AkuxBlossom Manifesto -DA ver-

Title:   Unspeakable Evil and Everything Nice
Authors: Consanguinity (Deus Ex Procella, Neochaoslarry), Askura, ANDREAc, Alement
Fandom: The Powerpuff Girls/Samurai Jack (crossover)
Pairing: Aku/Blossom
Word Count: 4469
Notes: For a crack pairing...I would say this is pretty in-depth. WE'RE TRYING SO HARD TO JUSTIFY OURSELVES. DONT BE TOO BLOWN AWAY. ;_____; In all seriousness though…we're just trying to give examples…for people who don't get it.

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Series Summaries:

  Samurai Jack, a television show that ran from 2001 to 2004, was a series that focused its attention on cinematic style and traditional story-telling. The main protagonist of the show, a Samurai warrior named Jack, is put through a series of challenges and struggles that he must overcome to accomplish a single ultimate task; to defeat the Shogun of Sorrow, the Deliverer of Darkness, the evil of all worlds, The Dark Lord Aku. The series contained many cultural references, including the appearances of Gods, mythical beings and other various legendary creatures. The show itself is a unique composition of conceptual artistic and colour statements, focusing on visual components, combining both past and present elements to provide a wondrous cinematic experience for its audience. As quoted from Genndy Tartakovsky, Samurai Jack was "A show that didn't take itself too seriously". It contained just enough charm, action, and drama to appeal to a various amount of viewers worldwide.

   Three little girls have been created from sugar, spice, everything nice, and a drop of chemical X.   They've been given amazing superpowers and have made it their mission to save the world before bedtime. From fighting lowly thieves to the devil himself, the trio has proven time and time again that they are much more than what they seem. Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup fill the roles of the leader, the joy and the laughter, and the toughest fighter; but throughout the series they develop realistic personalities by going through the normal and the not-so-normal. A day that seems ordinary and full of typical little girl behavior is flipped and turned into an action-packed adventure full of mayhem, excitement, and the occasional beating. Combining young humor with adult concepts is hard to do, but The Powerpuff Girls do it to near perfection. Watching five year olds has never been as exciting, as funny, as interesting as watching these three.

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The Characters

Blossom

"...the perfect!" - Narrator (Bought and Scold)

Blossom is the de facto leader of the Powerpuff Girls. A natural born leader, at that, who is  charismatic, diplomatic, strategic, and intelligent. From the moment she was born, Blossom has been the most outspoken and the most exploratory of the girls. She was the first to speak, a trait that has carried on throughout the years. Whenever the Powerpuff Girls arrive on the scene, there is a high chance that Blossom will be the first to make her presence known.

Blossom is often stereotyped as "The Smart One" of the girls, a stereotype she has well-earned. In several episodes, it is made intimately clear that Blossom isn't just a bright little girl, she's one of the smartest residents of Townsville with a mere two years of existence under her belt. Though this speaks volumes for the idiocy of Townsville, it also speaks well to Blossom's greatest power. Learning is Blossom's strongest point, her intellect is, by far, the most cherished of all her qualities.

Similarly, evidence in the canon points out that Blossom is no slouch in the physical department. Even in their origin story, Blossom has been seen overpowering the alleged "toughest" Powerpuff girl, when she comes out victorious in the impromptu wrestling match with Buttercup on the moon. Frequently, when the girls take to splitting up, Blossom goes off on her own. In nearly ever case where the girls are knocked out, Blossom is the first to recover. And, in one of the girls most desperate fights (their showdown with Princess in Stuck Up, Up, and Away), while Bubbles and Buttercup are made short work of, Blossom not only manages to single-handedly overpower and outfight Princess, she does so without breaking a sweat or taking a single hit.

One last note of interest, when Blossom is pitted against her sisters, in A Very Special Blossom, it takes both Buttercup and Bubbles to hold her down to prevent her escape. In fact, it could be argued that while much is made of Buttercup, and even Bubbles, in the strength department, there is no lack of evidence to assume that Blossom is the strongest, if only just, of the Powerpuff Girls.

