Hello!

[alleecatblues]

INFORMATION ABOUT QUEER/ADULT CONTENT BEING DELISTED

Hey, I'm sure you've heard by now that several online retailers have blanket delisted queer/adult content. Information seems sporadic, so I want to create a masterpost of what happened, why it matters, and what you can do about it.

WHAT HAPPENED

You've probably heard that Steam and Itch.io have removed all of their adult/queer content from listings. Itch has even gone so far as to prevent creators from being able to get their payouts.

This is not Steam/Itch's fault. Mastercard and Visa have pressured them to remove their adult content. Visa and Mastercard collectively hold over 90% of the market share in payment processing. Unfortunately, if they cut you off, you pretty much lose over 90% of your gross income, which is a death sentence for basically any company.

This is also not just localized to Steam and Itch. Several anime/manga retailers have also been affected, and more companies are likely to follow. I would not be surprised if Patreon cracked down again soon, so if you have adult/queer content on there, I suggest you prepare accordingly.

The reason for this happening is not a response to the current US political climate, or these payment processors randomly deciding to force their puritanical views. It is a concerted effort by a group called Collective Shout, an anti-porn group masquerading as a feminist liberation org. (Look up the meaning of the word SWERF.)

Collective Shout has, allegedly, sent over 1,000 letters to Visa and Mastercard urging them to take action against certain digital retailers selling adult content. Which, thankfully gives us an avenue to respond. More on that in the third section.

WHY THIS MATTERS

For some of you, I don't need to explain why you should care. For others, let me explain to you why this is a massive cocern for everyone, not just adult content creators.

First of all, we've already seen perfectly sfw queer content catching strays from this. You should already be well aware that adult content and queer content are often conflated, and the two are pretty inextricably linked to each other. If you try to ban one, you will, inevitably, end up banning the other as well.

Secondly, this sets a precedent for "concerned citizens" to be able to pressure payment processors into removing whatever content they don't like from the internet. Even if you don't partake in adult content. Even if you're not queer. Even if this doesn't currently affect you or anyone you know right now, it will. They managed to do this with only 1,000 letters. If they get away with it, it'll only be the beginning.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Remember when I said they sent 1,000 letters to make this happen? I bet we can get more.

I wrote a form letter for Mastercard and for Visa. Fill in your name. Print them. Sign them. Mail them out. The addresses for the respective companies are at the top. It shouldn't cost much. Even international postage shouldn't be prohibitively expensive for most people.

Some people are sharing phone numbers and emails. That's fine, but I prefer a physical footprint. You can't see 1,000 phone calls. 1,000 emails don't take up physical volume. If you get 1,000 letters about something, you can see how much people care about it. That means something in this day and age.

SHARE THIS POST. Reblog it. Reblog it multiple times a day. Send it to everyone you know. Seriously. Everyone. Even if they're not on Tumblr. Get the word out. The most successful advertising is word of mouth. So use your voice and make sure people hear it. We've beaten this shit in the past and we'll do it again, but we still need to put in the work.

[sifya]

I add a suggest. There is confermation of visa and ubirsoft partenship. But also mastercard and visa have connection for triple a companies that haven't been cancelled. That is very suspicios , so i suggest people trying to contact EU commition anti trust. This a letter that I wrote with ai because my english is terrible, it isn't complete because i want to write more specific point like the deal and ue laws. And more direct but not complottist, f this makes sense. For outside of europe trying do the same, Visa , mastercard and paypal are abusing their status , so i think it is better to try to report. Working? Unluckly but it will create a paper trail.

Dear \[Recipient or Institution Name],

I am writing to raise serious concerns about the recent actions of major payment processors—specifically Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal—which appear to undermine national sovereignty and exert undue influence over legal, regulated digital content.

On July 22, 2025, Valve Corporation was reportedly compelled to remove a number of adult-oriented (NSFW) games from its Steam platform. This action was allegedly taken under pressure from the aforementioned payment companies, who threatened rebanking implications if their demands were not met.

According to Valve, Mastercard cited a clause related to the potential for reputational harm to their brand. This justification was used despite the absence of any official acknowledgment from Mastercard or its affiliates. These games, it must be emphasized, are legal adult products, fully compliant with the laws of the countries in which they are distributed. Therefore, the interference of private financial entities in their distribution raises serious questions about overreach and disregard for national and international legal frameworks.

Moreover, a significant number of the affected titles originate from independent developers and LGBTQ+ creators. These games, while not obscene or illegal, were grouped alongside explicit pornographic material and subjected to the same sweeping bans. Such decisions disproportionately affect marginalized creators and threaten the diversity and freedom of the digital creative economy.

In contrast, Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal maintain partnerships with Roblox, a platform currently facing multiple lawsuits related to its failure to protect minors from predatory behavior. This double standard sends a troubling message: that legal, adult content from independent developers is seen as more damaging to a brand than a platform accused of endangering children.

Further concerns arise from the recent announcement of a three-year partnership between Visa and Ubisoft in Europe. Ubisoft, a major AAA game publisher, may now be in a position to benefit from preferential treatment, while smaller competitors are silenced. This raises red flags about potential anti-competitive behavior and market manipulation, suggesting possible violations of EU economic sovereignty and free market principles.

These actions warrant immediate scrutiny. I urge the appropriate regulatory bodies—both at the EU and national levels—to investigate whether the behavior of Visa, Mastercard, and PayPal constitutes cartel-like conduct and whether their actions infringe upon the rights of consumers, developers, and sovereign nations.

Sincerely,

A Concerned Citizen https://commission.europa.eu/about/departments-and-executive-agencies/competition_en

https://competition-policy.ec.europa.eu/antitrust-and-cartels/contact_en#:~:text=How%20to%20contact%20the%20Antitrust,CONTACT%40ec.europa.eu

[vanitasnocarteconfessions]

“It's awfully sad to look at Vanitas and think he doesn't fit in either human or vampire company, but I can't really imagine him in either group. That's why I'm so happy when I see him with Dante, I'm glad that he and Vanitas met and their relationship is probably one of my favorite, if not my favorite”

[sifya]

Yes, it is my favourite but i think vanitas is going to lose dante. No dante won't die because a gravestone can be romanticize and allow Vanitas keeping to be attached to his trauma and Pov I am cursed.

