#also influenced by The Emperor's New Groove

[thenewnio]

Gomia

The story takes place on the planet of Gomia, a world which originally was inhabited by large human colonies, until the majority of the population ascended towards living in utopia-styled floating cities. Over time, the "skyfolk" forgot their origins and past with the planet, assuming it to be nothing more than an uninhabitable world. For the remaining humans left behind, their home planet became a dumping ground for those who ascended, leaving them to make settlements amongst the trash that is regularly dumped on the surface's landmasses, with communities managing to thrive as best they can.

In the town of Hols, orphan girls Rubi and Miranda dream of life on the floating city of Apis. One day, they construct a makeshift dirigible to travel there, but a mishap causes the airship to break up in mid-flight. The girls manage to crash land on an Apisian cable cruiser, where two Apisian girls, Dvorah and her younger sister Nyuki, are being pursued by members of the Cyboron, a militant organization that regularly dumps trash on Gomia's surface. Dvorah is appalled that they have been covering up the fact that Gomia is still inhabited by humans, while the Cyboron Prime Commander Kalaka intends to keep the sisters quiet and prevent them informing others of what they know, forcing Rubi and Miranda to try to rescue them. While Miranda provides a distraction, Rubi presses an ejector button intending to eject Kalaka, but instead accidentally ejects Nyuki. As Dvorah tries to save her sister, Kalaka shoots at her, but severs the cruiser's cable, forcing Rubi, Miranda and Dvorah to separate from Nyuki.

Back on Gomia, Rubi and Miranda discover Hols's residents seek to have the honor of looking after the unconscious Nyuki. After the duo successfully smuggle her out of the town hall, Nyuki awakens in their backyard and enlists them to help her find Dvorah. With Rubi and Miranda temporarily sabotaging the town's post office to use its radio, Nyuki attempts to contact her and Dvorah's mother, Apis's benevolent leader, Hachi, but Mandy and Thom, a pair of unscrupulous bounty hunters hired by Kalaka, arrive in Hols, forcing the three to escape before they can abduct Nyuki.

After travelling for some time, the trio reach a run-down amusement park. After fixing up a boat with the help of Sisyphus, a travelling maintenance boy, they continue on their search. At the seaside town of Porto Beagle, they arrive at the same time as Mandy and Thom, but neither party initially notices the other. However, Miranda overhears that the Cyboron have captured Dvorah and are holding her aboard Cyboron Cruiser no. 9;. After Miranda warns the other two, they reunite with Sisyphus aboard a trawler vessel owned by Captain Bloomington and his wife Daisy Rose.

The girls sneak aboard Cruiser no. 9, hide inside a torture robot and find the room where Dvorah is being interrogated; Kalaka reveals her intent to assassinate Hachi and take over Apis, whereupon she will blow up Gomia to replenish the cities' failing power cores. After using the robot to subdue Mandy and Thom, the trio free Dvorah and escape in an ascension pod. They crash into Hachi's palace in Apis, where Rubi nearly falls, but Nyuki and Miranda save her. Dvorah heads to Nyuki's chamber to warn her of the imminent attack, only for Kalaka to threaten to trigger the detonation process. With some teamwork and inadvertent assistance from Nyuki and Dvorah's brother Zambur, the three manage to defeat Kalaka by knocking her unconscious and destroy the bomb transmitter. Kalaka, Mandy, Thom and the rest of the Cyboron are subsequently sent to prison.

After learning from Hachi that Gomia is still populated, the council of Apis decide to permanently ground the flying cities and move back to the planet. Together, the Gomians and skyfolk turn Gomia into a paradise once more, and Hachi adopts Rubi and Miranda, who declare their dreams of a better life achieved. The story ends as they tell their adventure to Hachi's youngest daughter, Melissa.

[coldgoldlazarus]

Metroid Movie/TV Series Style Options, from most to least likely, because I have brainrot

- Live action with a more 'realistic' sci-fi aesthetic, probably leaning into the Alien influence. Could be really good, especially as a way to honor that inspiration, but could easily fall flat. Most likely to actually happen, but my least favored. If this is the route taken, I just hope it wouldn't go the way of the Halo Paramount show.

- CGI Animated with style and rendering pretty similar to the games, particularly Prime and Dread. The most simple and sensible option and so also very likely, but also a tad boring just because the games are already doing that.

