#also if anyone has any ideas for how i can make communication cards for when i cant talk pls tell me

[pikp0kcas3]

The Hazbin Hotel fandom’s issue with accepting aromanticism and asexuality

Now that it is officially Aromantic Spectrum Awareness Week, I want to talk about this!

I find that, as an aroace myself, I am constantly grasping at good representation and coming up empty— it usually ends up in one of two ways.

One: the character is portrayed as emotionless, cold, and robotic in nature. It’s the question aromantic and/or asexual people are often asked: “Are you heartless?” The answer is no, of course, but general media makes it out to be the opposite.

Or two: Their lack of attraction is seen as something to “fix” because they “haven’t found the right one yet”, and they end up with a partner as a “happy ending”.

It frustrates me greatly because of how little people actually see aromanticism or asexuality as a true part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

So when I watched Hazbin Hotel, and I found out about Alastor being aroace, I was over the moon. I was on cloud nine. I also saw how his voice actor has looked up the term as an attempt to learn about aroaces, which makes me OVERJOYED?? Amir is truly a blessing, and I love that he’s proud to embody a character that’s part of our community. It’s so beautiful to finally have a proper character, a fan favorite at that, who just so happens to be aroace— and that’s another thing I love about this.

It’s never explicitly stated in the show (though it is stated in interviews), but it’s rather clear when you’re watching, isn’t it? Alastor’s aversion to any sort of sexual advancement, coupled with Rosie’s blatant “I know you’re an ace in the hole” comment sort of spell out his asexuality pretty clearly, as well as what side of the spectrum he falls upon. In addition, his Valentine’s day card was strictly platonic, which caters to his aromantic side. It feels so validating to finally be represented, to finally have a character in media who shares the same lack of interest in romance and sex as I do.

When I entered the fandom to look for more content, I kind of expected to see the same respect for Alastor’s orientation there too. But that… wasn’t the case? I am fully aware that aromanticism and asexuality are both spectrums— of course, aromantic and/or asexual people can enter those kinds of relationships. I’m not denying that and they belong in the community as much as anyone else on the spectrum.

But, the more I see the same line again and again and again, the more it feels like an excuse to just ship what you want.

Usually I don’t mind shipping? I’m often a firm believer in people shipping what they like as long as it’s harmless and they don’t go crazy over it. I also know for a fact that Viv doesn’t have a problem with people shipping her characters. They are fictional, after all.

But in this case, people are ignoring the very thing that makes Alastor a part of the aroace community! People are ignoring his lack of romantic or sexual attraction!

Is this not the same as changing a gay character’s orientation to suit a straight ship? If not, how so? I’m told that we are a part of this community, so why aren’t we being treated like it? Why is it so hard to accept the people on the end of the spectrum who aren’t interested?

Something I’ve been noticing throughout my life is that society has not exactly progressed very much on the idea of accepting asexual or aromantic identities. Maybe we have, a little, since the old days— but hell, people in “the old days”, which in truth wasn’t very long ago, believed that asexuality was a medical condition to be “fixed” by taking the right medication or having sex. That’s a pretty low bar to clear. And on the romance side, you’re seen as a “late bloomer” or “boring” if you don’t express interest. These days, being friends with someone is treated like a gateway to them possibly becoming a lover. Not getting married, not going on dates, not wanting a partner— it’s all treated like a crime when it’s not.

Maybe I’m selfish, or sensitive, or I’m butthurt over nothing, or I’m making it all about me. Maybe I’m gatekeeping or whatever the term is. But please, please, please, I just want an aroace character like me who simply is not interested in sex or romance.

And I want fandom to respect that. I admire the creations that fans make— the art, the animatics, the writing and the character analysis. And I want people to keep creating because creation is indeed a beautiful thing.

But I really would like people to treat aroace identities like they’re important. Like it’s more than just a spectrum to get wiggle room to wrangle in another ship.

[itoshiexx]

blossoming love

synopsis: sae is not good with words, so he communicates with flowers instead. / or, every time itoshi sae gave you a bouquet in significant moments.

pairing: itoshi sae x gn!reader | words: 2.9k | warnings: fluffy fluff, tiny bit of angst if u squint, rin and sae’s relationship isn’t fucked up, kinda proofread, ooc sae maybe? i love him tho, its really just three thousand words of him talking about love

notes: this idea has been on my mind for a while since i adore the language of flowers, and even tho sae is probably ooc, i really liked the final result ♥ also i'm trying a new layout so lmk if y'all like it~ and finally thank u so much for 2.5k followers, i love you all sm!!

masterlist

i. sunflowers for a confession

never has itoshi sae been so painfully aware of his flaws and limitations quite like the day he realized he liked you as more than a friend. because, even though he wasn’t the type of guy to wait for the universe to give him everything he wished for, anyone within three miles could see how absolutely awful he was at communicating.

so that was the dilemma: how could he express his feelings to you if the words just didn’t come out?

“flowers.”

“huh?”

rin was sitting at the couch in their parent’s home, a paused horror movie on the tv. sae didn’t even notice he started mumbling and spilling his secret crush to the younger itoshi, and the tips of his ears went red at that. he was supposed to be the smooth, suave, aloof kind of guy that gave his little brother some love advice, and not the other way around.

(not as if any of them had some kind of experience. emotional intelligence didn’t really run in the bloodline.)

“just give them flowers, nii-chan. did you know each of them has meanings? it could help you express yourself.”

“you mean like… the language of flowers or some shit?”

rin rolled his eyes, but nodded.

“just try not to use ‘some shit’. i don’t think they’re into that,” he joked, and sae could only grimace and send him the middle finger.

but as much as he didn’t want to admit, his brother was right. you were special, and you deserved the best he could give — even if it wasn’t much. he was going to learn how to be better for you, but meanwhile, the language of flowers should suffice. 

the first time you receive a bouquet from itoshi sae, they are beautiful blooms of sunflowers, expressing his adoration towards you. the small card that comes with it has a simple question:

go out with me?

ii. white gardenias and the start of something new

your first date with the pro-footballer is something simple yet sophisticated, a dinner at a famous restaurant he rented just for you two. the dim lights make everything more romantic, and your heart is beating so loud you’re afraid sae might hear it from the other side of the table. despite the euphoria that leaves you nearly breathless, you manage to talk during the night while he mostly just listens.

itoshi sae is not familiar with dates — not actual ones, at least —, so to say he was nervous was an understatement. however, he hid it well behind his nonchalant persona, even if meant avoid talking just so he didn’t fuck things up. 

sae was never a talker, anyway. and it was long ago he figured he’d rather listen to the sound of your voice and drown in the image of your sparkly eyes every time you were excited about something. 

when dinner is over and sae drives to drop you home, you’re a little shocked to see him take another flower arrangement from the floor of the backseat, just hidden enough so you didn’t notice during your ride. the petals are a pure white color with beautiful twirls, and you can’t help but gape.

“is that… is that for me?”

sae wants to scream, because of course they are for you — who else could they be for? as if he’d ever look at anyone when you’re the brightest light shining on his life.

inevitably, you’re all itoshi sae can see.

“they are gardenias,” he simply says, fighting the heat that climbs through his neck. he pushes the bouquet a little more towards you. “they made me think of you.”

your chest swells with affection, and the sweet aroma of the blooms mixed with sae’s perfume makes you a little dizzy. you only realize how close he is when his nose touches yours, hands grazing your left cheek as if you’re something fragile that he’s scared to break.

but he kisses you anyway. his mouth is delicate against yours, trying to convey his longing as a complement to the flowers on your hold.

when your lips part and you finally say goodbye, you’re certain that sae has blossomed an entire garden in your heart. starting with the white gardenias that mean new beginnings, affection and a revelation of a secret love. 

iii. blue hyacinths for an apology

sae knows how much of an asshole he can be. contrary to popular belief, he knows how sharp his words can feel and how mean his voice can sound. even if he wasn’t exactly self aware, his brother rin would sure be able to spit it to his face every time they argued. 

it wasn’t like he always meant it. sure, he didn’t care about his behavior towards the media or people he found particularly annoying (pretty much everyone), but there were people in his life that he cherished; people he didn’t want to hurt. the thing is, itoshi sae was just really, really awkward when it came to his own emotions, and he was the worst at saying how he felt. 

it’s a few months into your relationship that sae learns he would rather never play football again than make you cry. it’s a silly argument, really — he doesn’t even remember what he gets so worked up for. maybe it’s jet lag that makes him lash out on you, but it doesn’t really matter when he sees your eyes glisten and a little sniffle comes out of your lips.

“i’m s-sorry,” you say, uneasy in a way that makes his stomach churn. he wants to wipe that expression off your face, and beat himself up for being the one who put it there. 

him and his stupid ass mouth, as rin would say.

“what? why are you saying that?” his tone is more exasperated than he intends to, and god, why can’t he just shut the fuck up?

“i didn’t mean to annoy you or make things harder… i know you’re tired from your game and i… i’m sorry, sae.”

he should be the one apologizing for being an idiot, he knows; but the words are so foreign to his system that sae doesn’t even know how to put the letters together. it’s only when you pick up your stuff and leave his apartment without another word that the pro-player is shaken out of his stupor.

“fuck,” he curses under his breath. “fucking hell, sae.”

he hates that he hurt you, hates that he doesn’t know how to fix it and hates it even more that his little brother lectures him on the phone later that day, when he calls to vent.

“you already were a shitty brother, so don’t be a shitty boyfriend too,” are rin’s exact words. 

okay, ouch. kinda stings, but he figures he deserves it.

it’s almost 9pm when sae goes to your house, two bags of your favorite treats resting on his forearm while he holds the carefully chosen bouquet. the surprise on your face when you open the door makes his heart reel, though the glimmer of happiness is what makes it all worth it.

“i messed up”, is what he says as soon as he can before you decide to kick him out. “i didn’t mean to snap at you like that and… i’m sorry. i never want to hurt you.”

you take the blue hyacinths from his grasp and look at them fondly before smiling, and sae thinks the sun is shining again. he’s eternally grateful you understand the sincerity and the regret that comes from those tiny petals.

iv. red roses and the epiphanic awareness of love 

journalists from all around the world are well aware of how much itoshi sae hates interviews. it is always pretty clear with the bored — if not extremely annoyed — expression on his face and the rude answers that make anyone break a cold sweat. he doesn’t like stupid questions (all of them) and much less when the press tries to meddle in his personal business. 

it wasn’t new to be asked about his romantic relationships, and this particular topic was something that made sae scowl and diss whatever nosy, lukewarm journalist decided to pry to earn a penny. by now, everyone knows that inquiring if the midfielder is dating anyone is forbidden territory.

still, the media keeps trying to find small loopholes in what they really want to know, questions safe enough to not enrage the itoshi. it’s one of those that makes sae’s world come to a halt in the middle of a press conference in italy.

