#And while the manga has it's problems...the anime seems to make them amplifies those problems or add new ones that the manga avoided

[sonchiildren]

Beerus happens to be one of my favorite Dragonball characters and I fully ignore ANY of the dumb decisions the Super Anime made with his character at times.

[luckgods]

Why all the white guys in whump?

I got Inspired by a post asking that question, and here we are. Warning: long post ahead.

I think it’s due to a combination of factors, as things frequently are.

The preference for / prevalence of white male characters in fandom is well-known and has been examined pretty thoroughly by people already.

What’s worth noting for discussing this tendency in whump in particular is that the ‘whump fandom’ itself is not a ‘fandom’ in the traditional sense of being made of fans of one single source narrative (or source setting, like a particular comics fandom, or the Star Wars extended universe) with pre-existing characters. Although subsets of traditional fandoms certainly exist within the larger whump fandom, a lot of whump is based on original, ‘fan’-created characters.

So, given the tendency of ‘traditional’ fandoms to create stories disproportionately centered on white male characters due to the source material itself being centered on white male characters (and giving more narrative weight to them, characterizing them better, etc), if we say hypothetically that the whump fandom is split say 50/50 between ‘traditional’ fandom works and original whump works, you’d expect to see a higher number of works focused on white men than the demographics of the ‘traditional’ fandom’s source work would predict, but not as extreme of a divergence between the source material & the fanworks as the one you’d see if whump fandom were 100% based on popular media.

However, that doesn’t quite seem to be the case. Whump stories and art remain focused on overwhelmingly male and frequently white characters, which means that the tendency of the fandom to create stories disproportionately centered on white male characters cannot be ONLY explained by the source material itself being centered on white male characters (and giving more narrative weight to them, characterizing them better, etc).

And, having established the fact that whump writers & artists presumably have MORE control over the design of their characters than writers & artists in ‘traditional’ fandoms, we have to wonder why the proportions remain biased towards men, & white men in particular.

—

The race thing is pretty simple in my opinion. Mostly, it’s just another extension of the fanbase’s tendency to reflect the (predominantly US-American, on tumblr) culture it exists in, which means that, in a white-centric culture, people make artworks featuring white people.

There’s also the issue of artists being hesitant to write works that dwell heavily on violence towards people of color due to the (US-American) history of people of color being violently mistreated. I’ve actually seen a couple of posts arguing that white people SHOULDN’T write whump of nonwhite characters (particularly Black characters) because of the history of actual violence against Black bodies being used as entertainment, which means that fictional violence against Black people, written by white people, for a (presumed) white audience, still feels exploitative and demeaning.

I'm not going to get into all my thoughts on this discussion here but suffice to say that there's probably an impact on the demographics of whump works from authors of color who simply... don't want to see violence against people of color, even non-explicitly-racialized violence, and then another impact from white authors who choose not to write non-white characters either due to the reasons stated above, or simply due to their personal discomfort with how to go about writing non-white characters in a genre that is heavily focused on interpersonal violence.

Interestingly enough, there’s also a decent proportion of Japanese manga & anime being used as source material for whump, and manga-styled original works being created. The particular relationship between US-American and Japanese pop culture could take up a whole essay just by itself so I’ll just say, there’s a long history of US-Japanese cultural exchange which means that this tendency is also not all that surprising.

—

GENDER though. If someone had the time and the energy they could make a fucking CAREER out of examining gender in whump, gender dynamics in whump, and why there seems to be a fandom-wide preference for male whumpees that cannot be fully explained by the emphasis on male characters in the source text.

I have several different theories about factors which impact gender preference in whump, and anyone who has other theories (or disagrees with mine) is free to jump in and add on.

THEORY 1: AUTHOR GENDER AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
 Fandom in general is predominantly female, although these days it might be more accurate to say that fandom is predominantly composed of cis women and trans people of all genders. However, pretty much everyone who isn't a cis man has had to contend with the specter of gendered violence in their real personal life. Thus, if we posit whump (and fandom more generally) as a sort of escapist setup, it's not hard to see why whump authors & artists might willfully eschew writing female whumpees (especially in the case of inflicted whump), because (as in the discussion of people of color in whump above), even violence towards women that is explicitly non-gender-based may still hit too close to home for people whose lives have been saturated with the awareness of gender-based violence.

THEORY 2: SICK OF SEXY SUFFERING.
 Something of an addendum to theory 1, it's worth noting that depictions of female suffering in popular media are extremely gendered (in that they specifically reflect real-life gender-based violence, and that said real-life violence is almost exclusively referenced in relation to female characters) and frequently sexualized as well. There's only so many times you can see female characters having their clothes Strategically Ripped while they're held captive, being sexually menaced (overtly or implicitly) to demonstrate How Evil the villain is, or just getting outright sexually assaulted for the Drama of it all before it gets exhausting, especially when the narratives typically either brush any consequences under the rug, or dwell on them in a way that feels more voyeuristic and gratuitous than realistic and meaningful. All this may result in authors who, given the chance to write their own depictions of suffering, may decide simply to remove the possibility of gendered violence by removing the female gender.

THEORY 3: AUTHOR ATTRACTION. 
I'll admit that this one is more a matter of conjecture, as I haven't seen any good demographic breakdowns of attraction in general fandom or whump fandom. That said, my own experience talking to fellow whump fans does indicate that attraction to the characters (whether whumpers, or whumpees) is part of the draw of whump for some people. This one partially ties into theory 1 as well, in that people who are attracted to multiple genders may not derive the same enjoyment out of seeing a female character in a whumpy situation as they might seeing a male character in that situation, simply because of the experience of gendered violence in their lives.

THEORY 4: ACCEPTABLE TARGETS.
 The female history of fandom means that there's been a lot more discussion of the impacts of depicting pain & suffering (especially female suffering) for personal amusement. Thus, in some ways, you could say that there is a mild taboo on putting female characters through suffering if you can't "justify" it as meaningful to the narrative, not just titillating, which whump fandom rarely tries or requires anyone to do. This fan-cultural 'rule' may impact whump writers' and artists' decisions in choosing the gender of their characters.

THEORY 5: AN ALTERNATIVE TO MAINSTREAM MASCULINITY.
 Whump fandom may like whumping men because by and large, mainstream/pop culture doesn't let men be vulnerable, doesn't let them cry, doesn't let them have long-term health issues due to constantly getting beat up even when they really SHOULD, doesn't let them have mental health issues period. Female characters, as discussed in theory 2, get to ("get to") go through suffering and be affected by it (however poorly written those effects are), but typically, male characters' suffering is treated as a temporary problem, minimized, and sublimated into anger if at all possible. (For an example, see: every scene in a movie where something terrible happens and the male lead character screams instead of crying). So, as nature abhors a vacuum, whump fandom "over-produces" whump of men so as to fill in that gap in content.

THEORY 6: AMPLIFIED BIAS.
 While it's true that whump fandom doesn't have a source text, it's also true that whump fans frequently find their way into the fandom via other 'traditional' fandoms, and continue participating in 'traditional' fandoms as part of their whump fandom activity. Bias begets bias; fandom as a whole has a massive problem with focusing on white male characters, and fans who are used to the bias towards certain types of characters in derivative works absolutely reproduce that bias in their own original whump works.

—

I honestly think that there is greater bias in the whump fandom than anyone would like to admit. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems as though whump fans avoid introspection and discussion of the issue by bringing up the points I talked about in my previous theories, particularly discomfort with depictions of female suffering for amusement.

However, I think that, as artists, we owe it to ourselves and one another to engage in at least a small amount of self-interrogation over our preferences, and see what unconscious or unacknowledged biases we possess. It's a little absurd to argue that depictions of women as whumpees are universally too distressing to even discuss when a male character in the exact same position would be fine and even gratifying to the person making that argument; while obviously, people have a right to their own boundaries, those boundaries should not be used to shut down discussion of any topics, even sensitive ones.

Furthermore, engaging in personal reflection allows artists to make more deliberate (and meaningful) art. For people whose goal is simply to have fun, that may not seem all that appealing, but having greater understanding of one's own preferences can be very helpful towards deciding what works to create, what to focus on when creating, and what works to seek out.

—

GENDER ADDENDUM: NONBINARY CHARACTERS, NONBINARY AUTHORS. 
Of course, this whole discussion so far has been exclusively based on a male-female binary, which is reductive. (I will note, though, that many binary people do effectively sort all nonbinary people they know of into 'female-aligned' and 'male-aligned' categories and then proceed to treat the nonbinary people and characters they have categorized a 'female-aligned' the same way as they treat people & characters who are actually female, and ditto for 'male-aligned'. That tendency is very frustrating for me, as a nonbinary person whose gender has NOTHING to do with any part of the binary, and reveals that even 'progressive' fandom culture has quite a ways to go in its understanding of gender.)

Anyways, nonbinary characters in whump are still VERY rare and typically written by nonbinary authors. (I have no clue whether nonbinary whump fans have, as a demographic group, different gender preferences than binary fans, but I'd be interested in seeing that data.)

As noted above with female characters, it's similarly difficult to have a discussion about representation and treatment of nonbinary characters in whump fandom, and frankly in fandom in general. Frequently, people regard attempts to open discussions on difficult topics as a call for conflict. This defensive stance once again reveals the distaste for requests of meaningful self-examination that is so frequent in fandom spaces, and online more generally.

—

TL;DR: Whump is not immune to the same gender & racial biases that are prevalent in fandom and (US-American) culture. If you enjoy whump: ask yourself why you dislike the things you dislike— the answer may surprise you. If you create whump: ask yourself whose stories you tell, and what stories you refuse to tell— then ask yourself why.

[tarhalindur]

Higurashi Gou final thoughts pt. 1

(Spoilers go under a cut:)

Taking this by arc:

Onidamashi-hen: The best executed first cour arc by a significant margin.  Probably not coincidentally, it stays the closest to the structure of the OG arc and thus keeps more of OG’s tension ratchet than the other Gou arcs.  I have two main issues, and I’m pretty sure both of them can be firmly pinned on the anime staff rather than Ryukishi07 himself.  First, it pulls its punch on the stealth sequel aspect.  I’m not entirely sure that going for a stealth sequel was the correct decision (it’s a cost/benefit tradeoff), but if you do you’re going for the wham of the sequel reveal, and the anime undercut this by putting the Rika/Hanyuu scene at the start of episode 2 rather than the end of the arc.  Second, it overdoes the final Rena fight, making it so over-the-top that it’s difficult to take seriously.  Neither of these issues exist in the manga (which has a believable amount of stabbing and has the Hanyuu scene at the end of the arc where it should be), and in the former case we also have a Ryukishi07 interview indicating that this was a change requested by the anime staff, so this goes on them.  (Interestingly, by way of contrast I think this approach might actually work well for the Mieruko-chan adaptation that Passione has coming out later this year.)

Watadamashi-hen: The core issue here (above and beyond fridge logic after Satokowaski-hen) is the finale, which landed like a wet fart.  It both escalates from zero to 100 *way* too fast and has the worst case of “tell don’t show” in the neo-question arcs - we learn about every single dead body in the arc from Ooishi’s end-of-arc narration.  That’s relatively defensible for three of those bodies, which we only learn about secondhand even in OG Watanagashi-hen (though IIRC in OG two of those bodies have foreshadowing from rumors earlier in the arc, and unless I’m forgetting something that’s absent here), but all five?  Yes, keeping Keiichi locked away from the final showdown removes fridge logic issues, but you have prominent security cameras - you can at least have him see the aftermath of the showdown on the screens (and freak out because of it).  Adding insult to injury, the Keiichi vs. door scenes are also so over-the-top as to damage willing suspension of disbelief.  The 0-to-100 issue is harder to fix, because the one thing Watadamashi did right was put the Rika-loses-it scene as an end-of-episode cliffhanger, and “Keiichi et. al. are about to enter the Saiguden” probably wanted an end-of-episode cliffhanger as well for discussion purposes (it might have been able to get away with using the commercial break).  The simplest fix is the same one @tsuisou-no-despair​ floated: cannibalize an episode off of another first cour arc.

Tataridamashi-hen: Amusingly, I think Gou has retained OG’s tradition of having the Tatari- question arc being the weakest question arc.  As I see it there are two interlocking core issues here which boil down to the same issue.  Tataridamashi-hen goes for a very unconventional method of building tension: it doesn’t, instead relying on the viewer’s realization that something bad has to be coming to do so for it (the old “that can’t be right, we’ve still got twenty minutes left in the episode” reaction I more commonly associate with things like police procedurals).  The problem is that this runs into the Endless Eight lesson: even flawless metatext should not be used at the expense of enjoyability of the actual text.  And while the arc got some leverage out of “when exactly is this going to diverge?”, there’s a point much like Endless Eight itself when you realize where it’s going to diverge (i.e, not until the end) and that until then you’re sitting through the same events you remember from OG.  It works about as well as it did for Haruhi.  (Unless you’re a new viewer, but in that case staying too close to Minagoroshi-hen has other issues.)  Worse, unlike Minagoroshi-hen itself (which did something similar to build tension but a) non-source readers hadn’t seen it before so it wasn’t foregone the same way and b) you had several more episodes after the subarc for the main event) the arc ends almost immediately after this.  (The simplest fix here might have been cutting down on the arc time by speedrunning Minagoroshi events, reducing the amount of time you’d have to wait.  You could even have a couple of obstacles collapse faster than expected; this late in the first cour it would serve as foreshadowing for Satokowashi-hen, and would also deal with unfortunate implications concerning the village’s prejudice considering that the staff knew Satoko was going to be the culprit.  Trimming an episode would also neatly solve the issue of where to get an additional episode for Watadamashi-hen from!)  The good news is that the final confrontation is the best of the first cour arcs (it’s somewhat more realistic than the other two, actually not that far behind some of the more memetastic OG moments except for Teppei’s eyes, and not showing Ooishi’s rampage is forgivable given that they knew they would be actually showing it in Nekodamashi-hen), but that’s damning with faint praise.

