#GOD I LOOKED AT THIS AGAIN WHILE THIS WAS IN QUEUE OH MY GOD RATIOS PORTRAITS SO GOOFY 😭😭😭😭😭 BROO

[occasional-ratiorine]

day 13 // drawing exercise

[kotsume]

my observations as a content creator :) warning: it’s long

if you’re reading this, don’t think too deeply about what i wrote - it’s just my analysis of fan blogs and some fandoms (so it’s all from my perspective). do what you want with this information, and feel free to lmk what you think ;) 

*i tried to include as many anime-applicable blogs as i could remember*

multifandom reblog blogs (ones who track a tag):

@/allanimanga: lots of original content every day. does not reblog from tag anymore bc most members who had that job are inactive. i’m an admin and i’ve been told not to worry about reblogging from the tag, and just make content. has member privilege abuse from certain users; normally you make content for the blog and you get to reblog your stuff over in a 1:1 ratio, but they will just use the blog to promote themselves without contributing. it’s really sad but there’s nothing we can do bc most of the time it’s an admin.

@/animacia: was debating whether or not to put this one. reblogs mainstream anime (sailor moon, studio ghibli) and has a tag, but the tag itself does not seem to be actively used as the most recent post can see tagged for this blog dates back to june 2019 (more than a year ago). it’s an active blog regardless of slow tag activity. 

@/animationsource: active, but very picky? idk man they either do or don’t reblog your stuff. it’s a hit or miss with them. seems to have member privilege abuse/preference (explained up there). not too sure if they have a queue or just reblog sporadically.

@/anisource: active. seems to run on a large, backlogged queue bc their tag is full of stuff that has yet to be reblogged. edits will probably take a while to be reblogged, but they’ll eventually get there! 

@/dailyanime: new blog, but from what i’ve experienced, they will queue it, and your post will be reblogged in 1-3 days (it probably depends on how much is in their queue).

@/fyanimegifs: will reblog your stuff, but they have a very slow queue.

@/graphicsources: not really active; spontaneous at best. don’t count on them to reblog your stuff. 

@/fyeahshoujo: not really active, but not completely inactive.

@/fysportsanime & @/sportsanimedaily: active. seems to have a backlogged queue, but just wait and you’ll be reblogged! it will take some time because there are lots of posts.

@/animangascenery & @/otomokatsuhiro (#oldanimeedit - changes url from time to time? that’s why i included the tag they track): inactive unless a member looks at the tag. in that case, they will most likely reblog the tagged post. typically mass reblogs/queues from the tag every once in a while. 

@/bbelcher & @/fyeahmovies: will reblog ghibli and makoto shinkai stuff. bonus points if you have added a text description to gifs. 80% dependable.

@/filmgifs, @/filmtv, @/stream, @/movie-gifs, etc. (basically big reblog fansites that aren’t anime-oriented, but do reblog mainstream anime movies): 90% chance they will not reblog anything from you if there is no text description. add text descriptions to studio ghibli/makoto shinkai film gifs and make it pretty! use text gradients!! that will increase your chances of being reblogged by them. they don’t reblog seasonal anime.

a note: many creators use tags as a way of reaching a broader audience. it's really helpful for smaller blogs who would like to share their content to others, but do not have the means/numbers to do so. just bc some people don't utilize tags to their full potential, it doesn't mean it isn't useful, so pls don’t try to act superior to those who want more exposure. everyone deserves a chance at getting the attention they deserve for their hard work!

studio ghibli reblog blogs:

@/ghiblisdaily: great. amazing. i love them!! will reblog from you 99.9% of the time. probably the most reliable ghibli blog as of right now. uploads original content

@/fyghibli: used to be good at reblogging from tag, but has gone kind of inactive. i think they’re becoming more active again, but it’s very sporadic.

@/kikisdeliveryservices: they track a variety of studio ghibli related tags, and they do reblog a lot, but i don’t think they’re as consistent as ghiblisdaily. lots of original content.  

@/oh-totoro: not really active, but when they are (and they reblog from you), your activity skyrockets.

@/dailyghibli: not active.