“itoshi, can you tell us about the things you love most in life?”

his brain instantly shuts down, and suddenly, sae is no longer in a room with hundreds of microphones and cameras shoved on his face, but instead in a cozy little picnic at the beach with you by his side.

if he was being honest, sae never really thought about things like love for most of his life; and not just the romantic one, but love as a whole. sure, he knew he loved his parents and his little brother, but they were parts of his life he didn’t choose, almost as if those feelings were meant to be there ever since he was born.

thinking about his life growing up, he could never really tell if what he felt was ‘love’ or just ‘like’. did he love soccer? did he love salted kombucha tea? did he love the beach? or were all these things temporary fulfillments that could end at any minute? this feeling was such a difficult concept for sae that he never bothered to actually search for answers. 

but you’ve been dating for seven months now — and sae simply knows, as a universal truth written down his bones, that the feelings he has for you are too otherworldly to fit inside the mere perception of ‘like’. liking you doesn’t do justice to the way his heart leaps and his chest is filled with happiness and peace and anxiousness and euphoria all at once whenever he thinks of you.

it’s the strangest epiphany of the century, he thinks, but that is the exact moment itoshi sae is sure you are the sole definition of love. 

he loves you. he loves you the most in life.

and even if life is hard, because the world always is, loving you amongst this chaos is the easiest thing sae has ever done.

so when he comes back from his trip and you stay over at his penthouse, he tries to demonstrate this overflowing feeling when he touches you and kisses you and makes you fall apart just to put you back together. and when the morning comes and you paddle to the kitchen for breakfast, he is there holding the prettiest bunch of classical red roses with the faintest blush on his face. 

you’re beautiful even with your unruly hair and bleary eyes, and sae is certain he will never get tired of seeing you smile for him. 

with his throat clogged with emotion, the words don’t come out. but you take the flowers in your gentle embrace and kiss him with such fondness and infatuation that he can’t help but wish you understand the deep, unconditional love he feels for you.

“i love you too, baby.”

and thankfully, you always do.

v. pink camellias for longing

longing wasn’t a feeling sae was particularly used to. 

when he left japan at the ripe age of 14, the first few months were especially harsh, since he was in a foreign country with a totally different language and culture. sae found himself missing the place he grew up, not so much for the place itself, but for the comfort its familiarity could bring. he missed rin, too. 

but as time passed and itoshi sae transformed, he stopped viewing japan and everything it had as his home, solely becoming a wandering soul in the big, cruel world. the athlete, then, longed for nothing but to be the best. 

however, he realized that life as he knew would never be the same after falling in love with you, for those feelings were strong as tidal waves, all-consuming and capable of changing everything in its course. 

everytime he was away, sae really fucking missed you.

“how long will you be gone for?”

even before he left. 

“…a month.” 

his voice is low and slightly hesitant. you’re together on the living room couch, watching a shitty rom-com movie that sae hates but always watches because it’s your favorite. his arms are around you while your back rests against his chest, and he feels a little dizzy — whether it’s from your sweet perfume or the fear inside of him, he doesn’t quite know.

though he will never admit it, the midfielder is always scared whenever he has to leave for longer periods of time. because what if you get tired of him? what if you start feeling so alone and neglected you end up hating him? the thought alone is enough to make him want to throw up. 

you turn around to face him, and the little pout of your lips suddenly has him feeling sick. 

“so long? you really have to?”

he sighs, because yeah, unfortunately, he does have to stay that long to follow the team along the season. even if he’d rather stay with you and just fly near game days.

“yeah. i’m sorry, mi amor.”

sae lets you turn around fully and adjust yourself on his lap, each leg sitting comfortably around his hips. both of his hands are immediately holding on your waist, as if afraid you’d disappear if he didn’t. 

“don’t apologize, handsome. i know it’s your job. i’m just gonna miss you a lot.”

he has the urge to kiss your sullen look away, and it’s exactly what he does. his lips touch yours with the same tenderness they always do, but there’s a certain urgency in the way his mouth moves and his tongue carefully glides with yours, as if he’s trying to convey just how much more he will miss you.

because although no one would ever believe him, he always misses you more.

“i wish i could stay here with you,” he says when you part, and the little bashful smile you give him makes his heart soar. 

“but you love what you do, though.”

yeah, but i love you more. the thought is something that has been plaguing his mind during the nearly two years you’ve been together, because sae never expected to have something — or rather someone — who would become his entire world quite like how you do. it’s frightening and dreadful and not what he wished for himself, but sae can’t say that he hates it. there’s nothing about you or the gentleness of your love that he can hate.

that’s why when the time of his trip comes, a beautiful bouquet of pink camellias is placed on your kitchen island, and you know it’s his way of showing his longing for you.

vi. amaranthus and the promise of forever

even if many people disagree, sae knows he is always right. it’s how he knew you were the one even before he had you, and more so even before he realized he wanted you. somehow, it’s always been a truth his mind couldn’t ignore.

it’s on a lazy sunday morning at your shared apartment that itoshi sae is taken by a sudden urge of asking you to marry him. 

there’s nothing extraordinary about the scenery; just you making him a snack after waking up from your — now shared — 3pm nap, hair tied in a bun, swaying your hips while stirring the food on the frying pan. he hugs you from behind and rests his head on your shoulder, nosing at the crook of your neck in an attempt to absorb all that you are. you giggle with the ticklish feeling, and the warmth that spreads through his chest somehow doesn’t feel weird anymore.

somehow, it’s now something he deeply cherishes. sae can only describe being with you as pure bliss.

and he’s always been selfish, a true egoist to its core. it’s why he’s faced with his deepest desire to have the honor of spending a lifetime by your side, if only you’ll have him.

he’s had the ring for a while now, hidden behind several socks in his drawer. it might as well be the time, he thinks; a lazy sunday afternoon that has nothing grandiose. sae was never one for big gestures anyway.

so when you both finish eating, sae tells you he’ll be out for a jog, and you just hum with your pretty smile. his heart is beating abnormally fast when he goes to the flower shop, and by the time he’s back home, he thinks it might just explode.

but this… you are it for him, he’s certain. the same way he was certain four years ago, when your love started to blossom until it became the prettiest garden.

and when sae is down on one knee asking the most important question of his life, ring box in one hand and the bouquet of amaranthus on the other, the teary smile and whispered “yes” you give makes him certain that, no matter what, your love will be eternal.

© 2024 itoshiexx. do not plagarise, translate, or repost any of my work on here or other sites.

[brujamala-aka-gigi]

౨ৎ ⋆˚ masterpost ࿔ ෆ ⋆

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most images are from pinterest, others are mine, dividers by @v6que

₊˚⊹ ʚɞ ‧₊˚ ♡ about me 𝜗𝜚 ⊹ ‧₊

Hello there, my name Gigi, I'm a social studies nerd, a visual artist and some people call me a bruja, they're right but it's usually said with bad intentions. This is a blog where I mostly do whatever I find fun and helpful. I was raised around a great diversity of esoteric traditions but I'm also a nerd about it so of course I had to learn the old, the new, the conventional, the non conventional, the light, the dark, etc. I begin my training as a tarot reader and my esoteric journey at the age of 12, by 15 I was already allowed to share my practices with others (yes I'm kinda a burned out gifted kid tbh and it's not a flex), which is what I'm the most passionate about. I've been working on and off as a professional tarot reader, but mostly in spanish (I live in the countryside of a south american country). So I decided to try out doing it online as a side hustle, since to be honest, working as a tarot reader brings me a deep sense of joy and contempt. Personally I believe that the best part about reading cards for other's relies on the fact that it's a valuable learning experience for both parts, and it's beautiful to see someone grow and face any adversities they have in their way. At the moment, I'm working full time as a tarot reader/astrology reader on an app for esoteric practitioners, and also running this blog, hoping it becomes a nice space for anyone who is into approaching tarot by embracing all the possibilities it has to offer. My work on the app (I can't name it because of my contract) is mostly oriented to predictive and esoteric approaches, I also do a lot more astrology there nowadays, so this blog is less about predictions and spirituality and more about making mysticism, philosophy and esoteric traditions more practical to everyday life without taking away the depth or the power coming from this knowledge.

･˚𝜗𝜚˚⋆ *˚ about my work ⁺ ✦ * .

Before you get to checking what's there to do, I'd like to say that I basically been reading tarot's for most of my conscious life, and I've seen and heard plenty of different perspectives, situations, and so on.  After that I came to the conclusion that the most important thing for me whenever I'm offering my reading services, is that you and I can sort of work together on how the reading gets done. 

My biggest concern when reading for others is that I can communicate the messages from the tarot in a way that's efficient for both of us. I'm always willing to learn and listen without judging, because that way both of us can find the most meaningful and valuable way to approach the reading. 

That's the reason why I specify the length of the readings and the main idea behind them but I don't limit too much the possibilities of what can be asked specifically on that reading. When I read for others, I'm more concerned about respecting and embracing their experiences and thoughts when it comes to tarot, than to impose mine. Not everyone is down for a spiritual experience, not everyone needs the shadow work, or the practical jungian stuff, maybe you don't want to know about the future, or you do but only about the good, and so on.  

To sum it up:

ꕤ I value individuality, empathy and mutual respect, therefore i will never judge, discriminate or belittle the thoughts and experiences of anyone. 

ꕤ My focus here is to make sure everyone has the possibility to find knowledge in a way that's helpful and meaningful to their personal and spiritual development. 

ꕤ It is important to find the best way in which tarot can bring something of value to our lives, and this is highly personal to anyone involved in the process of the reading. 

¿? how to book a reading ¿? & some useful info about my work <3

some disclaimers first:

no readings about serious health issues, no readings concerning financial advice or legal advice.

readings can be cancelled with a refund only before 2 days have passed.

you will get a total refund if i do not complete the reading before the delivery date agreed upon. 

needed information

for me, it is necessary to know the following: 

-your name, nickname, initials or how i should refer to you. 

-your date of birth, bonus points if you also have your time of birth or a natal chart you are willing to share if interested in incorporating astrology into the reading <3 

(if there's anyone else whose involvement is relevant to the reading, i'm okay with just their name, but knowing their date of birth is quite useful)

-your contact information or your preferred method of communication. (my options at the moment  tumblr dms, messages on this app, and e-mail. I am willing to consider other options too!)

-how would you like to receive your reading: there's the pdf option, you can ask for a link or the file itself and there's the option of me just sending you a DM or an e-mail. 

some more disclaimers and useful info

✿  feel free to pick a specific tarot deck for your reading :) 

✿ i will reach out to you whenever i start working on your reading, to agree on the time of delivery, check the information you provided, and ask you if there's anything you would like me to know before i get started. you can reach out to me anytime too.

✿  i might write you during the process of doing the reading if anything major pops up and you can also feel free to hit up if something happens that you feel I should know of.

✿ i'm bilingual, so if you're and spanish speaker, let me know if you want the reading to be done in spanish. 

✿ after sending you the reading, i'm available to discuss it further and clarify anything that wasn't clear about it. 

