#But they're all bangers so uhhh too bad :)

[kanonavi]

2024 XVX Fic Recs!

Hi everyone, I hope you're having a lovely and restful holiday season! Last year around this time, I posted 10* xvx recommendations, and since I haven't gotten tired of this lovely ship, or meticulously tracking all of the fics I read in a year, I'm back for year 2!

As with any rec list, please keep an eye on the ratings and tags of any given fic. My tastes might not be to your tastes, and that's okay, just make sure to take care of yourselves first and foremost. This especially applies now because there will be a couple of explicit fics that I shout out this year. Now, here's 10** fics that I read this year that I think other fans of xvx would enjoy!

*Plus a few extras ;)

**With the return of a few extras, since I like y'all so much ;))

~

Lighthouse, by HuaFeiHua (@hua-fei-hua) [Ongoing, Teen, 20.3k, 5/15 chapters]

When one of Xiao’s endless battles against the remnants of old gods leads to the slaughter of an innocent child, the guilty adeptus knows he must pay penance for his crimes. However, upon meeting with his Lord, ready and willing to be executed, Rex Lapis refuses to terminate their contract before its due time. Instead, he sends the yaksha to the Land of Dreams, where he is to spend a human lifetime hunting nightmares to atone. Xiao expects it to be lonesome work, but then: enter Venti, a bard from Mondstadt whose dreams of a castle with a lighthouse by the sea somehow draw Xiao back to him time and time again. And while Xiao means only to spend the century executing his duty, Venti somehow manages to make their time spent together into something almost like a sweet dream. Now if only Xiao would let him.

HuaFeiHua is our first returning author from last year’s list, but now that they’ve not only emerged from the Anonymous collection but also started posting their love letter to xiaoven, I couldn’t not include it here. If there’s any fic that knows how to do atmosphere, it’s this one. The liminal unreality of dreams is captured immaculately in this fic, and it makes the perfect setting for Venti and Xiao to dance around their emotions and each other like the avoidant disasters that they are. It manages to read exactly like the fairy tales that it was inspired by while also feeling right at home in the centuries that exist before Genshin canon, and for someone like me who loves canon setting fics, that’s more than I could have ever asked for.

Now, I was going to make a joke about nepotism but then Hua told me that the correct term is– *checks smudged writing on my palm* “cronyism”, so actually I give up.

~

Extra Rec: While Hua has many fantastic fics that you can now find easily in one place after their liberation from the Anonymous collection, I want to specifically shout out the absolute full course meal of a smut fic that they posted for their de-anoning debut. Do mind the Explicit Rating, though.

~

Catching Air, by Sub_Reality (Twitter: @/sub_reality__) [Ongoing, Teen, 164k, 13/21 chapters]

“Your assignment,” Ningguang said, “Is to assist the Ordo Favonius of Mondstadt in dismantling a newly-surfaced criminal organisation that goes by the name of the ‘Abyssi Familia’.” Exactly one week into their new positions, the 115th generation of the Liyue Qixing’s secret elite forces are given their first assignment; to take down a major criminal syndicate that is surfacing in their neighbouring nation of Mondstadt. Consisting of 5 of the most dangerous personnel across databases continent-wide, their assignment will conclude when all five of their targets are arrested, subdued, or dead. However, of the five is an enigmatic mercenary by the name of Arsenic - holding claim to the highest current kill count, and without a single failed hit. They are notorious for their weaponization of toxins, their mysterious escapes from assassinations, and for their distinguishing feature of not having a single shred of information or data regarding them. Something which, the Ordo Favonius emphasises, is highly concerning. With the arcane nature of Arsenic and the Abyssi Familia, one could say the Yakshas have quite the unpredictable mission ahead of them.

If you’ve ever wanted to be blown away by worldbuilding in a fic, this is one to read. With an incredible eye for detail, the author has reconstructed Teyvat in a far-off cyberpunk future that offers just as much fast-paced secret agent action as it does cultural details of the futuristic Mondstadt that the story inhabits. In terms of xiaoven, the burn is slow with this one, but Xiao and his fellow Yakshas (reimagined with their own mortal identities and personalities) have more than managed to carry the story so far. The mystery just hit a big reveal in recent chapters, so if there’s any time to start reading this one, it would be now!

~

the memory department, by twomooncorner (@earlgreyhui) [General Audiences, 3k, One-Shot, Archive-Locked]

The site of the memory debris takes a bus ride and a half to get to, past a billboard with flapping holes torn through, an abandoned gas station, and a sign for an old water park standing on only two rusted legs. The mountains reach halfway around, and the lakebed which might have started as a meteorite crater and then filled with water and then went back to being a crater again is shiny and hard. Venti hops off the bus and opens a can of soda with his teeth. Let’s get to work, he says.

I told myself I was only going to include one of the fics from Moonlight Melody, but I just couldn’t resist this one. I love the concept of the afterlife as a deeply dull bureaucracy, so seeing Venti and Xiao working as reapers at the very bottom of the ladder was incredibly interesting. But then that premise was executed with some absolutely stunning prose that stole my breath away. This fic has an alluring quality that draws you in until you’re lost in the moment it encompasses just as deeply as the characters are. I’d linger for thousands of words more if I could.

