aw shit, here i go again

I haven't seen anyone talking about this and just wanted to make a quick post on here.

Akihiro Miwa recently passed away peacefully june 20th, and was not only a drag queen and a queer icon, but also the japanese voice of Arceus in the movie Arceus and the jewel of life, as well as the witch from Howl's moving castle and Moro from Princess Mononke.

Then again I think anyone would be traumatized after seeing that.

You're right that anyone could be traumatized. That's the Hero Of Mobius murdering a kid, after all. A kid who's also taken part in saving the world multiple times! A kid who was his best friend and brother.

Hey what's this?? I already posted this art! This version is only slightly different but I'm putting it in a separate post entirely because I want to yap about my LGBTQIA+ headcanons for these characters! So just in case you haven't seen the other post, here's a disclaimer:

Not all of this is confirmed! This version of the art features both the canon orientations and my personal headcanons! Below I put the confirmed identities in pink, because I think it's epic and cool that these characters have so much confirmed queerness!! But I also wanted to do something with the ways I personally see and connect to them, and talk about why I do!! If you're hesitant to interact with art with headcanons in it, go to this post instead. Thank you!

Isabeau: trans man, marsic, pansexual

Now. I. Actually don't know if Isabeau is confirmed transmasc. I think he is because if nothing else like... every person I've ever met who's played isat has read him as transmasc and it's pretty heavily implied. So I'm just gonna say it is because even if it isn't. It is now. For us. Okay. Anyways!! So onto the actually interesting stuff. First off, there’s another much longer rant for a future post about how I’m not sure how much Vaugardians consider the concept of a “sexuality” at all, given… y’know the whole “Change” thing. At the very least I think they view the concept much differently from us, and Isabeau is definitely someone who upholds the idea of Change not just as a part of his culture and religion but as an integral part of his personal identity. So with that said, I don’t think his attraction is very strict at all. I gave him marsic because he both strikes me as and I think is somewhat characterized as someone who would be drawn towards masculinity and androgyny more than femininity. And that is, of course, not to say that gender is determined by how you present (in my pride post?? Fuck no!!), but just as Vaugardians absolutely view sexuality and attraction differently, they also view gender very, very differently. In Vaugarde, I imagine a sexuality would be more like another facet of “your type”. One aspect of the kind of people you’re into—which it… kind of is in our world… but it’s also kind of different, if that makes sense? And I specify “in Vaguarde” because we do have at the very least some definitive proof that some places in the world of isat are not like this (see: Mirabelle and Odile’s bathroom conversation). Of course I imagine not all parts of Vaugarde have exactly the same culture either (wouldn’t it be cool to explore different denominations of the change belief?), but on a whole I only mean to say that their views, biases, and assumptions on this would likely differ wildly from ours over here in the real world. Anyways— back to my main point. My main point is that I think Isa is most immediately attracted romantically to androgyny and masculinity, and, within the bounds of isat’s world and his culture, if he had a label for it, he would define that as marsic. (although, again, they would definitely have different labels and meaning for labels than us (……which is another thing I want to explore sometime (can you imagine how different pride flags would look in isat???) I KNOW I KNOW this paragraph has SO. MANY. Asides… this is the longest one, I promise. I put him at the top so I could do all these asides and then do the rest with all this out of the way (I lied Sif’s paragraph is the longest. But it doesn’t have as many asides!))). However, Isa also is definitely (Change aside, even) the kind of person who, if he has a partner who he loves, he loves them for who they are and not how they present or anything like that, so if they want to look more feminine, if they’re a straight up girlypop, if they do whatever, That Is His Partner and He Will Support Them. This is one of the reasons I also gave him pan because I do think he identifies with both. The other reason is because in terms of sexual relations I don’t think he gives a fuck lmao.

