#I haven't finished the whole thing and I'm only on vol 3

[cattnipt]

Fucked up looking dog you got there

[dizaryswrites]

I have a confession to make!

I don’t know how obvious it is, but I actually haven’t read any comics 😅 I know, I know haha, it’s just I haven’t had the time! Luckily, I mostly follow blogs that I know are comic readers so I know what’s fanon and canon mostly. But since I will have free time in the summer, I was wondering if you have any recommendations on what to read and where to start?

Oh man I WISH I could be one of those blogs who snaps out the long scroll that just rolls down the hallway with a concise cross referenced list of top hits from every era and where to start with each character! But I am a book hoarder with not enough time on my hands so I haven't even read half of what I have, let alone all the back issues 😅

Here's some stuff that I really enjoyed as a new-to-comics-and-DC reader and in general (in mostly chronological order because that's how I arrange my comic books):

Batman: Dark Victory

I really enjoyed the mystery and early Batman days, plus Dick Grayson's debut! He is a delight. I didn't read Long Halloween which comes before this so I missed some context but I picked it up easy enough (also according to some reviews the mystery can be repetitive if you have read Long Halloween sooo win for me ig?)

Robin: Year One

I am determined to read this one soon. I've heard great things about it though so it's being added

Batman: Prodigal

I read this without reading a single page of Knightfall because I was getting interested in Nightwing and this was the earliest book that my library had available (I have given up on a chronological reading order since those early foolish days). I knew nothing and still really enjoyed Dick!Bats and Robin!Tim together. I need to reread this soon

Formerly Known as the Justice League

A limited run, 6 issues I think. Honestly I should just say Justice League International in general but I started with this mini for Booster Gold and Blue Beetle after seeing some funny panels online and I fell in love with that whole cast of losers (affectionate). It's not BatFam but so so fun to read (and JLI has some really poignant moments too)

Young Justice: A League of Their Own

SO FUN. Tim and friends dealing with just ridiculous scenarios LOL I'm only halfway through but it's great

Batman: Hush

I haven't read a lot of just Batman titles but I enjoyed Hush. It had some good character moments for Bruce that helped me understand the way he thinks a little more. I also hear Bruce Wayne: Murder/Fugitive is very very good but I haven't gotten around to it yet (a running theme)

Batgirl: Point Blank

Cass is a treat. This was the first volume I found of her's, haven't read the others yet, but even lacking context I really enjoyed her as the main character and her interactions with Steph, Babs, and Bruce.

Teen Titans (Geoff Johns)

This was one of the first series I started reading and it was a good intro for me, a completely new DC fan. It's Tim and his friends but more serious than YJ. I've read vol 1-2 and part of 3

Under The Red Hood

Classic for good reason. I haven't finished it yet (teehee) but the first half has been entertaining. Jason has had some um... interesting writing in his time. But I really enjoy the way he's written here. It's a good baseline imo. I've heard Lost Days is also good

Nightwing (Tomasi run)

I love Tomasi and this run was a lot of fun. Dick is funny while not losing his serious, capable edge, he interacts with people in his circles, and has some interesting introspection moments. There's a weird part of the plot about midway that definitely uses bad Asian stereotypes which is so disappointing. But after that it gets normal again 😅

Batman & Robin

This comes right after Tomasi's run and it's a mixed bag for me. It's definitely interesting seeing Dick and Damian learning to work together but I was still new to DC with little context for things and was also *so* put off by the art style that I don't remember it well. But I thought I'd add it anyway since it's an iconic moment for Dick!Bats

Batman and Robin (Tomasi)

I adore Bruce and Damian struggling together to discover what being father and son looks like for them. I adore Damian having growth. That's volumes 1-3. 4 is post Damian's death (and damn issue 1 is a well written look at grief), I haven't read 5 or beyond yet.

