#But it would also create a bit of spam on the dash

[nitewrighter]

Since we have an influx of people coming in from twitter and discussing the whole culture of retweets vs. reblogs between the two sites, I'm going to take a moment here for some

Queue Propaganda

First off, what is the queue?

It's a posting mechanic that you can customize for yourself so that rather than immediately reblogging something, you can arrange for it to be posted at a later time. Your queue on tumblr can fit up to 1000 posts! Wow!

Why would I want to do something like that?

There are lots of reasons! For me, I like the idea of having something that consistently posts throughout the day for my followers in different time zones. I also like to support artists by reblogging, but I don't want to spam their notifications all at once and create an impenetrable wall of reblogs from the same artist on my dashboard, and the queue allows me to distribute those reblogs over a longer period of time, basically giving said art a more extended period of circulation. The queue also has a 'shuffle' function, so if you have a whole bunch of reblogs from one person, you can 'shuffle' it with other items in your queue so your dash has a bit more variety. If you're an artist, you can also set up your blog to reblog your own works so that they can show up on feeds at a later time. It can also be useful if you're reuploading a bunch of your art from twitter onto here and maybe don't want to dump it all at once.

Do we have to have a queue?

You do not! You can come online and spam reblog a bunch of jackshit or whatever suits you! I just think it's a nice feature!

Is there queue etiquette?

Nothing heavily enforced, but a lot of people will use a queue tag (often something quirky and specific to their blog) to indicate when their blog is posting from their queue, which also doubles as a 'hey just because I'm posting doesn't mean I'm online' sort of message. Some people will have a silly queue-specific pun for their queue tag, and others will just tag their queue with 'q,' it's really up to personal taste. You can schedule as many or as few queue posts a day to suit your tastes.

What's up with the post scheduling? Is that the same thing?

It's in a similar category, but it's more specific. When you schedule a post, that's basically set at the time you set it to post at, regardless of what's in your queue. The post is visible in your queue, but it stays fixed at the date you scheduled for it, regardless of what you add to your queue or how many times you shuffle it. This is very useful if you have content or reblogs meant for specific events and holidays!

Okay but what is the general vibe around queues? Do people like or dislike when you queue their posts as opposed to immediately reblogging them?

A queue *is* a reblog. There is a bit of a joke with queue users on this site where it's like "I'll see if they like my post within 6-8 business days" but it really is a useful form of posting because it extends the sort of... digital shelf life of content. No one is insulted if they see you reblogged your post with a queue tag. A reblog is a reblog, regardless of what time it pops up on the dash. No pressure.

[doyouknowthischaracter]

RANDOM ASKS GRAB BAG

Putting a bunch of answered asks in one post so I don't spam your dashes too much. Under the cut because it's a very long post. If your ask isn't here, don't worry! The ask box is far from empty, and I'm sorta trying to group them by topic. Enjoy?

Anonymous asked: you mentioned in another ask that there were a few things you were probably going to check out from doing these polls and I was just curious which ones those are, if you don't mind sharing fjdjsj

I don't mind sharing! I had to go through the archive to remember which ones I wanted to check out, but a few of them would be The Walten Files, Red vs. Blue, The Murderbot Diaries, I Am In Eskew, and The Mistholme Museum of Mystery, Morbidity, and Mortality. Many of the characters posted here look interesting, but I'm such a slow watcher/player/reader/etc. that it'd take me decades to go through everything lol

Anonymous asked: Have you considered doing like uhhh idk how to explain properly, but statistics/data from loads of polls in a summary every so often? I've seen some poll blogs do a most known/least known type bar graph every so often. And I would be super interested in seeing this sort of thing for this blog!! It's fair enough if not though, obviously this would create a lot of extra work for you. Anyway, thanks for running this blog :-) Anonymous asked: I just asked a question about seeing the data statistics/ bar graphs - please ignore it! Just reread your pinned and realised I'd missed that bit :'). BUT, last point remains, thank you for running this blog and putting up with repetitive anons I bet aksjskdjsk

I haven't put the data in a graph yet, but if I figure out how to organize that in a way that's both comprehensible and actually tells us something new, I'll give it a try for sure. Until then, we do have the spreadsheet. And no worries, I'm glad you're enjoying the blog! :)

Anonymous asked: *sees a poll blog* "I must answer each and every poll I can"

Godspeed on your journey and remember to stay hydrated! 🫡

Anonymous asked: this is my favorite blog! Every morning I wake up and check the polls like they're the paper, just to say "I don't know them" Truely a humbling experience!

Happy to be your neighborhood paperboy!

@iceice-baeby asked: Are olyou fearing the day someone submits Solid Snake from MGS and you will choose the wrong picture Because everyone always seems to choose the wrong picture

The only difficulty will be in not using this one:

Anonymous asked: Just scrolled back through your blog up to posts from Dec 3rd and I know why those polls are closed now but I cannot describe the genuine anguish I felt seeing Mr Orange and going NO I KNOW HIM - I KNOW HIM!!!! Anyway I found this blog like ten minutes ago and I love it

Don't worry, he's A-OK! 👍

(Also, thanks! I appreciate your dedication.)

Anonymous asked: scrolling through to catch up on the characters and knowing a whole three of them was so bizarre. im not supposed to press the yes i know them button, im supposed to do my sworn duty and vote no with unending confusion. the world has been flipped on its head 😵‍💫

I bet the next 30 were characters you've never heard of, just for balance to be restored.

Anonymous asked: Whenever i misclick I feel sooooo bad like im sorry my dear friend for not recognizing you I apologize for my rudeness

No polls so far ended with only one vote difference between answers, so you don't have to feel too bad. For now. 👀

Anonymous asked: this is fun cause i’ve definitely submitted some characters but i’ve immediately forgotten who. so i’ll also be pleasantly surprised to see my beloveds on the blog.

A gift from you to you, courtesy of unreliable memory! Sweet!

Anonymous asked: Devastating. I keep missing the voting for the only characters I know.

You'll do it one day, I believe in you!!

@iceice-baeby asked: Would you consider writing in the tags if YOU know a character or not You have done it sometimes before, but I'd be curious if you do recognise some of those random niche as all hell blorbos Also I can't wait for my Blorbos turn. Because either He-and-she is gonna take most obscure place, OR I will actually find maybe more than two people, myself included, who know him-and-her and who I can ramble at for hours until they block me

Oh yeah, for sure. I didn't think anyone would be interested to know, but I can do that when I remember to!

Did your blorbo show up already?

Anonymous asked: I have been having the opposite problem of everyone else, apparently. I'll see a name and be like, "I don't know who that is". But then I see the picture and realize… Yes I do!

That's why I take the time to include fitting pictures, helps jog the memory!

Anonymous asked: I feel very superior every time I know a character most people don't

Hey, nobody likes a show-off. (<- Joking)

Anonymous asked: Wait, has Beetlejuice not been submitted?? I could've sworn I submitted the musical version! Anonymous asked: Oh wait no I didn't submit musical Beetlejuice to you, got you mixed up with @/every-character-ever-poll lol my bad

Indeed he hasn't been submitted yet, maybe next time!

@thetisming asked: sorry for saying something negative in the replies to a post someone was being a dick about jukebox musicals

No worries, but don't let it get to you. People are allowed to dislike your favorite things even without any good reason. It's a matter of taste, which is highly subjective. It's more constructive to focus your attention on people who do enjoy the same things as you!

@autism-criminal asked: What is your favorite color of the rainbow (red orange yellow green blue indigo purple) ?

Orange! 🍊 What's yours? :)

Anonymous asked: "data is not accurate" bro if ur going to a tumblr poll blog for accurate data you NEED to reassess some things asdfghjkl; anyway this blog is great thank you for running it it's a lot of fun and has resulted in some very funny interactions between me and my fiance. notably "what the fuck do you MEAN 6% of the sans undertale website doesn't know who sans undertale is" and "i'm sorry i simply don't believe that ANYONE doesn't know who DRACULA is"

Different people come here with different expectations, I suppose. Which is fine, I don't mind, but they're bound to be disappointed if they expect 100% accuracy all the time. But anyway! I'm happy to hear I can provide a new form of enrichment for you and your fiancé!

@sweetpollyolliver asked: So many manga and anime characters and I know like 1% of them 😭

I'm ngl, I'm not a big manga/anime connoisseur either, so I'm just as lost as you most of the time lol 🤝 (<- shaking hands in solidarity)

@cringelordofchaos asked: If I go insane one day I am going to try to make an English translation for Mesec Boje Purpura so everyone can know who veštica Noks is

I'm fully behind you! Keep us updated if you do.

Anonymous asked: I scroll through your blog. I don’t recognise any of these characters. ‘No,’ I click, ‘no,’ ‘no,’ ‘no.’ I am content in the darkness of the rock I live under. But, alas, all things must end. I continue my scroll, the glee of the irrelevant rampant in my veins. But what’s this? It can’t be… My shelter is cruelly ripped away and the brutal light of knowledge seeks me out like a bloodhound, it gives me no place to hide. ‘Yes,’ I sob, defeated, ‘Yes, I do know the jjba character.’

A modern-day Greek tragedy, truly 💔

Anonymous asked: was really surprised to vote and see that a character was 100% know them. then I noticed I got there early enough to be the only vote

For one shining, brilliant moment they were 100% known and surely that counts for something.

Anonymous asked: You should make up a character and make a poll for them and see how many people lie or misclick

Well....... I'm not going to comment on that. 🐰

Anonymous asked: I follow this blog and another blog that does smash or pass and occassionally I will come to one of your posts and examine the images to decide and then remember this blog's gimmick before trying to hit smash

Imagine voting smash there and then coming here to vote "I don't know them at all" on the same character. Brutal.

@ink7blot asked: *sees big naturals* I hate that. *reblogs*

A job well done, then 😌

[dreambones]

No Content November

The goal of NCN is to show what would happen if everyone stopped creating free content.

Your dash would be empty. No art. No fics. No comics.

The idea is that for the whole month of November, creators of all kinds (artists, writers, etc) don’t post any sort of content, this to create a simulation of what happens to posts when you only like them instead of rebloging them, the art/fics/comics/ don’t get circulated, and eventually there’s nothing to see and enjoy.

Every content creator has experienced the unbalance between Likes and Reblogs.

Likes look nice, but Reblogs give exposure, which results in even more people finding your work.

Reblogs help creators grow, and be encouraged, which means even more content than before!

What can you do to help as a non creator (and creator)?

During November support your favorite content creators by Rebloging, Commenting or sending an Ask!

Even a short “Nice work! Love it” is great to cheer up and encourage the content creators whom work you enjoy.

(You are also encouraged to do this the whole year!)

The long term goal is to one day, make Reblogs as abundant as Likes, plus with this small but very meaningful support, we could all end up enjoying even more content than before! 

And if you are not a creator but the content you enjoy has ever made you happy, helped you in some way, even to just brighten your day a little bit, please, consider giving those creators your support! It will be very appreciated.

FAQ bellow the “Read More”

I don’t want to participate because [insert reason here]

That’s alright! Just like any other monthly trend in the internet, you are not forced or expected to participate. It is true that the more of us that do this, the more impactful it can be, but if you don’t want to do it the whole month, or just do a couple days, that’s fine.

You are just a big, popular blog trying to trick and damage smaller blogs

I get this assumption a lot, and I am not a big blog. I have been posting my content online for about 16 years and currently have 794 followers after having to move blogs in 2021 because I found out Tumblr was hiding my content in the search engine for being a side blog (and for reference, I had around 593 last year and 150 followers the previous one). This is not an effort to “jeopardize” smaller creators, nor a sneaky way to harm others, I am doing and have been doing this because year after year, the share vs like ratio has been worsening, and I plan on keep doing this as long as needed, even if I become a big blog, I won’t stop.

