#Because look. As a 2D character i value him because well. He's from my favourite show. He's absolutely well written. But if I meet him irl

[someprettyname]

And you? Are you compatible with Michael Kaiser?

in real life? Mm. I don't think so. Not really. I can make it work, yes. But the question is would i be willing to? Because I don't know if I would have that much energy. Or if he'll be willing enough. It might last a few months (I'm taking around 6 months), but long term relationship not really. We both won't be the most naturally "compatible" irl and I've come to terms with that 😔 we can be amazing friends though 🔥🔥

[tiramisiyu]

Hello! I'm a new follower, sorry if you already answered this question 😅 But I wanted to know what made you fall for Luke (sorry, I am for the english server and still trying to memorize their other name) And what is your favorite game? Thank you and sending you so much Luke love💛💛💛

Hi anon, welcome to my blog! And feel free to use their English names when talking to me - I may use their Chinese names in general, but I am comfortable with both.

As for your question, that will be quite the long explanation~ (spoiler warning, so I’m dropping it under the cut )

At the beginning of the game, I didn’t have a strong impression of anyone, since I just watched the PVs and was drawn to how cool the plot seemed. In chapter 1 when we met Luke, I was just like, “aight, sunshiny childhood friend? Cool. I don’t feel anything deep because MC’s his childhood friend, not me, so I don’t have their memories.”

It took up until chapter 5 when he stepped into the NXX meeting room, looking furious at MC’s presence, that I remember being like “omg I was wondering where the last guy would be relevant!” And then they immediately followed up with chapter segment 5-3 which, to this day, remains my absolute favourite part in the main plot (where Luke tells MC of the truth behind his 8-year disappearance, and we start to see more sides to him as he tries to get her to understand how dangerous it is, then begs her to resign). That’s where my interest began, because he suddenly had a lot more dimension as a character. It made me want to know a lot more about his agent job.

And then gradually, I just saw more and more content and fell even deeper. In Lost Gold, we see a pretty terrifying side of Luke as he plays the bad cop by torturing a serial killer for information and generally having a pretty scary expression on, and I was like omg that’s way too hot?? (Okay, that sounds kinda twisted, but it was really nice, especially his concern about scaring MC and just having that side overall) Especially when contrasted with his usual soft sunshiny side that he prefers to show MC. And then the sad sides in his personal story that just really made me want to be by his side to support him after seeing how little value he places in his life… And then his amazingly-written Qixi date that also broke my heart… Soon enough, with all the different sides that the Themis story revealed of him, I became even more fascinated and even more set on supporting him. Everything going on for him makes me want to see his story through to the end, for him to have a happy ending with MC.

Overall, his character just hits so many points for me, like in both a 2d and irl boyfriend goals kind of way? In terms of irl goals, he balances being comfortable to be with and still having the heart-pounding moments; there’s no need to keep up pretenses or maintain some sort of professionality with him. In terms of being an appealing 2d character, his development is beautifully done (major props to the Mihoyo writers for writing his development so well), his different sides makes me want to learn more about him, the angst tied to him makes me want to support him, and he’s also got a lot of mysteries that I hope we’ll learn the answers to in the future.

I also think that he’s just a really fascinating character overall because of his themes of light and dark. MC typically describes him as sunshiny and warm, and he even has the character for “summer” in his name, and he just looks very boyish and innocent in general. And yet there’s that other side - MC’s emphasis on how cold he was during Lost Gold, how he visibly loses the light in his eyes during then, how the raven is a black bird, how his first appearance associated him with a panther blending into the night, how his birthday is in winter, and how it’s pretty likely that his job has made him see some horrible things.

All in all, he’s a character that just appeals to me in so many aspects that I’ll probably come up with even more things after posting this LOL

And for your second question, Themis is (unsurprisingly) my favourite game! It being a story-focused game that both has hot guys and forces me to do a lot of thinking on a lot of things (from solving cases to theorizing to more philosophical stuff about law, justice and humanity) just scores a lot of points for me. I don’t play many games though - just Themis, Light and Night, and MLQC - all Chinese otomes.

[crusherthedoctor]

Just thought I'd quickly pop in to give some brief opinions about the Sonic movie, since I was fortunate enough to see it yesterday (with a full audience at that). This is by no means all that I have to say on it, but there's no harm sharing a few early thoughts for now. Some slight spoilers ahead, of course.

In short, I really enjoyed it! Even more than I thought I would, and I was already pretty pumped to see it come the last few weeks. :D

- Ben Schwartz officially has my favourite vocal portrayal of Sonic, as I feel he combines the best aspects of Jason Griffith and Roger Craig Smith's portrayals. As for Sonic himself, in a departure from how I usually feel about the character overall, I thought the titular hedgehog was actually really endearing, and not at all annoying. I also found it intriguing how they played around with Sonic's speed in unconventional yet logical ways, like how he performs basic tasks like reading in a matter of seconds, or talking to and playing games with himself.

- Jim Carrey was of course brilliant as Robotnik. He was hilarious and menacing in equal measures (and interestingly enough, both sides seemed to come together a lot of the time), he was treated as a credible threat despite his comedic quirks, and even putting Carrey's appropriate trademark hamminess aside, he truly does get Eggman's character beyond the face value aspects. His voice also seemed to be channeling a bit of Mike Pollock come his full “transformation” at the end.

- I actually quite liked Tom Wachowski, mainly because it feels like they actually tried making him a full character rather than use him as a blank slate for Sonic to compensate for as per the norm in most “fictional character in the real world” movies of this type. And although he's certainly important, Sonic is still very clearly the main character, so that helps too. He's definitely no Chris Thorndyke, and if he ends up reappearing in a sequel (which seems likely since Sonic's still on Earth and is now living with him), I'd honestly be fine with that.

- I thought the humor was pretty good for the most part, and there were a surprising number of lines that I was not expecting. A certain line by Robotnik in his very first scene in particular caught me off guard, not helped by the shit-eating grin on Carrey's face as he said it. XD There were one or two jokes at most that were a bit on the questionable side (anyone who has seen the movie can probably guess what I'm referring to), but luckily they don't last for long. And hey, if a couple of weak jokes is the most I can really criticise (compared to, say, character assassination), then I'd say it speaks well for the overall film.

- It might just be a coincidence, but I like how they alluded to Eggman's unexpected strength in the games by having Robotnik handle himself well in a fist fight. The jump cut to the burly guy at the western bar getting thrown out of the window by the doctor was awesome and got a chuckle out of me.

- I knew he was coming due to the leaks, but it still made me smile when Tails popped up at the end. And he looks great. :D I find it curious though that Tails acts like he knows Sonic, yet it seems that Sonic doesn't know Tails, given all that talk about being lonely and Tom being his first real friend and whatnot... Maybe their friendship will be brought to life in a sequel...?

- The credits sequence was just perfect, and the Special Stage references made me grin like an idiot. And I know some people will gripe about it not being a typical Crush 40 rock song, but I think Speed Me Up is pretty catchy, and still fitting for Sonic's character despite not being high-octane.

- Longclaw saying goodbye to Sonic gave me more feels than anything in the Zombot arc of IDW, which is hilarious given she was killed off immediately after she was introduced. I was actually kind of sad to see her leave the movie so soon, since she seemed like a nice character. At least we got a cameo from the echidnas in the process, and if the echidnas are around, we should probably expect a certain red one in particular to appear in the future...

- Am I looking into it too much, or is Robotnik's robotic walk in the Mushroom Planet meant to resemble the walking animation of the Death Egg Robot? Possibly foreshadowing that robot by any chance, or at least a similarly humanoid mech...?

- Am I also overthinking it when I ask if Sonic repeatedly hitting Robotnik's craft in the final battle is meant to be a reference to the classic routine of hitting him 8 times in the 2D games?

- Either way, regardless of which ones are intentional or not, it was really fun seeking out the impressive amount of Easter Eggs. Funnily enough, the Badnik label in Robotnik's truck got the biggest reaction out of me. :P I'm sure there's dozens more that I missed, but that'll be part of the joy of rewatching it, right?

- If a sequel does indeed manifest, I'm 90% sure that Metal Sonic will be involved. And depending on how they portray him (taking how Sonic and Robotnik have been portrayed into account), I honestly think he'll have the potential to be Metal's best portrayal since the OVA. But we'll see what happens.

So much on my mind, lol. I'll have more to say later on to be sure, but you get my drift for now. REALLY enjoyed the movie, definitely recommend it, and it's cathartic as hell to see Sonic get his due respect from audiences and reviewers... Although it's equally amusing to see certain groups try to cancel this movie for daring to give a shit about its intended audience, as well as the critics and Doug Walker non-fans who are still bitter that they didn't get the “glorious trainwreck” they were hoping for.

Bring on Sonic the Hedgehog 2: This Time It's Metal.

[obeymematches]

gumdopfairy matchup request~

Hello! May I request a matchup? Sorry if it is too long. ><

Synopsis: I come off as distant and awkward. I don’t talk much and if I do, I am agreeable and soft-spoken. I would say I am sensitive, transparent, emotional, understanding, curious, carefree, and clumsy. I am expressive and am not afraid to show my feelings, people would say I am an open book. I always cry at sad movies or scenes where you’re supposed to cry. I have 4 siblings and it’s fun but tiring at the same time, I’m the butt of every joke and am treated like the youngest. I also like to tease those I am very close with. I am expressive and (sometimes childish) with those I am very close to and agreeable with the general public. In a group work setting, I am diligent and reasonable when doing my job.

Habits/Interests/Dreams: I say ‘what the heck’ a lot, it’s a habit tbh. I rant when I am passionate. A dream of mine is to enjoy life with people I love, to travel, capture beautiful scenery and eat lots of sweets! I like learning about international cultures, languages and funky things like did you know smelling your own fart prevents  Alzhimer’s disease because of hydrogen sulfide and egg-smells? LOL.

Travel, psychology, and society-related documentaries interests me. I am currently a (elementary) A2 level Korean, I want to study more of the language because I like Korean music and culture. The concept of time travel, multitudes of reality and isekai worlds intrigue and fascinate me, I like reading fictional stuff about it. I have good knowledge of geography. My siblings always tease me when the number 13 shows because…..I want to always avoid the number and really hate that number. I used to do judo in high school and I have a fascination with martial arts. :D

Likes/Dislikes: I like pastels, sunsets, flowers, photography, sweets, fried foods, skincare, sparkly stuff, lip gloss, memes, dad jokes and games.

