Innocent Manga - Tumblr Posts

One thing I can’t stop thinking about while I read Innocent is how its literally one of the best versions of ‘breaking the cycle’ as a theme because literally none of the characters break the cycle. The entire story feels like a warning for what happens when you don’t see cycles of abuse and violence for what they actually are and end up falling into them sometimes without even realizing it

Defenitly. I have a feeling that they fourth gen to fall even lower, morally speaking, than the third gen.

Charles-Jean-Baptiste is an awful man, I have no delusions about that, but he has some positive character traits. He's not a sadist, which is already a lot more than most characters in Innocent. He's not a psychopath either, feels genuine remorse for the people he kills and tries to turn this remorse into something productive : the charity clinic. He's also a devoted son, very devoted son.

He's the representation not of patriarcal toxic masculinity, but the matriarcal one. He's very violent and crazy, but not out of his own initiative, and only is so for his mother and his children, to some extent.

Now, Charles-Henri did not become brainwashed and crazy after having sex, he just became more confident. For example, in the scenes he teaches Marie, he doesn't see her blood lust as a problem, doesn't scold her for nearly strangling him and he seems to value being a skilled executioner at least in her. He sees her lack of empathy as "strength". So, already a great start.

The father-son relationship is deeply disfunctional since page one, and that's to put it mildly. Kids already have trouble understanding what there parents want from them, but Jean-Baptiste particularly difficult to understand. Like him scolding Charles for acting embarassed at being jeered at by strangers, thus acting like a socially intergrated youth, while trying to send them to a school for said socially intergrated youths. It can give three interpretations: either Jean-Baptiste wants his son to get the martinet as many times as humanly possible or he's so emotionally immature that he takes his son finding being jeered at by strangers humiliating as a personal slight against himself and Charles being manipulative to him, which given the historical context is a possibility but...It does mark a lack of trust in the relationship, at least. And it only gets worst from there, with the torture scene and so forth.

So, Charles-Henri ends up growing up worst than his father, somehow, but with the added quirk that at least he's consistant with his parenting expectations. He's still hugely physically abusive, but at least he's consistant in his expectations.

Marie-Josèphe is bad in her own right. Starting out as a creepy child, she grows into a force to be reckoned with. She's rebellious against the old world order, but is probably just as bad. Marie is shown capable of changing for the better, and has some redeeming qualities, but...She's still an abusive mom. Because nothing says caring parent like exposing a baby to a dangerous mob, willingly, bathing it in human blood and making them hide there face since a few days after birth...And none of this can be justified with more innocuous reasons. Her educative violence is still violence, even if it goes against conventional codes. Also, the chances of the crowd turning on her are quite high, so she's morally speaking a lot more different than a normal person attending the execution.

The needling thing but subyss? Thoughts?

Oh, I think that normally, he's the one doing the needling.

He's unecessarely intimate and cruel during the needling, and not holding tight to keep them from squirming, but actually encourage them to do so. He enjoys seeing them accidentally hurt themselves in such ways. He will definitly mock them if they are scared of needles. He will birch them if they rebel, on the shoulders for adults, on the bum for kids (anyone under 17). That's on his good days. On his bad days, he'll take his witch pricker. Would always ask them to take off way more clothes than necessary for the needling to take place.

He's the reason Jean-Baptiste decided to do at least some of the needling himself.

Do you have any Henri hcs (I'm at the part where Charles is a fuckin dick to him and its making me mad he's just a little guy)

I honestly don't have much besides that he'll go bald soon after Innocent Rouge end.

Modern aus living rent free in my head, lowkey think that Marie would go by the nickname 'Jo' or 'Josie'

Why not, although most French nicknames aren't structured like that. Haven't really heard of "Josie" as a nickname for "Josèphe" But Jo can work. Marie-Jo would be a good nickname for her.

For some reason, I imagine her mom coming up with the most riddiculously cutesy nicknames for her. "Jojo" and "Boule de gomme" being two of them.

Night terrors

Inspired by @coentinim headcanon, and my own research...

Charles-Henri was already twelve, and yet the night terrors haven't stopped since he was two, and frankly, only became worst. Even after he regained awareness, he showed open sobbing of fear. It was a relief that lately, he's only around the house in August, and most of the time in boarding school, but frankly, it must be tough for other kids to sleep around him.

Jean-Baptiste was told that this might be posession, although unlikely. Still, just in the off-chance, sending him to sleep inside the chapel seemed to calm him a little bit, but...Setting him in only his shift in a cold, drafty room for the night wasn't something he could do long-term. With how skinny Charles was, he was in no state to regulate body temperture at night.

