#mifune

[yahoo201027]

April 1: Happy Birthday to one of the Samurai and also the leader, or general, of the said Samurai held from the Land of Iron and Captain of the Fifth Company in the Fourth Great Ninja War against the Akatsuki, the Naruto character of Mifune.

[teodorawitchblade]

Mifune

[platonbatonn]

soul eater posca zine #2 collection, batch 4

[kharla-k]

Mifune's Musical Theming

'Avg darkduel' is one of the best tracks in the game.

I love and adore it so because it elevates and fits and contextualizes the scene on the shore, the climax of Ato, so so well. A classic duel between warriors; of impending violence and pain- but in this case not truly necessary.

There's considerable sadness and regret in the track; a tragedy of someone so stuck in their own delusions that they've trapped themself. So far gone that the only way they can be stopped is in a fight; more focused on the beautiful shore and beautiful night than his (percieved) impending demise.

Darkduel is Mifune, of the bitter, jaded, resigned man, drawing his sword for a fight he doesn't believe in. It's only on principle, only because 'that's the way it's supposed to go.' The song is his bittersweet wish of a beautiful ending to a desolate life, being granted.

He could draw no Chi Xiao, and he could never win against Hoshiguma's reforged Hanya.

By comparison his boss theme, while bombastic and frenetic, partially rings hollow. It's a song for a fight and more importantly reflective of the illusion. It scores a battle that was never necessary, one he insisted upon, and doesn't tell his real story or character. By comparison to his real theme, it's just one that illustrates the danger and lethality of his sword.

As a yakuza he was powerful and peerless till now, a master swordsman and tactician; but these things didn't bring him any actualization. He developed and maintained his skills to cut others down and compose deadly strategies, but never in service of something that fulfilled him.

Which is why, his boss theme feels one-note; it's him embracing the facade one last time, rather than ever finally growing past it.

I will be remembering their confrontation on the shore at the end of Ato for a long time, crystallized in my mind through this OST.

[kharla-k]

Mifune as an Antagonist

Mifune Kouhei comes from a long line of antagonists in Arknights that believe themselves victims of fate; stuck with the hand that life has dealt them, and instead of considering or trying to change that, resigned unto themselves. This stagnation is a common throughline for the game's villains, each believing themselves the only competent person present, and yet powerless. Thusly; antagonists.

(I want to briefly say that the track that plays over their conversation gives me frisson and elevates the scene so much) (All of these snips come from AT-8)

And this is so well contrasted by Hoshiguma; one steadfast and nearly always certain about one should do next. In other stories such as Hibiscus' operator recorder the entire theme is about a change of perspective and diligence being capable of making a difference.

Anyway, a key part of Mifune's plan relies on Hoshiguma descending into a rage like she did two decades ago, believing that she wouldn't have changed, that she would be the same as she was, similar to his own static personhood.

He's become more successful, they both have, but he hasn't changed, he hasn't grown like Hoshiguma. He's a miserable man, one who spent years hating- and undoing the work of- Tessai. As understandable and well argued his points are, they still ring hollow; devoting yourself to such a petty task for decades, surely, isn't worthwhile. Putting your passion and energy and convictions into pushing someone else down.

And thusly, Hoshiguma questions if he's putting on an act; if he does care, or if he's going through a rehearsed speech that he may have even convinced himself of. She simply sees through him.

Part of me wonders about his plan, even inviting Hoshiguma back at all; removing her was maybe necessary, but only in spirit. She wasn't coming back, so he summoned someone he'd seen firsthand was unstoppable- not to kill her, but perhaps to increase the odds of himself losing.

She points out his self destructive behaviors, bringing her back, destroying Tetsuya, killing his own man and cutting off his finger... for what?

To me, Mifune is thematically a warning sign; a cautionary tale. His ravenous and lofty ambitions would never satisfy him; No matter how driven or successful, how eloquent and elegant, how capable and effective you are, it's meaningless in the face of an inability to change or improve yourself.

Accepting your fate and believing oneself stuck, refusing to see their own potential beyond their current situation, is a ruinous way to live.

He's so tired of the facade he's played for years that the fight between Hoshiguma is a relief, that his story can finally be done and over.

[silicacid]

what kind of boss would give a tool to kill his goon. for 15 dp

[liness-an]

[yui-nanaki]

Put Soul Eater on my list to watch a long time ago and left it on the back burner, very glad to be watching it, and I figure I have a soft spot for men who are good with kids.