#Genesis Revisited

[the-flying-tora]

Watch "Steve Hackett - Entangled (Live at Hammersmith)" on YouTube

Mood today.

[perabl]

Steve Hackett på Slagthuset, Malmö - maj 2023

[0rchidm4ntis]

[What if we just hadn't said goodbye?]

Some design notes below the cut

-both of their expressions are meant to represent the way they felt about the outcome of ep 24. shinji has his eyes on kaworu with an expression of hurt and betrayal meanwhile kaworu is at peace with his decision, eyes closed and unable to see how shinji may feel now

-i know the pilots are never seen wielding weapons themselves in the show and that evas haven't been shown using a sword at any point either however i kind of live for the fact that swords held blade down look like crosses. i couldn't help myself with that one it was too good an opportunity to pass

-hard to tell bc I couldn't put much effort into them but the flowers making up kaworu's bouquet are blue roses, often recognised as a symbol for secret or unattainable love

-whether the way kaworu holds a bouquet makes him look like a bride ready to walk down the aisle or a corpse laying in their casket. well. ill leave the choice up to you

-i also wanted the items they're holding to parallel one another. shinji holds a red sword dripping with blue blood meanwhile kaworu holds blue roses ever so slightly stained by fresh blood. shinji is the only one holding a weapon because he's the only one causing physical harm in the end, and kaworu doesn't have any because he's given up on fighting for his life

[firefromthegodspro]

NGL I know its a controversial scene, but I genuinely love the "Adult Kiss" scene from End of Eva.

Like I know some people say it's "Out of Character" for Misato but I ask you how???? Like half the entire series is hammering into you that this woman, despite having at least some form of familial love for Shinji, is entirely willing to toss both it and her morals aside to get him to pilot. Like this woman, multiple times, explicitly ignores the severe trauma piloting inflicts onto Shinji to guilt him into it because "he has to". So no, I do not think its OOC for her to offer an "Adult Kiss" to him on her deathbed if he gets into the Eva. She knows he's desperate for any sort of affection at this point and that it will get him to pilot so of course she'll toss aside morals and decency to do it.

And yes its disgusting, its awful, and that the point. You are supposed to look at this scene in horror and go "what the fuck is going on???" You're supposed to despise her for it, to thinks she's an awful human being, because she's explicitly offering a 14 year old the promise of sex (that she knows she will never be able to fulfill) if he will just get in the fucking robot again and this is a bad thing.

I won't speak to directorial intent because I A: am not in contact with Hideki Anno (despite fervently desiring to pick his brain about Shin Kamen Rider) B: do not speak Japanese so cannot read his interviews unless its through the lens of a (potentially flawed) translator and C: Am too fucking lazy to look up said interviews anyways. But I will say that, whether retroactively or not, Eva is a genuinely good commentary on the "Relatable Angsty Teenage Protagonist" because Shinji is incredibly relatable when he first shows up. Poor self-esteem, absent parents, issues connecting with people, etc. But as the series goes on and Shinji descends further and further to start to relate less and less and start to wonder "Why aren't any of these adults seeing. Why do they seem to miss or ignore the obvious traumas Shinji and Asuka have and why do they continue to push them to do something that only hurts them. Why don't they question the narrative, of why the teens are the only ones who can Pilot or whether its even true or not?"

TL;DR yes Misato is an awful human being, and yes just about everything she does in EoE is entirely in character for her

[qasian-tech-support]

Please ignore if I clicked the wrong blog to respond to.

But I also want new Megas and Protomen :(

RIGHT?!?!

I mean, yeah, the Megas also have their takes on Skullman's theme ("Cracked Skulls"; inspired by MM4) and Chill Penguin's theme ("Chill XMas"; inspired by MMX), and I guess there's also one based on Storm Eagle's theme ("Rougmer Storm"; MMX), but I haven't listened to that one yet.

Like, I get that they have a good story arc to cover the first 3 classic games, but it would be so cool if they explored some of the themes of the following games, y'know? Or flesh out the MMX or other series music! Or hell, pick and choose some Robot Masters and make a new narrative, or like literally anything, please, people are starving over here! And it's not like they aren't still active. Don't get me wrong, I love their Castlevania stuff under the Belmonts label, but it would be nice to get Mega Man content outside of just remixes/remasters of their existing songs. Plus, they're still doing concerts, so like the audience is there for it!

And as for the Protomen, I hope that they actually end up releasing Act III at some point. Having listened to The Fight, it makes me crave it to an unhealthy degree. I love the grimdark kinda take on Mega Man that focuses more on the role that humanity takes in all of the conflict. I feel like that angle gets extremely neglected in Mega Man media.

Idk, as a fan, it's just kinda frustrating how neglected mega man gets. Like, it feels like the rare times whenever we do get content, it focuses on the first three or four games (if we're lucky), and then it just dies off! Or goes dormant for a decade or more. The franchise has so much creative potential that just isn't realized and it's so sad!

[khaoscontrol]

okay i think sonic's power allowing him to go through the different universes using the shards of the white prism with the rainbow glow is fun, but tbh i was hoping the glowing white and rainbow seen on his shoes meant hyper sonic. oh well, maybe later in the season. fingers crossed

I literally had the exact same thought process. No idea if they’ll actually go down that route but I am… hoping.