~

If Any Lesser, I, by twodimensionaltrash (Bluesky: @/novelelitist.bsky.social) [General Audiences, 3k, One-Shot]

'A mighty paw swipes at him. He twists his upper body to evade and stumbles back. The demon’s leg passes through the spear like it’s nothing. Like he’s nothing. He hates it. Claws and fists. Teeth and nails. They push and pull, hunter and prey, switching roles on instinct. Andrius puts Xiao on his back foot. Xiao chases Andrius to the edge of cliffs. The laughter of children echoes in Xiao’s head, accompanied by the songs of a bard. Beneath the lowest notes there’s the roar of flames, the flicker of a candle before life burns out, and in the center of it, him. In the midst of a nightmare, Xiao is pulled into Venti's dreams.

The first thing that drew me to this fic was the characterization, which was both intimate and irreverent in a way that felt super refreshing to my thoroughly xiaoven-enchanted brain. Then it follows up with a super interesting discussion of karmic debt and erosion that puts a spin on the game’s portrayals of the phenomena and yet feels right at home in the setting all the same. This was my favorite fic from the Moonlight Melody anthology, and I’m just glad it got crossposted so I can sing its praises in this list!

~

collateral damage, by connections [Teen, 1.8k, One-Shot]

Another bite. Almonds carry only the smallest hint of bitterness with them that reminds him all the same of who he is, and of what he has done, and of how much it hurts. Another bite. He’s pretty sure he deserves this. Violence is the only language he has ever known.

This fic is more a Xiao character study with a dash of xiaoven for flavor, but I still wanted to include it as an example of finely-aged xiaoven vintage. Xiao’s desperation to be loved by Venti but also by Morax is palpable, an ever-tragic contrast against the weight of his karmic debts and the blood on his hands. It was a pleasant surprise to see the gentleness that this author gave to Xiao, especially with all the edge that the game characterized him with at the time. That gentleness has been important to me ever since I fell down the xiaoven rabbit hole, so there’s something nice about seeing it in a fic posted before I would have even known his name.

~

now i see (holding you close), by esperra [Explicit, 5.8k, One-Shot]

“Did that feel good?” Venti asks gently. He cups Xiao’s cheek; Xiao leans into the touch almost on instinct. “I don’t… I’ve never done this before,” Xiao says. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do.” “Whatever feels good, my love. That’s all that matters.”

As I’ve noted a couple times in the past in tag games and the like, xiaoven is actually pretty different from my previous shipping pedigree, and nothing reminds me of that more than the fact that a lot of xiaoven smut just isn’t to my personal tastes. This fic, however, managed to break that streak! If you’re looking for something steamy, this fic probably won’t do it for you, but if you enjoy the way that the relationships between characters can be explored through sexual intimacy, this is definitely one to read. I just think it’s sweet when two characters who love each other have sex that’s very deeply Okay and only love each other more for it.

~

carry my fears as the heavens set fire, by yanrans (Twitter: @/yanrans) [Teen, 25.6k, One-Shot]

“Dear Yaksha, do you remember me?” The boy wraps his hands around Xiao’s; even through his gloves, he can feel heat, thick and heady, sink deep into his skin. The fire licks his bones, clawing secrets in the cracks in its surface. Xiao knows better than to let himself burn, knows that Liyue is worth more than his scorched ashes, but this is a dream. This is a dream, so there are no battles to fight, no duties to follow. The boy can strike a match on Xiao’s skin, and Xiao can watch as all his armor dissolves in smoke. The boy tugs, and Xiao comes unmoored. In which Xiao and Venti meet in a series of dreams. Sort of.

There’s something quintessentially xiaoven about this fic that I could taste only a few thousand words in. This fic has it all, from Xiao’s desire to do good battling with his fear of hurting everything he touches, to Venti’s gentle insistence on working his way into Xiao’s good graces with his indomitable charm, all with a splash of corruption angst for a bit of extra spice. If you’re looking for canonverse fics, this definitely deserves to go on your list.

~

to be unbroken and brave again, by magicites (Bluesky: @/ellsyx.bsky.social) [Complete, Teen, 36.4k, 3/3 chapters]

“What could I possibly have to forgive you for?” Venti asks. What could Xiao say? There are so many answers. For trying to grant him freedom and only giving him the same power that’s doomed to tear him apart. For hearing that Morax died so long after he did. For starving for his touch so selfishly. For letting him be lonely. There’s so much; they tangle in his throat. “For making you wait,” he settles on. “Ehe, I'll forgive you, but only if you play a duet with me tomorrow." He has work to do, but— “Yes.” - How the duty-chained Anemo Archon and the Trickster Yaksha found freedom.

When it comes to a prompt as classic as a roleswap, it’s the details that really make a story, and this fic absolutely has it made. As the second returning author from last year, I’ve made it clear that I adore magicites’ work, but the way that she broke down Xiao and Venti’s characters and reconstructed them as a plausible Anemo Archon and Yaksha blew my mind as I was reading this fic. It’s the friction that arises from their roles that makes xiaoven a compelling ship: Venti as the Anemo Archon went out of his way to free not only his people but also himself from the chains of rulership that constrained them before, while Xiao as a Yaksha is bound to Liyue by his contract despite the freedom that he craves. For those roles to then be switched while having the conflicts that bind the characters remain is a truly impressive feat that makes this story totally worth the read.

