THIS VIDEO HAS SO MANY SPOILERS OH GOD, anyways hope you liked it I liked making it - PATREON: / daszombes - VODzombes: / @vodzombes2828 - / daszombes / daszombes - Discord: / discord
@@Voornoek wow, I've never thought about it. I was talking about more or less reputable sources, cos there is a lot fake info about mangakas on the internet.
@@qwerty975there's an interview while she worked on the middle parts of the manga and she goes on explaining that in highschool she was taught Buddhism (without her noticing that she was going to a religious school) and how she was taught about how the afterlife in Buddhism (a pure land) is decorated with gemstones and that every living being (even blades of grass) are elevated to a higher plain of existence but the gems are relegated to being mere props, so she wondered about the gems strife. Also she revealed that HNK is just one big question. ¿What makes us human?
Phos at the end is literally a god. Their first instinct upon finding a new species of rock bros is to 'help' them. Give them limbs and eyes and knowledge. But the rock does want any of that. They just happy to be who they are. They want to talk and vibe with Phos, but see no reason to accept his godly offer. Phos is at all time powerful, but also useless. And at that point when they're among people who just want to be their friend without wanting anything from them, did Phos truly happy. A sombering yet powerful ending.
The gigachad energy of finishing up a long series of arcs in your story then saying to your readers "alright, y'all can wait a bit. im gonna go play NBA" for 8 months
@diavolojaegar4363 Ishikawa is actually a woman. Not why I replied though, the funniest bit was she was actually struggling to get a PS5 cause of the chip crunch. You'd get little tidbits in author notes about how she lost raffle y or so on. Then it's like "I got a PS5 hooray!" Next chapter: Houseki will be on a undetermined hiatus...
@@haihuynh8772 if she stays the same, then that just means she adapted while maintaining her true self within or even her external self, more intact as she adapts more
@@fakeletobr730 Or she responded to traumas without ever really growing as an individual, still trapped in the same environment that defined her, which frankly she was. Til' the end she was still a girl vying for semblances of control over her circumstances.
I’m so glad you pointed out the epilogue part with the rocks because m a n- that singular panel of the rounded stone, saying they were perfectly happy the way they were? Despite their perceived weakness? That BROKE me. I thought of all the ways Phos had changed, how barely any of it made them any happier, and it tore my heart to pieces. I am so happy that you’ve provided a window into this INCREDIBLE series.
I pause the video to read through the manga thinking it's already done, come back to the video when I get hit by a cliffhanger just to see. "Yeah it's going on hiatus until spring 2024." You successfully doomed a new generation of Houseki No Kuni fans to suffer through a hiatus. Good game, well played.
when i started this phos was just the purest and most innocent naive child i had ever seen and just watching them grow so quickly in the world without having time to really gather themselves which was ironic for beings that were almost immortal and had all the time in the world, it was just so tragically beautiful its the most beautiful character i personally have ever come across in my life and my favorite
Just adding something, Dr Ayumu, one of the last human that choose to die as one and not becoming lunarian seems to somehow have psychic abilities and seeing the future, that's why she created Adamant and foretell her own fate to one day becoming Phos, si she can't really blame anyone else but herself. It was also implied that Phos can't really forgot anything, if other rock missing their body like having you hard drive taken away from your pc, in Phos's case it's more like corrupted unreadable data, it's still somewhat there.
I absolutely LOVE Houseki no Kuni. The evolution of Phos from an innocent unruly gem desperate for meaning in their immortal life... and one by one they lose pieces of themself, gaining the strength they so desperately wanted but losing everything else. They become such an amalgam, indistinguishable from what Phos used to be, its incredible and deeply saddening. I've been following the manga for a while and I can't wait for more chapters to be translated to english.
I think the “holy grail writing tip” that we could learn from this series is that a truly human character is most often the most compelling, as the very nature of being human is change.
the main reason why the pronouns are so difficult is because japanese doesn't have gendered pronouns thus making every translation using he/she/they/it all technically correct and translators need to rely on context to determine which one to use which is especially.... fun when a translator absolutely refuses to just use a neutral they when a manga/anime deliberately keeps the gender ambiguous which happens more often than you'd think
Especially when the character doesn't have a gender! They obviously don't have sexes but nothing about them indicates a gender, tbh tho humans have gender. Animals don't. So why would rocks?