@/daily-ghibli: sometimes active, a little wishy-washy. they seem to be reblogging a little bit more consistently now?

@/princessghibli: not active, but reblogs here and there.

@/ghibligif: a new blog, but decently active. will reblog post from their tracked tag within a day. lots of original content.  

main point: there are many studio ghibli blogs (wayyyy more than i’ve listed here), but only around 3-4 active ones. choose your tags with what you think will give you the best exposure bc if you have too much, tumblr will go “fuck you” and not show your post at all :)

random anime fandoms:

i’ll really only be including ones i’m in, or know a bit about.

haikyuu, bnha, kny, yoi: healthy and very active. content for these fandoms do well even if they’re not in season. has multiple active fan blogs (except for yoi tho - they’re all inactive for the most part).

noragami, ohshc, ons, snk, tg, swnku: active fandoms. edits will do moderately well bc most people have seen these. 

popular sports anime (knb, free, dna, tsurune? idk i don’t watch much sports anime): they do okay. i rarely see any new sports anime edits beside haikyuu, but people do love their sports anime. has active sports fan blogs.

pokemon & sailor moon: old but gold. lots of people love these anime bc it’s part of their childhood. still very popular amongst tumblr users.

violet evergarden: does moderately well. @/fyeahvioletevergarden will reblog your stuff if you choose to tag them (big boost)! with the new movie coming up soon, there may be a resurgence in activity, but the most recent movie did not have much content made for it, so that hope may be crushed.

tpn: not very active, but with the new season coming up soon, there will be a resurgence in activity.

ditf: kind of dead, but lots of people love zero two. edits do moderately well.

sao: dead. absolutely dead. i thought there would be some activity bc it’s in season right now, but no, it’s a dead fandom. low key sao sucks tho. idek where the plot is going; i’m just hoping for an end.

hxh, one piece, fma, code geass: i’m not in it, but i think they do okay bc they have a large following, just not as well as haikyuu or bnha (but they’re still very popular). it depends on your blog demographic tho.

mp100, opm, bsd, given: kind of medium-tier fandoms. not as prevalent as haikyuu or bnha, but there are still edits being made for these anime. they don’t really have any active fan blogs (besides given i think) bc none of them are airing rn.

makoto shinkai & studio ghibli films: they do great! everybody loves good scenery, and the films are very well known and loved by all!

some seasonal anime (spring/summer 2020)

fruits basket: well this reboot blew up and overshadowed everything in it’s path. tbh only edits posted on the first day of the new episode do well. it’s a very competitive fandom for creators. 

kaguya sama love is war: first season was good, edits did well. second season drifted off into the shadow of fruits basket. relatively obscure fandom for how popular it is amongst people (non-creators). 

tower of god: popular with creators. now that it’s not airing, no one gifs it. respective fan blog is doing its best with content from the manhwa.

fugou keiji balance unlimited: people were simping even before the first ep came out, and then the anime went on hiatus for a few months. now that it’s started to air again, everyone acts like it never existed in the first place... was a good fandom up until the hiatus and now it will probably take a while to recover.

god of high school: nonexistent even tho it’s a popular pick this season (summer 2020). in the shadow of fruits basket.

deca-dence, bna, great pretender, kakushigoto, the misfit at demon king academy, rent-a-girlfriend: *sigh* didn’t see much of it on my dash. lesser-watched seasonal anime in comparison to fruits basket and tower of god (all relative to tumblr). there are gifs being made, but you have to follow the right blogs.

main point: if there’s any seasonal anime paired up against fruits basket at the same time, fruits basket will win and the former will be left in the dust.

[viollettes]

“Eyes Up Here”

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader (College AU)

Summary: In which you can’t take your eyes off of Steve’s rather glorious abs.

This story was heavily inspired by “Counting One, Two Three” written by @brighterlights. Naturally, this one’s for Jade as she shares my fangirl feelings about Steve/Chris.

A/N: This is my first Steve story, and I thought it’s finally time to bring it out of queue-purgatory. Because I’ve gotten so used to writing for Bucky, switching over to Steve was a little bit of a challenge. However, I adore him so I’m going to try my best. Hope you enjoy! - j xx

"Sssh, guys it's happening."

