夜を見守る吸血鬼騎士

I’m Ritsu Sakuma of New Dimension, and I belong to the unit Knights. As a knight, I’ll show our princesses the most wonderful dreams...♪

Welcome to my digital shrine and personal archive for the love of my life, Sakuma Ritsu ✧*̣̩☽⋆゜

! Era 𓆩♡𓆪

Memories from [ ! ] Basic era ☽

!! Era 𓆩♡𓆪

Memories from [ !! ] Music era ☽

Birthday's 𓆩♡𓆪

Some previous birthday pictures I took for Ritsu day ! I've lost the pictures I took before 2019 (SD card issues :cry:) but I've decided to share what I could find ☽

2019 ☽

2020 ☽

2021 ☽

2022 ☽

2023 ☽

Merchandise and nui pictures 𓆩♡𓆪

I'll add pictures of my shrine eventually but for now here's some cute pictures I've taken with him ☽

Commissions 𓆩♡𓆪

Commissions I've had done of Ritsu, please click or tap the image for artist credits ☽

Picrew 𓆩♡𓆪

Some Picrew I've made of Ritsu ☽

Things I've worked on regarding Ritsu's character ☽

Translations - TumblrCharacter Analysis Carrd - CarrdMood Board/Ritsu Core blog - TumblrMy Sunshine, You're Moonlight analysis - Site

Becoming Your Own Illuminating Light -
Exploring shared themes and analysing patterns between Mayonaka no Nocturne and My Sunshine, You're Moonlight

With the release of My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight, I wanted to do an analysis of two things: the song itself, and how it links back to Mayonaka no Nocturne- how their themes intertwine and also how they differ with Ritsu's own growth as a character. Both songs are very heavy emotionally, they both contain deep feelings of Ritsu’s that have been present in canon for a long time, but they also bring out new sides of him, and express new thoughts that some may not have considered before when it comes to his character.

To start; Mayonaka no Nocturne was released in full, on the 30th of May 2018. It is a ballad with a sad and melancholic atmosphere, it is usually compared to a tragic love story and the lyrics themselves reflect a deeper part of who Ritsu is as a person- someone very drawn to the idea of life and being surrounded by others but he feels as though he can’t interact with those around him and tries to keep his distance. The song is very good at explaining his unwillingness to try and form a relationship with anyone because he is too knowledgeable of what that could mean. He does not know love as an idea and only as a concept, he hasn’t been shown or taught how to love others and simply cannot engage in it; such lyrics including “… being in the darkness where there is nobody else”, he feels as though he is simply in another universe, everything he loves that is bright and dear to him is kept at a distance on purpose, but you get a deep sense of how he’d already “given up” on trying to love or be loved. Mayonaka no Nocturne expresses his desire to be beside the person and or people he loves but he cannot reach out to them, like there is an invisible barrier, whether that may or may not be himself. Mayonaka no Nocturne displays feelings of wanting to remain unaware of what people around Ritsu may think, instead indulging in the idea of wanting to stay by their side despite the feelings being unrequited or one-sided. He sees "a smile that seems like it will melt in the sun", as though he is part of a different world, simply observing and being somewhere where he and those he loves cannot mix and intermingle, observing a world different to his own as an outsider.