Blossom is charismatic and loves giving speeches. As if to hear her own voice, she frequently lectures her sisters, and even goes so far as to lecture the citizens of Townsville. Though she is arrogant, it does little to get in the way of her good nature.

Blossom isn't called a "Goody-Goody" for no reason, she always tries to do the right thing. Be it eating her vegetables, or letting the elderly cripple themselves to avoid disrespecting them, Blossom goes the extra mile to set a good example.

A lot of this seems superficial. What's the point? What does it matter that Blossom is smart, strong, and arrogant? Its these very qualities that seem to...identify Blossom as a much deeper character than she appears on the surface.

Make no mistake, Blossom is vain, proud of her beauty, and arrogant, proud of her ability. This frequently puts her at odds with her sisters. Blossom has a tendency to be pushy, seeing her view as somehow more important because of her qualifications. Being the leader, her opinion in combat matters more than her sisters—a belief that has caused numerous disasters—and being vastly more mature than her age would tell causes her to expect the same from others, if even unreasonably.

"What are you talking about? Blossom never does anything bad," - Ms. Keane (Ice Sore)

Now I'm sure you're wondering, but what's the point? Blossom is a hero, a devoted hero at that. Perhaps...but to what ends is she a hero? Blossom has no issue with using extreme methods to get her way, or to "save the day" as the girls put it. In Dream Scheme, she openly enjoys Bubbles' idea to torture the Sandman. In the numerous monster disasters that hit Townsville, she is uncaring of the damage the fights caused, unworried about any potential casualties. "Bought and Scold" shows us Blossom's more manipulative side, coming up with the idea to rob Princess and blackmail her into returning the city. Public destruction means nothing as long as Blossom gets the praise she wants. In "Town and Out" it was her idea to use the Starburst Ray, which destroyed most of the Citysville Bridge and, could have, severely injured the escaping criminals. She just slaps her face when the city burns to the ground in "Too Pooped to Puff". These are just a few examples, but the message they tell speaks for itself. For someone so intent on making sure the right thing is always done, Blossom uses very questionable methods to obtain what she considers "victory", again disguised as "saving the day". This darker side is even clearer in mundane, subtle clues. Excessive brutality (Slave the Day and every crime scene), condescending word choice (any conversation with Princess and a lot with her sisters), and a need to always win regardless of the cost (Three Girls and a Monster), the list goes on. Good Little Blossom has a not-so-little dark side.

Blossom is a character with both her good side, and her dark (very dark if you care to observe the subtleties in the series) side. But what truly defines her is so contrary to her arrogance that it's hard to believe. Blossom is outrageously insecure in herself. She considers grades a measure of a person's worth (Powernoia) and collapses any time she comes out less than perfect (A Very Special Blossom, Not So Awesome Blossom, Mane Event). Blossom is built on her vanity, but her foundation is so fragile that the slightest sleight can destroy it. Not only that, but her constant need for love and attention even contradicts her usual moral high ground.

The best example being in "A Very Special Blossom" where she steals a set of golf clubs for the specific purpose of making the Professor love her the most. Another big example is in "Ice Sore" where she makes an ice sculpture of Ms. Keane, and alienates her sisters for the love of her class.

Blossom is complex, especially for a children's cartoon character. She constantly struggles between the impossible standards she expects for herself, and the standard the world expects of her. She's as charitable as she is arrogant, and just as she is cruel. Powerful as she is intelligent.

If there was a perfect little girl, she would be jealous of Blossom.

