#It has dynamic score timed to actions in game

[goldentigerfestival]

So. I love this. The way Yuri snickers at Flynn showing his real self. The way he, without hesitation, says "yeah" to the idea that he would die in Flynn's place.

But the most important part of this entire thing, which was changed in the dub, is how Yuri specifically jokes that Flynn is trying to abandon him, and Flynn returns and tells Don he had no intention of abandoning Yuri.

Yuri does not hear this. Flynn knows that. But Flynn uses the exact same term Yuri used earlier, as if it's his answer to Yuri and saying no, I would never abandon you.

For reference:

Personally I just... love the weight of it. How Flynn will say something about Yuri that Yuri won't hear, but he still speaks it out into existence because it's how he really feels.

Just because Yuri won't hear it doesn't mean he won't say it, and in a way that's even more powerful. He's not looking for the credit of saying it. He's not looking to be recognized for saying it. He's not only expressing how he feels about Yuri somewhere that Yuri himself will hear him.

They're just his real, honest feelings, and he'll admit them even if Yuri's not within earshot.

[futbol16]

It’s silly • Alexia Putellas & Claudia Pina

Request: Could you maybe write a part 2 to your "Soccer Moms" story? Maybe something with Claudia getting jealous because her and Alexia are injured and can't play or y/n and Alexia being protective over her since she's injured? I loved seeing that family dynamic! Also, these are just suggestions, but anything with their little family is appreciated! Your writing is fantastic btw!

Part 1 Soccer Moms

Word count: 2k

“SÍ TANA!” you shout in ecstasy as Aitana sends a rocket into the goal, the goalkeeper having no chance to even move from her spot. El Johan erupts in joyous cheers as the young girl sprints your way and you easily catch her when she jumps on you. “Que golazo!”

“It’s all yours, the assist was perfect!” she beams as you let her down and you laugh at her humble self. With a squeeze to her shoulder you gently nudge the side of her head and send her back to her position to restart the game. 

Claudia frowns at the proud look on your face and she huffs, crossing her arms over her chest. Cata takes a glance at Pina from the seat next to her and she raises an eyebrow when the injured girl slides lower in her seat, almost sulking in her spot. 

“VAMOSS CAPITANA!” this time it’s Aitana and Patri’s voices that make her refocus on the match, only now noticing that you’ve scored yet another goal. Claudia watches on as her two friends cling to you, almost hanging off your arms as the team celebrates. She so desperately wishes to be there right now, playing and celebrating with you. 

Another huff leaves her nostrils as she brings her hand up to chew on her nails, an anxious habit of hers. Another hand swats her away from her mouth and she knows who it is before they speak up.

“Pinita, stop chewing your nails, you'll make them hurt.” Alexia scolds from the seat above and Claudia obliges immediately. A second later the full time whistle deafens her and within an instant you’re off towards your bench wanting to celebrate with your two favorite people, both who are currently out with injuries.  

The wide smile on your face is contagious and makes Alexia grin as well while the younger brunette merely musters up her own smile.

“Clau, you saw that goal? I scored the first goal for you!” you excitedly tell the girl as you gather her in your arms and press a big kiss to her cheek. Claudia’s face heats up at the action, despite it being an everyday thing, and she squeezes your hand.

“I did, it was good.” she comments as she lets you go and your eyebrows furrow in slight concern for her lack of enthusiasm. 

“Do I not get a goal?” Alexia’s teasing voice brings the smile back to your face and you move closer to your girlfriend who eagerly hugs you. Her hand wanders to the back of your head as she feels you discreetly press a kiss to her neck before you let her go. 

“The second one was for you” you inform her and she gives you a playful wink, urging you to celebrate with the other girls too.

You pull her with you, only now noticing that the team’s bench has cleared and everyone is on the field. You’re about to jump on Mapi’s back when something catches your eye.

“Pina!” you hold the girl by her arm who stares up at you rather confused until you motion at her leg “Didn’t the physio tell you to not put pressure on it?” she rolls her eyes at the rhetorical question, pulling her wrist from your soft grasp.

“I’m fine, it’s fine” she brushes your concerns off, making a show of it as she demonstrates her wobbly walk. 

“See? It doesn’t hurt. Now will you let me go and be with Patri?” there’s a certain tone to her voice that has you frowning but you nod, watching as she hobbles away from you. You wonder what could’ve upset her but before you know it, you’re roped into Mapi’s shenanigans and you forget about the little incident. 

“Come Capi, I’m sure Ale wants to celebrate this in a special way!” she barks out a laugh at your bewildered expression and you push at her when you realize what she meant. 

The next couple of days after the game are a bit more relaxing, Jona focusing on recovery and rehab for the injured players as well. You swing an arm around your favorite youngster’s shoulders as she walks into the facility. She leans against your shoulder before she abruptly pulls her head back, almost as if she did something wrong.

“How’d you sleep Pinita?” it was your usual question, the first every morning.

“Good.” the answer is rather short and though it’s not bad, it is underwhelming. Claudia usually mentioned something about what she dreamt or how her breakfast was when you’d ask that question. You shrug it off though.

“And how is that ankle of yours? Getting any better?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.” she answers blankly and this time you knit your eyebrows together at her lack of - well, everything. You figured that maybe she was just feeling a bit under the weather.

“Don’t you worry bebé, you’ll be back on the pitch soon” you rub her shoulder affectionately as to punctuate your encouraging words. However, it seems to have the opposite effect from what you hoped.

“Mhmm” the brunette hums as she wriggles out of your hold, turning the corner towards the indoor gym - where she’d be doing rehab - before you get another word out. 

Your walking comes to a halt as you stare after her, slight hurt in your eyes and feeling rather helpless. You contemplate over what to do, you question why Claudia might behave towards you like this, but you decide that you’d leave her to be. You would just ask her later on.

That plan didn’t go the way you wanted it to and three days later you find yourself in Alexia’s arms in the middle of the empty locker room. Her hand softly rubs your back up and down and she lets you lean most of your weight on her. She had noticed how you seemed to be emotionally spent. 

“Talk to me, mi amor. Is everything okay?” she softly whispers, afraid to break the bubble the two of you had created. She tightens her hold on you as you let out a small sigh, humming at you in question.

“Did I do something wrong? Do you think I upset her in some way, Ale?” you mumble into her neck, your lips tickling the skin there. Alexia frowns at your deflated tone.

“Upset who? I don’t think you could upset anyone querida” you softly smile at her, a hand playing with the ends of her hair before you pull back a bit to look her in the eye.

“Claudia. She’s been avoiding me and whenever I ask her something she’s always short with her answers.” you can see the brunette in front of you ponder over your words and you continue. 

“And she also has been pushing me away- you know how much Pina likes hugs.” you reason to her, now pulling away as you gesture with your hands. 

Your girlfriend carefully takes your hands in hers instantly calming you a bit and you stare into her big hazel eyes, eyes you loved so much. 

“I’m sure she is just a bit overwhelmed, you know how I was at the beginning of my injury.” you nod as she points out and she moves your arms to circle her waist. “Don’t worry too much, I know how you get when it’s her-”

“- Or you” you interrupt her and Alexia chuckles.

“Yes, and me. Try to talk to her about it. Or I can talk to her if you’d like that better?” she offers upon noticing your distressed expression and you nod, pressing a sweet kiss to her awaiting lips.

“Sí, por fa. I don’t want her to be even more upset with me” a sad look flashes across Alexia’s face but she nods to your request. She stares at you for a moment and then she pulls you into her arms again, keeping a firm hold on you. The click of the door being opened makes you turn towards it, your expression slightly faltering when you recognize the person standing in the doorway.

Alexia clears her throat as she places a hand on the small of your back, a gentle encouragement. 

“Or you could just talk to her now” she’s out the door before you can blink, closing it behind her and effectively trapping you in the same room with the young forward. A beat of silence passes by and then another one as you stand across from each other, awkwardly shuffling from foot to foot. 

“I was at the physios” Claudia tells you in a nervous tone, somehow picking up on your worry without you having to voice it. You nod and clear your throat.

“Good, that’s good.” you wince at the frustrated huff she lets out and will yourself to look at her. 

You instantly spot the tears welling up in her eyes and the sad yet guilty expression she’s wearing. Your eyes rake over her form, the anxious lip biting and the way she’s picking at her fingers.

 You feel your heart break at the sight of her so small, so vulnerable and it doesn’t take you much thinking to, once again, gather her in your arms and cradle her close to your chest. A muffled cry breaks out of Claudia’s mouth and she lets herself melt into you - into your warmth that she’s missed so much. 

Like Alexia has done with you, you let the younger girl put her weight on you and you're careful of her foot still in her boot. 

“Pinita bebé” you whisper into her ear but her only reaction is to hold onto you even tighter. “I’m really sorry if I upset you somehow. I know my worrying can be annoying and overbearing, but you know how much I care about you.”

She frantically shakes her head at your words, pulling away just enough so that she could tell you what’s been bothering her.

“No, it’s not that. I like when you worry about me, you and Ale.” she tells you sincerely with a small sniffle and you give her a comforting smile. 

“It’s just- I wanna be out there and I want to play and this stupid sprain won’t let me” she mutters, angrily gesturing at her boot. She swallows hard and then looks up at you again, her eyes telling you more before her voice does. 

“And I guess I was jealous of you. Lo siento. It’s silly, I know but you could play and score goals and it just didn’t seem fair. I missed you, I missed playing with you and I wanted to be the one celebrating with you and- and” she exhales in frustration as she gathers her thoughts.

 “It’s only been a few weeks and I’m already so bored of this thing” she again points to her injured leg and you laugh at her wording, getting a smile out of the girl. 

“I miss you too mi pequeña, and it’s not silly. It’s okay to feel like this Pina, it is normal and we’re all here to help you.” you softly cup her cheeks and she leans into you, eyes shining with adoration. 

“I did talk to Jona though and the physio, if everything goes well you can be back to playing in two weeks bebé!”

“Two weeks?!” she excitedly squeals, eyes widening in happiness and you grin at her with just as much enthusiasm. It's as if that was all Pina needed because she visibly relaxes and the sulking expression is replaced by pure joy.

“Two weeks!” Claudia jumps into your arms tucking her head into the crook of your neck and you smile into her shoulder. A pair of arms wrapping around the two of you makes you glance up and your eyes connect with those hazel ones, bringing peace to your mind. Alexia sends you a loving smile as she kisses Pina’s cheek before leaning closer to kiss you. 

“Te amo mi amor” she whispers to you in her softest voice, her eyes only softer as you blush.

“Yo también te amo” 

“Los amo a ambos” and just like that, for the first time in a week, you feel whole again with your two favorite people in your arms. 

[artdcnaldson]

Okay, okay- Dilf!Art thoughts I had since like a long time now (And this shit is long as hell and not well written🫣. I’m sorry!!):

Being yet again their plaything but also with a function. Like tennis protege, Junior PR manager, Tashi’s Assistent […]. Being a part of their relationship, motivating Art and working (+good friendship) with Tashi. A dream.

SO in New Rochelle you watch the opponents, analyzing their styles and finding weak spots which could be useful for Art. Also the half finale where Mr. Zweig plays. You’ve only seen him on a few tennis recordings with Art back then.

Super concentrated…you stop writing in your little notebook. Glancing at Patrick: His thighs. His serve. His passion. The biceps. Being in awe. And he notices. How couldn’t he? Sitting straight in the front row, eyes glued to his movements, wearing a crop top and matching tennis skirt on this very hot day, basically open mouth, never seen someone playing tennis like he does before.

