#SD The Great Battle

[kirider]

Your art for it is so cute, what's Kamen Rider SD? I want to get into it :D

yesss.... fall into my trap... mwhahaha >:3c (also thank you ^v^)

SD in general means Super Deformed, it's a chibi style that's not unique to Kamen Rider (Gundam also has a bunch of SD stuff, mentioning it here bc i love those models :3)

But since you're asking in relation with my art, here's the ones I made art for:

SD The Great Battle

A series of videogames that's a crossover between Kamen Rider, Gundam and Ultraman characters, all in the SD style. An original character called Fighter Roar joins the team from the second game on. They're very fun and wacky game that don't really have a coherent plot but we love them for that :3 In IV they get a giant robot (Compatible Kaiser my beloved) and in V they're cowboys. I love the cowboy outfits so much. Games one to five have english fan translations, now I need someone to translate Gaia Saver because apparently that one has the Rider Killer lore....

Kamen Rider SD: Strange!? Man Spider (or simply Kamen Rider SD OVA)

If you've been around the fandom you probably already know this one. It's a 30 minutes short where RX and the other Battle Riders (Ichigo and ZX) have to rescue RX's crush from shocker, with the help of the Mechanic Riders (V3, X and Super1). Wild Team (Stronger, Amazon and Nigo) appears for like. 3 minutes total at the end but they're my darlings and I love them. Other very important thing in this short is the Rider Carrier, a giant robot grasshopper that acts as their base and I think every version of the riders shoul have a giant grasshopper base not just the SDs u.u This short is apparently an adaptation from the Mighty Riders manga, but I haven't investigated it yet so I can't confirm that. It's also connected to a couple more SD videogames, Sortie!! Rider Machines and Run! Mighty Riders (the team names come from here as far as I can tell)

Kamen Rider SD: Hurricane Legend / Kamen Rider SD: Legend of the Stormy Age

(listen. I know the direct translation is the first one. But the second one is on the back cover so if they gave it an official english title I'm using that :P)

This is probably the one you're asking for, but I wanted to use the excuse to talk about the other two :P

I'll be honest, going in blind on this one is probably the best experience. Do not look up panels you will get spoiled. The basic plot is V3 and Riderman travel around to recruit the other Riders to defeat Shocker. I want to talk about it more but again, I had so much fun going "WHAT!?!" while reading it that I must resist- Might post more about them but will tag it as spoilers

Other SD stuff that I care less about, for completionist sake:

• there's a third SD manga (Kamen Rider SD: Roaring Laughs School) that I know nothing of (I think it's a 4koma gag manga? I'll be honest I'm not very interested in it so I haven't done much research);

• the most recent SD game is SD Shin Kamen Rider Rumble, a game for the movie, but that one seems to be simply a side scroller so again, no interest from me;

• Lost Heroes 1 and 2 technically use chibi-ish versions of Riders, Gundams and Ultramen, and are part of the Compati Hero series (the same series as The Great Battle), but they don't have SD in the title;

•there's. sooooo many sports games in the Compati Hero series. I like the Battle Dodgeball ones :3 Also speaking of Compati Hero, special mention to Super Hero Operations because that's the next one I wanna play, I get to meet Zubat, Metalder and a bunch of others there :3

[bangjiazheng]

SD The Great Battle (SNES) Playthrough/Longplay

[daftpatience]

astarion's honestly the perfect candidate for one of those beautiful ball jointed dolls that are super nicely painted and have like tons of nice clothes but alas im not a wealthy hobbyist and i also dont enjoy any dolls bigger than 1/6 (and they just dont make a lot of dolls that small that aren't babies or fairies or animals... sigh)

[cadejos]

ON NANAMI'S POWER LEVEL, DOMAIN EXPANSIONS, DOMAIN COUNTERS, AND HOW JUJUTSU SOCIETY PLAYS A ROLE.

This analysis originally turned viral on twitter. I'm posting it here for archival.

