Don't you think it's funny cause actual canon gay characters in BL manga/manhwa will say "I love you" but only the shounen bromance can spew out some of the most romantic shit akin to a 19th century poet writing a letter expressing his surpressed love for his lover 😭.....
The “no homo…but” of sports manga/anime in particular (but a lot of shounen in general) is just so funny to me. I mean, there’s homoeroticism in all sports, but you watch sports anime and you get your main duo gazing into each other’s eyes swearing to do whatever it takes to fulfill the dream they share and it’s like, come on. A fist bump/high five might as well be the 1-to-1 substitution for the kiss that “straight” dudes can’t share on screen.
Can I ask your top 10 fav fics ever (from any fandom, if you don't mind)?
Also, just curious, is there a story behind your name "extant-exhaustion "?
Well, first of all, thank you so much for your patience! I know it took me seven weeks to reply to this Ask! I agonized over my list (also, the holidays happened, which kept me busy). But I finally narrowed it down, so here we go, in no particular order:
My Top 10 Favorite Fanfics
In Another Life by LittleLuxray
Haikyuu!! | T+ | 23k | Bokuto/Akaashi | angst, sickfic | It's famous for a reason. Truly one of the best pieces of writing I've ever read, including published works—I've rarely cried so hard or been moved so much.
died in my dreams by MTrash
Haikyuu!! | T+ | 10k | Ushijima/Tendou | futuristic/cyberpunk AU, opposites attract, reluctant work partners to friends to lovers | fantastic characterization, really cool conceptually, a story about trauma and healing and finding your person
the weight of water by wordstruck/@redluxite
Haikyuu!! | M | 6k | Iwaizumi/Oikawa | angst | Painful, soul-crushing heartbreak, but so, so beautiful. As someone who's experienced loss and grief, this story is visceral and the accompanying art haunts me.
Come and get lost with us by boxofwonder
Haikyuu!! | M | 150k | Hinata/Kageyama, Daichi/Sugawara | action/adventure, Medieval AU(?) | unlike anything I've ever read before or since; a really masterful integration of an enormous cast and a plot that unravels with absolutely zero fluff or filler
shimmer in your shine by zenelly/@zenellyraen
Hunter x Hunter | T+ | 91k | Leorio/Kurapika, Killua/Gon | American roadtrip AU | This story made me cry over a fist fight between Leorio and Illumi in the parking lot of a Red Lobster in Arkansas.
The Myth of Mankind by MistressEast/@mistresseast
Promare | T+ | 63k | Galo/Lio | action/adventure, romance | masterful worldbuilding, kickass fight scenes, intrigue galore, falling in love while preventing mass murder? yes, please
A Second Chance To Say by KazimaKuwabara/@kazimakuwabara
Yu Yu Hakusho | M | 92k | Yusuke/Kuwabara, Youko Kurama/Kuronue | action/adventure, hurt/comfort | ft. Kuronue's eternal sass and unwavering friendship, the slow burn of reincarnated already-in-love KuwaMeshi (because Kuwabara doesn't remember it), somewhat menacing levels of intrigue, and Hiei finally winning MVP of emotions on Team Urameshi
Don't Blink or You'll Miss It (Lift Up Your Head) by umisabaku/@umisabaku
Kuroko no Basuke | M | 81k | Kagami/Kuroko, Kasamatsu/Kise, Midorima/Takao, Himuro/Murasakibara, Aomine/Momoi | super powers | This story and its accompanying series are so cool and so unique. The characterization is amazing and the worldbuilding is stellar.
neither fish, flesh, nor foam by twoif
interactive on Twine
Kuroko no Basuke | Kagami/Kuroko | angst, Little Mermaid–esque, interactive storytelling | incredible, but also devastating; a story about how sometimes our doubts can destroy not only ourselves but the good things we build; one of the coolest things I've ever interacted with as a story, a true tour de force
Transient Shadow, True Light by seafoamist/@seafoamist
Kuroko no Basuke | M | 322k, WIP | Kagami/Kuroko | angst, hurt/comfort, time travel, historical (Edo Period) | If you talk to me about this story, I will go absolutely feral, because it is my current obsession and the only WIP that is on this list. I'm straight-up insane about its quality and depth. I can't even put this story into words. It knocks the wind out of me.