He wants you. Now. Giving you his charming grin after scoring an ace. Looking at you before serving or while lifting his shirt to wipe the sweat away. And after winning the game he comes to you.

You blush and one hour later, both of you sit in a cafe. His body leaned forwards, you could smell his shower gel. The cologne. You’re a little shy, I mean you’re Tashi’s and Art’s, aren’t you? But has this triangle a future? However as aroused as both of you were after flirting, slightly touching, eating cake/ice in the most erotic way possible, you just gave him a hug, thanking him for the talk (you asked a lot about his tennis still being Art‘s girl)

And when you arrive at the hotel, Tashi and Art already on the dining table, the ofc ask you where you’ve been. The moment the name “Patrick Zweig” crosses your lips, art let his fork crash on the plate. He may have won some games but he’s under pressure. It’s fucking Zweig. He leaves the table with a tensed jaw. “It’s alright” he says with a cold undertone.

Tashi’s not angry. But kind of determined, disappointed. “There’s no excuse for this kind of behavior.” Telling you how to get Arts confidence up again. “And you better do it right”, she said, leaving the table.

AND THE NEXT DAY, now hear me out, it’s the sauna scene. Patrick and Art are the only players left. So Art’s in the sauna alone. That’s the moment you snuck in. Ofc just with a tiny towel. A cute pink one with tennis balls (cliche haha) which Art bought you some time ago.

He’s ofc surprised and didn’t want to see you at first. But you come closer, letting the towel fall off, leaning forward and searching for his gaze with your big doe eyes. Making him free, touching his thighs and telling him, he’s the only one. The best one. How he makes you feel. That he is fucking Art Donaldson. And you are his.

He can’t. He sinks his fingers in your hips pulling you in. *some hot sauna action. You probably riding him I guess. And afterwards he makes you cum again and slaps you in the ass again when you leave

Leaving just in time before Patrick arrives. And now HEAR ME OUT:

THIS (in this twisted universe) IS THE REASON ART FEELS SO MUCH BETTER THAN PATRICK IN THIS SAUNA SCENE AND IS ALSO ABLITZLW MEAN.

Yeah. So if you’ve read this till now. Wow. 🙈🥹

Can’t say enough, I love your blog cat 💘

LOVE THIS <3 Love sticky throuple dynamics >:) And thank you you’re so sweet!!

But you’re such a good little addition to their marriage— a vehicle for Art to work out his frustrations, his inferiority complex. You look at him like a god, you fuck him like he’s the best you’ve ever had. You’re so good for him, you help Tashi get information on Art’s opponents by researching or watching their matches in person— you’re their favorite toy.

It was a mistake, Tashi knew, to send you to watch Patrick’s match, but she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of watching him play herself, so there you were— sweet, eager to please in the front row, taking notes in a tiny notebook as he and his opponent took to the court. And of course Patrick reeled you in, it wouldn’t been remarkable if he hadn’t. He’s handsome, he’s charming, he invited you to have dinner with him, so you did.

You come back to the hotel smelling like fast food (because dinner had been sitting in the tailgate of his shitty car and sharing Shake Shack that you paid for) and axe body spray, and Art fucking knows. His girl was off with Patrick. Again. The worst fucking case of Deja Vu.

You make it up to him so sweetly, though. Bouncing on his cock in the sauna, not caring if any staff or athletes passing by hear. Proving that all you need is him— his cock, his affection, his love. All yours, the only person in the world you need. You cum so pretty on his cock, milking him, crying out and continuing to grind onto his cock, even as it softens inside of you. You give him a kiss and repeat yourself again. “I only want you, Art.”

When you tug your towel back on and slip into the hallway, Patrick’s grinning at you, and you know he heard everything. Good.

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Dee Vasquez

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

“Turnabout Samurai” was always a case I skipped on my replays, because when I originally played the game I found it to be a tedious filler case loaded with bland characters and little plot progression. On my most recent playthrough, though, I realized how wrong I was; while the case is overly long and does require some obnoxious backtracking, it’s honestly an extremely fun and funny case that really helps develop Miles Edgeworth and flesh him out as a character, which kind of makes me baffled at my initial perception of the case as pointless filler. This is no “Turnabout Big Top,” that’s for sure, and that’s all the more apparent when we uncover who the true killer is.

Dee Vasquez marks a true turning point in the killers I the franchise. Frank Sahwit and Redd White are certainly not out of place in the series, but they are both one-dimensional goofballs. Not Dee; she’s an incredibly three-dimensional villain with motivations that go beyond simple greed and an actual sympathetic motivation for her crime.

Motivation/Goals: Dee Vasquez is actually rather interesting in that her motivation for murder has one of the first twists in the series: She had no motive. The murder was an accidental one in self-defense, as the victim Jack Hammer had come to her with the intent to kill her. When he did so, she shoved him off the steps and impaled him on a fence—something Hammer himself had accidentally done to another actor five years prior.

It’s pretty interesting to think that there wouldn’t be another killing in self-defense until Spirit of Justice, and even then there’s a big twist to that too—but that’s a story for another time.

Breakdown: Fitting her terse and stoic personality, Vasquez actually has one of the single most understated breakdowns in the whole series, followed by her sadly and graciously accepting her defeat:

That really is it, and honestly, it's all she needs. Someone with her demeanor losing her composure for even a moment like that is pretty impressive.

Best Scene: Vasquez actually gets one of the most unique scenes in the franchise, as at the end of the third day of investigating she lures Maya and Phoenix into her trailer, where she proceeds to call upon her mafia goons in an attempt to “erase” them.

It’s pretty notable because the mafia goons actually get art here, and this is also the only time Vasquez’s mob connections are really brought up in any capacity as they aren’t mentioned during the trials, only getting briefly mentioned in discussions while investigating. It’s doubly notable because it gives Gumshoe one of his first “Big Damn Heroes” moments when he bursts in and saves our dynamic duo’s lives.

Final Thoughts & Score: Dee Vasquez is a really solid villain, and her case is where the series really grew the proverbial beard.

I think what’s most fascinating about her is how you only get some vague hinting at the relationships that surround the crime she committed, and the true nature of her relationship with Hammer is based entirely on hearsay from biased parties—can you trust what she says in regards to Hammer, considering she was blackmailing him and clearly had a great disdain for him for killing her possible lover? Can you trust Oldbag’s account of it being a tragic accident when she’s a Hammer superfan? It all makes her the sort of character where you can come up with multiple interpretations of her and have different levels of sympathy depending on how you view her actions. Like sure, it was in self-defense, but it becomes a lot less sympathetic if you see Hammer more as a victim of manipulation for something that wasn’t really his fault (although his willingness to frame his co-star Will Power out of petty jealousy certainly doesn’t make him look very good).

Helping this is just how grounded and low-key she is. She doesn’t really get wild, over-the-top reactions like some of the other killers, and while that may seem like a detriment in a series as silly as this, it actually makes her stand out a lot more especially with how later villains would become even more wild and wacky. It also helps build her up as a genuinely formidable opponent in court, and she’s actually a pretty tough egg to crack when you get her on the stand.

While I’m not going to pretend like she’s the greatest, most complex, or most tragic of all the villains (how can she be when characters like Ini Miney, Geiru Toneido, or Acro are around?) but for a first attempt at a more complex villain that isn’t just killing for the money, she’s a really solid one. A nice solid 7.5/10, I’d say. I think really her biggest problem is that the case immediately following hers features perhaps the single most sympathetic murderer in the original trilogy, as well as another stoic hardass villain who has a far more glorious breakdown, which leaves her being a bit overshadowed. Still, for what she is, she's a remarkably solid villain.

[swan2swan]

jumping off that post if you dont mind butas someone whos been watching btas for the first time recently, as an adult, I have to say that I dont really get the hype. Like theres been a handful of truly excelent episodes yes, the show looks good and it has a very easy watching vibe that good kids serials should have. But I feel like I must be missing something giving just how much its hyped up as peak superhero media when most episodes seem like stardard, if very solid, kids serial affair

An excellent question!

The answer is: you're looking at The Blueprint. The base. Classic superhero cartoons were solid, sliding action with cutaway impact frames and often played out more like read-along comic books. Dialogue was dramatic, delivered in that bombastic, attention-grabbing style of the old radio programs, meant to convey excitement above any other emotion. The dialogue between exposition also tended to sound more like when a book narrator puts on a different voice for a character.

Batman changed the game. The animation was fluid and dynamic, the visual tone dark and dreary, and the voicework was (mostly) far more suited for stage than radio. Men fought with swords, blows landed, a chair could easily be picked up and swung at any time. There was no laugh track, no silly music, not even a catchy jingle--this show was SERIOUS about its material, which fit perfectly into the exciting, action-craving culture of the nineties.

But below all of that was gravitas. Maturity and mystery spun the show into more than just gadgets and fistfights--there was emotional weight behind episodes, fear and anguish on the faces of our characters. And sometimes a laughing clown in a suit appeared to shake that up.

All of this was backed by a symphonic score, too. This led to many wordless moments that further pushed the demands of animation to tell the story.

You have to imagine this as a NEW medium. A triumphant return of comic book heroes.

[a-cloud-for-dreams]

Ok so I've mentioned this a bunch of times on my blog by now but I've been trying to speedrun all of the Choices books and I'm so glad I am because there are some underrated gems out there! I'm almost done with TC&TF Book 1 and that book had a ton of love interests so I was inspired to make a top ten list to organize my thoughts. This post will be under development as I play more books or change my mind lol

Top Ten Books/Series

Bloodbound Series - This book is literally one of the best series PB has ever put out. To be fair, it should be under Blades and TC&TF, I would argue that these three books deserve top place. But it would be harder to combine my Bloodbound explanation with the other two fantasy books so here you go. Contrary to most, I did like the first book, wasn't my favorite, but it was a good intro to the series. I like that the world slowly grew as we learned more about vampires and it felt complete and like it had something to say. Thank @gaiuskamilah for my further obsession with the series lol

Blades of Light and Shadow Book 1/The Crown and the Flame Book 1 - I couldn't choose but they're both AMAZING BOOKS ugh I can't say enough good things about them. The choices actually matter and the plot was so good. Every chapter had a purpose and the conclusion felt so satisfying. The scoring system and skills for both books was super cool, we need more books like them <33

Crimes of Passion Series - Definitely a Top Tier MC!!! I liked the mystery (Book 2's reveal wasn't great but the chaotic Thorne siblings make up for it) and Trystan is the best single LI we've had in a while, their dynamic with Rose was *chef's kiss*

Perfect Match Series - I LOVED this series and our friend group/love interests so much. They all felt like unique people with their own experiences and the plot was so amazingly intense. The finale of Book 1 was UNMATCHED we won't ever live to experience something that iconic ever again smh. It took a while for the plot to kick in, which is why it's lower on the list

The Elementalists - I'm a sucker for elemental magic systems/magic schools, and I love our friend group/family so much. Atlas is the coolest twin, and the whole sun/moon dynamic was fun! Being a powerful Sun-Att boosted my ego astronomically. I wish we got another book to see our mom more though

It Lives in the Woods - I like that the premise was relatively simple, along with the game mechanics. Your actions had real consequences and it was more immersive. The flash-forward in the last chapter was super sweet too and I like that the anthology was interconnected. This series also gave us an amazing friend group and set of LIs so I'm thankful <3

Open Heart Book 1 - Simply iconic, grounded in reality, and actually put together imao. It was one of the peaks of our fandom. This book is super nostalgic for me because I'm interested in the medical field, and it's the whole reason I'm posting Choices content here in the first place

Ride or Die - I adore this book. It felt complete on its own EVEN IF IT DESERVED A SEQUEL *side-eyeing PB* and it's a great coming-of-age story with a realistic teen MC. The ending was bittersweet and you felt changed by the experience playing the book

Nightbound - I liked the vibes and the idea more than the execution if that makes sense? I love the idea of Lamrian and how the MC is half-fae and super powerful, but the book didn't have enough time to showcase the supernatural world compared to Bloodbound, which focused on vampire lore. I can probably make a whole separate post on this but yea

The Royal Romance/The Royal Heir - I think, again, I like the vibes of the series more than the flawed execution, but because it went on for so long I kinda of got attached to the characters (mind you I didn't play or finish any of the books) but it's super fluffy and sweet and iconic for Choices history so here <3 a lot of the books like ROE, TRM, and TC&TF are interconnected so it's part of the foundation for the PB Choices Multiverse :) to be fair, it looks like they did a somewhat decent job writing the conflicts for each book?