- Live-action tokusatsu show. Not trying for 'realism' so much as coolness, and just really embracing Samus as a Kamen Rider. Maybe not my preferred option, but I would still love to see it just for the uniqueness of the vibes.

- The sort of in-between compromise between 'realism' and tokusatsu approaches to live-action (plus some very obvious CGI) that characterized the Prime and Fusion commercials. Not very likely at all, and would probably not land as well as just leaning fully into one direction or the other, but it would be a fun and unique approach to see, especially if it has the same sort of blend of genuine moody atmosphere and cheesy tryhard edginess as those commercials.

- 2D Animation, Genndy Tartakovsky directing. Would be super cool and stylized, and probably absolutely nail the atmosphere and indirect narrative style best, but I think outside of that one Clone Wars series, the man prefers to work on his own original projects.

- 2D Animation; just a straight-up Metroid Anime. Not impossible, but tbh probably even less likely just because while it's niche over here, my understanding is that Metroid is ironically not really successful at all in Japan itself. Nintendo has called on western developers for basically every game since Fusion for a reason, and so while they could probably call up Studio Trigger or someone to make it happen, I don't think there's too much inclination to take that route. (Especially if Zelda, the way more anime-plausible series, is being given to Hollywood as is.) But it would be pretty cool.

- That specific fucking excellent blended style that characterized the late 90s and early 00s in animated movies. A mix of like, CGI and Rotoscoping and 2D Animation, Mike Mignola influenced character designs, the works. Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Spirit, The Iron Giant, Titan AE, Lilo & Stitch, Treasure Planet, Sinbad, Road To El Dorado, Tarzan, Emperor's New Groove, Brother Bear, ect. A throwback to the Animation Golden Age IMO, basically. (In particular, Atlantis, Treasure Planet, and Lilo & Stitch having the most direct visual comparison/inspiration.) This would be an utterly perfect style for Bionicle, but work slightly less well for Metroid, admittedly, just given the vibe favors grandiosity more than eeriness, and I also don't expect it to happen at all in the first place. But I want it SO MUCH.

[bluebird167]

My Hazbin/Helluva Ships and Duos as famous Disney Couples and Duos

One negative word about my shipping preferences and I’ll block you and if you curse at me or threaten me, I’ll report you. I’m aware of what’s cannon and what’s not, and I respect that. I’ve never said one unkind word about Viv or her works, so I expect the same treatment. I’m not a homophobe I’m just accustomed and influenced by a lot of heterosexual love stories, and I’m sure any 90’s or early 2000’s kid can understand that. Also Disney doesn’t have a lot of gay couples.

Also I’m using two for each.

Alastor and Charlie - Eric and Ariel (The Little Mermaid) and The Beast/Prince and Belle (Beauty and the Beast)

Angel and Vaggie - Aladdin and Jasmine (Aladdin) and Shang and Mulan (Mulan)

Husk and Rosie - Bert and Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins) and Pacha and Chica (The Emperor’s New Groove)

Baxter and Niffty - Prince Charming and Cinderella (Cinderella) and Rodger and Anita (101 Dalmatians)

Moxxie and Millie - Hercules and Meg (Hercules) and Prince Ferdinand and Snow White (Snow White)

Husk and Angel - Cogsworth and Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast) and Pacha and Kuzco (The Emperor’s New Groove)

Blitzo and Stolas - Timon and Pumbaa (The Lion King) and Jumba and Pleakly (Lilo and Stitch)

Blitzo and Moxxie - Scuttle and Sebastian (The Little Mermaid) and Mushu and Cri-Kee (Mulan)

Loona and Octavia - Nani and Lilo (Lilo and Stitch) and Elsa and Anna (Frozen)

[the-plot-blog-thing]

(originally published on 4/6/24)

WDAS TAGTEAM REVIEWS MOVIE #62: WISH (2023)

It's not fair, y'know? It's just not fair....

If I had seen this movie BEFORE the internet decided to already pick it apart, and BEFORE we learned about its earlier versions, I would've just said "Eh, it's cute enough" and moved on.

BUT now that we DO know, I can only see this movie and think, what if?

First, the good: all the acting and singing is all very good. They were wise to actually cast actors who can sing, so we didn't get a Beauty and the Beast (2017) problem on our hands.