Odile: Definitely Queer In Some Way That Woman Is Not Cis/Het, intersex, omni

…I also don’t know if the first one is confirmed but. Just look at her. Just study her character and her dialogue and her interactions and the minuscule information we get about her country. Because if it’s not confirmed then it is at least heavily implied, or at least that’s how I read it. I had a reblog on my original post that said “#odile #the only one not openly sharing her specific identities #because she’s an queer elder #and what are you #a cop?” And I LOVE THAT. SO MUCH. Because YES. That is EXACTLY what she is. She is Queer and she also is 1. A person with a lot of life experience 2. A person with nothing to prove To You Or Anybody 3. A very guarded person in general 4. Someone who comes from a country that is maaaaaaybe (implied) not as accepting of or open about these things as Vaugarde is. So I think I can say with confidence that she simply cannot have been intended to not be queer at all. Or at least isat’s queer-adjacent. Whether she doesn’t define it, or even if she doesn’t examine it, she… she simply must be. (Suspicious knowledge of underground Body Craft, anyone?? Hello??? Knowing how id5 writes I’d be incredibly surprised if that wasn’t hinting at something). However even with that in mind, I did want to share my headcanons for her. Her flags are still more subtle on her than everyone else because I wouldn’t dare disrespect her character like that, but there are a few of them there soooo let’s talk about them :33 This was the one I went the most vibes based with because we… truly don't know all that much about her backstory, at least not in this regard. I thought about putting her down as cis but something about that didn't sit right with me, I also considered putting her down as trans, but somethin about that also didn’t seem entirely correct… and I was sitting there like “man I wish there was a third kinda in between option…” when intersex kinda hit me in the face. There are plenty of fanony ways to tie Odile’s story together and to make more exploration for her and her life (…and I have not read any of the Odile fics that many lovely people recommended to me yet ToT sorry), and I found my interest in Odile’s story as an intersex one. This is a topic that requires more in depth discussion than I can properly give in a summary here, as well as examination of Odile’s larger life, her relationship with her dad, and Ka Bue’s culture—and the way Odile feels about all of those things. But given some of her dialogue and the implications it leaves us with, well, let’s just say the conclusions I came to make me want to write more fics about her lmao. I’m finding that I’m less inclined to blab about my specific headcanons for her, probably because of her aforementioned “what are you, a cop? Fuck off” mentality, and doing so would feel like disrespecting her, so maybe I’ll end up doing that examination in fic form. Overall I feel like she is, of course, prideful and supportive—but in a quiet and strong way. She doesn’t hide herself, but she doesn’t flaunt it either, because it’s None Of Your God Damn Business (if she were comfortable with it though I definitely think the rest of the gang would drag her to a pride fest and get her some flags :3). I do have to give my explanation for her being omni though because I wrote it down preemptively and I do feel like it’s something she would be comfortable with sharing (as opposed to her entire journey being intersex lmaoo) and also I’ve laughed at it too many times by now not to leave in: As for omni, well--we all know that Odile is lesbian catnip, but to me she has the vibes of a pan person who is Done With Men By Now, so she identifies as omni (for the specification that gender does play a role in her attraction, not that she necessarily lets people know what role), with an internal preference for women and enbies. That way, we can make all our loopdile dreams come true...

Bonnie: non biney

They are non binae and they are babie that is all we need <3

That is literally all I have to say about them. I love them and I don’t think they’re even considering attraction yet. They just a kiddo and I know they will ABSOLUTELY be accepted no matter what <333

Mirabelle: cis, aro/ace

I'm not sure if this really counts as headcanons really, it's pretty heavily implied that she's cis? I don't think she'd have nearly as much trouble with the Change belief if she were a flavor of trans, and I believe she says stuff that's like the isat equivalent of 'I'm cis' at multiple points (the whole 'every housemaiden has completely Changed at least once, but I haven't' thing?). So like. Cis woman Mira! We accept u girly <3. It's really interesting to think about how it might be more controversial to be cis in vaugarde than it would be to be trans, but it does make sense for that culture! (Sidenote I love that isat’s cultures are not afraid to be their own thing with views not necessarily influenced by the real world but instead by their own history and beliefs…). Also she is canon aro/ace and she is some GOOD FUCKING REP GUYS. I have another post in the works abt all the reasons why I think she's good rep, but for now just know. She's good my chat. She's good. I’ll talk about her more there, that’s the only reason I’m not talking more about her here, she has her OWN DEDICATED POST and AN ART PEICE and I will be pouring soooooososososoo much love for Mirabelle into that post. I ADORE her I PROMISE but this is a headcanons post and her whole thing is arguably the Most Canon and Most Explored queer plot IN the game, so just wait for that post I promise it’s coming!!! (TOMORROW/LATER TODAY!!! Istg I’ll do it before june ends… I MUST) <333

Siffrin: agender “masc”/androgynous alligned (confirmed to be some flavor of non-binary), demiromantic, sex-averse ace, biromantic, АМАВ..?

