I Like Dick Best When He's Stylistically Handsome And Not Just... A Man Who Is Handsome. Does That Make

I feel bad for Lin Ling, but my brain demands angst. Or the horrors. Miss J said that Nice's fans have been waiting long enough for him to reach the top. And if for the public (for it's significant part at least) heroes are nothing more than spectacular characters, what if even after Lin Ling became his own hero, some fans would demand Nice's comeback. Like "yeeeah the OG is dead((( but the copy looks just like him! also he has new cool fighting techniques! and he genuinely loves Moon like Nice is supposed to! idk the commoner is just a downgrade in comparison :( i miss Nice's grace, commoner is just... meh". They would leave negative comments, spread their opinion, attract like-minded people. And no matter how hard Lin tries to move on from Nice, Nice would be forced upon him. The fans' will is no joke after all. Damage to his mental health (he finally became "himself", but there're people who prefer false identity other the real one and see him as a perfect mannequin) would be bearable, but then their desires pile up and start to affect his appearance again - everyday, looking at the mirror, he would notice more and more white strands. And distinct flecks of blue in his brown eyes... Sure, he has loyal fans ready to support The Commoner no matter what, but the consequences of "playing Nice" would haunt him. Because it's the fans who create the hero. And some fans have different plans for you. Teehee.

Thank you so much for the lovely message @kayharts! Sakura and Suo are one of my fave duos in WBK as well, and there’s a lot that can be said about these two! I’m happy that my posts were able to provide the insight you needed.

To answer your question, this is actually something I’ve actually been meaning to make a writeup about, so your ask prompted me to actually make a post for it lol. But without further ado:

Sakura’s perspective of Suo

To start off, I’d like to say that Sakura hasn’t exactly regarded Suo on an individual level. He considers him as a part of his community alongside his other peers.

Sakura doesn’t have any of his internal dialogue that directly acknowledges Suo (as he did for Endo) or ‘impactful’ memories of him (like with Umemiya and Nirei) that shapes his development outside of Suo’s advice.

The only exception is this scene in Chapter 145, in which Sakura’s view on Suo is quite… convoluted, to say the least.

The reason why Sakura thinks that Suo is “full of crap” is because of how he constantly lies to mess with Sakura specifically (though Sakura hasn’t picked up on this). And yet, Sakura still believes every word Suo says…

This even bleeds into how Sakura addresses to Suo’s direct praise with apprehensiveness (though he does blush more at the words; you aren’t slick Sakura).

Coupled with the incessant teasing and the way Suo had treated Kanuma in Shishitoren, it’s no wonder why Sakura generalizes him as someone who “teases everyone at every chance he gets”. This isn’t remotely true; though Suo does tend to poke fun at others, his main victim is Sakura himself.

But then again, that scene in particular is just Sakura over-generalizing his classmates (you can tell that Sakura and Kiryu were not that close back then because his opinion on him is the only one that’s remotely positive) in order to juxtapose the fact that he believes that his peers are genuinely good people in the next page. Because despite the misconstrued perceptions Sakura has on their “flaws”, he still wants to protect and live alongside the people he cares about.

Additionally, I would like to tack on a big yet to the first two statements of this post. Wind Breaker’s (and Sakura’s, to that extent) story is far from over, and there is much potential for how his and Suo’s relationship can develop further [between a protagonist and deurotagonist]. For now, I’ll focus on what has been established in canon.

Circling back to Shishitoren, we see that Sakura says Suo has a rotten personality. In fact, he is the only one who openly criticizes Suo’s treatment.

Despite this, he doesn’t seem to harbor much resentment towards Suo. In fact, one can argue that Sakura is more so curious, given the fact he had the initiative to ask Nirei more about him (when he hadn’t done so for the other Furin students). Sakura also wanted to fight Suo despite the latter not provoking him, and Sakura not actively applying Umemiya’s advice (of fights being a conversation) at that point of the story.

