#I don't go here yet but this looks epic op!!

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #282

Today started out normally. But it ended kind of weird.

J made a bunch of rice not too long ago. Like… a bunch of rice. And on the day we went to the reptile and arthropod expo, we also went to the local food co-op on the way home, because J was hungry. Not being one to pass up opportunities, I decided to snag some natto while I was there. But there were three different kinds, and I couldn't choose, and so in my typical style, I decided "fuck it" and got all three…

...Here's what the contents look like:

...Hey, Sephiroth? Do you like natto? I've heard that it's a very polarizing food; in my part of the world, people usually either really hate it or love it a lot, with very little in between, or so I've heard. I wonder what you think...

Normally, in my part of the world, one gets natto by going to the frozen foods section of the Asian grocery store, if there is one. I live in a place that's pretty diverse (and it's AWESOME), so we have Asian grocery stores, Middle Eastern grocery stores, and Hispanic grocery stores, too. We might have more, but... maybe I didn't find them yet. My city isn't as diversified as New York City, but it's still pretty good. Pretty good...

Well anyway. I don't really like the frozen natto by itself; it's really good mixed with rice, for sure!! But this stuff that comes in these jars... I could just eat it with a spoon. I wonder if it has to do with the fact that it hasn't been frozen first. I wouldn't know. Maybe someday, I should go to Japan and see what natto is like over there; I imagine it's oodles better than whatever we have over where I live!

Anyway, we had a bunch of rice, and we had bacon, because I got some from the local convenience store chain on my way home from therapy on Tuesday; M had left the car in a state with low tire pressure and low gas, so I figured the thing to do was to take care of it before coming home, and the convenience store chain called Stewart's (unique to my region!) has gasoline and free air, and also snacks.

So... after doing the whole "responsible adult thing", I decided I get to have snacks. And I went inside the Stewart's, but nothing appealed to me, so I just got a Birthday Cake Shake for M and a chocolate milkshake for J; Stewart's sells these in bottles, and they're really good! And then I saw the bacon, and since we already had rice, eggs, and natto, I decided to get it! And today, I had enough time and energy to prepare it! So that's what I did!

I like to bake bacon in the oven; it's super convenient that way, and you don't get grease splattering everywhere, and it's easy to get it to cook evenly that way. It's just a matter of arranging it on a baking sheet with some parchment paper...

...You stick it in an oven at 400 degrees F (or 204.4 degrees C) for about 25 minutes, depending on how crispy you like it.

Here's how it turned out!

...And if you're wondering what I did with all that rendered fat? Of course, I put it in a jar!

...I used some of it to cook eggs with nice, runny yolks::

...I also used some to fry up some leftover rice, with all three of the different kinds of natto mixed in:

...The result was an epic bowl of deliciousness! Want some...?

...I spent most of the rest of the day playing Dead Cells. I managed to defeat The Hand of the King in the training room with only 4 Brutality, 4 Tactics, and 22 Survival, for 8 points less than the recommended total; my damage multiplier was less than half of what it should have been, while using a play style that is not well-suited for him, and I smashed him up anyways. If I reach him in one of my next runs, he's gonna be in BIG trouble, lemme tell ya!!

I also made chicken leg quarters today - y'know, the same recipe that I've shown you at least twice before. It's a classic for a reason, haha! I was able to serve it up with some leftover broccoli and carrots that J cooked up the other day, as well as the mashed pumpkin I made yesterday. It was good stuff!!! But I didn't think to take any pictures for you; I'm sorry about that.

And here's where it gets weird.

So... M, and J, and I were supposed to go see that Wild Robot movie today, at 7:10. But when we got to the door of the building, there was a pigeon chilling out there, on the ground. It's weird to see pigeons on the ground this late at night. And it wasn't very mobile; it looked kinda haggard, and it seemed sluggish.

...Well. If you've been reading my letters up until this point, you already know where this is going. You already know that I couldn't just leave it there like that. So I didn't. Needless to say, we ended up not seeing the movie in favor of prioritizing the safety of the pigeon.

The nearby animal hospital is closed this late at night, though. We decided to put it in the upstairs bathroom so that it can have space to move, without any risk of our cats getting to it. We put it in the bathtub with a towel for some soft bedding; we expect that it'll poop, and a towel and a bathtub are easy to clean:

...I think it has some kind of respiratory illness. When I tried to reach out to pet it, it made a weird squeaking wheeze; that's not a normal sound for a pigeon.

We're going to bring it to the nearby animal hospital first thing in the morning; they open at 7:30am. They treat wild creatures. Pigeons are technically not wild; they are feral. They used to be human companions before they were discarded as though they are worthless. Nowadays, despite the fact that they used to be friends to humans, they are treated like filthy, disgusting nuisances; it's not fair. I guess I have a bit of a soft spot for them as a result.

...They deserved so much better than this...

And before you ask - yes, we know better than to give it any food or water; we don't know what's wrong with it, and the last thing we need is to give it things to put into its stomach, only to have it choke on its own vomit or something later. No harm will come to it if it goes to bed without dinner; don't worry.

...I just hope that whatever it's sick with is curable, and that it's not on its last legs. But it being on its last legs seems unlikely; it's still cognizant enough to recognize me as a threat, even if it was too weak to get away. That's probably a good sign. We dimmed the lights in the bathroom and closed the door; it's someplace quiet, safe, and warm. Even if it passes away in the night, it'll still be better than passing away on cold, hard pavement on a chilly autumn evening.

...Incidentally, this will be the third sick pigeon I've pulled off the streets of my city. One of them recovered after being sent to the animal hospital. The other one was sick with some kind of digestive system issue; that one didn't make it even after we sent it to the animal hospital, but at least it didn't have to spend its final moments on the pavement in the cold, snowy December air - back when Decembers in my region used to actually be properly cold.

