5D's Finale

How I hoped I would cry:

How I ended up crying:

I told you I'd cry like a little bitch.  Half an hour straight.  I kind of looked like I had just smoked a ton of pot when I looked in the mirror after that.  Ugh, my sinuses are killing me today.  I'm fairly certain this is how hangovers feel.


5D's, I will always love you.

April 2, 2008 - March 30, 2011

Today on 'YuGiOh has Ruined Me':

I haven't watched GX in any form (yet), but without fail, this is always the first thing to come to mind when I hear "get your game on".

Same Ship, Different Names: Crow/Aki

Okay, so this has been on my mind for a couple of days now.  I've seen these two referred to as both Firebirdshipping and Brightshipping.  To me, the latter came right out of nowhere, because as long as I've known Crow/Aki, I've known it as Firebird.

It's kind of like Faithshipping, in that it was given the name Junkshipping on a completely different website before completely switching over, except there are no signs of Crow/Aki doing the same.

So why do I call it Firebird when it seems like more people know it as Bright?

Easy.  The 5D's ship list from January 2009.  And February.  And August.  I'm not exaggerating when I say I have always known this as Firebird.

The first time I've seen mention of Bright was in the Janime thread, in a post from June.

I'm not saying that calling it Brightshipping is wrong.  I'm just saying that I call it Firebirdshipping because that's what I saw it called first.

To tell the truth, I don't even know the reasoning behind the Bright.  Is it because their colors are really bright or something?  No, really, tell me.  I want to know.

I can think of a few of reasons for Firebird.  BRD's element is fire; Crow is a bird.  Firebirds could also be called Phoenixes; they've both risen from low points.  Stuff like that.  I don't know what the actual reasoning behind it was, because its origin most definitely isn't in that thread and I'm too lazy to look for the first instance of calling it Firebird.


Or I could just leave it at Crak like QOL does in her filenames, which probably makes more sense than either of them.

Considering it's still kind of a crack ship/rarepair and all.

This is weird. To me, at least.

今日は誕生日です。二十歳になりました!
"Today's my birthday.  I turned 20!"


For some reason, this is the age I never thought I'd be.  I didn't think I'd die before now or anything.  I don't know what I thought, really.  I just never thought I'd get to this point.  It's weird.  (I'm weird.)

Maybe it's because I never wanted to grow up.


I'm actually going to be a little sad when I turn 21, because I won't be able to say I'm "hatachi" anymore.

Yes.  That is my reason.  I'll be sad because I can't have a simple word for my age in something that isn't even my first language.

Well, that and people will probably try to get me to drink, which I never want to do.  Then I'll get pissed and yell at them and everything will be awkward.


I squealed when I checked SMD and saw a new chapter of Crow that strays off rose garden up.  And that there are now ten planned chapters.  And there are chapter titles for them already.  Even though I still need to finish chapter 4, I've run chapter 5 through Google translate (for that is what I do when I just want a general idea of what happens or I'm half asleep and can't brain) and I need it right now.  I don't even have words for how it makes me feel.  Possibly 'the happiest camper' will do.

(Don't you just love how this post about birthday turned into something about fanfiction?  More proof that I connect fandom to everything.)


Anyway, tonight I go out to eat with my parents, as is tradition, and then come back to have red velvet cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

And 18 remains my best birthday ever.  Don't know if anything will ever top going to Kinkakuji in Kyoto with my classmates, almost getting lost in Kyoto Train Station, and two hours of ridiculous karaoke in Hiroshima.  Even if we went to Peace Park the next day and got depressed.  I really can't believe it's been two years since then.

This is another 5D's babble. (With Spoilers)

Well, sort of spoilers.  I think.  If you don't know about the second time skip, you do now you won't know about these things.  Yep.


Am I the only person who thinks Crow as a cop fits?  I know he hasn't always had the best view of Security, but that's because it was relatively corrupt, wasn't it?  No one from Satellite liked Security because they were all discriminated against.

But I think Crow would want to fix it.  We already know he likes justice/fairness, so why not take on the job himself?

