I Just Realized Why It Makes Sense That Lycion Could Immediately Recognize That Izutsumi Is Mainly A

wanted a blank version of the adventurer's bible character profiles so i made one. then i made a few variations since i already had photoshop open. figured i'd share in case someone else wants to use them

and some seals for the ability check thing

There’s just something extremely touching about watching Izutsumi work through a wide range of emotions when she sees Marcille cry for the first time.

She’s sleeping on Marcille’s lap when it happens—something she hadn’t willingly done since her human consciousness was subdued in the Golden Country.

Izutsumi was initially very embarrassed when she remembered showing Marcille such unbridled affection when her monster (cat) side had full control in Melini. But now, shortly after, she did it again without any fuss, seemingly over this embarrassment.

But when she notices Marcille crying—not crying expressive tears over a situation with low stakes, but tears of real sorrow and loss—Izutsumi physically recoils.

She reacts with the childlike fear and panic that one feels when someone they heavily rely on and trust (like a parent or teacher) shows vulnerability, doubt, or weakness. She lashes out, trying to use words of reproach to get Marcille to stop crying. Or, in childlike terms, to try to force Marcille’s pain go away.

When that doesn’t work, we see her physically struggle as she tries to sit by and wait it out. But Izutsumi can’t do it.

Marcille’s pain causes her so much intense distress that Izutsumi immediately offers physical affection as a response—something she has not done for anyone up to this point.

When Senshi told the party about his traumatic backstory, Izutsumi did not touch him. She did support him, tried to offer words of comfort, but she did not embrace him like the others did. Maybe she didn’t know how; maybe she didn’t have a proper example on what comforting someone looked like. But she saw all three of them reach for Senshi, she saw them hold him in their arms, and anchor him as he cried.

This is the first time another party member has cried out of sadness since that moment. It’s possible that she saw how the others helped Senshi, and maybe, subconsciously, she saw that it worked. That it made him feel better.

She is clearly unused to it, and has her own rollercoaster of emotions as Marcille gratefully accepts the comfort Izutsumi is offering her. But it helps. It helps Marcille immediately, and Izutsumi knows this.

These acts of vulnerability are foreign to her, and thus make her feel uncomfortable, but she lets Marcille lean on her afterwards anyway. She wanted Marcille to be okay, wanted it so badly, that she accidentally overcame an emotional obstacle she never even knew she had.

Izoopsoupi.

my favorite running bit in the dunmeshi manga is when there's a panel showing everyone's reactions to something and izutsumi is just

DIVERSITY WIN!

THIS TERRIBLE 17-YEAR-OLD CATGIRL IS ARO-ACE!

[Image ID: Izutsumi from Dungeon Meshi talks excitedly, grinning. She holds up a mug in front of her, and the liquid sloshes as she outstretches her arms in excitement. /End ID]

Creating prints for an upcoming convention and had a literal lightbulb moment

IT freaking annoys me

Izutsumi is part feline MONSTER

A wild beast

I see longtime fans forget the fusion process is never talked about with ordinary animals, only monsters

Not a cute little kitty cat

A freaking cat monster

She acted like that under the influence of inner barrier because it caused ALL monsters to act domesticate , it was a further perversion of herself.

Izutsumi isn't part domestic cat, she's part wild animal.

She cannot be "domesticated", she can only be reached and improved by treating her as a person.

Honestly, it's really fun how Dungeon Meshi haa the main party take on a teenage cat girl halfway through the series, except she's covered in fur all over so nothing shows even when she's naked, she's arguably the most skilled combatant in the group, basically everyone treats her like a kid they're taking care of, she acts like a feral cat begrudgingly choosing to adopt a group of humans instead of a needy kitten, she's a picky eater, she's immune to monsters that try to seduce you, and her past as a slave is directly shown to be traumatic and miserable to the point that her former owner literally made her have a magic seal on her neck that would murder her if she managed to escape.

She's basically the antithesis of fanservice catgirls. Every single trait other series use to turn catgirls into sex objects is inverted to make for an entertaining and interesting character.

Not the best, but it's a start!

Quick lil design exploration of my self insert esque WoF character.

Body and head could def use some work but that tail is KILLIN IT!!!!!

what if we saw shapeshifter versions of izutsumi?

Explanations under the cut

#1 is Laios' Izutsumi:

extra detail on her cat parts

more monster-y traits present

outfit mistake

#2 is Marcille's Izutsumi:

influenced by their time in the Golden Country

a little more chill than the others

softer hair

#3 is Senshi's Izutsumi:

details of puffed up fur

this izutsumi is skinnier than the others (ribs showing)

^^ senshi must take care of the child

#4 is Chilchuck's Izutsumi:

rounded ears like marcille's

eyes kinda look like his kids puckpatti and flertom

stanced