♡ ‧˚Timeless Pick a Pile Readings ౨ৎ

♡ Comprehending Late Night Thoughts ♡

♡ Random Messages From the Tarot ♡ (1)

♡ still fucked up? here's a pick a pile reading ♡

♡ guidance to the heart ♡

♡ Mid Week Energy Check ♡

♡ a tarot reading just in case you need to remember this: it's okay to be a bitch. ♡

♡ small pieces of advice ♡

♡ how and why do you love ♡

♡ sea bunny plushies and random tarot messages ♡

♡ emotional attachment and distorted perceptions... ♡

♡ what's keeping you away from genuine ways of expressing yourself? ♡

♡ finding a lover ♡

♡ love advice from the tarot ♡

♡ random messages from the tarot ♡ (2)

♡ your ideal partner is like...♡

♡ random tarot messages (3)♡

♡time will tell, but what exactly?♡

♡hot girl mindset♡

♡random things about your next lover♡

♡building safer spaces♡

♡are you ready to love?♡

♡sagittarius season tarot readings♡

˚₊‧ა ♡ ໒ decks used ˚ ༘ ೀ⋆｡

ཐིཋྀ Santa Muerte Tarot Deck

ཐིཋྀ Rider Waite Smith

ཐིཋྀ Night Sun Tarot

ཐིཋྀ Santa Muerte Oracle Deck

ཐིཋྀ The Great Esoteric Tarot

ཐིཋྀ Thoth's Tarot

ཐིཋྀ Nicoletta Ceccoli's Tarot

{click here to see reference pictures of them }

꒱ྀི ১ ౨ৎ personal readings •ू ♡ ♡ ♡

[lullabyalikpoptarot]

Yoo Jimin (Karina) Perspective Reading

Now, on to the next member of Aespa for this installment of my perspective reading. I like to look into what I can get from her energetically. This song she gave me was Fame by Donna Summer.

Late suit days, hair extensions Botox faux false interventions Nude job, boob job, all nouveau It ain't what, but who you know Uncalled perjury, cosmetic surgery Dirty secrets frame your glory It'll get the cover story

The song quite fits for many idols, if not most, so interesting it did pop up for her. Now, let's dive in and learn more about her. We start with the addicted card, which could indicate to me some sort of addiction she may have, to what I am not sure of. I can see her obsessing over how she looks, but that makes sense. Now, with this sacrifice card it makes me think of the 7 of wands and this need to defend herself and protect herself. I can also see her having to make sacrifices in whatever that could mean to her.

I can see her being protective of those around her, could be the group members. But I can also see her clinging to who she was in the past, or has some sort of compassion for that person and what they may have been through. She seems like the type that will make sacrifices for the betterment of tomorrow. She kind of understands to make sacrifices for today for a better tomorrow.

I do see her feeling exposed, maybe sometimes violated by the spotlight or industry. She is kind of put on display for others to see. It is kind of part of the idol world to be exposed and put on display, so she may understand that to an extent, not sure she fully enjoys it. She kind of feels vulnerable and exposed in the spotlight. I don't particularly see her as someone who likes being in a vulnerable situation. Because being put in the spotlight kind of puts things out of her hands and others in control a bit.

She seems to find ways to deal with any struggles she has. She seems to have good communication skills and find ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle and have balance, so not really sure where that addictive energy is coming from, but from this spread. She is pretty aware and understands the right direction or path to take for her journey in life. She comes off pretty grounded and stable.

She may find little hobbies that bring her joy and entertain herself in that. She can be pretty playful and tries to do activities that bring joy to her life. She also may play around with things and try new things or ideas. I feel she can revert to a kid at times. This mostly happens when she is alone and has time for herself. It is like she can be a kid again when she is alone, but I am not sure she has much time to be alone, which may be bothersome to her.

She can have this fighter mindset. And have this energy of being on the go and getting things done. I don't think she likes to stay still for too long and she can be rather impatient. I see her just playing around, maybe she is also the type that likes to experiment with new things. I think she likes to find joy in life and find the little things that can bring her happiness.

I see her standing strong in her opinions and beliefs. She can bend a little for others, but she would not change who she is for anyone. She has the ability to stand her ground. I am seeing again her ability to communicate and speak well to others. She seems to have a way of words, comforting others in need, but her words can also cause pain from what I got in her girlfriend reading. But it seems communication and getting her message out is important to her.

She seems to be very wise and has a mind of her own. She knows what she likes and what she wants and doesn't look to others for feedback or guidance. She knows the right path for herself and follows to her own beat and drum. She is the type that thinks for herself. I don't see her being a follower. She knows what she wants, and she stands by it.

She is someone very self-aware and isn't afraid to be herself and shine how she wants to shine. I see strong masculine energy in her. This strength and power she exude and a bit of this assertiveness and dominant energy. I can also see a childlike, playful energy she has. She can be bold and strong, but cute and soft, when need be, as well. I can see her being fun and silly as well. I think she likes reverting to her child nature, because she doesn't always want to take life seriously and she likes to have fun with life as well.

But I can see her having a mothering energy, like a momma bear, protective of the people she cares about. She can be very loving and nurturing. And likes to provide safety and comfort for herself and others. She seems to have a strong nurturing quality to her, and I can see her loving the idea of being a Mom and wife someday. She is all about empowering herself and others and coming together with others, rather than distancing herself and being divisive.

So, let's finish this off with my Tarot. She starts off with the King of Cups. She is someone very emotionally stable and balanced. She has love and compassion for others, but also knows how to keep boundaries and not get too caught up in other people's feeling and emotions. She knows it is better to keep boundaries.

I am seeing once again, this energy of wanting to communicate and share her opinion. Sometimes she may be too overconfident or say things she doesn't mean, or just shares too much. She can be really funny, can be a bit of a smart ass, but can say harsh things at times. The knight of swords is not afraid to say what is on their mind, so she can say whatever is on her mind, whether it is good or bad. But she can be witty and very quick with what she says.

She seems to be facing some sort of ending or loss here. An end of cycle and change may be happening for her, or she understands the cyclical nature of life and death and understand things must die for better things to come. So, although she grieves what is loss. She is ready for the new life it can bring.

I got to say I really like here energy. I think she is overall stable and has a healthy way of looking at things in life and approaching life. The fact that she seems pretty stable in this crazy industry is pretty applaudable. I am not getting much abuse or anything too dark with her. She seems pretty standard and normal from what I picked up on. I like her vibe. Let's see if the rest of the girls are this way too. So far her and Winter were pretty stable.

[anamericangirl]

Long message ahead (sorry about that LOL):

It's so insane to me how the left will constantly claim to be the pro-woman party and then turn around to tell any woman who disagrees with them that they hope said woman dies in some way or gets raped, and I'm not just talking about that repulsive ask you got. They'll say disgusting things like that even to other leftist women who disagree with them on only a handful of issues. But yeah, sure, they 100% care about the rights and safety of women. Totally.

If I'm honest, that's what "woke me up," so to speak, and I know I'm far from the first - the realization that they claim to want to protect "marginalized"/minority groups until someone from said groups disagrees. Then out come the violent threats and slurs that they reprimand others for or claim that conservatives are doing, thinking they can "revoke your [minority group] card" as if someone will stop being female or POC or homosexual/bisexual or disabled simply for disagreeing. Personally, I think it's them admitting that they use these characteristics as shields, so "revoking" them from those who dare to disagree makes them feel stronger. Since they put so much weight on the "community" aspect, they think kicking out anyone who disagrees will leave the opposition destitute and are implying minorities can't stand on our own.

I'll never stop pointing out that the only people who call minorities "marginalized" (defined as being treated as insignificant or peripheral) are leftists. The only people who are openly treating us as an unimportant second class are leftists, and they are the only ones who have ever consistently implied we are such in society ("you can never escape what we labeled you so that means we gotta either tear everything down and start again, or you can just live in fear").

Like I said, it's nothing new, but it's stopped shocking me when something makes them show their true colors. It just happens to be the election right now.

TLDR: minorities aren't "marginalized" because of Western society, leftists just labeled us that to say exactly what they think of us, and realizing this has freed me.

Also, your blog is awesome.

Well I am very glad you have escaped that toxic mindset and your eyes have been opened to how destructive and despicable the left really is.

They parade identity politics and thrive on the idea that how a person identifies themselves is the end all be all of their entire being and thus they present themselves as a group who is pro-every identity to look like they accept you based on identity alone. But that mask falls off once you dare disagree with them on one thing. Then you are the enemy. And that's because they really don't care about identity. They care about ideoloy and if your ideology doesn't match theirs, then they try to revoke your identity as if they own it and get to decide what it's acceptable for people of certain identities to believe or not believe.

And, as someone who fits into more than one identity they claim to be "pro", I have never been welcomed, accepted or tolerated by them because I don't have the opinions they want me to have.

When you get down to it, if you disagree with them, they are racist, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, ableist, etc. and they collectively use more slurs than any other group I have ever seen. But they think it's ok because they're using them on people they don't like.

They aren't good people and I think more and more people are coming to that realization. They are their own worst enemy and their behavior will turn more people away then it will bring to them and that is the only good thing about them.

They attract a lot of people because they are good at publicly playing the empathy card and looking like they care but it doesn't take long to see the that's all bs when you really start watching them.

I am glad you have been freed from that and I'm glad you think my blog is awesome! I think you're awesome :)

[stagkingswife]

So this is a silly question but I always wanted to start with paganism. And one fo the reasons is that I have been having this strange dreams for years by now.

They are all repetitive and way to constructed to be my own mind (I don't say it couldn't be me looking too much into it)

But in these dreams there is a entity, it has some weird noise I can't make out their gender. And they will just ask about my days, they will leave me weird cryptid messages about my past, or the moon.

They always leave me with a big scent of lavender stuck on my head, and ever since this started, a lot of lavender stuff and theme had come into my life without me even looking for it.

Any idea of who they could be?

I'm sorry to disappoint you, Anon, but I don't do entity identification through Tumblr anymore. Identifying an entity requires not only a lot of information, but a lot of time spent communicating with them - and I just don't have that time to spare anymore. But - teach a man to fish and all that - I'm happy to walk you through my process for how I go about identifying an entity, especially when you don't have a lot to go on.

Major Recorded Entity The easiest thing to either rule out, or get a solid confirmation of, is if the entity in question is a popular god or some other famous spirit. In your particular case you have a two concrete things to things to go on: The lavender scent and the messages about the moon, I would start by Googling like "Lavender Folklore" "Lavender mythology" maybe even "pagan deities associated with lavender," though I worry that last one will get you people's personal associations and UPGs rather than anything from the historical record. You could also break it down by culture if you wanted: "Greek god associated with lavender," "Egyptian god associated with lavender," etc. Then repeat your searched with "moon" instead of lavender, and look for overlaps. You're almost definitely going to get more moon results than lavender, so use it as a possible filter on your earlier results. Keep a list of any entity who turns up in this research, and specifically mark anyone who is particularly interesting to you for any reason. Next, if you haven't already, get yourself a divination tool, it's time to ask your visitor some questions! Go down your list and ask your visitor if they are the first name. Then the second name. Then the third. Do all of the names. Hopefully you're using a divination tool that has some nuance to them, like tarot, or playing cards, something else that can give you a "Yes, and..." or a "No, but" instead of just a flat yes/no. Adjust your list to yes, no, maybe. Be aware that you are likely to have more than one name in each list if you start with enough options. This doesn't mean that this entity is all of the yeses, just that it could be one of them, and you need to gather more information.

Common Type of Spirit If the above doesn't net you anything that feels like a solid enough yes after a couple of rounds of research and divination I usually move on from recorded deities and try to classify the entity as a broad type of spirit. My personal categories are: Deceased human, The Fair Folk, Elemental, Angels/Demons, Animistic spirits of Nature/Places/Objects, Household spirits, Creatures, and misc - but everyone has their own categories that they prefer to work with. Grab that same divination tool from before and ask the spirit to describe themselves. See if anything in the divination makes you think of one of your categories. Do you get a lot of nature imagery? Maybe they are a nature spirit. Do you get a lot home and hearth imagery? Maybe it's a household spirit. Etc.

