#also i want to emphasize that the source of the powers is a *minor* point of contention between the relevant characters

[thejakeformerlyknownasprince]

"I hate stories unkilling characters and have been firm on never doing it in my own sci fi series" do you mean that you're writing a sci-fi series other than your fic? If so, I'd love to know more about it! You're an incredible writer.

Yes and no and yes and no. I have two major projects I've taken as far as multiple drafts of novels. But whether either one counts as sci fi... Hm.

Project 1 is probably more fantasy — I always describe it as Chronicles of Narnia by way of Stephen King's It. It definitely has sci fi elements in that it's more interested in commenting on the contemporary U.S. than on the fantasy world — one character flees the U.S. for OtherWorld, one character flees OtherWorld for the U.S., one character only goes to OtherWorld so he can earn a place in U.S. society, and one character only leaves the U.S. so she can earn a place in OtherWorld. It also has that sci fi sensibility of wanting to know how things work, why different societies are different for good and bad reasons. That said, it's also a portal fantasy about characters using magic to travel between universes, so... marginal.

Project 2 is more like X-Men, in that it's more concerned with how teenagers would (mis)use the ability to shoot lasers than how the lasers work. It's largely about forming an identity and fighting real estate developers on behalf of one's family co-op, so urban fantasy if it's fantasy or low sci fi if it's sci fi. The relative sci-fi-ness of the universe is literally a minor point of contention between two characters (one's a science tutor who believes in experimenting with the chaos energy to understand it better; one's a devout believer who has Seen Some Shit and knows better than to futz around with these things) and I deliberately never resolve it. The superpower stuff is important and fun and influences the characters a lot, but unlike X-Men it's not a magic-school story and doesn't want to be.

Sorry that's kind of a non-answer. But I think stressing too hard over how a book will be marketed while you're still drafting it is like buying wallpaper for a house you haven't built, and that genres are just made-up marketing categories anyway.

[lemonandpie]

The Sladick content you post intrigues me, but I have no idea where to start comic book canons! What kind of dynamic do they have, and could you please recommend the best sources of canon for them?

Oh hey it's the post that killed my phone 🫠

Post, take 2!

OK, so, basics: Slade Wilson (aka Deathstroke) is an assassin with superhealing who decided to spend several years tormenting a group of teenage superheroes. Dick Grayson is, of course, the leader of said teenage superheroes.

From what I know in the comics, Slade makes himself the Titan's big bad because he blames them for his son's death. Except he grows to genuinely admire Dick's skills, and by the time Dick is Nightwing, they have a friendly adversarial relationship, which the fandom of course took and ran with. Lots of Slade challenging Dick to stop whatever assassination Slade is there to carry out, but neither of them actually try that hard to catch each other.

Of course, that backstory is a bit too dark for a kid's show, so after a season of Slade fucking with the Titans, Dick becomes so obessed with finding Slade that his bedroom is covered in every spot by information about Slade. All while Slade is matching Dick's freak and has a wall of Robin surveillance videos. Then we find out that Slade is obsessed with Dick specifically. Because he wants Dick to be his apprentice.

Cue blackmail. And implanted bombs. Sending Dick to attack Wayne Enterprises (which very heavily implies that Slade has figured out Dick's identity).

All of this is a great time, obviously, and the basis of a perfect ship, but a very important thing to remember is that, even if they can't say anything outright (again, kid's show), is that Teen Titans does everything it can to hint at Slade being very sexually predatory. Pinning Dick down while he tries to escape, gently putting a clip in Terra's hair while promising that he can give her control over her powers (though he emphasizes "your power, my control"), all adds up to an awful lot of subtext. Keep in mind that in the comics, Slade did have sex with Terra when she was a minor, and Dick in the comics has a long history of being sexually assaulted to outright raped. The result is that Slade and Robin have a lot of sexual implications in their interactions, for better or for worse.

The apprentice arc doesn't really have a comics basis, but the fandom has in a way defaulted into combining them. Slade admires Dick, but that admiration is overrun by his search for revenge, and the answer he comes to is to try and force Dick into being his apprentice. Dick usually escapes, but with a lot of trauma (typically both psychological and sexual-- TT doesn't confirm that Dick has PTSD, but they do have him breakdown over induced flashbacks, so.) The biggest split tends to be over what happens next; if Dick continues to hate and fear Slade, or if he comes to respect him to the point where he's praising Slade to Bruce.

Honestly, I find that their best quality is that Sladick can be a fun friendly enemies ship, or a really harrowing portrayal of abuse, and both are equally supported by canon.

When it comes to the comics themselves, my knowledge is always very scattered because I've never had great access to comics and only know what I can get my hands on. So unfortunately I'm not able to direct you to specific runs. But I do highly recommend watching Teen Titans, both for the Sladick content and also because it's a genuinely great show (if you're an anime fan, you'll love it). The live action Titans does have a Slade arc, but unfortunately it like everything about Titans fails to live up to even a scrap of it's potential.

[cto10121]

Seriously, Why Did Shakespeare Make Juliet 13?

One common trope among the annals of R&J clownery is the matter of Juliet’s age, which never fails to send clowns into a frothy spiral of pearl-clutching, hand-wringing agita (Romeo’s age, meanwhile, is never a cause of much paternalistic concern). But it’s worth asking the question, especially since:

His sources for the tale feature a much older Juliet and of course, Romeo. Why the change?

13 was considered too young to be married even by Shakespeare’s time; for the lower classes it was almost unheard of. Only children by nobility were betrothed that young, and chiefly for political alliance.

So there is a bit of a ~mystery. There have been many theories, some more likelier than others. Let’s count the ways.

1. Social Criticism: The Bad Old Days(tm)

This is most likely the case, tying into the fact that early modern Englishmen and women married in their late 20s as the norm. Even Shakespeare was at least 18 when he married his 27-year-old wife.

Nobility did betroth their young children for alliance, but it was understood by the late 1500s that 13-14 year-old girls were too young to bear children safely. A delay of a year or two before marital consummation was the norm. Shakespeare may have wanted to reflect that reality for his multi-class audience.

Also, Shakespeare was adapting a history set in the 1300s, during De La Scala’s rule in Verona. If Shakespeare had wanted to clue his audience in that this tragedy was set during the Bad Old Catholic Days, making Lady Capulet and the Nurse encourage their 13-year-old to consider marriage and explain that girls as young as she were already married would set those 🚩🚩🚩 🚩 a-waving for a 1590s audience. There is definitely an attempt to problematize the Capulets. Sure enough, we do have contemporary accounts mentioning a “tyrant” Capulet.

So Shakespeare’s audience (and we) would immediately understand the critique and also the dramatic stakes for Juliet—what kind of family she has been raised in, and the danger she would soon be in for merely resisting her father’s will.

2. Social Criticism: The Disempowerment of Youth

In de-aging his lovers, Shakespeare may have wanted to emphasize just how much Romeo and Juliet are at the mercy of their families. They have a degree of agency and autonomy, more so on Romeo’s part since he is undoubtedly older. But otherwise they are largely dependent on their families, and thus more vulnerable to the (deadly) consequences of their feud.

That’s why they don’t even consider fleeing Verona—not that it wouldn’t be just as stupid an idea even if they were older. But actual minors out in the world is a recipe for disaster.

3. The Power of (First) Love

Shakespeare may have wanted to make sure R&J had as little romantic experience as possible to drive home this point. While 13 was considered too young for marriage, love was a different matter. Even now the average age of first romantic experience for most people is 13-16. Romeo is hung up on Rosaline, but doesn’t seem to know her well at all or made much of an effort to woo her. And Juliet honestly is not thinking of marriage.

That said, there are some things in the play that go against R&J having no romantic experience prior to this. Romeo is impatient with Rosaline’s chastity vow and overall does not value chastity much. He also does not hesitate to pursue and woo Juliet. Juliet picks up on the flirtation right away without so much as a “whut” and tells Romeo that he kisses “by th’book.” She also warns Romeo that if he has no intention of marrying her, to leave her “to her grief.” Kids grow up so fast, I guess.

All of this may just be a sign of their instant chemistry rather than any prior romantic experience, though. As soon as they meet each other it’s as if they have grown by like 3-5 years older lol. And R&J are just as likely to experience first love at 16/18 as 13/17. But it does show that Shakespeare and his time were well aware erotic attachments began on the younger side.

4. Practical Theater Stuff

As Shakespeare’s troupe was all men, with young boys playing women, it would make sense for Shakespeare to write closer to the actor for Juliet. 13/14/15-year-old boy=13-year-old female character. Audience verisimilitude, and all that.

He may not have been necessarily 13, though, so again, weak sauce. And Elizabethans accepted such a whole host of artificial stage conventions that I doubt they would have really had their Suspension of Disbelief threatened by an older boy as Juliet.

Bonus: Adaptations

Due to vastly changing attitudes and norms, Juliet’s age has been changed for modern adaptations, for various different reasons, many valid. Those that have kept her age intact, though, have not always understood the social criticism and deliberate purpose behind Shakespeare’s decision to age his lovers down. Hence you get a lot of 13-going-on-3 Juliets and casting kid-looking actresses in the role general. If not, then she is portrayed as more immature and energetic than the text ever suggests, from tomboyish to typical girly-girl playing with her dollies (🤮).

Ditto for Romeo. Romeo’s age is not specified in the text, but casting directors have rarely aged him down to Juliet’s canonical age (the closest is probably the Polish and Cocciante musicals with really baby faced Romeos). More often, to compensate, Romeo’s actors have simply played him as more boyish and immature than even his part reads—a caricature of a teen boy as a more “fitting” partner for a more child-like Juliet.

All much ado about nothing, imo. Shakespeare would probably not give a groat if you raise Juliet’s age, so long the cruelty of the forced marriage is conveyed. With the expansion of childhood, the delay of marriage, and the rampant neo Puritanism, 16 is very much the new 13. Even so, with the age gap discourse, the clownery about Romeo being a Creepy Italian Groomer has only grown worse.

[goldenworldsabound]

🌦️🛌👀 C L A Y M A N

THANK YOU tbh I'm gonna answer all of these for Clayman at some point hehe

🌦️: Would you be accompanied by mostly fluff or angst fanfics? Both? Explain why.

Both. There's so much angst to lean into - Clayman's death in the main timeline, and his grief in thinking he got Wendy killed when he wakes up in the REVENGE timeline. I think some folks would find the source material didn't cover this enough and would want to expand on it.

I think there would also fully be an equal faction that's like NO SADNESS NO DEATH ONLY HAPPY ENDINGS FFS and would write a lot of fluff to cope so fkdjsahfkjds

🛌: What tropes show up in fics involving your ship?

childhood friends to lovers is a must have for AUs because the ship is literally that

also forbidden love/secret relationship (hiding it from Kazalim)

and unbalanced power dynamics for sure

also battle couple

👀: How does your ship with your f/o influence both of your characterisations and the world? Would there be any interesting metas written about your dynamic?

It makes it even clearer from the beginning that Clayman is not his usual self in the beginning of the story. At the same time, it emphasizes that the loyalty Rimuru has from his subordinates repeats itself - Wendy is so loyal to Clayman, they don't hesitate to die for him, despite the evil things he's done, many of which they haven't agreed with.

