#onimaru

Some say it was a man, with hair spun from gold and a fiery temper that matched even the fiercest of flames. In every story, they had two spirals above their eyes.

The Swordsman, the Fox, and the Onigiri by three_days_late

6th May, afternoon

7th May, noon, after first infusion

May 7th, evening

May 8th, vet trip (infusion) before and after

May 8th, afternoon, after 2nd infusion

He's doing great! We'll still be fighting for a while, but considering that he wasn't even able to get up anymore on the 6th and either completely unresponsive (except for luckily taking and swallowing the mash I made!) or rolling around uncontrollably, this is a huge and super fast improvement!

More rambles under cut

So, we're back once again to discuss Detective Conan. Yeah.. my blog seems to be pretty Conan-oriented, but that's probably because I'm currently in a Detective Conan project. Maybe after this, I'll do and talk about more Yugioh or Deltarune or something. We'll see.

Anyway, to our point of some inane rambling today - how does magic work in the worlds of Magic Kaito and Detective Conan? It's actually pretty simple, and you probably expected this outcome - it's two alternate universes.

(read more under the cut if you're interested)

Added colour to my previous sketch.

The most interesting of the many failed adaptations of Wuthering Heights, Yoshida transplants the sadism of Bronte's novel to the demoniac landscape of Feudal Japan. Nihilistic throughout, and with a hulking, malevolent performance from Matsuda as 'Heathcliff', the Noh aesthetic style calls back to classical Japanese cinema. It's a peculiar yet memorable take on WH, and, commendably, one of the few to adapt the book's famously difficult second half.

When Heathcliff is turned into a white, charming lover and cruelty is replaced with mutual consent, all that remains in the end is a generic young adult romance. The “evil” that actually defines Brontë's work is smoothed over to suit mass taste.

This 2026 version is thus essentially the exact opposite of the 1988 Japanese film adaptation, which changes the setting and time period.

The 2026 Version

If you turn Heathcliff into a white, charming lover and swap cruelty for mutual consent, all you're left with is a generic young adult romance.

The “rehabilitation” of Heathcliff

In the novel, Heathcliff is a victim of racism and abuse who becomes a perpetrator himself. He is vengeful, cruel, and manipulative.

The problem with the 2026 version: by casting a classic “pretty boy” like Jacob Elordi and replacing violence with “consensuality,” a dark antihero is turned into a harmless romantic hero. This destroys the radical moral gray area of the original.

2. Ignoring ethnic origin

Emily Brontë explicitly describes Heathcliff in the book as a “lascar” (Indian sailor) or “dark-skinned gypsy in aspect.”

Criticism: When a white actor plays him, the entire foundation of the story falls away: why he is hated, why he never belongs, and why his revenge is so bitter. Without this aspect, it is no longer a social tragedy, but merely a dispute between rich white people.

3. “Vibe” instead of content

In the modern film industry (especially with directors like Emerald Fennell), there is a trend to use classic material as “aesthetic.”

It's not about what the book says, but how it feels (or how it can be marketed on TikTok). You take the moors, the clothes, and the names and fill them with a modern “young adult” romance.

4. Why is it still called that?

It's a purely commercial decision:

Brand name: “Wuthering Heights” is a world-famous brand. A film with this title attracts more people to the cinema than an unknown drama called “Love in the Moors.”

Copyright: Since the book is in the public domain, anyone can do anything with it—even if it completely betrays the core of the story.

That's exactly the point. If you take away the destructive rage and social exclusion, you take away the foundation of the story.

Without these elements, an existential drama about obsession and class hatred becomes a simple “boy meets girl” story. It's then just a backdrop.

The 1988 Version

Interestingly, this is precisely why many literary scholars value the Japanese version (1988) so highly, even though it is geographically the furthest removed:

it retains the harshness and unpleasantness.

It shows Heathcliff (Onimaru) as someone who was truly turned into a “monster” by the system.

It almost seems as if the story has to be radically changed (as in Japan) in order to save its true spirit, while the “beautiful” Hollywood productions often suffocate it with their smoothness.