No, I want a fallout between them, Dante seeing the self-loathing of vanitas and his addiction of drama is too dangerous to have around. I think one or more dhampir children might die in this act because Vanitas was reckless because He wants not for real need.

Seeing how Vanitas fooled Johann, he didn't want to keep the secret but was it really necessary a play that attracted hunters if vanitas already knew the spy and he doesn't want to respect Johann's request?

Now, dante is running for his life and group is battling hunters.

I think Dante making a speech to vanitas why he is suck ,that vanitas isn't cursed, every bad decision and broken connections is because vanitas does because he hates himself but in same time he brings people down with him.

More less like todd told to bojack fucks off.

While dante explains to Noè that if he keeps to follow vanitas it will end bad.

[sifya]

What is Johann hiding? The martyr assassin.

I think Johann isn't Mr. Spider, but he is still doing some shady business by Marquis Machina.

My theory is Johann and Paola, the faceless but mentioned dhampir, are secret Machina’s agents/assassins, the ones who kill people for starting the Gévaudan Act for Machina's machination.

I know Johann being Mr. Spider is the most widespread theory, but I don’t think Johann fits in that group because all leader members are the top of their own faction; Lord Ruthver treats Mr. Spider as a peer, while Johann is just a young dhampire informant broker.

The Charlatan isn’t only evil in the VNC 's world after all.

So Johann can still so something horrible without be a charlatan’ member, and I think his shady business can be with Marchise Marchina.

I think the revelation of Machina being a woman archiviste made people a little blind around her past actions and treating her as a potential ally for protagonists when she is clearly on the neutral-evil side.

Machina is a politician, a senator, and an archiviste who survived their genocide.

We don’t know yet what/who exactly happened to the archiviste clan, except they were ripped off centuries ago, which I think is already a lie because, in complexity, the vampire race is just more or less 400 years old, so the math isn’t adding up, so I am inclined to believe the Senate is lying about the archivist timeline because they are the ones who purged them.

As vampires live in Altus, and if the church was able to reach it, they would exterminate all vampires, not just a small group of them.

The only thing humans really need from vampires is astermite finds only on Altus, until humans can’t conquest altus they need vampires, therefore killing archiviste clan doesn’t benefict the church at all.

But if archivistes were killed by the Senate, how did Marquis Machina become a senator/beastia? Is she a traitor to the archivist clan? Is he a political prisoner of the Senate?

Her automaton suit, who make her unidentified, could be a hint to the Man in the Iron Mask/L'Homme au Masque de Fer, an unidentified prisoner during the time of Louis XIV. Often thought of as a political prisoner.

Her actions in the manga show, indeed, she is minding her business.

She is responsible for creating the weapons that are supplied to Bourreau, child soldier slaves who she is entitled to use, as she says to Jeanne.

Marchina is hiding her identity as an archiviste while sitting at the table of power (the vampire senate).

Her friends are Teacher and Lord Ruthver, who are not good guys.

She also has a sexual relationship with Veronica, who is openly sadistic and racist, meaning sharing her values or not being bothered by them.

She almost executed the dhampir trio for messing with her astermite trade and territory; only because Dante was able to negotiate and fascinate her, the trio is alive.

And last, she is responsible for the Gevaudan beast act by copycating the murders of the beast.

Therefore, we can easily hypothesize Machina is doing some terrible plans behind the scenes.

Let's be real: Marquis doesn't really need dhampirs as her broker informants; she is, after all, an archiviste. She can just read the memory of people, plus an ancient vampire like her should already have informants.

The Shapeless count implies her bees do more than just collecting information.

The Real Purpose of Dante's Crew.

They aren't Machina's primary source of information; they are her smokescreen, Johann and faceless Paola are her secret agents.

Agents who aren’t controlled by the vampire senate, like bourreau.

In the last chapter Johann has slipped, calling all dhampir community members Dante's and Riche's family but not his own.

It might be guilty because it is hiding himself and the true purpose of the Dante’s crew.

This is unfortunately like in real life, where minorities are used by criminal organizations because they have few choices.

Dante and Beatrice are looking for earning a place in light, legally and safely, but Johann is doing the dirty work.

In fact, I always find it extremely significant that Johann isn’t named after Vigirl despite the dhampir trio being based on the Divine Comedy. Riche is Beatrice, the ideal. Dante is a traveler, but Johann?

Like he has never been part of a trio.

But strangely, there is a name that is associated with John as duo: Paul.

John and Paul = Johann and Paola.

Saints John and Paul were two brothers, Roman soldiers, saints and then martyrs who worked for the empire while hiding their Christian faith. They were killed secretly, and their bodies were hidden in their home, as they were too popular for their good deeds, so the Roman Senate knows killing them in public is a terrible idea.

During the meeting in Dhampir Safe House, a name but no face was dropped: Paola.

In the dhampir safe house, one of the children comments he will bring dinner to Paola, meaning she can’t come to the dinner. Was she hurt? Working? Disliking outsiders (Vanitas, Noe, and Domi).

Johann looks to him with a worried expression, strongly implying there is something wrong with Paola, and Johann and she share something privately.

So Machina covers the role of the Roman employer while her “saints” act in secret.

If I am right, Johann has ability to be a spy/assassin.

1) Johann isn’t new to violence. When Dante and Riche met him the first time, his shirt had some blood spots but no injuries. Machina guards used more force on him than other dhampirs after being captured.

2) During the flashback Johann had a long staff, probably, which he used as a weapon.

3) He is athletic enough to keep up with the mission; he also has good control of the battlefield. As in Gévaudan Act , he was able to capture several hunters by surprise with only a net pistol or by having sharp instincts.

4) Dante called him a protector, and he is not bothered by scary and graphic comments from Johann, knowing the dark side of his friend. We can see Johann often acts as the physical protector of the trio.

5) Johann can hide his feelings so perfectly that his friends don't have an idea he hates Noè's guts. Johann always acts polite and servile like a person who worked in hospitality for 12 hours and is near to murdering everyone in the room but needs a job, so they keep the perfect mask on.