My SI specifically also brings grief to the forefront. Rimuru experiences grief (though he manages to bring all his friends back to life so it's quite temporary), but my SI doesn't. They have to grapple with it. That's the difference between them and Rimuru - Rimuru is strong, and he can fix the bad situation he was given. My SI cannot, and cannot even seek revenge for it.

There's also Yuzu, and Yuzu being the reason SI decides to keep living. To find meaning in family - reemphasizing what seems to be a focus for the Moderate Jesters in general. Family is of the utmost importance - and in this case, family is what enables SI to move forward from grief.

And of course in Clayman's REVENGE they allow us to see the soft sweet loving side of Clayman. It's clear he cares about his family, but this would make it even clearer.

I think there could be a lot of interesting meta written about the processing of grief, as well the depths of loyalty Wendy has to Clayman.

[radicalbotanicals]

Popping the Filter Bubble – Radicalisation tool or Just Misrepresented?

For this entry, I am thinking about playing devil’s advocate here. I want to approach this from a different perspective rather than just harp on the usual narrative that it, (filter bubbles that is) contributes to hive-mind mentality at the extreme end of the argument or simply does not allow people access to diverse content that could perhaps give them better informed opinions. Personally, I believe people who want to live in their own echo chamber are going to deliberately construct spaces for themselves that they can comfortably exist in. You cannot force someone to be understanding or empathetic to differing opinions from their own if they do not want to. I think we are all guilty of this to some degree, even if it is on a minor scale. For example, I will purposely ignore any incendiary comments or criticisms regarding bands I enjoy and have essentially barred myself from spaces on the internet I know where I can see such content. It has brought much peace to my life by doing so, particularly as metalhead who is in quite an elitist music community.

To dive deeper into this issue on a more serious note, can you be radicalised by a filter bubble? Michael Wolfowicz, David Weisburd, and Badi Hasisi would say not in their paper: “Examining the interactive effects of the filter bubble and the echo chamber on radicalization”. They determined that In fact, evidence suggests that algorithmic selection’s potential effect on radicalization would be small relative to the effects of self-selection which supports my opening statement above. They point to several challenges that are presented when trying to seek a link between filter bubbles, echo chambers and their radicalising power. Studies in this field have thus far been “relegated primarily to the macro-level, with little if any individual-level study. Another issue comes from attempting to measure ‘echo chamberness’ which is noted to often “fail to capture the type of network structure characteristics described by the respective propositions.” (Wolfowicz et al., 2021). Given that the terms were coined by someone outside of the sphere of academia, Eli Pariser to be specific, as terminology to be used in the tech world, it has created this “conceptual ambiguity…which has challenged researchers with developing their own way of testing the frameworks’ hypotheses.” (Wolfowicz et al., 2021) All of this to say there has not been definitive proof to conclude that filter bubbles are this mystical powerful machine that can mind-control any unsuspecting consumer into believing whatever the algorithm wants them to.

There is in fact even positive evidence to suggest filter bubbles can create safe spaces for the disenfranchised or “at risk” groups to connect and find community. In Filter Bubbles? Also Protector Bubbles! Folk Theories of Zhihu Algorithms Among Chinese Gay Men (Zhao 2023) Zhao dives into a popular Chinese social media app known as Zhihu and how the “filter bubble” has in fact information barriers built by the filter bubbles that “are believed to shield gay male users from outsiders; the recommendation algorithms are also perceived to recognize scattered gay male users and to provide them with access to various gay communities; and thus, algorithm-driven exclusive networks are believed to have been established.” (Zhao 2023).

(Source KRAsia.) Sometimes filter bubbles can be good!

Zhao brings up the notion that “it is always emphasized that information barriers hinder the interaction and flow of views and polarize people’s thinking. However, the informants in this study offer a queering interpretation of information barriers.” One of the participants in this study, known as 13 mentioned “the information barrier of Zhihu is so well constructed and will never lie to you. It should be said that absolutely no straight man or woman will find this [gay] space; for those who have never been exposed to this [gay] topic, the possibility of entering is too low.” (Zhao 2023). It is very likely that diverse identities such as those of the LGBTQ+ community are not considered when filter bubbles are spoken about in a negative context. “visibility” in spaces is taken for granted for sure, but the potential shielding power it holds for individuals who may be persecuted cannot be denied, and they can continue to exist in these spaces with potentially less danger being presented to their person simply by being who they are. It is a double-edged sword for sure, but I think we need to move past the conversation that it is merely the work of algorithms that are resulting in perhaps radicalisation of dangerous or extremist groups and it is in fact a much larger societal issue that we should be addressing, but perhaps we are not ready for that conversation just yet.

Bibliography

Wolfowicz, M., Weisburd, D. and Hasisi, B. (2021) ‘Examining the interactive effects of the filter bubble and the Echo Chamber on Radicalization’, Journal of Experimental Criminology, 19(1), pp. 119–141. doi:10.1007/s11292-021-09471-0.

Zhao, L. (2023) ‘Filter bubbles? also protector bubbles! folk theories of Zhihu algorithms among Chinese gay men’, Social Media + Society, 9(2), p. 205630512311686. doi:10.1177/20563051231168647.

[adobe-outdesign]

Have you given your opinions on Golett/Golurk yet?

I think I mentioned this in a review of the Regis, but I love it when Pokemon draws inspiration from different mythologies; in this case, Jewish golems (specially the Golem of Prague, though that's not as obvious until it evolves). The whole reason they're ground/ghost is that they're made from clay, and the Golem of Prague could summon spirits. I just love the amount of research put into these guys.

I also like the in-universe lore for them as well; there's kind of a theme of various ancient man-made Pokemon made using unknown means that's been in various games (Siglyph, Claydol, etc.), and I love seeing that trend continued here. The 'dex entries talking about their internal power sources and how science has no idea what they run off of is also really great.

And finally, it's also great from a visual standpoint. The dull turquoise adds some much needed color, while the internal glowing parts pop nicely with the yellow. I also love the asymmetry; it's not something we see in a lot of Pokemon designs, and it emphasizes the whole man-made look. Also, the lack of a mouth and the almost "8-bit" eyes are perfect.

And thankfully, Golurk is just as good as Golett, if not better. The two designs are similar, but enough is changed to make them both distinct (chest area, brown straps, markings, body shape, etc.). I particularly like how the containment part on the chest is effectively a band-aid over a giant crack, and the 'dex entry about them going berserk if it's ever removed.

As if Golurk wasn't cool enough just being a giant golem, it also can fly, giant robot-style, fire lasers, and even become a canon. Huge fan of that.

(side note: the entire Reshiram in the BG in this card illustration is really something)

My only complaint about it is that the skirt area looks a tad out-of-place. I don't mind the roman look, but it's too smooth and too perfect compared to the rest of the body, which has more of a chiseled look. I would've like to maybe see each part of the skirt come down in a V shape, with a more cubic texture to it. That's obviously a minor point, however, and by no means ruins the design.

Overall, both stages are unique but also work well together, the colors are nice, the designs are charming, and the mythology (both IRL and in-universe) is perfect. Really, what more could you want from a Pokemon?

[joshualunacreations]

Western media downplays anti-Asian racism and manipulates narratives about it in order to reinforce the Model Minority Myth, the Asian gender divide, and geopolitical tensions in Asia. Even in so-called progressive outlets, U.S. media invokes Orientalism and even gendered depictions of Asian countries to create a contrast: Evil Misogynist Asia vs. Benevolent White Male West. The goal is to dehumanize Asians, deify whiteness, and justify warmongering against Asia. Whenever diasporic Asians are harmed by racist violence, U.S. media takes one of three approaches: 1) ignoring the incident, 2) reporting on the incident but erasing the Asianness of victims, or 3) reporting on the incident but questioning whether it's really racism to blame. 

To ensure AsAms don't work together to push back against this, U.S. policies and propaganda create a gender divide. The 1942-1943 Mixed Marriage Policy ranks Asians, with monoracial Asian men the least valuable and most threatening. This ranking still exists.

Four years ago, I made a sincere effort to help heal this gender divide by pointing out how all AsAms were hurting and at risk of falling into a cycle of retribution. Instead of taking accountability, AsAms in power targeted, harassed and blacklisted me.

I—along with anyone else who dared to speak up—was repeatedly scolded with the refrain that the harm Asian men experience is not meaningful. Yet looking at the recent data and media narratives about anti-Asian hate crimes, we now have damning evidence of how untrue that is. In my previous post, I did an in-depth analysis of anti-Asian hate crimes and the role of Stop AAPI Hate as a primary source of data collection. Now I want to talk about how journalists—especially AsAms—have skewed this data into a violently racist narrative. After the Atlanta shootings, the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) shaped the media narrative about Atlanta and anti-Asian hate crimes in general. The problem is that they relied on Stop AAPI Hate data—which over-prioritizes East Asian women over other AAPI victims.

There's more than sufficient evidence from trustworthy sources like AAPI Data to show Asian men are as likely to be victims of hate crimes as Asian women and also more likely to experience physical assault. So why isn't AAJA promoting this narrative? One look at the governing boards of AAJA says a lot. For an organization that is supposed to promote inclusivity of Asian voices in media, there aren't many Asian men represented. Not only that, but there are more white men than actual Asian men seated in the Asia division.

This erasure of Asian men in anti-Asian hate crime narratives is eerily similar to what happened with my comic Reconciliasian and how Asians in power erased Asian men back then too. Seeing AAJA's guidance on the Atlanta shootings provides new insight. What I thought was a fringe mindset among a handful of AsAm journalists was actually a product of top-down marching orders sent out to all AsAm journalists, which then gets disseminated as the mainstream narrative. This intentional erasure of Asian men is racist and violent. It's ironic that AsAm leaders push for restorative justice for anti-Asian hate crimes—which emphasizes communication between the perpetrator and victim—yet none of them has owned up to how much harm they've caused with their bias. Whenever they're caught, they just go quiet. That's the part of the betrayal that hurts the most. Violent perpetrators of anti-Asian hate crimes get more sensitivity than actual Asian male victims of hate crimes. I can't even put into words how heartbroken and angry I am to see this racist abuse play out again and again. For example, I never forgot the contrast in Juju Chang's interview of two Atlanta shooting victim's children. To a daughter she says "your mom would be very proud of you" and to a son she says "what do you think your mother sacrificed for your benefit?" The lack of empathy towards Asian men is so normalized in media narratives that it's not even questioned. Here's a person who lost his mom to a violent hate crime, yet an AsAm journalist felt the need to imply he should feel shame—which is so inappropriate to ask of anyone. The point of these posts isn't to say East Asian women or AAPI women in general shouldn't get attention and resources. It's to correct the harm of AsAm leaders erasing Asian men, and to make sure all AAPI can get meaningful victim support, resources, and media attention. But I'm not holding my breath. This requires big changes—including giving Asian men like me a voice—and so far, Asian American leaders have demonstrated strong resistance to holding themselves and their friends accountable. They profit off the harm, and want to continue doing so. So I anticipate they'll do what they'll usually do. Quietly lurk on my posts, steal the content, & then speak over me and other people they've harmed in order to portray themselves as the heroes who came in to save the day. With fellow AsAms like these, who needs enemies? (Please don’t repost or edit my art. Reblogs are always appreciated.)If you enjoy my comics, please pledge to my Patreon or donate to my Paypal. I lost my publisher for trying to publish these strips, so your support keeps me going until I can find a new publisher/lit agent https://twitter.com/Joshua_Luna/status/1134522555744866304 https://patreon.com/joshualuna https://www.paypal.com/paypalme2/JoshuaLunaComics

[vickyvicarious]

I was talking over dinner over the HP world building / plot, mainly missed opportunities, and I feel like sharing one main point here: the wizards already live in a dystopia.

