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thegirlwhorideslikeasamurai · 1 year

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YOI meta: The mechanics of reigniting your love for skating with the help of a childhood friend and a gay love song

During my latest rewatch of Yuri!!!, the missing pieces of why Yuuri chose, of all of Viktor’s programmes, Stammi Vicino (aka Stay By My Side And Never Leave) to get his love for skating back and what part Yuuko plays in the scene he skates it fell into place. Spoiler: there are some beautiful symmetries, be they unintended or by design.

Of course, Stammi Vicino is Viktor’s current free programme; picking it seems convenient at first glance. However, apart from obvious plot reasons, Yuuri didn't choose this routine on a whim.

If this were the entire point, Yuuri could have chosen a programme he and Yuuko copied together as kids—something they enjoyed tremendously and still have fond memories of. Would make more sense than skating one of Viktor's recent programmes, wouldn’t it?

A recurring theme in Yuri!!! is the skaters’ artistic expression through a piece of music that resonates with them, and this holds even more true for Yuuri, whose entire character arc features his struggles to understand and voice his feelings and how he improves his ability to express them on the ice (the alexithymia is strong in this one, hehe).

As discussed at length, Stammi Vicino is a gay love song (this post explains how you can recognise the gayness*), and there's absolutely no way Yuuri doesn’t know this. As an avid watcher of figure skating and taking the subtle sports commentary in Yuri!!! into account, i.e. Morooka saying that this programme brings out a new side in Viktor** (curiously, the same wording describes Yuuri's performance On Love: Eros), the entire skating community knows by now.

Let’s take a closer look at the lines we see Yuuri skate to (check this post for lyrics and translations):

Con una spada vorrei tagliare/With a sword I wish I could cut Quelle gole che cantano d'amore/Those throats singing about love Vorrei serrar nel gelo le mani /I wish I could seal in the cold the hands Che esprimono quei versi d'ardente passione/That portray those verses of burning passion

The bitterness in these lines mirrors the conscious and subconscious layers of Yuuri’s current struggle quite brilliantly, and both are linked to Viktor:

1) Yuuri’s frustration about his career: His love for skating is hanging by a thread, the results of his last two competitions smothered his passion for the sport, retirement is a tempting option, and he missed his chance to meet his idol (according to his memory). The poor boy has hit rock bottom and returned home. To him, it must seem absurd that so many people around him are hyped about skating and celebrate him as a star while all Yuuri sees is the shitty season he just had. And as if that wasn’t enough, they don’t tire of referring to Viktor like “But Viktor would do this, look Viktor is on TV…” (looking at you Minako in particular), which is not the kind of reminder he needs right now.

2) Very literally unrequited yearning for love or, more precisely, gay love. At this point in the story, Yuuri is far from being in love with Viktor, but seeing him sets Yuuri into an instant swoon,

and, after drowning his anxiety with champagne, he hit on Viktor at the banquet and made him fall for him, not to forget this totally-not-subtle display of physical attraction

(I'd love to know what was going on in Viktor's head at that moment lol)

It hardly can get more obvious than that.

This is the second set of lyrics Yuuri skates to:

Stammi vicino/Stay close to me Non te ne andare/Don’t go Ho paura di perderti/I’m afraid of losing you

Le tue mani, le tue gambe/Your hands, your legs Le mie mani, le mie gambe/My hands, my legs I battiti del cuore/The heartbeats Si fondono tra loro/Are fusing together

(Both Yuuri and Viktor skate the parts of the programme that reveal their strengths as skaters and their current situation to the audience. Interestingly, we don't see Viktor, who remembers the banquet, skate to these intimate and pleading lyrics, but Yuuri.)

Again, there are two layers:

1) Keep pursuing Viktor as a competitor: Ever since Yuuri saw Viktor skate for the first time, he emulated Viktor, worked hard to become like him/his equal, and wanted to compete against him. However, to continue pursuing this goal, Yuuri needs his love for skating back. The better part of his life revolved around this, and he's desperate to preserve it.

2) Finding his soulmate: These lines above refer to Aristophanes’ soulmate theory from Plato’s Symposium, which appeared in the context of Yuri!!! before. For instance, Kubo-sensei herself referred to Yuuri and Viktor as soulmates. Here’s an excerpt from Wikipedia:

people in love say they feel "whole" when they have found their love-partner. […] in primal times people had doubled bodies, with faces and limbs turned away from one another […] these original people were very powerful. […] Zeus […] decided to cripple them by chopping them in half, in effect separating each entity's two bodies. Ever since that time, people run around saying they are looking for their other half because they are really trying to recover their primal nature. […] when two people who were separated from each other find each other, they never again want to be separated.

Sounds a lot like Viktuuri and “Stay by my side and never leave”, right?

All this makes me actually wonder whether Yuuri's subconscious mind remembers the banquet and had a part in his choice.

Besides being a gay love story, Stammi Vicino reflects Yuuri’s and Viktor’s current situation as athletes or, more precisely, their loss of passion for their sport. Yuuri’s feelings for Viktor and his love for the ice are closely intertwined, whereas Viktor is drawn to Yuuri because of his beautiful skating, which ultimately reignites his own passion. Both can't be without one another, and both cannot turn their back on skating. We call everything on the ice love, indeed.

Now on to the last set of lyrics:

Ora sono pronto/Now I’m ready

Yuuri is not yet done. He has fought through the slump and battled his depression. A part of him refuses to bid his desire to skate on the same ice as Viktor again goodbye for good. He still yearns to become Viktor's equal, maybe even surpass him, although he cannot yet admit this to himself. And he returned to where it all started: his home rink.

And that’s when Yuuko enters the equation.

While Minako suggested trying figure skating to Yuuri, Yuuko plays an active part in Yuuri becoming ambitious about the sport and pursuing a career in it.

Yuuko introduced Yuuri to Viktor. Together, they fangirled over Viktor, watched competitions, devoured every piece of news about him, and copied his programmes.

Yuuko protected Yuuri, she encouraged Yuuri, and she believed in him. She never made him feel bad about himself or blamed him for his failures. She doesn't patronise him. Ever wondered why she’s the Madonna of Ice Castle? That’s why.

Not her

But her

(Yes, there’s Christian symbolism in Yuri!!!)

Yuuko is an integral part of Yuuri's support system. He looks up to her, he trusts her, and she knows how he feels about Viktor and shares his crush,

so it doesn't come as a surprise that he shows her his version of Stammi Vicino. In a world where everyone celebrates Yuuri while he perceives himself as a loser, she is a safe space, someone whose approval means something to him. His performance is, to some extent, about her, too.

Because Yuuko introduced Yuuri to Viktor, because she believed in him, he was motivated to pursue a career in figure skating and chase Viktor as a competitor. If he can revive these memories, he might revive his love for skating. And he invites her to share this love with him and be a part of his journey as a skater again.

Yuuri is good at conveying his feelings through skating but sucks at verbalising them. The press conference of the Worlds' medallists that interrupts his conversation with Yuuko hints at what he cannot get across in words. In real-time, Viktor would sit on the kiss and cry and wait for his result (the press conference is 15-20 minutes after the event, actually). Yet the cuts in this scene suggest both happen simultaneously, and that choice isn't random.

Characters supplementing meta-information for other characters' thoughts and emotions through a POV switch is a frequently used technique in Yuri!!! We see this a lot during the competitions, and episode 1 follows the same pattern. Both Yuuri and Viktor are confronted with the loss of their passion and its impact on their future. While it's implied that Viktor cannot let down his guard, Yuuri feels safe enough around Yuuko to try.

(I cannot decide which of these precious boys looks more miserable)

Until recently, Yuuko's role in this episode was a bit obscure to me. Her detailed introduction suggests a more significant role throughout the series, but she fades into the background after three episodes. What's the point in showing a detailed childhood montage of her and Yuuri obsessing over Viktor when she's a minor character with only little screen time, especially since the creators had to boil down their script to the relevant bits in order to fit it into 12 episodes? It's because she plays a significant role in setting the story in motion.

Twelve years ago, Yuuko helped Yuuri pursue his dream through her undying support and their mutual fangirling over Viktor. Now that Yuuri has returned to the start, she takes over her old role one more time by watching Yuuri's very intimate performance of Stammi Vicino. And that's just the beginning. While she still gives Yuuri the support he needs to carry on, her daughters take over the active part of her former task: acquainting Yuuri with Viktor—with the result of making Yuuri's dream come true and bringing him and Viktor together for real.

If you enjoy my meta posts, please consider giving my blog a follow or checking out my works on AO3(link in bio). You will find the results of my meta musings in there!

*OP and I have different interpretations of the lyrics, but they don't contradict each other imho

**this wording is from the corrected subs in the Blu-ray version

#yuri on ice #yoi meta #my yoi meta #yuri on ice meta #katsuki yuuri #viktor nikiforov #yuuko nishigori #yoi #anime #stammi vicino #plato's symposium #plot analysis #figure skating #this has probably been analysed over and over so sorry if I'm stating the obvious

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yoificfinder · 4 years

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Thank you for all your recs, they have been getting me through these tough times. Hope you are staying safe, sane and healthy! Do you have any recs for fic where everyone loves Yuuri, can be cannon or AU, I just love seeing my boi surrounded by the love he deserves!

You're welcome, nonnie! I'm glad what I'm doing (the only thing that feels kinda productive while in quarantine) is helpful to other people, especially in these trying times. Let's not forget to thank the writers and artists who provided and continue to provide us these pockets of happiness. I'm sure a kudos or comment will go a long way.

Now, for everyone loving Yuuri... Oh boy, I kinda feel overwhelmed because is there any yoi fic that's not basically a love letter to Yuuri, generally speaking? I know in this famdom, we love and support Katsuki Yuuri!!!

So, tried my best to put together a rec that's a mix of all kinds of love for Yuuri (familial, friendship, romantic, all around appreciation of our precious bean):

A Piece of Paradise by @voxofthevoid [T, 1.5K]

Yuuri took one look at the room – Viktor with hearts in his eyes as he stared at a terrifyingly familiar album, his mother smiling and clearly on the verge of squishing her son-in-law’s cheeks together, Mari hovering over the two with naked amusement in the twist of her mouth – and fled.

In which Victor is busy admiring his husband's baby pictures, and Yuuri stumbles into a sake-induced conversation with his mentor.

And the answer is... by nessiesaur [G, 1.5K]

Yuuri Katsuki is adorable, but also one of the most mature people in their class. Yuuri Katsuki is in her study group, which definitely saved her ass on the midterm. Yuuri Katsuki is…wait, who is he!?

Fields of Gold by Haro / @accioharo [G, 14K]

It’s difficult to believe that he’s inspired people like this; that children and teenagers in Japan and around the world lace up their skates or put on skates for the first time and think of Yuuri Katsuki, just like they think of or thought of Victor Nikiforov. He almost can’t take it. It’s too unbelievable. He’s just… Yuuri, after all.

Yuuri Katsuki with a stack of gold medals is still just Yuuri Katsuki.

He can imagine Victor repeating the same words back to him with his own name and how he’d argue that is absolutely not the case, and he laughs inwardly a bit at that.

(The story in which Yuuri Katsuki wins everything there is to win and retires as Japan's living legend, because he's incredible and beautiful and he deserves it. Aka 'Yuuri wins all the gold', the fic.)

Future!Verse ABO AU series by @yukipri [G to M, 16K] *WIP

a multi-media (art, comics, headcanons) Yuuri-centric polyamory (with Victor, Yuri, Phichit, Minami, Chris, and Otabek) a/b/o AU. Mostly domestic fluff with OC children.

Heartbreaker by @deathbycoldopen [E, 92K]

If you ask Yuuri, he'll say that he's never been on a date, or even been asked on one.

If you ask anyone else, they'll burst into tears.

***

Alternatively titled "Five times someone tried and failed to ask Yuuri out on a date, and one time they didn't have to."

hopeless, breathless, baby can't you see by @xyloophones [G, 15K]

The weekend of last year’s Rostelecom cup, Yuuri Katsuki declared his love for fried pork in a press conference, got caught by paparazzi rescuing a dog from a river, revealed a short program costume that showed off his multitude of soulmate marks, and broke Viktor’s world record. All while being, objectively, the cutest human being on the planet.

