love this early taka sketch, so i decided to do my own version of it

I have some thoughts and ideas about my talentswap and I am gonna share them bc I haven’t got many other places to put it SO:

My thought process behind making Taka the Ultimate Idol was that idols work tirelessly to stay relevant and make sure their music and performances are perfect, since it’s a fierce industry that demands constant hard work to maintain the top spot. You don’t become the Ultimate Idol just by having an innate talent for singing and dancing. And since Taka values hard work over simple talent or genius I think that suits his personality quite well.

I also headcanon him with having a very pretty singing voice- though of course he’d go through vigorous vocal training that would make it even better-, and he works his ass off to become an incredible dancer (if it wasn’t obvious my inspiration for his design was Hoshi from SVT so of course he has to be a good dancer as an idol too.)

On top of that, while yes a lot of idols are saddled with debt from training, I think in this AU Taka strays from chasing a political career (though still remains heavily opinionated and informed in politics, of course) because he resented his grandfather’s path and wanted nothing to do with it, and instead became an idol because if he succeeded he would have both the wealth to repay his family’s debt and the platform to be outspoken on issues and educate younger fans. Not only that, he could also tackle the corruption within the idol system itself, which he would definitely be passionate about.

As for Mondo, this was a more self-indulgent talent swap, but it’s obvious that he takes his own personal styling very seriously. Like getting up every morning to make sure he has a well-styled pompadour and killer eyeliner? He’d be an incredible Ultimate Model. He’s got a pretty face and a great body so he would do wonders in the industry.

As for how he came to be one, it was Daiya’s doing. As much as Daiya holds pride in his gang, in this AU he wanted Mondo to pursue a different life, one beyond being a gang leader, and urged him to try out for modelling. And as much as Mondo idolized his brother and wanted to be just like him, he respects his advice and gives in to his suggestion and ends up getting in. This means of course that the race never happened, so Daiya is alive, and ends up leaving the gang like he was going to- to pursue his own life post-Diamonds.

Mondo and Taka also do NOT like each other, much like they initially don’t in the game. Mondo sees Taka as some stuck-up rich prick of an idol who thinks he’s better than everyone and Taka thinks Mondo is some cheap pretty boy who gets by on his looks alone for his talent. Any time they see each other in a magazine or advertisement they can’t help but scoff, and the media quickly catches on and run articles about their bitter rivalry often. Any time they happen to meet or pass by one another their interactions are brief and spiteful, and they often get into arguments even if they’re only in each other’s presence for a short moment.

I thought of Chihiro being the Ultimate Photographer as a way to help tie their involvement with Taka and Mondo, and since cameras are such technical things, transferring their interest from programming to cameras felt right. Learning their inner workings, the right technique and photo editing seems like a suitable swap! They could also work on improving cameras and creating their own custom, top-of-the-line camera models, so they’d still be in the tech industry.

EDIT: As I haven’t fully 100% complete THH I had no idea that Chihiro actually has cameras in their room, which just solidifies my choice!!

On top of that, being a photographer really helps you see the beauty and truth in the world around you, and I think that as Chihiro worked on learning to take good photographs they would have found the beauty in themself, working through their inferiority complex and feeling confident in their identity. In this AU I think of Chihiro as nonbinary who presents very fem a lot of the time, and has a lot of fun with their fashion! The bunny camera bag was essential too, I need more bunny themed Chihiro fashion in my life.

Also since Chihiro works with screens all the time I think they really should have glasses, if only just blue-light to protect their eyes. And they look super cute in them <3

As for how they all tie in together- Mondo and Taka are both scheduled to do a photoshoot, and neither of them realize the other is there until the day of, when they see each other literally in the studio. Chihiro, who is the photographer for the shoot, is well-aware of their long heated rivalry and they are determined to put an end to it. Basically challenges them to TRY and not argue during the entire photoshoot. That then brings about another challenge between them to see who can take a better picture, which ends up being them working together to take nice shots (with a little nudging from Chihiro), and their natural chemistry starts to come out in the photos they produce, etc. etc.

Eventually they’d realize their initial judgements about each other are wrong, and suddenly tabloids are confused when the long-winded rivalry blossoms into a passionate friendship overnight. And of course rumours would fly that they’re not simply “just friends” though of course that’s something else they have to work out between them. And poor tired Chihiro almost wishes they were back to being rivals </3

Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Mondo doesn’t have to worry about not getting any chocolates anymore, because Taka will be giving him one every year.

I will be busy this week and won’t have time to draw on the actual day, so here’s an early one!

Pet Names

i’ve been drawing taka styled by his different class 78 friends (like post-grad when he needs to actually get clothes and doesn’t wear his uniforms anymore, so they take him out shopping for new clothes) i’m so excited to finish these

uh oh

Ringing in the New Year in style

—

I’ve got true danganronpa brain rot - been powering through the games but so far the DR1 kids are still my faves. (also I’m not gonna pretend having been a teacher’s pet myself who had to study hard to get grade As and had a stick up his arse when it came to followin’ rules, didn’t have me vibing with Taka.) I rarely post anythin’ this indulgent but hells bells, given the last 12 months why not at this point.  I’ve seen the “do you wanna kiss? Oops! I meant a Hershey’s kiss!” meme thing goin’ around here and there, but I got struck by the thought that both Mondo and Taka were such oblivious disasters that they’d 100% fall for it; hence. (also I’m British, I’ve never seen a Hershey’s kiss in the flesh - do they come in boxes? I have no idea. I was thinkin’ like Maltesers) 

The aftermath:

I spent way too long makin’ a fake discord screenshot from the ass up for 1 (one) joke

what then indeed

a sequel to the other ‘covered in blood for sexy reasons/ i just got stabed’ comic i did 

adding chihiro into my talentswap mix

OH and mondo and taka are wearing matching best bros necklaces

quick little sketch dump of some dainty roombas

hair down mondo and taka in their later years (college?) flirting while working out or after doin some sports <3 i also love the idea that mondo gets a bunch of piercings but never gets a tattoo bc taka told him his body is a temple

princely byakuya

sakura mid-workout taking a quick break with a protein drink, saw this outfit on IG and i had to draw her in it

quick little sketch dump of some dainty roombas

hair down mondo and taka in their later years (college?) flirting while working out or after doin some sports <3 i also love the idea that mondo gets a bunch of piercings but never gets a tattoo bc taka told him his body is a temple

princely byakuya

sakura mid-workout taking a quick break with a protein drink, saw this outfit on IG and i had to draw her in it

Forgot to post these here from last December. Oops.

I can’t believe they did the “I’ll scold you for eating so messily and pick off that grain of rice stuck around your mouth like a doting girlfriend” romance anime cliché. 

I can’t believe they did the “I’ll scold you for risking catching a cold and personally wrap a scarf around your neck like a doting girlfriend” romance anime cliché.

Just. Wow. (And if you look up the full picture of each official art with these two in them, everyone else is a 3rd wheel)

17 vs 25

1st pic: I’ve been busy with my studies but I finally got to draw these two in their official 10th anniversary outfits! Better late than never!!

2nd pic: My take on the 10th Anniversary outfits. Mondo’s was already cool so only a little adjustment. Kiyotaka’s could have been pushed further so I went full “(panic) prince” (Mondo’s nickname for Taka) lol

A little fanart of my current absolute favourite canon divergence AU fic, “Beyond Despair” by Barely_Vibing on AO3 

They thought it was over. Junko was dead, they had won. They didn’t think there was anything else to be done.

Up until they found the three blackened students.

Alive.

So I see Game Grumps is playing Dangan Ronpa 😏 hello old memories~

square up, NERD