Sentient Ball of Anxiety

To answer this question, we need to first examine the symbolism and significance of the common rat instead of the Hinezumi. In the original Ayakashi series, there was a throwaway line after the Sakai entourage got spooked by scurrying rats - that these rodents are an omen of Mao bearing many children. Indeed, rats in real life multiply quite quickly. However, from a universal standpoint, they are generally considered pests which need to be exterminated.

The ochuro have the sole purpose of bearing heirs for Tenshi. Although merchants sell journals and trinkets featuring rats to low-ranking maids, within the upper echelons of the ooku there is an underlying mindset: while commoners pray for ochuro to be blessed with the fertility of rats, they do not want a "rat" to taint the royal bloodline.

As for why it is the Hinezumi specifically, I have a few thoughts. The Omizu-sama faith demands its disciples to discard what is most precious to them and drink water drawn from the well daily. For many women, what's precious to them is a material belonging. For some ochuro, it is motherhood which must be discarded out of duty.

Sabriel 

I have the best time management skills, you guys. YEAH CRAMMING IT ALL INTO ONE DAY ughhhhh.

Help how do I cat.

Picture by CHRIS MCINERNEY

30 Day Character Challenge - Day 2. A character from a previous favorite fandom.

Mogget from The Abhorsen Trilogy

I like the sketch better. Color, you tricky bastard. 

Did you guys know I’m obsessed with the book Sabriel by Garth Nix?? (and also the entire Abhorsen series)

As always, us mods here at FeudalConnection want to give a huge thank you to everyone who participated in the Second Quarter 2022 Inuyasha Fandom Awards!! Your participation and support for this fandom is simply incredible! Please note, all voters must provide a valid email address; nonexistent emails cannot be accepted or included in the final tally. We implemented this measure to preserve the integrity of the voting form following a series of voting anomalies, and we thank you for your cooperation. 

As a reminder, the winners have evolved into First, Second, and Third place awards. We are allowing ties for first place winners, rather than go into a run off period!

- For categories which received up to five nominations, First and Second place banners will be awarded to the winners.  - For categories which received up to seven nominations, First, Second, and Third place banners will be awarded to the winners. 

And now, without further delay, here we are!

Winners for the Quarter 2 2022 Inuyasha Fandom Awards, hosted by FeudalConnection!

Best Action Fiction: First Place: “To Boldly Go” by @witchygirl99 Second Place (tie): “The Ghost of Higurashi Shrine” by @elkonigin Second Place (tie): “Inferno” by @mynightshining

Best Alternate Universe/Reality Fiction: First Place: “Daiyokai Only Dress in Couture” by @neutronstarchild & @kalcia Second Place: “Jar of Hearts” by @mamabearcat & @mickisketch Third Place: “In Too Deep” by @sagemcmae

Best Canon Fiction: First Place: “All the Warmth I Need” by @ruddcatha Second Place: “Only Her” by @fandomobsessions016

Best Canon Divergence Fiction:  First Place: “Kagome’s Fateful Choice” by @neutronstarchild Second Place: “Tales from the West” by @moon-ion / thetroll (AO3) Third Place (tie): “Dog Guardian” by @alannada Third Place (tie): “Your Kiss Well Dreamt” by @dawnrider

Best Angst Fiction: First Place: “In My Pulse, There is Only You” by @cannibalsforbreakfast / Laeoukka (AO3) & @kirrtash Second Place: “Death Becomes Us” by @kstewdeux

Best Dark Fiction:  First Place: “Bloody Valentine” by @inussunflower Second Place: “Destroying Trust” by @ruddcatha

Best Drama Fiction First Place: “Million Dollar Man” by @inussunflower Second Place: “Work Function” by @mrfeenysmustache / AshMish111 (AO3) Third Place: “To Serve and Protect” by @sereia1313