The entire skating world–– including Viktor–– fell in love instantly.

Or: a soulmate au where the first time you touch your soulmate(s), colored marks appear on your skin. Yuuri has more marks than Viktor’s ever seen on someone. Viktor has none.

Jason's Master Plan (to dating the Cute Asian Guy) by @qwertzu824 [T, 9K]

Jason Hesling, young ice hockey prodigy, rising star of Detroit Ice Tigers and part-time model, had a smile that made women and men alike weak at their knees. It’s been a while since anyone managed to catch his attention – until he met the Cute Asian Guy at Detroit Ice Castle and decided to become his next boyfriend.

Meanwhile, the actual Ice Tiger™ is having the time of his life watching the pretentious JJ-wannabe trying to charm the pants off the completely oblivious, happily married Katsudon.

just like me they long to be by sparklespiff / @todaythesamesky [T, 4K]

"Haven't you noticed that Yuuri gets everything he wants?"

"Everything that's in somebody else's power to give him," Mari says, before Victor can bring up last year's GPF. "He's not magic, just pretty."

"But it's like magic. My theory is that it's because he's sneaky beautiful, so you're not expecting it, and then, under all that stuff, whoa! Gorgeous. And it's too late to save yourself."

"Stuff?" Victor keeps smiling but makes his voice cold, the way he does when reporters overstep. His Yuuri doesn't have stuff. Everything about him is beautiful.

or:

Yuuri lives in a Beautiful Person Bubble. It's Victor's responsibility to make sure he never finds out.

katsuki_fc wrote by tetsurashian [G, 12K]

Just because Yuuri isn't big on social media, doesn't mean his fans aren't.

(aka a social media fic)

Macaroni & Kisses by Jaeger_Babe [G, 6K]

Their college is holding a contest for whoever can raise the most money for charity. The prize; a years supply of Mac and Cheese. Cue Phichit, a hungry and unstoppable force, fully prepared to exploit the campus' love for Yuuri Katuski by opening a kissing booth for a day.

Even if they don't win, it's worth it to see Yuuri's face when he tells him Victor Nikiforov is in line.

my better self by @spookyfoot [G, 1.5K]

Mila's the first friend Yuuri's made in Russia. Technically, Yuuri became friends with Yurio in Hasetsu, but he'd never say that to Yurio's face.

On his first day training in Russia, Mila stole Yuuri from the rink and showed him pictures of Victor and Georgi wearing Spice Girls t-shirts Victor had picked up at a consignment shop during Skate America in 2006, and a video of them skating a synchronized routine to "Stacy's Mom."

"Don't let anyone here intimidate you. I guarantee none of them are scarier than Yura." They watched Victor skate circles around Yuri on the ice, Mila's camera primed for blackmail material—just in case.

_________

Yuuri and some of the women in his life, through the years.

Smokes & Stone by @94mercy [T, 4K]

Mari is five years old and she is watching her little sister grow inside her mother’s stomach.

Mari is eighteen years old and she is watching her little brother’s obsession decorate his room in more merchandise than any one person should own.

Mari is twenty-four years old and she is watching her little brother leave his family behind to chase his dreams.

Mari is thirty years old and she is watching her little brother fall in love.

snapshots from the Katsuki siblings' lives wherein Mari attempts to be the best sister that's ever existed

The Way to Life and Love is a Curved Trajectory by @crossroadswrite [T, 5K]

“Do you know Katsuki Yuuri?” Victor asks Chris, two minutes later, when he finally manages to convince himself to stop looking at the dip of Katsuki’s back and his powerful thighs in those tight Mizuno track pants, and the way his hands are poised in the air mid-skate, and his slicked back hair and brown eyes and flushed cheeks.

Christophe hums into the phone in a way that suggests he not only knows Katsuki Yuuri but he’s acquainted with him. Chris’ version of acquaintance is very physical and usually involves a healthy amount of groping. “Don’t you?”

“He’s Japan’s Ace,” Victor says, trying to rack his brain for more information. “His step sequence is good?”

Chris hums again. “You’re not that oblivious that you haven’t heard of Unfairly Beautiful Yuuri.”

“Who?”

(Or, the one where Victor falls - literally and then figuratively - for Yuuri. Also something about a Best Ass Poll that is way more official than it should be.)

Yuri Anonymous by preciousbunnynoiz [T, 2K]

Phichit runs a support group for all the people with unrequited crushes on Katsuki Yuri.

Which is everyone.

Everyone has a crush on Yuri.

P.S. I'm also linking this previous rec of some personal favorites and podium family/YuuYu friendship because they're also full of Yuuri-love.

#yuri on ice #yoi #yoi fic rec #all the love for katsuki yuuri!

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animebw · 6 years

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Binge-Watching: Yuri on Ice, Episodes 1-4

And so we begin! In which I’m blown away by this show’s inspiration spirit, studio MAPPA proves itself a production king once again, and I consider how well this show caters to the female part of its audience.

Pierce the Heavens With Your Skating!

I’ll be the first person to admit that I am not as well-versed in popular sports fiction as I should be. Personally, I blame my crippling introversion; aside from my general lack of athletic ability, I was never a social enough person growing up to feel comfortable in any sort of team dynamic. So I’ve always been slower than most to latch onto stories about baseball, football, or whatever; the experience just didn’t feel that personal to me. Thankfully, now that I’m older, wiser (heh), much more socially adept, and acclimated to the idea that any story, no matter what its focus, can leave a lasting impact, I’m starting to come around on the idea. Who knows, I might actually put Haikyuu on my list at some point. For now, though, my journey into sports anime beings here, with Yuri on Ice. And my god, I don’t think I could’ve picked a better introduction.

What’s immediately striking about this show’s focus on figure skating is how utterly, relentlessly upbeat it is. The darkest we get is in the opening five minutes, where our depressed protagonist Yuri bawls in a bathroom stall after blowing a major national competition. It’s a smart choice to put a moment like this so early; with this somber moment serving as our introduction to the protagonist and his struggles, his upcoming streak of triumphs and joy all carry the weight of that despair with them, the darkness making the light shine all the brighter. And make no mistake, Yuri on Ice shines like a goddamn white dwarf star. There was never any question in the show’s mind that a chance encounter would lead to Yuri’s figure skating idol coming to serve as his coach, to get him back on his feet for one final season. There was never any doubt that our young hero, determined to regain the thrill of doing something he loves, would get right back on the ice in no time and return to his former glory. It’s not so much a tale of striving and struggling as it is a tale of reveling in the joy that comes at the end of that struggle.

And the result of all this heart-on-sleeve optimism is one of the single most delightful atmospheres I’ve ever seen, Seriously, I was grinning so hard all throughout these episodes I’m pretty sure my cheeks are still aching. I live for how wonderful and supportive and wacky all the characters are, from the overzealous ballet teacher to Yuri’s plainspoken parents. I adore at how fast Yuri broke out of his shell, how obviously he wanted to return to skating and how determinedly he acted on that want. No endless stretches of moping for him; he’s ready to take that field all over again. And I’m giddy at how quickly this show dunked on the aggressive rival trope, as Russian Yuri’s (sorry, Yurio’s) attempts to start a blood feud with his master’s new protogee are quickly scuppered by Yuri’s genuinely kind-hearted nature. Figure skating, after all, is one of the most individualist sports out there. Sure, you can compete against each other, but the true spirit of the sport is finding your voice out on the ice. Why let bad blood spoil the mood?

Shinkai, Dat U?

What really makes this inspirational spirit shine so brightly, though, isn’t just the ridiculously good time everybody seems to be having. This show’s true secret weapon is its animation. It reminds me of the way Makoto Shinkai uses his signature hyper-saturated style in Your Name: in a story that’s all about reaching for something beautiful and massive, the animation itself should be equally beautiful and massive to help you feel why it’s worth these characters’ while to fight so hard for it. And Yuri on Ice fucking delivers: it’s bloody freaking gorgeous. The first big ice-skating scene, paralleling Victor’s routine at the Grand Prix with Yuri’s recreation of it at the ice rink, pretty much took my breath away. It was just 4 straight minutes, with hardly any dialogue, of watching these two fantastic performers bathe in the spotlight. That in and of itself is a ballsy move, the kind of ridiculously confident choice only a show certain of its ability to suck you in through its aesthetic alone would dare attempt. But it works. so. fucking. well. It’s a dazzling display of unending motion, the cinematography and editing working hand in hand to make you feel the weight and momentum of every single movement. The animators put as much effort into that skating routine as the characters themselves, and you feel every awe-inspiring ounce of it. No joke, I actually applauded at the end of that sequence. That’s how fucking impressive it was.

But it’s not just the ice-skating that makes this beauty come alive. Every single frame of this show is packed with detail and motion, giving the impression of a world that’s constantly moving, full of life and character beyond what we see in the frame. The comedic animation on everyone, in particular, is utterly fantastic, bringing out the eccentricities of their personalities so well (especially on the easily excitable Yuko and her gaggle of ridiculous daughters). There are too many fantastic faces to count; Victor, in particular, in an endlessly delightful stream of lights-not-quite-on-upstairs expressions, capturing his flippant and juvenile buoyancy to a T. And the world itself feels vibrant and alive thanks to the fantastic background art and excellent color palette, each new location feeling like its own little universe, from the warm and comforting reds of Yuri’s family’s inn to the cooler blues and whites of the skating rink. I also really love how naturally modern technology is incorporated; in today’s insanely interconnected world, it’s only natural that we’d get scenarios like a star discovering a superfan off a viral video, or Yuko and Yurio still keeping in touch once he leaves back for Russia. Also, Victor being an Instagram whore is such a delightfully inspired touch that adds so much to the realism of a universe as goofy as this one.

All together, with just four episodes under my belt, Yuri on Ice is already one of the most lived-in, self-assured, endlessly inspiring stories I’ve ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Studio MAPPA has proven itself a master of productions that sing in complete harmony, even if the story itself isn’t up to par (*cough* Zankyou no Terror *cough*). Thankfully, this time the plot is strong enough to justify the effort spent telling it, and if YoI can keep this level of excitement up, this really will be a show born to make history.

Tasty, Tasty Manflesh

Of course, it would be remiss of me to close this post out without mentioning one of the most important aspects of Yuri on Ice’s reputation: it is gloriously, gloriously gay. I’ve been spoiled that yes, for once this isn’t just winking nods and there will be actual explorations of gay relationships later in the show, but until we get to that point, there is plenty of female-gaze-friendly nudity to go around. I’ve talked about fanservice a lot on this blog before, so I’m always excited when I get a chance to talk about a show that handles this indulgence in an interesting way. And Yuri on Ice provides possibly the best model to handle this kind of material I’ve seen in recent memory. The fanservice is sexy without being skeevy, fun without being obnoxious, and informs, rather than detracts from, Victor’s flamboyant personality, making it feel just as much a fun part of this world as everything else.

What really helps keep it all on the right side of cheesy, though, is how everyone else acclimates to this Russian beauty’s perfectly sculpted ass whenever it’s on screen. That is to say, in most other anime, fanservice is reacted to with an absurd level of over-reaction from every character involved, like the mere sight of boobs is enough to turn every teenage boy into a compromised, hormonal wreck. It always comes off like the anime itself has the maturity of an edgy 13-year-old, shoving tits and ass in your face in a lazy attempt to grab your attention for lack of anything of substance to say. But here, everyone’s reactions to Victor’s exposed history maker land more on the nonplussed/bemused side of the equation. A.K.A., like how most fucking people act around unexpected nudity. It still has an impact on their interactions in whatever scene it’s in, but without that overbearing quality of the show screaming “look at me!”, this impact enhances the dynamic as opposed to destroying it. Time and time again, I’m constantly left wanting for shows that use male-centric indulgences with the same level of tact that shows like this one and Ouran Highschool Host Club use female-centric indulgences. Light novel writers should take a note out of BL’s playbook; anime as a whole would be better off for it.

