#(huge writing flaw)

[mejomonster]

Modu by priest was truly such a good read. If you like romance? It has a sweeping romance, with a well done bisexual and gay lead (and straight best friend) all written in ways that manage to feel realistic, it's got features people likely found it for when looking for a danmei - rich manipulative younger man, older investigator who's got a hero streak, and yet those categories don't really do justice to them (and of course tao ran is the more grounded detective story lead who keeps his theories to himself and worries about dragging others into his mess).

They're so much more... Fei Du is a traumatized young man who's worried he's as monstrous as the people who scarred him, who is preparing to take the leap and cross the line to become an even more terrifying version of himself if it will destroy the corruption poisoning this city and harming so many, Luo Wenzhou is a cop that used to want to be a hero and learned he will fail people and be unable to save people and holds onto Fei Du as someone who reminds him he DOES fail but also reminds him why he wants so hard to keep Trying to help people even when it seems impossible... why trying and putting in effort to care and help Even when its too late to fix things is Worthwhile. Tao Ran is a contrast to them both, Fei Du living in a world where there's only monsters and victims and Luo Wenzhou desperately trying to force the world to be a place where justice CAN prevail and win even as he sees it fail over and over, trying so hard to believe all people have the capacity for everything and are worth trying to save. Even though Fei Du doesm't believe that, being around Luo Wenzhou makes him want to consider it. Tao Ran, their contrast? Believing the world can go either way, and its up to people like him to create any justice at all, any structure at all, or else everything is just meaningless suffering chaos. As characters, the three of them serve to explore how the world works and views on it in terms of a detective murder mystery encompassing the whole city, the small scale version of the world. Modu is a romance, but its also fully commited to being a murder mystery that wants to tackle the kind of themes that come up in the setting it's created. Its characters are so much more than Insert Character Ship types here. These characters were made this way to explore these ideas (just as the villains are all made to parallel and contrast Fei Du to explord these ideas in comparison to our point of view Fei Du moments, our impressions of Fei Du from Luo Wenzhou and Tao Rans varied perspectives, all of them are different lenses to view humanity and how it works, if the world is just or if we have to make it good, if we can be inherently good and if good people will reach out to us if we just keep treading water to survive, if its luck and chaos, and how much... and much more frankly).

Modu is like. If you want a story about a corrupt city and its victims, symbolizing a corrupt world and all of us at its mercy, and you want to see the heart of the people doing something about it. First the main trio, but also every victim Fei Du recruits to help, every murderer recruited to the corruption, all the people in the cases swayed to some side. Thats what Modu is about.

The romance is just one facet of exploring that, the personal debate about what these things mean about the world as told through two people who view this world incredibly differently. Yet find some way to exist in the same space, same mutual world, when together. It hooks you in and doesn't let you go and youre wondering right there with them, left to draw your own meaning in the end. Hopefully that its worth trying, that doing something is worth trying even when its just the trying you can do and not the succeeding, at least thats what I got from it (at least in regards to Fei Du and Luo Wenzhou meeting each other, unable to live up to the pillar they put each other on but trying anyway, is what I felt from them).

Then like? Modu gives you THAT story, which in its own right is enough to make you contemplate.

