#ACK i loved making his groovy

[twsted-void]

"The stories about sailors and sirens...interesting, huh? Don't worry, I won't do that to you!"

Cadbury Schweetz, Moonlight Attire, SSR Groovy

For @sunnysidesevenup 's Moonlight Song Competition event!

Voice lines under cut!

Home: I can't get over my new tail...so cool!

Home Idle, login: I should keep up on my singing lessons after this...wanna practice with me?

Home, Idle 1: Swimming in the water is so much easier now with my tail!

Home, Idle 2: I don't know if I ever want to give up my new form! It's too awesome!!

Home, Idle 3: La, la la~! *Ahem*...ah, still a little rusty. I should practice more.

Home, Tap 1: I used to be enrolled in private singing lessons when I was a kid. But my mom took me out of them when I was about ten years old, so it's been about 7 years...ehe....

Home, Tap 2: I do miss racing on land...but swimming on the ocean is actually super fun!

Home, Tap 3: It was so nice of Arlo to invite me to come...even though I'm from RSA. ...maybe it's because I'm friends with Neige?

Home, Tap 4: Miss Kyra's merform is so, so beautiful!! I'm almost jealous!! Her fins are absolutely gorgeous...I really am a little jealous!

Home, Tap 5: Vil's outfit is divine, but that's to be expected from him. I wonder what his merform would look like? I bet it would look even better!

Duo Magic with Epel:

Cadbury: "C'mon, Epel, sing with me! Let's show them what we're made of!"

Epel: "No problem! We ain't just pretty faces!"

Taglist: @oya-oya-okay @justyoureverydaytwstsimp @amai-sakura-chan @justyoureverydaytwstsimp @cheerleaderman @angelwishess (Let me know if you wanna be tagged when I post art/writing/about my oc's!)

[mysteryshoptls]

SR Riddle Rosehearts - Nightmare Suit Voice Lines

Summon: This is Halloween! ...Ack, no, wait! I must hurry back to campus to continue my scholarly obligations!

Groovification: On Halloween night, I'll escort you― To an utterly frightful experience, that is.

Home: I'm not really good at playing tricks on people.

Home Transition 1: Azul was approaching the citizens of Halloween Town, asking if they had any quandaries they needed solving... His tenacity leaves me floored.

Home Transition 2: Sir Skellington is a guiding beacon for his town, leading all those who live here by good example. He truly carries himself like a king.

Home Transition 3: It seems the town's alarm system sounds like the cries of a cat. Even if it may sound endearing, if you hear it, make sure to pay attention.

Home Transition - Login: This town may look rather dreary and yet it is full of vigor preparing for Halloween year-round. How fascinating.

Home Transition - Groovy: Skully is a mysterious young man, but I will give him props for his classy, gentlemanly demeanor.

Home Tap 1: If Chenya were here, I'm sure he would feel right at home. He's just as much of a prankster as the people here.

Home Tap 2: Vil-senpai was speaking with Miss Sally on what sort of decorations to make. I'm sure whatever those two come up with will be very tasteful.

Home Tap 3: Jamil carries himself well, so he tends to look even more dignified in that sort of outfit. ...Although it also feels a tad intimidating.

Home Tap 4: The townsfolk had substituted a pumpkin for a ball and were hitting it with an umbrella. If this game is anything like croquet, I may want to try my hand at it.

Home Tap 5: This outfit may be monochrome, but the pattern and buttons give it a lovely appeal. This would be good party attire.

Home Tap - Groovy: If you're looking for a fright, then feel free, but otherwise, I'd advise against opening any box you find in this town. You've been warned.

Requested by @farfalla049.

[dilatorywriting]

Random question cause I've just seen an event and I'm starting to find idia a bit annoying lol but I do still like him when he makes sense but I wanted to know why YOU didn't like him lol

Okay I give my whole ass disclaimer that I know Idia is a fan favorite and I completely get why. In the words of Hades, I get it. I got it. I got the concept. But I just personally don't vibe with him.

Mostly I think it's because I've known quite a few people with his personality/archetypes in real life who were just absolutely awful, and that colored my opinion a lot. It's a fun concept for a character, very not fun to deal with in real people. Which, tbf, would be the same for pretty much all of the Twist boys. But as a nerd and someone in a very quote-unquote 'intellectual' field of work/education, I have met too many people like this.