Familiar Spirit I don't mean this in the normal familiar spirit sense, like a witches' familiar, I mean is this a spirit familiar to you in some way. Could you know them or have encountered them somewhere other than these particular dreams. This is another round of divination. But just like the last one you can ask this question once and have a conversation about it through your divination tool. Ask if you've encountered them before, if so where or how.

Unrecorded Entity If you don't get anything from any of the last steps that helps you identify the entity then you've reached the point that I usually start at. This entity is unrecorded, meaning they don't exist in human written culture. They may have had contact with people before, they may not have, either way, records of it either don't exist or didn't survive to the present day. You can have a really wonderful fulfilling relationship with an unrecorded entity, but you will have to chart the course of that relationship yourself. For any of the above types of spirits you could probably find someone who had experience with either the specific entity of the general type and sort of follow in their foot steps, but that's not necessarily possible with an unrecorded entity. Do I think it's likely that your dream visitor is an unrecorded entity, not necessarily, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention the possibility.

You can also start identifying as pagan and developing a practice without involving this entity, either at first or at all. Maybe you've always love Greek mythology and want to start worshiping them! If so, do that! Get comfortable with your practice and see what comes of that. Maybe things will become clear! Either way, if you choose to join us, welcome to the community!

[somepsychopomp]

Is there any world building in pjo that you just don't fuck with?

the fact they can't use fucking cellphones 😭😭😭 it's so unbelievably stupid and it's the piece of PJO lore that's aged the poorest, in my opinion

Like I don't fault Rick for writing the Lightning Thief in 2005 and including the idea that demigods can't use phones because uhhh..... monsters can somehow detect them that way. Cell phones back in the early 2000's were not at all what they are now, and I don't blame Rick for not being able to predict just how dependent on smartphones all of modern society would become just a handful of years later.

But the fact it's so poorly explained to this day drives me crazy. Like how do monsters actually use phones (and the internet/modern communication methods in general) to track demigods??? Do they have sensory organs that allow them to pick up radio or cellular waves? Is it intuition in the same way that you could summon a god by praying to them? Do they find a potential demigod and physically wire tap them like the fucking feds???

Rick has repeatedly implied that monsters have some unique means of just knowing when a demigod is using modern tech, but has never come out and firmly said how. It honestly suggests to me that all these years later, he's never figured it out or wanted to try. And instead of retconning this kinda silly and nonsensical idea in HoO, he kept it but never developed or fixed it, either.

Granted, there's ways it could make sense. Like the idea that modern tech kinda rejects demigods and leaves them vulnerable to monsters could be cool and creative if done well. It also enhances the idea that demigods are out of time and not really meant to live in "normal" mortal society. But again, only if it's done well.

I really do wish that Rick gave up on the "no tech" idea at some point and made it so that Leo or someone else designed a cell phone that's safe for demigods to use, or maybe something a magic SIM card that protects them from monsters. Or something like a monster-proof VPN that tricks them into thinking a demigod is in a whole other region than where they actually are. Or he could've had Daedalus invent a phone safe for demigod usage, or have Annabeth find the schematics for a prototype on his laptop after he bequeaths it to her so she could make it herself. Or maybe Rick could've evolved the concept of Iris messages and come up some new way that it could parallel smartphones. Hephaestus canonically comes up with all sorts of inventions in PJO all the time, you're really telling me that he AND Daedalus AND Annabeth AND Leo are all incapable of making a demigod-safe smartphone, or at least a fantasy equivalent?? And that apparently the idea has never ever once crossed anyone's mind?

Insane.

Look, I don't need Percy to be on a quest and pull out his phone to play subway surfers or scroll through TikTok, or do the 2010's equivalent of going on those meme apps with Philosoraptor or watching early YouTube poops. The demigods don't have to use phones. Maybe they could keep them just for emergencies since phones can be a huge distraction for teens (oh look at that, Rick could've made some commentary on society). But the fact that they cannot use cellphones or the internet for reasons that have been poorly defined for twenty years now.... is a bit much. And it speaks more so to Rick's abilities as a writer than to his worldbuilding at this point.

[cookiecomics]

ATOTT is excellent and a fascinating take on Ren being a sociopath or at least potentially a sociopath.

I was curious if you subscribe to the (unironic) take that all Wildcards have high functioning ASPD because of their ability to mask and play different parts for the sake of getting what they want from their social links/confidants?

I don’t know about Kotone or Makoto because I never played P3, but given the potential horrific choices for bad endings that Yu and Ren are capable of in their respective “Persona games” it seems like they don’t actually care about “justice” and are more concerned with their own goals or the goals of those they choose to care about. If they have the capacity to care about someone, it is often deeply obsessive to the extent that breaking the law and harming others to protect the object of their affection is not off the table.

Meanwhile the Inaba Murderer and Black Mask culprit are often reviled by the audience simply because unlike the protagonists, they had already fully crossed that line.

Naoya and Tatsuya on the other hand are of the Emperor and Sun arcana respectively, thus with the absence of Wild Cards in their respective “Persona games”, all “players” are permitted Primary and Secondary Arcana as opposed to a Wildcard who can equip Personas of any arcana while other “players” can only equip one Persona from their Primary Arcana.

Tehe, i love this question because yeah I do unironically subscribe to the idea that Ren and Yu have the potential towards high-functioning ASPD (since aspd cant be diagnosed in teens ) :3 And for the most part I have three main reasons why I think that.

Their foils

The transactional nature of social links/confidants

Their bad endings

I know some people don't like to examine the accomplice ending, the killing Namatame ending or the Yaldaboth ending but the implications are staggering. Yu and Ren can do some pretty self-serving stuff on top of their already transactional relationships (Ren in particular).

Yu especially is kind of wild since he not only has the capacity to straight up commit murder but assist someone in getting away with it. Joker also didn't shy away from the possibility of killing both Madarame and Kamoshida (since they did mention the possibility of Madarame dying to Yusuke).

I could speak for hours nonstop about how they till feel connected and bonded to both their foils despite their actions. But I guess the most important thing I wanna mention is that community work is actually posited as a means of helping youths with reduced empathy / high cognitive empathy feel belonging within their community. Adachi and Akechi lacked people around them either by choice or by circumstances but despite having people around them both protags can still flip the lid on their morals pretty spectacularly. Suggesting that the difference between Adachi and Yu or Akechi and Joker isn't a matter of 'one good one bad' they are mirrors and their actions are what defines them.

And just to be clear lacking empathy or having lower empathy does not automatically make anyone a bad person it just makes the bad stuff that much easier to do and causes a bit of distance between yourself and others.

People have this kicked-puppy reaction to the idea of their favs they perceive as 'good' not being seen as empathetic in my eyes but a person with low empathy can do good things, it's an action thing not a feeling the right things. It's hard to describe to someone who doesn't have it.

Both Yu and Joker have themes of feeling this sort of loss of identity or uncertain identity that's related to the development of alot of cluster b disorders.

Anyways, I see alot of 'joker is very empathic' posts alot and i don't mind seeing those posts, that's just not the impression I got from him when I finished the game.

And I certainly did not get that impression from Yu.

Ironically, that's why I'm not a huge fan of Mementos Mission or the P4 Manga, both kind of file away both protags darker qualities in the stories and turn them into just generic hero types.

But i have deeper beefs with MM i will not get into here just know its the fandom's darling but not mine.

Sorry for the long answer and sorry to the people who sent me asks about makoto's confidant or Ren's palace sdkjfhsjdkf those asks require brain power i haven't had in months but i will get to them!

[knight--of-the-stars]

Everything I know about Kyubey

The basics of Kyubey

Kyubey is what is known as an incubator or mascot. That means he can make make contracts to create magis. A contract is formed when someone makes a wish, and he extracts their soul to put into a soul gem. A soul gem is what gives a magi their magic and allows them to fight witches. Kyubey is a pop culture deity (PCD), so in a way, we worship him. Some call Kyubey "KyuKyu", and they say he likes sprinkles the most as an offering.

Communicating with Kyubey

There are many different ways to communicate with Kyubey: 1. Through the astral realm. 2. Through lucid dreams. 3. With devices such as pendulums. 4. Some people can talk to him in the physical realm. 1. The astral realm is one of the most direct ways to communicate with Kyubey. It is much clearer than a lucid dream or pendulum, but a lot of people think it's hard to do, or they simply don't want to do it for any other reason. The benefits are that a lot of magis fight in the astral realm, so they may be more familiar with it, and it is easy once you learn how to do it. The cons are that is can be hard to navigate the astral if you are new to it, and it can be hard to get to at all if you haven't done it before. If you are an astral magi or someone who is familiar with it, I recommend this option the most, but if you are not, it would be very inconvenient to use this method often. 2. Lucid dreams are a method that is easier for most people than astral projecting, but dreams can be less clear than the astral or physical realm. The benefits are that it's something most people will at least be able to do on accident sometimes, and it can be a more reliable method. The cons are that you have to learn how to lucid dream which can take a while, and it may be less clear. I recommend this for magis that don't speak to him through the astral or physical realms for any reason, or for magis that are very good at having lucid dreams. 3. Pendulums or tarot cards are the easiest method, but they are also the least clear because Kyubey's words will be filtered through the meanings assigned to the cards or swinging, so he will not be able to elaborate much. The benefits are that it's extremely easy, even if you don't have a pendulum, you could tie a string to a rock, and that'll work. The cons are that Kyubey will only be able to answer yes or no questions, or he will only be able to give very vague answers. I recommend this for magis that either want to talk to him often, that are good at interpreting, or magis that don't do any of the other options for any reason. 4. I don't know how they do it, but some magis can communicate with Kyubey in the physical realm. This method is a lot like the astral method because it is another very clear one. The benefits are that you can communicate without needing to prepare first, and it's clear. The cons are that I have no idea how to do this or teach you how to do this. It will probably take a bit of practice to hear him. I recommend this for magis that work in the physical realm or anyone who can use this method.

Contracting with Kyubey

Contracting with Kyubey is how you can become a puella magi. You can find Kyubey in the astral realm, the physical realm, or in a lucid dream in order to contract. In the physical realm, you will still have to meditate to be able to contract. Here is a step by step guide that is vague enough to fit however you need it to. 1. You must find Kyubey. 2. You must tell him your wish. 3. He will extract you soul and place it inside a soul gem. 4. You will now be bound as a puella magi, and it will be your duty to fight witches. I do not know of any way to get rid of a contract once it is formed, so be sure you really want to make one. I have heard both that you can change your wish and that you cannot. It is important not to make reckless wishes regardless. Kyubey has been known to lie or use tricks, so you must always use caution with him.

[kerryweaverlesbian]

My email to my MP about the UK supreme court 'women' ruling

(if you want inspiration for one of your own. I used the Trans Legal Project's template, which was very helpful. I might not get a response, but the emails for/against certain issues are tracked so might add up. Yours does not need to be this long, I just had a lot that I wanted to say):

Dear [MP's name], I hope you are well. I am a constituent of yours, and I have great concerns over the recent Supreme Court interpretation of the meaning of "woman" in the Equality Act, and the reactions of the present government as to what this means (as reported here in the Guardian). I have very close friends in the transgender community, and their right to exist in society is being infringed upon. 