And lastly, my URL doesn't actually have a story behind it! It's basically just my life, haha. “Extant” is an adjective meaning “ongoing/still in existence” and “exhaustion” is pretty obvious. Essentially, I like alliteration and thought it sounded better than "tired 100% of the time."
Can I ask, what are your top 7 favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series/etc) and your top 7 favorite ships (can be canon or non canon) from any media? Why do you love them all? Sorry if you've answered this questions before......
Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to ask! I'm sorry for the delay in my reply. I'm so excited to be here to answer though. I didn't rank these in order, but here they are (and oh my gosh was it tough to choose! I especially agonized trying to narrow down the last spot in my ships list, and honestly, it could have gone so many ways...):
My Top 7 Favorite Media
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: If we’re basing purely off of what I think is the best media maybe ever written, FMAB is close to the top. It is the full package of stunning worldbuilding, characterization, emotional depth, intricate yet clear plot lines, and incredibly important themes. I could write an essay on each of those points. It’s the sort of show (and manga) that is a masterclass in how to tell a story beautifully.
Yu Yu Hakusho: Yusuke and Team Urameshi mean so much to me. YYH is a classic ’90s anime in some ways, but it has so much heart. Yusuke’s character growth is amazing. And the humor in the English dub never fails to make me laugh. Yet this show also deeply affects me and has such beautiful messages about love and friendship. What a dichotomy.
Assassination Classroom: This show is criminally underrated. Or, rather, not enough people have seen it. It is one of the most incredible things I’ve ever seen. It’s so sweet. It’s so fucking funny. And it’s so heartwarming. I love these kids so much. I adore Korosensei. Every episode teaches us something—like a real learning opportunity!—and I genuinely cannot say enough good things about it. It makes me smile forever.
Kuroko's Basketball: I am a huge fan of sports anime and this one has so many elements I’m obsessed with. (Plus, Kagami Taiga is in my top ten favorite characters of all time.) There’s Kagami and Kuroko—a red/blue duo who are in love. There are emotionally high-stakes sports games. There are compelling “enemies.” There’s an incredible soundtrack. But most of all, there are basketball superpowers—things no ordinary basketball player could ever do (100% accuracy!?) that just make it so much fun.
Haikyuu!!: My other favorite sports anime is on the other side of the spectrum for realism. It has no superpowers, just hard work and friendship and lots and lots of great characters. I love this show so much because it constantly makes me root for Karasuno, but then I’ll still cry when the other team loses because the characters have all been shown to just be high school kids with dreams who love the sport and are having fun. It’s really sweet.
Demon Slayer: As a total package, Demon Slayer is incredible. It has stunningly beautiful animation; a wonderful protagonist in Tanjirou (and deuteragonist in Nezuko); a lovely sibling story that drives the narrative; a compelling and mysterious central conflict with the series’ big-bad Muzan; an absolutely kickass soundtrack; lovable side characters; high stakes; questions of morality and duty and tradition; and honestly, more that I’m struggling to even name. It’s just an incredibly good anime (and manga).
Tortall books by Tamora Pierce (includes 3 quartets, a trilogy, a duology, and a few standalones; my absolute favorites are the Protector of the Small quartet): Tamora Pierce shaped who I am as a person. I grew up reading her fantasy series and still reread them often. Essentially, they’re books about heroines who conquer various odds, save the day, etc. And because there are so many books that take place in the same universe over many years, you get to see various characters in different lights through different characters’ eyes. My favorite series is about Keladry of Mindelan, the first girl to pursue her knighthood since the king made it legal for girls to do so. Kel is an absolute badass, and she never turns away from injustice, and I genuinely want to be the type of person she is.
My Top 7 Favorite Ships
Kagami/Kuroko (Kuroko’s Basketball): These two will forever and always be one of my top ships. I genuinely don’t know how people can hear some of the things they say to each other and come to a not-in-love conclusion. They complete each other in the way only a true light/shadow metaphor can, but they’re also best friends who laugh together and support each other and have an insanely strong bond. By five episodes in, Kagami is already so protective over Kuroko that he's ready to throw down with street basketball punks over his not-boyfriend. And by the end of the series the trust they have in one another is so beyond a basketball anime that it’s almost ridiculous.