~

A Surefire Guide to Wingmanning, by corviidae (@corviidaees) [Complete, Teen, 19.1k, 2/2 chapters]

Illuminated by the glow of gold-scorched parchment, the harsh lines of Xiao’s face smoothen into confusion, then resignation. He takes a steadying breath. “You aren’t leaving.” “I’m bound to you until I find you love,” Venti corrects. “Yeah, so you aren’t leaving.” “Wrong! I have a hot streak of success.” Venti claps his hands, the contract scrolling back up into non-existence. “Now that you understand, shall we start over? My name’s Venti, and I’m your assigned Cupid. Your wingman, if you will.” “... Xiao.” Or: Xiao is, maybe, a little in love with his Cupid. Venti does not catch on.

I first read this fic back in 2021 and had one particular line from it permanently branded into my memory (that you’re gonna have to read it to hear!), so I was delighted to find that it still holds up beautifully. This fic lives up to its “Sitcom” tag, because it managed to pull smiles and laughs out of me left and right as Venti tries (emphasis on tries) to find Xiao the perfect partner. It’s an incredibly sweet, comfy read, and I think that’s what we all need in our lives sometimes.

~

if these wings could fly, by MaximillianDelirium (@delirious-dove) [Complete, Teen, 145.7k, 35/35 chapters]

To Xiao, Barbatos was the embodiment of everything he was not: happy, free, fully confident in who he was. His music made the shadows in Xiao’s head retreat. They were all about living life to the fullest, having hope when the world was turned against you, and having fun (something that was almost entirely foreign to Xiao). And now he was going to have to give away all his albums, delete Barbatos’ songs off his phone, and never listen to his music again. Just looking at the albums lined up on the shelf made Xiao cringe. He’d thought that if he ever did get a chance to meet his idol, it would be in a controlled space. He would have said something normal, like, Your music means a lot to me. Then he would’ve shaken Barbatos’ hand, gotten an autograph, and lived out the rest of his life in peace. Xiao’s idol had watched him punch a guy in the stomach. Since Zhongli's early retirement, Xiao's life has been aimless. But a chance encounter sets him on a new and uncharted path.

It only took another year, but in the end I managed to complete the trifecta of xiaoven idol aus. This is one of those fics where you can blink and suddenly five chapters have gone by, because it’s just that engrossing. It has all of the drama and intrigue that one would expect from a celebrity au while still maintaining the typical, down-to-earth chemistry that draws Xiao and Venti together. You know a story is good when it has me pulling out the popcorn for miscommunication plotlines instead of closing the tab, and it’s not only xiaoven, but the entirety of the well-loved ensemble cast that come together to make this the enthralling story that it is.

~

Extra Recs: Not only does this fic have a beautiful epilogue where xiaoven get the happily ever after that they deserve, but there’s also an entire series that features several of the side pairings from this fic’s universe, which are also worth checking out!

~

That's a wrap on another year! If you got this far, thank you so much, and I hope I've given you some new fics for your to-read list! This year, I feel like I did a lot more reading back compared to the year before. Some of these fics I only read because they were recommended to me by fellow fans, which I appreciate so much, but it could also mean that there are fewer hidden gems this year than the last, so I hope you can forgive me.

I'm looking forward to what next year will bring, and hopefully I'll be back with even more fics to share! Happy holidays to all, and much love <3

[blazing-jay]

For the yugioh character ask meme: Loyalty/Dark Johan/Yubel-possessed Johan.

LOYALTY MY BOY Okay, this is a weird one because he's barely his own character. But I love him enough to try :D

Why I like them/why I don’t

Okay, so Johan was my dead favorite character during my original watch of the show. I liked Yubel so much I liked to imagine that I could actually see their duel spirit in the Yubel card I owned. Putting them together made me very happy. Plus, my rewatch from when I was older? Yubel!Johan has some of the most iconic fucking lines :D

And then my lovely wonderful partner came along, deciding Johan was their favorite character, and started playing this character in RP. And then we had a huge pile of headcanons between the two of us and we were in far too deep to leave that hole. And so here we are.

What I like about their appearance

Yubel's fashion sense is impeccable. I will forever believe the goddamn bondage outfit was Yubel trying to attract Judai and it worked :D Also it just looks damn cool.

Do I prefer their dub names or original names?

fun fact for the newer members of the fandom: Once upon a time, this specific version of the character was called Jehu! I don't remember why though. I don't think I ever personally ever learned.

Loyalty is a fan nickname myself and my partner use. All this rambling to say uh this is not the character for my opinions on the name Jesse. So have some random thoughts instead.

OTP

Take Dark Spiritshipping from my cold dead hands.

NOTP

Uhhh I don't think I have one! As written in canon, I don't *think* he'd have any interest in anyone but Judai though. So I'd mostly be just confused.

OT3

Haou/Loyalty/Yubel It uh. It makes sense in context. (My context is the GX Bad End AU where Yubel and Loyalty are not the same character.... anymore.)

Favorite card they use

I have a few, but honestly? Advanced Crystal Beast - Ruby Carbuncle my beloved. She's hands down the cutest Advanced Crystal Beast. Look at her. Look at her!

she's even got the adorable spiky collar. How precious :>

Favourite moment they were in

They're all bangers. But I'm giving it to their duel against Judai because... I just have to.

*points* It kills the me.

Least favorite moment

they're all BANGERS I wanted to see more though. An absolutely absurd amount of my longterm thoughts are also headcanon so . . .

