#I'd like to see them clash a bit in regards to their outlooks on life because they're so different from each other.

[athenaholmesartistsguild]

I love that Ichiban is like. A foil for Nishiki, but not in the way Saejima was in 4 (or I guess Nishiki was a foil for Saejima considering a lot of his backstory was added in Kiwami, not the original PS2 game).

Ichi is totally the 'other one' when you compare his treatment to Masato's. Masato gets the wealth, the power. He has a dad that will send others to prison for him so he doesn't get a record.

And then Ichiban's just kinda there. He goes to prison because Arakawa asks him to and he's lied to about who he's even covering for. Then he gets out and is treated like crap!

I noticed a lot of parallels to Yakuza 1 in LAD's story, but this decision was the most interesting to me because they chose to mirror Nishiki's story when a lot of the narrative beats previously were parallel to Kiryu's.

And it's just... so great that Ichiban and Arakawa are able to reconcile. That Arakawa can say that he's ashamed of the ways he treated Ichiban, even if some of his actions had their justifications and that Ichiban can forgive his dad and look forward to going back to the way things were before he went to prison.

What I've loved about LAD so far is that it's the most earnest, feel-good game I've played in a while, but it can turn around and deliver the most emotionally devastating scenes I've ever seen and leave me a sobbing wreck.

The above scene is a prime example of this.

Ichiban finally gets to reunite with Arakawa and then Arakawa fuckin DIES.

It was so shocking that I just stared at my TV and started crying!!! And then the scene after where Ichiban sees his body? Ughhhh. I felt that shit in my bones.

[aclosetfan]

Honestly your perspective on the blues being really toxic for each other really interests me as it's a perspective I don't really see shared all that often. I think it's an interesting interpretation of their relationship with one another even though it's not how I'd portray it myself, but it is a bit of release in waves upon waves of sickeningly sweet and high energy interpretations of the blues.

Honestly, I've always interpreted their relationship as a lot more mellow and melancholy, but maybe that's because how I headcanon the blues personally as they'd get older. Given their life factors, their roles as mediators, and how their siblings would often treat them (particularly in the case of Boomer), I always thought that they'd develop depression and mellow out a bit. Boomer being like, very obviously and disconcertingly depressed (which is something Brick and Butch would come to feel guilty about looking back on how they treated him growing up), while Bubbles ended up as a more "functional" masking depressed person who could still pretend to be peppy. I don't think their relationship would be high energy cutesy or heavily clashing particularly. Just, melancholy, mellow and sad but intimate too. They'd get a lot of solace with one another but not in the way the fandom usually thinks they'd get solace.

I know I'm def in the smallest of minorities here and I have a pretty depressing outlook on the blues as characters. I think its nice to see interpretations of the reds, blues, and greens that aren't just photocopies of popular fanon (which often just entails poor copies of their characterizations in MtH without understanding why said characterizations actually work). And I think that you do a really good job with that in regards to your work, I think your takes on characterization are really good too (your recent ask about Buttercup was spot on and nailed a lot of issues I have with fanfiction in regards to the characterization of the greens).

They're really well thought out in your work even though I don't always agree with your characterization, but I guess that's more so just a consequence of the ruffs being pretty flexible in regards to characterization inherently so a lot of different interpretations can come from the same characters. I think this happens with the puffs too especially with aged up AUs trying to figure out what direction their lives and personalities would take, but it's not as varied I don't think.

Apologies for rambling in your inbox. Your writing is good and your interpretation of the puffs and ruffs as characters is refreshing.

Don’t apologize and thank you!! I think everything you said about the blues is honestly a completely fair criticism (even tho I know you didn’t actually write a criticism 😂) of my characterization of the group!! I use humor and deflection irl to undermine the personal stuff I’ve been through and really admire people who, despite it all, remain positive and don’t fall into the same depression/anxiety trap that I fall into. So, I don’t let this group stay sad for very long. There’s always a “happy” ending. I also believe that it’s more in line with the universe of the canon show.

Actually, one of my fics, acting normal, which is forever on my mind but never on paper, explores the sadder side of being a hero and destroys the blues romantic relationship entirely but leaves them as maybe friends for the first time. And there's this idea I have about Bubbles relationship with art that's on the sadder side. Truly, I do enjoy sad stories with mellow, often dependent relationships, but because I know who I am, they can get hard for me to write. I’m one of those people who gets into the headspace of what I’m reading and writing, and it affects my mood lol!