Besides, officers with criminal markings are unheard of.  He'd totally have fun screwing with people's heads like that.

This face:  totally proof

Also, his headband finally matches his clothes.

Speaking of Crow, he and Aki kept interacting like an old married couple, and that just made me giggle.  Still saying I think it would be pretty hilarious for show to troll the Faithshippers by pushing Crow/Aki instead.  Then again, I am very biased.

I also think it was adorable that Aki was putting together the food and the boys were out cooking it while the twins ate.  They're such a little family; I love it.  (Even if the roles are stereotypical.)


Yuusei not beating himself up was a huge improvement.  Him smiling more was an even bigger one.  It helped me remember why I liked him in the first place - something that was lost about halfway through because of his heaps of martyrdom.  Pretty sure I'm not the only one.

The labcoat doesn't hurt, either.

Then again, he looks like someone pasted his head on his dad's body.  And his dad's profession.
It's cute, though.
Especially when he got flustered over being called Professor Fudo.

Everyone was so pretty in 152!  Even Jack, and he's my least favorite main character!  (It's totally the eyes.)

Purple + Glorious Shading = ♥

I mean, just look at everybody! (After a jump/cut, because it gets kind of...picspam-like.)

2:50 am. This is what happens.

I'm going to be so dead later today.  You don't even know.  It's been really hard to get to sleep lately.

Today I think I napped when my headache was worse.  I say 'I think' because when I shoved my face in the pillow it was 9:15pm and the next thing I knew it was forty minutes later.  Oops.

I kind of wish I hadn't eaten the last blueberry muffin.  Now I want more and we don't have any.  And there's still another day to go before going food shopping, so I'll have to wait anyway.  Speaking of food shopping, I should probably also get ingredients for that vegan sugar cookie dough again so I can make it and stick it in the freezer.  I've found it's easier to work with after it's been frozen for a while.

I'm not vegan, but a couple years back my friend was vegan (now vegetarian) and I like baking things for my friends, so I learned how to make sugar cookies they could eat.  Since I took fandom cookies to the YGO photoshoot at last year's SakuraCon, another vegan has asked if I could make them 100% vegan this time  and I said sure.  Oh boy, I get to buy another carton of soy milk to use only two tablespoons or something out of for frosting, awesome!  I'll do it though.  That's why they weren't completely vegan last year, I used regular milk instead.


Also I am drawing something that has to do with a certain ship I obviously like combined with sunflowers and roses.  It's really cute in my head but they never turn out exactly how I want them.

...Probably doesn't help I haven't really drawn anything in months.  I wish I was lying.


I need to figure out how to scan something 3mm thick without breaking the spine.  Spine-breaking hurts.  It makes me wonder why my scanner is so fat, when it really isn't, it's just a combination printer/scanner/copier so it only looks fat.  I just probably need to displace the crap all over it so I can get a good scan in.

Or do this.  That would be okay too.


Maybe I should get rid of headaches before trying to post things.  This will probably be one of those posts I look back on and go "...what was I even doing."

Good morning!  Or night.  Whichever it is where you are.

Holy crap.

Oooookay so my pageviews have skyrocketed.

Hi people from livejournal and tumblr!!

I'm actually kind of shaking right now.  The good news is that it's not terrified shaking, it's more along the lines of "omg omg omgomgomg" but with less acronyms and more excited flailing in an attempt to stop shaking.

I'm going to see if I have a reaction image for this.

...Nope.

None are good enough.  Either that or they are too terrifying.  Why do I save so many terrible things?

Here is an adequate emoticon instead:

ヾ(≧▽≦)ノ

Anyway, I've been handling this a lot better than expected.  Somehow.  Hopefully it'll help me stop being so much of a lurker when it comes to my opinions, considering I don't even know why I do that.  Theories, yes; reasons, not really.

Thanks. ♥


Edit:  This is my chart for just today.

Huge spike is at 1:00 Pacific Time.  37 views.

I'm still not used to this

日本頑張って

I know I'm a little slow on the uptake about that earthquake.  I just couldn't think of words that made sense.