Victor’s Engrish Appreciation Station

And now, before I sign off, allow me to have a little indulgence of my own and appreciate all of Victor’s wonderful broken English. I adore every second this goof is on screen, and his Jojo’s-level appreciation of English is just icing on the cake. A toast to his best moments so far!

-Upon seeing a kastudon for the first time: “Wow! Amazing!”

-”Really? Ninjas?”

-”Hashtag: Ninja!”

-”Oh, Japanese dogeza!”

Odds and Ends

-Yep, this OP song is still fucking incredible. And the OP itself has the style and grandeur to match!

-I appreciate the many “Yuri’s Thoughts” inserts where he rapid-fire explains the pedantic details about figure-skating competitions to us. It gets all the necessary info across without dragging the pace down or distracting from the characters’ emotions.

-”I can’t explain this to all of you, but I’ll go ahead and explain it all in my head, okay?” askjdalksda

-”Who are you again?” Stone cold, old lady. Stone cold.

-”Goodnight.” An acceptable response upon the end of your life as you know it.

-”What is he saying, standing there buck naked?!” his fucking face oh my god

-”I feel like I should be offended...” Yeah, the experience of seeing your idol’s human fallibility in person is one hell of a trip, huh?

-”Any ex-girlfriends?” “No comment.” “Let’s talk about me!” asldkjadsl how are you this bad at flirting Victor

-”My god, that’s awesome fashion!” Even a punk like Yurio’s still a kid at heart.

-”Give me food!” akjsdhadsj I relate to this dork so much

-”It’s enough to make even me, a man, pregnant!” You and Yuko both, dude. Cripes, that nosebleed slew me.

-”You’re gushing all kinds of fluids again.” Oh just kiss already why don’t you

-”I’m going to be a super-tasty katsudon, so please watch me!” Oh, you don’t need to tell him twice, Yuri.

-That freaking whistle oh my god Victor

-Okay, that speeding up of Victor’s criticism slew me. This show’s got its comedic timing down to a freaking science.

-”Thank you, god.” Insert that one Community clip here

-”The Smackdown” askdjhaskdjhadsasd

-”Is it really getting that thin?” fucking rip

-Interesting detail that Yurio’s journey to self-expression through his skating seems to be embracing his more feminine, sensitive side in contrast to his brash punk attitude. I dig it.

And we’re on our way. Tune in next time for the continuation of this uproariously good time!

#anime #the anime binge-watcher #tabw #yuri on ice #victor nikirofov #yuuri katsuki #yuuri on ice

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canonverse-yoi-fics · 6 years

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Hi yoi fics! I was searching for Yuri!!!On Ice fanfics to read when I crossed your path. And it's even. There is everything. Thanks so much for storing these! May I ask what you're all time favorite is? (I know, it's hard) 😂😂😂

First. I love your blog. Had a mini heart attack when I saw your ask.

Also, that’s too hard! Can I make like… Favorite 10 fics? I will do that, because I will not choose a favorite. Also, they’re all different in gerne, so my fave would also depend on my mood. Anyway, in alphabetical order, here’s my 10 favorite yoi fics!

A Hundred Flowers In Bloom by Chiharu | M | Leo/Guang-Hong, Yuuri/Victor | 9k

The 2022 Beijing Olympics open on the fourth day of Chinese New Years with twelve lines of lion dancers forming into a dragon.

This year, Guanghong only has three resolutions: to not drop the flag on international television, to win Olympic gold for China, and to fall out of love with Leo.

-I’m a really big figure skating fan (hence why I watched yoi), and when the Olympics came around I started reading a lot of fics set in the Olympics and this one really touched my heart. Especially since fics with “minor” ships tend to be short one-shots and this one just really did it for me. Like wow, I mostly just stick to Viktuuri fics, but LeoJi is a weakness.-

a little room to breathe by qynntessence | T | Yuuri/Victor | 9k WIP

Viktor blows his nose wetly and blushes, turning away from Yuuri’s kind eyes. “Can-Can I have another tissue?” He blows his nose again, a thick, congested sound, which turns into thick, congested sneezing. “I’m sorry, I know it can’t be much fun to take care of your sick fiancé when you have a cold. Asthma sucks.”

In which Yuuri has a cold (and also anxiety), Viktor has the flu (and also asthma), and they’re messy and in love and try their best.

-Everyone loves a good sick!fic, me included, and this is my fave sick!fic. And I have resigned myself to it never being completed T.T, but even just the two chapters that are up have been enough to fulfill my needs. Please give the writer some love so that they may get inspiration to finish it!!-

A Voice in the Distance by torikabori | T | Yuuri/Victor | 17k WIP

In which a soulmate connection has three parts: a shared heartbeat, some secondhand emotions, and a sense of when your soulmate is looking at you.

Each has its inconveniences– especially when one half of the pair is famous, the other has anxiety, and they’re born several timezones apart.

-So, I don’t really do AUs, but a good soulmate AU can never do me wrong, and this one. Oh boy. It’s definitely my favorite (soulmate) AU. It fits amazingly with the canon universe, and the very concept of it is so amazingly thought out and well-written. Ugh. It’s so good.-

Before It Burns Me Numb by ilarual | G | Yuuri/Victor | 16k WIP

“What do you mean, you had a crush on me?” Yuuri asks. “We’d never even met before the Grand Prix Final last year.”

Following their engagement, Victor tells Yuuri the story of how he met, fell for, and pined after Japan’s Ace. Not necessarily in that order.

An Ep10 coda… with a twist.

-I’m a big fan of Viktor being a fan of Yuuri pre-series, and this fic is just very cute about it, and also gives a good insight into Viktor’s life pre-series :D-

i’m just going to the store by bosbie | T | Yuuri/Victor | 7k

Accidental masked vigilante Victor Nikiforov.

Or: how Victor’s impulsiveness backfires and creates one of the greatest living internet memes to ever come out of Russia.

-oh man, where do I even begin with this one. It’s so absolutely ridiculous that if I ever find myself in a bad mood, this fic is sure to cheer me up because it is hilarious.-

katsuki_fc wrote by tetsurashian | G | Yuuri/Victor | 12k

Just because Yuuri isn’t big on social media, doesn’t mean his fans aren’t.

-Social Media fics in YoI is one of my all-time weaknesses. I adore the fan-based aspect of it, as well as it sometimes being a clever way to call out haters. It’s also incredibly immersive and it’s a great way to get into the yoi -verse yourself. This is probably the one YoI fic I’ve read the most, and I have no shame about that.-

Tantalus, Reaching by chellethewriter | T | Yuuri/Victor | 17k

When Viktor Nikiforov arrives in Hasetsu, he expects the Katsuki Yuuri from the banquet – the shameless, sensual dancer who made Viktor feel alive for the first time in years. Instead, he finds a different Katsuki Yuuri – a boy who lacks confidence and flinches at Viktor’s touch.In Viktor’s determination to reconcile these contrastive personalities, he realizes two things: one, that first impressions are not everything, and two, that he may or may not be in love with every side of Yuuri.

(In other words, a retelling of the series that chronicles how a five-time Grand Prix champion might attempt to woo a somewhat oblivious Japanese figure skater.)

-Another weakness of mine: YoI told from Viktor’s perspective. And this one. Oh my. It has everything. Viktor pining. Yuuri being the absolute worst pov character and also an oblivious heart-breaker. Viktor pining. It’s just really good.-

The Bulge (Don’t Bring a Weapon to a Public Beach) by nagoyadelay | M | Yuuri/Victor | 2k

Victor posts a photo of Yuuri on instagram without realizing that it’s somewhat suggestive.

A thirsty skating fandom collectively loses their shit.

-Humor is my go-to genre in the yoi fandom for reasons I myself don’t quite understand - perhaps I just want to see all my faves have fun rather than suffer for once? But this one combines Humor with Social Media, and that’s just a double KO for me. And, of course, it’s wonderfully written as well.-

This Curious Condition Called Love by xtwilightzx | T | Yuuri/Victor | 16k

The bite of pancake is delightfully buttery, with a tang from the cheese curds. Yuuri isn’t sure what his expression is like, but Victor’s smile brightens, and his phone goes up.

“Say syrniki!”

That photo’s going to end up on Instagram in less than a minute. Yuuri ducks, and when Victor whips his phone to follow, Yuuri grabs Victor’s elbow and drags him over so they’re both caught in the shot. Victor laughs, a long line of warmth mashed up against Yuuri’s side. He tucks his arm around Yuuri’s waist and raises his phone again.

Victor uses variations of the same caption every time: Reexploring St. Petersburg with #katsukiyuuri #oneplateatatime

“You’re ridiculous,” Yuuri whispers, after the camera goes off.

Victor smiles. “Ridiculous, but yours.”

(Yuuri has done the transcontinental uprooting of his life twice before and it’s never easy, but this time there are photos plastered all over Victor’s social media, explorations into Russian cuisine, shenanigans with the Russian figure skating national team, calls and messages from friends and family, and Victor, always.

Victor, on the other hand, mostly copes by watching Yuuri adapt to life in St. Petersburg).

-Now, if you put a gun to my head and asked what my fave is, this would probably be my answer. This, for me, is the perfect post-season story. I can’t even begin to describe how much and why I love this fic, but it is absolutely amazing, and it’s a shame that more people don’t know about it. Please read it!-

Winter Song by proantagonist | E | Yuuri/Victor | 156k

The set of Yuuri’s mouth softened into a private smile as Victor squeezed his knee beneath the table. His hands were bare, free from the gloves he so often wore when they were together on the rink, and the heat of his palm burned straight through the denim of Yuuri’s jeans. He slipped his own hand beneath the table and found Victor’s. Hidden from sight, their fingers began to flirt and play. A secret conversation all their own that needed no words.

Yuuri was aware that at some point—a moment in time he couldn’t quite place—Victor had become his boyfriend.

There wasn’t a single instant when it happened. It was a slow awareness, as if Victor had silently been asking the question for months now, and Yuuri had been giving him the answer a little more with each passing day.

-I think everyone knows this one, so I’m honestly not even going to explain why this is on my list. But. It’s amazing.-

#fic rec #yoi fic rec #YOI #victor nikiforov #victuuri #Viktor Nikiforov #viktuuri #Katsuki Yuuri #yuuri katsuki #Yuri on ice #leoji #ask #yoi-is-my-heaven

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violetclarity · 6 years

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Tagged by @goldentruth813 and @aibidil a little while back

RULES: You must answer the questions below about the last ship that you read/wrote about, regardless of whether or not you like this ship, then tag anyone you want.

The last thing I read and wrote were drarry so...here you go! In order to make this more specific (read: easier for me) since there are sort of endless permutations for these two and my HCs for them are very flexible/change from fic to fic, I’m answering for the last thing I wrote them in, my (hopefully) soon to be posted Self Indulgent Soulmate AU

1. What domestic thing are they most guilty of? I’m...confused by this question? They absolutely love waking up next to each other in the morning and spending as much time lounging in bed as possible. Gross.

2. Who is enabler in the relationship? (eg: “I shouldn’t eat the cake.” “Eat the damn cake. You know you wanna.” “Damn, you’re right.”) I don’t love this example because the “I shouldn’t eat X” thing grates at my soul on a daily basis, but I think that Draco would encourage Harry to do more self-care type things, remind him that he can put himself first sometimes and can say no to requests for favors, etc. So, enabling, but in a good way :)

3. What is their song? I made a playlist for this fic but I’m having trouble picking a favorite. Maybe Years & Years by Olly Murs? (yes I learned about this song from the wireless prompt list and it’s AMAZING) or I Wanna Be Yours (Arctic Monkeys)

4. In a battle, would they fight back-to-back, or sporadically, watching out for each other? There are no battles in this fic, but if there were, back-to-back. They’ve wasted too much time and mean to much to each other to be separated at a moment like that.

