Heheheheh “beauty And The Beast” Romella Doodle Based On @darenk8p ‘s Monster!romeo Concept

Bffs :(((

Mizu, femininity, and fallen sparrows

In my last post about Mizu and Akemi, I feel like I came across as overly critical of Mizu given that Mizu is a woman who - in her own words - has to live as a man in order to go down the path of revenge.

If she is ever discovered to be female by the wrong person, she will not only be unable to complete her quest, but there's a good chance that she'll be arrested or killed.

So it makes complete sense for Mizu to distance herself as much as possible from any behavior that she feels like would make someone question her sex.

I felt so indignant toward Mizu on my first couple watchthroughs for this moment. Why couldn't Mizu bribe the woman and her child's way into the city too? If Mizu is presenting as a man, couldn't she claim to be the woman's escort?

However, this moment makes things pretty clear. Mizu knows all too well the plight of women in her society. She knows it so well that she cannot risk ever finding herself back in their position again. She helps in what little way she can - without drawing attention to herself.

Mizu is not a hero and she is not one to make of herself a martyr - she will not set herself on fire to keep others warm. There's room to argue that Mizu shouldn't prioritize her quest over people's lives, but given the collateral damage Mizu can live with in almost every episode of season 1, Mizu is simply not operating under that kind of morality at this point. ("You don't know what I've done to reach you," Mizu tells Fowler.)

And while I still feel like Mizu has an obvious and established blind spot when it comes to Akemi because of their differences in station, such that Mizu's judgment of Akemi and actions in episode 5 are the result of prejudice rather than the result of Mizu's caution, I also want to establish that Mizu is just as caged as Akemi is, despite her technically having more freedom while living as a man.

Mizu can hide her mixed race identity some of the time, and she can hide her sex almost all of the time, but being able to operate outside of her society's strict rules for women does not mean she cannot see their plight.

It does not mean she doesn't hurt for them.

Back to Mizu and collateral damage, remember that sparrow?

While Mizu is breaking into Boss Hamata's manse, she gets startled by a bird and kills it on reflex. She then cradles it in her hands - much more tenderly than we've seen Mizu treat almost anything up to this point in the season:

She then puts it in its nest, with its unhatched eggs. Almost like she's trying to make the death look natural. Or like an accident.

You see where I'm going with this.

When Mizu kills Kinuyo, Mizu lingers in the moment, holding the body tenderly:

And btw a lot of stuff about this show hit me hard, but this remains the biggest gut punch of them all for me, Mizu holding that poor girl's body close, GOD

When Mizu arranges the "scene of the crime," Kinuyo's body is delicate, birdlike. And Mizu is so shaken afterward that she gets sloppy. She's horrified at this kill to the point that she can't bring herself to take another innocent life - the boy who rats her out.

MIZU'S ONE MOMENT OF SOFTNESS AND MERCY, COMING ON THE HEELS OF HER NEEDING TO KILL A GIRL TO SPARE HER THE WORST FATE THAT THIS RIGID SOCIETY HAS TO OFFER WOMEN, AND TO SPARE A BROTHEL FULL OF INNOCENT WOMEN WHO ARE THE CASTOFFS OF SOCIETY, NEARLY RESULTS IN ALL OF THEIR DEATHS

No wonder Mizu is as stoic and cold as she is.

And no wonder Mizu has no patience for Akemi whatsoever right before the terrible reveal and the fight breaks out:

Speaking of Akemi - guess who else is compared to a bird!

The plumage is more colorful, a bit flashier. But a bird is a bird.

And, uh

Yeah.

I like to think that Mizu killing the sparrow is not only foreshadowing for what she must do to Kinuyo, but is also a representation of the choice she makes on Akemi's behalf. She decides to cage the bird because she believes the bird is "better off." Better off caged than... dead.

But because Mizu doesn't know Akemi or her situation, she of course doesn't realize that the bird is fated to die if it is caged and sent back home.

Mizu is clearly not happy, or pleased, or satisfied by allowing Akemi to be dragged back to her father:

But softness and mercy haven't gotten Mizu anywhere good, recently.