I'm really glad that M and J don't get upset with me for the fact that I can't do nothing when I see something in trouble. I've had partners in the past who would roll their eyes at me and scold me for caring. The people I was raised by were the sorts of people who would roll their eyes at me and scold me for caring. I can still almost hear them: "It's just a stupid fucking pigeon; you're gonna make us miss a movie for a stupid fucking pigeon?" Or else call me gross for being willing to wrap a "dirty" animal in my cardigan. and try to keep it safe.

...But you know. This sort of thing, besides how great they are at maintaining a comfortable temperature for my body and keeping my pasty white ass safe from the sun, is exactly why I wear them. Like your long coat, it's a utility item. It becomes a backpack, a towel, a pillow, a wrap, and whatever else I can think of in a pinch.

...Anyway, I'm really glad that I'm not around people who will scold me for having basic empathy anymore. We can see the movie tomorrow.

...Well. If we're gonna get to the animal hospital right as it opens, I need to be up early - to the tune of 6:30am. It's already almost 9; I had better get ready for bed. Maybe if I still have a few moments after my CPAP is washed and my teeth are brushed, I'll play a little more Dead Cells.

I'll leave this here just in case:

I love you. So please do stay safe out there, okay? Please come back home to us in one piece. Both your world and my world need you.

I'll write again tomorrow.

Your friend, Lumine

[lordbhreanna]

9 People to Get to Know Better

Thanks for the tag @boom-ovaries-gone!

1. Three ships:

a. Garrus/Shepard (Mass Effect). My Mass Effect brainrot has come back with a vengeance and it's just reminded why I love them so much. No other choice-based RPG has managed to replicate the feeling of having two characters fall in love over the arc of three games like Mass Effect does, and for me Shakarian feels better because it uses the first game as a foundation without any romance, then goes on to develop the relationship into something more and, by the time you reach ME3, you get to experience the intimacy and deep bond between two persons who trust and care for each other in a way that feels incredibly rewarding, because you have witnessed and experienced the journey to get there. And that's why, for me, these two are and will always be top tier ship material.

b. Jill/Nicholai. Does it make sense? No. Do I care? Also no. It's fun to imagine scenarios where they would have to be forced into an alliance, be enemies with benefits, Nicholai gets a sort of "redemption" arc, and more. Sky's the limit.

c. Sauron/Galadriel (LOTR & Rings of Power). I didn't go into ROP expecting to get a hero/villain ship of this caliber, where the stakes are the highest, but here we are. I couldn't believe where they went in the final episode, feeling the showrunners wouldn't have the guts, but OH THEY WENT PLACES (within what the "canon" allows them). I have yet to dip my toes into the fanfic, but it looks very promising.

2. First ever ship: Ada/Leon (Resident Evil). They changed something in my brain chemistry when I was just 8 years old and here we are.

3. Last song: The Last Ascent from the Deep Rock Galactic OST (a co-op game I've been playing with friends where you are a team of space dwarves tasked with mining in extremely dangerous planets' undergrounds - it sounds crazy but it's super fun and the music is good and epic synth tunes).

4. Last film: Murders of the Flower Moon. Despite its length, time flew by while watching it at the cinema.

5. Currently reading: Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse #1) by James S. A. Corey. It started slow, but I'm almost finished with it! The second half is much more engaging than the first, which drags a bit.

6. Currently watching: Babylon 5's season two. Despite the dated CGI and some low cost alien designs, this show has aged incredibly well with its themes.

7. Currently consuming: Nothing, waiting for dinner in a bit.

8. Currently craving: A weekend of doing nothing but playing videogames.

Tagging (but don't feel obliged to): @naldoreth @evesparda @visualheresy @fiannans @whatsarasaid @skyemcflye @rin-may-cry @tanstar @chaoticclaire

And if you feel like doing it, please go ahead and consider yourself tagged!

[otakween]

They Were 11: Horizon of the East, Eternity of the West

This is the sequel manga to "They Were 11." Another one shot with even fewer chapters than the first (nice). It honestly felt like highly condensed epic. Moto Hagio packed so much into a tiny volume and I salute her. This seems ultra obscure to me in 2024, but it got its own stage adaptation, which shows it had staying power in Japan. Glad to be introduced onto this hidden classic :) (see, going through all of MAL blindly has its perks!)

Ch. 1

Damn that was one chonky chapter! Really good though. I think a true sci fi aficionado would laugh at me if I called this "high sci fi," but it was very lore heavy for me. And I love lore so I was riveted lol

I think this was a really smart direction to take for a sequel manga. The scope feels somewhat narrower since they're focusing on one of the eleven's planets. If this series was bigger I think I would have enjoyed other such spin-offs on other planets. Learning about space culture is fascinating haha.

This chapter was religion and politics heavy and they're intertwined on King's planet because it's theocratic. It's funny because most of the characters don't actually seem to believe in their own religion? They kept mentioning that the phenomenon that decides their ruler is probably just a natural occurrence rather than a sign from God. It seems like they play along when it benefits them...oh wait, that's just how it works in the real world LOL (jk, I know some people actually believe in their religions wholeheartedly IRL)

Lots of talk of progressives and conservatives which felt too real 😭 This fan translation was really good by the way! I can tell that some lines were localized really smoothly (like injecting slang and English expressions very naturally).

Funny seeing that Tada and Frol haven't changed much (well, not much time has passed). Frol's personality kinda reminds me of Miss Piggy or something. Very hot headed. I found them annoying in the OG manga but at this point, I see their appeal. They started this chapter as she/her and ended as he/him. It was really funny how much more popular they were as a boy. Accurate 😂

Why does Tada and Frol's pilot school just casually have a Goddess in their faculty? This series seems a little confused about how mystical it wants to be.

The thought of two planets wanting to go to war but both of them are too poor to do so is kinda a funny image (yet they found a way to go to war anyways I guess)

We get some Tada x Frol fluff and while Frol is in boy-mode no less :D <3

Frol declaring "we're here to pick up babes!" was really cute.