On the contrary; My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight was released 22nd of May 2024, six years have passed since Ritsu’s first solo and the audience has gotten to know him considerably better compared to before. My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight is a light electric song with a happy rhythm and upbeat melody, Ritsu’s vocals are brighter and the sound is in general very happy and beautiful-sounding. The song explains the feelings of Ritsu, now six years later, feeling drawn to someone like they are his sunshine, and his thoughts and feelings of love and affection. The two solo songs both have a similar feel— the ending of Mayonaka no Nocturne has a tragic feel that gives you the impression of unrequited love, the two people in question will never be together, and instead Ritsu will admire from afar. Ritsu is also concerned with this aspect in My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight, as some of the lyrics discuss wanting to reach out to someone, or perhaps someone unable to reach him, but I think the key difference in the songs themselves is Ritsu’s approach. In My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight, he isn’t concerned with the finality of things, there’s no sense of the word “can’t” being used to describe something he cannot do, but more so he “won’t” let these feelings of love be recognised because he likes the sleepy state he is in with this current person. I'd like to add that the song reflects his innermost thoughts and feelings of how he wants things to remain as they are, whatever form that may be, so the feeling of "won't" vs "can't" is a strong comparison to make when looking at the two songs, however the ending line of My Sunshine, You're Moonlight makes this connection again, with Ritsu expressing his feelings of things he simply cannot do.In My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight, the song begins with Ritsu expressing how he is keeping his true feelings a secret, and cannot control his current relationship with this person, as if something will eventually change. The lines “I’m keeping my true feelings a secret” make me question whether he has already come to terms with his feelings, or if he is unaware of what these feelings are. Is he keeping them a secret from himself, intentionally, so he can try to keep a distance and protect himself from potentially being hurt? Or is he protecting those feelings from this person as to not want to change anything between them, as he states he’s losing control of being able to do so, like he doesn’t have enough power in himself or perhaps around him to, intentionally or unintentionally, to keep himself from expressing his thoughts or accidentally letting it slip. It’s a vast contrast to Mayonaka no Nocturne, in which he is adamant about keeping everything the same- Ritsu is someone who once hated change and cannot come to terms with anything changing, whether that be himself, his environment or the people around him. Changes in the people and environment around him cause a lot of stress, so I imagine him falling in love or coming to terms with the feelings of love would cause the same kind of feeling- something that Yamashita Daiki (voice actor of Ritsu) expressed during his segment on the KuwaP Studio talk was how Ritsu is, ultimately a coward, and is scared to face his own feelings, something producer Satoru Kuwabara also mentioned, with Ritsu having a "teasing, bad boy" personality - Ritsu is happy to become the villain and being hated in order to keep that sense of "sameness", teasing the person in question who holds Ritsu's affections as he hides his true feelings away. However, it feels as if he has come to terms with this more over the last six years of canon content, and wanting to keep this relationship he shares with someone “the same” is not the same as losing control, as before he was certain he could not reach out to them, that he was “in a world where we cannot intermingle”, like there was no possibility of that happening. He was one place and the one he loved was in a different place— very black and white thinking. There was no room for anything else happening in that scenario because Ritsu did not let that occur.