There is so much tragedy layered into Mizu's character, and it includes the things she has to witness and the choices she makes - or believes she has to make - involving women, when she herself can skirt around a lot of what her society throws at women. Although, I do believe that it comes at the cost of a part of Mizu's soul.

After all, I'm gonna be haunted for the rest of this show by Mizu's very first prayer in episode 1:

"LET" her die. Because as Ringo points out, she doesn't "know how" to die.

Kind of like another bird in this show:

dang she looks gorgeous

Happy April Fools' Day；）

Swap their identities.

（I love the admin Stella, wow）

fu xuan’s interrogation

THAT IS SO PRECIOUS AND THOUGHTFUL AND IM IN LOVE

WAAAHHH 🥺🥺🥺💗💗💗💗

Hey, I saw u like Red Son from MK. That’s cool. I wanted to ask if perhaps u have any Headcanons about him too?

Thanks for the ask!! I do have a few, I love Red Son! I love all the characters of this show!! I NEED MORE OF THEM!! 😍

Here we go with flamey boy 🔥🔥🔥:

Has a new journal every time he needs to put down on paper his frustration, hopes and dreams, only to burn it right after to prevent anyone to witness his fEeLiNgS 😱

Actually had rehearsal for what he was going to say to his father at his glorious return for years... felt really stupid at the actual moment 👉👈

Made a card for his mom every year for Mother's Day but got too self-conscious to actually give it every single time. He has them all. Can't bring himself to burn those

Used to love noodles actually... now it gives him conflicting emotions 😅

Is secretly working on an ice cream machine able to make an ice cream that doesn't melt as soon as he touches it. It's still a work in progress

For the abovementioned reason, he never had an ice cream in his life 🤷‍♀️

Tries to use his great devotion for his father to forget about the constant doubt that, if he was really useless, his family would get rid of him

"WHAT THAT'S RIDICULOUS I AM RED SON MY FATHER IS THE DEMON BULL KING AND TOGETHER WE WILL CONQUER THE WORLD!!"

👆 Him every time the thought just brushes his mind... yeah...

Total cat person 🐱🐈🐱

Eats lots of flambée food, even food that doesn't need to be. Cookies? Flambée. Pizza? Flambée. That leftover of vegetarian lasagna in the fridg- Wait where is it? Oh right it's FLAMBÉE 🔥

... everything comes out surprisingly delicious. For some reason

I had more than I thought 🤩 It got a little angsty in a few of them... eh 🤷‍♀️ Imma throw in a few headcanons for MK too because he's another precious boy I love 😚

Noodle boy here he comes:

Was an orphan left on the streets to gather some food. Never particularly sad, nor particularly happy. He just kinda... always moved forward?

One time he was scavenging between the garbage of a nearby restaurant when he was found by the actual owner. Tried to apologize immediately. Got a jacket with the logo of the place and a job instead. Never really left since 😉

Became instant best friends with Mei at their first meeting. Like, they crossed eyes once, and it was done. Pigsey was there, and he doesn't undertand how either

Journey to the West was the first book in good conditions MK read, Pigsy gave it to him. Fell in love immediately 🥰

Used to write little stories about him and the Monkey King going on adventures together (THIS KID IS A FANBOY SO YOU BET YOUR MONKEY BUTT HE DOES FANFICTIONS TOO 😎)

He says of himself to have high spicy hot tolerance

He really doesn't

No, you don't understand, he doesn't KNOW tolerance, this kid will start to tear up if you give him sweet PAPRIKA

For the love of the Monkey King don't give him spice 🥵

He was the reason Tang became a regular customer, a bit because of the free noodles, a bit because... MK is freaking precious come on, look at his face

Doesn't really think about his real parents. His family is here anyway 💕

That was fun! I cannot wait to have more of this beautiful show and these wonderful characters!! 💜💜💜

What if, because Robin was his only "network" after however long in silence, Al-An subconsciously becomes a little clingy towards her (no matter how hard he denies it lol)? He's basically just a big alien doggo :'D

Also I'm glad to see that tumblr loves these two as much as I do haa

did you know i ship spicynoodles (unbelievable) 

i'm going through doomsday rn she's so fine

no way bb8 ur so cool

sketch cleaning my beloved