Nightwing (Rebirth)

The first Nightwing title I read. Looking back, the characterization is a bit weak in some areas, doesn't quite match how he's written in older runs, but it had good moments and kept me entertained. Especially!!! In vol 3 with Humphries's Judge arc

For more current runs, I'm really enjoying World's Finest. Waid's writing is good and Mora's art is just *cartoon heart eyes*. Bats, Supes, and teenage Dick Grayson are a fun trio. Amid other runs that had me tearing my hair out in disappointment or frustration, WF is a breath of fresh air.

Titans United: Bloodpact is a 6 issue limited that was also a really nice read. It's Dick's Titans but Tim is there too and I enjoyed everyone's writing.

The Human Target (Tom King) but honestly I was just losing my mind over Greg Smallwood's art and paneling the entire time. A masterpiece. I want to frame every page. I cheered when he posted inspiration threads on Twitter.

Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen

It's not Batfam but hear me out!!!! This comic had some of the sweetest moments between Supes and Jimmy and I wanted to grab literally anybody by the shoulders and shake them until they looked at the Lois, Clark, & Jimmy in the helicopter panel and GOT IT!!! Also it is so delightfully wacky and funny, I was genuinely laughing out loud. Steve's Lieber's art is the perfect pairing with Matt Fraction's writing.

AND SPEAKING OF!

This isn't DC at all but it's the series that made me (and so many others) really love comics and their storytelling potential. Matt Fraction's Hawkeye run, volumes 1-4. Between his writing and David Aja's artwork and color theory (and Steve Lieber's guest issue that literally gut punched me and changed how I saw later parts of the story, it was never just a filler issue to me, Steve) you get a great story that says so much with so little (in the best way) and is a visual treat as well. Chef's kiss.

Some other non-DC comics I really enjoyed are Die (imagine Jumanji but D&D and novels and oh look the consequence of your actions has grown up), Something is Killing the Children Vol. 1 (I am not a horror girly but I really enjoyed this, in no small part because of Dell'edera's art), Eight Billion Genies (the world population hits 8 billion and now everyone gets a genie, what could go possibly wrong), and Paper Girls which I'm about 2/3 through (picture stranger things but with time travel, spaceships?, and oh shit is future me lying??)

Damn, I guess I really did have a scroll's worth. 😭 Anyway, my recommendation for where to start with this list is...what does your library have available? Don't forget about the Hoopla app too, that's where I read some of these digitally. Or the used bookstore which is where I got 90% of my comics from.

But seriously! Just pick whatever sounds the most fun or has the character(s) you're the most interested in and go from there. Skip around on the timeline or go in chronological order. Whatever floats your boat! I think that's the really unique thing about comics. Plus if you can't figure out the context of what you're missing or what is happening simultaneously (because writers & editorial used to care a little more) you can do a quick google or (and I wish I had this with Batgirl) @cephalog0d has a pinned timeline master list. Incredible.

[phantastragoria]

Not sure if it's okay to send you this ask but I actually feel the same way you do about the end of vol 3 and I've been feeling pretty alone about it. I haven't said much because I don't want to seem like I'm being mean about the movie. I think my issue is the team hasn't spent years and years together. Most of them were snapped for 5 years. When they came back Gamora was dead and then Peter was clearly left suffering and dealing with the trauma for a while. I can live with the idea of "we've all grown to need time apart and want to do our own things" but I don't think the build up and execution was there. Not just for those on the team but also 2014 Gamora who was literally just coming back to the story and finally getting to see who these people were and what her life was once about. Then it's over and it doesn't feel like enough of a resolution. I also don't love how Gamora was treated which is a whole other topic but I disliked how it seems like there hasn't been any issue with her death for anyone but Peter. There doesn't even seem to be any memories of her lingering with the team. I have so many thoughts around this that I'll be thinking about it for a while but man, she was murdered by her abuser and most of her family are victims of abuse and I dont think the aftermath has been handled very well at all. Mostly I think there needed to be another movie In between Endgame and vol 3 to hash out what happened in Infinity War/Endgame and to progress some of the characters more and build up to the more Rocket focused ending where they all part ways. Or vol 3 needed to not be quite as focused on Rocket. Not saying he shouldn't have the most focus, just scale it back a little because other things desperately needed attention.

