#Meaning that I'm kinda taking on a LOT of the responsibilities that I listed

[spoofthespoofer]

Small vent. Nothing serious, don't worry about it. Just stressed.

Aghh, our school has a big event tomorrow evening that I'm organising with a small committee and I am SO NERVOUS about it that I feel sick

It's like a graduation for our year. Kinda. Idk it's complicated.

We have to sort our seating arrangements, displays, a PowerPoint, speeches, 3 singing acts , one ballet act, a tribute to our tutors, a timetable, student-voted awards, teacher-voted awards, music, decorations, a kahoot game, a 'memory slideshow', overall layout, setting up a stage, lights, speakers, microphones, etc-

And I am terrified that I'm forgetting something. This is so much pressure, oh my god 😭

I also learned that the rest of the committee is making fun of me behind my back. I'm not surprised. Realistically, I've come to expect it now, but it still kinda hurts. A little.

But yeah :) Small rant over

[im4rmy]

bf!jaemin x fem!reader (idol AU) II

IMAGINE: you call him crying after a tough shift.

tw: mention of death and grief⚠️

• you step out of the hospital with heavy steps, you can barely breathe while you reach your car parked not too far. you unlock it and sit inside at lightning speed, throwing your bag in the back without care.

• today was horrible, the worst day of your life, for real. and all you wanna do now is... crying your heart out. and so you do. you cling to the steering wheel and sob for like 10 minutes before you decide that you'll not be able to drive home in this state.

• you take your phone and scroll down your contact list and... you linger on a specific name. would it be weird to call him? you two are kinda official now... kinda. you slept together, you had tone of dates but you never even went to his house or viceversa.

• you know he would be perfect about it, of course he would. but still- he didn't see you barefaced, ever, and now you are still in your uniform, your tired face wet from your tears. fuck it, you desperately need to go away from this place.

• 📞"hello?" "h-hi... mhh am i b-bothering you? *sniff*" "not at all, i'm at the gym- is everything okay?"

• you try to answer but everything that comes out from your mouth is a pathetic sob.

• jaemin stills in front of the gym bench where jeno's already exercising, with a concerned expression and his phone pressed to his ear.

• 📞"are you crying?"

• you just sniff a few times in response, still unable to talk.

• 📞"what's wrong? are you okay?"

• he's now packing his things, ready to leave and getting his gym buddy's attention.

• 📞"i- just, i can't drive. would you- can you come pick me up?" "of course honey. where are you?" "i'm still at t-the hospital" "wait for me okay?" "mhmh"

• you hang up immediately and resume your crying session against the steering wheel.

• jeno looked at jaemin confused. "what's happening?" "i need to take home y/n from work" "why?" "i don't know, she's- not feeling well i guess. she was crying"

• "her job must be so hard, i could never" "i agree but- she doesn't look stressed or tired, never. i don't know if she just masks it very well... anyway, gotta go"

• when you spot the black and expensive car pulling up in front of the staff entrance of the hospital, you stand up from your seat on the concrete and wipe your cheeks for the hundredth time. you walk to the car door and go in trying to regain some composure.

• "hi" "hi"

• jaemin doesn't say or ask anything before starting to drive away. you try to speak a few times but you REALLY don't know what to say, plus you're sure you would end up crying.

• "are you hungry?" you just nod and jaemin mumbles a soft 'okay'

• you just focus on your breathing keeping your gaze out of the car window, until you notice where you are: a drive-through. jaemin stops his car next to the menu stand and looks at you.

• "what do you want?" you take a deep breath. "the burger menu, large. and a chocolate donut... please"

• jaemin lets out a little chuckle before pressing the mic button to order. then he wears a random black face mask found somewhere and drives till the payment spot.

• in ten minutes, you're parked in a super-market parking lot, deserted. it would've been creepy if you weren't with the sweetest man you ever met, biting on the biggest (and free!) burger you ever had in your life, watching variety show on his phone on youtube.

• giggles and big ass laughs escape both your mouths while you finish the cheapest meal you had with him, used to take you to fancy restaurant and hotels.

• but when the episode is over and your burger as well, you know it's time to give him an explanation, even if he wouldn't dare to ask why were you in such a state.

• "thank you... for coming, i mean. and for the food, of course" he just smiles looking at you sweetly "are you feeling any better?"

• you nod and sigh, facing in front of you. "today- um, a-a child... he came in almost two months ago" you feel tears approaching again, "he died today. we couldn't save him" you press your hands on your eyes and let out a sob.

• "oh y/n, i'm so sorry" you feel his warm arms around you in no time, letting yourself cry in his embrace while you grieve the loss of your patient.

• "he was eight and the sweetest human being on earth... why- how can something like this happen?" "i really don't know, i'm so sorry baby"

• he keeps on holding you untill you calm down, giving you some kisses here and there. "what can i do for you?"

• you sniff and think about it: you don't want him to leave. "can you stay with me?" "of course princess. what if we go at mine, i can prepare you a warm bath, you can wear my clothes and we can cuddle on my king-sized bed. what do you think?" "i love it"

• and that's how you understood that na jaemin was one to keep close. and you met his cats that night!

♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤

other jaemin's chapters:

bf!jaemin scenario

jaemin - when you first met

jaemin - your first time together

bf!jaemin scenario II ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ you're here!

OT7 chapters:

your contact names in each other's phone

his favourite part of your body

when he hurts you during sex by accident

⇘ nct dream idol AU index ⇙

·˚✎ ﹏im4rmy's masterlist

Taglist: @carelessshootanonymous

♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤♡♤

[starringthesturniolos]

bite me(part 6)-Matt Sturniolo

part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5, part 6

summary: matt hates your guts but all of that changes when he wakes up and finds out your his mate.

contains: vampire!matt x reader, highschool au! (18 years old), dark themes, death, smut (not in this part)

A/N- THIS CHAPTER IS KINDA SAD but y'all will be alright, trust. a lot of violence in this chapter so by all means if that is not your thing please don't read. I want everyone that reads this to ENJOY it. love yall, bye!

matts pov.

the drive back to my house was silent. even with my heightened sense of hearing, I could only hear the sound of our breathing and the quiet hum of my engine. two minutes ago, she had been crying and I saw into the darkness that was her life. key word, was. between the protection spell and me, no one is ever going to hurt her again. a dark thought pops into my head, and ,unlike any other time, I welcome it with open arms.

"do you want him dead?" I mutter, letting the thought free. I said It quietly, but it sounded like I might as well have screamed compared to the quiet of my car. it made my skin crawl and judging by the look on her face, it made her's crawl too. "what is that supposed to mean??" she whips her head to me with fear in her eyes. merciful. I added that to a list of chracteristics that y/n had that I subconsciously accumulated in my own head. even though he hurt her in the worst ways, she'd never want anyone to lay a finger on him.

"he's my dad, matt!" she panics taking my lack of response as a promise that I would go back to her house and finish him off. I put one arm up in defense. "I was just asking. you panic too much, someone should go check your blood pressure.Jesus." I scoff, playing it off as if I wouldn't have gotten rid of him the moment she told she wanted me too.

she slumped back in her seat, clearly relieved. its right then that I notice the dark circles under her eyes. she's tired, and humans need rest. "go to sleep, you look like shit." I quip. if she were in her right mind, she probably would have said something back. instead she brings her knees into her chest and puts her head on the window. her eyes close and in a few minutes her breathing and heart rate slow. she's asleep and my eyes stay on the rough, pot - hole infested road. all the way home, I dodge the holes so she sleeps fine.

unreasonable fear hits my chest at my own actions. when did you start to care so much? is the question I ask myself as I gently lift her sleeping form into my arms to bring her into the house.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

y/n is in the other room, and I wake up to my phone buzzing incessantly. I pick up my phone to see that nick is calling me. "he disappears off the face of the earth for two days and all of a sudden he wants to chit chat at the crack of dawn", I think to myself before smashing the accept call button in annoyance. "what?" my gruff voice answers in a more than grumpy tone.

"I need you to come to meet me, now! I'll send you my location. do not bring anyone with you, and do not to take your sweet ass time either matt." he says seriously. I can hear in his voice he is fighting to keep himself from sounding panicked. sensing the danger he's in, worry surges through me, and I can't help but wonder what he's gotten himself into. "don't worry nick, im coming." I say back just as seriously before hanging up the phone and rushing out the house.

I drive over as fast as I can to the unknown spot. it's just a clearing of trees and grass where two cars are parked side by side. ones nicks' and the other is someone's I don't recognize. I hop out of the car quick on high alert. nick where are you??

"you think you can just take my daughter and get away with it. I'm sorry son, but you're in for a real treat." says a terrifying voice that-unless god forbid I took another girl to my house tonight- could only be y/n's fathers’. I turn slowly to see him, a tall, burly man. he's holding nick close too him, a knife pressed lightly against the sensitive skin of his neck. regulary, I would look at this and shrug, vampires aren't supposed to be able to die. but nick's neck is bleeding from where the knife lightly grazes him. vampires can make other people bleed, but they themselves can't bleed, at least that's how it's supposed to be. even though the wound wasn't deep enough to be lethal, the wound itself was the problem to begin with. All thoughts aside, I lunge forward to grab nick away from the man but he dodges with unnatural speed. he smells human, but he's quick, too quick, which can only mean one thing.

y/n's dad is a fucking lunatic magic user, and, based on the position he's got me and nick in right now , he's a damn strong one too.

he throws nick to the side right then, and nick flops to the floor gasping for breath and clutching his bleeding throat. I freeze in fear for what's happened to nick. for what is going to happen to me. he waves the same knife he had pressed against nick at me in tauntingly cold, cut motions.

"matt, run" nick says weakly. my feet listen to nick's instructions, and I turn to bolt, only to find the powerful magic user right in front of me in an instant. before I can react, he plunges the knife into my stomach in three quick motions. unbearable pain laces through me and I feel something coming that I never thought I'd ever have to experience. that something is death.

"should of asked for a protection spell yourself." he lets out a cold, hard laugh as I drop to the floor slipping into an abyss of darkness.

@bbernard-03

@sturnthepot

@hoeformatt

@sturtriple16

@faygo-frog

@sturniol0s

@katie-tibo

@cindylcuwho

@I34n

@chrissv4amp

@sturnslimited 

[cripplecharacters]

Hello! I'm working on a story that is, fundamentally, a revenge story. A young woman loses her beloved older sister in a car accident, and becomes obsessed with hunting down everyone she perceives as responsible for or complicit in her sister's death.

This girl was also in the car when the accident happened, and while she survived, she did lose her leg (below the knee).

My question is, is it okay to have a disabled character seeking revenge for the event that disabled them if the disability isn't the driving force behind that revenge? My protagonist did lose her leg in that accident, but the thing she's bitter and vengeful about is the death of her sister, and she makes that very clear throughout the story. Is that enough to detach her from the trope of "character wants vengeance for becoming disabled," or is it still too close for comfort?

Also, I'm planning to make this girl fat; we need more badass fat characters in the world. Will that affect her experience with having a prosthetic? Especially considering it's a leg, so it'll be bearing her weight. Very few of the medical resources out there account for fat people, unfortunately.

Hey!

Standard disclaimer that we don't have amputee mods, please keep this in mind.

I think that this is a cool alternative to the usual "revenge for making someone disabled" plot line. Her being incredibly emotional because she lost a loved one is a natural reaction, and the desire for revenge is well, natural for the genre. It's just nice to see a disabled character being involved without disability being the main factor. In my view it's realistic too, I feel like most people would care about the death of a beloved sibling more than a new disability (not to imply that they wouldn't at all, of course). Disability is better than death, even if it makes life harder. I believe the concept for the story is fine.

