Nothing Is Funnier To Me Than The Fashion In Bsd, U Walk Down The Street And See 3 Men In Business Suits,

i have midterms tomorrow and here i am 

this is a beautiful analysis

Okay, buckle up, we're gonna talk Jean and Floch (and Eren) ((and Reijean again because getting emotional about them is like my second job now – seriously, I’m putting as much Reijean into this as possible, it’s not a joke)).

But mostly Jean and Floch, yeah.

As I’ve said before, Jean Kirschtein is a masterpiece of a character and I’ll most probably never shut up about him, the way he is written, developed and, just in general, Jean is the man, okay? As one of Isayama’s favorites, he is allowed to evolve in many delicious ways. He is also allowed to have some nice, eye-opening moments.

One of them is connected to Floch. Because Floch is very similar to Jean and yet exists to be his polar opposite in the areas that matter the most. He is, in a way, an extreme and radicalized version of Jean, if you will. And I think Jean knows that. Not only knows, but perhaps even wonders, whether Floch is what Jean himself could have become (to some extent) if Marco hadn’t died, if he had gone along with his initial plan and joined the MPs, and if he had been a tad more obsessive.

At the beginning of the story Jean does his best to come off as a self-obsessed coward and a jerk who never intends to step a foot outside of the Walls or use his honed skills to help humanity. He is lazy and focused on one goal only – staying safe in the Interior. However, the moment the Titans appear in Trost, is the moment we learn Jean is in fact not a simple coward – and far from it. Dropping the façade, he reveals himself to be one of the most dependable people around and, just like Marco prophesized, a natural born leader at heart. His friend’s death is of course the final straw, leading to his eventual involvement with the Scout Regiment instead of the Military Police. And it’s not just a spur-of-the-moment kind of thing for him. He’s not inspired by some higher force (or Eren). He makes a conscious decision to sacrifice whatever comfortable, easy life he could have, to stay true to himself and to do what he believes to be right. Sure, guilt and self-loathing are involved, but once Jean makes up his mind, everything is settled. He won’t back down from the challenge.

Needless to say, Jean’s not as OP as Levi or a genius strategist like Armin – even though he’s a Shadis-approved master of the ODM gear and smart in his own right. He’s definitely not as driven and intense as Eren. He's pragmatic and doesn’t intend to just throw his life away. Basically, compared to the main characters, he is just some guy who knows what fear and despair taste like, who allows himself to consider choosing the easy way out, acknowledges it and then – pushes forward to do what needs to be done. That’s why he is a good leader – he’s not a superhero, but a fellow human being who’s scared and yet fights on. And don’t get me wrong, he can still be a dramatic asshole, eager to antagonize others (Eren) and definitely not someone flawless. But that’s what makes him so relatable.

Jean facing his own humanity is probably one of the most reoccurring motifs in the series. He is aware of his shortcomings. He knows when to rely on others rather than let his ambition rule him and endanger those he’s supposed to lead (like when he takes command of the operation in Shiganshina at Armin’s request, but counts on him to come up with the final plan). He is also very well aware of the sacrifices that need to be made in their line of work. That’s why he’s able to face the harsh truth and take a step forward. But he’s far from okay.

One of my favorite moments to illustrate that is during the battle with the Armored Titan in Shiganshina, when the gang thinks they actually managed to kill Reiner. Jean is trying to be in charge and keep everyone in line while, well, crying himself. We’re the ones who killed him.

Enter Floch.

A self-proclaimed and pretty much self-obsessed coward who doesn’t want to fight the Titans, but does face them when the time comes. At the beginning he’s pretty carefree and very ignorant about what fighting the Titans actually entails. Whether we can consider him brave for his engagement in the Battle of Shiganshina, or whether we should see him as simply pressured into following the herd into the arms of death is up for discussion, but the fact is he does listen to Erwin and fulfill his duty when ordered to.