Sakura is also shown (and not told) to trust Suo wholeheartedly.

Before Noroshi, Sakura lets his vice captain come up with a strategy, relying on him to do something he has no expertise in. Despite Sakura’s embarrassment, he’s come a long way from being so afraid to ask for help from others before.

Sakura also reluctantly agrees to work with Sugishita despite their animosity, because it was Suo’s idea.

Suo also points out his Achille’s heel while fighting. Despite Sakura’s initial apprehensiveness, he chooses to believe in Suo in the end.

Following Suo’s advice works out in Sakura’s favor when he fought alongside Sugishita, and even his fights after Noroshi.

There’s also this scene in Roppo where Sakura imitates one of Kanji’s moves; he uses Suo’s shoulder to support himself (when he can jump to that kind of height by himself easily) and kick at Endo’s face.

As for what you said in regards of Sakura knowing whether Suo is hiding something deeper or not, nothing has been explicitly confirmed as now. Until we get something [meaningful] from Sakura that directly addressees Suo as a character, we won’t really know. In any case, Sakura would most likely respect Suo’s boundaries and not pry into his business (especially if Suo’s advice to Sakura stems from shared experiences).

I can definitely see where your speculation is coming from, though. It’s inevitable at this point; I’m 99% sure that Sakura’s request to fight Suo in Shishitoren (and Suo’s declaration to do his best) foreshadows a future fight between them. Given how closed off the two are as you said, it would be the only way they can understand each other.

My last dissertation proved definitively posited that Zoro does not get jealous over Luffy, except in the live action where he is hilariously transparent and insecure. But what about the other way around?

[For a delightful representation of the sentiments conveyed within this rant, I highly recommend the fic good things take time by cosmosthistle. It’s a beautiful piece of writing that exactly embodies my understanding of Luffy as a maturing MC with naive yet complex feelings. It’s a pretty popular fic but give it a read if you haven’t had a chance!]

Can we all agree that Luffy has abandonment issues? For a happy-go-lucky guy with no inner dialogue, he’s genuinely afraid of losing those closest to him. He can’t go on without his crew. This was my number one takeaway from Sabaody. Luffy is inherently possessive over his entire crew. They make up a key part of his identity, and he will fight the world for all of them.

Out of his entire crew, I’ll dare to say Zoro is probably the most of the most important to Luffy. Again, Zoro is Luffy’s voice of reason, moral support, enabler, and rabid attack dog rolled into one muscular package. Luffy holds him in high regard. He is 100% possessive of Zoro. But is he insecure about Zoro’s feelings for him to develop feelings of jealousy over his swordsman?

My answer is, yes, at times. And it sounds crazy because why would Luffy be insecure?! Who is more loyal than Zoro?! The crazy part is, Luffy can be too naive and vulnerable at times to see Zoro’s complete devotion.

At Water Seven when Zoro prevents him from welcoming back Usopp, Zoro actually threatens to leave if Luffy doesn’t hold his ground. And while there is no way Luffy would sacrifice Zoro to get Usopp back, the fact that Zoro voices the threat at all shocks Luffy to the core. Luffy already can’t deal when a crew member leaves (Nami, Usopp, Robin, Sanji). I can’t even fathom what he’d do if Zoro left him.

While Zoro has shown his loyalty time and time again to the audience, to Luffy, his initial promise was if Luffy stood in the way of his dreams, he’d cut Luffy down. And Luffy will never know what Zoro did for him at Thriller Bark. Luffy doesn’t know the extent of Zoro’s devotion (and I think he’d be furious if he ever finds out). Luffy thinks Zoro and him are equals; he doesn’t realize Zoro has placed his captain above his own ambitions, that Zoro is his. He may feel it, but he doesn’t know it at his core.

