#GIVE ME MORE YOU COWARDS

[healpimp]

im gonna level w you, fellow medic mains. you are a lot worse at the game than you think

[oceanwithouthermoon]

maybe its just me but i cant stand when people are like "it just doesn't sit right with me how teruhashi thought about aiura 🥺" like yes... its not supposed to ??? because her thinking badly of other girls and prioritizing male validation over everything is one of her main flaws ??? can we talk about that WITHOUT making it seem like shes not allowed to have a single actual flaw without suddenly becoming an awful person? nobody can handle complex female characters at all and its so fucking annoying

[kyouka-supremacy]

We should talk more about Akutagawa seeing Dazai in Atsushi and being revolted by him, that's such a juicy concept to explore

[ishikawayukis]

🌹

[yellowocaballero]

Omg hi Ms. Yellow Caballero big fan of your work <3 For real though, I'm really excited that your sharing the Weekenders, it was a joy to read and I'm bongocat-ing now that others also get the privilege to read it as well.

Referencing your tags, would you please elaborate of ableism in fandom and, like you said, how fandom treats characters with unpalatable disabilities?

Hi Ms. Bud Lite I'm a big fan of you <3

TL;DR A fear of writing characters of highly marginalized identities shields you from criticism and discomfort, but it's actively stigmatizing to people of these identities and as a writer you really need to get over yourself and write The Icky People.

I guess I'll come out swinging on this one and say that fandom doesn't like severe mental illness. (As a note, when I say severe mental illness (SMI) I mean illnesses such as psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, personality disorders, etc)

Obviously, nobody likes people w/SMI. It's just insanely egregious in fandom to me, since fanfic writers absolutely love writing characters or HC characters with depression, anxiety, or a specific variety of PTSD That Isn't Scary. People actively reject any character HCs for a SMI. When people write a character with SMI, they nicely downplay it, ignore it, substitute it for a disorder they like better, or rewrite it. It's completely untolerated, in both headcanons and in fanfiction, and every time I bring it up I always get the most interesting reasons why somebody couldn't possibly acknowledge a character's SMI in their writing. I've heard all of these:

"I don't know enough about the disorder to write it accurately." Do research.

"I'm not X, so I can't really depict it." You probably aren't a cis white man, but you depict those guys just fine.

"It feels insulting to the character." There is no shame in having a SMI.

"I can't understand what it's like, so it's better to be cautious and avoid giving characters stigmatized identities." There are LOTS of experiences that you'll never understand because you've never had them - you just don't want to write anything you're uncomfortable with. People with SMI make you uncomfortable, and you don't want to write anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, or think of a comfort character in an uncomfortable way. SMIs are marginalized differently than solely depression/anxiety/The Nice PTSD, and by refusing to write them you're actively contributing to the stigma.

I think (?) I've spoken in the past about how I believe that the rigorous external and internal policing of writing people of marginalized identities is actively harmful towards efforts to increase diversity of experience and background in fiction. A lot of fanfiction writers are just terrified to write people who they can't directly relate with, because they're worried 'they'll get it wrong' and be Big Cancelled. I think this is negative enough when it prevents people from going outside of their comfort zone, but on a macro level I think this results in people refusing to write characters of marginalized identities as all. It's an insidious thought process, and it's reflected in people's unwillingness to diversity their writing or acknowledge canon diversity.

'Well, I don't understand what it's like to be Black, so I don't want to write Black people'. 'I want to project on this character, so I only want to write them with mental illnesses and identities I have'. 'If I write a marginalized character incorrectly people will yell at me, so I won't write a marginalized character who's marginalized differently than me at all'. Can you imagine writing a lesbian character with a boyfriend because 'you feel uncomfortable writing lesbian experiences'? It's blatantly homophobic. But people do that with disability and race/ethnicity ALL THE TIME.

People with SMI notice that you feel uncomfortable with them. It's obvious. They notice when a character has a SMI + anxiety, and you only write their anxiety. They notice when a character displays symptoms of a SMI in canon, but you write it out. And POC notice when the characters of color are written out. I know we all like to project on the blorbos and relate to them, and in the joys of your own head do whatever, but as a writer if you only stick to identities you're comfortable with you are actively being a worse writer. Which to me is the REAL sin lmfao.

[myreia]

✦ D I S C I P L E O F T H E H A N D

Alchemy for potions. Blacksmithing for repairs. Leatherworking and weaving for mending. She is not an artisan, but the basic skills she has picked up over the years have served her well. Self-sufficiency has always been at the forefront of her mind, and she is pleased that she can keep herself afloat when needed. Besides, crafting is relaxing. A hobby or two here and there is good for her mind. —level 90 compendium

[greenerteacups]

Hi GT,

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but I absolutely love the recs you've given (you've introduced me to tomione, and I love it!) and I was wondering if it's possible to give you some recs in return? There are some books and fics that definitely have dramione / got vibes, and I was wondering if I could share them with you!