[geddy-leesbian]

Ahen did i put a genesis song in this playlist

[musiclandoux]

: 🎼❤️🎼

: Steve Hackett

: Firth of Fifth ( Live in Manchester, 2021

: Genesis Revisited Live: Seconds Out & More

[h-worksrambles]

Sonic X Shadow Generations fascinates me. Because it feels like something I shouldn’t be excited for. And yet I absolutely am.

Don’t get me wrong. I love Sonic Generations. It’s my third favourite game in the series and my favourite 3D Sonic game (with Sonic Adventure 2 in a close second). I’m very happy to see it getting a re release to expose it to new audiences, and playing it in 4K60fps on my PS5 is a very enticing. Likewise, I really like Shadow as a character and I’m excited to play as him again.

And yet, his new bonus campaign promises to basically be a bunch of nostalgic pandering for Shadow the Hedgehog, a game which I consider to be, simply put, crap. It was boring, dull, colourless and embarrassing trend chasing. And pretty much everything I hated about it is on display in this trailer.

We’ve got gritty, grey cityscapes, we’ve got the rather blah alien villain, Black Doom returning, we’ve got the looming return of the series’…bafflingly executed lore. In a word, Shadow was a pretty much everything I didn’t want Sonic to be shoved into a blender. I’ve given my thoughts on revisiting past excesses and failures for the sake of nostalgia. I wrote a whole thing about Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and my fears that it would go overboard pandering to the 2000s spin offs (which I dislike a for lot of the same reasons as a lot of Sonic stuff from the mid 2000s). A faux attempt at maturity that sacrifices Sonic’s camp and colour, and lacks the writing competency to make its tone shift work is pretty much my worst case scenario for the series. And now we’re invoking that for nostalgia? Again, I should hate this.

So if I dislike Shadow the Hedgehog so much. If it really is so emblematic of Sonic’s worst excesses that I want it to leave behind in the 2000s…then why am I so damn hyped for this? Why am I not feeling the same dread as whenever VII Remake implicitly threatens to bring back Genesis?

I think it’s because of the specific relationship Sonic has had with its past for the last decade. So much of the stuff from that time period is material that Sega has seemed actively scared to touch again. Sometimes with good reason. But I think that’s why some material from that time has gained such a strong nostalgic cult following, and why they’re held up as such bastions of missed potential. There’s never been anything quite like Shadow or 06 since they came out with how safe Sega has subsequently played things. And in many respects, that’s a good thing. But I can see how it build a sense of mystique around them. It was kind of sad to see 2010s Sonic so…scared of itself. Terrified to invoke its own history but not really committed to a new direction either. And this is pretty much the exact opposite of that hesitancy.

Basically, the reason I react to seeing Westopolis or Black Doom with ‘holy shit let’s go!!!’ rather than ‘why, god, why?’ is because I genuinely never thought I would see them again after this long. It’s just exciting to see Sonic Team throw caution to the wind and embrace all the parts of their franchise. Even the parts I personally dislike. Plus, Sonic Generations is kind of the perfect game in which to reimagine that stuff and make it..actually good this time. This was the game that made Crisis City of all things into a banger level. The game that took Silver, one of the most notorious boss fights in the series, and gave him a kickass encounter.

If they can fix that, they can do anything.

Plus, the fact that the trailers already show all these trippy stage effects and anime af boss fights and set pieces tells me we’re not just gonna be running through the same drab washed out burning cities that made Shadow 2005 so boring. Again, there’s evidently an effort being made to rehabilitate and reimagine this stuff, not just repeat all the same mistakes. And that’s exciting.

So yeah, Sonic X Shadow Generations has somehow managed to get me genuinely excited for all the parts of the series I typically balk at. And that’s pretty impressive.

That said, if I see Mephiles again, I’m leaving.

[copcomco]

We’ve been spending some quality time with READING LOVE AND ROCKETS, Marc Sobel’s seventeen-years-in-the-making look under the hood of the the world’s greatest comics magazine, and it’s been a real pleasure!  Even for Mr. Know-It-Alls like us, revisiting all the ins and outs of the genesis, creation and continuity of this epochal series while simultaneously following along with the copious referential asides and topical brackets – all brimming with insights and accompanied by a profusion of illustrations, is like having a way hep hangout with a fellow fan(atic).  And for L&R newbies and others just getting under way, the material on hand in this hefty volume’s 340+ pages will open up new worlds.  So, to make a long story short, RECOMMENDED!

Available on the Copacetic site (for a reduced price) HERE.

[lowlylux]

Run With The Devil (And Dream)

1.1 | djdlqdjdlqdjdlqgrlwdjdlq

Word Count: 3k

Status: Ongoing

Ship: BillFord

Rating: M (graphic depictions of violence)

Description:

In the endless loops of time, Bill Cipher finds himself trapped in a cycle of death and destruction, orchestrated by the Axolotl, an enigmatic cosmic being who delights in his chaos. Each loop sees Bill wreak havoc on Earth, only to be reset when his plans inevitably fail. Despite his malevolent nature, Bill begins to sense the futility of his actions and the unchanging nature of his existence.