Aaaahh look at my darlings loop and siffrin. Definitely not suuuuper obviously the ones I've thought about most for this list... what would ever make you say that... Okay so Yeah. I’ve thought about Loop and Siffrin a Lot. But in my defense your honor they are my favorite ship and also I have an entire six part non-ship fic dedicated to them that I am working on Right Now so I had to do a LITTLE thinking, okay? I’m gonna yap about Siffrin first but these last two are gonna be a little bit of both for each, because Siffrin and Loop’s identities are inherently intwined given that they are, in fact, the same person.

Starting with Sif of course, our “boy” (/very gn lmao) is confirmed non binary—not outright by the game but definitely by the artbook (which yes I know is not canon canon, but I take it as a good indicator of the writer’s intention for these characters and this story). So yeah, I can say it’s confirmed. Gotta say I LOVE the rep of a multi pronoun using enby <33 and it warms my fuckin’ heart how often the characters alternate between their pronouns. It really is that easy folks. More multi pronoun users is what I want to see in media!! Anyways, though, that is amazing and so so so so so cool!!! And I have Words to Say about my more specific headcanon for his non binaryness. So, I think that Siffrin is agender. (and that isn’t just because I’m agender, I swear (though that does play a part as these headcanons are for me <3 and allow me to feel closer to my favorite little guys)). This ties into my headcanon for why he uses he/they pronouns, which is that they don’t have any particular gendered significance for them, He Just Thinks They’re Neat :3™️. And I believe this because I think Siffrin is in an interesting position with gender, where his perception of themself and their presentation or expectations would not be determined by upbringing or culture for obvious reasons, and might not even be influenced by their birth sex, because all they’d have left is themself and the perception of those around them wherever he’s traveling (which I think would at first be Vaugarde, and therefore, unhelpful lmao). And given their loneliness and their few remarks about how things were before they met the party (I’m namely drawing on “That you didn't know how to describe yourself, you didn't know who you even were, until you said a bad pun once and he laughed so hard you thought he was going to pass out”), I wouldn’t be surprised if gender was tied into their larger identity struggle too.

To clarify—I’m not saying Sif is non binary because they struggle with their larger identity, but that that struggle led to them discovering that they’re non binary in a different way than most people would. And perhaps they didn’t even really think much of it, because that feeling of emptiness, of not knowing anything about themself or who they are or who they’re supposed to be, was already so integral to their experience existing that the absence of gender just felt… normal. Not like something to be questioned or even acknowledged, because why would they feel any different? Additionally, if they had felt a strong pull towards either gender or some amount of presentation or, especially in Vaugarde, some kind of Change, that could have been something for them to latch onto. Something that might have kept them busy or helped them find a new home or a new identity for themself, but it’s very much implied that the party is the first thing they really have to aid in that, which I think is important information in considering his experience of gender. It’s possible, even, that Siffrin took up ‘he’ as a pronoun to get closer to Isabeau, as it’s implied that he’s the first party member sif really figured out how to make friends with. And we know from the very same conversation mentioned earlier as well as others, including artbook content, that Siffrin is no stranger to basing aspects of themself off the potential to appeal to others. This is also a possible explanation, or one of the potential reasons, for why Loop no longer uses ‘he’. If they grew apart from their party, or felt the concept of a “gendered” pronoun to be associated with them and their time with them—or even if they had a falling out with Isabeau, maybe a Bad Touch esq. incident of their own (or a few) in their own loops. Of course I have my own headcanons for Loop’s pronoun usage as well, but those can go right alongside this one. This is also kinda why I wrote “masc”/androgynous aligned for Sif. Because I don’t think Sif necessarily identifies super strongly with masculinity, or at least it’s less of a gender expression thing and more of a “will this make you like me” thing, and I do read his design as very androgynous.