Yeah this argument is what lead to me leaving a houseki no kuni discord. Someone said the manga scanlators didnt want to insert their own opinions in but kept using he/him despite the official manga, the official subs and theofficial dub all using they/them. My partner is non binary so this series has held an extra special place in my heart and its so frustrating to see people go to insane lengths to deny representation because "direct translation" of a language that doesnt have the full vocabulary to express non binary characters ends up falling one way or another
Japanese absolutely DOES have gendered pronouns and Houseki no Kuni goes out of its way to use 彼 (kare = "him") or お兄さん/弟 (onii-san/otouto = "big/little brother") whenever the characters refer to each other, where it otherwise could have substituted in the characters' names to keep it ambiguous.
@@jonkku thats likely due to 1) there not really being options for gender neutral third person and 2) adamant teaching them since he uses masculine pronouns. and a lot of the time they DO use characters names or say "that one" in order to keep it ambiguous.
Phos' story and character development is a cautionary tale to not chase after other people's validation and refusing to keep your own happiness at the top of your priorities will only lead to misery and regrets. A lot and lots of regrets which Phos definitely understands all too well
“There must have been a day I went and left myself behind. He drifted long ago to somewhere I can’t reach, dissolved, He slept in starlight never again to rise. I hold no piece of him no more, he took it all away. I only wish I had the chance to say goodbye.” Something this reminded me of.
This is the only series that made me cry at an advertisement 😭one of the chapters, I believe it's after the giant and infinite blast of nothingness, and it concluded with news of a Land of the Lustrous art exhibit. The panel had Phos smiling and waving and it made me think of the everything they lost. From being lost, to having some confidence and pride, to only become nothing again. Just the smile and welcoming wave hit me like a truck and i only hope they can obtain some peace at the end.
“But you didn’t have to experience that” LIES! I was there every day of those eight months waiting for any news, counting the days. And now it’s happening again!
It almost seems like the lumarians are trapped in a cycle, seeking a way out. I wonder if it means something that forced unwanted immortality is a common theme
The theme is Buddhism, they and all characters are locked on the Samsara, the cycle of life and death, who can only be broken by reaching nirvana (enlightenment). For spoilers, the lunarians we see on the series are the rest, the more sinful ones, who can't reach enlightenment alone, so they need a buddha to pray them away.
Honestly I started reading the manga only because I saw the fandom said it was depressing. My first exposure to the anime was on TV, and I remember thinking, "Aww that's cute. Feels like typical shonen with unique Buddhist elements" so I had my doubts. It took me a few days to get used to the artstyle, but damn, it made me feel something no other series could. Having been bullied in my middle school years by practically the whole class and most of my teachers, I had a lot of resentment and embarrassment for myself and for all the people around me who wasn't there to help me during my roughest times. I had no one and nothing, I felt like nothing spoke to me. Then there's Houseki no Kuni. I relate so much to Phos' pain, his existential crisis and his resentment for the world. I sobbed when he was being torn into pieces. Especially because I know how it feels when you're being misunderstood, wanting to make things right but no one listens to you. Then the hostility becomes so unbearable you start hating yourself and wishing everything would end. But for some reason you still keep on living. But at the end of the day you just feel... numb. And you started hating how you acted and how "dumb" you were. But you weren't. And hell, why does HnK still make me cry after everyone's dead
This video was actually the entire reason I started the anime and read the manga. I stopped once you warned of spoiling the series and immediately got started on it. Hands down one of the best decisions I have ever made. It was so damn good. I cannot wait to see how the manga ends and I cannot thank you enough for recommending this series. I don't think I would've started it without this video. 15:09 one thing I love about this panel is that the thing that's floating on Phos' back is a wilted flower. Specifically it's the wilted version of the flower Phos first made when they got the alloy arms. I won't say I fully get the meaning behind the flower and everything with it but the wilted imagery means to me that Phos' characters has wilted at that moment. It has turned from a gem who cared for others into a being that hates its former friends and wishes for death. Goddamn I love this manga.
It's a lotus petal, which features a lot in Phos' later designs. Buddhism is heavily involved in the narrative and no take on it is truly complete without accounting for the Buddhist themes and symbolism.
hi, i looked everywhere for this video to tell you that watching this was the main reason i finally decided to read houseki no kuni, and i thank you for that
And now I’m caught up. God damn that was really really interesting. Even after watching the video it’s still an extremely compelling and interesting story. I’m not on the boat of waiting for the final few chapters. And probably will check out the anime or re read while I wait. But I’m pretty sure I see where it’s going now. This story is tragic but so well done. Especially towards the end what even is the concept of time?