Oh it's absolutely fine to send an ask about this!!! I'm always up for a discussion, and honestly, it makes me feel better that I'm not the only person not completely happy with the ending, solidarity my friend.

I want to preface this all with I DON'T hate the film, and I thought it was way better on a 2nd viewing, but I really don't think it's a crime to criticize it because nothing is perfect (Vol. 1 + 2 aren't either) But Vol. 3 really has some deeply ingrained issues that should've been dealt with, or at the very least acknowledged, because as it is they really stand out, especially on a second viewing or if you've marathoned all the films together, and they literally drag the film down.

Gunn said on Twitter in response to something that he wanted Vol. 3 to be able to stand on its own without the viewer needing to have seen the other films (and by extension IW+EG) but that is so unhinged when it's literally titled as the third in the series at this point lol. Like it's extremely weird to have let IW+EG affect the Guardians as much as they did and then not even try and deal with the aftermath of it all in the last film featuring (almost) everyone together... ???

He's made it clear Rocket is his favorite and that he only came back to do Vol. 3 because he wanted to finish his story, I don't doubt that's true even if I think having a single character be more important than the others is the wrong choice and leaves the whole story as a trilogy a bit lopsided. But even so, if that's the case then it's crazy to not even have Rocket's thoughts on all of these things that've happened in the last decade as if it wouldn't be traumatic to lose your loved ones for years, and how hard it would be to readjust to life after it all. I kind of can't see him letting everyone leave so easily at the very end, especially after he almost died, so I'm just left feeling confused at the choice at best and vaguely unsatisfied at worst.

Maybe Gunn didn't have as much control over their appearances in IW+EG as he says he did. Maybe they really did completely derail the road to Vol. 3 and he just won't admit it, but the film as it is doesn't help in any way by pretending nothing there happened at all. I don't see any logical reason for the audience to just go along with "For some reason Gamora left, she might've died but also maybe not, who knows. Peter is sad and the rest of the team want to move onto something else. " and then the only hint at that last part is... Mantis telling Peter to go see his grandpa, so that leads to everyone else having a change in goals too, huh. I know it's not meant to be forever, and we're to assume everyone keeps in contact with each other, but the ending really makes it feel like no, we'll never all be together again, so bah.

And concerning Gamora, I agree with what you've said. I could write an entire book with my issues of her overall treatment in the narrative and the implications of her character from the comics getting adapted like this, but I'll spare you the speech and just say the TLDR is everything starting from IW onwards concerning her (the specific framing around her murder and then time travel bringing in 2014-Gamora, and the complete lack of acknowledgement about either version of her from the rest of the team) never should've happened. It's all such a mind-boggling choice, I can't get over how much of an afterthought Gunn made her at the very last minute.

It's funny you mention the need for another film to deal with the emotional fallout of everything post-Vol. 2, because absolutely, but they kind of had the chance??? I realize the Holiday Special isn't film length and is meant to be the calm before the storm of everything that's to come, but in a post-Vol. 3 world I can't stop thinking about how it was SUCH a missed opportunity to not have that be the sobering moment for the characters to talk about everything that happened in the years everyone was snapped. It could've even been the perfect time to plant the metaphorical plot seeds of everyone wanting to go and do their own things after what happened because they just can't make life feel the exact same as it was before, and understanding things can never be the same after something like that.

Even the last lines of the song used in the Holiday Special feels more appropriate for the Guardians as a family struggling to keep it all together (and trying to deal with the sudden loss of Gamora) than it relates to Peter and Yondu, in my opinion.