Best Humor/Parody Fiction: First Place: “503-B” by @clearwillow / Brigidthefae (AO3) Second Place: “(May)be Mine” by @fandomobsessions016​ Third Place: “Cycle of Change” by @fawn-eyed-girl

Best NSFW Fiction: First Place (tie): “Underneath It All” by @superpixie42​ First Place (tie): “Work Function” by @mrfeenysmustache​ / AshMish111 (AO3) Second Place: “Members Only” by @anisaanisa​

Best One-Shot: First Place: “By the Book” by @mrfeenysmustache​ / AshMish111 Second Place: “I Don’t Need Perfection” by @cannibalsforbreakfast​ / Laeoukka (AO3) Third Place: “Only Her” by @fandomobsessions016​

Best Character Portrayal: First Place: “You’re Okay” (Inuyasha) by @keichanz​ Second Place: “I Choose You” (Sango) by @sapphirestarxx​ Third Place: “My Master and Me” (Jaken) by @ixaix​

Best InuKag Romance Fiction: First Place: “Holding Out For a Hero” by @lavendertwilight89​ Second Place: “Dog Tags” by @lemonlushff​ Third Place: “Till Death Do Us Part” by @elkonigin​

Best Non-InuKag (Canon) Romance Fiction: First Place: “Into Fire and Into Ice” by @loveyou-x3000​ Second Place: “By Rights” by @dawnrider​ Third Place (tie): “A Stolen Kiss” by @sapphirestarxx​ Third Place (tie): “Clandestine” by @skyelara & @violetasteria​

Best Non-Canon Romance Fiction: First Place: “Life Is Not a Romance Novel” by @fawn-eyed-girl​ Second Place: “Tails from the West” by @moon-ion​ / thetroll (AO3) Third Place: “It Was Enough” by @livinginthefifthdimension​

Best Serial Fiction: First Place: “One Word” by @anisaanisa​ Second Place: “Puppy Kisses” by @superpixie42​ Third Place: “Moonlit Lullaby” by EchoHuntress (AO3)

Best Ficlet: First Place: “InuKag, they’re riding a dragon” by @mustardyellowsunshine​ Second Place: “Butterfly Blessings” by @mynightshining​ Third Place: “Untitled” by @loveyou-x3000​

Best Collaboration: First Place: “Daiyokai Only Dress in Couture” by @neutronstarchild​ & @kalcia​ Second Place: “Jar of Hearts” by @mamabearcat​ & @mickisketch​

Best Completed:  First Place: “503-B” by @clearwillow​ / Brigidthefae (AO3) Second Place: “Ukiyo: The Baker’s Tale” by @goshinote​

Best Action Fanart: First Place: “Kagura” by @wanfnag2017​ Second Place: “Untitled” by @amlli​

Best Alternate Universe/Reality Fanart: First Place: “Uh Oh” by @sayuri-watanabe​ Second Place: “ 西装团 (Suit Group)” by Milk23148885 (TW) Third Place: “Inuyasha but InuKag were childhood best friends” by Mijasrose (TW)

Best Canon Fanart: First Place: “The Family” by @len-barboza​ Second Place (tie): “Ramen” by @nicoledraws​ Second Place (tie): “Untitled” by @amlli​

Best Angst Fanart: First Place: “Pride and Humility” by @heavenin–hell​ Second Place: “There was no place for me…” by @bigswigofmilk​

Best Dark Fanart:  First Place: “Untitled” by @kristicles​ Second Place: “Untitled” by @moony-cartoons​

Best Humor/Parody Fanart: First Place: “Car Ride” by @stillunderyourbed​ Second Place: “Moroha’s first words” by @jess-oui​

Best Kiss Fanart: First Place: “Untitled” by @len-barboza​ Second Place: “Untitled” by Neita (TW)

Best Character Fanart: First Place: “Inuyasha” by No_95c (TW) Second Place: “Sesshomaru - Inuyasha Tarot Project” by NimRod Third Place (tie): “Film Noir Kagura” by @thornedraven​ Third Place (tie): “Death Happens” by @snow-body​

