#I'm the weakest link

[ink-ghoul]

actually the life series needs to end because I can't imagine artists surviving having to draw 6 people for the winner lineup

[theweirdowithcoffee]

Armored Core, Video Games, Mecha: A Cultural Study of A Genre.

In 1997, From Software (フロム・ソフトウェア) released "Armored Core" (アーマード・コア) for the Sony PlayStation. While definitely not the first "Mecha Game" as we'll be referring to ad nauseam in this bizarre, overly long, essay thing of sorts- it more than the rest is arguable the most important. Through its mechanics, story, gameplay, and even setting- everything about Armored Core reinforces that it is the first Mecha IP made for the brand new at the time "video game medium" that fully embodied everything that defines the cultural and historical influences of the modern Mecha Genre, while redefining that genre for the newer medium. To this day, with the most recent release of "Armored Core VI: The Fires of Rubicon" in August of 2023, the series continues to uphold and redefine this legacy. Yet, what does any of that even mean?

To make a long story shortened, somewhat long once again; as we know it outside of Japan "Mecha", is a niche of a niche in some cases. Not necessarily that it's unpopular, or doesn't make an insane amount of money (which it is and does in both cases quite often), but in that it is a genre almost entirely defined by its roots in Japan, primarily through various Manga Comics and especially Animated Series. Go Nagai's (永井 豪) "Mazinger Z" (1972) is credited most often as the birth of the genre's identity, most notably as the first real breakout attempt at conceptualizing the idea of a large robot that was controlled through the use of a cockpit within the robot itself. In Go Nagai's words within the book "A Brief History of Japanese Robophilia"; "I wanted to create something different, and I thought it would be interesting to have a robot that you could drive, like a car."

From this idea and the incredible popularity of Mazinger Z, "Robot Anime" (ロボットアニメ) was born, and Go Nagai went on to create more influential works that helped further expand the genre as well as develop this particular flavor as "Super Robot". Now, Super Robot being the first and oldest sub-category to the genre makes what came after works like the aforementioned Mazinger Z and later "Getter Robo" (also from Go Nagai, 1974) fascinating from an outsider to the culture and times of the late 20th Century Japan. Without going too much into a side tangent, shows like Mazinger Z and Getter Robo were the foundation of which everything that would come to pass was built on. Discussing Mazinger Z and Getter Robo with friends and people who love it, however, the one thing that was constantly said was that "They still were and are, monster of the week animated shows", the Super Robots being genuinely not too dissimilar to how super heroes or super powered characters in other cartoons or comics were depicted other than they were both vehicle and the powers themselves. They are still shows about cool/surprising fights with evil monsters or wicked folk- and that's what they really want to be.

Not to say there's little under the surface (I would never dare to even humor a claim like that in regards to near any media), but for example- Getter Robo, which introduced the concept of "gattai" (合体), better known as "combination", where these super robots or aspects of them could "combine together" to create a bigger, stronger, or better robot- combined with the introduction of the show's "Getter Rays", the primary antagonists being what are genuinely, dinosaur aliens, Getter Robo has a very clear and distinct theme of "Evolution" that permeates through its entire core- but its also secondary to the actual point of the series from what I've been informed. To quote directly from a friend who's a massive fan and shill for the series: "This is the invention of the wheel, no one has thought to put trims on it," which is not a criticism at all- but I think it's important to especially point that out here and now that this is what the Super Robot era of early Mecha was, really cool and fun ideas for media that wanted to be surprising, fun, and fresh for the early 1970s.

The other thing that was most interesting about the era of Super Robot, was that despite robots- the powers and abilities explored in these series were supernatural or magical in nature; Getter Rays for example is quite literally, human will made manifest- allowing their machines to fire beams of energy, transform their parts, amongst several other things. Some would say it's "on the nose", but frankly it's inspired and has persisted as an idea all the way to present in even modern Mecha that isn't Super Robot.

But then, what did come after the Super Robot era of early Mecha? When a genre has only escalated and expanded, going further into the fantastical and erratic energy of its fore-bearers and contemporaries; bigger, brighter, louder- where do we look once we've waged battle with every single light in the sky? When there's no battles left to be fought with aliens, kaiju, or other such monsters that threaten to snuff out our spark, try to tango with the human spirit and its indomitable will- eventually our sights go from the stars above, back to where all battles and conflict are directed at.

Each other.

(this post is continued in a series of reblogs, be sure to check them out!)

[verdiesque]

for once in my life i would like to experience a recording of ernani in which all four singers are good

[dreams-and-honor]

GODDD, HUSBAND FEELINGS HITTING ME FULL FORCE, I LOVE HIM SO FUCKING MUCH I COULD SCREAM

[cashewally-sarcastic]

I think its neat how if it was any other member of the rebellion that got found family-ed in the FFD au, the rebellion probs would have still happened. If it was Venti, then Carmen would have 40000% pointed out how innocent and sweet Venti was when he came to the aid of the Gunnhildr. If it was Amos, they could have pointed out how tired and withdrawn she is. How that isn't who she is! If it was by any chance RHW, then he could have spun to be that RHW is his guy on the inside. Gaining Deca's trust for info

But no. It was Camen who was found.

No one else had his mind. His wit. His energy. His is the embodiment of inspiration to so many of them, and without a wick the candle that is the rebellion can not burn

Yeah yeah yeah yeah

Like when you look at it, Carmen is kind of the load-bearing pillar of the rebels. Carmen's a bard, his talent is with his words at the end of the day, and the kid's a really good leader too. So him being separated first would be devastating because he has abilities that no one else does.

