#His animality is a shark and he makes movie references every chance he gets

[whatamidoingwithmylifeman]

Johnny Cage is NOT escaping the autism allegations

[twistedtummies2]

Gotham’s 31 Most Wanted - Honorable Mentions

It’s New Year’s Eve, everybody! Just as I did back in October with my “31 Days of Disney Villainy,” before I begin my countdown of my Top 31 Favorite Batman Villains – one for each day of January – I want to go over some of the baddies who sadly didn’t make the cut. These are the Terrible Ten who ALMOST got onto my main countdown, but for various reasons ultimately didn’t quite manage it. Some of these guys are more well-known than others, so we’ll see how many you all recognize. With that said, before the countdown begins at midnight, here are my Honorable Mentions for Gotham’s 31 Most Wanted!

1.     Calendar Man.

Julian Day, a.k.a. Calendar Man, is a villain who has had a lot of ups and downs in his history. Depending on who you ask, he’s either one of the dumbest Batman villains ever made, or one of the most underrated. I fall into the second crowd. The Calendar Man is a deranged crook who commits crimes themed around holidays and seasons. I actually find that to be a very interesting concept, and I’m surprised that so many people dislike the character, and that for a long time he was considered something of a joke. In more recent years, however, the Calendar Man has been making a slight comeback; he’s still often the butt of bad jokes, but more people seem to be waking up to the potential this guy has to be a legitimately interesting and/or intimidating dastard. However, while I do have a soft spot for the character, I just like other rogues better. Not much else to it.

2.     Clock King.

As I said yesterday, when naming the rules for who could qualify on this list, I would not be including “crossover rogues.” These are villains who are TECHNICALLY part of another superhero’s rogues gallery, but whom Batman has faced on numerous occasions. Batman has faced Lex Luthor more than once, for example, but I think it’s fair to say no one’s going to lump him in with the same crowd as Clayface or Catwoman. Similarly, King Shark has appeared in various forms of Batman-related media, but he’s really a villain of Aquaman’s. With this in mind, there are four villains who I felt I just couldn’t COMPLETELY leave out of the running, despite them being those sorts of rogues. The Clock King is the first one. The original Clock King, William Tockman, was a foe of Green Arrow, and was, in my opinion, a better villain than people often give/gave him credit for. However, the character really took off when he first appeared in the 60s Batman TV series, and then got even more attention in a few appearances in “Batman: The Animated Series” and its spin-offs. In fact, the latter version was so popular, THAT version of the Clock King – Temple Fugate (pictured above) – later replaced Tockman, though even he was really more of a Teen Titans villain than a Batman rogue. In fact, while the Clock King does keep appearing in Batman-related media, I’m not even sure if the two have ever even MET in the comics. I will admit that he feels like he fits right in there, and I’ve always had a real soft spot for this villain, but I didn’t think it was right to place him on the list.

3.     Deathstroke.

Ever since the “Arkham” video games, in particular, I always hear Deathstroke referred to as a Batman Villain. I’ll confess that it’s always cool, both in and out of comics, to see him square off with the Dark Knight, but Deathstroke really isn’t a Batman Villain in the strictest sense. Much like the Clock King, in the comics – heck, even in other media – he’s typically depicted as the arch-enemy of the Teen Titans. I guess you could say this perhaps makes him Robin’s arch-nemesis, but that’s not quite the same thing. I do love Deathstroke – he’s definitely one of the greatest DC Villains out there – but I don’t think he fits here any more than Clock King does.

4.     Gentleman Ghost.

This is the third example of a villain who I didn’t QUITE think counted as a Batman Villain. And of them all, he honestly came the closest. See, in the comics, I’m not even sure if Batman and the Clock King have ever met, like I said; and in regards to Deathstroke, sure, they’ve fought on several occasions, but Deathstroke is pretty much well-renowned as the foe of the Titans, and especially Robin. Close, but no cigar. The Gentleman Ghost, however…I keep feeling like DC WANTS to make this guy a Batman Villain definitively, but haven’t quite done so yet, if that makes sense. This dapper phantom thief is TECHNICALLY an arch-enemy of Hawkman & Hawkgirl, of all characters. However, in other media, he often seems to have no set foeman, and in perhaps his most famous incarnation, from “Batman: The Brave & the Bold,” his origins were outright changed to make him a Batman Villain, with no ties to Hawkman whatsoever…in fact, did the Hawk family even APPEAR in that show? I sincerely can’t remember right now, so if anyone can remind me, please do. On top of that, not only has the Ghost faced Batman in the comics, but in one particularly seminal story – “All My Enemies Against Me,” in which a whole group of Batman Villains teamed up to try and take down both the Caped Crusader AND an invading Killer Croc – Gentleman Ghost was included among the ranks. Keep in mind, he was kind of the one odd guy out: all the other villains, from obscure ones like The Spook to more popular ones like Penguin, were DEFINITELY Batman Villains. So to see Gentleman Ghost counted among those ranks was a bit strange but also seemed to indicate he’d found his niche there. However, he’s never been OFFICIALLY counted as one of those villains, and again, in the comics, he’s still most closely tied to the Hawks, or at least the Justice League. So even though I was EXTREMELY tempted to count him on the Top 31, I felt it was still cheating.

5.     King Shark.

Our fourth and final villain who I didn’t really think counted as a Batman Villain. Just like the Clock King and Gentleman Ghost, King Shark has been in a lot of Batman-related media, but in the comics, his encounters with the Dark Knight are fairly minor. He’s real arch-foe is Aquaman, unsurprisingly. This is one of the reasons why I feel I can’t count King Shark on the main list, but the other is that I legitimately have an issue with the character: he’s constantly changing. True, comic book characters change frequently, and villains like the Mad Hatter and the Joker have undergone significant tonal shifts over the decades…but with King Shark, it seems like every single writer who uses him has a 100% different way of handling him. Sometimes he’s a strong and noble warrior; sometimes he’s a blood-hungry, animalistic monster; sometimes he’s a wisecracking psychopath; sometimes he’s actually fairly nice polite until his instincts get the better of him…heck, even his APPEARANCE changes constantly! Sometimes he’s a Great White, sometimes he’s a Hammerhead, sometimes he’s a Tiger Shark…there’s just an absolute zero for CONSISTENCY with this guy, and it drives me up the wall! In recent years, the character has become more popular, but I’ve never really been able to latch onto any version of him more than another, and I’ve never really had any strong attachment to him in general. I don’t hate the guy, I just wish people would handle him better.

6.     Maxie Zeus.

Much like Calendar Man, Maxie Zeus is one of those villains who, depending on whom you ask, they’ll either call one of the dumbest supervillains ever made, or one of the most underrated. Admittedly, between the two, I prefer Calendar Man, but there’s actually a lot of untapped potential in Zeus. The key problem with this character is essentially not his fault: he’s inspired by the campy character of King Tut from the 60s series. (He was adapted into comics himself, incidentally, but that version sucks in my opinion, and is hardly ever used…good riddance. I’ll stick to Victor Buono, thank you.) For those who don’t know, King Tut was a professor of Egyptology who, due to a mental issue, came to believe he was the reincarnation of the famous pharaoh. In Maxie Zeus’ case, he was a gentleman who came to believe he was actually the Greek God of Thunder, Zeus. Just as Tut thus embarked on a mad quest to turn Gotham into his new empire, Zeus plans to turn Gotham into his new Olympus. With such daffy inspiration, you can see why Zeus would be underestimated, and in recent years he’s often been depicted as a “joke villain” - similar to characters like Condiment King. However, in my opinion, Zeus actually CAN work as a legitimate antagonist when handled by the right people in the right way, and I even think that’s been done a couple of times. I tend to think he gets a bad rap. Still, again, there are other villains I simply like more.

7.     Orca.

Dr. Grace Balin used one of those handy-dandy super serums to transform herself into a half-killer whale, half-human hybrid, all in a plan to try and wreak havoc on her hated nemesis: a nasty woman called Camille Baden-Smythe. Dubbing herself simply “The Orca,” she began to rain destruction down upon her enemy, constantly leading to face-offs with the Dark Knight. However, at the end of her first adventure, Balin was mortally wounded, and found the only way to survive was to permanently become the Orca. Since then, the Orca has gone from vigilante to frequently more of a true villain, and still makes off-and-on appearances in comics and even spin-off comics…though, unless you count a jokey cameo in the LEGO Batman Movie, the comics have so far been her only home. I know a few people who are big fans of the character, and I actually have a soft spot for her, too. I just didn’t like her QUITE enough to include her in the Top 31.

8.     Professor Radium.

Now, chances are, even if you happen to be a major comic book fan, you’re probably wondering “Who the Heck is Professor Radium?” Don’t worry, you’re not alone in that. Professor Radium is an EXTREMELY underrated and equally extremely little-known and little-used supervillain who I actually have a personal nostalgia for. In the core comics, he was once a well-meaning scientist who wanted to use radiation-based procedures and special formulas to enhance and extend people’s lives. In a twisted paradox of fate, he wound up instead turning his skin a glowing green, and developed a “Touch of Death.” Radium, in his initial appearance, desperately tried to fix his condition, but the mixture of the accident plus his tragic situation led to him steadily going insane, and he was seemingly killed at the end of the tale. He would later return many, many years later, however, forced to resort to a life of crime due to his terrible condition. I actually found out about Professor Radium through means that are somehow even more obscure than the character himself: the Batman comic strips. Yeah, Batman had a comic strip, all the way back in the 40s, and Professor Radium was one of the few villains from the core comics to appear. (It figures.) The comic strip story was essentially a remake of his origins, but now with a darker twist: his story starts the exact same way, until Radium has a chance encounter with a man planning to commit suicide. He “helps” him with his powers, and from that point on, instead of trying to fix his condition, Professor Radium decides to use his “Touch of Death” as a “Good Samaritan.” He begins bringing the peace and bliss of death to unhappy people, so they no longer have to endure the torture and pain of life. This version, too, was seemingly killed…and since this version never appeared again (his was the last story arc in the strips, and this take never carried over into mainstream), we can presume that death was permanent. I find both takes on Professor Radium to be surprisingly tragic, complex, and fascinating villains, especially for the time period. His occasional, albeit often minor, reappearances in more recent years have helped to ensure he isn’t COMPLETELY forgotten, but I really would like to see a proper new reinvention of this villain. He’s got a lot of potential that hasn’t been fully realized.

9.     The Spook.

In the 1970s, the Spook – real name Val Kaliban – was one of Batman’s most recurring villains. In his original format, the character was a former member of the mafia with a fascination with escape tricks and illusions; after faking his own death to escape from prison, he began using this knowledge to commit crimes – everything from finding masterful ways to escape from robberies, to selling “escape insurance” to caged crooks and busting them out for a hefty fee. Starting in the 80s, the Spook began popping up with far less frequency. Attempts were made in the 90s to reimagine the character; that version had him as a nameless black ops soldier who, traumatized by a mission that went horribly wrong, actually believed himself to be a ghost. It was an interesting, radical reinvention, but it never really went anywhere; future stories would feature Val Kaliban again, and no mention has been made of that second Spook since. As of now, the character has not been seen in the mainstream since 2006, when he was seemingly killed off during the events of the storyline “Batman & Son.” However, the Spook HAS appeared in some comics from spin-offs and crossovers, and is known for – both in-universe and in reality – going long periods of time without so much as saying “Boo” before popping up once more. I personally really like this character, but I guess there are just others I like more or have more nostalgia for.

10.  Tally Man.

The much-underappreciated Tally Man is a villain who I really wish I could love more than I do, if that makes sense. This somewhat theatrical gun-for-hire came from a tragic and disturbing childhood: his family was regularly harassed by a mobster who demanded they pay protection money for some sort of debt. Eventually, the boy that became Tally Man snapped and beat the mobster to death, after the man attacked his mother for not paying him. He was sent to prison, and in the intervening time, his mother killed herself, while his sister went insane. The boy became obsessed with the idea of debts not being paid, and turned to a life of crime: he acts as a sort of agent of Karma, in his own mind, collecting “pounds of flesh” for the highest-paying crooks from their enemies, their clients, and so on. I really love the character’s design and past, but the problem lies in his actual appearances. Tally Man first appeared in the immediate aftermath of the famous “Knightfall” saga. At that time, Bruce Wayne was out of commission, and the Batmen Tally Man faced were actually people taking his place while he recuperated. To me, that’s kind of cheating; it’s not quite the same when you’re facing an Imposter Batman, if you get my meaning. After these initial appearances, Tally Man quickly descended on the ladder of villainy: he ultimately just became little more than a stooge – an average gunman with kind of a cool name, effectively a mere pawn used by more popular rogues, most notably Two-Face. Heck, even his crazy costume was eventually eliminated, as a second Tally Man took his place, and was REALLY just a normal gunman with a cool name. There was nothing about the second one that made him any different from any normal gangster character. Since then, the character has totally disappeared. Apparently there were plans for him to appear in the DCAU, but that never came to pass. I really wish the character had been used better in the comics, and I hope he makes a comeback that fixes these issues.