Ch. 2

The drama, the intrigue!! This chapter was mostly the gang on the run as fugitives but with also a big war-inciting incident. It honestly reminded me a lot of the current season of Arcane which I've also been watching as I read this. They both have this "point of no return" moment where it looks like there will never be peace between the two factions.

Although he's the "masculine one" I noticed that the mangaka puts Tada in some pretty girly looking outfits. It is a classic shoujo after all! Everyone looks ~fabulous~

Frol saying "YOLO" and crashing into the side of the academy building cracked me up.

I feel like the vibes of the Fourth being forced to poison the King feel very Shakespearean tragedy

We get another silly name with a woman named "Chu Chu" (how am I supposed to take her seriously? lol)

They nerfed Tada by making him instantly fall asleep after he uses his powers. I didn't really think they were OP enough to need nerfing, but okay...

Ch. 3

That was so majestic! Honestly, I didn't completely follow the (somewhat convoluted) plot but I don't think it mattered. All I really needed to know is who was bad, who was good, and that some corruption was goin down. Other than that, the vibes and the beautiful art did most of the heavy lifting.

This was kinda like the Fantastic Beasts sequels where the protagonists don't really have a reason to be a part of the plot, but they're there for the audience lol. Honestly, we could have probably just had this story just be all about King and his people, but I understand the desire to bridge the two stories with familiar faces.

Some of this gave me Game of Thrones vibes with the various kingdoms and politics. It takes place in space but felt smack in the middle of fantasy and sci-fi. Maybe because things were more planet-side this time around?

I really liked the design of the Priestess. She had an almost masculine look despite her really long hair. It was refreshing.

King marrying Chu Chu in the end was a little cheesy. Not everything needs to end with marriage -_- (well, it is shoujo...)

[after-nine-at-the-oasis]

Hmm yeah not known for loyalty

Then what are we waiting for xD

Though to be fair I think you have a time frame

Oof yeah

Ahh okay nice

Lol Angela's look XD

Girl watching Blaire get kidnapped like 👁️👄👁️ xDD

But yeahh hey at least you're getting out xdd

Uh ohh o.o oof Blaire 😬

But hey you've survived this long

Okay PHEW good calling Angela :o

Silent?

She better be okay xd

Okay good lol

Nice NICE go off Charlie :D

Hmm not much of a specific tell that it's her but I think we can guess xD

Ooh nice :D go off Charlie 🥰!!

Ahhh so that's why in the promo they're in like wild looking places lol

And I mena interesting, though also more wildlife-y

:OO AYY HEY GUYS :DDDD!!!!

Earlier I wanted to say I hope we see them but I figured that was too much to hope for so just said at least a name drop :O :'DD!! AYYY nice :'DD 🥰🥰!!

Real Nyla xdd

Hi Brendon :DD!

Hi Laura 🥰🥰

:OO Laura your hair!!! It's so pretty 🥰🥰

I hope since Feds was cancelled that we get to keep seeing them occasionally :))

Yesss I also love both of your hair 🥰🥰

Lol she get you

Ahh okay

Ah yep no proof :/

Oope so you're not o.o

Ahhh so you can't do anything o.o which you probably will xdd

Ghhh yep xdd

Lol can't legally possess a slingshot xDD

XD real John

(why did I call him that lol - must've been from other people calling him that)

What's going on here girl xD you going in?

Like as a distraction/undercover whatever

Hey girl :D

Lol yeah otherwise engaged

Ahhh I see

Ohh so not just keeping them safe but getting the attackers, I see that's why we're not going in yet

Lol yeah, since you're still a rookie xd

Ahh yep I see

Lol xDD

Might wanna zip up your jacket in front of that bulletproof vest though xdd

Ahh uh ohh 😳

Yeah careful guys 😬

OOF hey guys xdd

Aww yeah :))

And she was Blaire xD

Lol yep

Yeahh he just has bad luck xD

SLDKGJDHS XDD

Aww honey :'//

But hey you seem pretty chill with it xdd at least you weren't confessing to breaking laws lol

UAHPAHHHHHH

SLSKFJDKJS??? YOU DID THAT W H Y Y Y

In what context Tim XDD

He could be joking lol

Anyway awwwww it's just so nice to see them getting along and being kinda sweet :')))

Well at least they don't seem on to her

Though they might be on to the operation in general 😬😬😬

Ahh okay o.o

Careful Angeee

Oop o.o?

UH OH CRAP O.O

AAAAND OH GOSH THEY'RE GONNA NOTICE ANGELA OR EITHER WAY THEY'RE PULLING OUT GUNS O.O DD:

ANGELA

OHH NOOO ABOUT EVERYTHING

That better just be form the best impact DDD:

P H E W hallelujah 😭😭❤️

Love me the angst though 😌

Ohhh gosh yeah you gotta get him out of there 😬😬

Hmm problem is they mostly attacked y'all at first xD but nahh I think they've attacked everybody plenty for it to count lol

Careful Timmm

OOP bye 💀

Ope okay xD

He's so cool

xD had to be said

UH OHHH

Confirmation he knows and Tim's fallen without his gun o.o

AHH CRAP

GUYSSSS

Also remember he's driving 😭

AHHGH CRAP KNIFE

Come on come onn

OOPE

OUAGHH O.O

LUCYY

GIRLLL SHE IS SO COOL

They both are so cool :'DD

CAREFULL

WHOOOO GO OFF GIRL

AYY and the music >:DDD

Eat this up guys 😌😌🥰

NICE y'all :DD

Nice job guys 😌😌😌

Oof though for the bumps and bruises xdd

But hey you look epic 😌😌

xD my lovelies :)) <3

Y'all how do we only have 10 minutes left xdd there's still so much going on o.o

Didn't expect it to be THIS big a cliffhanger lol 💀

[2dkapsddr]

January 2nd, 2024 - vivid/stasis, IIDX 31, GITADORA

TRAINING ARC, BEGIN!!!