Right when you look up, a tall figure stops running and pulls off his shirt, revealing a body Michelangelo's David would have envied. The sunshine and sweat add a shiny gleam to the ridges of his pectoral and abdominal muscles, making him look like a fallen god from the skies of Olympus.

That is, if fallen gods wore tight gray running shirts and track pants.

"And there it is," Wanda breaths, her already-large eyes widening. She and Nat start a slow clap, the latter adding in a couple of whistles.

"I can't tell believe you dragged me out of bed at six in the morning on a Wednesday to watch someone take off his shirt," you sigh as you tiredly rub your eyes. You look around - there's no one at the track but three of you and the hottie with the abs.

"You can grumble all you want, (Y/N), but you have to admit this is hell of a view," Nat grins. Her steely gaze turns pensive and she muses, "You think those abs are completely gym-manufactured or made through sports?"

"It's got to be both. That," Wanda moves her hand in the direction of the abs in question, "is too incredible and has to be a result of magic."

"It's too early for this," you sigh. But Nat is right, those abs are rather glorious, and you can't help blush as you watch the athlete's chest rise and fall as he catches his breath.

Right then the half-naked person of their discussion squints their way, his hand shielding his eyes from the sun. While you're too slow to react, Wanda immediately drops her eyes to the phone while Nat casually blows a bubble with her gum.

His eyes stop on you, and his lips turn up into cheekily smile. He first waves before sending you a two-finger salute. Something in your brain clicks as soon as he salutes, and you gasp, "Holy motherfu -"

"Swear jar!"

You hold out your index finger in Wanda's direction. "Nope, I didn't say the entire word!" you exclaim.

Nat keenly stares at you, her fingertips drumming the side of her leg. "Do you know this guy?" she asks.

"That's my friend who's been helping me study for my History of World War II class."

"That's Steve Rogers?" Wanda incredulously asks, her jaw slightly dropping. "That's the guy you've been meeting up with three times a week for this past semester? The sweetest guy you've ever met has a body like that? No wonder you think you might have a crush on him."

"No! I mean, yes, but -"

"(Y/N) (Y/L/N), you little minx." A sly smile perks up on Nat's lips and the redhead strikes a saucy pose. "You didn't tell us that all this time, you've been meeting up with this bonafide hottie with an ass that won't quit."

"Swear jar!" you loudly accuse.

Nat glances at Wanda. "Swear jar commissioner?" she asks.

"Pass, because it's true," Wanda nonchalantly shrugs. She giggles at your miffed expression and nods her heads towards Steve. "Look, his butt is like a perfect peach," she observes before turning to you. “How did you not know about this incredible body of his?”

"He always wears sweaters that cover up... that," you gesture at your study buddy's incredible shoulder-to-waist ratio. Besides, you have a crush on him because of he’s such a gentleman; he’s a ridiculous flirt with you during your study sessions, but everything he says and does has the foundation of chivalry and integrity. Looks were never important to you, but you, too, begin to blush as Steve's sex god body slowly infiltrates your mind.

"Oh, he's waving at you again."

You look up from your shoes, and sure enough Steve is waving at you, beckoning you to come over. You shrug at your girlfriends and make your way over to him, well aware of Nat's hawk-like eyes boring into your back.

"Hey Steve," you awkwardly greet, holding up your hand. Your mind goes blank as you realize how close you are to his perfectly sculpted chest. His pectorals are much more majestic up-close.

"Thank you for sending me the notes for last week's class. If you ever need a favor, you know who to ask," Steve kindly thanks, a sunny and eager look reflecting in his eyes.

"Mmhm, don't worry about it," you say, not realizing how distracted your tone is. Your eyes unconsciously drop from Steve's blue eyes and wander down.

"I was wondering if you have time tomorrow to review for the upcoming test," he asks. "I know it's a Thursday night, but..." Steve pauses when he realizes that your eyes have lowered and are ogling at his naked torso. "(Y/N)?" he calls out.

