Rum Tum Hmm Humm...

Zuko really believed that Ty Lee didn’t understand who he was at all. He completely bought into the act that she’s just a puppet for Azula, who lives in her “little Ty Lee world where everything’s great all the time”. But the thing is, Ty Lee is one of the most perceptive characters in the show, and she’s excellent at keeping that on the down low, but she sees a lot more of Zuko than he thinks, and a lot of what she sees is very familiar to her.

Overshadowed by prodigious siblings?

Wanting to be acknowledged for the talents you have rather than the talents you don’t?

Kept in line by fear?

Spending your whole life bending over backwards to fit the persona the royal family has set for you?

Azula used blatant intimidation tactics to get Ty Lee to comply, ordering the net to be set on fire and all the animals released (which, for the record, would not only have endangered Ty Lee but the circus creatures themselves–I bet Ty Lee was attached to them, and that would’ve been a double threat in itself). Ty Lee is visibly terrified, but instead of calling her out or letting Azula see that she was intimidated, she says this:

Instead of endangering herself by pointing out that Azula crossed a line, Ty Lee falls back on her talk of “the universe” and “auras,” talk that canonically gets her indulged or dismissed but never taken seriously. 

She knows that Azula’s dangerous. There’s no way she doesn’t know that Azula is threatening her. But if she can keep Azula from realizing she knows that, she’s a little safer. 

Because she’s one of maybe two people Azula never considered as potential enemies–even (especially, but that’s another thread) Ozai is a threat in her mind, but Mai and Ty Lee are the closest thing Azula has to trusted friends, right up until their betrayal. 

Ty Lee’s spent a lifetime cultivating a personality that not only allows her to stands out among her siblings–it protects her from being treated as a threat. When you’re friends with Azula, that is an essential facade to maintain.  and she does it consistently enough that no one ever sees through it.

for one, the manga has some of the best lgbtq+ representation i’ve seen in any manga. 

the story weaves together the divergent experiences of gay, lesbian, trans, asexual, and nonbinary characters - both young and old - as they carve out a community for themselves in a Japanese town. 

the writing and characterization feels realistic and deeply personal. i should note that the mangaka - kamatani yuhki - identifies as x-gender and asexual. 

kamatani’s art is also jaw-dropping. 

the level of detail in some panels is incredible. 

many panels take on a surreal, dreamlike quality, symbolizing the jumbled emotions of the characters.

and i can’t get over how well the mangaka captured emotion on the characters’ faces. 

for anyone looking for a manga that will move you - and push forward representation in the medium - shimanami tasogare is it ! 

idk about you guys but I think this is the best video to ever exist

chiron: oh that’s not my name actually

percy: um okay. does mr d stand for something?

chiron: did ur mom not tell u anything?

percy: how long will that take?