And that concludes my list of Honorable Mentions for my Top 31 Favorite Batman Villains! As I said before, the countdown proper starts at midnight, just in time to ring in the New Year! I’m fairly sure the first choice on the list will be quite a surprise. ;)

HINT: …I seriously don’t have a hint for the first guy, just…I’m pretty sure you’ll be in absolute DISBELIEF at who it is. That’s all I can give you for now. I’ll do better next time. XD

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

HypMic 7 - 9 | Maou-jou 5 - 6 | Akudama Drive 6 - 8 | I7 s2 6 - 9 | Taiso Samurai 5 - 6

HypMic 7

I will never not laugh at the content advisory, haha.

I like Kazuha already. Too bad he’s probably evil…

Oh, is it the day of the DRB in the series already…? Or maybe, because it’s the qualifiers, BB and MTC’s match is on a different day to FP and MTR’s.

Oh? Does Tom know Jakurai well enough to call him “Jakurai-sensei”? (<- middle ground between “Jinguji-sensei/Sensei” and “Jakurai”) Also, Tom uses “ore”.

Ooh, Iris is a motorbike rider, eh? Interesting. I thought they (<- not sure if Iris is a “she” or “he” with a really weird name) were more of a Saburo-type and didn’t bother with things like that, based on their appearance. Update: Someone on Yahoo Answers said based on Iris’s watashi, she is a woman.

Typo fixed! Good job, anime staff! Update: I’m referring to “…darkest hour is just before the down” (sic).

…bukkorosu = “f***in’ slaughter ‘em”. It’s not wrong…it’s just the subbers really like to abuse the F word for MTC. But you knew that already if you got this far…right?

LOL, Ramuda wants to “scratch [Rex’s] back” (figuratively) to…get SNS views? Hahaha.

This Studio Alita is probably a reference to Shinjuku Alta.

Yotsutsuji!!! That was the one big spoiler I got before watching the episode today and I’m so happy I got to see him animated!

(One of) Irihatoma and Degarashi refer to Jakurai as “Jakurai-sensei” as well. Hmm, I never noticed. Update: That’s Degarashi, because Irihatoma speaks to Jakurai alone later this ep.

There’s 50% chance I’m getting this wrong, but I’m going to go out on a limb and say Kazuha is voiced by a veteran VA…one I already know about.

Doppo calls Kazuha by his first name…That upgrade means their relationship escalated quickly (or this is a quirk of HypMic in general, since I noticed most characters are on first name basis with each other). Also, it’s cute Doppo finally has someone in his corner. No other part of the franchise has one, to my memory. Update: It might actually be “Kazuha-kun”…but I’m still surprised though. Update 2: It’s both, actually.

I’ve listened to the phrase “some random guy” several times from Hifumi’s mouth and all I can figure out is the “yatsu” at the end. (Doesn’t help my ears blocked themselves up again, although it’s less than it used to be.)

Harumi Wharf.

R? On a helicopter landing pad?

…uh oh. I was right when I thought Kazuha was going to be evil. Also, Doppler shift/effect. Update: “Doppler” is clearly a pun on “Doppo”.

Hmm? “Hey, Doppo” from “yaa”…it doesn’t have a name referred in there. It’s a small but odd thing to do. (I remember a professional translator was complaining that people with intermediate Japanese were giving them flak for translating things “wrong”, but what I do here is analysis for my future and edificiation. I’m not here to knock down pro translators’ doors and demand a refund, because I’m trying to go pro to atone for my sins as a scanlator.)

The soundtrack’s slightly sinister tone, plus the fact I figured the culprit well before Doppo did, makes me slightly scared…for MTR.

I realised they skimped on the budget…this “hot off the car chase” line seems more like an MTC line, doesn’t it…?...Yeah, it’s almost word for word for MTC in DRB+. Maybe the subbers rushed and used this translation (this link I put here) rather than their actual lyrics…? I will have to get to the bottom of this. Update: Turns out the translation is slightly different, but…yes, there is reference to a car chase in the start of Shinjuku Style. (Sorry, I don’t know every lyrics of every song off the top of my head.)

…wow, this got really Doppo-centric. I’ve never seen the leader relinquish their position when it comes to “leading into battle” before. It just goes to show the staff really do pay attention to how popular Doppo is.

Note “Doppo” means “walk alone”, roughly speaking, hence the “solitary” line.

This song is very, very faithful to its original lyrics, because I was trying to look at Hifumi’s “mixing paint” line and it pretty much matches.

Hifumi’s “my men”, LOL.

Kazuha = “one leaf”, hence the “leaves” in one of Jakurai’s lines.

I cringe every time I hear screaming coming from this episode, y’know…?

…oh dear. MTC’s plot actually bled into MTR’s.

I already knew from browsing Twitter earlier today that Kizuna was going to become FP’s today, but hearing it is another matter entirely.

Kosuke Miyoshi is Kazuha. Apparently, this guy also voiced Mashirao Ojiro (the tail guy) from BnHA, but that’s his only major role…so I was right in that I knew him, but wrong in that he was, again, a relative rookie in comparison to most.

Apparently FP’s sign is a peace sign sideways to represent an F, but…it’s just a sideways peace sign to me…

…how is Dice’s bead ornament attached to him? Is it on his hair, on his ear, on the skin behind his ear…? I was trying to replicate his outfit and got stuck on how to represent it, so I ended up opting for trying (and failing) to do a small braid on the right side.

IWGP shows up this season…it’s the song with the “hoo!” noise BB perform in this episode.

LOL, “Dead men tell no tales” is a perfect saying for MTC.

Akudama 6

Is there a movie called “Brother”…? There’s apparently one that’s the plural of that, but not that itself.

If HypMic likes the F bomb, then Akudama like the S word.

I-Is it just me or is the choreography sped up at some points in this episode…? It’s a bit disorienting to come back to.

I thought the kid was a robot…but close enough.

Oh no! Why does the teacher always have to die for the student to become stronger???

Kairaku/shugi -> pleasure/doctrine (if I didn’t somehow misunderstand the shark’s kanji combo),

The part after the ED looks a little too long…keep watching.

The Japanese says “Lost Children”, but the English says “The City of Lost Children”, probably referring to this French sci-fi film.

I7 s2 6

I like how Gaku is taking special offence to Yamato’s comments about him being a playboy.

Re:vale-san. I never noticed until now.

“I’m already looking forward to it.” That’s how I would translate Tsumugi’s “I’m already excited”.

“…who could possibly complain?” – I think Mitsuki might.

The pun in the MEZZO show is that tai (group/squad) sounds the same as tai (want to ~). Rabbinsta is obviously Instagram + Rabbit (Chat?).

Oh my gosh! It’s the Yotsuba sister!

Mitsuki’s shopping trip OST is nice, man. This piano.

This episode has a really great sense of danger and foreboding for the future.

I7 s2 7

Perfection Gimmick. Never heard it in the anime before.

Even the ramen house’s name is a play on “Idolish7”.

LOL, Yamato sure turned that comment around.

The sign talking about beer says something about coupons below it. (It went by too fast and my CR app’s kinda fiddly, so I can’t really go back…)

Kimi to Ai na Night (pun on Idolish7, aka “AiNana”, again).

Mitsuki, no one hates you! You’re just imagining it all!

I7 s2 8

Momo hugely resembles Sasara, right down to the highlights on the hair…

“…you’re so handsome…” – I’m dying on the inside here, people! *laps up the BL pandering with a derpy smile on my face*

Banri and Tsumugi haven’t been focussed on lately…they’re clearly doing something regarding Banri’s ties with Re:vale, but I can’t quite figure out what that “something” is.

Why is there a basketball and a football in the back of the Takanashi office…?

Please don’t run in heels, Tsumugi…

“I love Idolish7!” - Ah, despite my quibbles, Tsumugi is good after all.

“making one’s best exertions” – Why do those words on the cup worry me a bit…?

Isn’t “I’m watching you” a creepy statement…?

Apparently Tamaki’s symbol is mp (mezzo pianissimo), hence Sougo’s words.

…my gosh! Aya’s foster father is Kujou?!

I7 s2 9

If I heard it right, Tenn’s line was “I can be your idol”, not “your prince”.

“Older Izumi” - …ah, poor Mitsuki.

“Damn you, sexy beast…” – LOL!

…aw, I think this is the first time my heart has been lightened by Tsunashi’s laugh. He’s a good boy.

The chibis…I’m still trying to get used to them…

As a song once said, “You can’t please everyone so you just gotta please yourself.” (Blah blah blah, something about garden parties…)

Takao what now???...okay, Takao Dayuu.

…You’re lucky that wasn’t Tenn doing Takao Dayuu. It would’ve been very “Gentaro does his courtesan voice” if it was.

Nagi doesn’t overpronounce things as much in this season. It’s…pleasant, actually. Give me more of that.

Nagi’s “Oh my god!” was hilarious.

Taiso 5

Ra (ら) and ro (ろ) look kinda similar in hiragana.

Even without the audio, I can guess the words were “yarubeki koto” (things you should do) -> shachihoko.

The texts are written in gyaru-moji. Gyaru-moji is basically indecipherable to anyone who doesn’t know how it works – kind of like the common teen vernacular, to be honest (LOL…?) – and so the subs actually kind of ruin the confusingness of it all, but they did slightly better when they went “UR”.

Movie shiritori! But…has it really been half a year since Leo started? I feel slightly robbed about that plotline with the Men in Black right now…(then again, HypMic is just as bad about important plotlines, if not worse, so…I’m going to be patient and not complain.)

July 5th…Rei is a Cancer…?

They’re…finally moving on this Men in Black plotline! I only complained two points ago! Thank you, staff, for listening to my complaints (…?).

Moon Land finished recently, so I wonder if I’ll lose interest in this anime from here on out…? There was a Pommel Horse Prince in that.

Moon Land taught me that gymnastics has a lot of skills named after their creators, much like the Aragaki previously. The score is out of 10 for both D (difficulty) and E (execution), meaning a 20 is the best you can do, but the judges can get really picky...

The word for “vault” literally means “leaping/jumping horse”…makes sense.

Some of these names are names I’m familiar with from Moon Land already…but I never remember what the skills look like.

…welp, Leo just proved he really is a ninja after all.

Dr Stone’s s2 had its ED announced to be “Koe?” by Hatena and “Yume?” here really makes a theme…does Hatena give all their song titles question marks on the end?

Taiso 6

Colour gangs? Like in IWGP?

It’s nice to see they’re (Jotaro and Rei) communicating properly for the first time in possibly this entire anime.

On the wall, that thing is an evacuation map…of some sort.

…I’ve always wondered: if a bird eats chicken, does that count as cannibalism?

This is like thw Makkachin incident all over again (in YoI).

“…there’s no reason for you to grin and bear it.”

…Leo and Jotaro, both are so dense! Boys *shakes head*.

BB? More like ET (LOL)!

Maou-jou 5

…I didn’t even notice the cast was all dudes bar the princess at this point.

Tatakau Onnatachi. It could mean “fighting women” or “female warriors”.

I’m still vaguely pissed that Kirito is here under my nose…darn Demon King!!!

One of the harpy’s recent worries was that she wanted to become friends with the princess…That’s kinda cute…

Didn’t Syalis already get the coffin that one time? Or did it get confiscated?

*eyes sparkle* Cloud…I’d like to sleep on a cloud…*dreamy look on face* Cloud.

This is basically Princess, ‘Tis Time for Torture in reverse.

Is it “make do” or “make due”…?

I don’t think I need to explain the joke where the harpy is happy.

Gendo pose!

I wonder if the bed or the sheets will talk to her (Syalis) someday?

Maou-jou 6

The New Gearbolt’s quote is “guruguru dokkan”, which is just a bunch of sound effects. It would translate to something like “whir-whir-thud”.

Underwear episodes are some of the worst episodes ever…they’re so juvenile…I dropped at least one series based on the underwear episode alone.

Ah! The seal on the ice monster’s shoulder! Too cute!

How can a mechanical princess mecha (…thing?) have worries?

LOL, never underestimate the hilarity of the teddy demons ganging up on the Demon King.

I like how the Japanese pointed out the demons only moved the princess.

HypMic 8

I thought the robberies were Kazuha’s doing…? Or is this a separate case?

Samatoki answering his phone with his feet up…LOL, there’s just something funny about it. It shows he’s just so badass, he can get away with it.

Riou’s hacking (?) skills come to the fore again. (Or is that listening to enemy intel?)

Ooh, Iris is sassy. I love her already.

…er, Samatoki? Blowing cigarette smoke into Jyuto’s face is just rude…

“…don’t hang up your gloves.” – Considering Jyuto has his red gloves…LOL.

What the heck is that backing track when the 2nd car moved out? That’s a cool track.

Ah! Iris is a Saburo-type…LOL, Saburo’s fake identity.

“a cop who’s in with the yakuza” - Wow, way to diss your own teammate, Samatoki.

For a guy who was only just in the water, Riou doesn’t even look wet.

“2 DIE 4” – Hmm? So did the anime staff know what Riou’s 2nd round song title was at the time…? Update: Judging by the name “Requiem” dropped in the next episode, I would say yes.

“…f*** the police…” - Wow, way to diss your own teammate, Samatoki. X2

Hmm? In Riou’s rap bit near the end, he goes “mad warrior” and that rhymes (in a very loose way of speaking) with “Mad Trigger”. The English didn’t keep that.

I remember seeing a spoiler which said that line (the one about slaves)…but seriously, Jyuto is such a “sexy revenge cop” (as someone once said – I think it might be Slug, or an anon to Slug) that literally nothing else seems to matter about him.

