Soyokaze | 21 | they/them | Fire Emblem and Inazuma Eleven | writer and artist when I feel like it | i take fic and drawing requests | i love Tenma and Seliph theyre my kids | CEO of tranfem Tsurugi nation | pfp by @luvendrawingonthemoon
i post mostly about fire emblem and inazuma eleven. i write fics and draw when i feel like it. im not consistant lmao. you can request fics and/or drawing! im always open to new ideas
i was gonna turn this clip into a gif but the size was too big for a tumblr post... oh well.
a semi-competent analysis below? i tried my best. i haven't studied any film theory, or any framework that'd help me with analysis, so this is basically a collection of observations i've made about this moment
i really like this panning shot. you have four groups of characters in different places: tenma in the first plan, tsurugi in second, raimon in third and the second squad in the background. and further in the background there's inazuma tower looming over the field, the groups and the town as a whole.
or more like, tenma exists in the foreground, tsurugi and the raimon team in the middleground and the second team + the tower in the background. it's kind of hard for me to translate the terminology from polish to english in this case, since in polish we use the word "plan" to refer to different positioning in a frame: "pierwszy plan", "drugi plan" sometimes "trzeci plan" although usually that's already "tło"; it really depends on the complexity of the composition.
the camera is positioned near the ground, behind tenma, as we observe the confrontation with him, but we are also observing him. that's why, i think, the point of view in this scene isn't literally through tenma's eyes, but from a position from which he's also participating in this stand off, although not by saying anything, but by simply standing apart from either opposing sides, indicating an alternate view on the situation, and his lack of belonging to either of the groups
it's also fun to think about how you could consider this to be a "soccer ball POV", which i think fits with tenma's personification of soccer, and in this case, would be soccer literally watching with bated breath as its fate is discussed. the tower in the background emphasizes the setting, as the spiritual, i think would be the right word, birthplace of soccer as inazuma town the place and inazuma eleven the series know it.
and i think the position of the camera this low also emphasizes the stakes of this moment; we're almost hidden, helpless, capable only of watching what transpires. from this low near the ground, we cannot 'interfere'. if we take this further into the "soccer ball POV" direction (yes REALLY), the lack of influence becomes more pronounced, because as an object the ball has no will of its own - its the characters' actions or beliefs that infuse it with a desired meaning.
i like how having five distinct points of interest on the screen (tenma, tsurugi, raimon, the second squad and the tower) manages to capture your attention between all of them at some point during this shot. i also like how tenma begins in this shot closer to raimon, but as the camera moves slowly the change in perspective forces him apart from them. i think it aligns tenma initially on their side to illustrate that they're his goal, but the growing distance conveys a sense of separation that he will have to overcome to actually belong in this group. and from an ideological standpoint, they're forced apart, because although tenma doesn't realize it yet, they don't have the same view of soccer as he does at the moment, because of fifth sector's damaging influence. in order for them to become united, they will have to bridge this gap by overcoming their individual roadblocks and choosing to stand up for true soccer - one that's free, welcoming, that doesn't judge and inspires connection.
and despite the change in perspective, while tenma moves away further from raimon, he crucially does not come visually closer to tsurugi at all, indicating their opposing views.
this separation into different groups & their placements also highlight their narrative importance: tenma as the main character is up front and center; tsurugi the cape-wearing antagonist stands directly opposing this iterations' ragtag group of misfits that forms the new raimon; and the second squad are more or less set dressing, but an effective one.
the aforementioned second team is completely removed from the ongoing interaction - tenma doesn't speak either, but he is in the center of the frame basically at all times, and he reacts to the conversation by facing whoever is speaking at the moment. plus his tense body language (straightened posture, clenched fists) indicate that he's engaged with the action that's the focus of this shot, the conversation between tsurugi and kudou/shindou. in contrast, the second squad has no bearing on how the scene progresses, but they're instead a reminder of what has happened just moments prior, and the threat that tsurugi poses to the soccer club, as his form obscures them at the start.
and speaking of obscuring, the shot also begins with tsurugi almost entirely covering the inazuma tower in the background. i think it indicates his intentions of destroying the literal and metaphorical symbol of inazuma town, the raimon soccer team and the spirit they carry. he's here to snuff out the flame of the burning torch passed down from generation to generation at raimon, to end their legacy here and there. but the tower does not remain hidden behind his form. it emerges from behind tsurugi quite quickly, becoming a judge of his intentions, a silent witness to the conflict of a new era and a sort of foreshadowing of tsurugi abandoning his role in the future and rallying under the lightning symbol, instead of against it.