The second verse of My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight is the most interesting to me for many reasons- firstly, Ritsu expresses wanting to stay in the same comfortable place he is in right now, because it feels comfortable. Comparing that to Mayonaka no Nocturne, he expresses that he was “trapped in the forest of sleep”, which is vastly different to being in a sleepy comfortably state, one that he does not want to wake up from- perhaps to realise his own feelings, or through the anxiety of maybe waking up and things being different, I also get the sense that he's talking about himself- being an idol is the greatest sense of happiness he's ever known, and wanting to be an idol forever surrounded by those he loves could explain why he's so adamant about not wanting to be "woken". He is in a happier place, as the tone of My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight suggests. To me, it feels as if the song sounds like the sun filtering between the trees, when it first starts to rise and it pours in beyond the leaves. I’m not sure if this is the case, and of course as it is my own interpretation, but the tone and mood between the two songs is so different that it feels blinding. It’s not as if the sun has risen, and it’s not exactly ready to do so, but it has come up and you can see it through the pretty trees, I think that is how I would describe Ritsu’s feelings. He's cherishing them for a reason, and not ready to express himself truthfully, but keeping them close to his chest to savour them for as long as possible. Secondly, I really enjoy the last line “a strange feeling that isn’t reflected in the mirror”, mirrors are used as objects that can show you parts of yourself that you might not want to see— there’s his true feelings within that mirror, and a strange feeling perhaps in his gut that he gets whenever he sees it, which makes me think he hasn’t processed how he feels. It also reminds me of his monologue from “Horror Night Halloween”, when he talks about being unable to push a heavy door that stood in his way- he explained that the door was lighter than a feather, but pushing it open felt impossible, again explaining that thought process of feeling like “cannot” do something, but opening it meant coming out of the shadows, embracing parts of himself that he doesn’t want to see, being part of something with other people and that terrifies him. The mirror shows him many things and for some reason, he can’t look back at his reflection. Whether this might be his true feelings, his true self, a fake reflection that he might be unaware he’s hiding, I think it’s fun to interpret this in whichever way you like, but I love the symbolism of him seeing something beyond the mirror, that he can sense something not quite there, that borders on the line of reality and fiction. It’s possible to also be reminded of memories when looking through a mirror, and I’ve seen this reflected in Ritsu analysis and fan works before; that when he looks back, he might be afraid of who he is now, he might remember happier memories and feel discomfort. It could also make him uncomfortable or have that "strange feeling" due to him only being an idol to continue in his brother's footsteps, it wasn't his dream to begin with, but now that he's achieved so much happiness in being an idol, I think it's interesting to think about all kinds of perspectives, and what his thoughts and feelings may be when he has to eventually connect with that mirror. Overall, this first look into his thoughts and feelings show that Ritsu still has that similar insecurity he showed in Mayonaka no Nocturne, but the strength of that has weakened, being able to bask in something he finds comfortable instead of trying to keep it further away in the distance, no longer watching down through a transparent sky as if he were beside the moonlight within the shadowy crescent, but instead under the sunshine and its gaze. Thirdly, him referring to it as a “comfortable” sleepy state, compared to Mayonaka no Nocturne, where Ritsu feels as though he is together with the pale moon, he’s now under the trees, either simply looking out towards the people he admires or is by their side. To feel comfortable, and not have a lingering sadness or fear about those same people going far away or being out of reach. He’s simply comfortable, able to sleep somewhat peacefully and be used to this feeling of joyfulness having people by his side. He’s no longer “in the dead of night, singing with his sleepy breath”, he’s in a comfortable, sleepy state that allows him to feel relaxed. Ritsu is able to feel warmth at the moment and being by someone’s side that he feels is cozy and comfortable means he’s more willing to keep this friendship for longer, wanting to “stay like this a little longer” because it’s a happy way to remain, no longer trapped by his own thoughts and feelings.

The chorus is pretty self explanatory, but Ritsu goes from comparing someone’s smile to being as bright as the sun (Mayonaka no Nocturne) to saying their entire existence and body is the sunshine; the sunshine is shining down on him, instead of him being up beside the moon, the brightness of it lulling him into a comfortable state that awakens within him, making him want to either confess his feelings or its urging him to try and understand them. “You know I’m not good with bright places, but you still watch over me,” could be referencing someone physically, or literally the sun, again mixing those two concepts together; he’s referring to someone who’s entire being is inseparable to the sunshine, the sunshine that reflects and shines in the sky watching over him as well as someone who is kind and gentle towards him. “I’m drawn to you, my sunshine”, again, could be towards a few lingering ideas— he’s attracted to the sunlight now that he’s pushed himself to enjoy it more, or he’s drawn to someone because they are the embodiment of the sun, and in return he is the moonlight. I think it’s interesting to mix the two concepts together, as I think it’s clear he can be referring to two things at once, the more you open up your interpretation of what he can be implying, the more interesting the analysis of his words become. In the KuwaP episode, Yamashita Daiki summed it up perfectly, explaining that Ritsu was able to find some light inside of him because of the light he receives from those around him, so he also wants to become this sun for others.