Why do they subtitle the laughing??? I still have no idea.

“Sgt. Iruma”? The guy just says “Iruma-san”. Is he a sergant or some other rank? Update: Yes. (As in, he is a sergant.)

I’ve never actually seen Ramuda sleep in a bed before, come to think of it. Does he not have a bed?

I would assume Gentaro is going…but he said he won’t be going, then negated that and then negated it again. Unless the 2nd time was him admitting it was a lie the first time…is he going or not???

“shinsetsu no human” – (Spoilers for later on/manga)…Yes, that’s actually what Ramuda says. It’s as if Ramuda subtly admits, right there, he isn’t human.

Nodo = throat…If this were translated more literally, it would sound pretty clunky.

“…rappa no inochi…paa!” – Yep, the subbers got the gist of the joke there.

Dice is basically a worm at this point…He’s squirming like one, anyway.

That “number of pips facing up” thing has got to be foreshadowing for something, y’know? Nothing in a story ever goes to waste. Also, it’s likely the dice are weighted or something…

…yep, there you go.

That voice Gentaro used for “I despise lies” was amusing…because it’s so different to his normal voice, and because Gentaro is a serial liar.

The 2nd song…which I already know is called “JACKPOT” from browsing Twitter earlier today…was a bunch of fun.

Udagawacho.

Hmm…emphasis on the candy. I wonder what that means? (<- already knows, I just want to keep it a secret from you, dear reader, if you don’t know it too)

ANIME SHOP is so clearly a pun on Animate, including the colours, that I can’t even…LOL.

FP’s Kizuna sounds distinctly different to the others…probably because of Ramuda. It’s mostly Ramuda carrying the tune there.

“Life is what you make it.” – Hmm, an interesting quote for sure.

HypMic 9

…welp, they don’t call it Fling Posse for nothin’.

I didn’t believe my ears, so I went and listened to it again. Sure enough, Ichiro calls Jakurai -san, not -sensei.

Ramuda’s normal voice! Things are getting serious~!

“Hifuming”? Is that a deliberate choice on the translators’ part? Or is it a mishearing?

…I’m laughing at how Samatoki called Ichiro a “hypocritical piece of s***”. I know the “s***” part is correct at minimum from the audio.

I believe Samatoki said -san, not -sama when he asked for an honorific. Hmm, interesting.

I knew this would get animated, but…I still can’t believe I’m watching it! Amazing…absolutely amazing.

If you’re wondering…yes, that long thing is her entire title and name. It’s said the name “Kadenokouji” is the longest Japanese surname in existence.

I remember reading a tweet earlier today that said somebody wanted “Altercation! Altercation! Altercation!” as a song title…and now I LOL, because the subbers made Gentaro say the exact same word.

Hmm…I only just noticed BB are the only ones with bags. They probably came last, but who took the others’ bags into Chuoku…? Update: Some of the others did have bags, I just never spotted them. For instance, Riou is carrying a large black rectangular bag, but Samatoki and Jyuto don’t have any. Jakurai has the bag from his TDD days.

The 2nd DRB brackets got announced today. BB vs DH, MTR vs BAT, FP vs MTC, rolling out across Japan (and Japan only due to COVID) in 2021.

“What happened between you and him?” - I was going “who?” in Cantonese (as I sometimes do), but turns out they’re just referring to Samatoki.

This is exactly as it played out in the drama tracks and manga…exactly what I was waiting for all this time! So good, dangit!

LOL, in the future, we will have camera drones working our concerts like they do in the DRBs…I think (?)

I wonder what Dice is thinking right now, seeing Otome on the screen…hmm…

…gah! Airhorn! Airhorn to the ears! *tilts to side due to sound*

I still kind of remember Slug’s take on the final battle…”The popo? More like the poopoo!” (or something like that). *sniggers*

The little barking bit after Jiro’s verse was…kinda cute, actually.

…ow, these are some burn-ass words. See? This is the power of the DRB!

…eh? Riou’s mic has his MC name on it. Don’t think I’ve seen that in any other part of the series.

Hoh, Riou even made references to Saburo’s character songs.

You can see “Hc” on Samatoki’s mic too…probably another case of his MC name, but partially obscured by his hand.

Aw, “Samatoki no sabaku toki” is a good lyric. Why couldn’t you try to keep that, instead of translating it literally to “judgement day for Samatoki”?

You can hear a thumping beat in the background when Samatoki prepares himself. That seems to be a similar way to how ARB treats this stuff.

“I’m THE Samatoki” – “Samatoki-sama da”.

I think it was really cool to show Samatoki handing the song over to Riou, but it also indicates there’s a disjunct in the lyrics that would cause such a thing. From this, maybe Riou is MTC’s weak link…?

Skeletons with katanas! Is that not cool?!?

…hey, that joined words thing Ichiro does…I would assume that’s what Rhyme Strike looks like in the HypMic universe?

Notice Samatoki took the word “signal” from Ichiro’s part and put it into his own one.

“Today is a good day to die.” – *eyes bulge* Oh…gosh. What a quote. Update: Someone theorised Ichijiku wrote these titles (the last 2), but someone else – like me – theorised this quote was what FP and M fans thought for this battle.

Akudama 7

…that’s one twisted kid.

Never threaten to kill a kid who can regenerate far better than you, Hoodlum.

Brawler is still in the OP…it’s kind of saddening to see him now.

I noticed a certain character appears on the Executioners’ hands if you pause at the right moment in the OP. It’s the first character in shori (management).

Bunny: set meal/Shark: roasted meat (yakiniku)

…This sounds a heck of a lot like the genbaku dome (Hiroshima Peace Park).

Bunny and Shark’s shirts together: Idiot -> Shark: Bone

Actually, this also reminds me of the Osaka Expo held in 1970. I loved writing about that event – it was just so fun to write about.

This anime is like Appare-Ranman’s sequel, except without the racing and crazy racial stereotypes (although there are still crazy stereotypes).

…whoa! This scene is going on the end of year list for sure. Just…have to remember this scene, where all the children disappeared, exists.

…”The City of Lost Children” is an apt title for this episode.

(HypMic spoilers!) I wonder if they’ll reveal that Ramuda is a clone in what’s left of the HypMic anime?

…oof, Doctor’s a filthy traitor!

Rule number 1 of fighting: never yell out “Smokescreen!” when the smokescreen is meant to cover you.

…LOL, dark censorship bar. Please wait for the Blu-Rays to see this scene uncensored.

What the heck?! The countdown went from 7 to 0 so fast!

Akudama 8

Black Rain, huh? *checks* It’s a movie about a pair of New York policemen who have to save a Japanese gangster from his death.

…don’t jinx it, Swindler!

Your brother isn’t on the moon, Sister. It’s just your dreams on there.

Notice “Neo Lake Biwa” actually has “Reiku” in its name, as opposed to, say, “mizuumi” or “ike” (the Japanese equivalent).

You can still see where Doctor stitched herself up.

What did Doctor “hold on to”?

Way to monologue through the whole morality thing… (<- not as satisfied as they would like from this scene)

I wonder if the seal is electronically tracked…

Tsubo = pot, vase…*thinks about drugs* (Not that pot.)

“…I’ll make you into a real man.” – More like a eunuch, LOL. (partially sarcastic)

I recall from Sarazanmai that “pair look” is the term for “twinsies” in Japanese.

Oh! Swindler kind of looks like the Executioner Boss now.

…I find it ironic that Swindler had long hair up until not too long ago.

Can to the eye! Ouch! That’s gotta be worse than a lightsaber…er, jitte to the eye!

This makes me wonder…was Courier a rich kid once…?

[dixielis]

An Interesting Turn of Events [6/?]

Pairing: Jotaro Kujo x Noriaki Kakyoin Summary: There were three things Jotaro Joestar was completely certain about: One. 80’s rock was the be-all end-all of music. Two. The movie Jaws wrongly portrayed sharks as evil and blood-thirsty, and he did not stand for it at all. Three. Being an alpha while also part of the Joestar-lineage was an absolute curse. Warnings: Omegaverse with omega!Kakyoin and alpha!Jotaro

Wordcount: 3697

It had been almost a week since the party at the Joestar household. Kakyoin had assumed that things would be awkward between him and Jotaro, since he had gotten drunk, and probably said and did some things he shouldn’t have. But if anything they had just grown even closer.

They were now spending most of their school breaks together. Sometimes Avdol and Polnareff would join them as well, but Kakyoin had noticed that Avdol would often make up excuses for things that he and Polnareff allegedly needed to get done, so that Kakyoin would end up alone with Jotaro. He had most likely realized that there seemed to be something developing between them.

Unfortunately, Kakyoin himself didn’t know what exactly he and Jotaro were. He wasn’t blind, he had noticed the way Jotaro would look at him sometimes. It however didn’t seem like he was planning on acting on any of these feelings anytime soon. Kakyoin wasn’t even sure if Jotaro had actually realized that he’d developed some kind of romantic feelings towards him. So Kakyoin had decided to wait with his confession as well, until he better understood what Jotaro was thinking.

As if on queue, Jotaro turned in his desk to meet his gaze. He looked bored out of his mind and Kakyoin had to fight back a smile. It was by now late afternoon, on a Friday nonetheless, and all of his energy seemed to have left his body by now. Jotaro yawned loudly, which interrupted Mia in the middle of her speech.

“If you could actually try to focus, Joestar, maybe we won’t need to stay an hour overtime for once,” she commented coldly, before she kept talking on about whatever was on their agenda for today. Kakyoin hadn’t exactly been listening himself. Not when Jotaro’s broad shoulders and biceps were right in front of him.

They were in the midst of their bi-weekly project meet-up. Kakyoin couldn’t wait for Mia to just finish up and just let them go home for the weekend already. How could they be expected to be enthused about her rambling on about unnecessary facts about honeybees on a Friday afternoon anyway? At least Kakyoin thought it was about honeybees. For all he knew she could have been quoting the communist manifesto for the last ten minutes. It wasn’t like his brain was present enough to actually tell the difference. 

Kakyoin was pretty sure that Trent had just straight up fallen asleep. Nobody had woken him up since things were significantly calmer without him feeling the need to input his unrelated opinions into their conversations anyways.

“Since nobody is listening, let’s just call it a day, shall we?” Mia let out a loud sigh before slamming her book onto Trent’s desk a little harder than necessary, effectively startling him awake.

“How about we meet again on Wednesday? Directly after last class?” she suggested. Trent and Jotaro just mumbled in agreement, both of them beginning to pack away their stuff.

“Um, I probably won’t be able to be here on Wednesday,” Kakyoin spoke up before anyone had the chance to leave.

“Why?” Mia demanded.

“Personal reasons,” Kakyoin evaded the question. He didn’t particularly like flaunting that fact he would be going into heat soon. Mia just quirked a single brow, but Kakyoin noticed how the two alphas tensed noticeably.

“Fine. If you can’t make it we’ll just text you the details,” Mia dismissed them with a wave of her hand. “I’ll see the rest of you next week then.”

The remaining three students took this as their cue to finally get going. Kakyoin stood by the door, tapping his foot impatiently as he waited for Jotaro to finish up. They had fallen into a routine where they would walk home together every day after school. Some days Kakyoin would come around to Jotaro’s place for a bit as well, but today he had other plans in mind.

“Ready to go?” he asked as Jotaro finally walked over to him. Jotaro just nodded in reply and gestured for Kakyoin to step out as he held the door open for him.

“So I was thinking,” Kakyoin started as Jotaro walked up beside him and they started making their way down the corridor. “If maybe you’d want to try coming over to my place for a change?”

“Oh. Yeah, sure,” Jotaro replied after a moment’s pause. “If your parents wouldn’t mind it, of course,” he quickly added.

“It’s fine, they’ve actually been pretty curious about you,” Kakyoin reassured him with a smile. Jotaro’s cheeks got slightly pink, and Kakyoin couldn’t help but feel triumphant when he quickly averted his gaze.

“Why is that?” Jotaro asked.

Kakyoin shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I just talk about you a lot,” He held back a smirk when Jotaro’s cheeks reddened even more. It was ridiculously cute.

Jotaro mumbled something inaudible in reply. Kakyoin decided to stop teasing him for the rest of the walk home. There would be plenty of time to do that later anyway.

*********

Kakyoin’s mom had seemingly just gotten back from work when they arrived. His dad’s car was however nowhere to be seen. He probably had to work overtime, as he quite often did. Jotaro was anxiously fiddling with his hands as Kakyoin unlocked the front door.

“It’s gonna be alright,” Kakyoin reassured with a small chuckle. “There’s no need to be so nervous.”

Jotaro nodded, but Kakyoin could tell that he hadn’t calmed down one bit as he stepped inside behind him.

“Mom, I’m home!” Kakyoin announced loudly as he kicked off his shoes. The sound of clinking silverware could be heard from the kitchen. Kakyoin gestured for Jotaro to follow him.

His mom was humming cheerfully while putting away the dishes. When she heard footsteps moving into the room she turned around, a wide smile on her face which quickly changed to a look of surprise as she noticed Jotaro hovering awkwardly behind Kakyoin.

“You brought a friend over, Noriaki?” the smile immediately returned to her face as she quickly moved over to shake Jotaro’s hand.