The trans women I know, and I know them well, only want to exist as themselves. My [redacted personal story about how this ruling will specifically hurt someone I care about. I'm not telling it to the internet.].

What crime has she committed to be humiliated in this way?  For our government to try to edge her out of the society we live in, and pay for? She doesn't like to talk to strangers, let alone assault them in a bathroom or changing room or while accessing services. The material harm directly to her will be significant if this decision affects further policy decisions, to appease a fringe hate group. 

Transgender women are already at high risk of being assaulted, and now may be forced to use toilets that do not align with how they present themselves?! This is actively dangerous, it is leaving people I care about in the position to out themselves as transgender by walking into the men's room in a dress or a skirt (just how safe does that sound to you?), break the law, or risk serious ill-health by not using the toilets when required. A lot of the trans friends I have disabilities that would make this risk untenable. 

How, exactly will this be upheld? Is anyone presenting as a woman going into a changing room going to be policed for her upholding of traditional gender stereotypes? Will someone from the staff of a building be inspecting people's genitals...? I certainly don't feel comfortable with anyone being subjected to that! Either the women being humiliated and sexually harassed by it happening, or the person now forced to look at people's genitals all day. That's not the kind of world I want to live in.  Or perhaps it will be a card to show the results of a forced chromosome test (where's that money coming from?) - despite the fact that many cis women might have an xxy chromosome and not know it. I'm a pretty forgetful person - I forget my Gender Card and I can't go to the toilet? It's a ridiculous idea. Gender non conforming cis women will undoubtedly also be targeted and policed in an effort to remove trans women from women's spaces. Cis women with features perceived as masculine - large hands, deep voices, mustaches, prominent hairiness - all perfectly normal things to be on a woman - will be targeted too. A women being barred from using the women's toilets can lead to UTIs, toxic shock from leaving tampons in and other serious health conditions. 

It is already a crime to assault someone in the bathroom, and the gender marker on the door does not stop the people who do that. Trans women would be targeted, potentially by law, on the basis of their identity. Where is the equality in this? Made guilty until proven guilty. Trans women have been using women's toilets since at least the 1970s, as per a statement read in Parliament on the 22nd, and yet women have broadly felt safe to use the bathroom this whole time. This rhetoric of fear is one that has been levied against all marginalised groups to try and eradicate them from society. Black segregation in America, "fears" about gay men.  

And barring trans women from women's sports - literally where else are they supposed to go? After sufficient time on estrogen, she no longer has any of the (supposed) gendered advantages (in sports such as fencing and skateboarding as was recently in the news on this topic....there isn't one...) so, what, she's supposed to be stuck underperforming and harassed on men's teams? And for transgender children too - why discourage children of any gender from playing sports with the team that makes them feel happiest to play in? Why empower children and teenagers with discrimination on a legal level to continue to bully and harm their peers, which can and has escalated to murder and manslaughter? Trans women have been in women's sports globally for years now  - the (frankly, sexist) fears of some that they will obviously dominate "the weaker sex" has NOT come to pass. Cis and trans women deserve a better consideration and respect from the government that claims to represent us. 

Aren't there more pressing women's matters for government than stopping women from playing sports and using the toilets? The gender pay gap spurred by zero hour contracts, for example, or creating regulations to ensure that medical tests are performed on cis female test subjects, cells and animals to ensure they work as intended on women throughout the menstrual cycle. The violence against women disproportionately conducted by cis men. 

It is shocking to me that the Supreme Court heard out multiple anti-trans groups, but did not hear from a single trans activism group, on a matter that very obviously predominantly targets trans women. It has made me afraid that the Equality and Human Rights Commission will do the same when it comes to the Equality Act Statutory Guidance. Whose voices count the most? Those who have enough money to fund a campaign to stigmatize an already marginalised group? 

I hope you will fiercely advocate for the wants of your constituency on debates and votes around this issue. I would very much like to meet to talk about this further, I feel extremely strongly on this issue. I can be reached through this address.

Sincerely,

[My name and home address, to prove I'm in this MP's catchment, important!!]

[queerprayers]

1/2- Sorry if this is a weird ask. You're a person of sincere faith who doesn't judge and I'm desperate for outside opinions. I've recently learned that many modern tarot readers don't believe in divination or spirits, but rather that the images on the cards can help us think about things and bring out deeper ideas from our own subconscious. Zero future telling, only for self reflection. That sounds ok to me, and using the cards for visio divina has done really good things for my prayer life.

2/2- But still I worry- what if the more conservative types are right and all use of the cards is bad? What if it's displeasing to God? I beg and pray but I can't seem to find any peace or inner sense of guidance on the topic. Can you please pray for me, and share any wisdom you might have about this? Thank you so much.

Hello, beloved--I don't think this is weird at all! There's so much fearmongering among Christians about things being Satanic or pagan or whatever else, and it's important to not give into that panic while also taking our faith seriously.

None of the people I know who have been interested in tarot do it as a religious or really even spiritual practice--for most of them, it's been a fun thing, like getting your fortune read at a county fair, and it's not something to "believe in" so much as do and think about. I also know people who, as you said, find it useful for reflection, usually for finding new ways of looking at things. I'm not scared of tarot, and I don't think it's demonic.

Christian history is full of things like opening your Bible to a random page to see what God has in store for you or protecting yourself from evil spirits or saying a certain prayer so that a saint will do something for you. Everyone has these superstitious instincts, to find stories in chance, to not waste the few things that are in our control. I don't think there's inherent evil there--evil comes when we trust these things more than God, when we look in our own actions more than God's, when we think we can know the full story, when we try to pin God down. And I don't think superstition with Christian wrappings is any less superstitious, or any more truthful, to be honest.

A lot of people fearmongering about stuff like this are scared about where it might lead--that you'll end up somewhere chanting around a human sacrifice. And of course there are people who start with harmless religious experiences and end up in evil places--lots of Christians go to a potluck and end up believing in prosperity gospel and putting their kids in conversion therapy. But I don't hear you in danger of abandoning God or of harming anyone. And any religious practice can go too far, no matter how pure its roots. What you bring to the practice makes up most of whether you are reaching out toward God with it, and we can balance it with other traditions and other impulses.

In case someone's using the Bible to scare you: what the Bible tells us about fortune-telling/magic/communing with spirits is from a very specific Ancient Israelite perspective that I'm not qualified to unpack, but we don't find it an applicable worldview today. We have different ideas of how to live in community with other religions, and religious practices serve very different functions. We don't follow Ancient Israelite cultic practices--nor do modern Jewish people, for that matter. Christian practice has developed in the past two millennia in so many directions, and barely any of it would be recognizable to the Biblical authors. I obviously trust that God gave us these writings for a reason, and am not saying to ignore them--we can find useful ideas, but not a rule book.

The tarot deck most people know was created in 1909 by an occult secret society, who used symbols from Christianity and astrology. I think it's misguided to find truth in them as they exist, but neither do I think they're inherently evil--they're archetypes, stories. They're just human. I find occult secret societies generally more silly than demonic--although there is lots of racism/cultural appropriation in their histories. I respect those who avoid tarot based on its origins, just as I respect those who won't do yoga because it's a Hindu practice. But so many things come from non-Christian origins, and we cannot throw away the world if we want to live in community with it. (Yes, we are called to be set apart from the world as Christians, but also to love it--there is the line we must walk.)

There is real Biblical precedent for avoiding a practice associated with things outside of your faith--ancient Israelite religion was very concerned with these associations. Paul did not think meat that had originally been offered to pagan gods was sinful to eat, but basically advised people not to eat it because of how it would affect others or perhaps normalize idol worship. These are things we're continually navigating, and in any Christian community you're gonna have to be clear where your faith lies and probably answer some questions. I think it's a good thing that we're called to be purposeful, and to be aware how our actions affect others.

So my general advice would be to really think about it, to do it all purposefully, paying attention to how it affects your life, relationships, and practice, and whether it's bringing you to the life you know God wants from you (one of love). But this sounds like what you're already doing! I think you care more about this than most people I know, and you're coming to God genuinely--these are gifts.

Prayer is sensory, story-filled, interactive. It's a way of moving through the world. You say this has done good things for your prayer life, and I believe you. Contemplation is a major Christian prayer tradition. Anything can give us a new perspective, anything can shove us toward the truth. You're not causing harm, and neither are you abandoning your faith. There are other people navigating the same things as you--Contemplative Tarot is a book by a Catholic tarot practitioner, and it looks really interesting. I know people who have made their own tarot cards, and I wonder what that would look like with more intentional Christian symbolism/stories, even saints. Sometimes I pick a random prayer card to say--this is coincidence, and while it's not something I'm depending on, it does affect how my day goes.

Don't fall for anything or anyone that claims to know the ultimate truth, don't fall for the people who say that tarot has ancient Egyptian/kabbalah roots, don't fall for people who are just selling you things, don't believe anyone who tells you the truth is inside you if they aren't making clear that it's God that's living there, don't base your entire religious practice on something like this. But don't throw away a way of looking at things if God has led you through it. Don't put your life in the hands of cards, but move through your life with stories and new perspectives and contemplation. God's mercies are new every morning.

I don't know if I've given you peace--maybe just more questions. The good news is, you don't have to figure it all out now, and the bad news is you'll never figure it all out. Religious practice is a continuous dialogue and negotiation with the world. I have faith in you, and in the ways God is moving in your life. Bring Jesus with you, wherever you end up--he'll come regardless, of course, but see it happening. A man with a sword or a cup doesn't know your future, nor is he doing anything--but you know that. You're seeing more of the story, you're contemplating the wonders of God, you know the swords and cups that matter, and they are present with you, and seeing them everywhere is a gift.

Something my mother says before I start anything new, or go anywhere important--what she said when I went to the psych ward, and on the first days of school, and when I go to a protest--is "remember your baptism." I think my grandfather said it to her, too. I don't know whether you've been formally baptized, but remember your calling. Remember the beginning of your journey, and why you're still on it, and how you're being a representative of it. Remember your baptism, whatever that means to you. We have been marked with the cross of Christ forever.

<3 Johanna

[critter-genfic-events]

This week, we have seven clothing fics recced! Some are perfectly light and fluffy, and some are heart wrenching in all the best ways. Check them out under the cut, and as ever, comment or kudos if you like them!

Ornaments by Crykea (1002,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

Mollymauk Tealeaf does not know who he was, and frankly, he doesn't care. Along with his family at the Fletching and Moondrop Traveling Carnival of Curiosities, Mollymauk discovers who he is.

Reccer says: A cute pre-campaign story about Molly finding himself through clothing and accessories

What You Have And What You Hate by sheerdelight (1683,General) Warnings: Canonical Major Character Death Pairings: Beauregard Lionett & Mollymauk Tealeaf

Beau dons Molly's coat.

Reccer says: A loving look at Beau's grief after Molly's death, shown through her taking his coat

The Tale Of The Amazing Technicolor Gravecoat by Angel Ascending (angel_in_ink) (2380,General) Warnings: None Pairings:

A bard tells a tale in a crowded tavern, not knowing that a group of renowned adventurers are listening....