So glad you've enjoyed them! Feel free to rec me anything you want. I've read most of the classic recs in terms of fic and adjacent content (Cruel Prince et al), but I'll try anything that's well-written. My tastes run towards weird and/or audaciously creative stuff, and I can forgive a lot of weaknesses in plot on the grounds of (1) ambition or (2) character work. My turnoffs are instalove, protagonists who can't fail, and most Y/A (I'm not a hater, I swear, I just need characters who can say "fuck" when their leg gets chopped off.)

I'm also a fan of weird and fucked-up dynamics.(Wuthering Heights was my favorite book for a while, and as a teenager I wrote an AU in which the book ends on a long sex scene where Heathcliff fucks Cathy's ghost and then immediately gets murdered by Catherine 2.) Obviously, I am very normal.

[dootznbootz]

I think some folks MAY have gotten the wrong idea about how I feel about Circe with some of my posts. So, to clear the air...

Homies, I love that fucked up sorceress.

I love how we're never given a reason why she turns people into animals. That's so funny and so awful. And another potion-making magic gal?!?! I love that she's just basically vibing on an island doing whatever she wants. I even love the fact that she scares Odysseus shitless! She's morally gray and that's why she's FUN.

I just sincerely hate when people try to girlboss her or have her be a victim of SA when she never was Looking at you, Miller. Especially when she was actually the one who coerced Odysseus in exchange for his men being transformed back into humans. And even then, while he was clearly afraid of her, (it's in the language of the Odyssey) she likely meant him no harm after a certain point. He just didn't know that.

Why does she need a reason to do awful things? Why can't she just be a goddess who does whatever she wants? That's the reason why I love her!!! She's fucked up!!! :D

I hate what the Telegony did to her as well! >:( You're telling me, this sorceress goddess, who makes potions (!!!) wouldn't have magic contraceptives??? Would WANT CHILDREN?!?! WITH THE PATHETIC WIFEMAN?! No. Fuck no. Eugammon of Cyrene, I have beef with you 🤬

Anyways!!! Understand all the "#anti circe" I have is simply Anti "Girlboss Circe" or the book. I genuinely think she's neat af as her morally gray, fucked up sorceress self and just get frustrated with...everything :'D

[captainbrookeworm]

New animatic of my favorite Darkley’s Kids!!

[prickly-paprikash]

I'll be referring to Mizu by her canon identity (she/her) since that is what the series creators choose to call her.

My favorite thing about Blue Eye Samurai is that the plot does punish Mizu for her single-mindedness and wrath against the Four White Devils. Ringo is horrified by her act of allowing Akemi to be forcefully brought to the Shogun because, in her eyes, Akemi would be safer there—but it can also be stated that she did this because her path to revenge cannot be bogged down by things such as friendship or affection.

It does not necessarily mean that the plot wishes to punish her for her vengeance itself.

Blue Eye Samurai, I believe, isn't going down the route of Vagabond or Vinland Saga (two special stories close to my heart) where the protagonists there learn the value of forgiveness and letting go of their hatred. Here, Mizu is even explicitly called an Artisan, her works are of Death. Swordfather calls himself an artist of Blades, whereas he refers to Mizu as an Artist of the Sword, both single-minded in their endeavors.

Anger must fuel her, but it cannot blind her. Like an artist, her strokes must be purposeful. Her hand steady and controlled. Her canvas cannot be tainted with the blood and wounds of the innocents. Not Ringo's. Not Akemi's. Not Taigen's.

Don't get me wrong, I love narratives that explicitly put down the thought of vengeance. That these stories dissuade the thought of "An Eye for an Eye" and pushes their protagonists down a path of wisdom and peace.

But anger and vengeance and *satisfaction* are also very human things to feel and pursue. The Princess Bride showcases a tale of vengeance without causing collateral damage. I believe Mizu is learning to move away from her identity as a mere instrument of punishment; a spirit of revenge. Instead she chooses to become an Artist.

It's why she takes up body writing at the series finale. Art must be pulled from different perspectives and sources. One cannot be stagnant in their field. Just like how an Archaeologist will have some mastery over Anthropology to better understand the past, an artisan needs to know other expressions of art.

I think that's beautiful. Not dissuading vengeance, but refining it. Directing it. Guiding her bloodlust into masterful strokes of her blade.

[timemachineyeah]

I think in the next Animal Crossing, you should have to earn your control over the environment. And I don’t just mean working to get terraforming, I mean, like, earning it before getting to decide where other people’s homes are and stuff.

Idk, the deserted island is fun but I kind of hope in the next one we’re back to being a new face in an already established rural community. And you can still progress to moving absolutely everything on the map and decorating each square foot and flower to your liking, but, like… these other people have lives of their own.

I like knowing a rando isn’t gonna move onto my carefully curated flowerbed and ruin my path, but I don’t like how much the villagers in ACNH feel like fashion accessories rather than neighbors.

