Appeal to HikaGo fans

[petronia]

(Could not post this for hours as Internet was down, much hate!) Still on drabbles. As I try to think ahead on these - especially when more than one person requests the same or related topic - I find myself confronted with a... not so much dilemma as failure of imagination, actually.** So I thought I'd see what other people thought, o my flist:

We're unanimous that Touya Akira's hair is kind of lame, right?

If you could give him a different haircut, what would it be?

Alternately, if you were Hikaru and thought Touya's hair was kind of lame and were trying to convince him to do something different with it, what would you think was a good idea?

***

Someone asked for Asami x Takaba as well but she changed her mind. XD I like the pairing but it's superfluous for me to write it as other people have done such good jobs - so lazy omg! - well actually it's because I know what I would write about Takaba, and it's not what I or anyone else would look for in Viewfinder fic. It's a frustrating affliction, this occasional inability to write what I myself would want to read.

In the particular case of Viewfinder methinks the root cause is that I can't quite imagine a happy ending to the story, for usual definition of happy ending being "everyone likes where they are in life, no one is dead". Which is sort of the problem when you have main characters who are awful specimens of humanity. Asami and Feilong have the best chance of actually hashing something out, I think, where "something" is not a love affair but more like - uh - an agreement to cooperate on smuggling Burmese/Thai amphetamines to Japan, along with the illegal aliens to front them, handguns from mainland China, etc. (WTF HOW IS FURTHERING THE INTERNATIONAL DRUG TRADE IN EAST ASIA CONSTRUED AS A HAPPI ENDO) In the sense that Asami is a crime boss first and foremost, and Feilong should be but instead is being kind of... stupid. Currently.

Takaba is the issue. I like the kid, I don't want to see him lose his integrity. His relationship with Asami isn't good for him any way you parse - apart from the mindblowing sex yes okay understood due consideration given - but he doesn't intend to walk away, nor would Asami let him if he did, I mean he'd have to leave the country... oh wait.

Please not to point out that I'm thinking too hard and injecting too much unwelcome realism into the fictional construct. Trust me, I know. _o_

***

Re-read Sex Pistols from the beginning last night, as I was zipping up the directories for Tania and trying to figure out what she'd read and what she hadn't. The Yonekuni plot arc is really quite well-constructed - I see it now, that is, the first time I read chapters 1-4 my brain kept trying to crawl out my ears and hence I missed a lot. (Becky, I think what it is, is a lot of people actually encountered and read it on their own time, but never babbled on lj because... well. Then a couple of brave souls made mention, sl0r4ge commenced, and suddenly the rest discovered We Were Not Alone. In other words I blame yasminm.)

It's surprising to me how much I like Shiro, given that I don't usually go for that type at all (my incest squick is not so much if the pairing is related to each other in the story, as if the character reminds me of my male sibling of whom I have a very clear mental picture regardless of the fact that he doesn't exist. In other words I shy from picturing dorky nervous mild-mannered studious Asian boys with glasses in any sort of sexual situation, both in fiction and in real life). Maybe it needs to be straight-ahead BL instead of making me do the fannish legwork. Or maybe it's just that Shiro is way too tall to be any member of my family (too tall!? What about the EARS AND TAIL AND?!?).

Given what I'm reading and watching these days, it's ironic that May isn't going to be what was originally planned on fst. XD Not that I see me making a Sex Pistols mix, but Wolf's Rain maybe - I have this album of acoustic pop sung in Inuktitut etc. It must be an extension of my only-remix-what-I-love thing, this largely futile impulse to make FSTs for anime series with Kanno Yoko soundtracks. Or maybe it's just that after playing the OST1 to death I want more of the same.

***

** Basically I am a BAD person to ask this question, as I had the same (varying only in inches of length) haircut for most of my life, and it looked amazingly like Touya Akira's without the bangs. Then again, I'm a girl.

Comments

[quixotic-sense.livejournal.com]

Why blame me?!

(Incidentally, if anyone still wants the scanlations plus raws for volume 3, just point them my way and I'll temporarily add them to my flist so they can leech off me. Er. This does nothing to help my case, does it?)