~+~

Aku

"The Master of Masters, the Deliverer of Darkness, the Shogun of Sorrow!" -Aku (Episode 1)

The main antagonist of Samurai Jack. He avoided destruction in the past by sending the hero to the future: a future that belonged to Aku because no one was around to stop him. He is everywhere, having taken total control of near every world in the cosmos, and takes the role of a ruthless dictator, bringing cruel punishment to opposition at the first weak sign of rebellion. Aside from his boundless political power, he possesses untold supernatural ability as a demon. As he is nigh invincible, few dare to challenge him, with the exception of Samurai Jack himself.

Despite coming off as just another evil overlord at first glance, Aku is actually a shockingly deep character, especially given his position in a children's action cartoon.

God complex...which makes sense, considering Aku is very much a God. Moody...fine one minute, engulfed by rage the next. Arrogant...very fond of taunting and teasing; in fact, despite his generally stern and frightening role, more than half of his remarks are his own little jokes, cutting insults intervened by maniacal laughter. Cunning...led his worst enemy to believe he was an ally under the guise of a woman he'd taken form of. Intelligent...utilizes an extensive vocabulary and generally has such an understanding of things that he can predict complex actions. Cowardly...flees from battle quite frequently, usually throwing a taunt over his shoulder (something he himself has noticed and given reference to). Aku has also been known to display a vast knowledge of history--this may be because he is immortal and has lived so long, but he also knows of things long before he was given consciousness, so there had to have been some level of research involved in his time.

His lesser traits are even more intriguing, and a little further within him. There is a definite sense of adventure lurking in there. "The Warrior Woman". "Jack and the Hermit". Both adventures, either across the Middle Eastern desert or around the world, were taken with Jack himself under a guise. Considering the pride Aku displays constantly it's safe to assume that he wasn't very happy about traveling with Jack if not for the end result. But acting can only go so far. A few months or even days traveling with the source of your hatred....well, you have to have something to enjoy. Considering the fact that in both disguises (Ikra and the swamp hermit both), he seemed willing and almost happy to travel, and that he did it more than once....well, it makes you wonder. Even Aku likes to get out of the castle he lives in every once in a while.

Another trait is his crippling fear of the sword, and because of this, Jack as well. It is obvious that Aku will rarely attack Jack directly because of the sword, but Aku is also afraid of Jack, because he associates the sword with the samurai. In the same manner as a child afraid of a monster in his closet, Aku is afraid of Jack. This is implied in the lighthearted episode "Aku's Fairy Tales", in which Aku desperately tries to win children over by feeding them story after story about Jack being evil. And in more than one of these stories, Jack is presented as a maniac...a scary one. A very scary one. What seems a harmless story, attempts to brainwash the children failed, is actually a glimpse into Aku's own fear that he is trying to communicate into the kids. This is apparent in the comic stories of Samurai Jack in CN Action Pack as well. Whenever Aku presents Jack in a story, he is either monstrous, or someone to fear (with Aku usually being conveyed as being misunderstood, or as the story's hero, sometimes both).

His emotions are on par with that of an eight year old. He's unbelievably selfish (with a pretty set 'Mine!' fixation). He loses control when he's angry and teeters on the verge of nervous breakdown if things REALLY don't look good for him. He godmods. He presents himself as a heroic gary-stu in any stories he tells. He holds a short temper. He's not yet familiar with complex emotions like love. He gets jealous easily. He's somewhat starved for attention. He enjoys breaking things. He plays by his own rules. And the only people he has any real contact with, either in the show or comics...are children. It might be that he picked up habits from them, or that he started out this way...but it's apparent his emotional development is stunted.

Aku loves messing with people. This is commonly referred to as "trolling" and Aku is definitely a master of it. He has destroyed entire towns to make a path for his enemy. He has cursed innocents and set up an evil wishing well for Jack to find. Genndy Tartakovsky himself has said that Aku would place huge traps and difficulties in certain areas just to screw around. Combined with his already childlike/immature personality it's relevant to a sort of fun, mischevious side.