⚠️ AGGRESSIVELY POLITE SPOILER WARNING ⚠️

ATTENTION: This film contains scenes of extreme aesthetic perfection, lovely background music, and stunningly attractive people in very crisp, clean costumes. 🎻✨

Please be advised:

Everything you see is strictly consensual and logically explained. ✅

No one is actually "dark-skinned" or a social outcast. 🧼

The toxic, soul-crushing obsession of the book has been replaced by a pleasant summer vibe. ☀️

There is zero risk of feeling disturbed, challenged, or confronted by the moral darkness of the original novel. 🙅‍♂️

WARNING: If you were looking for Emily Brontë’s rages, class-driven hatred, or a truly "evil" Heathcliff, you will be disappointed. This is just a nice afternoon in the moors with people who look like they’ve never seen a day of hard labor or a drop of mud in their lives. 👗💅

PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK OF EXTREME BOREDOM. 🥱☕️

Part one.

Part two.

Part three.

Arriving in Ringo leads to the delightful trio of Cho, Kiku, and Yamato meeting up, many pretty environment scenes, panels with cool perspectives, shoujo vibes, and us quickly learning about an interesting part of Wano's history.

The temple for Moria having a big piece missing out of the gate pillar and it generally being run down could suggest an attack. Perhaps Kaido and Orochi didn't allow it to be maintained during their reign. All of the swords and the axe around Moria's grave are not katana either. Maybe they are the weapons Moria's crew fought with and there was a battle nearby.

Even on the covers, Oda finds a way to make the contrast between Wano of the past and Wano of the present pretty interesting.

"Time to munch on apples and return to the Flower Capital!"

The group is preparing to leave Ringo while carrying a bushel of ringos. I like the wordplay. Onimaru appearance! He's a very sweet and precious fox. And it's really sweet how Wano's people have accepted Kaido's kid and also are not holding a grudge against Ulti and Page One, and have welcomed all three.

It's surprising to see these three casually here. This is a sudden shift away from learning about Moria, but they are still in Ringo. Something else may happen in the region or on the way to, possibly in the Capital. Perhaps the Beast Pirates we haven't seen are going to trouble. Or something to bring Kiku and Cho back into focus.

We've not gotten a cover blatantly saying the region we will go to this directly, at least not without having a defined goal at the next location. It makes me wonder if this is too easy, if there will be some last point made here in Ringo. A battle in the region, along the lines of Moria's and Kaido's battle, could be a fitting finale of this cover arc.

Or maybe we'll see Yamato pointing out the flaws of how Wano/the Daimyo system is currently run to Momo somehow. That would make good use of the fact that Yamato has seen the country and gotten to know the people now. Momo offering the Daimyo a chance to leave or do something else would be nice to see.

Remember, Wano is the kind of culture where they hide their problems behind a smile and don't mention them. Momo hides his hunger when we first meet him, Kin'emon says being bitten by a shark doesn't hurt, Tama also hides her hunger, Kiku gets insulted when Izo asks her if her injury hurts. The culture teaches its people that leaving is bad, toxic loyalty, and to hide their pain/problems. That's part of why the way Orochi used the Smile fruits was such an effective and cutting scheme.

If this isn't the final entry, a scenario where the flaws of the Daimyo system are brought up and addressed could work too. And in the long term, I'd enjoy seeing Moria return to Ringo and meet with Kiku and Cho.

"The shrine to Oden and his companions overlooking the Flower Capital."

1160's cover is here and it's quite the stunner. It's very sweet to see the completed shrine to honor Oden and everyone, that was mentioned as something the Kozuki folks want to have built in 1052. And this cover provides another really nice perspective with a wide view to look upon the beauty of the Flower Capital. How wondrous a sight Wano is.

The Moria reveal will likely be something that is focused more on in the main story, and we may also see the current flashback overlap with the Oden flashback. This cover arc seems about done however.

If we see Sukiyaki on the covers, aside from him potentially paying respects at the shrine built for his son and sharing some interesting history, I'd like seeing him commenting on how he maybe felt that he let Oden down in the past.

Sukiyaki never really supported Oden's desire to be able to leave Wano, didn't allow such a thing, especially not after he became a Daimyo, and it eventually lead to Oden wanting to leave so badly that he turned his back on his country when they needed him.

This is kinda weird to think about, though for the sake of an example, if Oden were still alive and a Daimyo, I wonder if Momo would have the law changed which makes it illegal for citizens to leave.

It would be good for Wano and for Momo for him to learn to avoid making the same mistakes that Sukiyaki did.

