The Zing-Zang-Zepper of Dr. Pepper

FIGURE MUSEUM's Joseph Joestar (alt. colour) - releasing Jan 2027

+ very important extra promotional picture under the cut

For @somecomfies, a winner of the @phandomgives fanworks raffle, who requested a reenactment of this moment from Dan's birthday livestream!

Thank you to everyone who supported and donated this year for Dan’s birthday drive!

[Image description: Comic of Dan and Phil as doctors treating the Pheal, in the style of "The Pitt." Alt text is provided and copied below. End ID]

Growing up, he always prioritized Taka’s health and keeping him strong even before the bullying began because one of Takaaki’s biggest regrets was not taking care of himself more before he got diagnosed with his chronic illness, making it more difficult to take care of himself post-diagnosis. With the knowledge that Taka carries his genes and in turn has a chance of developing the same illness, he wants Taka to be strong and prepared for the worst case scenario.

Growing up, Taka had stuff like a pull up bar in his closet doorway and some dumbbells Takaaki bought from a sport supply store. They two would also routinely go on runs every morning, two miles away from home and two miles back. Taka was also a pretty good sport on having a healthy appetite.

Fortunately, Taka didn’t end up developing any symptoms for Takaaki’s illness. Unfortunately, Takaaki was now stuck at home with a strong ass 12 year old. Mix with the fact that he and Taka’s mutual love language is touch, and you end up getting many scenarios where Taka accidentally injures Takaaki in some way, and always ends up feeling horrible about it because Takaaki also raised him to be as sweet as pie.

daiya probably sacrificed SO MUCH in order for mondo to get the best childhood he could possibly give him. imagine daiya working 3 jobs whilst balancing ownership of the gang to make ends meet so mondo could have food on the table. daiya having to withstand painful questions about where their parents are or why mondo can’t relate to the other kids at school. mondo making daiya cards when it’s mother’s/father’s day in school because he’s the only parental figure he’s ever known. mondo loving daiya like he’s his father and looking up to him in ways incomprehensible to the ways the other kids in his class looked up to their older siblings.

thinking about the owada brothers when mondo was hitting puberty.

mondo wanting to stay out late and daiya desperately trying not to be the overbearing guardian figure, since he wants mondo to live the life that he wasn’t able to, but he’s really scared. daiya quickly realising that mondo inherited his bullshit communication skills and anger problems. daiya having to consciously rewire how he acts around mondo so he can be a good influence on him. because it’s what mondo deserves. mondo constantly asking daiya if he can join the gang, and daiya defending mondo from the rougher, older members.

thinking about the owada brothers just before the crash.

daiya was proud of the man mondo was growing up to be, despite his flaws. mondo was committed to the gang, he was loyal. daiya didn’t care what the other members said about mondo because he knew, deep down, that mondo was a good person, and was more than capable of taking over the gang when daiya was about to retire. mondo crying for the first time in years when daiya finally asks him, because he’s finally going to be seen as the cool and respected person his brother is. he wanted to be just like his brother for years, and now he’s finally earned his respect enough to inherit one of the most important things to him: the gang.

thinking about the owada brothers after the crash.

mondo is empty, holding daiya’s lifeless corpse. he feels more like a fuckup with every passing second, as the sirens get louder and louder. he hears daiya’s final words to protect the gang and he breaks down. because how could he? how could he protect such a large organisation with all his being when he couldn’t even protect the one person who stuck around for him when their parents didn’t? daiya sacrificing himself for his little baby brother, because he loves him more than anyone else in the world. mondo wants to crawl into a box every time someone in the gang calls daiya reckless. because mondo knows who the reckless one really was that night.