But as like, an aside on top of that bias, I can tolerate most traits or flaws in other people, in real life and in fiction. My one, personal, irredeemable, nitpick is hypocrisy. Everyone comes from somewhere different and has different experiences that shape your values and ideals, but the second you start being a hypocrite, you're just proving that it's not the values, it's you being a dick. Idia for a lot of his vignettes etc. is incredibly judgemental of his classmates, while simultaneously lamenting how everyone would judge him for his interests. You don't get to be a dick to people and then be all 'uwu no one likes me' when they call you out on it. Like in the Ghost Bride event! Everyone shows up to save him--intentions entirely good or otherwise--and he spouts off enough ungrateful/mean comments that it turns into all of them basically being like 'fine go die :)' I remember thinking it was the funniest shit, and it was definitely meant to be a comedic moment, but the problem is that he never really recovers from those moments. It's always him being a dick, inevitably getting roasted, and then that's... sort of it.

His one redeeming trait in my opinion is Ortho and his obvious love for him. But like, even that gets tainted a lot of the time. Like in Ortho's vignette for his robes or whatever, he gets so excited to go to the opening ceremony! And when shit goes tits up, Idia just like... refuses to interact with him? To the point that the groovy image is Ortho pressed up against the door just... waiting for him? Ortho would give literally anything for his brother, and yes we're told Idia feels the same, but more often than not he still puts himself first. I'll give my disclaimer that I haven't read Idia's book. I know the gist of what happened to the OG Ortho, but like, I don't have the details. Maybe it gets better. But for the most part, until that book, all I'd really seen was things perpetually working out for Idia whenever he needed it (every event he basically gets what he wants--the new years bags, the wishing star, etc), while never having to deal with the consequences of him being nasty to other people and then just going on to complain more. Which. Ack. It just personally rubs me very much the wrong way.

Again, I completely get his appeal. His character design is absolutely gorgeous and sometimes the guy says some genuinely funny/unhinged shit. My favorite characters have literally tried to kill people and I'm sure drive some people into an absolute rage, so like, no judgment here. He is just very much Not My Vibe. At least, not at the moment. Maybe it will get better in Malleus's book.

[anonymousplant]

“Slowing down, are you? Try to keep up!”

[SR] Yuuko Castillo joins the race!

voice lines below

[Groovy locked!]

Summon: You really think I’ll let them win? I took my earrings off for this.

Idle 1: You like my outfit? My dear vice-house warden Yuyu designed it for me!

Idle 2: Oh, looks like Katherine and Floyd are getting into a fight.. hehe, maybe I should record it and send it to Yuyu. Wait, no, I think I see them…

Idle 3: もう一回、もう一回、私は今日もACK— *falls*

Idle 4: With Hatsune Miku songs blasting into my ears, there’s no way I can’t be fast.

[Groovy Idle locked.]

Tap 1: *Dramatic sigh* If only I had silly stickers to plaster over everyone’s equipment.. oh, wait! I do! Hehehe…

Tap 2: Helmets are for the weak. See Riddle? He needs a helmet. Me? No helmet, because I’m strong. What do you mean it’s a safety precaution?

Tap 3: FLOYD GET BACK HERE YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY RIGHT TO PUSH ME WHATSOEVER— oh hi Soo-min there is absolutely no violence here whatsoever no need to worry!

Tap 4: Omg.. Yuyu.. you came here to see me? I’m so honored.. let’s take some celebratory photos!! No, shshshh. I don’t care if you were forced by Floyd you are here now.

Tap 5: Ohoho~ Kalim’s here for Sidney? How cute… Maybe I should force Yuyu and Floyd to hang out today.

DUO MAGIC

Yuuko: Too bad Yuyu, looks like you’re too young for this, haha!

Yuyume: Literally explode.

rambling below!

This AMAZING fan event is by the one, the only, @babyghoul138!!! We know her, we love her, so give her a hand for coming up with this (not a literal hand)! Roller Derby!!

The outfit design is by fresh_bobatae on instagram, post found on pinterest.

Hope you like the Yuuko appearance! I worked really hard to put extra details into his outfit. I was trying to go deeper into his character, but it got cropped out :( If you recognize the colors then maybe that means something ?

He doesn't say it in his voice lines but he is listening to either Wowoka’s Rolling Girl (because rolling), cosMo@bousouP’s Hatsune Creation Myth (fast), or DECO*27’s Rabbit Hole (i was getting that vibe while i drew this). All sung by Hatsune Miku (of course). No earrings because he doesn't want them to break or for them to get caught in something and rip his ear (yikes).