Okay, so today the vivid/stasis Dualia Ascensia tournament qualifiers opened up, but the problem is that I haven't played in ages! Looking at the charts in the qualifiers and seeing all the unplayed content I have yet to catch up on, I needed to work my ass off to get to the top level Fast. In my current state, I'm no match at all for the greats like Aurica and Spartan that are on Every Single Leaderboard. And so, with the inspiration I got from seeing Zolder's scores, it was time for my very own training arc!

I started off by grinding ENERGY SYNERGY MATRIX on ENCORE (tech chart my beloathed) since it was Really not my strong suit, but with more plays and more watching youtube videos to see what I did wrong, I saw that I was slowly but surely improving at memorizing and executing some of the tech! That's right, I was very much gaining MUSCLE MEMORY required for a chart of this caliber! And after several attempts from start to finish (including a ton where I restarted whenever I got a miss or slight acc choke), I did it... I got a full combo! With 25 criticals, 1 great, and 2 goods! Though unfortunately, those groups were a result of not fully knowing the chart, and I still needed to study up on it to get where I wanted to be; potentially a single digit crit AC? or maybe even a MAX...

Moving on, I tried unlocking some songs and found this peculiar chart in Final Landing that I just so happened to meet the requirements to obtained! So unknowingly, I opened the chart and oOOH GODDD THAT'S SO VICIOUS

Yeahhh, so I tried sightreading 3.1V.C1 FIN-14+ and was greeted with extremely chaotic tech that I had to survive on a challenge gauge, as well as with an extremely laggy background since I didn't know how to turn it off! Gonna have to study this one too, I still have yet to get to it but I'm working on it slowly but surely...

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for! Despite all the writing I've done just for the vivid/stasis scores I got on this date, the REAL highlight was when I went to Round 1 to meet up with some extremely cool people, including CHI XU (who arranged the meetup while just visiting the area), and Frums!!! We played a bit of DDR, and while unfortunately I didn't take any pictures (except for the login screen pictured below), it was a blast nonetheless! (and super funny when i turned on dot arrows and tried surviving)

The scores finally started coming in when we went to go play IIDX and tried matching in arena mode, though we later found out that only one person could be on one cab at a time if we wanted to play Arena. So then, each of us played Free+ and I was paired with Frums to compete (with random on, of course) on some hyper charts! After two songs played (and a bitter interaction with a guard who was checking IDs), I decided to say FUCK IT and, seeing that Frums had Sakazuki unlocked (still not default despite being way back in bistrover!! 3 full years ago almost!!), played my first ever 10 on hyper. And to my surprise (with a very big choke section in the middle), I CLEARED IT!!! MY FIRST 10 ON RANDOM, AND PROBABLY 4TH 10 OVERALL???

Moving on from IIDX shortly before I had to go, we found the Gitadora cabs empty (except for one discontinued credit in the Drummania cab) and goofed off with it for a little bit, but then after Chi saw my Epic Awesome drummania skills (they were very bad), we did a co-op session on some random songs and got a score out of it! (Two scores, actually, but we don't talk about the chaos of the 2nd one)

And unfortunately, that was it!! Wish I could've stayed for longer, but I was to be kicked out anyways and I needed to be back home at a reasonable time anyways. Still, I really enjoyed the meetup and hope I can meet with Chi, Frums, and everyone else sometime once again! I'll keep it short here since I already wrote around like 20 paragraphs describing the whole meetup in my personal journal (hands off!!), but trust me when I say it was amazing! 'Til the next time I go to Round 1 then, PEACE!

[deezligmanuts]

HEYYYY! I Adore your blog and you have no idea how long I've been waiting for this opportunity! (if you don't like the request you have every right to discard it but at least warn me (TwT)) imagine: on Cybertron there is still the wall separating autobots and decepticons and in the center of the decepticon side, a group of bots, femme and mech, out of nowhere, start an EPIC dance off! obviously Soundwave is in the front row and his optics fall on a certain bot in the crew

Cyberverse!Soundwave, my love-

It was a Cybersunny day on Cybertron, you were walking to the store to get yourself some snacks since you were bored, walking on the way to the energon candy shop you spotted something in the distance.

Then BOOM a crowd runs over you outta nowhere, you get up quickly and grumble looking at the crowd and went on with your day, but. You wondered what was going on out there? And so you went in to look. Despacito playing on loud blast, bots and cons fortnite dance battling each other, and then him the prettiest mech in all of cybertron, who doesn't even KNOW you exist yet

And then bam one of the break dancing autobots broke their robo ankle doing and whip and nae nae, it was horrible😩🖐️ mechs called for ratchet while others called for primus the scene was brutal😢 everyone yelled bloody murder and the autobots were losing the womp war and then suddenly,

WHAM! You got tossed in the group, "Hey! This one here is a great dancer!" A random bot said, pointing at you, you were shocked, baffled, DECEASED as the crowd cheered for you it was torture you froze up like a deer in the headlights. But you didn't notice a blue con staring at you lovingly, Soundwave was flabbergasted at his reaction towards you, is this,, Love at first sight? No! Absolutely not! They are an autobot Soundwave! You do not fall for inferior little bots, but- No! Silence fool! Everyone is looking at you now!

"Soundwave you oka-" "Yes I am" and so the music played louder and the war was on, You were totally busting the moves but inside you were having a BREAK DOWN BREAK DOWN *jjba op plays*.

Soundwave and his squad was failing as your crew did the torture dance, he was losing that golden win and his golden wind, a few more rounds came by and he found himself and his crew kicked in the Furnace of loss, but what he failed to realize is that he lost because he was staring at you the whole dance war, he never admitted it despite the rumors going around about his little crush on a bot. and yet He knew deep down that you were the most beautiful bot he had ever seen, after all of that he made it a mission to find out your name, after a few hours of research and spying he eventually found out the name of the bot that stood out from the crowd, "Y/N huh? Such a pretty name~" He said softly, looking at the pictures he took of you on his datapad, yep he's whipped.