I dislike it when people assume things about me like they know me (when they really don’t), condescending people, ignorance, waking up early and seafood. I like my freedom and want to be independent, and dislike it immensely being forced to do something I don’t want to do. I really don’t like listening to lectures (doesn’t everyone though?). I’m not academically inclined but I have decent grades. I really don’t like math and chemistry T_T

In depth: I am pretty sensitive when people criticize or judge me only if it’s constructive but if it is outright just to insult me than I will say something bc that upsets the heck outta me. Because I have such a big immediate family (there’s 7 of us) I am family-oriented so playing Obey Me really reminds me a lot of my family(esp siblings I have 4). In fact, I do get irritated easily and I am working on my short-temper. I am understanding and always try my best to not look at things just in my perspective but others as well. I am pessimistic in nature but I do genuinely want to see the good in people and in life. When thinking about my feelings and knowing the why I feel the way I do and how it affects others, you could say there is emotional intelligence. :)

My insecurity without a doubt is caring too much on what people think of me and how content I am with myself. I think this is because of me, my past “friends” who judged me so critically which had a negative effect on how I see myself. Because of that, I have very few friends. In fact, I don’t really have any. I kind of just lost my self of self and trust for people. And my insecurity with of how unrefined, incompetent or unlikable I am, I’ve been told a lot to “grow up” and “stop asking dumb questions.”

I want to be loved and not to be judged so harshly. Since I am slowly becoming an adult I have to discard my awkward, playful tendencies in front of others. Even though I have low self-esteem it bothers me when being told that I did something or said something, it discredits my character and what gives one the right to tell me what I did or said when I know myself more than them?

Relationships: I honestly never had a boyfriend or any real close, close friends but I have a very close sibling who I grew up since I was an infant and it’s my younger sister (only by 16 months). She is truly my best friend and sister. I tend to like who are confident but also cool, they’re not domineering. I also find myself liking those who are opposite from me. The airheadness in me juxtaposed with my partner’s grounded nature. I’m pretty reckless and clumsy myself so it’d make sense if someone is reasonable and well-coordinated which would balance us out. My pessimism balanced with his optimism and/or realism.

I can offer my close companionship, humor, someone to listen to your troubles/ranting, and someone you can have ramen with and have conversations about anything without having restraint. Someone who I can be free with. Someone who can accept my flaws and who can help me improve myself and I would do the same for them.

We can laugh together, spend time with each other, make each other cry, fight and be there for each other when we are feeling low. A best friend and a partner for life, someone who would not harshly constrain, judge or tear me down as an individual. Wow, I am crying writing this. I am so idealistic about what I want in my relationships mainly because I never had one but deep down, I don’t think it’s like that in real life.

Hobbies: otome games, learning Korean, pilates/ workout videos, eating, and bothering my siblings

My Fangirl self: I am a big fan of Avatar:The Last Airbender and One Punch Man (Genos is husbando material lol). I also really like Free and Haikyuu. Hot 2D men, babies, and puppies are my weaknesses. I read a lot of romance, isekai, and action webtoons/mangas and like watching it too. 

Appearance wise, I’m 163 cm, and Asian so I have medium standard straight dark hair and I’m slim.

---------

Hey! Thank you for your request! Sorry for the wait!

It was pretty hard to decide who would be the best partner for you. I thought about Beelzebub or Leviathan. Because Levi is into animes, mangas and Asian culture, but Beel loves food and his siblings especially Belphie. Hope you like my decision, because I decided to choose Beelzebub!

Here is why:

I think it’s ideal for Beel to have a quite clumsy girl with him. I can imagine when you, for example, fall down on the stairs and he catch you! He would protect and take care of you. He would be right there for you when you can’t reach something! 

He may look serious and mean, but actually he isn’t!

When you watch a sad movie or when someone judges you, he would try his best to make you feel happy again. Make you some food or maybe cuddle with you! 

You mentioned that you are an open book which would make Beel understand you even more. Being transparent is very important if you want a healthy relationship!

He is very close to his brothers. He would do anything for them. His best friend is Belphegor, and I think it’s good because your best friend is your sibling too. Imagine all of you hanging out like a super big family!! I think Beel can get along with pretty much anyone. 

Beel is very positive and rewarding so it would be ideal for you as there would be a balance. 

Both of you loves to eat, it would be a great date to go eat something, or make food together. I’m sure he will share his food with you! (Especially if you share your food with him too) Trust me he knows the best places to get food from! Also when you travel, he is going to encourage you to try food you maybe wouldn’t otherwise!

He would think your “what the heck” habit is cute though. Imagine him smiling so cutely to hmself every time you say it! If you two hang out a lot he might start saying it a lot too!

Beel would love to hear your voice so talk to him about everything! You can trust him! He is not too talkative himself, so your tendencies to rant gives a good balance!

Moreover he would support you in everything! He is one of the most supporting brothers!

Also don’t worry. He has 6 siblings, it’s much worse than 4, he knows what you mean when you say you are tired!

Beelzebub would join you to watch differents shows  or animes, but make sure there’s food!

I’m sure you would enjoy the time that you spend together! He can be very adorable and careful. Maybe he would invite you to the gym or hiking (or maybe to do judo), but reward you with a kiss for example.

He would make your day better for example with a romantic dinner or to just go out and watch the sunset with a picnic even if it’s the day you don’t like, so he tries to get your mind off it. 

Leviathan would join you if you want to play games or listen to kpop. Of course while this make sure you give food to Beel to make him less jealous. But he is not the most jealous type, so really there’s not much to worry about. 

Furthermore, if you don’t want to wake up early, he would stay in bed with you and cuddle. But sometimes Belphegor would be a better partner for this and he would treat you as his sister.

He would hold your hand until he falls asleep. Think about that!

Chemistry and Math is definitely not Beel’s favourite ones as well. You better get help from Lucifer or Satan! But Beel won’t judge you based on your grades!

He would laugh at your jokes, and try to make you laugh too!

He wouldn’t judge you and say mean things to you because he would really value you and you would mean the world for him beside food.

He needs emotional support though.(SPOILER depending on where you are in the story) Sometimes he blame himself for some mistakes. Thats why it’s nice that you are emotionally mature, he definitely needs someone he can rely on emotionally as well. 

Also he will make sure that you don’t think about what others think of you! He loves you the way you are! 

He is the youngest, so you can be childish together!

He is pretty flexible and confident, so no turn-offs so far!

He is the tallest one so I think you would look super cute next to him (he is like 205 cm lmao)

I think he is really patient and actually encouraging so hanging out with him will definitely boost your confidence!

I think in canon he never really had any relationship before either, so it would be amazing to learn about relationships together! 

I think theres no thing like “thats not how it is in real life”, you just have to keep looking. Fortunately Beel has similar values as you, as he can be shy and that makes opening up to someone hard - meaning the friendship can last some time before you establish a relationship. A healthy relationship is based on being best friends with your partner, so I think you are on the same page. 

Maybe sometimes you and Belphie would team up to prank him, what do you think?

He definitely adores that you care for yourself and that you are stylish! Asmo probably knows more about these than Beel, but thanks to Asmo’s influence Beel will suprise you with how much cosmetics he can name!

So in conclusion he is a very supportive boyfriend, and you are also supporting him through the journey of healing from the past. A very cute relationship and you two can do anything together. He can get you do some sports and you can get him to watch some shows on rainy days. However food is something you both enjoy a lot, so restaurant or cooking dates are common! Even if you travel. Knowing that you can trust the other no matter what will boost the confidence of the both of you! He can be less talkative but that’s fine because you can talk! He is also rather optimistic, so there is a balance in that as well. Sometimes he might get jealous of Levi or Belphie if you hang out with them too much, but thats just something to have a conversation about. He is cool and rather chill, definitely gets along well with your family too, which is very important because both of you are family-oriented! 

[that-shamrock-vibe]

Disney+ What To Watch: My Top 10 Favourite Modern-Day Disney Classics

#2. The Princess and the Frog

With the Post-Renaissance era having mixed results from audiences, Disney decided to go back to its beloved an fruitful Disney Princess formula with the last 2D animated studio to date from the House of Mouse.

This not only reminded fans what they loved about Disney when it was on the top of its game, but also began what is now known as the Disney Revival era seeing a resurgence in Disney classics and it all began with the Disnefied spin on yet another classic fairy tale.

The Princess and the Frog does not get enough credit, period. Not only could this movie be mistaken for part of the 90s Renaissance, but the characters are fantastic, the comedy is on point, the music is original and fitting for the setting and...it may just be because there was a 7​1⁄2 year lull of sub-par movies from the mainstream Mouse House between Lilo & Stitch and this...but there is just this feeling of coming home or seeing an old friend again that I always get whenever I see this movie.

Now a lot of people who criticise this movie say that the main problem is the fact the plot seems very crowded, but really it is straight forward to follow and. if you treat it like a chessboard, the game is set up in the opening scene and song.

So basically you have, arguably, the best female Disney character in animation who has been brought up on strong moral values, she also has a life-long dream from a young age of becoming a well-known chef and owning her own restaurant to honour her father.

Simultaneously, you have a foreign spoiled prince who has been made broke by his parents who comes into the company of the movie’s villain who allows him to escape his troubles but by doing so curses him as a frog and employs his butler to take on the appearance of the prince, trick the local sugar baron’’s into marrying him and thereby takeover New Orleans and harvest its citizens for their souls to appease his friends on the other side.

Plots collide when our heroine meets the frog prince and is tricked into kissing him because he believes she is a princess and so promises to grant her the money for her restaurant if she frees him from his froggy prison, but instead she is turned into a frog and they must find a way to reverse the curse and thwart the evil villain.

I have genuinely just given a general synopsis of the movie in three very short paragraphs so if anyone still thinks this movie is confusing then either I’m missing something or you’re overthinking.

The lessons in this movie are so well learned and played out, the relationships are genuinely built up so that when our main protagonists do eventually fall in love it feels earned rather than just a business arrangement as it was originally going to be.

The choice to make this a 1912 Louisiana set movie, complete with a strong African-American protagonist and an equally strong ethnic Eurasian deuteragonist, as well as a Haitian villain, is genuinely revolutionary for not just Disney but family entertainment.

It doesn’t really shy away from prejudice, albeit while it is not a main focus of the movie, Tiana is put down numerous times not just for being a woman trying to succeed in life but also referred to as a woman with “her background” which means he skin colour, or her upbringing in a poor neighbourhood.

Tiana is the every girl for me, not only has she worked for everything that she has earned, even throughout the movie, but she has a smart head on her shoulders. She knows how to whip Naveen and her friends into shape, but also she is not afraid to stand up to the Shadow Man or any of her oppressors.