Nekodamashi-hen: The best Gou arc.  The episode 15 jump cut is the stuff of legends and the best scene in the show by a sizable margin (the one thing the director does well is black humor, it seems), while the rest of the arc isn’t as good, it’s far shorter on demerits than the rest of the show.  The one really, really obvious demerit is that they really didn’t need to spend half an episode on the intestines-ripping scene (if Ryukishi07′s comments are to be believed, once again we’re pinning this on Passione), but effects on my stomach aside there are worse issues to have.

Satokowashi-hen: And here we have the other side of the coin; this is the worst Gou arc, and it’s the one spot where I’m pretty sure Ryukishi07 himself gets some of the blame.  There’s a few issues here.  First, the single most obvious dangling plot thread from Matsuribayashi-hen (Satoshi’s fate) is effectively dropped despite being directly relevant to the other dangling thread that was picked up (how Rika treats Satoko and vice versa); this includes missing an opportunity to show Satoko’s character arc through different responses to learning about Satoshi’s condition.  Secondly and compounding, Shion is also dropped along with the Satoshi thread; AIUI this is kind of understandable given final Satoko/Shion interaction in the Matsuribayashi-hen VN (which IIRC never made it into the anime), but dropping her without explanation still leaves something that looks awfully like a plot hole since a single conversation with Shion is potentially enough to stop the events of this arc from ever happening.  (”Character X had information that would have stopped the tragedy but never had an opportunity to tell anyone” is a classic tragedy trope, but you should really have a *reason* for that character never having the opportunity as opposed to just having them vanish without explanation.)  Finally, there’s just the general issue that while the ending points for both Rika and Satoko are reasonable the path they take to get there just doesn’t quite add up.  I can kind of get there via a combination of “blame the director” (the loops montage could and should have easily shown Satoko’s deteriorating mental condition as she watched - using interlaced cuts to her face with changes in facial expression is a classic method) and mind caulk (Rika was exaggerating for effect when she described her desire to go to St. Lucia’s as a long-time thing and it only really kicked in after Matsuribayashi-hen, Satoko originally only planned to suicide in Matsuribayashi-2 and only took Rika out with her as a crime of passion after feeling betrayed, hence the next few loops lacking her murdering Rika) but being mind-caulkable is not the same as actual good execution.

I mean, I’ve banged on this drum before, but... the basic concept works.  Really well.  Satoko’s abandonment issues and Rika’s treatment of Satoko are two of the major dangling plot threads from OG Higurashi (*eyes both Minagoroshi-hen and anime-only Yakusamashi-hen*).  It makes perfectly good sense that the latter comes back to bite Rika, especially in a sequel literally titled “karma”.  I already suspected Satoko was on the autism spectrum based on OG, her being ADHD in addition to or instead of that makes perfectly good sense given those conditions often overlap.  Rika’s desire to escape the well morphing into a desire to escape Hinamizawa entirely?  Sure, just present it as that.  Satoko steadily losing her support network as her friends are torn away from her by changing life circumstances, then going to a boarding school that she hates, that strips the rest of her support structure for her and starts to take even her one remaining friend (her childhood friend, no less - and one that Satoko is at this point attracted to romantically in true osananajimi fashion) away from her, and then starting to snap with some prodding from a certain witch?  That’s a compelling story idea!  But as present it just doesn’t quite work, and that’s on the execution.

(Side note: I wonder if some of what went wrong with Gou was just the kind of production issues endemic to modern anime, amplified by the pandemic.  I remember at least one comment/blog post somewhere in the wake of WEP’s issues noting some of the effects that production issues can have on an anime, and one of the things they noted was excessive slavishness to the source material as a time-saving measure; that sounds awfully similar to some of Ryukishi07′s comments about how he didn’t expect Passione to take his script quite so literally, and to my admittedly untrained eye it sure looked like there were a bunch more other animation studios than usual mentioned in Gou’s credits...)

Final score: depends on your exact rating system, but given the range I’m looking at I can’t see how I can give it any score other than 3.4/5 for obvious reasons.  (Pending Sotsu, anyways.  It’s possible that Sotsu will resolve some of these issues - in particular, Ryukishi07 always has struck me as the kind of author who would get a kick into baiting us into falling for the same twist twice; it’s not impossible that the apparent lack of unreliable narrators so far is a double bluff, and that could affect the “question arc” scores in particular.  More on this in a forthcoming solution space post.)

[brabe]

WHAT IF... MURATA UGETSU HAS BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER?

“Murata Ugetsu was by no means detached from life- nor was he free of worries and grief, he had feelings too- the same as anyone else... But, unlike ordinary people, his heart and his emotions were overflowing.

While I listened to Ugetsu’s music that day—to the sudden flood of music-feeling that was amplified so many times more than usual, I found myself wondering — how... just how was this child prodigy able to live...?

Be it joy, or sorrow, or suffering, Ugetsu lived with feelings which were much more complex, and exponentially larger than those of ordinary people- just accumulating it all within himself.” (Chapter 17)

Murata Ugetsu’s introduction struck a chord with me right away because I recognized the feelings described all too well. So, I asked myself, what if?

 After finishing the anime, I read all the chapters of the manga mainly because I wanted to know more about this intriguing character, and I only kept finding clues that reinforced my initial assumption.

 I am hyperfixated on mental health issues, in part wanting to find characters to relate to, so here is my reading of Murata Ugetsu. I wonder if anyone came to the same conclusion as me.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is an illness marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image, and behaviour. These symptoms often result in impulsive actions and problems in relationships with other people. A person with borderline personality disorder may experience episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety that may last from a few hours to days. In general, someone with a personality disorder will differ significantly from an average person in terms of how they think, perceive, feel or relate to others.

“People with BPD are like people with third degree burns over 90% of their bodies. Lacking emotional skin, they feel agony at the slightest touch or movement.” (Marsha Linehan, Professof of Psicology, who has BPD herself and developed the most effective therapy to date for this disorder).

There are many categories of symptoms for this disorder and I reckon Ugetsu manifests the following:

A pattern of unstable relationships swinging from extreme closeness and love (idealization) to extreme dislike or anger (devaluation):

The most glaringly obvious one is, of course, the relationship with Akihiko. 

“Right after Ugetsu has been away from home for some time, there is a honeymoon phase which lasts a few days. It’s as if we have returned to the past... And then out of the blue, it happens—as if he’s saying, yes, this is a great chance—let's take this opportunity, quit being together and break for real this time. Like he is in a rush... Like I am not needed. Like—he is forcibly shutting me out from his world.” (Chapter 19)

“Him and I... We have been causing each other nothing but despair for almost two years now.” (Chapter 17)  

It’s also notable the lack of other relationships. When Mafuyu asks him, why Ugetsu was confiding in him, even though they were virtually strangers, Ugetsu replies: “Because I don’t have any friends! Perhaps, I really just wanted someone to understand... Just a little bit is enough.” (Chapter 17)

He is actually really kind towards Mafuyu, opening his home to him, freely helping him with music anytime Mafuyu wants even though he is a world-renowned musician and even letting him practice at his house while he is not there. We know he does that because he recognizes the genius in Mafuyu, but still, I think he actually would like to have friends; he probably just doesn’t know how to. We know that Akihiko was his first friend and evidently years later still the only one close to him.

Inappropriate, intense anger or difficulty controlling anger, often followed by guilt and shame:

Ugetsu gets suddenly physically violent with Akihiko two times (and a third one is implied when Haruki first saw Akihiko and he had a bruised cheekbone). He throws a glass on the floor when Mafuyu visits him because Akihiko still hasn’t come back home. He seemingly inexplicably smashes the mug Akihiko gifted him: “Around the time we had just started to live together, when he brought me my first present, somehow... I hated that very much, and I refused it saying—’I don’t want it!’ Even though it was only a mug. Back then, I should’ve just said—’I’m happy. I want to be with him.’” (Chapter 17)

I believe the last one was a dissociative episode, another symptom of BPD, a trance-like state in which one is disconnected from their own mind, body and surroundings. Then the switch turns back on and Ugetsu suddenly starts crying, crouching on the floor, staring blankly at the broken pieces and picking them up, asking himself why, just why did I do this?

The guilt and shame aspect is also shown, when after having recounted his history with Akihiko to Mafuyu, Ugetsu leans his head on the steering wheel of his car remembering everything, clearly in grief, and thinking to himself: “Really... He is a good guy, isn’t he.” (Chapter 17). Here I want to indeed praise Akihiko and underline how well he dealt with Ugetsu’s dissociative episode. He didn’t freak out and lash out at Ugetsu, calling him crazy, but instead he tried to diffuse the situation, laughing and helping Ugetsu to pick up the pieces of the broken mug. As if to say, ‘it’s okay.’

Desperate efforts to avoid real or imagined abandonment:  

One way of doing this is leaving the other person before they leave you, which is exactly what Ugetsu does or tries to do. He is terrified that Akihiko will leave him definitely one day, but at the same time he actively tries to make him leave: “I’m the lowest son of a bitch towards Akihiko and I guess he resents me, y’know... But I love him to death.” (Chapter 17)

“I’ve been pushing him away but he hasn’t given up on me at all. I’ve been trying to leave him every chance I get. But it seems like I’m still not good at doing that, so... I’ve always been waiting for him to let go of me.” (Chapter 17)

“What if he never came back, just like that? I’ve thought about it countless times. Yet, I’m still not able to imagine it. Tomorrow, he might come back all of a sudden? Or maybe he won’t? But, just the same, I want this suffering to end. But on second thought, I don’t really want that. All the stuff that’s in this room right now, the thought that everything might disappear... Will nothing... Not one thing remain?” (Chapter 27)

Distorted and unstable self-image or sense of self:  

It’s fair to say the core obstacle in his relationship with Akihiko. Ugetsu’s whole existence is ingrained irrevocably in music. It is what gives his life purpose and the outlet with which he deals with his too intense emotions. Which leads me to wonder what would happen if for some reason he lost music. And I am not positive he would survive that.

“After we graduated from high school—at the time, when I was actively performing as a musician... one day all of a sudden I realized, the existence of the other—was the one thing we both chased after the most in this world. As long as Akihiko is with me, I’ll be unable to become free with my music.” (Chapter 17)

Ugetsu felt as if he was losing himself and his music in his love for Akihiko, which brings to the unstable sense of self. This terrified him. Love is messy for everyone and anyone but with BPD emotions are plugged into an amplifier and dialled up to the maximum (“But for my heart to be touched like that”). He can’t deal with all of this and the fight-or-flight response is triggered and “Let’s end this already.” (Chapter 17)

Black-or-white thinking:  

People with BPD often struggle to see the complexity in people and situations and are unable to recognize that things are often not either perfect or horrible, but are something in between. This can lead to "splitting," which refers to an inability to maintain a cohesive set of beliefs about oneself and others. Ugetsu seems to be obsessed with perfection and probably to be a world-renowned violinist you need to be to a certain degree. But for example, when asked by Akihiko to come to the band’s first live, he replies with: “Is it at a level that you can show me? Ah... it’s not at a level where you can reply to me right away... then, I won’t come. There’s no point watching a performance if the performer doesn’t have the confidence to do it well.” (Chapter 8)

Ugetsu doesn’t exist in the in-betweens. There is pefection or worthlessness, love or hate, music or Akihiko.

Depression:

Ugetsu manifests many symptoms of depression.

He is either practicing the violin or sleeping. 

He seems to undereat. Almost in every panel in which they are at home, Akihiko worries about whether Ugetsu has eaten or not, and always offers to cook for him, implying that Ugetsu wouldn’t bother if left to his own devices.  

He is untidy and careless to some degree. At the violin concerto where Ugetsu is the soloist, Akihiko exclaims: “Again? That idiot... His hair is a mess.” (Chapter 15) implying that it isn’t the first time that Ugetsu appears somewhat shabby at a formal event, in which furthermore he is the star. This fact in particular surprised me because I had the impression that Ugetsu was vain.

This neglectfulness also reflects in his living space. Once Akihiko leaves, the house is in complete disarray. When Akihiko comes back to say he will move out, the debris of the glass Ugetsu smashed when Mafuyu visited are still there.

Last but not least, Ugetsu lives in a soundproofed basement in semidarkness, a fortress of solitude of sorts from the outside world.

Suicidal thoughts or threats:  

“Well, when I was a kid, I used to go to some unknown old man’s plantation on my own, and I enjoyed killing bugs by squishing them with my right hand, y’know... Then, on one clear sunny day, I happened to listen to some music playing on that old man’s radio. It was ‘In the flow of time’ by Paul Simon... Yet even though I was only a kid, I thought, wow... I want to die... It’s a good day, isn’t it? Well, there were other things too, but somehow, I wonder If I’ve basically been chasing that feeling of dying from back then...” (Chapter 21.5)

Well, this passage speaks for itself. In some capacity Ugetsu has been pondering on death, has been chasing it, since he was a small child. I think this can be linked to the BPD symptom of chronic feelings of emptiness.

Impulsive, self-destructive and sensation-seeking behaviours:  

In this category I think we can include the sleeping around in which Ugetsu engages. While not a harmful behaviour in itself, I think the motive is. Ugetsu has been systematically sleeping around for two years not because he actually wants to and it makes him feel good, but he does it to spite Akihiko and as a coping mechanism to try and get over him. This wouldn’t do good to anyone’s mental health and self-worth.