The animation is also great! I liked how it looked from the first trailer. The colors are vibrant, and the characters have a great feeling of weight and movement. I really like how the backgrounds look especially.

Now then, onto the bad: The songs are too long and too similar rhythmically. None of them have a strong hook, they just repeat the same lines over and over again hoping that they'll stick in your head. Spoilers: they don't. The animal song is probably the worst.

There's a plot point where Victor Garber's character's wish was to sing a song that inspires the world. That's the main plot point of the first third of the film, and by the end, we still don't get to hear the song. They cut a song sung by Victor Garber in favor of...nothing?

You could really tell that there weren't any Broadway songwriters behind this one....

The film also has too many characters. I chalk most of this up to Asha's friends, who are all parodies of the 7 Dwarves. Only 2 of them are actually important, combine that with the queen, the goat, the star, and Asha's mother and grandfather, it's just a struggle for screentime.

The references didn't bother me all that much actually, up until that last scene where it all got a bit much. I know they were trying to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the company, but the Once Upon the Studio short did that well enough.

Every scene just repeats the same information too many times, to the point where each scene drags a minute longer than it should. And for a 90 minute film, that's saying something.

I was bothered by how Magnifico was corrupted by the dark magic. The fact that he clearly had a tragic backstory, and his wife was worried for him, showed he must have at least still had some small shred of good in him.

But then the film just says "No, once you touch dark magic, you're evil forever!" and that just bothered me. I know we've wanted an outright villain in one of these movies again, but this was not it. Was he under the influence of an evil book or not? You can't have it both ways.

Look, we've all seen the animatics and concept art, and we all heard the interviews. This movie could've been much different and potentially way better, but we can't keep dealing in hypotheticals. We can only judge the movie we got, and this one was just ok.

Emperor's New Groove famously was a totally different movie before it became the comedy we know it as today, and while it's interesting to see what could've been, nobody thinks less of Emperor's New Groove because it isn't Kingdom of the Sun.

As such, I can only look at Wish for what it is, and as of now, it's only a

5.5/10: I wish that they learn and go forward from here

But next time is Moana 2, so who knows?

[benpaddon]

Following in @amtrax' footsteps, here are four of my OCs (all from Jump Leads!) and some of the characters that inspired each of them.

Thomas Meaney: Dave Lister (Red Dwarf), Arnold Rimmer (Red Dwarf), Wesley Crusher (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

Richard Llewellyn: Arnold Rimmer (Red Dwarf), Dave Lister (Red Dwarf), Simon the Sorcerer (Simon the Sorcerer II)

Captain Lucas: The Second Doctor (Doctor Who), Rupert Giles (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Miles O'Brien (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine)

Captain Whedon: Zap Brannigan (Futurama), Kronk (The Emperor's New Groove), Admiral Pressman (Star Trek: The Next Generation S7E12 "The Pegasus")

But why? Answers below the fold.

I've never made any secret of the fact that Meaney and Llewellyn are Red Dwarf's Rimmer and Lister with their personalities shuffled about. Meaney has Rimmer's career aspirations and Lister's heart of gold, while Llewellyn has Rimmer's cruelty and Lister's lack of drive. Meaney also has Wesley Crusher's smarts, and like Wesley is (possibly!) destined for greater things. Llewellyn, meanwhile, has a mouth that can and will get him into trouble - much like Simon the Sorcerer's personality shift in the second game in the series.

Lucas is set up to be a mentor for Meaney and Llewellyn, a la Giles from Buffy, and genuinely loves travelling from world to world like the Second Doctor. You might think he's more of a Scotty when it comes to Engineering, but consider his fatally back luck - he definitely shares DNA with Miles O'Brien.

As for Whedon... well, I'll hold off on explaining those character influences until season 2.

[foodandfolklore]

Urcuchillay -The Incan Rainbow Llama

You ever seen the Disney movie 'The Emperor's New Groove'? Turns out, it's actually a relatively faithful representation of the Ancient Incan Empire, give or take some Cartoon Hijinks. But you ever thought it was hilariously random the title character was turned into a Llama? Well it turns out, llamas were a very important part of the day to day Incas.

Llamas were where most Inca people got their materials for clothing, as llama (and alpaca) wool is warm and durable. They also ate llamas when needed, and llamas were able to traverse the high cliffs while carrying some cargo. Remember, there were no horses. And though the llama was not strong enough to carry a person or pull a cart, their help was still greatly appreciated.