the tower is probably my favorite element in this shot, a visual representative of Inazuma Town and the raimon soccer club, the iconic symbol of the setting, the community that is the raimon soccer club and the franchise as a whole. but it also represents the legacy of the raimon eleven and inazuma japan who achieved many grand victories against all odds, most crucially for the plot of GO, their triumph on an international stage that changed japan's soccer forever. its presence in this shot is this reminder of the significance of raimon on a larger scale in the world of soccer and a looming weight of the history that raimon carries in the present day, the weight that the new generation but also the regular residents carry as well.
i also love the atmosphere in this entire interaction. the grey skies and muted colors of the background really weigh this scene down. it creates this down to earth and somber tone, but not without a possibility of change - the skies will clear eventually after all. i especially like that the grey clouds connect visually with the clouds of smoke tsurugi evoked with his brutal shots in his introduction. it really makes him feel like this storm cloud, an approaching harbinger of doom, who disturbs the status quo of the world, both negatively and positively - negatively, because he brings pain and attempts to bring an end to raimon, but also positively, though not deliberately on his side, because by coming to annihilate, he allows for growth and change to flourish in these new, threatning circumstances. the pain of continuing with the same modus operandi outgrows the pain of change - tsurugi's appearance is the start of a domino effect that leads raimon to a better future.
the smoke and the destruction tsurugi brings can also be paralleled with teikoku's introduction in the og series, both in the very first moments of ep1, where we don't even see their faces yet, and during the moment when their bus arrives at raimon, stirring up clouds of dust into the air, and how they rise up when the team steps out of their tank-like mode of transportation. this visual really elevates both of those scenes for me, and feels slightly different in each instance. during teikoku's arrival at raimon, the dust clouds are a literal physical reaction to the sheer weight of their bus - it's grandess, it's scale, it's a foe before which the ground trembles. symbolically the clouds of smoke carry this element of mystery the team has to them and the darkness residing in teikoku. i also really love how this visual in regards to teikoku combines both this fairytale-like feel (which for me comes from an association with a dark forest, a setting usually accompanied by spooky mist) and a more modern, smoke-machine feel? in that the visual is so perfectly fitting it crosses over from mysterious to staged. the smoke also appears when the team boards the bus after giving up the match if i remember correctly. it's almost comical how it accompanies teikoku's entrance and exit, like a character in a stage play, which is where the smoke-machine association comes from. for me it also carries this "someone behind the scenes is pulling the strings (to arrange such a perfect visual cue)" which i think is a brilliant way to hint at what is happening at teikoku.
tsurugi's dust clouds have that storm-cloud association i've already mentioned, which also connects with hakuryuu in a really fun way, they share this cloud motif when they rain destruction upon those who oppose them. i think there's more pure force behind tsurugi's compared to teikoku, because well, he's the physical cause of all of that motion, compared to the bus for teikoku. it does kinda make it weaker for me though, because it's just less layered in possible interpretations. does this make sense? i hope it does lol. it still conveys tsurugi's raw power both as an individual, and as it pertains to his SEED status, and therefore, as an extention of fifth sector's enforcing force (buttery butter kind of word arrangement lmao)
back to the scene though. the central characters pop with their bright, saturated colors, as the ones shaping the present and the future of this world. the clothes they wear also further separate and distinct them from one another: tenma is in his school uniform, the uninformed outsider in this years-spanning conflict (not with tsurugi specifically of course, rather on a individual soccer clubs - fifth sector level), but one, that already aligns himself as part of raimon; tsurugi, in a modified, improperly worn uniform that very clearly marks him as the antagonistic, outside force in this scenario; and the raimon team, all wearing team uniforms, marking them as belonging together with each other, and belonging under this banner of a "Raimon Soccer Club".
and lastly... i like the cherry blossoms in full bloom in the background, also behind tsurugi. literally an overshadowed symbol of new beginnings, faded into the background, in the face of the current reality.
more witch hat atelier au because. its very fun... the anatomy in some of these is kinda off because i was so focused on the cloaks lmao... just. dont look too closely
drawing and designing cloaks is SO FUN i cant believe i didnt do this sooner. i've been such a huge fan of witch hat atelier for years, it's great to see it get more attention (even if it is a little scary as it always is when fandoms get bigger)
a good occasion to try out my new fountain pen hehe :)
The entire team was going to be replaced no matter what: a defense of inagalaxy.