One thing that did work, among others, was giving him some calming tea. It meant there was less for others, but frankly, if that meant a couple more hours of sleep for the rest of the household, it was a well-placed ressource. Avoiding roughing him up, no matter how naughty he was, on the days he helped with executions could be done in the beginning, but there was a limit to that, which wasn't easy, since Charles begged his father to hurt him on those days.

Jean-Baptiste wasn't surprised of this. In his early training, he did have a lot of trouble sleeping, and he could barely do so now. But the night that was the worst was the one when Charles helped him render out human fat to make ointment. Seeing a parent cook human flesh was a terrifiying experience for any child, on a deep, instinctual level. There was no reasoning. And Charles was particularly sensitive. No longer caning him for little things did help, although it worsened his behavior, or so Jean-Baptiste thought.

One particularly bad night, the third "maître des hautes oeuvres" hugged his eldest son gently, oh so gently, not really blaming him for being scared, gently massaging his forehead, and he did burn afterwards the hazel rod he used on him previously once he woken up. It seemed to help...

12 and still needing the same frequent hugs as a four year old ? Annoying, but not surprising.

Innocent manga characters react to...

Young patient accidentally thrashing during painful proceedure (XVIIIth century, so options for anasthesia are limited) and then apologizing later with puppy eyes, borderline presenting them the ruler.

Charles-Henri:

Adult!Charles Oh, you are sure to melt his heart, even his adult, hardened state would fall for that...On the outside, would only say a brief: "It's fine", let them recompose themselves a little bit, tie them super gently and continue the proceedure. He won't show it, but if one day he'll be tasked with harming them (the scaffold-related stuff), his ability to bring himself to would be very limited. Extra difficult if it's a girl. Young!Charles would probably be very awkward and uncomfortable in this situation, but would probably grow protective of them. Would 100% not be able to bring himself to harm them in the future.

Marie-Joseph:

Would play it cool. Is most likely to meet the puppy eyes and apology with disgust at such a display of submission.

Jean-Baptiste: Another one, who would probably brush it off, exteriorly, saying something like: "It's fine. I'll give you a cloth to bite." The rest would depend on their response. Secretly feel his heart pinch...

Read exerps from Innocent by Dark Horse

Still plan to purchase it the second I am able to. This English version is great.

And Subyss is now Soubise, even in English. Soubise...We love you.

Drow girl with wings about to pop and Soubise conversations

Soubise: Naughty, naughty girl...Walking around Paris half naked. Oh, I see you neglect to use stays most of the time.

Drow girl: Not our customs...I'm sorry I couldn't bring my shift...My wings are growing, and...

Soubise: This is what you call wings ? More like giant blisters. (Touch) Looks sore ? You poor thing. (Mocking) Still, I'll have to punish you for public indencensy.

Drow girl (blushing in embarassement): Hey ! Don't touch there ! I'll also prefer if you don't look.

Soubise: I'll might look for my instruments...

Drow girl: (Looking around) Hum...I know this is your job, but is it really necessary to steal your wife's chastity belt and put it on display ? And you say I'm the indecent one.

Sorry for brainrotting but stuff subyss would say>>> do you have any more? 🤲

-Subyss has no problems with racial slurrs. Partially because it's XVIIIth century, partially because he's a rude jerk the best of the time.

-I don't know why, but I imagine in a more realistic version of Innocent, he'll use both swear words and formal speech in the same sentence.

-He's master of backhanded compliments. Such as: "My, oh my. The thoughness of your joints amazes me. I am surprised someone that clumsy still doesn't have any knee problems."

-Mock-pity...He's a master of it.

-His voice is quite castrated and eerie, but he can also sound very bitchy.

-"Now, mister/miss/missus...I won't lie, it'll hurt quite a bit."

-To his child victims: "Why won't you be a good boy and danse for me ? I don't care if you thrash, in fact, I prefer it." (You know what kind of dancing I am talking about)

@coentinim

What do the Innocent executioners dream of? As in at night

I think almost all of them are prone to traumatic flashbacks when they try to sleep. Like during the day, their minds would be occupied.