I have a feeling when I finish Endless Summer, this list is gonna change...

EDIT: I totally forgot about The Heist: Monaco, but it was amazing! TRR/TH should be bumped down to honorable mention, I'll change it at some point-

Honorable Mentions

A Courtesan of Rome - The book took awhile for me to get through but my MC is legendary and carried the book so it's up here lol. I also liked that it felt like a historically accurate book?

Platinum - Cool commentary on the darker sides of fame and the music >>>

Veil of Secrets - The plot was interesting, one of my fave mystery books they've written! Also the characters >>>

Mother of the Year - Wholesome and felt finished, def one of the best single books. Also the antagonists were properly despicable so...good writing

Wake the Dead - It wasn't perfect, but I love zombie apocalypse stories and the idea of rebuilding our camp was so cool so idc how flawed it is <3

Foreign Affairs - The ending was rushed and the premise should have been rewritten but more on that on a later date. It was still fun for me to play

Desire and Decorum - I finished book 1 and I really liked it! it's basically the Choices version of Bridgerton, not historically accurate but super entertaining. The vibes and the LIs were amazing

Kindred - Pacing issues but still entertaining, I love the witch lore that they had in the book and the focus on building both platonic and romantic relationships so I'm not complaining

Top Ten Love Interests In No Particular Order

Trystan Thorne

Bryce Lahela

Kamilah Sayeed

Damien Nazario

Kaine Bell

Raleigh Carrera

Aerin Valleros

Jax Matsuo

Colt Kaneko

F!Hayden Young

Honorable Mentions (Again, No Particular Order)

Drake Walker (listen LISTEN I don't like that he sidelined other LIs, and I absolutely HATE how his character was a total contradiction, it was executed poorly, but I like the idea of his route if that makes sense. Some of the banter was cute and I love the whole grumpy x sunshine trope. I'm pretty sure he took a bullet for me lol)

Raydan Lykel (Solely because I haven't finished the series yet)

Mal Volari (He would have been in Top Ten but I had to bump him down because his Book 2 Route isn't working)

Tyril Starfury

Nia Ellarious

Prince Hamid

Tatum Mendoza

All of the Nightbound Love Interests are amazing I just couldn't fit them on the list

Gaius Augustine

Alana Kusuma

Rainier (Kindred)

Thomas Mendez

Flynn O'Malley

Olivia Nevrakis (she had so much potential omg)

Robin Flores and Sofia Russo (in my world, they're LIs just shush)

[y2klostandfound]

Bust-A-Move 2 (aka Bust-A-Groove 2) on Dengeki Playstation magazine Issue 101 (Japan)(26/03/1999)

Scanned by kitsunebi

Translation in English:

Bust-A-Move 2 Dance Tengoku MIX

The second installment of the popular dance game is finally here! Show off your dance technique in a cooler, more spectacular way! This time's "Bust ~" is not going to be a muscle!

4/15

-ENIX -5,800 Yen -MC (1 block)

More and more

Funky and power up! This guy is the new dance heaven!

The sequel to the dance action game, in which unique characters engage in exciting dance battles, is finally here. The basic system remains the same, but is packed with new elements such as the "Luck Only" system that makes players more passionate! In addition to many new characters, the characters from the previous game also appear with improved costumes and dance moves. Check it out before it goes on sale.

-The entire screen is inevitably more dynamic and fiery than the previous game!

-The character select screen is displayed with pop illustrations and icons!

And the jammer Power UP!!

-The jammer that interferes with the opponent's dance is also powered up.

Finally, the big reveal!

CHECK 3 new elements! !

New Face - Tsutomu

He is an 11-year-old fifth grader with a father who is a professional baseball player and a mother who is a goverment official. His specialty is Latin house dancing.

Part 1 Hiro's groovy dance! - "Combination Dance"!

In the previous game, if you get a high score and clear the stage,"FEVER TIME!" will occur after the dance battle ends under certain conditions. There was a show where the character who won the battle danced solo. This time, if both characters in a 2-player match can perform "FEVER TIME!", a "combination dance" will begin in which the two perform a grooving fever dance!

-If you keep dancing COOL and win well…. -You start "FEVER TIME!" as the star of the show!

If we both look good together.

It's even more amazing!

New Face - Bi-O

GAS-O's father who appeared in the previous game. He (Bi-O) was turned into a zombie after being poisoned by his father during a quarrel. The Zombie-like dance is very cool!

Part 2 Shorty's cool and combo - The "Luck Only System"

This time, the "Luck Only System" has been newly added. Three rows of three blocks (blue, red, and green) in the lower center of the screen represent slots, and you can arrange any three blocks in the first, second, and third rows. The stage's special gimmick will start moving! Each block has green "COOL!" (6 combos) and red "CHILLIN! (7 combos)", blue indicates "FREEZE!" (8 combo), and if you decide on a specified combo, the blocks will pile up.

-Not only do you get a bonus for matching blocks, but a special gimmick will appear.

Part 3 Strike's timing life! - "Perfect System"

Command branching?

The dance changes when you press the decide button. Master the right timing to dance more advanced and cool.

STAGE branching?!

Depending on the victory (score difference with the opponent) when clearing the stage, the stage ahead will diverge one after another! If you go with the best branching …

Go to Next Stage!

[gale-gentlepenguin]

Gale reviews: Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

Alright so I FINALLY saw the movie and after an ordeal with the AMC

I can finally give my thoughts on this movie.

So in order to properly rank this. I will put the following Categories.

Animation

Plot

Characters

Music

Fanservice

Lesson

And I will give my final score at the bottom. I will try not to get too spoiler heavy but spoilers below

And for those that dont want ANY spoilers. I will say it is a great kids movie go watch it

______________________________________________________________

Animation:

This movie is Absolutely Gorgeous. Every mushroom, every brick has been lovingly crafted. I LOVE the attention to details, I love how hard each hit feels in this movie. The Choreography in this and flow is incredible. Illumination's eye for visual slapstick is still on a league of its own and it fits very well with the movie.

The character expressions all flowed great and you felt sucked in by the expression. It was like watching a Mario game. Brooklyn, The Mushroom kingdom, The Dark Lands, The Ice Kingdom, The Kong kingdom and Rainbow road ALL felt distinct and flowed. I am IN LOVE with this movies asthetic. The action was perfectly paced, I would even say it matched and surpassed the flowing animation of Puss in boots Last wish.

10/10

____________________________________________________________

Plot

So its pretty straight forward, Bowser tries to take over the kingdom, and he needs to be stopped. Mario and Luigi end up sucked into the mushroom kingdom trying to make a name for themselves as plumbers and get separated.

Mario ends up meeting Toad, Peach and Donkey Kong and the crew end up fighting Bowser and Saving Luigi. It starts as a trip to get reinforcements to fight the koopa army, turns into a race on rainbow road, then turns into a fight at a wedding and then finally a showdown in Brooklyn.

Mario and Luigi save the day and end up finding a connecting route to the the Mushroom kingdom and Brooklyn.

Now there is a LOT that happens in between these plot points and I will say it does feel a bit fast at times. But It is entertaining, Mario and Peach bond. And the scale and excitement never decreases. It is solid.

7.5/10

I wish more time could be spent in some places but thats mainly a pacing thing. and its the only real gripe I have.

___________________________________________________________

Characters

I think I will break this up into multiple sections.

Mario: I will say it, the previews took all the worst bits of Chris Pratt's VA work. Because he actually did a bang up job, I didnt hear Chris Pratt, I heard Brooklyn Mario (And the Accents are explained to be part of the commercial which has Charles cameo AMAZINGLY done)

I liked Mario's character, he was a guy that wanted to prove himself and doesnt know when to quit. Mario also doesnt like mushrooms, it was funny. He can get down on himself, but push comes to shove he is Mario and will do anything for those he loves. He has some cute bonding moments with Peach and they have a good chemistry, which I can say could be romantic or not, both are fine ways of interpretation. His goal and lengths he is willing to go to save his brother are great and I love it. Mario is great in the movie.

Peach: I will admit, I was worried on how they handled peach here. I knew they were going to make her a girl boss. And I do think that she is not as Feminine or Charming as what one would expect from Peach... BUT she has the good heart and cares for her subjects. Which Peach will be self sacrificing to help her people, but also will do what she can to mess with Bowser. As shown in her fight at the wedding. She and Mario got a good dynamic and I enjoy the roll. Though I do like that she isnt invincible, she can be outmatched and there are things even she thinks are too risky.

Luigi: I feel robbed. Not because Luigi's performance was bad, FAR FROM IT. I wanted MORE Luigi. Luigi was captured for most of the movie and had the funniest bits. He also had his big hero moment and really helped drive home one of the big lessons. I am glad that he is supportive of brother and he thinks he is the coolest guy. The characterization of Luigi was PERFECT. But as mentioned before, I wanted more of him

Toad: He was a delight. I think he has great comedic moments and I love how he just claims Mario as his BFF. He gets really funny jokes and the bits are usually out of left field. My favorite has to be how he distracted the guards, I wont dare spoil it, but it involves a Frying pan.

Donkey Kong: I thought I would hate DK. I still am not sold on the voice... THAT BEING SAID. Donkey Kong being the show off big shot that cant see past his own ego and just wants his dad to be proud of him was not what I expected but enjoyed. He also has some good moments. One moment you think he is gonna bond with Mario over Dad issues but then left turn, he goes "Well your dad's right, you suck"

It just sort of works for them, they have this frenemies vibe that I love.

Bowser:

Bowser steals the movie. He is the funniest character. He is the best character. HE WROTE A LOVE BALLAD FOR PEACH called "Peaches". He is goofy yet Intimidating. Jack Black's voice for him was perfect and the Character acting was on point. Jack Black NAILED BOWSER. He is DEFACTO Bowser. I cant say enough of how amazing his bowser was. It was just so perfect.

The others: From Mario's extended family, The Koopas, Kamek, kranky, the Luma, The Penguins. I LOVED all the side characters. I cant name one I didnt enjoy. Shout out to the Blond Kong in a sports Blazer who casually caused a kart crash of a By-stander

Now Aside from Bowser I cant say the characters are deep, but they were not meant to be. They were what they needed to be. I enjoyed all the characters on screen and never felt myself loathing not seeing a certain character for longer.

solid 8/10 (Jack black and bowser are 10/10 tho)

______________________________________________________________ Music

So I wanted to give this a 10/10, but I cant.