5. In death fics, which person is the one that usually dies/you choose to kill off? everyone lives in this story!

6. What would a reverse verse look like? EQUALLY ANGSTY BUT IN A DIFFERENT WAY AND I LOVE IT. tbh I’m super tempted to write something w a similar plotline - like a You’ve Got Mail AU where Harry realizes he is talking to Draco before Draco does? - or just write a Harry POV sequel to this fic after I post it :P

7. If you had to put them into any other fandom of yours, which would it be and how would it work out for them? Taking them out of a magical world feels very wrong but I will try my hand at Yuri on Ice. Let’s see...they skated together when they were kids and were friendly rivals. They have a big falling out in juniors right before Draco’s parents force him to stop competing. He has an obligation to his family (business), but he’s always remembered Harry and wished he hadn’t had to give up on his dream. Meanwhile, Harry becomes a big time figure skating star and Draco keeps track of what he’s up to in the magazines. He knows his parents need to arrange a marriage for him that will be advantageous for their business interests, so he tries not to get too excited when his soulmark comes in, until he sees Harry’s printed in the paper and realizes they match...

8. Are they the “touchy-feely” couple or the “witty, sometimes insulting banter” couple? They are both, 100% both. They have great conversations but frequently insult each other/bicker, regardless of if they are alone or with other people, and their friends are all a little like ?? why are you like this?? But they also want to make sure they communicate and that the other knows how much they care, so they can be very touchy-feely, but that’s usually when they’re alone and only very rarely happens in public.

9. Would they want marriage? Kids? Or are they more comfortable without those things? Overall I can be convinced in most directions for this for drarry. For this story I don’t think they would want to get married - Draco especially would resist it, but neither would feel it was necessary - but down the line I could see them with a kid or two.

10. What are most of their dates like? I think they would be all over the idea of trying new things together and introducing each other to places, foods, activities etc. that they enjoy. Sort of retroactively getting to know each other, but having a lot of fun doing it. They spend a lot of time just being together so they like to plan it out a bit more if they’re Going Out.

11. Do they have a secret language? Inside jokes? No one else quite understands their mix of bickering and affection, which definitely develops into more of a secret language the longer they are together.

12. What do their morning routines look like? Are they harmonious? Do they fight each other for space? Do they help each other get ready? Getting out of bed is always a struggle but after that they are pretty harmonious. They have a very low-key but daily competition over who gets to make breakfast for the other, even if it’s just boiling water for tea or making toast.

13. Assuming that some family members are alive (related or no), how did each family react to the couple? Lucius and Narcissa are not thrilled, but Draco doesn’t really give them a chance to say anything bad about Harry or their relationship. Every other week Harry comes with him to dinner at the Manor. It’s awkward and remains so for some time. Ron and Hermione are reluctantly completely on board from the start because they just want Harry to be happy, and eventually everyone else on Harry’s side follows their lead.

14. What is your favorite AU for them? This fic is an AU already :D

15. Finally, what trope works better for the couple as they are in canon? (If they’ve never met, which one do you think would work best if they know each other?) Mutual pining is always my go-to trope 100% of the time, but if I was writing something where they had never met I would go with a “Harry has worked X place for a long time and doesn’t need super posh Draco Malfoy coming in and telling him how to do his job, even if Malfoy is ridiculously fit...”

I feel like probably everyone already did this because I’ve been missing from tumblr for weeks but if you haven’t and feel so inclined I’ll tag @foularcadebanana @starlillie @potteresque-ire @snortinglaughter @malfoypotterbaby

#tag game #drarry #self indulgent soulmate au

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carpemermaidtales · 6 years

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Last Pairing Tag Game

@potteresque-ire tagged me for this one!

RULES: You must answer the questions below about the last ship that you read/wrote about, regardless of whether or not you like this ship, then tag anyone you want.

Last thing I wrote was Victuuri for a wip I’m working on, so here we go!

1. What domestic thing are they most guilty of?

They’re hardcore morning cuddlers, often completed by Makka worming his way between them from the bottom of the bed so that they’re one big happy dog pile. Victor likes to kiss Yuuri awake with the softest of kisses that he leaves like a loving treasure map on Yuuri’s skin until his nose scrunches up and his eyes blink open blearily (because Yuuri is Not A Morning Person, but it’s ok because Yuuri gets his revenge every night when they go to sleep because Victor is Not A Night Owl), giving Victor a baleful look that only lasts a moment before Yuuri’s annoyance at being awake at whatever fuck-you hour Victor has woken him up at is soothed by the fact that Victor is there in his arms and he’s in love with him.

2. Who is enabler in the relationship? (eg: “I shouldn’t eat the cake.” “Eat the damn cake. You know you wanna.” “Damn, you’re right.”)

Victor is absolutely the enabler. For as much as he can go into Coach Mode, Yuuri knows he’s still not a perfect coach, and will always try to get Yuuri to have a drink or eat something he restricts himself from before competitions because Victor is more about experiencing life and having a good time, and he wants to do those things with Yuuri.

3. What is their song?

This one’s easy since the show provides it, Stammi Vicino is their first song, the one that brings them (back) together. More importantly, I think that they both like to hum the melody when they pull each other into a slow dance, swaying around the room with their cheeks pressed together. Whenever one of them is away, they’ll substitute Makka in as their dance partner.

4. In a battle, would they fight back-to-back, or sporadically, watching out for each other?

Back to back, if only because neither of them would be capable of leaving each other’s side in a situation like that.

5. In death fics, which person is the one that usually dies/you choose to kill off?

NOPE. BYE. MCD AND VICTUURI DON’T EXIST IN THE SAME SENTENCE. BYYEEEEEE.

6. What would a reverse verse look like?

Reverse ‘verse isn’t my favorite, but I imagine this a couple of different and maybe a bit more unconventional ways since it strays from the nature of the reverse trope - the first is that they retain their ages and Victor is a skater who is losing all of his motivation and drive but is inspired by Yuuri, a skater who has made a splash since his first time on the ice and never fails to dazzle and surprise the audience (and who is secretly Victor’s inspiration), but Yuuri is still shy and reserved and always seems out of Victor’s reach so they’ve never talked. After a magical night together at the banquet, Victor is sort of crushed when he doesn’t hear from Yuuri again, thinking that they’d made a connection, when in fact Yuuri just doesn’t remember that he agreed to be Victor’s coach. When a youtube video goes viral of Yuuri skating Victor’s Stammi Vicino skate from the GPF (and skating it with more passion and emotionality than Victor was ever able to infuse it with), Victor is on the next plane to Japan and shows up much as he did in canon assuming Yuuri means to coach him, that he does remember his agreement to help Victor reach his potential before he ages out of competitive skating. Yuuri in this verse would still be shy, reserved, and secretly think he’s not good enough no matter how hard he works to please the audience, but he regains his spark of inspiration and love for the sport when Victor blows into his life. The second way would sort of be the typical one, Victor as the younger skater and Yuuri as the older one, but Victor is the one making the GPF for the first time and making a big splash while Yuuri fails at the GPF and requests Victor to come be his student at the banquet because he needs something to bring back the reason he fell in love with figure skating and he sees it in Victor’s skating.

7. If you had to put them into any other fandom of yours, which would it be and how would it work out for them?

My gut instinct is to say stick them in HP but even with that I’m not sure it feels like the right fit for them. I feel like their story could translate pretty well to the BNHA verse, though, where Yuuri and Izuku share feelings of inadequacy that they struggle to overcome and Victor and All Might share the pressure of the public perception of them vs how they really are out of the spotlight while training someone else to help them be their best.

8. Are they the “touchy-feely” couple or the “witty, sometimes insulting banter” couple?

Definitely touchy-feely, Victor is basically all over Yuuri all the time, but Yuuri also has his moments where he likes to remind the world that Victor’s love is Yuuri’s to hold onto.

9. Would they want marriage? Kids? Or are they more comfortable without those things?

I think Yuuri would be happy if they were just together, as long as he’s with Victor he’ll be content, but Victor is a giant romantic who wants it all -- marriage, (dog) children, matching mugs, but we know it’s Yuuri who proposes to Victor and surprises him. Victor can’t even wait for the five golds that Yuuri promised him. When Yuuri wins all. the. gold. at FCC, All Japan, and Worlds, Victor flies them back to Hasetsu to get married on the beach with their family and friends looking on. Half of the Men’s figure skating roster is there. Yuri Plisetsky fights Phichit over which of them cheered louder when Victor pulled Yuuri into a big kiss, dipping him backwards and Yakov can be seen accepting a handkerchief from Celestino when he gets gruff and quiet, eyes shiny with emotion while Victor beams out at the small crowd, hand clutching Yuuri’s.

10. What are most of their dates like?

Very sweet affairs, but also usually pretty simple. They go for runs together, walk the dogs on the beach, take a couple of hours to spend in the onsen when it’s empty, watch movies curled up together under the same blanket. What’s more important to them is spending time together.

11. Do they have a secret language? Inside jokes?

The only secret language they have is the silent communication through their eyes and eyebrows, where Victor tries to get what he wants with puppy eyes and Yuuri informs him when they need to make a hasty retreat to somewhere quiet or he’s going to feel Victor up in public, regardless of Victor’s inability to be quiet.

12. What do their morning routines look like? Are they harmonious? Do they fight each other for space? Do they help each other get ready?

Victor defines his space as anything that involves him being attached to Yuuri like an octopus, so it’s not so much that they fight each other for space as Yuuri happily gives in to Victor’s clinging, even years into their marriage, because he likes the way Victor’s stubble feels scraping against his neck when Victor nuzzles there from behind. Victor is usually the first to wake up and will slip out of bed to make Yuuri a pot of tea before slipping back into bed with his offering. He kisses Yuuri awake and they spend some time cuddling until Yuuri stops grumbling about being awake. (This is always sped along by Victor’s touches trailing lower until Yuuri is quite alert) After a shower together, they’ll circle each other and hand off things like belts, shirts, and track jackets depending on where their schedule is taking them for the day. Yuuri stands before Victor and smiles fondly at him when he does up the buttons on Victor’s shirt and Victor will zip Yuuri into his track jacket and pull him in by the collar for a kiss before they’re deemed ready for the day.

13. Assuming that some family members are alive (related or no), how did each family react to the couple?

All of Yuuri’s family and close friends grow to adore Victor and his special brand of loving Yuuri, especially Yuuri’s mother, who shares a special bond with Victor.

14. What is your favorite AU for them?

My extremely indulgent guilty pleasure are Canon Divergent AUs, especially Banquet AUs or post-GPF AUs where they either meet or get together earlier than in canon. For the few actual AUs I’ve read, I like politically-focused A/B/O stories and Medieval Arranged Marriage AUs.

15. Finally, what trope works better for the couple as they are in canon? (If they’ve never met, which one do you think would work best if they know each other?)

Pining, god allllll the pining, also pick and choose: slow burn, soulmates, fake dating/marriage (or accidental), mistaken identity, memory loss, injury/sick fic, miscommunication, language barriers, unreliable narrator (though this one is barely a trope since it’s straight up canon), Victor’s Impulsive Decisions I’m unsure of who has or hasn’t been tagged recently for this one since I’ve been away, but I’ll just leave it at whoever wants to do it, consider yourself tagged!

#tag game #victuuri #yoi #yuri on ice #not hp

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onceabluemoonwrites · 7 years

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Heaven Hatred (Falling Down)

Fandom: Yuri on Ice

Summary: Yuri burns, and he’ll burn the heavens down.

Disclaimer: I don’t own Yuri on Ice

FF.net | AO3 | Tumblr (my other entries: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)

You can find my writing progress here. If you can’t keep straight who’s what anymore, here’s a list, plus some extra background information for those who’d like to read it!

My fic master list here.

This was written for the Yuri on Ice Fantasy week ( @yoifantasyweek for those interested in checking out the other authors) 11/13/17- Day One: Red. I chose the prompt ‘’Anger’’.

This is part of the Land of Gods and Monsters ‘verse, but can be read as a standalone fic. You can find a note on the chronology of this ‘verse here.

‘’Ангел, dance to the tunes of heaven. To the glory of the Gods! Their power ever-growing, their visages beautiful, everlasting as if hewn from stone. Exalt their being, creature of heaven, and raise them higher than the sun!

Your existence a blessing, your steps a song, your every word a prayer unto the highest powers.

May you walk the halls of marble forever, untainted one.’’