She also doesn’t believe herself a princess, she is not the type of doe-eyed dreamer that would usually fill the princess role. She has a drive, she’s determined, and it’s all real-world issues. Her motivations aren’t because of a man but providing for her future and maybe supporting her mother.

Even when cursed as a frog, she is still determined to achieve her goal, she just needs to be able to turn back into a human first which is where she learns life isn’t all about the endgame. That’s when she allows herself to open up to seeing the good in Naveen and allows herself to fall for him but in a natural organic way.

Anika Noni Rose does an absolutely amazing job as Tiana, she was born to be this character, I can genuinely see her as the live-action version of the character. Anyone saying Tiana was originally supposed to be Caucasian really needs a reality check, look at her design.

It also doesn’t hurt that Tiana’s main princess dress is green which happens to be my favourite colour.

Naveen is a lot like Flynn Ryder in terms of being that loveable rogue type of character but what elevates Naveen is he does at least learn and show personal growth throughout the movie, first with actually doing some hard work and cooking and then with developing actual emotions for Tiana and being conflicted into whether or not the most important thing is regaining his humanity and money or being with Tiana.

Dr. Facilier is one of the great Disney Villains, I may not be Haitian but I actually dressed as him for Halloween last year complete with UV skull face paint, now yes I’m practically a milk bottle and so a white skull face on me does not exactly show properly but I still felt very good about myself.

I loved the addition of voodoo to a family friendly atmosphere, it didn’t need to go into the blood rituals as heavily as say American Horror Story: Coven did but it still showed that a large part of voodoo is blood rituals with requiring Naveen’s blood in order to maintain the illusion of Lawrence being Naveen.

The personality they gave Facilier as well wasn’t exactly as sinister as Maleficent but instead more like Jafar or Scar, he allows himself to have his own brand of humour such as when he’s giving his tarot readings but also his sinister side manifests in how he utilises his magic and his friends on the other side and particularly his shadow.

Charlotte Le Bouff is probably the funniest supporting character I’ve seen since Mole from Atlantis or even the Genie in Aladdin. I absolutely love seeing this girl every time she is on screen, she steals the show in every scene she’s in. But also, you do feel for her. She wants that dream fairy tale life and you want her to get it because she is just that loveable.

If I had to say who I liked the least it would probably be Louis and Ray, nothing personally against them they are both decent comedic side characters, but they just seemed to be tagalongs and didn’t really contribute a purpose. Louis is an alligator who dreams of being a jazz musician which comes true when Tiana opens her restaurant and he is part of the house band, Ray is a Cajun firefly who is in love with a star and he gets to join her by becoming a star when he is, rather brutally, murdered by Facilier after a rather emotionally manipulating funeral scene.

Mama Odie and Eudora (Tiana’s mum) are great examples of Disney utilising named talent for minor roles, as both Jenifer Lewis and Oprah Winfrey respectfully do very reasonable jobs with what they’re given. I mean it’s Jenifer Lewis as a Voodoo Queen it’s just magic.

Just like Naveen, I was so happy with the infusion of Jazz music in this movie. I want to go New Orleans so badly, and I partially want to go there because it is the hub of jazz music. I loved the “Down in New Orleans” book-ended renditions at the start and the end of the movie, originally performed by Dr. John and in the reprise performed by Anika herself belting it out.

“Almost There” I love as a “I Want” song and as an empowerment mantra, it’s a song about focusing on your goals, working hard for them and it is catchy as hell.

“Friends on the Other Side” is the best villain song since “Be Prepared” and “Hellfire”. Not only does it give an amazing display of Facilier’s voodoo powers but Keith David delivers a fantastic performance all round.

“Dig a Little Deeper” is another great life motivation song, and if it is Jenifer Lewis singing it then she stays in character and does a great job.

The other songs are good, they’re nice but I do feel they’re a tad forgettable.

The Princess and the Frog is one of the more underrated Disney animated movies, it was unfairly weak at the box office, yet delivers a brilliant well-rounded story with fantastic characters, stunning visuals, great life lessons and an overall heartwarming feeling.

It’s also made me want to try beignets as I have never had them before.

So what do you guys think? Post your comments and check out more Disney+ What to Watch Top 10s as well as more Top 10 Lists and other posts.

[awkwardanime]

Why I love Hayao Miyazaki

One huge aspect of the film and TV industry I adore is the fact that no style is definitive in the current climate, nor should it be. Animation is where this statement holds truest I feel, as millions of creators sit at their desks and worktops trying their hardest to produce something truly unique. Not only through a compelling story, but aesthetically too.

“I’m not a storyteller, I’m a man who draws pictures (laughs). However, I do believe in the power of story. I believe that stories have an important role to play in the formation of human beings, that they can stimulate, amaze and inspire their listeners.” - Hayao Miyazaki, 2002 interview

Hayao Miyazaki as an Animator famously is known for his extraordinary creatures and stunning backgrounds, however every single one of his movies include very plain looking people. He has stated numerous times that he prefers to make his main characters appear “simple”, as this betters the connection between the audience and the story that he’s trying to tell. Miyazaki’s best trait, in my opinion, is his ability to create a truly affectionate atmosphere. What I mean by that is that when I watch any one of his works, I never feel like anything is out of place - even though he does everything to make it seem like it should be. Making me connect to a fantastical creature to the point of familiarity, is one of my favourite aspects about Anime and Hayao Miyazaki does this oh so well. If I were to define Hayao Miyazaki’s style in one sentence, it would be: Surrounding ordinary with extraordinary.

“I can only create animation in 2D. There is no other choice for me. I don’t even know how to use a Smartphone”

Solely using hand-drawn animation in most of his works, Hayao Miyazaki I can say has a definitive style that he sticks to and abides by. He creates a connection between the audience and character by putting us in this unique world, constantly reminding us that even though no one is special to start off with, it is the curiosity and determination that allows us to plant our feet wherever we want to. The world renowned Director does rely on his one style and abides by it, with recurring elements in each of his films which help define Miyazaki’s particular storytelling techniques.

“It was through observing the daughter of a friend that I realised there were no films out there for her, no films that directly spoke to her. Certainly, girls like her see films that contain characters their age, but they can’t identify with them, because they are imaginary characters that don’t resemble them at all”

The 50 year veteran of Japanese Animation has recurring themes and factors in each of his films. Most of his main characters are female, which has given the younger generation hope for their future while bringing much critical acclaim. The way Miyazaki handles female leads in his films is great, by not following the stereotypical “fearful and dainty turned into strong and beautiful”. Instead, from my point of view, the man treats his main characters as simply that, main characters. He has stated many times that he prefers to use females as it falls in the unknown category for him, but what I see each and every time is someone who appreciates what it is like to be a young child - no matter if you are a boy or a girl, as a child we all are filled with fear, curiosity and longing to fit in.

“Many of my movies have strong female leads – brave, self-sufficient girls that don’t think twice about fighting for what they believe in with all their heart. They’ll need a friend, or a supporter, but never a savior. Any woman is just as capable of being a hero as any man.”

I actually cite this as one of the reasons his two most popular works involve females as lead characters - My Neighbour Totoro (1988) and Spirited Away (2001). It’s not about putting females as leads just to create a buzz in the film industry, but more importantly to write compelling characters for the audience to digest and be intrigued by. Breaking away from the uninteresting tropes of usual “chick flicks” Hayao Miyazaki tries to shape his female characters how he envisions the life of a 10 year old girl to be, producing something truly special for girls of all ages to relate to and enjoy.

“Anime may depict fictional worlds, but I nonetheless believe that at its core it must have a certain realism. Even if the world depicted is a lie, the trick is to make it seem as real as possible”

The hardest task of any storyteller is to effectively world build. Putting all your time and effort into a reality that we don’t live in is hard to implement effectively, but this was always a strength of the storyteller. Miyazaki’s worlds are a mash of real life problems that feel very familiar to what we deal with in the real world, but taken to a whole new level with the inclusion of ambiguous fantastical creatures and elements. All Ghibli films, not just Miyazaki’s, somehow always manage to hit that perfect balance of reality and fantasy, as all animators intend to bring their ideas to life. After all, that is what it means to animate. To bring to life.

“The animator must fabricate a world that seems so real, viewers will think the world depicted might possibly exist”

Why I adore this one man’s particular world building, is quite simple to be honest: Hayao Miyazaki is an amazing liar. Yes, I do say that as a compliment. I believe that to create a world that is intended to immerse your audience into vulnerability, you must first be able to lie to the world around you. This animator does this brilliantly, ensuring that every second tries to entice its viewer. By including realism in every aspect, we are able to not only connect to the world, but develop.

Take the “soot sprites” in Totoro, we see Mei trapping one in her hands and scurrying across the rooms in this vast new home. The way she is animated, her minute movements, from her eyes widening to jumping and running around, every frame is done with accuracy to create a sense of illusive reality. From walking, to portraying excitement, nothing is left out to entice the audience into the film, and into this world. You leave yourself vulnerable and allow yourself to drift into this fantasy which has suddenly become more real than it should have ever been. That is how I feel when watching Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki’s works. Lying to himself about what is real to create such worlds is what I find truly interesting about world building and how this one man who rarely watches movies, can create such ideas.

The above is just the tip of the iceberg as to why I love the work, motives and values of the well respected Mr. Hayao Miyazaki. With his “final” project coming up in the next year, endless praise and love will come from around the world for everything he has given us, and he deserves every single bit of it. Never change, Mr. Miyazaki, thank you for introducing me to a different side of animation and storytelling that I didn’t even think was possible.

“Don’t follow the instructions of just one person. Strive to find your own path”

Check out my piece on the late Isao Takahata here

[amigoingbananas]

11 questions (sort of)

Okay, this is like 11 questions x 10 and w o w thank you to everyone who tagged me in this. I’m so lucky to have met such wonderful people here on Tumblr  (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)

This post is terribly TL;DR, but I made the usernames large and bolded, just in case the people who tagged me want to read my answers??

P.S. I had fun answering all the questions :3

@shige-haru

1. Have you ever had an experience people might think of as supernatural, like seeing something you couldn’t explain? Noooooope. Call me lame, but I always try to find a way to explain something creepy. But that's probably because I'm a scaredy cat and I don't want to believe that I saw something ~supernatural~

2. Do you think you could figure out how to get your bae’s fundoshi off or would you need to borrow his sword IF THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A WAY. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

3. What was the last dream you had? OK, as of this writing, I had the straaangest dream just this morning! It involved me deliberately killing my cat and setting my house on fire. Wtf.

4. What’s the worst movie you’ve ever seen? I’m picky when it comes to movies, so I usually don’t watch a movie with bad ratings/reviews haha. Besides, I find movies with terrible acting and/or script hilarious.