Best Duo/Pairing Fanart: First Place: “First Meeting” by @kue-landak​ Second Place:  “Thinking about how often Moroha must have pulled Inuyasha’s hair as a baby” by @tmetta​ Third Place: “Lipgloss” by @mama-ino​

Best NSFW Fanart:  First Place: “Naughty Gifts” by @hopidoodle Second Place: “Fancy a Swim? AKA Sea Butt” by @lemonlushff Third Place: “Into the Well” by @alforall​

Best Romance Fanart: First Place: “Thursday Special” by @clementinesgulag​ Second Place: “Untitled” by @redundantz​ Third Place (tie): “Untitled” by @audrieberrie​ Third Place (tie): “Soulmates” by @mikoriin​

Best LGBTQ+ Fanart: First Place: “June, the month of love” by @kalcia​ Second Place: “We Should Kiss” by @hopidoodle​ Third Place (tie): “Best Friends” by @valuvi​ Third Place (tie): “Untitled” by @nicosart​

Best Group Depiction Fanart: First Place: “Hoje com esse desenho do anime Inuyasha” by Naiara_fuyuki (IG) Second Place: “Their Friendship is Magic” by @sollee-art​ Third Place: “Happy InuKag Halloween (first picture)” by Chandllucky (TW)

Best Doujinshi: First Place: “What does Moroha see?” by @tharaax​ Second Place: “Inu-Papa Holding his Baby Girl” by Lelolanda19 (TW) Third Place: “Untitled” by @clearwillow​

Best Non-Canon Pairing Fanart: First Place: “The Onsen” by @sayuri-watanabe​ Second Place: “Untitled” by @heavenin–hell​ Third Place: “SessKagu” by @san92994​

Best Redraw Fanart: First Place: “Redraw from the Manga” by @stillunderyourbed​ Second Place: “Untitled” by @dessins-claudine​ Third Place: “Speedpainting on the stream” by FanasyY (TW)

Best Traditional Fanart: First Place: “Inuyasha Doodle Pile” by @notadventuring​ Second Place: “Inuyasha for Inktober” by @anabimelo​ Third Place: “Untitled” by @kirrtash​

Best Overall Fanart:  First Place: “The Onsen” by @sayuri-watanabe​ Second Place: “Kikyo and Sesshomaru” by @cati-art​ Third Place: “이누야샤 “Inuyasha” by MGMG_1012 (TW)

Congratulations to all the winners! Your awards are ready, so please send one of the mods or this blog your preferred email address so we can send them to you!

Please note, the winner ban only applies to the first place winner(s) in each division; second and third place winners will be eligible to be nominated again in the next quarter. 

As this quarter comes to a close, FeudalConnection will be taking a short hiatus. This time is always spent reviewing the process and seeing what can be revamped for next quarter. 

Want to still stay immersed in the creative aspects of the Inuyasha fandom? Head on over and join our Discord server! Or follow @inuyasha-events to stay up-to-date on all the current and upcoming fandom events!

We will officially be back in full swing starting July 1st! We will still be around in case you have questions or concerns, but please take this time to read new fanfiction and find new fanart. We strongly encourage everyone to nominate different writers and artists for the next quarter, so to spread the love of this fandom around. 

As the day gets closer to the start of the third quarter of 2022, we will be keeping everyone in the loop when it comes to changes and updates. Thank you all again for making this such a wonderful experience! See you soon!

Cheeky Sesshomaru.

Q: Where can we find you and your stories? A: A03 and (coming in April!) on the new SessKag fanfiction site Pink Moon Observatory!

Q: How would you describe your writing style? A: Calling what I do a ‘style’ seems like a discredit to the word. I’m very chaotic; I fluctuate between being overly word and then, worrying that I’m being too verbose, paring it down too much in response while hoping that somewhere along the way I reach a happy medium. I definitely tend to focus more on character interactions than building the scene they’re in, which is something I’m actively working on.

