I adore Gin, she's genuinely cute, so I put her in few different outfits. I'm in genuine belief that she's a shoujo girlie.
They look so funnysilly in this particular official art it makes me giggle like a little girl
Aaa Siblingss
Though the latest chapter was relatively short and rose more questions than it gave answers, I believe Fyodor's speech about the "dimensions" is hinting Atsushi's role in the upcoming fight against Amenogozen.
In this panel, Fyodor is clearly talking about Akutagawa, who is able to block Amenogozen's space and time attacks. What's interesting here is the choice of words.
The individual inhabits "the paper world".
Ofc, this could only be a callback to the paper that magically popped out of thin air right into Fyodor's hand, and which he stabs to demonstrate that a two-dimensional character cannot escape an attack coming from someone outside the paper.
But! It is interesting to note that it can also call back the The Book, which Fyodor referred as "our origin" in chapter 119.
Akutagawa, like any other character in BSD (minus some exceptions), is part of the Book. Therefore, that would mean he is a two-dimensional character, since his life is part of a piece of paper. Now that Fyodor controls Amenogozen a singularity which defies the logics of the BSD world, he is "a dimension higher" than the Book. Which allows him (through Amenogozen) to land attacks that seemingly "come out of nowhere" (in the panel below Amenogozen's arm comes from Aku's belly instead of piercing it from side to side)
Now, back to Atsushi. In chapter 119, Fyodor said something that I believe is the hint for Atsushi's role in the fight against Amenogozen.
Atsushi is a bookmark. Therefore, that means he's not completely part of the Book, but outside the Book. Thus, a dimension higher than the Book, on par with Gozen (dimensionally speaking, at least).
It's also interesting to note that, in the panel below, Fyodor says "us three-dimensional beings", which could mean he's including Atsushi in this label - but this is kind of a stretch imo, since he could also just be referring to Gozen and himself.
At any rate, Atsushi's role as a "bookmark" has to be relevant for the upcoming final clash against Gozen. Especially if he fights alongside Akutagawa (forget that the latter has been stabbed. He is fine. The anime says sskk will fight together and I believe it. RYU IS FINE 🥲🥲)
After all, chapter 119 has already showed us that Aku can fight on equals terms with Gozen in terms of space and time (the first two dimensions).
All he lacks is the ability to counter the thrid dimension, "depth", that only the people "outside" the Book possess. In other words, people like Atsushi. We already know that the tiger's claws can erase abilities, so I think Atsushi is able to counter Gozen's 3D attacks... theoretically speaking.
So in conclusion, I think that chapter 119 and 120 gave us the hints of what the cast needs to defeat the divine being: someone who can counter him in the two dimensions of space and time (Akutagawa), and someone who can block the attacks coming from the third (Atsushi). Which would eventually lead to the final clash the anime has teased, with sskk facing Gozen, and this famous sentence finally taking on its full meaning:
No. Technically, there is no need for more than Atsushi and Akutagawa.
Technically. As long as they manage to complete each other's weaknesses with their own strengh.
Please note that this post is merely my own interpretation of the recent chapters, from which I've built my theories. They could be a total stretch and be proven wrong in the upcoming chapters. But I firmly believe that the elements from Fyodor's villain monologue have to be relevant at some point in the future. Hopefully chapter 120.5 and its successors will provide more answers than questions...
Keep thinking about the similarities and differences between Dazai's living conditions and Chuuya's living conditions, but how at the end of the day, they both just...don't know how to live. Even Verlaine looks around and asks how/why Dazai lives in the middle of nowhere and in a container, clearly pointing out that it's unusual but Dazai just shrugs it off. Chuuya has his desk in the middle of the room facing his bed when desks are usually in corners or against walls or facing a window but his is pointed at his bed. Meanwhile Dazai's is facing the wall. You walk into either of these rooms and wonder who lives there because you glean no personality or interests from them and wouldn't expect them to be where two teenagers make their homes. And there's something uniquely sad about that fact.
for atsushi to so fully and completely recognise akutagawa's sacrifice and what it means for the person akutagawa is at heart, echoing it back to him so powerfully—akutagawa felt another see him so thoroughly, know him so deeply, that it overwhelmed him into remembering who he truly is. what other recognition could outdo this?
Yeah, we are fucked up
SB!Chuuya vs mafia grunts: spot the differences
Choker (for style)
Gloves (we don't have time to unpack all that)
Rolled up sleeves (for size style)
Open collar (delinquent)
No tie (delinquent)
Unworn sunglasses (in pocket)
It has all the elements of a standard mafia grunt uniform. In the novel, he picks up a shirt, all of which are high-end and well-maintained, "at random" just to get it done. This matches his empty apartment in serving the theme of the story, which is "who is Nakahara Chuuya?"
and YET, we can see his personality come through that basic nobody uniform in the way he chooses to style his bland clothes, the accessories he puts on, and the glasses, which are a mean to anonymise the mafia members, that he does not put on, yet carries with him. He will not be absorbed as just one of the many, and despite his uncertainties, he's clearly himself from the very start.
CHARACTER DESIGN!!!!
(note: the light novel description of his clothes and the character design do not completely agree. Asagiri wanted to have Chuuya wear emerald cuff links. Harukawa rolled up his sleeves. Make of that what you will.)
I′ve grown a mouth so sharp and cruel/It's all that I can give to you, my dear/And when you come in quick to steal a kiss/My teeth will only cut your lips, my dear
And I know that you mean so well/But I am not a vessel for your good intent
I will only break your pretty things/I will only wring you dry of everything/But if you′re fine with that/You can be mine like that
Abandon all your stupid dreams/About the girl I could have been, my dear/'Cause, in the night, I know you burn with feelings/I cannot return, my dear/Oh, my dear
You gotta know that this won't last/Desperation will erase the fact/I′m keeping all
Of the answers in my cigarette box/Yeah, the answer′s in the second before the other shoe drops/And if you're blind to that/I am fine with that
Oh, I will ruin you/Oh, I will ruin you
It′s a habit, I can't help it 💔
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