I found some of the random 80's rock songs a bit out of place. It is Illumination.

But outside of those songs, when they are doing the mario music and themes they ARE GLORIOUS. Bowser's fury theme and the Remixed Star theme were my personal favorites

All of the mario music is beautifully crafted. You know papa nintendo made sure they did it justice.

Overall, 8/10

The 80's songs werent the worst pick but they werent needed. Should have just stuck with the mario stuff.

But... it is illumination.

______________________________________________________________

Fanservice

ALL OF THE REFERENCES,

FOREMAN SPIKE

Pauline

CHARLES Martinet AS MARIO'S FATHER AND GIUSEPPE

PUNCH OUT PIZZARIA

the musical references,

The princess is in another castle joke.

The sound effects.

The entire movie is CRAMMED FULL of references and jokes that I am sure I didnt get all of them.

This movie was CRAFTED from Fanservice.

Is the Sonic 2 movie is a love letter to the fans,

The Super Mario Bros Movie is a full on Love Biography to them.

I am so full of the fanservice I was squealing

10/10

___________________________________________________________

Lesson

I wasnt expecting the Super mario bros Movie to have a lesson, and to my surprise it had 2 lessons.

Never give up. Mario shows throughout the entire movie his grit and determination no matter how much people look down on him or underestimate him. He got back up and kept fighting.

The power of Brotherly love. Luigi had faith in his brother who was always there for him. And he knew that things will be alright as long as they were together. And Luigi took it to heart, learning that what his brother said was true. Brotherly love made them invincible (well actually it was the power star, but it was because of that love they were able to get it.)

I am not gonna put it at the level of Puss in Boots the last wish. But its some good lessons

7/10

_____________________________________________________________

Overall, this movie, if you arent a Super Mario super fan, Is a solid 8/10

It has good characters, funny/hilarious slapstick and moments, fun action, and great for kids with a good lesson.

If you are a mario super fan (Like me)

Solid 9.5/10

I would watch it again no questions. I do wish it had more Mareach and Yoshi

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

HEXACO Analysis: Nakahara Chuuya

HEXACO score: 3.75/2.5/3/2.5/3.75/3.5

Highest trait: Honesty-Humility/Conscientiousness

Lowest trait: Emotionality/Agreeableness

Full order: (HC)OX(EA)

Extreme high subtraits (score 5): Sincerity, Fairness and Diligence

Extreme low subtraits (score 1): Fearfulness

(I have been agonizing over this for literally a month so I have decided to just post it how it is because I'm never going to be satisfied with it anyways.)

Port Mafia executive, former leader of The Sheep, one half of the fearsome Double Black, loyal to a fault, wants a puppy. Gotta love this dude. I'm always excited to do any meta on him because there's so much to his character. Now, much of the fanon interpretation of Chuuya differs from my perception of canon, so if you're a bit surprised by any of the rankings, read on to find out why!

Please do keep in mind: a lot of the info we have for Chuuya does not come from the main manga but from his backstory novels Fifteen and Stormbringer. While these two books have made him an incredibly fleshed-out character, we don't have much info on him at 22 years old except in brief scenes in the manga, omake, and official non-canon content like wan, mayoi and some character q&as. The good thing is that HEXACO traits tend to be relatively consistent over time (and Chuuya himself doesn't seem to have changed too much) so I don't think this will be a major issue.

Here's how I'm doing my analyses and extra HEXACO info: I Like to Write Things — Ok so since I have one note on this, that was... (tumblr.com)

*Note: I tend to be reluctant to give extreme scores unless I really can't find much opposing evidence. As such, most of my scores tend to be 2s, 3s, or 4s.

**Note: Since these are scores that require me to pick a clear ranking, it's difficult to be quite as nuanced in my discussions as I prefer to be. These are intended to be general trends and there will likely always be exceptions - if you don't agree, that's fine, and it's probably just due to differences in subjective interpretation. However, if I've referenced something incorrectly, feel free to notify me; just be polite please!

***Final note: This is a long post! I go through 24 subtraits! You have been warned!

Explanations under the cut:

---

Honesty-Humility (H)

Subtrait 1: Sincerity - A tendency to be genuine in interpersonal relations.

1 = Manipulative and rarely honest.

5 = Honest to a fault and almost never lies.

While Chuuya is capable of trickery, he doesn't do this very often - he's generally a very honest person who says what he means and doesn't beat around the bush. He faces his problems head on, and due to his immensely strong ability, he's likely never needed to do otherwise. Any lies he engages in are from my recollection either someone else's idea (Dazai, Mori) or to buy time (in Stormbringer). Even then, he doesn't really keep up an act for long - think of the confrontation with the ADA in the Guild arc where he pretty much outright states what the Mafia's game is. He's entirely nonchalant about it. He's not the kind of guy you send for subterfuge or deception.

Moreover, I cannot think of a time he used lies to get what he, personally, wanted. He's a very straightforward person. He has a sort of "I am who I am" kind of mentality and this shows in his words and actions.

Having said that, there are certain times he seems to blindside himself - as an example, the nature of his complicated dynamic with Dazai. While his irritation with him and negative feelings are genuine in part, there's a lot more nuance to it than that - worry, trust, begrudging understanding, unfortunate and unwilling recognition of self through the other, etc., but he boils it down to "hate". So, Chuuya does occasionally appear to tell himself convenient partial truths to avoid digging into things that make him uncomfortable. However, this honesty scale is about interpersonal honesty, and these instances are rare to my recollection, so he gets a very high score here.

Score = 5

Subtrait 2: Fairness - A tendency to avoid fraud and corruption for personal gain.

1 = Willing to cheat and steal to get what they want.

5 = Unwilling to take advantage of others.

This is tricky... he's in the mafia which is kind of all about this sort of thing, and he performs his job very well. Even so, Chuuya actually seems to have a pretty ingrained sense of fairness, to the point where I don't think it's really a conscious thing. He advances through the ranks of the mafia rapidly by... doing his job properly. He trades honesty for honesty, answers for answers, even in the middle of a fight - see his interactions with Rimbaud for more of what I mean. He repays people's favours and has a strong sense of loyalty and responsibility. Brushing off an ally's death as a means to get ahead is repulsive to him (DHC Dead Apple prologue). He outright tells a GSS soldier in Fifteen what's going to happen to him if he shoots at Chuuya. He does what he says he will, for the most part (unless this has to do with retribution, in which sometimes, rarely, exceptions will be made... I'll bring this up again later). Again, this is probably not mere kindness but also a result of his powerful ability meaning he's never really needed to rely on unscrupulous methods. Nonetheless, for what we see of him, I can't think of a time where he screws others over outside of orders from Mori - much less for his own benefit.

(A case could be made for a drop to 4 if you include his willingness to engage in mafia activities at all. I, personally, wouldn't since being a part of an illegal organization is literally all he's ever known from age 7 onwards. That's not really a character choice imo and more to do with the context he was raised in that became his "normal".)

Score = 5

Subtrait 3: Greed Avoidance - A tendency to be uninterested in possessing lavish wealth, luxury goods and signs of status.

1 = Want to enjoy and display wealth and status.

5 = Hardly driven by material gain.

Again, kind of tricky. Chuuya's introduced in quite possibly one of the most ostentatious outfits of the series (definitely up until that point, at least). He has his expensive wine collection and I think it is implied he has some expensive tastes. I think of that bit in Wan where he says he'll drop any money if he likes the thing he's looking to buy enough. Thing is... we get a little bit in Stormbringer where Chuuya's place is near totally empty; devoid of signs of having been "lived in" and tells us that money and status don't mean much to him. Mind you, this was when he was 16 and things likely changed since then; he's no longer only driven by his goal of finding info on himself and has acclimated to his new home in a sense. Truthfully, though, we don't know all that much about 22-year-old Chuuya. From my interpretation, I think his enjoyment of fancy things like wine and nice clothes is less a drive or motive to acquire any of these things, and more that he gets them as a bonus. He grew up on the streets. He has money now; he might as well use it to get himself something nice. Honestly, I swayed back and forth on this subtrait the most... but eventually settled on a score of 2 (that wine collection is... pretty damn expensive). I think he likes to treat himself. (I am now thinking of Chuuya's excitement over his new pillow in Wan...)

(I'd actually say Chuuya's focus on his appearance has a lot more to do with the image he hopes to give off to others than any true interest in material gain, but more on that later.)

Score: 2

Subtrait 4: Modesty - A tendency to be modest and unassuming (note that this has nothing to do with self-confidence!).

1 = Consider themselves superior and entitled to special treatment.

5 = Consider themselves ordinary people with no claim to special treatment.

Ohhhkay, this is a really weird one. Chuuya is so not modest. He knows damn well how powerful he is and is not afraid to flaunt his ability and martial arts prowess. He's cocky, arrogant and completely self-assured in a fight. However... he also has this weird humility where everything he does is in service to his people. He doesn't ask for special treatment, in fact, it may even make him uncomfortable, at least in Fifteen (dislike of being called "king") and Stormbringer (balking at Adam's "Chuuya-sama" addressal and trying to get him to change it). He goes by first name basis with most everyone and while he expects respect from his subordinates, he's not above spending time with them and doesn't treat people as beneath him unless they're his enemies. From Stormbringer, we know that Chuuya being so much more powerful actually isolates and upsets him. He also rarely takes a lot of credit for things; I think about his reaction in the ending scene in Dead Apple where he brushes off praise from his boss for fighting the dragon, saying he was just doing his job. Most anything he does is brushed off in a similar manner. It's just what he does; it's his duty - what he thinks he should do for his people. See? Weird humility.

I can't rank him too low or too high on this trait - this is one subscale where Chuuya's contradictory nature starts to show, I think.

Score = 3

H Score Total = (5+5+2+3)/4 = 3.75

---

Emotionality (E)

Subtrait 1: Fearfulness - A tendency to easily experience fear.

1 = Have little fear; tend to be tough and insensitive to physical pain.

5 = Strongly inclined to feel fear and avoid physical harm.

There's not much to say about this. This guy goes through so much pain; gets thrown into buildings, shocked, stabbed and just gets back up. He jumps out of a plane to fight a dragon with zero hesitation. He feels bored in most fights and itches for a real challenge. He's near completely fearless lmao.

Score = 1

Subtrait 2: Anxiety - A tendency to worry over future outcomes.

1 = Feel little stress in response to hardship and difficulties.

5 = Tend to become preoccupied even by minor problems.

I believe Chuuya has a rather standard level of anxiety. I just said he's pretty much fearless, which he is, but he can and does worry, else he would not show concern for others in the way that he does. I think about his clear worry for the captured Sheep members in Fifteen, or him trying to contact Dazai in Stormbringer, or the way his concern over the outcome of the Cannibalism virus led to him attacking the ADA even though he knew that's what their mutual enemy wanted. At the same time, he doesn't spend too much time fretting over things if he can help it.

Score = 3

Subtrait 3: Dependence - A tendency to require emotional support from others.

1 = Feel self-assured and able to cope without help or advice.

5 = Crave encouragement and support when sharing difficulties.

While I think Chuuya could benefit from some supportive friends who don't die on him ( :'( ), I don't think he necessarily needs a lot of emotional support. He's pretty used to toughing it out alone and he's good at it. He's very self-reliant. However, he does ask for advice on occasion (from Mori), he does like to be part of a group (though that's more about other people depending on him...) and he's genuinely touched when people do show a want to support him (the Flags, Adam). He's not too good at receiving said support though lol.