His strong and very twisted sense of devotion starts to shine through the moment he has a near-death experience and when Erwin’s life is on the line as well. He mostly loses his mind right there and then. As a result, where Jean’s devoted and still open to discussion, Floch’s obsessed (also traumatized beyond belief, I’ll give him that, but Jean sure isn’t any less traumatized at that stage). He doesn’t want to listen to anyone’s arguments. He’s fixated on one goal and he’s not letting go – therefore, inspiring another devil to raise (more on that later).

Just like Jean, he’s very blunt – not afraid to tell Armin he should have been the one to die in Erwin’s place or tell Hitch that Marlo regretted going to the battlefield right before his death. Whereas Jean’s bluntness can be seen (not always, but usually) as coming from a good place, Floch is a herald of very brutal and controversial truth – of what he obsessively believes to be the truth – that won’t change anything, but will hurt those around him. Jean, especially post-Trost, is not one to hurt others just for the sake of hurting them. Floch doesn’t really have that kind of filter.

Floch eventually becomes a leader too, as he starts gathering the Yeagerists, but at the same time remains a blind follower of whatever he believes in. His behavior is more akin to that of a cult leader — in stark contrast to Jean’s leadership and his constant questioning of whether what he does is right.

Then there is some very obvious physical resemblance, especially in the anime.

So, a similar story, similar character traits, similar looks even, but a completely different outcome?

Why?

Because of compassion. And because Isayama likes Jean a lot, so he gives him juicy (and very meaningful) storylines even if at first they seem to be of secondary importance.

Whereas Floch appears to lack compassion in general, Jean has it in abundance. We see it well when he interacts with Gabi or when he tries to find justification for Eren’s terrifying behavior, but both these moments are pretty fresh in our memory, so let’s go back in time and use another Reiner/Jean moment as an example (because I’m a f*cking sap, alright).

After the battle with Reiner in Shiganshina, and while being treated for the injuries Reiner himself has dealt to him, Jean overhears him talk about Ymir’s letter to Krista.

Well, I never interpreted Jean’s desperate suggestion to steal Reiner’s Titan power just as his sudden need to propel Hange’s research or to gain them an upper hand over their enemies. Sure, this is the argument he uses to persuade Hange of all people, because it’s Hange who has just lost their entire squad (beloved Moblit included) to the Colossal Titan. It’s obvious that at this specific moment Hange will not respond well to Jean’s begging for Reiner’s life. But they do respond to a logical argument that corresponds with their mission.

If you disagree with that interpretation, think about it this way: one of the most important things about Jean’s character is that he’s very good at reading the situation and understanding other people’s struggles. That’s exactly what Marco saw in him from the very beginning.

(because you care, baby, because you care just oh-so much)

Jean can no longer keep up the façade – he could devise the attack plan and attempt to kill Reiner in cold blood when there was no other choice. But, once Reiner is left broken on the ground, still loyal enough to protect Ymir’s letter, and even has balls to ask them to deliver it to Krista… Well, that’s what breaks Jean’s resolve. Because Reiner is no longer just an enemy. He is, once again, an old comrade and a friend.

So, Jean tries to delay the inevitable. Does he hope Reiner will start talking? Does he think it might be possible to take away one’s full Titan power without taking away their life? Or maybe he’s simply not ready to see Reiner beheaded again? Anyway, he cares more than he thought he would.

(Well, me and Jean have that in common, apparently – we’re both f*cking saps for Reiner)

Enter Eren.

(please forgive me for using that pretty much unrelated panel, it’s just… so evil and cool)

Okay, Jean and Eren’s dynamic is one of my favorites in the series. Jean has zero tolerance to Eren’s idealistic bullshit and keeps calling him out on it both fairly and unfairly throughout the story. He is not phased in the least when he meets the freshly shifted Eren after the Battle of Trost. He doesn’t pull any punches as he explains what exactly is expected of him. In a way, he helps Eren see the situation through the eyes of a mere mortal.