Yusuke/Kuwabara (Yu Yu Hakusho): The number of times these two were willing to die for each other (or gave up their life energy to save the other from death; or found hitherto untapped power as a result of having seen the other hurt) makes me want to scream. Kuwabara crashed Yusuke’s wake to scream at his corpse that he couldn’t die (“You’re supposed to be here…for me!”). Kuwabara shared his life energy to save an injured Yusuke after their very first mission. Yusuke fought multiple insanely powerful demons spurred on at least twice specifically by the fact that they’d wounded Kuwabara. Kuwabara faked his own death thinking it would help Yusuke in battle (which it did, but it also devastated him). Yusuke chased a car down on a bicycle when Kuwabara was kidnapped. Kuwabara cut through the fabric of reality for Yusuke. You get my point. I fucking love them.
Yusuke/Keiko (Yu Yu Hakusho): Yet, I also love Yusuke’s canonical love interest with him. Keiko is his reason for fighting, the light at the end of the tunnel. In one of the very first episodes, while he’s still trying to earn his resurrection, he says that he sees no point in coming back to life if Keiko won’t be there when he does. She’s the only person who stuck by him until he met Team Urameshi. She’s always believed in him, but she doesn’t take crap from him either. They have such a strong relationship that he even once saves the world by essentially trusting in his love for her. (When asked by terrorists to press one of three colored buttons to save the planet, he chose the blue one because blue is Keiko's favorite color.)
Zuko/Mai (Avatar: The Last Airbender): I will probably never shut the fuck go about how important Mai is to Zuko’s journey or how cool she is as a character and how ridiculously underrated she is. She’s so much more than people give her credit for and she understands Zuko on a deeper level than so many other characters. She counters his angst (as only Iroh can do) and she tries to cheer him up (and she inspires some of his only true smiles in the series!). And most importantly, she stands by him even when he abandons her. For me, “I love Zuko more than I fear you” will always be the standard by which other Avatar couples will be measured.
Tamaki/Haruhi (Ouran High School Host Club): I love these two so much. They’re both so queer. Haruhi is my gender-nonconforming fave and the most wonderful character who’s ever responded *shrug emoji* to the question of their gender or sexuality. She’s sassy and hilarious and the reason I say “these damn rich people” with relative frequency. And the fact that she fell for Tamaki, the flamboyant dumb-dumb with a heart of absolute pure gold…ugh. I adore it. He is too good for this world. And they bring out the best in each other. I love them so much.
Ed/Winry (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood): The balance that Edward and Winry strike together is beautiful. They’re both insanely strong people emotionally, and they’re both wildly intelligent and talented. But their compassion and care is what truly helps them shine. They’ve seen each other at their lowest and supported each other through those times, and they know the weakest and most vulnerable parts of each other. The strength of their bond covers distance and time, and Winry is the home that Edward can always return to. She holds him (and, by extension, Al) together and offers the unwavering support he so desperately needs throughout his journey.
Simon/Baz (Carry On series by Rainbow Rowell): This series hit me like a punch to the gut when I first read it. I love chosen ones who don't really match their prophesies and star-crossed lovers who find workarounds because they care more about each other than whatever is standing in their way. And these two are wonderful together. They're so messy and hopeless and sad sometimes, but they have each other and it's really lovely. Simon Snow is a disaster who loses just about everything except his friends and has to claw his way back from the brink throughout the series; and Baz Pitch never thought he deserved much happiness anyway but finds out that he does, but he's going to have to fight for it.
Hello...Do you mind if I ask your top 5 (or top 10) favorite moments from any media that you love (books, anime/manga, tv series, movies, games, etc)? Thanks if you want to answer. Sorry if I ask too much....
Hello! This is such a great question! Thank you so much for taking the time to ask! I’m so sorry for the delay in responding. It took me a little while to narrow it down, and so many of these contain spoilers. I'm going to do my best to tag thoroughly to avoid spoiling anything for anyone! So, see below for my list, in no particular order.