@poketalefan1993 sorry if it took so long bud I hope you like it

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

If you're up for it, your top 5-10 favorite bankai? Also happy birthday!

Ask me for my Top 5/Top 10 of anything!

Thanks for the birthday wishes anon! Whelp, I guess the Shikai forms ranking is getting a sequel; note that I'm ranking these based on preference and not on strength (if that were the case, this would be a very different list). Now, without further ado:

10. (Old) Tensa Zangetsu

I need to put this on the list for nostalgia. Who doesn't vividly remember the reveal of this one? And who doesn't get even a little bit hyped when Ichigo calls out 'Gentsuga tensho'? Ichigo vs Byakuya absolutely sold it, showing how powerful it was. It's low on the list because it got overused and lost a lot of the hype around it - at a certain point it basically becomes Ichigo default form along with the Hollow mask.

9. Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Korogi

This one has grown on me and it's one of the more unique bankai I feel; it's kind of grand in that it makes the massive tent around Tosen and his opponent for the former to use use as his own personal battle arena. I wish we got to see more of it, like Tosen versus a large group of opponents (again, the tent is big enough).

8. Hihio Zabimaru

I have a soft spot for this one. Don't get me wrong though, Renji's true Bankai looks cool and would have likely made this list if the anime version were out, but until then, this is the Bankai I'll remember Renji having. I've always liked the scale of it, the snake design, and it's got some cool abilities!

7. Senbonzakura Kageyoshi

Who knew flower petals could be so threatening? In the beginning, Byakuya set up a lot of benchmarks for Ichigo, from obtaining a Shikai to obtaining a Bankai that could match his. As a benchmark at the time, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi was incredible, and I will never forget the feeling of awe I got when I saw it for the first time. Nowadays it's not the most powerful zanpakuto, but I still think it's awesome and one of the most versatile. I love the forms it can take on, allowing Byakuya to use it in either close combat or as a range weapon. I also love how powerful it became after Byakuya's recovery at Zero Division, Ikka Senjinka looks like an epic Finally, it's a small thing, but I like how he uses it in the last arc to catch Toshiro after he got flung away and carry him to a softer landing, it showed a new way it could be used to help allies.

6. Hakka no Togame

It is beauty, it is grace, and it's about to freeze this whole place! Lame jokes aside, this is an amazing Bankai. I love how Rukia looks here, like a true ice queen and showing the inner elegance and grace she's always had. The power itself is so OP, almost rivaling Hyourinmaru's Completed form's powers. It's main weaknesses (that Rukia could injure herself if she doesn't deactivate it slowly and that it will freeze any allies in the surrounding area) actually makes a pretty tense one to read/watch, so if it's used in the potential new Hell arc, it'll have me on the edge of my seat.

5. Nozarashi's Bankai

This one is pure hype in the best way possible. The moment I saw Kenpachi transform, I put on the battle music and knew I was in for something epic. I was not disappointed; after seeing him rip off Gerard's whole arm WITH ONLY HIS TEETH and cleave the crap out of him, I needed to do a lap of my block to calm down from the hype. This is the Bankai that shows why we needed an anime continuation, because even though this one looks AMAZING in manga form, I'm very sure it's going to look even better when it's animated. Kenpachi still has a long way to go before he has full control over it, but boy, the potential for this one is amazing!

4. Sakashima Yokoshima Happōfusagari

This Bankai is one of the reasons I'm hoping we're getting an anime adaption of the Can't Fear Your Own World light novels. Shinji's bankai has got be one of the most chaotic and OP ones we've seen yet. For those not aware, his Bankai affects a large area and has the power to reverse how allies and enemies perceive each other. Basically, if you get caught up in it, you now perceive your allies as your enemies and your enemies as your allies. So while Shinji is sealed away in that golden flower, everyone is fighting each other until they've all killed each other. That is nuts!! There's also some story/thematic relevance that just gets me thinking back to when Aizen betrayed the Visoreds (Shinji once saw Aizen as an ally he needed to keep an eye on and both have zanpakuto that affect the perception of their opponents, but then Shinji was betrayed by Aizen and became his enemy...it's me overthinking I know!!) I just hope that it somehow makes it into the anime, it seriously deserves to be animated!

3. Kamishini no Yari

I'm surprised this one made it this high too. I'm not gonna lie, there are two things that help this Bankai's very simplistic power: 1) who the wielder is (essentially Gin being his creepy and cryptic self), and 2) the anime makes it look awesome. In the manga, I just thought it was like his Shikai, not much going on here. The anime really sells this one though, showing how sudden it can be and the scope it can reach and cut through. It's quick, simple, and effective; no complications and can kill a target in seconds. With Gin as the wielder, you really don't know when he's going to unleash it or even what the actual power of it is (he kept lying to Ichigo about how far his Bankai extends and never told anyone about it's secret ability).

I am a sucker for a cool weapon design, but I'm also an absolute fool for a weapon that links back to it's wielder thematically, and Shinso's Bankai definitely does just that. Like Gin it's a snake, from how it can extend as quickly as it can contract to the twist of a poisonous piece of the blade being embedded in whoever is unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end. It;s abilities shows it's venomous like a snake and also secretive/deceptive like snakes are often portrayed thematically. This Bankai is Gin to a 'T'.

Finally, let's not forget that if it weren't for the Hogyoku, Aizen would have likely died from Gin's attack.

2. Zanka no Tachi

Yamamoto is far from my favourite BLEACH character, but his Bankai....this thing is FIRE! I see it barely get talked about, and yes, it has it's drawbacks that might bring down the cool factor, but have you seen what this Bankai can do?! Yamamoto can obliterate anything and everything the tip of the sword cuts through, can set himself on fire so an opponent cannot touch him, and DID YOU SEE THE DOUBLE PAGE OF HIM RAISING THE DEAD?! If it weren't for the twins twist, Yhwach would've been dead! This is a fitting Bankai for the Head Captain, and it looks like something ancient, something that's been there since the beginning of the Shinigami. When this gets animated, I won't be surprised if more people come on board for this one. I only wish we got to see more it!