For the second part of the ask, I 100% agree that we need more badass fat characters, especially women. These are some factors that could affect her as an amputee, and they are things that fat amputees deal with more often - but obviously no group is a monolith, so I doubt every single one will apply to her specifically. Skinny amputees can deal with these issues as well. Not an exhaustive list of course.

Prosthetic weight limit. These are different for different models, but they do exist. The most ranges I've seen go up to 136kg, so the process of getting one might be more costly and/or time-consuming if she's above it. The higher the weight the higher the risk of needing custom-made parts. That's expensive.

Actually being able to put it on. If she can't reach the end of her residual limb, she might either need another person's help or get an assistive device to help her both take care of the stump and put her prosthesis on.

Prosthetic fit. This one can already be difficult if the person is skinny, but it's a more time-consuming experience for people with more fat and skin on their residual limb. This is partially due to shrinkage and tissue remodeling, which is a progressive process, and more tissue means that there is more to remodel. She might have to go through a lot of refitting before landing on one that will be appropriate for the long-term. Keep in mind that basically everyone gains weight after becoming an amputee, so this is a process that can go on for a long time just for this reason, not even including the other reasons like the wear and tear.

Sockets. Like most things, they were designed with skinny people in mind, and it kinda shows. A socket gives stability through hugging firm tissue, so the more soft tissue is present in between them, the less stability and control it offers. Mobility aids can help with this - whether that'd be crutches, a rollator/walker, or a cane, depends on her personal preference and needs.

Fatigue levels. Using a prosthetic is really tiring already, but it gets more tiring if you are physically heavier, same for more pain due to the increase in pressure between the skin and the prosthetic. Again, a mobility aid can be helpful - she'd probably own a wheelchair, even if that's not the aid she'd use most often. She could opt to use a wheelchair at home to preserve energy, and walk outside with prosthetic and crutches.

As you can see, a lot of this has to do with increased costs, so you have to take in your character's financial situation in mind. And of course she's not gonna just put on a prosthetic the day after the accident. It's a process that takes a long time, physical therapy, and patience, even if she starts using a preparatory prosthetic early (before getting a permanent one) it still takes time to relearn how to first stand, then walk, then run... It's a process.

I hope this helps,

mod Sasza

[sehyunie23]

Pout - Chaewon

Y/n POV

"Damn, Chaewon is breathing quite heavily there," I said as I look from afar as Chaewon and the host of the show 'Fearless Kkura' Sakura filming along with the animals we don't see every day.

"I kinda feel like she is not breathing anymore," Noona said as I look at Chaewon who froze as the man who takes care of the reptiles put the snake on her arm.

I snickered at Noona just being the savage manager she is. Chaewon's manager has just nothing on her list to be scared of, but the girl she is managing has a lot on her list.

"Say, today's episode is about reptiles right?" I asked and Noona hummed in response.

"Yes, why? Want to get scales and poison?" Noona asked.

"Sheesh, calm your nerves down noona. I think I know why Chaewon is getting bratty these days," I said and noona just looked at me with a death glare.

"Shut up kid. See that snake? I think it needs a year's worth of food," I can feel the venom in noona's words as she gives me shivers.

"Damn, I'm sorry ok?" I just stopped as my thinking said that noona is not in a great mood today.

"Good to see that you know that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed kid," Noona said and crossed her arms.

I just chuckled and thanked my thoughts for preventing a disaster with Chaewon's manager.

"20 Minutes break everyone!" The producer of the show shouted granting a smile from the two members of Le Sserafim.

The two girls skips their way in my direction and Sakura went to her manager while Chaewon

"Y/nnie!"

Went to me, crushing me in her big hug.

"Chaechae, how is the filming so far?" I asked as I wrapped my arms around her small frame.

"It was scary! It was my first time seeing those types of animals," Chaewon said in a shaky voice.

"Don't worry Chae, at least you faced your fears right?" I said to brighten her mood.

"I mean yeah? I did face my fears," Chaewon muttered in realization.

"Well, you are already fearless. I mean you are already Fearless since you sang your debut song," I joked which made Chaewon punch my side softly.

"Aish, are you old? Stop making jokes like that ahjussi," Chaewon said and parted herself from me. I then see her smirking as I rolled my eyes.

"Shut it radish! Don't call me an-," I was about to answer Chaewon when my phone rang.

I excused myself and I accepted the call. The person who was calling me was Eunchae, Le Sserafim's youngest member.

°

--- call ---

"Oppa! Music Bank duties!"

"Is it time already?"

"Yup! Stop being lovey-dovey with Chaewon unnie! Look at me, a child who is working hard but being neglected by her manager. Huhuhu~,"

"Aigoo, look at you being overdramatic again,"

"Bleh~ you can't stop me. I can't stop me, can't stop me. Oh woah oh woah,"

"Singing to your sunbaenim's song, alrighty. Oh my, what did you eat!? You are energetic today,"

"For breakfast? Eggs and bacon! Also, it's tasty! The company canteen now knows how to season their food. Let's celebrate!"

"Yah! *Laugh* You are so savage. Ok, I will pick you up in a jiffy alright?"

"Ne oppa~ see you!"

--- call end ---

°

I put my phone in my pocket and suddenly, an arm wraps around me. Looking at the person, a radish girl buries her head into my arm.

"Sup Chae," I said and stroked her hair.

"Who called?" Chaewon asked.

"Our maknae calling me to fetch her and bring her to her job," I said and Chaewon looked at me with her fluffy cheeks.

"Oh right, Music Bank," Chaewon said as I nod.

"Yep, got that one right. Anyways, see you later love," I said and pecked Chaewon's lips.

"Are you going to the dorms later?" Chaewon asked me.

"Yep, I think I will also bring y'all dinner," I said and grabbed my coat.

"Ok then, bye Y/nnie~," Chaewon said and waved.

"Love you too cheese ball," I said and left the building to get back to my managerial duties.

________________

Y/n POV

The filming of Music Bank is now over and as always, Eunchae is looking cute as ever. As I am outside of Eunchae's room, a girl ran into me and greeted me.

"Hey hey hey," Bae from Nmixx greeted me.

"Would you look at that, it's the Bae Jinsol~," I said as Bae just giggled at me.

"How are you cousin?" I asked and Bae just shrugged.

"Nothing new, going in promotions," Bae answered.

"Love me like this huh?" I said.

"Yup! Say, you want to dance?" Bae suddenly said which made me flinch.

"Oh hell nah! The song of y'all is good, no question about that, but me? Dancing? No thank you," I said which made Bae giggle.

"Geez, no need to be aggressive Y/n-ah," Bae laughed at me as I scoff at the girl.

"Yeah laugh all you want, anyways, where are your members?" I asked and Bae just shrugged again.

"In our room," Bae said.

"And you're here because?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Because you said you are managing Eunchae and she is the host of this show. Figures that you are here so here we are!" Bae said to which I nodded.

"Well okay," I just answered.

"Now that's that, you want some tea?" Bae asked.

"Shoot. I want some topics," I said.

"Did you know that our Sullyoon has a crush on you?" Bae said which made me choke on my saliva.

"*cough* Yah! How is that a tea?" I asked.

"Dunno, just want to say that to you," Bae said which made me sigh.

"Yah, you know that I'm dating Chaewon right? Tell her that friends would be okay. I have the love of my life," I said to Bae.

"Gosh, you are such a wimp for love cousin, anyways message relayed! I will go now!" Bae said.

"Alright! Come here," I said and Bae and I hugged shortly.

"Good luck with your group okay?" I said.

"Yep! Bye Y/n-ah!" Bae said as she walks away.

I just looked at her and suddenly, the door to Eunchae's room unlocked and a potato girl pops her head out.

"Who you talking to oppa?" Eunchae asked.

"Bae," I answered and Eunchae nodded.

"Your cousin right?" Eunchae asked and again, I nodded.

"Yup! Are you finished changing?" My turn to ask her and she nodded.

"It's all in the bag oppa!" Eunchae said with her hyper energy.

"Then cool. What do you want for dinner?"

_________________

Y/n POV

Right now, the girls and I are huddled inside their dorm, around the variety of food that I bought them. The girls are casually munching while I'm looking at my laptop to arrange paperwork.

Just as I thought that the girls will mind their own business eating, a certain radish was looking at me while chewing kimchi inside her mouth.

Looking at my laptop, I felt a tap making me look at the one who grabbed my attention and suddenly, an egg roll is on par with my mouth.

"What is it, Chae?" I asked and Chaewon just moved the chopsticks in front of my face.

"Eat," Chaewon said.

I opened my mouth and let the savory taste of the egg cover my taste buds. I hummed and looked at Chaewon whose smile is getting bigger as seconds pass by.

"Is it delicious?" Chaewon asked as she begins to poke my inflated cheeks.

I nodded and Chaewon giggled and continued to eat with occasionally feeding me.

I just let her be as I know that Chaewon was just looking for me, one thing about Chaewon is, she is thoughtful of the people she loves.

Also, fighting Chaewon is a big no-no. She can be lovely and cute with her smile, but it's the opposite when she is angry.

The girls finished their food and now, they are just talking about random things, until Eunchae tells something for the group.

"Chaewon unnie," Eunchae called her unnie as Chaewon looked at the younger girl happily.

"Yes, Manchae? What is it?" Chaewon answered.

"Did you know that Sullyoon unnie has a crush on Y/n?" Eunchae said which made me widen my eyes at the cheeky maknae.

"Sullyoon? Where did you get that?" Chaewon asked.

"I heard Y/n oppa and Bae unnie talking," Eunchae grinned at me.

"Don't be nosy maknae," Chaewon said to Eunchae before looking at me.

"And you mister! Don't dare to love another girl besides me. Got it?" Chaewon said as I put my laptop aside and scooted closer to the girl.

"Got it, Chae got it," I giggled as Chaewon leans her head on my shoulder.

"So that's how Chaewon unnie gets jealous," Kazuha suddenly said

"You have only seen it once Zuha, wait for more," Kkura noona warned the younger girl which made me laugh.

"Are you all seriously going to talk about me? I'm here," Chaewon said.

"Nah~ we won't stop," Yunjin said in her mighty loud voice.

"Yah yah yah. I'm the leader and-,"

"You should listen to me blah blah," Kkura noona cuts Chaewon which made me giggle inside.

As I'm hugging Chaewon, I can feel her fists shaking up making me chuckle a little more.

"Don't be angry babe, I'm here," I whispered to Chaewon which seems to work as she begins to calm down.

I pecked Chaewon's fluffy cheeks as she snuggled at me.

"What do you think about Sullyoon then Y/n?" Yunjin asked.

"Sullyoon? Well, I think she's nice and friendly. That's about it," I said and Chaewon looked at me sternly this time.

"So is she cute?" Chaewon asked me.

"What?"

"Is. She. Cute?" Chaewon asked again.

"Yes?" I said nervously.

"Dumb ways to die~," Kkura noona sang as I glare at the older girl.

"So many dumb ways to die~," Yunjin followed while stifling her laugh.

I glared at them and then looked at my girlfriend who is already pouting at me.

"Hey hey, I was just telling about Sullyoon being cute alright? That doesn't mean that I like her the same way I love you," I said and Chaewon nodded and buried her head into my chest.

I caressed the back of Chaewon's head and the other girls in the room just silently laughed at me as I squinted my eyes at them.