The god Urcuchillay was a multicolored llama who could control the weather. It was mainly worshiped by farmers since weather would be important to growing crops. If they had log periods of time of bad weather, the Incas would sacrifice llamas to Urcuchillay with hopes to appease them. So knowing this, the fact that Urcuchillay was like a commoner God, makes it all the more funny the self centered emperor was turned into a Llama.

The Story of Urcuchillay

According to Inca mythology, Urcuchillay was considered a benevolent god associated with fertility, agriculture, and the cycles of nature. The Incas believed that Urcuchillay played a role in bringing rain, which was essential for the prosperity of their crops in the Andean highlands.

The story of Urcuchillay is not as extensively documented as some other Inca myths, but it is often recounted in the context of the larger Inca pantheon and their cosmological beliefs. Here is a fictionalized retelling based on the available information:

Long ago, in the high reaches of the Andes, where the air is thin and the mountains touch the sky, there lived a powerful and benevolent god named Urcuchillay. His domain was the realm of rainbows, and his presence brought color and life to the world below.

Urcuchillay was often depicted as a magnificent, llama creature with a body that shimmered in all the hues of the rainbow. His movements were said to be graceful, like the dance of sunlight on raindrops, as he glided through the celestial skies.

The people of the Inca Empire revered Urcuchillay as a deity of fertility and agriculture. They believed that his influence brought forth the rains that nurtured the fertile soil, ensuring bountiful harvests and the prosperity of their communities.

Legend has it that Urcuchillay would emerge after a refreshing rain, his colors vivid against the backdrop of the clear, post-storm sky. Farmers would offer thanks to him, believing that his presence signaled a promise of abundance for the season ahead.

In the heart of the Andean villages, priests conducted rituals to honor Urcuchillay. These ceremonies were vibrant with colors, mirroring the hues of the rainbow god. The Incas believed that by appeasing Urcuchillay, they ensured the continued harmony between the natural world and their agricultural endeavors.

As the seasons turned and the agricultural cycles progressed, Urcuchillay's influence was evident in the flourishing crops that covered the terraced landscapes. The people of the Inca Empire saw his benevolence in the rainbow that arched across the sky, a celestial bridge connecting the heavens to the earth.

While the specific details of Urcuchillay's stories may vary, his role as a symbol of fertility, agriculture, and the life-sustaining rains remains a central aspect of Inca mythology. The reverence for Urcuchillay reflected the deep connection between the Inca people and the natural forces that shaped their lives in the highlands of the Andes.

[fitzrove]

conundrum

(Image description under the cut)

[Image ID: A meme edit of the character Kronk from The Emperor's New Groove with an angel on his left shoulder and a devil on his right shoulder. On top of Kronk, it reads "me". On top of the angel, it reads:

"none of the characters in elisabeth are real except for lucheni so without his influence and manipulation they're just puppets with their strings cut. therefore there can be no autonomous todolf s-"

On top of the devil, it reads:

"elisabeth musical rudolf is a pooooor little meow meow (sad emote with its mouth open). he just wants to be loved (heart) so much that he doesn't mind if his boyfriend is literally death. but also lucheni's portrayal of rudolf is super favourable and leaves out all the morally questionable parts of his story so therefore lucheni has a cr-". / End ID.]

[msc-ddv-ss]

The Emperor's New Groove : Disney Speedstorm Season Concept ---------------------------------------

Racers:

Emperor Kuzco - (Speedster - Epic - Default Red Racesuit)

Pacha - (Defender - Common - Default Dark Green Racesuit)

Yzma - (Trickster - Rare - Default Purple Racesuit)

Kronk - (Brawler - Rare - Default Yellow Racesuit)

Crew Members:

Theme Song Guy  - (Kuzco’s Epic Crew Member)

Chicha - (Pacha’s Epic Crew Member)

Azma - (Yzma’s Epic Crew Member)

Bucky the Squirrel - (Kronk’s Epic Crew Member) 

Malina - (Rare Crew Member)

Ms. Birdwell - (Rare Crew Member)

Papi - (Rare Crew Member)

Tipo - (Common Crew Member)

Chacha - (Common Crew Member)

Record Keeper - (Common Crew Member)

Incan Palace Guards - (Common Crew Member)

Map:

The Royal Palace - (Kuzco’s Palace - Surrounding Jungle - Incan Village) 

Unique Abilities:

Kuzco:  All About Me!

