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petroniaMori Ranmaru warms the perverse cockles of my heart. He doesn't really look it in the anime, but in the novels he's described as... Shinichi out of Nana, basically. Except unapologetically evil and conniving. Kuwabara rather neglects to mention how he's dressed, so I arbitrarily picture him in Shin's tartan bondage pants and beret. Or a private school uniform with a tie. <3 Besides I will bet anything that unlike certain other loyal retainers, Ranmaru actually gets laid.
Speaking of which, they should just revive Voldie, I mean Nobunaga, because I can't take the suspense. What's stopping them? >_> Akechi Mitsuhide's on the prowl for cripes' sake. I am looking forward to it besides, as (unlike JKR) Kuwabara Mizuno is the sort of writer where you'd expect the bad guys to average out sexier, angstier and gheier than the good guys. Mind you outdoing the Uesugi in this sense may be difficult, but by rights Nobunaga ought to turn up as the sort of character Charmian makes shrines to. XD
I start to write about Haruie, and then I stop and start again, and finally I decided I'll read up to book 9 before I try to discuss at length. The series sez she takes female bodies for the sake of her lover, who is just that heterosexual I guess, but she doesn't at all come across as a gay man in a female body. Of course this ties in with the inherent gender/identity issue - the majority of both onryou and kanshousha go for bodies that fit how they "perceive" themselves, I think, in terms of gender, age and so on (niggling suspicion that part of Ranmaru's TOS is that he has to be a cute bishounen uke in every lifetime) - but when Mogami Yoshiyasu shows up it's in a female body, and then he switches to male, and it's not something that rates a mention to him or anyone else. Then again, Chiaki/Nagahide - say - doesn't at all come across as 400 years old, so maybe I'm expecting too much subtlety from the characterisation and the issue doesn't bear the weight of analysis. XD
...Although with Chiaki you have to wonder how much of it is Kagetora's memory loss. Takaya's not-remembering (and utter male-adolescent-ness) changed the entire group dynamic, not just his relationship with Naoe. Haruie went from awe/respect verging on hero-worship (it reminds me of how Kazuki feels about Raitei in GB) to loving but oft-exasperated older sister. Nagahide is actually the second most powerful of the Uesugi, and the other person to be truly happy that Takaya was regaining his powers, as his schtick with Kagetora was more along the lines of Shounen Rivals (tm). Or whatever Shounen Rivals gets to be after several centuries of fighting alongside each other. Given that Kagetora's chip was wiped, Chiaki seems to have decided on some level to oblige him and reboot their relationship from Level 1: Dumb Teenage Male Posturing. All very cyclical and Buddhist. XD
Speaking of which, they should just revive Voldie, I mean Nobunaga, because I can't take the suspense. What's stopping them? >_> Akechi Mitsuhide's on the prowl for cripes' sake. I am looking forward to it besides, as (unlike JKR) Kuwabara Mizuno is the sort of writer where you'd expect the bad guys to average out sexier, angstier and gheier than the good guys. Mind you outdoing the Uesugi in this sense may be difficult, but by rights Nobunaga ought to turn up as the sort of character Charmian makes shrines to. XD
I start to write about Haruie, and then I stop and start again, and finally I decided I'll read up to book 9 before I try to discuss at length. The series sez she takes female bodies for the sake of her lover, who is just that heterosexual I guess, but she doesn't at all come across as a gay man in a female body. Of course this ties in with the inherent gender/identity issue - the majority of both onryou and kanshousha go for bodies that fit how they "perceive" themselves, I think, in terms of gender, age and so on (niggling suspicion that part of Ranmaru's TOS is that he has to be a cute bishounen uke in every lifetime) - but when Mogami Yoshiyasu shows up it's in a female body, and then he switches to male, and it's not something that rates a mention to him or anyone else. Then again, Chiaki/Nagahide - say - doesn't at all come across as 400 years old, so maybe I'm expecting too much subtlety from the characterisation and the issue doesn't bear the weight of analysis. XD
...Although with Chiaki you have to wonder how much of it is Kagetora's memory loss. Takaya's not-remembering (and utter male-adolescent-ness) changed the entire group dynamic, not just his relationship with Naoe. Haruie went from awe/respect verging on hero-worship (it reminds me of how Kazuki feels about Raitei in GB) to loving but oft-exasperated older sister. Nagahide is actually the second most powerful of the Uesugi, and the other person to be truly happy that Takaya was regaining his powers, as his schtick with Kagetora was more along the lines of Shounen Rivals (tm). Or whatever Shounen Rivals gets to be after several centuries of fighting alongside each other. Given that Kagetora's chip was wiped, Chiaki seems to have decided on some level to oblige him and reboot their relationship from Level 1: Dumb Teenage Male Posturing. All very cyclical and Buddhist. XD