And if you're like me and care about people, about characters? Well it gives you, like I said, those big themes and a city's nightmares symbolizing the world, and brings them down to an individual level. You read from the mind of the little girl who grew up in this (one of my favorite scenes and when I felt this novel was going to not shy away from dark psychological moments and bringing them to you). You read from the mind of Fei Du when he knows himself, when he doesn't. You read from the minds of all kinds of people, and the heart of much of the investigation is peoples motives and things they'd gone through and how that shaped what they'd do next. Why they'd do it. Leaving you to wonder who's right. Jaded idealist Luo Wenzhou who wants to believe in the goodness of the people he loves, but also is willing to risk that strangers may have good intent? Fei Du who thinks theres only victims and perpetrators and everyone is going to fall into one in the right circumstance? Tao Ran, who feels the world is too messy to dare declare predictable, who thinks even your closest can betray you and even you can accidentally hurt them, nevermind strangers, and the only thing you can control and rely on is your own choices? Some mix? None of them? The side characters as they come up, grow and evolve, do they understand the world better or worse, and is the world they experience different than anothers and justify why their worldview is likewise different? Modu gives you that up close and personal, over and over. Im still thinking about it. And the way its done, they all get to feel like lived in people. Not structures to tell the themes only. But on their own, there's a personal struggle between Fei Du feeling like a monster who'll destroy Lup Wenzhou if he loves him, like his dad destroyed his mom, and Luo Wenzhou carrying the guilt he could never save Fei Du and desperate to believe in Fei Du (and keep trying to save him in that way if only that way) as person who can do good despite not being saved and despite Fei Du's fears. You could cut the entire city's plot away, all of the crimes and make the city calm, and still that core of their plot would be carrying a Lot of weight. Theyre playing a game of "enemies" to lovers sure, or whatever romance story structures they fit into. But they're also made to be deeply rooted into each other, their personal beliefs tied into the outcome of what they hope or fear happens if they are close together. Modu made me care about that. Its like the fears many people might have, abiut theur own flaws, about getting close to others, about trusting and being unsure if that trust is safe to give. Its that and magnified into bigger form, in this landscape of a fucked up city and the tragedy of Fei Du and Luo Wenzhou's meeting and former lives.

Its like. Id love to to read another danmei (Ive got a lot on my to read list). But what's going to give me roo

[bookinit02]

the problem with tommy is that he’s just. Not a well-written character. he’s explicitly racist on screen and it’s not even addressed in that episode. instead, he says some bullshit to chimney about “not wanting to get attached” because the probies always come and go. i don’t think the writers even remember that he made racist comments because they just needed someone to exemplify the general racist atmosphere at the 118, and tommy just happened to Be There. and then 5 seasons later we have chimney saying “wow, tommy, that guy’s so cool!😍” as if 1) the very first thing he said to him (About him) was not a racist joke and 2) even after they became “friendly,” chim didn’t really stay in touch with him or care that much about him (via the episode with red).

and the thing is like. Could tommy be a great example of a character who goes through redemption and learns and grows? yeah. he definitely could. there’s a lot to explore there, and i’m not saying that someone displaying racist behavior is an automatic death sentence and they can never be redeemed Ever. i actually think it’s incredibly important to show those types of redemption stories, because it shows that it’s possible, and explores why people display racist behavior in the first place. but they just haven’t shown that at all with tommy’s character, and they haven’t even made an attempt, and i really doubt they’re going to. he’s inconsistently written, which isn’t uncommon for a show of this length with this many characters, but the problem happens when that inconsistency revolves around something as important as racism. it happens when you bring that character BACK without ever addressing his past behavior and acting like it didn’t happen at all. and it’s a writing flaw, but it gives validity to people not liking tommy. on the other hand, people who don’t read that much into it do like tommy, because we’re supposed to. because the narrative likes tommy, and they want to treat him like some cool action hero who flies helicopters and has a daddy kink and makes out with buck in the hospital lobby. and like, all those things are fine. but when you apply them to a character who has been shown on screen making racist comments, it gets way more complicated. so like—yes, it’s valid to not like tommy. it’s more than valid. i have no idea why people act like disliking him is just due to shipping/wanting buck to be with eddie (although yes, that’s obviously a factor), when disliking him due to unaddressed racism is way more important. also, you can just. not like him. he’s boring. lou’s a bad actor. it’s totally fine, and it’s UNDERSTANDABLE. i’m so tired of this😭

[ladyalicentshightower]