This last personality trait would make an assassin/spy perfect, because they work in a stealthy way rather than a noisy one. An assassin doesn’t let anyone know they are after all.

But Johann's violence is hidden under smiles, but it is easily close to being triggered.

During the Gévaudan Act , Vanitas threatened the lives of Johann and Dante while Dante tried to calm down the situation, but Johann, the coward, promised Vanitas death. Vanitas doesn’t look impressed but he doesn’t underestimate Johann either. Vanitas has sharp instincts that identify Johann as a true menace.

But before this interaction, Jeanne and Johann presented each other.

Jeanne asks what Johann is; he answers, "A dhampir", in rather mocking tone than his usual, and Jeanne, the hellfire witch, sweats coldly.

Johann noticed immediately, and he tried to justify his intensity by saying he disliked staying away from Dante. When Dante arrived, he jumped and aggressively cuddled Dante in front of Jeanne and Vanitas. Johann adores Dante, and he is flamboyant, but this behavior after Jeanne's instinct put her on guard is suspicious, like Johann was trying to pass for helpless.

Especially because after this scene, Vanitas threatens Dante and Johann, and Johann is ready to kill Vanitas.

Might Johann be an archiviste?

Another possible factor that Johann might be a good assassin of Machina and her true secret assert is that, if like the utent @noes-pillow theorized, Johann might be a child of Archiviste because he has white hair and purple eyes, both characteristics that are present in Noé and Machina.

In VNC the ability to read memory by blood doesn’t depend on a world formula but on archiviste biology, so if dhampirs have fangs too, hypothetically a dhampir born from an archiviste would be able to see memories too.

If both hypotheses are correct, Johann would be the perfect spy for Machina; his ability can take secrets from Machina's enemies without her exposing herself.

Then Machina used Dante Broker Company as an excuse for how Machina has these information: "My dhampirs found it ."

This also explains why Machina needs a duo of assassins; during the memories, while drinking, the archiviste is completely vulnerable. They need to be protected, so Paola is the one who guards Johann while he steals information from their targets.

Being an archiviste put a lot of stress on Johann and his imposter syndrome around the Dhampir family.

Dhampirs are seen as an annoyance but not a danger. Being an archiviste but a red moon dhampir passing allows Johann not to be killed immediately but means a stressful life to keep lying for his safety.

It explains his negative opinion around Noé. Noè is privileged by his position as an adopted member of the De Sade family, blind to it.

While other archivistes were killed, survivors were enslaved or forced to do worse for living. Noè can preach about pacifism without understanding survival takes priority over it if the other part is actively trying to hurt you.

Noè's privilege is manifest in the diplomatic shield that allows him to abuse his physical power when his pacifism doesn’t work. In the second chapter we see Noè breaking the count's desk in a moment of rage, but Noè doesn’t face consequences for it.

It mirrors perfectly Johann leaving with Dante and Riche after Count Orlok gave them the ultimatum. Johann doesn’t hide his sarcasm, but he is forced to be polite and servile and accept the threat.

I think Johann might have lived with his vampire mother because he shows some vampiric behaviour; in the series, the vampires sometimes nuzzle/rub other people/animals, which makes sense after all, as vampires have superior noses, so smell is part of unwritten physical communication.

Johann does this continually with Dante or Riche nuzzling, but one time he did it on Noè Noè's shoulder johann was hurt. It starts with Johann nuzzling Murr than resting his face on Noè's shoulder.

In cat behaviour, a cat would rub itself on a stronger/safest member of the group when it is hurt.

Notice Noè is confused, but he doesn’t remove Johann. Johann might hide his smell as an archiviste, but he still looks for comfort from pack members. Noè might have been able to feel Johann is part of archiveste clan on a physical level. This explains they are comfortable on a physical level despite not being close, but Johann still hates Noè.

Johann hates being around Noè because of his sheltered idealism/pacifism, especially around the vampire senate. What if Johann is literally a survivor of the purge? Which explains also his dislike around Jeanne.

While Jeanne isn't responsible of archivistes purge because she was sleeping, she is still a Bourreau, senate's weapon used during it.

His name might be a reference to John the Apostle, the one who wrote the Apocalypse.

What if Johann survived the Archiviste genocide/purge, amking him a witness of an apocalypse?

Who is Paola?

It is impossible to say without other information than her being quoted, but I think she might be N70.

Like @astamite theorizes chapter 69 might show Morue again, as number 69 is connected to Vanitas, so following this example, n70 can be the introduction of n70 with its Paola identity.

If Paola is a Moreu’s victim, it might also explain why Paola and Johan were able to copy the murders of the beast because her time in the lab horribly turned her into something else.

But I don’t think Machina forced Paola and Johann to work for her. In the Beast act, Johann was pissed off with Machina and situation, saying Johann shouldn’t bring Dante with him.

There is no fear, only annoyence. What if that man, Johann was angry with himself to bring in dante in Gévaudan because Johann already knew how much situation was a mess because he had been already there.

Dante struck a deal with Machina because she is bored; her conditions are clear, especially for what she can offer. For a survivor archivist and Morue's victim, Machina is someone who gives them tools for their goals (Johann revenging his clan and protecting the dhampire, Paola tracking down Morue) in exchange for being her agents.

I don’t think the main dhampirs are going to die in this act.

I strongly believe that Dante will cut Vanitas off from his life after Vanitas puts the dhampir useless in danger and some of the children will die as consequence.

Vanitas won’t only lose his true best friend and the possibility to access Machina, but Vanitas also wouldn’t know Johann and Paola use Vanitas to find the mole in the dhampir community without esposing themselves and then throw him under the bus.

[sifya]

Ok, my silly new headcanon about Marquis Machina. I read different opinion about johann being Archiviste's child, this theory has warmed up to me but if it is real there is another feature in archiviste clan; they are all giants. Look Johann and Noè! And If my theory about Granatums are the human branch of archiviste clan is true, Astolfo's height doesn't weaken this headcanon because his parents were tall as hell, meaning his being short isn't natural state of his family.

But his body has been working survival mode since massacre so it doesn't spare energy for growing.