I want to help but I don’t want to stop posting, how else can I help?

Reblog! This is the perfect month to spam your followers by rebloging the work of other creators you follow, you can also leave comments and send asks! This is the moment to let know your favorite creators you appreciate their hard work and presence on the internet!

Artist and creators are not entitled to reblogs, you can’t ask that

You are right, we are not entitled, nor in the right to demand reblogs, comments or any sort of support. But in the same note, people that enjoy our content, are not entitle to demand more content, specific content, or faster content when it is being given to them for free. And sadly that happens way too often.

I want to participate but I depend on my Commissions / Patreon to buy food/survive

That’s alright, you can still participate! NCN aims towards Free content that we post, the one that we share with no sort of payment back, you can still do and share paid content you do.

I participated last years and nothing changed

Unfortunately, we can’t change the world in a single month. This is NCN fourth year, and granted, it’s not abysmally different now, but the worse that can happen is that nothing changes, and I rather keep trying than sit down and wonder if maybe it could have worked. On the other hand, I’ve received and found a lot of artists that enjoy this month because it gives them an excuse to rest and not focus on their blogs and just enjoy making, and that is enough reason for me to keep trying. 

As closing notes please remember I am just another human being behind the screen. You are 100% allowed to not like this idea, you can block me and the tag if you don’t want to see any of it. There’s no need for mean messages or attacks.

[alex-frostwalker]

A Small Preview of what I think the Costumes' Abilities could've been

Tornado Wolf

The costume use is still the same, still create tornados as you activate its skill. The only difference is the spin increases when you spin but have a difficult time controlling the direction you are aiming for. But you gain a bit of immunity when you knock off your enemies, most of the enemies. Like a larger and stronger Negati. The downside is you can’t spam it, cuz it would be kinda OP and you can’t break planted solid blocks like iron blocks, walls or pillars, it can cancel your spin when you go faster. Stunning you for a short time.

Jumping Jack

Other than jumping very high and hovering for an amount of time. You can use the ability to propel/dash towards and on to your enemy. Similar to an Olympic Runner in their ready position when starting the race. But you gotta hold your jump button to charge that energy. Don’t spam that dash attack tho, there will be chance you’ll trip

Pounding Pig

The change here is you are slow when moving. Because of the heavy weight. The jump action is cut half and slow, same for the fluttering. But still leaves a smashing impact when they pound. The damage increases when you are in a higher place.

Dainty Dragon

The attack remains the same. Shooting fire and also its rapid attack. But it can catch on fire on flammable things

Elastiplant

With its stretchy torso, you can reach to high places, mostly ledges you can grab on, The jump remains the same. What is interesting is that you can stretch horizontally, you can plant your legs to the ground to maintain your place. But it's risky that it'll leave you vulnerable. But it's good to reach big gaps.

Metal Bad Boy 

Other than its ability to perform on stage, using its ability can attract Negati to your location, But there is also a percent chance some of the Negati will enjoy the beat of the music. Once gathered and you get close. You can shred your guitar, knocking the weaker ones away like bowling pins.

Super Skater 

This costume remains the same with few added features. It can push the Negati away when you are in the top speed, giving you immunity until you slow down, something blocks you or other elements, and a stronger Negati. You will also have a hard time to control it when doing a hard turn when you are on top speed.

[wild-karrde]

Hi karrde. Will you be doing fandom fridays anymore? I miss getting all the great recs every week

Hey there Nonnie! I know I said I'd only been gone a few weeks, but honestly, it's been kind of nice to stay relaxing for a bit. I'm tentatively planning to restart again in the new year once the holidays are over and I've had time to recharge, probably mid-January.

That being said, I'm going to toss this out there: it's really disheartening to spend so much time on Fandom Friday and not see interaction tick up as a result. I do go check notes periodically on recommendations, and it's frustrating when they haven't moved hardly at all. Interaction has been exceptionally abysmal lately, and that only adds to the frustration. I know I, like all of my other writer buddies, spend SO MUCH time writing and rewriting and carefully crafting stories, so when no one really interacts, it's disheartening. That is also true for Fandom Friday. It normally takes me hours to pull the queue and the list together each week, so when people aren't interacting with the recs, it has a similar discouraging effect, ya know?

So, all to say I do plan on bringing Fandom Friday back, but I really need people to remember what the point of it is: interaction with people that create here. That means reblogging, commenting, sending asks, etc., NOT spam liking and moving on.

Until January, I would encourage the people on here (ESPECIALLY people that don't create) to go share and comment on the stuff they love. It's hard for me to find the time to read everything my friends write, much less find new stuff to read because I'm writing and doing FF, and the same is true for other people creating here. Of course we love to read and share each other's works, but we can't be the only ones keeping the Tumblr ecosystem going.

All to say, if you've read something that you loved lately or can't stop thinking about a particular piece of art on your dash, make sure you LET THE CREATOR KNOW (or reblog at a minimum). Of course we create for ourselves, but we choose to share the stories with you (or art, I'm writing this all as a writer, but pls know I'm including artists in this as well). You make our entire days when you get excited about the things we've spent hours carefully crafting and overthinking and worrying over. WE LOVE IT.

And when Fandom Friday comes back, SHARE THE RECS YOU LOVE. The summary comes out at the end of the day so you can find it all if you miss the queue, but PLEASE INTERACT WITH WHAT'S ON THERE.

(sorry Nonnie, I took this as an opportunity to rant, but I feel like it was needed)

[kiwibubbles5]

I hope you don't mind if a Socially Anxious Individual expands some on #3?? :)

Booping is awesome. And all of Tumblr's other interaction buttons range from a little bit to a LOT scarier..

My social anxiety is loads better online vs in person, but it's still there. The prospect of getting to know someone new is still terrifying. (Fair warning, I'm very aware that everything I'm about to discuss worrying about is unrealistic and unreasonable. ✨a n x i e t y✨)

The comment button is scary - I don't know what to say, what if I look stupid or sound mean?

The reblog button is extra scary. I don't like to rb stuff without proper tags for my organization system, and on low energy days, proper tagging can take a lot more effort than you'd think. I also don't want to make anyone feel bad if I rb their post without any comments/compliments/etc in the tags, because what if they come to my blog and see other posts that I have commented on in the tags, and they get sad because they think I didn't deem their art or writing or whatever it is worthy of saying anything about. But, again, figuring out what to say can be really hard and scary.

The like button is scary - likes don't spread the post around or boost it or really do anything, so I really really don't want to press 'like' on anything without reblogging it. So many posts highly encourage reblogging over liking stuff, and for good reason!

But y'all. I have over three hundred and fifty drafts saved right now. Because when I see a post I enjoy - art, writing, even just a relatable or funny thing - if I don't have the energy or time to fight back the social anxiety and reblog it, I save it to tag and post later. I don't leave a like, I don't know how long it'll be till I can get back to posting the reblog. I wanna be a little more social. I want so badly to show people appreciation and give them a lil happiness. But I'm so introverted and anxious.

Boops were a way to connect with somebody without any of the above fears. April 1st was the most active/social I have been on here since... (checks notes) A LONG ASS TIME alright, idk.

A boop says so many things without having to piece together the words to say them. A boop says, "Hi." It says, "We are sharing in this silly little thing together, and that is beautiful." It says "I see you," and "You're a part of this community," and "I care enough about you, random stranger, to send you a cute lil boop or two. To join you in the spirit of something fun." It says "You showed up on my dash! 😄" or "I know that you follow me I appreciate you!" or "Hi moot ily!"

But a boop also feels safe. There's nothing I can phrase wrong or fuck up about a boop. (I mean, I suppose besides spamming someone with too many boops who doesn't want that, but I tried to be super careful to not do that at all, just looked for the posts welcoming spam boops. Oh and I also only sent evil boops to people I knew a bit better, just in case. Okay so clearly even this was not entirely worry-free but it was SO MUCH LESS SCARY.) It just felt so much easier to navigate than all the other, more complex socializing options. Boop. 🐾 Boop back. 🐾 It made me happy to give boops, it made me happy to get return ones. It was. Really fun. (And, to anyone who didn't have a good booping experience - maybe you didn't get lots of boops or return boops - I'm really sorry, I promise I would have booped you if I could. You matter to this community, too 💖🐾💖boop)

The other thing I liked about boops was that they don't necessarily invite nor require any response outside of booping. (And there even comes a point when a booping chain needs to end, so it doesn't feel super anxious to not boop back every single received boop.) A boop could lead to further interaction of some kind, and that's great!! But it doesn't create an automatic expectation of further interaction. I didn't feel pressured to follow people or connect more, or to have a conversation through comments or reblogs/tags - all stuff that I often don't have energy for.

(Fair warning again, no, this level of social anxiety is not healthy, I am trying to work on it guys listen 😅 The boop system certainly isn't a replacement for all the other, deeper ways to connect on Tumblr and I want to get to a point where I'm not so scared someday. But the booping system is really good for low energy days and/or high anxiety levels.)

So, yeah. I can't speak for anyone but myself, but this is why I personally loved the boop buttons and would love for booping to become a permanent function.

((P.S. Oh, I suppose I forgot to mention the ask button. Yeah the ask button is more intimidating and terrifying than any monstrous eldritch entity I could ever come across 😅))

petition for tumblr to make the boop feature permanent. reasons:-

so i can shower my affection on mooties and followers without any limits

validates my sense of appreciation and does not make me feel unwanted

every introverts' dream who loves a blog but is scared to talk with them

feels like an actual physical boop

online love language

[aninevitablemultimuse]

Not sure whether to do Fandom specific plotting calls or Muse specific plotting calls, but plotting calls WILL be happening either tonight or tomorrow.

[maxwell-grant]

O MÉDICO E O [FIGURÃO]: Doctor Spam

A Spam-Email Supervillain? Click Below To Learn More About The Missing Link Of [Hyperlink Blocked]

-----------*click*----------------

I was doing some digging around characters from Monica’s Gang (gave it a basic rundown here when discussing it’s biggest villain, Capitão Feio / Captain Fray) and I found a character I completely forgot existed.

Doctor Spam is one of the main villains of Monica’s Gang, usually the go-to character for any storyline that uses computers or technology. He’s not used quite as often as the others thanks to his niche but still a character they bring back a reasonable amount. He is the evil alter-ego of a man Professor Spada, the gang’s kind-hearted computing teacher who was based on creator Mauricio de Souza’s son (Mauricio Spada, who passed away in 2016). 

Debuting in 2005, Doctor Spam first emerges when Professor Spada is called to install a computer in Monica’s room, and she accidentally hits him with her plush bunny (named Samson). Because Samson is a weapon of mass destruction in her hands, the good professor Spada gets knocked away and zapped, transforming into his alter-ego Doctor Spam and trapping the gang inside the computer, only reverting to his “good self” when hit with an anti-spam program. Later appearences would state that he transforms when struck by lightning, or under stress, transforming into his alter-ego intent on taking over the world via mind-control, who usually spends a lot of time waging digital warfare against children and hitting them with lightning bolts.

(I USED TO BE NOTHING BUT THE IT GUY. NOW I’M THE [Anakin_younglins.gif] GUY)

Doctor Spam has a bunch of different powers revolving around computers and viruses and games, so varied that he’s basically omnipotent so long as you don’t have an anti-virus system or find a way to disable his power source. Among said powers includes the ability to transport people into the computer world he rules, infect computers attached to a network, freely create a “score” currency that transforms those who eat them, flood you with damaging forms of spam email and ads and messages, mind control people with specialized roots, etc.