He deserves more than he gets imo, but this scale is about whether he needs it or not, and to me, the answer is very rarely. Chuuya can deal with anything, however much or long he needs to. The real question is should he have to?

Score = 2

Subtrait 4: Sentimentality - A tendency to feel strong emotional bonds with others.

1 = Feel little emotion when parting or in reaction to others' concerns.

5 = Feel strong attachment to others and have an empathic sensitivity.

Bonds with others are literally Chuuya's Reason Living. Like, he practically says as much in Stormbringer and loyalty and protectiveness are two of his core character traits. Nearly everything he does is for the people he decides are his family. And even though he tends to lose people time and time again, he still manages to care and value them in spite of it all. The only reason he does not rank a full 5 is because he's hardly empathic or sensitive, but his emotions and loyalties run deep and comprise a good chunk of his identity.

Score = 4

E Score Total = (1+3+2+4)/4 = 2.5

---

eXtraversion (X)

Subtrait 1: Social Self-Esteem - A tendency to have positive self-regard in social contexts.

1 = Tend to see self as unpopular and have a sense of worthlessness.

5 = Consider themselves to have likeable qualities and are satisfied with who they are.

Hm. I wonder about this one. We've already established that Chuuya is very confident but that's mostly in a fight or when asserting his strength. When it comes to social interactions outside of this context, it's clear that he gets very easily self-conscious. Think of Ranpo calling him "fancy-hat" - he reaches up to touch his hat like he's unsure if it's a compliment or an insult. There's Dazai's commenting on his shoes, first happy and then extremely irritated when the other... shoe drops (I'm sorry). Comments on his clothes, stature and anything to do with his history (the latter especially when he was younger) make him defensive and prone to bursts of irritation - he's very confident up until someone says something that makes him self-conscious. This probably has a lot to do with his former insecurities about his inhumanity; while he knows now that he is human, that feeling of otherness isn't just going to go away. Of particular note is Chuuya's dress sense - I made a note of this earlier that it seems he dresses to give off a particular image, namely, his membership to a group and status as their ultimate weapon (he both blends in and strikingly stands out). I'm not the only one who's noticed how he has a lot of outfit changes throughout the series, and how they seem to match whichever group he's a part of at the time - so, to insult the way he dresses seems to be taken as a personal jab to the image he's built up, an image that keeps him secure in his membership with his people (membership we know Chuuya desires from Stormbringer). If simple poking at the surface level of his self-image is enough for him to get so defensive, that doesn't really bode well for his social self-esteem as a whole.

At the same time, Chuuya does possess a lot of self-confidence and a certain level of self-respect. His reaction to Kenji thinking he's cool is definitely unabashed pride. He likely knows and enjoys his respected reputation in the mafia - but again, this is towards his ability and prowess, not necessarily his person. He responds to care for his person often with confusion and, again, defensiveness. I feel like he's about average in social self-esteem honestly, as his reactions tend to be quite polarized. It really depends on the context and what's being judged.

Score = 3

Subtrait 2: Social Boldness - A tendency to be comfortable/confident in social situations.

1 = Tend to feel shy or awkward when speaking to others.

5 = Willing to approach strangers and speak up.

Yeah Chuuya has no issue talking to people. I wouldn't actually call him social (more on that in the next subtrait) but he's clearly anything but shy. Only reason he doesn't rank a 5 is because he approaches people much more on orders or necessity than genuine willingness.

Score = 4

Subtrait 3: Sociability - A tendency to enjoy conversation and social interaction.

1 = Generally prefer solitary activities and rarely seek out conversation.

5 = Enjoy talking, visiting and celebrating with others.

I know there's a tendency to want to pin Chuuya as being a social person from his loudness, stand-out design, and the fact that we do see him drinking with Kajii and Hirotsu outside of work but truthfully? I think there's a lot more reason to think he's not all that sociable. For one, he is extremely guarded in both Fifteen and Stormbringer which makes a lot of sense - Chuuya has always been singled out as the biggest threat in the room, which means in turn that he has no choice but to perceive most people as potential threats in turn. In Fifteen, he really only talks to people out of necessity or in a fight, but he's not hanging out - of course he isn't, none of the people in that novel treated him like a friend. In Stormbringer, it takes an age for him to relax around the Flags and even then, he's not exactly the most conversational. Okay, you might be saying, but that's him when he's younger and fresh to the idea of having friends who don't ask him for anything in return.

It's tricky, again, because we really don't have much on older Chuuya. He apparently drinks with Hirotsu and Kajii. However, we don't know if he went there with them, or whether they just all happened to be going to the same place and he started venting to them. In the scene with him, Mori and Kouyou, he brings the wine, and then... he's not even really involved in that conversation, mostly just listening (and later cursing out Dazai under his breath lol). Also, a lot of the supplemental materials - drama cds, character q&as, even in Mayoi - seem to imply that he prefers to spend his time going and doing things by himself. There's also a few interesting continuities in Mayoi (which I know is a little... sus for canon info but like I said, we really don't have much and this next point is actually fairly consistent, leading me to believe this is intended to be an actual characterization point). In a lot of his dialogue and the summaries for some of the special events, he is described as "hanging back a bit". He often seems to choose to enjoy the atmosphere instead of talk to anyone, or else he's watching for threats. He almost always seems to be tense except in two conditions: one, he knows the place and the people are safe, and two, he gets to relax and sit back without speaking much. All this seems to indicate he actually very much enjoys time alone or at least time not spent speaking to people. Even when he's at a louder location, he is far more interested in the alcohol haha.

Score = 2

Subtrait 4: Liveliness - A tendency to be enthusiastic, active and upbeat.

1 = Tend not to feel optimistic or dynamic.

5 = Usually optimists and often in high spirits.

I don't know if I'd call Chuuya an optimist, per se. I think he's actually quite jaded. However, he generally has the attitude that he can get through most things and he gets quite into the action - he loves a good fight, he likes doing stunts on his motorcycle, he feels his feelings very strongly. He's not "a ray of sunshine" hehe but he's definitely dynamic and active - I think he'd get quite bored if he had nothing to do. I'd say he's about average.

Score = 3

X Score Total = (3+4+2+3)/4 = 3

---

Agreeableness (A)

Subtrait 1: Forgivingness - A tendency to feel trust and liking towards those who previously caused harm.

1 = Tend to hold a grudge.

5 = Usually ready to trust again after being treated poorly.

Hm. Again, this is another place where Chuuya's contradictory nature seems to show. Chuuya's whole mentality is if you try to hurt him or his people, he tries to hurt you back. It's very deliberate that in Fifteen he often kills by ricocheting bullets back at the people who fired at him. It's very retributive; definitely a "get-even" mentality. He immediately goes on a revenge mission against Verlaine for the Flags' sake. He remains furious at Dazai for years (but that's a constant lmao). However, he also has this strange capacity to... stop feeling that same level of raw anger, and it seems to occur when he comes to understand said person as a human being, especially if he can relate somehow. Also, something that is outright stated in Stormbringer is that Chuuya has the unfortunate tendency to help people who have helped him, even if they wind up betraying him in the end. I don't know if I'd call any of this true forgiveness (I think it ties in more with his ingrained sense of fairness and responsibility) but at the very least, he doesn't seem to hold grudges against people he comes to know for long except Dazai, and even then, he still trusts Dazai implicitly. He doesn't give his trust easily, but by god when he does, it's hard to break. I'm not entirely convinced of this myself, but I gave him a neutral score.

Score = 3

Subtrait 2: Gentleness - A tendency to be lenient in judgements of others.

1 = Tend to be critical when evaluating others.

5 = Reluctant to openly judge others harshly.

...He openly tells opponents they're weak to their faces. He's sooo not gentle and he's only really nice to his allies (and Kenji...but he has very little choice in that matter because Kenji decided they are friends). I think he's the kind of person who's blunt, but not always to be a jerk. Actually, he's fairly attuned to giving advice to people (see: drama cds) but he sure doesn't sugar-coat it. He says what he means. There's also his manner of speaking, which is considered quite vulgar. He's saved from the lowest score because, as I said, he does offer advice and encouragement without much prompting and rarely is he a complete jerk for no reason (unless you're counting bully preschool Chuuya from Wan hahaha). He also seems to have a soft spot for animals, especially dogs. Does that count? I think that counts.

Score = 2

Subtrait 3: Flexibility - A tendency to compromise and cooperate with others.

1 = Stubborn and quick to argue.

5 = Accommodate others' suggestions, even if they may be unreasonable.

I think he's fairly amenable to other ideas actually, but it depends on their source. There's an omake where Kouyou has to call him out because he's indulging Mori and his spontaneous whims too much in their planning. He goes along with the dumb shenanigans the Flags and his subordinates get into, with some griping, but it's clear he doesn't really mind. He's a lot more resistant to Dazai, of course, but again, he will go along with most things in the end because he knows that Dazai's plans do not fail. Still, he rarely just takes other's ideas without putting up a little bit of resistance first (unless it's a direct order), and he doesn't seem to work with others except Dazai (and he does not cooperate with him in any way approaching an agreeable manner, despite being completely in sync). I put him as neutral. He seems to need to see the sense in most things or else see some benefit to others (which might just be said others' enjoyment... the rich girl scene anyone?) before he'll actually do something that wasn't his idea.

Score = 3

Subtrait 4: Patience - A tendency to remain calm rather than become angry.

1 = Tend to lose their temper quickly.

5 = Have a high threshold for expressing anger.

...Lmao. I'm so sorry, buddy. If something is annoying to Chuuya, he will react (it might not be a dramatic reaction but it still manifests as at least visible irritation). He is more than capable of repressing his anger and acting more mature and serious when the situation calls for it but... it really does not take much to rile him up, especially if said annoyance humiliates or embarrasses him in some way. That said, he can and will remain stoic in the face of people who rely on him. Saved from the lowest score by a thread.

Score = 2

A Score Total = (3+2+3+2)/4 = 2.5

---

Conscientiousness (C)

Subtrait 1: Organization - A tendency to seek order in surroundings.

1 = Tend to be sloppy and haphazard.

5 = Tend to keep things tidy and prefer structure.

There's not much in the series that really indicates what Chuuya is like in his own space. The closest we get is in Stormbringer, where he has very few belongings - but these are stated to be kept very neatly. He appears to spend a good deal of time making himself presentable and it makes sense that this would extend to the space around him as well. Chuuya is likely to be a pretty organized person - he's seen going over a list in an omake and planning out a schedule, and he's good at staying on task - honestly a rarity with characters in this series. While I wouldn't expect him to be quite as fastidious as, say, Kunikida, the little evidence we have seems to indicate he keeps things pretty organized.

Score = 4

Subtrait 2: Diligence - A tendency to work hard.

1 = Have little self-discipline and are not strongly achievement motivated.

5 = Have a strong work ethic and are willing to exert themselves.

Um, yeah, absolutely he's high in this trait. He considers protection of his people his duty and responsibility - it's of prime importance to him and he shoulders a lot of blame should he fail. He brushes off absurd feats such as facing off against Guivre in Stormbringer and fighting the dragon in Dead Apple with a view that can essentially be boiled down to "it's what I'm supposed to do". He clearly expects 100% from himself. He's very diligent. It's a product of his loyalty crossed with his "I can handle anything" mentality.

Score = 5

Subtrait 3: Perfectionism - A tendency to be thorough and concerned with details.