As far as their gender goes, that was kind of the point in the manga. They're gems. They don't have a gender. That's why they used male pronouns in the manga, while giving them more feminine body shapes. The dissonance drives the point home.
19:27 Eight months? I think you meant to say eighteen months bc it went on hiatus Dec 2020 and came back June 2022 😭 Truly, the real antagonist of hnk is the ps5 😔
Hey man i just gotta say whatever it is you post, i'll be there to watch it man. I really enjoy you doing what you want to do and the content you create is peak. You obviously put a lot of effort in this and i just wanna let you know that it does not go unnoticed.
phos getting lapis' head was the real shift, lapis' intelligence and insatiable thirst for knowledge was a dangerous combination with phos' strength, i think this is where phos truly stops being phos
I’m writing a character who has a similar arc but it goes in the opposite direction instead. They go from emotionless robot-like being made of magic created solely for war to growing to care and love others and eventually goes against its creator
i remember starting to read this manga several years ago, thinking it would be a cute little yuri story between phos and cinnabar with incredible character design and style. lmao.
Not quite as bad as going in to watch 90s Berserk completely blind and shipping Guts and Griffith as they homoerotically splash each other in a fountain.
Phos as a character is one my favorites due to their progression, at first they start out as clumsy, a novice who wants to really find their place for some fame. Though over time, they get quite a bit of a hiking trail of emotions and experience from annoyance, being forgotten, betrayal (several times over), pain (several times over in several different forms in massive quantities), though slowly, they became more knowledgable through their mistakes, even becoming a toughen badass in the end, a case of "I seen things you shouldn't, but I will share slowly and lightly". However a thing in the anime is yea you can get suitable replacements or better, Phos despite starting as a singular stone, becomes a composite (Yea I am saying it very weirdly but stick with me), though toughen in both emotion and strength, there is no sense of unearned cockiness, or atleast there was short lived cockiness.
I've cried to other mangas/animes before, hell I've even ugly cried to at least 1. But this series is the only one that has left me shaking so badly i couldnt even drink water. I love this manga so much & i only wish to hug phos...
It’s not just shounen slog. Every series that has made itself super popular in the past now just refuses to end. It’s annoying because of it’s aversion to reaching it’s goal. I greatly respect a series that dares to end. It doesn’t have to be in death or destruction of the world, just the story reaching it’s conclusion. I’m saying this with a Gundam pfp and the irony isn’t lost on me, but mainline UC Gundam really isn’t that long. Even with relevant side stories, it doesn’t even approach Naruto or One Piece
man I'm 8 seconds into your video, never seen you before, but god i love your little character guy so much the hands fit so perfectly with the little worm guy its amazing and i love it and I'm pretty sure I'll love the video.
YESSSSSS THE HOUSEKI NO KUNI CONTENT WE DIDNT ASK FOR BUT GOD DID WE NEED IT!! YES!! oh my god i can’t believe you are Also Into Houseki no Kuni my joy is immeasurable and my day is brightened
Das i just want to say you have inspired me to read the manga for myself and i was absolutely in awe. I would like to leave my thanks for introducing me to one of the best stories i read. Cheers
For me my favourite character right now its definitely Narin/Najin from Ember Knight. Hes weak and has no special talents except reading his enemies and he grows fast
Hello hello hello I just found you though your nekopara video and I’m so glad I found this video ngl. I don’t have the money like at all to spend watching something/ reading something. So videos like this are my only real way to catch up with amazing stuff like land of the lustrous.
Phos, the most trauma character of all time. For you for me for everyone, and themselves the most. Anyway let Ichikawa cook (our MC), we all know she can make it somehow even worse.
Excellent video. I had shivers several times. Houseki No Kuni holds a special place in my heart. I binge watched the anime multiple times. After giving up on the anime continuing, I turned to the manga. Started reading it at 1Am, when I finished, I realized it's 10Am.
Ive chosen to call Phos's current form Bodhisattva Phos since this series uses a ton of Buddhist imagery, and it seems to match his role as an enlightened human granting enlightenment knowledge and peace to those still in the cycle of reincarnation
Finally someone talking about the recent chapters!!! So much is happening in most recent chapters of HnK and I wish more people spoke about it. Pho's latest form is so beautiful and my favorite.