The next part, which was the verse that shocked me the most, is Ritsu explaining his hesitancy to reach out- "I hesitate, feeling the distance between us, even though I want to reach out to you". When I listened to the song for the first time, it heavily reminded me of Mayonaka no Nocturne, especially the line "I think of you whom I can't be with", but Ritsu has the desire to reach out to someone now; compared to before, when he knew he "couldn't" do so, as he was suffering from his loneliness and thinking about someone alone, you can feel his growth, his history with his own feelings, how reaching out and becoming his own light, and someone else's sun, is possible for him now. Followed by the lyrics that follow, "We share the same lonely feelings, so I want to share it with you. Once you take my hand, there's no going back" it is most definitely a song for his princesses, his fans who have loved and watched over him the entire time - My Sunshine, You're Moonlight is the very definition of Ritsu being an idol. All of the members of Knights, Rei, Mao, Ritsu's friends, his juniors and the producer, have all been illuminated by Ritsu's light, he's been basking in this bright warmth for so long, growing bit by bit, becoming a better idol and allowing himself to open up and now, it's his time to shine on his princesses as the sun, to make them smile; a love song for those who have supported him endlessly throughout his journey. Hence his unwillingness of wanting things to not change, it makes sense that he wants it to stay the same forever; he's been blessed by those around him and caught up in their light that he has now come to find this light within himself, wanting to project it outwards. It's as if Ritsu is saying, "If you are the moon, I'll become your sun", as though there's this sun element inside him that wouldn't have been noticed if it weren't for the light he was given by everyone around him. Because he receives so much love and light from those he cares about, he can now be that light for those who feel similarly to him- like they are the nocturne hiding within the shadows, wanting to give them some of his own sunshine. As he grows and grows, he discovers a positive, happy light in himself, realising he is both the moon and the sun - a worldview that is unique to Ritsu alone; the moon reflects off the sun's light, himself being the moon and the light he receives from those he loves makes him shine brighter. The sun is indispensable, and hence it feels irreplaceable to Ritsu as he is the moon, letting his fingertips graze the sunlight, he's fine with burning himself under the sun's light as long as he can become that light for someone else- his princesses who have loved him the entire time. It really reminds me of Euthanasia, so I really recommend reading the event story, either to refresh your memory, or if you'd like to read it for the first time.

I think the moment you can really feel all of the emotion in Ritsu's voice is during the last verse, "The moonlight and sunshine, they're both you, so, you don't have to choose, just stay the way you are" It's a really sweet and wonderful reminder of how much Ritsu treasures his fans, his princesses who have supported him, as confirmed by Satoru Kuwabara, that the Knights TRIP solos are for the princesses, although as someone who has been a fan of Ritsu since 2015, it's affirming in a way to have Ritsu sing such lovely lyrics - he has always had the sun and moon inside of him, it just took him some time to try and find it. It feels as though, although he's speaking out to the listener, as a fan, I can speak back to him, wanting to reach out and support him, affirming these wonderful feelings in my chest that he really doesn't have to choose, he is both the sun and the moon, having both wonderful qualities within him all along, but it makes him shine and feel so unique and alive as a character. Ritsu is working hard everyday to be outside in the sun with the people he loves, something he probably could have never of dreamt of before, and something that has been really lovely to see in his development since Mayonaka no Nocturne's release six years ago. He's slowly overcoming his fears and becoming an idol who can lead those who are also scared, someone who is close to the moon and a shining beacon of light like the sun.

"You're as beautiful as the full moon", a typical Souseki Natsume reference that Ritsu has generously filtered into his typical vocabulary over the years, but the lyric contrasts to Mayonaka no Nocturne, where he compliments someone for having a bright, sunshine-like smile, instead now their entire being is encased in this light; he's looking at this person illuminated in the light that he is emitting alone, his own sunlight making someone else an entire full moon, tying in beautifully with the title of his second song. The theming of having such closeness with someone who has been watching over and supporting Ritsu for a long time, they're not separated like before, and now in the same world- being unable to measure the distance in the light that he becomes, he is now becoming both the moon and the sun for you. As the sun shines down on him, making him realise his own feelings, he still continues to hide it within himself; "The wind that blows on a quiet night wraps around us in a sweet scent, but I can't help hiding it with my mischievous feelings" recognising his love and affection, the warmth he feels within himself as well as the light from another person, but he still wishes to hide it mischievously. It brings the song back around to the beginning, where he knows he won't do anything about it, he won't let these feelings spill despite losing control with keeping them to himself, but because he's been blessed with this light, because he is a wonderful idol that will shine gracefully for his princesses, he'll hide himself, burning under the spotlight and fading to ashes, just so his fans can feel the love he has within himself; something unsaid that is proven by his actions, his deepest most inner thoughts, expressed beautifully through his light that he'll reflect off himself, his moonlight, and give back to those who helped him find a piece of sunshine in himself.