At some point he also decided dressing in white labcoat was for weenies so he tried to switch out for a black outfit. He can also turn himself into a giant robot form called MegaSpam, with purple-black hair and a pointier nose.

And doing further research also showed me he got another redesign circa 2014 when he showed up for the Chico Bento manga and okay now you’re just fucking with me

cough, 

this redesign was also part of a story where we get to learn a bit about how Doctor Spam has always been engineering Professor Spada’s transformations by altering his brain chemistry via electricity, and that Spada’s well-intentioned attempts to create a supercomputer capable of helping prevent grasshopper plagues eventually were utilized by Doctor Spam in order to engineer a plague of electronic grasshoppers that would systematically wipe out all vegetation and trapping people in coccoons to reprogram their minds and have them build his perfect world, a plan he explains with a handy dandy “Spamographic” and a drawing of the great cyber city he wants to create called S.P.A.M.I.A

I’m sure none of this [ring-ring-ring]s any bells whatsoever, but man, maybe Doctor Spam was never gonna really take off into big pop culture stardom, even disregarding the popularity of Monica’s Gang overseas. I mean, a spam email-based villain? With that wacko hair and goggles and nose and grin and big showoff personality? And he’s both friend and enemy at once? With him being a hard-working young man with big dreams and ambitions that get tragically dashed, and he winds up becoming this deranged cartoon of himself who schemes for power, and rampages when he has it, and needs to be stopped and saved from himself by the same group of kids he's trying to destroy? 

Eh, too much of a long shot, I'd say.

[13eyond13]

Any tips for getting famous on tumblr?

Ahaha I wouldn't say I'm Tumblr famous, but here are some experience-based

Tips for getting mutuals and engagement and asks:

-Reblog and/or like other people's content often, and also try to create your own content of some kind. The blogs that catch my attention the most and make me want to follow/follow back are the ones that are actively curating a personal aesthetic and/or have some sort of unique or enjoyable content they are creating themselves too. I like following blogs where I can get the content that I'm interested in having on my dash plus a good sense of the personality behind the scenes

-Try to be fairly consistent and frequent about posting, and use some of the relevant popular tags on your original posts like the fandom and the character and ship names to make sure they show up in those tags for people to find (eg. #death note #light yagami #lawlight)

-A great way to get people to notice your blog is simply to notice them and their blog or their content first too. Send some friendly asks off anon to bloggers who are looking for asks, or about whatever topics seem to be their fave thing or their area of expertise. If sending asks feels too intimidating you can also reblog their posts with some thoughtful compliments or jokes in the tags, which will probably flatter them into checking out who was noticing and appreciating them. I recommend sending asks or talking through the comments on posts before sending people private messages until you get to know them a little better though, as that feels a bit less intimate to do

-Once you gather some followers it definitely helps to maintain a fairly steady presence and not disappear for long periods of time, because you mostly only show up on followers' dashes if you're actively posting and reblogging things. They probably aren't intentionally ignoring you or your blog most times, they just don't really know if you're alive otherwise! If you're worried about spamming people's dashes too much or don't want to be chronically online then you can always use the queue feature to post things automatically for you at a slower, steady rate as well

-A good way to get asks once you have some followers is simply to make a post asking for asks about a specific topic or to take and fill requests of some kind. You can also reblog ask memes that invite people to ask you specific sorts of questions too. This helps others know what you're comfortable with before they decide to strike up a conversation with you. Answering asks usually leads to other people sending asks too, so it can become a fairly self-sustaining thing after a little bit

-I think a large part of the reason I've gained a following here over the years is because I have a clear set of boundaries on my page about who I am and what I'm ok with, and because I maintain a pretty organized and broad collection of content from this fandom that is well-tagged and easy to browse. I started out creating the blog I personally would want to find as a new member of the DN fandom and then I went from there. It helps to have a fairly clear idea in mind of the kind of blog you want to host from the beginning, but you can also adjust it as you go just depending on the kind of feedback you get and such. I didn't even expect or plan to get any asks here in the beginning, but after a few months of me sending asks to others and reblogging content and writing posts people started coming to me quite regularly with their thoughts. Maybe because I made a point of being welcoming to new fans and answering the questions about the fandom and the series that they had

-It helps to be patient about stuff like gaining followers and mutuals and not to stress out too much over something like losing a follower or two, too! That happens to absolutely everybody eventually, and you really have no definite idea why your follower count might have dropped most times. So just don't stress yourself over it and try not to take it too personally or check your total numbers super often if you can (I am on here daily, but maybe only intentionally check my own total follower count once or twice a month)

-Overall just creating the blog you yourself might want to find, being consistent with your posting, respectful and appreciative of the other creators and fans, and not being afraid to reach out first or create some content of your own are probably the best things you can do to increase the engagement that you're getting on your blog. Good luck 🤗

[demon64]

So... I was thinking about this once again, and thinking about maybe changing some things up. The Four Horsemen would stay the same, but some others would change up a bit. One change is maybe taking away some characters ability to dash, as in retrospect, I feel like I gave that to characters a bit too often. I would also go over some other characters while changing some things with others.

SAMAEL: This is mostly to go over the new Passive I thought up, where upon the takedown if enemies, he has a to increase his armor magic resist, or health. I'm unsure of which would be best. His abilities would be the form of life steal, the plasma orbs as I guess a skill shot, and a taunt to draw enemy aggression for a short time, with his Ultimate being the aura of fire and lightning to increase his attack damage.

AZRAEL: So, one thought I had after looking into Heroes of the Storm was for Azrael taking some inspiration from Lt. Morales, where instead of Mana, he uses Energy. It would allow decent healing while also making it so while he can't spam abilities, he's not always out of the game. It's also a neat change up for what is I guess typically expected of a MOBA. Besides that, I think his overall moveset should stay the same as what I previously came up with.

PRIDE: I would keep her mostly the same, while changing one ability. Instead of a stun, it's a decently ranged skill shot that can slow enemies. So, basically, she should work a bit like a mix of Kayle and Leona, with I guess a dash of the T-Hex, since Pride's Ultimate would be a laser similar to what that can do in Wild Rift.

ARGUL: The former ruler of the Kingdom of the Dead. I guess one way he could work is like say a mix of Lissandra and Mordekaiser? He would have ice like the former while being a type of juggernaut like the latter. Taking some inspiration from his boss fight in Ds2, his abilities would be a spinning attack, a shield block/shield bash, and a downward strike of his mace that can for a short time freeze someone, while his Ultimate sees him surround himself with a vortex of cold, slowing enemies and whittling at their health. Either that, or maybe swap the third ability and the Ultimate.

SILITHA: The only one of the Chosen that would be playable, maybe at least only of ghe Chosen playable at first. Her three abilities could basically be the same as Arachne's in SMITE, considering both are spiders people, just swap maybe Cocoon with a short ranged invisibility/flash combo, think Shaco's first ability. Her passive could take inspiration from how Elise's passive work when the Champion is in spider form.

LILITH: Her abilities could maybe take some inspiration from Azir of all characters, I guess despite the Bride of Lucifer. Her having minions to control and attack for her doesn't feel out of character, and considering she created the Nephilim, just her knowledge to create them erased from her mind, maybe she could still be trying to recreate that success to a lesser extent, with maybe her Ultimate being the ability to charm enemies to walk harmlessly towards her and her minions.

DRAVEN, The MASTER OF BLADES: First off, since in Darksiders he was once a normal human who now serves the Lord of Bones by beating Gnashor in the Arena, I think for fun, make him Manaless. Either that or give him Energy. Getting a bit creative, but also taking inspiration, I kinda want his Passive to be similar to that of Sett and/or Olaf in some ways, where part of is that he gains some additional stats based off his missing health. For his basic abilities, I'm thinking a thrust of a bladed weapon of some type that if held can become a toss of that weapon for his first, an attack buff for his second, and a telekinetic pull that brings enemies towards him for his third, while his Ultimate would make him immune to crowd control for a short duration while also maybe giving him lifesteal.

And I believe that is all I can come up with for the time being at least! I really had to try and take inspiration for the Master of Blades, especially in holding back on using the LoL character with the same name as while it could hypothetically work, we have no gameplay to take inspiration of for the Master of Blades. Granted, Lilith also has no gameplay to take inspiration from, so it's probably just a me thing that I had a hard time coming up with ideas for Draven could be in a MOBA.

Anyways! Hope you all enjoyed, and please don't afraid to share thoughts if you so wish!

So... once again thinking about the Darksiders characters if they were implemented into a MOBA. Sorry if this is a tired idea to anybody. It's just, with playing Wild Rift, it gets me thinking, and Darksiders is one of my favorite video game series, so sometimes thoughts just form together.

I was thinking about passives and got an idea while trying out Tryndamere. Maybe for the Horsemen, just like how Tryndamere generates "Fury," the Horsemen generate "Wrath." I don't think it's a bad idea, considering in the Darksiders games "Wrath" can be generated when in combat just like "Fury" is for Tryndamere.

Tryndamere isn't the only one with "Fury" in LoL either. Renekton and Shyvana also do use "Fury," just in different ways to Tryndamere. So, maybe "Wrath" is generated differently for each Horseman. Using the Rider of the Black Horse as an example, Fury could say generate "Wrath" in a similar way to Shyvana, where her abilities are based on how long they cool down and her "Wrath" is what is used for her Ultimate. Meanwhile, War and Death could take inspiration from Renekton and Tryndamere. War could generate "Wrath" and for his next basic ability will get an empowered effect once enough is stored, while Death when generating "Wrath," depending on the amount, could get a higher chance for a critical strike. Now, that just leaves Strife. He's a bit harder to figure out. His "Wrath" would be generated in combat just like the other Horsemen, but what extra effect could it have, if needed? I'm stumped. Oh, or maybe Strife is the one with "Wrath" related to his Ultimate while Fury share "Wrath" use similar to War or Death.

Now, what of other Darksiders characters? Would they use "Wrath?" I think that could depend. As part of a hypothetical passive in a MOBA, maybe it could work, while others I could see as having a Mana bar like Ekko, or an Energy bar like Akali. Depends on their personality, I guess. Or some could just be baseline Manaless, all their abilities being a bit more based on cool downs.

Someone like Absalom would probably also have "Wrath," while someone like Azrael would probably have Mana. Don't know what characters could use Energy though, not many feel like they have abilities built around doinf things quickly like Kennen, Akali, Shen, or Zed. Funny idea I just had while typing this is maybe The Hunter from Darksiders 2 having Ferocity, just like Rengar... I'm joking! That could probably fit Samael? Ulthane's abilities I could see being purely based on cool downs.

Speaking of Ulthane, what could his passive and abilities be? I think his passive could be a Living Forge type of deal similar to Ornn from League, where he can forge his own items on the battlefield instead of always having to return to base, and at least one of his abilities has to be throwing his hammer, while another could be a type of charge/dash, while maybe another could be something like throwing a powerful enough haymaker it sends out a shockwave, and I have no idea at the moment what his Ultimate could be. Now, some may be asking, "Why a powerful haymaker that can create shockwaves?" Simple enough answer. Considering War needed the Tremor Gauntlet to open heavy doors and lift Ulthane's hammer in Darksiders 1, a Gauntlet that can allow War to create shockwaves on the ground with a certain move, who's to say Ulthane can't be strong enough to do something similar? Or maybe it could be a Thunderclap, similar to what the Incredible Hulk can do?

Anyways, this is feeling like it's getting a bit long, and I am up bit late as I am writing this, so I will return to this later and try coming up with more ideas at some point. Hope you all enjoyed this and hey, if you got ideas you wish to add, that's cool.