I think Jean-Baptiste barely sleeps at all because of the nightmares he has of killing people. I think when he was younger, he would have nightmares of being murdered or framed by his rivals. The rivalry mentality in executioner and torturer groups would make it very difficult for him to cope with disability, since his new found vulnerability would mean having once again a target on his back...Also, Charles being inexperienced and clumsy, or illegally applying retentum, or that he considered to send him to a school in Toulouse were the prejudice against executioners and their families was much stronger, he would sometimes have nightmares of Charles' mutilated, battered corpse sent to him. He would later, as they gradually enter apprenticeship, have nightmares of his sons sent to him in a box. Also, the time he went to jail for a short while for botching a hanging, he still has dreams about his ex cell-mate, and how later he had to kill/brand him. Also, would sometimes have dreams of Madeleine still peacefully sleeping in his bed, or him having sex with her. On these nights, he'll hug Jeanne extra tight, who'll welcome the affection, not knowing he thinks of another woman. Because of the quasi-sibling like relationship they shared, his relationship with Madeleine is one that could never be replaced, and he'll never love another partner like he did with her. Given how he's presented all over the manga, I don't think he can sincerely love a woman he doesn't consider related to him. The relationship with his mother is quasi-incestuous, and Anne-Marthe is very misogynistic, and he seems to share her values. Also, being a dynastic executioner, I don't think he'll consider courting, marriying and then having children with a woman he considers a sister, aunt or niece to be morally wrong.

For Charles-Henri, he would have it similar, but the Revolution would drive those dreams to straight up hallucinations of the faces of his victims, of blood and gore. As a youngster, he would sometimes have dreams of his father hugging him, or strangling him. Up to age 23, he would sometimes have nightmares about his physical punishments. Sometimes, he'll see Jean de Chartois. Also, him sleeping around in his mid-twenties, and even after getting married, he would sometimes have sexual dreams regarding his wife or mistress(es). Also, I think the "soft compassionate side" of his personality never left, and mixted with his new playboy lifestyle, given how horribly prostitutes and "loose women" were treated, he would sometimes imagine he'll have to sheer or whip his mistresses, or have news that the magistrates had some sick "games" with them. Also, his wife finding out his infedelity is also one. However, he won't have any incestuous fantasies, and would be grossed out by the prospect. He spent too much time with individuals outside his cast and with the church to consider that...

I don't think Soubise/Subyss would sleep well either, his concious tormenting him a bit as he sleeps. Also, he is someone who always needs to be high on something, be it torture or alcohol. Subyss would often have dreams of being tortured himself, perhaps flashbacks prostituting himself to magistrates or doing tasks for them in the "convulsionaire" secret reunions (what they did there was pretty disgusting). Since torturer isn't enough to make a living on it's own, he'll be a corrector either for the Hôpital Général, colledges or for wealthy nobles with bratty sons or daughters (honestly, who ever happens to offer the most money for the job). I think he might sometimes get emotionally attached to those kids, especially as he shows signs of histrionic personality disorder making one believe that relationships are closer than they actually are. He'll also have sexual dreams about Nicolas, sometimes Damien.

Marie-Josephe: I think on top of flashbacks being tortured as a child, would sometimes have dreams of being held and hugged warmly. Marie-Josephe does have an underlying desire for affection and recognition. She seems genuinely hurt when Charles-Henri refused to support her during that La Barre execution, and we see a flashback asking Charles if he found her disgusting. In that part with the Chevalier Alain Bernard, she wonders if he'll change and leave her like Charles did. Also, we see her mocking and angry after her father asked to step aside so that he can finish Lally/Griffith in one stroke and treat his body with the "respect he deserves". Like, knowing her dad had some lingering friendship and respect for the man who raped her, but little to none to her, nor her mom...That must hurt. Again, Marie seems like someone who secretly wants love and approuval, but doesn't allow herself to indulge in that. However, at night, when she's about to sleep, I can very well imagine she'll have dreams of being hugged warmly by Charles, or by Alain...Maybe by her mother. Although, I don't imagine those dreams being pleasant to her, and she'll probably wake up afterwards with her face twisted into a grimace of pain. Thanks to having chosen the path of female executioner, I think Marie, for all her rebelliousness, does have desires and fantasies of acceptance, just that they bring her a lot of emotional pain.

Charles-Henri as a client (you know the type...)

TW: prostitution...

Charles-Henri isn't the rough type of client, mostly around to forget about blood and gore.

He might want a hand job, some gropping, kisses and for her to wear a clothpin down there, but that's about how far he'll take it. Otherwise, a walk around a park, he'll probably buy her a small gift such as fruit or flowers, a trip to the bathhouse or the theatre.

Around her, he'll play a sophisticated gentleman and man of taste, and would be far more verbally polite than most other of her clients.

