"....I Don't Understand..."

fellas is it gay to die for your enemie/rival/partner/soulmate?

Sometimes we forget how much Kyouka's story and character are fucking heartbreaking 🥲

One thing that always bothers me is when people reduce Chuuya down to "anger issues." Because he's so much more than just an angry little redhead. Yeah, Dazai's ticks him off, but aside from that, whenever he's shown as being angry, it's never because of a stupid reason that had his temper going off. Like in the movie, he was mad because six of his friends were killed due to a government decision. He was angry in season three when he learned he had two days to either kill the leader of the Agency, a group that he knew they had a ceasefire with, or else the boss would die. I'm pretty sure Harukawa even said that Chuuya's actually composed most of the time, it's only when he's with Dazai that he reverts into a five year old with anger issues, as does Dazai. And as a matter of fact, he spent most of his life bottling down anger, taking responsibility for others, never really letting himself experience these emotions for others sake. In Stormbringer, Verlaine wants him to be mad, to use that anger to prove he's just a beast, and for him to go hurt the world that did bad to him. Something which Chuuya doesn't want to do.

I'm not saying that his patience is unlimited or that he doesn't get angry often, but whenever I see him get reduced to Bakugo syndrome, it always gets me annoyed, because it feels like people don't truly understand his character.

more strawheart alliance shenanigans

Zoro to Road in this chapter:

One Piece 1137 Spoilers

Not a review, just talking about a way Oda often handles characters and how we see that again this chapter.

OK while everyone is busy freaking out and talking about Shamrock and blah blah blah, I'm gonna bring up something way more inconsequential, but like.

I cannot BELIEVE Oda said "let's give Rodo, the comic-relief horrible creep, a tiny and extremely brief moment of genuinely humane characterization" lmao. Also let's use that as a chance to reflect on Zoro's role once more lol.

He has a habit of doing this -it reminds me a lot of how Helmeppo was nothing but a comic-relief bastard at first, but when you least expected it he somehow got a bunch of characterization and development. Oda loooves writing even the most unlikable characters to still feel like people. And honestly, it takes skill, even it it's in really small ways. And he does it in a way where they're not like, forgiven for their bad elements or anything, just expanded upon. Like, Rodo is still an asshole and creep, but even a joke of a character like him can have selfless motivations, and that's very interesting and hard to pull off as a writer.

I am now most curious to see more of Hajrudin and where his story takes him after this! Yeah yeah God Knights, whatever, that's cool too. But honestly, my attention was fully held by the Ancient Giant lore and potential Royal Family Drama instead! I neeeeed those Harald, Loki & Hajrudin flashbacks stat.

Elbaph has been showing a lot of thematic signs of like... weird behavior around Outcasts, actually. Between Harald ripping his own horns off becuase he considers the blood of ancient giants "barbaric" (how does this affect those still born with them?), Loki being branded as cursed and destined to be evil BEFORE his was even born, Hajrudin being seen as "not pure-blooded" due to his mother being from another giant tribe, even Rodo having only one friend (even though that's his fault honestly), and of course Collun being a branded a "wild child" and mocked by his peers... yeah. I see a Theme a bit.

You know, after Wano and Egghead where little girls were charging into battle against brutal pirates and demonic entities left and right and to a lesser extent Zou where even the baby minks were throwing paws with the Beast Pirates during Jack's invasion, you almost forget "oh yeah, no sane adult would let kids get involved in fights like this"

A century ago, the giants of Elbaf would probably be a little more open to letting Colon participate in the battle but that's definitely not happening now in their pacifist era.

Although the giant's wording is a bit interesting because he could also be inferring that Colon specifically is not suited for the battlefield. The kid's got plenty of fighting spirit, yes, but like most children he probably has very little idea of what the true gravity of going into battle actually means. He's treating it like a game, calling dibs on being the captain and making up his own pirate crew.

Up until now, Colon has probably viewed violence and warfare as something fun. Something you rush into without thinking because a sword swipe solves everything. His only experience with combat is likely from Ripley and Gaban training him. He's never fought against killer nightmare monsters or anyone who truly wants him dead. He's never seen the people he loves put in danger like what's likely going to happen to his parents if Sommers decides to play his little thorn game with Colon as the pawn. Colon is made to be a foil to young Luffy and Luffy eventually saw firsthand just how bloody and spine-chilling and complicated the world of piracy can be.

Now that being said, the end goal of Elbaf's narrative is blatantly leaning in favor of the giants not giving up their warrior ways, but what I think may be happening is something of an hourglass plot between Colon and his extreme pacifist classmates.

While the other giant kids will likely take more pride in their warrior heritage as they learn the importance of defending yourself, Colon is going to come to the realization that battle is not something you take lightly and that there's nothing wrong with striving towards a peaceful life. Not that Colon will give up his dreams of being a pirate warrior altogether, he's clearly got his heart set on that. But he'll come out of this experience a more level-headed kid with a greater understanding as to why the adults in his life are so protective.

I also think no matter what happens Usopp is going to be the one who inspires both Colon and the Walrus School kids to be brave because inspiring children with heroic feats is kind of Usopp's bread and butter.

literally though the fundamental misunderstanding that characterizing chuuya as someone who is too extroverted, or cant help getting attached, is. because he could actually! very easily!!! he already has trust issues! & it’s such a huge thing that for him, the fact that he has not yet become verlaine or become dazai is a choice, an effort, often at the expense of himself

Yk, with the eventual sskk reunion, them hugging is 100% a real possiblity

Right after Ranpo and Poe kidnapped Kunikida from the hospital and brought him back, Atsushi literally leaped and hugged Kuni

I think he'd hug Akutagawa when he sees him again (or maybe vice versa if Akutagawa really is that emotional now)

Both sides of sskk can't even deny their feelings now, it's amazing development

If we ever do get blessed with a sskk hug in the future, I will have a heart attack from happiness