[99fandomproblems]

Any tips for carving out your own space in a small fandom while avoiding negativity? The new fandom I want to get into only has about 50 people but there's a vocal minority active in the tag that just complain constantly. I don't get why they stick around when everything in canon makes them miserable? What's worse is they seem to be the only people who ship my OTP which is putting me off it a bit.

Hi, Nonnie!

Yes, I feel you on that one. It can be frustrating when fans (or antis!) post their hate into the tag. It would be better manners to create a separate and different tag for hate-posting, especially if it's for a ship. Unfortunately many fans will not do this, I've noticed it happening a lot more on Tumblr lately, so we too must adapt in order to curate our space online.

My advice to you, Nonnie, will be Tumblr focused, but most of this advice can be applied to other platforms too. I'll also have some links for you at the end of this post for further fandom tips!

First things first:

You are not obliged to follow anyone

This means that no matter how many active fans there are in your fandom, you don't have to follow all of them. You don't have to follow any of them, actually.

Perhaps you would enjoy having a fandom blog for positive-posting, and only follow blogs which are drama free (art, gif posting, imagines, and the like). This means when you log into that account, your timeline will be relatively calm. In time, perhaps you can follow some more personal fan blogs within the fandom, or you can do what many of us do and have a side-blog for followbacks.

Having a separate personal blog can be a great way to curate your experience. Log into your personal for chatting, or following other fans (which is your choice, you're still not obliged to follow anyone you don't care for, whatever the reason), and log into another account for other fandom content: anonymous or a side blog, your choice.

That's how a lot of fans use Tumblr, it's quite common to do this. Some fans are open about their side blogs and some keep it anonymous. You can decide which works best for you, Nonnie.

The reason I suggest this method, mainly, is because Tumblr as a platform isn't that great for filtering out content (or users) that you don't want to see. I can filter words or phrases of things I want off my dash but... they still pop up on my dash. It's annoying especially when someone I follow starts spamming content that I don't like, or from a user I don't care for. My only options are a wall of filtered posts on my dash, or to unfollow, which sometimes causes friction when it's a mutual.

You'll have to weigh up which options work best for you, Nonnie. Some fans don't mind seeing the filtered posts on their dash. It's totally your call. Tumblr will let you filter out the tags on posts, and also let you filter out words or phrases in the body of the post as well (often better when someone is bad at tagging).

So whichever options you choose for setting up your Tumblr blog(s), once they're set up you then have interactions with other fans. As previously stated, you are not obliged to follow anyone you don't want to. If you don't like their posting content or don't like them personally, it doesn't matter because the end result is the same: you don't have to follow them.

You don't have to interact with them either. You can choose to respond minimally to anyone who follows you, or simply block blogs from the start (especially those who hate-post into your ship tag) for an easier life.

Filter, block, don't engage or keep engagement to a minimum. Don't feed the trolls. Turn off anon asks, or turn off asks completely if and when necessary.

Nonnie, this advice can be applied to other platforms, such as ao3. Put comment moderation onto your works, turn off anon comments if needed. Restrict their access to you, only engage in the content you want to see, only respond to the blogs/fans you want to, and do not give the negative posters any airtime.

Focus on what you love, ignore and block the rest.

For me personally, my happiest fandom experiences are when I can browse peacefully and absorb nice posts. This experience gets my writer brain working and it helps me think about the content I want to post or write. I'm sure other fans have a different experience, some fans want the daily chat and the arguments and the hate-posting, but that's them and not me. Our needs are not the same.

Only you can figure out what works best for you, Nonnie. Give the two separate blogs a try, and see which one brings you the most joy!

I hope it works out for you, I really do. You deserve to be here, you deserve space to enjoy your ship. Carve out your space, Nonnie. Chances are that there's more similar minded fans waiting for a blog like yours to come along!

I have some other posts about navigating fandom space which may come in useful, either now or later on:

Avoiding trolls:

Niche fandom tips:

Annoying fans in the ship tag:

[eunoiamaybe]

my “sort-of-complete” online classes and exams tips

This is a longer-than-usual post with tips for the 3 stages of online classes: focusing during an online class session, reviewing/studying for online classes, and preparing for online exams/ quizzes. So I decided to insert the “Read More” link to (a) not take up too much space on your dash, and (b) feel more confident in adding more tips as time goes on.

These are tips that I’ve compiled from my experience of taking online classes during my last 1.5 years at university. But having all of your courses moved online is so much more complicated. Since I’m currently doing an internship, I have tried my best to produce this post based on the comments of my friends IRL and on Tumblr (hence the “my”). However, I hope it can still be useful for you and many who were all abruptly put in this same situation.

So feel free to share your own tips and experience! I will probably go back to this once in a while to make some changes to it and add your tips. Good luck to everyone who is currently/ about to take online classes. You are almost there! 🍀 I believe in every single one of you!

~  Click away for them tips   ~

💻 DURING ONLINE CLASS SESSIONS:

- try to treat online classes the same as an in-person class, especially time-wise (set a specific time for each class and plan your own class schedule. even better, study for your classes at the same time they used to be held. this will create a sense of routine and trigger the brain's normal reactions to your usual class - which is to study)

- don’t be afraid to fix your plan/ schedule (aka don’t force yourself into one if it doesn’t work for you) (trials and errors, my friend. this applies to plans too. there’s no shame in not being able to keep up with the schedule you’ve made. if you’ve tried or if it hurts you mentally or physically, then that schedule is just not the one for you. everybody has their unique strengths and weaknesses. one’s perfect system might not suit another. finding a system that works for you takes time, patience, and courage. but it will be absolutely worth it)

- find a good spot with enough light and stable wifi (if you have multiple options, select the one that would make you most comfortable, most focused, and confident enough to take online tests/quizzes/exams at - create your “exam space” in advance to reduce the anxiety of tests and unfamiliarity)

- study at a desk, if possible (studying at a desk, with good posture, mimics the feeling of being in a classroom or the library. thus, it will create a sense of routine and help you focus better)  

- accommodate yourself (I’m all about making the best out of a bad situation, and this is one way to do it.  accommodate yourself, not just with comfort, but also with actual necessities that you cannot usually get in your usual classroom/library due to whatever reason. stress balls, stim toys, positivity cards, calming music/candles. comforting plushies. chewing gum. as long as it helps you focus better, it's on the table)

- get dressed (this will bring out that sense of structure and routine that you need. put on your normal outfits, uniforms and even perfume. trick your mind into being focused)

- minimize distractions (declutter your study space. put your phone out of reach. turn off notifications. close all other tabs on your browser. select non-distracting music/ sounds. don’t spam or pay attention to spams in your classes’ chatboxes. only bring along items that are absolutely vital to your focus)

- take notes, even if you can record your lessons and/or access the lessons later (it can either be digital notes or handwritten notes on paper - your call. this will force you to focus and prevent you from zoning out/ being distracted)

- be actively engaged in the lecture (if there are technical problems or if you have questions, chatbox away. this is also good practice for people with social anxiety too: the fact that you are in your home and behind the screen can make it easier for you to ask for help)

- if possible, put your teachers/profs on the big screen to create the illusion of being in a lecture (if your study spot has a TV/projector that can connect to your laptop and quality speakers, do it. it's more fun than you'd think. also super stimulating and kicks the boredom out of you too)

- if not, use headphones/ earphones (speakers can create a feeling of distance between the lecture and yourself. combined with unstable internet and/or monotonous voices of some instructors, this may result in your brain classifying your lecture as background noises and zone out. so use headphones or earphones with the appropriate volume for that optimal focus mode)

- give yourself breaks between classes (don't cram all your classes in one morning. but don't procrastinate either. time your breaks. look at something else besides a computer or phone screen while you’re on break too. maybe brew some tea/coffee for your next class or rearrange your notes from the previous one)

💻 REVIEWING FOR ONLINE CLASSES:

- make a schedule/ system - and be ready to change them (this is an elaboration of an earlier tip. your system doesn’t have to work perfectly right away. most of the time, you will have to make some kind of adjustments to it anyway. so take it easy. pay attention to how well you react/ adapt to the new schedule so that you can make necessary changes. and give yourself - especially your mind - some time to adapt to the schedule. don’t rush yourself or put too much pressure on being productive. remember to take care of your well-being too)

- it’s okay to give yourself some off-days (that’s the beauty of not having any physical or even abstract structure that forces you into an inescapable routine. Yes, I know this lack of structure sucks for a lot of us, especially for those who rely on external forces to keep themselves focused. But look on the bright side: now you don’t have to worry about missing classes or losing participation marks when you are unwell physically and mentally anymore)

- textbooks are your friends now (especially when your classes’ live-streams are just chaotic and hard to follow. or when the pre-recorded lectures aren’t loading properly and keeps lagging. practice speed reading. look for keywords and crucial information. take notes rather than highlighting everything. compare them to your lecture notes, your syllabus, or your friends’)

- take advantage of the online format’s availability + other resources (availability is here, baby! revisit lecture videos and podcasts as many times as you need to. check your email classes’ forums regularly for questions or announcements. re-listen to your lecture when you're cleaning or exercising. watch videos of Khan Academy or CrashCourse. look for online tutors. study at your own pace and in your own style. basically anything you wish you could do when your class was in-person)

- there’s no need to submit assignments early if it’s anxiety-inducing. but make a schedule/ tracking system/ set alarms to avoid forgetting to turn them in (take your time to double-check or edit your work - as long as the submission box is still open, of course. set aside about an hour or two before the deadline for submission to avoid any technical difficulties. and remember to start working on them early so that you don’t have to shorten that window of time and have more time for double-checking)

- don't be afraid to email the profs/teachers (if possible, compile your questions into a list. be as specific as you can about your concerns. put a subject for your email to reduces the chance of your email getting lost in your instructors' inbox.)

- reward yourself (don't stress yourself out by rewarding big accomplishments. reward small victories. reward baby steps. reward effort. you'll get things done eventually)

- take time to know your learning style (when are you most focused? do you like taking digital notes or do you prefer pen and paper? are you a visual or an auditory learner? do you like moving around while studying? what drinks or scents or sounds keep you going? you don't have to stick to your usual study methods or an online/paperless one now that you are studying in your own room)

- listen to your mind and body (it’s okay to feel a bit lost) (from my own experience, times that are without structure like nowadays is when most of us fall into this spiraling downfall of unhealthy sleep schedules, lethargy, and loss of purpose. so please take care of your mental and physical well-being during this very, very weird time. keep yourself active. re-ignite old interests/ hobbies. connect with people you love. give yourself some love)

- and more tips on productivity at home in my last post right here

💻 PREPARING FOR ONLINE EXAMS / QUIZZES:

- make a list of all the online exams and final assignment due dates (this will help you keep track of and stay on top of them due dates. from that list, trace backward to make a review or study plan to prepare for the tests and work on the assignments. if there are any time conflicts, especially for those who are now living in a different timezone from their schools or colleges, email the instructors to seek solutions or alternative options)

- again, find a good spot with good wifi, good lighting, and a desk (if possible, try to recreate your ideal exam environment as closely as you can while studying and reviewing for the exams. this can reduce the anxiety of tests and/or unfamiliarity)

- be prepared for technical difficulties (especially mentally, so that you don’t plan out a course of action to take if they ever arise. draft an email template. research in advance the contacts of people whom you can report to - IT personnel, your instructors, student office, etc.)