Part 1: an analysis of Tenma
Initial reader filter up front: if your favorite parts of Inazuma are the strongest players and the most hype fights, this essay is not for you. There is no way for me to convince you to think otherwise. If you think Tenma is boring, I’d like for you to read and see why I consider him the one character with the most character growth in the entire series. This is an essay split into two parts explaining why inagalaxy made the contentious decision to keep only the Gryphon trio, and why I think it was done excellently.
To understand why Inagalaxy is the way it is, I have to start all the way back in Inago. Inazuma Eleven Go is a series about Tenma. “Duh, he’s the main character.” You probably said. I want to clarify that I don’t mean that Inazuma Eleven Go is focused around Tenma’s soccer career. The entire trilogy is one whole character arc for Tenma himself.
In Inazuma Eleven Go, Tenma joins his very first soccer club, led by the capable Shindou. I have things to say about the execution of getting this across, but Shindou is clearly what keeps the team together. It was his injury that forced Tenma to assume that massive role.
In Chrono Stone, Tenma is now permanently captain of the team. They go through many, many trials, but something comes up when Tenma gets his miximax: What kind of a captain is he? While he’s learned how to command the others, he lacks the planning skills and deep understanding that Shindou has. In his eyes, Shindou is still the real captain. In the end, he came to the conclusion that he can’t, and won’t be a captain like Shindou. As quoted in Chronicle Mode: “I can’t lead them, but I can run with them!” His amicable personality allows the team to instantly trust him. The lack of his own unique captain skills leaves his team members with only one thing to follow: his ideals. Because the team trusts him and everyone aimed towards the same goal, they could do anything.
Inagalaxy is a direct challenge to the conclusion that Tenma arrived at in Chrono Stone. You can run with your teammates because the entire team trusts each other. How can you do that when they have never seen you before? He was on a level ground with his other peers. This was actually done briefly in the end of Chrono Stone in the El Dorado matches. I could see someone in the board room going "wait this idea has legs."
In Inagalaxy, only the Gryphon trio knows how to play soccer at all. All of the new members don’t see him as an equal. Even when they come around to liking soccer, Tenma is their ideal soccer player. Most damning is the fact that none of them refer to Tenma by his name. Only “Captain”.
This is the worst possible scenario for Tenma to be in. If Inazuma Japan was full of people he knew, this type of conflict wouldn’t have been possible. You can tell that he’s struggling with the responsibilities that wasn’t needed of him in Chrono Stone. He can’t tell everyone to just “play their best” because their best is garbage. Learning how to interact with his new team members and finding what drives them is key the conflict for many of the early episodes.
Most importantly, as captain, his reactions affect the morale of the entire team. He can’t be worried. The captain has to set a precedent. He refused to let anyone see that he was SAD when Tsurugi turned out to be fake. This is completely different from the Tenma who wore his heart on his sleeve all the way back in season 1. You can even see this in the goal voice lines, helpfully compiled in the Inazuma Eleven wiki:
He’s focused on keeping up the morale of the other teammates, not just expressing his joy of scoring a goal.
He’s so engrossed in the role of captain, that he doesn’t know how to be himself. This comes to a head in the final Inagalaxy match, where this causes Matatagi’s fuse to blow. The first thing he says? “Matsukaze Tenma”. Not “Captain”. Matatagi is talking to HIM, as a person.
The pressure forced him to become the ideal leader, because he had no other choice. That force also stifled himself completely. As Tenma said to Matatagi, all parts are considered you. You need all of them to be whole. In return, Tenma is reminded that he’s someone other than a captain. He’s human, he’s selfish. And his specialty is dribbling! In all of inagalaxy, this is the only match where he plays “his” soccer. This is the conclusion of Tenma’s arc. He followed, and then ran together with his team. Now, it was time for him to run forward and say “catch up with me”.
This is WHY earth eleven was made the way it was, but was it executed well? That’s the second part of my essay
I love this piece and character though, I don’t know what is it with me and side characters that have a grand total of like 4-5 spoken lines but that’s the tism for ya
Bet you didn't see this one coming, huh? Well, let me tell you, me neither! I have drawn this MuneTaku piece, and it was colored with the courtesy of @laylaredfox 🤍🤎
This rendering is so satisfying to look at, I feel like I'm looking at key-art for an official project, that's so cool! Also, what simulation do you guys think they're about to end up in? Because if there's one thing IE Go Galaxy tought me, is that simulations start with a square grid and they morph into an environnement only after. Whichever heat of the moment ought that be. ;)))