Something I noticed, and I thought was interesting, was the line "Dear Moonlight, don't wake me up yet, I want to sleep soundly." Silent Oath is a fan favourite of those who like Ritsu, as he is the member most commonly associated with Knights as a group; his chess piece is the Knight, he is the strategist and protector of Knights, and has claimed Knights is like home to him and something he cherishes deeply. Contrasting this idea, Silent Oath is a song about having lingering feelings for someone that you must keep a secret, an oath of hidden love. One line in particular from Silent Oath, “Dear Moonlight, don’t shine your light down on me” shares the same sentiment as the line from My Sunshine, You’re Moonlight; this concept of the moon being sentient, an illuminating moon that protects Ritsu and keeps his secrets. He wants to protect this person so much that he’s willing to throw away the key to his own happiness, surrounded by a deep dark forest of loneliness; this idea being connected again by Mayonaka no Nocturne, as he expresses he’s “trapped in the forest of deep sleep”. But I think it shows Ritsu's growth in a further, more interesting way, someone who didn't seek out the light, he didn't go out to intentionally find it in himself, simply wanting to hide away for eternity, but instead that light came to him, seeking for him and rooted itself into him. It was only when he began to accept this side of him, that he was able to see the positives in himself, and brought out a sunny side that he can now use to help others.

The final line; "Even just being by your side won't make it last forever" leaves the song on a heartbreaking note, referring to a few things. It can be taken as Ritsu's resignation that they can't become as one just by being together, despite him reaching out for the light and letting himself bask in the breeze, bringing back that idea of things Ritsu "can't" do. However, it shows some positive determination within Ritsu, to want to keep trying, to still hope that he can be together with this person who has shown him so much light. Even if he knows things won't last forever, like him being an idol, him being surrounded by those he loves, he still wants to try, he's still willing to work positively towards a future where that outcome is possible, he's running away from that idea of things he "won't" do, like accepting it for what it is, instead he's saying he "can't" leave it like this- even if we can't be together forever, I'll always be by your side, referring back to Mayonaka no Nocturne, it simply ends with "because I'm singing a melody to bring us together", there's still hope within him, something that makes him want to try. He has so much passion within him, that he can't let things end, even if it won't be forever. It's a nice way of assuring his fans that, even though it won't be forever, it'll be okay, and he'll be by your side throughout it all, no matter what. I think it also reflects on his feelings, how this comfortable, sleepy moment won't last forever, either through his own actions or someone else's, but he'll try and capture this moment for as long as he can, not wanting this relationship to become something unreachable. Protecting perhaps the both of them, hiding his feelings deep within his chest to let everything stay the same forever, even if he knows deep down it's not possible. He's struggling to accept his feelings, and is terrified of what they might mean, especially when it comes to things changing, but there is an uplifting tone to it, that Ritsu will keep these warm feelings in him forever, even if the space he loves being in won't be eternal; his feelings will be with him forever, despite the ever-changing scenery. Overall, I think you can choose to interpret this last line however you wish; it's up to the reader to decide if they think Ritsu will simply lie in this comfortable space, unwavering and remaining his silence, letting his feelings continue to be a mystery, or if he'll find a way to break through the wall he feels he's hitting, able to find a new, happy moment, letting himself be loved, and finding something that allows himself to be truly happy. I think no matter what he decides, or wherever he wants to go, Ritsu will find happiness again, because he's found this light within himself that can be positive for those around him, as well as himself. He's shown time and time again that he has enough determination and perseverance to ride the storm and come out of a bad situation, even if he is scared, he now has the sunshine in him, the moonlight on his side, and a warm illuminating light that will be with him forever.