Re: Viewfinder: I'm depressingly convinced that either Asami or Takaba will be killed off in the end. I love Takaba -- however far he's going to fall, I can't see him being happy in the underworld as, well, Asami's catamite. I can only stomach angsty and/or mindfucky Viewfinder fic, of the sort that I can't write because I simply can't handle overwrought melodrama well. >_>

[petronia.livejournal.com]

The person who makes the BL Recs comm post is the automatic scapegoat. XD

I don't think Yamane Ayano's going to end it with main characters getting killed off, actually; she doesn't strike me as that kind of writer. My best guess is that she's going to drag the series on for as long as its popularity lasts, wring the setup of every possible drop of drama and sleight-of-hand plotting, and end it on a note that's heartwarming and utterly inconclusive with regard to the characters' longterm future. XD;; As it is I enjoy reading fluffy Viewfinder fic as long as it's not overwhelmingly OOC, but... it's a bit untenable, working as a photojournalist when you're shacked up with a yakuza boss.

[supplanter.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't dream of changing Touya's haircut; it so suits him, as he clearly is a girl. :D!

Um, I mean, if I were Hikaru, I might think just having it shorter and a little less... skull-cap-neat looking would be an improvement.  Like Isumi's hair, or even Hikaru's, without the bleach—nothing special, just not. like it is currently.

Or we could go really slow, and go with Hon Su-Young's cut, which is kind of just an abbreviated version of Touya's, right?  Or maybe keep the length, but have it more like Ko Young-Ha, 'cause it's awfully hard thinking of Touya with ears. o.o

[aishuu.livejournal.com]

For Touya, I'd grow it out until he could tie it at the base of his neck in a long ponytail that went halfway down his back. Puuuurrrr...

[one-if-by-land.livejournal.com]

But wouldn't that be pushing the gaydar into overdrive? *g* Though considering he already looks like a girl---

[supplanter.livejournal.com]

I was considering ponytails, too, but thought some of it should stay short?  Like, um, Hikaru from Magic Knights Rayearth.&bsp; Probably not curly, though. ^^;;;  And I was actually thinking a short ponytail, no more than 2-3 inches.  Like Satsuki from X....

[aishuu.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... I like a long, traditional ponytail. Can't you see him start to wear old-fashioned clothing with it?

And yes, he definitely needs to keep the bangs to frame his face.

[supplanter.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure that it wouldn't look good on him, but it seems a bit less likely?  And would take a lot of time, whereas he could have the short one right away.  Though I suppose it could get there eventually—would Hikaru make fun of him for taking after his father, or would it be confounded with memories of Sai/respect for Touya-Meijin?  Though it's not the same sort of clothing, exactly....

Is this just "Touya would good like so" or "Hikaru would be likely to suggest this"?

[sabrinanj.livejournal.com]

I like Shiro a lot too. I like the angsty ones.

[squidlet.livejournal.com]

Given that I'm notoriously biased against girly hair on men, it would have to be hmm. Like Isumi's. It lets him be pretty without being girly.

Or just anything that takes away from the perfect square of the cut.

But then again I don't really see what's the big deal about Akira, actually. He's cute and adorable, but everyone else in HnG is cute and adorable.

If you say someone like Mitani, then maybe I'll understand. His haircut rocks, by the way.

[starlighter.livejournal.com]

[squidlet.livejournal.com]

No, no, for me it's the other way around. I like HikAki for the dynamics more than the characters.

I think this observation comes with the benefit of distance, now. If you asked me while I was madly into HnG I wouldn't have been able to answer.

I mean, if you're talking about characters I really love, they'll have to be people like Waya, Isumi, Mitani, Tsutsui, Kaga.

I can't remember how Kamui looks like...okay, I tell you the best real life example of how dear Akira should cut his hair is Vaness Wu. Contrast Meteor Garden and him now. /That's/ how Akira should cut his hair.

[elfiepike.livejournal.com]

you know, the one problem with hikaru suggesting a new hairstyle for touya would be that they both have (apparently) had the same hairstyle since their hair was long enough to style. (or in hikaru's case, since he was old enough for his scalp to withstand bleach.)

really, it would have to be a double-dare situation, i think. like:
hikaru: "so how often do you actually get your hair cut?"
akira: "hm?"
hikaru: "because you've had the same one since we met."
akira: "...my mother cuts it for me."
hikaru: "... that is so not cool, touya."
akira: *irritated* "you've had the same hairstyle since we met as well!"
hikaru: "but mine's cool."
akira: "and i bet your mom bleaches it for you."

etc etc.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

You speak the Truth.

[one-if-by-land.livejournal.com]

good viewfinder fic? where, sabina! *weeps on your doorstep*

[petronia.livejournal.com]

I think ingenius_inc is pretty good, and she writes a new Viewfinder fic, like, EVERY DAY. Unless of course she's writing Schwarzfic. Basically I don't see why people are still hanging around my lj after I've said this.