"Mmhph," you numbly utter, still taking in the glory of Steve's abs. How is it humanly possible for abs like this to exist? Your hand unconsciously reaches out to touch, but you catch yourself before your hand makes contact with his bare skin.

"(Y/N)?" Steve stifles his laughter and taps your shoulder, snapping you out of your trance-like state. "Hey, eyes up here," he pokes, pointing to his baby-blues.

Your face immediately burns red, and you wish you could dig a hole in the middle of the track and bury yourself in it. "Yeah, mmhmm," you offhandedly mutter, forcing yourself to look up into his eyes. "You were saying?"

"Tomorrow night? Reviewing for history?" he repeats, a teasing mixture of a smirk and smile taking over the tall blonde's face.

"Right. History. Yes," you choppily respond, growing more flustered as your peripheral vision catches the subtle movement of his abs. Was he flexing on purpose or was that natural? "Thursday night, history - Wait! I'll actually be in the art studio from 1pm. Come to Quill Hall around seven. We can review there."

"See you then." Steve flashes you a grin before turning away, giving you another free chance to stare at his physique.

Once Steve leaves the track, you spin around to glance at your friends, still dazed from what just happened. Wanda starts to slow-clap again while Nat smirks, a devilish glint in her eyes.

Oh, you’re so screwed.

- - -

"Done!"

You throw your arms up in celebration and take in the large acrylic painting you just completed. Music blasts through your speakers, complementing your ecstatic mood.

Doing a little shimmy, you use your paintbrush to twist your hair into a bun. Gleeful, you spin around in happiness, only to freeze when you notice Steve watching you in amusement and wonder. "When did you get here?" you inquire.

"Right about here." Steve starts to imitate your shimmy, his hips sinfully swaying back and forth. He gyrates his body and loses himself in the music whilst making the goofiest facial expressions. He clutches his chest and throws his head back in laughter as you cover your face in embarrassment. "Hey, it's cute," he comments, lightly poking your arm.

"I'm going to wash my hands. Make yourself home, I booked the studio until midnight," you say before you scamper off. In the restroom, you splash water onto your cheeks, hoping the pink on your cheeks will settle down.

Ready to focus on history again, you return to the studio, only to freeze in your tracks. Steve's in the middle of taking off his hoodie, and he's accidentally pulled up his white t-shirt as well. As a result, his glorious chest and abs are on display again.

Your breath gets caught in your throat again and you don't realize Steve catches you blatantly staring again.

"(Y/N), eyes up here," he clucks, pointing to his eyes again. When you don't answer, Steve throws up an X over his chest with his muscular arms and grabs his shoulders, effectively blocking his pecs and abs.

"Wuh? Wait! I wasn't staring," you defend, fervently waving your hands in protest.

“Keep looking at me like that, and I’ll think you’re only keeping me around for my body,” the blonde teases. "At least buy me dinner before you stare at me like that!" Steve teases. He drops his arms, only to hoot in laughter when you jaw involuntarily drops again. "Eyes up here!"

“It’s not my fault you keep flashing your abs in front of me!” you accuse as you pull out the paintbrush intertwined in your hair and incriminatingly point at at his midsection. “Who even has muscles like that? That’s just rude!” you declare as you continue to swipe your paintbrush around like a wizard attempting to conjure a spell.

“This is only the second time!” the blonde argues, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Rude!” you yell again, lightly whacking his thigh with the brush. A defeated yet amused sigh escapes you as Steve goes into another chest-clutching and shoulder-shaking laugh.

“It’s just my stomach, (Y/N),” he nonchalantly shrugs.

“Well, you don’t see me flashing my boobs at you, do ya?”

Steve stops from opening his backpack with a pondering look. “Huh, true.” Suddenly the corners of his mouth turn up to match the deviously devilish glint in his eyes. “Though, I wouldn’t -”

You hold up the paint brush, eyebrow arched and daring him to continue. “Really, Rogers?” you interrupt.

The blonde innocently shrugs as he sits on one of the drawing desks, flipping open his textbook. “Worth a try,” he winks. “And besides, we’re friends.”

“Friends flash each other’s abs and boobs at each other?” 