Yuyume (other child) also is there sometimes, either because Floyd drags her, or Yuuko makes him go for moral support. Has witnessed Yuuko fall multiple times before he got up and continued like nothing happened. Possibly concerned (not really).

Full Yuuko below! (ignore the lack of his hair swirl) i put a lot of details into it, please let me know if you notice anything!

[sixstepsaway]

I just wanted to say thank you for all your writing and analysis on Izzy and the Blackhands dynamic. I just found your blog but I've been reading through posts and it's just been so great and helpful to read. Every character is going to sit differently with people depending on so many things. The whole "ack this character is reminding me of something toxic I have experienced and I shall now put any disparaging feelings from this media onto this character" has been placed quite often on Izzy in this fandom, but from my first watch (and strengthening upon rewatching) those feelings for me went right on Ed (Not taking responsibility, out of control, etc. Which yeah we wouldn't want to watch a show with a perfect lead who doesn't have to grow. I'm here for the journey but it does give me gnarly feelings!) Izzy has become a comfort character for me (haha, oh dear) and with most scenarios in the show, I see Ed falling off the edge of the earth and Izzy going to the end of the world to bring him back... then being demonized for it. Anyway, I probably don't have to over explain. Your deep dives are magnificent. I'm a fandom lurker and I'm mostly fine taking my perspective from media and being groovy with however the fandom wants to roll with things, but as it is for many people, OFMD just hits deeper and a bit more intimate so your writing has really been refreshing and I just wanted to say thanks for that. -Finch

General fandoms, especially those with a large portion that ascribe to purity culture etc, find it much easier to enjoy something if they boil it down in a way they can take in small bites. Eg: Izzy Bad. If they don't do that, they have to admit that Edward is a really morally grey character who needs a lot of growth to be healthy to himself and those around him, and that it's okay to still love him. It doesn't make them a bad person.

Instead of doing that introspection and acknowledging those things, they hone in on someone annoying (Izzy's voice isn't exactly standard, so that's one thing they can start with, he's a bit of a dick, rough around the edges, his accent is northern which is already looked down on and not often represented, etc etc) and heap all of the bad feelings on him. He becomes a vessel for their wrath so they can love the other characters in peace, without having to (haha, considering this is what they tell us to do) think critically about what they enjoy.

It's shitty and toxic and if I can help even one person with my metas and analysis etc then I've achieved something great, because I know what it's like to step into a fandom and get bombarded with nothing but hate for a character you don't think is all that bad really and struggle to find anything refuting those accusations of toxicity, abuse, homophobia, racism, whatever the fuck else they decide to throw in there.

Frankly, Izzy has become a comfort character for me too, probably because he's so desperately trying to keep control of a life rapidly falling apart around him and no one is listening to his cries for help. It resonates.

And I agree with your take on Edward wholeheartedly. I love that man to death but he needs to straighten up his act because his whole, "Oh no, no, the fall killed the guy I pushed down the stairs," schtick is adorable for five minutes until you realize he basically perpetuates that across everything in his life. I bet you anything that in season 2 he's like, "No I didn't hurt Izzy, the Kraken hurt Izzy," and I want someone to call him on that!

and with most scenarios in the show, I see Ed falling off the edge of the earth and Izzy going to the end of the world to bring him back… then being demonized for it.

Oh my god yes. Izzy's ways of bringing Ed back are questionable sometimes (you know, the murder thing in reference to dueling Stede) but they make perfect sense, especially in the context of everything else in the show and what everyone around him does! He tries so hard to take care of Ed and the fandom is just like, "What a dick." Or, what I saw earlier, which was, "Izzy wants to keep Ed as a pet."

Which a) was a highly racist take, as these people talk about here

and b) completely ignores all canon context that says that honestly Izzy is closer to the pet in the situation than Ed lmao

I think also one of the reasons OFMD hits so deep is there's so much love and time put into it, so we can dig into every character bit by bit, analyze scenes, talk about the context when framed against other factors like homophobia, race, class, power etc, and then keep digging and talking about everything else. There's so much detail work that's been embedded in it, as demonstrated by Izzy's ring and the tattoos they chose to put on each character that has them. I love it.

Your deep dives are magnificent. I'm a fandom lurker and I'm mostly fine taking my perspective from media and being groovy with however the fandom wants to roll with things, but as it is for many people, OFMD just hits deeper and a bit more intimate so your writing has really been refreshing and I just wanted to say thanks for that.

You're really welcome, Finch. I'm glad I could be a port in the storm of the fandom and I hope you stick around :)

thank you so much for such a lovely ask, it really made my day