Because of this unknown, Luffy has the potential to feel insecure should something/someone else take away Zoro’s attention. If someone appears able to offer Zoro something Luffy can’t/hasn’t, Luffy would be confused, unable to voice his frustration, and generally drown in a jealousy he cannot explain. This is more of a potential pre-time skip.

In summary, Luffy, especially early One Piece Luffy, definitely has the potential for jealousy. I hope we get to see more of that in fics as writers become more confident at portraying Luffy as a complex, multifaceted character.

The AMOUNT of Dick Grayson character ERASURE…

…that occurs to prop up the Bruce Wayne that exists in everyone’s head is just…baffling to me.

Lemme point out that the #TiredDad chasing after everyone, and trying to force them in a get-along shirt so they can actually get shit DONE…who probably has done the most wellness check-ins and evaluations…who gives a stern talking-to when someone has gone off the rails…and gives chances to those who don’t always deserve it…the guy who has heart-to-hearts on rooftops and has the tough talks with people about things not everyone wants to hear…the guy who puts himself LAST and keeps the wrongs done to him to himself…basically the unsung Knight figure in his group and the difficult brooding parent who’s loyal enough and supportive enough to let people make their own choices that either fail or succeed on their own merit, but he’ll be there Regardless…

Dick is HANDS DOWN the Batman that lives Rent Free in everyone’s noodle.

Every time a fan has a headcannon about Bruce as a Dad…about 7/10 GUARANTEED that Dick either has in CANON-ly DONE IT as either Batman or Nightwing.

And that’s the TEA NO ONE on this HELLSITE can actually handle.

If you think that Dick doesn't share his problems with other people because he thinks it will upset others...

Let me introduce you:

Dick knows perfectly well that he has a world of people who would drop everything to go help him, that he would never be a bother to them, but that's precisely why he doesn't want to worry them, because as he is usually the support, he knows how tiring it can be, and because he doesn't want anyone to think that he is unwilling to help them.

Do you think Zoro has ever looked at Rayleigh and felt his insides freeze from fear? Do you think he sees a version of his own future where despite everything he’s tried, despite all the blood he’s shed and would go on to shed, his captain would still slip away from his hold — and he’d be left adrift for the rest of his days, drinking to oblivion, alone, bereft of any and all purpose?

Or do you think Zoro would be filled with contempt instead, and disgust at how the peerless Dark King failed to save his own captain’s life, even though it was no fault of his? Do you think Zoro, possessing the stubbornness and bravado of a much younger man, would insist that if it were him, nothing — absolutely no man or force in the universe — would be strong enough to rend him from Luffy’s side, and if Luffy had to die like Roger had to die, that Zoro would simply follow him to the afterlife?

Or do you think perhaps he’s unable to picture it at all — a life without Luffy’s warmth — so he ignores the many parallels between them and avoids contemplating the matter entirely? Perhaps he rather pities Rayleigh, because the former right hand man of the Pirate King should be free, but Rayleigh will never again know the meaning of the word, haunted as he is by a ghost he can’t bear to exorcise.

Nobody notices anything. So, there's nothing to notice, right?

Even Cass doesn't notice anything when she sees him. He's the same old Dick Grayson. He smiles and jokes. Of course, he's a little irritated about being in the mansion for no reason other than the fact that they had to meet at least once every few months, but he's fine.

Damian updates him on his school, and Dick rolls his eyes and grunts in between comments, knowing that the already outdated education system even in his time remains exactly the same now.

Tim asks his opinion on some programs he's developing. He may not be as good as Barbara's, but Tim knows Dick will easily spot the mistakes he doesn't after having read the lines of code five hundred times. Dick notices the errors just as he thinks (when you are learning the code for the first time, it is easier than when you have it in your head and recite it by heart rather than read it).

Only God knows why Jason is still there—maybe it's the food, maybe he's waiting for something. They barely speak to each other so as not to start fights, but they joke around, which is enough to keep the atmosphere comfortable.

Cass asks when they'll cook together again. Duke wants to join in this time.