1 = Tolerate some errors and tend to neglect details.

5 = Check carefully for mistakes and improvements.

Tying in with the above, there's not a lot of conclusive examples I can point to, but as he expects full effort from himself and isn't really tolerant of his own failure, I would say this trait is high by necessity. The suits he keeps in Stormbringer are also kept spotless. I can't give a 5, because I don't think he's a perfectionist, per se, but he does rise to meet challenges and that necessitates improvement. He's the best martial artist in the Port Mafia for a reason.

Score = 4

Subtrait 4: Prudence - A tendency to deliberate carefully and inhibit impulses.

1 = Act on impulse and tend not to consider consequences.

5 = Consider options carefully and tend to be cautious/self-controlled.

...ok. So, he definitely prefers to jump into things headfirst. He solves many of his problems with actions and generally more violent ones. However - he can and does look at situations in a much more nuanced way than people give him credit for. He knows how to negotiate, for one - that's part of what Kouyou trained him on in the first place. For another, even when he does rush into a fight, the Dead Apple novelization has this brilliant passage where you see that he's incredibly observant in the midst of the action - and really, he'd have to be. Gravity manipulation is not telekinesis - there's a lot more to consider in terms of force and resistance than just "pick up/throw object". To be noted though is that much of this quick thought happens within a situation - he's adaptable in the moment but he's not really a pre-planner. His way of dealing with things kind of necessitates him jumping into a situation and working through things as they come. So, his score would still be low here, but not the lowest.

Score = 2

C Score Total = (4+5+4+2)/4 = 3.75

---

Openness (O)

Subtrait 1: Aesthetic Appreciation - A tendency to find enjoyment in beauty found in art and nature.

1 = Not overly interested in works of art or natural wonder.

5 = Have a strong appreciation for various art forms and nature.

I'll be honest, there's not a lot of instances in canon to support or refute this subtrait. We do know that he likes nice clothes and hats though, so that supports some level of aesthetic appreciation. He also is shown humming in the manga, and one of his likes on his character profile is music. In other official material, such as character interviews, he seems to enjoy going for drives to look at the sunrise or sunset from a nice view or enjoying fresh snow falling from the sky. A few of his Mayoi quotes also support this, as he seems to enjoy the ambiance of wind chimes and festivities from a distance - though in one of them he sounds a bit like a tsundere ("the hydrangeas make for an exquisite sight... I suppose") lol.

So, while there isn't a lot, I think there's decent support for a high score here. I can't really see him at an art gallery per se, but he definitely has an aesthetic sense and likely an appreciation for natural beauty as well.

Score = 4

Subtrait 2: Inquisitiveness - A tendency to seek information about and experience the world.

1 = Have little curiosity and are content with what they know.

5 = Seek out new information constantly and love new experiences.

I'm not sure there's much evidence here either. I don't think Chuuya is closed-off to learning new things, as he does teach himself new skills and seems to pick things up fairly quickly. I've already commented on how he's pretty adaptable, especially in the moment. However, I don't think he's the type to go beyond and actively seek out new knowledge that isn't directly applicable to what he needs to know. The knowledge we see Chuuya acquire throughout the series is more practical stuff, stuff he can put to use in some way (ex. martial arts skills). His worldview also remains rather limited - he has only ever known life as an important figure in a criminal organization. He has literally known nothing else. And he doesn't seem to mind this so much; I suspect because, as Stormbringer tells us, he doesn't feel particularly deserving of examining anything different. There's also the matter of his intense loyalty to his people, which means that he has little incentive to look elsewhere. At the same time, he certainly likes to experience things in a more literal sense - he tries different wines, wears different outfits, and is incredibly engaged in action. I'll give him a average score.

Score = 3

Subtrait 3: Creativity - A tendency to innovate and experiment.

1 = Tend to stick to familiar patterns and methods with little change.

5 = Actively seek new solutions to problems and tend to self-express.

Chuuya, I would say, is a lot more straightforward than he is innovative. While, as I've mentioned multiple times by now, he adapts quickly in a fight, his go-to is still... to fight. He deals with things very much head-on, and again, he's not really a pre-planner. In the moment, however, he's incredible at reading a situation and responding near instantly to new threats. As for self-expression, I'd venture to say that Chuuya's actually pretty repressed. He has a distinctive style and set of likes and dislikes, but he often seems to understate his excitement or interest in things - see the tsundere-ish comment above or really just look at how he tries to appear cooler and more put-together than he is in like... anything he shows up in. Dude is repressed, seriously. The only time we see him unabashedly enjoying himself is in high-adrenaline situations like fights - at the very least, in Fifteen, Dazai describes him as being somewhat "kid-ish" when he gets really into things. (You are one to talk, Dazai.)

I'll put him at a neutral score since I can't find too much supporting evidence either way.

Score = 3

Subtrait 4: Unconventionality - A tendency to accept the unusual.

1 = Avoid eccentric and non-conforming persons.

5 = Receptive to ideas that might seem strange or radical.

...you know, writing all this out, and as unusually powerful and contradictory as Chuuya is... he's kind of. The normal one. At least in comparison to a lot of the company he keeps. He tends to be the voice of reason or at least keeps somewhat of a level head in the drama cds which will never stop being amusing to me. Part of the reason he's good at this though is that he's really very accepting and kind of indifferent towards people's eccentricities, especially if he's known them for a while. He barely bats an eye at Kajii's maniacal experimentation, accommodates Mori's weirdness without so much as a reaction, and while he finds Adam incredibly strange (valid lmao) he seems to start to enjoy that after a time. He seems pretty willing to accept just about anyone's quirks the more he spends time around them and gets used to them.

When around Dazai in particular, he reveals himself to... also be very, very strange. The comparatively "normal guy" is quickly replaced with someone just as incredibly unhinged as Dazai himself. Argue however you like whether they make each other better or worse but they certainly do make each other weirder.

I wonder if being surrounded by so many odd people makes him feel slightly less odd by comparison. Something to consider.

At the same time, he's a little too grounded and practical to be given a full score of 5, so a 4 he is.

Score = 4

O Score Total = (4+3+3+4)/4 = 3.5

So, there you have it! Phew, this took a while. I hope you enjoyed it!

I'm working on another analysis for Mori (BSD) and for Seam (Deltarune). If anyone has any other characters they'd like to request, feel free to drop me an ask! I write at a snail's pace but it does eventually get done!

[tilbageidanmark]

Movies I watched this week (#179):

71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance, my 10th film by Michael Haneke, and the last part of his early 'Glaciation Trilogy'. Tense, murky and uncomfortable fragments of miserable and detached people, moving on with their daily chores without passion. All the while the television newscasts in the background drone on about wars, and massacres and other disasters. Unpleasant!

By now, I've seen all of his feature films, except of the two 'Funny Games' which, even as a completist, I have no desire to do.

🍿

1958 Côte d'Azur X 2:

🍿 My 6th melodrama by Otto Preminger, Bonjour Tristesse, and another where he collaborated with Saul Bass on the fanciful title sequence. A nearly-incestuous connection between suave cocksman and playboy David Niven (strutting most of the time in short shorts) with his spoiled and alienated daughter Jean Seberg. Based on the semi-biographical novella by Françoise Sagan, which she also had published at 17. Lifestyles of the carefree High-society on the French Riviera of the '50's, and the sensuality of the coast, the sun, the water. Tragic Manic Pixie Dream Girl Seberg, a disillusioned gamine with cropped short hair, disenchanted and confused.

🍿 "All the fashionable woman are wearing blue. (Except the English)..."

My 16th by Agnès Varda, Along the coast. If somebody has a hard-on for the notion of a coast vacation in the '50s, then this is for them Pure nostalgia straight into the veins, with impossible score by George Delarue, breezing through empty tourist spots of Saint-Tropez, Nice, Toulon, Monaco, Menton, Fréjus, Èze... Imagine if it was you, and you didn't know what you know now.... Simplement merveilleux! [*Female Director*]

Best film of the week!

🍿

“Are women magical?…”

More from The French Riviera, and another of my favorite re-watches ♻️: Truffaut’s meta-film 'La Nuit américaine'/Day for night. A perfect perfect film about movie making. There has never been a better one about the deep love for cinema, not '8 1/1', 'Contempt' or 'Singing in the rain', nor 'Sunset Boulevard', 'Get Shorty' or 'Boogie Nights'.

With another of George Delerue's sweeping scores, and with Nathalie Baye as Truffault's real-life script-girl Suzanne Schiffman, the one who kept it all together. And the cat. 10/10.

🍿

2 thrillers by Spanish Daniel Calparsoro:

🍿 To steal from a thief is a sophisticated heist story, with a crisp-sounding, exciting opening. Dynamic and drenched in heavy rains, it pulled me in. But as it continue, I came to realize that it's an exact copy of Spike Lee 'Inside Man', mixed with Jason Statham's 'The Bank Job' - but in Valencia. Too bad! I started to like it a lot.

🍿 Because he is considered one of the best 'Action' directors in Spain, I tried also his latest All the Names of God, but it was even worst. A taxi driver has to survive after being kidnapped by a Muslim suicide bomber in Madrid. But again, it just copied previous plots (Tom Cruise's 'Collateral', Dennis Hopper's 'Speed', as well as the surprise explosion at the beginning of 'Children of Men') without adding much else to it. 3/10.

🍿

The Gang's All Here (1943), directed by Busby Berkeley. My first joyful experience with Carmen Miranda (here in her famous The Lady In The Tutti-Frutti Hat number). Full of sexual innuendos from Brazil and cultural appropriations, still a wonderful entry to this world.

🍿

2 more movies about the Holocaust:

🍿 Toyland was the short German Oscar winner in 2009. A dark & moving story about 2 boys in 1942, who are best friends. When the Jewish family is being deported, the other boy decides to join his "blood brother", because his mother explains their moving, as 'they are going to Toyland'. 9/10.

🍿 "They'll have to drag me out of here. You know that."

My first re-watch of The Zone of Interest; This is not about mass murder, but about a family that lives on the other side of a wall. A father reading good-night stories to his daughter, a wife who pushes her husband to take her back to their favourite vacation place in Italy. The mundane as a chilling metaphor, with distant sounds as the only reminders. 9/10. ♻️

🍿

Legendary Thelma Schoonmaker X 2:

🍿 The Key to Reserva (2007) was a Martin Scorsese joke, constructed as a faux Hitchcock homage. In it he claimed that he discovered a previously-unknown script for an unproduced Hitchcock movie, and he went and filmed it "as the master would have done it today". But in reality it was just a fucking slick commercial for some cheap champagne brand! Very much like his other meta-film 'Goncharov'. Featuring Thelma Schoonmaker as herself, and suave Simon Baker as Cary Grant. 9/10.

🍿 My third by Spanish director Isabel Coixet, Learning to drive, a standard movie about simple connections. Patricia Clarkson is a literary editor whose husband left her, and Ben Kingsley a Sikh driving instructor in Queens, NY. With a surprising and funny tantric sex scene at the end of Act 2, and music score by George Harrison's son, Dhani.

I often think that Schoonmaker doesn't get enough credit for her work for Scorsese. Here there's no bravado, just clear and thoroughly enjoyable editing. [*Female Director*].

🍿

David Ehrlich X 2:

🍿 Talking about great editing, I saw David Ehrlich’s annual Video Countdown The 25 Best Films of 2023, again♻️. It was brilliantly edited by him. So far I've seen 13 14 of these 25 films, and plan to see most of the others (especially 'The boy and the Heron', which he rated as 'The best movie of the year').