Machina might have been one of first vampire and Archiviste born after babel accident, so a petite and small woman of 16th century but in same way after every archiviste born was giant, so she build her suit because she hated to be the shortest archiviste alive despite being the anciest.

After all, she was wearing a bear suit during the first meet with Chloè begging to not remove her mask because she was shy.

I know it is silly but i think it is fanny canon.

Joke outside I thought her automaton suit can be a hint to Man in the Iron Mask/ L'Homme au Masque de Fer , a unidentified prisoner during the time of Louis XIV.

Because of his unusual treatment , a lot theories and legends were born, such he was important political prisoner or secret twin of the king.

[sifya]

The bet of Dante's mother.

This is a theory I developed after reading different opinions about Dante’s lineage in particular because, like everyone points out, Dante looks a lot like Lord Ruthven and the paladin Ogier of Sphene. And if my theory is right, Dante’s mother was the most terrified, bold, and cunning person in VNC.

Dante wasn’t risen as a classic dhampir; his rich mother spends a lot of money on his education, clothes, candies, and also glasses. She had raised him in isolation before abandoning him when he was a child.

She was indeed investing in him; she also brought him glasses that camouflages a dhampir's eyes which can turn golden randomly.

In the series, a lot of times young vampires have difficulty identifying themselves. Most humans didn’t know vampires were still alive until recent events of curse bearers, so technically with the right precautions, you might be able to pass a dhampir for human.

Like we saw in the flashback, Dante received an education, which wasn’t common for most of the population of that time, so I believe her mother wanted to put Dante as a legitimate heir of her husband's family, but she needed to be 100% sure Dante’s cover wouldn't blow up, so she put him in isolation for observing his development while grooming him into an obedient puppet.

Did her husband know about Dante's paternity or he was fooled. I quite believed it he might have know Dante not being his son and he allowed his wife's experiment, If it is so ,but why?

Connection with the Throne of Sphene.

Dante and Ogier look very alike, but I don’t think they are half-brothers but cousins. Which explains why they resemble each other but they didn't know each other until recently.

Why do these cousins look too similar? Because the Sphene throne are nobility, they practice cousin marriages. Nobility still practiced at the end of the 1800s; Gregor Mendel laws were often ignored in favour of keeping properties in the family.

So we have two branches of sphere throne.

A/Main one: The first son inherited the throne, the title and most of the properties of the family, which meant he probably married his cousin, Dante's mother.

But because of inbreeding, they didn’t manage to have a child, and Dante's mother took matters in her own hands, having a child outside of wedlock, making him passing for their heir but keeping isolated with an excuse(for example he was sickly) until she was sure she could hide his true identity.

B/secondary branch: The second brother barely inherited, so he probably married outside of the family and nobility because he had low value on marriage market. marrying outside of his circle gives him 4 sons.

Not everyone is perfectly healthy, as Ogier describes himself as stupid, and one of his brothers is too weak and Ogier's father doesn't propose himself as paladin.

Still, 4 heirs from the secondary branch were a problem for main branch, so A took drastic measures.

But why Dante’s mother would have chosen Lord Ruthver as the father of her branch, outside of her boldness and him being stunning, I think there are different factors.

1) Lord Ruthver has similar physical features to the Sphere Throne family.

2) His bloodline/world formula would be powerful enough to give a powerful son from a dying bloodline.

3) He is a careful man; if he entered into a relationship with a married noblewoman of the church, he would be careful not being discoved.

4) She could eventually blackmail him, if she needed to. Remember the war was probably won by the human side, so a word of a human is more worthy than a vampire's in Church’s eyes. Accusing him of violence against her was more plausible than them having a consensual affair. Ruthven would also lose credibility in Vampire senate if he were discovered to have a dhampir child.

Paradoxically an affair with another human noble would have given more problems to her because nobleman had more political power than her. An affair with ordinary man would have destroyed her reputation.

So, why did she discard Dante after all her efforts?

1) She becomes a widow, losing the safety of her husband who was also her possible accomplice.

2) Dante was starting to manifest more vampiric features than she previewed.

In a flashback when she abandons Dante, she dresses up as a widow, and her maid has luggage with her.

Ogier's flashback his father reports his brother, who was the paladin of Sphere family, died in a carriage accident (which is already suspicious), and now they need to train a paladin.

I think Dante's mother and Ogier’s aunt are the same woman.

We don’t know exactly how genetics work in dhampir in VNC, but because it is steampunk, I believe the approach to their ability will be based on modern genetics and world formulas. A dhampir can inherit more of the vampiric or human world formula from its parents which gives different abilities, features and strengths.

We know the mysterious dhampir hero Kreskin has the unique ability to deny the world the formula with his golden eyes, but despite other dhampir eyes turning gold too , it doesn’t look like denying the formula is a common ability for their race.

This implies every dhampir can have unique genetic than just being half of both world.

Riche and dhampir children are very human-looking, meaning the world's formula of theirs human parents was stronger than vampiric part, which might explain why Riche isn’t often brought in missions because she probably can’t keep up with the dangers.

While Joahnn has very vampiric beauty, Dante has peculiar orange eyes, but his appearance is very human, but he has monstrous force, and he used to be Vanitas' shield against the curse bearers before Noè arrived.

Therefore is possible most dhampirs are fangless but some of them can develop their fangs and bloodlust.

Dante will develop the fangs and her mother knew it.

Dante has had a sweet tooth since he was a child; he spends time or money to cook or buy candies and desserts, which is a strange habit for a cheap boy.

Sugar and candies were a luxury in 19th century, especially the candies because expensive sugar and hours of work to make them, but we have almost never seen Dante without a lollipop in his mouth.

Dante is a very responsible leader; his addiction to sugar is almost out of character, plus why would he have kept to eat candies without triggering memory about his mother’s abandonment.

Because Dante was conditioned muzzle his fangs and bloodlust with sugar, but he doesn’t have idea, he thinks he often craving sugar.

In a flashback of abandonment, Dante consumed the candies her mother gifted to him, slowly sipping them in his mouth for hours. How many children can do that? Most children get impatient, and they break candies under their teeth.