“Ugetsu and I fought all the time, even after we broke up. That... was because of his timing when it came to finding a new man... It was as though he was doing to spite me.” (Chapter 19)

Intense and highly changeable moods:

Simply, all of the above.

This is all for now. I will edit this list if future chapters will shed more light on the mind and heart of this character that I have come to care so deeply about.

[thegrandkinghimself]

who is oikawa tooru?

i guess that’s a weird way to start off a post, considering just how popular oikawa is in this fandom. i’m absolutely certain that he’s still one of the most popular characters if i can take the #oikawasear trend on twitter a couple of weeks ago seriously. (i will be mourning that iwaoi is no longer the top ship in this fandom. it’s devastating to me on a personal level). and i can’t say that i’m any different, either, otherwise i wouldn’t have made this blog or this post. but i guess the reason i’ve been itching to write this is because i’ve been in this fandom--and more specifically, a fan of oikawa--for about four or five years now. i devour the content available, and i can assure you that i’ve read too many of the fanfictions on ao3 to be healthy, and never before have i seen a character whose characterization is so hotly disputed. 

and i get it. he’s a complex person. he’s kind of awkward in that there is a very clear disconnect between his outward personality and who he is alone. it’s a very hard balance to strike, especially when you consider just how much conjecture goes on in his characterization among fans and in discourse. he’s really easy to project and certain traits, correct or otherwise, are amplified based off how authors perceive him. there’s plenty of presumptions that can be made based on his on-screen actions/thoughts/beliefs that can be taken to some very logical conclusions. 

but i’ve also seen people write him in ways that don’t strike me as particularly truthful. he’s type casted into stereotypes that don’t do him justice, or made into something that is vaguely like oikawa, but not quite. in the following post, i’ll be trying to dispel misunderstandings of his character, if only for my own sanity. 

tl;dr i think that oikawa is chronically one of the most misrepresented characters in fandom and i want to fix that

exclaimer: i am solely an anime-watcher; i have seen snippets of the manga and therefore have a general idea of what is going on.

let’s establish some very very basic stuff. just to keep it simple, i’m not going to talk about anything beyond what has been published via the anime (as of season four). 

Oikawa Tooru | 及川徹 

gender: male

d.o.b.: 1994.7.20. or 20 July, 1994

height: 184.3 cm

weight: 72.2 kg

occupation: high school 3rd year, class 6

position/number: setter, 1 (captain)

here’s something that’s never pointed out: oikawa is in class 6 which, if we go off the trend of every other school in haikyuu!!, means that he is in a college preparatory class aka he’s pretty dang smart. it’s not confirmed or anything, but it a. follows the trend of every other class 6 student and b. is the highest class available among seijoh 3rd years (classes 5, 3, and 1). don’t get the idea that he’s dumb or unintelligent, or even that his strengths only lie in the classroom because that would be a gross understatement of his skills.

anywho. 

generally speaking, i like to start with the building blocks of his personality because there’s so much room for assumptions. here are the things that i think make up his core personality:

intelligence/knowledgeable: not only academically speaking, but he’s also well-versed in people. he knows how to play them--what will make someone more confident, more doubtful, what will help his teammates succeed. clearly, oikawa is very knowledgeable in human thought patterns. or he’s dedicated a lot of time to knowing them. 

loyalty: of all of oikawa’s traits, i think this one gets talked about the least, but we know it to be true. we make jokes about “you should have come to shiratorizawa” but it really shows you exactly how loyal, how much trust, oikawa has in this team that he has spent three years shaping. he never stops believing in the work that he has put in, and especially the hard work that his teammates have put into their volleyball. 

hardworking: one of the most well-known things about oikawa. most fans already know that his white knee pad is actually a knee brace. ‘nuff said. i salute you, good sir. 

insecurity: oikawa’s insecurities are perhaps his most notable trait. in a sense, he’s sort of the underdog--so good, but never quite good enough to accomplish what he’s set out to do. and we know that he’s struggled with his doubts since junior high, literally since he was 12 or 13, and that’s informed all of his character from the moment he ran into ushijima. oikawa is someone who is defined by his insecurities. 

oikawa is a lot of things. he’s introduced as someone who is very flamboyant--he’s built up by kageyama as the best setter, his senpai literally and figuratively, his initial shots are all of smug smiles and easy, unfaltering swagger in the face of this new team. even his theme, all rambunctious brass and jazzy, is meant to be all in your face, here’s the big boss! he’s someone who is petty and silly and seems to favor shallow conversation. but he’s oikawa, so there’s a surprising amount of depth in the little time that we have with him. there’s a reason that, in any other franchise, he’d probably be the protagonist.

he is someone full of contradictions. he’s childish and he spends time with a bunch of girls and is very clearly someone who likes to project a certain image of himself to the public (see: his cute lil’ humming run after his yell in s4e23 to make him seem kind of normal). but he’s also spent a lot of time with himself. in fact, if we take the few scenes we have of him alone and his bedroom (bare, spartan, meticulous) into account, oikawa actually is much more solemn and/or serious than the image he projects. he’s comfortable in the silences between all the white noise. he’s alright just being with iwaizumi. he allows himself to dwell on the past and his shortcomings, while also looking forward to the future. his ambition and passion to improve drive him, but his past failures weigh him down. they haunt him.

personally, i think that he’s naturally a pretty silly guy when given the chance. it’s not just for show. iwaizumi would even corroborate this à la oikawa’s introduction speech in s1. he likes having fun when he can with his friends. if we assume that oikawa is most himself with iwaizumi, then we definitely know that’s the case (see: “are you my mom, iwa-chan?”), and there’s nothing wrong with that. but i think that the most basic traits of his character, combined with his experiences in volleyball, have pushed him to be this person who is mired in doubt. it’s forced him to go down a path where something that he once loved for the fun of it has now become the source of his ire. it’s really just that simple. maybe in another life, things would be different and oikawa wouldn’t have to struggle as much. but that’s really just a part of the human experience, isn’t it? and, in all honesty, would we really love oikawa as much without all his vices?

and maybe this is getting into speculation, but i don’t think it’s a difficult argument to make that oikawa is really mature. he’s introspective. i say introspective because the revelations that he’s had in regards to his own strengths and weaknesses--those are things he’s had to confront and deal with since he was in junior high (starts at 12 years of age). it takes someone with a lot of maturity and self-awareness to realize those kinds of things about himself.

and he’s stronger than he gets credit for. most people depict him as a crybaby, but he’s really not. he doesn’t cry or give up in the face of ushijima or kageyama’s unfettered growth and successes, he doesn’t cry when faced with defeat. oikawa is there to support iwaizumi in his own doubt as ace, and lend support to his teammates. and oikawa doesn’t get stuck on the what-ifs or has-beens. driven by his infamous ambition, he looks forward to the future. 

it’s kind of a double-edged sword. it’s pushed him this far--he’s put in this much effort to be one of the best in the prefecture--because of his competitive spirit, but it’s also something that has caused him serious injury. oikawa’s motto (”if you’re gonna to hit it, hit it until it breaks!”) is the very epitome of this mentality. it’s a message to work hard to finish what you started, but i also think that you could interpret that hard work breaking you, too. he’s steadfast—obsessive, really—to the point that oikawa will let his passions break him before he would ever give up. it’s the point of all the strife in his life, because he would never have the problems he does if he were even a little less enamored by this sport. 

and you really have to wonder where he would be without ushijima and kageyama as his obstacles. his drive will always be there, that is an intrinsic part of him, as are the standards to which he holds himself, but you really have to wonder just how good oikawa would be if he didn’t have such direct competitors. this is an incredibly important question to ask about kageyama and oikawa in particular. yes, oikawa does loathe ushijima: for his disregard for oikawa’s decisions, for his disregard of oikawa’s loyalty, for his flippant attitude of seijoh, who oikawa has poured his blood and sweat into creating. but ushijima is an opposite hitter. oikawa is a setter. those are two very different positions with little crossover. but with kageyama--that is a clear rivalry. they push each other to be better, made all the more potent by their differences as players; one setter’s growth as a player directly impacts how the other performs in each subsequent game. seijoh’s defeat by karasuno in season 2 just feeds into oikawa’s drive for the future. he has not intention of giving up. a light was lit under him, pushing him forward, to do better, to be better. 

this is something that has been pointed out in a different analysis (linked below) but, narratively speaking, oikawa is kageyama’s foil. their interactions inform their characters and are a major cause of tension in their development. their relationship is really the most complex in the story that i have noticed, and is something that has not been appreciated enough. the iwaizumi-oikawa thing has been expounded and studied in every facet possible (i love the alexander the great/hephaestion allusions), but it’s true that kageyama has impacted oikawa the most. they begrudgingly respect each other’s talents, what it is that they bring to the court, while also envying what the other has in spades that they do not. in oikawa’s case, his strength clearly lies in his interpersonal relationships--his ability to intuit exactly what his teammates need to be at their best. kags is just a fount of overwhelming technical skill who has a really hard time getting to know those around him. living up to the standards that oikawa places on himself, in tandem with kageyama threatening his position as setter, leave oikawa floundering, fearing his own incompetence against opponents who are naturally much better than he. so he’s left with the knowledge that maybe his best isn’t good enough, but he still continues on anyway. he pushes himself past a seemingly unreachable threshold just to go toe-to-toe with this monster. it’s the purpose of his character--to tell this story of the ordinary v. the extraordinary--and it is perhaps the most relatable arc that a story like haikyuu!! can tell.

their connection naturally causes oikawa to seek out help, seen in the flashback scenes where he is talking to an unspecified coach/adult. that coach’s words then become the creed upon which oikawa plays, maybe even more than what iwaizumi has taught him, and is the final push that completes oikawa’s character arc in s2ep24. that change in mindset allows oikawa to see kageyama’s unbridled talent not as an obstacle but as a challenge. it’s very nuanced, but it makes all the difference. it’s why, following seijoh’s defeat, oikawa has the audacity to declare to kageyama and ushijima his plans for the future. in a sense, karasuno and kageyama and ushijima have won the battle but not the war. it’s the tipping point in his story and, more than anything, what makes oikawa so compelling. we have seen what has led up to the change, but now we want to know what he’s going to do to meet that challenge. what will he be doing beyond the story when he is no longer relevant to the narrative? we don’t know the details at this point, but we know that oikawa’s love and ambition for volleyball have been reaffirmed in this moment. 

but to bring it back, the kags-oiks connection also makes us question what it is we are watching, makes us as the audience think: what qualifies someone as a genius? are there any limitations to what that genius can do? what can ordinary people do in the face of those geniuses? 

these are questions that exist beyond the reality of sports and transverse into other disciplines. for me, those are very real questions that i have had to ask myself as a musician. i have dedicated nine, almost 10, years to my practice but there are still 10-year-olds who are just better at it than i ever will be. part of it is time and practice to be sure, but some of it is just innate. and i think the more appropriate version of those questions would be this: what qualifies someone as a prodigy? are there limitations for prodigies? what can we do in the face of prodigies? 

oikawa is a genius player--he knows the ins-and-outs of his sport better than anyone, and he can accomplish great feats that others in his same position can’t. but even with all that veritable experience and skill, he is ultimately still overtaken by a prodigy whose talents seem endless. it’s why he can hate ushijima but fear kageyama. one is something he can actively fight against, the other is inevitable. 

and really, i think that’s the beauty of oikawa tooru, why he’s so beloved by the fandom, even years after he has stopped being relevant to the narrative. beyond the fluff and goofiness and hijinks, there’s someone there who is really, truly, human. 

an aside with much less significance/why do people think this??

so here’s one thing: even though oikawa has fangirls, i wonder what he actually thinks of them. for one, it’s only natural for anyone to be super flattered if people think you’re hot stuff. that’s just... i don’t think he’s weird if he pays attention to them. but i think that people are conflating his being kind to them to being genuinely egotistical due to the attention. actually, i think these are opposing ideas and a contradiction of who oikawa is. when you’re an arrogant person, you think that you deserve all the attention you’re getting and you’re not going to bother with the people who worship you.

but that’s not at all what oikawa does. he’s rather kind to his fans. i would never say that he’s self-effacing, but knowing what you’re worth is different from being pompous. and think about it. it’d be a real jerk move for oikawa to not say nice things to them and thank his fangirls when they spend time, energy, and effort to make him food and see his games. he would just be a genuinely awful person if he didn’t at least give them thanks. it’d be more alarming if he didn’t talk to them, at least in my opinion. more than anything, we should consider this: why is it that oikawa has the fan club and not anyone else on the seijoh team? i’m sure a part of it is because he’s attractive and the captain of a team, but i think it’s more than that, too. we see these interactions from other perspectives, but i think that reflects more on those around oikawa than oikawa himself if they don’t understand why he acts the way he does with those girls.

another thing: i don’t think that anyone can question that oikawa is very pretty, or handsome, or whatever descriptor you would like. it’s prevalent in fandom (see: pretty setters squad), but he is also the only person in canon to be acknowledged by other characters as being particularly good-looking. maybe the miyas count at this point? i’m not sure. but i don’t really understand where people get the idea that he is particularly focused on his appearance, though. there is literally no indication of that from the material that i have seen. and maybe he uses that to his advantage with his fangirls, but i highly doubt that, in all honesty. i think that it’s fun to imagine him being into these things as a hobby, but it irks me greatly when i see that people spend time saying that oikawa wakes up extra early just to fix his hair or slather on foundation/concealer just to look presentable. 

he’s a teenaged boy who clearly has other things that worry him, he’s a full-time student, and volunteers to coach at lil tykes volleyball classroom in his free time. he wouldn’t have time to spend on his hair or makeup. and we even seen in the hanger tooru special that he even wakes up looking like that. 

he is au naturale, my friends. and we even know how little he gives thought to his own body, if you take into account his knee brace. for oikawa, his body is merely the medium through which he can accomplish his goals. we even have evidence of this when we see oikawa up all night studying karasuno game play or via his knee brace. he doesn’t know how to stop or understand when enough is enough. he breaks himself if there’s no one to watch him. 

also, just... how would makeup work, logistically speaking? i don’t wear makeup, but i’m thinking that foundation and concealer and hair product would be, um, really bad. like, it’d run down his face and stuff. also, it’d probably get into his eyes, too? seriously. i’m not against oikawa wearing makeup in the slightest cause he’d be even prettier, but we know that oikawa would absolutely not jeopardize his chances in any way. 

thank you for reading this long-winded, probably awful look into my favorite character of all time. and i do mean that. he is my favorite character in all of media. which, like, says a lot when he’s competing against the casts of a:tla, call me by your name, and my actual favorite book, the song of achilles. after all of that, if you would like another (better) analysis of oikawa’s character, i suggest this reddit thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/haikyuu/comments/94irsi/character_analysis_16_oikawa_tooru_discussion/ 

[thefloatingstone]

We’ve gone from Self-Isolation to Quarantine and in some places to gradual relaxation phases, but that doesn’t stop the need for more nonsense you can watch on youtube while you wait for things to get back to normal. And recommending things and making lists are some of my favourite things to do but I have not yet figured out how to start or structure a video myself, you guys get another rambling tumblr post of things you can watch on youtube.