That being said, the blues are perfect characters to utilize in those melancholy stories, especially Bubbles, but that's because we know more about Bubbles than we do Boomer. She's a "happy" character, she's cute and bubbly, and a joy to be around. But sometimes people who smile the brightest are the saddest. Her character having mental health issues is a great way to explore depression and anxiety in all its forms, especially the type that presents in "people pleasers."

But writing those types of stories can be really taxing, so watch out! Take breaks! Be kind to yourself!

At the end of the day, no matter how someone characterizes one of these characters, if they're passionate about it it's going to be a good fic!

[caciula-lui-burebista]

"All Sails Up!" book review

"Toate pânzele sus!" ("All Sails Up!") by Radu Tudoran is officially translated in English!!! When I read this book I was absolutely shocked at how amazing it was, I (at least) consider it to be the best Romanian book ever written. In fact, I think it's in my top 3 favorite books.

Below I'll leave my review and a link so you can purchase it/read a sample. The world needs to know about it!

Rating: 5+⭐/5

"All Sails Up!" is a novel about pure adventure, freedom and chasing dreams, with strong-willed and fleshed out, original characters that will make you cry with joy, frown, laugh with tears and look deep within yourself. The premise is about the Romanian Anton Lupan and his lifelong dream, an epic voyage to "The Land of Fire" in South America with his friend, Pierre Vaillant. The trouble comes when Pierre goes missing along with the ship they intended to sail, L'Esperance. Many years and struggles later, Anton finds the shipwreck of L'Esperance and understands that he needs to embark on the journey in that moment or he'll miss his chance.

Lupan then gathers a crew of reliable people and the author proceeds to take the reader in one of the most epic travels. It's like you'll see with your own two eyes sceneries from across the Mediterranean, Atlantic and South American places, described in such magical great detail. Not only that, but my general knowledge about seamanship, various cultures, traditions and history improved in no time. You go from Romania to Greece, Turkey, Arabian islands, France, Argentina, Chile and all the seas in between them. From the Muslim rituals in the Saint Sofia Cathedral in Istanbul to the cockfights in Buenos Aires, I now know a little bit more facts about many places on the Globe.

The crew is mainly from a Romanian background, but it also has characters from Turkey, Greece or the Middle East. It is really interesting to see the attitudes people had (and maybe still have) regarding other cultures and traditions. Despite minor misunderstandings, they all get along and understand each other, Radu Tudoran making a point in promoting multiculturalism and friendship between the nations. For example, Ismail, a Turk (which weren't very well seen by Romanians some time ago because of the Otoman Empire's domination), is one of the most beloved characters in Romanian literature, showing altruism and generosity.

The book also reflects some Romanian outlooks on life (settling with what you have earned for now, aspirations don't really have to be followed) clashing with unconventional ways of thinking, by the end all the characters realising that dreams are worth being transformed into reality and that coming out of your confort zone is actually liberating.

There's even a bit of a love story sub-plot which I found very sweet, not at all complicated and for me it felt like a break from all the problematic scenarios I find in television or new books. It was simple and the kind I want to see more in media, it just adds some flavor but doesn't ruin the main story.

I don't know what to say more, but pirates! Thieves in boat ports! Skillful negotiations! Salty water! Traveling across the Atlantic on a boat with sails! The 1880s! Storms that turn ships upside down! Charles Darwin is actually a character! Spring in Brazil! Exploration, unknown, adventure! Zero (0) overused Romanian stereotypes!

Right now I am reading "All Sails Up!" the second time because the nostalgia was too upsetting. There's even a TV series which is generally stays true to the source material, very entertaining especially if you've read the novel.

The English version translated by Cleopatra Hensby is available in digital format on Amazon and it's only 3.56 dollars! I promise you they're going to be the best 3.56 dollars you've ever spent! click here

The TV series is available on YouTube, but you have to look for all 12 episodes separately. As far as I know it's only in Romanian and without any subtitles :/

I hope you enjoyed this post and maybe give this novel a try! I'd like to discuss it especially with foreigners, my inbox is always open!