Wizard dystopia evidence:

Small society with little cultural diversity. There are other cultures referenced but they never play a large role, there's this sense of Brit wizard exceptionalism that infects not only their relations with muggles but with foreign wizards too. Even when shit gets dire they don't really call in allies for help or anything.

They have slaves and defend it as something the house elves prefer (+ Hermione is given the villain-with-a-point treatment in her efforts to free them; she is well meaning but her methods are Too Much and she doesn't really Get It)

Second class citizens (particularly thinking goblins) are looked down upon and there is an extended history of them attempting to rise up and being defeated. This also goes for squibs (well, not the rising up, but).

Widespread racism - towards goblins, werewolves, centaurs, muggles... a lot of this is institutionalized or supported by society at large even if not officially approved of (think goblin statue in MoM lobby, werewolf treatment, the emphasis on being pureblood even in 'nicer' families).

Lack of proper education - the 'best school' has a lot of unqualified teachers working there but even beyond that there doesn't appear to be any further education after 17, and especially with regards to the muggle world even so-called enthusiasts like Mr. Weasley and the Muggle Studies teacher don't seem to know what the hell they're talking about

Resistance to new ideas - goes hand in hand with some others here, but their world is steeped in tradition at the cost of innovation. They use candles and quills and fear of the Other is a major part of everyone's life. They are highly selective about who can know about them and limit what change they can make.

Only ONE real source of news. No other newspapers we really hear of besides the universally-derided Quibbler. We also know for a fact the government has their hands firmly in the Daily Prophet.

Corrupt government - shows up strong in later books but is present from the start via the Malfoys clearly buying their way and also through the...

Harsh punishments for lawbreakers - Azkaban is pretty brutal and there is not much evidence of a more minor punishment beyond like... fines. We know from that the government has just skipped trials when it wanted to, and even the trials it gives don't seem especially fair or thorough

At the very least, this society is highly flawed. And honestly, there's nothing wrong with this set up. It's great, even. Except for one detail...

Voldemort represents change. And he is the enemy.

What I mean by this is that he shakes up the status quo. Everyone seems horrified at him killing Muggles because of a combination of patronizing pity ("those poor helpless muggles can't defend themselves") and xenophobic fear ("if he reveals us to them we could all die"). There isn't widespread societal hatred of his message that wizards are superior so much as there is to his methods. Some of which include things like giving power to second-class citizens like werewolves, for example. Sure, our heroes all know that his message is Wrong, not just his methods.

But Harry was abused by muggles and dives right into the escape of the Wizarding world. Hermione longs to be accepted and her hangups tend to get punished by the story (making them character flaws or moments of humor), until there's even a scene where she fully cuts ties with her roots. Even exceptions to the rule (werewolves are horrible predators, but Lupin is a great guy. Giants are seen as violent beasts and half-giants discriminated against, but Hagrid is a true friend.) seem to only emphasize the rule itself by being the only exception and even having reinforcing events around those 'good' characters. (Fenrir Grayback revels in being a beast and leads a whole pack of like-minded werewolves, and even Lupin has put people in danger multiple times. The giants sided with Voldemort/beat up Hagrid with even his brother being so dangerous he had to be tied up, and Hagrid himself has an affinity to dangerous creatures that has put being in danger several times.) These aren't one to one comparisons but overall the impression you get is of exceptions while the norm isn't really challenged.

And since Voldemort, who breaks the rules of the Wizarding society, is the villain, our heroes become representatives of returning the world to the way it was before he ruined everything. Their grand victory in the end is nothing more than a return to the status quo, at least on a textual level. Maybe Hermione becomes Minister of Magic but as far as I recall we don't hear about all the house elves being freed or the goblins getting a fair shake.

And since the world is already pretty much a dystopia, albeit one with fun magic flavoring, this victory doesn't make anyone really better off. If they had defeated Voldemort using Muggle tech or unconventional thinking or something, that would have helped to lead to a story of change. But they instead used old magic, pretty much, and let things go back to the way they used to be. There is no forward progress in the end. No true overhauling of the corrupt system.

[trilies]

A twitter thread on grooming that I thought was good to pass long further on tumblr as well. Original source here: https://twitter.com/heartsalty/status/1156043571985653760

Transcription of this, plus some things from the twitter thread:

A lot of us are guilty of talking about increased awareness of red flags re: predators and signs of grooming without directly providing them, so I've compiled a some based on a number of articles online (links to follow.)

Helpline resources: https://www.rainn.org/national-resources-sexual-assault-survivors-and-their-loved-ones

The images:

“Signs of Grooming:

1. Taking special interest

The first step of the relationship, where the predator beings pursuing the relationship. Predators target people they perceive as vulnerable.

While social media provides an outlet for people to relate to one another, unfortunately it’s safer NOT to broadcast sensitive personal information, including feelings of insecurity and unhappiness.

(In my experience growing up online, predators zero in on minors who mention strained or difficult relationships with their parents.)

2. Gaining trust

During this stage, the predator will establish themself as a friend. They may use things they have in common, such as experiences, goals, interests, or hobbies, to formulate a bond. 

It is important not to share personal identifying information, such as location, with someone you do not know.

3. Fulfilling needs

Here, the predator will begin to establish themself as a confidant. They will become a listening ear, offering affirmation, gifts, and continuing to take interest in your life and interests. They will likely make promises to improve your life or begin acting in a romantic manner.

Watch for overly familiar compliments or personal questions.

4. Isolating

The predator will try to become your #1 through continued compliments, manipulation, or veiled threats. They will encourage you to keep secrets.

Anyone who tries to guilt you for having other friends or tries to pit you against other people in your life does not have your best interests in mind. Likewise, be wary of someone who acts like you’re responsible for their happiness/well-being or who feeds into insecurities about relationships in your life.

5. Desensitizing

The predator will begin to introduce sexual tones into the relationship. They may ask about your sexual orientation or experiences, begin making innuendos or other sexual jokes, and/or provide you with sexually explicit content. This can range from sexually charged content to p/ornography.

There is no need to feel ashamed or guilty for establishing boundaries. If someone crosses the line, you are within your rights to end the relationship.

6. Controlling

Predators will try to assert control through the use of threats, blackmail, abuse, or manipulation (guilt, shame, blaming).

Talk to someone you trust or access a helpline. It isn’t too late to end this relationship.”

Ok, gonna clarify some stuff: •These points are listed in order; it's a gradual shift from 'new friendship' to 'toxic relationship.' If you never get past 'fulfilling needs' then you prob made yourself a good friend.

(though I think the extent to which they try to fulfill your needs is still something to be aware of, just to avoid codependency which can be unintentionally harmful or stunting) 

The reason why I personally included the first two points is to show that a predator is going to look normal and trustworthy before escalating their behaviors.

also to remind kids not to broadcast their personal issues

If you take issue with this list, fine. Lemme know if I misrepresented something. But they ARE the signs of grooming most commonly acknowledged by child safety orgs & that's the basis of the post. The only other thing I can speak to is my own experience & that's 100% objective.

Finally, I kept this list short so people would read it. I couldn't account for EVERY caveat or "what if" scenario. That's where your own common sense comes in, I'm not the authority on this subject.

I really want to emphasize that predators are smart and they know what they're doing. If you've been hurt, you're not alone and it isn't your fault. You're not dumb, or weak, or anything else you may have been led to believe. You're human. 

If you're in a relationship that you suspect may be predatory, please know that it isn't too late to get help. It's best to back out early and apologize later if you find you've misjudged the situation than ignore your gut and end up being right. 

And anyone, especially minors, be aware. You can't tell someone's intentions by looking at them or by what kind of media they consume or fandom they participate in. You only know who someone is by the way they behave. Predators will deceive you by having the "right" appearance. 

I'm not saying you should be paranoid or that you shouldn't form any relationships online. Just be discerning & careful. Also, it's worth noting that if you meet up with someone online and they don't want to meet in a public place or they want to take you to another location? Red flag.

Not to go all STREET SMARTS! but it's true that your chances of coming out of a situation unscathed decreases once you've reached the second location. 

Be safe out there, everyone. And if you think someone might be a predator, for christ's sake don't engage w them. The last thing we need is vulnerable people being encouraged to act like vigilantes instead of going to the authorities, who actually have the power to do something. 

[dialovers-translations]

DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE, BLOOD OFFICIAL VISUAL FANBOOK ー Interview Vol. 1 feat. Saki Ito

Source: DIABOLIK LOVERS MORE, BLOOD Official Visual Fanbook

Release date: 2013

Huge thank you to @keithvalentinex​ for providing the raw scans!

SECTION 1: Q&A

Q1. How did you feel when a sequel game got green light?

A: Not only were we fortunate to receive many passionate messages and feedback from the players, but we also received the news of an anime adaption alongside a game sequel, so amidst the joy, I also remember a distinct feeling of responsiblity and pressure.

Q2. Does the feedback you received from the players reflect in any parts of the game?

A: The series features characters who all have very strong and distinct character traits, so they tend to stand out based solely on these specific elements, which is what made us reflect upon the scenario parts of the previous game. Therefore, in the sequel, we decided to flesh them out so we let Idea Factory know that we would like to create sceranio’s on events of their pasts, so we can give a better understanding of how they think as individuals. We received a positive response but this ultimately required quite a bit of scenarios so later both me and Nakamura suffered because of it. (lol) However, even though there is still room for improvement, I would like to think that we succeeded in creating scenario’s in which the players will get to know them on a deeper level.

Q3. Who did you struggle most with when creating the setting for the new characters?

A: Ruki. Both in terms of design and personality. At first we thought of having him be on an almost equal footing with Karlheinz in terms of power and status, so basically the character who stands at the very top of the Mukami family, with everyone following his lead as they have no other choice but to acknowledge his superiority . But he’s a Do-S...We played with various ideas like that.

Q4. What did the process of creating these characters look like?

A: After settling on their visuals and personalities, we moved on to building a set image of them. I was impressed that at the time of initial recording where we would add the voices to these characters, there was already an agreement amongst the production staff about how they viewed these brothers inside their minds. 

Q5. Were there any moments during the recording which left a strong impression on you?

A: I am sure everyone feels the same in this regard, but I was very much impressed by Midorikawa Hikaru (Ayato’s VA) and his ability to voice a single line in so many different ways and apply minor adjustment time after time. I was baffled how the same phrase could be voiced in so many different ways, and while this may be embarrassing to admit as part of the production staff, I felt as if I could learn a lot from him.