5. What’s your weirdest fear? Hmmm, it's not really a fear, but more like, something I avoid?? I usually don't call people by their names unless I'm sure we've become friends, so I end up just poking them to get their attention. I am awkward like that ; u ;

6. What, as specifically as possible, were you afraid of as a child? I was afraid of bald people. My older brother shaved his head once, and I think I cried when I saw him.

7. You can join the world of any franchise you like (no need to be super realistic about your own abilities). Which one do you choose? Harry Potter!!! I wanna be a wizard :(

8. What’s the most delicious food you’ve ever eaten? I had this reaaaaally good leche flan (it’s a custard of some sort) that my boyfriend gave me. I teared up a little while eating it.

9. You have to become an animal. What do you choose? Cat!

10. Do you like walking in gravel? I don't think I've walked in gravel enough times for me to tell if I like it or not. Haha.

11. Have you ever ridden a horse? Yes, when I was younger!

@singokumaiden

1. Fuck Marry Kill - your top 3 bias in slbp Fuck - Hideyoshi Marry - Masamune Kill - Mitsunari (he's recently in my top3 because I just finished both his endings eeeeee)

2. If you could live the life of one famous person, who would it be? why? I don't like attention, so I probably won't enjoy being a famous person.

3. what subject did you least like in school? Math... but compared to my subjects in uni, math doesn't seem all that bad anymore.

4. if you used a weapon what would it be? why? Bow and arrow. I always thought it was cool. 

5. your fave headcanon about youxyour lord We’re in bed, I’ve had a bad day, and I’d just cuddle up to Hide and he’d comfort me~  (´｡• ᵕ •｡`)

6. avatar items or castle items? I actually really like castle items. Reminds me of The Sims. :)

7. are you afraid of an animal/ bitten by an animal? Hmmm, I'm more afraid of insects than animals.

8. if you could live in SLBP universe, but on the condition that your fave lord will never fall for you, would you do it? YES. I don't mind if Hide doesn't fall for me, I'm sure he'd still flirt with me either way. LOL. Plus, there are a lot of other lords anyway. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

9. which one- mountain, sea, desert, volcano, forest and castle. Castle~

10. your fave romantic trope? Popular, flirty guy falls in love with a simple girl and stays faithful to her despite all the ladies pining for him. *cough* Hide *cough*

11a. do you love me? Of course I dooo~

11b. if you were in slbp universe, what would your profession be? ( be realistic about your abilities :9 ) Probably a doctor???? (But then I’d have to disguise myself as a man...) Or a maid. Lmao.

@minminami

1. Imagine you’re a ninja and were ordered to kill one of the lords, who would it be? and why?? Does Lord Juami count? Hoho. Nah but really, I might give up being a ninja if I'd have to kill a lord ; u ;

2. What is your favorite flower? *I love flowers so I had to add this question* Hmm, Idk if I have a favorite! But I find the Hibiscus really pretty~ I also like purple flowers. (Care to tell me about nice purple flowers? :3 )

3. Which one do you value more, trust or honesty? Honesty! Honesty comes before trust, IMO.

4. Would you prefer to to go out on a date with your lord or stay and cuddle at home? Go out :3 We could cuddle afterwards. Ahem.

5. Have you ever fallen for a character you hate? Hmm, well I wasn't a big fan of Ieyasu before I read his MS. I love him now~

6. If you were to pick one subject to study for the rest of your life, what would it be? This is pretty broad, but... science!

7. Which one do you prefer more, snow or rain? I've never experienced snow, so rain!

8. What song do you think your lord would like? Versace on the floooor~ LOLJK. Wow, I’ve never really thought about it! For some reason, I feel like he’d be into Bruno Mars? X’D

9. What’s you’re favorite song? It's a song by a local band – Wala Nang Hihilingin by Sugarfree. I also really like Imagine by John Lennon.

10. Fuck Marry Kill - your top 3 bias in slbp *repeating this question* Evil question ; u ;

F - Hideyoshi M - Masamune K – Mitsunari :(((

11. Have you ever ridden a ride that made you scream with fear? Yes, this huge rollercoaster at an amusement park. It got better, though!

@eyes-lay-lost-in-the-city-lights

1. What’s your favorite book? I don't really have one! I read all seven Harry Potter books in like a week, though. I also got into A Song of Ice and Fire, but only read up to the 5th book.

2. Dogs or cats? Puppies > kittens Cats > Dogs

3. Going out or staying at home? Staying home!

4. What do you think about love? Love is easy (but relationships are hard!!)

5. What is the fictional universe you most want to live in? Harry Potter! I'm still waiting for my Hogwarts letter... ; u ;

6. What would you want to be remembered for in your life? Being a nice person, I guess? Haha.

7. Where do you want to travel? Japan!! And the UK. :)

8. What is you favorite type of dessert? Ice cream!!!

9. What are your top five OTPs? Me x Hideyoshi (ehehe) @shioune x Hideyoshi @shigetsugu x Hideyoshi @toyotomi-hideyoshi x Hideyoshi @kellaray x Hideyoshi (´ ε ` )♡

10. What’s your favorite song? Wala Nang Hihilingin by Sugarfree (local band) I also like Imagine by John Lennon. :)

11. What’s your favorite flower? Previously answered...  Hmm, Idk if I have a favorite! But I find the Hibiscus really pretty~ I also like purple flowers. (Care to tell me about nice purple flowers? :3 )

@dreamsinparadise

1. When was the last time you cried, and why? Last week. It was almost ~that time of the month~ lol.

2. Do you prefer staying at home or hanging out at your friends’s place? Staying at home!

3. If you were in a situation where your fav SLBP character and your 10 yrs old child with him are at the brink of death. You are given the chance to save only one of them. Who would you choose? ...the situation wouldn’t happen because I don’t want kids ; u ; 

4. Its your first night with your SLBP bae, who’s gonna be dom and who’s gonna be sub? I'm probs gonna be sub. Hide can be dom and then we'll decide later what I like. Huehue.

5. What would you give to your SLBP bae as a memento if they are going to war? A locket??? Or a charm with a banana. HAHA.

6. Your bae had struck a faustian contract with (demon!au) you for the price of his soul and you finished your services after some time. If you chose not to consume him after the contract, it would cost you your life but he would live, while if you consume him his soul would be with you forever in your body (but you can never touch him or hear him again). Which would you prefer? Why? I’m sorry for being lame but I’m not too familiar with demon au D: From the question, though, I think I’d let him live instead???

7. What kind of wedding would you like with your bae? Just a simple wedding with our close family and friends~

8. If you were to adopt one of the SLBP guys as your children, who would it be? MITSUNARI! Let me give him all the love he deserves huhu.

9. What do you think of me; @dreamsinparadise? You're sweet, friendly, and easy to talk to! You also have great ideas for your fics  ( ´ ▽ ` )

10. Give 3 words to describe your 2D man Thoughtful, hardworking, handsome :3

11. Are these questions fun, heartbreaking or humoring for you? Did you enjoy them?? They're fun, and I enjoyed them! Thank you~

@nekopri

1. What’s your favourite time of day? Any time as long as I get to sleep. X'D

2. Milk based ice-cream or a fruit based one? Milk!

3. 3 things you think of when you wake up? “Morning already??” “5 more minutes...” “Ugh.”

4. Latest shower thought? Should I sleep, or should I study? Should I eat before sleeping? X’D

5. Would you rather the temperature be 40 °C  or -20 °C ? -20 °C with lotsa blankets/sweaters (but the coldest I've experienced is like  20 °C and I was already weak. Lmao.)

6. The weirdest thing you have ever eaten on a whim? Instant noodles with rice. Carbs on carbs is just... too much. (I did it because I was broke ahaha college is gr8.)

7. Are you more comfortable showing affection verbally or physically? Neither. I'm awkward when it comes to showing affection D:

8. What’s your default sleeping pose? Lying on my belly! But recently I've been sleeping on my side, because I usually end up drooling if I sleep lying ventrally lmao.

9. What’s your ideal pet? C-A-T. 

10. Favourite scene from a book/movie/tv show? Here's the thing. I don't really have favorites since I'm usually ~in the moment~ whenever I read or watch something. Then after some time, the feelings kind of fade and I forget about the scene. Lmao. So I guess I have favorites for a certain moment of time but not like, a favorite in general. (Ok I am rambling now ; u ; )

11. Prettiest cow bread? I am serious

So I looked up “cow bread” on Google, and this seems to be a decent candidate for prettiest cow bread:

If you meant cow bread, then I'd have to say Holstein-Friesian! I haven't seen a lot of cows in person, and most of them are just the native cows which are brown, so when I first saw Holstein-Friesians, I was all “omg they're so pretty, they're just like the cows on milk cartons!”

@i-dont-look-good-i-look-great

1. Fuck, Marry, Kill; top 3 least favorite Lords

(I hope nobody hates me for my choice of least favorite lords HUHU. It's only because I haven't done their MS yet!!!) Fuck – Saizo  ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) Marry – Yukimura Kill – Kojuro huhuhu

2. Why are you attracted to your favorite lord/lords? BECAUSE HIDEYOSHI IS PERFECT. Lmao. Kidding aside, he's just so likeable, you know?? Not to mention he's so cute????

3. Between your two favorite lord, who would you save (only one)? I'd save Hideyoshi. (Sorry, Masa!)

4. If you can meet all 12 lords, how will you spend your day with them? I kind of want them to just pamper me. HAHA. Like, it's not everyday that I get to experience a reverse harem lmao might as well make the most out of it.

5. If you only have 24 hours left to live, how will you spend it and why? I'd go sky diving, bungee jumping, mountain climbing, etc. with my friends/family because YOLO.

6. When was the last time you’ve ever embarrassed yourself? I embarrass myself all day, err'day. X’D

7. What inspired you to become who you are today? My father. :')

8. Places you dream of visiting one day Japan and the UK!

9. Which character in SLBP do you mostly want an MS of? HANBEI! #BringBackHanbei2k17

10. What would you give your lord on his birthday? or what would you like your lord to give you on your birthday? For his birthday, I'd give him myself :>

11. Recommended routes? Definitely Ieyasu's! It has the best character development, IMO. And the MC is just wonderful. I give his route a 10/10.

@shioune

1. Do you ship yourself with any of the voltage men? Or do you have any favorite, who? HIDEYOSHI. You already know why. Hahaha.

2. Would you really date them if they exist in your life and is interested in you? YES!!! But tbh, I think I'd be more attracted to guys like Mitsuhide IRL.