I would have preferred a more out-there story in general, something to give everyone equal stakes in the plot, but I do think Vol. 3 could have stayed overall the same if any of this was addressed or even mentioned in one or two lines of dialogue somewhere. Because as it is, it really feels like we missed something important between it all, but we didn't from what we we've been shown. I don't think it would have killed Gunn to include a quick moment where someone just says to Peter "I miss her too and I get everything's been way harder lately, but you can't let it grind your life to a complete halt like this." or something!! ANYTHING!!!

And if we absolutely had to stick with the time displaced Gamora plot... When she was snooping around on the Bowie by herself i dont get why she didn't get to see some old photos or something of the team during happier times (including 2018-Gamora specifically) and realizing that they really are going so far to save Rocket because they genuinely love him, and once upon a time they loved her too. 2014-Gamora getting to see the life she very nearly COULD have had within mere hours in her own timeline (without the threat of Thanos ever taking that away, mind you) but having to come to terms with the life she's made with the Ravagers in the present day. That would've been a more appropriate arc for her, I think, then her presence in the story wouldn't have had to only center around what Peter lost and nothing else and we'd at least get the idea that the others still had her on their minds even if they outwardly "moved on."

But also? Another missed opportunity to not have a moment when 2014-Gamora is in a battle with the other Ravager leaders mirroring the hallway scene with the Guardians that could have been when Peter (and the audience) "get" who she's currently more comfortable with in a basic sense, but... you know... it is what it is or whatever.

[adamparrishapologist]

October reads

I know we're already one week into November, but yeah haven't gotten around to but until now, so here a my October reads now, even if a bit late

Red, White and Royal Blue (reread) 4/5

Don't have much to say about this book. It's a good, solid read, the characters are very likeable. Nothing special but definitely worth reading

Darius the great deserves better 4.5/5

Okay I absolutely love the Darius the Great books. The way depression and mental health in general is talked about is just *mwuah* so good. As a person who also suffers from depression and other mental illnesses, it's just really nice to read a book for once where it's talked about without being used in a 'my whole life revolves around my diagnosis but I refuse to get treatment' way. I also really enjoyed the way relationships are presented in a healthy but natural kinda way.

Bungo Stray Dogs vol. 7,8&9 3.5/5

I've already seen the anime and am now reading the mangas, so I'm still reading the volumes that appear in the anime. I'm generally not a big fan of mangas/graphic novels but I always really enjoy reading Bungo Stray Dogs. The plot is interesting (if confusing in the best way possible), the characters are quite interesting and the art style is exactly to my taste

The Raven Boys (reread) 4/5

Okay so I love the Raven cycle series, and it's the only books I've actually annotated with sticky notes haha. The characters, the plot, the writing is just beautiful. The first book isn't my favourite out of the four, but still an incredible beautiful book. There are a few things that bother me throughout the books, like how some racist elements are included regarding Henry Cheng, so ehhh.

Maurice 3.5/5

So this was one of my first attempts of reading an English book written in the 20th century, as English isn't my first language, and it went better then I expected haha. I liked the concept of the books, even though I sometimes found the characters a but frustrating from time to time, but that's probably due to historical context and stuff.

Last Night at the Telegraph Club 5/5

Simply no complaints. I loved the book. I still love it. It was impossible to but down and I immediately fell in love with our protagonist and her love interest. I loved the little snippets of stories out of the life's of her family (especially her aunt) Definitely one of my favourite books from now on.

The Passing Playbook (reread) 4.5/5

I've read this book first in August, then reread in September and now reread it in October again. It's just such an sweet, adorable story, but still touches on some more serious topics. The characters are just really loveable. The writing isn't anything special, and there is definitely room for improvement, but the story is just so catching that I couldn't find myself to care.

Peter Darling 3/5

It was alright. I felt the romance was just really rushed and there was a lot that just remained... untouched, but it was a quick and easy read, and the characters were really interesting and multi-layered.