"You will not leave me right?" Chaewon muttered in our hug.

"Of course baby. You are precious to me and you will be my forever," I said to Chaewon making the girl squeal.

The other girls begin to gawk at Chaewon and me, making my eyes roll at them but suddenly, Chaewon freed herself from my hug.

"I'm keeping this anger of mine but thanks to Y/n, I'm calm. Now let your leader-nim punish you all. Shall we start?" Chaewon sad and suddenly, the other members shuffled and left the room immediately.

I engulf Chaewon in a big hug again to restrain the angered radish girl, to calm her down, again.

But it seems like Chaewon has superhuman strength today as she pecked my lips and went to chase her members.

I just shook my head and stifled a laugh.

Sighing, I stand up and dusted my clothes and as soon as I opened the door, squealing and screaming greeted me as Chaewon hunts them like a prey.

Going to Chaewon, I dragged her to her room making the other Fimmies celebrate.

Making her seat on her bed, Chaewon pouted and again, her squishy cheeks is seen again.

Sitting beside her, Chaewon leaned her head to my shoulder, but I faced her and gives her kisses, making her giggle cutely.

"Calm down babe," I said and giggled and Chaewon just smiles widely and lay down on the softness of her bed.

I soon followed her actions and immediately, Chaewon latched at me making me hum as she snuggle.

Staying in our position, a few minutes later, a soft snore can be heard and I looked at my Chaewon knocked out in a wind. Giggling at Chaewon, I then caressed her cheeks and soon, following her to dreamland.

______________________________

[cinmngirlnfr]

Reese Wilkerson NSFW Alphabet

TW: Kind of explicit

Shout out to @agaypanic because I love her and I was very inspired by her. (If you want Reese Wilkerson's Content, she has a lot of it)

A = Aftercare

I feel like he is super clingy, Idk. He kinda gives little spoon vibes. I feel like the first few times he tried to seem super cool and unbothered, like "Yeah, we had sex, so what?" but then, when he gained confidence, he became the most touch-starved creature on earth.

B = Body Part

I mean, he is a teen after all, I don't think he has a specific part of your body that turns him off, But I think he always is going to be a boob guy (bc, everybody loves boobs). If you don't have boobs (For all the not Fem readers out there) Butt is definitely second on the list. But he will take anything, boobs, legs, butt, waist, shoulders, he loves it all.

His favorite part of his body would be his arms or torso, because of the muscles (he is such a babe). Bonus, I don't know if hair counts as a body part, but he definitely loves his hair.

C = Cum

Well, use protection kids. Reese is kinda dumb, but even he knows he has to use condoms... duh! But I think that when it comes to oral sex, or when he is 100% percent sure you are not ovulating (Or if you don't ovulate at all), he will be down for creampies... (lol, I don't really like the word creampie but is better than any other way to call it, I don't know, semen fest?)

D = Dirty Secret

I feel like if you guys have been dating for a while he will tell you everything, I don't think he would be very secretive about these things with a long-term partner. But if you guys are friends or just started dating, I think his fantasies would be a little secret he keeps to himself... Very dirty fantasies, in all kinds of positions, places, and embarrassing ways... Sometimes they are so kinky that he is like "Tf, I'm thinking about". I also think he watches a lot of porn (well, I don't think so, is kinda canon) So sometimes he will be watching it and thinking "Huh, that seems pretty doable".

E = Expirience

A part of me thinks he has a lot of experience, and the other thinks he is a total virgin. There is no middle ground. No, but let's be real, I feel like canon Reese probably had sex a few times, but not too much.

F = Favorite Position

Cowgirl, because is the best position to grab boobs or ass... also because he doesn't need to try really hard... I also feel like he would also like doggy style because every person looks hot in doggy style.

G = Goofy

I feel like at first he took it very seriously, but we know Reese, he is a silly goose, So I definitely think he would make a joke or two during sex, especially "Your mom" jokes. Example: "You sound just like your mom last night" and then you have four possible responses

"That is not funny Reese" and stop the sex.

"That is not funny Reese" and Keep going.

"Shut up Reese" laugh, and keep going.

Fully ignore it because you know him all too well.

H = Hair

He takes care of himself, so he shaves, maybe every three weeks? Yeah, I think that is how far he would go when it comes to pubic hair.

I = Intimacy

Depends on the context, for example, I think the first time was very romantic. When is makeup sex it really depends on how long you guys were mad at each other, if it's a couple hours or 1-3 days, it would also be romantic, and he would probably say stuff like "I love you" or "You are so beautiful" during it. If it's more than three days, it would be rough, and aggressive, and it would last a lot of rounds, because imagine a horny teenager being denied sex for that long, he goes feral. If it were just any normal day, it would be pretty standard, Good, but a little lazy, maybe one or two rounds, This is the type of context he would make some jokes. If it's jealousy sex... Yeah well, hope you don't really enjoy walking.

J = Jack Off

A lot of guys say that they don't really masturbate a lot when they get in a relationship, because there is no need to. But I feel like Reese would still do it a lot, because, let's be honest, he is a creepy, disgustingly hot, and horny mf.

K = Kink

Moans: He loves to hear you moan because it means you are enjoying it, and it makes Reese feel good about himself.

Hair Pulling: This goes more for oral sex, but he likes to pull your hair when you are giving him a blow job, or you pull his hair when he goes down on you.

Dom: I feel like he wouldn't be too weird about it, he won't ask you to call him Daddy or any of that crap. But he would definitely like to be more in control, especially if you are like smarter than him, because it would be like a "Who is the one who can't form thoughts now?" type of situation. I also feel it's because, he feels like he is the dumbest among his brothers and he is usually not the one people trust to make decisions or have control, so being in control in bed feels very good.

Overstimulation: I feel like this is more like an accidental kink, but it has to do with the last thing I wrote. He likes to fuck you until you don't even remember your name. Also, because is he hasn't finished yet, and you have, he is not going to stop until he finishes, and this goes both ways because if it is the other way around, he came and you didn't, he is not going to stop until you are satisfied.

L = Location

Anywhere possible, I don't really think there is much to explain. Wherever, Whenever, Whatever.

M = Motivation

Bro is horny as fuck. Do you really think you need to work to get him hard? Bro looks at you and gets hard, lol.

N = NO

Nothing violent, maybe a few spanks, the normal, but I don't think he would be into BDSM or anything like that. Why? well, Reese is very violent towards other people. Sex is intimate by definition, I feel like people, in general, get very vulnerable when they have sex. Intimacy would be a place where Reese would show his true self, and I don't think his true self would hurt a significant other. Plus, I think he would feel very guilty if he somehow hurt you in some way.

O = Oral

I think he prefers receiving it because you look very pretty from that angle. But he will never refuse to go down on you, and he is very good at it.

P = Pace

I already said it, depends on the situation. Generally, I think he would be fast with it, and when he tries to take his time, I feel like he is very impatient, so even when he tries to be slow and romantic, he would get desperate and just start fucking you fast and hard.

Q = Quickie

I can say from my own experience as an 18 y/o, the sex life of teenagers, it's mostly quickies. I guess maybe The Reese of the last season, would probably like more of a proper fuck. But when you are a teen, you take anything you can get. In the School's janitor's closet, yes. In the car, yes. In the mall bathroom, yes. In the back of the movie theater, yes.

R = Risk

I think he doesn't really care about doing it in a semi-public place. When he is feeling it, he is feeling it. Sometimes he will try to convince you to do it in an empty park, or he will probably choose unpopular movies in the cinema, so the place would be almost empty.

S = Stamina

He either falls asleep right after you two are finished, or he will go for hours and hours, till you practically beg him to have a little break. "At least let me get a glass of water, Reese!" "Just one more round, baby, please".

T = Toys.

I don't think he owns any toys, it would almost be like competition to him, a piece of plastic pleasing you instead of him? No uh.

U = Unfair

He likes to tease you, but again, he is very impatient himself, so I don't think the teasing stage would last too long.

V = Volume

Tries to be quiet when there are people in the house, but when there is no one around, it's fair game, he won't hold himself. I think he moans a little but mostly groans or breathes very loudly.

W = Wild Card

He likes it when you grab his butt, he will never admit it though.

X = X-ray

About 6.4 inches = 16.5 cm. Is enough, is fair, it does the job, and it doesn't destroy you.

Y = Yearning

If you have seen the TV show, you know how much sex drive Hal has. Those genes + teenage hormones = You are lucky you can stand on your two feet.

Z = Zzz...

Bro sleeps like a baby after it, but he won't fall asleep unless you are by his side.

[arkham-guard-dp-au]

... Casually throws more fuel to the fire

Residents of Arkham learn about Danny and his "death day" in one way or another. (Coincidentally, it aligns with the same day 2nd Robin died cause of Joker here)

What caused an uproar was when Danny slipped about how during his "death day", he's in quite a bit (read: a lot) of pain and he thinks it might be because of having no grave. Which- oh boy... BATMAN DIDN'T GIVE YOU A GRAVE!?

"Wait wait- what do you mean you don't have a grave!?"

"... I mean... Kinda hard to have a proper funeral of sorts when there wasn't a body left to have one and all. Plus, why would Batman give me one, anyways?"

Everyone's looking at Joker and later Batman. They're both in hot shit. Mainly Joker atm since Batman ain't in Arkham for them to target- at least not until they do a massive breakout just to solely torment him later on.

Like you said, it's mostly general concensus at this point that Death Day is painful. Physically and/or mentally, the amount depends on how much angst the author wants to give.

That being said, you'd think that would mean Danny would take that day off. But we all know he is also the kind of self-sacrificing idiot that would so cover a co-worker's shift that day after being litterly begged too, thanks to understaffing. That or he just forgot but I'm pretty sure it would be hard to forget after the first few times and Jazz would probably call him like before, during, and after his death day because it is just traumatic all around for Danny.

Furthermore, he probably doesn't want to call and talk to Sam or Tucker about it because it makes them feel guilty and he doesn't want to bug them well they are off doing collage things or whatever. Even if his friends are 100% willing to be there for him.

As for the whole inmates knowing about it. Idk if Danny just let it slip or something, perhaps made a joke thinking that no one would believe it anyways. Completely forgetting this is Gotham and weirder things had happened. Though now there is a debate between the inmates on whether Danny was resuscitated, brought back through superhero shenanigans, or is just a zombie or something.

One particularly brave and/or foolish inmate just straight up asks Fenton if he eats brains. He gets a confused no in response, so most tend to cross zombie off the list after that.

[the-milk-monarch]

Hello! I just want ya to know that u are my favorite writer for tdi in all honesty. I love how thought out your work is and how detailed it is. I saw that you wrote for Cody If so, could you possibly write a thing about how they would act if the reader was Chris’s favorite intern, and would sneak free gifts to help them in challenges (not that big just little small things) like a sweater for when they are somewhere cold, or a cookie if chefs cooking was bad. Could they also be confident and funny? (Strong reader supremacy).

I know you have a lot on your plate, it’s ok to deny or take as long as you need. Feel free to use this idea for other charecters :)

I love this gif

☣ Aw that's so sweet to hear, tysm!! I never thought anyone would enjoy my writing so much so that's really lovely to hear 🫶 I try my best to write well thought out stuff bc I honestly enjoy thinking about it lol

[𝙲𝙷𝚁𝙸𝚂'𝚂 𝙵𝙰𝚅𝙾𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙴 𝙸𝙽𝚃𝙴𝚁𝙽 𝚂/𝙾]

Summary: Reader gives Cody their jacket at Yukon + general headcanons. ☢︎ | Total Drama | ~1k words | gender-neutral reader ♡ | Cody ⚠ | haven't rewatched the episode so I'm only writing the episode as I remembered it with the help of the wiki lol

[𝙲𝚘𝚍𝚢]

⚠︎ | setting: Total Drama: World Tour

Cody really likes being around you.