I'm worried about my old host family, from when I went to Japan for two weeks in '09.  Thankfully they live in Kawagoe (near Tokyo) rather than Sendai, but you never hear about things there.  It's always Tokyo.

Considering the earthquakes hit (and are still hitting) Tokyo, they have definitely gotten to Kawagoe.

It really sucks losing contact with people, you know?  I wish I had their email or something so I could check up on them.  The Google people finder isn't very helpful when your memory of their last name is shaky at best.  I'm such a jerk for forgetting.  They were so nice to me.  The mom even called herself my 日本ママ - Japan Mom.

日本家族大丈夫ですか??


If I were more religious, I would be praying.

I donated and keep hoping things go okay.  Hoping is the best I can do.


...It really sucks not knowing.

OKAY now for another little rant.

I have been a member of Crunchyroll long enough to know that I shouldn't look at the comments on shows I like.

So why do I do it anyway?

I just looked at the comments on Cardfight!! Vanguard, and it pissed me off.  Does no one read?  Of course it's going to seem like a YGO clone; it's about card games and created by the person behind YGO R, damn it.

If you don't like something, you don't have to comment on it.  Especially if it's written in ALLCAPS ABOUT HOW MUCH CARD GAME ANIME SUCK IN YOUR RAGE-FILLED OPINION and the like.

People like something you don't.  People hate something you like.  Holy shit, it must be the end of the world.

Big deal.  It's just a show.

About card games.

I let you have your fun, let me have mine. You don't see me bashing what you like in full-on nerdrage.

Jeez.

This must be why I'm such a lurker.

You know how I said I need to stop checking my stats page?

....Yeah.  I really do.

Apparently I just beat my previous record for amount of pageviews in a month?

I haven't had this many since December!

Why am I so paranoid, again?  Ergh.

Wwwwelp, I'm weak.

Girlyvine is a go.

Well, at least the sewing for her is.  I bought my green fabric today along with lining for the Team 5D's jacket and patterns for both Girlyvine and Crash Town Kiryu.

Now I just hope I stop procrastinating and actually get shit done before con.

Like, I really want to make Girlyvine now, considering it's a vest using a pattern I've made before (for Reiko, fancy that) and a skirt from a very simple-looking pattern.  But I really shouldn't, because Team 5D's pit crew Aki and Crash Town Kiryu are my top priorities.

I want to get at least one version of Aki done before the show ends.

And that's sad, because I've been intending to cosplay Aki since 2008, and I haven't finished any of them.

What the hell, self.  That doesn't even make any sense.



Anyway, yeah, I should probably work on everything I want to do for SakuraCon, especially since the neighbors I'm catsitting for have also expressed interest in getting me to sew them a baby quilt and maybe hem some things.

Thankfully quilts are mostly straight lines and I can power through that like a pro.

Unlike princess seams, which always take two to three tries on my part to get right.

That's one thing I don't like about being a girl:  darts and seams.  Darts and seams everywhere.

Et in Arcadia ego

I was just thinking.

I would absolutely be in trouble if Divine ever wanted to recruit me.

And this is why:

• I trust people automatically, unless they give me a creepy feeling.  For me, instead of people having to earn trust, they have to break it for me to not trust them anymore.  Divine probably wouldn't creep me out.
• I guess another way of saying it is that I believe there is good in all people and it is the default state; it takes work to be a bad person.
• That or "I just trust my intuition."
• Either way, Divine wouldn't set off my creeper alarm, so he'd be safe.  For...some reason.  I don't even know.
• I feel guilty when I say no to people, especially those that 1: I just met and 2: don't set off that aforementioned creeper alarm.  He would try to subtly guilt me into joining, and I would crack almost immediately.
• If someone wants help and it's within my ability to do so, I will try to help them.  I am a sucker for pity-parties.
• Unless it is the amount of angst pent up in a martyr.  Yuusei
•  Divine can read people extremely well.  Any tactic he'd use to recruit me would, by default, work.  Because he knows, and he would know everything I mentioned above about me.  So, he'd be able to play my mind like a violin.
• It probably helps that I also think that you should be proud of who or what you are, because that is how you should be.  Which is basically the manifesto of Arcadia.
• ...And apparently Lady Gaga, hilariously enough.