Eren seems relieved when Jean doesn’t treat him any differently and still intends to be a real pain in the ass. He’s not like Armin who’ll offer him wise words and gentle encouragement. Not like Mikasa, who will protect him with brute force. Jean is, again, just some guy who doesn’t like beating around the bush and treating Eren like something fragile. Sure, he’ll risk his life for him and, sure, he can be protective of him in other ways (even going as far as to try to stop Connie from telling the others about Eren’s reaction to the news of Sasha’s death). But first and foremost, Eren can count on his honesty – Jean helps him stay grounded.

Eren, unfortunately, witnesses Floch’s devil rant in Shiganshina from up close. That’s why he turns to him for help later on. He knows Floch will get behind his radical reasoning and even the most brutal of ideas. Floch wants the devil to be reborn, after all. And that’s exactly what he gets.

But hey, before Eren and Floch join forces, they are pretty much at odds, aren’t they? They even get into a fight, and who has to break it up then? Ah, yes, Jean. The one who tries to beat the shit out of Eren more times than we can count (and vice versa), and who has to be forcefully separated from him even by Levi himself.

It is pretty symbolic, Jean suddenly not being the one in a fight with Eren, but instead the one trying to break it up. A telling shift in the narrative.

And isn’t it ironic that once Eren consciously descends into madness, he chooses Floch as his trusted ally? Floch, who resembles Jean in many ways, but who will also follow him blindly into hell itself? Eren knows Jean won’t agree with his plan. And he surely cannot have Mikasa or Armin at his side. So, perhaps, he finds comfort in turning to the person who reminds him of one of his old friends. His bastardized version, for sure. But still, somewhat familiar.

Maybe it’s just my interpretation, but the way Isayama draws Jean, and the way Jean looks at Floch in many of the panels make it look like he recognizes how similar they are. There’s terror in his eyes, but there is also some kind of familiarity. Because if there is an ocean between them, they are standing on two opposite, yet very similar shores.

Once the inevitable happens, Floch’s absolutely certain he’s dying for the right cause, doing the right thing. And it’s scary. I mean, you can dislike (or like) the guy all you want, I sure can appreciate a good villain (but wouldn't want to meet him in real life).

Jean fantasizes briefly about letting Eren do his thing. Because that would be the easiest way out. The least painful. Because he’s tired and hurting. When Floch offers him the option to just stop fighting, Jean wants to accept it. But he can't. Because in contrast to Floch, Jean listens to others (Hange, Marco), is aware of the consequences of his actions and, in a conversation with Reiner, is able to acknowledge his not so heroic role in the war. They are the same, after all — killers who took lives of innocent people to protect those close to them. To do the so called “right thing”. Thus, Jean has no right to judge Reiner, but rather an obligation to honor those who died, trying to win back their freedom. And he has to honor them by not allowing the world to be destroyed.

Floch isn't graced with a moment of self-reflection and dies a fanatic, an extreme example of what a man can achieve when he gives in to his darkest desires. Jean is on the other side of the spectrum, remaining the symbol of flawed, yet prevailing humanity — of what it means to have a heart. After all, what for Jean started with Marco's death, ended with him forgiving and saving Reiner.

Newsflash: Chuuya cares for Dazai

This can be sort of counted as a part two of my analysis talking about Dazai's care for Chuuya. In this post I will be focusing on Chuuya's feelings and care towards Dazai, hope you enjoy! :)

Chuuya Nakahara is a very expressive character, therefore, it is logical to believe that his feelings towards Dazai are easy to grasp, which is true. But just because we can understand Chuuya's feelings easier does not make them any less complex.

This is going to sound much harsher than I intend it to but Chuuya's hatred towards Dazai is defiently more genuine and prominent than Dazai's "hatred" towards Chuuya. Fellow Soukoku shipper reading this, I know this hurts but bare with me!