Note to all readers:
✨ Pay attention to spoiler tags! ✨
Also, things in small text are the actual spoilery parts? I’m doing my best here, y’all.
Major spoilers for Anna Dressed in Blood / Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake, Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce, The Good Place (season 4), Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, 19 Days (webcomic).
Minor spoilers for Given, Assassination Classroom, Mob Psycho 100, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
Top Ten Moments
BOOK, Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake: After two books of frankly spine-tingling adventures, ghost hunter Cas Lowood and the ghost he's crossed literal oceans and planes of existence for, Anna, have a chance at some sort of life together. But Anna sees a vision—something not-quite-real, yes, but lovely all the same—of Cas calling to her. She tries to turn away, to return with him to her ghostly existence on his plane...but he lets her go. He loves her so much that he lets her pass on, even if it means he has to let her go. It makes me sob every time.
BOOK, Lady Knight by Tamora Pierce: After a long war fighting killing machines powered by some of the darkest magic in any Tortall book, my absolute kickass heroine Keladry of Mindelan is finally face to face with the Nothing Man, Blayce the Gallan. And yes, he's a mage, but he's also human and pathetic. It has stuck with me for the better part of my life—he's not a monster; he's just a man. Yet, that's the point, it's it? Acts of terrible evil can be committed by even the most unremarkable people.
TV, The Good Place, season 4, episode 9: In a moment when the fate of humanity is hinging on coming up with a plan, the group as always turns to their "answers guy," Chidi. And despite having just had memories of hundreds of lives slammed into his head, he's still able to grasp onto the fact that he left himself a message before his imposed amnesia. He searched all his life (and afterlife) for truth through philosophy, yet he found it instead in the self-proclaimed Arizona trash-bag he fell in love with. So, he bases his plan on the one truth he really knows: "There is no answer. But Eleanor is the answer."
Anime, Given, season 1, episode 9: Weighed down by his former boyfriend Yuki's suicide, Mafuyu gets on stage and is finally able to pay him tribute in a song he wrote, "Fuyu no Hanashi," about the grief of losing someone and not getting to say goodbye. He also reflects on the fear of forgetting as he grows more distant from Yuki's memory. There are moments in the song that actually made me sob with the translation ("Your everything has lost its tomorrow" and "Two people who were always together are torn apart. That’s all there is to this story"), but even the music itself is just stunning.
Anime, Assassination Classroom, season 2, episode 24: This episode is called "Graduation Time," and it genuinely means the world to me. As an episode of a show, it is incredible start to finish. As the culmination of a series, it is phenomenal. It is the Aristotelian ideal of an ending that is "surprising yet inevitable." I love it for some many reasons—it features each of the 28 students and gives them their own moment (which is wonderful, since this show made me a parent to literally all of them); it hits every emotion flawlessly; and it wraps up the major plotlines of the series in a way that is so satisfying and that only the best writing can achieve. I refuse to spoil this episode, but suffice it to say that it's yet another reason that I tell people that this show is so ridiculously underrated.
Anime, Mob Psycho 100, season 1, episode 11: After a drawn out conflict with overpowered adult psychics and increasing anxiety over whether he should fight back, Mob is at his breaking point. His mentor Reigen has always told him not to use his psychic powers against other people, but Mob and his friends and Reigen himself are in danger, and Mob is clearly scared and unsure. Then comes one of my absolute favorite Reigen moments, when he tells his student that it's okay not to fight, to instead let him, the adult, handle things: "When things go south, it's okay to run away!" And it's such a powerful moment because it's one of the only times I can think of in a shonen anime where an adult tells a kid, even a ridiculously powerful one, "Hey, you shouldn't have to do this! This is scary and unfair, and it's okay for you to let the grown-ups take it from here."
Anime, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, episode 22: I could probably choose a dozen moments from this show, but I want to highlight my best girl, so here’s one I particularly love: Winry comes face to face with Scar, the man who killed her parents and has tried multiple times to kill her two best friends. Yet, when she levels a gun at him, her hands shake uncontrollably and she can’t bring herself to shoot. After Al and Scar’s fight moves away from them, Ed gently takes the gun from her hands and Winry, distraught, asks him why she couldn’t pull the trigger. Ed’s response means so much to me: “You gave me an arm and a leg to replace the ones I lost. It’s your hands. They weren’t meant to kill. They’re meant to give life.” It shows just how deeply Edward understands Winry, but more importantly, it shows that strength comes from more than just fighting and violence. Winry is brilliant and clever and kind, and FMAB never treats that as a weakness.