Q: What’s one thing you’d tell someone who is considering reading one of your fics? A: Be prepared for fluff. Even if I do manage to someday write something more angsty or serious, it will have to have a lot of soft moments mixed in. For me, the real world is already far too grim; I enjoy focusing more on the sweeter, sillier aspects of things, at least at this current moment in my writing journey.

Q: How do you get/stay inspired to write? (ie: playlists, aesthetics, fanart, this blog, etc.) A: Reading or watching something totally unrelated to Inuyasha, normally. When I feel overwhelmed by the ideas or tasks in my head I try to distract myself with other things in order to give my imagination time to breathe. When I’m in the groove, I usually put on music in the background that fits the piece I’m working on. 

Q: What’s your favorite SessKag moment from Inuyasha and why? A: When Kagome shoots at Sess and shatters his armor. The look of absolute surprise on his face is priceless and, in my head, is when he starts to think maybe she’s not exactly like other human women. Before that, when they met in Inu no Taisho’s tomb, he seems more annoyed at her than anything.

Q: What do you like most about the SessKag fandom? A: How amazingly supportive everyone is, especially towards new writers. I started leaving comments on stories and, before I knew it, I was being encouraged to write myself! It was absolutely amazing and I can’t thank Sage McMae enough for being the one to introduce me to the Discord and just generally being so sweet towards a fellow fangirl.

Self Rec Time! List the fics that you are most proud of writing.

Late Night Fatherhood

Learning Patience

Magenta Stripes

Rec Time! List your top 3 favorite SessKag fics of all time.

The Once and Future Taiyoukai by RosieB

Husband Catalogue by mythicamagic

Title: Learning Patience Author: @ixaix Posted on: A03 Pairing/Fandom: SessKag (Inuyasha) Status: One-shot Warnings: None (unless you count cavities from all the fluff) Summary: Who would have thought that the greatest challenge Sesshomaru was yet to face would be getting his son to learn to eat solid foods?

**Review Below (Spoilers for Those Who Haven’t Read)**

Daiyokai did not negotiate. Very few problems existed that couldn’t be solved with an overwhelming display of power; with a flash of fang or steel. <—— This opening makes me chuckle. It captures the mood of the narrative and our favorite inu daiyokai instantly! 

Now, if he would only stop channeling his mother’s stubbornness, they could get somewhere. <—— I enjoy when authors throw some snarky banter in their fics, especially when its internal monologue. Another great example of your ability to capture the essence of Sesshomaru’s character. 

“I understand you are not pleased with having to be weaned, yet the time has truly come. No amount of tears will dissuade us this time.”  <—— Sesshomaru’s formal speech is one of the key components to his characterization. He has a very direct approach both in his fighting and in his dialogue. When I read stories like this where he speaks without using slang or contractions, I can hear his voice so clearly in my mind. A stellar writing choice, Ixaix!

Nothing tore apart at his soul like seeing fat tears rolling down the faces of  two of the most precious people in his life.  <—— As much as we all love surly demon lord Sesshomaru, secretly (or maybe more aptly selectively) soft and tender Sesshomaru is the BEST! 

“Think of it as teaching him battle strategies,” said his wife, who always seemed to know just what to say to make Sesshomaru consider even the silliest things.  <—— Domestic life at its finest! I enjoy a good ‘developing feelings/falling in love’ fic but I think a largely underrated section of fandom works is what happens AFTER the happily ever after. Just because the ‘Big Bad’ has been dealt with doesn’t mean everything is all sunshine and daisies. Domestic life comes with its own challenges. I think seeing our favorite OTP handle those situations together just proves what a brilliant team they make! 