- bring everything you need to the exams - but no distractions (like mentioned earlier, if you need any special accommodations that are considered "unacceptable" in an in-person exam/quiz, now it's the time to bring them along - you’re in charge of your test space now, so make it as comfortable and accomodating as you want)

- plan your desk set-up prior to your exams (so many extra items. still so little desk space. therefore, plan ahead so your desk does not turn into a mess when you take your exams. plan where you want to put your notes, textbooks, calculators or scrap paper. think about how much use you’re gonna get out of each item and place them within or slightly-out-of reach accordingly. charge your laptop. sharpen your pencils. have your backup stationery handy. lay out everything you need onto your desk the night before your tests. this can create a feeling of preparedness and thus, reduce anxiety as well)

- make cheatsheets (the goals when making them are simple: (1) get you to rewrite your notes for that good memorization; (2) condense your information and find a connection between them for a thorough understanding of the materials; (3) reduce the time you use to flip through your notebooks or textbooks or google for information during the actual tests)

- time yourself with mock exams (if you are given mock exams to practice with, do them, with a timer. this will help you familiarize yourself with the stress of being timed, thus reducing your anxiety during the actual tests)

- get enough sleep and eat properly (even if the exams or quizzes are online, they are still, at their core, tests. and tests are always stressful and energy-consuming. so take care of both your physical and mental health, especially during the week leading up to your exams)

[omiluvbug]

Office Hours (Nanami Kento x Fem!Reader oneshot)

This oneshot can be viewed on AO3 and Wattpad too!

You woke up at around 6:30 am as the sun's rays peeked through the shallow gaps in the curtains by your window. This created soft rays of light traveling through the room, basking the plain white walls in soft hues of orange and yellow. You patted the bed as you looked for your alarm clock which blared an overly obnoxious sound. 

Groaning, you got up, your hair a tangled mess as well as your patterned pajamas. You threw your blanket to the side as you stretched out her limbs. You contemplated on whether to stay in bed or go to work. You didn't really want to go to work today. Just the thought of you sitting down at your boring table for 8 hours doesn't seem that much exciting. You'd rather stay at home and curl up in your chair by the window, looking out to a nice view of the city. 

However, you couldn't really risk getting scolded so early in the morning in front of a lot of people. Just the thought of it deeply embarrassed you. Sighing, you got up and lazily fixed your queen-sized bed, throwing pillows on top of another and draping the blanket over the comforter.

You quickly did her morning routine—washing your face and brushing your teeth, then changing into your usual office attire and applying some makeup. Afterwards, you quickly fixed your hair before going to the kitchen to prepare a small breakfast. You scrolled through her phone as you ate, laughing slightly at ridiculous posts of some strangers on the internet.

You liked these kinds of moments; moments where you would usually be just by yourself in the morning, enjoying your breakfast as you looked through her phone, or listening to songs as you made food or cleaned the house. It was mundane for sure, just a normal day-to-day living, but it provided you a sense of comfort, even just for a little bit.

"Oh crap!" You quickly jumped to your feet as you noticed the time. You didn't realize that you were on your phone for far too long. If you don't get out of the house now, you'll miss your train. You hurriedly grabbed your bag and threw it over your shoulder as you wore whatever colored pump you could find. You then dashed through the door, making your way towards the train station which was a 10 minute walk away from home.

"Woah there, careful," Said a man with long hair tied into a bun and bangs perfectly framing his face. His hands were on your arm, preventing you from tripping on the boxes on the floor. He wore deep navy pants with the jacket loosely hanging from his arm. Two buttons of his white dress shirt were opened, making you look elsewhere.

"We don't want anyone tripping over these boxes now, don't we?" He implied, looking at you as if he was waiting for some sort of response. "You alright there, Y/N?"

"My apologies, Mr. Getou!" You said, your eyes wide open and your lips slightly agape. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going and I—"

Getou chuckled, waving a dismissive hand in front of you. "It's alright, dear." He bent down to pick the stray boxes up before placing them on top of a random table. He then looked at his watch, his eyebrows rising. "You better get to where you're going if you don't want to be scolded. CEO's a handful when he's mad."

Flashing you another smile, Getou began walking away and disappeared into a nearby hallway. Suguru Getou is the operations manager of the company, responsible for hiring new staff members and training them, as well as monitoring personnel documentation, to name a few. He works alongside Satoru Gojo who deals with financial statistics of the company.

"Yuji! Hurry up!" You turned and saw three unfamiliar faces walking in the hallway. Two of them were boys, while one of them was a girl with orange colored hair and a frown on her face. She wore a pastel pink suit with a white dress shirt underneath. They looked young, and perhaps maybe a little bit out of place.

"It's your damn fault we're running late!" She hissed, glaring at the boy with pink hair and lightly hitting him with her bag. The boy stuck his tongue out like a little kid, causing the lady to scoff.

"Me? Blame Megumi! He's the one who stopped at a nearby park just to pet the dogs and won't leave until he called each one of them 'good girls' and 'good boys!'"

"Leave me out of this," the other boy said grumpily, shaking his head as he walked away and left the two. 

"Interns! Right here!" Ijichi called, calling the attention of the three. The three rushed towards the man, the girl's coffee almost spilling along the way.

Ah, so that's why they were unfamiliar to you, they're interns. You smiled a bit as you looked at the three playfully bickering while following Ijichi. It reminded you of your friends way back in high school. Suddenly, you wondered how they were doing. You're not much in contact with them these days as everyone is busy with their own lives. Besides, they weren't making much of an effort on trying to contact you anyway. 

"Get going, lady. These hallways are not the place to hang around, no?" said Satoru Gojo, who was followed by Shoko Ieri, the team's assistant manager. Shoko was quick to slap the man's bicep, scolding him for being so rude so early in the morning.

"Alright, geez. My bad." Gojo's hands were in his pockets as he walked, his head casually tipping to the side as he looked at the woman before her before paying attention to you. He was wearing his usual black sunglasses. Why he wore it inside the building was something you didn’t know the reason for. "Good Morning, Y/N."

"Good Morning," You greeted back, causing the man to grin and the lady to smile. 

"I see you're running late today." There was a teasing tone evident in his voice. He was going to say something more when Shoko tugged him closer, shaking her head and widening her eyes at him. 

"Right, well," Gojo stuttered, gently removing Shoko's hand from his bicep. "See ya around, Y/N!" They began walking away, muttering something amongst themselves. You even caught a glimpse of Gojo looking back at you and chuckling which left you confused. What was that about?

Perhaps everyone was running late today. It was quite understandable as it was Monday. You spotted a few people rushing inside the building as you clocked in. You placed your card back to the holder before making your way to the 5th floor, where you usually do her work. You were in the Public Relations Department, mostly coordinating public events for the company, helping in gaining favorable media coverage, and maintaining the company's relationship with investors among others. 

As you arrived at her floor, you quickly made your way towards your table and placed your bag on the chair before throwing away the crumbled paper you failed to discard the day before. You greeted your coworkers as you didn't want to seem rude.

The floor was brightly lit because of the huge windows that enabled natural light to pass through the transparent material. The floor was tiled and there were gorgeous wood accents plastered on the wall. Wood wall dividers were also used to separate the work space from the couch—where the employees would usually sit down during breaks to chat or wind down. And instead of cubicles, there were tables, allowing the employees to easily talk to each other when needed. 

"Good morning! Here's some morning newspapers, Y/N." The head of the PR Department, Iori Utahime, greeted you with a smile. "Morning assembly meeting starts in a few minutes. We're just waiting for the CEO."

"He's running late too, Ms. Utahime?" You wondered why, but then you remembered that the CEO had a very important business meeting to attend over the weekend in Osaka.

"Seems like everyone is. It's a monday after all." She clapped her hands behind her back, shifting her weight from one foot to another. "I almost missed my train earlier! I had to run out of the house with bread in my mouth  while  fixing my hair."

You looked at the lady before you. She doesn't look disheveled, infact, she looked presentable as always. Her hair was combed nicely and was in a half-up half-down updo—she even had a little bow tied on her hair which you thought was quite adorable. Her white dress shirt and red pencil skirt was tailored to her body perfectly, leaving no unflattering gaps in the material. 

"Good thing I made it in time though," she added as she mindlessly twirled a strand of hair on her hands. "I regret binge watching that drama last night."

You scrunched her face, knowing the feeling of staying up all night and regretting it the following morning. Utahime laughed, finding your reaction cute, before she patted your shoulders before bidding you a short goodbye. She went to the other's tables, greeting them a good morning and asking them about their plans for the day.

As you waited for the meeting to begin, you turned your desktop on and browsed through the emails. You frowned upon seeing some spam mails and quickly discarded them to the bin. You made a mental note to tell the head director that a certain investor wanted to make some changes with some of the deals. After that, you then skimmed through your newspaper, catching up on news that she might have missed over the weekend. 

 Soon, it was 9 am and the morning assembly meeting started. You stood up straight as their CEO, Kento Nanami, entered the floor alongside his trusty secretary, Yu Haibara, as well as a few other people. All eyes followed him as he walked towards the front of the room. You almost missed it, but the three interns were with them too, following Ijichi like they're lost puppies. 

The CEO's face was stern, yet he returned the smiles the other employees gave him. Your breath hitched when you two made eye contact, causing heat to rise to your cheeks. Nanami briefly smiled at you before turning his attention back to the other employees. However, the lingering feeling stayed with you. Oh my god.

It almost felt silly feeling butterflies over a brief eye contact. You were already an adult yet you still act like a lovestruck high school student whenever you meet eyes with your crush. However, you accepted the way you felt around Nanami. He was intelligent, polite, poised, extremely good-looking, and a gentleman. 

You couldn't help but to sigh. What was there to not swoon over for? He's literally the real deal. 

You noticed that he was more casual with the way he dressed today. Rather than his usual cream-colored suit paired with a blue dress shirt underneath and his partnered tie, he wore a black turtleneck with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing his expensive watch on one hand and toned arms. He paired it with a pair of off-white tapered pants. His hair was slicked back, with a few loose strands of hair he had to brush up every now and then. His shoes were perfectly polished too, clanking ever so softly as he took a step. 

Perhaps Kento Nanami was one of the reasons why you still chose to attend your job so early in the morning.

"Good morning." His voice was authoritative yet still soft and gentle. You even noticed the soft giggles some female employees let out upon hearing his voice. You chuckled as you shook your head. You couldn't really blame them for being giddy over him. Almost everyone is.

A chorus of hello's and good morning's were heard. Nanamin went through some announcements and important matters to discuss, mainly about increasing customer satisfaction rate and the like. He also talked about the short business trip he went to over the weekend and disclosed some information about future plans for a major project. At the same time, the department heads reported what plans they'll be doing for the rest of the day. Haibara happily took notes on his iPad, trying his hardest not to miss any important information. 

"Very well," Nanami spoke, the attention once again turning to him. He acknowledged the effort each department had and thanked them for their hard work. This definitely boosted the morale of the employee seeing the smile and grins on their faces. 

Nanami leaned a bit on the table, his arms crossed over his chests. He made eye contact with you one more time before turning his attention to the man beside him. "Ijichi, if you will. Thank you."

Ijichi nodded and walked forward, a kind smile evident on his face. A few coworkers giggled a bit, finding the man's actions kind of adorable. 

"Good morning," he greeted. "As you may all know, fall internships have already begun. Here we have three students from The University of Tokyo who will be seeking our guidance for the rest of the year."

He then gestured to the interns to start introducing themselves. The first one to do so was the lady wearing a pastel pink suit. She had a genuine smile on her face rather than the frown she had earlier in the morning. You thought that she was pretty—very fashionable too.

"Good morning! I'm Kugisaki Nobara and I'm 21 years old. Please take good care of me! I humbly seek your guidance!"

"Um." The next up was the boy with pink hair. He was quite charming to say the least; very bubbly and smiley much like the lady. "I'm Yuji Itadori. 20 years old, and I look forward to working with you all! Please go easy on me!"

Finally, the boy with dark hair spoke. He was quite shy and kind of stoic at first glance. "I'm Megumi Fushiguro. I'm 20 years old and I'm looking forward to working with you all too. Please guide us well… and I would like to apologize in advance for all the troubles these two might cause."