But not Dante; probably her mother taught him to eat hard candies it the right way, but in reality she was gaslighting Dante's vampiric instinct with the simulation of drinking blood by movement of the mouth and togue and sweet taste, as all vampires in the series describe the blood as sweet.

In real life, when you are developing teeth, extra pressure in your mouth helps with pain which explains why Dante has always a lollipop as the stick helps the jaw pression.

Another flashback, when Domi, Noè, and Louis share their blood, they are of similar age to Dante when he was abandoned, suggesting at that age the fangs pop out in young vampires.

Dante’s mother thought Dante was human enough-looking; then she noticed Dante asking for sugar too often or complaining of jaw pain, and she realized a dhampir with fangs was too risky to pass him for heir of the paladin throne and so she escaped after cutting the loose.

I strongly believe Lord Ruthver doesn’t have an idea Dante is his son, for what he knows he had an affair with a woman, but he was careful, taking care of contraceptives too; he also believed she would want to get pregnant by a vampire and from affair as she was a church noble.

She did, and she baby-trapped him in secret by sabotaging their precautions.

There is also a second possibility that she gaslighted Dante’s biology for avoiding Dante being discovered by Lord Ruthven.

Lord Ruthven is a complex antagonist, not cartoon villain, so I can see him in different situation where he found out early about Dante, finding an excuse for hiding their kinship and raising him in Altus.

She didn't want to lose her investment from lord Ruthven or paying the consequences but when she realized investment was falling and she didn't have enough political power to defend herself from branch B, she left Dante with candies because she wanted to be sure if Dante's fangs popped out she was far away from lord Ruthven, church and her family.

Now if my theory is right Ruthven can’t take in Dante now because Dante is a bee of marquis Marchina who I believe she knows Dante is lord Ruthven’ son.

When Naemia turns briefly in Queen Faustina, her world formula resonates with red moon vampires.

When Vanitas and Misha were saved by Luna, they said to Vanitas, "You asked to be saved. " We don’t know how Luna knew where to find Misha and Vanitas, but maybe their condition as fake blue moon kin resonates in the world formula so Luna could find them.

A similar mechanism might happen inside a same bloodline; in that moment, Dante's world formula turns more vampiric because his fangs pop out like wisdom teeth, Ruthver will know.

What about Dante’s mom? If my theory is right, she is one of the scariest villains in manga; she played everyone, and when her bet was failing, she just disappeared with widow retirement and did other terrific schemes outside of France.

[sifya]

Help with brutal legends!

I can't pass the level when i need to defend the bus from monkey demon bikers! Help! i put easier game but i am terrible on driving and use the weapon! Some advice?

[sifya]

I was thinking hasn't Domi drunk blood from other people than Noè? I am not referring when she was under Misha's control Yes, we see her flirting with girls, but she admits Veronika doesn't let potential suitors approach her. And after all the bravado mask Domi is quiet shy. Because Vanitas no carte is also a coming-of-age story, not only i think Domi might grow up her feeling around Noè but interact with other potential partners. My bet is on Dante, I know everyone is convinced dante will die, I don't think it will happen in this act. Domi and chloè had red flangs during their act and they are still there. I also feel the story is on world building level after dhampir act, i agree people will start to die but now I think maybe dhampir children have the potential to die for creating a fallout between dante and Vanitas. In everycase I feel there is possibilities of blood drinking scene between dante and domi. This act seems focused on them, they have already interacted in past. Dante is opposite man than noè visually and personality. In omake Dante and vanitas want to see girl in swimming costume but they are upset because they are old fashion ones. But Riche wasn't present in scene but domi. I think potential blood drinking scene for domi with dante can give interesting point. 1) Her need to feel her fangs under her control again, after what misha did to her 2) Starting to separate herself from co dependence with noe, which is limiting both of them in status of eternal mourning and inability to let the childhood go. 3) Breaking de sade rules. Despite de sade family talks about living and following the pleasure their role is reinforcing the status quo in altus, which in deep Domi doesn't believe it.

[victorian-era-rat]

Hello! I'm alive and I realized I never posted my analysis of the Case Study of Vanitas volume 9 cover so I'm doing that now. (spoilers)

Image I stole from google:

The rest of this is going to be in bullet points in an attempt to not jump back and forth between subjects.

-the pins: While this is probably one of the easier ones to figure out, I still wanted to give my interpretation of them. I think that they're intended to represent the pain that Mikhail causes Vanitas (poking into the frame with a picture of Vanitas inside) but also the way in which he does it. Pins only cause pain in one specific area representing how Mikhail strategically makes Vanitas remember specific moments so that he's easier to manipulate.

-the chains (and their connection to the pins): The chains represent how Vanitas was trapped by Mikhail. The fact that the pins specifically are holding the chains up shows that their relationship causes Vanitas harm and that it is built off of his pain. It also shows that Mikhail wants Vanitas to be isolated as his portrait is covered in chains possibly so that nobody will touch it.

-the blue butterflies: There have only been two times in the series that I can think of where butterfly motifs were used, on this cover and when Ruthven hypnotized Noé, thus butterflies can be associated with manipulation and control. While Ruthven's butterflies are red, most of the ones on the cover are white/light blue. Both of these colors are highlighted in Mikhail's design, so they represent Mikhail's manipulation and control over Vanitas. The quantity of them is likely meant to show how long this manipulation has been happening for and how deep it goes.

-the red butterfly: This one specifically stands out because it contrasts the mostly blue color palate of the cover. As mentioned previously, the only other time (correct me if I'm wrong) when we see butterflies like that is when Ruthven is hypnotizing Noé. As far as I am ware, Ruthven has no connection to Mikhail or the events of this volume, so it most likely represents Noé. Continuing with that interpretation, it's probably supposed to show Noé trying to get past all of the lies and manipulation to end the fight, explaining the contrasting colors.

Uh... yeah. Let me know if there's anything I missed

[sifya]

Butterflies in Greek myths represent the souls that leave the bodies. In East Europe specifically they represent the souls of vampires. So for me the butterflies are dead connect to the protagonists. Purple butterflies are archiviste clan who circle around last archiviste, same for vanitas because i believe there were other blue moon vampires,after all it is called clan. One art with jeanne and vanitas, the butterflies around her , they are her victims of hellfire witch. So in case of this cover , the butterflies is noè trying to reach vanitas, misha pins butterflies who actually people who might be able to reach vanitas. PS: is the cover from starcomic? Are you italian?