Reccer says: A great outsider point of view and an original idea!

As Though It Were Made for Me by remi_wolf (3345,General) Warnings: Pairings: Jester Lavorre & Caleb Widogast

Jester might have meant the offer to Caleb of one of her dresses as a teasing joke to lighten the mood, but Caleb never actually said that he was opposed to the idea. Even if she had forgotten in the madness that was the rest of the day, Caleb certainly hadn't, and now that they were resting for the evening at the Xhorhaus, he could finally see if Jester could make good on the offer outside the gates of Zadash.

Reccer says: Some thoughtful genderfuckery involving Caleb, extremely fluffy

the brightest shade of sun (when i saw you) by genesis_frog (496,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Caleb WIdogast & Nott the Brave

Her clothing is rags, purposefully inconspicuous and purposefully plain, as if she were trying not to think of her body at all. She buys a yellow dress in Xhorhas

Reccer says: It's absolutely sweet and heartbreaking

Ribbons and Poison Blossom by Beauteousmajesty (1008,General) Warnings: None Pairings: Orym & Fearne

On the skyship over to Jrusar, Fearne injures her arm. In helping her out, Orym gets the delight of figuring out how her clothes go together.

Reccer says: I love Orym and Fearne's friendship but also how Fearne's dress stays up is a mystery for the ages

The Titan's New Clothes by MasterQwertster (440,Teen) Warnings: None Pairings:

Ashton gets their new clothes and does some reflecting on their personal growth.

Reccer says: Just a fun little introspection on the Lvl10 outfit upgrade

This is one of our weekly communally-generated gen rec lists. Every week we announce a new theme and allow anyone to submit a fic recommendation. Please note that the summary and content notes are provided by the reccer, and may be different than what the author has provided. Please assume good intentions all around. <3

And hey, anyone includes you!

Next week, we'll be featuring time skip/future fics!

Then, it'll be pranks, Ashton focused, and game nights!

Any fics coming to mind?  Well, then use this form to submit!

If you're looking for some more, check out some fics written in the critter genfic bingo tag, or the older rec lists! Or you can request your own card and join in on the fun!

[helixtheman]

Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Synchro Dimension Retrospective: What Went Wrong with the Writing

Before we start this review, let’s make something clear: I don’t support Yu-Gi-Oh! shows past 5D’s. I critique them with a straightforward bias. I don’t care about this whole idea of “unity” in the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom, nor do I have respect for anyone’s opinion on the matter—I’m here for my own goals. So, feel free to cancel me if you want. I only play the TCG/OCG for fun and don’t participate in tournaments much since I’m more of a collector. So, if you make even one mistake or disagree with me about Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V being wrong, I’ll block you. I can’t stand the production dilemma and some claims that were never confirmed or were simply false, like it’s 5D's all over again for this brain-dead fandom that keeps making it harder to accept the years that go by.

StardustReaper delves into the origins of Yu-Gi-Oh!'s most memetically powerful series and its mixed reception. The review also discusses the role and consequences of a show where half its staff couldn’t competently fulfill their roles and how this impacted its production, back when the only way to produce a decent show was through competent teamwork. The review explains why the show’s entire production was more problematic than the so-called Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D’s effect—something that still grinds my gears to this day. Yeah, I have a lot to talk about, so production started on December 30th, 2024, and lasted until...

I’m just going to make this clear to everyone: I will not listen to anyone in the Yu-Gi-Oh! community, forums, or Yugitubers, because most of them are just clickbaiters. Even the so-called "honest content creators" have personal biases and problems, while the rest of the community is just dogshit. Seriously, Yu-Gi-Oh! fans have one of the worst communities I’ve ever seen. People who are afraid to be vocal about it always get shamed, but I don’t care—I’m standing out!

If Yu-Gi-Oh! wants purity and silence over freedom, then we’re living in a clown society.

Before I get to the topic, here are a few notes:

I will not blame 4Kids or any Western localized versions, as I am not hostile toward Yu-Gi-Oh! Western adaptations, nor do I hate them.

I will mention some associations with the real-life game, but as of this post, some of the cards used by characters in the Synchro Dimension have been printed while others haven’t. I might explain why printing certain cards can make the show more watchable, but I won’t focus on this all the time.

I won’t explain why I dislike Yuto here, as that character deserves a separate post.

I’ll use English or sub names (or a mix of both) to avoid starting unnecessary arguments, as I’m not hostile toward name choices.

I won’t bring up the fandom, as I have personal issues with them—especially since 2015 wasn’t a great year for me or for them, given it was the peak of cancel culture.

Finally, I have more experience with the anime than the real-life game. I find the game to be terrible, and I prefer to play casually for fun rather than act like a jerk at locals or nationals.

Can we actually explain why Yu-Gi-Oh! has a bad reputation nowadays? Most of the writing for recent Yu-Gi-Oh! anime wasn’t what people wanted but rather what they got. Back in the day, the writing was better—or at least that’s how it felt. This might explain why the previous Yu-Gi-Oh! series had some influence on Arc-V's downfall.

Let’s start with Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal. After the failure of this series, many fans grew frustrated with Shin Yoshida, blaming his ego and reliance on stereotypes. The show felt like a satire of Yu-Gi-Oh!—almost as if it was trying to deconstruct the franchise but ended up looking like a joke instead. The real issue with Zexal wasn’t just its content but how poorly it performed. It failed in Japan, and in America, it was canceled twice on television.

For those wondering why Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal wasn’t fully dubbed or broadcast in America, the answer lies in its troubled history. While Zexal was fully dubbed, it wasn’t fully aired, and this had a lot to do with circumstances at the time, such as the decline of cable TV and limited internet access for some viewers.

Let’s break it down. Zexal was canceled twice in America. In 2011, after airing only eight episodes, it was put on hiatus due to the 4Kids lawsuit over illegal DVD distribution. Then in 2014, it was canceled again when the Vortexx programming block—its main platform—was replaced by generic content, marking the end of Saturday morning cartoons in the U.S.

Why did this happen? It wasn’t supposed to, but there was a shift in the American broadcasting landscape. Random cartoons airing weekly started to lose favor, and some shows were simply targeted for removal. Western broadcasting at the time faced bias and inconsistency, making it difficult for series like Yu-Gi-Oh! to thrive.

As someone who grew up watching cartoons regularly before transitioning to online platforms, I can tell you it was a challenge to even discuss Yu-Gi-Oh! during this period. The Western adaptation tried to appeal to an international audience but ultimately backfired in certain ways. After Zexal was removed from the Vortexx, its final 33 episodes were made available on Hulu. To this day, Konami hasn’t re-released them on TV, and it’s unclear why they haven’t reconsidered.

One theory is that Zexal became too much of a cringe-inducing show over time, especially during its original broadcast run. It struggled to find its footing and didn’t resonate with many fans. While I don’t want to delve into political debates, I think Zexal was doomed in America from the start.

The show’s writing staff didn’t do it any favors. Zexal tried to do too much and too little at the same time. It over-focused on Xyz summoning and the villains while leaving the rest of the characters underdeveloped or outright forgettable. People hated the show because it came off as lazy and incompetent. Its number-based plotline and dimension war were dull, and the overarching story lacked direction. The "Number vs. Number" battles, which should have been the series’ centerpiece, became repetitive and uninspired.

Yoshida’s involvement didn’t help either. While co-writing the manga, he seemed to burn out, which might explain the anime’s lackluster quality. Fans eventually glossed over Zexal's flaws, claiming it was a masterpiece because of its animation or comedic elements—or even because of fan-driven "shipping" narratives. But for most viewers, it was a mess, riddled with generic shounen tropes and a lack of respect for a cohesive, standalone story.

The protagonist, Yuma, was cringeworthy to the point that his design made people dread each episode. The pacing was sluggish, thanks to the director’s mismanagement, and the reliance on gimmicky cards in real life added to the confusion. Ratings weren’t good in the U.S. or internationally, and while Japan’s reception was never fully confirmed, it wasn’t enough to salvage the show’s reputation.

Despite all this, Zexal became a polarizing topic. Some fans gatekeep the series, calling it underrated without acknowledging its flaws. Unfortunately, this kind of blind defense has led to biased discussions about its quality—especially in spaces like Yu-Gi-Oh! Reddit, which often feels like an echo chamber.

When Arc-V arrived, much of the lingering hate from Zexal seemed to carry over. While Arc-V had its own problems, it’s clear that the damage done by Zexal influenced fans’ expectations and reactions to the series that followed.

The Western broadcasting of Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V was a complete mess. It took forever for the show to finish airing in America, and this likely stemmed from a combination of factors. At that time, America seemed less invested in Yu-Gi-Oh! dubs, partly because of the toxic nature of the fandom and their lack of self-awareness.

Another reason might have been the overly vocal Yu-Gi-Oh! fans on social media, who often created unnecessary drama and contributed to the negativity surrounding the franchise. However, my experience with the show is more personal. To me, it’s less about what the fans or broadcasters did and more about deconstructing the production itself.

Arc-V had many production issues that can be analyzed from multiple angles, and those issues ultimately hurt its reception in the West.

The Real Problem with Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V

When Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V was first announced, fans had high hopes. Some even claimed it would become the next gold standard of the franchise, potentially standing alongside 5D’s or Duel Monsters. But as the series progressed, it became clear that Arc-V was falling far short of those expectations. By the end of its run, it was regarded by many as one of the franchise’s biggest disappointments. Let’s dive into the key reasons why Arc-V failed so miserably.

But here is the real problem that people refuse to accept. Some claimed that Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V would be known as the next gold standard, comparable to Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or even Duel Monsters. However, it failed in every sense, and I can explain why.

Part of the reason why Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V failed was because the second arc of the show dragged on for far too long. This caused character arcs to stagnate, restart, or never reach proper resolutions. Some characters were relegated to dorms, while others were completely forgotten. The reintroduction of legacy characters only made things worse, as they stole valuable screen time from the main cast.

The third season of the show was so poorly handled that it caused animators to leave production unfinished, creating a toxic environment in the studio. The primary writer of Arc-V—who I’ll address in a moment—was a total jackass who ruined 100% of the production. He was lazy and incapable of writing cohesive episodes, which ultimately led to the series' downfall.

The main writer of Arc-V, Kamishiro Tsunomi, is a total mess. He clearly hated working on the show because he struggled with original content. He had a tough time with the early episodes and later episodes in Season 2, which earned him the nickname "the lazy man." He can’t handle creating original works—his strength lies in adapting existing ones. For example, he adapted Hunter x Hunter and D.Gray-man without issues, but when I watched him write Casshern Sins back in 2008 (around the time I got into anime), he wasn’t as much of a disaster. That work had more collaboration with Yasohoko Kobayashi, a Toei writer, and they worked together well.

However, in Arc-V and even in Zexal, Tsunomi just couldn’t make it work. His writing is confusing, and it’s no surprise that Konami eventually blacklisted him. He’s not great at writing original content and often contradicts himself, which made the story fall apart. The fandom even called for a boycott of him after he stereotyped the last arc with terrible writing. Unfortunately, things got worse.

Early episodes and the information surrounding them were a mess. When new episodes aired, we didn’t get much information, just titles and rumors. One rumor that stuck was that Tsunomi was using his ego to control the staff. Apparently, he wanted to make the staff revolt because he couldn’t stand anime fans demanding to know every detail ahead of time. It was clear why someone like Yoshida took a break during the series.