And finally...Aku is pretty much...well…considering his stance, it's not likely that he would put up with bratty little kids if it didn't benefit him. What time is left if you have a Samurai insane to kill you? Apparently Aku makes time for two kids in the comics, and tells them stories all the time, and KEEPS COMING BACK TO THEM even after they insult him and hate him. They are the only real social contact he has (he spends the majority of his time in isolation), and it's almost as if he craves their attention. Oddly his stories learn towards the girly side of things (i.e. princesses). Also, in Aku's Fairy Tales, when Aku sees children playing...why was he even tuned into watching them when he was supposed to be watching Jack?

TL;DR: A relatively complex character with a crippling cowardice, a clear malevolence, and a fixation with children, Aku is quite the interesting villain.

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How This Is Even Possible

Forget for a moment that the two characters have never met. Drop your disbelief at the door and grab some big suspense. Assuming they ever did meet, how could they possibly fall in love? Or at the very least tolerate each other? No let's be completely honest, at the very least, we're hoping that they'll just hate each other quietly. So let's start with the worst case scenario and go from there.

The Traditional
I Hate Everything About You

There's no denying it, Aku and Blossom are on opposite sides of the law. Blossom is the leader of Earth's greatest superhero team, and Aku is the god of evil. Should the two meet, they are going to fight. No possibility can get around this. The characters will clash, and the fight will not be a pleasant one. Given Blossom's extreme level of power (the limits of which are unknown) and Aku's nigh invincibility, it's likely to be a clash the likes of which the world isn't going to enjoy.

There's no arguing it, this is going to happen at some point. For the sake of completion, this scenario has to be listed. The most likely, and worse case scenario for this pairing, outcome of the two meeting is a burning hatred and mounds of conflict.

Touche, Mon Ami
I Think You're So Mean; I Think We Should Try

Blossom is not one to back down from a challenge, and Aku is not one to admit defeat. Perhaps, let's say for a moment that the day to day grind of Townsville has become so mundane that Blossom finds it boring. Aku isn't like the Townsvillains, Aku is a different beast. A manipulative, deceptive, political monster. If not friends, the two could have a grudging respect for one another.

Blossom is highly intelligent, something Aku admires. The same could be said in reverse. Aku's style is so different from that of the Townsvillains, Blossom would thrive in the chance to better herself, to further test herself...to further prove her perfection. And Aku, I think Aku would like a distraction. Blossom poses no real threat without the sword, but at the same time, both his sick sense of humor and his fascination with children could allow Blossom to be a necessary distraction for his enjoyment.

Grumpy Grandpa
He's My Best Friend, Best of All Best Friends!

Stepping into the more comedic side of both shows, let's not forget that Blossom loves being around her elders. More importantly, she loves impressing her elders. Remember, Blossom thrives on praise and adoration. The thought of impressing someone as ancient and knowledgeable as Aku could prove intoxicating. If not romantically, then from the fascination of a little girl who wants to be her grandpa's favorite grandchild. Aku's intelligent and authoritative disposition is exactly the type of adult Blossom seems to gravitate toward (Ms. Keane, Ms. Bellum).

Aku has always had a certain connection with children. In the show, Aku's Fairy Tales, he doesn't raise a claw against them even when they're insulting him. In the comics, he frequently hangs out with several children, even telling them his own fractured fairy tales. Aku would love having a child to absolutely adore him just as much as Blossom would. This is, by far, the most likely of the fluffy possibilities.

Complete Monster
Come Crawling Faster, Obey Your Master

Aku is not your typical comical villain. Though he has his more humorous moments, Aku is still the god of evil. He is still wickedness given physical form. And he is an ambitious monster. Seeing Blossom's raw power, Aku would be determined to "assimilate her" to have her as the perfect minion. She's not only powerful, she's smart, she's—arguably—perfect. And best of all, she's nigh indestructible. The Samurai's steel would be useless against a body capable of taking massive explosions without a twitch.