Q6. How did you approach the blood-sucking scenes?

A: We start by creating a fixed image inside our heads of how each character would suck someone’s blood. However, we initially opted to leave things up to the casted voice actors. We figured that if their voicing was somewhat off from how we envisioned it, we would guide them into the desired direction afterwards, but so far that has yet to happen! The voice actors seem to understand that the blood-sucking scenes are a huge selling point of the Diabolik Lovers franchise, so they anticipated on this and had already thought about which personal quirks they want to include in these scenes before the recording. Afterwards they would tell us things such as ‘I wanted to make it sound a little dirty’ or ‘I imagined ____ would suck blood like this’, showing us their effort to voice these characters while thinking about their personalities, which is why we - the production staff - were able to feel the unique traits of these boys through their performance as well, I believe. I cannot express with words just how greatful I am for everyone’s excellent voice work. 

Q7. When writing the scenario’s and the character dialogue, were there any conscious changes you made from the first game?

A: In the first game, there were very little interactions between the different characters, but with the introduction of the Mukami brothers, we focused on these kind of interactions where one of the Sakamaki brothers would fight with one of the Mukami brothers. Additionally, this would allow for us to express the changes in their feelings towards the main character.

Q8. What did you struggle the most with while writing the script?

A: There were just so many different scenarios to write, I recall feeling as if there was no end to it. Every time you think you’re done adjusting one part, you have to move on to the next and by the time you’re done with that, something just doesn’t feel right about the first scenario again...This game includes many scenarios about the characters’ pasts so there would be times where we suddenly went ‘...Hold on!? I feel like the previous scene doesn’t quite make sense anymore...,’ So we’d have to go back and make sure everything remained consistent.

Q9. Which character caused you the most problems while writing the script?

A: Every single one. In case of the Sakamaki brothers, all because of the same reason. For starters, despite this being a sequel game, the intial setting remains the same as before with the main character having arrived at the Sakamaki manor, , so we were worried whether or not the audience would accept this without it feeling weird or off. The Mukami brothers are then added on top of that, so we struggled a lot expressing the wavering feelings of the main character. Each of the Mukami brothers has their own dark past and setting which we came up with beforehand, so it was very difficult to then later add the element of romance to this.

Q10. Is there a character who underwent drastic changes compared to the last game?

A: No. Although the ‘MORE, BLOOD’ games feature the Sakamaki brothers struggling with an immense ‘thirst for blood’ which is different from our previous approach, so we hope this allows the players to enjoy a different side of them.

Q11. The endings are now named ‘Vampire Ending’, ‘Manservant Ending’ and ‘Brute’ Ending. Could you tell us what kind of thought you put into these names?

A: They do each have their own fixed image attached to them. We divided them into the ‘Vampire Ending’ which is supposed to be the most natural ending. The ‘Manservant Ending’ which emphasizes the element of sadism the strongest and lastly the ‘Brute Ending’ which is the most violent. Depending on the character, there might be minor changes such as the main character developing sadistic tendencies herself or it being another character who grows violent. We hope the audience will enjoy this wide array of endings.

Q12. What are parts which have greatly improved or parts you want us to focus on in comparison to the first game?

A: My apologies for repeating myself, but it would have to be the scenarios. Also please pay attention to the upgraded sprite artwork for everyone, as well as the addition of the sprites for the brothers as children!

Q13. Why do you think the series has received such a great amount of support?

A: During the development of the first set of CDs, we made them with a specific niche audience in mind, so never did we expect the franchise would grow this large. We truly are grateful. We would like to believe that Satoi-sama’s illustration are the biggest contributor in this case. I was already acquaintanced with Satoi-sama at that point but due to certain circumstances, we weren’t able to work on a project together. However, when the development for Diabolik Lovers started, I immediately reached out to her. I believe that the way she draws these Do-S Vampires as handsome guys is what the fans enjoy the most!

Q14. Please leave a message for the fans.

A: First of all, thank you all from the bottom of my heart. If it wasn’t for you guys’ reactions, we wouldn’t have been able to deliver this much content. I won’t go as far as to tell you to continue to loving ‘DIABOLIK LOVERS’ and its characters forever...! Even if it’s somewhere in the very back of your mind, I’d be happy if you could at least hold onto the fond memories of these characters. Honestly, thank you so so much.

SECTION 2: THEIR FAVORITE EPISODES

Sakamaki brothers: Laito’s Vampire Ending. It conveys that feeling of loving someone, yet still keeping you on the edge of your seat as he doesn’t quite fully want to admit to his own feelings, even though you can tell that he does properly love the main character, which made me feel joyful inside.

Mukami brothers: Rather than one specific scene, I loved the interactions between the Mukami brothers. When they are all enjoying a meal together, they would fight over the food, or Kou would make a fuss because he wants to eat Vongole Bianco. I found it cute how they would talk in a way you’d expect from normal high school boys. 

SECTION 3: SAKI ITO CHOOSES ー SITUATION-DEPENDENT CHARACTER SELECT

Who would you choose in these situations? What’s the developer’s opinion?

S1. To sleep together with?

Best: Shuu, he probably wouldn’t bother me.

Worst: Reiji, he seems like the type to get upset if you don’t keep perfectly still while sleeping.

S2. To go on a trip together with?

Best: Ruki, I feel like he would come fully prepped. 

Worst: Azusa, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy my trip if I get hurt because of him.

S3. To eat together with?

Best: Shuu, I feel like our eating styles would match.

Worst: Reiji, I’d constantly feel nervous.

S4. To study with?

Best: Ruki, I feel like he’d be able to explain things in a comprehensive manner.

Worst: Laito because he might just blow air into my ear all of a sudden.

S5. To go on a date with?

Best: Kou, he probably knows all the good places so it could be fun.

Worst: Kanato, I can’t stand the thought of him suddenly lashing out at me.

S6. To play a video game with?

Best: Yuma, I feel like he wouldn’t be the best at it, but it’d still be enjoyable regardless.

Worst: Subaru, he would destroy the console!

S7. To play sports with?

Best: Kou, I can imagine his sweat sparkling in the light as it bounces off him.

Worst: Reiji, he seems stiff.

S8. To go on a drive with?

Best: Ayato, it just seems fun.

Worst: Yuma, he strikes me as a speed devil. 

[xxm1m1kyuxx]

korekiiyo shiingujii ana1ysiis

spoii1ers for ndrv3!

iit’s quiite hard to wriite 1iike thiis wiith autocorrect on, so from the 1iine break be1ow ii wii11 not be usiing my typiing quiirk Σ(･口･)

word count (exc1udiing author’s notes): 1,611 words

tota1: 1,717 words

for siimp1iiciity's sake, ii've done thiis on computer so that there's not a wa11 of text

~*~

"You wonder, "Who is this?" Yes... I shall make that clear first. My name is Korekiyo Shinguji... I am called the Ultimate Anthropologist."

~*~

Hello everyone, my name is Milo, and today I’ll be doing my best to cover one of my favorite characters in the Danganronpa universe, Korekiyo Shinguji. He is originally from the 3rd mainline game, New Danganronpa v3: Killing Harmony. Since I don’t physically own the game, I’m basing most of this essay entirely on the Danganronpa Wiki page for Shinguji. Please read that if you desire a more lengthy look at his actions from an unbiased perspective since this one leans more towards empathy than hatred. Whoops!

We first properly meet him after talking to everyone else inside of Hope’s Peak. He’s in the main hall and standing away from the doors leading out to the courtyard. When he introduces himself, Shinguji goes on to talk about anthropology and the beauty of humanity. This proceeds to creep Akamatsu out.

Alongside that, in Chapter 3, we are unfortunately forced to see his relationship with his sister. It’s weird and only gets weirder if you spend two of your Free Time events talking to him when you first play as Akamatsu. He’s evaluated that all girls present at the academy would be great “friends” for his sister, barring Iruma and Harukawa. This is because Shinguji believes that Harukawa doesn’t believe in the power of love, and Iruma is just… well, she’s Iruma. Hardly the girl you would want to send home to your parents.

This weird incest plotline is unfortunately present in most Danganronpa games, such as Leon and his cousin (though one-sided on his cousin’s behalf; he didn’t like her), Tsumugi in the Love Hotel (if you consider that canon), and Monotaro & Monophanie (which is then implemented into Gokuharu’s execution, killing them both).

His sister’s name is never disclosed in-game or in any other Danganronpa media, so the fandom dubbed her “Miyadera/Miyatera,” which is an alternate way of reading Shinguji’s last name. The miya character - represented as 宮 - and tera character - 寺 - are both present in Shinguji, 真宮寺. For the rest of this essay/paper, I’ll be referring to his sister as Miyadera, and himself as Shinguji.

I’ll be getting deeper into his mischaracterization later on, but I want to talk about his appearance for now. Mainly, his hair, his mask, and the lipstick he wears. From what we see of Miyadera in Shinguji’s execution, if that is Miyadera at all, we can see that she had long hair, and when Shinguji was turned into a ghost, it was the exact shade of Shinguji’s hair. From here, we can assume that Miyadera looks exactly, if not similar, to Shinguji.

His lipstick and mask are results of representations of his tulpa, Miyadera. Tulpa is defined as “a concept in mysticism and the paranormal of a being or object which is created through spiritual or mental powers.” In much simpler terms, it is an object or living thing that was created/imagined through spiritual/mental abilities. Shinguji gained a tulpa by being beaten half to death by villagers shortly after arriving there. When he was in a state between life and death, he saw his sister, who joined his subconscious and took control of his body whenever his mask was off. It’s why we only see him take off his make once Saihara dubs him the culprit of Chapter 3, and why his voice suddenly took a more feminine tone. A quote from Miyadera, which can be found in the game, is, "Sweet Korekiyo, calm yourself... Their words are all hollow. There is no meaning to any of them... You must teach these ignorant children a lesson."

That statement can be interpreted two ways, one; that she’s trying to calm him down and two; she’s repeating whatever she said to him during childhood. It’s implied that Miyadera passed away from disease sometime before Killing Harmony takes place, which is both a good and bad thing. It’s great because then we have some time frame of how she was and how she acted when Shinguji knew her best.

Whenever I read the quote above, or any of her quotes, to be honest, I am filled with a sense of dread, or even, despair. The following quote especially makes me feel terrible; "Calm yourself, Korekiyo. You mustn't raise your voice. You mustn't stutter. You mustn't lose composure. You mustn't become flustered. You mustn't waver. Look at their horrid faces. This sorry lot is not worth agonizing over."

Have you noticed how she’s setting guidelines on how to defend himself? She’s turning Shinguji’s attention away from Saihara and the trial and to her because she knows that Shinguji trusts her even after all these years.

You might be wondering, “Milo, what the hell does that all have to do with Shinguji?” And I’ll tell you plain and simple: he was abused by Miyadera. Shocking, I know. Having Shinguji rave and rant about being in love with her, only to be a victim? Sadly, it’s very true indeed. Shinguji was most likely groomed and gaslighted into thinking that Miyadera loved him when that was not the case.