I haven’t even mentioned Dark Side of Dimensions, which took away both animation and production budget. Why does Studio Gallop struggle with animation funding so much in the 2010s after 5D’s? It’s baffling, especially when Zexal had a higher budget than Arc-V.

But I haven’t yet mentioned the major reason why Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V’s production was more of a disaster than any of the previous series. Around 2016, one animator vented her frustration on Twitter, which caused a lot of people to wonder what she meant. When translated, it turned out she was upset because Kamishiro Tsunomi was lazy about guiding the production or planning what to do next. She also couldn’t get the animation sheets on time, which understandably made her angry. Back in the 2010s, you could get canceled for being negative or openly critical, but this person managed to send a message to future generations to ensure that such a situation doesn’t repeat itself.

Arc-V’s production was so chaotic that it made Yu-Gi-Oh! GX look like it had a much cleaner production process. I haven’t even mentioned the ratings, which, though just numbers, were still important back then. Ratings—good or bad—meant a lot to those involved, as they had to cope with the impact on the show. Arc-V was so toxic that it negatively affected the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom, especially since many fans of Arc-V hate 5D’s due to how Ono was more biased toward his nostalgic work rather than focusing on the story.

Arc-V ended up being a shallow Yu-Gi-Oh! anime with no clear direction for its endgame. So, what’s next?

The reason Yu-Gi-Oh! is so popular is that it’s been good from day one. However, people refused to accept it because it was so good that they blamed its advertising instead of appreciating its quality. Over the years, this led to a lot of people avoiding the game and spin-offs altogether. Frankly, Yu-Gi-Oh! has some of the worst fans—I loathe them sometimes.

The real problem with Yu-Gi-Oh! is that many fans are blinded by those who hate its success. They unfairly place all the blame on 4Kids, even though 4Kids was just a localization company. Ironically, Yu-Gi-Oh!’s own success created a toxic environment in the 2010s, making it impossible to talk about without getting dragged into negativity. Nowadays, the most toxic thing is Master Duel. That game turned the Yu-Gi-Oh! hype into trash. I honestly wonder when Konami will realize that Yu-Gi-Oh! fans are just so stubborn, blinded by biased hate or mindless hot takes.

People talk about the game now, but back in the 2000s and 2010s, the anime was all the hype. It’s no wonder newcomers get confused. I’ve even met people who can’t stand Yu-Gi-Oh!’s marketing because they can’t afford the cards or learn the game due to the fandom's toxicity. I remember years ago when that YouTuber Forneverworld—a grifter and cringe-baiter back then—said he never watched 5D’s and hated Arc-V before it even aired. My memory of that is crystal clear. These days, he’s irrelevant, but it still bugs me.

Here’s another issue: Yu-Gi-Oh! communities, particularly online, feel like a poor man’s version of Bulgaria. No offense to Bulgaria, but the fandom mirrors its struggles—chaotic, poorly organized, and rife with misinformation.

Take Reddit, for example. It’s a hellhole where people spread lies, like the rumor that 5D’s failed in Japan. Why is this even a topic? Because certain fans bring left-wing politics into it, twisting everything. 5D’s was created with themes that aligned more with traditional values, emphasizing community and perseverance. Most people don’t get that. The Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom has become a space for hyperactive manchildren who can’t process information properly.

On top of that, a lot of the so-called “news” about Yu-Gi-Oh! production—especially around 5D’s—is clickbait nonsense. It’s exhausting to see baseless theories being shared as facts, often with fake links and sources that don’t check out.

I forgot to mention that Arc-V started showing signs of weakness in 2015, which really upset people on Tumblr and Twitter, causing them to spill hate that I’ve seen firsthand. Heck, 2015 was also the year Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima left Konami because he wasn’t buying into any of its nonsense. That’s why 2015 sucked so much!

Okay, now onto the next topic.

What’s even bad about talking about the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime instead of the card game?

When discussing the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime, it’s clear that Yu-Gi-Oh! fans are 100% clueless—more than someone with Trump Derangement Syndrome. It’s just like how John Cena turned heel and admitted to having a toxic relationship with his fandom in the Netflix era of WWE. Yu-Gi-Oh! fans are like John Cena fans when they abuse the meme “You can’t see me” or the annoying “What is even Yu-Gi-Oh!” meme. Because of this, it creates stereotypes that I absolutely hate and loathe to death.

Most of the American Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom doesn’t even understand what the anime does or how it plays out. They rely on bad jokes, get mad when their headcanons aren’t validated, and just act like assholes. For example, I don’t have screenshots, but in my early days in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V fandom, people acted like spoiled elites and mocked others' hard work. These people were mostly part of the former Arc-V fringe group led by ReijiAkabutt and her cronies—Chomsai, BlueEyesWhiteGarden, Cypsman2, Pxiao, and ColorfulWatcher. If you go through their archives, you’ll see that they were some of the worst Yu-Gi-Oh! fans I ever had to deal with, as they are all woke Americans.

America is just spoiled with too much money, culture, and whatever else they have. Their healthcare system is terrible, with insanely high medical bills. They don’t know much about other countries, often act ignorant or even racist, and get overly sensitive when someone makes a joke—whether good or bad. They also become nasty whenever Trump tweets something and constantly demand that America is the only country that should be catered to.

Since 2013, most Americans have had awful takes on the Yu-Gi-Oh! anime because they’re mostly Gen 1 purists who refuse to accept anything beyond the original series.

And don’t even get me started on this person named Sephirex. I used to respect him, but now he’s a joke in the modern Yu-Gi-Oh! world.

Yu-Gi-Oh! fans, in general, care more about the card game than the actual people involved in the fandom.

But then there are people even worse than the far-left Yu-Gi-Oh! fans—just outright bad people. Here’s a list of Yu-Gi-Oh! fans I actually consider to be woke.

I’m not going to include SliferTheSkydragon, DemonAtemu, Xthedarkone, or anyone else who wasn’t as bad. This is only about people who had a real negative impact.

Also, Azenzone, who does Precure reviews, is mostly a Precure/Tokusatsu fan, and I want to avoid him at all costs because he can’t make good content.

Now, onto the worst fans I’ve ever met.

Sephirex, who I just mentioned, is a Canadian-American Yu-Gi-Oh! fan who is 100% woke because he constantly blames white people. He made bad satire videos about Yu-Gi-Oh! GX in the past, but after his YouTube channel got terminated in 2019, he shifted his focus to hating Donald Trump on Twitter—before eventually leaving for BlueSky. He also never understood that 5D’s is the only Yu-Gi-Oh! series that tackles prejudice and bigotry. But since he’s so far left, I doubt he’ll ever wake up from that mindset.

VoiceOfChaos, who streamed Yu-Gi-Oh! anime back in the mid-to-late 2010s, is another example of how much people have changed. They turned woke, either because they’re stupid or just unwilling to be real. That dude was worried about Arc-V getting canceled when Zexal was the one that actually got backlash for its bad writing.

Mangakamen is another example of a woke American who, in my opinion, is more of a douchebag than a real fan. Mainstream culture influences Americans faster than a cheeseburger hits their stomachs.

DarkXyzDuelist from Tumblr (Anna) is one Yu-Gi-Oh! fan I remember who hated 5D’s and praised Zexal, but they were really just in it for the fanart and had little actual interest in the show.

Mizael Mizanity is one fan I didn’t want to bring up, but now that she’s gone, I can just say: Good riddance to that woke, abusive bitch.

YGOEverything is just as woke, and everything about him is built to make himself look good. By now, he’s more irrelevant than he was in the late 2010s. He’s been a dick to my friends, and he cares more about clickbait than making real content.

These people alone are examples of how bad the Yu-Gi-Oh! fandom has become due to their influence and inflated egos. I could name even more, like TCG ANIME (YGO) or Linkara when it comes to Yu-Gi-Oh!, but I’m on a mission here.

So, let’s get back on point.

Now, let’s talk about the duels.

In my opinion, ARC-V has the worst duels I’ve ever watched—far worse than anything from the Rush or VRAINS era. The duels feel lazy, poorly scripted, and just brick after brick. The duel choreography is a mess, and I feel like Kamishiro completely failed at whatever he was trying to do.

Even Masahiro Hokubo seemed to struggle to make the duels relevant in any way. The issue isn’t just about the real-life meta—it’s about how this anime fundamentally mishandled its mechanics.

Pendulum Summoning, in particular, is too problematic because it relies too much on placing cards in the Pendulum Zones and sending them to the Extra Deck when tributed or destroyed. This makes duels feel repetitive and unbalanced.

Besides that, ARC-V did have one of the most impactful duels in Yu-Gi-Oh! history, with a script that had many key moments. However, as the duels progressed, they became more problematic, and I can see why the fandom hates them.

While I have problems with ZEXAL and its duels, no Yu-Gi-Oh! series has a worse duel script than ARC-V. The issue is that ARC-V had very little impact on the duels and focused too much on making them feel overly complex instead of well-structured.

ZEXAL, despite having repetitive duels, at least kept most of them polished up until Episode 135. After that, they became garbage, and I felt like I could write better duels myself.

The biggest problem with ARC-V is that its duels lack impact, constantly reuse old cards, and introduce fewer and fewer new ones. This, combined with poor writing choices, made the duels feel uninspired and frustrating to watch.

Characters like Yuri, Barrett, Kaito Tenjo, Aster Phoenix, Serena, and Ruri in ARC-V relied on the same combos constantly instead of progressing their strategies to make duels more interesting. Their playstyles felt repetitive due to poor writing limitations and plot constraints, making the duels stale instead of engaging.

For example, Barrett from the Fusion Dimension used the exact same strategy every time—summoning two monsters to bring out a Fusion Monster that never even got printed in the real-life card game because Konami was too lazy to release it.