Normal: Kuzco does a quick pose, boosting himself forward and obscuring the vision of surrounding opponents, while gaining a small amount of Nitro. The amount of Nitro gained increases the more opponents are around him.

Charged: Kuzco does a long-string of continuous poses, as he slowly gains a tiny amount of nitro for the duration, as long as no opponents are around him. The ability ends when stunned, or interrupted with a ram. 

----------

Pacha: Llama Herd

Normal: Pacha calls two llamas that run alongside him for a long period of time, Stunning opponents they touch. Driving near the wolves gives you a tiny amount of nitro fuel. (Similar to Mowgli’s Wolves)

Charged: Pacha calls for one llama instead of two for a very short period of time. The llama runs ahead of Pacha and headbuts opponents, Stunning them. (Similar to Jasmine’s Charged Skill)

----------

Yzma: Transfiguration

Normal: Yzma throws a large number of potions forward in a random arc for a small amount of time. Each potion turns the opponent it hits into a Llama for a very short period of time, slowing them down.

Charged: Yzma throws a small number of potions backwards for a very short period of time. Each potion turns the opponent it hits into

a Llama for a very short period of time.

----------

Kronk: Angel & Devil

Normal: Influenced by the angel on his shoulder, Kronk grants himself and surrounding opponents invincibility for a short period of time. During which, Kronk also gains a very small amount of nitro per opponent in his radius.

Charged: Influenced by the devil on his shoulder, Kronk starts apologising, as he slows down everyone around him for a short period of time. During which, Kronk also gains a very small amount of nitro per opponent in his radius.

[nelson-riddle-me-this]

top 5 film scores!

Since I got an ask about my top 5 pre-2000 film scores, I'm going to answer this with five of my fave 2000s film scores.

The Incredibles (2004) - Michael Giacchino THE score that got me into film music. Giacchino has a deep love for and understanding of this 60s jazz-influenced dramatic action style of film music. There are lots of cues modeled after old James Bond cues, ask and I'll be happy to talk more about them. Giacchino's motives are great and varied and though it's splashy and stylized there's a gravitas and

The Emperor's New Groove (2000) - John Debney This film and this score are both so fun. Debney gets to show such range and get cartoony with it. His theme for Yzma (I'm pretty sure it's for her anyway) is delightfully sinister and overblown, and is a perfect contrast to his bucolic and kindhearted theme for Pacha. It's such a fun score for such a fun movie.

Casino Royale (2006) - David Arnold Not to hype James B*nd again, but I do really love David Arnold's score to this film. He'd been the series' resident composer since 1997, but he really steps up to the plate and delivers a score that matches the more serious tone of the Craig era. Arnold has a deep enough understanding of this franchise's musical legacy yet knows how to keep it fresh unlike sooomee composers....

Ratatouillie (2007) - Michael Giacchino What can I say, Giacchino's early Pixar trilogy was formative in late-elementary and early middle-school me's life. This score is so romantic, groovy, and optimistic. I also love Up, but I find I listen more to Ratatouillie all the way thru.

Shrek 2 (2004) - Harry Gregson-Williams I wish I had more specific things to say about this score. Truthfully I haven't listened to it much outside the film except for the award show-y "The Ball" (which I am OBSESSED WITH). The fairytale (Fiona/Shrek?) theme from the first film is just as enchanting the second time around. It's a good score, and I would like to dive into it more and be able to articulate how.

[sun-n-moon-showdown]

I have a few I'd like to suggest, if that's okay!

I'd like to be sure you have been submitted Solgaleo and Lunala from Pokemon Sun and Moon; not a ton to elaborate on, I think, except that they're based on the sun and moon respectively and are heavily themed.

Tui and La from Avatar the Last Airbender; two koi spirits that are literally the sun and moon, and influence the powers of associated elements.

Another perhaps obvious set: Cecil and Kevin from Welcome to Nightvale. The towns they come from and their own motifs in general are based on the sun and moon. Alternatively, the goddess Amaterasu could also be paired with her real mythologic counterpart, Tsukuyomi, the moon god.

Amaterasu and Waka from Okami are another set of potential options; Amaterasu representing the Shinto sun goddess and Waka representing his faction called the 'Moon Tribe'.