God, how Yuri hates heaven.

They say angels have hearts of glass- but Yuri’s is diamond, indestructible, and maybe that’s why he is different.

A heart of diamond. A little stroke against it lights a fire. Flames where a gem should be as cold as ice. He carries it softly at first, cultivating it in the hallowed halls he walks. It’s warm inside of him, while the world is cold.

Yuri sings in the choir with the other children, young voices still high, purity ringing through. But when he dances- oh, when he dances on the ice, he cannot contain himself.

Besides, why should he? He’s an angel, if he carries fire, it must be holy.

His rhythm speeds up. The other angels cry: ‘’He’s out of tune, out of control!’’

Yuri laughs, raising his arms, because he’s not out of tune, he’s dancing to another tune altogether. Agape turns into appassionato – and his fire is rising, rising, until the ice gives underneath the heat.

The fairies scream. ‘’Don’t melt it, don’t destroy it! What are you doing, burning child?’’

And this, he discovers, is art. To burn, but not to burn up. So he dances on ice and revels in the audience’s gaze. He binds knives under white-hot coal feet, and cuts the ice with every move he makes.

He is an angel and he worships only himself.

An inferno born with wings.

The first time Yuri sees the silver-haired angel, it is a revelation. He is tragedy in motion, a dying star personified. Where Yuri is fire, anger, passion, Victor is death, the last breath before man is gone, the blue rose laid on a grave.

He is beautiful in his fall, the grace of his death the ultimate attraction.

Yuri… Yuri doesn’t want to be Victor, he wants to go where Victor is and go higher.

Why have wings, if you don’t use them to elevate yourself?

Yuri will be the greatest one alive and nobody is going to stop him.

He loves Victor for his defiance of Heaven, he loves him for not serving a God. He loves him so, so much- but Victor takes one look at the God of Spring (God of Daisies, God of Flowers, God of Sprouts and Budding Things. God of- of- God of Yuri’s hatred) and he’s gone.

The flames turn into a wildfire, spreading like the anger inside his bones and Yuri is spitting, furious. His face contorts with it, appassionato notes rising, anger and hatred feeding him until he knows he will fall and does not care.

He’ll fall sky-ward, because he’s contrary like that, defying the Heavens at every turn. He’ll soar higher than the Heavens, soar with the fire of Hell burning inside of him.

He’ll burn them down.

The notes of a new tune are heard.

It’s Yuri’s Inferno, Angel of Fire.

Welcome to the madness.

Author’s note

So this is the story behind this part in the Land of Gods and Monsters:

‘’There is no ice in Yuri’s soldier eyes, only fire. The boy is a blazing inferno and people watch him. The fascination with fire, the desire to play and the thrill of being burned are as old as time. They can’t resist.’’

I listened to Agape (both the normal version and the music box version), Allegro Appassionato and The Greatest by Sia while writing this! And yes, the ‘’Angel of Fire’’ part was a reference to a fictional piece of music in the YOI universe called ‘’Angel of the Fire Festival’’ which was Yuri’s original exhibition skate, before he decided to go with ‘’Welcome to the Madness’’.

#yoifantasyweek #yuri plisetsky #victor nikiforov #fic #yoi #angel #heaven hatred (falling down)#the land of gods and monsters verse #deity au #onceabluemoonwrites fic #fanfiction #fanfic #my posts #yoi fantasy week

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viktuurificwriters · 7 years

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Getting to Know Reiya

AO3 profile

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If you’ve been in the Yuri on Ice fandom for a long time now, then I bet you’ve already heard of Reiya. She is the author of the highly acclaimed Rivals series on AO3. The series’ first fic, entitled Until my Feet Bleed and my Heart Aches, is the YOI fic with the most number of kudos and hits.

Reiya ( @kazliin ) even has her own group of dedicated readers, who form a sub-fandom within the YOI fandom. Her blog is proof of that–being comprised of replies to the variety of asks she receives daily, different posts about the Top Ten’s of Yuuri and of Viktor in the Rivals world, reblogs of different fanarts and fanvids about her stories, and a whole lot more.

Any fan of Reiya would take pleasure in scrolling down her blog. From it, they can know some exclusive facts about her writings, like where she gets ideas, which of the two fics in the series was harder for her to write, and others. But with the plenty of asks Reiya answers each week, such facts get buried away in her blog and could never be seen again (unless you’ve decided to devote yourself in searching through each of the pages, which would probably take hours.)

Therefore, this post has been made to compile some of the basic stuff that everyone needs to know about their favorite writer. Learn more about Reiya and her works right under the cut.

Even though Reiya writes fanfics about YOI, she admits that she doesn’t really watch anime. She became interested in Yuri on Ice when she kept seeing it on her dashboard around episode two or three. She was also curious about it being a figure skating anime because, as a child, she used to dream of becoming a figure skater herself.

Before YOI, Reiya used to write for the Marvel fandom. She didn’t write a fic for seven months after her last Marvel fic due to writer’s block, but then she found Yuri on Ice and it gave her the inspiration she needed to write again.

“The source material is wonderful and there's so much potential in it for both canon verse fics and AUs,” says Reiya. “And as a member of the LGBT community, it was so wonderful to finally see a canon, healthy, happy queer couple, so it gave me a lot of inspiration to write.”

As soon as Reiya started watching YOI, she kept imagining different scenarios to put the characters in, which she thinks is a good precursor to starting a fic. Yuri on Ice was also a new fandom, with new material coming out each week–getting reader response and feedback was very high.

“Inspiration to write is so heavily based on getting response for what you do,” Reiya adds. “Being in a big fandom like YOI and having so many people being enthusiastic over my fic really pushed me to keep writing.”

And so, Reiya started writing what turned out to be the most popular YOI fic ever.

In coming up for the idea of UMFB&MHA, Reiya was really interested in the challenge of turning a fluffy and loving couple into rivals and in an enemies-to-lovers situation.

“The middle came first, then the beginning with how the whole rivalry started and then the doping scandal and then end,” she says. “I think I dreamed up the whole thing over the course of about a week and then finally sat down to plot it all out properly.”

Her biggest challenge in planning out the fic was figuring what Viktor could do to make Yuuri hate him. She knew that it should never be malicious on Viktor’s part. Viktor can be insensitive at times and speaks before he thinks in canon, but at heart, he’s never intentionally cruel. Eventually, Reiya settled on making Viktor say something tactless that he thought was helping, but actually cut Yuuri really deeply.

“We know from the other characters saying it that Yuuri really hates losing and he's a very determined character who rises well when he's challenged, like with Yurio during the Onsen on Ice,” answers Reiya when asked if she can see Canon Yuuri as the kind of person who’d resent someone for so long even though he had just been a kid when he felt insulted. “So I think the seed is there if something happened to him in his formative years to send him sown a different path.”

In the fic, Yuuri was insulted by Viktor when he was an insecure twelve-year old. According to Reiya, he took the insult far worse than an adult Yuuri would and it really shaped him. “The insult also grows with him over the fic,” she explains. “When he thinks back on what Viktor said, it becomes worse and more hurtful because his mind is distorting the memory as he grows older.”

When Reiya writes, she has to do it in big chunks. She doesn’t like writing only a little for an hour and a half and then stop. She needs to sit down on a weekend and write for ten hours straight. She prefers getting into the zone when she writes, so she needs to be in a peaceful place with a single song looped playing for hours in the background in order to help her focus.

Ten hours is the maximum time she allots on a weekend, but often, if the deadline for the next chapter was approaching, she’d come back home from university on a day she had reserved for writing at five and then writes until midnight, with only a break for a dinner.

“Since I take two weeks to write a chapter and maybe 30-50 hours, it means I can do it all in big chunks with free days to live my life rather than writing non-stop all the time,” says Reiya.

Once Reiya is in the writing zone, everything else is easy. But getting in that zone is what’s difficult. Sometimes she can spend hours writing and not be able to focus at all that she can’t make the words flow.

“Before chapter 14, my exams were approaching and I was studying all the time and not writing, so the day before I said I'd post the chapter, I still had a huge chunk to write,” she shares. “I pulled an all-nighter to finish because people were so excited for the next chapter and I didn't want to let them down!”

The pressure of her fans has been hard on Reiya, but she finds that she usually works well under it. The expectations terrify but also motivate her at the same time.

Reiya loves writing, but sometimes it can be very exhausting. She finds it very difficult to write the sex scenes in her fics. Before the Rivals series, she had never written a sex scene so it was great exercise in learning how to write them. Even then, she still struggles, especially now with the second fic in her series, entitled Of Bright Stars and Burning Hearts, where she has to rewrite all the sex scenes from UMFB&MHA in Viktor’s POV.

In terms of emotional writing, the hardest scene for her to write was first part of the third chapter of OBS&BH. Viktor is a very optimistic character and it was very hard for Reiya to put him in a position where that optimism gets crushed.

The responses of people who read Reiya’s fic is what keeps her writing. She is incredibly grateful and lucky to have so many people enjoying her fic. The pressure and the expectations may be terrifying, but she thinks it's worth it.

Reiya’s advice for aspiring writers:

(The italicized text are Reiya’s exact words, but with minor errors corrected.)

Don’t compare yourselves to the big fics and don't write what you're not comfortable with. Almost all the big fics in any fandom were written right at the beginning when popularity is highest and when people read the fics with the most kudos first. Once a fic is on the first page it's very difficult to knock it down or get another fic up there instead. It happens in every fandom. If you come into a fandom later and write, don't feel down by comparing yourself to fics like that. Popularity doesn't necessarily mean it's the best fic out there, and just because your fic isn't the most popular, it doesn't mean it isn't good. I know it seems patronizing of me to say that, all things considered, but YOI isn't my first fandom and I know how hard it can be when you feel like people care so much more about other fics than yours. I've deleted or stopped fics before because I felt like no one cared. But you know what? People do and you should always write what you want to write regardless of what anyone else is doing. You never know, to someone out there, your fic might make their day.

As for not writing what you’re not comfortable with, don’t be pressured into writing something just because all the other fics are like that or people want it. If you’re not comfortable with writing sex scenes, then don’t write them. If someone wants your fic to go in a certain direction and you’re not sure about it, don’t do it just to please someone else. Write for yourself first and everyone else second.

I think a lot of writers (and I include myself in this) can get caught up comparing themselves to other people and trying to please everyone which is never a good way to go.

[Bonus] Random Facts about Reiya:

(The italicized text are Reiya’s exact words, but with minor errors corrected.)

1. Favorite Viktuuri Headcanons

I love the idea that Yuuri can hold his alcohol really well and Viktor can't! I also love the hc that they both learn each other's languages and end up speaking a weird mash of Japanese and Russian all the time. I also love most sappy romantic hc about them once they're living together in St Petersburg because I'm a sappy romantic at heart.

I also love headcanons about them being the worst rivals ever now that they're both competing. Like, they're supposed to be serious competition but they can't stop making eyes at each other and teasing each other all the time during competitions

2. Favorite YOI song

Yuri on Ice

3. Favorite YOI scene

The proposal scene because it's so atmospheric or the kiss scene because that was the moment when I could finally scream “I fucking said it was going to become canon! I CALLED IT PEOPLE.”

4. Favorite color

Blue

5. Waffles or pancakes?

Pancakes

6. Ice cream – Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate

7. Viktor or Yuuri?

How dare you try and make me choose?

8. Pineapples on pizza or not?

I'm a normal human being, so no.

9. Coffee or tea?

Coffee. There's no blood in my veins; there is only caffeine.

10. Scrambled eggs or sunny side up?

Sunny side up

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triptychgrip · 1 month

Text

Several years post-canon: expanding Ice Castle into a Nishigori/Katsuki-Nikiforov skating academy

Chapter 16 of my married Viktuuri 2018/2022 Olympic Games fic is up! It was one of my favorite chapters to write, as it touches upon Yuuri and Viktor's long-term plans once Yuuri retires (after the 2022 Games): partnering with the Nishigoris to expand Ice Castle into a world-class skating academy.