This time I’m once again just gonna recommend individual videos rather than full channels like I did in part 2.

Part 1

Part 2

In no particular order; 

LOCAL58: The Broadcast Station that Manipulates You

I recently started watching the Nexpo channel when I went on a binge of creepy youtube videos. Most of his videos are really good although the ones where he himself goes into theory crafting can be a little asinine. However, this video is REALLY good. And before you get nervous, LOCAL58 is not a real TV station. LOCAL58 is a youtube channel created by the same guy behind the Candle Cove creepypasta. This video by Nexpo covers the various episodes of LOCAL58 and discusses them. Just be aware going in that this is abstract horror, and will probably get under your skin regardless if you’re unaffected by certain topics or not. although cw for suicide mention.

I also recommend most of the rest of this channel, although be careful where you tread. I don’t recommend his series “Disturbing things from around the internet” as it can sometimes include real life crime, abuse and such caught on security cameras. Everything else is really good tho. (although I was really annoyed by his 2 videos on KrainaGrzybowTV)

The Search for D.B. Cooper

LEMMiNO has a new video out covering one of the most unexplained crimes in the past century of the US. LEMMiNO is the guy I’ve recommended before who did videos on the Universal S. He is very down to earth and not someone prone to conspiracy or even really that fanciful of thinking. (He’s like the one person I feel covered the Dyaltov Pass incident and was confused by why this was even a mystery because if you read the Russian Autopsy reports and documents associated with the case it’s all pretty logical and easily explained)

D.B. Cooper is the name given to a man who, in 1971, hijacked an airplane with a bomb, asked for a large sum of money, and after receiving it, parachuted from the plane and was never seen or heard from again.

The Austrian Wine Poisoning | Down the Rabbit Hole

Down the Rabbit Hole also has a new video out, this time covering the Austrian Wine Poisoning event from 1985. A scandal that involved literally the entire country of Austria, affected multiple countries, and forever changed the way wine was made world wide. As someone who is generally pretty allergic to most artificial substances this one made me personally very angry. But luckily, it has a happy ending and a better world for us all... if I could drink wine which I can’t do anyway.

The Turbulent Tale of Yandere Dev - A Six Year Struggle

The Right Opinion is another channel I only recently subbed to after watching his cover on Onion Boy. I put off subbing to him simply because of his channel name and I thought it meant he would come across as smug and elitist. Luckily this seems to merely be one of those “I chose a bad channel name and now I’m stuck with it” type of situations. (IHE has a similar problem).

Anyway, I have a weird interest in bizarre internet personalities, so I’ve been enjoying his channel as he simply discusses and presents a timeline of events of certain individuals. In this video, he covers the developer behind the much maligned Yandere Simulator. It’s a tale of hubris, arrogance, immaturity, and an unwillingness to accept your own shortcomings due to ego.

Oh and there’s a meme game about Japanese school girls with anime tiddies in there as well.

The Most Relaxing Anime Ever Made | Yokohama Kaidashi Kikō

Kenny Lauderdale is a youtube channel which is slowly becoming bigger which I’m very happy to see. He exclusively covers anime and live action Japanese television no younger than the mid 90s (as is the case with YYK) and which usually never saw a release outside of Japanese Laserdisc. I do wish his videos were a little longer, but if nothing else his videos serve as an excellent starting to point to find some older and underappreciated shows... or hot garbage fires. In this episode he talks about the 2 OVA episodes made based on one of my favourite manga, Yokohama Shopping Log. A Post apocalyptic anime about an android who runs a coffee shop outside of her house, and the quiet solitude of living in a world of declining human population, brief encounters with travelers and other people, and just... existing. The anime was never released outside of Japan and is only available on Japanese VHS and laserdisc.... but hey guess what!! Somebody uploaded both episodes, subbed, to Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2HCVOH6DtA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqSTwfkobME

YMS’ slow descent into madness as he uncovers just how bullshit the Kimba Conspiracy is

I’m linking a full playlist for this one.

YMS is busy planning his review on the “live action” Lion King remake as the original 1994 movie is probably his favourite movie all time (and also self declared what made him a furry). As part of the 2 hour review, he decided to what all 2000 hours of Kimba the White Lion just to mention how The Lion King potentially stole the idea. ....until he actually watched all 2000 hours of Kimba and realised that if you actually WATCH Kimba, it has VERY little to do with the Lion King at all apart from having the same animals in them because AFRICA. Watch as one man slowly loses his mind as he realises just how stupid this conspiracy theory is, just HOW DECEITFUL and straight up LYING people can be. People who write BOOKS. People who teach LAW AT UNIVERSITIES. Because NOBODY bothered to actually watch the entire show and just parroted the “Disney stole this” lie which got started by like 2 salty fans on the internet.

The man set out to just mention how Disney stole an idea, and uncovered one of the most infuriating rabbit holes on the internet. Screaming for SOMEONE to provide him with sources or evidence.

YMS will be publishing his full Kimba documentary this month which he has said is around 2 hours long before he continues to work on the Lion King one.

Science Stories: Loch Ness eDNA results, Poop Knives, and Skeleton Lovers

TREY the Explainer has a video giving us some updates in Archeology from 2019. In this video he discusses the findings of the eDNA results conducted on the Loch Ness to see what animal DNA the lake contains which will tell us what living animals currently inhabit the lake, ancient knives made of poop and if this is a real thing that could have existed, and a skeleton couple found buried together which were at first thought to be lovers, then revealed to be both male, and then how in this instance we cannot let our modern sensibilities dictate what we WANT this burial find to be, but to look at the evidence as presented to us and place in context finds of this nature. The worst thing an archaeologist can do is look for proof to a theory they already have.

The Bizarre Modern Reality of Sonic the Hedgehog

Super Eyepatch Wolf is back and he’s here to talk to us about the very very strange existence of Sonic. a 90s rebellious “too cool for School” answer to Mario, a lost idea as the world of video games changes and culture shifted, a meme and punching bag amplified by a unique fanbase and poor quality games, a transcendence into a horrific warped  idea of what he once was, and modern day and where Sonic and his fans are now. As usual Super Eyepatch Wolf knocks it out of the park.

Kokoro Wish and the Birth of a Multiverse: A Lecture on the Work of Jennifer Diane Reitz

I don’t even sub to this channel as I’m not entirely sure what Ben’s usual content is about. But every now and then he has a “101″ class, where he explains to a room full of his friends in a classroom setting (complete with Whiteboard) an internet artist and oddity, the timeline, and what it is they have created. (wait... didn’t I say this already?). Unlike TRO however, the 101 classrooms are not a dark look into disturbed individuals (although the CWC 101 is debatable) nor is it a “lol look at this weirdo” dragging. Instead, of the 3 he’s done so far, it’s usually a rather sympathetic look at some of the strange artists on the internet who through some way or another, left a very big cultural impact on the internet space through their art. Sometimes they may not be the best people, but their work is so outside of what we’re used to seeing that just listening to him run you through these people’s internet history is fascinating.

In this episode he talks about Jennifer Diane Reitz. And although it is titled Kokoro Wish, the lecture is more about Jennifer’s larger work back in the early internet when being a weeb was unheard of, how being trans influenced her stories and characters, and her world building that is so rich and in-depth with it’s own ASTRO PHYSICS it puts any modern fictional world found in games or movies to shame.

Jennifer is not exactly a nice person... and in many ways can be seen as dangerously irresponsible, but she created something truly unique in a way that you kinda struggle figuring out if it’s terrible or a work of genius.

Anyway I think that’s enough for now

[ohmytheon]

The Definition of a Hero (FMA x BNHA, 3)

Notes:  Many thanks and blessings to @severalsunlitmornings for being my beta! It's the first time that I've had one. Normally ya'll get stuck with my "first draft is the final draft" shit. Anywho, it's time for our kids to meet each other and Roy. Yes, I know this isn't exactly how it goes in the anime/manga, but I don't want to just copy and paste scenes. (And I hadn't rewatched the episode yet when I wrote this.) This is my first time writing Deku and wow I love him. Also, I intentionally skipped the actual Entrance Exam because I will be showing it from Roy's POV in the 5th chapter while he watches it with the teachers. Thanks for reading!

The Definition of a Hero hope: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen

Bakugou could not fucking believe that Deku was taking the entrance exam. He couldn’t believe it. What the fuck was wrong with that kid? He was going to get killed and Bakugou was going to laugh about it. In fact, if not for the fact that they would be taking the exam in separate groups, he would’ve beat the hell out of the idiot just to prove how dumb he was.

Even worse, despite the fact that Bakugou clearly didn’t want anything to do with Deku and didn’t want him around, the idiot was upbeat despite looking nervous. “You’re going to do great, Kacchan!”

“Of course I am,” Bakugou growled. “Just stay out of my way like the damn extra you are.”

“Would you stop being a dick for no reason?” a boy with braided golden hair snapped. He was sitting in front of them, but had leaned back in his seat to glare at Bakugou.

If he hadn’t been so taken off guard by the fact that some little shit had actually snapped at him like that, he would’ve rocketed out of his seat and strangled the kid. Who the fuck was he? Bakugou bounced back quickly, slamming forward in his seat so that the legs of the chair made a loud cracking noise. “Why don’t you mind your own fucking business?” The boy rolled his equally golden eyes. “And get a different hairstyle. You look like a girl.”

“Better than looking like a jackass,” the boy responded. He pointed a gloved finger at Bakugou. “You better stay out of my way or I’ll sock you right in the jaw.”

Bakugou gripped the table tightly and pushed himself up, half standing and half ready to launch himself right over to pummel him. “And how do you expect to do that? You couldn’t even reach my face!”

Like flipping a switch, the boy jumped to his feet, red-faced and infuriated, and growled, “Are you calling me short?”

“Should’ve called you an idiot too!” Bakugou shot back.

The boy looked like he might actually implode. He pushed back his sleeves and Bakugou stood up straight to meet him head-on. He’d been itching for a fight ever since finding out that Deku was taking the entrance exam. He didn’t mind beating up some nobody to get one. At least maybe this kid would put up an okay fight unlike Deku.

“NO FIGHTING!” an amplified voice exploded, knocking both Bakugou and the golden-haired boy to the ground. Bakugou fell hard on his back and neck, having tripped over his chair, while the boy went down face first. In his temper, he’d forgotten about Present Mic. Stupid asshole.

While dragging himself back to his feet, Bakugou caught sight of Deku leaning over to help the other boy up and “tch”ed. He didn’t need any help. He dropped back in his seat, matching the glare that the golden boy shot at him, and then looked away from them, kicking them out of his mind.

Whatever. If Deku needed someone to stand up for him now, there was no way that he’d be able to make it through the exam. And with what quirk? Why were they letting him take the exam anyways? And he doubted that that golden-haired freak had a decent quirk. He sounded like the kind of person that overreacted so that they had to make up for something. He probably wasn’t strong at all and just tried to come off like that.

By the time everyone began to leave the auditorium, he and Deku were already conversing excitedly with each other. Bakugou shook his head. Let the weak ones pair up. It would make them easier to weed out. He was stronger than both of them put together and he wouldn’t even consider them during the exam. This was his time to shine. He was going to be number one.

*

Izuku knew that he was being annoying and talking way too much, but he couldn’t stop himself if he tried. Seeing everyone’s quirks in action during the entrance exam had been incredible. It might not have felt so incredible after it had ended, what with two broken legs and a broken arm, but he was here and it was worth it. It was all worth it. He was going to become a hero, just like All Might, and even more amazing was that he’d get to do it alongside others with the same goal.

It had been difficult to make friends when he had been quirkless. Izuku thought he had been likable enough, but Kacchan’s constant berating made everyone wary to get close to him, as if they might suffer the same wrath, and despite his antagonistic behavior, other kids looked up to Kacchan because of his strong quirk and confidence. Quirkless and obsessed with quirks, Izuku had been an outsider no matter how nice he was.

But not here. Not at U.A. It was his first day and he was fitting in. He couldn’t stop thinking about how Uraraka had stood up for him and asked if she could transfer some of her well-earned points to him so that he could still be accepted. One day and already someone thought he was hero material.