“Yeah, this is Jotaro. He’s the new friend I’ve been telling you about,” Kakyoin said with a grin. 

“Hello Mrs. Kakyoin, I’m sorry for showing up without notice-”

“Oh nonsense, any friends of Noriaki’s are always welcome here. And please call me Yuzuki” She smiled sweetly at him. Kakyoin watched as Jotaro’s cheeks reddened when she began fussing over him. He however didn’t seem to mind her motherly affection.

Yuzuki soon let up on him and took a step back. “I’ll be starting dinner soon, I’ll tell you when it is ready.” she gave them both one final smile before going back to the waiting dishes.

“We’ll be in my room then,” Kakyoin said, poking Jotaro in the side to get him moving back down the hall.

“Keep the door open!” Yuzuki’s voice rang through the air before they could turn the corner. Jotaro was close to tripping over his own feet, but Kakyoin just waved her off. He knew it was just an extra precaution since Jotaro was an alpha.

“Here we are, sorry it’s so messy,” Kakyoin said as he pushed the bedroom door open. Some empty bags of chips and various articles of clothing were strewn around the floor. He probably should have cleaned up a bit before deciding to invite Jotaro over.

“And I know it’s nothing compared to your huge ass room, but it’s still big enough to fit the two of us. Even though you are so unnaturally tall,” Kakyoin joked as he stepped aside to let Jotaro into the room as well.

“No, this is nice. It’s a lot cozier than mine,” Jotaro commented as he looked around the cluttered room. Posters and figurines of various video-game characters were lining both the walls and any unutilized surfaces. Jotaro however seemed to be immediately drawn towards a large painting of a dark forest.

“You painted this?” Jotaro asked as he seemed to notice the small initials that Kakyoin had insisted on scribbling in the corner of every one of his drawings when he first started painting.

“Yup,” Kakyoin let out a small chuckle. “It’s pretty old by now though, so it’s not exactly my greatest work.”

“It’s good though. I like it,” Jotaro said. He reached out a hand as if he was going to touch it, but quickly withdrew his hand again.

“Thanks,” Kakyoin gave him a small smile. “So, what do you want to do? We could play something, we could watch the latest Star Wars movie. Oh! Or maybe we could have you try to draw something?”

Jotaro quickly shook his head. “I don’t know how to-”

But Kakyoin had already started rummaging through his cluttered drawers for some sketchbooks and pencils. He found some on the very bottom of the drawer and tossed one of the sketchbooks to Jotaro.

“You don’t have to be good at drawing to do it, you just have to have fun while you’re doing it,” he said with a smile as he gestured for Jotaro to sit down at the foot of the bed. Jotaro let out a sigh, but followed his instructions nonetheless. 

“What do I even draw?” Jotaro asked as he opened up an empty page. He began drumming the pencil against it as his brows furrowed in concentration.

“Anything you want. But since I know how annoying that answer is, I’ll decide for us just this one time,” Kakyoin paused and looked around the room to find any inspiration. Drawing people were out of the question, since it wasn’t very beginner-friendly. Landscapes were usually a bit too abstract and could be quite tedious as well. Maybe an animal of some kind? Something that Jotaro would be familiar enough with to draw without a reference.

“Let’s draw otters,” Kakyoin decided. Jotaro raised an eyebrow at him.

“Otters?”

“Yeah, why not?” 

Jotaro stayed silent for a moment before he shrugged. “Sure, let’s do it.”

They sat mostly in silence as they began sketching. Kakyoin noticed that Jotaro erased and redrew many of his lines several times before he seemed to be satisfied with them. His arm was however carefully placed so that Kakyoin wouldn’t be able to take a closer peek. Every now and then he would let out a small huff in frustration. Kakyoin fought back a smile and instead focused on finishing his own drawing by adding in some light shading.

“I don’t understand how you do it,” Jotaro broke the silence as he had seemingly finished his own sketch as well.

“A lot of practice. You don’t exactly learn how to draw over a night,” Kakyoin said as he turned to look at him. “Now show me, I wanna see how it came out!”

Jotaro shook his head and angled the sketchpad away so Kakyoin wouldn’t be able to see it.

“Fine, I’ll show you mine first then,” Kakyoin said, handing over his drawing to Jotaro. 

Jotaro held it in his hands for a moment while he inspected it closer. “It’s pretty, but I don’t think that Otters actually wear hats,” he finally commented, a small smile playing at his lips. 

“His name is Jotarotter. He needs it to look authentic,” Kakyoin replied. He couldn’t help but break into a wide grin as Jotaro got visibly flustered.

“That’s terrible,” Jotaro said, but there was no real fire behind the words. He looked at the drawing with fondness in his eyes for a while longer, before handing it back to Kakyoin.

“Now then, it’s my turn to see yours!” Kakyoin said, giddy with anticipation.

“Wait a minute, I just want to add a final detail before I show it.”

Kakyoin raised an eyebrow but didn’t protest as Jotaro angled his body away so that he wouldn’t be able to see what he quickly scribbled onto the drawing. Kakyoin was instead focused on the way the corners of Jotaro’s mouth had tilted upwards ever so slightly.

“Done. Don’t be too harsh on me now,” Jotaro said as he turned back. 

Kakyoin leaned into him slightly so that he could properly look at the drawing. It wasn’t actually bad at all. Some lines were a bit too sketchy, and there were some slight proportion-issues, but overall it was quite nice. One thing did however stand out from the drawing, which he guessed was what Jotaro had added just a moment ago - a long, wavy squiggle of hair on the otter’s head.  

“Is that supposed to be my hair-thingy?” Kakyoin let out a small laugh.

“Yup. I personally think that I really nailed that part,” Jotaro said. 

Kakyoin suddenly realized how close they were to each other. He could feel the warmth of Jotaro’s breath against his ear as he spoke. A slight tingling sensation moved down his spine and Kakyoin repressed a shudder.

“It’s actually really good. If you’d just work on getting some more confident lines you’d be a pro in no time,” Kakyoin leaned away a bit and gave Jotaro a small smile. “I’m really impressed, he actually looks really cute.”

Jotaro let out a huff of laughter before he met Kakyoin’s gaze. “Well. I guess I succeeded then,” Jotaro paused for a moment as he seemed to think his next words over. 

“Because you also look-”

“Noriaki, Jotaro, dinner is ready!” Both Kakyoin and Jotaro visibly jumped as Yuzuki peeked her head in through the doorway. Kakyoin’s heart felt like it was beating at a million times a second. It was both from the surprise of being so suddenly interrupted, and because what Jotaro had been saying had almost sounded like the beginning of a confession.

“We’ll be there in a minute, mom,” Kakyoin called out to her, and she walked back towards the kitchen. Luckily it didn’t seem like she had noticed anything going on between them.

“I should probably get going then,” Jotaro hastily stood up from the bed, looking anywhere but at Kakyoin.

“Stay, we’d be happy to have you,” Kakyoin said. Jotaro stopped momentarily.

“I don’t want to be imposing on you.”

“And you wouldn’t be! Now come on, you have to taste my mom’s cooking,” Kakyoin smiled as Jotaro eventually nodded and followed him back to the kitchen.

Kakyoin’s dad was busy complaining about having to work overtime yet another day when they stepped into the room. As soon as he noticed they had company he immediately trailed off and broke into a wide smile.

“Ah, you must be the Joestar boy I’ve been hearing so much about!” he said as he walked over to eagerly shake Jotaro’s hand.

“Yes, um, my name is Jotaro.”

“I’m Minato. I’m little Noriaki here’s father, in case the hair color didn’t make it obvious,” he chuckled and gave the glaring Kakyoin a small wink. His dad loved to try and embarrass him at every chance he got.

Jotaro looked like he was about to say something, but Minato cut him off before he had a chance to.

“So, Joestar. You have some brothers if I’m not mistaken?”

“Yes sir. There are four of us,” Jotaro responded. Minato hummed in consideration. He still held Jotaro’s hand in a vice grip.

“I’ve heard some rumors about the things you boys get up to. Drinking, getting into fights, you seem to be quite the troublemakers,” Minato’s eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Jotaro like a hawk. Even though he was significantly shorter, it was clear that Jotaro felt intimidated by him.

“Dad, lay off the whole intimidating alpha thing, please,” Kakyoin sighed and ushered the two men over to the dinner table. Jotaro visibly relaxed as Kakyoin sat down in the seat beside him.

Luckily Minato behaved rather well for the duration of the dinner. He would often ask Jotaro questions about what he planned to study in the future, and if he had ever considered moving out of the country. Jotaro answered all his questions as best as he could. 

Kakyoin noticed how his dad’s eyes stayed practically glued to Jotaro, as if he was watching his every move. Kakyoin had an idea of what it meant, and the small glances thrown his way every now and then confirmed his suspicions. He was checking if Jotaro would be a suitable mate for his son. 

At least Jotaro didn’t seem too uncomfortable, even though he was so heavily scrutinized. He didn’t have any trouble talking about his future plans for his studies, and telling stories of what all his brothers were like.

Before Kakyoin knew it, they had all finished eating, and his mom got up to clean off the table. They all fell into a slightly uncomfortable silence, none of them managing to come up with anything to keep the conversation going with.

“I really should get going now. Jonathan might get worried if I stay out too long,” Jotaro said as he stood up from the table. “Thank you all for your hospitality.”

“We loved having you, please feel free to come over whenever you want,” Yuzuki told him with a smile. Jotaro just nodded in response.

“I’ll walk you to the door,” Kakyoin said as he stood up as well. He elbowed his dad sharply in the side when he made an attempt to follow then. He seemed to get the hint as he stayed behind, even though his sulking expression told Kakyoin that he clearly would have preferred to oversee their goodbye. Sometimes alphas really didn’t know when it would be appropriate to take a step back.

Kakyoin stood by as Jotaro shrugged on his coat, before finally throwing his book bag over his shoulder.

“Today was nice. Thanks for inviting me over. And thanks for letting me stay for dinner,” Jotaro said as he buried both of his hands in his coat pockets.

“It’s no problem, we all loved having you over,” Kakyoin flashed him a bright smile.

“Good. I guess I’ll see you Monday then? If you don’t wanna go do something during the weekend, that is?”

“I wouldn’t mind that.” Kakyoin nodded. “I’ll text you.”

“Yeah, okay,” Jotaro readjusted his hat before opening the door. He hesitated for a bit in the doorway. It was almost like he was contemplating if he had forgotten to do something.

“Bye, Jotaro, be safe out there,” Kakyoin said.

“I will. And goodbye, Kakyoin,” Jotaro gave him one final small smile before he stepped outside and shut the door behind himself. 

Kakyoin let out a breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding in. Tonight had gone well. Maybe not as well as he might have liked, but they were without a doubt moving forward. Baby steps.

Kakyoin peeked around the corner of the hallway before he slowly started sneaking his way towards his bedroom. If he managed to stay quiet, maybe his parents wouldn’t notice him and he could-

“Stop right there, young man!”

Kakyoin let out a deep sigh. Of course his dad would be hiding just around the corner waiting for him to finish up with Jotaro.

“Yes, dad?”

“You can escape back to your room once we’ve had a talk. Now sit.” He nodded towards the couch behind him.

Kakyoin took a seat on it and Minato sat down in an armchair opposite him. He crossed his legs and clasped his hands together as he regarded Kakyoin with a stern gaze.

“Well, Jotaro is quite the well-mannered young man, isn’t he?” Kakyoin could tell that his dad attempted to keep his voice stern, but his true feelings were instantly betrayed by the smile that was threatening to break out on his face at any moment.

“Yup. So I’m guessing that you liked him?” Kakyoin replied.

“I must admit that I was a little on the fence at first. Because of some of the stories I’ve heard about that one brother of his, but Jotaro seems to be a tad more well-behaved than him,” Minato narrowed his eyes and pointed a finger at Kakyoin. “Buton the other hand, he is way too tall for you.”

“How could he be too tall for me?” Kakyoin immediately asked with a raised eyebrow.

Minato simply shrugged. “I don’t know. I had to make something up so I could play the role of an overprotective father, didn’t I?”

Kakyoin let out a small laugh at his words. His dad broke into a smile as well.

“So I’m guessing you like him then?” Minato asked. His eyes had softened significantly as he watched Kakyoin’s reaction.

“Yeah,” Kakyoin answered after just a short moment of deliberation. Because he really did like Jotaro. A lot. And just thinking about him made his heart rate speed up.

“I’m glad that you finally found someone special to you,” Minato said in a barely audible voice. 

Kakyoin just nodded and felt how his cheeks heated up. He knew that his parents had been worried about him for a long time. About how he never seemed to have any friends, or get even remotely close to anyone. And he was glad that they could be a little more at ease now that he had found Jotaro.

“Yeah, me too.”

They sat in silence for a couple more minutes before his Minato finally cleared his throat. 

“Well then, I believe you were going to escape back to your room before I caught you?” He let out a small chuckle as Kakyoin got the hint and immediately got up and hurried over to his room, closing the door shut behind himself.

He let out a breath of relief as he was finally alone. Now he would have the chance to go over his feelings without getting interrupted. It was at this point pretty clear to him that Jotaro liked him back. And on top of that, his parents had approved of him as well. 

Kakyoin couldn’t help but feel giddy with excitement about developing his first real crush. A crush that was most likely mutual.