The Goldfinch 4/5

Okay so I definitely prefer Donna Tartt's 'The Secret History', but I still enjoyed this book. I must say that due to its length, I often considered not finishing it, but I was too invested to actually stop. I don't think I have to go into depth on how incredible the writing is. I really liked the part of Theos childhood, and I think that the book kinda lost some of its potential after the time-jump.

Aristotle and Dante dive into the waters of the world 4.5/5

If i'm being honest, I was really nervous about this book, as most of the times, sequels that were released much later than the first book are often... disappointing. But this was NOT the case here. I still related strongly to Ari and his views, and I was just really happy how many things were tied up that were left open in the first book. The 'Aristotle and Dante' books will forever be one of my favourite books and comfort reads

See you next month

[stardestroyer81]

Hi everyone! As most of my followers know (Especially if the post I made on my birthday is any indication), I'm an enormous nerd on all things arcade games. I grew up playing them by way of official compilations or plug-and-plays, but it's very rare I get to see any of my arcade favorites in person, as arcades are quite sparse in my town.

However, last night I found out about an arcade relatively close to where I live, and while I went into it with mild expectations, let me just say that the amount of fun I had and the discoveries I made were unlike anything I could have ever expected! Below, you'll find a deep dive of my experience there, what games I found, and a superstar display of arcade mastery! Let's insert a coin and jump right in!

Once I arrived, the very first arcade cabinet that caught my interest (And, by extension, saw) was the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat-em-up by Konami! Cartoony beat-em-ups such as this one and The Simpsons (Which they also had!) are something I've always had a fascination for, and while it was very tempting to start a game, I decided to hold off on it for the time being so that I could check out what else the arcade had in store— plus, games like this are always more fun with friends!

Just around the corner, I found a genuine Mario Bros. cabinet! This one was the first one that really surprised me, as I'd never seen one physically. I'd played a great deal of Mario Bros. ports in my time, but never the real deal, so it was really cool to finally give it a go...

... before realizing how clumsy I am at it. I'm telling you, the traction on each stage feels like Mario's going ice skating with skates he buttered beforehand— the sliding is real. While I did get pretty close in beating the high-score here, it for some reason decided not to save, but that was no big deal to me. At some point I'd love to practice and see if I can really master the art of Mario Bros.

And because this is probably the only instance I'll ever get to mention this, if you haven't seen the commercial for Mario Bros. Atari port, I'd suggest you do so, because it is nothing short of hilarious. MAAAAAA-RI-O, WHERE ARE YOU?!

I remember getting particularly hyped when I caught sight of the 'Galaxian' marquee shown here, as I'd not once ever seen a Galaxian cab, though upon closer inspection, the machine is actually an iCade 60-in-1 compilation, one I actually grew up playing at a laser tag place and have a fondness for (The menu music gives me SUCH a great deal of nostalgia)!

One such title in this compilation that I consider myself a pro player at is Super Pac-Man, and that ended up being the first game that I got REALLY into playing. I noticed upon starting the game that the high score was around forty thousand or so, but by the time I wrapped up...

I showed "YOU" who's boss (Weird, now that I look at it, that the 41,470 looks to be a default score as the stage they made it to was... well, zero)! This ended up being my all-time personal best Super Pac-Man score by just four hundred points or so, and was DEFINITELY the most exciting one yet!

When I finished with that game, I noticed that just down the hall, there were even more games, which interested me fairly quickly. I made my way down the hall and turned to the right, and sure enough, there were a whole lot more games!

And then... I saw it.

A genuine Dig Dug cabinet.

It took every last square inch of my entire being to not just start fanboying right then and there. I'd been waiting for as long as I can remember to see a Dig Dug cabinet in person, and it was SO EXCITING finally being able to play one! You'll notice in the image above that the high score was in the thirty thousand range, which I found was EASILY beatable given my expertise...