Everything's fine. There's nothing wrong with Dick.

They decide to train before everyone goes back out on patrol in their places, Dick and Jason will soon disappear from the mansion and won't return for months, so why not?

Everything is fine, Dick is still joking around with them. There's nothing wrong.

Until the first moment he steps into the training area, he suddenly kicks a mannequin so hard that it literally breaks its neck and the doll's head flies off.

Oh... He's angry.

Controversial opinion, but I don't think I like good dad Bruce Wayne.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not saying I don't like Bruce being a good dad, but it is hard for me to enjoy it when he's like that all the time. When he suddenly knows how to communicate, or what to do when there's an emotional issue, or that he's now smiling and reassuring his children so easily.

Is just too abrupt after what we've seen so far of him as a parent.

I can't buy this new version of Bruce without any deserved development or previous arc that triggered this drastic change in the way he acts, specially towards his kids. And I get it's usually like an alternative self, and he's always been like that in that kind of universes, but it just feels too easy.

Is like working so hard for something only to be given it without a chance of showing off all the work you've done to get there. Is not fulfilling or satisfying (to me).

And I get the hype, I do, but there's also so much history of the characters that wouldn't have happened had Bruce been truly that great and supportive dad that some portray. It erases too much for me to fully like it.

So, yeah, good dad Bruce I can only enjoy when he's had the proper growth as a character that doesn't erase everything he's done before and instead shows the long journey he had to go through as a person to get to that point.

Honestly, I’m exhausted by the discourse surrounding Aldo Bellini :)))

Why can’t we keep the canon intact and build on it, rather than bashing Aldo’s character to fit a different narrative? The depth of his relationship with Thomas, the weight of their history, the fact that they know each other too well—that’s what makes their story so rich. It doesn’t need to be rewritten, and Aldo doesn’t need to be cast aside to justify another interpretation...

What exactly has he done wrong? The way people project their own political views onto this fictional character—one who has the courage to say outright that he refuses to be anything other than what he is and what he believes in, in order to sway undecided voters, even at the cost of the papacy—is ridiculous. The fact that he’s a liberal figure shouldn’t make him more politically skewed than the literal fascist in the film.

Yes, he stops speaking when the nuns enter the auditorium—who wouldn’t? They’re organizing a campaign in his name, one he never asked for.

Yes, he doesn’t address the women directly in the film as Benítez or Lawrence do. That does not make him a hypocrite regarding his views. The film is from Lawrence’s POV—we don’t see everything that happens outside of that lens.

He stands up to Tedesco, even if it’s short-lived, not because he’s weak, but because he’s done it countless times before, and it has changed nothing. It’s habitual—he has defended the late pope’s legacy against Tedesco before. As he himself mentioned, the smears, the leaks to the press—he faced the Venetian Patriarch again and again, likely alone, as one of the highest-ranking officials in the Vatican, shielding a dying pope who could no longer shield himself.

And Tedesco knew that. Canonically, he knew. Because he has eyes and ears everywhere in the Vatican. That’s why the last months of the late pope’s papacy were so brutal. Why the attacks against his leadership and his vision were so savage.

But Aldo still speaks up. He does. Thomas doesn’t. No one else in that room does—except Aldo and Vincent. And yes, Vincent articulates it better. He is more forceful, more impassioned, more genuine. Because this is his first time in the Curia, and he is stunned by the hypocrisy, by the blatant power-hunger of it all.

Aldo isn’t stunned. He can’t be. He has lived in it for too long, fought too many battles that went nowhere. He knows the game better than anyone, and he knows that fighting with everything he has won’t change the fact that the system has been built to withstand men like him. So does he still push back? Yes. Does he still try? Yes. But he no longer expects it to make a difference. Because it probably never has.

The idea that he is somehow spineless, or merely a foil to Vincent Benítez, while the actual deplorable men in the film go unchallenged by the fandom, is frustrating.