1. Daiguren Hyourinmaru

To the surprise of no one, we have this as number one. This one ticks all the boxes: Cool design? Check. Awesome powers? Check. Is linked to it's wielder in some personal way? Check. Has a wielder that uses it effectively and/or in interesting ways? Check.

Let's start with Daiguren's usual form. In terms of design, even though it's bulky, it also perfectly encapsulates where Toshiro is at in terms of his powers: he has a powerful form but it still has a long way to go before it reaches it's full potential. The range of attacks with this one is amazing as well, from Ryusenka to Hyoten Hyakkaso to ice clones (unfortunately not as utilized as it could have been), and has other abilities like being able to regenerate itself. Also, who doesn't want a pair of wings? And these wings not only help Toshiro fly, they also can shield him from attacks.

And then there's the Completed form. In terms of design, well, it's something all right. I love the ice that forms on him, it makes him look like a general or knight, and I'm hoping we'll get to see more of the wings of this form in the anime, they look pretty neat! I know there's a fan divide on his adult appearance, and while I personally don't mind it and appreciate it as a glimpse into the future, it's not the reason I love this form. The powers always get to me; they're all designed to nullify an opponent's powers/weapons and freeze any and all matter to the core. OP as heck? You betcha. But boy oh boy, it's amazing to read and watch every single time. Just thinking about it's powers gets me pumped up for the anime adaption of the battle between Toshiro and Gerard. When I think 'the most powerful ice-type zanpakuto' these powers could not be more perfect.

I plan to talk more about this form in an upcoming post, but my final thought on it is the fact this was the result of Toshiro's training to strengthen his bankai to better protect Momo never fails to make me tear up. He's come so far as a character and in his powers, I just can't get over it even six years on.

Thanks for sending this one in! :D

[kuronekonerochan]

Hi...how are you? If you don't mind me asking what are your top 5 favorite danmei novels (until now)? And why? Sorry if you've answered this question before.....

Hi, sorry for being slow at answering!

In no particular order:

Ok, so I liked the 3 from MXTX:

 - Grandmaster of Diabolic Cultivation/ Mo Dao Zu Shi 

This one I loved but it has a particular style that ppl might not like in that it feels jumpy, confusing and with information gaps while reading, even though eventually everything that matters does end up being explained...in other works this would probably be just lazy writing, but here it is clearly an intentional choice bc 1) she doesn’t do this in her other novels 2) this is in WWX’s pov and dude has heavy ptsd and adhd, plus he tends to pretend to take everything lightly as a coping mechanisms...all this put together and it’s easy to understand why the story has such an unreliable narrator that even the other characters constantly point it out. I ended up loving this extra layer of storytelling.

 - Heaven Official’s Blessings/ Tian Guan Ci Fu

If you’re in the mood for a saga type long ass novel with a ton of interesting side stories and side characters with a main character who is a true cinnamon bun in sweet romance with a side dish of sweet sweet aaaangst.

- Scum Villains Self Saving System

The most entertaining out of all of them. It manages to be a parody of two genres, both danmeis and wuia/jianghu harem het novels (fighter of destiny style) with OP leads, while also being its own cute and funny story with a heart to it.

From other authors:

 - Meatbun’s 2ha/ Dumb Husky and his White Cat Shizun 

What if someone took a look at the parody that is SVSSS and said...”no, you know what? This really deserves to be an epic, long ass, and I mean, topping old classics’ length novel packed with angst, filled with pain and topped with despair...and then we’re sprinkling some funfetti on top to fool y’all”...and you know what? that’s some good cake. (If you’re into cdramas SVSSS is to 2ha what The Romance of Tiger and Rose is to Goodbye My Princess).

- Priest’s Sha Po Lang:

Steampunk China plus creepy voodoo tribal ritual magic, involved in internal and external wars over petrol (with a different name) and with our leads in Iron Man suits, fighting, among other enemies hot young(er) hands on, on the field, western troop General, the Pope, that I can only visualize in my head as Jude Law. I tell you all of this nonsense just to say that instead of the ridiculous fun this should be, it ends up being a very compelling romance with lots of scheming and heavy plot and some heartbreaking scenes.

- The Golden Stage:

This is a court drama type novel with friends-to-rivals-to-lovers that is just the right length and compelling with not too many plot twists but two main characters who are really great both individually and together and this is the one out of all in the list I feel like re reading the most. It really is a solid read and I feel like I’m selling it short, bc it really is good. It is similar to Sha Po Lang and To Rule in a Turbulent World, a simpler version of those but not worse for it.

(Since you said top 5 and I’ve said 6, I regretfully cut down Heaven Official’s Blessing bc even though I love it, unlike MDZS or SVSSS, it didn’t feel like a standalone novel because some of the several storylines of the side characters that I loved were left open ended (although the main characters had a complete story arc), as if this book was supposed to be the first of a series and those characters would have their own spinoff books where I’d know where their story took them...except this really is a standalone, and so the lack of resolution bothers me).

>> Honorable Mentions:

- To Rule in a Turbulent World

This one doesn’t go in the top 5 list yet bc it’s not fully translated, last time I checked (tho it’s very near the end). As an ongoing novel, I adore it. If the ending isn’t terrible it might be in my top 3. It’s similar to the two above in plotlines but it has a quality to it that it takes care to make every character in it multidimensional. There are no good and bad characters, even the ones on the opposite side are given something that makes them relatable and human. Plus, the characters all change throughout the novel, most of all the protagonists and the novel gives itself breathing time between events where you just chill with the characters and learn about random things like agricultural practices. 

- The Wife Is First

This one is just that light fluff feel good one that is great to pick up from time to time since it’s on going. Dumb Jock husband did everything wrong in his first life, gets a re-do and from then on it’s adorable respect the spouse juice and awe of said spouse smarts. Cute. Also, there’s a baby pet tiger.