[cosmica-candy]

As yall know, my father is abusive, on Sunday he crossed the line and for the safety of our lives me and my older sister have to bail ASAP.

EVEN IF THIS GOAL ISNT MET, WE ARE STILL LEAVING!!! I just want to help my sister with moving expenses!

You can find my Kofi here, but please please don't feel pressured into this

[galaxycepheus]

[ID. A series of slides titled "I am having to RUN AWAY from my home."

Slide 1: What happened: — while i cannot go into detail, my father crossed the line leading to my current home to be very unsafe. me and my older sister have agreed with this action, WE NEED TO BAIL

Slide 2: What next? — me and my sister, are currently rushing to get an apartment we have tours soon, we planned to move out in winter, but shit happened. THINGS AT HOME HAVE COOLED DOWN. BUT IF MORE SHIT HAPPENS, WE HAVE A PLAN, DO NOT WORRY.

Slide 3: What next? — i need to stress. me and my sister WILL BE MOVING NO MATTER WHAT. But in order to help, i need to raise 2k to help with moving out and first months rent! BUT EVEN WITHOUT THAT, WE ARE STILL MOVING OUT. SO PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE DON'T FEEL PRESSURED!!!

Slide 4: What now? — If you want to help, thank you. I have a kofi with a goal set, my comissions are open! THERE WILL BE NO GOFUNDME

Comissions:

Bust — Flat: 45 | Cell: 55 | Render: 65

Half- — Flat: 55 | Cell: 65 | Render: 95

Full- — Flat: 80 | Cell: 85 | Render: 115

(Note: 50% per extra character. Due to situation, no complex backgrounds!!) /end ID.]

[aguacerotropical]

I know we’re all thinking Johann is the Spider guy but I’m left with hmmm at this dude being the only one looking at Johann, Vanitas and Noé with suspicion when Johann is telling them there’s a spy among the dhams. He’s also not at the theater, as far as I can tell. Is Johann protecting someone else?

[ghostly-phantom]

Yeah, I was left with the impression that Johann is not the spy/culprit, but that he is aware of who it is and is protecting this person. I don't think his chat with Vanitas and Noé would be so calm otherwise (I might be wrong tho)

However, an interesting detail I just noticed here is that Johann says “a member of their precious family” instead of “a member of our precious family”.

If he's not the traitor, I wonder what's up with this distance...

Does he not consider the spy a part of the family anymore because treason is unforgivable? (And he's only protecting the culprit for Dante's and Riche's sake?)

Or could it be that Johann is loyal only to Dante and Riche and not very fond of the entire “Beehive” thing?

[vncblogsposts]

I have re watched some episodes where Johann showed up yesterday due to theories about him and some things that are pointed out.

And I'm not sure if anyone else has noticed, but at some point he mentioned to Dante to not get himself in trouble so he doesn't make Riche cry, HE DIDN'T MENTION THE REST OF BEEHIVE.

He seems very attached to Riche and Dante, like he's hugging them when they reunite and he's threatening Vani that he will kill him if he hurt Dante.

So Johann isn't really a closed off person in showing that he cares for someone.

But with kids in beehive, he didn't really interact with them.

Tbf people that were shown interacting with the kids were only Noé and Domi, and it was more so a background detail, but still...

[sifya]

Johann interacts with children in chapter, he looks like he is the firm brother figure to them despite his usual personality. Or couse he is more close to riche and dante, they were his first family and near to age.

[sifya]

Me, living outside of Italy i asked my sister to buy with my money and store in her house all volumes vanitas no carte . Only negative note, I need to wait for volume 2 reprinting. Me, ok i can be patient, after all i read already all story. This happened 3 days ago.

My sister on phone today : Do you know where i can read volume 2?🥺

Me, founding online reading for her in Italian.

This is second time i turned casually one of my sisters in a fan of something i enjoy.

Two years ago was with my twin who let me using her phone so i could lister epic Ithaca saga.

Upgrade: My sister realizes the volume 9 is missing, i check online for missing volumes. Volume 2 for 45 euro, ok noè you are pretty but that pretty. Volume 9 on 10 euro. I feel like a boomer but i have to tell " When I was young the manga cost 4 euro! And dust jacketd wasn't a thing."

I hate Dust jacket they are so delicate that ruin too easily.

[neversetyoufree]

VnC's frame narrative structure is good for many reasons, and one of those reasons is that whenever there's a scene whose framing/presentation I have some issue with, I get to wonder whether it's an intentional choice by Mochijun to frame it weirdly bc Noé is Weird About It

[neversetyoufree]

Last night it occurred to me that, if the visuals of the VnC manga are meant to represent the way that Noé portrays events in the text of his memoir, then Noé chooses to present his own assault like this.

[aguacerotropical]

the contradictory framing fits in with the fact that the memoir is also the story of noé growing up and shedding his naivete. like despite being a vampire, noé often occupies the gothic heroine role that is preyed upon and, in turn, is being given permission to feel pleasure by the villain. esp relevant in the chloé arc where he most obviously becomes the kidnapped and drugged victim in the cursed vampiric manor. so i think it’s playing into the gothic genre’s hallmark of blurring lines between the erotic and sexual assault (and the erotic being erotic because of the non-consent, the pleasure being forced)

It also makes sense in that noé is the most sexually repressed out of the cast and seems to have to break out of that. the only times we do see sexual desire from him are with Louis and Vanitas, with Domi being an outlet when those other two are denied. seeing unwilling enjoyment just underscores the repression

[neversetyoufree]

[screenshotting my previous tags for others' benefit bc they're relevant to your response]

@aguacerotropical That's a really interesting point!

I think I've posted before about applying a lot of those same ideas to Jeanne, since so much of her arc revolves around desire, repression, and learning to let herself want things. To borrow your words, she has to be given permission to feel pleasure by an antagonistic force in her life: Vanitas.