Still, quirk or not, old habits would never die and his excitement about everyone’s quirks was overflowing.

“Your quirk is so strong!” Izuku exclaimed, forcing himself to sit at his desk. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Sitting at a desk beside him with his feet propped up on the table, Ed shrugged his shoulders. “I practiced a lot with it growing up -- wanted to make sure I was good and ready when it was time to apply here.”

Not for the first time, Izuku wished that he’d had more time to strengthen himself before receiving All for One and any time at all to practice it. Having to use it for the first time during the entrance exam had almost killed him. It was worth it though. Seeing people with such power over their quirk though both amazed and discouraged him. He was going to fight as hard as humanly possible and then some, but practice was important and he couldn’t use his without injuring himself.

“You just--” Izuku waved his hands in the air. “All you had to do was touch those robots and transformed them into useless piles of garbage!”

He could still recall the shock at seeing Ed, who was admittedly even shorter than Izuku, running straight up to one of those machines and jumping out of the way of its attack. The second he touched it, instead of floating it like Uraraka’s zero gravity quirk had done, the metal had twisted and shaped itself into a rather ugly duck no longer capable of moving.

“I made a lot of metal statues back home,” Ed said.

Must not have been very good ones. The robots had turned into rather tacky metal statues. Izuku did not say that out loud though. Ed was extremely talented, just not at art. Everyone had their weakness.

“And then you used the rubble caused by others from destroying the robots to create a weapon!” Izuku continued, thinking back to the long metal pole that Ed had fashioned in order to pierce through the robot’s weak spots. “Your quirk is really versatile and excellent for urban combat.”

Ed nodded his head, suddenly looking distracted as he rubbed his right arm. Izuku had noticed that Ed tended to favor his left and that his right seemed to hang a little more...limply, but he didn’t say anything. Maybe it was an old injury or had something to do with his quirk. Under his uniform, it looked like just another arm, though Izuku also noticed that Ed wore gloves as well while no one else did. Had he been wearing them during the entrance exam? Izuku couldn’t remember.

Then, Ed grinned at him. “You were the one that took out that zero point robot. It was massive!”

Unable to stop himself, Izuku flushed. “Yeah, but I wasn’t really thinking and the blow back was...bad.”

“I would think so after punching the shit out of that thing,” Ed pointed out with a snort. “Everyone else was so focused on fighting that we didn’t think about saving. It was a good reminder of why we’re here.”

Izuku smiled brightly. Out of all the things that could’ve been said to him, that had to be the best. He was here to become a hero, just like everyone else, and to be a reminder of that, well… It made him think of All Might -- of how he was symbol of peace and reminded people that they could be heroes in their everyday lives. He thought, for a moment, that maybe he truly was worthy of All Might’s power, as long as he could live up to this.

“Oy, would you two get a fucking room?” Kacchan snapped from behind them.

Ed jerked his feet down from his desk and swiveled around to glare heatedly, but before he could get a word out, Izuku waved him down. “It’s okay, really.”

After another beat of glaring, matched equally by Kacchan, Ed slowly turned back to face Izuku, although there was still a small scowl on his face. “What’s his problem anyways? I mean, he’s an asshole for sure, but it’s like he goes out of his way to be one to you.”

“We grew up together,” Izuku said mildly. He didn’t want a fight to break out into class. One had already happened the second he’d stepped into the classroom and Kacchan had spotted him. He knew that it would be bound to happen, but if he could prolong the inevitable knock out fight between Kacchan and Ed, he would. Both of them were too hot-headed for their own good. “He just wants to be the best and he’s used to being it.”

“Yeah, well, a lot of us want to,” Ed grumbled, “but everyone has that moment that knocks us down a peg.”

It wasn’t the words so much as the look on his face when Ed said them that made Izuku think that Ed had already gone through that moment in his life. Izuku wasn’t sure if he had or not. He wanted to think that his entire life being quirkless had been one big rock bottom, but maybe the true test of his metal would come after. Maybe he would find himself now that he was climbing to the top.

It was a scary but inspiring thought.

And then, almost as an afterthought, Izuku wondered what that moment might look like for Kacchan when it came.

*

Bakugou hadn’t exactly been sure what to expect of his classes at U.A. He’d had a good idea, but even he knew that the school was going to do everything in its power to throw them off balance. A hero’s journey was never straight, no matter how badly he wanted to get to the top. Having his first teacher slink into the classroom in a bright yellow sleeping bag had been strange. Hearing that the All Might was going to be one of their teachers was a shock to the system that he was still trying to wrap his mind around and didn’t quite believe.

Then, after reporting outside to one of the many fields for their next class as they had been told, the Flame Alchemist himself showed up.

There was no way that Bakugou was going to lose his cool in front of everyone else. He clenched his jaw so that his mouth wouldn’t open and dug his nails into the palms of his hands so he didn’t fidget. But there he was, the pro hero that Bakugou had watched carefully since he was eight years-old. The man wasn’t wearing his costume, so he didn’t think that everyone recognized him, but it wouldn’t have mattered to Bakugou.

He saw the slight grin, the smooth swagger with every step, the hands in his pockets that said at ease -- all of it wrapped in the air that gave off a hint of danger. Bakugou had been studying the hero for years. He didn’t need a mask or costume to spot his hero. Just as he did on the screen, the Flame Alchemist gave off an undeniable aura of confidence. Every step looked both casual and pointed. All of their eyes were drawn to him until finally he was standing right in front of them.

“Sorry for being late,” the Flame Alchemist greeted, pulling one gloved hand out of his pockets to wave cheerfully at them. “School was never my thing.”

“You’re our other new teacher?” Engine Legs asked, sounding slightly skeptical.

“Do I not look it?” the Flame Alchemist asked, sounding more amused than anything else. He had just shown up and they were already questioning him.

How did these idiots not know who this was? Bakugou looked around at everyone else, noting their faces. Some looked like they might’ve recognized him, but most wore blank faces. Only Half and Half Bastard had given a reaction, tensing his body and dropping his eyes to the ground.

Braid boy folded his arms across his chest. “If school isn’t your thing, then why are you teaching us?”

A small ball of fire, nothing to be afraid of, burst at Braid boy’s feet, causing him to jump and the Flame Alchemist actually laughed. It almost made Bakugou laugh too, just seeing that idiot jump like that, reminding him of how Deku would react towards Bakugou’s explosions. The fire got everyone’s attention though. It was only a small show of power, not even a blip on the radar when it came to the depth of the Flame Alchemist’s quirk, but now everyone was looking at him with wide eyes.

“Y-you’re the Flame Alchemist!” Deku exclaimed. Well, of course, dipshit. Everyone already knew that now.

The hero shrugged his shoulders. “Mustang is fine at school.”

Finally, a name to the man. For years, Bakugou had only known him by his hero name. Sometimes, you could find out a hero’s identity, especially if they had the creativity of a spoon and used their real names, but for however flashy and outgoing that the Flame Alchemist was, he left a lot to be desired when it came to who he was behind the mask. People that were able to get into the school and hero records might know, but the general public was left in the dark.

Bakugou couldn’t believe that the Flame Alchemist -- no, Mustang -- was actually here. He was in casual clothes, something that Bakugou had only seen a handful of times when a reporter managed to capture a picture of him out and about on his off days. He was notorious for evading cameras and reporters in public when not working, even if he hogged them when he was on duty. Hawk’s Eye was with him half of the time in those pictures, somehow looking no less threatening than when she was in costume. Besides, Bakugou doubted that she was never not armed and Mustang didn’t need his costume to use his quirk.

They saw that now as he looked like a man you might see at a fancy restaurant and not a pro hero. Bakugou knew what he was capable of; he’d seen and studied all the footage.

“Lesson number one and two,” Mustang told them. “As a hero, you’re going to end up doing a lot of things you might not necessarily like in order to do what’s best.” He moved his hand again and, while he didn’t jump again, Bakugou saw Braid boy twitch a bit in anticipation for another blast of fire. Mustang just smiled. “And always be on your guard. That was nothing. Villains won’t be kind and so therefore neither will I. If you want a pat on the back, you can go to All Might, but in my class, I expect you to fight back or suffer the consequences and they will be quite unpleasant.”

While the rest of the class murmured with each other, Bakugou smirked. This was going to be fun.

*

Todoroki had tried not to react when he saw the Flame Alchemist walking towards them, but it had been difficult when he’d realized why the man was here. He was going to be their teacher. All he could do was picture his father bursting into flames upon realizing that the two heroes he loathed the most were now his son’s teachers. He couldn’t help but wonder if Endeavor knew or if he would find out later. It would not be a pretty sight either way.

If there was one person that his father hated more than All Might, it was the Flame Alchemist. At least his anger towards All Might was tangible, what with him being always one step above him as the number one hero, but his hatred of Mustang was incomprehensible. It didn’t make any sense. As far as Todoroki could tell, there was no specific reason that his father hated the other hero so much. It was just there .

A strange thrill ran up Todoroki’s spine. He couldn’t tell whether it was dread or excitement. On one hand, he knew that Mustang was an incredibly powerful hero and would be an excellent teacher in helping everyone learn to use their quirk in combat situation. Well, the others that didn’t have the same training his father forced on him since he was five. Still, Todoroki thought he could learn from Mustang. He was quick and clever, known for using his quirk in creative ways.

On the other hand… Todoroki watched the small ball of fire explode and startle Edward Elric. It was so brief that most would forget it quickly, but the sight of that fire burned in Todoroki’s mind. And he was afraid.

He thought back to the promise he’d made his father before he left for U.A. He would not use the half of his quirk that he had inherited from his old man. Using the ice quirk that he’d inherited from his mother, he would become a hero and he would beat his father with that alone. He would not use the half of his quirk that destroyed and tore their family apart. He would use nothing that he gained from his father.

But would Mustang try to pry it out of him? Would he try to force Todoroki to use his fire quirk? Would he look down on him?

It didn’t matter if Endeavor had never said anything. The moment their paths crossed five years ago, Todoroki had known that Mustang knew what his quirk was just by looking at him. “You went and did it,” Mustang’s words to his father rang in Todoroki’s mind. He’d known what his father had done -- what he’d created. It wouldn’t take long for Mustang to notice that Todoroki almost solely used his ice quirk and never once produced flames.

Did he understand that too? Did he know what Todoroki was doing?

He prepared to be seen right through as Mustang surveyed the class, but his eyes landed on Todoroki for only a second and then moved on to the next student. Without realizing that he’d tensed up, Todoroki’s body relaxed the moment he wasn’t being scrutinized. It would appear to everyone that Mustang didn’t recognize him, but that wasn’t possible. His hair, his scar, his eyes all marked him for who he was. The Flame Alchemist remembered, but he wasn’t acting on it.

Todoroki wasn’t sure what that meant. Maybe it meant that Mustang would treat him the same as every student and not the son of the man who hated his very being. Good. That was good. The last thing Todoroki wanted was any special treatment because of who his father was. He just wanted to be treated like himself. He would always remember the way Mustang had spoken to him, like he was a completely separate person from his father. He had been kind to Todoroki even when Endeavor had been cruel to him.

That was a hero, Todoroki had thought back then.

Mustang’s words now sounded like they were meant to provoke everyone. His trick with the fire had clearly done the job in provoking Edward. It wasn’t very hero-like, but then the teachers at U.A. weren’t here to coddle or nurture them. They were here to push each student to their limit and beyond in order to become the best heroes that they could be. Mustang had gone through the same thing as a student here, like All Might and Endeavor, just as Todoroki and his classmates would.

All throughout the class, Todoroki only used his ice quirk and he could’ve sworn that Mustang was watching him closely, his gaze sharp enough to slice through a rock, but whenever he glanced back, the teacher was focusing on someone else. Todoroki shook his head, sweat dripping from his hair. Maybe he was imagining things. Maybe he was so preoccupied with worry that he was making things up. He didn’t want to be seen like that. He just wanted to be seen as himself.

When class was dismissed and they all dragged their tired and sore bodies back inside, Todoroki took one last glance back at their new teacher and was caught off guard upon connecting eyes with him. Mustang put two of his fingers to his temple and flicked them forward, the same gesture he had done upon saying goodbye to Todoroki when they’d first crossed paths on the street five years ago. Except this time, instead of saying goodbye, the gesture said, I remember.

But Todoroki didn’t know what that meant either and it made him wary. And he hated that feeling.

[vroenis]

Art Created For Mood

I was watching a YouTuber I really like playing a game I really don’t like but from a developer that I also don’t like who does a thing I actually really like. That’s an opening and a half, but bear with me.

I don’t know if this book is good or not, but it’s here for the puns, and so am I. So is Max Kornell, it appears. I sure hope he’s an alright guy cos his children’s book is on my tumblr for a visual gag now.

It doesn’t matter what the game was, and it so happens it was DLC - some of you will be able to figure out what it was once I describe it, but very early on in the gameplay minutes of proceedings, the developers have the player-protagonist/avatar and your companion-of-the-moment engage in messing about in an old, abandoned fancy-dress store, picking up costumes and masks and larking about. I appreciate the YouTuber in question may have been partially or wholly playing up to the streaming audience ever-present at the time when they impatiently remarked “is this all we’re going to do” and “when do we get to actually play the game” etc., “when does the game start?” and so on, but as you may remember in my commentary on the Uncharted games a while back, interactions like these to someone like me are most often the most important - and now there’s no question what the game is if you haven’t figured it out already. As a side-note, I think the problem in this particular instance is one of pacing, and cold-opening the DLC with a scene like this may have been the issue. Video game pacing is tricky, tho, so it’s difficult to consider whether most players would be playing this content months after having experienced the main game, or whether the majority of players will be those who will have purchased it fresh on the newest generation of hardware, given the title actually launched a whole console iteration ago. Assuming that might be the case, the pacing experience might be entirely different, but I’m getting side-tracked.