A more kinda subtle couple of characters so I totally understand brushing them off, but, Yzma and Kuzco from The Emperor's New Groove. The references to the moon and sun were present in these characters during development, although not directly mentioned in the final product (Yzma had a song about admiring the moon and hating the sun; Kuzco's empire used to be called 'Empire of the Sun'; these were cut) although it still impacts their designs and themes.

a big one! in order:

1) dw anon i do in fact have Solgaleo and Lunala! i’ve gotten a lot of pokemon submissions

2) Tui and La are the moon and ocean spirits respectively so sadly they don’t qualify for this poll

3) yep i got Cecil snd Kevin too! as for Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, i can’t include the actual gods themselves seeing as they aren’t fictional characters, but i can add their video game interpretations

4) oooh i didn’t know that about emperors new grove!

[universalhat]

and if you think that's cool, wait 'til you find out about Epimetheus and Janus, moons of Saturn which trade places every few years. being "co-orbital" they occupy the same approximate orbit but differ in size, both orbiting the same planet but in a location they can't sustain without pinging off the other. you know that scene in The Emperor's New Groove where they climb up the chasm by bracing against each other? these are like that.

and if they weren't doing that, saturn's rings would look very different because they're both shepherd moons with important roles in maintaining the rings and preventing them from coalescing into much less impressive-looking moons and moonlets. actually shepherd moons are their own whole thing which i recommend you read into. space is cool.

also venus rotates backwards compared to everything else in the solar system. and very, very slowly. about five solar days pass per venusian year. one possible reason for this is the past existence of a retrograde satellite which has long since fallen into venus, but which cancelled out a great deal of venus's rotation in so doing.

retrograde satellites (venus's one-time moon) slowly fall into their parents (venus) due to the influence of their primary (the sun)'s interaction. essentially, in a given year the sun spends slightly more time dragging the satellite against the direction it's orbiting and slowing it down than it does pulling the other way and speeding it up.

the same effect is slowly hurling luna away from the earth, about 1.5 inches per year. in some 600 million years, it will be too far away for us to ever see a total solar eclipse from earth's surface ever again. space is cool.

Zoozve, my beloved

[rinwellisathing]

Back at you with Durgetash Creators 1 and 10. 👍

Thanks for the ask! So, for the first one:

Sentry is inspired mainly by several sort of characters and archetypes. He also kind of picks up inspirations that are similar to him as I go: I would say his top five influences are:

1. Gideon Nav from The Locked Tomb (a bit arrogant, flippant, can be loyal and follow instructions, falls in love with a leader with messy dark hair and suffers for it)

2. Sarah Lynn from Bojack Horseman (entitled, troubled, impulsive, prone to bad decisions, the result of years of abuse and grooming)

3. Kronk from The Emperor's New Groove (lovable, creative, seems like a full blown himbo but has hidden depths of very specific knowledge, incredible levels of devotion)

4. Laios Touden from Dungeon Meshi (hyperfixated on something everyone else considers weird, cares deeply about those close to him, has trouble following and understanding social norms/ fitting in, is a paladin)

5. Doppio Vinegar from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (a loyal underling when he is one, has memory issues and bizarre eccentricities, prone to violence)

10. How much of me does he have in him? All of it lol...just all of it. Every disorder, every good and bad trait that I am aware of, close enough to my ideal appearance, but actually that has been good for me because a lot of people seem to really like him and that is shockingly great for my self esteem.

[endearmint]

so TBoFaE (the book of form and emptiness) is making me think a lot of thoughts. the book as a whole is about one's relationship to material objects and ruth ozeki is able to tackle it from three angles as far as point of view is concerned, but also from two ideologies.

but it's difficult to illustrate. basically the book TBofaE has two narrators, The Book itself and Benny Oh. the two characters address each other between changes in perspective, but The Book spends more time recounting events that happen to Benny and his mother Annabelle -- and these are told largely in third-person with chapters separating which character is in focus (i.e., one will focus on Benny, the other on Annabelle, repeat ad nauseam). Benny's portions are akin to Kuzco butting in to break the 4th wall in the emperor's new groove.

so you have The Book commenting on the two central humans to the story, and one of them being able to respond to that commentary. a literal conversation between person and object.