So yeah.  Basically, if Divine wanted me for his psychic army, I would be screwed.  So screwed that I wouldn't even need brainwashing to stay.

What is wrong with me.

Look at him!  He's fabulous even when he's gassing children!  (source)

 ...Oh.  Right.

That's what's wrong with me.

I've had a very one-track mind lately

Well, I'm pretty proud of myself!  That ship manifesto has gotten some traffic, and I hope that means more people know about some of my favorite fanworks.

I'll keep updating that list of fanworks (or make a new page for it?) whenever I find new stuff.

On the subject of new stuff, I saw this yesterday on pixiv and almost full-on screamed.

OH MY GOD AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH (source)

Look how cute Crow is!!

Damn it, I was going to buy Over the Nexus and Sound Duel 3 with the money from petsitting my neighbor's cats, but hnngh I want this so much right now.

This would be the best birthday present ever.  It's being made for HaruComi, which is on March 20 - four days before I turn 20.

And then 5D's ends a week after it, so this is going to be a very bittersweet year.  (I'm going to cry like a little bitch, I just know it.)

But I digress.

I do have enough money for all three things, however.  At least there's that.  But do I have enough to get things for a cosplay I'm making on a whim...?  For that I need shoes, a blouse, a tie, tights, a wig, and gloves; I'll make the rest.

I want to do that cosplay because it is both amazing and terrible at the same time.

I call her Girlyvine, and she is pretty.  (source)

Yep.  I want to cosplay the Thelemic version of the green dragon genderbent/rule63/whatever Divine.

Somebody stop me.

Also, if you have no idea what that "green dragon" stuff is, I'm going to assume you have never read this.  Go do that.  Go do that now because it is amazing, especially if you like Divine, Aki, or Arcadia OR want to be clued in on all the alchemical references 5D's has.

As I said, it is amazing.  I have read it, what, three times since finding it in my memories on LJ?  And that was just the other day.  Yeah, it's that cool.

Okay, enough with my tangents.  I need to go do things.

Crow/Aki and Why it Should be Shipped, PART THREE (FINAL)

If you haven't read my other posts on this, go do that.
Here are convenient links so you don't have that "lazy" excuse.

Part One:  Characters Involved
Part Two:  The Things I Call Evidence

Well, actually, this is the only one you really need to read if you want to know why I myself ship it, but whatever.  I wrote those too, so why not.

Okay?  All done with that?  Let's do this, then.

Black Bird / Black Rose

or, Why They Work: Crow/Aki

(part three)

My Interpretation:

Isn't it obvious?  I've said it before, and I'll say it as many times as I have to: I think they're exactly the type of people they need.  Crow sees the good in just about everything; Aki spent most of her life looking for someone who does just that.  If Crow had found her first, I think her cooldown/defrosting would have taken a fraction of the time and been more realistic - too bad Satellite wasn't united with the City yet.

When Carly is writing an article about Team 5D's in episode 130, Aki says in reference to Crow and Blackfeather Dragon:

"[BFD's effect involves] absorbing the pain and turning it into power...Crow is just like that."

That's a mighty fine compliment coming from someone who spent her early teenage yeas as a ball of pain and angst inflicting pain on others.  She obviously admires him for his ability to take a hit and pay it back while not getting down on himself - something she wasn't able to do.  (Plus, it's a really fun bonus for anyone who thinks Aki is still a closet sadist.)

Aki sees Crow as a person, not a savior, à la Divine or Yuusei.  That gives her time to build a friendship with him rather than simply wanting him to love her.  She's 16 (or 17, now?) - that's still young.  She hasn't yet realized that love (or crushes) can be blinding and make someone see hints where there are none.

They were both outcasts.  They know how it is.  But they were outcasts for different reasons, and therefore can help each other when they're down.  Possibly.  This is speculation, after all.