I can’t account for what the YouTuber/Streamer was thinking and I don’t want to throw any shade and suggest they may have been performing for their audience - even if they were, it’s still fine - Streaming is performance, I feel like that much should be clearly evident. It’s not important to me where the truth lies within that individual. What the exterior performance telegraphs tho, is perhaps a misunderstanding of what the purpose of a scene like that is. I realise that in games that feature frequent occurrences of brutal violence, tension, excitement and anxiety, scenes of levity and peacefulness offer reprieve and introspection. They’re effective because of context and their rarity lends them power.

I’m still here to say a whole game of those kinds of things can still be powerful, you just have to be intelligent about the context. Reframing maturity to mean something other than violence takes real intelligence. It makes me question just how many actual adults we have developing video games. No, I don’t hate to bring it up again, but you need to play Kentucky Route Zero, Howling Dogs and a myriad of other Twine games and many other games created in queer spaces to perhaps broaden your understanding of what adults create when they don’t look to violence as a banner for maturity.

Naturally I’m going to turn to the most cliched of mediums; film.

For which I won’t apologise. That’s a frame from the montage in the middle of Mamoru Oshii’s 1995 movie Kōkaku Kidōtai - Ghost In The Shell, based on Masamune Shirow’s manga of the same name. I’d like to say that frame or the set of frames it’s taken from is one of my favourites from the film, because it is, but to be honest, the entirety of the three and a half minute montage is absolute perfection and every frame is equally important. It encapsulates the essence of the film without a single line of dialogue by playing a haunting piece of music expertly crafted by Kenji Kawai and showing seemingly disjointed images of the city in which the film is set. The film’s protagonist does appear in several shots, and some frames exhibit the city in decay, but some are completely urbane and simply show life in ordinary existence. Without discussing the main text of the film further, suffice to say it is the perfect frame for the subject of the narrative without stating it.

Before I embed the Ghost In The Shell montage, however, I want to share one Oshii created 2 years before it in Patlabor 2: The Movie. Let’s watch that one together, and even if you’ve not seen the film yourself, note in particular how topical the images are today, if you’re reading this some time around July 2020.

For those who’ve not seen the film, I highly recommend it. It’s not necessary to have seen either the series or the first Patlabor movie. It may help a little to watch the first film, mostly just to familiarise yourself with characters and terminology, but it’s not a necessity. The first film is much more comedic and while the second still has its funny moments, as evidenced in this montage, it takes a much more dramatic and sombre turn. Various domestic terrorist and military activities cause a declaration of martial law in Tokyo at roughly the mid-point of the film at which point this montage appears. The depictions of the citizenry, their interaction with the military and vice-versa are particularly interesting, and the film’s commentary as a whole is fascinating. That this has for the most part been lovingly and agonisingly rendered by hand in stunning animation detail is amazing.

Feelings are wonderful, weird, oddly shaped things. We use a lot of words in our lives, pragmatically to communicate, to instruct, to describe and tell stories. Funnily enough, when I was deeply entrenched in video games culture doing podcasts, playing a lot of games and writing a lot more about game studies etc., there was a lot of writing about the place about game verbs and it’s a great synthesis of design - a tool for describing the most simple actions in a game; move, jump, shoot, collect, talk, choose etc. In my introductory example, there are still a lot of verbs in play, like move, but the one most absent is of-course shoot, and the one that comes to the fore is talk. I feel like the scene at the beginning of that DLC is wholly intended to create a sense of atmosphere, to evoke certain feelings. Is it there to set the scene for context later on? Maybe. Is it for reprieve from violence? Also possible. But perhaps it’s just there to be relished, to be indulged. Maybe it’s OK to just be there to be felt, because feeling it is good, or even just feeling it is feeling something. Maybe it doesn’t have to be good, it’s just a different feeling to the way we feel when we’re reading an action feedback-loop where we’re engaged in move/shoot/wait/don’t die/melee/die-reload-repeat.

It’s hard for me to separate these montages from the films they come from. I want to say they’re powerful outside of the films, but I’ve seen those films so my viewings and re-viewings of them are loaded with my memories of the entire work; I have the full context. Tempted as I am to embed the montage from Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence, I think that would be spoiling you too much, plus the film in its entirety really warrants a full viewing. Kenji Kawai’s music in the second film along deserves maximum volume and your time uninterrupted, so I won’t demean it with a tiny little window and a wall of text. I promised you the montage from the first GitS movie, so here it is, at three and a half minutes.

I’m using the word feel quite a lot in this entry and it’s intentional. In recent times, we seem to be de-emphasising our feelings somewhat and I’m all for some semblance of rationality and logic but emotions are important. Feelings are amazing - all of them. The ones that are good, the ones that are uncomfortable, the ones that are uncontrollable. I guess some folks try to talk about understanding feelings and there’s a little truth in that but I don’t think it’s something we can ever fully get a complete hold of, nor should we. I’m not here to attempt to provide you guidance on that, I think if you’re reading this, you’re well capable of gauging for yourself what the impact is of your emotions to your life and what you may need to do about it. Don’t read an implication that I mean to diminish their impact, either - you may well need to amplify their impact, I think a lot of people don’t consider that - now more than ever, but again, I wouldn’t know. You would. Only you do.

Anyway - I feel like a lot of art and moments in art, or sections of art, are being misinterpreted or criticised because people aren’t open to the intent. Again I come back to the example in the opening to this entry. Assuming on good faith that the YouTuber’s/Streamer’s behaviour was genuine, their reading of the activity in the game was that it was somehow not game, and that until there was either shooting or puzzling or adventuring of some kind, that those things would be actually game or real gameplay does that scene and activity a disservice. Of-course, maybe they just straight-up didn’t like it which is fair. I accept that, I guess - but I don’t like it.

It still bothers me tho. Even tho I really don’t like that game, I understand that the point of it is to ground the narrative in very human roots, in emotional engagement so that the character has something to celebrate, to cherish fondly, or even perhaps to regret or look back on with bitterness or anger. Regardless - even if it doesn’t have a payoff in the future, I still feel like it’s important as a representation of human behaviour in a game in which human avatars are depicted. The images on screen within that video game are for the most part not abstract. The themes shown and the narrative woven about their journey, their motivations, the justifications for their actions and the moralising therein within the fictional framework of the universe are all extremely human and intended to be analogous to the real human experience. 

That being the case, on that assumption, I’m surprised and even more disappointed that there aren’t more non-violent indulgences of peaceful human interactions on offer in these games.

People’s tastes in films, I guess, has been quite monolithic for some time. I mean, I’ve always had the throw-away semi-casual assumption of such but I didn’t think it was a real thing. I appreciate I’m into some fringe stuff and I don’t expect most people to get into the super-weird films, but that folks would be so narrow? Like... so narrow. I’ve said it before, I’m well accustomed to the art I’m into being heavily criticised by most people, but even the more approachable material I’m into, people seem to either struggle to digest or still regard as boring because it doesn’t register on some level of excitement that scales on a weird, reductive verb-o-meter not dissimilar to video games designed with the fewest of verbs; move, shoot and collect. Sometimes a film isn’t necessarily about what’s literally happening on the screen, or strictly about the narrative playing out. Sometimes art is about how you feel when you experience it - we’ve quite literally been describing art, in particular music, as mood pieces for years, and for quite some time now, video games. 

In film, David Lynch is a master at it to name only one, and there are a ton of others. You don’t have to immediately have to be able to process his narratives, your first concern is to how you feel when you view his films. The pragmatics can - and often do - come later. Once you familiarise yourself with his cinematic language of emotional tone and atmosphere, you may find that his narratives are actually quite simple and they quite easily make sense - they’re artfully told and are injected with immense feeling because they’re told in such unique and emotional ways.

How do you go about choosing a frame from David Lynch’s Mulholland Dr.?

I tend not to discuss general release films much - I don’t have any particular distaste for them at all, I’ve mentioned that I have a great appreciation for them but if there’s any way I can speak to the emotional responses I have to them, it’s that in a broader sense, most of my responses are more or less the same. That’s why I don’t really talk about them. Their impact to me and how I engage with art in my life is minimal. That doesn’t mean I don’t think they’re important in the world culturally or that I discount their cultural importance to others - not at all. If they’re important to you, then that’s wonderful and amazing and you should celebrate them. Nevertheless, there’s also a place for independent cinema and art and creating things that don’t directly speak to the most transparent of feelings. I understand that the audience is smaller and the financial availability is going to have to be smaller - that’s OK, but mood pieces are special and amazing and weird and sometimes indescribable and maybe you should give them a try because they can make you feel real strange and sometimes strange feelings can be powerful too.

Once in a while, some folks do make something that is super approachable and bridges that magical gap between indescribable emotion and mood, and audiences that need the most gentle of entry-points. I think Thatgamecompany’s video game Journey has to be one of the best examples of a work that transcends and overcomes a lot of barriers by removing so many obstacles not only typical of video games but art in general. It’s a truly gorgeous experience, and one that is uniquely evocative not only for its own but any medium.

While I’m sure there where throngs of mouth-breathers who flocked to reddit et al to decry Journey as NOTAGAME™, there were plenty of people who found themselves disarmed by its approach to play, playfulness, narrative and emotion. While you can watch a full play-thru video of the game, once-again I do encourage you to actually play the game itself altho so far from its release, there may be a critical component of the experience missing. A minor spoiler; central to the game is a sense of connection and yet separation. Lead designer Jenova Chen at the time was dismayed by online gaming behaviour and that engagement between players was so so toxic - it remains so today. He wanted a way for players to connect but not be able to be harmful and hateful to one another. The game will actually pair players together via online services, but there is no VOIP or text communication utility at all, nor can you see the username of whom you’re liked to. There is almost no way to communicate, save for a single button that will emit a musical note and an abstract symbol above your character’s head - that’s it. Beyond that, you may freely move about the world together, choosing to follow one-another or separate and ignore each other. That is the extent of interaction, and when the game launched in 2012, we discovered this together as a community - it was amazing and breathtaking, especially as the whole experience unfolded.

If Jenova Chen and his team at Thatgamecompany can teach people who usually shoot heads that moods can be engaged in and enjoyed with Journey, I feel like people have the ability to identify all forms of art that does the same. Art that deviates from the usual MO of fulfilling our usual roster of base needs. I’m not denigrating mass-market art by describing base needs -  not at all. Base needs are hella important, but if the violence in The Last of Us gives the reprieve of giraffes context, surely the base needs of mass-market art does the same for mood pieces?

This is a frame from Exit (2011) directed by Marek Polgar and you should 100% find it and watch it.

These are some of the more fringe works I’m into, if you’re particularly daring. I’ve no doubt that someone will find them pedestrian and that’s fine. At some point, tho, people have to be able to either go to a shop a buy it, or at least find it online somewhere, so I’m sure the video your mate from uni made is the highest of couture art, but if no-one other than you and ten friends have seen it, it legit doesn’t count ay.

By the way - these are all listed in Film Notes, but I’ll lazylink their IMDB pages here so you can see how bad their audience scores are.

Tokyo.Sora (come-on, it’s my favourite film of all time) Exit (OK so as much as I was being facetious just before, this is going to be difficult to track down, but worth it if you can) Womb (CW: incest) The Sky Crawlers (my favourite of Mamoru Oshii’s) The Limits Of Control To The Wonder (I know - Malick, but I feel like if you’re going to try one, try this - shorter, more intimate, less abstract - I find it’s his most tender) Holy Motors (be thankful I’m linking Carax and not Noé/Void or Climax)

[minnievirizarry]

12 Ways to Boost Brand Awareness on Social Media

Social media doesn’t feel very “social” when you’re just another face in the crowd, does it?

And then we look at the likes of GoPro, Wendy’s or Starbucks with their rabid followers and wonder how we can replicate just a fraction of their performance.

The reality, though? If you’re struggling to stand out as a brand, you’re definitely not alone.

No, seriously.

Based on data from Sprout’s 2018 Social Index, brand awareness represents social marketers’ top priority right now.

But given how competitive the modern social landscape has become, perhaps this isn’t much of a surprise.

With more and more people taking to social media to research and sound off on brands, getting your target audience’s attention is easier said than done.

So what does an effective brand awareness strategy look like, anyway? How do you become a familiar face within your followers’ feeds versus someone they just scroll past?

We’ve highlighted twelve strategies businesses of all sizes can take to boost their brand awareness. From fine-tuning your profile to experimenting with your content, any combination of these tips are fair game.

And with that, let’s dive right in!

1. Give Your Social Presence Some Personality

First thing’s first: your social media presence shouldn’t look like everyone else’s.

And while this may seem obvious, many brands fall into the trap of becoming robotic.

They play it totally safe. They post a picture or link, tack on a few hashtags and call it a day.

Here’s the deal, though: that’s not how you stand out. Not by a long shot.

Moonpie is a shining example of a seemingly “boring” brand that’s exploded in popularity because of their distinct voice and sense of humor.

Tips for a safe and fun Fourth of July   1. Do not eat any fireworks 2. Eat a MoonPie – the American Classic! 3. Respect the heck out of some bald eagles 4. You may also eat hamburgers and a hotdog

— MoonPie (@MoonPie) July 4, 2018

Sure, it’d be easy for them to post generic promos. However, it’s their off-the-wall personality that’s made them so endearing to followers.

And “personal��� is the keyword here. Followers want to see more than promos and links: they want personal, human-centric content. That’s why selfies and story-driven posts typically perform so well.