So yeah, the label “agender” fits for me, as the specific experience of lacking the feeling of gender at all seems very fitting for Sif—especially since, while we know isat does employ the concept of gender (“…if you decide to switch genders…” -Mira), I don’t think Siffrin ever mentions that word or that concept in his god damn life. Not even when he’s talking directly about pronouns with Loop, and he… he’s just so suspiciously agender coded, I can’t not put him there, as an agender person myself. His MINUSCULE care for gender on a whole as a concept alligns so perfectly with my own experience, and I feel like if he had a label this is the one he would choose. Now in terms of attraction obviously we have Sif confirmed as ace, which is awesome!! I love the art id5 has drawn of them and Mira with their ace/aroace bling for… asexual awareness week I think it was? And there’s probably more idk but that’s the one I saw. He reads to me as sex-averse, so yea. I know that’s… very specific, but fuck you (/jk <3 love you whoever’s reading this post, ur a real one) this is my headcanons post I can be as specific as I want. Anyways. He’s also pretty demiromantic coded in my opinion, or at the very least arospec, given how unsure he is about what his feelings for Isa are and how oddly he tends to view romance in general. I went back and forth but the reading I ended up liking best was a demiromantic one! As for bi, given that Sif’s lack of regard for the concept of “gender” seems to extend beyond themself; towards others as well, I’m inclined to say they also don’t really have any presentation-based inclinations in attraction—at least not at present moment. I like Mira’s friend quest because technically you can kind of choose what kind of person Sif is into in that scene (sidenote “we have one of those at home” will never not be funny to me lmfao it makes me crack up every time), but still none of the responses are especially opinionated, as we know Sif is also inexperienced in this regard. And so there’s a potential that they actually might have a type, but it strikes me as a thing they haven’t really thought about, but feel comfortable enough just kinda going with the flow on, so I think they’d feel most comfortable with the label of biromantic. It adequately describes their feelings (essentially chill with whatever), and it’s a well known label with a straightforward meaning. (disclaimer: the definition of bi is NOT straightforward at fucking ALL, I know this is an ongoing debate in the community. Also this is not to say that bi people are simple or that it’s a “haven’t really thought about it” sort of orientation. I’m not sure how well I explained my reasoning for making him bi, I just feel like they’d feel at home in the bi community and comfortable with the label and whether they stick with it or not is currently. Not. my business. For the record I think a non-Loop siffrin would probably stick with it and be very proudly bi even if he does develop a preference because bi people CAN have preferences (I… think. Bi people back me up here??) and it’s all chill. My main goal in choosing bi is just an air of. Chill. as it’s described as the broadest multisexual label—but for the record I do think he could also fit under pan or omni, I’m not really here to argue semantics like that but more how the characters would define themselves.). OH also I say Sif is, quote, “AMAB..?” Because well. Okay. Generally I read Sif as AMAB given his resistance to change, implied lack of body craft use coupled with no boob, etc etc however I do also like transmasc readings of Siffrin, and… the idea that Siffrin and Loop could have different assigned genders tickles me just a little bit lmao. I just don’t know how much I actually believe in any of those headcanons yet. Anyways! PHEW that was long. Now onto the GOAT.

Loop: agender fem/androgynous alligned (confirmed to be some flavor of non-binary), demi romantic, ace, omniromantic, AMAB.