One of the arguments I've seen against Crow and Aki as a couple is "I don't see the point of it.  They're just friends; friends always talk to each other, right?  There's nothing going on between them but friendship."

That's true.  They are just friends.  But so are Yuusei and Aki.  There is nothing going on but friendship between them, either, but you ship them.  Isn't that a little hypocritical?  There is nothing more than Aki's one-sided crush between them.  It is not canon.  No ship in this series is canon, save for Jack/Carly if I'm remembering right.

The point is, friendship can grow.  I realize this argument could work for Yuusei/Aki, but it's the only counter I have for this.  As I said before, Aki put Yuusei on a pedestal, and that does not make for a healthy relationship because she sees him as superhuman.  Crow, to her, is just human.  Before she realizes, she could develop a little crush on him and recognize that Yuusei isn't as perfect as she seems to think he is.

She doesn't put Crow on a pedestal.  That alone makes Crow/Aki one of the healthiest possible relationships in the show.


Another fun fact, which I noticed through Poet's rambles about alchemy in 5D's, is that "Supposedly roses all began white, but when a bird so loved them that he killed himself on their thorns, they were painted red for the murder as a warning to all of the price that love demands (or so says a tale from the middle east)."
(Emphasis mine)

Just some food for thought.

Why You Should Listen to Me:

If you have read this far, you're probably intrigued by (or at least curious about) how these two match up.  That is exactly why you should listen to me:  I am one of you.

A fan of 5D's.  A fan of Crow and/or Aki.

But, I am also a fan of Crow and Aki as a pairing.

I have been with 5D's since nearly the beginning (it started in April '08 and I was hooked in June '08) and have seen characters develop, appear and disappear.  Thanks to RP, I delved deeper into their minds than I had previously - either through playing someone myself or reading someone else's inner monologue as a character.  And it helped me realize who would likely work with whom, due to similarities in mindsets.

So even if you still don't really see them as a couple, at least read a fic or look at a fanart or two before making a final judgment.  And if you still don't ship it?  That's fine.  At least you can say you gave it a try.

Thanks for reading this far, guys.  I really do appreciate it.

And I apologize if I was ever abrasive, especially in relation to Yuusei/Aki.  That was not my intention.

Fanworks:

• FIC: My Little Firebird, by AmeriCrow
• notes >> Must be a member of the LJ community to read.  RATED R.  Crow's POV; based loosely on the lyrics of -OZONE- by vistlip.  (BIAS: friend wrote it and I love it to death)
• FIC: Firebird, by olesia
• notes >> uh...obviously biased, because I requested and a friend wrote it.  What would happen if Crow sneaked out of Satellite and ran into the Witch, basically.  Rating can't be higher than T.
• FIC: Shattered Dreams, by Hakase Fudou
• notes >> Introspective Crow from around episode 97.  Crow/Aki friendship, rated T.  Not shippy at all, but it does expand on the whole situation.
• FIC: One Hundred Years too Early, by Triste
• notes >>  Subtle, but definitely Crow and Aki centric.  Set when Crow has that cast on.  Rated K+.
• FIC:  Best Day of the Week, by Triste
• notes>>  So, so cute.  Sherry/Yuusei is in there for background only.  Seriously, this is adorable.  Read it now.  Rated K+.
  
• FIC: Actually just anything Crow/Aki by Triste.
  