[beeblebabe.livejournal.com]

This talk of changing Akira's hair is foolish, for clearly he is some kind of go Samson who draws strength from his pageboy. But I do think he should let it grow out, to the length it is in the silly Go Olympics 2008 poster. Shoulder length, with possibile ponytails and all the better to be splayed out and sweaty on a pillow.

That aside, can I date your non-existant brother? Since dorky nervous mild-mannered studious Asian boys with glasses are among my favorite things. Shiro had me at first stammer.

[petronia.livejournal.com]

You are cool! I approve of your hypothetical relationship!

(I do not know the poster to which you refer, she says expectantly.)

[beeblebabe.livejournal.com]

IT is this one (http://www.brainfart.org/hikago/gallery/saibook/saibook-88.jpg)! It appeared in silly poster format (with fake newspaper stories about go becoming an Olympic sport) in the character book. Slightly longer hair, with bonus of Hikaru invading Akira's personal space. And presumably they are older and stupider, judging by Waya's 2008 facepaint.

(Sai, clearly, back from the beyond to catch the Olympics.)

[petronia.livejournal.com]

...In Beijing. So it will be at the Weiqi Institute!

So Akira lets his hair grow out a few inches, Hikaru... does nothing with his, and Waya continues to be a doof. Lark's on the wing, snail's on the thorn.

[beeblebabe.livejournal.com]

I could see perhaps Waya going for a buzz at some point in his life, possibly related to a gum and/or syrup related incident.

[ochame.livejournal.com]

I apologize. I've been posting in the wrong windows today.

I just wanted to say that Toya Akira's classic "sassoon" hairstyle is HOT. It's his best feature, I think :)

[petronia.livejournal.com]

It's all in the cut! XD XD

Grass always greener etc. Nothing much besides the Sassoon cut can be done with my hair, which is thick enough to incur the astonishment of hairdressers and about as easily styled as optical fiber. I'm going to have to make an effort not to saddle Touya with my trauma. XD

[ochame.livejournal.com]

In that case, allow me to be insanely jealous of your hair. I bet you can get those really awesome cuts where they cut hair with a razor to different length and it all looks all porcupine-ish.


As far as Asami/Takaba and the looming angst and tragegy - well, d'oh! These are the best kinds of BL stories are they not? Ozaki is still the queen of angst and BL is she not?
What can be better than a tragic ending for them? It would be beautiful, poignant, perfect in every way. I bet it will be Asami who gets killed... not both of them (that would be too ANK-ish!). Yep, make it Asami, and let Takaba forgive him... let Takaba admit his feelings, give them a moment of happiness - and ::boom:: - it's over, just like that. Takaba moves on with his life, yet he can't forget...
::goosebumps:: I would so totally cry a river when reading the ending. And it would feel so good ;_;

[sesame-seed.livejournal.com]

I should really construct something other than 'Stick to Asami/Fei? :D' as a response to this post, but cannot seem to find anything of equal import.

Okay, here's a shot: I enjoyed the Yonekuni/Shiro arc as well, though with a tinge of guilt at the end -- I don't like being manipulated into feeling for the characters exactly what the author wants me to feel for them (sympathy for poor put-upon Shiro, indignance towards Yonekuni, heartfelt awwww reflex when they finally tumble into bed with both parties conscious) when the manipulation itself is so blatant. On the other hand, love it when it's not shoving itself in my face. (HOUSE, SABINA, HOUSE. Does it so well! :DDDDD?)

Akira's hair hurts me. If I had charge of him, I'd make him wear it like Feilong -- exact Feilong style, hair past his waist, either loose, in a braid or in a ponytail. Unfortunately, I cannot imagine Hikaru having such wonderful and discerning taste; he might get Akira to cut it and spike it with gel (a la Badtz Maru) or possibly go for something resembling his own.

Neither prospect does much to ease the pain, alas.

[harajukufuuri.livejournal.com]

Hikaru would possibly go after Akira with Gatsby, if they weren't complusively trash-talking each other about Go all the time. And make him wear the same disastrous clothes that he does. >_> It's more than probable than Hikaru thinks he's at the height of fashion! In a suit + bleached hair, even!
That aside, I think his hair actually complements his unnaturally severe prettiness. (cf Athrun Zala.) But I'd still like to see him in some kind of non-ascetic getup. What breaks my brain but may still work is uhm the Hisoka (HxH) cut-and-wax.

[harajukufuuri.livejournal.com]

his in third last sentence refers to Akira. I thought I needed to clear that up because.. well, just because. Eep.