3. Your top three SLBP lords. Or any game from your choosing. But you can only choose three guys from one title. Hideyoshi Masamune Mitsunari (because I recently finished both endings~)

4. Now, fuck marry kill from those choices : ) I’m satan incarnate, y’know. EYYYY. Fuck – Hideyoshi :3 Marry – Masamune Kill ??? nuuuu – Mitsunari

5. What’s the last thing you daydream about? I’m gonna be shameless here and admit that I often find myself daydreaming about the SLBP lords ; u ; On a less otome trash note, I also daydream about food. X’DD

6. Do you prefer hugs or kisses and are you the kind of person who would initiate them? I'm too awkward for either of them ha ha. I almost never initiate them ; u ;

7. A song you’re really into these days and a song you associate to your fav lord/prince/character (idk, i mean what if slbp isnt ur fav game, im giving you options here bc im a sainttan) I watched La La Land a few weeks back but I still can't get “City of Stars” out of my head. The song I associate with my favorite lord(s) is by a local band (I've already mentioned it, but lemme just say it again because this post is too TL;DR) - “Wala Nang Hihilingin” by Sugarfree. The chorus roughly translates to, “If every night you sleep by my side, you don't know how much happiness you’d bring. If you can hear the beating of my heart, it is saying that while you are in my arms, there's nothing more that I could ask for.” HUEHUE cheesy, right??? Another song – and equally cheesy – is “I Will” by The Beatles :3

8. Do you love Oyamada Nobushige? Well, I wouldn't say /love/, but he has aged pretty well. *cough*

9. What’s your favorite food and to what length will you go to get it? I'd kill for ice cream. Especially when I'm PMS-ing. Mehehe.

10. If you can time travel to any period and any country, where would you go? Why that period/country? Sengoku period in Japan because Hideyoshi???

11. And lastly would you consider donating pearls to me? LOL NO IM JOKING last question is, late at night and you’ve been feeling out of it for a while and your bae (your 2D bae ofc) text messages you. Who’s your bae and what does the message say? OF COURSE I WOULD, BB. Except I'm broke rn huhuhu. Hideyoshi~ I think a simple “I love you. :)” message would do the trick ahuehuehue. I am trash ; u ;

@wizardesslover

1.    What’s your favorite voltage app right now and why? SLBP! It's the only Voltage app I play. Heh.

2.    Who’s your favorite character? Hideyoshiiii~

3.    What is your least favorite voltage app? N/A

4.    Who’s your least favorite character? Probs Lord Juami. But Yasumasa's face annoys me. Lol.

5.    Who’s your ultimate voltage OTP? ME x HIDEYOSHI. Also, MC x Masamune because they're so sweet ; u ;

6.    Who’s the hottest voltage character? HIDEYOSHI. HAVE YOU SEEN HIS ABS? (Bias aside, I think Inuchiyo's the hottest because he's a ~typical~ samurai i.e., tall, lean, long-haired. Mmm.)

7.    Who’s your funniest voltage character and why? Tadatsugu when he’s being all “No, don’t pull out my hair, milord!” Kenshin when Kanetsugu is being a mom.

8.    Who is your favorite MC? The MC in Ieyasu's route!

9.    What is your favorite moment with your bae? :3 Tbh, every moment. Mehehe.

10.  Kiss, Marry, Avoid. Kiss – Hideyoshi Marry – Masamune Avoid – Mitsunari in a foul mood

11.  Who’s route took you by surprise? Ieyasu's. I didn't expect it to be so g r e a t.

@moonlight-nightingale

1.How did you get into fandom? What was your catalyst to finding the Tumblr community? I was on break from uni, and I got bored so I downloaded the Tumblr app. At first, I looked at Haikyuu! posts, but then found out that SLBP posts exist... then, ta-da!

2. Favourite quotes from slbp ? Oooh, I have a lot!

3.Which lords route do you like the most, and which one you dislike the most? Why?  I liked Ieyasu's the most. Character development was on point, and the MC was likeable! I guess I liked Mitsuhide's the least, but mainly because there was so much potential and it turned out flat??? It's a shame too, because Mitsuhide's story events are wonderful!

4.Other than slbp, what are you addicted to recently?  SLEEP. Hahaha.

5. If you are living in the slbp universe, and you had been granted to have a power or special ability  (ex: invisible), what is your special ability? And what will you do with it?  The ability to fly? (Me to Hideyoshi: I could show you the world, shining, shimmering, splendiiiid~)

6.If you and your fav lord are chosen as tribute for your district to enter the Hunger Games, what will you do? I'd probs pull the same stunt that Katniss did and be all “let's die together~!”

7.Imagine you are a demigod, Whom daughter you think you are? (Ex: Poseidon,  Zeus, Hades) why ? I’d probs be the daughter of Zeus... because lbr, he has so many children and it’s hard to keep count lmao. (Sorry I can’t answer this question more seriously because my background on Greek mythology is poor ; u ; )

8.If you are a voice actor, which lords do you prefer/want to cast as ? (Don’t need to be realistic )  Mitsuhide?? 

9.If you are granted 3 wishes, what will you wish for?  1. To graduate from vet school ; u ; 2. For Hide to be real??? More money. Lmao. 3. Sensible national leaders???

10.If you can meet your 10 yrs past self what will you tell to your past self? Take a 4-year course in uni so you can graduate sooner. Lol.

11.What do u think of me? You are wonderful~ (o˘◡˘o)

[neverlearnedtoread]

Soul of the Sword

⭐⭐⭐⭐; yumeko ignores everyone as they try to make her do stuff for them and does what she wants anyway, which is real gucci of her

Oh?? 👌😉😏

japanese-inspired fantasy! while i would have preferred physical descriptions (that way, if you know japanese folklore, you can pick up on the cues, and if you don’t, you’ll still know what it looks like), i felt like the worldbuilding was a lot more manageable this time around

lgbt rep! though i personally found it heavy-handed, the lgbt side couple was cute, and im here for that

like any self-respecting weeaboo, ive read fullmetal alchemist, which means if you have any remotely greedling-esque character, im obligated to stan. it was fun to see hakaimono and yumeko go head to head! very ‘unstoppable force meets other unstoppable force’

the maturity of the main romance - yumeko decided tatsumi deserved to have someone in his corner, and held true to that. steadfast loyalty wins over witty banter with a hot guy for me any day

i flew through this plot so quickly, i probably left the pages smoking faintly. a lot of trilogies have their 2nd title as their weakest link, but for me, this book was the strongest out of the three

No.. ❌🤢🤮

yumeko’s innocence still gets used as a gag, which is annoying - it also drives a disconnect between her intuitiveness in tricking others with her lack of understanding regarding obvious social cues

the side romance can get pretty...over the top with the sweet. it made me cringe a little, especially because yumeko’s obliviousness made it all the more glaringly obvious. still, it was a side romance - the plot was moving fast enough that we didn’t have to spend too long being embarrassed during these scenes

Some spoilers under the cut - this is the second book in the series!

Summary: Yumeko, a half-kitsune tasked with safeguarding one of three pieces of a powerful dragon-summoning scroll, has an ever-growing list of things to do before Dragon Bullying Season starts in earnest - and random people keep on popping up out of nowhere to make more demands. One of these people is Lady Hanshou, the mysterious matriarch of the shady Kage clan, who requests Yumeko’s help in neutralizing the demon Hakaimono, currently running amok after possessing her personal demonslayer, Kage Tatsumi. Lady Hanshou’s perfectly happy killing her loyal servant to retain control of the cursed sword Kamigoroshi, but Yumeko can’t accept that outcome - Kage Tatsumi promised to protect her from harm, and she’s not going to turn her back on him now. Knowing that Hakaimono intends to come after the Dragon Scroll pieces in his quest to free himself from the mortal realm, Yumeko prepares to face him, and win back Tatsumi’s soul in the process.

Concept: 💭💭💭

I had my reservations about how this book was going to go! Part of what made the beginning of the first book tough for me to get through was how 2D the main characters were before they started travelling together - their dynamic smoothed out a lot of the grating aspects of their personalities, making them more enjoyable to read. So starting the book with the two of them split up from each other, travelling separately throughout the whole book and not likely to meet until the very end - I was expecting to be frustrated.

Execution: 💥💥💥💥

Instead, I was pleasantly surprised! The new character interactions that opened up once the main leads were split up created a new layer for me to appreciate, while still never overshadowing the relationship the two leads had built from the first book - they still thought about each other, and the author didn’t withhold them crossing paths again from the reader like stick with a carrot in front of a donkey. I kept thinking how respectful the author was to build her main leads up as individuals first, with their own character arcs to pursue, before she was going to bring them together again.

Personal Enjoyment: ❤❤❤❤❤

This trilogy has great consistency with its characters - a subtly difficult thing to do, balancing the character arc and development with a character that still feels the same. I had a lot of fun watching Yumeko consolidate her character - it never felt like she was changing, more like she was becoming who she was supposed to be. And of course our new star - Hakaimono, my man! I thoroughly enjoyed his chapters in this book, which I wasn’t expecting at all, because of the distinct perspective he offered. He’s probably one of the only characters we get to know that has been present for multiple wishes, and it shows in the way he interacts with all the other mysterious players that were only hinted at in the first book. It elevates the story from Yumeko and Tatsumi’s pawn-level perspective of the board, although you can tell that for all of Hakaimono’s immense power he’s still no higher than a knight or a bishop, and it chafes at him.

Favourite Moment: the scene at the steel feather temple when yumeko tricked hakaimono and managed to use her diversions and illusions well enough to actually lay her hands on him - the bde of it all was choice 👌👌 im really enjoying watching yumeko take her ‘silly illusions’ and apply real power to them - we love to see a main female character develop her powers and her range!!!

Favourite Character: Yumeko - what a lovely main character to have; there are so many things to like about her. i love "”bitchy”” female characters as much as the next person but its nice to see variety, since everyone seems to think there are only a few ways to write ‘wormenn’ realistically - i loved yumeko’s strength and steadfastness of belief that she can do the impossible because its the right thing to do, without her becoming harsher or more cruel in the process. she even asked permission from tatsumi first! that’s another thing i really liked about yumeko - she listened and valued everyone’s opinion, even though it didn’t necessarily sway her final choice. we stan a woman who said my pussy pops severely and at the end of the day, im making that everyone else’s problem

[wendymevans15]

First glimpse at GlamourOZ dolls - the new fashion dolls by Jozef Szekeres

I first discovered Jozef Szekeres way back in my early days as a fashion doll collector. I was then fascinated by larger scale dolls only (Barbie was too playline for me even then) and somewhere on-line I got my first glimpse of Elisabet Bizelle and her sister Kotalin in their incredibly glamorous style and poise. They were nothing like all the other fashion dolls I was familiar with - the beautiful but rigid Gene, the just-got-articulated Tyler and so on. These were glamazons, looked like the 90s models I loved and had the body to prove it. Mind you not as articulated as I wanted, but they'd do. But they were limited editions and not easy to get a hold of... so I never managed to get one. The line ended at some point and I was left wanting. No other large scale fashion doll looked like these, even after I became familiar with more exotic beauties of the realm. I got to meet Jozef through social media and chat frequently about our common passion with him. And now I have the pleasure to feature in this blog, through the kind permission of Tommydoll (who did the interview and first published it here) and with a nod to Roger Corbeau of Dutch Fashion Doll World (who posted it here), Jozef's first interview and preview of his new line of large scale fashion dolls, GlamourOz!