HEY DOES THE FACT THERE'S NO CANON FALLOUT FROM THIS THAT JOHAN ACKNOWLEDGES COUNT AS A LEAST FAVORITE.

Would I fuck, marry or kill them

Marry. I think if I... heh, won his loyalty...

[hehe-hoho-ohno]

Uhhh for the ask game, 4, 13, 26, 40, 45, 48, snd 63??

If this is too many questions, please choose the ones you feel most like answering!

I also wanted to say your work is awesome and thanks for sharing it!! Your characterizations of the twins are awesome and very cool!!!

I'm gonna post this now before I go to sleep and lose my sleep-deprived confidence lol

Aaaaaa! Thank you! I'm glad you like it!

That is a lot of questions, but I will do my best!

4. What is the plot bunny you've been carrying the longest? Optional bonus question: do you ever wonder why you haven't written it yet and experience deep existential dread?

Eh, the plot bunny I've had the longest is some non-fandom stuff, to which I will spare you the details.

My longest held *submas* plot bunny would be a Nimbassa Trio focused story. It would have been a young Elesa POV fic where she is on her pokemon journey, where she occasionally runs into and slowly befriends Ingo and Emmet. The catch is, due to only ever seeing them separately, she thinks they are one very eccentric and forgetful person rather than two identical twins. Hijinks ensue.

I haven't written it because I started writing Two Car Train instead, and it wasn't an idea I was super attached to.

13. Talk about a writing experience that pleasantly surprised you

Not to give the same answer that everyone gives to this question, but the positive response my works have received. A lot of people have been extremely kind and supportive, and I am very grateful.

26. Do you like to write one-shots or series, and why?

I prefer one-shots because I'm more likely to finish those and there is less pressure overall.

45. Name three of your favorite fanfic writers.

This is such a difficult question. There are so many good ones! In fact, I'm so bad at picking favorites I'm about to pick way more than 3. Ngl, this is such a mean question. There are so many writers that I like.

The submas/PLA ones: (in no particular order, and despite being stupidly long I'm still somehow leaving out a lot of really good writers that I really like)

- WaywardStation (if you want Uncle Ingo content, this is where you go. Immaculate Ingo characterisation all around)

- Random_ag (their fics that aren't YOUR GOING BACK HOME FUCKER actually don't do that well statistically. If you have time, you should check some of their other stuff out and drop a comment :))

- Blaiddsumu (they're better known for their art here on Tumblr.hellsite but they do write as well and it's very good. I particularly liked the Undertale crossover)

- DoobleBugs (like above, better known for their art but they have some banger fics too)

- Koidefender: (Nobody reads their Emmet centric stuff. You should read their Emmet centric stuff)

- EVTrainingUniversity (Has recently passed 50 pokemon fics, and I am impressed)

- Bluegamergirl11 (great for hurt/comfort. Will stomp on your heart and then put a bandage on it.)

- StellarCoachman (updates so quickly and I'm very impressed.)

- ImpossibleJedi4 (all around cool dude)

- 4phoenixfeathers (I am particularly fond of their fusion AU)

- Yautjan (In Tandem is so good)

(I'm cutting myself off here or we'll be here all day)

Non-submas writers: (they are all Sanders Sides writers, which was accidental on my part)

- SoDoRoses (lots of queer content. Has gender. Has ace rep)

- AdrianaintheSnow (sometimes I will read the summaries and be all 'I dunno about this one, chief' but then I'll actually read it and it's a banger everytime)

- arealsword (thoughtful, existential, and clever writing. One of my all time favorites. Strange AUs but the bizarrness is a key part of the charm)

48. Do you reread your own stories?

Sometimes. If I'm trying to return to a muilt-chapter, I'll read the previous chapters to jog my memory. Unfortunately, there is a 50/50 chance that I'll find my old work so painfully cringe that I physically can't read it.

63. What's the best insult you've read in a fic?

I know I must have read some absolutely scathing ones, but I'm afraid nothing is coming to mind right now. Sorry!

[edgepunk]

Okay, filtered MSM 2 thoughts:

We knew Kraven was gonna show up in the sequel, however, I def did not expect The Lizard/Dr. Connors and the fact that Kraven is focused on him instead of Peter or Miles is very interesting. I wonder if they're gonna sort of recreate/reference Kraven's Last Hunt 👀

Either way, I'm very excited to see these classic villains showing up. Maybe we'll see Yuri Watanabe/Wraith too??? They were building her up in one of the DLCs quite well. Also, interested to see how Peter will react since they were friends.

Gameplay!!!!!! I already loved the gameplay in the first game, and the Miles Morales game improved upon that. And they seemed to take it another step further, it's like they actually listened to the criticism that people had, and I didn't know it was possible to improve the already banger gameplay (tho yes the first one was a little clunkier but still v intuitive)

The new traversal features look so good hello?? The web wings used as a glider? Miles slingshotting himself across the city??? aoughhfg and also!!! It looks like we'll be able to explore other parts of New York like Queens and maybe Brooklyn??? tbh Manhattan became a little restrictive after a while in the first two games, so it would be cool to expand the map a bit. Y'all know I'm meh about huge maps with some exceptions, but if done right, I think it's gonna be good.