It ignores the central theme of Conclave: these are flawed, human men, all of them, shaped by faith, experience, and immense pressure. None of them are “better” than the others—they are all navigating their faith, their responsibilities, their mistakes, their choices.

Yes, Aldo later chooses a moderate candidate, Tremblay, rather than pushing for himself—but that’s what they’ve been reduced to by that point. Maybe if Aldo had been in the lead from the beginning, he would have fought harder. But it's one thing to be expected to win and another to be faced with the reality that he does not have enough support. And crucially, he has no idea that Tremblay only made it into the race because he bribed their brothers. Aldo isn’t playing politics for personal gain—he is choosing the lesser evil to salvage what he fumbled, to protect 40 years of progress, the legacy of the late Holy Father—progress that he personally fought for.

And we never know if Aldo actually accepted Tremblay’s offer to continue as Secretary of State if Tremblay won. We don’t even know if the offer was made. But even if it was—even if Aldo had accepted—it would not make him a bad person. It would not make him corrupt. It would make him pragmatic. It would make him someone willing to do what he could to keep his work alive, to preserve some of the progress of the Church, even in the face of his own failures. Accepting his shortcomings and trying to fix what he would be allowed to fix is not weakness. It is not cowardice. It is a man doing his best with what he has left.

Yes, in the book, he casts an early vote for someone who stands no chance, and then for Lawrence, who in his eyes is just as unlikely.

But imagine what it must be like to be so brilliant, so well-versed in theology, and so skilled in Vatican realpolitik, only to realize that those very traits make you unworthy of the papacy—because the papacy should be the result of divine intervention, not a media campaign that crowned him as the next pontiff before the conclave even began.

He knows the late pope betrayed Thomas’s trust by confiding in Aldo about Thomas’s struggles with prayer. And so he chooses to betray their late friend in return—not out of malice, but to ease Thomas’s burden, to tell him that even the pope had doubts too. To make sure Thomas understands that maybe the Church is what’s wrong—not Thomas, not him, not his faith.

Even in their worst moments, Aldo and Thomas do not let go of each other. They still sit next to each other, even after arguments. They still walk side by side. They still seek each other’s gaze, even in disapproval.

The core of Aldo and Thomas’s relationship—and I am only speaking about what we explicitly see—is that they know each other too well. So well that it’s uncomfortable. Their bond is deep, intimate, and painful because it forces them to confront parts of themselves they might otherwise ignore.

Thomas is right to call Aldo a coward in the moment that he does, but that doesn’t make him one—it means he was trapped by circumstance, by months of mounting pressure, by the expectation that he would step into the late pope’s shoes despite feeling unworthy. And Thomas knows that, too. That’s why he doesn’t make a sweeping judgment about Aldo’s character—he doesn’t mark him as faulty, doesn’t condemn him as lesser. He simply states that Aldo lacks the courage to become pope. Because at that moment, it’s true. But it isn’t about Aldo as a person—it’s about Thomas realizing, too late, that he backed the wrong candidate. That Aldo had been telling him from the beginning. That Aldo never wanted it. That he knew Aldo never wanted it and he finally accepted the truth of it.

And Aldo is right about Thomas’s ambition before Thomas even admits it to himself—before he confesses that he already has a papal name chosen.

Aldo—despite his anger—protects Thomas. He tells him to save his precious doubts for his prayers, but only after checking the corridor to make sure no one is listening, to make sure no one can use this to destroy his friend. Even when they lash out, even when they misunderstand each other, they still protect each other. Because the reality is, they are both exhausted, both distressed, both making mistakes. And that’s okay.

But this is not one-sided. They are very much equals. Aldo downplays Thomas’s doubts, yes, but Thomas does the exact same thing to Aldo. When Aldo tells Thomas he doesn’t believe he is worthy of being pope, Thomas laughs. He treats it like a joke because to him, Aldo is worthy.

But their friendship will not fall apart because of it.