On this Rio history walk, your host Thais will share the long past of the Afro-Brazilians. She's spent years learning about traditional communities like Quilombos. Get ready for an eye-opening experience, photo opportunities at historical sites like the Pedra do Sal and a new dear friend in Thais. For more #AirbnbExperiences created by locals like Thais, click the link in our bio.

A post shared by Airbnb (@airbnb) on Jul 7, 2018 at 9:05am PDT

Instagram pages like that of Humans of New York post almost exclusively story-based content. They’ve amassed nearly 8 million followers solely through tugging at the heartstrings of their fans.

“A couple weeks ago we were coming home from visiting my brother in Long Island and we stopped at a burger place off the highway. He had a Junior Whopper. I had a Whopper. We split the fries. And while we were eating, he said: ‘You know what Daddy? You’re a really great Daddy. I love you Daddy.’ And that got me. I almost choked on my burger. Because it wasn’t bedtime. He wasn’t leaving for school. It was just off the cuff.”

A post shared by Humans of New York (@humansofny) on Jun 17, 2018 at 7:46am PDT

Marketers are told time and time again to create “unique” content. It might sound corny, but the person behind your social presence represents a one-of-a-kind voice.

Before you hit “post,” make a point to ask yourself: “Does this sound like something a bot would say?”

2. Fine-Tune Your Profiles

Recognition is a key element of building brand awareness.

When followers glance at your social profiles, they should be able to understand what you’re all about. Likewise, they should recognize that you are, well, you.

From social bios to profile images, how you set up your profile determines whether or not people recognize you. Check out how ThinkGeek has a clean logo and nerdy Facebook cover photo to match…

  …while boasting the same logo and branded bio copy on Pinterest.

Spoiler alert: people’s attention spans are microscopic. You only have a few seconds to grab someone’s attention and say “Hey, this is who I am.” A clean, well-optimized profile and photo is key to spelling out your brand to someone who might not know you.

3. Make Your Posts Pop

Here’s a common thread between most of our brand awareness tips: a bit of creativity can score you major brownie points with followers.

For example, check out how oVertone makes bold use of color throughout both their Instagram bio and content.

This sort of content does double-duty of highlighting their brands’ voice and making scrollers stop in their Instagram feeds to drop a “like.”

casual. @deathcats in #overtoneextremeyellow

A post shared by oVertone (@overtonecolor) on Jul 1, 2018 at 8:00pm PDT

Not taking eye-popping images featuring your products? No problem. The principle of making your posts pop rings true in content marketing, too.

Notice how Sprout’s blog posts are all coupled with these colorful illustrations instead of generic stock photos?

Pinterest’s users are far-reaching and high spenders. Did you know: 55% of users use the network to shop? Keep this in mind as you plan your next marketing campaign! https://t.co/dW2eAP1YhT

— Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) July 10, 2018

Or how brands like Hubspot couple their Twitter chats with image macros instead of just using text?

Question 4: Do you think in quantity or quality? #HubThoughts pic.twitter.com/a7hPODqB6c

— HubSpot (@HubSpot) July 10, 2018

Anything you can do aesthetically to make your posts stand out is a point in your favor. Even if you’re not a design master, there are plenty of image creation tools to help you whip up some eye-catching imagery.

4. Tag Others to Get Them Talking

Tagging (@ mentioning) is a brilliant brand awareness strategy because it only takes about half a second and instantly amplifies your content.

Think about it. Anyone you tag via Twitter or Instagram instantly receives a notification, meaning you win an extra opportunity for engagement. Not only that, but it’s a surefire way to make positive impressions on others players in your industry.

If you have an opportunity to give someone a shoutout, go for it.

So many metrics, so little time. In this nifty list, I broke down some pretty sweet #social monitoring tools including @simplymeasured @BuzzSumo and @Brandwatch (and of course, @SproutSocial !): https://t.co/Z6bC3L4ULC #smm

— Brent Barnhart (@brentwrites) March 5, 2018

5. Harness the Power of Hashtags

In our guide to how to use hashtags, we note that social posts with hashtags receive more engagement than those without them.

While each network has its own best practices, hashtags don’t have to be rocket science. Hashtags instantly make your posts searchable and smaller, niche tags help introduce your brand to dedicated communities of potential fans.

Awesome Dr Strange project by #Repost @billybolt ・・・ Some people asked if I was going to make the green time spell from Doctor Strange. I already made those haha . . . . . #cosplay #cosplayer #drstrange #marvel #craft #marvelcomics #drstrange #mcu #magic #comiccon #green #spell #dnd #anime #fullmetalalchemist #fma #manga #otaku #drfate #zatanna #dc #dccomics #batman #cosplayprop #lit

A post shared by SparkFun Electronics (@sparkfun) on Jun 16, 2018 at 5:25pm PDT

Also, consider how creating your own hashtag is a smart move from a brand awareness perspective. Smaller, local brands can use their own branded hashtag like bigger brands: it’s all about reinforcing your identity and encouraging others to engage with you.

This is our Elvis doughnut but a filled version. Chocolate Bavarian Cream filling, with banana icing, chopped peanuts and banana chips 🙂 We also have: Fruity Pebz Cotton Candy Caramel choc chip Strawberry Lemonade Passion Fruit Strawberry Blueberry Sprankle Glazed Churro UFO Apple Fritter Don't forget to tag us in your photos! #valkyriedoughnuts #dairyfree #eggfree #notglutenfree #tonsofgluten #orlandogoods

A post shared by ValkyrieDoughnuts (@valkyriedoughnuts) on Jul 5, 2018 at 4:07am PDT

6. Creative Commenting

Not unlike tagging, people receive notifications in real-time for social comments.

Let’s be honest: most social comments aren’t exactly compelling. This spells good news for brands who are willing to put a bit more thought into comments beyond “Nice! or “Cool!”

Posting creative or thoughtful comments is a great way to break through such noise. It’s also another opportunity to show off your brand’s personality to potential followers.

7. Repurpose Your Content

If you’re like most marketers, you’re probably trying to boost brand awareness across multiple networks, right?

In that case, it’s important to repurpose your content to fit in with the best practices of each platform. After all, what works best on Instagram might not be prime for Facebook or Twitter.

For example, let’s say you publish a killer case study. Rather than post a mere link, taking the time to package it into an infographic is a surefire way to score shares and links alike.

Where are the world's self-employed based? https://t.co/tuJN9xzLUt pic.twitter.com/tPmwOGA3LR

— Forbes Asia (@ForbesAsia) July 10, 2018

As such, one-size-fits-all content and captions aren’t going to win your brand much attention.

Photos. Videos. Blogs. Your stuff. Other people’s stuff.

To keep your feed from growing stale, you should always have new social media ideas on the backburner to keep your feed fresh.

8. Break Your Own News

According to Buzzsumo’s current state of content, the best performing pieces on social media are those that people can reference.

Stats. Case studies. Surveys.

If your brand is conducting any sort of original research, it can be a huge authority booster that does wonders for brand awareness, too.

THE 2018 SPROUT SOCIAL INDEX IS HERE! See it for yourself and find out why @SproutDarryl is doing the data dance. https://t.co/qW8ODNDAPc

P.S. If you're as excited as we are, send us a video of your own data dance! #SproutData pic.twitter.com/GrvkHMCeRD

— Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) June 5, 2018

And if you’re not in a position where such research is possible, don’t panic.

Consider how you can comment on industry trends and happenings from your point-of-view. The takeaway here is that you should be contributing to the ongoing conversation of your industry at large versus just sitting on the sidelines.

9. Experiment with Your Captions

Social captions are yet another opportunity to let your brand’s voice be heard.

Again, no big brand or influencer simply drops a link without some sort of commentary. Captions can pique people’s interest and encourage engagement, giving a sort of taste to readers before they click through.

Seattle, we have a serious, insidious problem. https://t.co/oAmOJJGOxN

— Rand Fishkin (@randfish) July 4, 2018

As evidenced by the wealth of creative Instagram hashtags and captions out there, creativity counts. Whether through emojis or cracking jokes, captions are prime real estate for connecting with followers and letting them know exactly who you are.

Waffle cones are scientifically proven to taste better when eaten with friends.* 👯‍♀️🍦 *we don’t actually have any data to support this claim but trust us.

A post shared by Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys) on Jun 29, 2018 at 12:20pm PDT

10. Use Social as a Tool for Teaching

In the marketing world, the brands that tend to stand out are the ones that strive to teach their audiences.

Educational and “how-to” content is widely sought after on just about every social network. Posting such content regularly positions you both as a positive resource and a thought leader.

I've always been a side projects person because it helps me avoid burnout. Do you have a side gig that helps keep you creative? https://t.co/X1nG9RHe96

— Kaleigh Moore (@kaleighf) May 30, 2018

This principle applies to non-marketers, too. The more opportunities to show off your brand’s product or know-how, the better. Just think about how popular tutorials are on Pinterest to see the power of educational content in action.

11. Don’t Be Afraid of Being Opinionated

According to our own data, people want brands to take a stand.

Parroting what everyone is saying might be “safe,” but doesn’t do much in terms of brand awareness. The previously noted Buzzsumo study also highlights that “political and tribal” content performs particularly well these days.

That’s not to say you should go out and alienate your audience, but you should stand by your brands’ principles and beliefs. Wearing them on your sleeve can get people talking and serve as a way to stand out against your competitors.

You almost surely haven’t budgeted time, energy, or dollars for “whatever it takes”. That’s also code for “at all costs,” and when you stop discussing costs, you know they’re going to spiral. #ItDoesntHaveToBeCrazyAtWork

— Jason Fried (@jasonfried) June 25, 2018

Of course, the key here is to tread lightly. The name of the game is being bold for the sake of your brand, not stirring the pot just because you can.

12. Show Up Consistently

Finally, consider that nobody can truly be aware of your brand if you don’t post consistently.

Based on Sprout’s own data on the best times to post on social media, brands are expected to push content out multiple times per day across multiple networks.

And if your brand isn’t, there’s a non-zero chance that someone else in your space is.

To help you save time and to make the process of showing up easier, having a scheduling tool such as a Sprout on deck can be game-changer.

The more ground you and your brand can cover, the better. It all comes down to having a specific strategy which makes the most out of the time you spend on social media.

And with that, we conclude our list!

What Does Your Brand Awareness Strategy Look Like?

Building buzz around your brand might take a bit of experimenting, but having a dedicated awareness strategy remains the number one concern of businesses today.

And by following the principles outlined above, you poise yourself toward becoming a brand that sticks out in the minds of your audience.

We want to hear from you, though. What makes a brand stand out to you on social media? If you’ve been struggling to figure out how to increase brand awareness, what’s been tripping you up? Let us know in the comments below!

This post 12 Ways to Boost Brand Awareness on Social Media originally appeared on Sprout Social.

from SM Tips By Minnie https://sproutsocial.com/insights/brand-awareness/

[jessette20]

Brand Awareness

Social media doesn’t feel very “social” when you’re just another face in the crowd, does it?

And then we look at the likes of GoPro, Wendy’s or Starbucks with their rabid followers and wonder how we can replicate just a fraction of their performance.

The reality, though? If you’re struggling to stand out as a brand, you’re definitely not alone.

No, seriously.

Based on data from Sprout’s 2018 Social Index, brand awareness represents social marketers’ top priority right now.

But given how competitive the modern social landscape has become, perhaps this isn’t much of a surprise.

With more and more people taking to social media to research and sound off on brands, getting your target audience’s attention is easier said than done.

So what does an effective brand awareness strategy look like, anyway? How do you become a familiar face within your followers’ feeds versus someone they just scroll past?

We’ve highlighted twelve strategies businesses of all sizes can take to boost their brand awareness. From fine-tuning your profile to experimenting with your content, any combination of these tips are fair game.

And with that, let’s dive right in!

1. Give Your Social Presence Some Personality

First thing’s first: your social media presence shouldn’t look like everyone else’s.

And while this may seem obvious, many brands fall into the trap of becoming robotic.

They play it totally safe. They post a picture or link, tack on a few hashtags and call it a day.

Here’s the deal, though: that’s not how you stand out. Not by a long shot.

Moonpie is a shining example of a seemingly “boring” brand that’s exploded in popularity because of their distinct voice and sense of humor.

Tips for a safe and fun Fourth of July   1. Do not eat any fireworks 2. Eat a MoonPie – the American Classic! 3. Respect the heck out of some bald eagles 4. You may also eat hamburgers and a hotdog

— MoonPie (@MoonPie) July 4, 2018

Sure, it’d be easy for them to post generic promos. However, it’s their off-the-wall personality that’s made them so endearing to followers.

And “personal” is the keyword here. Followers want to see more than promos and links: they want personal, human-centric content. That’s why selfies and story-driven posts typically perform so well.

On this Rio history walk, your host Thais will share the long past of the Afro-Brazilians. She's spent years learning about traditional communities like Quilombos. Get ready for an eye-opening experience, photo opportunities at historical sites like the Pedra do Sal and a new dear friend in Thais. For more #AirbnbExperiences created by locals like Thais, click the link in our bio.

A post shared by Airbnb (@airbnb) on Jul 7, 2018 at 9:05am PDT

Instagram pages like that of Humans of New York post almost exclusively story-based content. They’ve amassed nearly 8 million followers solely through tugging at the heartstrings of their fans.

“A couple weeks ago we were coming home from visiting my brother in Long Island and we stopped at a burger place off the highway. He had a Junior Whopper. I had a Whopper. We split the fries. And while we were eating, he said: ‘You know what Daddy? You’re a really great Daddy. I love you Daddy.’ And that got me. I almost choked on my burger. Because it wasn’t bedtime. He wasn’t leaving for school. It was just off the cuff.”