🍿 From his list: La Chimera, my second by Alice Rohrwacher, and one of many starring her sister Alba Rohrwacher. A slow, interesting mood piece about some rustic Etruscan grave robbers in the 1980's. I couldn't get into it initially, until I realize that it was an Italian Magical Realism dream. Divination gets into the picture, and treasure hunting, and nostalgia for the past and for the dead. I didn't expect it to end like the Dutch 'Spoorloos', not even metaphorically, and maybe it didn't. [*Female Director*].

🍿

First time watching: While waiting for his 'Megalopolis', the chronicles of Coppola's wife from The Philippines, Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse. Documenting a self-indulgent genius, megalomaniac visionary, stubborn Macho Man, building an insane universe out of dreams. [*Female Director*].

🍿

3 by Slovenian Špela Čadež:

🍿 Boles is a dreamlike stop-motion tale about a young author with a writer's block. It is based on 'Her Lover', a sad short story by Maxim Gorky. It's depressingly Russian, and stylistically brilliant.

🍿 Steakhouse (2021), an uncomfortable and original masterpiece. Like Studio Ghibli FoodPorn, but where the sizzle signifies fear. An impatient husband prepares a steak for his wife's birthday - WOW!

🍿 In Nighthawk (2016) a drunken badger steals a cop car and goes on high-speed joy-ride that starts blurry and end up completely abstract. [*Female Director*].

🍿

All 3 of Ellie Wen's shorts:

🍿In the intimate little documentary Single Mother Only Daughter, a young woman calls her mother in Hong Kong, after she had nearly died in a car accident. It hits much too close to home for me - 10/10.

🍿 Share (2018) is about a very young 'influencer' who struggles with coming out to his family. Not too original.

🍿 The missfits are an all female high school robotics team from San Francisco. A PBS documentary. [*Female Director*].

🍿

"This country is not built for another civil war. It's going to be the first time in history that you'll see fat refugees..."

I always loved Colin Quinn. His 2019 stand-up Colin Quinn: Red state, blue state is one of funniest political shit since George Carlin died. Sharp observations, relentless pessimism, cynical solutions. 10/10!

🍿

2 From British director Adam Butcher:

🍿 Internet Story (2010) is a clever horror mystery, an early entry in the 'Screenlife' genre, where everything is revealed via computer and phone screens (Like 'Searching' and 'Missing', Etc.). It's a treasure hunt of old internet lore, which may or maybe not be true. Art imitates Life. 8/10.

🍿 The prevailing wind (2016), an ominous tale about a woman who's searching for her missing sister on some mysterious wind-swept moors, while a deadly chemical spill threaten their lives. Atmospheric, but a bit thin.

🍿

I'm going to continue watching even more short films (Found via this massive Letterbox list):

🍿 "Those who eat their fill, speak to the hungry Of wonderful times to come."

Dinner for Few (2015) is a harrowing Greek metaphor about the "Elite", 6 fat cats, actually fat pigs, who get to feast on all the food, while the cats milling between their feet gets only crumbs. 'Orwell's Animal Farm' on bad acid! The cycle never ends. 9/10. (Full Movie Above).

🍿 I am so proud of my 94 year old mother! I introduced her to James Joyce, and she is going right now through his 'Dubliners' collection, trying to figure it out. I haven't read it for many years, but I might pick it up again. Meanwhile, it seems that many of the Dubliners stories had been filmed [John Huston's 'The dead' was magnificent], so I started with James Joyce's the Sisters (2017), a faithful, somber and literary adaptation. This was Joyce's first published story.

🍿 Hunger, a bizarre Canadian animation short, that was the very first computer animated film nominated for an Oscar (in 1974). A guy can't stop stuffing his face.

🍿 Buster Keaton’s 2-reeler One week, his first independent production (1920). Newly-wed Keaton builds a modernist kit house. It includes a risqué scene where his half-naked lovely wife takes a bath and drops her soap. Before getting out and retrieving it, she breaks the 4th wall, motions to the photographer, whose hand appears and covers the lens. Astounding! 8/10.

🍿 My second by Norwegian André Øvredal (after ‘Troll Hunter’ which I couldn’t finish), The tunnel (2016) is a terrifying science-fiction short. A family returning from a day at the beach and getting stuck in a massive traffic line. Must be seen to be felt. 8/10.

🍿 Widdershins (2018) a weird Scottish steampunk animation about an orderly gentlemen who falls for a free-spirited sky-biker. Blade Runners via Wes Anderson.

🍿 Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers, a wordless comic musical about 6 percussionists who break into a Swedish apartment when the occupants leave, and who play rhythmic melodies using everyday objects they find there. Re-Watch from 2001. ♻️

🍿 The giving tree (1973), an animated version of the classic story, narrated by Shel Silverstein himself. Still not clear if it's about selfless love, or an abusive relationship.

🍿 Pitalev (2018), a fat teenager works at an Israeli 'Shipudiya' (fast food grill stall), and tries to score a date.

🍿 Papers, Please, an interesting Russian story about a border patrol officer sitting in a small booth, and having to decide on the fate of the people in front of him; Should they be allowed to enter this fictional country of Arstotzka, or denied? Apparently, it is based on a famous computer game!

🍿 Chuck Jones’s Duck Amuck (1953) was voted as the second ‘greatest cartoon of all time’ (after ‘What’s Opera, Doc’, also by Jones). It contains some serious 4th wall breaking.

🍿 Rhapsody in blue, the 3rd movement from 'Fastasia 2000'. 1930 New York City animated in the style of Al Hirschfeld.

🍿 More, Disney's Once Upon a Studio (2023), a 9-min. commemorative compilation for the company’s 100 year anniversary.

🍿 Also, Ghibli Studio's short Zen, Grogu and Dust Bunnies, a meditative crossover clip about Baby Yoda and the dust bunnies.

🍿 See Saw - A guy wakes up to discover that his personal information had been leaked all over the internet.

🍿 First watch: Adult Swim’s 2014 parody Too many cooks. Makes me regret that I’ve never watched sit-com television - Not!… 8/10.

🍿 Your mother and I (2016), based on a story by Dave Eggers. Another off-tone father-teenage daughter relationship, where the father talks and talks, mostly spinning bullshit stories about the mother which apparently is not there any more. 2/10. [*Female Director*].

🍿

(My complete movie list is here).

[spewagepipe]

Dev Pipeline: Determined, née Drama-Not-Fortune [Pt. 2]

I spent a fair amount of time searching for a game that answered my question, but I came up empty handed. The OSR was rife with games that would talk about immersive, realistic strategy in one paragraph, and then be explaining hit points and attack rolls in the next. I couldn't find a single rulebook – not even Matthew Finch's own Swords & Wizardry – that described general procedures for conducting a scene like the trap-finding one from the Quick Primer. This was all seemingly handed down from person to person like a kind of oral tradition. Rules supporting this sort of play appeared to be simultaneously very popular, and yet nonexistent.

At a loss, I started to establish my own list of the dynamic and aesthetic goals for a hypothetical OSR game.

First, the critical benefit of the OSR approach is that the players are empowered to creatively engineer novel solutions to the problems they face. The system would need to be able to extrapolate the consequences of any proposed action, no matter how outlandish, or else it would just become the equivalent of a text adventure or CYOA book.

Guideline number one: no pre-codified actions.

Keeping the players focused on the diegesis means keeping them focused on strictly diegetic mechanics. They should be thinking about the situation, not the contents of their character sheet or other abstract generalizations. There can be no "hit points", "armour class", or "dexterity score" that would have them distracted from, and glossing over, the important diegetic details.

Guideline number two: no stats.

At the same time, it needed to remain a game of pure player skill – and this part would be tricky. One of the most common ways that RPGs decide whether or not some player's crazy scheme will work is just by rolling dice, but in that case, random chance, and not the quality of the scheme itself, is what is being tested.

Guideline number three: no dice.

But now the real challenge: the typical alternative to dice is to have the Game Master simply decide, but that wasn't going to be adequate for my purposes. Countless OSR and FKR games ultimately advocate for what I call Captain May I? gameplay – but for that to happen in this game would completely undermine the "skill-testing" premise. A player's idea must succeed or fail on its objective merit, not because one GM or another merely thinks that it has merit at the moment it is suggested.

Guideline number four: no GM fiat.

With my set of design goals in place, I set about creating a testable prototype. I also gave the project a codename: Drama-Not-Fortune, from the old RPG design jargon where "drama" mechanics are ones that decide how story progresses by having participants discuss it, whereas "fortune" mechanics are ones that decide what happens next by rolling dice (or using other randomizers).

Click here for Part 3

[dimalink]

Carnivores – walking around warm tropical green forest with a dinosaurs

While, I was sitting at the village house.  It is cold, now. It is true cold. And at winter it will be even more cold. But it is, already, cold. In a forest. I played in Carnivores. It is a game about dinosaur hunting. In ancient tropical forest. It is all about science there. It is ancient made by scientists island. And it is different dinosaurs. And, you can hunt them. And, even, better – to use a gun with tranquilize. To not to destroy dinosaurs. For this you will get more scores. And game catch me because it is unusual. Of course, it is action, but it is not as dynamical as Quake.

Here you need to watch dinosaurs. To move slow, and to run at some places. It has its own way of control. More for simulation. Then for action. A and Z - it is to go. Mouse is for rotating a direction. And shift for run. Push shift - you run. Push again - just walk. It is like a simulation of not evil hunter. You collect some data for scientists, saying short. So, this way I describe all this for myself. Game was made a lot of time ago.  Also, there are two video modes. Usual graphics and 3dfx graphics. In a folder with a game, it was a separate launching exe file.

So, I get warming. And, while, it is cold, so, I play this warm game. And, I use weapons with tranquilizer.

So, what the way to play it – I do not understand. And, in theory, you can complete this game. You are sending at the ground. At the island. It is big open landscape. And you are walking. You have only five patrons. And you need to shoot very carefully. And, as I understand, you need to shoot and send to sleep dinosaurs for some time, for all patrons you have. So, maybe, level will be completed.

It is such interesting videogame. But, I play – for my own interest. I walk here and there. I walk around green grass. Through trees, I go up to the hills. A little I go in a water. It is such a game travel. And shoot a little. Action, dynamic, I can say.

So, I can recommend this game for free time. To watch a green views, in age of three dimension acceleration. And a little to shoot at dinosaurs.

Dima Link is making retro videogames, apps, a little of music, write stories, and some retro more.

WEBSITE: http://www.dimalink.tv-games.ru/home_eng.html ITCHIO: https://dimalink.itch.io/ GAMEJOLT: https://gamejolt.com/@DimaLink/games

BLOGGER: https://dimalinkeng.blogspot.com/ DISCORD: https://discord.com/invite/F24Kw7TaH4 TUMBLR: https://dimalink.tumblr.com/

[catastrophic-crisis]

SHE KNIGHT ON MY BEWITCHED CUZ THAT DRAGON IS A LIL BITCH (dragon not depicted above)

We've defeated Knight Bewitched, and lesbianism has won! (For now. The forces of evil may arise again. Perhaps they, too, will embrace lesbianism.)

We've talked about A LOT of games that have released or are about to be released very soon. Why not start a new adventure today from this large and diverse selection?

(The Plucky Squire just released today! A storybook hero leaps off the page with his friends, action-adventuring between the worlds of 2D and 3D from a team co-founded by James Turner, an artist whose work you might have seen in the Pokemon franchise.)