As the cycles progress, small changes occur—subtle shifts in events and new interactions with key characters that challenge Bill's perception of himself and his purpose. One particular loop introduces a significant change: Bill regains his empathy and ability to fall for another.

Based on the restoration AU by Nev_284

Ao3 link

The stars shimmer and sing, their celestial voices echoing across the vast expanses of countless universes. These distant orbs of light, bound by premonitions far beyond the grasp of mortal understanding, observe all with an eternal gaze. They witness the genesis and culmination of countless narratives, peering into dimensions unknown, silently bearing witness to the myriad forms of existence as they wane or clash.

To a star, death is an intriguing enigma. It is a certainty, an inescapable truth. Yet, given their enduring lifespans, entire species can vanish before their own light dims. Thus, the cycles of rise and fall among different beings seem particularly enchanting to them.

The stars, being passive observers, do not intervene. They watch with focused interest, drawn to the most captivating lives. Some existences are tragically brief, their lifespan far too fleeting for a star’s taste. In response, the stars revisit these moments repeatedly, delving into every tiny detail with unending curiosity. They seek new lives, hoping to find entertainment that rivals their previous fascinations.

Occasionally, they discover a being that seems perfect, embodying all that they yearn for. Their radiance intensifies with delight as they watch over this newfound source of intrigue. However, as with all things, the light of even the most compelling subjects eventually fade, either through the being’s own choices or external forces.

Being a star can be a solitary existence, yet it holds profound fulfillment when they encounter another who shares their quest for entertainment. A star’s role is to observe indefinitely, to theorize, but never to intervene. For any action would irrevocably alter their status.

There is a significant distinction between those who merely observe and those who actively shape events. While stars continue their silent vigil as their chosen entertainments perish, those who influence events face different fates. They may become stars themselves or gain the power to effect even greater changes.

Stars are significant, and those that fall are particularly notable. How can one craft entertainment without experiencing the thrill of watching other examples unfold? Thus, falling stars, whether fleeting or enduring, hold the potential to impact the very fabric of the worlds they long to create.

Their twinkling intensifies as their chosen entertainment returns, hoping it will persist for a while longer. Yet, uncertainty looms. Their universe—and their very existence—might be obliterated, leaving them to witness their own inevitable end. Stars remain solitary, awaiting the birth of new worlds, even as they brace for the inevitable destruction that will come.

Because once it’s gone, it’s gone…

Isn’t it?

-. . -..- -

Ever knowing, the Axolotl remains patient until the trial completes, the vents unfolding at a rapid rate. It sees everything, from the faintest tremor of atoms to the profound sorrow of the tiniest creatures. It senses the devastation sure to follow anything that lives for too long, as life itself has an expiration date. It hears the many followers it has accrued since its creation.

Yet, the Axolotl waits, fully aware of what is to come.

A creature appears before it, its yellow hue clashing with the Axolotl’s pink. This entity, composed of three interlocking facets, is a demon in fragmented form. Blocks build upon themselves, the form slowly repairing itself as much as it can. Yet the blue fissure prevents that from becoming a possibility. It threatens to completely tear him apart. The gash glows, casting a brilliant light into the Axolotl's gaze.

The Axolotl had been awaiting yet another confrontation with the demon. The terms of their arrangement were straightforward: the demon must prove that he can make a change. The Axolotl ensured that the demon’s memories were kept safe until he would inevitably return back. The sheer amount of defeats this singular demon has endured is simply beyond comprehension.

What usually resulted in the demon threatening the Axolotl was instead replaced with simple silence. The demon floats there, his singular eye vacant and void as he stares at nothing. The Axolotl finds this unsettling.

“I wonder,” the Axolotl muses, staring down at its friend, “have you shifted your perspective? Your melancholy speaks volumes.”

The stars above twinkle with more intensity the more distressed the demon looks, as if personally gaining amusement from his pain. They observe the scene silently, refusing to budge as they stay forever detached from the world that they observe.

The demon remains mute at first, still lost in contemplation. But he eventually looks up, staring at the Axolotl in complete and utter defeat. “Why?”

The demon’s singular, enormous eye fixates on the Axolotl. Overall, he looks rather panicked, the one with an all seeing eye having quite the dilated pupils, making the already black irises even larger than usual. The demon is bewildered, lost on exactly what he is continuously seeing.

“Hmm?”

“Why do they always help the others? I don’t…I don’t get it.”

The Axolotl nods knowingly, not quite expecting such a question but welcoming it nonetheless. If this inquiry is a step forward toward the demon’s salvation, he deserves to have answers to his questions without ridicule. The Axolotl is not so cruel to deny him, at least in this moment.

“Humans are capricious beings, driven by the innate kindness of their hearts. Why do you wonder? Bill, do you finally understand your mistake?”

“No.”

The Axolotl pauses, staring at the triangular demon with a measure of confusion. Given his preoccupation with the Pines family’s unity and their mutual support, why does he fail to recognize the truth before him? For a being with practically infinite knowledge, the naivety is shocking, even to the Axolotl.

“They will always aid those they cherish, even amid conflict. Expecting a different outcome after all this means you are only avoiding reality. Do my lessons hold no value to you? How many trials must you go through? This was meant to help, yet your previous convictions persist. Have my lessons truly been an unfounded attempt to assist you?”