Nanami treated sorcery like a job and Gojo treated sorcery like a lifestyle. I've thought long and hard about why Nanami does not have certain skills (DE, Simple Domain, etc) that'd easily bump him up in terms of power, as he's already very strong. The reason is two-fold:

He never set out to do more than what he absolutely had to do. ("Moderate effort where moderate effort suffices," etc)

Information about sorcery is very gatekept and compartmentalized, because Jujutsu society sucks.

For point number 1, we are to keep in mind that Nanami is a grade one sorcerer, very much the peak of what sorcery is supposed to be outside of Special Grade work. The purpose of sorcery, up until very recently, has been about killing curses, most of which are not special grade or intelligent. The disaster curses are anomalies, and battles with Domain users were very rare until they showed up. They vastly skewed the power system. Remember that not even Naobito Zenin, the head of one of the great clans, had a Domain expansion either, and it took the work of a Domain user (Megumi) and an experienced sorcerer killer (Toji) to properly counter Dagon in his domain.

If domain battles are truly so rare, I don't really blame Nanami for not going out of his way to work on developing one, especially since Domains require an element of self-assurance that Nanami, due to trauma and disposition, was never geared toward developing.

His soul was strong enough to protect against a novice Mahito subconsciously, which is a promising start, but once Mahito grew too strong he was way out of Nanami's scope (not to mention Gege deliberately tired him over the course of Shibuya) and Nanami was more inclined to take his loss gracefully than to force himself to craft an spontaneous Domain Expansion. It's not like he really had the energy to try, either.

Overall, developing a DE for the off chance that he stumbled upon a Domain user just doesn't sound like his style. And he wouldn't do it for fun, either, because jujutsu is not fun for him, and it never has been. It's just work.

Let's say he would want to at least develop a domain counter, though. That's where point number 2 steps in. The whole reason something as fundamental as a domain counter is so rare in jujutsu is purely because jujutsu society is inherently selfish and self-serving.

If I recall correctly, SD is not something you can teach due to a binding vow tied to the technique. It has to be something you learn on your own through observation and intuition, or by joining New Shadow Style. Up until UiUi's soul swapping, there wasn't a reliable work around for this conundrum. And the other domain counters? Old, not very well known, and gatekept by the clans.

Sometimes I'm inclined to believe jujutsu sorcerers learn sorcery not because of the school system but in spite of it. Unless you're already a genius, born gifted, or willing to go an extra -- ambiguously illicit -- mile (like Kusakabe), there's not much the average sorcerer can do, and not many tools for them to learn to begin with. Nanami is presented as the baseline of what modern day good sorcery looks like; what you can achieve if you're competent, and don't have the privilege of relying on very good mentors, obscure knowledge, or ancient techniques. Even then he had an expansion technique, not something every sorcerer has, and he was capable of achieving one of the pinnacles of Jujutsu, which is the black flash; precisely because of his attitude toward jujutsu and his ability to focus when things get serious.

Maybe if given enough time to heal from his psychological wounds, and given opportunities for more black flashes, as well as a strong enough incentive, he could have circumvented a lot of problems and enlightened his way toward a DE or other such jujutsu-relevelations.

But that's speculation and not really the point of his character.

Had he been a villain though? Gege probably would've made him stronger, if his Culling Games score in JJK's draft Jujutsu Sousen is anything to go by, which is amusing.

Supplementary reading:

In regards to black flashes: a post where I go over why I think Yuuji and Nanami are especially good at them, and why I think they require conditions that are in opposition to Domain expansions.

Measuring Nanami's critical hit power: where I use a statement to further analyze and evaluate the capabilities of the Ratio Technique.