Things were good. A lot better than they had been in a very long time. And for the first time in his life, Kakyoin couldn’t wait to see what the future had in store for him next.

[8requiems]

The God of Bath Review

This review, by current standards at least, could be considered a “Quality Drop”, but i still wanted to post it anyway.

With that said, I hope you like the review!:

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Intro Sequence

It’s official description reads:

“Heo Sae, wants to be the best person in spa massage and scrub, has battles with others.”

And if you want to suck out all the nuance, then that is the simple premise on which all 30 episodes of this manhwa are built on but let’s spruce this up a bit

“God of Bath” follows Heo Sae, a narcissistic jobless college grad that’s found himself indebted to a loan shark because he keeps trying to chase the chic city life of Seoul, South Korea. After being bailed out of his debt by the Chairman of ‘Geumja Public Bath’ because he has the hands of Taemirus also known as the God of Bath. Heo must work off his debt by participating in the ‘Bath Star M’ contest, the winner will be crowned the best “Ttaemiri”, given 300 million won in prize money and a luxury Sedan

Side note: Ttaemiri - a professional scrubber who scrubs down in bathers in a public bathhouse

Setting: 

The primary location of ‘God of Bath’ is the ‘Geumja Public Bath’. A giant Pyramid in the middle of a town, also I know I’m colourblind but is it just me or does the colour look oddly like...hmmm(*sound of running water*).

The comic skews heavily in using 3D renders coupled with some drawn over assets and while these shots aren’t my favourite they’re hardly the point. Most of the art in God of Bath seems to serve the purpose of giving you an appreciation of the world Heo Sae envies and wishes deeply to be a part of. It sets the stakes for what he stands to lose if he loses the Bath Star M contest. Thus = This could be due the fact that regardless of which type of comedy I categorized this webtoon as, it’s still a comedy, and I didn’t start reading so I could find exceptional art, but the poor 3d models somehow compliments the art that is actually drawn. Maybe its the simplistic art and lack of drawn detail. Whatever it is, it works.

Characters: 

God of bath is home to a cavalcade of characters.

First there’s Heo Sae - The Humbled Narcissist: 

( ^ Chapter 1)

He is a narcissistic college grad, who  in the 8th grade decided to move to Seoul Korea to put distance between himself and inheriting his late father's bath business. He is a trend chaser and deeply cares about keeping up appearances. Despite giving off an egotistical demeanor, he is still a respectful person.

Then we have Kang Hae - A Traditional Professional:

( ^ Chapter 3 )

Kang Hae is a traditional Ttaemiri, who is diligent and is strict about safety. Kang Hae is introduced as Hae’s ideal endpoint if he devotes himself to “Tae” the art of scrubbing. He is an earnest individual with no sympathy for those that look down on Ttaemiri, or the dreams of others. It’s revealed during the second round of the ‘Bath Star M’ contest that the chairman had to retire after hurting his right arm protecting Kang. An example of this would be when he responds to Hae downplaying the skills of Ttaemiri in an attempt to not look as shameful about his loss in the Bath Combat (Chapter 4)

And then theirs his Kanh hae’s Rival, Kim Seonggong - The Icarus of Ttaemiri

( ^ Chapter 16′s Beginning Art )

Is an Elite Ttaemiri, whom unlike Kang Hae, seemed to have grown up under normal circumstances, but chose to become a Ttaemiri regardless. During a bath seminar, he debuts a “bath paddle”, which is a curvy white knife, to scrub off the dead skin of a homeless man. After the demonstration, Kang asks Seong why he is so eager to succeed. Kim responds in kind, “People tend to reach higher places… Should there be a reason for that?” Because of his desire to succeed, he can be seen as an opportunist. As he will tend to as many VIP’s as possible, postponing the regulars he would usually scrub.

Immersion: 

Now, right off the bat, It may seem weird to be discussing Immersion in relation to the comedy genre on webtoon, but hear me out: 

Generally there are two ways comedy is portrayed in webcomics,

Stories where consequences are never/very occasionally carried over into the following episodes, think Garfield

Stories where consequences are carried over and the character roster is unchanging, think

‘God of Bath’ falls under the latter, meaning that although its jokes are a major selling point of the webcomic itself, it still has an ongoing plot that you can attach yourself to and enjoy. Although I have read webtoons like ‘God of Bath’, I found myself forgetting that it was mainly categorized as a comedy. This isn’t to say that it isn’t funny, but the webtoon treats the plot as important as the humour it presents. 

      2. Execution (Is it funny?): 

When thinking about the execution of ‘God of Bath’, we’d naturally have to think about 3 things. The jokes considering that it's under “Comedy”, the “Arc” that Heo Sae goes through, and the logistics of anything “bath” related that this webcomic is asking you to accept (which I will explain why it is important to any degree in a bit).

But first, the funny ha ha moments. Naturally, no matter how objective I want to be about this section. Whether or not this webtoon is funny is completely up to YOU, the reader. That being said, throughout the time I was reading these 30 episodes, I found myself often smiling. Referring back to the art, the way Creator Ilkwon draws Heo Sea is unique enough to the point where I can’t help my face just lock into a grin.

Moving on to Heo’s unintentional journey towards bettering himself, “God of Bath” is surprisingly realistic with the way certain situations unfold in the story, despite it being a comedy. In the span of 30 episodes, Heo is somehow completely unrecognizable when compared to his chapter 1 counterpart. Honestly, there is way more nuance in this webcomic than it really should have. I say it like it's a negative, but it's honestly just unexpected. Especially since the webcomic doesn’t wear a message on it’s sleeve.

Finally, the logistics of anything bath related. If I’m going to be honest, if God of Bath’s “logic”, wherever there is, when it comes to scrubbing was 100% false, I wouldn’t really bat an eye to it. Because scrubbing is more of a device used to progress the plot rather than as a selling point for the story. Which is weird considering that all bath related activities is what makes God of Bath, ‘God of Bath’. The fact that Geumja public bath is able to disguise itself as the centerpiece of the webcomic instead of Heo’s arc in the comic, all the while both being enjoyable to read regardless, makes the Webtoon succeed, and properly deserve being among the list of Originals on the site.

        3. Style:

I already touched upon the quality of the webtoons setting, so the main focus will go towards the art of the cast themselves and how it translates towards telling the story. 

‘God of Bath’’s art can be summarized through this one panel of Heo Sea (Chapter 3):

Although Ilkwon Ha has a decent grasp on how to draw his characters, it never stops him from drawing absurd versions of the cast. But more importantly than that, he doesn’t always stay consistent with the way he draws gags. There are multiple combinations or versions of some gags that it never really feels repetitive. 

An example of this would be of when Heo Sae takes a selfie.

Chapter 1

Vs. 

Chapter 8

There are countless amounts of this specific panel sprinkled throughout the 30 episodes, but I can’t help but crack a smile seeing it regardless.

Here are some more examples of Ilkwon Ha blurring the line between a gag drawing and a normal panel.

( Both of these panels come from Chapter 6 ) 

Gag panels aside, I have come to like Ilkwon Ha’s intro panels. Seeing them somehow feels refreshing every time I read a new chapter. I think it’s because the art is usually ‘peaceful’ or ‘calm’, which you could even say matches how customers feel after being scrubbed down by the Ttaemiri in Geumja. I don’t know, that's just me spitballing.

(All 3 of these images come from Chapter 1) 

Originial Opinion: (If you want to elaborate on how 3D models are used throughout the webcomic, go for it. I don’t really have much opinion on it besides the fact that- it exists).

In Retrospect: I was going to leave tis review untouched for when I posted it since I did this a while back and it shows a good sense of progress for me personally, but I just wanted to say that the 3D models kinda grew on me, and somehow contribute to the Webcomics style despite being so clearly out of place.

Conclusion:

Overall, after reading ‘God of Bath’, it could have truly succeeded as an episodic series. The story concept alone gives it enough creative freedom in expanding the “Bath World”.

But most important of all fleshing out the characters more.

At the very least, seeing how Seonggongs’s path towards greatness would have unfolded. Because no matter how much I dwell on his character, it feels like his arc as a character was incomplete. Or rather, it feels like there was missed potential. 

THAT BEING SAID, the webcomic itself was very complete, seeing as how it was about Heo Sae’s values and how those values change throughout the comic.

I should also note that APPARENTLY, there was going to be a movie adaptation released in 2015, but due to the main lead (Kim Young-Kwang) finding a successful role in “Pinocchio”, it got shafted. Which sucks because while I was writing this I was thinking about how this should get an animated adaptation like ‘Tower of God’.

All in all, I definitely suggest you give ‘God of Bath’ a chance, because it just may surprise you how,  before you know it, the webcomic is already pulling you into its odd, yet realistic world.

[burstbombbitch]

In-depth Character Sheet

Credit to Sir Ender at this writing forum.

Reblog or repost. DO NOT remove credit.

TAGGED BY: @doublerosa​

TAGGING: hoo boy here it comes. the squad ofc @sturmazing, @musesoiree​ (for dustin, and anyone else but there’s so much dude), @coriignis and @theseasirens​​ for any blog. all my lovely friends @silentisms​. @fireflym​ @seelostsouls​ (u can choose a blog)  @eudaiimonia @gottaxroll @splashysquid

---fuck there’s so many of you to tag jesus please just take it if you see this. i love all of you.

i wrote this like a week ago i’m sorry no obligation to actually do this bc it took me SO LONG pls dont suffer

FULL NAME: Bonbon Charbonneau MEANING: “Charcoal Chocolate”, essentially. Meant to refer to a nasty outside, but sweet inside. NICKNAME: Bon, Bonnie, BB, Bunny. MEANING: No one wants to say her repetitive full name, lmfao. AGE: 20 BIRTHDAY: December 5th. ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Sagittarius. GENDER: Cis Female. ALLERGIES: None. SEXUAL PREFERENCE: Pansexual / Panromantic. THEME SONG(S): (Octospy) (Normal) (Octoqueen)

APPEARANCE HAIR COLOR: Pastel pink, bordering on white. HAIR STYLE AND LENGTH: A pair of super long tentacles, styled in two buns. EYES COLOR: Lilac, with star-shaped pink pupils. HEIGHT: 3′11′‘ | 119.38 cm. WEIGHT: 69 lbs | 31.3 kg. OUTFIT/CLOTHING STYLE: Lolita, essentially. Really girly and proper. Occasionally will dress way, way, down, usually during or after a tournament. DISTINGUISHING MARKS(SCARS,MOLES): Bio-luminescent “freckles” all over her body. SELF CARE(MAKE UP): Lots. Usually winged eyeliner and scarlet eye-shadow. FIRST IMPRESSION ON PEOPLE: Prissy, proper, elegant. SKIN COLOR: Dark brown. BODY TYPE/BUILD: Pear-shaped. Large thighs, strong, long legs, and slightly toned biceps. DEFAULT EXPRESSION: A small, haughty smile, with half-lidded mischievous eyes. POSTURE: Straight, hands usually on hips, Weight leaning to one side. PIERCINGS: None, presently. DESCRIBE THEIR VOICE: Her voice is very confident despite not being relatively loud. She speaks without filler words or stammers. It has a very regal sound to it, where her words are careful to come out, but dance upon the air with grace. Statements tend to end with a crescendo, regardless of whether or not it is a question. Exaggerates words frequently. Strict pronunciation. Extremely proper. (Voice Claim)

RELATIONSHIPS MOM: Céleste Charbonneau HOW WELL DO THEY GET ALONG: When she’s feeling playful, Céleste is definitely the one she runs to. She gets along with her well, although her mother’s extroverted energy does grow tiresome and she eventually retreats to her own room for solitude. DAD: Clair Charbonneau HOW WELL DO THEY GET ALONG: He is the sensible one of the family. She finds herself closer to him than her sometimes eccentric mother. They spend a lot of time together, reading books and watching movies. He did most of her homeschooling, alongside hiring well-established tutors, before deciding that he would release her into the world. If she knew the decision to deafen her was his, she might be more inclined to be less loving. SIBLINGS: None. HOW WELL DO THEY GET ALONG: N/A. CHILDREN: None. HOW WELL DO THEY GET ALONG: N/A. PAST LOVER(S): N/A. CURRENT LOVER: N/A. REACTION TO MEETING SOMEONE NEW: She makes snap decisions on whether or not the person is worth her time. By default, she’s very smug and arrogant, finding them to be more of a thing to play with than someone to converse with. She’s not above manhandling someone to make them more amusing to her. ABILITY TO WORK WITH OTHERS: She attempts to take charge and do all of the work to get out of the circumstance of having to work with anyone. When she must cooperate, though, she is relatively tolerable, for she doesn’t want to screw someone else (unless it benefits her) over. LEAST FAVORITE TYPE OF PERSON: Shy, anxious. She doesn’t like reminders of herself. She’ll goad them to make them do something. She definitely tries to invoke some sort of other trait out of them. PARENTAL TYPE(PROTECTIVE,ETC): Her parents were both extremely overprotective of her, a trait she fails to displace when she has children. They were very lenient with her as well, besides the whole ruining her early life, making her more prone to gently guiding her children without imposing her will onto them.