The most important thing? They recover. Their closeness is neither a flaw nor a weakness. It is terrifying to be fully known by someone, but it is also a profoundly beautiful thing. They don’t doubt each other—they give their votes to each other through it all. They doubt themselves because the other sees too much, unearths too much. Their story is about tension, about recognition, about the pain of seeing and being seen—but ultimately, it is also about growth.

Aldo Bellini actively recognizes his mistakes, apologizes, and takes tangible steps to make things right—all in a single day—to fix the hurt he caused his dearest friend.

Aldo is the one who takes the first step. He is the one who acknowledges his own failings, and in doing so, he gives Thomas the space to admit his own. They were both right about each other. Not just Thomas being right about Aldo—Thomas could have sat with that, could have enjoyed the sense of superiority in the moment. But he doesn’t. Instead, he levels them. Because Aldo was brave. Because Aldo chose to be honest. Because it was unfair to dismiss him as a coward, while Thomas himself holds the truth of his ambition back.

And Aldo? He is genuinely happy when Vincent Benítez is elected. He claps, he stands, he moves on. He doesn’t dwell on the fact that he was the heir presumptive, that his dear late friend beat him in chess one last time. That the late pope was, once again, eight moves ahead. Because he doesn’t mind. He never wanted the papacy out of ambition—only out of necessity. That’s why he positioned himself as a foil to Tedesco’s views, not as a person. So, of course, he is relieved that a man with morals and principles was chosen instead, a person, not a politician.

Read the book. Read the script. Watch the film again.

These men don’t have to sacrifice their friendship just because a “new, better, shinier” person sits in the Vatican now. Because guess what? Vincent Benítez isn’t perfect either. He has struggled with his faith. He has experienced traumas that shaped him. This is a man who has faced warlords, mafias, criminals both petty and powerful. He is no stranger to being stripped of his vestments and forced to exist as nothing but a man. Even he, in the book, the script, the film, does not always act rationally. He throws Aldo’s arrogance about returning to Rome and potentially having to stay right back at him—and honestly, he isn’t wrong, neither is Aldo. Vincent is stubborn. He is not innocent, despite the name he chose. He needs Thomas’s acknowledgment of his anatomy for a reason. He has doubts, too. And doubts are not a bad thing. Just as Aldo seeks Thomas’s approval before taking the chessboard, before opening up, before allowing himself to grieve.

Aldo and Vincent are not foils—they are the same in their love, just as Aldo and Thomas are united in their pain, just as Aldo and Tedesco are the two sides of the same coin in their intellect and ideological strength. They are men. What they do is what sets them apart—and what brings them together.

And if you’re going to tell me that a stupid BuzzFeed quiz calling Aldo Bellini “spineless” months ago is still driving this entire discourse? Then maybe it’s time to admit you never understood him nor the source material in the first place.

I mean most wbk characters fight without the conversation and connection philosophy... Why is Sakura the only one who should win with that method not by feats. Doesn't they author love his mc to be the strongest and shine like the others? Sigh!

I would say a part of why there's more emphasis on it with Sakura than the other characters, is because Sakura's definitely positioned to be the person Umemiya thinks will take on his will and protect and care for the Furin he has created with the other upperclassmen.

This isn't to say that the other side character don't or are incapable of also understanding and applying Umemiya's philosophy in their fights, but Sakura mirrors so much of Umemiya. There are definitely a number of characters in Wind Breaker who came to Furin because they admire and want to also take on the mantle that Furin stands for. Others join Furin to rebel against what's trying to hold them down or oppressively change who they are; who won't accept certain aspects of who they are because of their own agendas or beliefs. But a number of these people aren't actually seeking to be The Top Dog. Not everyone who wants to fight to protect the town wants to be the person leading Furin. And there is a lot of potential dangers/issues with those who DO seek to be at the top, and have the power that comes with leadership. That's why so many Furin people, ESPECIALLY the upperclassmen, were wary of Sakura coming in and enrolling in Furin as someone from outside of town, even more so when he starts spouting that he wants to take the top spot.

