JUST BARELY MADE IT… PHEW…

At the barricades of freedom *vague sizzling of cooked meats*

more ekumatsu !

damaged goods

[part 1] [part 2]

i picked up my pencil again and life is suddenly worth living

photo editing….mmmmmmmmm

My piece for the @mp100auzine! I decided to make something for an Ageswap AU, particularly dealing with the 7th division Scars.

This was inspired by leothedino/shigayokagayama’s ageswap fic Show Me the World Outside. One aspect of the story involves the Scars as esper kids who used their powers to rise the ranks of their middle school gangs, only to be kidnapped and brainwashed by Claw. I thought it’d be fun to explore the time period before these events, where they’re all being little shits.

Enjoy, and thanks to the zine team for putting this together!

Extra concept dev stuff below the cut:

First, some refs I designed for the Scars themselves! I used the outfits and names of the five middle school gangs featured in Big Cleanup Arc: Mayo, Soy Sauce, Bean Paste, Miso and Noodle Soup Base(pictured left to right). Not pictured here, but included in the full piece, is a hapless ageswap Kijibayashi who just wants to make it through his shift at the arcade in peace.

Next, the Arcade! For the arcade cabinets and posters, some I just parodied arcade games into Mob Psycho versions, others I also referenced other aus from the zine (Spirit Ball Run, Joust, Youkai’s Lair, etc). Same with the assorted dimple plushies and claw machine items. The missing persons posters are referencing the events of SMTWO where members of the Super Five are taken by Claw as well.

So to recap,

Teru has a teru teru bozu motif (his name)- the weather charm paper dolls, that's why mob tells him they're the same for having a paper thin outer shell of an identity, and that's why in confession arc Teru is the one to wake mob -the paper thin outer shell of the Mob-Shigeo duality- up. It's also why he gets balded (bozu meaning bald/monk) and why there's no rain in confession arc.

Shou has a moon rabbit motif (his lackey's names + other)- fable about kindess/self-sacrifice, that's why he is shown to have similar abilities to his father as he tries constantly to reach him and is clear about his sense of responsibility to stop him from fucking up and saving him from his madness, and then in confession arc Touichirou explains how he is going to sacrifice himself in front of Shou.

Ritsu's name means law and when written differently means percentage, that's why in confession arc he reaches his first 100%. Then says he'll "confiscate" the bouquet.

Reigen's name is a pun on being blessed by the gods/gods making themselves known, and has meanings spirit and prosperous, and when written differently means heartless commoner*, that's why in confession arc he is possessed by Dimple, and is himself the one to successfully stop ???%, by confessing about a side of him he hides and dislikes because of his bad qualities.

And Dimple, well, of course, the reveal of Dimple's return is shown by none other than dimples on Reigen's cheeks.

Kageyama as a name has meaning of reflection/silhouette/shadow, in confession arc its about both Mob and Shigeo.

Mob and Shigeo are different readings of the same name*:

Mob's name is reference to being a background character, in confession arc he is pushed to the background and struggled to take back control.

Shigeo's name has meaning of thriving and husband*, in confession arc....I guess you can call it thriving.... and of course his driving force is his love for Tsubomi.

And of course, Takane Tsubomi's name means flower and her surname is a pun on "unattainable goal"*, and in confession arc she if gifted a flower, and the arc ends with a rejection.

*credits to katyatalks

*allan voice* anyone remember that time charlie brought in that crab trap thing for no reason? tf was that, Charlie? Tryna have a chekov’s gun