This is one of the darker possibilities. Aku is a manipulative, deceptive monster. And he would see Blossom's vanity and jump all over that like a fat kid on cake. She may be smart, but Blossom's ego is something that she has never had to face head on. Him is far more interested in Bubbles to bother with Blossom, who would prove both a greater challenge...but also a greater reward. Aku's controlling nature, his manipulative mastery, would grab onto Blossom's near frantic desire to be loved and adored.

Sting of the Police
Every Breath You Take, Every Move You Make, I'll Be Watching You

Aku is a creature of obsession. He finds a subject and becomes completely enthralled by it, making that subject the entire focus of his universe. In the show, this focus is Jack. Now...his focus on Jack is almost entirely out of fear. But this does show an interesting side of Aku's character. When Aku finds someone that interests him, he has to know everything about them. He has to watch them at all times, even from a distance. Everything about Blossom would interest Aku, her intellect, her power, her status, her beauty, even fear of his own that she could prove his undoing. It's not hard to believe that Aku could reach the same religious zeal stalking Blossom as he would Jack, though the chances are greater that his observations of Blossom would be more personal than mere fear of death. Aku loves exceptional individuals, and there are few individuals more exceptional than "the perfect little girl".

On Blossom's end, let's not forget her arrogance, let's not ignore her vanity. While she may be creeped out by the obsession, some part of Blossom would just as much love the attention. Blossom lives to be the center of attention, and the mere thought that someone's life may revolve around her could be a powerful influence, even a powerful attraction.

The 400 Year Old Bachelor
Fix Me Now, I Wish You Would

Blossom has an interesting character trait, she loves to correct other people. Specifically, she loves to "fix" other people. She tried to fix Captain Righteous and Lefty, which ended up in both becoming severely injured (Fallen Arches). She tries to constantly fix Bubbles and Buttercup, lecturing them on how they should act. She even goes to the point of trying to fix the citizens of Townsville (Too Pooped to Puff). The basic point is, Blossom is a fixer. And Aku is a mess waiting to be corrected. Maybe, because of his childish personality, Blossom could relate with Aku on a level that she would feel able to change him.

Aku certainly wouldn't be receptive to the implications that he isn't perfect—a perfectionist complex is  one thing he and Blossom seem to share—but at the same time, wouldn't turn down the attention for the same reasons. Depending on his reaction, Aku could either see Blossom as a nuisance getting up in his grill and trying to fix problems he doesn't see as existent, or a cute pestering friend who fawns over him. Either way, it's a fluffier side to a relatively dark pairing.

Teacher's Pet
Her Friends Are So Jealous, You Know How Bad Girls Get

Blossom loves learning, she loves school, and, most of all, she loves being the favorite. This is a driving factor in every area of her life. Blossom gives Ms. Keane grandiose gifts, such as an ice sculpture, and even goes to her for advice (Pee Pee Gees) when no one else will suffice. Blossom is deeply infatuated with educators, and Aku is in a position to fulfill that role.

Being an ageless entity who has seen more years than feasible, Aku is a walking history book. Blossom would cling to him, try to impress him with her ability to learn, try to learn more from him. Blossom, intelligent as she is, seeks to find someone she can learn from. And there are few people she could learn more from than Aku.

The Nintendo Philosophy
Just Like The Old Man In That Book by Nabokov

Aku is a pedophile. There's no dancing around this subject. Aku spends lots of time either in isolation, or with children. He frequently, in the comics, hangs out with children for no apparent reason. Given his stalker tendencies, and his general immorality, it's not a farfetched claim to make. And for a pedophile, what better than the perfect little girl?

Blossom is very pretty, beautiful in fact. A lot is made about Blossom's looks, from how she views herself to how the town views her. Her own sisters have a fascination with her hair, only furthering the implications that Blossom is attractive. Best of all, she's just a child, and children, no matter how smart, can be used and molded. Not only could he easily stalk her, Aku could easily influence her. Most frightening of all, is just how easy it would be to win her over. Don't forget, Aku is a master of disguise. He could come in any form, win her trust, and through her childhood infatuation build her into anything he wanted, from the perfect minion to the perfect bride.