The two intern's mouth went agape and a few other employees let out a chuckle. The employees then politely clapped for the three. Even Nanami did too and you couldn't help to notice the small smile forming on his lips—as if he was already growing fond of the interns. This made you smile too. You had always liked having interns around. Just last fall, other students interned in this company as well and you could still vividly remember how rowdy and lively the lot were. Two of them were from UTokyo, while the others were from KyotoU.

 After the morning assembly meeting, the employees went back to their desks. You took a quick detour to the pantry to brew yourself some coffee before going back to her table. As you sat down, you folded the newspapers and kept them in your drawer as you were already finished reading them. Then, you went back to work.

The office was fairly quiet during working hours. Everyone was busy typing away on their keyboards to even spare the other employees a glance. It reminded you of libraries from school.

You reached out for your drink and frowned when you noticed that it was already empty. It was finished already? You didn’t even notice that the time was passing by so quickly. You contemplated on whether you should get up and brew some more, but you were already getting comfortable in your chair and didn't want to move an inch.

As if on cue, Gojo tapped your desk, making you turn to his direction. He had a cup of warm drink in his hands and grinned at her. You raised her eyebrow at him, confused with his sudden appearance. Usually he'll be on the third floor, supervising his department, or on the sixth floor, hanging out with other directors.

"A delivery for you, my lady." He put the warm drink down on her table and before you could even ask him why he gave it to you, he was already walking towards the elevator.

Frowning, you looked at the cup. Written on it was your favorite drink and a name that made your cheeks flush red. You covered half of your face, glaring at Gojo who was grinning as he waited for the elevator door to close. Grabbing your post-it from your desk, you covered the name written on your cup. Clicking your tongue, you went back to work and tried to bury the embarrassing feeling brewing inside you.

 When lunch time came, you decided to go to a nearby restaurant with a few other employees. You and your coworkers settled on a table near the door by the big windows. As you sat down, your attention was diverted towards the door, where the CEO and his secretary stood. They seemed to be looking for someone as their eyes trailed around the restaurant.

"Nanamin!" Gojo called, not even addressing the man properly. The white-haired man waved his arms around, catching a few people's attention. Getou, Shoko, and Utahime, who were with him, just shook their heads as they ate their food, as if pretending that they didn’t know him.

Nanami was about to approach them until he locked eyes with you once again. Your heart thumped loudly in your chest as you noticed him approaching your table, Haibara following behind him. Your coworkers didn't seem to notice the CEO until he cleared his throat.

"Ah! Mr. Nanami!" The man before you stuttered. Nanami just offered him a kind smile before gesturing him to sit down. 

"Is it alright if I ate with you today?" He asked and the others nodded. Well, they didn't really have that much of a choice—who would turn down someone like Nanami? 

It was as if the universe was in your favor. Nanami pulled the seat beside you and sat on it, your knees subtly brushing against each other as he fixed his posture. However, he didn't seem to mind as he conversed with your coworkers. Haibara, who sat at the head of the table, sneakily glanced between you and Nanami, biting his lips as he tried to hide his smile. 

The others then decided to begin ordering their own meals. However, you still don't know what to get. Maybe Nanami sitting beside you was a little bit distracting, and maybe he kind of knew it based on the small smiles he lets slip past his mouth every now and then.

"Ms. L/N?"

"Y-yes?" You turned to Nanami, heat rising to your cheeks. 

You stared into his brown eyes. It reminded you of autumn for some reason. It was kind of fitting for someone like him, you concluded; a bit cold, but still makes you feel comfort and warmth. Maybe one of the reasons why Nanami reminded you of autumn so much is because naturally, the autumn season has a kind of romantic aspect to it. Perhaps it was the scenarios you think of with him before heading to bed, or maybe because you were actually falling deeply for him, but you couldn't help but to think that maybe, Nanami has a romantic side to him too. 

You didn't realize that you were staring at him for far too long until you heard his soft chuckle. Looking away, you tried to compose yourself. However, the butterflies in your stomach seem to flutter more and more as they hear the wonderful song that is Nanami's voice. 

"Are you good to order? I can line up to the counter for you," he offered. 

It was embarrassing honestly, making a total fool of yourself in front of such a respectable man like him. "Um… no, it's fine, Mr. Nanami."

"Is [favorite food] and [favorite drink] alright?" He asked, standing up and grabbing his wallet from his back pocket. 

You could only nod as he made his way towards the counter, catching up to Haibara and a few other employees. You were the only one left on the table, which gave you a responsibility to secure it. Not that you mind. 

"So!" You nearly jumped when you heard Gojo Satoru beside you. How he managed to sneak up on you from the other side of the restaurant was something you don't know. He shamelessly sat himself on the chair beside you, which was previously occupied by Nanami. "You and Nanami, huh?"

"What?" You stuttered, completely baffled by his statement. The man just leaned back on his chair, causally tipping back a bit. "Pardon me but what are you talking about, Mr. Gojo?"

"Gojo is fine." The man scrunched his nose. "You're making me sound like an old man. I hate it."

You purse your lips, considering his statement. It seems like he didn't really mind dropping the honorifics that much. He leaned back further on his chair, propping his sunglasses on top of his head. 

"You know," he began, looking over at Nanami's direction. "Nanami usually never dines with employees. I know you saw me call him over earlier, but he didn't hesitate one bit on walking towards your direction when you made eye contact." He then clicked his tongue, raising an eyebrow at you. "Which makes me conclude that what I wrote on your cup earlier was true. Am I right?"

You honestly didn't know what to say. He had a teasing grin on his face, much wider than the one he had earlier in the morning. He crossed his arms against his chest, silently urging you to spill it out already.

"I believe that seat was taken." Nanami came back with a tray with both your orders in his hands. The others were still by the counter, waiting for their turn.

Gojo whistled before standing up. "My apologies," he uttered, patting Nanami at the shoulder. "Pardon me for intruding on your little date."

You were expecting Nanami to deny his claim, but the blond didn't say anything. Instead, he calmly placed your order in front of you before sitting down. It was evident that he was ignoring Gojo, which caused the white-haired man to chuckle and shake his head. Gojo then gave you a wink before heading back to his table.

"Was he bothering you?" Nanami asked and you shook your head. 

"No… not really." Nanami gave you a look, as if he wasn't buying it. "I'm fine really, Mr. Nanami. Thanks for your concern."

You gave him a smile and Nanami subtly returned one back. He was about to say something else when the other employees arrived, preventing him from doing so. Nanami cleared his throat and began eating, occasionally looking at you from time-to-time.

"Finally! I’m going home!" You yawned, stretching a bit on your chair. A few employees have already gone home as they finished their job a bit early. Breezily, you gathered all your valuables and placed them in your bag. Then, you decluttered your table before grabbing your coat and putting it on.

It was a 10 minute walk from the company to the nearest train station. The train was definitely cramped since it was getting kind of late. Students were seated on the chair, other employees were busy on their phones or reading a newspaper, and others were dozing off. 

You sighed, wanting to get home as early as you could so you could jump into a nice warm bath and maybe even make yourself a nice dinner and watch a good show. It was a bit chilly at night too, so you'll sure be snuggling up to your bed, with multiple blankets laid on top of you.

Even though all of these things sound amazing, there is something else that you're looking forward to. You covered your mouth as you tried to hide a smile—you didn't want to get weird looks from other people, thinking you're out of your mind or something. 

You unlocked the door of your apartment and made your way inside. You left your bag and shoes by the door as you took your coat off and hung it on the coat rack. You wore your indoor slippers before walking to the bathroom to take your makeup off. 

As you did so, you grabbed your phone and played some music. You then turned the bath faucet on and waited for it to be the right temperature before stripping off and lowered yourself in the tub. You then made sure to tie your hair up, preventing it from getting wet. 

The warm water soothed your sore muscles. You instantly felt at ease. This is exactly what you needed—a nice relaxing night after a long hard day at work. Humming to yourself, you sank further into the tub, letting the water reach up to your shoulders. You giggled as you played with the bubbles, making random shapes and drawing silly little soap faces on your legs.

Deep in your own moment, you didn't hear the opening of the main door nor the shoes being placed inside the shoe cabinet right beside yours. You didn't hear the leather bag being placed on top of the kitchen table nor the knock on the bathroom door. However, you did hear the door knob turning and the footsteps of the man walking towards you.

"Good evening, darling." Your husband, Kento Nanami, greeted you. He seated on the edge of the tub, looking at you with such adoration in his eyes. He looked tired, but still handsome. He tucked a hair behind your ear and you instantly leaned into his touch. He chuckled, holding your cheek, his thumb rubbing soft circles on your skin. 

"Welcome home, Kento." You smiled, making his heart swoon. Despite being with him for the most of the day, you missed him. 

Nanami placed a kiss on the crown of your head, making you sigh happily and giggle. "Would it be alright if I joined you?"

You nodded. Nanami had always been a man of consent. He always asks before approaching you. He had also always put you first before himself. He had always pampered you, cared for you, and made sure that you'll feel the love that you deserve. He was a very sweet guy, really—charming,  dreamy . Perhaps you were one lucky girl to have someone like him in your life.

"I noticed you wore our wedding ring to work today," he said as he took his shirt off. He then began unbuckling his belt, making you look away. You had already seen his body multiple times, but it still makes your cheeks heat up. Nanami chuckled as he saw your reaction. You were adorable.

He placed a hand on your back as he guided you to move forward, making some room for him. He leaned back as you settled in between his legs, letting you rest your back on his chest. He draped his hands around you, softly caging you in his arms as he leaned his cheek on the top of your head. 

"Well I liked the look of it on my fingers," you answered. "I noticed you wore it too… the other day."

Nanami hummed, placing a gentle kiss on your shoulder. It's not like you weren't proud of being married. Rather than that, it was merely just because Nanami wanted to see how long it would take for his employees to notice that he was, in fact, already someone else’s spouse. He had been subtly hinting it to others too—small bouquet of flowers on your table during special occasions (birthdays and anniversaries), simple random gifts at any time of the day, occasionally matching outfits with each other, and random lovesick post-it notes placed on your desktop monitor. 

You couldn't deny it but you were definitely hopeful to see the priceless reactions of the employees once they did find out. This little game than Nanami created made the office hours more exciting—for the two of you anyway.

"I think Gojo already knows," you said, intertwining your hands together. "He gave me coffee earlier with the writing: 'nanamin's wife'"

"Perhaps it accidentally slipped from my mouth when we were on a business trip over the weekend." Nanami turned you around so you were facing him, letting you rest on his chest. He let his hand rest on your lower back. "Getou knows too. I bet Gojo told him. Were they bothering you too much? I saw Gojo pestering you earlier during lunch and you looked kind of uncomfortable."

"Not uncomfortable, just surprised," you answered. "I just didn't know how to act. We never talked about how to react when they found out."

Nanami chuckled. He held your chin and placed a soft tender kiss on your lips. The action made you shiver, making him smile through the kiss. Even just for a short while, you felt breathless.

"Just let things happen," Nanami murmured as he rested his head on the crook of your neck. He placed kisses on your neck and shoulder too, making you giggle due to the tickling sensation. 

"You're being awfully clingy today, Kento." You brushed some of his hair away from his face, looking at his perfectly chiseled features. "You kept glancing at me at work and smiling at me, then you ate lunch with me, and now you're being so affectionate… not that I mind it though."

"I missed you, darling. That’s all." He placed another kiss on the corner of your lips. "I was in Osaka over the weekend, naturally, I would want to be around my sweet girl."