[dipplinduo]

S&SD

The second Nemona, Arven, and Penny figure out that Juliana has a crush on Kieran

Nemona: immediately wanting to battle him because she's gotta make sure that he's a strong enough trainer for Juliana

Penny: Attempts to find any and all trace for him online to make that this guy isn't going hurt Juliana in any way(she stumbled across a fan page that's full of girls who go to Blueberry, she deems them all as not a threat) and readied a believable, horrible rumor about Kieran if he makes Juliana cry

Arven: Is ready to sick Mabosstiff on Kieran if he makes Juliana sad at all

They're all gonna have specific reactions and it's gonna be great

[epicocat]

I realized i haven’t been giving any GunplUpdates to the, like, 3 people that care, so I’ll just do a quick review of the nine kits I’ve built since the Zeong

Real Grade Sazabi

Probably one of the best RG kits I’ve built so far, at least in recent memory. It’s big, it’s articulate, it’s detailed, I love it!

High Grade Gundam NT-1, AKA Gundam Alex

This one was certainly an older kit. It builds the same as any other HG RX clone, and absolutely needs panel lining with all the molded details (good thing I picked up a pen recently). However, despite all its limitations, the HG Gundam Alex turned out better than I expected, and poses quite nicely!

I’m not at all biased because we have the same name :P

High Grade Mobile Doll May (Gundam Base Color)

This is probably my first official step into the Mecha Masume genre of model kits, but not my first girlpla (I’ve built the Figure Rise Sulleta Mercury the Artery Gear Fusion Guard Spider Feidy kit [highly recommend] before either of them). I doubt I‘ll end up buying anything more scandalous than this, I really don’t care for the half naked robot girls of Frame Arm Girls or Megami Device.

That all being said, this was a really fun kit! It was my first run with waterslide decals, and I think they turned out… mostly ok. The articulation is really good, the sculpting is well detailed (especially in the areas meant for other fans) and I just like kits that come with stands.

I will say, i do not and will not understand the appeal of battle stilettos (it’s hard to see in the pic but her feet are basically pointed straight down in the heels she’s wearing)

Sakura’s Edge

Another of my few non Bandai kits, Sakura comes from the Armored Puppet line of kits from Number 57. It’s another 1/24th scale kit, which means she is very very smol. Her most stand out feature is her third giant buster-arm, capable of wielding a sword twice her height. The bright pink, gold, and white go really well together, and she just looks really nice! Unfortunately her armor is more of an afterthought from the creators, as some parts need to be filed and trimmed excessively to get them to fit (I was in a VC with a friend, he can testify I was almost brought down by the shoes), and other parts just sit loose, ready to pop right off after the slightest tap, touch, or pinch.

30 Minute Missions Spinatia (Commando Type)

This kit was my intro to 30MM and I wish I bought more of them sooner! It was a cheap impulse purchase from a “local” hobby store I was checking out and it was a really enjoyable experience! It was simple and relatively fast (I failed the mission, it took me an hour), but using all the extra parts and mixing and matching equipment was so fun to play around with and experiment with what looks cool, something I hope to see more of as I build more Hexa Gear kits. In the meantime though, I have a 30 Minute Custom to plan >:3c

Transparent SD Gundam and Char’s Zaku II

I dont own many SD kits, and I think these are some more I’ll snag more of as I shop around. They’re simple and cute! They’re both Cross Silhouettes, but only the Zaku came with the CS frame, so the Gundam is just really squat and even more chibi in comparison. Overall not much to write home about, but still fun!

High Grade Gundam Maxter

The only red white and blue I’ll ever stand for

That being said, this was a really great kit! It’s a shame it’s P-Bandai limited, along with Gundam Rose. It absolutely needs panel lining for its literal abs of steel and face, but it still looks quite nice. It’s very articulate and it was hard to pick just one photo that truly sums up the insanity of Gundam Maxter, perfectly captured in gunpla form. It comes with everything seen in the picture, along with its flying surfboard shield, guns, and an effect part for its bursting machinegun punch. It is such a great kit, and comes with enough ham to justify its $30 price tag, despite the fact that Maxter is in fact very small.