PERSONALITY ...WHEN YOU FIRST MEET THEM: Confident. Placid. Elegant. ...AS YOU KNOW THEM BETTER(AND THEY LIKE YOU): Excitable. Bubbly. Childish. ...AS YOU KNOW THEM BETTER(AND THEY DISLIKE YOU): Sarcastic. Sassy. Snide. FAVORITE COLOR: Lilac. FAVORITE FOOD: Tea and cream-filled pastries! FAVORITE ANIMAL: Cats, spiders. FAVORITE ELEMENT: Air. LEAST FAVORITE COLOR: Grey. LEAST FAVORITE FOOD: Eggs LEAST FAVORITE ANIMAL: Shark HOBBIES: Singing, dancing, shopping, and video gaming. USUAL MOOD: Relaxed. Calm. DRINK/SMOKE/DRUGS: Nope. She drinks very, very infrequently. DARK VERSION OF SELF: gestures at the octospy verse LIGHT VERSION OF SELF: gestures at inkling idol verse HOW SERIOUS ARE THEY: She holds herself relatively seriously. CLASS IN AN RPG: Cleric, Archer, Mage. BELIEVE IN GHOSTS: Kinda, yeah. (IN)DEPENDENT: Independent. VULNERABILITY: Hearing problems. Mentions of war. Divulged secrets. OPINION ON SWEARING: Abominable. DAREDEVIL VS CAUTIOUS: Daredevil. MUSIC TYPE: She’s fond of so many genres, provided it’s not ear-shattering. She can find the best in all types of music. MOVIE TYPE: So bad, it’s good / Romance / Thriller BOOK TYPE: Adventure / Mystery / Romance COMFORTABLE TEMPERATURE: About 65 F. SLEEPING PATTERN: Sleeps about 8-10 hours a day. CLEANLINESS/NEATNESS: Obsessively neat. DESIRED PET: Either a tarantula or a kitten. HOW DO THEY PASS TIME: Sleeping, or reading books. BIGGEST SECRET: Her song and dance are fueled by her synaesthesia. HERO/WHO THEY LOOK UP TO: Her grandmother, Nia Di Napoli. WHAT ANIMAL WOULD THEY BE: Cat FEARS: Silence, large bodies of water, loneliness. COMFORTS: Sensory objects, tactility, sleeping.

HOW DO THEY REACT TO… DANGER: Face it head on. She’s very cocksure. SOMEONE THEY HATE WHO HAS A CRUSH ON THEM: Tease and torment. She’d egg them on and flirt with them, knowing she’s just grinding them beneath her heel. PROPOSAL TO MARRY: Lighting up! Squealing! Storm of kisses! Lots of touching. God knows her voice is going to reach killer wail levels of painful pitch. DEATH OF LOVED ONE: Wailing, violence, shutting down as a whole. Non-stop aggression. DIFFICULT GAME/MATH/ETC: Continue trying, nonstop---literally. Someone’s gonna have to intervene. INJURY: Grin and bear it. SOMETHING IRRESISTIBLY CUTE: Lip biting. Grabby hands. Lighting up, again. Bouncing on her heels.

HISTORY BIOGRAPHY: Born a synaesthetic, Lady Charbonneau’s family fretted for her sensitive hearing. As a result, they silenced and removed her from the world, raising her as if she had been deaf from birth. Their only child remained a mystery to most of Inkopolis, locked behind closed doors for her own “safety”. Her close friend, Nia Di Napoli, frequently removed the headphones that muted everything, helping her solidify the courage to defy their decision while giving her the opportunity to adapt to sounds she had yet to experience. 

This habit of babying her remained throughout her adolescence. Despite training efficiently in self-defense, and constant attempts at proving herself worthy of respect, her family reciprocated with buying out her Turf War matches and downplaying her ability. Finding that out coaxed her into sneaking into the Adult Ranked Matches late at Inkopolis Tower, where they couldn’t bribe people into losing. Of course, dealing with high ranked squids while being only C- yourself grew tiresome, but persistence eventually brought her to S+ at age 17.

Desperate to receive some fragment of respect, Bonbon put herself up for drafting come her eighteenth birthday. The Charbonneau family has a long-standing history of war, benefiting troops through monetary and physical means. One of the elders, Bourbon Charbonneau, fought valiantly as a captain in the Great Turf War hundreds of years ago. Keeping up the legacy, she thought, was her only chance of being her own person.

While every decision has seemingly furthered her depression, she continues on a path already tread in the hopes that such a safe route will bring about some sort of reward, even if it isn’t bountiful. Another option for her, her ability to sing entrancing songs, lies in wait, hoping to be utilized.

FIRST APPEARANCE: A mysterious, minuscule pinkling took a tournament by storm without even giving a word as to her age, rank, or background... and donated the proceeds to charity?

KNOWLEDGE LANGUAGES: Inkling, Sign Language, Human French, Written Octarian, Learning Hylian. SCHOOLING LEVEL: College student, essentially. FAVORITE SUBJECT (S): Linguistics and Theatre INTERESTED CAREERS: She wishes she knew. She’d love to actually sing, though. EXPERTISE: Theatre, Song and Dance. CHEMISTRY: A MATH: A LANGUAGE: A+ GEOGRAPHY: B POLITICS/LAW: B- COOKING: F, until she pays off the teacher. MECHANICS: C BOTANY (FLOWERS): A MYTHOLOGY: A DRAMATICS(ACTING,SINGING): A+++

READING LEVEL: College graduate. HOW GOOD ARE THEY AT PLANNING AHEAD: Always have a plan!

ROMANCE . DO THEY TAKE INITIATIVE: Definitely. She’s very needy and you’ll know it immediately. HOW DO THEY ACT(SHY,ETC): While very avoidant when crushing, she’s super clingy and affectionate when dating. GENTLEMAN/LADYLIKE VS KLUTZY: Ladylike with a dash of klutzy. She shows her real side if she really trusts her partner, so they have to deal with a near 180 of the persona she shows on a daily basis. GO SLOW VS JUMP INTO: Jump into! She puts all her apples in one basket. PROTECTIVE: Extremely. She’s very feral and primitive at times. ACT LIKE FRIENDS OR LOVERS: Her lover has to be her best friend. WHAT KIND OF PRESENTS DO THEY BUY: She actively stalks her partner’s wishlists or things they see as they cruise around together, and has them anonymously delivered, as it she wasn’t obvious. If she hasn’t a clue, she’ll start sending dorky things she thinks are nice to try to gauge their interest. TYPE OF KISSER: She steals small kisses, before elongating them with lots of lip tugging. Definitely fond of it. The type to really get into it. DO THEY WANT KIDS: Not really, but can be easily persuaded. DO THEY WANT TO MARRY: Yes. MAKE GOOD OR BAD DECISIONS: She has a tendency to make bad ones, but hopefully her partner corrects that. :^) Or at least doesn’t let her. ARE THEY ROMANTIC: Yes, albeit cheesy and dorky deep down... HOW ARE THEY IN BED: She prefers to be dominant, and that’s all I’ll say. GET JEALOUS EASY: Not if she is trusting of her partner, but she is definitely very anxious and wonders if she’s good enough frequently. WIFE/HUBBY BEATER: Uh, no. MARRY FOR MONEY: click this. FAVORITE SEX POSITION: uh WHAT WOULD HAPPEN ON THEIR DREAM DATE: A nice long exploration through untraveled territory---just the two of them. Lots of hand-holding, kisses, and cuddles. Good food would definitely seal the deal as the best date ever. OPINION ON SEX: She’s yet to form one, although she’s occasionally thirsty. It doesn’t really come to her often. As long as it’s consensual, she’s down for anything.

[moonlightreal]

Winx Club season 8/8

In which we find new things and old things, and I find far too many non-Winx things to reference.

8 Into the Depths of Andros

Ocean!  Fishies!  An underwater castle glowing with light!  Merlumens!  They’re all pink, with blonde hair and shell headbands.  Valtor voiceovers that this is the “Paradise of Andros, so strong, so filled with light, thanks to the suboceanic star, Gorgo.”

Ok.  First, what IS a star in the magic dimension?  I suppose “star” has two meanings, one being the traditional mass of incandescent gas around which planets orbit, the other being… uh, any place that lumens have a star core.  So stars can be planets, or ON a planet like this star is, or on a moving ship.  I wish we had some more specific terminology instead of using the same name for all these different situations!  Ok, so star=where there’s lumens.  Gorgo doesn’t even provide light in space, since it’s at the bottom of the ocean.

I can’t help thinking of Rainbow Brite and the Star Stealer.  That movie was about Spectra the diamond star, a diamond through which all the universe’s light passed.  An evil space princess was trying to steal it because diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and the fading of the light made everybody stop caring about things.  Obviously this movie made a big impression and I so want to work it in to Mirta’s season 8 story, somehow...

My other question: Merlumens and selkies.  Are they related?  Do they get along?    

Anyway, the merlumens are hangin’ out playing with their fish friends and being cute while Valtor watches from his asteroid, plotting their doom!  He gloats that his power has grown, and it seems it has; he created a big all-over image of the lumens instead of the little magic-TV he was using before.  But he wants a fish friend too!  He conjures a hammerhead shark and morphs it into a big monster shark I’m gonna call a sharkee because maybe someone somewhere will get that reference.  

Valtor is interrupted mid-gloat by Obscuro popping out of a portal behind him and hitting him in the back of the head.  The little guy is wearing fins and a swim floaty because of course he is.

Valtor regrets his choice of minions and Obscuro complains that he’s bad at swimming.

On Andros, Aisha is practicing a speech while Stella adjusts her dress.  It is a gorgeous dress, seafoam green with taffeta and cool chokers and flowers in her hair.  She’s going to present this speech at the anniversary of the founding of Andros, but she’s having trouble getting it perfect.  The girls are helping her practice.

Nex calls with cheering-you-on emojis and Aisha says, “He’s trying to support me every way he can.”

Aisha continues trying to practice but Nex texts again, then Stella interrupts to say the dress needs flowers, then Nex calls and Aisha tosses the phone ‘cause she’s gotta practice.  She leaves her room… and finds Nex in the corridor with flowers and more support, but poor Aisha just needs some quiet!

Nex’s outfit is pretty great too. Moss-green jacket with gold details and a gold cord around the waist. It looks military, or princely.  But Nex doesn’t seem to be a prince.  We don’t acutally know anything about where he’s from, do we?  Just that he was a “paladin” whatever that means in this context, he wasn’t a student at Red Fountain with the others but the season 8 timeshift put him as one of the Specialists on Sky’s team.  We can assume Nex and Thoren attended a different school for heroes since they know magical combat but that’s about it.

Aisha brushes past Nex, focused on her speech, and he looks sad but doesn’t go after her.

Meanwhile at Gorgo, staryums attack the underwater star core!  Merlumens see them and swim away.  Obscurum gloats.

Back at the palace, nobles arrive for the celebration!  There’s a pavilion set up outside the palace proper, over what must be a lagoon.  Inside is a land platform for the humans and half lake for the mermaids.  Queen Ligeia is there in a cool floating shell throne, with a dozen cute mermaids and mermen. Tressa and Nereus do not appear.  Maybe they’re on a diplomatic mission somewhere else.

Nervous Aisha approaches the podium where her parents wait.  Nobles applaud.  Nex and the Winx give her thumbs-up.  Aisha begins her speech, and namechecks her parents and Queen Ligeia—and “Dorana, Queen of the Stars.”  And there’s little Dorana, floating along.

(Maybe Dorana is to the lumens what Omnia was to the selkies?  Some kind of higher form or guiding spirit or something.)

Aisha begins her speech.  “I’ve been to space, I’ve seen the stars.  But here, on Andros… um...” sigh.  She flubs it.  King Teredor looks SUPER disappointed.  Niobe steps in to help her daughter along, and they get the speech done. Then we find out what else is up: Ligeia’s ocean magic and Dorana’s star magic together can protect Andros from the threat of Valtor. Bloom says he has no chance against the combined magic.

Dorana; “When Valtor showed up my brother Argen suddenly disappeared.”

Hmm!  I wonder what could have happened to him!

This is a surprise to the Winx-- it’s news to me too, but since I’m not genre-blind I’m pretty sure I know where Argen went.

Dorana doesn’t want anyone else to suffer the pain of losing someone, so she wants to help.  She creates an illusion of, “Gorgo, Star of Andros, a unique star that lights up the ocean.  Valtor won’t be able to resist the temptation to steal its light.”

Got that right, Dorana!

The two queens do a cool spell, they spread their arms and both sing a note together, creating a barrier around the star.

But what’s this?  Tecna’s got an image of the star on her device and something’s wrong with the barrier!  Bloom realizes, “...too late.”  Dorana and Ligeia realize their barrier has failed.  Twinkle uses her star map to confirm that the barrier is no good since the staryums are already inside!

Aisha: “If Gorgo falls, Andros will plunge into darkness.”  But what about the normal sun, in the sky?! How does this wooooork?  T_T

Bloom: “That’s not going to happen. We’ll save Gorgo!”

The nobles cheer.  :-)

The Winx go outside to a balcony-ish place, giving us a good look at their dresses.  they’re all dressed in the same style as Aisha’s, pastels and tulle and flowers, a look that owes something to Onyrix, I think.  They’re really good dresses, and as usual I like Aisha and Tecna best because they’re in my favorite colors.

Bloom: “Everyone ready?”

But where’s Twinkle?  She’s sitting being sad.  She can’t swim!  She can’t come along!  Flora: “But you do have an important role here, Twinkle.  If you came with us, who would stay here and comfort the people of Andros?”  