Putting this under a read more bc this game is driving me insane I'm eating drywall

So I was right that we'll be able to switch between Peter and Miles. I kinda guessed that they're gonna be mission specific, and maybe, we can switch between them in free roam like with Jacob and Evie in AC: Syndicate (this specific feature isn't confirmed, just speculation on my part)

Looks like Nuform changed Miles' abilities since his Venom (heh) powers can turn blue? I'm interested to see what it did to him and if they're going to address it. Maybe it's purely for aesthetic/gameplay reasons. Who knows, I'm still curious.

Also, love how they incorporated Ganke as their guy in the chair. I loved him in MM and the fact that he helped Miles with the Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man app. Just give me more Ganke please, he was really charming and they managed to differentiate him from MCU Ganke Ned that he feels like his own character.

Okay, I'm done beating around the bush and I'm going to address the elephant in the room - the symbiote. This is all we've been waiting for, we knew from the post-credits scene from the first game that Peter is gonna have the black suit. I'm glad Insomniac were like "yeah let's get this over with" and showed it to us.

And people are already calling him Bully Lowenthal 💀

Now, I was a little bit iffy about the design of the black suit, but after I watched the trailer a couple of times, it's starting to grow on me? Maybe I'm looking too much into it but the organic armor/exoskeleton design gives me xenomorph vibes, and I love the tendrils in the "exposed" exoskeleton. The texture looks gross and slimy and I love it. I was wondering if they're gonna add some subtle sci-fi horror elements to it and they delivered. I've always said that the symbiote has a lot of space/eldtrich horror potential.

Which brings me to the tendrils (I can already hear the p*rn artists working hard), jokes aside, they look so cool and they're animated so well???? The way Peter fights with them??? He straight up turns into a uhhh tentacle monster for a split second. And his fighting style is so brutal, I liked when he kept repeatedly kicking the guy as if he was a punching bag ddjhsjh

but the scene where he shows up in the sewers(???) yeah this shot legit gave me chills bro looks fr intimidating

And do I really need to gush about Yuri Lowenthal's voice acting? Ben 10 off the shits I'm gonna do it anyway bc holy shit he got the guttural growl down to a T. However, I do wish they put a very subtle filter on his voice. Doing that kind of growly voice must've hurt his throat real bad. Maybe his voice is gonna become more monstrous as the game progresses, that'd be real neat :3c

Honestly, I'm really curious to see how it will affect Peter since May is dead, the whole thing with Otto (I think they're gonna have a convo on the Raft maybe???), he's got a lot of debts to pay and he mentioned that Harry is dying. Bro's going through it fr also parksborn angst???? I'm ready for the homoerotic undertones in their cutscenes kdjkdjdkj I'll take any crumbs I can get 👀

And the way that Peter just dismissively shoved that one civilian away??? Ah?? I'm not ready for Peter to become an absolute cunt and be mean to Miles. There's a high probability we're gonna have to fight Peter in a boss fight as Miles aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

ANYWAY THAT'S IT I'M LOSING MY MIND

[shinmegamitensei2]

For the SMT ask game, #14.

14. Best soundtrack

how could you Fucking do this to me. this is the most impossible task because almost every smt ost bangs and fucks and rips and i go to bat for 99% of them

but uhhh. i can divvy this up by era i think. and none of this is going to be coherent in any way but i think you should take my word as gospel because i'm right

The Early Years (1988-2000):

Majin Tensei II: SPIRAL NEMESIS

this shit SLAPS. the music in majten2 is, uh, quite frankly incredible on the SNES, and the composers (hidehito aoki, misaki okabe, yoshiyuki ito) were on some next-level shit when they scripted out bangers such as A.D. 1995 Story and Smash Up and remakes of two of the previous game's songs (which already were AWESOME) Flame Up Fragment and Bicarbonate of Face and and and,

idk play majin tensei. i'm about to become a majin tensei blogger and stan. did you know that almost all of the majin tensei manga is translated, and all that's left is the rest of vol 4 and all of vol 5? (grabbing your face) DID YOU KNOW!@!!!!

Shin Megami Tensei II

i mean. okay. you knew i was gonna bring this up. who do you fucking think i am. the whole game is wonderfully done and atmospheric, and even with the odd dumbass-theme playing in the BG i just, i dunno, i think it still gives me chills. loading up the game and watching the text scroll to the Title Demo is a lot, listening to that banging Battle theme is intense in a way that no other smt game has reached since IMO, and the Makai map theme is just... really sorrowful! these are the PSX songs because i prefer them over the muddied instruments they used for the original SNES game, but the original isn't bad either!

Megami Tensei II

i think everyone should bare minimum play Kyuuyaku Megami Tensei (2) at least once in their lives, but replace the ost with the original NES version because ohhh my gooooood holy shit there is SUCH a world of difference between the synths used vs the really muddied KMT instrumentation. that aside, the music is just... Good. the battle theme, Death Match, is incredibly intense, TOKIO Adventurer is a fun song to walk to on the overworld map (even being interrupted by demons every 2 steps), OMEGA is a REALLY good final boss theme... it's a bummer they don't get referenced more often! the last time they were was in Majin Tensei, and then again as a total throwaway in SMT5...