High Grade Messer F-01

I love The messer’s design. It feels like a true successor to the Zaku series of suits. I know canonically it’s built off of the Sazabi, but it’s design is 100% Zaku. It’s got that respirator like mouthpiece, and the spiky asymmetric shoulder armor. Is just so cool! And did I mention this things size yet? It, like it’s predecessor are big boys, snd both stand almost as tall as many master grade gunpla in my collection. Overall an amazing kit!

[hath-e]

Something completely out of left field:

SD Gundam Battle Alliance, or probably best Gundam PC game that you can *legally* get.

(Img source is the games cover from the Bandai Website)

I'm not a game reviewer so take what I say with a grain of salt, and as much as I love the game I don't want to claim that it's perfect.

The premise:

You're playing as someone called the "Commander" running some tests on GM's during Operation Odessa, unfortunately during the test you and you're squad called the Gatheroad Squadron got thrown into something the G Universe. And now it is your job to fix it.

The story isn't anything to write home about, but it's certainly a good background for the gameplay. And it facilitates a whole bunch of interactions between characters who otherwise couldn't.

The game might be all about using chibi-fied Mobile Suits to wreck other chibi-fied Mobile suits and getting paid for it. But to me the standout gimmick is that I can put Sulleta Mercury and Char Aznable on my team and have them bicker a bit, sure not everyone gets unique interactions but what there is is great.

The Gameplay:

The gameplay is really simple, it's a hack-n-slash, you explore some decently sized maps, collect some chests and most importantly use your chosen MS to absolutely wreck some stuff.

Throughout the game you're taken into some different moments in all of Gundam, but something is just not right, like when Ramba Ral attacked the White Base but he's replaced by Mika in the Barbatos, or how Io Fleming joins you during the Battle of Solomon and helps you kill Lok Kujan. Those are just a few of those moments because the game is completely filled with those.

But onto the actual gameplay, you get to choose between a lot of Gundam's, Ace MS's and a few grunts, they're divided into the three classes:

All-Rounders, the class that's good at close and long ranges, the Xi Gundam for example.

Sharpshooters, excelling at long range, like the Aerial.

In-fighters, the melee units, think units like Barbatos.

And you're goal is to beat the missions in a given time (it's usually long) while listening to the team waffle with the characters taking part in the mission. No dub but it's not too bad but if you struggle with reading quickly it might be a problem.

The resident Char clone:

Hermes Mercury and his dope Gundam Latreia, I won't talk too much about him to avoid spoilers but his boss fights are probably the hardest thing the game has to offer.

The aesthetic:

All the Mobile Suits and maps are build around the SD aesthetic but it still looks really good and the mecha have a good amount of detail. Outside of the actual gameplay the game takes on this visual novel thing where you sometimes respond but it's mostly the crew giving you exposition.

All in all it's one of my favorite games I've played ever, even if it's a bit dlc heavy.

8/10 genuinely recommend any Gundam fan play it.

[planet-gay-comic]

Deep Love and Connection

In ancient Greece, love was not bound by gender but by the beauty of the connection between two souls. This culture did not know our modern terms of homosexuality or heterosexuality. Rather, love was experienced as a multifaceted spectrum that could include all people.

Especially in the world of warriors, this freedom of emotional bonding was pronounced. The famous Sacred Band of Thebes consisted of pairs of men of the same age, whose mutual love was considered a source of their strength. Their bonds were not only strategic in nature but also deeply emotional. Such relationships were publicly acknowledged and respected, as they were seen as an expression of the highest virtue and harmony.

In the education of young men, pederasty was a socially recognized form of relationship between an adult man and a male youth in ancient Greece. These relationships often had an educational component and were an important part of the social structure. Peer-aged pairs were also common. It was a world where men could freely express their affection and admiration for one another without the strict labels that later emerged.

The ancient stories of Achilles and Patroclus or of Alexander the Great and Hephaistion offer examples of profound bonds between peer-aged warriors. The martial culture of ancient Greece, where strength and virtue were highly valued, provided fertile ground for the emergence of such deep emotional connections. For a warrior, the companion at his side was not just a fellow combatant in battle but also a partner in life, with whom all joys and sorrows were shared.