You emit energy that just gives him that daily boost.

Whether it's your confidence and lightheartedness or a good joke, he usually has a smile while hanging around you.

He also likes to join in on playing the comedian with you if he feels creative, so you're a fun duo!

He's curious why Chris likes you so much.

I mean, he can see why, you're like, the best person ever to be around, (in his opinion) but still.

And you're kind enough to share anything extra with him!

You got him by a surprise when it first happened, as at the time you were friendly, but only briefly spoke to each other.

Next on the trip list was "Yukon". You knew it was gonna be cold. But being the TV host's favorite intern wasn't that bad, you knew you were probably gonna get decent clothing. As you expected, the temperature was freezing. But of course, Chris couldn't be cold, so he got himself a cozy and stylish jacket. You and Chef also got the blessing of getting something warm to wear, unlike the rest of the campers. You felt some hope after Chris announced that he ordered the jackets for the others, but it quickly washed away when you heard his response to Heather that "they should arrive in six to eight weeks". You sighed, but ultimately you were helpless to do anything. You took a liking to Cody, he was fun to be around and you thought his "tough man" was both entertaining and kinda sweet. I mean, at least he tried, right? You started talking in the short moments when you both had a break and a chance to interact with someone in between the challenges. You never went out of your way to help anyone as it was technically cheating, but you felt like you had to do something when you saw Cody freezing after he fell into the cold water and Sierra had to rescue him. You saw her throw him on the land from the floating ice block, thinking he's somewhat safe now, until you heard the abrupt sound of him hitting the nearby mountains which made you cringe from the secondhand pain. Once the camera focused on the other contestants trying to make it through the challenge, you sneakily approached Cody, who was visibly shaking while laying on his back and processing what just happened. "Oof- Dude, you alright?" You hovered above him with a concerned look on your face. "Y-Y/N?" He managed to stutter out while the cold tried to shut up him up. You offered him a hand so he could get up, to which he accepted with a shaking grip. Without a word, you gave him the only thing you had on you, your jacket. "T-That's for me?" He asked, a bit in disbelief for your kind act. "Of course, I can't let you freeze to death." You quickly explained with a smile on your face. "But what about you?" He questioned once more, seeing as you had nothing else to put on. "Hey, I haven't fallen into the freezing water, did I?" You pointed out, although you appreciated him worrying about you as well. "R-Right." He flashed a shaky smile and extended his hand as you passed him the clothing item. "T-Thank you." He tried to keep his teeth from grinding, which stopped as soon as he put it on. The cold was still biting your ass, but at least you felt good knowing he wasn't about to die anymore. Cody started to feel a bit awkward seeing you start to shake, though. "Hey- now that you're the one being cold, I feel kinda selfish here." He admitted, halfly-joking. You took a second before responding. "Well- There's always an option with huddling for warmth" You responded, also halfly-serious. You didn't mind close contact and free warmth, so you hoped Cody wouldn't either. "Unless you got cold feet." You heard a slight chuckle come out of his lips after your words. "Okay. But only to break the ice." He put on a grin which showed his goofy tooth gap. He was pleasantly surprised with the amount of casualness from you, but also a bit lost on how to act, so he resorted to lightning up the mood as well. You reciprocated the giggle and stepped closer, feeling his body against yours. He hesitated a little, but finally embraced you into his arms. "Don't let Sierra see you though, you might make some enemies with her after that." He warned you only slightly serious about it.

Cody was far more casual and friendly with you after that one kind gesture.

And with time, he began to see you as legit one of the closest people he got to meet on the show.

But the thing that made him enamored in you was when you got to his heart through his stomach.

You knew that the teams had to endure Chef's horrible cooking each time they lost, and you were glad when you didn't have to worry about the food being a probable cause of your death when Chris gave you your share of the meals. So, naturally you also wanted to grant that opportunity to your close acquaintance as well. Per usual, you approached Cody after you had a moment to yourself. "Hey Codemeister, what's up?" He turned his head towards you as he heard the familiar tone of your voice. "Y/N, hey!" His face lighted up and he straightened his back to properly look at you while sitting on the crappy, wooden seat, "Had your dinner already?" You asked casually, sitting next to him. "If that's what you call it- yeah." He cringed at the economy class food. "Why?" "Well, I just had this cookie that i conveniently kept for you, so..." You slightly teased as your hand slowly got the packaged, delicious goods out of your pocket. "What, dude, no way!" He gasped slightly as he saw the cookie in it's glory. "It's mine?" "Yeah." You nodded with a smile, already happy about his excited reaction. "You're amazing!" He attacked you with a hug without thinking twice. You felt Sierra staring daggers at you.

[clownrecess]

Hi! My son (9) uses an AAC device at school to help him communicate and for teachers to communicate with him. Do you have any advice for parents?

I'm sorry if this isnt very organized, I'll just be listing off and talking about what I wish my parents and adults around me did when I first started using AAC.

I also apologize for the kinda sorta late response. I haven't been doing too well lately, and I also wanted to make sure I said everything in this post how I wanted to say it. Those two things combined slowed down the process a bit.

1. AAC is not a language. However, it functions a lot differently than the oral version of the language that is being used at times, and I feel like thats important to recognize. AAC grammar doesn't need to align with "typical" oral grammar or speech patterns. As long as (most) others can understand what's being communicated by the AAC user, trying to get them to add in words like "The" really isn't necessary. Of course if they want to develop more proper grammar and more language that is super cool. But a lot (of course not all!!) of AAC users I've spoken to, including myself, find it really frustrating when people try to slow down and make it harder for us to communicate by adding in extra words. If its understandable, and the user doesn't want to, it isn't necessary (I also do want to add that I personally do use proper grammar most of the time, but a good portion of the time I don't.).

2. "Encourging the user to use their device" does *not* mean ignoring them when they don't, and/or telling them to "use their words". All communication is good communication. Pointing is good. Body language is good. Drawing pictures is good. Etc. Encouraging use of an AAC device in a good way means making sure it is always available, making sure the user knows it is an option, that the user knows how to use it, and that you respect the device *FULLY*.

3. Oral speech should not be the goal unless the AAC user wants it. All communication is equally good, and favoring oral speech is ableism. If the AAC user WANTS to use oral speech, then that is super cool and then there can be a goal of developing and/or improving their oral speech. If they haven't made it clear that it's something that they personally want, don't try to force it.

4. Stickers!! This one is more silly than serious, and of course it's up to the user, but if they want to put stickers on their device, allow it. Its cute!

5. ACCESS TO VOCABULARY IS IMPORTANT. Limiting someones language to "Eat" "Drink" "Bathroom" "Mom" "Dad" "School" or similar is not okay. I've seen someone on YouTube who didn't even let their kid have a "no" button. I fully understand that not everyone is capable of using complex language, and for a lot of AAC users, only having simple words and an easier to navigate (by having less options) device is important. And that is PERFECTLY OKAY!! But what isn't okay, is assuming one is incapable of using more language than "eat" and "drink". If they can not communicate their wants and needs when they understand that, they need more buttons. If that means starting to SLOWLY add a little more, that's okay.

6. Be patient. AAC takes longer to use than oral speech does. Even if the time we are taking is frustrating, don't show that. And yes, this includes guessing out loud what we are going to say by trying to finish our sentence whilst we are still typing (unless the user has expressed this is okay with them.).

7. Make sure teachers and other people know not to take away their AAC device under any circumstances! Doing so is the equivalent to duct taping someones mouth shut or removing their vocal chords. It's scary.

That's all I could think of. If other AAC users (not parents of them, not friends, etc. ONLY AAC USERS) want to comment or reblog with more tips that would be greatly appreciated! <3

[jam-mystery]

Xezbet headcanons! (under the cut, because there's a lot)

I posted these on Discord before, now it's about time I post them here!

Either by pure chance, or by some idea of the astral plane, Xezbet is, in fact, a mirror image of a man with whom Xerbet himself denies similarities - Roman Stilnsky. The first has all the same as the second, but the opposite. For example, while people can molest Roman, Xezbet himself will molest anyone if he needs to and if he thinks that this will not have too severe consequences for that. He shares some space of the Astral Circle with Drugia Fleuretty, with whom he is not exactly at enmity, but also is not in too close a relationship.

Xezbet's trademark smirk will unsettle almost anyone with its constancy. Seriously, no one has ever seen the corners of his mouth even slightly lowered. Because of this, it becomes difficult to understand what is on his mind, because even he is angry or holds a grudge with a grin on his face. Xezbet is not at all afraid to express his displeasure and/or threaten. "I could pluck out your eyes right now, they don't work well or you can't see that my ID is correct."

One of the interesting things happens if, under the condition of a real absence from the list, Xezbet is asked why he is not there. "I'm not on the list because I was summoned to the earthly realm." And here I have two options:

- Yan Luo summons him there. I remember a post where the author described her as a neutral deity who comes to those whose time in this world has already passed. And that she sometimes takes Xezbet with her;

- The inhabitants of the first floor of the Astral Circle bear the names of demons, so Xezbet can probably be summoned like a demon. For what purposes I do not know yet, but the argument about the origin of the name seemed interesting to me.

Okay, now I talk big stuff. Thanks to some random inspirations from other media I kinda imagine Xezbet being capable of doing something like Weirdmaggedon due to his chaotic nature striving for fun...well, he could, if he wasn't... let's call it "lowered".

Yeah, Xezbet used to possess more power than right now, but due to, again, chaotic nature and quite the irresponsibility for his power usage, the Astral Circle residents had to drain his powers since he couldn't just get killed. The forehead scar is its aftermath. So he only has his soul absorption power AND the ability for taking the appearance of anyone he sees (although it's illusional, not actual change) and faking any voice he hears thanks to the fact he got at least one doppel soul. Yeah, Xezbet can steal powers from souls he gets, but it isn't all that easy. If it was, he'd have recovered already. So he's basically only able to easily take the souls of nearly/already deceased beings. But these do not really give him anything when it comes to gaining power. So the name origin comes out again. If he wants a more "living" soul, he'd want to make a deal for it. Sure, being called "the demon of lies" isn't very assuring, but I guess it can get Xezbet somewhere. Oh, and he'd need the blood for it too. Maybe, it's just a coincidence, but another response to being absent from the list includes something like: "...someone will pay with blood for this". That's why he has some on his clothing. He also isn't above killing someone just because he can, although it isn't a very common thing for him to do. Anyway, he doesn't really bother washing it off, so it has dried up.

As one of the "miscellaneous headcanons" I will mention the fact Xezbet can eat stuff other than souls. And he's quite a glutton - he wouldn't mind trying anything you offer. It's not like he can die from poisoning or something.

As for now, he's like one of those loser antagonists who try very hard, but they never succeed anyway. Kinda like Gargamel, who I like to reference. I mean, I kinda see Xezbet being interested and/or having some alchemy skills. It could give him at least a fraction of the lost powers. Although it's probably temporary and incomplete.