“I don’t know how I’m supposed to make different choices if I don’t have my memories!” The demon snaps out, immediately averting his eyes away from the Axolotl. “I don’t know if I would make the right choices even if I had them.”

He descends slightly, his floating form lowering a few feet. He cannot go far, the large gash preventing him from leaving the domain of the Axolotl. For it keeps him alive as long as he remains here. That is the deal, one forged in blood and flames. And if one were to go against their end, either side, devastation is sure to follow. Ruin would be inevitable.

Although, the Axolotl doubts anything like that will happen, especially not at the rate the demon seems to improve. It will be at least a thousand more incarnations before he even thinks about betraying the Axolotl, that much it is sure of.

“There is one way to find out. Your chances are not exhausted just yet. We can always attempt this again.”

“Do I have a choice?” the demon inquires with a hint of irony. He chuckles to himself at what he believes is a wonderful joke about the situation. The Axolotl remains silent, simply deciding to not encourage the demon with unneeded humor.

“No.”

“Amazing,” the demon responds bitterly. He crosses his arms, still in the midst of attempting to figure out the humans as best he can. The idea of them and their actions being far too complex then he wishes to admit to himself. However, it is not like it matters. He will not remember this conversation, therefore any of his ideas are lost until he no longer needs them. “Can I…stay for a few minutes? I want to think.”

The Axolotl ponders his request for a moment. It is a rare moment for the demon to actually think about his actions, at least reflecting thoughtfully. There has been an insurmountable amount of times where the demon has physically attempted to harm the Axolotl after all. This moment of introspection is unusual for the celestial being.

The Axolotl nods, granting the demon his request. It is a minor concession, not at all difficult to do, especially if the demon continues to be composed. So they sit there, the stars twinkling as they silently observe the two beings float in the infinite void silently.

Bill feels as though they are laughing at him and his misfortune.

-. . -..- -

Stanford Pines stumbles through the forest of Gravity falls with the ungainly grave of a sea creature stranded on land. Clutching his journal tightly, he scrawls hastily, desperately attempting to scribble all that he can into the pages. He is desperate to document every small detail, an indication of a mind that works far too well for its own good. Though his search for the Hide Behind had grown cold, Ford is not one to easily surrender.

He tracks the fleeting shadows, keeping a close eye on what is just beyond his eyesight. There are a few quick close calls, ones that cause him to swivel in the direction of his elusive target. But it does not work, his efforts are in vain. This creature, this unknown monstrosity, is beyond Ford’s reach and he knows that.

Driven by his ego, Ford presses on. He ignores how the terrain becomes far more dangerous. The path twists and turns, pulling him in every direction to throw him off. By the time he realizes that the Hide Behind has vanished, it is far too late to turn back now. This is an adventure, one he refuses to let go of just because he has lost his way. The adventure has become an obsession, and Ford’s egoistical brain will ensure he sees it until the end.

Seemingly hours go by until he is face to face with the entrance of a cave. Embracing the unknown, with resolute curiosity, Ford trudges forward, ready to jot down anything of interest. It takes a while, stalagmites obstruct his way. Ford is sure he will have strange cuts and scrapes from the rocking, yet he does not bleed. A stroke of fortune indeed.

But as he goes further into the abyss that is the cave, he notices the engravings. Though the language is unfamiliar, he is determined to learn or eventually. No, he knows he will learn it one day. He hopes he can return in the future, to decipher the ancient writings and learn the secrets of the cave.

He finds a circular carving adorned with eleven symbols. Ten smaller symbol as form a border around a central, prominent triangle—a large eye that seems to follow his every movement if he thinks about it hard enough.

Ford places a hand on the wall, his six fingers tracing over the ancient inscriptions surrounding the strange symbol.

“Triangulum, entangulum,” he murmurs, reading out the words etched in stone. He knows he shouldn’t, he knows he should turn around and get out. But he could learn so much from this if it is a summoning circle, exactly what he hopes it is.

“Meteforis dominus ventium.” Based on the carvings he can bring so much information and insight. The triangle floats above all, the symbols seemingly showing him as an equivalent of a divine presence.

“Meteforis venetisarium!”

The circle begins to glow.

“Egassem sdrawkcab!”

It’s like he feels insurmountable power, the rush of power enveloping him like a blanket.

“Egassem sdrawkcab!”

The air around him crackles with energy and prickles his skin, causing goosebumps to appear. The hair on his arms to raise, as if equally anticipating the end like he is.

“Egassem sdrawkcab!”

Everything in his entire being is telling him to stop, telling him that this is a bad idea. His logical brain warns him of imminent danger if he continues. But, his thirst for knowledge outweighs the fear, and truly is his one failing.

Perhaps not the only one.

“Egassem sdrawkcab!”

He’s nearly finished. Honestly, he’s shocked he is able to pronounce such ancient and arcane phrases. It is almost as if it is fate.

“Egassem sdrawkcab!”