Like Jesus Played Martyr
I'd Do Anything For Love

Let's say for a moment we're sitting at The Traditional. But things aren't going as planned. Soon, Townsville is at its knees, on the verge of utter destruction. Blossom is not one to back down in the face of a challenge, and given that she is obsessed with being loved and doing anything for those she loves, Blossom would have no qualms over turning herself over to Aku in order to secure Townsville's salvation. Therein lies another, dark, possibility.

Aku would gladly accept Blossom into his fold, she's perfect minion material. Smart and powerful and not at all bad to look at. From there it's simply a matter of Master/Slave. Despite her resilience and loyalty, Blossom's character really depends on validation from others. After a point, the only source of validation would come from Aku. A type of Stockholm Syndrome could develop, and from there a rocky relationship ranging from miserable angst to disturbing devotion could grow.

Shrouding Dark Sakura
I Can't Get It Right, Since I Met You

The last possibility is the one that requires the biggest development on Blossom's part, and the darkest interpretation of Blossom's character. Throughout this essay, we've consistently reminded you of Blossom's arrogance and vanity, her belief in her own perfection. This possibility takes that one step further. Aku, in seeing that perfection, could realize that he and Blossom aren't so different after all. In fact, the very basis of this possibility is that Aku could tempt Blossom to his side.

Let's remember, Blossom has a dark side. Though it's subtle, it is very, very real. Her morals are largely based on who is watching and who she is trying to impress. Her compassion only goes as far as her own victory allows; her delicacy is thrown to the wind in many cases, replaced completely with brutality. Aku, the God of Evil, would not be ignorant to this darker side. And in fact, it could be this very dark side that first draws him to Blossom.

And what of Blossom's attraction to Aku? Therein lies the real danger, the real darkness. Blossom has made an effort to ignore her darker side, an effort to reassure herself that what she does is for the greater good. But, remember, she walks the very thin tight rope that all heroes have to walk. The weight of the world is on her shoulders, her personal desires have to be squelched in the name of that same greater good that justifies her means. Aku...Aku could change that.

If Aku could take up the full responsibility of fulfilling her need to be loved, Blossom could give in to her darkness. There would be no further excuse to justify her semi-psychopathic tendencies. And further, if Aku is fully responsible for loving her, for validating her, Blossom could, potentially, go all the way down into the darkness to make him happy. Blossom thrives to please those who love her, she goes out of her way to secure that love and make sure she never loses it. If someone could prove they would love her more than anyone else, there is little to nothing she wouldn't do for that person.


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List of Epic

Assuming you have an idea of what we're attempting to show you (AKA how this pairing could work), here's a list of examples that give life to everything we've mentioned. As the creator of this ship, I have no idea why it's as popular as it is, but somehow the fan base keeps growing and I'm glad it is. Some awesome stuff has come out of it.

Stories
Map of the Problematique (Deus Ex Procella) is pretty much the definitive fanfic for this pairing and is turning into the longest, most in depth and epic fanfic across the reach of both fandoms that this pairing covers. It follows the "Shrouding Dark Sakura" theme mentioned above and many of the others over its course. www.fanfiction.net/s/5321611/1…

Unexpected (Frosted-Feathers) is sort of an introduction-to. Two chapters, and the first Akubloss fanfic. It's something along the lines of "Teacher's Pet"  or "Grumpy Grandpa". fav.me/d26w2zv

(There's lots of drabbles scattered around. And by lots, I mean…lots. Most of them are here on Deviantart.)

Art

Most of the art is done by me, but that doesn't mean I'm the only one who makes Akubloss pictures. The club at aku-blossom.deviantart.com/ holds pretty much everything relating to Akubloss on DA, and a variety of people submit their work to it.

Videos

Coming up, dearests. Stay tuned ;D