Me wondering who has read it all:

[justheretoposttrash]

day 4 of being incredibly normal about hawks and endeavor (but mostly talking about manga spoilers in general):

mha is a story incredibly interested in exploring generational support, generational abuse, and what people pass on to each other (alongside hand motifs and showing the childhoods of different characters). you pretty much can't get through any arc without running facefirst into a plethora of examples, but ofa and afo are fun (and perhaps appropriate) places to start!

horikoshi features doomed siblings almost as much as he features terrible fathers, and these two are no exceptions. alongside those versatile hand motifs, afo literally uses his hands to take from others, while anything he has to "give" goes to those younger than him, and it's pretty much always a direct vehicle for trauma. it works well that he's lived for such a long time, literally sustaining his own life thanks to hoarding more and more power and resources for himself, while also giving him that age hegemony over all other characters we meet. he thusly kinda becomes the mustache-twirly Evil Dad² in a metaphorical sense, ruining the futures of others as he attempts to write his own narrative exactly how he wants it (storytelling is also a big theme in mha, go figure. when i consider that one definition of trauma--as something that disrupts the narrative one has of themself--and how AFO hands out trauma also as a way of commanding power and controlling the narrative, it really all comes together).

Yoichi is, of course, opposite in so many ways, centered around giving instead of taking. the inception of ofa began as a (very, uh, heterosexual i'm sure) act of granting freedom and sacrifice.

the ofa wielders don't just give their powers to the stockpiling quirk; they also give their lives, through combat or through cutting their lifespans or both. opposite to afo's Big Mean Father² lifespan, the lifespans of the ofa wielders are very short. they sacrifice their own futures to make the futures of others brighter. and of course, through the act of passing on the quirk, ofa necessitates an act of giving from one user to the next. it's a hand-off of counsel, support, and duty that helps shape each receiver into the best kind of hero they can be. afo passes down trauma, and ofa passes down tools for one's betterment. pretty standard parallels to how a bad caretaker/good caretaker can, even through a single act, shape an entire existence younger than them. relatable! trauma nation rise up!! 💪💪💪

with these themes in mind, then, it's a no-brainer as to why mha features so many godawful fathers (also i'd bet a hundred bucks horikoshi has daddy issues. a thousand. a trillion, honestly. gimme money). though relationships that fall outside the clear-cut power-dynamic of a parent to their child still carry these themes well. peer-to-peer,

sibling-to-sibling, etc., the list of other examples goes on and on!

endeavor's character certainly straddles a lot of these ideas, perpetuating a lot of column A (bad) and a bit of column B (good). he receives trauma from his father in the form of spiraling thoughts about failure and mortality (and maybe those two things are totally equivalent, right?) ((they're not)). his response to that trauma then goes far in the other direction, an obsession with herodom and invulnerability (especially avoiding or punishing emotional vulnerability) that passes the trauma right down to his family. in all his desperation to avoid the tragedy of his father's death, he ends up causing the tragedy to repeat itself, this time with touya's (apparent) death. it's even a direct result of the quirk he gave to touya. every intangible and tangible thing touya inherited from his father would only go on to hurt him, and the worst thing that could possibly have happened does indeed happen. instead of coming to terms with the fact that he gave touya the wrong things---trauma and a fire to burn himself with---he gives more of the same to shoto. surely the same tragedy won't repeat a third time. surely what he passes down to his youngest will make him come out of everything gloriously successful and *alive* (and those two things are totally, definitely equivalent) ((and again, they're not)).

what blows my mind is just how close the todoroki family was to witnessing yet another repeat of the tragedy--that they might have watched endeavor die while failing to save someone, just as endeavor had watched his own father do the same---and that they nearly had to bury touya a second time.

similarly, when it comes to the past transferring to the future, childhoods are the foundations upon which peoples's futures are built. characters are not only shown in a state of emotional vulnerability when in Baby Form, but are also responding to and trying to find answers to each others's traumas and core drives.

in a sense, they don't just inherit their worldviews from the prior generations, but from themselves. when we see endeavor confront his younger self, he isn't only killing off who he used to be, but also all the conclusions he had drawn from his own childhood--a rejection of what his trauma response got wrong. most people have to learn to stop being cruel to their inner child, whereas his inner child is the cruelest voice within.

anyway, for all the Bad Shit endeavor has passed on to the next generation, the future and hope he provides for hawks is something else. despite all white-knuckled efforts, he doesn't end up saving his family, nor himself, and certainly not touya, but he saves hawks, and that one instance contributes to the entire idea of ofa and the question of what different people can give to each other.

as invested as hawks is in the future, he initially keeps himself pretty distant when it comes to those younger than him. there isn't much explicitly given as to why, but it's pretty natural to assume that he really doesn't have the tools to pass on anything healthy--not after what he's been given by others. the one good thing he knows how to give is the one good thing he's received, which is the act of saving itself. being a pro is the only language he has for the longest time, and once his back's to the wall and he has to give tokoyami whatever he can, we see how readily he assumes that what he has to offer just isn't good enough.

(not only did his parents pass trauma onto him, but in valuing or devaluing his wings and thereby making his worth always conditional, they also affected what he could then pass on to others ((or at least, how he conceived of what he could give)).)

in my view, hawks gives tokoyami flight and endeavor support, and from tokoyami he receives the idea that he's someone worth looking up to and fighting beside despite his shortcomings, while from endeavor he not only got saved as a child but also receives a proof-of-concept of the ability to radically change, to wind up in a morally/emotionally better place than where one started. (he not only contrasts himself against shoto for the kid's ability to forgive/work with his parents, but notably contrasts himself against endeavor due to the latter's willingness to engage with his past, which he views as a vulnerability but also as something admirable.)

given keigo's middling age in the main cast of characters and the interesting space he occupies, it's fitting that he would ultimately act as a sort of channel between the generations of heroes as of the finale, retaining some of the value from what came previously while also helping guide what comes in the future.

[princeloww]

Summertime Blues - Campbell Bain

This might be a bit of a major stretch, but I was listening to Eddie Cochran's Summertime Blues and it got me thinking about it and Campbell Bain.

It's kind of the first song we (well, I, anyway), associate with Campbell. He is singing it after Eddie's first show; the show that he listens to, and then decides he wants to be a DJ.

Summertime Blues itself seems to have a pretty clear story to it: the singer is a teenager who is forced to work over the summer. His parents insist that he needs to make money - but he doesn't want to. He is frustrated that his boss is constantly making him work late, meaning that he can't see his girlfriend. He attempts to lie to get out of work, but his parents catch him out and don't let him use their car.

He decides to take his struggles to a congressman, but this congressman quickly brushes him off because he is not old enough to vote (therefore, he doesn't really matter to the congressman).

The song ends with no real resolution, per se. There is no cure for the summertime blues - he simply has to work, has to make money, and can't mess around and go on dates like he wants to.

But --- maybe I'm just drowning in brainrot --- doesn't it kinda fit Campbell?

Campbell finds out that he is going to be discharged from St. Judes. He excitedly begins to list the things he wants to do - like losing his virginity, for example. Yet, his dad quickly shuts him down, telling him that he needs to finish school and think about getting a job.

He wants to mess around and go on dates and not really get too invested in the future or money or that kind of thing. He wants to live on impulse, doing what he thinks is fun and following his next fun dream (this time being a DJ -- we learn that he has a pattern of having different, ambitious dreams and fully devoting himself to them, before just sort of moving onto the next thing).

His dad wants him to, essentially, grow up. His dad wants him to knuckle down and learn his responsibilities and think about getting a good job and results. In the play, Campbell is compared to his much more successful siblings, who have jobs and are dedicated to them.

His dad won't let him take the car out, unless he goes to work.

And Campbell's response to this is to have a dramatic reaction and pretend that he's not well enough to leave the hospital, because he just doesn't want to. He wants to stay and do the station. He wants to follow his dreams and be happy - not have a job he doesn't like, and live only to make money.

Deciding to reach out to a politician over a not very urgent, domestic matter is a very Campbell thing to do. He (in the play), thinks he's funny, so he goes to the BBC and tells them he's the best comedian in Britian. He then probably refuses to leave, and the police are called. That whole part of the song - about bringing the matter to the United Nations - is just very Campbell.

And, still on that part - the politician dismisses him because he is too young. He does not take him seriously because he's too young to vote; he can't benefit the politician, so the politician doesn't care to help with his issue. Obviously there's nothing the politician could even do about it, but it's an interesting thing for the congressman to say.

Campbell's dad dismisses his desires because he sees them as "loony ideas". In the play, Campbell says he thought his dad would be proud of the radio show, but that he just thinks he's manic and being a loony. He dismisses his issues quickly, not seeing Campbell's opinions or ideas as overly important, because he's not "well". This part is admittedly a lot of a stretch, but I dunno, I think it's interesting.

Finally - Summertime Blues. Blues, in this context, means sadness. We don't really get to see the "depressive" side of Campbell, apart from for a few short moments when his dad is visiting (when he shuts down and stares into space a bit) - but he definitely has one. He has periods of what one might call "feeling blue", or "blues".

There is no cure for the Summertime Blues - the blues brought on by both his disorder and his dad not understanding it, and pushing him to go to school and "get well".

This is the song that Campbell hears and then decides he wants to be a DJ. He decides, after this first show, that he wants his own show. This song, out of them all, must've stuck with him even a little bit - as he's singing it before Eddie comes in, and also attempting to play it on his guitar.

I'm not saying this song was definitely an intentional choice for our first proper introduction to Campbell (outside of the part where its framed like he's a nurse, rather than a patient), but it certainly works as a meaningful one, and somehow tells us a lot about Campbell (if you're mental and stretch it to make sense, like I am / do).

Just fun to think about !!

[brucebocchi]

Ranking every new anime I watched in 2023, Pt. 4: #5-1

hey, i just started a ko-fi for my writing and possible other creative outlets. this post will also be available there, so please check it out and consider tipping/donating as i'm currently between jobs. the tumblr version of part 1 can be found here, part 2 here, and part 3 here.

The list is complete! This took a lot of work but I'm over the moon to get this out there. Please consider leaving a tip if you've enjoyed reading.

Here goes, my top five anime of 2023:

5. Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead

Zom 100’s debut hit like a freight train, especially coming from a brand new studio. It had everything: Visceral satire of Japanese work culture, incredible animation, vibrant colors in unexpected places, clever cinematography, wish fulfillment for everyone who’s ever wanted to Stone Cold their boss, and most importantly: Zombie titties.

The premise is magnetic: When your job makes you feel like a zombie, an actual zombie apocalypse means certain freedom from the grind. Akira Tendo realizes that he can finally use the vacation time he amassed while being exploited and overworked at a legally dodgy black company, so he writes a bucket list of everything he’s ever wanted to do, with all intention of checking off every single line item before succumbing to a zombie bite. He manages to rescue his hunky fuckboy bestie from college, and they embark on a road trip across Japan to finish out the list, along with a beautiful, risk-averse tsundere and a big-tiddy German weeb. 

It's a perfectly fine elevator pitch, and a welcome break from the guns-and-grit quagmire the zombie genre has been stuck in for the past two decades, but what makes any good zombie-flecked media resonate is the human element, which Zom 100 delivers expertly. You’re quickly given reason to care for all the characters, their motivations are clear and relatable, and you want to see them survive and live out their dreams. But more importantly, you just want to hang out with them through their hijinks. It even delves into more serious matters, like what we owe our parents as adults, the ways isolation and bitterness can drive people to act out in their worst moments, and even the factors that push abuse victims to stay with and even return to their abusers. 