Anime Movie, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train: This movie is a masterpiece, and I'm sure anyone who's seen it will agree that the fight between Rengoku, the Flame Hashira, and Akaza, Upper Three of the Twelve Kizuki, is breathtaking. The animation in the scene is gorgeous, and the music is absolutely beautiful. The tension ramps up throughout the scene as the dialogue and background action escalate in intensity, and all of it is layered on top of the imminent rise of the sun. It's one of the best fight scenes in any anime, honestly (though there have been other Demon Slayer fights that vie for a place on this list too). It's a tour de force.
Movie, Lord of the Rings: Return of the King: Speaking of tours de force, let's throw back to a classic and one of the best fantasy films of all time. There are a ton of scenes from this series that I could have chosen for my favorite, honestly, but I want to shout out a particular performance by Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn. I'm speaking, of course, about his "it is not this day" speech towards the end of the film as his troops stand ready for the Battle of the Black Gate. The speech isn’t in the book, actually, but it was perfect for the movie adaptation. (The trilogy is brilliant, let’s be honest.) It’s a speech that Aragorn delivers in such a rousing way, followed immediately by his "for Frodo" battle cry, that I'm about ready to go fight Sauron's armies myself.
Web Comic, 19 Days, chapters 368–370: This comic is genuinely incredible, but so far what I've enjoyed the most is Mo Guanshan's character arc. He started out as nothing more than a bully, but as his backstory was revealed and the reasons behind his attitude became clearer, he became one of my favorite characters. These three chapters encompass what is, in my opinion, the most intense scene in the comic, the (mostly one-sided) fight between Guanshan and She Li and his gang. It's an absolutely brutal sequence and has stuck with me for months since I first read it. It also leads to one of the first moments of true tenderness from He Tian who until now has acted primarily to get a rise out of Mo and is almost always a selfish asshole, but after this incident, his own attitude begins to change too. It’s just such a catalyst event in the story. I love it.
Phew! Well, anyone agree? Disagree? Want to freak out with me about any of these? I would be thrilled. 👏🏼
Do you mind if I ask your top 10 favorite characters (can be male or female) from all of the media that you loved (can be anime/manga, books, movies or tv series)? And why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....Thanks...
I love this question! :D I'm going to keep my initial answer to the fandoms I blog about, 'cause if we start going into books and things, I think I'll fry my brain trying to narrow it down. But definitely ask again if you'd like me to try books or other media! (And sorry it’s taken so long for me to answer. Life has been crazy, so it took me literal months to type this out. But I appreciate you asking so much and will answer much faster in the future.)
It was a struggle to keep it to 10, but here we go! (My initial "short list" was 25, so I'm thrilled to have narrowed it down, haha. But I did have to compromise by giving you a Top 10 list that's in no particular order, because ranking them within the ranking would be basically impossible.) See "keep reading" for reasons why I love them!
Edward Elric
Kagami Taiga
Korra
Urameshi Yusuke
Greedling
Kuwabara Kazuma
Amajiki Tamaki
Winry Rockbell
Killua Zoldyck
Kageyama Tobio
Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Ed is the best written shonen protagonist of all time. His growth is incredible and Arakawa shows it beautifully. He starts the series so young, but he’s not even close to naïve. He’s been through hell already. And he loves his brother, and FMA is powered by that sibling relationship, and I’m a huge sucker for sibling dynamics. (I’m one of four myself.) He’s wicked smart, but it’s shown how hard he works for that. And he’s kind. He truly wants to help people. His emotions are also on full display throughout the series which we don’t always get from shonen protags. He’s a stunningly well-rounded character whose story is full of amazing moments that make me love him even more.
“That’s the only thing I’ve ever been—just a simple human.”