Twinkle: “Me?”

Bloom: “That’s right, you’re the only one who can cheer them up.”

Twinkle flies spirals of joy.  

Ok, I really liked this.

Then Nex shows up for some predictable couples drama!  He wants to come along underwater but Aisha says she can take care of herself.  Nex, to his credit, says, ‘I know that. I want to stay by your side anyway.”  and sounds like he means it. Nex transforms his suit with flippers and a facemask and dives in, ending the conversation.

Bloom: “All right girls, there’s only one way down there.  Winx, Sirenix!”

I feel the power of the ocean…

More than any other music in Winx, this song goes right through my heart.

Only way to make it better?  Make it Italian.

So here’s… shall we call it new sirenix?  Or sequin sirenix, since the dolls have sequins?  I like that.  Sequin sirenix is shall be, since I don’t know what the rest of the fandom is calling it.

I like it.  The colors are a little less… whatever made the other sirenix Just A Little Much.  But while the shades are nicer, I think the animators were a bit lazy when assigning colors to the girls  Aisha has the best palette, turquoise, blue and purple.  Poor Stella is stuck in shades of pink and blue, like the designers just gave up on her orange-based color palette, and Bloom shares about the same colors.  Tecna and Flora are in the same shades of blue and green while Musa at least gets her traditional magenta and raspberry.  But even so, I just like these designs.  I also feel like the animators took more care to make it looks like the girls are swimming, rather than just using the same animations for flying but putting them underwater which I felt like they did in season 5.  Their HAIR still isn’t animated like it would be moving underwater, but I think that would be really hard to do.

I have feelings about underwater, because it comes close to a show that tangles my heart up even more than Winx, and Winx has been a fandom of sixteen years.

There was no discussion of sirenix being a power they used before and still have, they just go for it.  It’s not surprising that they’d still be able to access old powers; it makes sense but it does lay down that bit of worldbuilding.  Previously gained powers are not necessarily lost.  But do they automatically keep ALL forms or just some?  I assume they no longer have Tynix because the fairy animals have moved on, and still having Harmonix would be unnecessary once they have Sirenix.  But what about bloomix?  Did the Winx return their bits of the Dragonfire when they got Butterflix, or do they still have it?

Also no mention that sirenix now looks different.  Maybe they just don’t think it’s worth commenting on while a baddie’s attacking, or maybe the season 8 timeslide means sirenix ALWAYS looked like this.

Anyway. The girls and Nex swim through the lovely violet ocean of Andros, doing the Winx giggle.  Then Nex catches aisha for some relationship drama.  He asks her what’s wrong and she says it’s nothing.  Then aisha says she wanted to get the speech right to impress her parents, but she flubbed it.  Next says everyone understands and, “Next time let the others help.”

Wasn’t this Aisha’s Nemesis theme from Wow?  Aisha being too self-reliant? At least it’s consistent characterization, I guess.

More swimming, and the sharkee is stalking them!  Its shadow falls over the gang swimming in a canyon.  That thing’s big! But it’s gone before they can get a good look.

They reach the star, which Flora says is wonderful, and I realize looks just like Castle Elemyn from Bella Sara.  But it’s under attack!  Winx into action!

But here comes the sharkee!  Battle is joined!  

Aisha says it’s a creature of darkness so their sirenix powers have no effect.  The battle isn’t going well!  The girls regroup—and realize Nex is missing.

He’s in some caves full of pink underwater flowers—no, he’s at the star core.  How’d he get all that way?  But he’s there, watching Obscurum and the staryums chow down on the star core.

Nex: “Hey you!  Call off your creatures!”

Dude, you have no backup…

Nex vs Obscurum!  Nex pops out his two phantoblade lightsabers and attacks!

Cut to the girls fleeing the sharkee.  They zap it with various things but aren’t having much luck.  Aisha’s morfix can grab it but nothing else does any good.

Back to Nex and Obscurum!  Obscurum of course hops through portals to dodge.  Nex calls him a coward.  Obscurum zaps Nex from every which way, but… ‘I’ll never give up!  Aisha needs me!”

Back with Aisha, she realizes the sharkee is full of dark magic—but they can’t free it from Valtor’s control without their Cosmix powers, which won’t work in water.  Aisha gets the idea to lure it into a convenient cave.  She’s badass.  The other Winx blast the cave mouth, sealing it except  for a little hole Aisha swims out through. Success! The shark monster is trapped!  

The girls arrive at the core and find Nex getting his butt handed to him. Aisha leaps to protect him with a morfix shield.

Nex: “See, teamwork never fails.”

Aisha: “Sorry I pushed you away before.  I know you wanted to help but I was too focused on not disappointing my parents and my people.  So… power couple teamup?”

Nex: “I thought you’d never ask.”

These two are cute together.  They’re one of the couples I give the thumbs up to.

They lay some hurt on Obscurum and the rest of the Winx blast staryums off the core.

Then Obscurum blasts the ceiling and the cave collapses on Nex! Cliffhanger ending!

[the-connection]

It's no secret that climate change is slowly but surely changing countries around the world as we know it. In countless arranges, summertimes are growing longer and winters are becoming colder- and that's not to mention the evident erosion of the ice caps. They are disappearing so quickly that 12,500 tons of liquid are running into the sea every second. To apply this into situation, that's enough to replenish FIVE Olympic sized swimming pools- and it's submerging district around the world.

Naturally, islands are being hit first, and it's been estimated that Venice could be underwater within a century. Now, I don't know about you, but having been fortunate enough to take a stroll around the magnificent metropoli a few years ago, I think that the world would be a lot less nostalgic without gondolas in it. But woo aside, us humans have a duty to do everything in our power to retain the world for future generations- otherwise, it'll only be a matter of era before we're wiped out too.

However, when it comes to preserving the extraordinary planet that we live on, there are some people who croak a good deal farther than simply recycling the strange can of Pepsi and making sure that they don't operation more electricity than required. Instead, they have reserved their entire lives to maintenance and the results of Jadav Payeng's hard work are already visible.

When Payeng was just 16 years old, he realized that his home of Majuli- AKA the largest flow island in the world- was in some serious hazard. Because of lengthy soil erosion on its banks, the splendid island is disappearing into the sea.

Over the past 70 times, the island has reduced by half and there are fears that it will disappear even sooner than Venice- with some estimates suggesting that Majuli could be completely underwater in as little as 20 years.

But this think would be even shorter if it hadn't been for Payeng's heroic actions.

Back in 1979, he realized that drastic act had to be taken if Majuli was going to stand any chance of prospering in the future where reference is detected a number of dead serpents on the island. They had died from excessive heat.

This happened after floodlights soaped the snakes onto the island's sandbar where there was no vegetation to keep them cool.

Payeng knew he had to act tight. Now he is known as "Forest Man" : strong > em>

Realizing that something "mustve been" done, Payeng seeded some trees to avoid a similar occurrence happening in the future, and now, 40 years on, the once barren sand dunes where the snakes had died are fully unrecognizable.

This incredible environmental fighter has embed a whopping 550 hectares of forest.

In case you're wondering, that's an area larger than Central Park in New York, which is 340 hectares.

It's often said that you should leave the world a lot better than how you encountered it and that's certainly been the case when it is necessary to Payeng's acts. While the island might not live indefinitely, it's now in with a fighting chance.

As aimed, Payeng's forest is not only prospering with greenery, but it's become home to numerous animals too.

And not only any swine, either. Bengal vampires and Indian rhinoceros are expanding- the former of which is endangered.

What's more is that the island is now visited by a 100 -strong herd of elephants every year.

So why exactly is Majuli disappearing? Well, you'll get no honours for guessing that it's the result of global warming, but more particularly, it's because of the large ridges which have been set up on the Brahmaputra river.

These banks were built to protect people from the damage which the monsoon season causes- but at a cost.

While the mainland might be protected from the frenzy of rising sprays, the ridges mean that the flow of irrigate is now pointing directly at Majuli- so you are unable imagine what it would look like without Payeng's help.

Although Payeng began seeding trees with no meaning other than to help save small island developing, his actions have won him international adoration, with many social media useds around the world comprising his fib up as an example of how we should all live our lives.

" Give this person a Nobel Tree Prize! He deserves it !" wrote Facebook user Tee Bwn.

" Stories like this need to be out on the information and all over to teach others about so many evaluates ," noted Elizabeth Caro." There are truly beings with a gilded mettle. This follower deserves acknowledgment and maybe for someone to write a journal ."

" We should[ educate] children about this being in academies ," wrote Kellan Cox." And be inspired from his busines he has done us[ sic ]."

" This person is from my nation Assam, India, and we are proud of him. He was honored with the fourth highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan ," revealed Dibyajyoti Dang.

" I hope that neighbourhood should get a mention on this guy so everyone can know what he achieved in life respect for u sir[ sic ]," contributed Dilpreet Singh.

" Big Salute extends for this great man...

" When numerous parties and organization really retained talking about[ environmental] threats, this guy moved quietly and relentlessly specifying issues that[ none] did even close in other parts of the world.

" What this great mortal did is a task for all of is[ sic] that sometimes we need to work many many more experiences than we speak.

" Good blessing, my Man ," noted a careful Facebook user.

And Natasha K Blackman summarized up my own personal judgments by simply writing," This is how you prevail at being a nice human being ."

Others were quick to point out how Payeng's actions should induce parties in metropolis to do their fragment too.

" If simply more metropoli folks could endorse his rule, exploit less plastic( straws, bottles, take aways[ sic ], containers ... etc ), say no to shark fin and tusk ," wrote Aaron Anil Dass.

In a macrocosm where sea level are rising at their fastest proportion in 2,000 times, it's clear that the human race must work together to save our planet- if not for future generations, but ourselves. While cataclysm movies like The Day After Tomorrow might seem far-fetched where reference is watch them, the reality is that they are now within the realm of possibility.

We would like to take this opportunity to salute Payeng too. Hopefully, his floor will spur others to take action before it's too late.

Read more: http :// www.viralthread.com

[njawaidofficial]

Natalie Portman’s New Sci-Fi Movie Is Going To Frustrate The Hell Out Of People

https://styleveryday.com/2018/02/26/natalie-portmans-new-sci-fi-movie-is-going-to-frustrate-the-hell-out-of-people/

Natalie Portman’s New Sci-Fi Movie Is Going To Frustrate The Hell Out Of People

Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, and a mutant gator in Annihilation.

Peter Mountain / Paramount Pictures

Annihilation is a movie so prepared to alienate audiences that it comes with its own built-in version of a dissatisfied viewer. His name is Lomax, he’s played by a gruff, hazmat-suited Benedict Wong, and he appears to work for the secret agency responsible for sending expeditions into Area X, a stretch of swampy wilderness that’s been taken over by a mysterious atmospheric phenomenon nicknamed “the Shimmer.” In the opening scene of the film, Lomax stands over the lone survivor of the latest expedition, a dazed biologist named Lena (Natalie Portman), and demands answers she doesn’t know how to provide — and that the movie doesn’t really care to.

He wants to know what happened to the other scientists, played by Jennifer Jason Leigh, Gina Rodriguez, Tessa Thompson, and Tuva Novotny, who were part of Lena’s team. He wants to know what explanation they found for the Shimmer, which has claimed the lives of almost everyone else who ventured into it. He wants to know how Lena survived for the four months she was gone when she only had food to last two weeks.

Lena doesn’t remember eating at all when she was in Area X. Maybe she didn’t have to. It doesn’t seem all that important when compared to the rainbow fungi peppering the trees in Area X, like Seussian tumors, or the attacking alligator with rows of teeth like a shark, or the churning guts revealed in a vivisected stomach, spinning impossibly like a coiled snake trying to escape.

Thompson and Gina Rodriguez.

Peter Mountain / Paramount Pictures

The expedition, unfurling like an acid trip gradually going wrong, makes up the bulk of Annihilation. The result is less welcoming than you might expect, considering it’s the hotly anticipated second feature from Ex Machina director Alex Garland, adapted loosely (and with some controversy) from the 2014 novel by Jeff VanderMeer, with a cast full of interesting women and an Oscar winner in the lead role. Lomax is, effectively, Annihilation‘s on-screen acknowledgement of how frustrating the movie will be to viewers who expect explanations rather than allegory, and who are waiting on its dream logic to firm up into something more orderly.

The film periodically snaps back to that containment room, where Lomax looms over Lena, trying to make sense out of an account that refuses to be made sense of, assigning motivations and arriving at solutions that aren’t inadequate so much as beside the point. Lomax may be a character in the movie, but he’s also a misguided consumer of the story it tells, impatiently demanding to know why and what it all means. Anyone hoping to find out might realize that’s not going to happen around the time one character appears to turn into a plant, but if not, they can always stick around to see another transform into a floating space blob.

We’ve been trained to expect neatness, to log every detail in a story as indicative of some wiki-worthy overall mythology.