Szekeres is a 2-D artist and sculptor – he has a pronounced experience in Australia as a Disney animator, primarily the Disney Princesses (so what’s there not to like?). Read the full interview with Jozef Szekeres by an Australian colleague – click here). In the late 90s/early 2000, he designed, sculpted and produced the Elizabet Bizelle fixed-pose fashion dolls of haunting and unique beauty. This was just at the dawn of the articulation movement, which made for some lovely posing – however, with every joint you add, you remove an element of beauty to the lines of the human form. His dolls were true to that, making them display perfect…and ripe for photography. They sold well, but were highly limited. For all the dolls in the 16” movement following Gene Marshall in 1996, and before the rise of Tyler Wentworth in 1999 – Szekeres’ Elizabet (and sister, Kotalin) Bizelle were the most unique looking and styled fashion doll – featuring a body sculpt that was mesmerising in its idealised beauty. The Bizelle Sisters beckoned to be re-fashioned into poseable ladies of exaggerated style and sumptuousness. Raising his own money over a decade would usher him closer to his dream – cash everything out, and make the sacrifice to make the molds.

Tommydoll (TD): I love how you draw inspiration from Indigenous Australian themes and marry that with your own family – it’s reminiscent of Robert Tonner, but also very unique. How did Australia inspire you in characters, sculpts, and those wonderful 60s-inspired (yet very up-to-date) fashions from Stephen Moor – more specifically, how did you piece it all together into the exotic, glamorous and dangerous world of the Bizelle Sisters?

Jozef Szekeres (JS): Thank you Tommy, I appreciate you taking this time to interview me, and introduce my new line of GlamourOz Dolls to the Fashion Doll Collectors around the world. Now to your first question (I hope they’re not all this complex, well then again… bring it on!), I’d like to begin by paying my respects to all the Indigenous Australians, the traditional custodians of my homeland. Launching a new line of Australian Fashion Dolls born from Oz could only be complete with its inclusion of the very first Indigenous Australian Fashion Doll character (that I know of). My father, an accomplished artist in his life with his day job as a house painter, was an avid art collector, and on occasion would do his trade literally for the trade of art. As a child, I remember one hallway of my parents’ home had the most amazing Indigenous Australian artwork hanging on both sides that my father acquired in this way, and it’s still there today. So he instilled early in me a great respect for all art, whether tribal, western, and even sculptural.

I had the opportunity in my early adult years to visit the Thankakali Broken Hill Indigenous Community, and do a comic book workshop for and with the children and adults there. The elders were excited to show their own art, and describe that beyond the visual aesthetics, all the art elements had great symbolic meaning, and showed how it can be read sequentially… A visual arts language, their own ancient “comic book” language. I’ve seen Indigenous Australian dolls before, but only as baby, child, or adult souvenir dolls from my youth. I even have an Australian Barbie Club convention souvenir doll using an African-American Shani doll as an Indigenous Australian stand in. But to my memory, I’ve not yet seen a sculpt created specifically to be an Indigenous Australian Fashion Doll, as we understand Fashion Dolls to be. So when creating the head-sculpts in preparation for my new doll line, with intention I created one to be an Indigenous Australian, looking to the Australian supermodel scene as my inspiration to respectfully capture their distinct features and beauty. Being Australian, I wanted all of my characters from my first release of my new line to be of and from Australia. From inspirations of Elle “The Body” Macpherson, to the gorgeousness of proportions and beauty of Olivia Newton John’s Sandy (from “Grease”) and that of our beloved songbird Kylie Minogue (a favourite of my father’s). However growing up in Australia, media focused primarily on Western-looking personalities. Thankfully that is changing and Asian-Australians are rightfully represented in media today too, and therefore my line would not be complete without its own Asian Australian Catwalk Model.

Three of my character head-sculpts have their names taken from my family members. My sister is Elizabet Kotalin, and our mother is Lucille. Bindi is a traditional name from the Sydney Darug Tribe, meaning “beautiful butterfly” or “beautiful girl“, depending on which tribe’s dialect is used. Also, Bindi Irwin has recently brought that name to international prominence, and as a nation, we’re all very proud of our “Dancing With The Stars” winning girl. Stephen Moor’s artwork entered my life when my sister married his son. I was in my mid teens, and I guess he saw I had some artistic aptitude and leanings, and he took me under his artistic wing. I knew of his fashion sketches rather early, but only later realised that though he was a nationally successful Who’s Who of Australian artists, he had never published or seen his fashion works from the 60s – 70s realised. When he gave me his folder of fashion sketches, he urged me to look into entering fashion, saying he hoped his fashions could help me or inspire me, and that I could use them if I wanted or needed to. At the time, I had already established my own artistic career path as a young Disney 2D animator, so though deeply touched, his fashions sketches were only shared within the family. However, I knew on an instinctive level that this 80 strong fashion sketch collection needed to be kept whole and complete, and was significant to Australian fashion history.

I’ve always visualised that I’d do my own line of dolls, even when at school and told one of the teachers, who sarcastically said “As if” and “Dream on“… and I took that backhanded advice, and did dream on. I at first thought I had fulfilled that dream wish when I did my first Elizabet Bizelle line in 2003. But my passion for dolls has only grown stronger over time, and somehow, everything in my artistic experience seemed to funnel down and compress into this singularity that has become my new GlamourOz Dolls line. It’s my own personal Big Bang!

Elizabet Bizelle Woman In Red doll, 2006

TD: It’s interesting that many of the world’s countries have their own spin on ‘era fashion’ – such as the 1960s – what is Australia’s take on the colors, clothes and textures then?

JS: Australian fashion was built on (or maybe from) the backs of Merino Sheep. Wool, and earthy colours are quintessentially Australian. Though the Mod fashions were emulated in Australia, the Aussie take focused on geometric yet deceptively simple classic shapes. That’s why I think Stephen Moor’s fashions are so iconically 60s Australian, yet also look ever so modern today.

Stephen Moor fashion

TD: Describe the relationship between the sisters – do we have Elsa and Anna, or do we have Cinderella and Drizella?

JS: Ahh, Disney either way! You can’t go wrong with either choice. However, with edition titles like “Double-Cross Cover-Up”, “Secret Garden-Path”, and “Ribbon Reveal”, you know there’s “something” going down!

TD: How do we see the characters in Moor’s clothing designs…I get the fashions are for all the dolls, but who is more likely to wear what…and why?

JS: Elizabet is my lead girl, so I see her comfortably in anything. She wears Double-Cross Cover-Up, because it’s cheeky, sexy and fun, the 60s mini skirt of the line. I created the jacket design to go with the mini dress, originally as a value add, but now they are inseparable to me. She’s a blonde that has “more fun” in the mainline of this garment set. In the limited variant, she’s a fiery redhead, not to be toyed with lest you get burned. Secret Garden-Path Elizabet – softly glamorous in a statement 60s young-green evening spiral path gown. Her copper red hairstyle revisits her signature hair design originally worn in her 2003 release, “Dangerous Discovery“!

Ribbon Reveal Kotalin – high class all the way. Sexy high in its reveal-through panel detailing, married to a classy silhouette. For some reason I get Marilyn Monroe in “Niagara” when I see her in this garment, especially from behind… for that full minute walk. Blonde for the mainline, and long and Ginger with a 60s bump for the limited variant edition. For this garment, the bridal white sketch has been transformed into a beautiful warm salmon pink.

Glittering Gala Kotalin – silvery in a gun metal sequence gown, once again emphasises her high glamour. Her brownette hair design inspired by Stephen Moors fashion sketches, with length added at the back for fun hair play (I’m thinking of you, Darko!).

Bjeran Bindi (Cool Begins) – from the Nyoongar Indigenous Australian calendar, describes the beginning of Winter. With beautiful lines, shapes and textures that embody the bush edged Australian outback, this jacket keeps her warm in the desert cool beginning nights of winter.

Yawkyawk Billabong Bindi (Mermaid Pool) – Yawkyawk is a word from the Aboriginal Kunwinjku/Kunwok language, meaning ‘young woman’ and ‘young woman spirit being’. Sometimes compared to the European notion of mermaids, Yawkyawks are usually depicted with the tails of fish. They have long hair, associated with trailing blooms of algae, typically found in Arnhem Land streams and rock pools.

Lucille wears Yum Cha Cha-Cha – which embodies her classy sophisticated lady, and “Anything Goes” toe tapping nature, ready to star in a musical opening number… Think Willie Scott, from Temple of Doom.

Executive Day to Night Lucille, is power play in the boardroom, and power player of the night.

TD: Do the Bizelle sisters actually live in Australia…or are they children of the world at large like James Bond?

JS: Australian born, but children of the world at large. For their character’s histories and behind the Catwalk Supermodel scenes, I definitely see a blend of Bond for the classy international intrigue and suspense, Indiana Jones for the arcane mystic mysteries, and Charlie’s Angels in their hair flippery fun, and for their fashion forward fraternal sisterhood, this Supermodel band of “Pussycat Dolls” call themselves GODs (GlamourOz Dolls)! So… why not bring part of Australian culture back to your home with our GODs.

TD: How many Elizabet and Kotalin dolls were originally made? How was the decision made to not continue with them…money, saturation…both?

JS: 840 dolls in total were made, spread out in 3 main editions, and 2 IDEX editions of 20 each. The rise of articulation in the 16″ fashion doll world changed them from display dolls into play dolls for adults. My initial production was created within the means I could muster at that time, and also when articulation in 16″ dolls was established as limited, going full articulation was well beyond what I could afford. Just getting to my first and only USA IDEX (with my wonderfully supportive mother in tow) was a huge cost and big deal for me, and this is where I met you for the first time. It was heartbreaking to see my doll passed over because her articulation was limited. Collectors kindly complimented the sculpt, but saying on the boards, “I’d buy her if she was articulated” further depressed the issue. I wanted to say… If only you’d support her now, then in the future, full articulation would be possible, like Gene and Tyler’s eventual and (in Tyler’s case), gradual articulation. But once articulation took hold of the collectors’ focus, anything other than full articulation was seen as less-than. As a consequence, sales dropped, and that basically ended the line there.

