sex is art and you're the muse

the most wholesome interaction

Have you ever seen a violinist going APESHIT?!

Obviously there are black string players. We just don’t see them because they “don’t look like” string players.

For @galalion , who made me finally get my thoughts on Yumary out. @Kassillus helped. 

People who follow me may have noticed that I’m a huuuge Kirari x Sayaka (KiraSaya) fan. I do, however, have less to say about Yumeko x Mary (YuMary). This is in part because I don’t think it’s canon…yet.

The keyword there is “yet.” After the Debt arc, I didn’t see them as more than friends. Even that seemed a bit rushed; maybe I’m just overly-pragmatic, but teaming up with Yumeko like that struck me as a survival strategy, and one that had to be concocted fairly quickly at that. Bonding because of something they went through together is totally believable.

I also agree that, yes, Yumeko and Mary play off of each other well. Mary had every reason to be mad at Yumeko, even though her pet status was just desserts. The plan they collaborated on to get her out of that situation was good. Mary begrudgingly admitting that Yumeko can call her by her first name (which is a sign of closer familiarity in Japan) was also very sweet.

But yuri that does not make. In Japan, girl-girl relationships are (or were?) fairly normal in high school. There’s also not much to suggest that this is anything beyond close friendship. It’s girls being girls.

Moreover, I have a specific artistic nitpick with YuMary. In almost every instance, Yumeko, Mary, or both of them are looking at the camera. After talking with @Kassillus, I know this is a strategy to invite the audience in, rather than anything having to do with the male gaze. It also, however, hints that they aren’t really into each other. Compare this…

…to this:

In other words, I understand why people say that the yuri in the Kakegurui anime is fanservice. Having both of the ladies involved looking at the camera doesn’t help; even though I understood what Kass was saying, it also makes the pairing feel like it’s more about the spectacle than the relationship.There’s not much saying that they aren’t just friends messing around with each other (possibly, but not certainly, with benefits). Reminder: Yumeko’s got perv moments all over.

With KiraSaya, there’s no other way to interpret things except “these two are a couple.” People who are “just friends” don’t jump off of five-story buildings, each only thinking about the other’s safety on the way down. Sayaka’s last wish was that Kirari would know her true feelings. Yumeko and Mary are nowhere near that intimate.

Yet.

Enter the Election Arc of the manga. At one point, Yumeko is dying. At her request, Suzui calls Mary, who’s on the edge of gambling for 100 votes, on the phone. Her exact words:

First, the timing of this is impeccable .Mary was literally just about to gamble for 100 votes. The phone call from Yumeko gets Mary to take action fast. She’s there in a heartbeat and proves to be a real ace in the hole. At the end of it all, with Yumeko still KO’d by poison, this happens:

That is more telling of their relationship than anything in the Indian Poker/Debt Erasure arc. Not only does Mary’s willingness to take a risk soar because Yumeko’s in danger, Yumeko called specifically for her. I’m not going to get into the chart, but Yumeko knew Mary was the right person for the job, and that she would respond in just the right way.

but for actual real life, no one on tumblr has enough energy to get out of bed