(UFO 50 is a passion project years in the making releasing tomorrow, offering up a diverse library of games from a fictional 1980s video game company, ranging from co-op titles to JRPGs to golf, some of them quite large.)

(Witching Stone is a chain-casting roguelike with a nostalgic looking cast of gals that released yesterday. It has a 15% launch discount.)

(Lorn's Lure, an atmospheric first person platformer inspired by titles like Blame! where you can climb any surface with your pickaxe, is releasing this Friday.)

(I Am Your Beast, a speed-running revenge thriller FPS from Strange Scaffold, has you "Hunt the military-industrial complex" in this release from last week. It has a 10% launch discount until Tuesday next week.)

(Judero is a hand animated stop-motion action-adventure based on the folklore of Scotland and scored with a British folk soundtrack. It released yesterday, and has a 10% launch discount.)

(Starstruck: Hands of Time is more than just a Guitar Hero controller compatible, story-rich rhythm game. Wreck the diorama-style town as a time-traveling giant hand; this game has the air of a creative little title that would have released a few console generations ago. 10% launch discount, it released yesterday.)

(Hollowbody is a tech-noir survival horror title reminiscent of PS2 horror games with its artstyle and dynamic fixed camera angles (and optional tank controls). It has a 10% launch discount, and released last Thursday.)

(The Marvel VS Capcom collection just released. Go get beat by the Wazzler.)

The game of the day is The Last Humble Bee, a survivors-like with a dodge-rolling pixelated cartoon bumble bee that descends into hell to save the bees!)

[miloscat]

[Review] Rez Infinite (PS4)

Style over substance.

Next on my rail-shooters list is this remaster of Sega's 2001 Dreamcast/PS2 cult classic. The updated rerelease brings the game into HD but also adds VR support (not applicable to me) and a substantial new level.

Part of the original development team on Rez had previously created Panzer Dragoon, and there's a similar lock-on mechanic in play here (the shifting camera angle is also familiar). Rez is stripped-back for a shooter though; the lock-on is your only input aside from a limited smart bomb, the health system is simple... you can't even move! It's more about the sensory experience than deep gameplay.

Everything about Rez's story and setting is abstract. Supposedly you're in cyberspace infiltrating an advanced AI or something, but it's not really important. The point is flying through a dazzling dreamscape surrounded by glowing, low-poly wireframes while trance music plays. It's like an interactive planetarium show. Part of the pitch is that your actions affect the audiovisual experience; for example, blowing up an enemy results in a beat that contributes to the soundscape. I found this didn't really work for me in creating a pleasing, cohesive aesthetic, though.

Worse, the game can become so visually busy that it affects the gameplay experience: I would sometimes be caught off guard by an attack that was lost in the noise. The health system corresponds to the "evolution" of your character from a sphere to a humanoid wireframe to a shiny person, but it's slow to build up between forms and one hit instantly reverts you. There is a mode that eliminates game overs though, which is nice.

With only five levels, the game is over quickly, but it's meant to be replayed for better scores or just to re-experience the light show. The extras menu has a boss rush and a couple of bonus levels, but I couldn't get a good enough score in the first to unlock the second... bummer. However, a headline feature of this release is Area X, a new level of similar size to the others which adds movement mechanics and a new visual style reminiscent of Tetris Effect (the remaster devs' next game) with myriad dancing particles, and new music that ends up landing on a nice techno-pop track.

Area X is an odd inclusion, as its new look feels very next-gen and shows the age of the original included game, technologically speaking. Adding in freedom of movement too felt like it really opened things up, and I enjoyed this a lot. The new doesn't sit comfortably with the old, making the package feel disjointed; maybe they could have let Monstars and Resonair just make a whole new full-length game in this style? Why limit this to just one level? To bring it back to the series that spawned Rez, maybe an expanded Area X should have been the main point of this release and the remaster a bonus, the way Panzer Dragoon Orta had OG PD as an extra.

So much for what might have been. As for what we have, it's a decent update of a landmark experimental game for its time, toying with rhythm-action dynamics and a nice abstract cyberspace feel. Rez does feel dated to me though since we now have games like Thumper and Sayonara Wild Hearts, and the gameplay isn't as crunchy as my favourite rail shooters. The aim was to create a sense of synaesthesia but it didn't really get there for me. Supposedly Area X takes some inspiration from Rez's sequel/successor Child of Eden, so I'll play that next and see how they upped their game.

[arphemorve]

That’s certainly an opinion you have. There’s no reason to sell Balde, he’s young and even if he has had a poor start to the season, he’s still developing and is showing he has the makings of a future world class left-back. Besides, it’s not Barcelona’s fault that they sold Alba, Alba was the one who chose to leave. I’m sure that if Alba thought that Balde wasn’t ready to succeed him as Barcelona’s left-back, then he would of stuck around, but he didn’t, which means he must believe that Balde is more than capable. We can’t judge players too harshly on poor performances when we don’t understand why they might be underperforming, there’s probably a lot more pressure on Balde now that Alba is gone and we have no good alternative left-backs. Not to mention that the entire reason we got Cancelo is because Kounde wanted to stop playing out of position and actually play in his natural position as a centre-back. Like I said, we can’t judge players too harshly especially when Balde proved last season that he deserved to start over Alba. It’s like with Son Heung-min, last year he had the poorest season of his entire career and people kept saying that Tottenham should sell him, and look at him now, Tottenham’s top of the table and Son is the Premier League’s second highest goal-scorer after Haaland. Never judge a player too early, if we sell Balde now just for having a bad start to the season and then he goes onto become one of the best left-backs in the world, Barcelona would regret it. Also, Cancelo is only here on loan and there’s a huge question as to whether Barcelona would have the funds to make the move permanent, so it’d be an awful idea to sell Balde and replace him with someone who’s only here temporarily, because if Balde is gone and Cancelo goes back to Man City, who’ll play left-back, Marcos Alonso? I certainly hope not, if anyone is deserving of being sold, it’s Alonso.

HIII, YES YOU'RE RIGHT! Balde is still young, and he will definitely continue to develop. and yes, Alba is too old, that's why he chose to leave Barcelona and apart from that, Barcelona needs regeneration.

one of Balde's biggest strengths remains his speed. Xavi is aware of this, but maybe too aware of it. why do I say like that? because it looks like he doesn't pay enough attention to his shortcomings.

Balde was good last season, but this season is still in the beginning, and we still have a long way to go, and it's also my fault that I don't have to judge players so quickly, but throughout the game I saw that Balde still had many shortcomings.

and it's clear that Balde will be the future world class left—back, but for now I think that he still doesn't have the vision mision and he has more to learn it.

1. when balde is doing cross, he often forgets, which ends up the results in Balde stalling & by the time he does cross, space inside the box has been closed & everyone marked tightly. or sometimes the crossing ends up going towards the opponent.

I forget what match it was in, but what I remember was that Balde left his position and Gavi covered him.

2. and we need like a winger, so that balde can blend with it. such as alba and ferran. giving Balde most space to carry into but also putting him in better positions to more effectively cross into the box, and for this season I see Balde associating outside of laying off a pass and running in-behind, and made backpass.

3. I'm sorry for saying this, but when he is in front, he is often selfish in wanting to score goals even though there are many opportunities that can be given to his teammates.

this season a lot of Balde's best actions have been dribbles that don't lead to anything. he needs to become more dynamic, and improve his final pass.

and I think Balde should have competitors in his position, so he can develop. for now he hasn't. and you're right I shouldn't judge a player quickly, because we don't know what's going on with him. but girl, we can't wait too long, or football will leave Balde behind.

and yes, you're right bout kounde and cancelo, and i'm forgot that cancelo is only our loan player.

and yes you're right too about Son Heung-min, he is the top player and he is one of the best Asian players.

perhaps balde could learn more with cancelo, about dribbling crossing trivela final decision.

HAHAHAHA alonso 😭 I think he is good at crossing, but lacking in speed. they all have their own advantages and disadvantages. and I also think Xavi should have more variety in training, know the best placement for the players, and strengthen their physique so that players don't get injured easily.

THANK YOU MUCH ANON FOR CORRECTING MY OPINION AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR OPINION, I'm so sorry any wrong in my opinion and I'm happy to have friends to discuss this matters with. ❤️

[battyaboutbooksreviews]

🦇 Thieves' Gambit Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐💫

❝ "Knowledge is control." ❞

❓ #QOTD If you could have one wish, what would it be? ❓ 🦇 Ross Quest is a master thief at age 17, specializing in escape plans and keeping anyone outside of her family at arm's length. A plan to run away for a short break from her legendary family goes haywire when her mother gets caught, leaving Ross to gather an impossible sum to save her. Desperate, Ross enters the Thieves' Gambit; an international heist competition that promises the grand prize of win wish to the winner; a wish she could use to save her mom. With the stakes higher than they've ever been, can Ross bring herself to trust another thief, or will she con them all?

[ Read my review below or on Insta | Storygraph | Goodreads ]

💜 Thieves' Gambit is fun, action-packed, and thrilling; everything you would expect from a heist. Kayvion Lewis keeps readers on their toes with twists and changing alliances, ensuring the pacing never slows. The story is plotted out like a film, leaving very little space for filler scenes (great for the pacing, but unideal for development). Each character is well-written, interesting, and dynamic, their hidden agendas and backstories adding to the intrigue. Even with the stakes so high, the heists are engaging without seeming too childish. With every heist, Ross learns a little more about herself in the process (though her character development isn't quite as strong as it could have been). There's also a light romantic element, though it never overshadows Ross's motivations or development. The dialogue is full of quick wit, moving just as quickly as the plot. Lewis manages to balance the coming-of-age issues (namely, trust, friendship, and self-identification) typical of most YA novels without abandoning the action-packed plot.

🦇 Though the novel is categorized as YA, the prose feels a little too juvenile at times. It also lacks strong descriptions that could have grabbed readers and dragged them through the thrill of a heist. With so much going on at such an intense speed, it's difficult to linger on small details that would have amplified the intensity. Unfortunately, that also makes it difficult for readers to empathize with the intense emotions Ross experiences during the game. A little more focus on "show, don't tell" would have bumped this up to a five. In a way, the story felt like it was written from a script, focusing more on dialogue and action than on imagery or emotions.

🦇 I'm also a bit disappointed in the heists themselves; namely, Ross's final heist. As a huge fan of the heist genre, I've read and watched enough media to know you should have a plan A to Z (Hardison usually dies in plan M...if you know, you know). You should always assume the plan is going to fail (to quote Leonard Snart, "Make the plan, execute the plan, expect the plan to go off the rails, throw away the plan."). Ross and the other competitors always seemed shocked when a plan went haywire. Some of the plans were too simple, while the final plan felt too easy (this big bad organization has safeguards throughout the entire competition, but allowed a bunch of teenagers to derail them?). The excitement of a good heist is watching savvy characters get themselves out of a domino effect of messes, all while stealing their score without the mark or audience realizing it. Instead, the final act felt rushed to get us to the cliffhanger (likely to hook readers before Netflix's production is released).

🦇 Recommended to fans of Six of Crows, Little Thieves, or the Inheritance Games.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 💎 Ocean's Eleven / Leverage Vibes 💎 YA Mystery/Heist Thriller 💎 Betrayal 💎 Slow Burn Romance 💎 Soon-To-Be-Movie 💎 First of a Duology

🦇 Major thanks to the author @kayvionclewis and publisher @penguinteen for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.