Shrill laughing erupts from nowhere, the cave echoing the noises to the point of pain. Ford grips onto his ears, the pain from the laughs seemingly moving around in his head and refusing to leave. The laughing becomes him, wrapping around his very being and refusing to let go. He winces, falling to the ground, unintentionally kneeling directly in front of the engraving that caused all of this.

And then it stops as quickly as it started. Ford stares at the wall in confusion, completely dazed, uncertain if anything will happen. The cave remains silent. Ford is left with his thoughts, wondering if he was indeed an idiot.

And truthfully, he was.

-. . -..- -

Bill eagerly peers at his windows into Earth, now that the shaman’s spell is finally lifting. It has been far too long since he has last graced the minds of humans. He had anticipated a fool—after all, who else reads words on a cave’s wall? Yet what he finds is someone intelligent, at least by human standards.

Yet he is as much of an idiot as the humans who summoned him previously. An inflated ego overtaking everything, clouding his judgment, allowing the man to not think clearly. While Bill can appreciate a thirst for knowledge, this is utterly hilarious.

He has found the perfect human for him and his plans.

Clever enough to avoid portal radiation, but naïve enough not to betray him. From what Bill can see, the human even thinks that he was meant to read those words, as if he were special.

The notion of being ‘special’ amuses Bill greatly.

Indeed, he is special. He will be the one who causes the Armageddon. He will be the cause of the destruction of his world, as he will be the one who brought it. He will bring Bill and his Henchmaniacs to Earth, paving the way. And if Bill must pretend as if he were destined to do this, he will.

Destiny…it is just a humorous term for foolishness. The future is never set in stone, forever shifting and moving. Even Bill, who is able to many possibilities, is unable to truly see everything that will befall him. The all seeing eye is only as effective as the beholder, Bill being the best wielder.

And if he were to entertain the idea, he can easily be worshiped like the god he should be. Although he is an all powerful demon that is feared by many, he wants to rule his own world that is not collapsing in on itself. Yes, the stability of a new world is key. The Nightmare Realm is great, his child, his creation in its own right. But it’s flawed and failing. He needs a new alternative before he is consumed by the chaotic world of his own design.

And the idea of being a god, even to one, is tempting. Especially with how the human seeming perfected suited to be kneeling at his feet. If all goes well, perhaps Bill will keep him around. A six-fingered human is an oddity, even if the extra digits are nothing to Bill. He has always wanted a pet. If a human worships him enough, it could be a dream.

Stanford Pines…he is truly in for a world of chaos.

“You didn’t visit him?” Pyronica asks, gazing at the window with confusion. Bill looks at her, observing how the fire she wields threatens to burn him if he were not careful. But he is far too observant to let such a small issue affect him.

“It is better to wait.”

“But Bill-“

“Are you doubting me, Pyronica?” Bill questions, his form expanding to attempt to cease her ridiculous ramblings. He doesn’t like people doubting him, much less when it is a mere henchman. “I said we will wait.”

Pyronica averts her gaze, nodding in response. “Of course Bill, you know best.”

“Glad we came to an agreement,” Bill says with a laugh, his form glowing when he does so. “I sure do hate it when people act as if I don’t know what I’m doing.” Bill says, getting back to his normal size before staring her down. “Don’t you agree?”

“Bill I didn’t mean-“

“I suggest you get out of my sight,” Bill says callously, refusing to look at her. The demon nods, even if he cannot see her, before scurrying off to do who knows what. Bill does not care, nor will he ever. He stares at the window into Earth, his excitement growing.

Yes…waiting is the best way to go about this.

-. . -..- -

The Axolotl stares at the scene in growing disappointment. It had hoped that with Bill’s recent personality change after the last loop would carry over into this one, yet he continues down the same broken path. Death and destruction await him, that much is sure. If it continues, so will the loop.

The Axolotl wonders if it is time to put an end to such a farce. If Bill is truly incapable of change, what is the point of him using the Axolotl’s power for his own gain? It makes no sense. It just seems meaningless in the end.

Yet the Axolotl hesitates to bring it to a close.

It hates to admit it, but cheering for the demon’s growth has become a source of entertainment. It truly would not know what to do with itself if the loop would end. Would the Axolotl find another being to somewhat toy with? Perhaps one easier to manipulate?

It truly does not know.

The Axolotl can only hope that Bill will learn eventually. There are a few small changes to this cycle so perhaps this will be one of the most interesting. Perhaps it will launch a change in the demon.

But the Axolotl is getting ahead of itself, needing to wait for the two key players to interact for the first time once more. The stars overhead twinkle in agreement, waiting to see the story untold for their own sick satisfaction.

>> 02

Masterlist

[quinnydoll]

You should watch Eureka Seven

So there's this neat little show I watched before I turned 10 when I couldn't understand a goddamn thing, and it caused me to think about the cool aesthetics of giant robots flying around stylishly on boards as naturalistic trails flow behind them.

I rewatched the show recently with my lovely nesting partner, because I wanted to revisit its world, and I was offered so much more than I remembered. Yes, the show is absolutely what I just described in the previous paragraph/run-on sentence(fuck you this isn't a school assignment) but it's also SO MUCH MORE.