You laughed and nodded, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks once again. Nanami wasn't usually a touchy and a physically affectionate person, especially outside the house. He wasn’t a fan of public displays of affection, but he does make up for it whenever you two are alone.

Something you also noticed about him even from the first time you started dating, was that he was very subtle in the way he loved. He wasn't extravagant nor boastful with gifts. He was sure to keep it simple. Special occasions were an exception though.

You didn't mind it that much. You weren't a fan of lavish types of love and gift giving anyway—it's kind of overwhelming. The love that Nanami gives you was enough—not too less, not too much, it was the perfect balance in between. 

Both of you stayed in the tub for a while, just enjoying the moment as you two held each other. It was peaceful, with occasional innocent words of affection exchanged between the two of you. You were glad that office hours were over, enabling you to enjoy your time alone with your husband.

After a few moments, Nanami ushered you to stand as he rinsed the bubbles on your body with the shower head. You giggled as the water accidentally sprayed on his face, causing him to squint and lightly shake his head—like a dog. You grabbed a towel from the rack and gently patted his face. Nanami even sneaked a small kiss on your wrist, causing you to squeal and bashfully smack him on his chest.

"All these years we spent together and you're still shy whenever I shower you with affection." Nanami tugged you closer to him as he draped a robe over your body. You both wore matching classic white ones, small initials of your name imprinted in his.

"I don't know why I just can't get used to the feeling!" You said, huffing. 

"That's good. I like seeing your reactions." Nanami smiled, brushing your hair with his hands. There were some tangles in it, but he didn't mind. He liked brushing them away with his fingers nonetheless.

Nanami just stared at you, his heart thumping happily in his chest, butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He wondered what his life would be like if you weren't around. Shaking his head, he didn't want to think of it. You were there, in front of him, in his arms. It was enough.You were enough. Nanami couldn't bear living his life without having you around anyway. Perhaps you might have just bewitched his heart with your charms. But he was so in love with you that he didn't mind.

"You're as pretty as a flower, my sweet." He tugged you even closer to him, wrapping his arms around your frame and resting his head on top of yours. He looked at your reflection in the mirror. Your kind smile, your flushed cheeks—To Nanami, you were perfect. 

"Kento?" He hummed, still looking at your face through the reflection. "Would you watch [favorite movie] with me?"

He chuckled, patting your head. How could he say no to you? "Of course, darling. Office hours are already over, right?"

[agentnico]

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021) Review

It all started with Sonic’s teeth. Ever since fans successfully bullied a studio into reanimating their titular hedgehog character after the abomination shown in the first trailer, fans realised that rallying together (on Twitter) can make a difference. So you’d think it would mean we could all come together to restore world peace and get rid of racism, injustice, poverty, war and negativity of all kind? Nope, nope it does not. But at least we get a better version of a bad DC movie that came out in 2017. I mean, baby steps I guess.

Plot: Fuelled by his restored faith in humanity and inspired by Superman's selfless act, Bruce Wayne enlists newfound ally Diana Prince to face an even greater threat. Together, Batman and Wonder Woman work quickly to recruit a team to stand against this newly awakened enemy. Despite the formation of an unprecedented league of heroes -- Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Cyborg and the Flash -- it may be too late to save the planet from an assault of catastrophic proportions.

I recall my younger simpler self in 2017 at the early age of 20 soon to be 21, sitting down and watching the new Justice League film with zero to no expectations, as by that point the DC Extended Universe was a trainwreck and was a franchise that was literally falling apart before out unblinking red hay fever filled eyes. However, after watching Justice League I was baffled at the fact that I still managed to be disappointed after having zero expectations! With zero expectations this film took me into the minuses, and we all know I’m not great at mathematics so boy are we in the danger zone when we hit the minuses! Looking back at my review of the film back then, I used extreme yet fitting comments like “generic”, “predictable” “messy” and plain “dogsh*t”. Which is what it was. 2017′s Justice League is exactly how I’d imagine a dog’s poop would look if it was turned into an abstract film! It was truly abysmal. After that I thought I’d never have to talk about this film again. How wrong I was. But, in a rare turn of tables, I am glad that I was wrong...

A little history lesson first. Alright, settle down kids, settle down.... Rob, put the paper plane down, do not throw it, I said DON’T THROW IT! NO! Stop! Stupid child!! Headteacher’s office right now! Also, say hi to your mother for me, okay? I’m having brunch with her on Saturday and you better not be there as you should be doing your homework watching the 4 hour cut of Justice League and questioning your life choices!! Anyway, now let’s have ourselves a history lesson. The topic is - What In The Flying Fudge Happened Behind-The-Scenes Of Justice League For DUMMIES: Condensed Edition. A really condensed version as honestly none of us have the attention span to read loads and I’m probably losing the vast majority of you due to this overlong rambling session. So anyway, to the last couple of readers left, here we go! Following the success of Man of Steel, Warner Bros. gave Zack Snyder the reigns to oversee and create a DC cinematic universe to rival the success of Marvel. And so came Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, which turned out to be a bit of a hodgepodge, receiving mixed to negative reviews and though was a box office success, earned diminishing results to what Warner Bros. originally anticipated. However, by the time Batman V Superman released, Zack Snyder was already hard at work on the big superhero team up film Justice League (which was meant to set up many characters and future films for the DCEU) with a lot of filming already underway, so Warner Bros. couldn’t particularly pump the breaks on it by that point, even though they evidently lost trust in the Snyder formula. To be honest, at that point I too lost trust in Snyder’s vision and the DCEU as a whole, but my opinion doesn’t class for a single dime, whilst the opinions of Warner Bros. executives make millions, so there aren’t any hard feelings on my behalf for them not enquiring on my thoughts. Anyway, midway through production Zack Snyder was hit with a family tragedy with his daughter committing suicide, so Snyder naturally had to depart the project to be with his family during this grieving time. Warner Bros. had the option to pause production and await for Snyder’s return, or progress at their own accord. Naturally they decided to do their own thing cause they are a business and want that dollar dollar bill baby!! So they hired Joss Whedon who was riding fresh off the success of two Avengers movies and obviously had experience in cinematic universes and such, to rework the Justice League movie by condensing it into a 2 hour film (from the over 4 hour material that Snyder shot) and reshoot scenes to fit the smaller runtime. So you cannot particularly blame Whedon for taking out so many great scenes as he had a contract to fulfil with Warner Bros, but then you look at the many forced jokes and unnecessary reshot scenes and you realise how self-indulgent Joss Whedon was during filming, as he basically was spitting on everything Snyder did and was trying to do his own thing. Low and behold, the mess that is the 2017 movie is created, where its the visions and creative minds of two director with evidently different styles clashing and not really mixing well at all, and as such we have a messy movie that doesn’t really make sense and is a bit of a middle finger to DC fans and honestly everyone and all. Also, there was that little aspect of Henry Cavill’s deformed upper lip due to the fact that during reshoots he had a moustache that he’d grown and was contractually obligated to have for his Mission Impossible role, so the visual effects team had to digitally remove it in post production and the result is, well, see for yourself...

Yes, they made the dashing handsome my-sexuality-questioning Henry Cavill look stupid, and that is UNFORGIVABLE. Funny, yes, very funny but unforgivable!! So for this and many other reasons the 2017 film turned out horribly. Then after that many months later, Zack Snyder and cast and crew members began teasing of this mythical version of the movie that was befit of Snyder’s original vision. You see, apparently before he left the project, Snyder actually filmed everything he wanted and it was only awaiting to be reworked with visual effects and edited properly, but then Whedon came in with his scissors and cut everything mercilessly with a cheeky grin and his ginger beard. Speaking of his ginger beard, is Joss Whedon Irish? Or has Irish roots? Honestly, I would Google it, but wait, I don’t think I really care. So anyway, Snyder still had all of his filmed scenes saved on his ridiculously oversized hard drive just waiting to be looked at again. This is where the fandom did its magic by creating a Twitter hashtag #ReleaseTheSnyderCut and began spam posting for Warner Bros. to let Zack Snyder release what he originally intended to. Honestly, who would have thunk it, but this actually worked!! Warner Bros. allowed this, and not only that, but gave Snyder an additional $70 million to finish up the visual effects as well as to film a couple of additional sequences and gave it the prestigious honour to debut it on HBO Max, so as to boost the subscriber rating on Warner Bros. new streaming service. And here we are.

Honestly, I thought seeing this Director’s Cut of sorts wouldn’t bring much to the table as I didn’t believe that a film that was so broken had originally been in any way good. After finishing this 4 hour Snyder vision I must admit though that I was pleasantly surprised. Completely baffled by the studio and Joss Whedon, but really happy for Zack Snyder. The guy was fighting for it and finally was able to accomplish and bring out his true original vision, and though Zack Snyder’s Justice League has its flaws, its so much better than what we got in 2017, and in fact is a soaring science fiction sci-fi epic that literally feels epic!! It takes time establishing the characters and every single plot point as well as building out this rich mythology of this world of the DC Extended Universe, and so as you move into the second half of the film, there’s a feeling of pay off. You actually care about the characters and understand the plot points and it doesn’t feel rushed. Its truly astounding that there are producers out there who thought it was a good idea to get rid of all of that and instead bring out whatever the heck Joss Whedon did with the 2017 version. Look, I quite enjoy Joss Whedon’s work, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel to Cabin in the Woods and his work on Marvel, the guy obviously has a talent, but also he obviously does not belong to the dark and brooding style of DC. Zack Snyder on the other hand, though makes his mistakes, truly embraces the epic feel of the DC material. And it seems once you give Snyder enough time and space, he can actually bring out something like this:

The main characters are all given so much more to do, or at least those that got side-lined in the 2017 version are given more to do here. One of my complaints with the original was how pointless the League turns out to be. Basically in the theatrical version the main team all end up being useless and only once Superman shows up he saves everyone’s asses and literally does EVERYTHING. Might as well have called the film Man of Steel 2 (feat. Justice League). However in this new version, every main character serves a purpose. Well most of them do at least. Cyborg and Flash are much more compelling characters with more layers and backstory, and in fact are a prime reason to defeating the great evil in the end. You now understand why Cyborg actor Ray Fisher was pissed at Joss Whedon, as the guy literally got rid of his best stuff. Superman strikes a cool black suit and is still powerful, however as the finale shows, he isn’t all-powerful and does need the help of the rest of the team. Wonder Woman gets a lot more to do in this theatrical cut, and in fact this is probably Gal Gadot’s best performance as Wonder Woman and she really shows herself as a powerful female superhero! Aquaman’s role stays largely unchanged, however to be honest Jason Momoa’s character was one of the only ones who didn’t suffer in the theatrical cut. That’s unsurprising seeing as Jason Momoa is such a naturally cool dude! A big panda that is friendly in real life, but when necessary can turn into a roaring bear. To be honest, the only League member that ends up a bit pointless is actually Batman. He still serves a purpose in the film in that he’s the one who assembles the team, but otherwise the rest of the group is so overpowered compared to him that in the end you do kind of think that he doesn’t really belong there. Still, Ben Affleck is great in the role and it’s a shame we won’t see much of him past Flashpoint film that will be released in the next few years.

