Ough one of the many beautiful facets of post-escape RayEms,,,,
(Chapter 121 | Chapter 122 | Chapter 123)
These panels are especially great for the parallel composition in chapter 114 (@just-like-playing-tag has a lovely edit of it here).
Further underlining how similar they are.
I've seen people lament a shift in Ray's personality post-escape, but that's more to do with the narrative not allowing for as many opportunities for his impish side to surface. The tradeoff is that with Ray's vow to Emma in chapter 38, there's more focus on how he's just as family-oriented as she is now that he can express his affection and care without fear of retribution.
The burden of being the eldest of the escapees weighs more heavily on them now that the safety afforded by the familiar prison of Grace Field is gone. Even Emma isn't immune from the toll it takes on her.
(Chapter 109; excellent panel composition on Demizu's part to have that giant block of text all in the bottom right as opposed to splitting it across multiple panels so it dwarfs and looms over Emma)
And despite living on in part for him, the loss of Norman was devastating for both her and Ray.
(Chapter 64)
Their best friend effectively rising from the dead is nothing short of a miracle, but their time apart has sharpened his ruthlessness.
(Chapter 121)
Like Ray, Emma is logical, even if she's more inclined to entertain ideals. In the face of everyone's joy and relief at Norman's plan, she can't bring herself to speak up. Not with how pragmatic it is, not with how dire the circumstances are. Like Ray, she's willing to put herself last for the people she loves, even if she'll carry that regret the rest of her life, because this is the best way.
(Chapter 122 | Chapter 32)
She does everything she can to squash her feelings down, framing the issue around herself. She's the problem.
(Chapter 121)
If Norman hasn't changed, then they're still on the same path heading toward the same goal, and any qualms she has are irrelevant.
But when Ray offers her sanctuary for honesty, she relents. If there's anyone for whom the ache of Norman's absence and the elation at his return would mirror her own, it would be Ray. If there's anyone who would understand Norman's point of view and all the intricacies and benefits of his plan, it would be Ray. They're both so much more strategic than her, and it's one of the many things she's admired about them.
(Chapter 5 | Chapter 88)
Emma knows Ray has all this in mind, and he's still giving her the space to share her true feelings without judgment or reprimand.
(Chapter 123)
Reminding her that even if there's a deep self-loathing snaking through her veins, paralyzing her with indecision, it's okay to advocate for yourself and the ideals you hold in your heart.
Favorite Chapter Cover Art out of My Top 11 Favorites or Other
Chapter 21 - "Blatant Trap"
Chapter 45 - "The Rescue"
Chapter 47 - "An Old Tale"
Chapter 75 - "Unyielding Reed"
Chapter 113 - "The King of Paradise"
Chapter 119 - "Encounter"
Chapter 122 - "True Feelings"
Chapter 143 - "Eliminate"
Chapter 153 - "Coward"
Chapter 169 - "Perfect Scores"
Chapter 181 - "Beyond Destiny"
Other (specify in reblogs/replies)
Voting ended onAug 16, 2024
Assorted bits/trivia/propaganda:
• Favorite volume cover poll can be found here, and favorite inner volume cover poll can be found here.
• Chapter 47's art is Kaiu Shirai's favorite color chapter cover art per the "Tracks to the Neverland" exhibition book interview (from December 2020): "Amazingly drawn upper arms (and legs!) Everyone is drawn differently for their different ages! I adore the happy smiles of a mother and her daughters. It's a color page published on One Piece's 20th anniversary, so let me applaud the use of the straw hats and One Piece theme. I love it. Only Emma's hat is fringed and that's the best!"
• Chapter 75's art is Demizu's fifth favorite color chapter cover art per the exhibition interview: "The theme was graduation, and I had a lot of trouble deciding the color of the clothes, which left a lasting impression on me. The color scheme is a bit mismatched thanks to the combination of bright colors like foreign uniforms and cherry blossoms, but I think I turned out beautifully."
• Chapter 119 was the inspiration for the "The Guiding Star" short story originally published in Shounen Jump GIGA 2019 Summer Volumes 1–3 and eventually reprinted in the fourth light novel, "Films of Memories." (First part can be found here, translated by @presumenothing.)
• I included the original spread of chapter 153 in WSJ because the "he is always alone" line kills me. This is also Shirai's fifth favorite color chapter cover art per the exhibition interview: "God. Representing Norman’s mental landscape like this..? I want to take a peek inside Demizu-sensei’s brain! The expression on Norman’s face, a burnt land's grief, frailty; Emma and Ray appearing there. It hit me so hard that I used the metaphor for the main story as well. I love it!"
• Chapter 181 propaganda by @tutubola and some tag ramblings:
"i really like this actually. ray carrying one of the younger kids? norman w rolled up pants? the vulnerability???? all of them w rolled up pants/skirts actually. gilda looks so cute. and look at sherry she's so obsessed w norman it's so cute. i would make this more elaborate but i cant think rn be back in 46-79 business days
(#it's the more-than-earned casualness of it all combined with it being one of those pictures you can hear the sound of #the soft ebb and flow of the waves and cry of the seagulls #with the warmth emanating from this scene of this family that against all odds was able to overturn destiny #and come out together just as close as not more so than where we started with them in the very first chapter #enhanced by the gentle hues of the setting sun to parallel the end of their long and hard-fought journey #and the warm air that's carried by an equally gentle sea breeze~ #shoutout specifically to seeing Anna‚ Don‚ Norman‚ and Ray naturally falling into their elder sibling roles #showcasing one of the fundamental cores of this series #healingly wholesome)