[beevean]

Another hot take: having an official Year of Shadow only shines a light on Shadow's preferential treatment and unintentionally implies the other characters aren't good enough just because they have less mainstream popularity. Not helping is that SEGA appear to always be dedicated to keeping an eye on Shadow's portrayals, yet seem less attentive to the rest, including Sonic himself in some cases. Shadow may be "fleshed out" (YMMV on in a good way or not), but the others deserve credit too.

Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly disagree

I didn't see a Year of Knuckles :^) even as the second movie was effectively his movie :^) this years is his 30th anniversary, and he only got a short spinoff miniseries... and here I should mention how it was mostly about Wade and other humans :^)

2023 wasn't the Year of Amy :^) she didn't get a whole celebratory year for reappearing in Origins Plus or Superstars :^)

Shadow is the fan favorite. There's no point in denying it. I don't think we ever moved past that point when Shadow was more beloved than Sonic himself. We are fully in the 2000s 2.0, man. Can you see all of me, walk into my mystery.

[lindentea]

a representation problem in the Hellaverse...

Yesterday I wrote a post about my feelings on the complete lack of polyamorous/non-monogamous relationships in Helluva Boss and Hazbin Hotel, but I wanted to talk about how both series are also severely lacking in lesbian and trans characters.

We have ONE trans character with multiple speaking lines (Sallie May), and she's a minor character. Angel and Fizz might be nonbinary/genderfluid, or might "just" be effeminate twinks (although those aren't necessarily mutually exclusive). And we have ONE recurring lesbian character (Vaggie). At least, it's generally assumed by the fandom that she's a lesbian, even though Vivzie has chosen not to canonize any of her characters' sexual orientations.

I do appreciate that there are a lot of trans imps in the background in Helluva Boss, and that it seems commonplace enough to be no big deal at all in imp society. I really hope that Sallie May returns a little more often.

There is only one sapphic relationship in either series. One!! Aside from Charlie, there aren't any other explicitly bi/pan female characters, either (except maybe in the background, or as an off-hand comment).

This feels like some kind of Bechdel Test variant, doesn't it... There are so many queer characters in both series-- plenty of characters who are gay, bi, pan, and ace-- errrrr... well aaaaaactuallyyy I just realized there's not much ace rep either, huh? There's Alastor, and mayyybee Striker. Striker could certainly be ace and squicked out by sex, orrrr he could just be increasingly pissed off that his attempts to be scary and threatening keep getting foiled by his targets turning the tables on him with sexual innuendos, lol. It's honestly unclear. And if a character is neither in a relationship, nor do they actually ever mention that they're ace, it's... pretty hard to definitively say.

I still love both series, and I love the rampant queerness, and I don't want the number of gay/bi male characters/pairings to decrease (representation is not a pie chart), but man... Throw us lesbians/sapphics and trans peeps a bone, plz? Maybe take a few lessons from Steven Universe?

[firstkanaphans]

GMMTV really said “Which actor do we have on our roster that rocks a good eyeliner, looks young enough to be a teenager for flashbacks, and has been begging us to act opposite Gun for years?” and then chose Khaotung Thanawat to play Gun’s homoerotic frenemy from high school. Please tell me we’re getting a season two?! That was such a tease!

[shannonsketches]

I saw discourse so this is the reminder to the class that I think the lore would be 1000000x better if Hylia was a magnificent terrifying red bird god and Demise was a ghibli style angry boar god horror show and neither of them looked humanesque at all thank you

[coffee-as-a-love-language]

ending pride month w/ a bit of uta and itori brainrot (ie. a headcanon that i hold very near and dear to my heart)

hear me out: what if they dated when they were kids?

and by dated, i mean “dated,” the way junior high kids do. (if you know, you know.)

a bit about myself to start: i live in a very conservative area of the united states. here, it’s not all that uncommon for adults to look at little boys and say things like, “you’re gonna kill it with that ladies when you’re older!” and “i’ll bet the girls are all over you!”

what if uta dealt with a lot of that from relatives and friends before his family was killed? and then, after their deaths, he decided he wanted to try being the image of himself that they saw?

what if he flirted around a lot as a young teenager? had a lot of week-long flings with girls that ended in broken hearts? what if his excuse was always the same: “there’s just no spark. i’m sorry, but you aren’t the one for me.”

what if he was relieved when itori confessed to him and asked him out, because she was his. person. he thought, “of course! i love her more that anyone! if itori’s not the girl for me, then who is?”

which is why he felt absolutely ill after their first kiss, because there was still no spark.

what if he spent the entire next day alone, thinking things through, and coming to terms with the thing he’d hoped he’d never have to face?

what if he sat her down that night, and instead of his usual excuse, he looked her in the eyes and told her the whole truth?

and she was a little hurt—not that she would show it.

but she understood. and after he was finished talking, she wrapped her arms around him and promised that she’d always be there for him, no matter what.

years later, after watching uta confront a certain silver-haired interloper in their ward, she saw him lay a hand over the bruise on his face.

and the look in his eyes said everything.