• FIC: Also immicolia.
• notes >>  Her AUs are really fun to read.
• FIC: C is for Cuddling, by Artemis Ignitan
• notes >> More like Yuusei/Jack/Crow/Aki (with a focus more on Yuusei/Jack and Crow/Aki), but really cute.  Rated T.
• FIC: Thorn Garden, by Vertices
• notes >> Rated T.   Summary says it better than I can: "Aki discovers something unpleasant. Crow, as always, doesn't mind. Established Crow/Aki, spoilers for episode 140, references to naughty activities."
• FIC: The Raven with the Rose, by Luka Megurine X
• notes >> NOT FOR CHILDREN, HOLY CRAP.  RATED M FOR A REASON.  Pacing is a bit fast, but with Aki in that state it actually kind of makes sense.  Set Post-series.
• FIC:   Private Memorial Service, by SamCyberCat
• notes >> "Aki needed to be alone to remember the man she could not talk about anymore." Hints of Divine/Aki and Crow/Aki.  Rated K+.  (Both of my shipping biases in one?  Oh man!)
• FIC:  fitted, by adored
• notes >>  Rated M because it is pretty much smut (or dubcon, depending on how you look at it).  But it's cute and made me laugh, so there.  Crow and Aki are in an established relationship in this, by the way.
• FIC:  love on repeat, @ glowlights
• notes >>  NC-17.  (I'm very incoherent right now because I just finished reading it so I'm sorry if this makes no sense:)  Post-series; Crow and Aki meet up for the first time since the group split up, which eventually leads to confessions and things.  "and sometimes, you really don't move on from the past."
• FIC:  Crow that strays off rose garden (and others), by various Japanese fans
• notes >> These are Japanese fanfictions translated to English.  Most are from SMD, but there will be some from apiculture in the future.  None go over PG, I don't think.  (BIAS:  ...hi I'm the translator)
• Art:  Fuck Yeah Firebird! on tumblr.
• notes >> Showcases Crow/Aki fanart and other related things.  (BIAS: I run it.)
• Artist: oguma of rapture
• notes >> One of two fanartists I've found that openly ships it enough to make a fanbook (or two).  Unfortunately, those fanbooks (WonderfulSentimental and Nectar) aren't available anymore.  [Also draws Divine/Aki and maaany others]
  
• Artist: kiko of QOL 
• notes >> The second of two fanartists I've found who ships it enough to make a fanbook (or two).  If I'm remembering right, she also had the first Crow/Aki fanart on pixiv.  Collaborated with oguma on the second Crow/Aki fanbook, Nectar.  Which I own.  It's the cutest thing ever.
• Web:  CrowAki Club on deviantART
• notes >> This has a few things I've already linked to in some way, but it's on dA!  Access for everyone.  Unfortunately, there isn't a ton more.
• Web:  クロアキ同盟 (CrowAki alliance)
• notes >> In Japanese.  Obviously.  Seems to be a webring; I haven't bothered researching it yet because I'm terrible.
• Web:  CrowAki tag on pixiv
• notes >>  Must be a member to look at full-sized fanart.  There are tutorials in lots of places to become one if you don't read Japanese and need help.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.   If you want to start a little debate, go right ahead - I'd like that.

I want more converts.  I want to spread the love.  That's why I did this.  Call me crazy if you want, I already know it.  We can't be sane all the time.


Thank you for reading!  ♥

Crow/Aki and Why it Should be Shipped, PART TWO

Apologies for this post taking so long!  Other than getting distracted, I had to go through most of the episodes to remember what exactly happened.  Herpa der, I really need to rewatch the whole series.

First of all, read part one (The Characters).  Read it before going on any further, especially if you're unfamiliar with 5D's.  Okay?

Oh man, this one turned out way longer than expected too. So I guess I lied.  This is just the canon evidence/why it's evidence post.

And I'm sorry it's so very long.

Black Bird / Black Rose

or, Why They Work: Crow/Aki

(part two)

The Evidence:

 Seasons 3 & 4/WRGP arc is where it's at when it comes to these two.  It probably helps that Crow doesn't show up until s2 and they don't really talk until the very end of the Dark Signer arc.  (And even then, it's just Crow going "Oh, so you're Aki, huh?")  To be honest, I shipped it even before there was canon evidence, so maybe I'm just reading a little too far into things - the point is, they're friends and talk in canon now.  For this crazy fandom, there's no reason not to ship it!

Episode 75: Izayoi Aki, Acceleration!

The episode begins with the guys hovering around a D-Wheel.  What else is new, right?  And then, Aki comes in.  In a riding suit.  Crow's reaction (with a male gaze camera pan)?  Listen for yourself.

.....Yeah.