“Probably not,” Steve chuckles. “But I have to admit, I kind of like it when you get all flustered.”

“No, it’s embarrassing.”

“No, it’s cute.”

You frown and crinkle your nose. “I look like a spaced-out lobster.”

Steve crosses his arm with a steely determination on his face. “I like lobsters,” he staunchly retorts.

Confused about how you’re supposed to respond, you furrow your brow and rapidly blink at him. Steve also visibly processes his words, and pretty soon both of you are laughing your heads off at the ridiculousness of his sentence - him clutching his chest again while you face-palm yourself in laughter.

“Okay, come on. Let’s start reviewing. We have a test, and Professor Carter isn’t going easy on us this time,” Steve encourages. “Also...” He leans dangerously close to you with a playful glint in his eyes. “If we kick ass on this review session, maybe I’ll let you touch my abs,” he winks.

“Oh God, please stop.”

“Eyes up here, babe. Eyes up here.”

[shakesonaplane]

Mad Times in MAD City: Drinking our way through Madrid

Hola everyone! Today we’re going to learn a lesson: how to “drink” a city. For those of you who know me, you’re aware that my side-hustle of a bartender makes me keen to explore the alcohol and cocktails of a city when I visit it. Whenever I visit a city, I aim to find the cool drinking spots in addition to searching for the culture and local flavors. So, when my brother recommended we visit Madrid after his work trip in Europe, you had better believe I saw an opportunity to “drink” a city. Now, whilst I know that phrase sounds really odd, and even potentially gross, rest assured nothing out of the ordinary happened on this trip. Well, by out of the ordinary I mean potentially illegal, bc a lot of things you can get up to in Madrid might seem a bit different to the average person. If at this point, you need a definition of what “drink” a city means, please go pour yourself a cup of something strong, finish it, pour another cup, and read on…

Something tells me Fidel’s Rum might just be superior but also comes with a hangover that would rival Cuban Communism

But, before we start, a quick lesson. I know that in most of the world, when we think of tapas, we think of small, shared plates. A classic restaurant experience where we order a couple things to share and then have a nice meal and maybe a drink or two. Fun fact for you: that is not what tapas really is. I learned this lesson when I first visited Barcelona in 2014 with someone who had lived there in college: tapas is really just an excuse to drink. As one of the many stories go, bartenders in Spain (some say Seville) started putting saucers and breads on top of their customers opens glasses to keep the flies out. Upon doing so, they realized that customers would come back if they offered some small bites like olives or cheese, hence Tapas (which literally means “on top”) was born. (By the way, there are a myriad of stories on how Tapas started, I just chose that one…though without fail they all seem to center around drinking). So, if you go out in Spain now, just know that Tapas are a thing to do alongside drinks and not just a quiet endeavor to eat some food. If you don’t order a drink and don’t seem to have one, I can attest that you will get a quizzical look from the local spots we tried. Recommended Tapas by yours truly were found in La Latina district called Txacolina and Casa Lucas.

I summoned my greatest willpower and only chose a few dishes here instead of my first inclination which was to ask for one of everything

I don’t often talk in too much detail on the drinks I personally consumed bc I realize everyone’s tastes are quite different and, as a person who enjoys all flavors (read: drinks too much), you can find some fun anywhere. Just note this: if you’re Tapas-ing (new word?) during the early afternoon, chances are you’ll have to taste the Spanish Vermouth, by far one of the easier Vermouths I’ve had to drink. We looked around quite a bit when we ordered a beer at this hour and noticed several of these martini glasses full of a wondrous concoction. Upon the realization that it was Vermouth, we quickly ordered our next round of this soul-clarifying elixir and briefly thanked the fermentation gods for such a lovely creation. Quick Shakesonaplane rule of thumb for drinking Madrid: If it’s sunny, vermouth or white wine…if it’s just after dark, beer, red wine or a cocktail…and if the sun is about to rise, liquor, water, and prayer (you’ll understand what I mean by that in a moment).