The Innocent manga and HP crossover makes so much sense to me because of the Black family. I've always imagined them exactly the same as Sansons: the underlying rivalry, the emotional incest, the mingling with death and the morbid, the torturing... Moral dilemmas and outcast aristocrats. Do you agree?

I think the Black family is quite different. The Black family is sure aristocratic, but they are not outcasts, and are blood-purity fanatics. Also, fans of HP who claim Sirius wasn't abused. He's from a family that decapitates house elves, and that Bellatrix is seen as "nice" to houseelves by comparison of the other purebloods. Bellatrix is a nutcase, Andromeda is a victim and Narcissa is a snob. Sirius is a nutcase, and Regulus, while a death eater, might be the most normal out of them.

The Sanson actually contribute to society (giving free health care to the poor).

They both are torture addled, wealthy and a bit incestuous. While the Black family view incest as the lesser evil than exogamy, the Sanson simply do not care. Like, Jean-Baptiste hides the fact his mom still allows him to suckle on her breats, but that's about how far the level of shame stops. Jean-Baptiste didn't have babies with Madeleine Tronson because of blood-purity thing, even if her dad was an almost father-figure to him. He did it because she was an acceptable in his eyes member of the opposite sex to marry. Charles-Henri straight up refuses endogamy.

In both cases of endogamy, there is a sense of entitlement.

RP starter.

@oleander-storyteller

Jean-Baptiste deligated the task of whipping petty thiefs whenever he could to his servants. But today was a particularly busy day in a busy week, as the shed needed some urgent repairs (and almost killed poor Charles-Nicolas on the head). Plus, he didn't want to get too much out of practice.

He walked down the back alley of the court room to meet the young convict for theft.

The petty thief that day was a cute little blond thing with verpiligo and freckles. An adorable little girl, really, who seemed swift and agile enough to do honest work. It was a good thing for her punishment, since it meant she could endure a lot. Probably a poor soul who could use saving, and being guided towards an honest life once the temptation was beaten out of her. Plus, he could use some more dexterous staff. He would think about it. He also wondered, that those agile fingers would be perfect if she would learn how to weave spidersilk, as it was a more human approche to closing wounds than depending on hot irons exclusively. Now, his mother and daughter did do some of the spider-weaving, but, there was only two of them, and they needed to do other things that did not involve spider-silk weaving.

"Hello. Your name, little miss ?"

The poor girl seemed terrified. It was good, meaning she'd be less tempted to steal again.

"Oh, you won't be. Besides, most of your work, won't require that much physicak strength, and I'll give you some bread to heal."

In all honesty, that girl was one of the most polite convicts he had to punish, and she had most perfect torture chamber etiquette he've seen. "Most of my kids, and those of my colleagues, don't have half your torture chamber etiquette."

He didn't think she'll enjoy the compliment. He removed roughly but without ripping her clothes. It was more awkward with her hands tied up, but...

It was time to hit, which he did, hard. The birch rod very soon ripped through her skin...Her poor shoulders were bleeding, and quite perfusely. He made sure to keep all his lashes near her shoulders, were there was more bone to protect her organs and blood vessles. Very few nerve endings in this area. His pace was slow, agonizingly slow for her...But, after the fifteenth, he decided to stop tormenting her and do it faster. He then untied her wrists from the cart and forced her to stand, not allowing her to even catch her breath.

RP starter.

@oleander-storyteller

Jean-Baptiste deligated the task of whipping petty thiefs whenever he could to his servants. But today was a particularly busy day in a busy week, as the shed needed some urgent repairs (and almost killed poor Charles-Nicolas on the head). Plus, he didn't want to get too much out of practice.

He walked down the back alley of the court room to meet the young convict for theft.

The petty thief that day was a cute little blond thing with verpiligo and freckles. An adorable little girl, really, who seemed swift and agile enough to do honest work. It was a good thing for her punishment, since it meant she could endure a lot. Probably a poor soul who could use saving, and being guided towards an honest life once the temptation was beaten out of her. Plus, he could use some more dexterous staff. He would think about it. He also wondered, that those agile fingers would be perfect if she would learn how to weave spidersilk, as it was a more human approche to closing wounds than depending on hot irons exclusively. Now, his mother and daughter did do some of the spider-weaving, but, there was only two of them, and they needed to do other things that did not involve spider-silk weaving.

"Hello. Your name, little miss ?"

First time

Soubise washed his long birch rod once last time, making sure too keep enough roughness so the next boy would bleed...Bleed, it was his first time inflicting "fouet sous la custode" and to say he was nervous was an understatement. He insured once again he had all the documents carefully folded into his pocket, careful not to damage it.