Gaslighting is defined as, “[to] manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioning their own sanity.” From the two quotes I provided, it doesn’t seem to make sense. Miyadera only sounds like a kind, worrisome older sister. Incorrect, I say. She’s emotionally gaslighting him, trying to make him believe that the trial makes no sense and he shouldn’t worry about any of them. I can also bet she used this tactic to control him as a younger person as well.

It’s a well-known fact that children are both impressionable and gullible. If an older sister figure came up to you as a child and told you to do unmentionable things, unfortunately, you might follow her directions. Shinguji states that his sister was a sickly girl who often stayed in the hospital. When she would come home, he’d be at his easiest to manipulate. Why would his dear, sweet, sickly, older sister ever lie to him?

Next, I’m going to be covering his relationships with other students, namely Shuichi Saihara and Rantaro Amami. These will delve further into spoiler territory, so if you didn’t already read the warnings I put in place, here is your extra warning for spoilers for Chapter 3 of Killing Harmony.

To start with, I’ll be exploring his poorer relationships first. Most of the girls fit into this category, namely Iruma, Harukawa, Chabashira, and Yonaga - that means he has a terrible standing with four of the eight girls present at the beginning of Killing Harmony, five if you count Yumeno’s way of dealing with Chabashira’s murder. Shinguji even taunts her once they solve that mystery, stating, “Let me guess, you’ll never forgive me. Himiko, you must hate me so very much right now. Maybe you’d feel better if I was executed by Monokuma…”

Shinguji has a poor relationship with Iruma and Harukawa due to seeing them as “unfit” to be “friends” with Miyadera. He has a poor relationship with Chabashira because he’s a degenerate male, but he still thinks she made a good friend for his sister. His poor relationship with Yonaga is shown in Chapter 3 when Yonaga forms the student council. Once again, I’m making amends to some parts of the characters. I’ll be referring to Yonaga’s god as God, simply because Atua is an actual Polynesian god in real life. Shinguji doesn’t worship any god, and so wants to study Yonaga’s God purely for anthropologic purposes. This displeases Yonaga, who then states that God's business hours are closed for the day. In Chapter 3 when Yumeno brings up Yonaga’s God, he simply asks whether or not they’re done talking about it, cementing his distrust in faith.

Next, I’ll cover his better relationships. Akamatsu isn’t too terribly creeped out by him and instead sees Shinguji as a kind guy who cares about his sister. Akamatsu even apologizes for saying that Shinguji would be into inc*st, this event either taking place in his first or second Free Time event. I’m saving his and Saihara’s relationship for last since I’ll have the most to write about then. Instead, please enjoy the news that in the events of Ultimate Talent Development Plan (UTDP for typing purposes), Shinguji and Amami are actually great friends. In Amami’s first free time event, he tells Akamatsu that Korekiyo has a strong personality, but she’ll be able to understand him plenty if she takes time to. It’s also stated that Amami emphasizes that Shinguji is also the calm and clever type.

Lastly, I’ll be exploring his relationship with Saihara. It’s slightly rocky, if only because Shinguji hasn’t let go of his sister yet, but it’s miles better than his relationship with Chabashira. Slight side note before we begin, I’ll be discounting the Love Hotel scene mostly because I’m a minor and I don’t feel completely comfortable having to watch that simply because I’m writing an analysis. As the game progresses to Chapter 3, Shinguji and Saihara have built trust between themselves. While Saihara still found Shinguji creepy, he [Saihara] never discounted him simply for existing. There was even a point where Shinguji offered to help Saihara communicate with Akamatsu from beyond the grave, though he was turned down.

Korekiyo Shinguji is a misunderstood and somewhat tragic character who usually gets disregarded and uncredited all because people do not like him. However he’s not an “uwu soft twamatized bean <3” either. He’s a strong character who has questionable morals at best and a terrible representation of an abused character at worst.

~*~

thank you for readiing!! p1ease make sure to get a hea1thy amount of s1eep and that you do have a cup of water and some food, you deserve iit!!

sources:

- https://danganronpa.fandom.com/wiki/Korekiyo_Shinguji

- https://www.quotev.com/story/7873923/Danganronpa-Class-Trials/73 (siide note: how fucked up iis iit that ii was on1y ab1e to fiind a transcriiptiion of the triia1 on quotev)

[eclecticanalyst]

Studying “A Study in Emerald”: Fifth Post

Additional Thoughts: On Moran, Watson, and Not-Quite-Mirror-Images

Professor Moriarty was written by ACD with the express purpose of doing away with Sherlock Holmes. It wouldn’t do for the Great Detective to meet his end facing off against an ordinary criminal in a run-of-the-mill case, so in “The Final Problem” he’s pitted against a worthy opponent, a criminal mastermind, a threat to society so severe that Holmes believed if he “could beat that man...I should feel that my own career had reached its summit.” And what better man to take down Holmes than a dark reflection of himself, a genius who has directed his considerable intellect toward nefarious rather than honorable purposes? Throughout “The Final Problem,” ACD emphasizes how the two men operate on a wavelength all their own, as Holmes and Moriarty repeatedly anticipate each other’s actions, the tension between them never letting up, neither quite managing to fully escape the other, and each ultimately bringing about the other’s demise (until ACD was forced to bring Holmes back to life a few years later).

With such a conflict for the ages, it’s no surprise that despite the fact that Moriarty only appears in one story (two if you count The Valley of Fear, but he has a minor part and as I said in a previous post, that story has some weird circumstances), he is consistently made a major villain—the major villain—in Sherlock Holmes adaptations.

Something that is less focused on, even by ACD himself, is how Sebastian Moran is just as much Watson’s dark counterpart is Moriarty is Holmes’s. Watson and Moran are both ex-military (and specifically served in Afghanistan), mustached, fond of gambling, and most importantly, the closest associate of the genius on their respective sides of the law. Holmes even goes so far as to refer to Moran as Moriarty’s “bosom friend,” which, of course, Watson is to Holmes as well. Despite all of these similarities, ACD apparently didn’t feel the need to have the two soldiers face off in the same way Holmes and Moriarty did. Moran pays absolutely no attention to Watson in the story in which he appears (“The Adventure of the Empty House”), being completely fixated on Holmes. Watson, for his part, doesn’t demonstrate any awareness of the parallel between himself and Moran, even after learning that he and the colonel share commonalities in their military records.

Perhaps because the source material doesn’t make much of it, or because people simply don’t find it as compelling (for reasons that are beyond me...), a Moran-Watson rivalry is rarely explored in adaptations of Sherlock Holmes, while the Holmes-Moriarty rivalry is always at the forefront.

That’s why I was so pleased to see the similarities between Moran and Watson used to such powerful effect in “A Study in Emerald.” The story hinges on the double parallel of Holmes and Moriarty and Watson and Moran, and how, through a certain lens, each could be mistaken for the other. Gaiman only has to transfer one characteristic of canon Watson over to “Emerald” Moran in order for it to work. The fact that the characteristic in question is the shoulder wound is yet again proof of how well Gaiman knows the canon. In A Study in Scarlet, Watson specifically mentions being wounded in his shoulder, but in the very next published story (The Sign of the Four) he talks about being wounded in his leg. This has led to some debate among readers over where Watson was actually injured (or if he was injured twice), and Gaiman uses this well-known (among Sherlock Holmes fans) glitch in continuity for his own purposes. He splits the wounds between the two soldiers, giving Moran the shoulder injury and Watson the leg one. As “A Study in Emerald” is meant to riff on A Study in Scarlet, Moran having a shoulder injury at the beginning of the story works to Gaiman’s advantage in convincing us that the narrator is Watson, as that is the injury that corresponds with the pertinent story. Having the “Emerald” versions of Watson and Moran share canon Watson’s injuries further adds to the story’s point of how inextricably linked these two characters (and their respective comrades) are. Moran himself is a mouthpiece for this sentiment, demonstrating the perceptiveness that canon Watson lacks and musing, “I wonder if we ever met” when he learns that the Limping Doctor also served in Afghanistan. (It’s much like Moriarty’s “I want you with me” speech in that way—giving voice to sentiments that we kind of wish had actually been expressed in canon.)

Of course, despite the similarities, Watson and Moran are distinct, just as Holmes and Moriarty are. They are each other’s counterparts, but they are not identical. Moriarty is not just “Holmes, but if he were a criminal mastermind.” Each man has his own skills and interests that tell us what kind of a person he is. For instance, in canon, Moriarty is a mathematician while Holmes is a chemist. Both involve formulas, but mathematics is pure numbers, while chemistry involves physical substances. Moriarty is an academic, content to lecture and write treatises, while Holmes is a (gifted) amateur who gets his hands dirty and puts his skill to practical uses like proving a person’s innocence. One of these men is more in touch with humanity—it’s no coincidence that this is the man who is the hero. (No offense to academics or mathematicians.) Watson and Moran, meanwhile, are both soldiers, but Watson is also a doctor—committed to saving the men he served alongside (and civilians when he goes into general practice), not just killing the enemy. Although “Emerald” tricks us into mistaking one set of men for the other, the story does not lose sight of these inherent characterizations. “Emerald” is not as simple as “Sherlock Holmes in a Lovecraftian world” or even “Sherlock Holmes where Holmes is the bad guy,” because he and Watson are still the heroes of the story. That stays constant. If Moriarty and Moran are on the right side of the law, and Holmes and Watson are not, and they are all basically the same people despite the reversal in fortunes, that in turn says something about the world in which that is the case.

And those respective worlds influence the way our narrators go about writing their stories as well. While “Emerald” Moran hides his account of his first case with the detective away until the death of all involved, canon Watson expressly writes A Study in Scarlet for the purpose of letting as many people as possible know about Sherlock Holmes’s abilities and role in solving the case. Moran not only redacts his name, but also places it at the end of the narrative, while Watson’s full name is present at the very beginning of his tale. Watson is committed to the truth and ensuring that it is shared with others, while Moran fears the new insights that he has become privy to and rebukes himself for even keeping a record at all.

[yamayuandadu]

honestly i've actually been really interested in all the Baal Lore you've been getting into so. i'm curious to hear about your baal story

So, for the most part I want to adhere to the structure of the actual myth but with some adjustments (there are long missing sections, some fragments might not fit in anywhere neatly, genealogy of individual gods and what’s a title and what the name of a separate figure are sometimes unclear, etc) and some nods to other myths from similar time and place. The one huge change, making Baal a woman, started as a joke tbh. People confuse the Baal from the Baal epic with other Baals a lot of the time (the solar Baal of the Nabateans, the old man Baal from Carthage, even Marduk sometimes) - I joked with friends that one might as well conflate him with Baalat [eg. female Baal] from Byblos and eventually got attached to this idea. The tenative title for the story is “Rider of Clouds” - Baal’s default title in not only the Baal cycle myths, but in Ugaritic descriptions overall. More under the cut.