Sure, maybe Amos could try to speak as well as he could, but she's a hunter, not a leader (and let's not forget the suspicion that rebels most likely had about her). And RHW is a warrior, again, not a speaker in any regard. Maybe he's mature, but he's probably not the most persuasive person. Gunnhildr came from the outside, so rallying people inside the city would have been extremely difficult too. And Wispi is a wisp. He's trying his best but he's probably a symbol at most....

[melit0n]

Wonderfully terrifying and haunting movie aside, can we appreciate how insane of a line "All the world will be your enemy, Prince with a Thousand Enemies, and when they catch you, they will kill you. But first, they must catch you." is from Watership Down?

[navramanan]

i'm going crazy nothing is worse than being left alone in silence no words no answers just this unbearable uncertain silence

[bybdolan]

reading wayward son rn actively rooting for that baz simon break up

[practicalsolutions]

"You are the future of this company."

Do NOT tell me that. 😰

[bubble-popping]

Seeing takes like this honestly make me sad and I used to think like this

I get the feeling, just wanting new Dream content, but it feels like all his current work is being devalued when people say 'I'd watch them dicking around on a minecraft sever any day of the week!' Like, that's a fine opinion, and yeah I'd be okay with it too. I'd eat that shit up! Just, don't relate it to all his current work.

I already went on a rant on twitter (yes I re-downloaded it, I'm in so many privs I couldn't give it up 😔) so I'll just put that here too.

Personally, I want to see content that Dream WANTS to make. Yeah he absolutely could just make another video or stream smth simple and easy but I don't think his heart would be in it. He'd have fun with his friends regardless, I think, but it's so obvious to me that his passion is just somewhere else rn and I think that's great! That means he's making this new, exciting kind of content with his whole heart and soul and it'll be the new big thing on the mc scene. There's been debates and takes like this before about what OTHER PPL want to see but what about what DREAM wants to make? If simple, relaxed, same-old same-old content is what u wanna see (and that's fine! To each their own!) then rewatch what Dream's already done. But don't say these doom-posting takes of 'what if it flops :((' as if number and likes has ever been what Dream rly cares about. He wants to CREATE, smth new and inventive! To hear ppl say 'why put so much effort into it if ppl will watch the simple stuff just as much?' is prolly just as demotivating. If UR worried abt HIS views then promote the upcoming content! Talk abt it with friends and family who might be interested! Stop doom-posting.

[qapsiel]

FMK John, Allie, Justino

Fuck, marry, kill – send me 3 names (still accepting)

"The marrying part is easy: John, of course, because we share a fondness for nature and bees. Then I suppose I have intercourse with Allie because she seems like an expert and can teach me more about it. Sadly, that leaves Justino for killing, although it would sadden me a great deal."

[fagatakonin]

i found a study method that actually gets me to read notes for tests but it's extremely self destructive (reading them out loud & recording)

[ghostjelliess]

Am I the asshole?

I already know I'm not, but I need to prove a point.

Here's the story:

My cousin SA'd one of my sister and I when we were kids (10+14 respectively, he was ~17). Us cousins previously spent all summers together at my Babcia's until that year.

He is my mother's godson.

The family said we were being dramatic and when confronted a few years later, cousin said he "didn't remember," which is just so infuriating, and such a weird thing to say.

The whole thing got swept up, like whatever. The don't talk about it vibes were strong. Ruined a lot of shit. Lots of other problematic things going on in the family financially (like foreclosure, a significant death, etc.).

Sister sent cousin a "forgiveness letter" that helped her a lot; good for her, but I'm not her. He and his family were invited to her wedding, they attended. My fiance and I kept him away from her with glares from the head table until he and his new wife left early.

My my mom went to his wedding, as his godmother.... (she's now refusing to go to another sister's wedding, cus it's gay and therefore sinful, so... priorities, I guess).

Years later, his wife finds the "forgiveness letter" and says she doesn't like my sister. No reason. How do we know this? Well, the aunties, they do the gossip. Round and around, all 8 of them. His mother was crying at my sister's baby shower and the aunts plied it out of her I guess. Wine does that, you gotta be careful around the wine aunties.

Last year, his sister (my oldest cousin, we were super close once upon a time) got married. I flew back alone for funsies, it's going great, haven't seen my extended family in a long time, meeting my littlest sister's girlfriend, hanging out with older sister who lives on the opposite coast of me, generally having a good time. Anyway, cousin starts walking toward my sister (my fellow middle) looking like he's gonna talk to her, I glare at him while my sister's husband steps around so he's blocking the way, still chatting to her. Cousin avoids us the rest of the night, turned right around and walked back to the parking lot, already drunk. This was a very proud moment for me. I texted my fiance and he was also very proud. In line for food, sister revealed she's forgiven him for her own sake (she's very religious), but maybe was kind of peer pressured by my mom into inviting that family to her wedding, or else people would talk. I said they're not invited to mine, and she said good.

Despite specific request NOT to provide cousin's mom with my new address, my mother still gave it. So I still get that practically blank Christmas card from their family every year and it feels like such a betrayal on my mom's part, and such a taunting bullshit tactic on theirs.

Anyway, I told my mom they're not invited to my wedding and she said that's not fair, the whole family or no one, you can't pick. And I said I'll send them a courtesy invitation, an un-invitation, that very explicitly states that they are not invited, but allows them to make their own excuses and still be part of the family gossip about getting an invitation and deciding to go (cus they'd all have to travel to us for once). The RSVP card is included, the decline pre-selected. This has pissed off my mother and frankly, I do not care.

(If you're wondering where my father is in all this, well, he cannot travel out of state to a wedding, because who would feed the dogs?)

[sorry-i-spaced]

*

[strawcherrysorbet]

For the record the Throwing post was because the last guy had the racism banner.

[desperatecheesecubes]

Not to self: you should probably stop saying 'yeah yeah let me swallow first' before answering the phone at work. But also people should stop calling when I'm eating my granola bar c'mon now.