In our modern world, where we still struggle for acceptance, these ancient traditions remind us that love in human history has always been complex and boundless. It awakens in us the memory of a time when love was free from prejudice and definitions and celebrated for what it truly is: a deep connection between people.

Text supported by Chat GPT-4 Images generated with SD-1.5, overworked with inpainting and composing.

[miuarchiv]

Letter to a friend "X", on Schellenberg's divorce

· WS is writing this letter amidst a busy time to later use it as a means to piece together what has happened during this period through correspondence with the recipient, X.

· At the age of 21, WS met Käthe, and they became close for various reasons, including a sexual relationship. After graduating, WS left Bonn to work in Frankfurt and Berlin. During the three and a half years they were apart, WS considered breaking up multiple times, but did put it into action out of a sense of moral obligation and continued to provide her with financial support. At Christmas in 1937, WS finally decided to break up with her during a trip to Bad Honnef. They argued, and Käthe explicitly put forward three moral responsibilities to pressure WS:

1. Käthe had given up her engagement for him (her fiancé was also a lawyer);

2. Käthe couldn't live without him, as she had a poor relationship with her family of origin and WS was currently the only person supporting her;

3. Marriage would reduce her financial burden.

· WS had concerns about marriage: due to the age and personality differences, his parents and all his friends opposed their marriage; WS learned that Käthe had undergone abdominal surgery before meeting him, raising concerns about her ability to reproduce, which turned out to be true.

· WS submitted the marriage review materials, mistakenly believing that the SS's medical examination would be a decisive obstacle. An SS doctor he knew examined Käthe and expressed great doubts, but out of sympathy, WS did not use the doctor's opinion as a reason to give up on marriage. At WS's insistence, the doctor issued a report stating that Käthe had the ability to bear children, but it would be very difficult.

· Before collecting the materials, WS brought Käthe to Berlin, where she stayed with one of WS's direct superiors (presumably Albert). She made friends there and received strong support. During this period, WS once again suggested that they should not enter into a marriage but remain friends, with WS continuing to provide financial and other support. They had another intense argument, and Käthe threatened him with suicide and its consequences. For the sake of his career, WS had no choice but to submit the materials.

· During this time, many colleagues who were on good terms with WS pointed out that he was treating his wife poorly. As a result, WS tried his best to be blameless in such a marriage, never showing the burden of it and focusing on his work. In a marriage without children, and without the possibility of having them, WS would go to work at seven in the morning and return home at nine or ten at night, sometimes working overtime until one or two in the morning, Käthe even made phone calls to check if he was really in the office. Gradually Käthe began to doubt whether he really had that much work, and whenever he came home late, they would argue. There were frequent small and large quarrels, and Käthe often complained to the wives of WS's colleagues, displaying strong jealousy and suspicion.

· WS was dissatisfied with her attire, which was sometimes quite tasteful and other times clownish, and her switching between sloppiness and excessive cleanliness; he was saddened by the absence of children, and she was well aware of this; he believed she should not view the duties of a housewife as akin to a maid's work, and she did not even care about her own health, smoking too much. All these conflicts made WS feel that the marriage was doomed and that he was like a "disgusting, rigid husband who had been battling with a dragon for 20 years."

· Other contents already covered by the Anlage 2.

OCR: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t3Zu4Du9AlQlG4nJWY_IE_Ex1D3h6D9C/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117112698688138659305&rtpof=true&sd=true

Deepl translation: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vCmle8-feaWCIKxyjU4xt9y3DZlA-yfw/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117112698688138659305&rtpof=true&sd=true

[kirider]

[05/05/2023]

I've been playing The Great Battle, Ichigo is lucky that all the SDs are the same size :P

[kdinjenzen]

Okay, as someone who's only interaction with Gundam has been SD world and Great Battle, is there a good point to start with the "main" series? (Is there even a main series?)