>> Others I did like, just not in the top 5:

 -Faraway Wanderers and Lord Seventh/Qi Ye by Priest:

Qi Ye is similar to To Rule in A Turbulent World/The Golden Stage/Sha Po Lang. I really liked it still, just a tiny bit less than these. Since it’s the same author as SPL and I think it was written earlier, I have to say, the writing only got better.

Faraway Wanderers is a short read, but you’re only gonna like it if you’re ok with amoral main characters (I guess that is true for many on this list but it’s more obvious in this one bc the novel and the characters are unapologetic about it).

- YuWu by Meatbun - Still reading it, but is isn’t grabbing me like 2ha did.

>> I assumed you only wanted danmeis as in period fantasy bl novels, but if we go modern, fantasy or not:

 - Silent Readings by Priest:

I love crime fiction novels (love Ding Mo’s novels) and this is that type of conspiracy, murder novel with smart criminals and smart investigators. Little romance, but still there.

 - Guardian by Priest: 

Priest is hilarious and except the last part that gets a bit heavy on the lore this is just a joy to read. Also pretty short.

- Advance Bravely:

I read it a long time ago and it’s okayish, with some cute and some weird, problematic characters. 

- Addicted/ Heroin:

Also read it (this is 2 books) ages ago...and this one is NOT cute. It starts out as a pretty normal, but kind of toxic very typical oldschool drama/manga romance right down to the step brothers’ trope....and then it keeps escalating to new levels of WTF am I reading?!! All I have to say for this one is, that while I cannot recommend it per se, nor say it’s good, the title really is fitting, bc it is addictive as f.

[resident-normal-person]

Rough Translations of Magia Record S2 teaser clips

Disclaimer: I am not fluent in Japanese. Please take these with a grain of salt.

"2021年7月" (July 2021)

IT IS LITERALLY AIRING ON THE LAST DAY OF JULY

THE ENGLISH VERSION IS COMING OUT IN AUGUST T.T

Yachiyo: Iroha...where are you?

not me crying @ Yachiyo grieving over mugs

Yachiyo kabedons Mifuyu, making a crack in the wall with her fist. Someone's pissed. "She's not dead! Iroha's not dead! She promised me she wouldn't die!"

Oooh this new OST is epic!

Narrator: "Yachiyo, who lost Iroha, pursued the Wings of Magius alone."

Yachiyo seems to be going through her Kamihama Rumor File, eliminating Uwasas one by one.

(There is a shot of the page on the Rumor of Hotel Fendt Hope, whose description references Hokuyo Ward and St. Liliana Academy, which is now confirmed to be a all-girls school)

Yachiyo marked the Rumor of Hotel Fendt Hope with a sticky note reading “Magius’ home base”…she’s gonna invade them.

Touka: something about plans and unforgivable

Narrator: (not a confident translation) on the other hand, something something Magius

Touka: "Mifuyu, you understand as well, don't you?"

Mifuyu: "Yes. For the sake of the Magius."

What is she threatening the Amanes and Mifuyu for? The failure at Chelation Land?

Also, this shot. Why are Touka and the Amane sisters illuminated, but Mifuyu not? Is this foreshadowing?

Yachiyo being alone up against the Magius is greatly emphasized.

Narrator: "One day, a member of Magius and magical girl of Takarazaki, Kuroe, encounters Yachiyo."

Yachiyo: "Wait!"

Yachiyo: Why is the little Kyubey with that girl?

Yachiyo: "You, were a magical girl of Takarazaki along with Iroha, right? And you're with that little Kyubey...I have some things I'd like to hear about with you."

KUROE IS FINALLY RELEVANT!!! Yachiyo looks incredibly hostile.

Narrator: something about the encounter between Kuroe and Yachiyo, as well as the story continuing

Yachiyo: "Mifuyu!"

W-what is Miffy doing here? Did she arrange this? Put Kuroe up to it to lure Yachiyo?

HOLY SHIT, CAMPANELLA!

Yachiyo: "I'll never forgive you! Never! Not the Magius, nor you!"

YachiMifu fans…winning?

*meduka meguca voice* yechiyu lose it

Narrator: "The price of a wish...is it hope, or is it despair?"

YACHIYO TRANSFORMATION!!!

I HOPE THERE ARE MORE TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE ANIME!!! THAT ARE COOLER THAN THE GAME ONES!!!

I like how as this shot appears, the voice-over says “is it despair”, while Yachiyo sinks into deep water in her transformation.

The OST changed to the one in S1E1 from the rumor about magical girls (La chica dojo)

OMG, YACHIYO'S FASHION SHOOTS! I HOPE SHE HAS MORE OUTFITS IN SEASON 2!!!!

Narrator: second season, a year after season 1, Awakening Eve, blah blah blah

Touka: If it's us Magius, we can save all magical girls!

This is the same clip of her as the official trailer; S2 apparently continues her speech.

KaMoRe all join the Wings of the Magius; that's why Touka's speech is continued. (Momoko can't fit her ponytail in the White Feather robes LMAO)

Mitama: I haven't told you any lies. It's just that there are things I haven't told you.

She says, as she points the point of a spear away from her face. Methinks Yachiyo decided she was sus enough to warrant an interrogation.

Things I am looking forward to:

visuals (especially Uwasa barriers)

music: OP, ED, OST

YACHIYO!!!! she's in her Main Character Era

how canon divergence will be pulled off, especially Kuroe, Iroha's disappearance, and KMR joining Magius

transformations, especially for characters who haven't had any in the anime yet

Yachiyo outfits? Yachiyo outfits.

The story being animated; anime as a medium has so much more emotion than Live2D sprites

[chrisjrlachica]

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE POKEMON OF ALL TIME

Pokemon has been my childhood favorite, including the anime and games themselves. I don't know how I am so enticed by the mere idea of having buddies that have super powers that can battle other pokemon or even people and other stuff. That's so dope! So here are my top 10 favorite pocket monsters from Pokemon.