Above all, though, it’s a powerful (if extreme) story of finding joy in the direst circumstances. Akira, Kencho, and Shizuka are all kindhearted, well-meaning people whose situations kept them from what they truly wanted to do with their lives, and there’s something kinda beautiful to be found in them finding a new opportunity during the possible end of the world (Beatrix is a sweetie too, but aside from the whole zombie thing, she’s already exactly where she wants to be). The final arc of the season, in particular, looks you dead in the eye and asks you: If you were suddenly faced with the ultimate freedom, would you use the opportunity to better yourself, improve the lives of others, or do whatever the fuck you want at everyone else’s expense? You may not like the answer at first if you’re honest with yourself, and that’s okay. The world isn’t over, and there’s still time for you to be your best self.

Zom 100, unfortunately, fell prey to a cruel irony in the form of production issues. Bug Films is a new studio made up of a former team from OLM that was responsible for similarly gorgeous projects such as Komi Can’t Communicate and Summer Time Rendering. They clearly saw so much of themselves in Akira's workplace exploitation that they had to swing for the fences here. The firm he works for is named “ZLM” in this adaptation, for fuck’s sake, and he fully destroys his zombie boss in the first episode. But new studio or old, the anime industry is a grind, and Bug had trouble keeping up; animation quality did take a bit of a dip after the stunning first episode, and episodes were frequently delayed as the summer broadcast season wore on and ended without the entire seasonal run making airwaves. Hell, it was impossible to watch the final three episodes until just a few days before I could write this sentence.

For what Bug were able to pull off, though, Zom 100 is outstanding. The paintball-colored blood splatters everywhere are an instantly-iconic look that strike the balance between horror and spectacle. Everything and everyone looks gorgeously faithful to Kotaro Takata’s art, and delivers an appropriately cinematic look that the manga always deserved. I almost don’t know what else to tell you but that this show is a fucking blast.

There’s also a zombie shark. What more could you want?

4. Oshi no Ko

I spent a good chunk of 2023 just assuming Oshi no Ko was going to be a layup for anime of the year. Shortly after moving on from Kaguya-sama, I rushed to binge Aka Akasaka's subsequent manga in time for the anime's feature-length debut. I was taken in by OnK's bonkers premise and sudden dark turn and quickly fell in love with the characters, and my anticipation only grew. I had high expectations for the screen adaptation, but nothing could have prepared me for just how lovingly it all came together. This is as close to a perfect adaptation as you can find, and the same can be said about both the preceding and following entries on this list.

Oshi no Ko is an audiovisual feast. Doga Kobo cleaned up Mengo Yokoyari’s character designs just a smidge, but put just the right flourishes on them to make every single cast member instantly iconic. One look at Kana Arima’s eyes will tell you everything you need to know about the level of care put into the visual design of this anime. The performances are on point as well; though many of the main cast members are relative newcomers to the world of seiyuu, you can tell they truly came to understand the characters before they even recorded one line. I’ve already gushed about Rie Takahashi in earlier entries, but her turn as Ai Hoshino is easily one of the best voice performances all year. Takahashi makes a meal out of every single second Ai spends on screen and gives you every reason to care about her as a character.

Showbiz manga in general is obviously missing an audio element, and when an adaptation can expand on that aspect well, it can help turn even middling source material into something transcendent (see also: Rock!, Bocchi the). Music is central to Oshi no Ko, and the OP/ED combination is already iconic; YOASOBI’s “Idol” has had the best worldwide chart performance of any Japanese song ever, and the prolonged intro to Queen Bee’s “Mephisto” became a meme in Japan in the same vein as JJBA’s iconic use of “Roundabout.” Rather than taking manga characters’ word for it that someone is a terrible actor, we actually get to cringe along to an amateur actor’s hammy emoting. We get to see and hear what turned a fictional idol group into a national phenomenon rather than just see cute girls posing on the page. All of this is to say that while Oshi no Ko is an excellent manga, it needed a screen adaptation, and especially one of this quality.

Oshi no Ko deserves every shred of its success. I've never seen an anime make a splash this enormous with just its debut episode, even if it’s kind of cheating to say so because the first episode is almost literally a movie, and if I were to give an award for the best single episode of anime this year, it would be that one, hands down. Adapting the entire first volume into a feature-length debut was the correct move (mostly because it’s a tonal rollercoaster, and the Big Event that defines the entire story wouldn’t have happened until the fourth episode otherwise), and the investment paid dividends. The hype naturally died down a bit as the season wore on and settled into a more consistent tone and rhythm, but it remains an essential anime to 2023.

You may have noticed that I have said very little of what this show is actually about, and that’s by design: If you still don’t know the plot of Oshi no Ko’s first episode by now, I refuse to tell you: you need to go in blind. All I will say is that it is an idol anime that glorifies nothing. If you've read this far and still trust what I have to say about anime, I beg you to just take my word for it. It's an incredibly rewarding experience.

3. Scott Pilgrim Takes Off

There's just something so wonderful about taking in an adaptation of a work you’re already familiar with and knowing, almost instantaneously, that every single person working on it genuinely loved the source material and relished the opportunity to bring it to life. Nearly every single member of the original cast is in the dub (including the ones who went on to be MCU mainstays), Edgar Wright is back on as executive producer, Anamanaguchi reprise their soundtracking duties from the video game, and even Bryan Lee O’Malley himself helped co-write everything.

That last detail is probably the most important thing about this entire production: It’s not exactly a secret that the original Scott Pilgrim comics are very imperfect portrayals of a very imperfect young man. I knew reading them at the time that the comic did not have a great grasp on relationships and the dynamics between men and women, and that was at a time in my life when I myself was pretty terrible with and to women. O'Malley has said that he would only revisit Scott Pilgrim if it was “the right thing” and that he was leery of a straight retelling of a work he has since outgrown.

So instead, we have the Rebuild of Scott Pilgrim, to put it simply. Takes Off is a completely new story that reexamines the Scott Pilgrim comics, movie, and even game without undermining what came before it. This series is not a repudiation of Scott Pilgrim (the character or the franchise)’s flaws, nor is it purely fanservice; it splits the difference perfectly. It’s both more mature and completely self-indulgent. This show so easily could’ve marched to the familiar discourse drumbeat of “Scott isn’t the hero here” or “he’s actually not a good dude,” but it instead focuses on what should always be the second half of that sentence: “But Ramona still sees something in him.”

Yes, Ramona Flowers is effectively the protagonist of a new work that doesn’t even have her name on it, and it tackles some surprisingly necessary questions: What was her responsibility in creating seven evil exes in the first place? What made them evil? Are they even that evil? This series opens up entire worlds of possibilities within the extended cast and gleefully dives into them. Though Takes Off may not flesh out every single character, it does take its time with several of the ones who really did need a little more meat on their narrative bones, and even gives some characters new roles just because it would be fun to see them in new situations.

I still cannot believe they got Science Saru to make this show. “They made a Scott Pilgrim anime” and “They brought back the movie cast” are already good enough fodder for that Vince McMahon meme, but “It’s produced by the motherfuckers who made Devilman Crybaby” had me falling out of my chair. The animation maintains O'Malley's chunky, cartoony character designs and works wonders with line weights and simulated camera effects to give everything a tactile, weighty feel, like it’s somehow (and very appropriately) splitting the difference between a comic, a film, and even a video game. There’s a wide array of visual effects that helps to place all of Scott Pilgrim’s influences further on its sleeve: Dynamic action scenes, camera depth and chromatic aberration, and our beloved pixel art inserts. It looks like every Scott Pilgrim, everywhere, all at once.

The live action film’s cast did a (mostly) great job reprising their roles for animation, and there are some wildly unexpected cameos in there. Voice acting is not quite the same as stage or film acting, but everyone pulls their weight, and dialogue feels far more naturalistic than your average anime dub. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ellen Wong and, surprisingly, Chris Evans are outstanding in their respective roles. I’m gonna have to watch this again in Japanese, though. Fairouz Ai as Ramona, Aoi Koga as Knives, and Yuichi Nakamura as Lucas Lee? Sign me the fuck up.

This is not an apology or revision of Scott Pilgrim the character or work, it is a celebration that still acknowledges and improves on the flaws. If you’re a Scott Pilgrim fan who’d been clamoring for a proper cartoon adaptation, Takes Off may not exactly be what you’ve wanted, but it may be what you needed.  Chances are pretty good that you’ve grown since the first time since you read, watched, or even played something with Scott Pilgrim’s name on it, and it’s a blessing to say that while the character may not have grown, Scott Pilgrim the franchise finally has. 

2. Jujutsu Kaisen, season 2

I’m so glad I picked up JJK this year, if only because I would’ve otherwise been caught in a mudslide of memes I didn’t understand.

Season 2 follows in lockstep with the manga from where season 1 left off, beginning in extended flashback with the Hidden Inventory/Premature Death arc, covering Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto’s high school life and the events that would eventually create the rift between them that came to shape Jujutsu Kaisen’s story. We see very different versions of Gojo and Geto here, much younger and more naive, but only marginally less powerful as they’re sent on an escort mission with the future of the jujutsu world in the balance. Because this is Jujutsu Kaisen, and because Jujutsu Kaisen is for masochists, nothing happens as planned.

We unfortunately do not get the precious slice-of-life hijinks the OP suggests, but if you watched season 1, you should know better by now than to trust an OP. While the initial arc does have its quieter and goofier moments (and some delicious homoerotic subtext), it wastes little time in declaring that this is a new version of the Jujutsu Kaisen anime: Lines are thinner, character models are looser, and action is buckwild. Two of the best fakeouts in the series happen in the span of five minutes. Those unfamiliar with the source material may have wondered for a bit why there needed to be a five-episode prequel arc to start the season, but the pieces would soon fall into place.

And then came Shibuya.

The Shibuya Incident arc was what made Jujutsu Kaisen a must-read in every new issue of Shonen Jump. It reset the status quo for the story and shaped it into something far beyond another “teenagers with special powers go to a school for teenagers with special powers” battle shonen. Needless to say, the hype for its anime adaptation was astronomical.

The Shibuya arc sets the stakes early: Nobody is safe and there may be no happy ending. Triumph is short-lived, and every threat is existential. Everyone who has been in the series up to this point plays a role, and you’re not going to like a lot of what’s needed of them. This arc punches you in the gut, repeatedly, and in between each blow is some of the most intense and innovative action you’ve ever seen. It will hurt, and you will beg for more.

I liked this arc a good amount in the manga, but by the end I was ready for it to be over. I didn’t get the hype around Toji, thought the deaths were cheap, and was so. FUCKING. sick of Mahito. Seeing it in fluid motion onscreen, though, everything just clicked for me and I couldn’t get enough. I fully get now why the girlies have been wetting themselves over Toji; the character modelers were HORNY horny this season. I see now how even the most unceremonious deaths fit into the narrative, or at least one will make perfect sense to me once Gege Akutami and I have a little chat :). And holy hell do I understand now that Mahito is one of the best shonen villains in the history of the medium, that sick bastard. Season 2 was my Rosetta stone for Jujutsu Kaisen; I see it all now. My sixth eye has been opened. Throughout heaven and earth, I alone am the literate one.

JJK’s second season has a markedly different feel from the first from a presentation standpoint, and I feel it’s for the better. Every aspect of the presentation is on point, and I want to call attention to the audio element: The production music, with a heavy focus on jazz piano, is wonderfully unique for the genre, and the voice acting remains top notch. These are banner performances from the likes of Yuichi Nakamura, Kenjiro Tsuda, Takahiro Sakurai, Asami Seto, and Nobunaga Shimazaki, but the performance that defines the Shibuya arc (and by extension the entire season) is Junya Enoki as Yuji Itadori. 