It was a beautiful september...The bloodred leaves would have been a perfect backdrop for this first performence, but his own were underground, were plants do not grow.

He then proceeded to walk towards the cells. He told the gards in his self-important tone:

"I am looking for Urbain Peche, 12 years of age." before showing them the document.

"Follow me, we'll go somewhere your papa would have a better view." he announced cheerfully, tugging on his cuffs to drag him along.

There, he had his main assistant strip the boy, while he attached him to the rack to make sure he couldn't clench, but without pulling the joints. He touched the shoulders to make sure they were firmly in their sockets. The kid fought back...Until Soubise had the idea: "If you keep moving like that, I might have to pull. Stretch you a little tighter." he threatened with a cat-like smile on his face.

Then, he waited, waited for his spectator...Yes, and when he arrived, he hit, hard enough for a blood blister to form, painting the strip of peachy skin an angry red.

what do each Innocent character smell like? Or, if they would wear any modern perfume what would they wear?

I would go gross and realistic. Lol !

Jean-Baptiste: Probably a light smell of rot and sweat constantly lingering, with also the smell of soap, soda. I don't think he'd particularly notice the smell of death, at this point, or would find it reassuring. He tries his best to keep up with good hygiene, mostly for comfort reasons (dried, rotting blood can be very itchy on the skin, sometimes to the point of chemical burn). The scent of melting, steamed fat quite clings to his hair and clothes pretty strongly, as well as that of herbs. He makes his own medicines, hence the smell of human fat and medicinal herbs and fruit would likely get stuck to him. Silver lime flowers and rowan would probably be the most constant, especially after he gets paralyzed. In terms of perfume, he does wear lemon grass, mint or clove infusions near his scalp for hygiene reasons.

He'd be the type, I think in modern AU, because he's still the type of person to go without perfume if he can, considering it more "sissy", he's probably just get a buzz cut (like, tight pony tails were a military style in the XVIIIth century, so I guess modern AU would do the same) and drop perfume entirely. However, he might decide to grow out his hair if he experiences exessive greasiness (not all skin types can handle a shaved head, to the point it'll require more care than waist-length hair). Being pale, he'd probably need to slather himself with sunscreen, including the scalp.

Charles-Henri:

Probably similar to his father, although he'd probably wear rose perfume, mostly for enjoyment as opposed to an anti-lice measure. The most common medicinal plant he'd consume would probably be rowan, lavender and camomille, the taste and smell probably lingering in his mouth, and he'd run on this stuff.

Modern AU would probably prefer perfumes still on the more feminine, floral side, although would stay far away from the sweet ones. He'd probably also gravitate towards mintier shampoos. Would grow out his hair as soon as he's able to to be able to save on sunscreen.

Marie-Josèphe:

We are in a similar smell range of randered human fat, soap and sweat, but again, with a lingering scent of rose perfume and formildahyde, as well as a bit of lavender and lemon grass for her hair, mostly as lice prevention. Would also have a scent of coffee and tabacco to her breath.

In modern AU, would probably enjoy a light cologne. If she would to wear her hair short, than her side burns would probably always carry some sunscreen.

Subyss/Soubise:

He would absolutely stink, of rotting human corpses, rusted metal, vinegar, melted sulfur of feces too. He's the vain, histrionic type, and would probably wash himself regularly, although he'd use pure soda or ash water as opposed to soap. His hair would likely carry a scent of lemon grass, again, as lice prevention. I don't think he can afford the nicer smells. He doesn't grow much facial hair, most of his bodily testosterone focused on maintaining bodily functions such as keeping his bones together, with how little sunlight he's getting. More subtly, he'd probably carry also the scent of wine and brown rice steam.

Modern AU, would probably wear whatever the local pimp exepct him, probably something like vanilla, at the very least in his cleaning products, as it's the smell that best blends with the smell of sex and human rot. He'd have no need for sunscreen, though.

Charles Henri Sanson fan art ig

I just finished Innocent Rouge and realized thats the sequel to Innocent (Sakamoto Shinichi) Lol i was wondering why i didn’t see any panels while i searched it up. Anyways gonna read it now and probs starts posting more of the Innocent saga its so beautiful and gorgeous!!!

I finished it like 2 days ago but anyways Charles was getting me heated the whole time after he changed 😭.

I loved the ending of innocent rouge but I need more of the Sanson siblings 😪Anyways these are some of my favorite panels i’ll probably post more