The 2000s (2000-2009):

Digital Devil Saga 2

both games go on this list imo, but i uh, i personally really like 2's ost more than 1's. i have no reason for this i just think it's nice. the battle theme Battle for Survival especially, but i just like the whole thing in general? sorry i have nothing else to say here

uhhh. i don't. have. anything else to put here. the other games in this category are good but their osts don't stand out to me... except for Strange Journey, which i. never finished. oougrhghhgfdnjdfjgdgh explodes IT'S SO GOOD THOUGH SO I?? HEARTILY RECOMMEND IT ANYWAY

The Recent Age (2010-Now):

Shin Megami Tensei V

don't talk to me about 5, but if you DO talk to me about 5, talk to me about its ost. of anything in that game, the music and sound direction REALLY stuck with me, it's probably the best the series has ever had to offer

i REALLY like Strength, and yes that is entirely because it feels like OMEGA of megami tensei 2 fame; but the regular battle theme Da'at is great too, and i spent an uncomfortably long time listening to fan recreations of it from the trailers because it was that fucking good to me. honestly the fact that there's so many different battle themes and they all slap is great, they're all fun to listen to. especially Destruction, like fuck dude did they really have to go that hard? (yes)

Soul Hackers 2

gnawing and chewing on 2's ost. i don't care how many people didn't like it, i did, and i think it's really well-done. very very atmospheric! Karakucho is wonderful, COMP SMITH is the GOAT (and i'm glad so many people agree with me!), and even the idiot theme, Cats and ladle, is... very cute! i never thought it out-of-place whenever the team started goofing off, since the idiot theme was never too jarring

... also, Battle of Devil Summoner is bumpin, i'm glad we got to hear this song so many times over the normal battle theme, because. hot damn

i'm not picking a favorite out of any of these are you kidding. except maybe majin tensei 2 that one is undoubtedly a beast. but like. i think everyone should play all of these games and experience their music and have your taste in music irrevocably changed against your will

[kirakirabug]

Currently airing anime I've started watching and some small thoughts. Because I thought it'd be fun to do, under the read more yayy :3

Astro Note: I've only watched one episode so far but I really like it. The art style is very unique and it has a fun premise with fun characters. I love a good alien girl too. The romance is cute too despite only being teased at the moment, and Terurun is probs my fave character thus far.

Blue Archive the Animation: I've only watched the first episode. I've never played the game but someone I follow on twitter posts about the villains a lot and I think they're fine ASF so I'm just watching to see them. Uhhh but the characters are cute so far, though it's not really the kind of show I watch. I like the pink haired girl, who's surprised???

Girls Band Cry: I mainly started watching because I saw it popping off on twitter and, I want to watch more 3D anime. So far, it's good! The characters are interesting and I do enjoy the CGI animation a lot. I don't have anything else to add but maybe I'll like it more as I watch more episodes.

A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics: Probably my personal favourite so far! Not only is the opening a banger, in fact probably the best one so far but the characters are already so fun and enjoyable. I like the humour and Sara is an absolute cutie pie, I also do enjoy an opposite isekai plot. A.K.A a fantasy character coming to the normal human world and learning to adapt. I can't wait to see where this series goes, I'll definitely be keeping up with it.

Himitsu no AiPri: My first Pretty Series season. Well, I did start watching Kiratto Prichan a long while ago but didn't get very far. From what I can see, having knowledge of the previous seasons would probably be beneficial to the watching but ermmm, whatever. It's cute so far! And it definitely reminds me of Precure, since it's trying to compete with it. I love the character designs and the premise seems interesting, though I don't entirely understand it yet. I might try and start watching the first season in-between as well and work my way up but, no promises!

Grandpa and Grandma Turn Young Again: I've only watched the first episode, it's a cute little episodic series so far! I don't really have much to add but the Grandma is very cute. And the art style is cute too, but I'll have to watch the second episode to gauge more of an interest. I definitely think it has a great premise though.

Mysterious Disappearances: I'll be honest I completely forgot I downloaded the first episode at all so, I don't really know if I'll continue with this series. The first episode wasn't bad though, it's just not really my series. But, I might as well keep watching it since I've started, maybe I'll come to like it more as I watch it. I think the art style is fun at least! Unlike the others this screencap is not mine because I only screenshot the cat that showed up (it's my mission to screenshot every kitty I see now).

Studio Apartment, Good Lighting, Angel Included: First of all, what a series name. Second of all, I fucking hate Shintaro with every one of my being. Oh, his name is similar to Rentarou now I want him to die even more. Okay, I hate his ass he's one of those boring ass MC's that's really stupid and dense and I can't stand him. So why am I watching this series? Don't be ridiculous, the cute girls of course. I didn't think I'd continue this show but I really like the girls so far, Towa is soooo silly and an idiot I can't help but love her. Noel is also adorable and I didn't see the reveal of who she really was coming. And, I love the design of the purple chunibyou girl so I'm mainly watching to see her debut LOL. The show would be 10 times better without Shintaro, like get rid of him and this show would be way more enjoyable. It's always the ugly ass boring ass men getting in the way. The ending really adds to that point like I would kill for a slice of life with these unusual and mostly nonhuman girls, please.

Whisper Me a Love Song: It's not really my thing, so I don't know if I'll continue it, but it's cute so far. I like the art style and I especially like the side character Kaori, if she shows up more I might continue watching just for her. That's really all I have to say since I've only seen one episode so far.