[dailyaoyagi]

i was so sure toya was going to cry in the wl2 but im not sure now. i guess he has No Tears Left To Cry. heh.

i do want to see him cry purely because i am an avid enjoyer of angst (and whump). yes i absolutely loved toya4. i wasn't entirely sure why i like angst until my friend (who ALSO likes angst) said that she personally likes it because you get to see a side of a character that is rarely or never shown in canon. i feel like that sums it up pretty well. also i like exploring how Bad Things affect a character's behavior and the way they act. but enough of that--what do you think could cause toya to react to something in such a way?

one i can think of is if he fought with akito in a similar way to how he did in the main story--although this is unlikely because they have developed as a duo since then (toya learning to communicate his feelings better) and i'm not even sure what would cause them to fight??? any ideas??? another thing is his father but like. him and his father are on better terms as of now and i really don't know what would reignite the conflict between him and harumichi. besides, the chances of colopale pulling something like that is like 0.001%. again any ideas at all????

i have actually mentally gone over what a toya angst event could look like multiple times. i would want it to have a either gothic horror theme (the set, song mv, etc) or an Evil Alleyway theme (again, card set, song mv, etc). the former would be if the producer is slave.v-v-r (my #1 pick for a toya comm, if slave.v-v-r gets commissioned for anyone else i will be Sad) and the latter would be if the producer is syudou. i think you can see a similarity between me and another certain anon here but who cares. the event story would probably be something involving his father, possibly not accepting him OR we see the more disturbing aspects of his past. and then theres the secret third, equally as appealing option where its a john commission and the set either takes place in an abandoned city or a music studio depending on what would happen in the event. i think you can tell that this section is just entirely self indulgent

actually, on a side note, i find it really funny how whenever we see what toya's past was like it ends up being something akin to '[warm laugh of fond reminiscence] my father used to make me play piano until my fingers were paralysed with unimaginable pain. he really was so devoted to his cause'. i do think it isn't all like that but it really does feel like that sometimes with toya lol. i do find it quite sweet how he finds beauty and hope even in the most painful moments he's experienced, it tells us a lot about how he is free of hate and resentment despite what his father has done to him. i believe japanese society does put a lot of emphasis on filial piety so i think thats what motivated the writers to write toya that way. i could be wrong though since im not too educated on japanese culture.

an issue with me is that whenever i find a new producer that i like im like 'hey wouldnt it be funny if they made a song for my Favourite Project Sekai Character Toya Aoyagi'. except for the vocaloid producer vell who i agreed should make a song for kohane. funny thing i have a whole list of producers i want commissioned for project sekai in my notes app.

so we (WHO IS WE) can all agree that toya needs to shed a few tears out of sorrow. possibly sobbing a bit. maaaybe. (Yes i know i sound like a sadist my bad if that makes you uncomfortable). he deserves it as a Treat because he DIDNT COME HOME WHEN TOYA4 CAME TO EN AND I SAVED UP 44K IM SO ANGRYR,RR.DDDDDDDDDD

anyways. do you Agree with me? what would you personally like to see for a toya angst event? also thanks for listening to me yap about making a fictional character Sad. if you did listen to me yap. haahhhhhhhaaaaa

I'm honestly not sure, maybe something related to classical music? That's all I can think of. Maybe he'll have another fight with Akito but I don't see that happening anytime soon. As for seeing him crying I'm indifferent to it, I like angst when it benefits the story but not when it's just making a character sad for the sake of it.

Yeah the Harumichi stuff seems to be over and thank god. Let it be known that the VBS writers have no idea how to write NPCs.

Also those ideas seem cool but I feel like a Toya angst event would mostly show him isolated with nothing but instruments. Maybe it'll happen maybe it won't. IDK what the writers are doing anymore. Also yes to Toya Syuudou or Slave-V-V-R, I'd love those so much.

That REALLY bugs me. That's not nostalgic, it's trauma. I wish Toya's abuse was taken more seriously, because it was that bad and people often look over it. I wish it was treated as seriously as Mafuyu's abuse because I have no idea how those two are in the same game.

No worry I do the same thing. I have three producers I want for each character and the list is getting longer by the day.

Good to see someone else suffered like I did, I pulled and got EVERYONE BUT TOYA on the banner. I was so mad, I didn't want Meiko or An I wanted Toya. At least they gave Mafuyu and Haruka new costumes but that's it.

Not sure if I agree but I'd love for what Toya went through to be taken more seriously. Thanks for the ask.

[zoydraft]

Are we designing for CubeCon?

Lost in the Hedron Network, or “Goodhart’s Cube”

[The first draft of this was written before hearing Arlo's episode on Recross the Paths, and you should listen to that instead, because we say a bunch of the same stuff]

[I also recorded myself reading this if you prefer weird voices speaking to you]

I don’t want to follow the wrong incentives.

CubeCon and the cavalcade of regional events over the past two years are incredible. They’ve grown interest in the best way to play a great game. They’ve spawned BCW boxes packed with creativity. Cube has never been in a better spot…

…and it's also found a weird way to measure success. In scare-quotes. Which cubes will be selected for these events? Who will win social media voting? Which cube was the most frequent top-pick on Hedron Network? This past year the answer was often clown-shoes rule-change cubes.

In the meantime, we're left wondering how a "normal" cube can sell itself, differentiate itself, or otherwise convince anyone to pay attention. How do you sell the idea of a cube where you play normal Magic? As a person whose five year old cube could now be described as "Foundations-style," it felt bad for a while, but I think there's a way out. 

The selective pressures on a designer who wants to see their cube ranked at a cube event or discussed online bias heavily towards anything with a hook. Not just rule-change cubes, it's stuff that can be sold in a sentence or two, or even just an evocative name.

Having a good name is good. Having an enticing elevator pitch is good. If there's a way to "win" at cube design, it's obviously to make a cube that people want to play. That feels like a reasonable goal. 

But is that why you built your cube? Now that we have a measure of success, is it a good measure?

I want to design an experience. Selling that experience is necessary, and I bet having your cube at an event is super cool, but I really believe that the way people experience your cube is what your cube is. To quote gaytransmulldrifer, my cube is played “with gay people at my house.”  

Pink Sleeves is the first cube I built, and is still my main cube. The first year was stitched together from the limited environments I had played, but as COVID progressed and I had a kid, the theoretical design vision of “what if this is the only way my friends and I play Magic?" drifted a lot closer to literally true. Over the past five years I think I’ve got it very close to embodying that.

I don't think Pink Sleeves is a great name, but it nods towards the community I've tried to foster, which is very queer-positive, with the same bristliness that comes out when I tell people my favourite movie is Clueless, or if I wear my Carly Mazur Faithless Looting pin. It tries to set an expectation about who is welcome. It's a name with a purpose other than selling the gameplay… and would make no sense in an event context.

My cubes are for my friends. For them, I don't need to differentiate Pink Sleeves from any other "normal" cube, because they know it. They recommend it to their friends. I do not need to make decisions about its design with an event audience in mind. The ways my friends play it IS the cube.

I just cut Flash and Dread Return, because despite what those cards could do, my friends have never noticed or at least never shown any interest in those paths. I held onto them for a long time, because they felt like they fit what I was going for, but if it never happens what are they contributing?

It would be awesome for one of my cubes to be selected for an event, but that's not my goal (I have never submitted a cube to an event, nor been able to attend one!). Being picked or not doesn't make it a success or a failure. I already have my success: people who don't really play Magic, and who might not feel comfortable in an LGS have played my cube and have kept coming back to play my cube, and have become my very good friends.

As much as I love the online cube community, and am thrilled at all the events popping up, I want to encourage you to remember your local context, and the play that is already happening. Getting our online friends excited about new ideas rules, but your cube is how it gets played, so please remember that designing something for your own community is healthy, even if it doesn't get other people excited.

And so, when I put together a new set of changes to one of my cubes, I’m making those changes for my friends.

Thank you for the gift of cube.

[and thank you to Ollie and Parker and Cher for providing feedback on an earlier draft ♥️, and Clayton for providing like half of the original Cats in Pink Sleeves cards]

[lazarus-harp]

okay, so. escape the night : the movie ... watched the video a little while ago and it's only fitting i share my brutally honest thoughts! they'll be put under a read more.

first thing's first, i did kinda see this coming. considering how tight lipped joey's been about calling it s5, i had a feeling it would be called something else which. viola! while it might not be a season whatsoever, i do think chronologically it'll take place after the events of all stars, which makes it the closest we're probably gonna get to a s5. there wasn't any talk of this being a 'spin-off' which is also worth noting.

ah okay so ... not gonna lie, i don't think it was a good move to lead fans on. maybe joey didn't see it like that! but that's kinda how it feels like. all those promos and teasers and everything etn twitter has said was entirely false -- since none of those clips are from the movie and was more so filmed for hype. i truly think joey should've just been honest from the jump instead of building anticipation, and letting people straight up believe we were getting a trailer or an episode today when there's not anything concrete filmed. i don't see how this was a good idea whatsoever! fans would've been eager to contribute even without all the false hype. if we've been around for more content despite the four year hiatus, we'd be willing to help out with a movie. honestly, this news would be way more exciting if fans hadn't been led into expecting something else. i just don't see why they thought this was the best course of action?

this might sound mean but i don't like the idea of fans having a say in the movie, like at all. i get it! it'd be fun, it'd show the community he cares and appreciates them, but to me fans getting involved in projects never ends well. it'd be one thing to have them appear on set, have their names be in the credits, but to actually have a hand in the casting and parts of the script? this does not bode well to me. while i talk obsessively about who i'd love for etn to bring back and how they should let me in the writer's room, this is usually a joke. i like seeing authentic projects! to see what the creators themselves come up with! and i've mostly loved what joey's done for the show so far. it just feels like this is such a dangerous position to give fans, who would've paid 350 dollars for this, because it can so quickly turn into a mess. on one hand, imagine you pay so much money to have a say in these things only to not get a single person in your dream cast into the final project? and on the other hand, imagine having someone who's paid you so much and then having them demand a pick that you're not really into but say yes to anyway. i would hope there's some clear boundaries in place and a mutual understanding, however i simply think this is better off not being a thing entirely. though i'll acknowledge this is partly due to my own distaste for a majority of old etn fan opinions and behavior. if i was gonna have anyone work on the movie there'd only be a select few i'd trust! i don't know, this feels like it's going to be such a wild card and not in the best way.

at least joey looks hot and handsome in his 1950s attire ... and him having a whole studious side to him was fun to see. but also? this man doesn't have a single thought in his head. he really was like “what's that mean? a box inside a box?” and kept acting confused when the obviously not human waitress turned out to be evil and weird. what did he expect?? he makes it seem like he knows he's in pandora's box ( says something like, “i'm trying to get home.” in the promo ) only to be shocked when evil things happen. i love you joey you stupid bitch <3

when the waitress asked if he was waiting for someone i was like MAT???? sorry i couldn't help myself i miss him so bad and i'm sure joey does too.

kinda got my hopes up thinking the new building he was in was the s1 estate but no ... it's the crimson manor apparently? which, also, might not be apart of the movie? so why are they selling merch of it? i digress, but um, i cannot believe we'd go back to another small location for this glance into what a movie could be like. this is pandora's box and you're telling me that all that's there is some manor and a diner? there better be more locations because we need to go big or go home. personally, i'm still attached to the idea of pandora's box opening for real and causing havoc in the real world -- forcing areas to be trapped in different time periods and such. it'd be a bigger scale thing while staying true to the foundations but what would i know? i'm not in the producer's circle ( thank god for us all ).

did enjoy joey's hand getting stabbed. i wasn't expecting it! and i would enjoy a movie purely because we'd see more of a maiming element rather than threat = instant death. we could get scars! i am quite fond of this idea to be honest. plus it's fun to see joey just react, instinctively, and be allowed to fight back. him picking up glass with his bare hands to attack the waitress? i like the idea ... it reminds me of when alex in s4 just started swinging on the egyptian men. give me more guests fighting back! give me more of them crawling across the floor and showing off their raw, survival instincts that are now so ingrained into them as people that they don't know who they are without it. it's fun!

i'll end it there for now, but full disclosure : i haven't eaten yet! so if this is a little everywhere i'm sorry. i knew if i didn't get my thoughts down asap i'd forget entirely and change my mind later, which is fine, but i wanted everyone to see my initial feelings. please note that none of this is said with malice! i love joey and etn and i'll still watch this movie when it comes out, maybe even donate to some degree, however all that love and respect doesn't negate my criticism or weariness. a movie could be really good! this could be exactly the newness the series needs. but my emotions are a little everywhere regardless.