Example of Tapas and Nishu trying to show off the above mentioned “quizzical look”

Don’t fret, though…we didn’t spend this entire weekend drinking, though the option was certainly presented to us. We did try to find some time to experience the culture of Madrid as well as the amazing art and sights the city has to offer. And by culture, obviously, I meant finding a bar playing the Real Madrid match. Surprisingly difficult to do, Aakash (a fellow US traveler who joined our trip) and I found that not all bars will show the games, perhaps bc of the rowdiness than can follow. So, whilst Nishu and Anu (our final travel companion) were siesta-ing, Aakash and I found an Irish pub (go figure) to watch the Real Madrid match. While it is always a pleasure to watch football in España, I must say I would’ve preferred being at the match itself. But beggars can’t be choosers, so we endured.

Post siesta fun at just another local watering hole…still not sure if Spanish people do anything but drink all the time and I don’t mind at all

Perhaps the highlight of our cultural tour of Madrid was not related to drinking at all, but instead a walk through the Cubist  section of the Reina Sofia musuem and a long, wonderful stare at Guernica, perhaps Pablo Picasso’s most famous piece of art. A massive drawing that takes walking across to really appreciate, Guernica is what a non-art-aficionado (like me) would call “pretty amazing”. The Reina Sofia has a multitude of really wonderful art to take in, so if you’re around in Madrid and have some hours to kill between drinks, I’d recommend a stopover before or during siesta time. The queue outside the Reina Sofia grew immensely when we left it, bc the evening seems to be a hot time to visit on the weekends, so plan accordingly. 

You can’t take photos of Guernica, so apologies for the stock photography, but even looking at it again as I write his brings back a whirlwind of questions and emotions.

By now you must be wondering, well, hey, where’d all the drinking go? And you know what, so were we.  So with our sleuthing hats on, we endeavored to find something tasty by way of cocktails in various areas. Being that I’m turning into a cocktail snob, the goal was to find really unique drinks in the coolest locations and best designed bars. Let me say this, Madrid did not disappoint. I’ve started to notice that Spanish cocktails are amongst the best mixed drinks I’ve had in many European spots. We delved into all manner of drinks across a few trendy cocktail bars, but if I had to recommend some I would point you to Salmon Guru and 1862 Dry Bar for the best fancy cocktails I had there. Be warned, these drinks are not for the light-hearted, so if you’ve felt toasty just reading my escapades in the past (or you’re not even close to done with that 2nd drink I told you to get), then exercise a bit of caution. That doesn’t mean skip it, that just means order yourself a glass of water as a chaser

Yes that’s a chili in my drink, yes it was spicy, yes it tasted like home

For our final foray into drinking away our time in Madrid, we ventured a place that has only been described to me as “don’t go before 3am”. So you can imagine my surprise when we rocked up at 3am and saw what was probably the largest center-of-city night club I’d ever seen. For those who aren’t familiar with the Spanish clubbing style, Kapital is the kind of place that doesn’t even open till midnight. And then you can venture across several floors of people, music types, people, drinks, people and oh did I mention people? Couple up Aakash, Nishu, and Anu and this nightclub and basically I knew that breakfast was going to be drunk food and that was that (which turned out to be Mexican tacos, somehow). I have to say, this was a pretty enjoyable clubbing experience, and I don’t often say that as I get older and the grey in my beard starts to win over the black. But hey, if I could handle myself till 7am with the best of them, then surely I can’t be that old (he said while sadly remembering his hangover).

I would describe what is going on in this picture, but let’s be honest, you don’t really want to know

So there you have it! A crazy weekend in Madrid that ended with me waking up after 1hr of sleep and heading to the airport for a flight back to London. To say I was tired the next day is an understatement. I even got yelled at by a woman at the lounge in MAD airport for opportunistically taking a cold shower there…unless I was so out of it that I didn’t realize I was hallucinating! I also realize after reading through this that there are a ton of dark, dank, and rather hilarious photos we took. Rest assured, we did see sunlight whilst here, and I do need to make a trip back to explore the other important sights of Madrid :)

As always, here are some photos from our trip there and a map to guide you along your way when venturing through this city, drunk or not:

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Hasta luego! Abhishek