun, one of the two most powerful of these warriors, who is destined to send the world into chaos. When Shimei threatens Taitou's sister, Laila Seiren, Taitou is overcome by anger and the power of his star drives him berserk. Laila manages to calm Tatiou down, but in the pandemonium, Shimei manages to get away along with the sword. Thus starts Taitou's journey with Ryuukou and Laila to retake the Kenkaranbu and discover the meaning of possessing the power of a Hokushin-Tenkun."
百姓貴族 | Hyakushō Kizoku is an autobiographical manga that began in 2006 and is ongoing. It's been adapted into an anime that began broadcasting in 2023.
Summary: "Hiromu Arakawa talks candidly about the life of dairy farmers in Hokkaido, as well as detailing her own personal experiences, childhood memories, and the current state of her family's farm."
銀の匙 | Gin no Saji | Silver Spoon is a comedy slice-of-life manga about agricultural school, and ran from 2011-2019. It was adapted into an anime (2013-2014) and a live-action film. It was incredibly successful and even inspired many people to go to agricultural school.
Summary: "Defying the expectations of family and teachers, Yuugo Hachiken chooses to leave the city and enroll at Ooezo Agricultural High School. Having always been at the top of his class, Yuugo assumes a rural school will be a breeze, but mucking out stables, gathering eggs, and chasing errant calves takes a lot out of him-and fills him with something he's never experienced before. Surrounded by endless fields and fresh air, Yuugo discovers a new connection to the land and to life…Springtime begins at Ezo AG!!"
アルスラーン戦記 | Arusurān Senki | The Heroic Legend of Arslan is a fantasy Japanese novel series by Yoshiki Tanaka (1986-2017). It was adapted into multiple animated films, and a manga by Chisato Nakamura (1991-1996). Arakawa made her own manga for the series starting in 2013, which is ongoing. It was also adapted into an anime (2015-16).
Summary: "In the prosperous kingdom of Pars lies the Royal Capital of Ecbatana, a city of splendor and wonder, ruled by the undefeated and fearsome King Andragoras. Arslan is the young and curious prince of Pars who, despite his best efforts doesn’t seem to have what it takes to be a proper king like his father. At the age of 14, Arslan goes to his first battle and loses everything as the bloodsoaked mist of war gives way to scorching flames, bringing him to face the demise of his once glorious kingdom. However, it is Arslan’s destiny to be a ruler, and despite the trials that face him, he must now embark on a journey to reclaim his fallen kingdom."
黄泉のツガイ | Yomi no Tsugai | Daemons of the Shadow Realm is a fantasy shounen manga that began in 2021 and is ongoing. It's been adapted into an ongoing anime that started airing in April 2026.
Summary: "In a world where certain humans command mighty supernatural duos called Daemons, it is the birthright of "the children who sunder day and night"—twins Yuru and Asa—to rule over these powerful entities.
Separated from a young age and unaware of the truth of their birth, brother and sister must fight to make their way back to each other, claim their birthright, and save the world..."
ムーンライズ | Moonrise is an original science fiction anime from 2025 that Arakawa provided character designs for.
Summary: "In a not-too-distant future, humanity has established a loosely organized world government with everything managed by an international AI network called Sapientia. People live peaceful lives by loyally obeying its rational decisions. However, Sapientia's lunar development project, which sends criminals and pollutants to the Moon to maintain Earth's peace, creates disparity and poverty on the Moon, sparking a catalyst for war. Jacob "Jack" Shadow gets caught up in this conflict after losing his family to a terrorist bombing by the Moon's rebel army. Vowing revenge, Jack joins the Earth army as a scout on the Moon, only to discover an unexpected leader among the resistance forces."
"It's good to have you back."
"It's good to be back."
Had the absolute pleasure of drawing this Sheith postcard for @avidbeader mailing gift project, celebrating 10 years of Sheith ❤️🖤