Yes there is a main series… multiple technically.

The main core series is the “Universal Century” stuff, and here’s the chronological order for that (but legit you can KINDA start anywhere):

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin

Mobile Suit Gundam

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Movie Trilogy

Advent Of The Red Comet

The 08th MS Team

MS IGLOO

0080: War In The Pocket

Thunderbolt

0083: Stardust Memory

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam: A New Translation

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn

Mobile Suit Gundam Twilight Axis

Mobile Suit Gundam Narrative

Gundam Hathaway

Mobile Suit Gundam: F91

Victory Gundam

Then there’s “Mars Century”:

Gundam Wing

Operation Meteor

Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz

Cosmic Era:

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny

Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: STARGAZER

Anno Domini:

Mobile Suit Gundam 00

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 The Movie -A wakening of the Trailblazer

And Advanced Generation:

Mobile Suit Gundam AGE

Mobile Suit Gundam AGE: Memory of Eden

All of these are more “main series”, and are put into chronological order under their banner names.

For funsies, here’s the release order of the more “mainline” style titles… and also G Gundam because I love it.

Mobile Suit Gundam (1979 – 1980)

Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985 – 1986)

Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ (1986 – 1987)

Mobile Suit Gundam: Char’s Counterattack (1988)

Mobile Suit Gundam F91 (1991)

Victory Gundam (1993)

Mobile Suit V Gundam (1993 – 1994)

Mobile Fighter G Gundam (1994 – 1995)

Mobile Suit Gundam Wing (1995 – 1996)

After War Gundam X (1996)

Turn A Gundam (1999)

Gundam SEED (2002 – 2003)

Gundam SEED Destiny (2004 – 2005)

Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (2007 – 2009)

Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn (2010)

Gundam Reconguista in G (2014 – 2015)

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin (2015 – 2018)

Mobile Suit Gundam: Iron-Blooded Orphans (2015 – 2017)

Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt (2015 – 2017)

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury (2022 – Ongoing)

Annnnnd the SD Gundam series:

Mobile Suit SD Gundam

Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk II

Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk III

Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk IV

Mobile Suit SD Gundam Mk V

Superior Defender Gundam Force

Annnnnnd the Build series:

Gundam Build Fighters

Gundam Build Fighters Try

Gundam Build Divers

Gundam Build Divers Re:RISE

That should get you started! :D

[littleladymab]

Still Waiting Duology (a wip intro for @moon-and-seraph's WORDS INTO POTIONS March event)

Genre: Fantasy (low fantasy, magic and second world, but only humans) Summary: After graduating from the country's most prestigious magical academy with no real interest in signing up for a tour of "border patrol", Cateryn drags her best friend and duel partner Jigar to tour the country with her -- hoping that maybe her restlessness will finally settle. She has no home to return to, and no idea of what a future is supposed to look like. When one year threatens to become two, they finally stumble upon three people whose struggles resonate with Cateryn's: Raif, who lost their father, their wife, and their future to one torrential storm and decided to leave home to save their mother the trouble of an heir who couldn't uphold the family name; Kira, a seer whose powers resulted in xir becoming a political prisoner when xir home was invaded; and Arris, Kira's husband who was helpless to save his employer and suffered at the hands of the occupying force before he could get himself and his spouse to freedom.

For the first time in a long time, Cateryn finds herself wanting to stay in one place and to open up to the people around her, even though Jigar thinks they should keep moving on. Because the two of them are destined for great things, he likes to say, but she knows what is best, and he's content to stay with her. Except for the past has a way of catching up with everyone, and they all find themselves dragged into political responsibilities as the neighboring country is getting agitated with an increasing number of border disputes, and rumors of something more than the usual bandits roaming the south.

And when Cateryn's past involvements with her father's spirit magic come back to haunt her, she has to decide if she wants to accept that part of her, or reject it and everything that comes with it before its too late. Etc: writing tag || pin board

My goal this month is to finish the outline for at least book 1 if not both books, and to GIVE IT A PROPER TITLE. And, between this and SD, hopefully write 4 chapters/about 10k.