Take Sugishita for example= The narrative even shines a light on the fact that shouldn't it be Sugishita who is shooting to become Furin's top spot when he's an upperclassman? Sugishita ABSOLUTELY hangs off of every word Umemiya says and admires what the guy stands for. But, Sugishita wants a low-key, peaceful life. He wants to be left alone and sleep most of the day. Sugishita struggles with connecting with his fellow classmates, let alone his opponents or those who stand against what Umemiya believes in. The upperclassmen adore and are rooting for Sugishita, but they know he wouldn't want to take Umemiya's spot.

Nirei too. Nirei is valued and supported by his classmtes. He deserves a place amidst their ranks because he has such drive and will to put everything he is into Furin's cause. But Nirei's not a leader. Not everyone is meant to be a leader. Nirei doesn't want to be a leader- he wants to be someone who lifts someone he finds worthy for that position (Sakura) TO the top spot. It's kind of hard to have a fight last long enough to be a conversation when when you don't know how to fight. He's learning how to fight (and doing an amazing job! I'm always so happy to see Nirei get a chance to show how far he's coming along in also holding his own in a fight!) but that's not going to be enough for Furin and Makochi when threats come knocking on their door.

To not just let emotions take over and instead make an effort to understand the other person- it's hard! It's not something that comes naturally to most people. But it surprisingly comes naturally to Sakura. Sakura is hungry for connections, he wants to understand people better because he assumed everyone was the same in the past and realized that that's not the case. And it definitely comes naturally to Umemiya. However, I wouldn't go so far as to say no one else fights with this philosophy in mind. The freshman characters are green newbies. They've got the spirit, they're putting their effort behind Umemiya and Sakura and all of what Furin stands for, but they're a little too inexperienced to actually internalize Umemiya's style. Who has had the experience and has been a part of Umemiya's fight to make his dream a reality? The four kings. Specifically, Tsubaki and Hiragi immediately come to mind so I'll talk about their fights/conversations!

Tsubaki rolls up to the fight against Gravel with a number of (anger-fueled) assumptions and very much acting out of his protectiveness of Shizuka.

Even still, Tsubaki wants their fight to be a dialogue. He's still applies Umemiya's philosophy in this fight, even after calling Suzuri his 'prey' and clearly being pissed off about Gravel trying to break down Suzuki and take her away from this life she's found with her sister Tsubaki and the guys of Roppo-Ichiza.

Tsubaki makes his stance known. That fighting to protect the things you love makes you stronger. It doesn't matter what it is- if it's important to you, if it makes you happy- then it is worth fighting for. Tsubaki doesn't get angry when Suzuri calls him insane when he says that loving makeup makes him stronger. He instead says 'okay let me prove it to you. Let me show you my strength' (my god I love the energy in the "Let me show you just what you're scoffing at" panel. Tsubaki you absolute ICON! Queen Shit!)

It's a push and pull; a back and forth between them as they fight. Tsubaki eventually says to Suzuri that 'Yes, of course I can't possibly understand the suffering and pain you've had to go through'. It's a hard thing to truly and fully understand another person. But that doesn't mean that a person isn't allowed to also feel in pain and having a hard time. Tsubaki doesn't know what it's like to have to struggle with starvation, and Suzuri doesn't know what it's like to have to choose between pretending to be someone you're not, to cover up your interest or risk being attacked and assaulted because other people want to decide for you how you should be and what you should like. You could say Suzuri has it worse than Tsubaki, but it doesn't mean Suzuri has the right to rip Suzuki from the happiness and family she has found.

Leading up where Tsubaki admits they made wrong assumptions about Suzuri and are sorry for doing so, but also calling out Suzuri on the irony that he says he has nothing- can't waste time or effort on anything that's not directly tied to food/survival- when clearly he also is fighting for his friends.