Baal (center) is the protagonist of the story. She inherited her title (eg. Baal) and a seat in the assembly of gods of Ugarit from her retired father, Dagon (the mesopotamian agriculture god, not the lame Lovecraft one). The original myth only ever mentions Dagon indirectly and he makes no physical appearance, hence this idea. Like the original, she’s impulsive and has a reasonably strong moral code. What I noticed is that in the original myth Baal doesn’t exactly seem to form alliances with other gods directly on his own, isn’t a great judge of character sometimes, and has to be held back from acting too quickly. I’d like to emphasize that to a degree in my version, which brings us to the next point. Astarte (right) will act as Baal’s “spokesperson” through the story. Her common title was “Face of Baal” and she has a reasonably prominent role in early parts of the original myth, but later vanishes - something I’d like to change in my version. I couldn’t find a single answer to the question of her parentage, but I did learn of a prominent theory assuming Aphrodite was derived from her, so I think I can get away with declaring she was born from the sea. This hinders her career though, as gods heavily rely on family connections. She strikes a deal with Baal at the start of the story, offering to handle the networking etc duties for her in exchange of sharing potential gains. Baal’s second main ally is Anat (left) - I plan to remain close to the original here: she’s a daughter of the head god El and like Baal has an impulsive temperament. However, she doesn’t shy away from violence unlike the main character. My personal addition is going to be presenting her as initially impressed with the image of Baal created by Astarte moreso than with the actual Baal, with whom she at first won’t interact much. She doesn’t like her dad’s staffing decisions, also.

Like in the actual myth, the first major antagonist will be the prince of the sea, Yam, who is described both as a god and a sea monster. He was appointed to a number of prominent positions by El, but most gods do not think of him highly - however, due to a combination of personal connections and ruthlessness, he secured a strong position for himself. As in the myth Astarte appears to hate him so much that she basically berates Baal for not showing too much remorse while fighting him, I plan to make these two contrasting figures, sort of - Yam will likewise be born from the sea, but due to own power and influence made it into a source of fear and respect, while for Astarte it’s a hindrance.

Mot is the second major villain from the original. He’s the concept of death and, as we learn from the tablets, he lives in the “land of filth” and “pit is his throne” - a truly charming individual. In some interpretations of the myth, Baal wants to -befriend- Mot at first, and since that fits with my general idea about my own Baal’s character, that’s how this part of the story will start in my version too. I plan to add two more antagonists to the story, one minor and one major - one is the result of expanding two appearances of a minor figure from the original myth, the usurper god Ashtar (he’s described as... notably lord Farquaad-like. I wish I was making this up), and the other an attempt at awkwardly grandfathering in another myth I recently posted about into the Baal narrative. The original myth features an unnamed messenger serving Yam whose presence seems to infuriate Baal - I think making him a young version of a certain notably edgy figure from a slightly less ancient, but still ancient nonetheless, myth was one of my funnier ideas related to this story. Not sure if I’ll use the peacock quote directly, though.

They don’t have final designs yet, but Baal’s other allies from the original story, Anat’s elder sister Shapash (a sun goddess) and crafsman god Kothar (who in the original is very blatantly the egyptian Ptah incognito) will be featured in my version too. They won’t be part of her core circle of associates, though, and it will take a while to figure out their intents, or so I hope at least. Last but not least, I want to incorporate the egyptian bootleg of the narrative into my story as well - Baal was conflated with Seth (bear in mind this was still mostly “slayer of Apep” Seth and not just “brother killer and usurper” Seth) in it. I plan to introduce Seth midway through the story, as a foreign envoy present while gods celebrate Baal’s victory over Yam - you shall see in due time where that will lead. The second half of the original myth is missing many scenes so i hope my attempt at filling the blanks will be fun to read.

[nyerus]

MDZS  vs.  The Untamed

Differences between “Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation” (Mó Dào Zǔ Shī - 魔道祖师) and its live drama adaptation “The Untamed” (Chén Qíng Lìng - 陈情令)

(If you want to skip right to the differences, please see below the cut!)

I’ve recently fallen into the MXTX fandom by crying through TGCF and I’ve been delighted to see that I’m not the only one who’s been newly inducted. I've been seeing so much of the live action adaptation of MDZS, i.e. CQL, on my dash, and I'm so happy about it. After watching it, I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to make a post cataloging the differences between CQL and MDZS for those interested.  (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ The goal of this post is for two reasons: First, to help people who are totally new to MDZS and are starting out with CQL as their entry, and then reading the novel (or going to the donghua/manhua). This will hopefully help them get their bearings in regards to the fandom, so that they won't be confused when coming across certain content that isn't in the live drama. Second, this is to help folks who have already read the novel/etc to understand what's different in the live action, so when/if they choose to watch CQL, they aren't caught off-guard by any changes. (I won't get into the manhua/donghua in this post because it's already too long as it is.) Hopefully, this will also help bridge the gap between fans, so that we can have a fun and shared experienced over this incredible world brought to us by MXTX! This post is split into two distinct sections: one without any major spoilers, and one with spoilers. If you want to be as unspoiled as possible and just want to know the big differences between the novel and drama, please read only the first portion. The second //spoiler-filled// portion is divided into other major and minor differences, and is mainly intended for people who have experienced at least one version already. Additionally, if you are completely new to MDZS, there are things which may seem like spoilers to you, but happen in like the first page of the novel/in the summary itself (or in the first 10mins of the first episode), and will not be treated as such. I will do what I can to keep actual spoilers out of the first section….

Before jumping right into it though, I think it’s time to say that many of the differences in CQL are in large part due to the strict censorship laws that China has. Unfortunately, we just have to live with this fact. Thankfully for us, the creators of CQL have earnestly tried their best in keeping the major points and themes of MDZS in tact, and have really stuck to the spirit of the series. Kudos to them and the actors for their hard work!

SPOILER-FREE DIFFERENCES

There is no explicit romance between Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji in CQL. They are literally called soulmates right in the CQL summary, and there are very obvious romantic undertones to their relationship in the drama—but there is nothing explicit on-screen. Naturally, due to censorship. While the novel has the two in an intimate (and very explicit) relationship where they end up literally married, the show tones this down to something more subtle. It’s still pretty obvious that they’re in love though. (Especially in the 20-episode wangxian special edition.) Also, they always seem to be sharing a room with one bed….

The plot is modified for CQL. In the novel, the plot revolves around Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji following an aggrieved spirit as they uncover the truth of what’s going on. In CQL, this was changed from the dismembered arm of said spirit to a sword, but it serves virtually the same purpose as it does in the novel. The other real major difference with the plot is that something known as “Yin Iron” is what drives a majority of the past’s plot. It has its origins tied to demonic cultivation, which I will explain more below. It doesn’t drastically change the actual plot itself, but does change some motivations, etc. This is not present in the novel.

Wei Wuxian is not the founder of demonic cultivation in the drama. Yes I know this seems whack. After all, the original novel is literally called Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation/Founder of Diabolism. But due to censorship laws, they had to change this. Wei Wuxian still uses demonic cultivation, and still invents many things (the compass, the spirit flags, the amulet, etc). He’s still shown as a prodigy—but demonic cultivation is a thing that’s been around long before the story takes place; it’s just that no one uses it except Wei Wuxian. The reason is the existence of the Yin Iron. It was something that was found and revered long ago, and is a source of dark power. Hence, why demonic cultivation already exists, but also why no one follows that path. The necromancy angle is also downplayed in CQL.

Wei Wuxian’s morality is somewhat different. Again, due to censorship restrictions. In the novel, Wei Wuxian is far more of a gray character who does some questionable things. He makes mistakes, there are things which are definitely his fault, and he has many things which he regrets. However in CQL, he is shown more as a victim of circumstance. He’s portrayed as a much more innocent character, who happens to be doing what’s right, and is just continually fucked over. He still does plenty of questionable things, but it’s less so than in the novel. In both versions, he is still Chaotic Good, just the novel emphasizes chaotic, and the drama emphasizes good. Also, CQL doesn’t really portray Wei Wuxian’s breakdown or deteriorating mental health before his death too deeply.

Wei Wuxian’s death in the beginning of the story is different. The novel is much more vague in this regard, and it is more drawn-out. I will return to this point later as well, in regards to spoilers. The live drama has a more… “peaceful” and quick type of death for Wei Wuxian, and given how it’s the very first scene that you see in the show, it may catch novel fans off guard. Still absolutely heart-wrenching though, especially when you see it play out in full later on.

The structure of the live drama’s narrative is different. While MDZS intersperses its main story in the present timeline with flashbacks (as do the donghua and manhua), CQL goes about it differently. After episode 2, CQL takes the viewer all the way to the past and goes through the entire timeline of events which happen leading up to Wei Wuxian’s death as seen in the first few scenes. From episode 3 to episode 33, you are firmly in the past only. Novel readers may find that this causes many things to be revealed quite early on. The change in structure is probably the biggest difference. From episode 33 and onwards, you are back to the present.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji’s relationship in the present timeline is different to start out with. The novel has Wei Wuxian first operating under the assumption that Lan Wangji doesn’t like him. This eventually turns around, and deepens into a romantic relationship between the two. CQL on the other hand, has present-timeline!Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji having a much more tender relationship from the moment they meet again.

Wei Wuxian’s appearance remains the same after he is resurrected in the drama. While in the novel and other adaptations, Wei Wuxian takes on the appearance of Mo Xuanyu (who happens to look similar to a younger him, luckily enough), this does not happen in the drama. Probably done for convenience’s sake. It is never properly explained other than the fact that along with the soul-summoning spell, Mo Xuanyu did some other things to ensure that Wei Wuxian returned to what looked like his old body. (Some body parts snatching might’ve been involved.) Thus, Wei Wuxian hides his identity by wearing a mask.

Everyone looks the same as they did when they were teenagers. Again, probably just for convenience’s sake. They spend a lot of time in the flashbacks so getting viewers used to one set of faces, and then changing everything would be jarring—and also expensive to swap out actors. So despite a 16 year gap, everyone looks the same with no aging. #cultivatingimmortality

The time gap between Wei Wuxian’s death and resurrection is slightly longer in the drama. It’s 16 years versus 13 years in the novel. Unsure of why the change, as it doesn’t change much apart from serving to make some of the kids older. Some kids’ ages are also slightly altered. It’s not a huge difference and it plays virtually no difference in plot. Also, I can’t confirm it, but everyone seems to start out older as well.

Xiao Xingchen, Song Lan, and Xue Yang are encountered much earlier in the drama. Before Wei Wuxian’s death, the three of them are encountered in Yueyang before the start of the Sunshot Campaign. The rest of their story plays out after Wei Wuxian’s resurrection.

Jiang Yanli, Wen Qing, and Wen Ning attend the classes at Cloud Recesses. This gives them a lot more screen time. Elaborated in spoilers below.

Wen Qing’s relationship with Wen Ruohan is more antagonistic from the start. Just like how Wei Wuxian is shown more as a victim of circumstance, so is Wen Qing (and by extension Wen Ning). Elaborated below.

The next section is spoiler-filled. It’s divided into two parts: major and minor differences. Turn back now if you don’t want serious spoilers for either CQL or MDZS!!!

SPOILER-FILLED MAJOR DIFFERENCES

After the dancing statue/Dafan Mountain incident — Wei Wuxian passed out, and wakes up in Cloud Recesses in Lan Wangji’s room. Both of them know™ already. Thus, Wei Wuxian doesn’t even try to pretend that he’s Mo Xuanyu in front of Lan Wangji, but he keeps up the appearance for other people until he’s figured out. This allows the two of them to have a very private relationship with each other.