The Many Sides of Voice Actor Radio: Watched the first episode like today and I'll just say it now. If a series has a gyaru I'm gonna watch it, that's the main reason I picked this show up. But, I do think it's pretty good so far! I do enjoy a duo who don't like each other at all and I like that Yasumi is the one annoying Yuuhi. I'm mixed on Yuuhi as a character but, so far I think she's fine, her design reminds me of Uto from 100kano hehe. I'll definitely continue if only to take cute screenshots of Yasumi.

Train to the End of the World: Cute girls alongside a gyaru? Of course I was gonna pick this series up, so far it's pretty good. I'm not one on SciFi mysteries so I'm not entirely in love with it yet, but it seems like an exciting show. The opening song is nice! I think I'll have to watch more to really put my thoughts down, though I'm also just watching a lot of series so brain not work. I can't add anymore images sawry

Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night: BANGERRRR BANGER OHHH SO GOOD SO GOOOOOOD. A Salad Bowl of Eccentrics appeals to me most because of my personal taste but objectively I think this is the best show. Watching the first episode of this anime gave me the same feeling as when I watched WEP for the first time. And that feeling is phenomenal, I feel so strongly towards this series already and it's only been 2 episodes, I'm really excited to see where the plot goes and how these girls succeed or fail. The animation and direction is just so AUGHAHBEJSNENNSNE I'm running around on all fours you NEED to watch this show you need to watch it NOW!

I'm also of course, still keeping up with Wonderful Precure! Sorry most of these are vague and not good because uhhh too many series is a lot for me I don't know why I'm doing this. For honour and to get up that anime count, I don't know if I'll keep up at this pace. Though I at least know that if I can't keep up with all of them I have a few that I will definitely keep watching regardless. This season is gonna be pretty good I feel.

[icarianiscariot]

🍁 🧡 🦚 🏳️‍🌈 🏳️‍⚧️ if you want? But no pressure 💖💖💖 Big love!

NOT ME REBLOGGING AN ASK GAME AND THEN COMPLETELY FORGETTING ABT IT oTL

also desktop makes some of these emojis funky so im sorry if they don't translate back to mobile emojis well (esp the trans flag)

🍁 - When did you first realize you were queer?

when i was like, twelve or thirteen?? my friends and i all kinda figured it out around the same time together so it was a very like, "hmmm i think i like Women" "oh me too" "yeah i think i'm like. Gay" casual thing (at least, it was to me)

🧡 - How has the way you presented yourself (ex. Clothing, hairstyle, etc.) changed since you realized you were queer?

well im still fucking emo LMAO. uhhh but literally now i cut my own hair and have bangs and bleach it and dye it in ways i never got to. i'd say i'm more comfortable now?? idk my style hasn't changed hugely bc i've always been a "hoodies and skinny jeans" person, but i'm def more comfortable in Formal Clothes now, like button-ups and dresses. also 13yo me would never be caught dead in shorts above the knee but here i am, somehow less Girl yet more Comfortable With Femininity ??

idk i was going to a private lutheran school and also didn't have a lot of freedom in general with my style so obviously things have changed since i've become an adult and the inherent difference in appearance that one takes over the course of a decade and adolescence. this answer is probs v different for people who realized later in life which is fair but like. my queerness has always been an aspect of my identity ever since i was at the age where i was FORMING an identity, so it wasn't like a huge game-changer for me, it just helped explain who i was better.

🦚 - Are there any queer books/shows/etc. that you would suggest?

for the anime gang, Given is a big one, as well as Sasaki To (And?) Miyano (sometimes i see the title as "sasaki to miyano" and sometimes "sasaki and miyano," idk) - both are mlm high school romances and they're SO GOOD.

the owl house is a huge one for me. our flag means death. what we do in the shadows.

technically the six of crows duology isn't like, A Queer Book (Duology) but there are explicitly queer characters and who DOESN'T love a good heist??

i'm sure i'm forgetting some, i'm VVVVV bad at recalling recs off the top of my head, and i def am too big into fandom/fanfic and know most of my media isn't Actually queer rip

on that note, if y'all ever have any queer recs, PLZZZ hmu!! i have been itching more for like. adult-oriented content like OFMD and WWDITS, with adults figuring their shit out over high school coming of age, but OBVIOUSLY high school coming of age can still slap and i still def consume it. idk if there's a mom "i'll always love you" scene in it i'll cry automatically so

🏳️‍🌈 - Do you enjoy the colors of your preferred flag? Do you incorporate it into your outfits, decor, etc.?

YES THE BISEXUAL FLAG IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND PERFECT <333 blue/purple/pink is THEEE best color combo, sorry not sorry <333 there are def other pretty flags (aro and ace flags each are fantastic, love the black/gray/white with a pop of color in them sm) but i love the bisexual flag so much. i absolutely wear it frequently. i have multiple tie-dyed clothing items that are this color scheme. i love wearing it, i love dyeing my hair this combination of colors, etc etc.

the genderqueer flag is fine enough but idk i'm not a huuuuge fan of the green/white/purple (esp also now that TERFs on twitter use it to identify each other?? bc those are also the suffragette colors. suffragettes: cool. TERFs: uncool. genderqueerness: banger)

the nonbinary flag hits the aro + ace "black/white/[color]" sweet spot but at the same time it feels like the yellow and purple are from different palettes..... there's a post abt it floating around somewhere that i big agree with......... hmmm

the aromantic flag is banger as previously stated, we love to see it

🏳️‍⚧️ - What Flag do you think has the best color scheme?