That said, I hadn't really thought to apply that same logic to Noé in this scene. But I really like your idea that seeing Noé experience this forced, unwanted physical pleasure underscores the absence of wanted, reciprocal pleasure in his life.

If we say that one of the memoir's main threads is meant to be Noé finding his way to sexual maturity and learning to understand and act on his desires, it adds context to how often he gets assaulted and goes through otherwise unpleasant sexual experiences. Hell! He gets assaulted in-transit the first time he sets out from Averoigne, before he's even reached the destination that's supposed to be the start of his coming of age story. Him getting bit by Amelia is one of the first things that happens in the manga, and it happens because he trusts and wants to protect her, so he disregards Vanitas's warnings. That opening incident sets the stage for everything that comes after, for Noé growing up and learning to navigate both blood/sex and his own naivete.

In the context of each of Noé's (mostly bad) blood/sexual experiences being one link in a chain that eventually carries him to understanding, I suppose it's significant that the incident with Chloé happens so soon after his rejection by Vanitas. Noé's desire for Vanitas's blood intensifies to the point that he feels compelled to try to act on it, and he's shot down. Then just a few days later in-fiction (and just a few chapters later for readers), we see him experience undeniable physical pleasure in a circumstance that terrifies him. He fails to sweet talk his way into pleasure when he desires it, then he suffers from the horror of forced pleasure without desire. Both of these scenes are cruel echoes of the reciprocal relationship/encounter that he actually wants.

Noé's memoir is about processing his grief, and it's about chronicling Vanitas as a person and unpacking his psychology, and it's also about Noé's sexual/vampiric coming of age story. It's about him fumbling his way into understanding the world, into understanding Vanitas, and into understanding and acting upon his own desires. In that context, especially given how Noé's physical desire for Vanitas is intertwined with his desire to know him and see his memories, the arc of Vanitas and Noé's relationship and the arc of Noé's sexual coming of age are inextricable from each other. He wants him and he wants to know him. And for Noé to grow up, he has to someday understand what that means.

[sifya]

I think it is important to notice that when Noe was growing up his sexuality/blood drinking communication was brutally interrupted with Louis and other friends' death.

Louis was his partner/guide but it happened in early adolescence and Noè lost all his friends and might have been alone without peers.

So Noè was starting to learn the blood drinking communication from children, who exchange blood like candies, in more mature and sensual one as adult.

This explains why Noè approches the blood drinking as chore or very childlike version of it.

Vanitas might have refused to share blood with him for his childlike vision. Yes, because I think Vanitas was in right to refuse because Noè was subconsciously trying to manipulate Vanitas with social pressure(Noè asked in front Dante) and courtesy.

You know when someone asks you something you don't really want to do it but you accept because that person has good reputation and they are polite.

Plus Noè asked this after he had learnt vanitas'father was killed by a vampire and vanitas is a survivor of rogue attack.

Logically this is last person you should ask something like that, no matter the fact vanitas let Jeanne having his blood, but because noè's understanding arounf blood drinking communication is very puerile.

Vanitas let Jeanne having his blood as power game against her and himself, he can play with his death wish, being vunerable but he is in power. Vanitas doesn't need Jeanne but she does.

But Noè isn't really afraid to be a vampire, he is afraid to be archiviste and his wish for blood is too tied with his thirst of story despite not accepting.

Noè was more fascinated by louis's blood because he was a mistery.

At beginning Noè was interested in Jeanne but this changed after she drank from Vanitas and dialogue what is love. His archiviste instints were enthralled around Jeanne because she has a complicated story but then they passed on Vanitas because his story is more intriguing.

Don't believe me look like Noè drank from Misha, a person who he dislikes and almost killed domi.

Noè is holding Misha too tightly and almost possessive but before his body language was avoiding. My theory is Archiviste instinct is greedy of story or information no matter what Noè thinks, his archiviste biology doesn't care of consent/violation of privacy. In moment Noè started to drink, his instinct wants the secrets that are hidden in blood. This explains the possessive grip on Misha, it wasn't only despair for saving Domi, but archiviste instict wanted the blue moon kin secrets. This explains why Noè's blood desire isn't always present, it isn't about the quality of blood but the stories it hides behind.

Noè needs to learn he isn't human with fangs, and his vampire instincts are tied to archiviste ones.

[sifya]

Ok,maybe it is just fool idea but what if Marquis Machina is baba yaga of VNC ? When I saw machina's maw of fangs , I immediately thought of the witch. Baba Yaga is cannibal witch evil neutral who will eat you if you don't do what she asked to do it or lie to her. If we think how dante stoke a deal with her. By sincerity. So is Dante Vasilisa the beautiful?

I think I will have confermation if her mark of possession is a drawing mortar.

[aguacerotropical]

I know we’re all thinking Johann is the Spider guy but I’m left with hmmm at this dude being the only one looking at Johann, Vanitas and Noé with suspicion when Johann is telling them there’s a spy among the dhams. He’s also not at the theater, as far as I can tell. Is Johann protecting someone else?

[ghostly-phantom]

Yeah, I was left with the impression that Johann is not the spy/culprit, but that he is aware of who it is and is protecting this person. I don't think his chat with Vanitas and Noé would be so calm otherwise (I might be wrong tho)

However, an interesting detail I just noticed here is that Johann says “a member of their precious family” instead of “a member of our precious family”.

If he's not the traitor, I wonder what's up with this distance...

Does he not consider the spy a part of the family anymore because treason is unforgivable? (And he's only protecting the culprit for Dante's and Riche's sake?)

Or could it be that Johann is loyal only to Dante and Riche and not very fond of the entire “Beehive” thing?

[micobacteriumtuberculosis]

Yeah, that phrasing really does stand out immediately. Johann only being loyal to Dante and Riche is such an interesting through because he was shown to be fiercely overprotective with both of them and he’s the last member of the original dham group. They obviously mean the world to him, considering what we saw in Dante’s backstory. If you look up chapter 65 & 66 in almost every panel where Dante is, Johann is standing behind/beside him. He is literally the guard dog archetype personified. And while dham condition is obviously important to Dante and Riche, with Johann there’s… nothing. Just look at the way he acted with the miel seller. Wanna bet he was going to give him up to the church?