Enoki’s been great this year in lead roles in goofy works like KamiKatsu and Girlfriend Girlfriend (not to mention minor roles in Skip and Loafer and the vending machine isekai), so it’s no surprise that he continues to crush it as JJK’s protagonist; Yuji Itadori is a goofy dude. But the Shibuya arc, for as much ground and as many characters as it covers, is ultimately Yuji’s story as he is forced, time and again, to endure the cycle of the “suffering builds character” meme. His peers and mentors in the first season told him repeatedly that the life of a jujutsu sorcerer is a short and unhappy one, and he now has to shoulder that burden for everyone. Enoki nails every single part of a wide spectrum of emotions Yuji is forced to endure over the course of the Shibuya arc, be it determination, naive confusion, or just pure unbridled trauma. If this isn’t the best voice performance of the year, it’s top five at worst.

Like every major battle shonen release in the age of social media, this season has had its detractors. Reviewers at Anime News Network kinda hated the story, but that’s something you take up with Gege Akutami (and get in line behind the manga readers). I've seen people complain about the animation. Which, like. If you don’t like the new visual style, sure, fine, that’s up to personal taste. But if you think this season isn’t well-animated, you just plain don’t know ball. It may not have a cohesive look, but that was the draw for me: Season 1 was good, but at times I felt like it looked a little too rigid, a little too shiny, a little too samey. Season 2, especially the Shibuya arc, looks like everything. Sometimes it looks like an action film, sometimes it looks like Mob Psycho 100, and at points it looks, most crucially, like Akutami’s most iconic panels brought to life, stroke for stroke.

The varying styles weren’t an accident: Nearly each episode had its own director, and those resumes cover top-tier animations like Mob Psycho, Devilman Crybaby, Kill la Kill, Heavenly Delusion, Oshi no Ko, FLCL, even Akira and goddamn Golden Boy. While the episodes don’t look entirely consistent from one to the next, the variance is less jarring and more “holy fuck, what am I going to see next?”. The looser style of animation is what Jujutsu Kaisen always needed; Akutami’s art is very loose and dynamic, and his action panels are borderline inscrutable at times. Season 2 nails the feel of JJK to a degree that its adaptation always needed and lets its directors, storyboarders, and animators run wild. At times, characters will look like they leapt right off the page; others, they will look like something you have never seen before in your life.

It is unfortunately impossible to talk about this season without also bringing up MAPPA’s working conditions, and how animators were frequently overworked against nigh-impossible deadlines. It was an open secret last year as Chainsaw Man aired that MAPPA’s animation schedule was a meat grinder, but that came bubbling to the surface quickly as JJK’s second season aired. Word got out midseason that MAPPA had its animators sign NDAs about their work conditions, but complaints still broke containment and several staffers took to social media to apologize for their work looking incomplete, and some even publicly announced that they are leaving the studio. It is stunning that the finished product looks the way it does under such conditions, and I respect the animators for putting in such incredible work, but something has to give. Several major series suffered from major delays this year, some of which I gave significant praise, but MAPPA is lucky that all of JJK came out on time. I wish I knew what could push them to treat their workers with the dignity and respect (and pay) they deserve, but that’s a conversation that covers much wider ground than just anime.

MAPPA has already announced that the series will continue through the next major arc. While there is quite a bit of it that I would love to see on screen, I can only hope that the animators get to rest. For now, though, we can be proud of what they made under duress, even if some will forever wonder what it would look like if the staff were treated like something a notch above cattle.

1. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Fucking hell. This is why I watch anime.

I was curious about this one because a couple major anitubers I watch had reviewed the manga and were effusive in their praise. I knew the anime adaptation was on the way, so I decided to hold off on reading and see what the anime would be like, and with Keiichiro Saito (director of Bocchi the Rock! and key animator for Oshi no Ko’s instantly-iconic OP) at the helm, my excitement was piqued. That guy turned a B-minus 4-koma into an innovative hit comedy, so what can he do with a beloved source material and the backing of a legacy studio like Madhouse?

I've had so much to say about Frieren since the premiere, and I still have so much to say now, but to talk about what I love about this show is to talk about everything about this show. When the first four episodes dropped, I described it as “Mushoku Tensei without the baggage,” and I stand by that. There were multiple points throughout Frieren’s first cour where I'd nearly forgotten that I wasn't watching Mushoku Tensei. Every single element is on point: The animation is fluid and expressive, backdrops are consistently gorgeous, voice performances are quickly memorable, and the music is evocative and instantly iconic. This is, plainly, one of the most beautiful pieces of television I have ever seen on nearly every level, be it visually, sonically, or thematically.

The initial four-episode debut was a masterclass in establishing the setting, building emotional investment into the characters, and slowly but deliberately laying out the premise of the season to come. The titular Frieren is an elf mage who, for a very brief decade of her millennium-long life, lent her skills to an adventuring party to slay the Demon King. Though she helped save the world, she was never one for stuff like adulation or socializing, so she breaks away from the group to continue her hobby of collecting various spells and arcana. She regroups with them after 50 years, having kept in contact with none of them, only to find them older and frailer. The party’s leader, the hero Himmel, passes away shortly thereafter, and Frieren breaks down at his funeral, having realized exactly too late how important he was to her and that she’d never really bothered to get to know him as a person.

Some time later, she’s called by the surviving human member of the party, Heiter, under the guise of translating an old text, but soon realizes that he duped her into helping train the young orphan girl he adopted, Fern, as a mage. Upon Heiter’s death, Frieren and Fern head out together, carrying out odd jobs and retracing Frieren’s steps from the journey that changed her more than she realized. They soon learn from the other surviving member of the party, Eisen, that (ooh) heaven is, in fact, a place on earth, and that Frieren may be able to properly pay Himmel his final respects in person. In order to do so, they must make a trip to the north, past the Demon King’s castle. The story of Beyond Journey’s End is, quite literally, a nostalgia trip.

Frieren's story is one of grief and regret, but also how we can use those emotions as a way of moving forward rather than looking backward. Her history is a long one and her memories seemingly everlasting, but she uses them to pave the road ahead of her rather than let them shackle her to the past. This is best exemplified by Fern herself, as well as the other companion they pick up along the way in Eisen’s former trainee, Stark. Frieren can carry on the legacies of Heiter and Eisen by helping their young wards grow into the capable young adults they’re meant to be, while Himmel’s legacy lives on in the memories of the towns and villages he helped save along Frieren’s new path, and most importantly, in Frieren herself.

The degree to which Himmel truly mattered to Frieren becomes more apparent to her as the story goes on, and it becomes more evident in her actions. Himmel was a gentle, selfless (if self-aggrandizing) man who was every last bit the hero the modern world believes him to be. With every statue of him she cleans, every flower she plants in his name, every core memory that returns to her, we are watching Frieren become more and more like him in real time. You would expect a thousand-year-old woman to be pretty set in her ways, but we see her holding off on old, bad behaviors because of how Himmel would react to them back then. As Fern and Stark grow into young adults, we see her beginning to treat them the same way Himmel treated her. Frieren doesn’t realize it until later in the season, but it’s apparent to us early on that Himmel well and truly loved her, and I feel that it’s dawning on her that she loved him too and didn’t recognize it. That is tragic in and of itself (this show absolutely is a tearjerker at times and I will cop to getting misty-eyed as I write this), but there is something beautiful, well beyond my grasp, in being able to honor the memory and carry out the legacy of a loved one in how you treat those around you. I don’t think anything could have made Himmel prouder.

Frieren herself is a really goddamn good character too (and expertly voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki, best known for voicing Anya Forger in Spy x Family). Though she is portrayed as quiet and uncaring for the early part of the story, it’s been really delightful to watch her open up, and above all, inadvertently reveal that she’s actually just Really Fucking Weird. For as self-assured and put together as she always seems on the surface, it was great to learn that she’s just an enormous slob (she just like me fr), and any outward expressions of smugness or her offbeat sense of humor are always a joy. “Deeply weird person trying to act normal” is always fun, and there’s just something so consistently delightful about seeing someone so typically calm and intelligent get caught in a mimic chest every single time.

I still can’t get over how fucking good this show looks. Beyond Journey’s End features some of the most intricate, loving animation I’ve seen for stuff as simple as someone putting on a jacket. Action scenes are few and far between, but not a single frame is wasted when shit pops off. Not everyone is as detailed as possible at all times, and they don’t need to be, but everyone looks incredible when they do need to. It’s well above my pay grade to accurately say so, but this show could be a lesson in proper animation budgeting. I could go on and on and on, but I’ve written nearly eighteen thousand words about anime, so I’ll wrap it up. 

The debut season of Frieren will continue into 2024, and if the quality remains a constant, it could very well be one of the best anime of next year too. It has remained as MyAnimeList’s top-rated anime ever for its entire run, warding off the legion of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood fans. Frieren deserves it. I say with no hyperbole that this is one of the most perfectly realized things I’ve ever seen on television. This is an essential watch for anyone who likes fantasy anime, anime in general, or fantasy in general.

[coralinnii]

I had some people a little curious as to how I rated the TWST boys in my "TWST guys I would let date my niece (theoretically)" post in terms of personality only (considering they're fictional and my niece is 10). I can't completely answer everyone since there's only so many words tumblr would let me write as a reply, so here's for anyone who was curious.

The rating system was created alongside my niece on what she wanted in a partner (as much as she understood dating, anyway), compatibility with her personality, and my input as someone who has either met, known, or fortunately and unfortunately dated ppl with such personalities. With this in mind, maybe our list would be different from how you would categorize, which yea fair enough. This is all hypothetical anyway and it was interesting to see what my niece likes.

This does NOT mean I dislike any of the TWST guy. Seeing how unique each of them are personality-wise is honestly amazing and I want to believe that even if you have what people call "red-flags", "dealbreakers" or "turn-offs", that doesn't necessarily make you a bad person, just incompatible (with exceptions of like really toxic, destructive traits, like stealing someone's dog. Don't do that, guys).

Has my seal of approval

Trey responsible, good work ethic, loves to bake + the bonus of cute glasses (apparently me and my niece really like glasses).

Kalim fun-loving, open to new experiences, optimistic, and willing to learn if you're willing to teach.

Silver kind if a bit intimidating-looking, takes care of others, family-oriented,

Jack responsible, good lifestyle, works hard, kind while kinda grumpy, family-oriented.

Vil responsible, good life habits, works hard for success, not stuck on gender norms, kind if sort of stuck-up.

Lilia mature, fun-loving, open to new experiences, loves kids, not quick to anger. He does have his secrets, tho.

Neige kind, works hard for success, not afraid to be silly,

Ok…but I’m keeping an eye on you

Ace he's kinda lazy and willing to cheat in school but not a bad person.

Cater not willing to be vulnerable sometimes but is a responsible person that respects boundaries.

Azul a bit too opportunistic (in a sense he's also judging the value of anything, first) for me and may not vibe well with my niece but not bad.

Jamil not happy with how he sometimes lies and insincerely flatters others, but I don't think he does it maliciously so not a bad guy(?)

Ortho prone to violence if he thinks that's the best logical solution (i.e, hacking into security and blowing up the school??) so kinda worried.

Chenya a little too fickle and in-and-out physically which worries me, but he seems loyal and brave.