There are a lot of characters in this film and one can still say the movie is overstuffed, but also seeing as the movie was originally intended to spring board the DCEU properly, all these teases are actually welcome. There are an abundance of cameos, and to be honest so many characters are so well cast that you do end up wishing that Snyder was given the opportunity to make his entire Justice League planned trilogy, but nevertheless at least we have this. There are truly an abundance of cool appearances here, from the menacing villain Darkseid (played by Ray Porter) to Willem Dafoe doing what Dafoe does best, only in this case underwater and I’m certain that’s gonna span many comparison memes with The Lighthouse. Joe Morton as Cyborg’s dad is given a lot more to do here and in fact is pivotal towards building up Cyborg into the important character that he is. There’s also a cameo from Jared Leto’s Joker, who in some ways redeems himself after his appearance in Suicide Squad. Also, we need to talk about Steppenwolf, who’s the main baddie in this film. In the theatrical cut the guy was the most generic one-note villain who also looked like a PS2 character. It was honestly embarrassing the way he was animated. Luckily in this version he’s been put through enough Skyrim mods to looks much more intimidating and is also given a better motivation. As we find out, the reason he does what he does is because he wants to go home. He’s been banished and he simply wants to earn his place back home, so it’s actually kind of sweet. Steppenwolf is a sweetie. I mean, yeah, he wants to destroy half of the world to fulfil his dream, but hey, haven’t we all taken something extreme measures to get what we want?

The film is far from perfect though. At the end of the day, the movie is just about a guy hunting down a bunch of magical boxes. That was the premise of the theatrical cut and its the same here too. Yes, there is more substance and gravitas to the proceedings, but at the end of the day the story doesn’t really surprise much. And with the entire thing running at 4 hours, it is definitely too long and there is the element where there is simply too much in this thing. Also visually, though the movie has plenty of gorgeous shots and Zack Snyder’s signature slow motion sequences are on full display here, there are still many sequences where the CGI and green screen are super obvious and look really fake. That being said there’s still so much visual goodness in this, and also I have to mention Junkie XL’s new music score that does reiterate the epic feel of this movie, in comparison to Danny Elfman’s weak uninspiring notes in the theatrical cut.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League is a massive surprise and completely changes the perception of what we saw in the original 2017 theatrical cut. It’s a sprawling massive adventure that’s a dream come true for any comic book fan. It shows how vital film editing is, and how important it is to have a cohesive plan when making a movie. Gone too are the silly forced jokes, and though there is still some humour here, it feels more grounded and fit of the setting and scenario. This is Snyder’s vision through and through, and though at times it is clunky, it overall is incredible to behold, as it’s this one guy’s mind and his love for the DC lore. It’s a credible achievement, and I’m actually sentimentally happy for Snyder that he finally managed to complete this. He even during the credits dedicates this to his daughter Autumn that passed away, and I found that to be truly bittersweet. Justice has indeed been served.

Overall score: 7/10

[5ummit]

This is sort of a reply/love letter to @thorkizilla​‘s thoughts about the Loki show, which I agree with wholeheartedly and think everyone should read. However, I didn’t want to spam anyone’s dash with a wall of text so I decided to make my own separate “getting it out of my system” post.

I thought the first two episodes, while not perfect by any means, were actually fairly good and had a lot of what I was hoping for out of this series. The part where Loki got confirmation that Thor and Odin both loved him, even if he didn’t get to experience those moments himself, was really great – especially when he would’ve still been extremely raw from his fight with Thor in New York just hours prior. I also loved that he was briefly shown as actually intelligent and capable for once! Loki figuring out the apocalypse loophole was probably the highlight of the whole series for me. Beyond that though he never really felt like Loki (at least not the Avengers!Loki I was expecting), but more than that, the story wasn’t about him either.

My main beef with the series really boils down to the fact that it felt like Loki could’ve been replaced by literally any random character with a similar personality and it wouldn’t have made a bit of difference to the overall plot. When you step back and look at the show as a whole, there was honestly no reason for it to have Loki as the protagonist because it wasn’t about Loki at all. We didn’t really learn anything new about him, they never believably resolved or even addressed any of his deep-seated issues, and any “character development” he did get felt rushed, undeserved, and OOC.

Even Sylvie being a Loki (I would say “in name only” but she didn’t even share the same name) added nothing to the story or his character development. As with Loki himself, she could’ve just as easily not been a Loki and it would’ve had no real bearing on anything. As far as I can tell the only reason she was a Loki at all is purely because some “genius” over at Marvel found out about his genderfluidity and decided they could use it to create a ~fun little plot twist~ (which is another separate rant I’m not going to get into right now).

The worst part about the whole Sylvie thing though is the tragically wasted potential. They could’ve done such interesting and unique things with that dynamic. They could’ve had Loki learning to befriend and get along with himself (truly himself though, not an imposter with an entirely different personality, childhood, and worldview), and in the process, learn to accept the things about himself that he’s never been comfortable with or been forced to acknowledge. They could’ve really leaned into Loki finally getting a chance to see himself the way other people see him and using that new perspective to evolve and mature just as quickly as he appeared to do in this series, but in way that would’ve made more sense and also felt earned.

Don’t even get me started on how there wasn’t a single mention of Loki (and Sylvie) being a frost giant outside of that completely ruthless and unnecessary dig by Mobius when he called him an “ice runt”. To have such an integral piece of his character and internal conflict be completely ignored like that really says all you need to know about this show as a whole.

[bucksbisexual]

well, well, well. it’s the end of 2020.

kinda weird, isn’t it? the year has flown by and it’s already the end of the last month. it’s been..... strange to say the least, but this year i’ve found a place, and most specifically, people who have made this year a little bit better and brighter with either their presence or their content, and for that, i want to send some love to all of you who have made an impact on me this year with our interactions or your content on my dashboard 💖💖

i feel like i should start with everyone who has added me in their follow forevers (i still can’t believe i was even part of a single one??? i- 🥺) so let me do just that hehe

@yihwas​ soph!! we haven’t interacted much but every time we did u have been nothing but the sweetest and kindest person ever and that made such a great impact on me, thank u for being so amazing 🥰💛

@planthusbands​ cass!!! even though our age gap is 10 whole years you have been nothing but welcoming and lovely to me and u truly feel like an older sister to me 🥺💚 the cover u did for our secret santa hugs me tightly whenever i feel down 💖

@petekaos​ rahul!!!! (or should i say rhaul kjsjfhsfj my fingers h*te u for no reason i swear) u are such a lovely person and i’m so glad to be able to have gotten to know u better this year. you’re so amazing and u already know from before we even interacted that i Love ur fics so please never let anything stop u from writing!! 💙

@wjmild​ kylie!!! we have been talking more lately because of both of us (well, now only me) watching guardian and it’s so much fun!! i love hearing ur thoughts and opinions on things even if they differ from mine because i find u really interesting!!! also u’ve probably heard this from everyone from the gc but i love ur voice jhfkjsf love u lotsss 🧡

@toptaps​ zey!! we haven’t interacted much and have barely spoken on dms but u’re so lovely and kind 💛 ur love for things makes me want to love them as well (see: guardian) and i would love to get to know u better this year that’s just around the corner 🥰

okay and now.. to everyone else!!

@brightwin​ jelly!!! i miss u tons :-( but thank u for being so lovely whenever we interacted, you’re so nice to everyone and so so so talented when it comes to giffing, you’re pretty much the person who made me want to start giffing so thank u for creating such masterpieces 💛

@gunatps​ vee!!! are u feeling better love? i hope you’re recovering well <3 i loved getting to know u this year and loved all the weird conversations in the gc when it was alexa, u and me or sometimes just u and me, i miss bicis but hopefully bicis can come back as soon as u recover. ur korn apologist agenda was strong but u ended up being right... truly The Monarch skjfhsj love u lots 🧡 (i will join ur next chanonpom breakdown on vc okay? just tell me when and i’ll be there <3)

@kimmonv​ violet!!! we haven’t talked much but u seem like such an interesting and funny person, i would love to talk more with u this next year 🥰 i loved being ur secret santa (even if i sucked at it) and i felt rlly happy when u said u liked it!! i hope 2021 treats u well 💚

@lee-thanat​ ke!!! i loved getting to know u a little this year and i definitely loved trying to read ur nonsensical messages that were supposed to mean something KHSFJSHF i also loved playing with u on among us that one time even if i killed u once (sorry about that btw... ily), i hope everything’s going well and that we can talk more next year 💜

@soulmatelines​ jo!!! my twin sjkfjksfh i loooved getting to know u this year!! you’re so funny and so smart even if ur artistic skills are... Not The Best skfjhjfhks (neither are mine so it’s okay, no need to feel bad) i loved being on vc with u and just talking with u on discord whenever u were online, i hope we can continue doing that next year!!! love u lots 💛

@pvrrish​ eleni!! we’ve talked so little this year that i can barely remember if there was any conversation at all :-(( but i would love to get to know u better this next year!! u seem like such an interesting person and u and angel are friends so i’m sure u’re amazing!! hope 2021 treats u well 💚

@class2clown​ angel!!! it’s been such a pleasure to get to know u this year and i can’t believe that it’s already been months since we first spoke :’)) all of ur creations are soooo good and i love all of them!!! i hope nothing ever stops u from creating more because they’re all so amazing!!! 🧡

@floralbfs​ augs!!!! god it’s been a while since we started talking but u’ve always been so lovely and have always been there to share ur ideas for the thousand unwritten/posted pangwave and khaithird fics on our dms... i’m so glad that u rbed one of my tgg posts asking for the drama’s name because otherwise i wouldn’t have gotten to know someone as amazing as u 🥰 i hope 2021 is easier for u, sending u lots of love 💛

@vihokratanas​ mel!!! we haven’t spoken much but i’ve noticed that we share our love for a few dramas so i’d love to get to know u better this next year!!! u and violet’s almost daily spam on the bops channel is dearly missed but i know u guys are busy so hopefully this 2021 will be a bit more relaxed 🧡

@doctorbahnjit​ alexa my love!!!!! what can i even tell u.... you’ve been nothing but kind since day 1 that we started talking on the gc and to get to know u this 2020 was such a delight. thank u for being who u are and thank u for watching dramas with me on vc even if u can’t (or i can’t) hear shit, i appreciate it sososososo much and i just love spending hours upon hours (well, until ur grandma ass has to go to sleep) chatting and watching debatably good dramas with u and dawn <3 i hope 2021 treats u better and that u still stay being as awesome as u are 🥰💖

@pangwave​ dawnnie my baby!!!!! hi bb how’s everything going?? i hope u’re okay, i miss u a lot :-(( getting to know u this year has been one of the best things that have come out of this hellhole of a year. thank u for making most of my nights so entertaining with both ur thoughts and ur dumb fights with alexa, they’ve been the highlight of my days from these past 2 months :’) the endless vc calls with u and alexa (and ur shitty internet cutting every single one of ur sentences)  have made my year so much better and i can’t thank u enough for that. u and ur crabsticks and ur opinions and ur incredibly good gifsets are truly some of the best things that have come out of this year. thank u sosososo much for being how u are, i love u so much dawnnie 🥰💖

here’s some other people who have been on my dash for a while and that i appreciate their content as well: @scoupslipgloss (i mostly rb u with my sideblog but i love ur acc!!!) @vocalunits @chaoticbiwuxian @drwcn @bimingjue​ (i wouldn’t be a gifmaker if it wasn’t for u sending me the ps download link so i owe u my Life) @aanau (i rb a lot of what u post and i’m sorry if i have ever spammed u skjfhjsf i just love ur blog even if we don’t really share any fandoms aaaa) @emisfritish @leoyunxi @1akorn @gunsatthaphan @asianmelodrama @fushiguroo @khaotungthanawat @mymycorrhizae @jaehwany​ and @coldties amongst the many blogs that i’ve seen all year on my dash!!!! everyone’s content and posts have gotten me through 2020 so thank u all so much for staying on tumblr 💗

i feel like i’ve forgotten people but please know that if u are not in this but we’ve interacted in any way then you’ve most definitely made some kind of impact to me!! these are just the people i talk with the most 💖

thank u all for being soooo amazing and i hope 2021 is good to everyone here and to everyone who reads this. happy holidays and happy new year to everyone 🥰💖✨