Another thought about the “their family” slip up: maybe Johann simply doesn’t consider himself as a part of it? Maybe he doesn’t believe he deserves it after what he did, whatever it is?

Also no, Johanna’s definitely not the Spider. Even if he is probably hiding something, his nervousness during the confession was genuine.

Besides, why would he even confess? Maybe it’s a super complicated play of some sort but for now I’m thinking Johann really is just a spy. I’d say he either really got scared of Vanitas knowing or whoever he’s spying for made him confess for whatever plan of theirs.

[sifya]

maybe johann did something for protecting dante from altus? If the theory about dante being secret lord Ruthven 'son, there would be catastrophic reactions in altus if it is discovered. Despite pink glasses of noe and domi, alyus is terrible place based on hierarchy, slavery, superiority racial. Dante as son of lord Ruthven is a perfect prawn or problem. Expecially because dante was treated differently from other dhams, his mother didn't love him but she gave him education and safety for a while, like he was a precious investment.

[aguacerotropical]

I know we’re all thinking Johann is the Spider guy but I’m left with hmmm at this dude being the only one looking at Johann, Vanitas and Noé with suspicion when Johann is telling them there’s a spy among the dhams. He’s also not at the theater, as far as I can tell. Is Johann protecting someone else?

[sifya]

Johann is definitely hidding something or someone, but i don't think he is mr spider. The charlatan members are elite , the best of their faction. Lord ruthven is one of stronger vampires ever and senator. Gano is a paladin, morue despite his craziness he is a brillant scientist. Johann is a good broker but he doesn't really stand up. Plus in last chapter mr spider was shown looking tge city, while Johann was with dhams. So i personal believe mr spider is the legendary dham , meaning he had experience, power and soo tired of situation than he accepted to work with charlatan despite having doubts.

I like idea the boy in pucture is the spy or drug dealer, he might be opposite than dante. Dante wants accepting but the boy wants both humans and vampires suffering and dying.

I have impression Johann isn't saying all truth, because he is hiding paola's secret. Who is Paola, tge only dham who hasn't been shown yet, but Johann had a worried face when one of dham brought her food. My theory she is number 70, she suffers from hunger, little nightmares style, and Johann is feeding her in secret, but she is feral and broke his arm.

She is the spy for church because she is double playing it because of revenge and looking for morue.

The boy is drug dealer and Johann is putting him under the bus because his actions are jeopardizing the dhams because he isn't careful while paola she is. I will find more ironic vanitas doesn't discover about paola because she us that smart.

[sifya]

I haven't read the last chapter of vnc but personally I believe no main characters/Vanitas'friends should die.

Because it will make more easy to Vanitas accepting death. Vanitas is deeply hurt, thinks the world is horrible place without hope and he deserves to be hated.

Killing off people who Vanitas cares only confirms that view, making for him easier to accept death/ rewritting.

For me it will be more of impact that Vanitas in the end doesn't want to die.

Like In Full metal Panic sigma, the main character who has been a child soldier all his life,to beginning he didn't really care about dying.

But after all experiences, friendships , pains and victories when he is near to die. He received a registered video call from his class-mates who urge him to come back.

And he has breakdown, ugly crying. Honestly I think it will be more impactful for vanitas character a similar scene.

PS: The list of people I think might potential die i will do in other post.

or also this version can work.

[hunterinabrowncoat]

The legislation and digital infastructure changes happening - the Online Safety Act, the proposed social media ban in the UK, Apple announcing it will be scanning every photo in a person's phone to block and blur nudity unless they verify their age - is all blatantly about mass surveillance rather than about protecting children.

But there's something interesting to me about the fact that it's convincing to a lot of people. Because I think it speaks to the wider culture we have around children, and the fact that we simply don't see children as fully realised people in their own right, with their own needs and wants and desires.

Rather than educating and empowering children and young people, helping them deal with the world they interact with, the only way we can conceive of safeguarding them from harm is to simply lock them away in a box. The digital world cannot be monitored and controlled by an adult at every step, therefore it must be off-limits. Children are so systemically disempowered by our society that we can't conceive of any way to protect them other than to exert tighter and tighter control and monitoring over their lives, regardless of the obstensively negative consequences.

Meanwhile, the government seems to have no issue with content of children being posted on the internet, regardless of their ability to consent, as long as it's being posted by adults. (Afaik in the UK) there is no legislation about children's rights to privacy, protecting them from the adults in their life posting any and all images, videos and details about their lives to the entire world online. Beyond the right to privacy, exploitation is also rife! How many accounts exist that monetise content of their children, turning them into dancing monkeys for the algorythm to make their parents some money? But it's not seen as a systemic issue that's easy to scaremonger about like the bogeyman of the Internet Stranger and pornographic content, because the assumption is that adults are always acting in the best interests of the children under their care until proven otherwise.

The negative consequences that result from being locked out of the digital world are also hand-waved away on the assumption that not only do Adults Know Best, but also that adults can and will provide whatever children need. Online resources are an essential tool for children to learn about what abuse looks like, how they can access support, learn about their bodies and what's normal and the importance of consent and receive a comprehensive sex education, as well as understand other things about themselves like their sexuality, gender identity, neurodivergence or disability - all things which they are unlikely to want to talk to the adults in their life about. In fact, all things that the adults in their life may be actively keeping from them.

I know many will argue, having had experienced a childhood before the digital age, that we survived without smartphones and social media and messaging apps just fine. But the reality is that children and young people today are simply living in a different world than we did, and many of the other avenues for communication, exploration and socialisation are simply not available to children now.

The world of the child has got smaller and tighter with every passing year as we continue to exert more control and take away more freedoms. The same people who decry that kids these days spend too much time on their phones forget that when they were young, they could go out on bikes with their friends until sundown; they went shopping as teens alone into the city centre; they were put under the care of older children regularly. You had long stretches of the day to spend with other children, free from the surveillance of adults. There were youth centres, skate parks, clubs and activities - resources that are becoming increasingly scarce as families struggle to make ends meat and funding is gutted year after year. For many children and young people, the online sphere is the only place they can go where they can explore their interests and interact with other people without the surveillance and control of adults. And yet many people see no issue with taking it away entirely.