(Most of the rest of the episode involves Yuusei/Aki shiptease, and you already know how I feel about that one.)

[There is seriously nothing of them between these episodes.  Part of it is thanks to Crash Town, but really?]

Episode 97: After Despair and Conflict...

In episode 96, Yuusei begins dueling Andre of Team Unicorn in a practice match before the WRGP and the rest of the newly-christened Team 5D's watches from the stands.  In episode 97, after Yuusei brings out Stardust Dragon and Projectile Sparklevomits uses Shooting Sonic on Andre's Green Baboon, Aki realizes a strategy with speed counters with her new licensed knowledge.  Crow seems quite proud of her, replying with a grin, thumbs-up, and "that's why you're a D-wheeler!"  She looks flattered.

Later on, Crow fractures his shoulder and can't take part in the WRGP.  Aki offers to be his replacement until he heals.  Crow gets pissed and leaves the garage for a while.  Later, he calls Aki and apparently apologizes or something because the next time we see them, he's helping her train to be a better D-Wheeler.

Why is this special?  He has her cell phone number and actually uses it.  That has been the only time we've seen mention of actual cell phones (not just hologram pens or D-Wheel monitors), and it's between Crow and Aki.

Episode 99: Burn! Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis and

Episode 100: Dilemma - Last Wheeler, Yuusei

After Aki passes the baton in the battle against Team Unicorn to Yuusei, she cries and beats herself up for not doing better or helping more.  Then Crow brings her a drink and a pep talk to cheer her up, and sits with her until she feels better.  Aww.

This honestly is one of the better hints at this ship, considering at least half of the episode preview on 99 for 100 is of Crow comforting Aki.  Animators!!

Episode 104: Messengers of Distruction, Team Catastrophe

Aki is...unconscious.  Again.  This time, it's thanks to Team Catastrophe targeting Team 5D's and getting her while she was out practicing alone.  (There was a collective "Oh shit!" from Yuusei, Jack, and Crow when they realized she was in danger.)  Her psychic powers fail her and she cracks her head on the pavement - this is why you always wear helmets, kids.  She probably would have died otherwise.

The whole team is worried.  Jack flips out a little, Yuusei is stoic.  Crow?

Gets pissed.

Yes, they just went down a D-Wheeler.  Yes, his arm is still janked.  He doesn't give a shit, he wants revenge.  Aki getting hurt, apparently, is Crow's final straw.

Episode 114: Operation: Capture Jeager II

This.

Basically, they banter.  Crow complains about being in the Cup Ramen Man suit, and Aki replies along the lines of "you did this to yourself and dragged me into it, THANKS, MAN /party blower in face"

She...doesn't generally act like that.  Either A: she really is pissed enough to do that or B: they're good friends so she's not afraid of overstepping boundaries (and still pissed enough to do that).

Episode 118:  The New Rivals

While Yuusei, Bruno, and Rua are out helping Team Taiyou with their D-Wheel, Aki stops by Poppo Time for...some unexplained reason other than she's looking for Yuusei.  Right.

But the only people there are Crow and Jack, who is inexplicably sitting on a fold-up chair staring at the stairs to the door.  (Uh?)  Crow greets her, and next thing we know, he's pouring three cups of coffee for them and talking about Team Ragnarok.  It sounds like there's an exhibition duel, and Aki is suggesting they go watch!  And then, Crow looks to Jack and asks him if he wants to go.

This implies Jack wasn't originally invited.  Or, you know, maybe Crow was just making sure.  (But that's not as fun)

Later, during the exhibition duel, Jack gets picked to duel Dragan, and that left Crow and Aki standing next to each other and providing commentary.  Also, they can finish each others' sentences.  Just saying.

(Not a lot around here, either.)

Episode 139: The Terrifying Field Spell - École de Zone! and
Episode 140: The Soul-Binding Gate!  The Forbidden Future!

The Heroes finally make it into the Ark Cradle (after a nerve-wracking Rainbow Road ride), and stop to strategize...and then they all fall down a hole that opened up beneath them.  Next scene, they're all split up into groups on platforms just far enough away where they can't get back together.  The teams?