First, you and I are gonna have a talk

Riddle mainly his temper and impatience…and the in-laws

Deuce also his temper, and my niece prefers smart ppl (ooff)

Ruggie the 5-finger discount don’t fly under my watch

Epel also temper and prone to get into fights in the beginning. Also, my niece's not into the "gotta be manly" mentality, what are you gonna do?

Sebek it's mostly the temper and shouting…and tone down the Malleus simping

Jade don’t be bringing drama into my household

Rook it’s the creepy simping

Malleus kinda seen in early Book 7 and the spectral realm event, he doesn't communicate and talk things through with others and just does things on his own because he's powerful enough to do so, which is just...something we gotta talk about, first.

Oh, you and I are gonna fight, first!

Leona spoiled to high heavens, gives up on a lot of things, and is too used to having things done for him. I'm not letting my niece become his maid!

Floyd No...just no. He's the friend that I worry my niece will someday have to pick up at the police station. No

Idia Quick to judge others, kinda thinks he's smarter than everyone, and has a hard time communicating and socializing even with his friends and partners. I know this because I used to date someone like Idia, and currently have a crush on another person very similar to him.

Rollo Also (sorta) dated someone like him which is...an experience. Treated me as someone pure and sweet, but disliked my friends because she thought they were bad influences. Also really wanted me to join her kinda sketchy religious thing which I wasn't really into.

[foxwitchaine]

If you could erase any characters from Miraculous Ladybug, which one would you pick?

(The catch is that you cannot say Adrien)

Hahaha, honey, you best be ready. Because there's one character that comes to mind right away and it's not He-Who-Shan't-Be-Named. Would you like to know who it is? Because once I say it, I'm pretty sure I'm gonna get some backlash. Going once. Going twice. You've had your chance and I'm gonna unleash one heck of a hot take. You all ready? Because here we go.

The one character I would erase from the canon of Miraculous Ladybug is:

This guy. This guy right here.

But wait... isn't that the director guy? And... doesn't that look like the creator of the show? Do not adjust your monitor, because you're not looking at a cartoon lookalike of the show's creator.

That is the show's creator. In his own show. Crying about how no one takes him seriously or knows what he does.

... gee. I wonder why.

Smartassery aside, I have a whole laundry list of reasons why I would delete this guy from the show. Aside from serving no purpose other than whining to the world about "woe is me, I'm so [insert buzzword]", he contributes nothing to the plot. And, considering how atrociously sloppy the writing has gotten as of late, part of the reason the show has declined so sharply. I don't fancy pointing fingers at people without enough evidence, but the way he behaves on social media tells me plenty. Sounds conceited, I know, but it takes a special kind of arrogance to believe you can say whatever you want online and not get backlash from the people literally supporting your show. I've made my own blunders online, but that's beside the point.

Creators of popular media have a certain responsibility to the world. No, I'm not requoting Uncle Ben's "with great power" speech, but it kinda does have something to do with it. What I mean is, creators of popular franchises are partly responsible for the kind of fans they attract. Be a creep, more than likely you'll attract a lot of them. Be an upstanding civilian, you'll more than likely grab a few likeminded individuals. Granted, it's not always so clean nor is it always easy to spot someone unsavory, but my point still stands. The way a creator behaves tells the resulting fandom how to behave. Haters are inevitable, but to me and Rafe it means we have a pretty healthy fandom rather than an echo chamber, which is what immature writers and creators usually go for.

And that, ladies and gents, is what usually causes otherwise good shows like The Mandalorian to stagnate and eventually wither.

Miraculous Ladybug isn't the worst show on earth nor is it the best. But the way the creator tries to flex on the fanbase — aka, the people who support his show — it tells the less mature fans how to respond. And that is another major part of the reason the show has declined so much there's hardly anyone of note left to watch Season 6. Ourselves included.

[danieyells]

In Tokyo debunkers I have been thinking about the first years and what they have in common.I think all of them are short-sighted or have tunnel vision this isn't a bad trait

I may be wrong on this or miss remembering so if I'm wrong please correct it.Please excuse the formatting I'm on mobile and the length.

Leo-

He is the easiest one for this,the speech that Alan gave him at the end of vagastorm kinda sums up lot of leo problems.There was a post about Leo possibly self-sabotage or disregard for his own self, there's merit look at the scene of Leo,Alan and Thoma.

He may have figured out that Alan wasn't going to hurt him but Thoma was a complete wild card in that situation,he was grabbing his axe.Along with setting up the PC,he used her to his liking and was planning to fuck her over after the fact.Image if his planned success what would have happened most likely no more access to the PC if she believes her boasting does not work.That means no more spying on Thoma and Alan.

Please tell me if this has any weight.I have to go to work.Thank you

Sorry this took so long, anon! I wanted to reply earlier but I thought that maybe mobile wasn't showing parts of the message(it sounded kind of like you were going to list the ways the other first-years were short-sighted/prone to tunnel vision) so I wanted to check it on desktop and my Taiga brain ADHD made me keep forgetting 8'D Excuse me for rambling so much, I get a little long-winded! TL;DR, I do think you're right, although Leo isn't as careless as you think, and I think Sho isn't really prone to tunnel vision or short-sightedness beyond that he seems to bounce between interests somewhat easily.

Yeah, I agree that the first years are a little prone to tunnel vision--like, they all must have come here with something in mind and that something will expand in their time here. Ritsu intended to acquire clients--particularly the famous and wealthy Frostheimers who are prone to controversy and scandal. Ren has implied some issues with his family so he possibly did this to escape the responsibilities of home--and now he has to try and escape the responsibilities of work too. Sho. . .I think Sho is the least short-sighted of them in a sense? Sho seems very much like he takes things day by day and he does whatever catches his interest and whatever makes things easiest for Leo, even if it means he gets in trouble when Leo should've. He's really intelligent and has a plethora of hobbies and interests, although he puts a lot of his passion in cooking and tends to drop most other things that aren't sports. And Leo, like he said, came here expecting it to be a lot more fun to be around other people who made pacts with demons, and he acts like he only cares about thrills, profits, and having a good time. Most of them don't care about others or only care about others in superficial ways that benefit them(again, with the exception of Sho who at least seems to be more good-natured and considerate so far, unless Leo is telling the truth when he says Sho acts that way to get and keep customers, which wouldn't make sense since Sho only recently started the food truck.)

About the meeting in the car, both of them were reaching for their weapons, not just Tohma. Because they didn't know what was happening when they were summoned to the car by the other but they were both confused, so they suspected foul play and prepared for a fight either way. They may have been about to fight each other, suspecting the other wasn't actually themself, frankly. I think they had their hands on their weapons before that panel was shown. See how they both already have their hands off to their sides by the time Leo pops in, after they both get confused? Reaching for their weapons was happening before Leo made himself known.

But Leo is smart enough to know Alan wouldn't let him get hurt even if Tohma started swinging--although I imagine he was being sarcastic when he said he didn't think Tohma knew who he was and he knew Tohma wouldn't just start attacking him mindlessly. Tohma was at the entrance ceremony(he already saw Tohma's information with Darkwick so he would have recognized him anyway, and he could probably ascertain from how diligent Tohma is that he would also recognize Leo already) and he also knew Tohma knew of him from when he listened in on them previously. Even if Tohma did pull out his weapon, Alan would have recognized Leo and his voice when he started speaking and protected him. Leo knows who his muscle is. He wouldn't have had put himself in a situation he didn't think he couldn't safely get out of. He does this kind of thing far too much to not know his exits--not to mention, you don't immediately hurt or kill someone who pulled something like he did. You get information first. It's just the smart thing to do, especially when they're already worried about a spy. (Plus you can't just willy nilly try and kill motherfuckers on campus. The likelihood that Tohma was actually going to try and kill, or even injure, him was slim to none.)

As for convincing the PC their power didn't work, they already knew it worked from when they used it in Frostheim. They just wouldn't think it always worked. He would still be able to ask them to come and use it on the basis of 'let's see if we can get it to work.' He'd be claiming it'd help them, because if they don't know what does and doesn't cause it to work, they and Darkwick would want to figure it out--and since he would be able to say 'it seems like it works when we use it together' they'd end up relying on him to help them understand when it does and doesn't work. The PC just probably wouldn't be sent on missions with them due to being a liability. Also, he could still spy on Tohma and Alan--just not while they're in the soundproofed car. He mentions in the campus chat that they likely have more than one place they meet up(unless he wasn't spying on Tohma and Alan at that point, but somebody else), and he also plants bugs in the car according to his home screen dialogues(although they get destroyed.) He'd be able to spy on them less, but it's not like they only ever meet in there, and I'm sure he'd figure that out quickly enough.

You have to remember what the guy does for a living outside of being an influencer--he corners rich people and basically makes them give up money in exchange for him not releasing information they'd wanna keep private. His proper introduction is at the "mercy" of a guy with a knife who's clearly threatened to stab him multiple times based on the multiple stabbed pillows around them, summoning Sho to help him. He puts himself in danger all the time, but he always has at least one way to be backed up. He was second in scholastic ability among all the first years. He's extremely intelligent and clever. Yes, he is short-sighted, but that's in terms of making things work. He'll treat the symptoms without resolving the problem if he can, like Alan said--if it gets the desired result who cares if it's right or wrong in the long run? But he's not so careless that he'd put himself into that much danger with no backup plan--although he is careless enough to put himself in the danger in the first place, but. Everything involves risks.

The problem is that backup plans can fall through and understandings of situations can too. Like Alan said, he does need to take better care of himself because he absolutely is careless--not extraordinarily so imo, but definitely careless. Leo is willing to put himself in danger for an end goal, but it's not like he runs into things with no plan and no backup. Leo is smart enough to get things to work with his wits and his words 99% of the time, but that one percent is gonna get him in real trouble eventually--and we've already seen his plans partially fall through two or three times(although two were after they served their purposes.) Alan realized when Sho wouldn't eat the spicy donuts that he and Leo lied about who was at fault for their acting outside of the scope of their mission. Even at the end of the encounter with the anomaly, Sho ended up telling the [half?] truth and backing up that the PC was able to buff his stigma instead of going on with their deal, which Leo hadn't expected. And the PC and Alan, in Alan's character story, end up investigating the actual circumstances behind Jun and Takeru's deaths. He's used to things working out for him and going his way, so he doesn't consider enough what could happen if they don't. Short-sighted, yeah, careless, yes but not as much so as you might think. Calculated risks, normally really good at math. But sometimes you get the math wrong.

I do think you're not wrong as far as most of them being a little short-sighted though. The only one I kinda disagree with is Sho, but even Sho's like. . .he only cares about his interests, but he goes through with what other people want from him anyway sometimes? Like he tends to train with Alan in The Pit despite complaining about it a lot, enough so that Alan doesn't have to use the punching bag in his room as much when he trains since he can spar with Sho instead. He's also constantly doing whatever Leo wants despite seeming to dislike it, and letting himself take the fall for Leo's bad behavior. But maybe that follower mentality is a sort of short-sightedness and tunnel vision as well. . .then again, like he said to Hyde, "If I can use you to get ahead, I'm doing it." That's not really very short-sighted at all, he clearly has other things in mind. . .but it's hard to tell with Sho. We rarely see his motivations. Like I can't really pin down what Sho is. . .after in life. But also, Sho cycles through interests(with the exception of cooking and maybe basketball) frequently, so I get the feeling that's the point. Sho doesn't know what he wants either, and he follows who and whatever seems most interesting. When the PC says he could make money off of cooking, he takes a shine to that idea and immediately opens up a food truck. Fortunately he seems to like cooking and serving food for others a lot, because he's sticking to it at the moment.