MORE THAN A STONE

Kaimon art for the heck of it ._.

He’s really cute okay 🥺🩵

Cooking, love and home(1.5)

I shared an updated version of this analysis in a Twitter thread. I had my doubts about doing it here too, but I want to avoid misunderstandings, and I also notice that new people are slowly joining in, so maybe it's not such a bad idea. Also, I feel indebted to this community

This new version is focused on Arajin and Matakara, to adding a couple of extra things(It's not exactly the same as the previous one), after all, Bucchigiri had not yet finished when I shared the first analysis. If you prefer the previous version, don't worry, it's still there

Many surely know that cooking and everything that it implies along with food and sharing the table is a whole language that lends itself to multiple interpretations, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that Bucchigiri knows how to speak it unexpectedly well.

One of the things that cooking is usually associated with is maturity and independence, since we are talking about a skill that is considered important for adult life.

Curiously, this is something that we can notice a little in Arajin, who, although he's still someone with questionable behavior, also has the responsibility of helping his mother with the restaurant, which he fulfills diligently, being one of the few occasions in which we can see the character in a more positive light, showing us in a subtle way that there are redeemable things in him

It's also important to mention that his ability to cook is something that his mother has taught him, showing her love through her guidance, it may not seem like a big deal, but we will see that it says more than it seems.

This is a complete contrast to Matakara, who despite living with his relatives, seems to have had no such support, It could be argued that he had his brother, but let's remember that the age gap between the two is not too much, so it's normal that despite his efforts, Mitsukini didn't have enough tools to properly guide his younger brother.

Knowing this, we can talk about the scene in which both friends cook together, since it is where we can really appreciate this contrast more, represented by the gyoza, seeing how Arajin makes them with ease and skill, while Matakara fails every attempt, showing us how there is a gap between the two, not only in their friendship, but also in the availability of tools to be able to move forward with their lives, as well as the support received from their family environment and an important clue about Matakara's background.

It's from this that we can address the next point. Cooking and eating are also associated with a deep and sincere gesture of affection, few examples are as evident as Arajin's lunches, it is simply impossible to deny his mother's love in each dish, again contrasting with Matakara who simply buys his lunch, and in both cases, it's something the show goes to great lengths to highlight.

However, in the particular case of Matakara, there is much more to say in this area, because if we pay some attention, for him, cooking is deeply linked to the people he loves most, Arajin and his brother, even having a scene with each one of them.

Which doesn't happen with his friends in Minato kai, with whom although he shares lunch in his room, again, they are purchased lunches. It could mean that although he appreciates them, it's a friendship that is not yet strong enough, something we will see later.

This love is also reflected in the party he wants to prepare to welcome Mitsukuni, where he wants to make sure he eats something he made, which is why it makes him so happy that Arajin suggests that he be the one to teach his brother how to make gyoza.

All this opens the door to another topic, cooking and the warmth of a home. I think it's obvious what I want to point out with this. I already said it before, Arajin's lunches are a clear sign of his mother's love, or to be more precise, that Arajin comes from a home where he is loved.

Matakara on the other hand, we know how to cook is intimately linked to those he loves, and we NEVER see him have that kind of interaction with his relatives, neither cooking, nor even eating together, nor any other significant appearance, basically telling us that Matakara doesn't share any real bond with them, or even worse, that he doesn't feel loved in that house.

And I put emphasis on the word "home" because that is for him, it's just the place where he sleeps, it's not his home, and that's extremely important, because that feeling of home translates into safety, and we see that when he looks for Arajin after what happened with his brother. He goes with him because he feels safe at his side.

Much of this were clues that the anime left through how both protagonists relate to cooking, and it's no coincidence, because just like fighting, cooking is also a way of relating.

In fact, it's not for nothing that the last scene that both friends share after the final battle is cooking together, and although everything happens too quickly, there are things that we can notice if we look carefully.

Arajin and Matakara are cooking to welcome the two gangs and their leaders. They are preparing gyoza again, but we can notice that Matakara has finally managed to make one, and not only that, unlike the last time, they are close to each other

and they both look happy, clearly showing that the gap between them has fallen. Furthermore, it is evident that Arajin has been teaching his friend, representing how from now on he will be there for him.

Another extremely important element is that Matakara is cooking for others for the first time, showing how he is finally willing to open his heart.

THE'RE BONDING OVER THEIR LOVE FOR THEIR RESPECTIVE BIG BROTHERS?!

I did find it interesting that while Arajin was laying on the ground and while watching Matakara, he got flashbacks to his childhood when little Matakara got beat up. I think seeing that alone made the guilt smack him back in the face.