Kagami Taiga, Kuroko's Basketball
I love this boy so goddamn much. He’s so good-hearted and soft and perfect. And he’s the type of person I think everyone would want to have in their corner. He’s introduced like he’s going to be this huge jerk, but we quickly learn he’s just a complete doofus who sucks at communicating and expressing himself. He’s loud and brash and cocky, but he just…he loves basketball so much, and he grows so much through playing with Seirin and facing the Generation of Miracles. And specifically, he grows because of his relationship with Kuroko. It’s really the most lovely not-quite-canon sports anime romantic relationship.
“Don’t you dare give up, ya hear me? Just sit tight for now. I’ll go out there and show him.”
Korra, The Legend of Korra
Korra truly means everything to me. She was one of the first openly and explicitly bisexual characters I ever saw in media who wasn’t forced to suffer and be miserable because of that. And she’s so strong and so cool. And I love that she’s a flawed character—she feels jealousy and rage and fear and hopelessness. But she keeps fighting. She always comes back and does the right thing. Seasons 3 and 4 are incredible and devastating in equal parts, and I really can’t understand how anyone could not love Korra after seeing her break down and rebuild herself.
“Even though we should learn from those who came before us, we must also forge our own path.”
Urameshi Yusuke, Yu Yu Hakusho
The shonen protagonist whose development is the clearest, Yusuke is the most fun punk jackass who grows into a slightly more mature punk jackass (never losing an ounce of his comedic genius along the way). He’s so chaotic and stupid, but his North Star never changes, and that’s his love for his girl, Keiko. I could (and definitely will someday) write a whole post about the genuine love Yusuke and Keiko have for each other, because I really do think it’s some of Togashi’s best writing. But also, Yusuke is just a really fantastic character. He’s strong as hell (of course), but he’s also weak. He faces loss and death and defeat. He watches the people closest to him face their deaths because he isn’t strong enough to protect them; and he breaks my heart because he’s trying so hard, but sometimes it’s not enough. But as he grows and puts his life on the line and protects his friends (and multiple worlds) again and again and again, it becomes obvious just how far he’s come from some punk kid who no one but Keiko believed in.
“All right, Yusuke, you’ve tried everything else. Now it’s time to be stupid.”
Greedling, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
So, this is kind of cheating, because Greed and Ling Yao are two different characters, but they share a body for a lot of the show, and they’re so intrinsically linked in my mind that I’m gonna count them as one. I just love these two so much! Their dynamic is so funny to me. They’re both so sassy and clever, and they’re so passionate. I especially love when they finally start working together rather than fighting against each other. They become so bad-ass and their friendship is really obvious. The way they grow to mean so much to each other is everything to me. I guess there really is nothing closer than having somebody who lives in your own head.
“Greed may not be good, but it’s not so bad, either. You humans think greed is just for money and power. But everyone wants something they don’t have.”
Kuwabara Kazuma, Yu Yu Hakusho
If you told me I had 10 seconds to choose a character who’s too good for this world, I’d probably settle on Kuwabara. Because this boy is pure, unadulterated good. He truly believes in a code of honor. He does what’s right. He’d rather die than do something underhanded or something that would harm an innocent person. And he’s so loyal and so kind. He loves so much. Be it his friends, his sister, his kitten...he just loves. And he’s willing to fight to protect that. He sticks his neck out time and time again, even when he gets brutally hurt for it. Even when the odds are ridiculously stacked against him, he won’t back down from a fight, because he won’t risk that any perceived cowardice on his part would result in harm coming to his friends or to innocent people. God...he just...he literally fights cataclysmic events and can still smile afterwards. Kuwabara seems like such a dope, but it really is impossible not to love someone who’s just so good.
“We all have to die when our time comes, but if we do our duty we don’t got regrets.”
Amajiki Tamaki, My Hero Academia
My anxious, darling boy. He’s got the coolest quirk of anybody (okay, don’t hold me to that; I’d have to think about it harder, but he’s got one of the coolest quirks for sure), but he still struggles with feeling unsure of his power. But he’s got so much control over it anyway! He’s worked so hard and he kicks so much ass! But even being so competent, that imposter syndrome still creeps up, and I can relate to that and to his anxiety a lot. Finally, I think and he and Mirio are truly adorable together in the anime, and Tamaki’s loyalty makes him a character I really like. *Note: I’m not a manga-reader for BNHA, so I only know up to the end of the current anime season, so please no spoilers if anything I say is out of date!*
“Even if I try to imagine them as potatoes, I can see their human bodies. I know that they’re still people…I wanna go home.”