Now, as it was even said in the manga- Tsubaki and the Roppo-Ichiza can't fix all their problems. They can't make sure everyone has what they need. But, they can do everything that they can to help. It wasn't Tsubaki's physical strength that was important in this fight, but instead it was his kindness. That he wanted to know why Suzuri was doing all of this. He didn't attack Suzuri in a rage or tell Suzuri he had something he needed to learn from Tsubaki. Tsubaki ended this fight by saying "I see you're suffering and I want to know what I can do to help." THAT and fighting in order to stay true to himself and protect those he cares about, is what makes Tsubaki strong. That's why Tsubaki is one of Umemiya's four kings.

Next let's talk about Hiragi's fight with Banjo. Now, Hiragi was far more in a rage than Tsubaki. That much is clear. He is just as protective of Kaji and Tsubaki is of Suzuki, but lets his fury win more than Tsubaki does. This may also be because of the sadomasochistic person Banjo is versus Suzuri, who has a more compassionate core. Endo and Takiishi pissed the fuck out of Umemiya in this arc too. Anger takes over sometimes. That is also a part of being human. But, I would stand by that Hiragi STILL tries to see Banjo's perspective. The chapter where he starts fighting Banjo is still called a 'dance', just like when Tsubaki fought Suzuri. He doesn't treat Banjo in this fight the same way Suo does against Kanuma. He doesn't patronize, toy or make fun of Banjo. He gives Banjo an admission, what small understanding he has of Banjo's...insane perspective, that fighting can be thrilling. That you can be addicted to the adrenaline. He acknowledges that Banjo is right that when people are fighting, someone is going to get hurt. The FASCINATING thing is that Banjo also sees fighting as a way to connect with others. But Hiragi recognizes that Banjo doesn't.... realize that not everyone gets the same pleasure out of fighting and Banjo doesn't know when to STOP.

Hear me out- I think this is similar to Sakura telling Endo he'll visit him. I don't think Sakura likes Endo and I DEFINITELY know Hiragi doesn't like Banjo. But, Banjo feels connected to other through fighting. Hiragi is going a certain length to make sure Banjo doesn't feel isolated, while at the same time telling him to leave the other people at Furin THE FUCK ALONE (Especially not to go anywhere near Kaji again I'm sure). He tells Banjo directly to his face that Banjo disgusts him, but he doesn't tell Banjo not to seek making that connection with others. Not to seek that high. But because doesn't have self control, because Banjo can't even tell when he's going too far- Until Banjo can understand how other people feel he should find Hiragi to fight. Hiragi is saying he will do something that he dislikes for Banjo. Yes, it's for the sake of whoever else Banjo would pick a fight with instead, but it is still a promise of connection, it is still an exchange nonetheless.

I would say the author loves Sakura for the same reason why he has everyone else love Sakura. Because Sakura is an incredibly kind and compassionate person who wants to put his whole being into helping others. He wants to protect the people who extended kindness and acceptance to him. Sakura is a scared kid who comes from a past full of pain and rejection and isolation, and is taking those steps towards healing. He's getting close to becoming someone that Sakura himself can feel proud of. Someone who is not just strong physically, someone who doesn't even have to win every fight- he's fought so hard his whole life already. So long as he doesn't give up- neither on himself nor in protecting Furin- there is nothing more he needs to do. He can just be himself for the first time in his life and that will be enough. His strength comes from his heart, a heart that is already full of compassion and kindness. A heart that he already has. Physical strength is something he'll get with time and experience, but it is sticking to his heart that'll make him even stronger. A little sappy and cliché? Sure, but that doesn't necessarily make it a bad message or story to impart on the audience. I think Nii Satoru means for this to be a story about human connections, and personally values that more than the fights themselves.

But also. I think Sakura shines. You're welcome to your own opinion, but I personally think he looks pretty damn cool in his fights~