My Sunshine, You're Moonlight TL: link
KuwaP Studio TRIP Album Talk: linkThank you for reading ⋆ ☾𖤓 ⋆⁺

10 Years with You

to ritsu—
i think i was born to meet you. in every sense, in every way, something about my life never felt complete until you were here, like a void or a hole that you magically filled so perfectly. you came in to my life so suddenly, without warning, but there was this feeling of discontent with everything in my life until i saw you. i remember it so strongly, scrolling through my phone at silly hours in the morning, looking for a way to distract my thoughts and avoid going to bed, and then you showed up so out of the blue that you took me by surprise and i was completely hooked the second i saw you. i was addicted from the moment we began this journey together, scouring the internet for every piece of information i could find about you, who you were, what you were like, trying so desperately to understand what about you made my heart completely swell with love, but even after all of these years i could never put it in to words how absolutely smitten i was. i think it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and i’ve always said that. i’ll always say it because it’s true. nothing could have prepared me for what was going to happen and yet i didn’t care because i felt like i had finally found something that made me feel alive, so i didn’t care. i just wanted to be consumed by you, by your love, because you love so honestly and openly and your heart is so pure and big that i cry just thinking about it. how kind you are, how wonderful and special you are. everything that you do, every action and every word is laced with love. you look out for your friends, protect them, hold them so close the way that they did to you, wanting to save them the way they saved you. i can see how much you care for them, that you wish for nobody to feel left out, to feel alone, to be burdened by their thoughts, for their presence to feel unimportant, because you understand how much it hurts when you’re treated like you don’t matter, and you would never wish for that for anyone else. i’ve seen how you were able to come out of your shell, to break past all of the trauma that weighs you down, to be unafraid to speak out and do the right thing, to keep your promises to death, and be a pillar for those who truly need it. you are truly an angel in every sense, someone who always puts others before yourself, you consider everybody else and their comfort before your own and i find it truly inspiring. you are so kind, you have the warmest heart and i truly hope it is never permanently tainted. i love everything about you, your mischievousness, your loyalty, your sly sense of humour, your quirks and hobbies, the way your heart opens up to those suffering, your unique worldview of how people can come together in harmony, that the sunshine and moonlight protect one another and become beacons of light for one another. i think you are truly fascinating and it's such a pleasure to know somebody like you, because you have shaped my own beliefs and opinions so much. to forgive those who seek forgiveness, how to be a good person even when everyone around you is rotten, to always show kindness and love to those who need it. i've always felt like we were the same, just two halves of the moon becoming complete but you have also shown me how to become my own light, to become a light for others, and i would have never found the confidence to break free from my own trauma if i had not found you, if you were not capable of doing such a thing by yourself first. you are an inspiration to me, my hero, my knight. you let me become a princess and swore to protect me with all of your might, even when you have struggled to do so, you have never let me down or upset me. i could never find any hate in my heart for you, for anything you do, because i know you are a good person just simply trying to improve every single day, choosing to be stronger and more independent. but i want you to rely on me as well, like how many of us have relied on you for so long. i want you to find home and warmth here with me, where you can rest peacefully and curl up to have sweet dreams. if i can offer you even an ounce of happiness like you have done so for me, i would be so happy for the rest of my life. i love you, ritsu. with all of my heart and every fibre of my being. i wouldn't be here without you and i owe so much to you, my successes and prosperity are all due to your love and patience. you make me so proud i could never put it in to words how much my heart swells when i think about how far you have come, as an idol, as a friend, as a person. every room you enter immediately lights up because of your precious heart, and i wish for even more happiness for you always. thank you for being beside me for ten years, for standing here when nobody else did, for dragging me along even when i didn't want to, for teaching me things about myself that i had no idea were true. you bring out the absolute best in me, so i hope we can be together for many more years, side by side, teaching each-other things about the world that before felt impossible. you bring me up when everything else weighs me down, and i am so so grateful. thank you for finding me, for saving me, for holding my hand every step of the way. i love you so much. thank you. ♡