Winry Rockbell, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Winry is a beautiful character. She’s so strong and cool and smart, and she’s unfailingly loyal. Her support of Ed and Al helps them through their whole journey, and she literally gives Ed a leg to stand on and an arm to fight with. She’s a brilliant mechanic and a caring friend, and she’s so empathetic, despite the hurt in her past. She has her own story too, which too many “love interest” girls in shonen anime/manga don’t have. She makes her own choices and grows in her own ways and holds Ed accountable when he’s being an idiot. Winry’s arc is beautiful and shows yet another aspect to the FMA world that Arakawa so brilliantly crafted. I just really adore Winry and think she deserves all the happiness in the world.
“You two won’t cry. Someone should do it for you; don’t you think?”
Killua Zoldyck, Hunter x Hunter
This boy is the embodiment of trauma, and he doesn't even realize it. It breaks my heart every time I rewatch HxH, because the juxtaposition between his upbringing and Gon’s is so stark. But Killua is also straight up hilarious and really fun to watch as he learns how to be a kid through his friendship with Gon. And part of that hilarity is when he says the most unsettling shit because he was raised as an assassin and death is just whatever to him. He’s just a really fun character and someone whose earnestness and loyalty is really unmatched. Plus, he’s just undeniably really, really cool.
“I want to be friends with Gon!”
Kageyama Tobio, Haikyuu!!
The quintessential prodigy/genius with zero social skills, Kageyama really, really loves volleyball. Can he communicate that without shouting at someone? No, not really. And does he know what it means to be on a team? Also, no. Not until he joins Karasuno and meets Hinata and starts to learn from his upperclassmen. But that’s why I love him. I’m just soft for a boy who finally has good mentors who take him under their wings and show him how to fly and he just...ugh. He soars. He puts so much pressure on himself, but he really does have this beautiful character arc. Plus, he says cheesy shit like this:
“With me around, you are the greatest.”
a karushuu (Karma/Gakushuu yes) shipper here since 2015; what is your reason to ship them? :D
Oh wow! Thanks so much for coming by!
Karushuu is really the only AC ship I have, and I think it stems mostly from the inherent chemistry that shonen rivals have. There’s something about having somebody push you to be your best that is romantic as hell. xD
For Karma, I think that being so naturally intelligent is a large part of why he tends to be so arrogant and un-empathetic. But his loss to Gakushuu in the first semester exams really woke him up. And a big part of his evolution as a character was spurred by his desire to best Gakushuu and make the sort of effort that would pay off against his rival.
As for Gakushuu, he’s used to people deferring to him as the principal’s son, and Karma totally subverts that. He couldn’t give less of a shit for Gakushuu’s position as student council president and sees him more as a person to beat rather than an ideal to aspire to. Karma’s humanization of Gakushuu, making him a person instead of an idea (which everyone else seems to see him as, including his father) lends itself to a rivalry-turned-friendship-turned-love plot that would be totally amazing.
TL;DR - They’re both hardheaded geniuses who push each other to be their best and see past their exterior façades. I think high school and beyond would bring them even closer together and make them a totally unstoppable power couple. <3
aaahh same, karushuu is my AC ship (and my only ship + my favorite obsession *coughs*) that I have and now i'm getting back to my karushuu mood ;__; and EXACTLY, thank you for putting the appeal of karushuu on ur last reply, cus that's exactly what makes me so easy to fall for these two dorks ; w ; they develop each other from whatever's going on between them, Karma teaches Gakushuu of defeat & Gakushuu affects Karma to be more hardworking. omg let me slide to ur PM to scream about them ;___;
For sure slide into PMs!! I love talking about my many, many ships. xD Karushuu is heavily underrated, so I’m thrilled that somebody else likes them!
I love when someone sees multiple fandoms on here that they like too! This blog is so multi-fandom that I’m sure it turns some people off, so it makes me even happier when people confirm they share multiple of my fandom loves! :D