I think people overestimate how feminist team black is. If someone brings up how Baela should be the heir to Driftmark, it's always "she would've been Queen if not for the Greens!", ignoring that 1, she would be Queen consort, not a Queen in her own right, and 2 she has a legitimate claim in her own right to Driftmark. Team Black's goal is to crown Rhaenyra, but Rhaenyra becoming Queen isn't a win for feminism because it does nothing to dismantle the rest of the patriarchal system that exists in Westeros. From what we've gotten so far, it reads that Rhaenyra wants to be the exception and not the rule. Rhaenyra has made a lot of bad political decisions, which means she can't acknowledge Baela's claim because it would weaken her own claim (blatantly admitting her eldest sons are illegitimate would not end well for her to say the least). So she betrothes Jace and Luke to Baela and Rhaena to kind of atone for that, like as a consolation prize Baela will be Queen and Rhaena will be lady of Driftmark, neither of them would hold either title in their own right. It's good matches because the kids like each other and will treat each other well, but it's not a feminist win or a feministic liberation. It's usurpation, usurpation that takes place because Rhaenyra has to do damage control after having illegitimate children and after a serious of bad political decisions (both hers and her fathers, Viserys is the arbiter of this entire mess). To me, Rhaenyra is very reminiscent of Mary Queen of Scots, I can see a lot of elements drawn from Mary's history in Rhaenyra's story and character, down to their sons eventually taking the crown they failed to claim/keep.

[azathothweirdo]

I will be the first person to defend Kato's writing to the death, but if there is one flaw I do think she has. It's that she has shoved Izumo into a corner a lot and she hasn't done anything big since the Illuminati arc. Maybe it's a bit more obvious to me since I am such a huge fan of Izumo, but it's kind of sad that nearly every character has had more time and space than she has.

Konekomaru, and even Paku has had more of a influence directly on the plot as of late outside of some pushing Shiemi towards romance. It's not the worse, but it's disappointing after what a ride her arc was. She didn't even really fight during the last big battle with Satan before things went nuts. It's just been side stuff.

Izumo isn't the only one, Shiemi got a bit of this too for a couple of years. It's not the worst writing ever, and I can see where Kato is going with things and why they were sidelined (the story needed to focus on the brothers after all). I think it just stands out to me since Izumo's literally hasn't been involved in the direct action since the Illuminati arc. Shiemi at least got to fight her fears in the form of Amaimon.

That isn't to say fighting is the only thing that can make a character important. it just kinda feels like compared to the others Izumo's been in the corner than the actual plot. It's still a great manga, I think it's one of the best written series out there and I'll fight for that. Kato's writing is amazing and this series means a lot to me.

Kinda just sad Izumo's been kind of shoved off.

[deus-ex-mona]

has chizuutan been sitting this close to aizo in class all this time…?

[cheekblush]

i'd rather be friendless than to constantly have my boundaries disrespected

[scientist-of-love]

pewter being my favourite is like. yay silly gay scientist ^_^ haha he brings bl to work and says funny things -> pewter is entangled in a tragedy that only gets worse the more you think about it. the man who killed his lover now wears the same face and voice. pewter holds renju's worth above his own, and saito uses that love and devotion to manipulate him. pewter thinks renju could be dying, unaware of the fact that the "renju" he's been reporting to is an imposter - an imposter who killed the real renju and asked him to tell him the details of his own victim's investigation. when it finally was over, how traumatic was it? how did he cope, alone in prison and forced to deal with not only the brutal murder of his true love, but with the knowledge of how he was manipulated by the real killer? what about his closure? -> yay silly gay scientist ^_^

[starteas]

do what you want forever actually. just because more people have eyes on you doesn't make you less human. I think you should be kinder on yourself and remember that you aren't just here to make content: you're a complex individual with a lot of thoughts on things and you shouldn't be afraid to share them out of fear of backlash. and if you ever feel like "maybe I shouldn't say something?", take a step back, deep breath, and ask yourself why. Please take your time and remember that you are loved and appreciated, and that those are the people who should matter most to you. not meaningless hate from people who don't even totally understand what they're defending. now go have a spectacular day, I was possessed to write this

Thank you so much. That means a lot. 🥲

[thepartyishere]

I love love love akutagawa, one of my favorite characters from the start, dont get me wrong

BUT I cannot stand his stupid ruffley shirt. I'm sorry fellow aku fans. I can't hold in my hate.