but there's more layers to this since Benny is only able to converse with The Book due to beginning to hear the voices of surrounding objects and tries to avoid them, putting the plot in motion. conversely, Annabelle developed a hoarding problem after the death of her husband and feels attached to her belongings. i feel like Benny's side of the story will be largely informed by the animism of Shintō, while Annabelle's side is explicitly being informed by Zen Buddhism (a self-help book about tidying written by a monk is literally following her around the house).

and then there's the parts where The Book is waxing poetic about material objects at large. the magic of books and storytelling, the wonders of the library, the enchantment of thrift stores, et cetera.

i don't know as much about shintō or zen buddhism to elaborate further on how they could influence the story, but all these angles and layers help me to appreciate what it's trying to achieve.

[astro-b-o-y-d]

Me last night: Hmm, I really REALLY like stories where some jerk protagonist faces punishment for being a jerk by being stuck in a situation where they go through some form of unexpected transformation, and have to rely on the person/people they wronged for help/survival, and in turn develops morals as the story progresses.

Me at midnight, my eyes snapping wide open: EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE...

[postwarlevi]

AOT parents and Disney movies

Official WD animation only

What they want to watch vs the movie that gets played repeatedly.

Erwin - He's the old school dad and would love to watch Fantasia, but his toddler does not appreciate it like he does. Instead, The Emperor's New Groove is on daily. Erwin is finally starting to laugh at the jokes, and loves Yzmas "is that, my voice?" line.

Levi - If he has to pick, maybe Dumbo, since he gets a happy ending with his mother. Just no Bambi. His kid puts on Lilo and Stitch. Levi is all about Ohana, and likes the Elvis songs. They're not getting a dog, though.

Miche - Give him The Jungle Book. Baloo, King Louie, the Vultures, he knows the lines. His kid likes it when dad does the lines, but otherwise? It's Cinderella. Miche is willing to play the stepsisters for laughs.

Eren - Give him Atlantis, give him Treasure Planet, he wants adventure! Actually gets to watch Snow White. Doesn't know how this happened, but accepts it nonetheless. Likes Dopey at any rate.

Armin - He loves the animation of Sleeping Beauty. The whole thing is gorgeous. He gets to watch lots of Peter Pan as his kid loves pirates. That came out around the same time so it's not that bad.

Jean - Says he wants to watch Lion King. Feels like a Simba most the time. What's actually getting played, is Tangled (tell me you didn't see that coming) but when he gets told he's reminded of Flynn, he enjoys the film a little more.

Connie - Oliver and Company is his jam, the songs are fun and he loves dogs. And yet, The Aristocats rule in his house. Turns out he's a cat person too and he likes the songs in it as well.

Reiner - He likes The Sword in the Stone. He likes the setting, the characters, and the Wizards Duel. His child loves The Little Mermaid, though, and he happily watches it with them everyday.

Porco - Just wanted to watch Aladdin. Has great sidekicks and an awesome villain. Gets stuck with Alice in Wonderland. Doesn't understand it at all but likes croquet match part.

Hange - Give them Big Hero Six or Meet the Robinsons. Tech, inventors? Yes please! Turns out Wreck it Ralph is on all the time, but they enjoy it just as much!

Mikasa - Loves the story of Mulan and thinks it's a good influence. Turns out it is and she and her child watch it all the time. However, they also like the sequel, and Mikasa cringes every time.

Annie - Don't tell anyone, she likes Frozen. Elsa is the ice queen, after all. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh gets put on, and she finds she likes Rabbit a lot. Tigger however, needs to calm down.

Sasha - Loves Robin Hood due to the archery involved and the comedic villains. Her kid gets her to watch Hercules and she likes the action, fantasy and jokes just as much. Plus Meg is awesome.

Historia - Does like Cinderella the most. Who doesn't dream of being a princess when they're little? Her kid likes Moana and she likes the characters willingness to ask for help and confront her enemy after losing hope.

Ymir - Wants to watch Tarzan. Doesn't know if she likes Tarzan, Jane, or Clayton the most. Winds up watching The Rescuers and finds herself rooting for Bianca and Bernard against that crazy mad Medusa and her crocs.

Pieck - Quite likes Beauty and the Beast. Doesn't think Belle is odd at all, and loves the songs. Lady and the Tramp it is though, and she likes the old classic feel of it. Does NOT like Aunt Sarahs cats.