Dazai's "hatred" for Chuuya is truly not as strong. Don't get me wrong, there are some aspects that Chuuya has that Dazai finds annoying, but he doesn't truly hate him. Chuuya is one of the first people that Dazai ever actually started to harvest genuine care for. Chuuya was also one of the reasons Dazai wanted to continue living in Fiftheen, not to mention how Chuuya was basically Dazai's drive to continue living and fighting in Stormbringer. I think that Dazai's reasoning to "hate" Chuuya is because of the sole reason that Chuuya was indirectly making Dazai bring out aspects of himself that he has never shown or even knew he had before. I believe that another reason Dazai could "hate" Chuuya is because of how loyal he is to the pm, which could be seen as ironic considering the fact that Chuuya's loyalty was exactly what drew Dazai in back when they were 15.

As much as I hate to admit it, Chuuya does "hate" Dazai. He even resents the idea of being associated with Dazai. The reason for this is simple: he hates what Dazai Osamu represents. Everyone in the port mafia saw Dazai as inhuman, even Dazai himself doesn't see himself as human, and Chuuya desperately wants to be seen as human. So he proyects his own anger and fear of not being human onto Dazai. Another reason Chuuya could hate Dazai is because of how Dazai, a biological human— rejects his own humanity. Something that Chuuya craves so bad.

The reason as to why I say that Chuuya's hate can be considered stronger than Dazai's is because both of these characters strive for one thing: Humanity.

Dazai sees Chuuya as a human. During Stormbringer he doesn't even doubts Chuuya's humanity even after Chuuya's sketchy background and orgins. Dazai even likes to drop small hints to Chuuya that he is human.

This pannel represents their view for each other very well. Dazai says "im human too, you know?" he says the word "too", emphazasing on the fact that he is also calling Chuuya human. And what is Chuuya's response to that? "Nobody would believe that shit." So... Is Chuuya talking about himself or about Dazai here? I would say both, on one side this can be seen as Chuuya insulting Dazai. But if we look at the bigger picture and also Dazai's choice of words, Chuuya is actually saying that its hard to believe that he himself is human. But at the end of the day, he is just proyecting his insecurities and anger towards Dazai like he always does, but this time it was an insult that hurts both of them.

Chuuya "hated" Dazai. Back when both of them were in the pm, Chuuya acted like he didn't give two shits about Dazai. During the times we've seen these two when they were in the pm, Dazai's care for Chuuya was 10x more evident than Chuuya's care for Dazai. Chuuya's behavior towards Dazai is much more crude and vulgar, but that does not mean that Chuuya doesn't care for Dazai, infact Chuuya cares a whole lot for him. Back then, Chuuya did not want to accept it. He did not want to accept that he cared for the person who he wanted to see as "inhuman" so badly.

Even though Chuuya "hated" him when they were in the pm, he felt close to Dazai, he felt so close to him to the point he truly trusts him with corruption and with battle strategies.

Chuuya defiently held a lot of care for Dazai in the pm but he never took the time to think or even realize his care. I would like to say that Chuuya's care was instincitve. Chuuya never hesitates to save Dazai, there was never an ulterior motive to save him, he just dives in without a question.

My favorite example to show when it comes to Chuuya's instinctive care will always be in stormbringer, code 4:

"So that's how it is..." Dazai said as he stared back at the black lump with a stern expression on his face.

Cracks appeared on the ground. Something that looked like the head of a reptile pooked out of the lump.

"Watch out!" Chuuya jumped to the side by manipulating gravity and grabbed Dazai, rolling over to the woods.

Chuuya did not even think twice of pulling Dazai away from harm. Chuuya didn't hesitate at all. The reason for that is simple, he cares. He just doesn't want to accept it nor acknowledge it.

Another perfect example of Chuuya's care when they were back in the pm is the whole microscope situation in the dragon head conflict. Its quite funny how a minute before realizing Dazai's plan, Chuuya told Mori how Dazai is better off dead, but the moment he realize that there was a chance to get Dazai and his own friends out of Shibusawa's mess, he did not overthink it at all and quickly goes over to help Dazai.