If you've read/are in the process of reading my fic, you'll know that figure skating politics are a huge part of my story, specifically because of a non-doping related scandal that shakes up the 2018 Games and affects the figure skating community for years to come. This same scandal/its aftermath deeply influences Yuuri and Viktor to usher in change within the sport, emboldening them to think through how their/the Nishigoris' future academy could push an aspirational advocacy agenda forward.

Below is an excerpt from this latest chapter, which I hope piques your interest in checking this fic out, or my other Yuri!!! on Ice work.

----

“Yuuko and Takeshi are so invested in this vision we have, and they’re sticking their necks out for us a lot. I’m just glad that they’re also so passionate about the waves we’re hoping to make.”

Viktor nodded before taking a hefty bite of his own onigiri, evidently catching on to what he meant.

Even with the preliminary conversations they’d had with the Japan Skating Federation, the four of them knew that some of the core principles of their future skating academy might be a hard sell. However, they were ones that they refused to compromise on, given everything that had happened at the PyeongChang Games (and in the aftermath).

In witnessing the struggle that both Seung-Gil and Yura had undergone to break away from the Korea Skating Union and FFKKR, respectively, the Nishigoris and Katsuki-Nikiforovs were committed to prioritizing at least 4 slots – 2 for the Men’s division and 2 for the Women’s division – for Russian and Korean skaters that wished to skate independently of their federations. But in doing so, they were creating something of a headache for themselves: each one of these prospective skaters would need to find a way to completely self-fund their careers. As such, it would be more important than ever for them and their future staff to acquire some savvy when it came to sponsor recruitment and retention.

Along with this, in a dramatic departure from the way things are typically done, all four of them knew that they wanted their skaters to be well-versed in understanding the politics of the sport.

Though the realities were sobering, there was simply no way that he or his spouse would be able to operate in good conscience and send their Novices and Juniors off to their first ISU competitions without at least some semblance of understanding around how judging worked. Or rather…all the ways it didn’t work.

And by continuing to model the pathways to reform, they wanted their future students to feel empowered to be vocal when it came to ushering in change within figure skating.

The two other priorities he and Viktor decided on with the Nishigoris would be less difficult to garner support around, but even so, they came with their own respective bureaucratic hurdles.

In seeing the way Phichit had hustled to both make and maintain a name for himself in a sport so dominated by the big-name federations, they wanted to reserve at least two spots in their inaugural year for skaters attached to smaller name federations. Working out a fair selection “rubric” would be complicated, and they’d already begun to pick Phichit-kun’s brain as to how one might devise such a process to be the most fair.

#yuri!!! on ice #yuri on ice #yuri on ice fanfic #my writing #victuuri #viktuuri #katsuki yuuri #yuuri katsuki #victor nikiforov #viktor nikiforov #yoi headcanon #yoi olympics

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lazuliblade · 7 years

Note

hi i just joined the yuri on ice fandom can you recommend me some good accs to follow here or maybe twitter?? thank uuu

Welcome to the (YOI) madness! I follow a handful of people, but I know there are plenty more out there that I don’t know of yet (or that I’ve reblogged posts from, but never explored their blog and followed).There are a couple of lists that have popped up in the past month.This post has a huge list of Tumblr blogs and AO3 writers, this post is smaller, but includes a few people who aren’t on the other list.

Off the top of my head, the people I’ve followed for ages/go to regularly are:@sachiro - posts meta concerning the psychology of the characters and scenes (grief, motivations, etc.), and dabbles in other stuff like gif making and (very)recently fic writing.

@yuurinikiforov reblogs a lot of content - fanart and new YOI info.

@nikiforoov also reblogs a lot of YOI stuff and makes various edits - lives in Europe, so your dash won’t be empty when North American people aren’t posting.@accioharo - reblogs a lot of fanart and brings lots of new info from the Twitter side of things. Also, writes fanfiction. They’re main fic is the Winter Song series.

@lucycamui - fic writer (I love pretty much everything she’s written) and reblogs YOI fanart and info. They have a twitter account too!

@fencer-x is one of the long-time fans who was among the first sources of information. She doesn’t make as many constant YOI posts recently, but she’s able to go to YOI events (movie screenings, Yuri on Museum, etc.) and reports on those.

@lookiamnotcreative has done some super long amazing meta on love, and multiple translation corrections, as well as various observations and rants. They’re not as active as before, but it’s worth keeping an eye on their blog.

@yoimeta reblogs a bunch of yoi meta although they do miss out on some stuff, so it’s worth checking them but also having other blogs to follow firsthand.@fyeahyurionice primarily reblogs fanart and edits. They’re a good source for seeing new content from both well-known people and from lesser-known people.@story-kat, @miyakuli, and @miss-cigarettes post a ton of fanart (with permission, of course!) and reblog a lot of fanart from lesser-known artists.

People who do really nice fanart:@blau678 one of the first fanartists in the yoi fandom; has produced an amazing number of drawings very closely capturing the official character designs - to the point that their art is often mistaken for official art, and is stolen or used in YouTube videos and on bootleg merch.@tanaw - soft backgrounds and broad color strokes with little lineart (if any); omestic and casual scenes with dramatic angles used in some art; really nice fluffy or contemplative atmosphere@butleronice - made famous by their comet AU on Twitter, uses both lots of lineart, and very little lineart@ingthing fanart and fic writer who became well-known after her florist/wedding planner AU. Uses lots of light colors and overall an airy feeling. @zephyrine-gale - known for their vibrant fanart using multiple swathes/patches of color. Their art looks like stained glass or fractals of light. Started the “crop top Yuuri revolution.” @crimson-chains makes a large range of YOI fanart and has drawn multiple AU series -- both original worlds and tropes like mafia/cop.

I don’t use Twitter much, so I can’t give you an extensive list of people to follow, but I can say that you definitely should follow denkimouse and soukatsu on twitter - they are on the front line of info. Besides both of them delivering YOI Breaking News, Denki has merch box openings every Wednesday and runs a shop where you can buy merch that may be hard to come across on normal online shops; Soukatsu is well-versed in figure skating so she’s able to provide some insightful comments.

Also! If you need more YOI watching in your life, Sachiro does a YOI marathon on rabb.it, every Saturday at 8:30pm EST. You can count on me being there every week unless something comes up, and even if that’s the case, I’m usually there for the last few episodes at least. Sometimes it’s very chill with little commenting, and sometimes there’s a good crowd with questions and ideas being bounced back and forth. We stream the blu-ray version (with hardsubs added), so everyone can enjoy the beautiful quality.I know I left lots of amazing blogs out (especially meta blogs), so I apologize to all those bloggers out there. When I’m not drained by the mega-post I’m working on, I’ll have to go dig through the posts I reblogged and then compile a more thorough list. This should be a decent list to get you started on your YOI fandom journey, though!

#Anonymous

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victuurionkubosensei · 7 years

Text

Victuuri_AU

Driving Mr. Katsuki _ CullinanKatsudon

Yuuri Katsuki gets into Victor Nikiforov's car, mistaking it for his Uber ride...and Victor doesn't correct him.

And then there's a job interview, and mistaken identity, and some pole dancing, and ice skating lessons, and a Very Smitten Nikiforov, and a Nervous But Determined Katsuki, and what was supposed to be a quick, cute fic has turned into a novel, and that's okay.

Mature, 28k

Heaven in hiding_karasunotsubasa

"Yuuri," he finally said when the day room's occupants thinned out. "Yuuri as in Yuuri Katsuki."

"Would that have changed anything? If you knew, then?" Yuuri asked, knowing very well it would have.

Victor didn't reply, but his face said the same thing.

or that fic in which they fuck a lot and start dating without yuuri knowing, but somehow they end up falling in love all the same... except yuuri's been in love all along and it's impossible to hide when his childhood crush is undeniably into him.

Explicit, 30k

Six Kinds of Love_Frilly_Axolotl

It's almost funny how one night can change a person's life forever.

They were caught and sold together over a year ago. Two Yuris for the price of one, the auctioneer said. But now their sadistic Masters seem to have angered the enigmatic Viktor Nikiforov, who is willing to take on another slave or two as compensation.

In a world where slavery is legal, it's hard to know who to trust. Sometimes, you just have to take a chance.

Slave AU, 69k Explicit

Yuuri's Past Job(s)_IrisButterfly

“…Yuuri, you worked at a host club before?”

“Um… w-well… yes?”

---

Or in which figure skating is an expensive sport and Yuuri had interesting jobs to fund for it.

General audeinces. 16k Racer Yuuri

On the Run/True Freedom_mean_whale

Viktor has gotten accustomed to his life on the streets, when he's suddenly abducted by two unknown people who take him away.

Yuuri has a condition that has prevented him from ever having a proper relationship with an omega.

When Viktor, who doesn't trust alphas, meets Yuuri, who doesn't trust himself, will their lives change for better or for worse?

A/B/O Explicit

The Prince and his Consort_ZodiacDog101

Due to his secondary gender the First Prince Victor was deprived of a throne that should have being his. On the other side of the world, Prince Yuuri was forced into a role that he never wanted nor prepared for. Neither Prince ever felt comfortable with their secondary genders and neither really wanted their arranged marriage. However, they both tried to make the best of it and maybe fall in love in the process?

ABO verse, 57k, Explicit

Laundromats and Broken Radiators: A Love Story

rougeandtonic

Yuuri and Viktor are neighbors who are a little too close for the comfort of Yuuri's not-so-small crush.

-----------------------------

Ever since the first time Yuuri said yes to Viktor, he hasn't been able to say no again. Yes, you can come in. Yes, I'll try your borscht. Yes, I'll go ice skating with you this weekend. Yes, you can sleep here.

But they're not dating. Yuuri reminds himself of this all the time. Sure, Viktor hugs him freely, but Yuuri is never sure whether him initiating a hug will be welcome. They share dinners and go out to eat, but that's something Yuuri does with Phichit also. Viktor presses his lips to his forehead and touches his face, but they've never actually kissed. Viktor's just a tactile person. All Russians are probably like that.

Chapters: 1/1 Chubby Yuuri, neighbors AU

Attempted Theses and Viral Videos: A Love Story, continued

rougeandtonic

Where did you even find a copy of my syllabus?" Yuuri frowns at him. But then holds up a hand when Viktor opens his mouth. "No. Actually, I don't want to know."

"I told you, I need to learn everything about you," Viktor says.

"And that involves memorizing my syllabus and reading my curriculum," Yuuri says slowly.

"Naturally."

Chapters:6/6 Explicit. Neighbors AU

A Skating Scholarship_alipiee

After turning 17 and being offered a scholarship in Detroit, Yuuri packs his bags and moves across the world to pursue his skating.

He can't help but find the second-year student Viktor Nikiforov fascinating and his roommate helps him to find out more.

"Yuuri," Viktor continued, realising that he had to be the one to continue the conversation because he sure as hell wasn't going to, "Talk to me."

"We are talking."

Highschool AU, Jealous Victor, miscommunication, angst

Really a Good story

For Him_justrae2010

When Yuuri takes a hard fall on the ice, at first glance he seems to be okay. It's only when he wakes up and doesn't recognize the affectionate silver haired stranger at his bedside that he realizes just how wrong he is.

Memory Loss AU.

Inspired by Troye Sivan’s For Him.

General audience, 41k

Every Day You Play_ Interupptingmoose218

The night everything changed was cold, it was dark and Victor was tired. He was heading home after a long day of training, Yuri had stayed home and was excited to see his husband. Victor never made it there.

Victor is involved in a horrible car accident that leaves him severely brain damaged, now he must rely on Yuri for even the most simplest of tasks.

General audience, 15k

#Victuuri #Victuuri AU #Victorxyuuri #romance #smut #Yuuri on ice au #yuuri on ice

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yoificfinder · 4 years

Note

Any recs for the best omegaverses?

Hi nonnie~, preference is subjective so I don’t know about “best”, but here are some a/b/o stories I really enjoy(ed) reading:

a covenant with a blazing star series by @seventhstar [G to E, 56K] *WIP

The A/B/O Regency marriage of convenience AU no one actually wanted.