bisexual flag EZ. asexual, aromantic, agender, trans, and bear pride flags are also all v pretty / good combos!!

send me some queer asks perchance (i promise not to forget them this time)

[fearforthestorm]

3, 6, 7, 8, 13, 18, 19 for the aro ask game, if that's not too many

gwen you madlad (/pos). okay get ready for an absolute essay of a post you asked for this

3. Do you consider yourself lgbt+?

I mean. I'd say I more consider myself queer (this is a personal distinction I prioritize queer over any other way I label myself and I'm really not all that comfy with using "lgbt+" As An Identity Label if that makes sense) but yeah points at the transgenderism. also aro literally IS lgbt+ hope this helps

6. What is your favourite part about being aromantic?

I like having a community. also the +10 bonus to understanding of relationships and society that being aro grants me /only a little bit joking

7. What is your least favourite part about being aromantic?

if I have to explain amatonormativity to one more person who cares more about making their fictional faves kiss than they care about how their absolute unwillingness to listen is actively hurting aspec folks I am going to commit a crime. this is not at anyone who follows us and we are specifically very supportive of shipping just oh my god please listen to aros please for the love of god.

8. Do you associate anything with being ��aromantic culture’?

the color green, for obvious reasons, and plants, and tea. also crafting and fiber arts, for reasons of a lot of my really cool friends who are aro or generally aspec also do that sort of stuff! (oh hey points you're one of those friends!)

13. What do you wish you could tell your younger self related to being aro-spec?

hm. i guess...it's okay to not be sure, and it's okay to not want to worry about it, and it's okay if you're never sure. you're allowed to feel a connection with the community regardless. and don't try to define yourself out of existence, if you draw the boxes too small eventually it's all boxes and no you.

18. Do you have any aro-spec headcanons?

if i like a character they're aro. hope this helps. but also pan/demi-romantic Sophie Foster and uhhh points at e!Pix (both seasons) that man is so aromantic.

19. Is there a song that is very aromantic to you?

oh god let me look at spotify i know there's some. hang on.

heaven sent: i know that some of the words are about love but like. it is so aromantic to me hope this helps

i don't think i can pick just one enter:shikari song because none of their music is about romance and all of it is bangers so they're certified aro approved however. let me pick one as a rec because i must always propaganda their music. this one's a personal underrated fave

light pollution: this song is AROMANTIC LASER BEAM ATTACK. to me. <2

HOPE YOU ENJOYED this is so many words. tldr oooh you wanna listen to my music recs sooooo bad! :D

[charcolor]

opinions on all my songs

forever after all: you'd think most 18 year olds would know that the vocals should be in the same key as the instrumental. i am SO sorry. and i had just gotten vocaloid4 + avanna and i wanted to have something to my name ASAP so uhhh that didnt help.

spoiled milk: i joke sometimes about how i'll eventually be called a ghost ripoff for making edgy songs about my mental illness. but this song is straight up no joke a ripoff of iolite ni. fortunately unlike ghost i wasn't like, good at making eerie lo fi kinda music yet so it sounds very different anyway. the album version is ok though

11pm: i thought the wacky messy fast part at the end was a good idea. and unfortunately people have to listen to this to fully understand 1pm

lalia: beats you to death with a shovel (my gf does like this one and i really do not understand why other than gf bias. maybe it's also catgirl bias...)

balloon garden: i know the mixing sucks. i know. i'm aware. and i know it's an unironic mlp fan song. but i still like it. when do you think i'll get tinnitus vote now on your phones

rot in peace: this one's fine

1pm: this song isnt quite that bad but i hate that it has so many views. go listen to fallen angels mafia, idiot

feast upon a starfish: beats you to death with a shovel

two way mirror: i like this song but since it's album exclusive no one cares about it :(

vivisect me: this one's epic tbh

channel35: it's ok but using all my girls was a mistake. i hate mixing :(

my ugly ugly heart: i think it's weird and messy but i did make it in 2 days to be fair. it's ok i'd probably like it more once i stop associating it with my trauma

silent cartoons: i think this one is epic too but i accidentally made the pv epilepsy inducing i think...i did try making an epilepsy friendly pv but that was later so i don't think anyone noticed...and also the pv sucks but it's not my fault

scarecrow without a story: mixing sux and hurts my ears but i still like it. i like the lyrics and tuning. i'm so sorry for using the same vhs footage in all my pvs

flyswatter girl: beats you to death with a sh

little girl: i think this one has my best lyrics. i used up all my lyric juice on this one and now i can't write good lyrics anymore :(

poignarder mon estomac: i still think this sounds really good especially considering i made it in less than 20 hours. (don't take that as a challenge btw. please avoid overworking yourself and burning out i love u)

fallen angels mafia: this is my peak you better listen to it i'm not making any more bangers after this

laugh it up: i really like it but in order to fully appreciate it you'd have to listen to lalia first and i think that's unfortunate.

subete wa atatakai: miku :)

love me like your victim: compared to the song it's a prequel to this is fucking embarrassing. if it wasn't a song about my oc i'd probably have unlisted it by now...

please be something + unknown caller id: i think i did a very good job but like with two way mirror, they're album exclusive so no one cares :(

anyway