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Made kind of quick, hope you like it! Do you think these are accurate? What would YOU watch?

Maybe we'll do a mini Pixar version?

[synergysilhouette]

I'd love for Disney to make these films into Broadway musicals.

Cinderella--Admittedly, the R&H musical definitely has a big leg-up for anything else entitled Cinderella (and could Disney even call it Cinderella here?), but I do think it's worth exploring, from the costumes to the characters. My ideal vision of it would be largely taking from the 2015 remake along with parts of the 1950 version and it's songs. It'd feel classic and modern at the same time!

Sleeping Beauty--I really enjoyed how the original film looks like art, and I'd love a Broadway adaptation to have that same feel--albeit with more songs (using the original ballet score) and fleshing out Aurora and Phillip's relationship (maybe allowing them to meet each other several times in the forrest before the "Once Upon a Dream" sequnce). For the finale scene, I'd love it if they gave Aurora a pink and blue dress similar to her dress in the "Designer Disney" and "Midnight Masquerade" doll lines (and maybe use Phillip's silver and black costume from the latter line). It'd be great to see more of Aurora before she goes to sleep--or perhaps the fairies' magic would allow her spirit to guide Phillip and the fairies to her.

Mulan--I always said this musical didn't have enough songs. If done expertly, it could be an epic action musical without feeling as though the darkness is lost in it. It'd be so fun to see such a diverse story and a unique sound on stage! I'd probably include Mulan having a brother like in the original story to kind of show her contrasts, being kind and gentle while also being a bit of a tomboy and athletic. I feel like I heard a version somewhere where she had a sister, and I love the idea of her having an older sister who she worries about living up to. Plus imagine her and Shang singing a duet reprise of "Reflection"!!!!

The Emperor's New Groove--This is mainly me voicing my wish that Disney revived their idea for "Kingdom of the Sun." Whether keeping it whimsical like the final product or more serious like the concept, I'm sure I'd be pleased to see how this Inca adventure unfolds.

Atlantis: The Lost Empire--You've gotta admit, a science-fantasy musical about Atlantis sounds like it could be legendary if done right.

The Princess & the Frog--This film does NOT get enough love. It'd be fun if Tiana, Naveen, Ray, and Louis had costumes similar to Simba and Nala in the Lion King, letting you know they're animals but still having gorgeous costumes. Plus diving into Naveen's background and contrasting how he and Tiana live live (as a royal of color and as an American woman of colo in the 1920s). It'd be fun if they nailed down where Naveen was from, especially since many fans see him as Indian-coded. Perhaps a fictional Indian state that was influenced by British colonialism, explaining his western interests?

Tangled--Another film that doesn't get enough love. I don't know what Disney had planned for their "darker version" by Glen Keane, but from the concept art, I'd love it if they leaned into that.

Big Hero 6--We need more superhero musicals, though I know the hazards and expenses that come with it. I love the Japanese-American influence in San Fransokyo, and it'd be fun if they leaned more into the fantastical concepts of the comic (Fred becoming an actual dragon and Wasabi's qi manipulation), but again, expenses.

Moana--I can't be the only one who imagines the colors and the gorgeous culture we'd get to be exposed to in this film. Moana had 7 brothers in the original concept, and that'd be nice to see her have siblings who would encourage her dreams while warning her of the dangers, similar to what her mother and grandmother do.

Raya and the Last Dragon--I was super sad this wasn't a muscial, and the reception was hit-or-miss with SEA audiences. Maybe change the Kumandra countries to represent ONE SEA country instead of a mix (I keep thinking Heart should represent Vietnam), as well as making Sisu look more accurate to the culture, and perhaps making Namari's redemption smoother, such as having her start to give Raya her gem piece when a search party looking for her accidentally shoots and kills Sisu, forcing them to flee, and Namari gives it officially to Raya at the end of the film (though I suppoee it's more emotional if Raya gives Namari the gem).

Encanto--I don't have to explain the appeal. I only hope we give more screentime to Luisa, Isabela, and Dolores. In my eyes, we need to see Luisa strong and confident for most of the film before breaking down when Casita is destroyed. It'd be cool is Isabela's perfection being a lie is a shock to the audience, making her confession powerful, as she shows no hesitancy beforehand. And maybe having Dolores looking sad at Mariano pining for Isabela, maybe trying to talk to him before Abuela interrupts.