In which the reclusive and highly respectable Lord Yuuri Katsuki is offered fifty thousand pounds if he remains married to poor, scandalous trademan’s son Viktor Nikiforov for a year. Desperate for funds, he accepts.

It’s only one year, after all. What’s the worst that could happen?

A Silhouette of Three by Anna (arctic_grey) / @finleighsaid [E, 21K]

Yuuri and Viktor are aiming for a third consecutive Grand Prix gold as the new skating season rolls around. Halfway through the qualifiers, however, Yuuri realises that he’s pregnant. He can either tell Viktor, who he knows would freak out and demand that he withdraw from the Grand Prix, or he can keep his mouth shut, keep his mate at bay, and win the gold that he’s worked so hard for.

Easier said than done.

Black Ink by Anonymous1313 [Not Rated, 60K] *WIP

Being together was what nature had dictated them to be. Alpha and omega. Their families had thought so too, agreeing to marry them to one another once they were old enough. A joyous union between the Nikiforovs and the Katsukis.

But Viktor had decided that they would not be controlled by what their parents had set out for the both of them at a time in the past when neither he nor Yuuri even knew the other existed.

“I was hoping as soon as you turn eighteen, you’d… sign the termination contract.”

Because after all, he and Yuuri were no good for each other.

...Right?

"If… if that's what you really want."

"It is. I'm sorry."

By Any Name by @kiaronna [T, 7K]

Makkachin pounces, and the white paper bag spills from Yuuri’s hand onto the floor of Yu-topia’s entryway. A printed out medical prescription—and two bottles of what are unmistakably heat suppressants.

“Beta,” is all Viktor can croak as Yuuri stops kissing Makkachin’s head enough to start unceremoniously scooping the mess back into the bag. “But you’re a beta?”

“Hmm?” Yuuri says, eyes flicking to the pill label, “oh, these are for Mari.”

“I see,” Viktor replies, gathering himself together enough to sweetly wink at his student, “Mari.”

Yuuri just squints at him, tilts his head. “Yes, that’s what I said?”

Viktor Nikiforov is convinced his student has a massive, sexy secret, and will not be swayed (or distracted)! He will be supportive! Even when the evidence isn’t lining up…

Choice by ayn2390 [E, 5K]

“Look, it’s a shitty world for Omegas, kid. I’m not going to pretend it’s not. You can either make the best of it or–” she waves her hand, beer sloshing in the bottle “–give up on it. That’s the one thing you have a choice in.”

don’t call me baby (unless you mean it) by sparklespiff [E, 9K] *Yuuri/Victor/Yuri

When Yuri got home that night, he couldn’t help himself. He lifted the fabric to his face and inhaled. Their scents had faded a little, but it still smelled like Victor and Yuuri, mixed with his own scent. This was what it would smell like if he were theirs. If they were his. This was what it would smell like every day, if he lived in a world where they wanted him. He took another deep sniff– champagne and fresh ice and saltwater and metal and Yuri– and then, instead of throwing it in the wash like he should have, he brought the hoodie with him to bed.

He wore it the next day, and if anybody noticed that he smelled like Victor and Katsudon, they didn’t say anything.

Or:

Yuri has a hopeless crush. (spoiler alert: it’s not hopeless)

hold me tender, hold me sweet by @crossroadswrite [M, 9K]

Here are a couple of things to have in consideration about the scenario Victor finds himself in:

1. Yuuri is wearing three different pairs of very soft looking socks because his feet are very cold, a pair of boxers, Victor’s blanket and nothing else

2. Victor’s never actually helped another omega through a heat. He’s barely had enough heats to know what he’s doing, choosing to supress them until his doctor’s lips were a thin line and they started talking about impact on his performance and making the supressants less effective. There wasn’t really anyone around when he had to have his heats, so it’s not like he even has the experience of watching others do

3. Yuuri’s room smells like sex, strawberry candy and energy drinks

4. Victor likes Yuuri very, very much and he has no idea what to do with himself around him most of the time

(OR: what if heats sucked a little bit and you just cuddled a lot and also being touch starved made you physically ill?)

my feelings, this love for you series by crossroadswrite [T to E, 7K]

a/b/o AU where Yuuri is a dog groomer omega and Victor is a dog clothes designer omega

My Name On Your Lips by @feels-like-fire [E, 108K]

Yuuri Katsuki has been betrothed to the High King's son, Victor, since he was just a child; furthermore, as an omega, he's forbidden from practicing magic in combat. For years, he's been able to put off the former because the Prince was traveling abroad, and gotten around the latter by practicing with his mentor in secret.

Now Victor Nikiforov has finally returned home, and Yuuri is being summoned to the capital for their wedding. He needs a plan to put off marriage long enough to find a way to break the betrothal, while keeping his practicing from being discovered.

If only the Prince didn't have other ideas.

(Or, the swords-and-sorcery arranged marriage AU. Updates weekly.)

Panta Rhei by Kashoku [E, 93.8K]

This was a mistake. Viktor needed to somehow pry Yuuri off of him and leave the room immediately. Viktor was drunk, and Yuuri was so far beyond gone that there wasn’t even a word for it. But the alpha in Viktor was having an incredibly difficult time resisting the pungent scent of cherry blossoms and ocean that filled his nose. Viktor snapped.

They had been reckless.

Take Care by @burningphoenixwings [T, 2K]

Yuuri Katsuki is an alpha.

He hates it.

Growing up, he never thought he’d present as anything. Classmates would talk about what they wanted to be — in hushed tones, since it wasn’t considered a polite subject for children—and could spend hours discussing why they were so sure they were an alpha or how this one thing that happened this one time definitely meant they were an omega.

Yuuri just wanted biology to leave him alone.

Those Three Words by @azriona [M, 31K]

Their one night of passion in Sochi left Victor Nikiforov with a bit more of a souvenir than either he or Yuuri Katsuki bargained for. Oops?

To Hold, To Have Universe series by @jaeger-babe [E, 41K] *WIP

Summary of the first fic in the series

Yuuri pulls the sheets back over himself, despite his burning skin. “My heat has come early, is all.”

“Oh!” Minami gasps, wringing his hands and suddenly looking hopelessly lost. “Should I get Lord Nikiforov for you?”

“No!” Yuuri says sharply. The fear of his Lord Husband seeing him in his heated state far outweighs any guilt he feels for yelling at his servant. “Minami, you are not to tell Lord Nikiforov that I’m in heat!”

Unintentionally Yours by articas_ursula [T, 77K] *WIP

Yuri foolishly barges in right before Yuuri’s heat starts; Victor attacks him, thinking Yuri wants to steal his mate; Yuuri nearly kills Victor for harming “their pup”; Yuri just wants his skates back.

In the present, the three grow as a family while in the past, Victor faces the events of Yuri On Ice with an ABO twist.

You Can’t Plan for Everything by RivDev [E, 168.8K] *WIP

Yuuri forgets that he has a scheduled heat coming up until it’s just a couple weeks away. He scrambles to get everything ready in time, including deciding whether he’ll spend it alone or with someone. Victor only wants to help.

@alykapediaaa’s a/b/o fics in their like an overripe fruit series [M to E, 8K]

@dreaming-fireflies’ Three Prompts AU Collection, some of which are set in omegaverse [M, ?]

@yukipri ’s Future!Verse ABO AU, a multi-media (art, comics, headcanons) Yuuri-centric polyamory (with Victor, Yuri, Phichit, Minami, Chris, and Otabek) a/b/o AU. Mostly domestic fluff with OC children. [G to M, ?]

---

ETA - Other people's rec:

The Art of Scraping Through by fuzzycatsandgoofyhats, IncandescentAntelope

Thanks for the rec, @alistairvt! ❤

#yuri on ice #yoi #yoi fic rec #omegaverse #abo

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murasaki-murasame · 7 years

Text

Yuri on Ice Rewatch: Episode 1

I’ve been planning to do this for a while now, and since the one-year anniversary has come around, I figured now would be a convenient time to start this rewatch. I know I might be a day early on this, but I don’t think I’d have time tomorrow to do this, so I’d rather do it now and get it up a day early than get it up a day late.

We’ll see how this turns out, but I at least want to use this rewatch to discuss my own personal history with this show, how it affected me while it was coming out, what the fandom was like at the time, etc. So this will probably be less of a review or anything like that, and more of a trip down memory lane for me as I revisit this show. Basically this is just my way of getting out all my feelings on this show, so keep that in mind.

I only decided yesterday to start this now as part of the anniversary rather than doing it sometime next year before the movie comes out, so this first post might be a little messy and unorganized, but I should get the hang of it soon enough.

My plan at the moment is to rewatch one episode a week, on each of their respective anniversary dates, for the next few months. If I can manage that. After that, I might try and do a cohesive review of the show as a whole, and I might do a post about my speculation regarding the movie. We’ll see.

I’ll put the rest under a cut since everything after this point ended up being like 3.6k words long and I think I spent like three hours on it.

Before I properly sit down and rewatch episode one, I want to talk for a bit about my history with the show before it aired, what my expectations were, etc.

I’ve more or less been with this show from the very start. I remember seeing the initial teaser image of the logo, and all of the proper trailers as they came out. I didn’t really think much about the teaser image when it came out, since I’m not really a huge fan of sports anime in general, I didn’t really have an interest in figure skating in particular, and I didn’t know much of anything about Sayo Yamamoto as a director. I’m pretty sure that after the teaser image came out, I started hearing vague whispers about how amazing Yamamoto was, and how great her shows were, so I decided pretty early on that I was probably going to watch it, even though I didn’t have much to go on.

Right from the start we all pretty much assumed that the show was going to be about female figure skaters. Partly because I’m pretty sure the logo was pink the first time we sure it, partly because Yamamoto was most well-known for doing shows about women, and partly because it had the word ‘yuri’ in the title. It was pretty obvious that that wasn’t actually what it meant, but damn if it didn’t stop people from making jokes about it. Though I guess it didn’t help that we also had Yuri Kuma Arashi from a few years before that did indeed use that exact meaning of the word in it’s title.

Then a few months or so later the trailers started coming out, and we got a better idea of what the show was actually about. And let me just say that the ‘yaoi on ice’ jokes stopped being funny the exact moment the first one was made. And they were definitely made immediately after the first trailer came out, way before the show even started.

At the time, the idea of it being about male figure skaters made me pretty immediately cautious, since sports anime has a pretty bad track record of shallow queerbaiting, and I didn’t really expect this show to be the one that finally delivered. It didn’t help that some of the scenes used in the trailers, like the lip-touching in episode three, didn’t quite come across well out of context.

I also want to take the time to mention that the season right before Yuri on Ice started, we had Battery: The Animation, which was basically like the polar opposite of YoI in terms of being a sports anime with a gay protagonist. It was just . . . not great. At all. It went a long way toward reaffirming my doubts about if the sports genre could ever do this sort of thing well, which made me even MORE apprehensive about YoI. I still have a bit of a grudge against it to this day, but it at least serves as a very convenient way for me to point out how ludicrous it is for anyone to act like any sports anime with a gay protagonist would be popular and successful, because that show sure as heck wasn’t. I should also point out that in the same season we had the Danganronpa 3 anime, and even though this is kinda sort of a spoiler, it had a pretty . . . depressing and not great depiction of a gay male character, so that was like a one-two punch of me getting pessimistic about the chances of ever getting good and happy gay rep out of the anime industry.

Either way, even in spite of that, the animation quality and the music from the trailers alone were enough to win me over and make me want to give it a try, even if I was bracing myself for disappointment.

Also, even though I don’t think I ended up watching it until way later, I highly recommend that any Yuri on Ice fans check out Endless Night, which was Sayo Yamamoto’s Animator Expo short film from a year or two ago. You can really tell how she was regaining her enthusiasm as a director by going all in on her love for figure skating. In hindsight it’s pretty interesting to consider that she probably did Endless Night when she had already begun working on Yuri on Ice as a concept and shopping it around. For the record, she also went on to do the opening sequence of Persona 5, which is another example of her putting her love of figure skating into her work.

Anyway I should probably actually sit down and watch the episode itself before I spend an hour on this whole beginning section alone. I think I’ll keep making these beginning sections for each post before I sit down and watch the episode itself, but they’ll hopefully be less lengthy than this one.