Main Cast

Cateryn Caddis-Dowell (she/her); between 24/28; skilled at offensive/battle magic || playlist

Raif Van to Yuen-ha (they/he); between 28/32; dishonored heir to the Yuen-ha family; mediocre alchemist || playlist

Jigar Soru (he/him); between 26/30; skilled at defensive magic; "self-taught" spirit mage || playlist

Kira Dittmar (xe/xir); between 23/27; diviner/seer who would like to be retired || playlist

Arris Dittmar (he/him); between 29/33; sword for hire, just happy to be here! (he doesn't have a playlist yet I'm sorry)

Snippet

Raif didn’t even bother trying not to look miserable. If their mother wanted to make a spectacle out of their humiliation, then she’d have to do it with a sulking heir.

“Which part of this is the worst?” Cateryn asks, startling them out of their reverie.

“Pardon?” they ask in return, straightening their posture just a bit now that they’re the center of someone’s attention.

She gestures to the ballroom. “It’s the taffeta, personally. I am sweating like it isn’t the dead of winter in the north, and everyone can hear me from a mile away.” She says it low, conspiratorially, and they can’t help but laugh. “Ah, there it is.”

“The key to the taffeta’s undoing?” they whisper back, reaching out to ruffle her skirt. It whish whish whishes loudly beneath their touch.

“No, your smile.”

They snort into their wine glass. “Please, Cateryn, you don’t need to skulk about with me because you feel sorry for me.” It’s hard to keep the bitterness from their voice as they mirror her gesture towards the room. “My mother isn’t trying to humiliate you.”

They don’t mention how they noticed the way Aiden had been doting on her all evening despite this being a party for him.

“Is it wrong of me to want to keep you company?” she asks innocently. “You know, better yet, want to get out of here?”

Raif pauses with the wine glass against their lips. Leave the party early? Without saying hello, yes, I’m well thank you, yes I miss Linna and my father terribly but I’m sure Aiden will do a splendid job where I’ve failed as a child, but at least I don’t have to be my mother’s son anymore — Aiden can do that, to every one of Uyen’s friends?

The thought sends a frisson of rebellious delight through them, and they pass their half-finished glass to a nearby server. “More than anything,” they say, and Cateryn answers with a grin.

She takes their hand — in front of their mother, the family gods, and everyone — and tugs them towards the exit on the far side of the ballroom.

Uyen doesn’t call after them, but Raif can feel her disdain follow them into the hall.

[peachshadows]

Who are MK’s other suited in Sundown au?

How do Redson and Mei react to said suitors???

Well I'm not exactly sure I just know a lot of demons and celestials are vying for MK's attention due to his status and strength but sd!Red Son and sd!Mei takes it in great jealousy that they go as far as to show off their strength (more like being petty) by battling MK's suitors (even tho MK had it handled)

[womensworldtour]

2024 Giro d'Italia Women in review

With a week to think about the Giro d'Italia Women, we have some thoughts on the race overall, just as we did with the Vuelta Feminina. And since we're in the beginning of the Olympic break, let's look back at one of the most exciting Giros we've ever seen.

Heat was a constant companion.

Possible the biggest—and certainly most constant—factor in this year's Giro was the heat, which stayed punishingly high throughout the race. Domestiques had to make constant trips back to the car for bottles, multiplying the effort they had to make to keep their teammates hydrated and safe. We can't think of many things less daunting than to have to go back to the car on a 9% climb, load up an extra 10 kilos of water and then chase to get back in the group, only to have to do it again and again.

The heat affected the standings, too. Clara Emond was in the blue mountains classification jersey when she had to abandon due to heat-related issues. There was quite a bit of attrition among the teams, with only one or two finishing with their full squad. (This might be a good idea to mention that heat would be more manageable if the race was later in the year, see below.)