10. Kingdra

- Kingdra is a Water-Dragon type seahorse or seadragon. Kingdra's stats in competitive battle is amazing, but also the design of it looks tough and great. It is not a pokemon that you could joke about once you've encountered it in battle.

9. Metagross

- Metagross is kinda like a steel robot that has a very tough design. It starts out as a cute Beldum, and evolves into a Metang that already looks amazing, but then it evolves into something tougher. Metagross in battle is amazing, and in Pokemon Emerald, Steven even calls it as his favorite pokemon (although it was a Beldum in the beginning).

8. Starmie

- Starmie is one of those 1st Generation pokemon that I loved since I was a kid. Starmie's design is so simple but I've always used in battle with my Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen (also in Pokemon Red and Blue). Though Staryu is relatively rare, it is such a joy for me to catch it mainly because it is a wonderful and powerful water pokemon to be added on my team.

7. Dragonair

- Dragonair reminds me of a serpent-dragon, well, because it is. But its design is more dragon-like and not serpent-like. Its design is mythical and its stats are amazingly good. Dragonite, its final evolution is more powerful though, but its design for me makes it less to look like the pseudo-legendary it is, and the design for Dragonair is better and more adorable.

6. Gardevoir and Gallade

- They share the same spot on this list because they root from the same evolutionary line: Ralts. Gardevoir and Gallade have a typing difference, with Gallade being a Psychic-Fighting type and Gardevoir being a Psychic-Fairy type. Both are strong in competitive battle and designwise, Gardevoir has curves that is graceful and feminine (which is appropriate for its typing) and Gallade has a sporty, sharp, edgy and masculine nature to its design.

5. The Squirtle Line

- Squirtle to Wartortle to Blastoise. This evolutionary line is so close to my heart as this is the starter line that I would pick in Generation 1 games of Pokemon. Squirtle is cute, Wartortle is a cutesy competitive turtle-pokemon, and Blastoise with his Hydro Blasters are just dope.

4. Umbreon

- Eevee is cute and great because it can evolve into so many optional types to whichever the trainer likes. However, Umbreon is my favorite Eeveelution because of its dark and mysterious nature. Its design is so simple and sleek yet it remains so cute. Its prowess in battle is evident as well, as it is strong against psychic and ghost types, which sounds so epic.

3. Milotic

- Feebas is such an ugly pokemon. It is like the Magikarp of Generation 3 of pokemon, but nasty-looking. This is a literal manifestation of the story similar to the ugly duckling in pokemon, but with a fish. A trainer's patience will be tested on how far would he/she go to train Feebas into what would I believe as the most majestic looking pokemon out there.

2. Victreebel

- I had a good laugh everytime that James' Victreebel from the Pokemon Anime appears, not just because of its nature, but because of its cry. It sounds like literally a screaming girl. I used it frequently in the Generation 1 games and it sticks to my team mainly because of its typing similar to Venusaur, but also its flexibility and power in battle. Venusaur may be competitively better, but my memories with the Victreebel in the anime make it as a much better choice for me for a Grass-Poison type pokemon.

1. The Mudkip Line

- Mudkip is my favorite Hoenn starter and has always been. It is the best choice for the first four gyms in the Hoenn Region, as Mudkip and Marshtomp are strong against Roxanne's Rock types, neutral against Brawly, strong and immune to Watson's Electric types (with Marshtomp's Ground typing coverage) and Flannery's Fire types. Mudkip is superbly cute, Marshtomp is a jolly happy pokemon, and Swampert is the most intimidating and OP-looking mudfish pokemon.

[blackandorange]

Hi! I was wondering if you could make a top 5 post about your favourite haikyuu openings? I don't think I have seen you make one yet. It'd be interesting to hear your opinion about them! My own absolute favourite is Fly High. Thank you if you make the post

Hello my petal, I’ve made a similar top 5 that included both opening and endings, but never one dedicated just to the openings, so here we go! (we’re so lucky we actually have 5 opening songs!)

1. I’m A Believer (S2 OP 1). The first half of Haikyuu season 2 is overall my favorite sets of episodes, and hosts my absolute favorite arc: the summer training camp. And I love the OP just as much, it makes me so happy and pumped! Bonus: at 0:43 when the camera turns and you see the match in Yaku’s POV....hoestly, a cinematographic masterpiece. the fact that it’s the only op that features bokuaka has nothing to do with its first place on the rank 

2. Imagination (S1 OP 1). You know what they say, first love - you never get over it. And I’ll never be over my very fist opening, looking at it again now brings back so many heartwarming memories. Even if I’ve never learned the lyrics, I always find myself singing along with incoherent words (like “Itsudatte daredatte soko ni tachitakutte / Machigatte iradatte mogaki tsudzukete!” is my fave part but HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO SAY THIS??? but who cares, let’s just sing!) Plus the level of kageina mirroring here is over the roof and this makes me so alive. 

3. Hikari Are - Let There Be Light (S3 OP). I’m so emotionally attached to this one, because it’s the first series I’ve got to experience as an active blogger in the fandom. It’s not just about how epic the song and the animation is, it’s about all the memories that I shared with you all, all the excitement, all the screaming, all the crying. If I was to judge on the song alone, this one is hands down the best. “Let there be light” is such a strong message and the lyrics are incredible...I’m...really emotional I’m sorry

4. Flight High (S2 OP 2). TOBE FLY HIGH HIGH HIGH!!!! Oh come on, this is another one that’s impossible not to sing along! Also, the first 10 seconds with that slow motion of Hinata worked SO WELL with the music and the lyrics...it gives me chills every time I watch it

5. Ah Yeah! (S1 OP 2) I have to be honest here and say I’ve never particularly liked this one. It’s very cute, with a lot of Kagehina cute moments and one of my favorite shots of Oikawa, but that’s it, it doesn’t make me cry or smile like an idiot like all the others...but I guess this is just natural!

Thank you for your message!

Ask me my top 5 things!