Original 16″ Elizabet next to 22″prototype sculpt wearing lingerie by Doug James – The prototype was Sculpted in a larger scale for 3-D scanning and printing to preserve detail. TD: Has it been difficult compromising body beauty for articulation? How did you resolve the marriage of the two?

JS: Once I saw the new articulation movement in both Resin and Hard Plastic dolls, I could see where it worked and where it didn’t. My engineer side of my brain took over and guided the sculpt. Having 13 years of 2D Disney animation behind me focusing on the Disney Princesses, gave me an appreciation and understanding of the flow of form and pose, which I brought into my sculpting. I wanted every body part to have grace not just in and of itself, but also in how it connected to each other… to ensure this sculpt was also sinuously tall, and elegantly graceful from head to toe, so the finished articulated sculpt would look whole, rather then an assembly of parts. I returned to my own 2003 established aesthetic and in 2006 started a sculpt of a new doll at 22″ so as not to be influenced by any other dolls or trends (which I brought with me to the 2007 New York Comic Con, and while there I got to show Madame Alexander in New York, but they already had their Alex doll, so weren’t interested, then I took the sculpt to Philadelphia showing Ed Ferry of “Happily Ever After” when attending his in-store doll club gathering). I shelved the unfinished sculpt (like Edward Scissorhands, she lacked hands), till I could afford to continue. Once I was ready to self finance, I revived and completed the sculpt in 2015. The factory got involved in early 2016 and the doll was resized down to fit into the 16″ world, where I got to see her for the first time at her final height size.

Kotalin Bizelle, Dangerous Discovery, 2003

TD: Was it a decision to expand the diversity and story to add the two new characters – or was it necessary to break even on development/production costs?

JS: With the initial 22″ inch sculpt in SuperSculpy, Elizabet was the first head-sculpt in 2006, then in 2015, I retooled the Elizabet head-sculpt, and added Bindi, Lucille, with Kotalin as the last completed, thus rounding out this first line up. So I started with just the one head-sculpt, but once I started to seriously see that this could be realised, I expanded the head-sculpt range knowing that the minimum run would be 3000 units. As a collector myself, I knew 3000 of just one character would not be as interesting as four.

TD: You are using every resource in your savings and personal worth for these – isn’t it scary?

JS: Indeed it is. I know it’s a risk, but it’s not a fatuous one. As a career artist, I need to trust in what I create is to the best of my own ability and standards and the needs and standards of the paying client, and that hopefully will resonate with those people it’s targeted to reach. If I couldn’t do this, I wouldn’t have a job. This time around, my own collector self is that client. I feel if I can appeal to my own needs and wants with this new doll that I’m not currently finding in the 16″ Fashion Doll market, then I’m being true to my art, vision and voice, and hopefully that will resonate with the Fashion Doll collectors need and want, too.

TD: What are you eating now you are factory development poor? JS: Hopefully, not my words. TD: In all your sacrifices, is there something you miss more than others?

JS: Prior to the factory involvement, the body sculpt and additional heads took about 6-8 months to complete till I felt it was ready, for I knew it had to be as right as I understand that to be, because of the financial investment it would entail. In 2016 working with the factory has been full time on this, earning not a cent while shelling out more money that I’ve ever seen move through my hands. Spread over the year working with the factory, I’ll have spent more then 6 months working directly on premises with the factory in China, so I have missed my partner Todd, my family, and close friends… who have all been so very supportive. I’m currently in China working with the factory, and will even miss Christmas 2016 and the 2017 New Year at home. But I’ve a new baby on board right now, and I’m heavy with that pregnancy and responsibility that this new life to be born must take first priority.

I’m working to complete the production samples, which will be followed by the official photography of the line, then the official launch! Estimated production times will mean release dates will fall in the 4th quarter of 2017.

TD: Few people understand what it’s like to put your life saving on the line for something of which you have tremendous passion. How would you explain this level of commitment to one of your collectors that may take plastic/vinyl for granted.

JS: I’d only ask them, if you like what an artist does, be that patron of the arts and the artist who’s work you want to see more of, and support their releases, so they can do more and create more for you to enjoy. My commitment and passion for dolls and the creation of them drives me to want to do more. My hope with sales is that I can remove the financial burden over my home that I’m using as collateral to create these dolls, and have enough left over to live, eat and cover my bills and expenses, and hopefully earn enough to do it all again next year. I’d love this to be my job and career path from herein.

I’ve certainly not taken the creation of these dolls in plastic for granted, their expense to create them has driven that home. As a child looking at Barbie and the shameful knockoffs, I could see back then that a budget $10 plastic doll has the similar mold value as a collectable, but it’s usually the sculpt and engineering quality that separates whether one is cheap and the other is of value. I thought then… if only they had gotten a better sculptor…, and that fuelled my young mind with interest and the possibilities, to want to know more about how toys were made before they appeared magically finished at the toy store. I remember the Jem dolls of the 80’s, and never asked my mum to buy me one, because they just didn’t look as beautifully realised as their box art, even though the dolls themselves were well engineered. So Barbie remained my Fashion Doll of choice (thanks to my mother who would buy them for me, with Beauty Secrets Barbie being my favourite, as she had more mobility and poseability over her sister contemporaries). To me, for a Fashion Doll, I’ve always felt that what was of greater value was the quality of the sculptural art coupled with top quality engineering, and not the medium that should be valued.

TD: Your original Bizelle sisters were in resin, making you a pioneer of resin casting in fashion dolls of our genre. How would you communicate your desire to see your art translated in a material that many see as ‘cheap’ or inferior to the wide-spread perceived value of resin?

JS: The original 2003 Bizelle sisters were in resin, only because that’s what I could afford, with not even a thought of pioneering anything. When on occasion the doll fell down the stairs or some other similar mishap occurred, my heart would jump in my throat till I saw what damage had been sustained. If I’d see that the doll had a broken finger or some other part. I’d glue it back, but it forever felt broken, no longer whole. It literally felt like damaged goods, almost repulsive, I’d then be reticent of touching it, fearing it’s structural integrity was compromised and it would break again. I want to enjoy my dolls, with quality sculpts, engineering and durability. I want my dolls to be beautiful on display, and resilient in play, and then stuff them in my backpack if I want her as a travel doll, and know that when I take her out.. with a flip of her hair, she’ll still be beautiful and whole. Plastic for me is the perfect medium to realise all of that.

From left to right: Integrity Toys FR16, GlamourOz, Tonner Doll Tyler body

TD: Why not begin them in 12”, instead…it’s a much larger market. Was this a personal passion for the scale – or a need to fill a huge gap in the 16” plastic/vinyl fashion doll world (compared to the rise of Gene and Tyler – who thought we would ever be asking this question?)?

JS: My passion has been with the 16″ dolls since Mel Odom introduced his glorious Gene Marshall doll in 1995. My thanks always goes out to Mel, for without his brave vision, there’d be no 16″ dolls in the wake of Gene’s creation for us to enjoy. I do collect 12″ dolls, and love them, and maybe one day I’ll explore that scale as well. Though it’s a much larger market to explore and appeal to, I also think it’s saturated with product, by companies and producers with deep financial pockets to back them, and therefore a harder market to enter as a solo doll artist/producer. Moving forward beyond this first year’s mainline release focusing on Stephen Moor’s designs, and then releasing a new GODs line with these sculpts, using my own fashion designs for the next year, I’d like to explore a new sculpt variant of the female GODs body, releasing that with its own range of new character head-sculpts. Beyond that, I’d like to start the new sculpt of my own male doll companion to my female GODs, as she’s as tall or taller then most of the 17″ male dolls already in the Fashion Doll market. My goal has always been to have a companion set of female and male fully articulated body sculpts that fit into the 16″ scale Fashion Doll world, that work together stylistically and aesthetically.

TD: The clothing is amazingly detailed…how are the prototypes varying from production samples – what can the collector expect?

JS: The history of the garment factory I’m working with is… impressive, as is their internal quality control. I will also be overseeing aspects of this production, and do my own quality control. The collector can expect to see garments created at the very best of market quality. Now having established this fantastic working relationship with this garment factory, and seeing how beautifully they are realising Stephen Moor’s designs… I can see that they’ll be more then able to realise my own designs that will be the focus of the next future mainline release.

Elizabet and Kotalin wearing FR16 outfits by Integrity Toys

TD: Your price points are much higher than the perceived standard of Tonner and Integrity hard plastic (and given how widely discounted they are, even more so) – but more on range in price, quality and appearance of Superdoll. How does price factor into your collection?

JS: As a start up, all the expenses are my own: the time I devoted to the Super Sculpy original 22″ sculpt and its eventual factory scanning, the 3D work to resize to 16″ scale, the physical 3D prototyping, the mold making, the face stencil mold making, the hair fibre purchases in various c.g, the flights to and from China, the accommodation and personal travel insurance. The cost to produce the entire run… Everything, the production costs included are way higher then I thought they would be. And add to that, its eventual shipping. All these things add up, and I don’t have corporate financial backing. I think for a start up solo creator of a line of vinyl/hard plastic new Fashion Dolls, and the quality delivered, USD$300 for a complete boxed 16″ doll is a pretty good deal, especially when I currently see this similar price point for 12″ dolls by independent Fashion Doll producers. So if collectors like what they see, and want to see more, then please do show your support in buying the products I’ve made.

TD: Staining from dyes onto vinyl is a reality – how are you addressing the issue? JS: With plastic wraps where needed, protecting the vinyl. TD: You’re including a certificate of authenticity…really? It’s an added cost…why not just let the markings on the doll suffice? Is there more to the certificate that a critic like me is missing?

JS: I personally have never cared for certificates to identify a dolls’ authenticity, nor taken much notice of the actual numbering of the dolls I’ve collected, because I’ve never intended to resell them once they’ve become mine. Some certificates I keep because they’re nicely designed, most get trashed with the box as space is limited these days. But I do know that some collectors do like them, and it is good to have on it information for clarity about the total number produced in the limited edition run. 

TD: Tell us more about your sales rollout – will it be pre-orders…dolls ready to ship…combo of both?

JS: It’ll probably be a combo of both, as their pre-sales will go straight to the factory to help offset some of the production costs. Last time around, I took no pre-orders, just notes of interest. And I’ve learned collectors can be fickle (as we all can be), and easily distracted unless they’ve made a financial commitment. There are commitments on both sides that need to be in place, respected and valued, for what they bring to each other.