But then he saw Mahoro in the same situation, and she stood her ground. He told her to run, because that's what Arajin did and thats what he wished little Matakara did, he didn't want to see her attacked the same way Matakara was.

But she didn't run. I guess seeing his crush stand so strong and brave finally made him not want to run away like he ran away from little Matakara. So instead he got up to defend her, because whether he realizes it or not, he now can defend people who are dear to him.

Now all that I need to see is him willing to defend Matakara, I feel like considering what happened during his childhood itd make sense for this to happen? But his confidence is still low, despite random outbursts of confidence (thanks to Senya)

I dont know much about Aladdin and the overall story, but I've seen people say that Arajin might lose his powers at one point. That would be interesting, since his confidence and strength in fighting came mostly because of Senya

bucchigiri is so funny bc like. arajin is a pretty flawed teen put into the wildest dystopic school of battle-hungry pretty boys who answer to no authority. if arajin were even the slightest bit interested in men he might actually play along with the premise of the show. he's drowning in a harem of eligible bachelors dying to fight him while simultaneously being given the main character powers needed to fight back, but he doesn't want ANY of it. arajin is actively nerfed by his heterosexuality.

those crazy kids

CAN THEY COOK?- project: eden's garden cooking headcanons

detailed explanation for each placement, starting from "let them cook" to "do not let them in a kitchen unsupervised." everything's below the cut:

LET THEM COOK

-ingrid and eloise have big families and they have siblings, so it only makes sense they can cook well. desmond's mom and dad run a chain restaurant, so i feel like he'd be a good cook by proxy. -if there are people you trust to take you to a good restaurant, i feel like it'd be wenona, toshiko, and jean. partially vibes based but wenona would know when those ingredients are good and fresh, toshiko would appreciate expensive but also simple and affordable meals and jean has enough experience around his crew to understand how people's palates differ (as well as having tried a variety of dishes) -grace is an athlete. she will have her "cheat days" but other than that she is DEDICATED. veggies and grains before playing and protein after. i feel like she'd hate those weird health shakes though. she makes and breaks the rules as she wishes

-kai is the type of guy who strikes me as someone who is a good cook. there are a few dishes he can make off the top of his head and they're probably all specific internet dishes (i.e. pancakes, breakfast bowl, veggie pasta... myriad of drinks etc.) buttt i think if you asked him to just fry an egg he'd somehow burn it.

-damon's parents probably taught him how to cook as a life skill and also as #bondingtime. he'd probably know how to make some traditional japanese dishes but like i also feel like he gets a bit lazy with cooking sometimes (either because he's too locked in studying or he's just tired). so like, a bowl of cereal or a boiled egg and plain toast and a banana. i like to think kai and co. bring him to restaurants or cook with him so it's easier.

-diana, diana, diana. if you believe that she is italian then i do think she could cook some great italian food. but in all honesty i feel like half of her meals are things you don't have to cook (as in over a stove or in an oven). diana 100% is a baker though. she is the type of person to bring freshly baked brownies for the class. i headcanon she, ingrid, toshiko and eloise help her out.

What the hell, sure.

-i am so hard pressed to believe these guys eat enough veggies.

-all busy + don't feel like cooking + it's faster to take out food. once in a while they will cook but it is rare. their food is edible to them and that's all that matters

-cassidy is a MENACE on the grill though (proof? that one eden's island promotional art). ask her to fucking grill anything and she will DELIVER. same goes with jett but i believe cassidy is the better grill dad here

-this is a joke but why can I see jett, cassidy and mark going to restaurants guy fieri style

DO NOT LET THEM COOK

-i feel like eva is the type of person to be like "i can cook" but she ABSOLUTELY cannot. you'll be in the kitchen with her and she would be too embarrassed to admit she can't despite the fact she is continuously failing. she gets the hang of it after a while -wolfgang doesn't know how to do his own laundry so i assume he can't cook (bc he spent all his time studying as a kid) -if you asked ulysses if he could cook he'd be like "sort of?" he can follow a recipe, but if something goes wrong he panics a bit. i think he forgets to feed himself sometimes -i think tozu would make a mean shepard's pie (pun not intended). i feel like he likes french food. while he jokes about british food he finds it very unexciting and bland. he is genuinely a good cook but would absolutely troll you by putting a "secret ingredient" in his food (i.e. putting pineapple in lasagna) unfortunately, this would be ineffective on someone like kai or eva who like "weirder" food combos

@m4squ3raid ask and u shall receive

ikigusare idols f2u! <3