Turns out, all that practice playing Dig Dug on Jakks Pacific's plug-and-play and in Namco Museum Vol. 3 payed off! Once I began Round One, I noticed one tiny detriment to the cabinet, however- it took some major effort to even go up, which is pretty much a requirement if you even want to beat the first stage.

As I played, though (Let me tell you, this was one of my more intense Dig Dug sessions, I was making some serious plays that hinged on exact timing and choosing which enemies to pump first), the joystick seemed to loosen up, and I found it much easier to move upward as the rounds went on.

This might just be my favorite picture I took last night, too. I've always wanted my initials to be in the top spot of any genuine arcade cabinet, and for it to be Dig Dug no less was just so satisfying! Now, we wait until I scout out a Bosconian cabinet...

They also had a Ms. Pac-Man cabinet in the same row that Dig Dug was in! The version they used was particular fun, too, as it was actually Turbo Ms. Pac-Man, which is exactly what it sounds like. Weirdly, this cabinet's top score was relatively low (Around twenty-thousand, I think?) and I even remember hearing somebody my age remarking how difficult it is.

I don't know if it's just because of how well-versed I am at Ms. Pac-Man but— again— I set the high score for this, too, clocking in at 54,410! I'd played another Turbo Ms. Pac-Man a while back and remember my score being much higher, but the score I had set just proved I was on a roll!

Lastly, another cabinet I was surprised to find was Space Invaders! I recall having seen a Space Invaders cabinet many years ago at a Chuck E. Cheese north of my town, though I don't remember it having a space backdrop like this one has, which blends in with the actual game really well.

I'd only ever played Space Invaders a handful of times, though to nobody's surprise (But perhaps to everyone's amazement) I set the high score HERE, too! In the image above, the score is 910, though by the time I finished, I had upped it to 1140. Games like this and Ms. Pac-Man don't save initials for high scores, but I at least have proof on the matter that this is indeed my score!

I guess I'm a lot better at the classics that I was led to believe! The whole experience was just a blast, and I REALLY wanted to share it with you all! I definitely want to make posts like this for other arcades I visit, and you can bet that if I come across a Bosconian cabinet... THAT'S going to be one lengthy post!

[lunatriense]

So, I finally got around to checking out Ice Queendom's opening movie... thing, and... I honestly really like it. There are a few issues when it comes to animation (and one reallllly unnecessary moment where they try and reference what happens to Pyrrha in vol 3) but otherwise I think it's a legit refinement of Vol 1 while still adding in it's own story details for the Nightmare Grimm and, well, Ice Queendom. I think my only real worry at this point is if they end the anime with fast forwarding towards vol 3 and beyond, like as a reference. Like... the narrator saying something dumb like 'People will struggle, and sometimes they fail' while showing random scenes from vol 3 and beyond, because with the changes, they can easily just let this be it's own timeline. Other than that, very eager to see where this goes, and frankly, it's nice looking forward to the show again for once.

Yeah, I'm hoping that they'll let it be its own little AU, I really am. That unnecessary moment you mentioned is precisely why I haven't watched it yet, and why I'm waiting for the season to finish first to see where things look to be going when it does, because I was I totally hyped to watch it until I saw someone post a screenshot with that.

If we can just let IQ be its own thing though, divorced from the webseries and where Pyrrha doesn't get fridged for Jaune's angst, I'm all in. Sign me up for that, I'll buy so much merch, a subscription to watch (on Crunchyroll), the whole works to support it.