Also lending to this, Wei Wuxian dies in a much different way in the drama, and dies knowing that Lan Wangji cares deeply about him. Thus why their relationship on his resurrection is so soft. He knew that Lan Wangji protected him and tried to save him until the very end, and is far more affectionate as a result.

Speaking of his death…. In CQL, Wei Wuxian chooses to basically swan dive off a cliff after seeing the horrors in front of him. It has a very lucid finality to it, and feels as though he has decided that only his death can bring peace, and so he falls back off a cliff—only to be caught momentarily by Lan Wangji. He eventually wrests himself from Lan Wangji’s grasp and falls to his death as Lan Wangji (and Jiang Cheng) watches in horror. The novel is far more vague and hints that he met a more gruesome end.

Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian essentially make up at the end of the drama—or at least end on decent terms by agreeing to put their past behind them and move on. Wei Wuxian wipes away a stray tear as Jiang Cheng cries in front of him in the temple. After everything is said and done, Jiang Cheng privately and quietly wishes Wei Wuxian well as he leaves with Lan Wangji.

Lan Xichen does not go into seclusion at the end of the drama. Despite his trauma, he’s relatively okay as compared to the novel. The drama doesn’t really comment on this aspect, to be honest.

In CQL, Jiang Yanli attends the classes at Cloud Recesses with her brothers. She is given extra interaction with Jin Zixuan during this. Yanli is in general given way more screen time in CQL. She is present during the destruction of Lotus Pier (she appears with Jiang Fengmian), and escapes with Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng to Yiling.

Similarly, Wen Ning and Wen Qing are also present for the classes at Cloud Recesses. This is where they first meet Wei Wuxian (and Jiang Cheng), instead of Wen Ning and Wei Wuxian meeting in Qishan later. This gives all of them a pre-existing relationship before the events at Lotus Pier. Jiang Cheng also harbors a tiny crush on Wen Qing for a little bit. #same

Wen Qing is handled with much more suspicion by Wen Ruohan and Wen Chao, and during the Sunshot Campaign, she is even locked up. She’s saved by Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng, but goes her separate way until Wei Wuxian encounters her again after becoming the Yiling Patriarch proper.

Mianmian is shown to be a part of the Jin sect in CQL, and is close to Jin Zixuan. She renounces her ties to Lanling Jin after everyone starts hating on Wei Wuxian.

Mianmian is also encountered in episode 1. She and her family replace the random farmer family they meet once they leave Gusu (for the second time) on their way to the Burial Mounds. The timing of this may also be different. This is because there is no real “epilogue” that takes 3 months later, like the final chapter of MDZS.

Mo Xuanyu was not ostracized for the same reasons as in the novel. In the novel, he’s also thought to be insane, but was thrown out because he supposedly “harassed” Meng Yao (i.e. had romantic feelings for him which were found out and he was driven out of Lanling). In CQL, he was thrown out for “harassing” Qin Su, but in actuality was only trying to reveal the truth about her husband, and was thrown out as an excuse to get rid of him before he became troublesome.

During the hunt in Phoenix Mountain, Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian have a heart-to-heart, and establish that they do, in fact, care for one another. (I’m pretty sure they use the word soulmate here, but the subs are like “lifelong confidante” lol.)

The origins of the bunnies is different in CQL, and is tied to Lan Yi—an ancestor of the Lan clan (the one who invented Cord Assassination). Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji find a cave in Gusu during their classmate days, which holds the spirit of Lan Yi. There, she reveals information about the Yin Iron and that she is guarding one piece of it. After all this, Wei Wuxian looks after the bunnies after taking them out of the cave, and as he leaves Cloud Recesses, he leaves them in the care of Lan Wangji.

The Gusu Lan sect is less rekt in CQL, as many of them are able to hide away in the aforementioned cave during the destruction of Cloud Recesses. Su She, then a disciple of Gusu Lan, betrays them by telling Wen Chao that the others are hiding in the cave. He’s summarily kicked out. In the novel, he’s the one that tries to rat out Mianmian when they’re facing the Tortoise of Slaughter. (He is still the one who casts the hundred holes spell on Jin Zixun.)

SPOILER-FILLED MINOR DIFFERENCES

In CQL, after his 33 lashes, Lan Wangji goes into forced seclusion for 3 years first. And then his 13 years of playing Inquiry start. Extra depressing, but it doesn’t change anything else.

The ghost baby that Wang LingJiao sees is replaced with a dismembered eye. Still gory. Don’t really know which one is worse…….. Her death is definitely less gory in CQL, though.

The Stygian Tiger Amulet was made of the strange weapon found in the Tortoise of Slaughter in both the novel and drama, but in CQL, said weapon was actually a fragment of the Yin Iron.

CQL shows a few scenes of Wei Wuxian when he first gets tossed into the Burial Mounds.

Lan Qiren is the head of the Gusu Lan sect, all the way through the story in CQL, including the end. Lan Xichen is never referred to as the sect leader.

Gusu Lan's rules are a little less strict in CQL. And co-ed classmates and cultivators seem to be the norm.

This post is certainly not 100% complete, as it’s just what I managed to pick up as I watched/read and remembered to note down. But if you have questions or comments, please reach out to me and I’ll do my best to answer! I hope this is as accurate as possible, but since I’m flying off memory...  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Take care, all! Feel free to drop into my DMs and scream with me!  ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ✩‧₊˚

[gross-gal]

yo!! i dont know jackshit about Darkstalkers!! What's it about?? What do you like about it?? What do you NOT like about it?? Tell me alll!!!! (@gamer-gremlin-gf-ships)

AAAAAA THANK YOU @gamer-gremlin-gf-ships​

SO. I’LL PUT THIS UNDER READ MORE BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT.

Darkstalkers is a fighting game developed by Capcom. The main gimmick is that, most of, the fighters are based off of horror archetypes. So ya got vampires, zombies, frankensteins, fishmen, ghosts, all that shit.

There isn’t really much story wise I can elaborate on since, fighting games don’t usually have that much of a story to begin with. BUT, in Darkstalkers 1 and 2, main story is that this big bad dude named Pyron kinda wants to determine if the Earth is worthy to be ruled under him or if he’ll destroy it. Pyron is a shape shifting alien dude from the planet, Hellstorm and he’s really looking for a good brawl so he goes and fights the most powerful Darkstalker, which is whoever you choose to play as.

Now then, to avoid confusion, Darkstalkers 1 and 2 (or Vampire Hunter/Night Warriors: Darkstalkers’ Revenge) are basically the same game. 2 is more of an updated version of 1, has two new characters, better gameplay, and it also changes some part of the story because Demitri (the vampire dude) actually was the one who originally started the whole tournment thing in determining who was the most powerful and I think? Pyron kinda ends up in the way. In 2, it basically is changed to Pyron is the one that starts the tournament, and that’s the canonical version.

So 2 isn’t really that much of a sequel, while Darkstalkers 3 (or Vampire Savior) is an actual sequel to the series. This introduces the antagonist, Jedah Dohma, whose plot is that he wants to collect all the powerful darkstalker souls and put them into this big demon baby, which then be used as a vessel for him. Jedah’s whole thing is that he’s basically disappointed in what has become of the demon world (makai world) and decides that he’s going to annihilate both the demons and humans. He sees himself as a savior, and while there really isn’t a protag, Jedah kind of is considered to be one in 3.

NOW. WHAT IS A DARKSTALKER? It’s literally just...fucking monster? I guess? There really isn’t a specific definition but just know, everyone, besides B.B. Hood because she’s the only true human in the series, is a Darkstalker.

Just gonna get my problems out of the way. Obviously, the series has some sexual stuff, which is fine but it can get uncomfortable. Demitri is a pretty big example since he literally has an ability that just involves transforming the opponent into a younger, more desirable person so that he can drain their blood? I won’t go to into it since it’s gross but yeah. Then of course there’s Lilith and yeah...REALLY WISH THEY DIDN’T MAKE HER LOOK LIKE THAT BECAUSE SHE’S A PRETTY COOL CHARACTER.

Darkstalkers also doesn’t offer much as far as a story, this is sort of good because it offers a lot of freedom as far as writing, but to be honest? A lot of stuff which tries to elaborate on the Darkstalkers lore or whatever, KIND OF SUCKS. I myself, am not into the Udon comics or the mangas, the OVA also doesn’t offer much of a great story. Which is a shame because Darkstalkers has a lot of potential but so many attempts, just kinda fail because they miss the point in the series. Udon and the Vampire Savior manga in particular because they take the series way too seriously or just characterize really strangely? The OVA probably offers the best in terms of story but it’s not even much because the only actual good and satisfying one, is Donovan’s story. His is the only one that actually has a conclusion. Otherwise, the OVA suffers from poor pacing, lots of exposition, or just OOC moments. LIKE??? REALLY DOESN’T MAKE SENSE AS TO WHY FELICIA GETS ALONG WITH ZABEL OR MORRIGAN ENDING UP WITH DEMITRI?

And then I guess a more minor complaint. Darkstalkers has a very specific style, I really think the series look best in the first two games and in the OVA. I personally am not a big fan of the character art in 3 jdskal

NOW FOR THE POSITIVES.

I CANNOT EMPHASIZE ENOUGH HOW MUCH I ADORE THE ART AND ANIMATION IN THE SERIES????

The main artists for the series are Bengus (Gouda Cheese) and Daigo Ikeno. Bengus really fucking nailed how the series should look. It’s got that perfect balance of the gothic, sensual aesthetic with exaggeration and fuckin weirdness of the series. Darkstalkers is a series that completely embraces it’s wacky side and just how campy it’s influences are. I mostly love Bengus’ earlier works from 1 and 2. Daigo’s stuff is much more casual and less elaborate compared to Bengus’ works but I kinda love that, he’s really great at showing off the characters in more casual situations and showing off their goofier sides. I’ll share some of my favorite pieces at the end.

OH GOD. AND HOW CAN I NOT BRING UP THE ANIMATION???

While I wouldn’t say it’s as fluent as Street Fighter Alpha 3′s sprites, because Darkstalkers is able to be more creative with it’s moves, the results are some super wacky and fun animation. Darkstalkers animators heavily referenced old Looney Tunes and Hanna Barbera cartoons when it came to animating. I really don’t know a whole lot of fighting games, especially from Capcom, that look the way Darkstalkers looks. And a lot of that comes from the fact that Darkstalkers isn’t very limited. Characters can launch missles, fireballs, fucking blood?. Characters can extend or manipulate their body. Or just do weird shit like transform characters into basketballs, make characters perform in a rhythm game?, A CHARACTER STRAIGHT UP USES HIS ASS CHEEKS TO GRAB YOU AND SUMMON LIGHTNING?? Everything is super fucking wild and that’s what makes the series.

A lot of people say Darkstalkers needs to be gorey and sexual but that’s really not what the series is about. Yes, Darkstalkers is def sensual but it also really doesn’t take itself seriously. That’s what so many people miss. And honestly? Even though it was terrible, the American cartoon ends up being the most accurate to the source material because it gives no fucks and so much weird shit just happens.