TD: What is your plan to offset the high cost of shipping to places outside Australia?

JS: As a collector of mostly American Fashion Dolls, added shipping per doll is usually about USD$50 to $70 for each doll I purchase. So I understand that shipping will factor in price for some collectors. I will be looking into having a choice of delivery suppliers that may offer different delivery options and price points.

TD: Are you currently talking to any retailers with whom you may come to an exclusive distribution arrangement outside Australia?

JS: I’ve had discussions with a few retailers, but nothing conclusive about exclusive distribution arrangements. With the economy climate as it is, most retailers have said they’d want to see a demonstrated demand, before committing to a new doll line, which is a catch 22, and then only with orders in the low to mid 2 digit numbers. So my start up focus will be to sell direct from my online store.

Wearing Nigel Chia

TD: Tell us your concept of the ‘Basic Doll’…will there be one…or only dressed dolls and clothing?

JS: For the mainline of 8 dolls and 2 limited variants, all of them will be released as dressed dolls. I imagine a basic doll would be in either a swimsuit, lingerie or simple outfit, however there will be no basics or separate clothing this time around, that’ll have to wait to follow in the future. The gravy that comes after securing survival. Thankfully, the GlamourOz dolls wear most of the competitor garments with ease and comfort, even elevating them to a catwalk presentation. Catalogue models are beautiful, but do we remember their names? Supermodels are known by name! I like to see my girls as Catwalk Supermodels. I could see as an extension of the mainline if there’s popular demand, releasing garment sets inspired by the fashion designs of Stephen Moor, or even future dressed dolls too… some of which will appear on the box art to celebrate his 60s fashions. They are all such amazing fashion designs, I’d love to honour his incredible work and see each of them realised eventually.

Stephen Moor fashion

TD: What has been your biggest business challenge in developing a marketing plan with social media being the hungriest attention whores out there?

JS: Thankfully, I was accepted into the Australian government funded MTC NEIS program nearing the end of 2015, where I did a fully funded business course over a 6 week period, where I got the grounding information I’d need to launch and sustain my startup business and marketing strategies. The greatest asset of the NEIS program’s commitment to the startup businesses is to have a business mentor available for them for 12 months. It has been good to have someone with business knowledge to bounce off and share some of the hardships with, who can also offer real guidance. I think the biggest marketing challenge thus far has been deciding when is the best time to release information, as I know new news gets stale quickly on the net these days, especially when the reader isn’t privy to the reasons why there may be delays or time slips. But now I feel is the right time, and with your extensive industry history and experience, and with the respect and wisdom that comes with that, you and your blog is the right person and place… Including your blog flow on partners.

TD: Are you going to have a ‘club’ (please say, ‘no’)?

JS: I’m a member of a couple company toy clubs, and I do love the ease of assuring certain releases, without having to chase them down. This helps greatly being an international member. And it’s also a place where brand loyal collectors can congregate and share their mutual love. So, knowing how company collector clubs have helped me,… I’m not opposed to it, but I’m not yet ready to set up one of my own just now.

Wearing Superdoll of London

TD: Hopes/Plans/Expectations for your first doll event?

JS: There’s a strong, but small Fashion Doll collector base in Australia, with me being one of these collectors. Most of the Fashion Dolls we collect seem to come from America, and we often feel our island country’s isolation, or distance from the main doll events. I hope to launch my dolls first to the Australian Fashion doll collector base, and grow it from there to an international audience. I’d love to see a yearly GODs Fashion Doll convention based in Australia to be added to the international must -attend events. In 2017, I’d like to attend the main Fashion Doll conventions in America, Europe, and other international locations, to introduce my new doll line, and meet the collectors.

TD: Collectors like to meet and greet the creator…think Star Trek: The Motion Picture. Will you Howard Hughes it…or go on a world-wide Rainbow Tour? I think we’d be happy to Crowd Fund your tour.

JS: I’d love to meet and greet with collectors all over the world. So I’ll definitely make myself available to do so. Certainly it would be an honour to be the recipient of a funded convention or tour visit.

TD: Seriously, though…you must be scared – doll collectors are so fickle – you’re placing a great deal of risk in their confidence. I hope you also market to the Action Figure folks because of the ‘Spy’ storyline.

JS: I’m a Fashion Doll collector, so I know I can be fickle at times, too – a pretty new thing can certainly get my attention over an equally pretty older item, causing me to miss out on the older item and then have to seek it out as a more expensive grail item. But I’m also very brand loyal and supportive of those brands I love and collect. My hope is that my dolls and brand will attract its own loyal collectors, that will want what I do now and in the future. Most action figure products are licensed pop culture, rather then original fare – like He-Man, She-Ra, Jem and Transformers – the toys are released concurrently with their own pop culture vehicle (in these cases, animated TV series) to anchor their products to. Most action figure collectors will buy an action figure, even a bad one, with a character they already recognise or have a pop culture connection with, over a well made action figure of a character they don’t yet know. What’s different about fashion dolls, that I love, is they can survive entirely on their own merits without an established pop culture reference. And the Fashion Doll collector thrives on discovering something new… A new story, new fashion, new face, new body, new characters. I’m sure there is some crossover, but they seem to come from different ends of the spectrum.

Birthday Bash Kotalin Bizelle, 2006

My two 2006 releases, “Woman in Red” Elizabet Bizelle, and “Birthday Bash” Kotalin Bizelle, were inspired by The Matrix film. Describing it thus to a fashion doll collector, they got the concept straight up… “Inspired by fashions”, and if they liked it, they bought it. But when these same dolls were placed in action figure stores, the action figure collectors there would ask “Who are they?” I’d say they’re fashion dolls inspired by The Matrix, and the collector’s response would be, “Nicely made, but if it’s not Trinity or a character or exact fashion I recognise from the film… then I’m not interested”. Lessons learnt.

TD: Plans for accessory sets…where will you go with this? Will there be guns?

JS: No plans as yet for accessory sets of this nature. But who knows what the future will bring.

TD: What is your direct message to the people who would just look at the doll and say, ‘It’s not my thing.’ Knowing it’s because it’s plastic, a fashion doll, 16”, or otherwise competes with one of their faves like Ellowyne, Gene, Superdoll, et al?

JS: I’ve never been a fan of big headed dolls, so I’ve never collected Ellowyne, but I have and still collect Tonner Fashion Dolls that I love that speak to my aesthetic. Gene is a Fashion Doll icon, in all her incarnations, and she holds a special place in my heart and collection. The Superdoll Sybarites are incomparably the Fashion Doll Divas, and always will be in the Fashion Doll world at large and within my own collection. The Fashion Royalty 16″ (FR16) dolls by Integrity Toys are my favourite body sculpt currently on the market. Some of my favourite and loved dolls that I own aren’t 16″ fashion dolls, but their aesthetic and fashion sense and quality of sculpt resonates with me, like the beautiful dolls by New Zealand doll creator Jan MacLean. And there are other dolls that I love and have yet purchased, but intend to in the future, like “First Love” male Fashion Dolls by Joey Versaw. I won’t stop collecting the dolls out there by other brands and creators I love and support just because I’ve created my own doll, and I don’t expect other collectors to do that either if they start collecting mine. There is room in the Fashion Doll world to love many brands. What I’m offering is a new doll and brand to love amongst your other established Fashion Doll loves.

As to the nay-sayers, and the haters of plastic, 16″, or Fashion Dolls… I’ve had friends tell me I’m wasting my time and talent, and that my dolls look no different from the pack. I’ve had these same friends tell me that my doll’s body is offensive to them, and that they’re just not even interested to know more…. A simple “good luck” from these friends would have sufficed. But I understand each persons’ personal path informs them of what is of value to them, and these friends are not my target audience, and will never see what I see or am trying to achieve. If I can take this from friends, I’m well prepared to take similar from strangers. I’d rather invest my energy into impressing the supporting friends and collectors who love my dolls. As RuPaul has said, “I’m too busy loving the people who love me“. I’ve created what I’ve wanted and needed in the Fashion Doll world that I felt was not there for me already as a collector. My hope is that others will resonate with that same want and need, whether it’s been there for a while, or newly discovered when they see my GlamourOz dolls for the first time.

...I added one more question for Jozef, after seeing reactions from a couple of people online... Stratos Bacalis: There have been a couple of collectors that have commented that your doll body resembles another company's 16" doll vinyl body. How do you respond to that?

JS:  I don’t follow trends, I like to think, I create them. I create what I like to see in a doll, and hope that collectors will like it. I actually hand sculpted my original Sculpy GlamourOz doll sculpt at 22″, starting that sculpt in 2006, so as not to be influenced at all by any other 16″ doll trends, whether resin or hard plastic/vinyl. The GlamourOz Dolls 22" Sculpy doll sculpt was only resized to her current height of 17" after scanning the 22" parts. When you compare my previous Elizabet Bizelle doll release from 2003 to my current GlamourOz Dolls, you’ll see that the details and aesthetic I’ve followed and developed on... and applied to my GlamourOz Dolls' body, is my own.

The reason I originally sculpted and created my original 2003 Elizabet Bizelle doll was to create a doll sculpt that embodied the elongated grace of my own art and sculptural aesthetics, with the illusion of movement sculptural pose, at a time when the contemporary dolls had a static and robotic stance. My first Elizabet doll's body from 2003, which incommensurately stands apart from its then contemporaries because of these differences, has providence in the torso and elongated look: the neck, shoulders, bosom, ribs, tummy and hip detailing and elongated grace from head to toe, and even through to its fingertips, that predates by about seven years the aesthetics other doll companies (which I'm sure these collectors are referring to) are now similarly exploring for their own lines. Granted 2003 is a while ago now, some collectors may not have seen nor heard of my first Elizabet Bizelle doll, as only a few hundred were produced. Though the timeline is there (check out a photo album here).

I'm flattered that my earlier doll work and sculptural details and aesthetic have made an impact, to some later released dolls within the Fashion Doll world, both within 12" and 16". Though however lovely they have been with some of these shared aesthetics, they still have not captured nor satisfied the wants and needs I still craved as a collector, or as a doll sculptor/creator. My GlamourOz Dolls are at least, that answer for me that satisfies my needs and wants in an articulated Fashion Doll. My hope is that collectors will resonate with the differences I bring to my GODs with my own sculptural aesthetics, and share that same want and need, too.

New and Original 2003 Comparisons

If you’d like to know more, or be added to Jozef's mailing list, please contact him via his website: www.glamourozdolls.com

Note: all photos and art © Jozef Szekeres. Original interview by permission of Tommydoll. GlamourOz dolls are prototypes only