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OK let me just say first of all that I spent pretty much the entire episode choking up, and I was basically on the verge of tears during the entire ED sequence. I knew that rewatching this would be an emotional experience for me.

It’s kinda difficult to even put into words how much Yuri on Ice means to me as an individual, especially since I’d like to stick mostly to talking about this first episode alone. But I’ll at least say that it is undeniably the most personally meaningful piece of media I’ve ever encountered. It means the world to me. Before it aired, I had pretty much become resigned to the idea that, at least within the anime industry, the best representation I was going to get was some variation of the Bury Your Gays trope. I’ll probably get more into this later down the line, but I don’t think I even consciously realized exactly how much I needed something like this, since even outside of anime I’d never really experienced a story like this. And even when I started watching it, the full effect and realization of how meaningful it was to me was a gradual process that kept building up and up as the show continued to surpass my expectations, more or less culminating in episode ten.

Which is part of why I like the opening monologue of this episode on multiple levels. It obviously refers specifically to Yuri’s sense of unending surprise toward Viktor as a person [which obviously gains more and more context and weight as the show goes on], but it also matches the way that the show itself was an unending series of surprises for us as the audience. We had no idea what to expect from it, and it kept getting better and better.

It’s probably not even worth noting at this point that this rewatch series is going to mostly be focused on the romantic sub-plot in the show, because that’s the part I love the most. Obviously I love the entire show and all of it’s facets, but still. I guess my main point here is more that I won’t be talking that much about the sports aspect specifically, for the most part, since I have less of an interest in sports in general, and I’m not particularly well-versed in how figure skating works so I’d feel hesitant to talk about it much. I have immense respect and love for all of the people in the fandom who ARE actually into figure skating, though, either as fans or as athletes. Their insight into the show has been an invaluable resource for me. I might not be much of a sports fan in general, but having a greater understanding of how it works, by listening to what other people have been saying since the show started, has definitely added to my overall appreciation for the show as a whole.

Also, somewhat ironically, this is one of the episodes with the least to talk about romance-wise since Yuri and Viktor have like thirty seconds of shared screen-time in it, so I’m probably going to spend most of this post talking about other stuff. Mostly.

To start with, I love the animation and art across the show as a whole, but I think we can all agree that episode one is the peak in terms of animation quality. Not that the other episodes are badly animated in any real way, just that this episode really hits it out the park with some stunning sequences. There’s some wonderful bits of character animation in this episode, like Minako’s ballet move when she meets Yuri at the airport, or the cut of Hiroko running up to meet Yuri at the inn’s entrance, or Yuko being all bouncy and energetic. Not to mention really well-done close-up shots like the bathroom scene with Yuri and Yurio. I really like the heavily shaded and sharp style used in that scene.

But of course, the real stand-out piece of animation in this episode was definitely the joint Stammi Vicino performance, which is still one of my favourite scenes in the show. It’s incredibly well done. It’s a bit sad that none of the skating animation after this episode quite matches it, aside from maybe Welcome to the Madness, but I’m pretty sure that this sequence in this episode took several months to animate on it’s own, so I can’t exactly blame them for not keeping this level of quality once we started getting like five or six performances an episode.

One of the things that I remember surprising me the most about the show at first was how dynamic, energetic, fast-paced, and feel-good it was. With how relatively somber and slow the trailers were, and with the vague whispers I’d heard of Sayo Yamamoto being a cult classic director, I kinda got it into my head that the show would have a more . . . low-key atmosphere and sense of pacing than it actually did. I’m not sure how to describe it. In general I tend to think of obscure cult classic directors as the kinds of people who make things that are slow, psychological, moody, probably depressing, etc etc. So I was not at all expecting something as vibrant and fun and full of personality as what we got in this. I still think that the relentlessly feel-good vibe of the show is a huge reason why it struck so well with people. It doesn’t really get mentioned a lot, but it can be a surprisingly difficult concept to describe, at least in a way more detailed than just saying ‘fun things are fun’.

I also want to give a shout-out to the background art of the show, which is fantastic across the board for the entire show. I’m never really good at articulating my praise for stuff like this, but still. I think the show would have looked a lot different, and a lot worse, if it had more generic background art. Especially in terms of colour palette and shading and whatnot.

To this day, I still deeply appreciate the fact that this is a story about adult athletes who are high up in their respective field, and are struggling with adult problems. It helps to set it apart so much from most sports anime out there. Of course, even this sort of concept could be handled badly by a lesser production team, but you get what I mean. It’s a breath of fresh air. And, along the same lines, I also love that it’s clearly aimed at a more adult audience than a lot of other anime in general. It’s easy to not really think about it, because we kinda associate things ‘aimed at an adult audience’ with things that have lots of nudity or violence, but I think the idea still applies here. And even if it’s not handled quite the same as what we’d think of as ‘depictions of adult sexuality in television’, there’s still a whole lot of sexiness going on in this show.

Just to lay it out there, I honestly think that Yuri is one of my favourite fictional characters of all time, if not my absolute favourite. I have so many strong feelings about him. He’s absolutely wonderful. His entire character arc and personal journey is one of the most inspirational things I’ve seen in my life. And for a lot of reasons I just see a lot of myself in him, even though we’re very different people.

I don’t know where else to say this, so I guess I’ll just say here that it was his development and journey that inspired me to get into drawing, which I’d been putting off for years because I didn’t think I’d be good at it or enjoy it enough. I haven’t exactly done the best job at keeping up with it as a hobby, but over the last ten months or so I’ve nearly completed one sketchbook, so that’s something! I’ve only posted one drawing of mine thus far, but I plan to post more as time goes on. Probably mostly stuff to do with my OCs. I definitely want to do some proper Yuri on Ice fan art though in the future and post it here, and I’m still kinda sad I didn’t get any done by today, but I’ve been too busy lately to work on it, and I didn’t want to rush something out just to meet a certain important date. I’ll try and post some by the time I’ve done this rewatch, though.

Of course, that’s not the only thing this show has helped me with, on a personal level. I’ll probably get more into this over the rest of the rewatch, especially at the end, but this show really has become an emotional support for me. It’s helped me through a lot of dark places. I don’t know where I’d be without it.

One thing I want to get into is how incredibly different this episode feels in hindsight, now that I know what happens later. I’ve already rewatched it once, so it’s not a big surprise or anything, but still. The scenes with Viktor in particular feel very different when you know who he is as a person. When you know that he’s just a lonely, dissatisfied dude who wants to feel love and passion. The Stammi Vicino scene in particular is even more depressing and emotional when you understand that it’s basically a cry for help.

The fandom hypes up the episode ten twist and how it recontextualizes the entire show, and it really, REALLY does. It makes everything feel way different when you understand that Yuri was the one who asked Viktor to be his coach, and that he was the one who first enthralled Viktor by giving him a glimpse at a possible path to revitalizing his love of skating, and finding true, genuine love along the way. Of course Yuri was already enthralled by Viktor as an idolized god figure of sorts before that, but you get what I mean. The banquet was basically the first time they properly met as individuals. But I won’t go too deeply into the banquet scene just yet. I’ll save that for the episode ten post.

[Also I should probably admit that I still can’t quite remember if the banquet happens before or after the ‘commemorative photo’ scene. I know I should have the exact timeline of events there memorized, but it’s kinda foggy]

It’s also sorta interesting to look at Yurio’s whole attitude in hindsight, knowing that he always secretly admired Yuri and was angry at him because he knew he had so much potential and strength within him. But honestly, just to be blunt, I still don’t really care that much about Yurio’s character in general so this part is kinda vastly overshadowed by, uh, everything else, lol. I don’t really dislike Yurio or anything, I just think that he’s the least compelling or interesting of the major characters.

Before I get into shifting focus toward what the general audience reaction to this episode was, I should probably comment on the OP and ED a bit, since I haven’t yet. Personally I adore both of them. They’re wonderful. I still think that History Maker is one of the more iconic and memorable anime OP songs out there, and it never ceases to make me emotional. I still wish that the actual art and animation for the OP was more . . . interesting, though. The animation style is really good, but it suffers from a lot of noticeable recycling of animation, and the backgrounds are pretty flat and empty, although I still like the splashes of colour done at the start. I’m not entirely sure how I’d suggest improving the OP visually aside from doing it completely differently, though. But there are other Sayo Yamamoto OPs I prefer visually to this one. Like the more recent Kakegurui OP. I don’t really know if that OP’s style would have fit Yuri on Ice, but still. Even with my slight gripes about the visuals, I really can’t overstate how much I adore the song itself.

The ED is also really nice. It gets kinda overshadowed by the OP, but it’s still good on it’s own. The Instagram style is really effective and feels fresh and modern. The song itself is rather good, but not quite as memorable as History Maker. The real strong point of the ED is definitely the visual side of things. Other than the aforementioned Instagram style, I really love the images used. The assorted pictures of all the various skaters are nice, and help set up their characters pretty well, but the best part is definitely the fun, domestic scenes between Yuri and Viktor that are interspersed throughout the ED. They’re absolutely fantastic, and they’re the main reason why I have a desperate need for an entire OVA purely consisting of those sorts of scenes. I’m still internally screaming over how the scenes of them playing at the beach and them playing under the fountain were meant to be actual scenes, but were cut for time. I’d love to see what those scenes would have been like. Even the glimpses we got are wonderful, especially with how they help paint a broad picture of how happy and fun their daily lives were together, and how close they got over the course of the show. Especially after episode four or so. It just kills me in the best way possible, to think that stuff like them playing at the beach and being casually touchy-feely and just being happy and joyful was probably a completely normal daily thing for them. Not to mention the other little moments we see, like that one shot of Yuri smiling with his eyes closed while Viktor’s sitting behind him, combing his hair. It’s such a perfectly domestic and casually intimate little moment. It melts my heart every time I look at it. The more I think back on the entire show in hindsight, the more it rings true that Yuri really is the only one who gets to see Viktor’s hidden cute side. Considering that we see basically the entire show from Yuri’s POV, it’s easy to forget that basically everything about how Viktor acts around him is very different to how he is with other people.

Also I just wanna quickly say that the show’s soundtrack is fantastic. Both the background music and the skating songs. Though the skating songs are a bit more punchy and memorable. Just hearing Stammi Vicino still makes me tear up a bit.

Anyway, now I should probably touch a bit on the wider audience reaction to this episode. I won’t really have a lot to say on this end of things for this entire rewatch, since it’s kinda difficult to dig up the stuff people were saying a year ago, but still.

The most convenient links I can find to reactions are the Anime News Network Preview Guide post about the first episode, and the Reddit discussion thread for episode one.

The main point I want to make with this is that everyone pretty much immediately loved the show, and most people pretty much agreed that it was the best premiere of the Fall 2016 season. Which I agree with. It’s probably one of the best first episodes I’ve seen out of all the anime I’ve watched.

Though it’s also sorta amusing in hindsight to see people’s reactions to the homoeroticism and whatnot, and everyone’s apprehensions about how it’ll go in the long run. That is, just ‘cause at this point we know where it goes, and that it fully commits to itself. I don’t think anyone watching episode one expected that we’d end the show referring to Yuri and Viktor as fiances/husbands with no trace of irony or wishful thinking.

Anyway I should cut this short because it’s like 2am and my brain is gonna melt soon if I keep writing so yeah let’s just stop for now.

As I said before, I’m gonna try and get one episode/post done per week, so I’ll try and get my Episode 2 post out around this same time next week. I expect that most of the rest of these posts will be a whole lot shorter than this one, though, since there’s so much stuff I wanted to say right off the bat that I probably won’t need to go over again later. Some of these posts might actually be pretty short, depending on how much I can find to say about some of the more skating-dense episodes. We’ll see. I’ll try and at least stick to this schedule.

#murasaki rambles #yuri on ice #I was hoping to get some fan art done and posted today but that didn't work out #I'll try and get some done eventually #I hope I can stick to doing this for the next three months #it'll be a bit of a commitment #but I'm happy to finally have a good excuse to go crazy with gushing about my feelings about this show <3

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