I'm not going to beat around the bush, there's a singular gif I can show people that usually convinces them to watch it with the added info that this isn't just a super highlighted moment, it's just what the show looks like:

(side note: if you haven't seen this show in its entirety, do not, I repeat DO NOT search for gifs of it on this site, never have I ever seen such a dense wall of spoilers)

Still with me? I'd hope so after that display! Also, for non-mecha fans, PLEASE I am begging you to still give the show a chance, it's so worth it!

So we need to start off with this show's worldbuilding. The giant robots can wait, because first we have to address the most glaring thing: everyone seems to have access to these boards that seemingly allow them to levitate and travel in midair on these almost fluid-like trails. These are explained as Trappar Waves, and not much is explained about them early on. I'm going to keep my explanation brief, because it's way more satisfying to watch the mystery unravel through the course of the show.

Basically, the planet this takes place on is full of these waves, and that's one of the main things that everything relies on, and why we can see effectively airships that are just perpetually suspended in the air without need to refuel constantly. This is what allows them to stay up. Also the reason why we see characters with their nifty little boards. Oh yeah, the giant robots have those boards too.

That's the main thing I wanna address about the world of this show, because explaining the rest would genuinely spoil so much of the show, and the experience would be extremely reduced by me explaining. Just trust me, it's really good.

Now, the format of the show is actually masterfully done. The first arc involves the immaturity of the main character, and the format of the show reflects it heavily in the very slice of life format as our main character is enchanted with the conditions he's been put into. At this stage of the series, it's not very serious, and its stakes are pretty low.

As it progresses though, it eases you into a far more coherent overarching narrative in a way that feels really natural and well done. You'll never really "notice" the point at which "shit gets real" or anything, you'll just find yourself way more interested in the bigger picture of what's going on, because the show puts a larger focus on it.

There's a romance story in it too, and it's actually really well done, which is something I haven't really seen effectively done in a lot of action anime, but I think in this case it's because they don't really treat it like a "subplot." They do a really good job of tying it into the main story, and they make it feel pretty real as a romance, and by the end, the payoff is the most satisfying one I've seen of really any romance plot that isn't necessarily the actual main focus of a story. I genuinely feel like they could've conveyed the story they did without the romance plot, but something truly impactful would've been lost had they gone that route.

I think it's not unfair to compare this show to Neon Genesis Evangelion, but at the time, it would be doing both stories a serious disservice. Evangelion is a really effective exploration into nihilism and mental illness, but Eureka Seven feels like a direct response in the way it delivers its story. It feels like it did a Better Rebuild™ before the Rebuild movies even came out.(let it not be said that I don't like the Rebuild series, it's legitimately in my top ten.) Early on, they communicate a lot of the same themes, but then Eureka Seven diverges hard with how it explores the intricacies of interpersonal relations and how people will strive to do better and how people can genuinely be better to each other. I feel like the way it delivers that is genuinely way more effective than even the extremely cathartic conclusion to Evangelion 3.0 + 1.0.

Seriously though, if you're not interested in watching this show, I don't know how to convince you. It's truly a fantastic show, and it's honestly taken the spot of "favorite anime" in my book. I am no longer a Gundam fan, but an Eureka Seven fan who also likes Gundam. You're going to love this show, even if you're not into mecha anime.

[sanigopiece]

why uta is a well-written character

reposted from twitter since i saw uta get a lot of hate on there. a lot of people seem to not get her character so i am writing this post in hopes of getting people to see the light. anyways here we go,

1. her motivations are well supported by her backstory. it all began in the tragedy in elegia years prior where shanks took the blame for the destruction of the city and left uta in the care of gordon. this led uta to being forced into a life of loneliness and isolation for the rest of her growing up years.

these feelings accumulate while she studies music until she eventually finds a den den mushi to livestream her performance. here she learns of the harshness of pirates in the outside world and coupled with her resentment towards the red haired pirates for leaving her motivates her to revisit her old dream of starting a new genesis. this is a solid way of story cohesion between uta's backstory and her actions in the present. everything ties in very nicely & its easy to understand & empathize with.

2) i've seen some complain about how uta saying that she knew all along that she had caused the destruction of elegia & called it bad writing. this was actually her way of coping with the years of isolation but also her grief in shanks leaving her.

i speculate that uta realized she caused the destruction of elegia when she learned about tot musica and when faced with this, she chooses to find someone else to blame because guilt ate away at her so she chose to continue believing the lie that shanks did it. so it isnt bad writing because we are given more context on her mental state at the time and it is meant to be a gateway for viewers to empathize with her more but i guess people missed that.

3. she is not entirely evil. yes she is a villain because she believes she is doing whats right in order to achieve her goal however she still has goodness in her heart. she could've easily kept people trapped in the song world after tot musica was defeated.

but she didnt because she realized that what she did was wrong and she changed for the better. yes there's moments in the film where she does upsetting things like tearing shanks's hat but these were done in her mentally unstable state so it is unfair to entirely fault her for her actions. she is merely a misguided and misunderstood lonely girl with a dream so dont be so hard on her. she is good deep down.

4. her character is unique. already a given since we dont have that many music centric characters except maybe brook but even brook's powers aren't linked to music so uta is really special. also her songs carry so much meaning and not only does it set the mood for most scenes but it also adds to the story. i highly recommend checking out the lyrics of each uta song because they really tie in to the events of the story and you might just enjoy her character more.