Yuusei & Dark Glass, Jack and the twins, and...

best. day. ever.

...Crow and Aki.  And the episodes follow them!  Let's go fight Sherry, you two!!

Except Sherry has a Field Spell that makes it seem like they got separated and are fighting one of two Sherrys.  When, you know, they're actually fighting each other.  Whoops.  Thanks to a loophole in the system (Blackfeathers break things) Aki figures it out and suddenly, Black Rose Dragon!  Goodbye Field Spell; the two are reunited!

And are happy about it, I might add.

Sherry decides THIS IS TERRIBLE and tries to get Crow to side with her and ZONE instead of Aki.  Aki doesn't like this, and pretty much tells Crow "don't do it, stupid" enough times to snap him out of it.  Then they win and everything starts collapsing until...

This.  And Aki saves the day once again.

Then we see something we haven't seen before (well, unless you count Divine doing it to himself): psychic healing.  So Sherry joins the two and BlackBirdRoseLily have finished their part of the process.

Why this is special:  Aki and Crow haven't really dueled together before, but have memorized each others' decks.  Well, that was for the WRGP, so all of Team 5D's knows everyone's decks, but I digress.  They spend the entire time (when they can see each other) either smiling, strategizing through eye contact, or other things.  Hell, they even scream each others' names when they're initially separated.

These are the episodes I said "If more people don't ship it after this, I will be sorely disappointed" about.

Fandom?

I am disappointed.


Anyway, after those episodes, there hasn't really been anything significant - from 141 onward, all they were seen doing is riding their D-wheels while the others did their duels, then watching other characters duel, and that's what they're still doing now, at 150.

And yes, I know some of these shows of "evidence" are not all that special.  Remember, I'm a biased firebirdshipper who takes whatever the hell she can get her mitts on.  Besides, just about every other shipper in this fandom does the same thing:  any scene between two of the characters?  Canon subtext or no, it will usually be taken as a hint and/or shiptease.

At least you can't rightfully say I have nothing to go off of.  At least they speak to each other in canon.

Next post ⇒ My interpretation, why you should try it, and links to fanworks

Just a quick post before getting to that one post series I've been meaning to post for forever now

(post post post post do I ever use different words)

ALL RIGHT SO

I have a friend who is getting a Yuusei cosplay together.

I am making (various versions of) Aki.

Friend has a motorcycle and said something along the lines of "when it's done I want pictures of me as Yuusei on my motorcycle and oh hey we should get pictures together with you on the back or something maybe" earlier today.

FIRST THOUGHT:
o-oh god he ships it doesn't he

SECOND THOUGHT:
......WHATEVER, HELL YES WE SHOULD


I know it's really corny to say, but if it's him, I'm okay with it.
Even if I've never been that close to a motorcycle before.  It's kind of intimidating.

And maybe a little awkward.

I don't even know what the poses would be like.

Why am I so excited about this; stop it self, stop it.


Okay, now for the rest of that Firebird manifesto.  Because it's done!   Finally.

Short post: Cosplay edition

I messed around with the fonts and colors a bit.

If you've been here before, it's...pretty obvious.

Anyway, other than the Crow/Aki posts, I've been working on translating Crow/Aki fic from Japanese to English (even though I haven't taken a class in two years now - ergh, I hope I don't get too much wrong) and this:

If you think it looks like a Team 5D's jacket, I'm doing it right!!

Yeah, that's right.  I've started a costume two months before a convention.

That is actually really amazing from me, an Important Person in Procrasti Nation.

Hopefully I get some fabric swatches soon so I can get this costume done and work on Crash Town Kiryu.  Do you know how hard it is to find pink denim?  Really hard, that's how.  Especially if you don't want to have to dye it, because dyeing fabric can be a real pain in the ass.

...Ugh, I still need to buy lining.  I guess that means there's a JoAnn run in the near future.

Better figure out what I'm doing with Kiryu, then.

And if I'm going to surprise my friend with a Blackbird Delivery jacket or not.