Behind "Rengoku's lesson"
I know many of you are here mainly as spectators, but I always like to take some time to talk about little details behind my new projects. As I often say, what may be just a few minutes of content for you represents months of work and planning for me, and everything has a reason behind it.
I also know that many of my supporters enjoy seeing the behind-the-scenes process, and that some fellow artists feel inspired by my work and appreciate reading this kind of post.
-Rengoku’s Lesson
The title of the animation actually refers to its first part. And what better character than Rengoku to convey something as important as willpower? Presented through an epic voice-over narration, I felt it was the perfect introduction, one that echoes effort, strength, and the mentor role embodied by Rengoku himself.
The lesson is simple: no matter how terrible the storm may seem, with enough willpower and a spark of hope, it can be held back. This idea is represented through the allegory of cutting the very first raindrop. That’s why we see Rengoku repel the storm with a clean, decisive slash, while Mitsuri (who has yet to fully master her will) ends up completely soaked.
-Attention to details
Some of you might think Mitsuri’s uniform is a mistake, but I actually wanted to make sure her appearance was fully canonical. At this point in the story, she wears the standard female Demon Slayer uniform like any other demon slayer, since she is still just a trainee.
She only receives her white haori after becoming a Hashira, and it’s Obanai who gifts her the green stockings later on. These small details help place the scene in the past, if you’re at least somewhat familiar with the canonical story.
-The challenges to overcome
In this animation, the biggest enemy to tackle (and a real turning point for me) was the water and how it behaves. You might not have consciously noticed it, but the water is 100% animated. It doesn’t just feature moving foam; the subtle rises and falls of the water level also make details like Mitsuri’s hair, or even her body, float and move in harmony with it.
I’d dare say that achieving water that feels truly natural is, so far, one of my greatest technical accomplishments.
Another key detail in this animation is that, since everything takes place in a bath, I needed the visuals to breathe warmth. That’s why the color palette leans more toward warm, orangish tones, and why every scene includes a steam effect that makes the bath feel genuinely hot.
On top of that, the steam also works as a visual tool that allows me to deliver the small comedic twist at the end of the animation that’s so characteristic of my work: once the steam clears, we discover that the crow had been watching everything from the window the whole time.
-Final Thoughts
Lastly, I want to share something with you that has honestly surprised me about this animation. Since I think my work has never reached this level of quality before. The voice actors I work with are exceptional, the animation looks sublime, and the colors, atmosphere, and storytelling carry a truly cinematic feel.
And yet, I’ve read many comments, especially on social media, from people who are genuinely dissatisfied with this animation. Many claim that Rengoku and Mitsuri “didn’t have sex,” referring to the fact that the interaction is purely oral, and labeling the animation as “disappointing” or “boring.” Of course, these comments conveniently ignore the fact that I come from Upper Moon Meeting, which was, quite literally, a full-on festival of explicit sex and dicks.
That’s why I wanted to share this reflection with you. I’m starting to notice a trend in the NSFW space that I personally don’t like: the idea that prioritizing a woman’s pleasure is somehow seen as less valid.
I can back this up with examples. The animations of Mitsuri with Zohakuten, or Shinobu with Tanjiro, were very well received by the audience despite being shorter pieces, and in both cases the women were orally pleasing the men. The same goes for Girl’s Talk with Toga and Ochako, where women are pleasing each other.
However, when it’s the man who kneels down and focuses entirely on pleasing the woman, for some reason it doesn’t seem to resonate as well with part of the audience. An interesting coincidence.
My goal has never been to mold myself to fit expectations. I believe every story can have its own unique identity. Just as we’ve seen rough sex with David and Rebecca in my After Party with Rebecca animation, or full-on orgies in the Hashira and Upper Moons animations, there’s also room for gentle men like Rengoku, who simply want to satisfy the woman in front of them using nothing but their mouth and fingers.
So if you enjoyed this animation, I’m truly happy to hear that, because I spent three months working on it with all my heart. And if you’re part of the group that didn’t enjoy it as much, I’m confident that future stories will resonate better with your tastes. 😉
That said, if you’ve read all the way to the end, thank you so much for doing so, and for being here and supporting my work. I’m already hard at work on a new adventure that I hope you’ll love, and that I’ll be announcing very soon! 💚