[hawkinslibrary]

hii!! i just wanted to come here and thank you for your positivity 💞

everybody is honestly being so negative before the season is even out, especially with the reviews. they're taking them SO seriously when they're literally just random people's opinions on vol. 1. random people who don't care about the show the way we do or know the characters like we do. but suddenly one (1) reviewer says they found this thing out of place or disconnected from the rest or anything else tbh and DONE now this whole plot is gonna suck, throw it away!!!!! a, b & c characters are acting out of character!!!! the humor is bad!!!! they're sidelining everybody's favorites!!!! and i'm just here like, chill???? we haven't seen anything yet and reviewers are gonna have takes that you do not agree with, they're gonna think things you personally wouldn't thinking watching it. personal taste matters, interpretation matters. something that makes sense to you, might not make sense to them. something they talk about as if it's this HUGE thing might be a 10 seconds scene. the casual viewer does not watch this show the same way you do, to begin with.

anyway, just, you've been very positive and calming and has helped me quite a bit sometimes with not letting what people are saying get to me so thank you so much!!!!! you're the best 🥺

oh, wow, this was a very nice message to come back to, thank you so much !!! honestly, when it all comes down to it, i just want everyone to be able to enjoy watching the show, you know? it's entertainment. it's a ridiculous, cheesy, wild, and heartfelt homage to 80s movies and underdogs, and i personally mean all of that in the best way. the people behind this show are absolute nerds. i love it

(have to put the rest of the response under a read more bc it's gonna be essay length + a little spoiler-y once again)

but s1 was so new and So Good. and i think with every season, there are those who want it to be as good as s1, or to feel and look like s1 again, you know, but it's a lot bigger in scope and story now than the show it was in s1. so there's just always a lot of high/specific expectations and a lot of room for disappointment

and i think a lot of the negativity just shows how much people do care about this show tbh. we've waited 3 years, we want it to be amazing and worth the wait, so hearing anyone say anything remotely less than positive about it has us on edge. any concerns and criticisms are absolutely valid, i just think we should wait and see for ourselves

now, i'm not really reading the reviews, but i'm seeing reactions and summaries and i have actually seen more positivity than negativity surrounding the season. and again, they've only seen through episode 7 at the most, with some only seeing 4 or 6 bc of the time screeners were sent out and effects taking a while to finish. they haven't seen everything and these certainly aren't their final thoughts on the whole season -- it's incomplete

i do, of course, have my own worries about this season, and they kinda align with the things you've mentioned above, but i'm waiting to make my own judgments on those when i've seen the season in full. i don't think any of them are worth completely discarding the season over, though, especially having not even seen the payout from the penultimate and final episodes

(i think any characterizations that might be a little off can be explained by the trauma and the suffering and the grief and the change and the etc etc etc. humor is another thing. it's really hit or miss with this show, i'll admit, and some of it really does feel out of place or ill-timed. i still say the dustin-suzie-singing thing was to break the tension in an otherwise very stressful ep, though)

and you are right, these are just the opinions of random people who haven't even seen the full picture yet, and everything does depend on their tastes and interpretations. you can tell that some of them just want to complain about the length of the episodes, too, so that's already negatively impacting how they view the season

basically, don't take what random reviewers say too seriously bc it is all only their own opinion, and it can't even be a fully-formed opinion yet bc of the two separate volumes. if you go into the season with what they think of it on your mind, it's very easy for your own enjoyment and anticipation of things to come to be impacted. go in with an open mind, form your own opinions as the story unfolds, and try to have fun watching !

[witchhuntress]

100% Agreement (sorry I'm late to this lol I was at work—and then doing laundry)

Mai's carefree attitude is almost always equated to laziness and stupidity, but in truth it's merely her taking a back seat and having fun and letting the others do their thing. Yet at the same time, she's very observant. She catches things like when Taka first mentioned about "psychic powers" in a hint to Kasai Panic case, or when the woman falling from the ceiling was only looking at Naru. True, there are things she doesn't know, but she can grasp things easily if she's confronted with them or she needs or wants to know more.