A post shared by Humans of New York (@humansofny) on Jun 17, 2018 at 7:46am PDT

Marketers are told time and time again to create “unique” content. It might sound corny, but the person behind your social presence represents a one-of-a-kind voice.

Before you hit “post,” make a point to ask yourself: “Does this sound like something a bot would say?”

2. Fine-Tune Your Profiles

Recognition is a key element of building brand awareness.

When followers glance at your social profiles, they should be able to understand what you’re all about. Likewise, they should recognize that you are, well, you.

From social bios to profile images, how you set up your profile determines whether or not people recognize you. Check out how ThinkGeek has a clean logo and nerdy Facebook cover photo to match…

  …while boasting the same logo and branded bio copy on Pinterest.

Spoiler alert: people’s attention spans are microscopic. You only have a few seconds to grab someone’s attention and say “Hey, this is who I am.” A clean, well-optimized profile and photo is key to spelling out your brand to someone who might not know you.

3. Make Your Posts Pop

Here’s a common thread between most of our brand awareness tips: a bit of creativity can score you major brownie points with followers.

For example, check out how oVertone makes bold use of color throughout both their Instagram bio and content.

This sort of content does double-duty of highlighting their brands’ voice and making scrollers stop in their Instagram feeds to drop a “like.”

casual. @deathcats in #overtoneextremeyellow

A post shared by oVertone (@overtonecolor) on Jul 1, 2018 at 8:00pm PDT

Not taking eye-popping images featuring your products? No problem. The principle of making your posts pop rings true in content marketing, too.

Notice how Sprout’s blog posts are all coupled with these colorful illustrations instead of generic stock photos?

Pinterest’s users are far-reaching and high spenders. Did you know: 55% of users use the network to shop? Keep this in mind as you plan your next marketing campaign! https://t.co/dW2eAP1YhT

— Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) July 10, 2018

Or how brands like Hubspot couple their Twitter chats with image macros instead of just using text?

Question 4: Do you think in quantity or quality? #HubThoughts pic.twitter.com/a7hPODqB6c

— HubSpot (@HubSpot) July 10, 2018

Anything you can do aesthetically to make your posts stand out is a point in your favor. Even if you’re not a design master, there are plenty of image creation tools to help you whip up some eye-catching imagery.

4. Tag Others to Get Them Talking

Tagging (@ mentioning) is a brilliant brand awareness strategy because it only takes about half a second and instantly amplifies your content.

Think about it. Anyone you tag via Twitter or Instagram instantly receives a notification, meaning you win an extra opportunity for engagement. Not only that, but it’s a surefire way to make positive impressions on others players in your industry.

If you have an opportunity to give someone a shoutout, go for it.

So many metrics, so little time. In this nifty list, I broke down some pretty sweet #social monitoring tools including @simplymeasured @BuzzSumo and @Brandwatch (and of course, @SproutSocial !): https://t.co/Z6bC3L4ULC #smm

— Brent Barnhart (@brentwrites) March 5, 2018

5. Harness the Power of Hashtags

In our guide to how to use hashtags, we note that social posts with hashtags receive more engagement than those without them.

While each network has its own best practices, hashtags don’t have to be rocket science. Hashtags instantly make your posts searchable and smaller, niche tags help introduce your brand to dedicated communities of potential fans.

Awesome Dr Strange project by #Repost @billybolt ・・・ Some people asked if I was going to make the green time spell from Doctor Strange. I already made those haha . . . . . #cosplay #cosplayer #drstrange #marvel #craft #marvelcomics #drstrange #mcu #magic #comiccon #green #spell #dnd #anime #fullmetalalchemist #fma #manga #otaku #drfate #zatanna #dc #dccomics #batman #cosplayprop #lit

A post shared by SparkFun Electronics (@sparkfun) on Jun 16, 2018 at 5:25pm PDT

Also, consider how creating your own hashtag is a smart move from a brand awareness perspective. Smaller, local brands can use their own branded hashtag like bigger brands: it’s all about reinforcing your identity and encouraging others to engage with you.

This is our Elvis doughnut but a filled version. Chocolate Bavarian Cream filling, with banana icing, chopped peanuts and banana chips 🙂 We also have: Fruity Pebz Cotton Candy Caramel choc chip Strawberry Lemonade Passion Fruit Strawberry Blueberry Sprankle Glazed Churro UFO Apple Fritter Don't forget to tag us in your photos! #valkyriedoughnuts #dairyfree #eggfree #notglutenfree #tonsofgluten #orlandogoods

A post shared by ValkyrieDoughnuts (@valkyriedoughnuts) on Jul 5, 2018 at 4:07am PDT

6. Creative Commenting

Not unlike tagging, people receive notifications in real-time for social comments.

Let’s be honest: most social comments aren’t exactly compelling. This spells good news for brands who are willing to put a bit more thought into comments beyond “Nice! or “Cool!”

Posting creative or thoughtful comments is a great way to break through such noise. It’s also another opportunity to show off your brand’s personality to potential followers.

7. Repurpose Your Content

If you’re like most marketers, you’re probably trying to boost brand awareness across multiple networks, right?

In that case, it’s important to repurpose your content to fit in with the best practices of each platform. After all, what works best on Instagram might not be prime for Facebook or Twitter.

For example, let’s say you publish a killer case study. Rather than post a mere link, taking the time to package it into an infographic is a surefire way to score shares and links alike.

Where are the world's self-employed based? https://t.co/tuJN9xzLUt pic.twitter.com/tPmwOGA3LR

— Forbes Asia (@ForbesAsia) July 10, 2018

As such, one-size-fits-all content and captions aren’t going to win your brand much attention.

Photos. Videos. Blogs. Your stuff. Other people’s stuff.

To keep your feed from growing stale, you should always have new social media ideas on the backburner to keep your feed fresh.

8. Break Your Own News

According to Buzzsumo’s current state of content, the best performing pieces on social media are those that people can reference.

Stats. Case studies. Surveys.

If your brand is conducting any sort of original research, it can be a huge authority booster that does wonders for brand awareness, too.

THE 2018 SPROUT SOCIAL INDEX IS HERE! See it for yourself and find out why @SproutDarryl is doing the data dance. https://t.co/qW8ODNDAPc

P.S. If you're as excited as we are, send us a video of your own data dance! #SproutData pic.twitter.com/GrvkHMCeRD

— Sprout Social (@SproutSocial) June 5, 2018

And if you’re not in a position where such research is possible, don’t panic.

Consider how you can comment on industry trends and happenings from your point-of-view. The takeaway here is that you should be contributing to the ongoing conversation of your industry at large versus just sitting on the sidelines.

9. Experiment with Your Captions

Social captions are yet another opportunity to let your brand’s voice be heard.

Again, no big brand or influencer simply drops a link without some sort of commentary. Captions can pique people’s interest and encourage engagement, giving a sort of taste to readers before they click through.

Seattle, we have a serious, insidious problem. https://t.co/oAmOJJGOxN

— Rand Fishkin (@randfish) July 4, 2018

As evidenced by the wealth of creative Instagram hashtags and captions out there, creativity counts. Whether through emojis or cracking jokes, captions are prime real estate for connecting with followers and letting them know exactly who you are.

Waffle cones are scientifically proven to taste better when eaten with friends.* 👯‍♀️🍦 *we don’t actually have any data to support this claim but trust us.

A post shared by Ben & Jerry's (@benandjerrys) on Jun 29, 2018 at 12:20pm PDT

10. Use Social as a Tool for Teaching

In the marketing world, the brands that tend to stand out are the ones that strive to teach their audiences.

Educational and “how-to” content is widely sought after on just about every social network. Posting such content regularly positions you both as a positive resource and a thought leader.

I've always been a side projects person because it helps me avoid burnout. Do you have a side gig that helps keep you creative? https://t.co/X1nG9RHe96

— Kaleigh Moore (@kaleighf) May 30, 2018

This principle applies to non-marketers, too. The more opportunities to show off your brand’s product or know-how, the better. Just think about how popular tutorials are on Pinterest to see the power of educational content in action.

11. Don’t Be Afraid of Being Opinionated

According to our own data, people want brands to take a stand.

Parroting what everyone is saying might be “safe,” but doesn’t do much in terms of brand awareness. The previously noted Buzzsumo study also highlights that “political and tribal” content performs particularly well these days.

That’s not to say you should go out and alienate your audience, but you should stand by your brands’ principles and beliefs. Wearing them on your sleeve can get people talking and serve as a way to stand out against your competitors.

You almost surely haven’t budgeted time, energy, or dollars for “whatever it takes”. That’s also code for “at all costs,” and when you stop discussing costs, you know they’re going to spiral. #ItDoesntHaveToBeCrazyAtWork

— Jason Fried (@jasonfried) June 25, 2018

Of course, the key here is to tread lightly. The name of the game is being bold for the sake of your brand, not stirring the pot just because you can.

12. Show Up Consistently

Finally, consider that nobody can truly be aware of your brand if you don’t post consistently.

Based on Sprout’s own data on the best times to post on social media, brands are expected to push content out multiple times per day across multiple networks.

And if your brand isn’t, there’s a non-zero chance that someone else in your space is.

To help you save time and to make the process of showing up easier, having a scheduling tool such as a Sprout on deck can be game-changer.

The more ground you and your brand can cover, the better. It all comes down to having a specific strategy which makes the most out of the time you spend on social media.

And with that, we conclude our list!

What Does Your Brand Awareness Strategy Look Like?

Building buzz around your brand might take a bit of experimenting, but having a dedicated awareness strategy remains the number one concern of businesses today.

And by following the principles outlined above, you poise yourself toward becoming a brand that sticks out in the minds of your audience.

We want to hear from you, though. What makes a brand stand out to you on social media? If you’ve been struggling to figure out how to increase brand awareness, what’s been tripping you up? Let us know in the comments below!

This post 12 Ways to Boost Brand Awareness on Social Media originally appeared on Sprout Social.

from http://bit.ly/2NObEfq

[tokyozerostar]

Tsuredure Children and the Mechanics of Dialogue, Part One

https://tokyozerostar.com/?p=11855

Tsuredure Children and the Mechanics of Dialogue, Part One

Today we'll be using Tsuredure Children to illustrate some of the fundamental tenets of what makes dialogue work!

Nick Creamer

July 29, 2017 9:05am MST (one hour ago)

Tweet

Hey all, and welcome back to Why It Works. Last week I wrote about Tsuredure Children, and included among its virtues the true but not particularly useful “good dialogue.” Dialogue clearly is one of Tsuredure Children’s premium strengths, but it struck me afterwards that it’s also far from self-explanatory. “Good dialogue” is certainly a valuable quality in anime, but what the heck makes dialogue “good?” Making that distinction can often seem like a highly subjective or “you’ll know it when you see it” thing, and infusing characters or stories altogether with strong authorial voice will often make them very divisive (see: all of Nisio Isin’s work). Even so, there are still some general guidelines for making dialogue pop. Today I’m going to plot out a few of those guidelines, using Tsuredure Children as a jumping-off point for things that matter to any production of dialogue.

#1: Avoid Cliche

Cliche in a story’s setting or narrative is an issue, but not a backbreaking one. Basically all plots have been used again and again, and it’s how a specific story adds its own personality and life to those narratives that makes us care. Cliche in dialogue means your characters don’t feel like characters at all - they feel like props. Characters are our gateway to narrative, giving us a reason to care about whatever cataclysmic thing is happening, and if your characters sound like everybody else, the audience has no reason to be reading your story. Canned phrases don’t tell us anything specific about any individual character - they’re filler text, serving a “someone has to say something here” role while wasting that moment’s potential to make us care about your cast.

Tsuredure Children’s characters could be loosely slotted into roles like “the tsundere” or “the quiet intellectual one,” but they don’t speak in lines like “it’s not because I like you or anything” or “exactly as I predicted” or “you pervert!” There is a uniqueness to their individual lines that amplifies both their personalities and the comedy of any given moment, and avoiding cliche is the first step towards achieving that. A line that could be said by any character in a similar position won't tell you anything meaningful about who this character is.

  #2: Have Dialogue Come From a Place of Emotional Need or Truth

That description sounds pretty complicated, but all it really means is “think about how this particular character would feel about this situation. What is inspiring them here, how do they feel about this discussion, and what do they want out of this conversation? Let their spoken words emerge naturally from those thoughts and feelings.” Dialogue should not exist in a vacuum, lines bouncing off lines without their speakers involved. We speak to communicate, to convey our internal feelings to each other. Individually witty lines are nice, but they’re far less important than making sure what a character says reflects a firm, consistent emotional place. Doing that allows the audience to latch onto a scene’s emotional narrative, puts arguments in clear human terms, and makes your characters feel significantly more distinctive and real.

Tsuredure Children doesn’t have any problems with this one - after all, it’s pretty much entirely constructed around “this character feels this strong emotion, this character feels this strong emotion, let’s watch them clash.” Even a feeling of uncertainty can be conveyed in clear, emphatic terms that help us see where a character’s coming from. You don’t always need every character in a scene to have their motives be clear, but making sure at least the viewpoint character’s words express a tangible perspective is one of the best ways to make us believe in them, and care about what they do.

  Aw jeez, looks like I’m already running out of space for this one. As it turns out, dialogue is pretty complicated! I’ll leave off here for today, but will be back next week with a few more guidelines for making sure your dialogue really leaps off the screen, or just for better articulating exactly what works about dialogue you already love. Until then, I hope you'll keep rooting for these hapless, wonderfully written Tsuredure Children.

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Nick Creamer has been writing about cartoons for too many years now, and is always ready to cry about Madoka. You can find more of his work at his blog Wrong Every Time, or follow him on Twitter.

Tags

why it works, tsuredure children

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