Another thing I love about Darkstalkers is how much it subverts it’s characters and just how creative they got. You have an Australian zombie rockstar, a catlady that’s also an idol and a nun??, a demon possessed samurai ghost armor guy. The character design is genuinely fucking brillant and not at all what you’d expect to get when given the idea for monster characters. I would talk about the characters but you see how long this post is starting to get.

And I haven’t talked that much about gameplay but Darkstalkers feels fucking great. If you’re curious about which game to get into, absolutely go with 3/Vampire Savior. It feels great, combo inputs are relatively simple, you can straight up beat the game just by button mashing, and no character really feels too similar. It’s also a very fast game too, if you ever watch tournaments, they go by so fast and when you play it, you’re very much engaged. It’s a game that requires a lot of attention and I enjoy that. I also have to mention this but, pretty much every character has their own unfair, bullshit tactic that, if you plan on getting good, will require you to figure out how to avoid depending on what character you use. There’s a sorta popular joke with the game that, it’s balanced if all the characters are broken. I’ll admit, probably not the best game for someone like me that sucks as far as remembering stuff and being able to plan ahead, but I still have lots of fun with the game!

I really didn’t expect to become as engaged in the series as I did but there is a lot to appreciate about Darkstalkers. It’s unfortunate to because, sadly, Darkstalkers likely will never get another game.

While the series is technically popular, it’s still way too niche compared to most fighting games. It just never had the same impact as other fighting games, and ultimately, no matter how good those games feel to play, there’s always shit like Marvel vs Capcom that just is more well known and features more stuff that just is what people prefer going to. I think Capcom will pretty much stick with having Darkstalkers characters appear in crossover games vs actually giving the franchise another game

They tries reviving it with Resurrection, which was a re-release of the games on Xbox and Playstation, but it hardly even sold that many copies. Which is where the phrase “Darkstalkers are not Dead” originated from, a phrase that has become a joke now in the fighting game community. Even if they were to revive the series, it’d be difficult recapturing that same vibe since most of the original crew are working on completely separate projects. There’s also a part of me that does fear the idea of another game because of how it’ll be handled. I’ve heard people mention possibly having the Skullgirls team develop or maybe Arc Systems, I just don’t want a lot of the charm to be lost in a sequel.

Since a fighting game isn’t really possible, I do hope for maybe a show or comic series that explores the characters and story more.

My brain is kinda blanking rn but yeah. I just fucking love this series a lot. I hope maybe someday I can contribute something great to this franchise and I hope you listened to me ramble about it.

[brendanelliswilliams]

Misappropriated Language and Outmoded Ideology in the Church, and How We Might Move Beyond Them

A good friend and fellow priest posted this past Sunday on his Facebook page that he had been frustrated in trying to write a sermon, feeling that so much of the language he would normally use had been coopted and tainted by right-wing Evangelical white nationalists. The following was my reply to him (with a few minor points of clarification added here):

‘Fr. Karl Rahner once said that he thought the Church should fast from using the word “God” for at least fifty years, until we can all get clear about what we’re actually doing and saying with a term like that, and get deeply rooted and serious enough in our theological speculations to warrant its use. (Fr. Richard Rohr suggested we take the same approach with the name “Jesus”, and I concur; in fact, I think we are much more in need of fasting from this latter name than from the former.) It seems to me that there’s a great deal of wisdom in this approach. What you point out here is the principal reason why the “Jesus Movement” language so ubiquitous in the Episcopal Church today feels misplaced to me, and in fact really chafes every time I hear it. Don’t get me wrong, I love the Presiding Bishop and the basic elements of his vision, but I find this sort of language to be hitting the wrong chord. To me it feels ill matched with where the Church is at now, and where it should be going—and with where the world is at with regard to the Church. It partakes of precisely the same sorts of dissonances you’re highlighting. In the Western Church today we are always in danger of simply repeating platitudes, or unwittingly furthering falsities by allowing ourselves to remain stuck with misappropriated and imprecise language. Most peoples’ “Christology” in the West (if you can even call it that—maybe we should say “Jesusology” instead) is, in my humble opinion, really lacking the deep roots of the tradition. And that leaves us with a rather small and limited vision. This is one reason (among several) why I almost exclusively use “Christ” in religious discourse, or “Christ-Sophia”. I think we need that sort of lens again, which is both broader and more nuanced, and which, if we’re intelligent about it (rather than merely reactionary or political) can liberate us from all the heinous misunderstanding and misuse that has colored Christianity in the West for so long, and afford us a much more effectual set of linguistic and imagistic tools for legitimate transformation. Rahner also said, “Christians of the future will be mystics or they won’t exist at all.” In my view, that’s where we’re headed now from this particular crossroads, if we have the depth and courage to claim the calling of real religiosity. As I perceive it, that’s the divine invitation. And it can most definitely take us into a truer, more authentic, and more rooted place, away from all the baggage of the language and imagery you’re rightly lamenting.’

I saw a photo today from the Capitol riot on January 6th. In the background of the photo was one of what appears to have been many ‘Jesus Saves’ or similar signs present at that event. No doubt those folks also consider themselves to be part of the (‘true’) ‘Jesus Movement’. To be sure, their coopting of Jesus as a figure who supports their insane fundamentalism, egoic delusions, and desire for power is corrupt and evil, but I wonder how ours really differs, structurally speaking. The (white) progressive Jesus is ‘nicer’, but is our understanding of what such a figure really means and invites us into that much deeper than their reactionary, fundamentalist version of the same? Both expressions are drawn in essence from the same literal-historical trends in hermeneutics; it’s just that they emphasize different elements of received texts and interpretations. Granted, I strongly affirm that the emphases of right-wing Evangelicalism (and Evangelicalism at large, in fact) are objectively destructive and immoral, but fundamentally both interpretations play the same sorts of hermeneutical games: they operate in the same playing field, not only culturally (in a homogeneous container), but also religiously.

In other words, all Christians in the West are at some level responsible for this cancerous appropriation of Christian values. Even in progressive circles, in spite of our best intentions, we partake of the language, the dominator cultural styles and structures that have birthed and perpetuated all this toxicity. Until we face that head-on, how can we go about the real work of healing or ‘wholing’ ourselves into a mode of religiosity that is finally supportive of the values of Life, of Nature, of Divinity, rather than blatantly contrary to them?

One of the many problems we face now as people in the Church who want desperately to lead it in a direction of Life—rather than death, ignominy, political coopting, immorality, and corrosion—is that most Western Christians have a rather surface-level view of Jesus, and of Christ more broadly. So the toolkit we’ve been given to work with to articulate a better vision for ourselves is extremely limited. In the United States particularly, it should now be abundantly clear how tied up with right-wing nationalism, racism, and dominator values this theologically underdeveloped mode of Christian language has become. This means—obviously, I hope—that we need to expand and deepen our toolkit, drawing from the deepest and most life giving roots of the tradition.

The lack of adequate Christological understanding is not the fault of ordinary Christian folk; it’s what has been fed to them by their clergy, and it’s what was taught to most of those clergy in seminary for the last two or three generations. It’s what I call the ‘social Gospel, historical Jesus’ trend, and, in my view, this is a trend that has utterly crippled mainline and progressive Christian denominations, and in many cases created a notion of Christian religiosity as (essentially) little more than social justice work with a veneer of religious language. Of course, the work of justice is crucial, but what happens when we scrub away the Mystery, the experiential, inward transformation that is actually required to give rise to authentic justice, the richness of myth and symbology, leaving only this ‘social Gospel, historical Jesus’ layer of ideation? Well, as I’ve been saying for many years now: I think it is perfectly plain to see what happens in that case, as we now see it playing out all around us: the Church is collapsing, and (ironically) has almost no socio-cultural clout, which is the only thing it seems to have really desired for the last five or six decades.

I pray that people will finally be ready to move beyond all this, into something with real transformative capacity. But, alas, I suspect many, if not most, will not. So many Western Christians, of whatever stripe, seem absolutely determined to cling to all manner of outmoded and unhealthful aspects of Christian religious expression, language, and dogma, simply for the sake of safety, comfort, and security in the ‘known quantity’. And that, we can be sure, will lead us nowhere, both individually and collectively.

Might we not attempt to root our religion in actual religion? In other words, can we not learn once more to base our religious affiliation and practice on a legitimate and appropriately comparative understanding of myth, religious narrative, the ‘perennial philosophy’, and the actual aims of religiosity—namely, the science of spiritual transformation through initiatory, ascetical, liturgical, sacramental, and other modes of productive individual and communal sacred work? Haven’t we had enough of basing our religion on socio-cultural and academic trends in lieu of what actually transforms? Are the disastrous results of that finally clear enough for all to see? Of course, we must evolve with the times—I am by no stretch of the imagination a reactionary, and I am stringently anti-fundamentalist in every possible way—but this current disaster we now inhabit is what happens when, in the rush and distraction of that process of cultural evolution, we lose touch with the real root and purpose of the whole operation in the first place; that is, when we lose our memory and understanding of what religion is actually for and what it’s meant to accomplish in the human person.

I won’t enter here into the many additional issues related to male dominator language and the rest of the attendant cancerous threads that have long plagued Abrahamic religious expression, or their effects on Church and society; if you’re interested in all that, you might find some food for reflection in my book, Seeds from the Wild Verge. But here’s an idea: Let’s focus on the Blessed Mother for a while—very deeply: not just linguistically and imagistically, but theologically and practically as well, in a nuanced and committed fashion, not for purposes of political correctness but out of profound theological curiosity and a spirit of expansive internal exploration. God knows all you Protestant types out there could use a serious (and indefinite) dose of the Mother.

I was reflecting recently on what a truly sad circumstance it is that I often feel I can much more readily find depth and theological nuance in contemporary Hindu discourse on Christ, the Blessed Mother, etc., than I can in contemporary Christian discourse on the same. A terrible irony. It often feels to me as if we need to restore Christianity with inspiration from non-Christian sources—something I’ve done in my work with native Celtic traditions, but which could (and perhaps should) be done with inspiration from other arenas as well; for instance, from Vedanta, which has not only unequivocally maintained a far more refined and mature view of religion and its aims than most Christians have, but in fact often seems to possess a more mature view of Christianity than most Christians presently do.

Writing in 1963, Swami Prabhavananda astutely observed: ‘Of course there are millions of Christians today who attend churches regularly…but of those who do, few seek perfection in God. Most people are satisfied with living a more or less ethical life on earth in hope of being rewarded in an afterlife for any good deeds they may have done. Christ’s ideal of perfection is generally either forgotten or misunderstood. True, many people read the Sermon on the Mount, but few try to live its teachings.’

Now, almost sixty years later, that statement proves to be even more radically true than it was then. We have much work to do, friends, if we wish to restore the Church to something that truly transforms, which is truly relevant in a perennial way, and which is positioned not only to survive but to once more contribute something of inestimable value to the world. This will involve us, should we have the courage take up the task, in reclaiming the profound Mystery in Christian tradition, its ancient spiritual practices, and its expansively symbolic depth. May we set out with open hearts on that next adventure—and may we do so quickly.

Peace and every blessing,

Fr. Brendan+