When I read the novels before, I remember being shocked at how brilliant Mai can be. Yes, Naru is smart, but she can keep up with him and even twist his words like in the earlier chapter of vol. 3 (I haven't edited these chapters yet since I want to finish the rest first) when she was caught sleeping by Naru. She was adamant about her need for sleep just like hardworking politicians lol but still she made so much sense in her tirade, even Naru was amazed lol. (Never NOT let Mai sleep, you idiot scientist 😂 She'll bite your head off 😂😂😂)

The more I read about vol. 3, the more pissed off I am at the anime. (This is the only vol. I'm reading right now, so I'm lacking other references at the moment, I apologize.) They made her out as very stupid. Unlike the anime, Naru didn't have to single Mai out in the novels for explanation simply since "it's for her sake," i.e. she's the only one who can't understand or doesn't know yet. He just explains and she takes that in very well along with the others.

If we're to evaluate Mai according to the theory of multiple intelligences, she'll probably occupy a couple of areas. This does not mean Naru would be inferior; that guy is on another level by himself. But in terms of the potential of being a well-rounded intelligent individual, Mai has that sort of thing down if she's up to it.

Mai might make bad/wrong decisions and get in trouble for it, and I think how her stupidity is emphasized here and there as a result of her wrong choices or bad timing (being in the wrong place at the wrong time, for instance, like in Yasu's school case) OR inaction always causes her to be stigmatized. And in the end, this deep-seated labeling of her character as "stupid" or "trouble-magnet" or "impulsive" becomes how she is often viewed. Because she makes mistakes or doesn't do this or that, her flaws turn out to be glaring when they only make up a quarter or less of her.

I loved the anime very much, all right. (The character designs are A+ if I compare it to other mediums.) I still love it, but the novels stole my heart and shall forever color my views about the anime adaptation. If novel-Mai were animated in her whole sassy glory, I think I would weep and roll on the ground with happiness. 😂😂😂

P.S. This became a rant lol But all in all, I just think that as much as Mai can often be noticed for her "stupidity," her moments of brilliance can often be overlooked.

On the other hand, back to curses 😂😂😂😅 Yes, curses seem to be more complicated than they seem to be, and for good reasons as well. It seems to be a lot of work and not just a one-wave-of-wand-and-chant thing. Besides that, it needs patience and a lot of calculation as well.

The name thing is important in the novel, and it does get brought up, but nothing is easy in this volume. If the anime didn't make it obvious who's who, a fuller adaptation of the novel can make your head spin lol.

(*nods nods* Naru and Lin need Mai, as much as they're silent about that need hahaha. They do belong together forever~ lol)

In return for Mai's hard work, they are quite lenient though in having her do homework and stuff at the office. She's paid well too. Haha but I can imagine them showing their appreciation for her in different awkward ways as well lololol.

Anyhow (I will end this long post now lol), I'll be posting the rest of vol 3 ch 4 bit by bit very soon~ Thanks for looking forward to it!

Naru vs Noll

So, at this point in the story, it’s already been revealed that Naru is pronounced as Noll. However, I’m not sure if I should start translating it as Noll or leave it as Naru. Or if I should do a combination of the two. I guess what complicates the matter is that I’m translating ジーン and ユージン to Gene and Eugene. It seems strange to translate them differently especially when they’re sometimes in the same sentence. But then it’s weird to translate it as Noll with Bou-san’s nickname for him. 

Take this for example (in all cases, it’s written as Naru (ナル)):

“Then, is Naru-bou your boss in the branch office?”

“Yes. More or less, Naru is the division head.”

Really?

“Even though Naru-bou is younger?”

“Age is irrelevant. Naru has performance in his favor, so as a researcher, he has seniority.”

“—While we’re at it, can I ask another question?”

“If I can answer it.”

“Nationality, is it English?”

“Naru? That’s right.”

Bou-san looked towards John for a moment.

“I heard that Noll is an American pronunciation.”

“Naru lived in the United States until he was about eight.”

“Then, are both his parents Japanese immigrants?”

“Professor Davis is a natural-born Englishman. Naru and Eugene were originally adopted.”

-Ghost Hunt Vol 8 Ch 12

I’d likes some opinions. @csakuras, @yonakayaku, @witchhuntress, what do you think? What’s everyone else’s opinion?