So my point is Chuuya was so focused on his own self-proyecting towards Dazai to even realize he cares for him. But that all changes the night Dazai leaves the pm.

The next think I will be discussing about is something that I have talked about on my last previous posts, so if you want a more detailed explanation about this you can go read them. (for some reason I can't link my own posts but they aren't hard to find!)

But anyways, Chuuya has lost so many significant people in his life, he's either been betrayed by them or they die. Dazai has been such a constant person in Chuuya's life and I believe that Chuuya didn't really acknowledge that, maybe he did realize in some sort of subconcious level, hence why he always is instinctively protective over Dazai when he's in real danger.

It was actually Dazai's departure when it hit Chuuya that he indeed does care for Dazai. It was the moment when he realized how wierd it feels to have that one person who stuck with you since you first entered the pm to suddendly disappear.

I think everyone in this fandom can agree that Chuuya was hurt by Dazai leaving without any explanation, even Asagiri confirmed this in the afterwards of stormbringer by saying that Chuuya's feelings towards Dazai leaving the pm haven't been fully revealed yet, and I think its pretty evident by Chuuya's expression when he mentions Dazai's departure, he wasn't happy about it at all.

It was Dazai's departure that wierdly enough strenghtened Soukoku's bond from Chuuya's end. Sure, Chuuya holds a lot of grudge and resentment towards Dazai for leaving, but Dazai has also been the only person in his life who was able to leave and come back, and not only just "come back" but both of them also managed to mantain the same partnership and bond they've shared for years.

When they see each other in the basement, Chuuya chooses to let him go. He could've restrained him to give Dazai a harder time, especially if we consider the fact that Dazai literally "betrayed" the pm– betraying Chuuya to an extension. But Chuuya lets him go, because he doesn't want him to actually die.

Chuuya could've also shown a way stronger resolve when it came to fighting Dazai in the basement, but he doesn't. He lets Dazai "harass" him back. He even goes as far as to humilate himself to make Dazai laugh.

There was literally no reason whatsoever for Chuuya to do this. It was just a sublte bonding moment between the two.

In the lovecraft battle, Chuuya was being so open about his trust for Dazai. These two always have this "actions speaks louder than words" thing going on but I think that Dazai really needed that reassurence, Dazai needed that reassurence that Chuuya still trusts him even after leaving him, he needed that reassurence that Chuuya trusts him.

Back when both were in the pm days, Chuuya would've never said this outloud. Ever. But now that he actually realized how important Dazai is to him so he can't help but say it out loud, to show that vulnerable side of him. Even when he believes that theres a posibility Dazai doesn't care back.

I literally love this "light punch to the chest" gesture, its so subtle yet so sweet. Showing us how although they both are in opossing sides now, they will always find a way to keep their partnership and bond. This little punch screams "I still see you as a partner and that's not changing you idiot" and I love that so much.

And then of course, we can talk about Dead Apple and how much trust Chuuya puts into Dazai and his strategies. We even have Chuuya admiting to trusting his vitality and craftiness. Chuuya trusts Dazai so much to the point he used corruption with the faith that Dazai will nullify it, even when everyone deemed Dazai dead.

These two truly treasure each other and especially their feelings towards each other. It's so intimate, it's so familiar and it's so bittersweet.

"Why don't YOU drive for once?! Ya idiot!"

"BECAAAAUUSE! I... can't.. drive these things!"

[bonus]

(I don’t like putting watermarks so, PLEASE, if you want to post these gifs somewhere GIVE CREDITS! Also, don’t use them in edits/videos. Thanks~)

It’s a ritual for me to make Demon Days cover of franchise I get obsessed for.

always thinking about that monokuma chris edit

a vision dawned upon me in a dream...

test tube would be viktor but specifically only season 1 viktor

ladies and gentlemen, i present to you zoro as snufkin