2. Forza Italia!

For the first time since 2008, the Giro has an Italian at the top of the podium, and it just seems right. Elisa Longo Borghini showed herself to be the strongest across different stages and terrains, and after being on the podium thrice before, we can't think of anyone more prepared or deserving of the win.

3. Chapeau to the race organizers.

This was the first year that RCS Sport, the organizer of the men's Giro, had taken over the women's Giro, after a few rocky years of poor (or non-existent) media coverage and organizational issues. The change appears to have been generally positive. Media coverage of the Giro was good; even though it wasn't start-to-finish, we had no trouble watching the race. And the stages and courses were thoughtfully designed, keeping the race interesting throughout. Previous Giros have seen the GC locked up in the first or second stage, but this year the tension built throughout the week and we saw a fair amount of shake-ups in the third through tenth places, a good sign of a challenging and competitive course.

4. The schedule still isn't perfect.

With perhaps the most exciting and competitive Giro d'Italia Women ever, it's a shame that it still has to compete with the Tour de France Hommes. Lots of avid cycling fans understandably prioritize the Tour, which we have to admit was incredibly exciting this year. We think it's definitely an improvement to have the women's Giro take place during the second week of the men's Tour rather than the first, but we still would prefer to see this oldest women's grand tour to have its own space on the calendar, and there is room to do it, if the organizers are willing to break with tradition. We personally would prefer late summer, closer to when the men's Vuelta is being held, but we're open to suggestions. A race this exciting doesn't deserve to be drowned out.

5. Young riders announce themselves.

We saw several young riders stamp their name on this race, which was a delight to see. We loved to see Kim le Court's last stage victory, or Clara Emond's long-range solo attack, or Neve Bradbury's stage win to follow up on her Tour de Suisse stage win. These riders are flying, and they are so much fun to watch, we are excited to see what more they will do.

6. Love for the non-super teams.

Stage racing in 2024 was basically the SD Worx-Protime show, until July. We can't blame someone like Demi Vollering for showcasing her talent, and she certainly had the strongest team—when they chose to support her. But it was nice to see a really competitive stage race that went down to the line, with multiple teams battling for the podium. AG Insurance-Soudal had a great Giro, rewarding steady effort by the whole team with a stage win by Kim le Court and the mountains classification by Justine Ghekiere. EF Oatly Cannondale scored a stage win with Clara Emond's solo breakaway win, and Bepink–Bongioanni was represented by Ana Vitória Magalhães in both the mountains classification fight and several breakaways. Neve Bradbury made Canyon-SRAM proud by taking a stage win, the young rider jersey, and the third step on the GC podium.

With the Giro in the books, and particularly since Baloise Ladies Tour wrapped up, we now have a long break in most schedules to allow for the Olympics to take place, before we once again turn our attention to the road and the Tour de France Femmes in August!

[ssjrodimus]

25x Super Famicom game cartridges [JPN]

Super Mario World, Super Mario Collection, Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, Zelda no Densetsu: Kamigami no Triforce (Link to the Past), 2x Super Donkey Kong (DK Country), Super Donkey Kong 3 (DK Country 3), Mickey no Magical Adventure, Mickey to Minnie Magical Adventure 2, Street Fighter II, 2x Final Fantasy VI, 2x Final Fantasy V, Shin Megami Tensei II, Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon, SD The Great Battle, Densetsu no Ogre Battle, Romancing SaGa, Nobunaga no Yabou: Haouden, Zan II, J League Super Soccer '95, Classic Road, The Shinri Game 2.

[dangus-doo]

I draw a pen doodle every day until I forget

Day 287: RX-79[G] Gundam Ez-8 Gundam

The EZ-8! I’ve been playing that SD Gundam Battle Alliance game on Gamepass lately, and I really like how the Gundam Ez-8 plays in that game! It’s probably not the best mobile suit in the game, and I guarantee that I’m gonna switch to the Burning Gundam once it’s available, but the EZ-8 is still great!