A quick catching of her hand and interlacing of their fingers put an end to that nonsense; Sesshomaru couldn’t afford to be distracted at the moment. <—— The subtle humor in this is so good! It’s so clever how you’ve managed to take a seemingly normal activity like feeding a child and turn it into this snapshot of Sesshomaru and Kagome’s life together. It’s wonderful!

“I am the only one allowed to use his teeth on you.”  <—— And there he is! Possessive Sesshomaru! Another version of this character that I absolutely STAN! A03 let me leave more kudos, dammit!

Immediately the daiyokai snapped out of it, staring at his son in a mixture of horror and shock.  <—— Devoted father Sesshomaru too! Well you’re just hitting all the favs in this single fic, aren’t you? I love the breadth of emotions you convey in this one encounter. It shows your ability to capture this character as well as the strength of your writing abilities! 

Then Kagome reached up, pressed a hand over his heart as she so often had when they lay together as her stomach had swollen with the evidence of their shared love.  <——  love emotional intimacy. How writes depict their characters interactions is telling of what those characters value. It is clear from this how deeply Kagome and Sesshomaru love each other. They are connected beyond their physical bond. They have overcome a lot of trust issues and their past history to get where they are now. 

“Second, we always do our best problem solving as a team, so why not approach this one the same way? Remember how long it took us to figure out diapers?”  <—— I appreciate when couples are shown as a team, especially when it comes to childcare. I think the most successful pairings balance each other out. Your portrayal of Kagome and Sesshomaru’s adventures in navigating their firstborn does exactly that! 

“One of said males is currently happily learning that apples are not a bad substitute for breast milk.” “The other of said males best be careful, or he’ll be sleeping in the doghouse tonight.” <—— The sass! The best thing about Sesshomaru and Kagome is their ability to go head to head with each other. They are both powerful and they both have tempers. For most couples, this combination could be explosive but for Sesshomaru and Kagome it’s like catnip (or foreplay, depending on who you ask) 

CONGRATULATIONS ixaix (Ao3)​​!!! Your fanfiction “My Master and Me” has been nominated by one of your fans for the 2022 1st Quarterly Inuyasha Fandom Awards, run by Feudal Connection!

Your work has been nominated in the following category:

Best Humor/Parody Fanfiction

In addition, your fanfiction “Learning Patience” has been nominated for the following category:

Best Fluff Fanfiction

Voting will take place between January 29th and February 12th, and the links to do so can be found on the feudalconnection Tumblr page.

If you would like to pull your work from consideration for an award, please let us know via the Tumblr page or [email protected].

Once again, congratulations for your beautiful contributions to this wonderful fandom, and thank you for all that you do!

NOMINATIONS ARE OPEN UNTIL THE END OF THE DAY JANUARY 15TH, SUBMIT YOUR FIC/ARTWORK NOMINATIONS THROUGH OUR PAGE!

When I read fanfiction for a series set in Japan, if there is an original character/weapon/technique/item introduced, every name I see falls into one of the following four categories (note: examples are all made up by me.  If you happen to have an OC with one of these names, I’m not picking on you, it’s just coincidence):

1. Borrowing an existing name from another show or person – Examples: Satsuki, Rumiko, Goku, Sakura

2. A word straight from a Japanese dictionary – Examples: Neko, Tenshi, Utsukushii, Tatakau

3. Words from a Japanese dictionary combined together – Examples: Ichineko, Kuroitenshi, Chiisaihana, Tsuyoikiba

4. A made-up word that “sounds” Japanese – Examples: Inuyishi, Nekamanu, Maranoshi, Kimasaka

Almost all of the names listed above are bad names for an original character.  Type 1 will always land you a legitimate name, however it’s a bit uncreative and the name is not likely to bear any significance to your particular story or character.  Types 2 and 3 can potentially lead to some good names, provided they’re done right.  “How to do them right” is going to be the main focus of this guide.  Avoid Type 4 like the plague.

Continue reading below for a tutorial on how to create an original, meaningful, and legitimate Japanese name for your original characters.