[jacksprostate]

due to the heavy environmental doomerist bent in the book I totally have every justification to include as much specific shit as I want and I think that's awesome

[oldmanpuppyplay]

Made with this tier list maker if anyone wants to make their own. @themoonbutspooky signed, sealed, delivered. 💖

[usuallydeepcoffee]

Hi! 😄 Love your blog! 😄

And I love violence, so for the ask game, could you please answer to: 2, 8, 10, 17, 22.

Hi! :D

2. a compelling argument for why your fave would never top or bottom

Already answered that here. I'll add this tho: I'm kinda picky when it comes to Steve's characterization while getting dicked down, because sometimes it feels like he loses some of his personality.

(*taps sign* in want of good Steve Rogers content, and inevitably disappointed by fandom)

8. common fandom opinion that everyone is wrong about

I hate how fandom treats Fury as an antagonist who exists just to exploit the heroes or steal their secrets and create "tension". Idk if it's still a trend, but I remember a ton of fics where Fury was either preying on Tony's tech, so it was okay to bash him, or he was manipulating Steve, uncaring of how depressed he was.

Such a lazy plot device. And also a disservice to the guy who actually wanted the Avengers to be a thing, and the one who had a connection to Steve well before any of the other Avengers. (and lol Steve and Fury obviously respect one another, they even banter together but god forbid Steve has any type of relationship with a non-white man)

10. worst part of fanon

Already answered that here, but ugh, I also hate the way fans treat Sam. Glad as I am that he seems a little more popular now since his show came out, because he has a more substantial relationship with fandom's favorite white boy I can't forget the days when Sam was always suspiciously missing from art and fics even though he and Steve always ended up side by side at the end of all the movies they were in. Or, when people used his and Steve's line for uh... other characters. I see all and remember all.

17. there should be more of this type of fic/art

Time.Travelling.Steve!!

You know, for a fandom that loves to complain about Steve's ending being ooc and would rather imagine him stuck somewhere in time, why not take full advantage and imagine him time-hopping to your favorite events. Are you a fan of dinosaurs? Have him befriend a scary t-Rex (which uh... kinda canon in the comics?) You like Ancient Egypt? Have him take a bath in the Nile while the Pharaoh has a cartoon-esque reaction to the water glistening off his body! You like the Plague? Have him... beg everyone to please wash themselves?

(these are rhetorical questions, I know why fandom doesn't, but still)

I would also take more Avengers 2.0 content. Or even better, SteveSamNat on the run after cacw, I'm not picky 😉

22. your favorite part of canon that everyone else ignores

This is probably really obscure, but I love those little glimpses of a relationship between Rhodey and Nebula in Endgame. Like when she warns him about Scott being on the compound, and she calls him Rhodey. Not War Machine, Rhodey. And then they have that nice moment during the time heist together. Idk, it makes me wonder what kind of relationship (even if it is just friends!) they might have developed between IW and EG. Plus, I think they deserve a little bit of happiness.

choose violence ask game

[aroceu]

honestly shout out to girls who have no actual depiction of them in most (if any) form of media. girls who can't see themselves physically represented by any fictional characters; girls who can't relate with the largely tropey writing of any female character that exists. womanhood--and frankly, general personhood--is not restricted to how it is depicted in fiction or on screen. your identity as a person and as a woman is not tied to what other people think women should be like; it is tied into your acceptance and love of yourself.

[goldensunset]

nemona being emotionally insensitive and oblivious yes girlie 💖

[theultracharmingladynoire]

something something about how the rings not just symbolised Yuuri and Victor's bond and was not just an omamori for them something something Victor was the first person Yuuri wanted to hold on to and share his dreams with and depend on after fighting for so long ALONE something something the rings symbolising this exact same thing something something about how Yuuri's arc still is wonderful even when he didn't win the gold because he finally learnt to actually depend on people, share his dreams and aims with them and not fight alone which is something he struggles with for the whole show

[gottarunfromthelaw]

Yknow there is something therapeutic about shipping a character who is praised to be good but then isn’t (or has weakness that may show off as a bad part of said person) and then even with that flaw of maybe not being the best person is loved. Or not both parts are very fun to watch and help my self esteem in different ways.