Finally I get to talk about my girlypop. So first, out of the way, I think Loop is agender for all the same reasons I think Sif is agender. They’re both agender. Siffrin and Loop are both non binary very much non binary and so please know that when I say Loop is transfemme I mean it in a different way than I would if I were to say they are a trans woman. They are non binary and I also think they’re transfemme. You feel me?? I like fanon readings where Loop ends up using she/they and in all their strange and honestly torturous life experience, if in the end they are not Just Dead but instead finally free (or honestly even in post-canons where they stay under the tree or get sent to go help another Siffrin), I really like interpretations where they end up identifying with femininity. It feels like them finding something that makes them happy and makes them feel like themself after all that. Like maybe they could actually be a person again… and they like it when that person is fabulous. In their world I see a lot of women (Euphrasieee <333) as figures of authority and importance, and I think that would also tie into their desire for femininity, as a way to take back their autonomy and show the world that they will no longer be controlled. And I think just as their character develops… maybe they’d like that, idk! There’s also something to be said about all the change they were forced into, and different ways they can reclaim that for themself, and I think transfemininity is just… an awesome way for that to happen (obviously not the only way, but still!). And maybe it wouldn’t stick, maybe it would, but they’re definitely experimenting and trying to both express themself and find a “self” to express. Needless to say, though, I like me a feminine Loop <3. They are canonically non binary though and just as much as I love a multi pronoun user I also love an exclusively they/them pronoun user!! I love the rep!!! Unfortunately though… I do think loop could be taken as an inhuman non binary archetype. For those who don’t know, that describes a phenomenon where for whatever reason (publicity, queerphobia, inability, whatever) writers often portray their only non binary characters as inhuman, and this happens far more often than they put actual non binary humans in their stories (also sometimes even inhuman characters’ pronouns are changed to be gendered?? Which is just… wild… but that’s a conversation for another day. This video has good discussion on that). This can contribute to the harmful narrative that non binary people aren’t valid or are somehow inhuman. Loop is the only adult in game (or main character at least… I didn’t check for the townspeople/housemaidens… but I do bet there are some in there) to use exclusively they/them pronouns and they’re also the only inhuman one… but… eehhhh. I’d argue against attributing this trope to them (or I’d say that at the very least they take the trope and make it actually meaningful and interesting), because Loop’s questionable humanity is ALSO a core part of their character in my opinion. Like, something FUCKED UP happened to them to get them Like That (appearance) and Like This (personality), and I can’t help but imagine they spend a lot of the game (ESPECIALLY if they have the conversation where Siffrin draws a little picture of them) wondering silently what… exactly they… are, now? Personally I think they’re still human, if not in biology at least in soul, but a character arc where they wrestle with that seems just… inevitable for them. Whether gender is a part of that or even related to it is nobody’s business but theirs. It’s for that reason that I still think they are good rep even though they somewhat play into an established bad trope. It’s a difficult thing that twohats is such a deeply hidden secret though, as without the context for their story they could still be read somewhat badly.

Anyways, as for why I put them down as omni instead of bi, I don’t think it’s so much a change in attraction or preference and more a change in perspective and how they view themself. I think they’d still identify with the bi label, but they wanted something that specifies that gender does play a role in their attraction. Not necessarily preference, but a role. They’re not gonna say how because it’s None Of Your Blinding Business (the meta reason is because I don’t know how to describe how, closest I can think is if you’ve ever seen the post where the person is trying to describe attraction to different genders and they essentially go “girls are like ooo and guys are like ahh and non binaries are like ohh”??? It’s like that kinda), but yea. Of course they are demiromantic for the same reasons Sif is as well, I don’t really have a reason for that to change at all. As for their asexuality, I’d take Loop as a canon ace as well if just because Sif is confirmed ace, but like their gender I think their understanding of their sexuality will have also been molded by their very unique life experiences, so I don’t know how confidently I can still say they’re sex-averse. My three favorite takes for this are 1. That it’s None Of Your Goddamn Business 2. That they’re open to experimentation and ultimately do not feel sexual attraction but might use the experience of sex or sexiness for other things, like to gain more confidence in themself, to process their trauma, or to feel closer to people. Notably I think they would be against the idea of doing sex just to please a partner if they ever get one, because it feels like their character arc of independence and freedom and their life experience goes against that. Or 3. They’d enjoy presenting slutty or sultry but actually still do not find the idea of having actual sex at all appealing. Currently, I think this one’s the one I like the most. But yeah, I definitely both see and like all of them! And of course I do read Loop as AMAB for the same reasons as I (potentially) read Siffrin that way and also for my transfemme agenda (or my transfemme agender?? Badum ching…) <3

…Also unrelated to queerness but we have a tailed loop because we love tailed loop. Makes for an interesting compositioning tool, and more opportunities to accessorize ✨✨

Ok that’s all lmao

Oh yeah I think Euphrasie is confirmed genderfluid too (Or she's a trans woman? The artbook makes it a little unclear. Either way she genderwiggly!!) so that’s cool!

This post was mostly for me ‹3 because l've been working on these headcanons for a while now and I wanted to share them! And in case anyone's interested in what l think idk 🤷‍♀️. But if you do end up rbing either this post or the just canon one, feel free to share your own isat pride headcanons!! I'd love to see them!!! l'd much prefer us all just have fun with it and appreciate each other and all our wildly colorful experiences than argue over which one's wrong or right. Let's just be prideful and have fun!!! Happy pride!!!!

Below: speedpaint and some other stuff!