Chapter 1161's is a sentimental cover for this blog. I was hoping we'd see this. It's such a nice shrine dedicated to many of Wano's fallen heroes.

It's sweet seeing Kin and Momo visiting the shrine. If this cover serial continues, I would enjoy seeing Kin'emon telling Yamato and Momo stories of some of the heroes they are less familiar with, and for the stories of them to be shared with all of Wano's kids. That locals and those from overseas all worked to fight for Wano.

We learned something new about Moria at his shrine, learning something new about some of the heroes here could be neat. If this counts as new, I noticed that Izo's family name, Hanayanagi, is not written on his lantern. Similar to Ace, he views Whitebeard as his father, and have left behind his family birth name.

"Sir Luffy, Wano is once again at peace!"

A nice cover to bring this pilgrimage to a close! Yamato is wearing the cloak that Kin and Momo wear and Momo and Yam look good enjoying their oden skewers. While Kiku, Ulti and Page One, have matching cloaks. I still do wonder about the potential meaning of those six being visually designated as two trios by their respective matching cloaks.

Kiku, Ulti, and Page One each have sun cloaks, Kin’emon-Momo-Yamato moon cloaks.

Kin’emon and Ulti having a chat is cute and since Page One is not here, I’m curious if he decided to spend more time in the Ringo region. Kin'emon and Momo and Yamato and Ulti would surely be a very loud and raucous quartet. The quiet company of Kiku and Cho would undoubtedly be preferable for Page One.

Kiku being perfect, and the reveals of Moria being raised in Wano and Kanjuro's betrayal being kept as a detail only the closest members of Kozuki clan are aware of aside, I think the part of the current covers I liked most is seeing everyone accepting Yamato, which Kaido said would not happen, and Yamato not repeating Oden's mistakes.

Moria not being included in the shrine with many other characters has me wondering if Kin is oblivious to Moria's history in Wano, but Kiku and Cho do know his history.

And it is nice that Yamato finally got to know people of Wano who are alive in the present and spend time in the place he prepared twenty years preparing to fight for. That connection felt missing during the arc to me, which is part of why the character didn't really resonate for me until this cover arc.

So all in all, we see the status of Wano and what the prominent characters are up to after the defeats of Kaido and Orochi, a detailed conflict with established baddie Who’s Who, which results in Ulti and Page One becoming allies, and a cool Tama kick! We learn a good amount of Moria’s past, that Kanjuro’s betrayal is seemingly not being made public knowledge, and the Kanjuro who the group knew as their friend is being honored, which is very very generous of Kin'emon. Yamato and Wano’s people also prove Kaido wrong by the fact that Yamato has been accepted by Wano. Yamato is given food, Kaido took it away.

Getting to see the characters finally relaxing, having had to deal with Ryokugyu attacking prior when they were having a party, is nice too.

Most importantly however, is that Kiku and Cho have formed a sweet and badass working relationship. Chrysanthemum and moonflower. Kiku and Shakky parallels have been established too. So I’m going to be keeping a close eye on Shakky’s story in the chapters. Pretty good for a cover serial if you ask me. A lot happened for one of these, it set up Wano's status and Moria's history for later, and I’m satisfied with it. Ulti and Page One being redeemed perhaps a bit too easily, and the locals not getting more focus with each other and their own established dynamics are the parts I didn't love, but it's still a very good cover arc to me.

The main hook I’m looking forward to seeing more of Ringo natives Kiku and Cho knowing so much about Moria, to the point I imagine they have met him and perhaps spent time with and helped him throughout his childhood. And Moria and Perona possibly traveling to Ringo now that Kaido is gone.

Cover serials by # of chapters:

Decks of the World 48

Caribou & Grand Fleet 46

Wano 44

Miss Goldenweek 43

And how many we've spent in Ringo and post:

5 in Ringo.

Was almost certainly in large part these two :

Lol anyways if one can tolerate the levels of gore and sexual violence that are kind of period typical for '80s manga, than I HIGHLY recommend that anyone who likes Tokyo Babylon needs to read Peacock King!

It was basically a Peacock King doujin that Clamp made that would eventually pave the way for Tokyo Babylon. And if you ever wondered why it is that the further you read Clamp manga, the more fucked up gore and psychological shit you encounter, it's this. This is the kind of manga that our four Fujoshis in their little doujin circle were reading and creating fan content for!