5. her canonity adds more flare to the story. oda recently confirmed uta to be canon and this means a lot to both shanks and luffy's backstory. it does not detract from their backstories but rather it gives more context like how we understand a lot more about luffy's dream and why he wants a musician in his crew thanks to uta.

as for shanks, he now has more reason of being and we also got some clues to his lineage in the movie. this is really nice since most shoe horned characters have issues when they're added to canon.

alright so thats all. its been quite the long thread but i love uta and i want more people to appreciate her instead of hating or mischaracterizing her. if i missed anything do let me know. thanks and have a nice day <3

[blackcrowing]

Blackcrowing's Master Reading List

I have created a dropbox with pdfs I have gathered over the years, I have done my best to only allow access to documents which I found openly available through sites like JSTOR, Archive.org, or other educational resources with papers available for download.

That being said I ALSO recommend (I obviously have not read all of these but they are either in my library or I intend to add them)

📚 Celtic/Irish Pagan Books

The Morrighan: Meeting the Great Queens, Morgan Daimler

Raven Goddess: Going Deeper with the Morríghan, Morgan Daimler

Irish Paganism: Reconstructing Irish Polytheism, Morgan Daimler

Ogam: Weaving Word Wisdom, Erynn Rowan Laurie

Celtic Cosmology and the Otherworld: Myths, Orgins, Sovereignty and Liminality, Sharon Paice MacLeod

Celtic Myth and Religion, Sharon Paice MacLeod

A Guide to Ogam Divination, Marissa Hegarty (I'm leaving this on my list because I want to support independent authors. However, if you have already read Weaving Word Wisdom this book is unlikely to further enhance your understanding of ogam in a divination capacity)

The Book of the Great Queen, Morpheus Ravenna

Litany of The Morrígna, Morpheus Ravenna

Celtic Visions, Caitlín Matthews

Harp, Club & Calderon, Edited by Lora O'Brien and Morpheus Ravenna

Celtic Cosmology: Perspectives from Ireland and Scotland, Edited by Jacqueline Borsje and others

Polytheistic Monasticism: Voices from Pagan Cloisters, Edited by Janet Munin

📚 Celtic/Irish Academic Books

Early Medieval Ireland 400-1200, Dáibhí Ó Cróinín

The Sacred Isle, Dáithi Ó hÓgáin

The Ancient Celts, Berry Cunliffe

The Celtic World, Berry Cunliffe

Irish Kingship and Seccession, Bart Jaski

Early Irish Farming, Fergus Kelly

Studies in Irish Mythology, Grigory Bondarnko

Prehistoric Archaeology of Ireland, John Waddell

Archeology and Celtic Myth, John Waddell

Understanding the Celtic Religion: Revisiting the Past, Edited by Katja Ritari and Alexandria Bergholm

A Guide to Ogam, Damian McManus

Cesar's Druids: an Ancient Priesthood, Miranda Aldhouse Green

Animals in Celtic Life and Myth, Miranda Aldhouse Green

The Gods of the Celts, Miranda Green

The Celtic World, Edited by Miranda J Green

Myth and History in Celtic and Scandinavian Tradition, Edited by Emily Lyle

Ancient Irish Tales, Edited by Tom P Cross and Clark Haris Slover

Cattle Lords and Clansmen, Nerys Patterson

Celtic Heritage, Alwyn and Brinley Rees

Ireland's Immortals, Mark Williams

The Origins of the Irish, J. P. Mallory

In Search of the Irish Dreamtime, J. P. Mallory

The Táin, Thomas Kinsella translation

The Sutton Hoo Sceptre and the Roots of Celtic Kingship Theory, Michael J. Enright

Celtic Warfare, Giola Canestrelli

Pagan Celtic Ireland, Barry Raftery

The Year in Ireland, Kevin Danaher

Irish Customs and Beliefs, Kevin Danaher

Cult of the Sacred Center, Proinsais Mac Cana

Mythical Ireland: New Light on the Ancient Past, Anthony Murphy

Early Medieval Ireland AD 400-1100, Aidan O'Sullivan and others

The Festival of Lughnasa, Máire MacNeill

Curse of Ireland, Cecily Gillgan

📚 Indo-European Books (Mostly Academic and linguistic)

Dictionary of Indo-European Concepts and Society, Emily Benveniste

A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principle Indo-European Languages, Carl Darling Buck

The Horse, the Wheel and Language, David W. Anthony

Comparative Indo-European Linguistics, Robert S.P. Beekes

In Search of the Indo-Europeans, J.P. Mallory

Indo-European Mythology and Religion, Alexander Jacob

Some of these books had low print runs and therefore can be difficult to find and very expensive... SOME of those books can be found online with the help of friends... 🏴‍☠️

library genesis might be a great place to start... hint hint...

My kofi

[katyspersonal]

How does it feel to have folks post Genesis underneath your Sephiroth rants

Awful, because having to look at the reblogs with Genesis speechbubble and alike makes me revisit these Sephiroth rants by effect, and thus I am forced to think about Sephiroth AGAIN, after I've JUST wasted my steam ALREADY! Stop feeding the vicious cycle, these revisits take like whole 2 seconds, which is 2 seconds more attention than what Sephiroth DESERVES!!!