Annihilation is some heady nightmare fuel, but its most striking quality may be how little it has in common with the current trends in mainstream science fiction. The film is a throwback to a period when sci-fi was an oddball genre instead of a dominant and increasingly fan-driven one; it heavily references Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker, and its surreal ending brings to mind Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. In 2018, deep into the era of the “cinematic universe” and series like Westworld, whose very structure begs to be diagrammed, Annihilation‘s hallucinatory haziness feels bracingly out of step with the direction expansive sci-fi has been taking. It plays like a response to the age of fan theories and puzzle box fiction, in which stories are set up to be pieced together, with every element eventually snapping into place. When something as mild as the nonrevelations regarding Rey’s parentage in Star Wars: The Last Jedi could turn out to be wildly divisive, the lyrical loose ends and relationship-driven interludes in Annihilation might as well be a raised middle finger.

At the very least, that ambiguity reminds viewers how narrow our relationship with the narratives we watch has become — how prone we are, as a viewing public, to assume our demands will be met. We’ve been trained to expect neatness, to log every detail in a story as indicative of some wiki-worthy overall mythology, or as some clue to what’s next. Annihilation tips its hat to the fact that audiences today are less inclined to have patience for brain-melting metaphors and psychedelia, but it doesn’t cater to those more literal tendencies. It even seems, at times, to be actively at odds with them. Garland has noted in interviews that he’s not concerned about audiences keeping up with how much of the information in his film has to be inferred, saying that “the key thing would be about strangeness.”

There really isn’t much room for ambiguity in the multiplexes, and, tellingly, there’s not much room for Annihilation in them, either — Paramount, the studio that produced the film, lost faith in the resulting weirdness of the finished project and sold off most of the international rights to Netflix (which has been making itself a home for sci-fi studio discards recently). But the beautifully disturbing visuals of Annihilation are made for the big screen: verdant mutant landscapes and prismatic light, the days seeming to skip right to late afternoon, the sun hanging low in the sky.

Peter Mountain / Paramount Pictures

Something is extremely off inside Area X, something that seems to radiate from the lighthouse that is the explorers’ ultimate destination, causing their bodies and minds to start fragmenting, making them lose time and lose their way. But as they come across troubling traces of expeditions that have come before, including the one from which Lena’s husband, Kane (Oscar Isaac), returned sick and changed, the question of what’s in the lighthouse starts to seem less pressing than the question of why people keep signing up for a journey there’s so little chance of surviving.

The most radical choice of all in Annihilation isn’t everything it leaves unsolved, but the way it reveals itself to be a movie more invested in personal impulses than possible extraterrestrial invasions. It wants to examine the kind of people who’d willingly walk into oblivion, to hold them up to the splintering light — people who, as Novotny’s character Cass puts it, are by nature a little broken. One of the explorers is solitary and dying, another a recovering addict in search of a replacement high. A third is a soft-spoken embodiment of depression, and the fourth, Cass, is a mother who lost a child.

That last bit of backstory is becoming something perilously close to a genre cliche, also figuring in different ways into the backgrounds of the heroines of Gravity, Arrival, and, more recently, The Cloverfield Paradox. Maternal grief has become a shorthand for filling out a female character and giving her something personal to reckon with. But that’s not the case for Cass, who doesn’t relinquish the pain from the loss of her child, or process it, or triumph over it. Instead, she describes it as a kind of personal death, something she’ll never really get over. She may still be around, but the person she used to be is gone forever.

The real enigma isn’t the glimmering, matter-warping nature of Area X — it’s the darkest part of the human heart.

The person Kane used to be is gone, too, when he returns from his yearlong expedition into Area X acting nothing like the man we glimpse in Lena’s flashbacks. The more we get to see of their marriage, the more that relationship, and not the lighthouse, seems key to the movie. We gradually gain a better understanding of the emotions that drove Lena into Area X, a morass of guilt and love and determination as deep as any anomalous swamp. She’s not a character the movie bothers to make you like, but she’s the lens through which it considers something bitterly complicated — those inexplicable whims people can have to destroy things dear to them, or to try to destroy themselves. She is, like her fellow travelers, a fractured thing, but unlike them, she needs to come back from the strange beyond.

She does, of course. The opening scene makes it clear that Lena survives, though not what it might have cost her. The real enigma isn’t the glimmering, matter-warping nature of Area X, despite how intoxicating it looks on screen — it’s the darkest part of the human heart, that desire to break ourselves open, even if it’s just a little bit, in rebellion against our animal instincts toward self-preservation. As Lena recounts what happened to her, she repeats sentiments that are blockbuster taboos — that she doesn’t know, that she can’t explain the Shimmer or what it was after — statements that are bound to exasperate the Lomaxes in the audiences as much as the Lomax in the movie. But to give too much emphasis to those unanswered questions is to treat Annihilation like it’s a different sort of movie, one that’s trying to gratify rather than unsettle. There’s something to be gained from letting the mystery be, surrendering to the experience of the film, and to the reminder that in real life, there’s so much we never get to know. ●

The Shimmer.

Paramount Pictures

[universeinform-blog]

Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles to headline Classic East and West festivals

New Post has been published on https://universeinform.com/2017/03/14/fleetwood-mac-and-the-eagles-to-headline-classic-east-and-west-festivals/

Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles to headline Classic East and West festivals

Closing summer season, AEG delivered together song legends along with Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, and The Rolling Stones for the Desert Journey song Pageant. Fellow industry behemoths Azoff MSG Enjoyment and Stay Kingdom intend to drag off something comparable in 2017 with a pair of coastal festivals headlined through Fleetwood Mac and The Eagles.

Aptly titled Traditional East and Classic West, the two-day fairs will also characteristic Journey, Steely Dan, Earth Wind & Fireplace, and The Doobie Brothers, in step with Billboard. Conventional West will cross down July 15th – 16th at La’ Dodgers Stadium, accompanied through Conventional East from July twenty-ninth – 30th at Citi Discipline in Big apple City. The Eagles’ participation in the Festival is specifically noteworthy, as Don Henley previously announced the band’s breakup inside the wake of Glen Frey’s dying in January 2016. Following the band’s tribute to Frey at the 2016 Grammys, Henley informed the BBC, “That was the very last farewell. I don’t think you’ll see us appearing once more. I suppose that become probable it. I suppose it becomes the precise farewell.”

As for Fleetwood Mac, they Closing finished a headlining concert in November 2015. in the months on the grounds that then, Stevie Nicks’ launched into a solo tour in the back of her cutting-edge launch, 24K Gold, and her bandmates Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie had been working on a new album of duets, with a release date tentatively set for Can also.

Making Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” – Leaving The Twilight Sector Behind

Instances in my lifestyles I’ve set up computer structures at my administrative center. Every time for months on ceasing without letup existence became so hideously difficult that it was just plain goofy. Or, as I’m keen on describing it, my existence entered the ZEW – the Sector of Amazing Weirdness. Eat your heart out, Rod Serling, wherever you are.

However, Fleetwood Mac put my trials and tribulations to disgrace once they made “Rumours”. This changed into the seventh exceptional-selling studio album of all time however the production of it occasionally made the Marx Brothers look like lukewarm oatmeal.

Allow’s begin with the aid of gazing that Lindsey Buckingham was breaking up with Stevie Nicks, John and Christine McVie had been divorcing, and Mick Fleetwood was divorcing his spouse. No one was speaking to each other except in clipped, civil tones once they were operating on tracks in the studio. Believe being pressured to do a joint time period paper with your worst ex-lover.

And that is only for starters, parents. Warning: you are about to go into the ZEW.

Capsules were everywhere. The band had a cocaine dealer who frequently provided all of them with high first-rate Peruvian powder. Mick Fleetwood becomes so pleased with him that he turned into considering giving this character credit within the destiny album’s liner notes. Till the provider become accomplished, that is. No, that wasn’t a typo.

Then there were the Bionic Cakes. Nicks had a lady friend who baked a batch heavily laced with hashish. To be honest to the girlfriend she did warn each person that they were extraordinarily strong. The band overlooked her. In addition, they got nothing performed that day, for obvious reasons.

I’ve defined in some other article how Stevie Nicks wrote “Dreams” in ten mins in an aspect studio known as “Sly Stone’s Pit”, a garishly adorned sunken lounge. Did I point out that it had its very own nitrous oxide tank?

Subsequent there was the Piano From Hell. It would not music. Fleetwood Mac referred to as in a closely tattooed man or woman who earned the moniker “the Looner Tuner”. His efforts didn’t please the band. Subsequent they brought in a blind piano tuner. They still were not satisfied (do you detect a pattern here?). Subsequent they tried switching pianos no longer as soon as, But nine instances. still not correct enough. Ultimately they ended up no longer using the piano tracks at all. Result: 4 days of steeply-priced studio time wasted…

On tuning an instrument.

His efforts didn’t please the band. Subsequent they brought in a blind piano tuner. They still were not satisfied (do you detect a pattern here?). Subsequent they tried switching pianos no longer as soon as, But nine instances. still not correct enough. Ultimately they ended up no longer using the piano tracks at all. Result: 4 days of steeply-priced studio time wasted… On tuning an instrument.

They also needed to address “Jaws”. No, I’m now not regarding Bruce the Shark from the immortal 1975 Steven Spielberg movie of the equal name (wrong coast, anyway). I am talking approximately a tape recorder that earned the dreaded nickname because it had the disturbing addiction of chewing up fresh takes.

You’d think they would at least have ended up with usable tracks after all this. They didn’t. Upon returning to La after nine weeks in some other size in a Sausalito studio Fleetwood Mac determined that their new album, the destiny “Rumours”, sounded ordinary to their ears. It took the better part of 12 months to fix it.

Whether you’ve written an email, blog post, newsletter, white paper, or press release, your primary job is to persuade the intended readers to explore what you’ve written. The challenge is that anyone worth writing for is overwhelmed with potential reading material. Prioritizing and skimming are the norms. Use yourself as an example. When sorting through business or personal reading material, what tempts you to stop and read?

The headline!

The headline is a hook that reels in readers. Boring headlines do not grab attention. They do not intrigue or resonate with the audience. They do not communicate the value of the content that you’ve spent the time to research and write. Humdrum headlines are not click-bait.

Package and sell your content with a headline that helps the audience to know that your content, email, or press release contains valuable information. Headlines alert intended readers to subjects of interest. Attention-grabbing subject lines entice us to read articles that we may eventually conclude are a waste of time and which we may abandon, but that headline is a siren song for our eyes.

When writing your next article, consider what would be most appealing, or alarming, to your intended readers and as well, most descriptive of the content. The perspective from which you must create your subject line/title is from the intended reader’s ultimate vetting question, What’s in it for me?

Create an irresistible hook that will get your item more attention, more readers, more buzz and the best results. Keep these categories in mind as you compose the headline for your next important communication

With its Celtic influence, unique architecture and stylish resorts, the region of Aquitaine and its departments have endless attractions to offer. From spectacular golf courses to famous art, from wine tasting to a huge range of outdoor activities.

But let’s not forget that it has some great festivals and celebrations. Let’s check some of them out.

Here are some of the most famous festivals in Aquitaine, France (please note that we have tried to get the most accurate dates available, however, his is subject to the information supplied on the websites concerned)

Bayonne Carnival – Town Centre, Avenue du Maréchal-Leclerc, 17th -18th February 2013

This carnival is led by cute nursery school kids, as they proudly parade through the streets. Full of fun and attractions for all the family, enjoy music, face painting, workshops, colourful parades and more during the two carnival days.

Carnival on Two River Banks – Garonne River, Bordeaux, 4th March 2013 Every year the Bordeaux Carnival takes on a different theme, but one thing stays the same every year, it is a great chance to party, fun for families and a time to get dressed up. If you have children with you, there are plenty of activities and parades for them, plus the carnival includes aperitifs, workshops and shows.

International Festival of Religious Music, Lourdes, 15th to 31st March 2013 This takes place in the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary, on Avenue Monsignuer-Thé as. Groups from all over France as well as abroad come to perform classical religious and sacred music.

Agen Carnival – Town Centre, Re André Gide, 31st March to 1st April 2013 Welcoming in springtime, this is a chance to dress up and enjoy the festivities on the streets. It is a family friendly affair, so if you have children with you, they should love it too. It finishes up on Pancake Tuesday when the Mr. Carnival (Monsieur Carnaval) effigy is paraded down the streets and then burnt.

Gastronomic Feast, Sarlat, Dordogne, 17th to 18th May 2012 (awaiting for 2013) -Les Journé es du Terroir This is two days of pure and utter foodie-ness! Taste superb local produce such as nuts, truffles, pork products and much more.

It is also a perfect chance to learn how to do interesting tasks like pressing walnut oils, preparing jam or carving a goose. You can return home with some new skills!

There are also workshops for the children, plus they can see the farm animals.

Biarritz Arts Festival – Avenue Edouard VII, 2nd to 5th June 2013 Let the fun begin as the artistic performers take over the city of Biarritz! With creativity oozing all over the city, you can enjoy jugglers, dancers, actors, musicians and lots more.

Biarritz Oceans Festival – Avenue Edouard VII, 16th June to 23rd June 2013 If you feel up to it you can swim across Biarritz as part of this festival! But apart from that, there are heaps of activities during this festival. Check out street theatre, open air films, lots of entertainment, including Basque music!

8. Bordeaux Wine Festival – (dates to be confirmed) 28th June 2014 to 1st July 2014

If you are visiting Aquitaine and you have a deep sense of liking for wines, then this festival should never be left out of your itinerary. Bordeaux Wine Festival has not surprisingly become famous for wine lovers from France and those coming from other countries. Join another 300,000 or so visitors for this huge celebration on the banks of the Garonne