Hey, you wanna hear what part got me fully invested in the manga? Too bad, I'm telling anyway. Now, the 'Phos gets a new head' arc got me engaged, but the part that truly got me locked in, was Chapter 58. Last two panels. That was really when the change in Phos' character hit me. _(and then I binged the rest in like 6 hrs)_
Just thinking of that 10,000 year gap before the epilogue, sorta reminds me of Kurohime. She herself doesn't change too much during the story, but she learns more about the people around her and how much they've changed and why. Then the story ends and the epilogue hits - several BILLION years later...
One day 4 heavily armed dwarves appear and start to ping the crystal peoples a bajillion times (WE ARE RICH), when they leave the last thing that can be heard in the distance is: EXPLOSIVES PLACED Rock n' Stone all across the internet brothers!
1:11 Okay. I’ll go read the manga and I’ll be back if I remember. I probably won’t read it for a few months because I’m busy with school, but you know.
Decided to binge read starting from the epilogue (might read the whole thing another time) and god damn the last panel of the latest chapter goes hard (105 as of writing)
I loved this video a lot! I love hearing people talk about something they like and your passion and love for the character has kept me captivated. I do want to read the manga now it looks very interesting and I do like tragic characters a lot my favourite character of all time is a blind minstrel with the name Ayreon he is the protagonist of The Final Experiment album done by the music project by the same name. It is a bit of a mindfuck because the music project Ayreon is canon in the Ayreon universe as Arjen (the multi-instrumentalist and mastermind behind Ayreon) is a future life of this minstrel and other important characters of this universe including: The Universal Migrator, The first man on earth, The Hippie, Mr L (the fictional version of Arjen) and The Colonist/The New Migrator. In a comic Arjen or Mr L can be seen writing this first Ayreon album as the spirit of Ayreon floats near him.
In my opinion, LotL never truly loses that 'slice of life' aspect, but it gets tainted by grief and loss instead. On the island, we see things like Dia's ongoing struggle with trying and failing not to resent Bort. We see Rutile's devotion to Padparadscha, even though Padparadscha finds this effort troubling and unneeded. Yellow Diamond struggles with their age; they doen't remember what they used to like, and they wonder who they are besides their age. On the moon, the slice of life returns, but it is all wrong, somehow. Dia has turned their resentment into motivation, perhaps unconsciously, and has become an idol amongst the Lunarians. Every day, they either bathe in the adoration of the Moon's populace, or they work on new songs and tours that will get them there. They are always seeking the approval in the wrong place; Bort is not around to tell them that they are proud of them. As soon as they meet Bort again, years of quiet resentment have boiled over into hatred. Padparadscha's holes have been fixed, but when we see them (after 200 years have passed on the moon), they are in a kind of stasis, the missing pieces out of their body, and we never learn whether they did this to themselves, and for how long. They give Rutile a piece of gem that'll fix them, and that act shatters Rutile mentally. Yellow Diamond becomes too old. If gems know such a thing as Alzheimer's, Yellow has it. They forget that they are a Gem, not Lunarian; they forget what they did yesterday; they become depressed when they are forced to realise that they are still a gem, when their body won't work the way they expect it to. These quiet moments, framed by the empty space around the moon, and Phos' downright destructive tendencies, are smaller. Less noticeable, but emotionally devastating in their simplicity. The author gives you some issues that some gems have, and then over the course of the story magnifies those issues a thousand times. I still think at night about Yellow Diamond.
I started reading this a while back then dropped it because life. Though now I feel like I am more understanding of this story than I did during my first read
its funny how good you talk about this being because the more you talked about it the more i hated it. it just kept getting worse and worse and worse and then the ending was so narritavely unsatisfying that i almost just ended the video on the spot when you said phos became literal god. i don't think ill ever be checking out land of the lustrous, but this video was fantastic and i can tell by how much effort you put into it and the joy in your voice when you talked about it that you really enjoy it and im glad i got to hear about it through you.
The craziest thing is the time qcale at play here. Those are still in the end Rocks, and rocks are usually unmoving and slow to change, but Phos from the point of view of the others just changed instantly from their little clumsy sister to someone much more powerful than any of them.