[ryuichirou]

what fandoms were you in long before twisted wonderland? I mean like over 10 years ago.

Anon, thank you for this question because it made us sit down and actually look through the albums of my old art and write a list LOL We thought it’d take like 30 minutes tops + 10 minutes to write all of this down, but it took 2+ hours yikes… So sorry, no other replies today :(

And made us realise just how much we revisit certain fandoms 🤦‍♂️ I guess we’re loyal!

Some of them were just very brief phases when we watched/rewatched something, I drew like 5 sketches for this thing and we moved on after about a week. But it was still prominent enough for us to feel like “Oh right, Ryu was drawing (this) back then”. Damn, 2013-2016 were insane, we were jumping around so much… When did these people have time to watch and draw so much shit??

Since this blog is very old, you can find some of my very old shitty fanart for a lot of those here. In all honesty, I really want to draw fanart on some of the more obscure and old ones again… if you have questions about any of this, feel free to ask!

2007: W.I.T.C.H., Oban Star Racers, Naruto lol my very young years

2008: Petshop of Horrors, Yami no Matsuei, Gravitation

2009: Hetalia, Vocaloid

2010: Vocaloid, Terra e…, Shoujo Kakumei Utena, Hetalia

2011: Terra e, Kaze to Ki no Uta, Sound Horizon, Hetalia, Magi (mostly Judal), Kuroshitsuji (a little bit)

2012: Homestuck, Prince of Tennis, Sengoku Basara, Sound Horizon, DC (Batman + Robin, mostly Tim Drake), Thor, Danny Phantom, Amnesia: The Dark Descent, ATLA, Adventure time, D. Gray-Man

2013: Ed Edd n Eddy, Sound Horizon, Penumbra Overture, Lucius, Thor, Hetalia, Dan Vs, Hannibal, Shingeki no Kyojin, Death Note, Bakuman, Neon Genesis Evangelion, South Park, Durarara, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Litchi Hikari Club, Hellsing Ultimate, Yami no Matsuei, Sayonara Zetsubou Sensei, Game of Thrones, Hannibal, the Simpsons

2014: Kuroko no Basket, Hadaka Shitsuji, Hoozuki no Reitetsu, Gravitation, Shingeki no Kyojin, Tytania, Panty&Stocking, Soul Eater, Bleach, Kill la Kill, Hellsing Ultimate, Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood,  Ace Attorney (trilogy + Apollo Justice), Priapus (by Mentaiko/Itto lol I drew him a lot), Togainu no Chi, Outlast, Daria, Scooby Doo, Haikyuu, DMMD, Katekyō Hitman Reborn, Tokyo Ghoul, Free, Kuroshitsuji, Psycho-Pass, Yowamushi Pedal (HUGE!!!!!), D. Gray-man, One-Punch Man

2015: Metalocalypse, ATLOK, Gravity Falls, Guns n’ Roses (yeah the band), Hannibal, Steven Universe, View Askewniverse, the Addams family, Ace Attorney Dual Destinies, DMMD, Life is Strange, Over the Garden Wall, Rick & Morty, South Park, Miraculous Ladybug, Undertale, Watchmen

2016: Supernatural, Peanuts, Osomatsu-san, Outlast, Until Dawn, BioShock Infinite, Code Geass, LoTR, Game of Thrones, Hetalia, House MD, Zootopia, Shingeki no Kyojin, D. Gray-man, Hellsing Ultimate, LA Noir, Percy Jackson books, South Park

2017: American Horror Story, Danganronpa, Neon Genesis Evangelion, ATLA, Homestuck, Yuri on Ice (super briefly), Outlast 2, D. Gray-man, DMMD, Hetalia, Gravitation, Monster, Dream Daddy, Junji Ito, Boku no Hero Academia, Osomatsu-san, South Park, Hannibal

2018: Voltron, Danganronpa, Devilman (Crybaby and classic), Homestuck, Berserk, Gravitation, Bungo Stray Dogs (briefly), Gintama, Hellsing Ultimate, Hetalia, BTS, Priapus (he came back), LoTR, Togainu no Chi, Sweet Pool, Detroit Become Human

2019: Tanya Grotter books, Hannibal, Homestuck, D.Gray-man, Hunter x Hunter, Danganronpa, Durarara, ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept., Soul Eater, ATLA, Witcher 3, Shingeki no Kyojin

2020: Shingeki no Kyojin, briefly Uncharted 4 and BioShock Infinite

2021: Shingeki no Kyojin, ATLA, Sk8, Jujutsu Kaisen, Squid Game

2022: The Great Ace Attorney, Sadistic Beauty, Hades, Mirai Nikki (suddenly), Akira, Encanto, the Gray House (the House In Which, it’s a book),  Cowboy Beebop, Fight Club, It (2017), Stranger Things, LoTR, Uncharted, Hetalia, Frozen (more like Hans/Anna lol), Kuroshitsuji, Twisted Wonderland

2023-2024: Mostly Twisted Wonderland, but we also posted some Scott Pilgrim stuff at the very beginning of this year.

I guess this is it. Woah…