#also intrigued by axel too

[lotusarchon]

POV: these two dumbasses tryna act they were lowkey chill with eachother so their supervisors (bf and older brothers) take them to Pigsy's because their fat ahhs hungry (they were just fighting to prove who's stronger)

Also Live footage of me at 1:40 am:

Seems legit tbh cause Usagii canonically beat up Tang over an argument before this is so aaah

(also please sleep staying awake so long IS NOT GOOD FOR YOU AAH)

[keene-defender]

My thoughts on S6 Part 2 (Part 1 🤣)

Well it’s been a MINUTE but I am back after the release of S6 part 2. AND BOY do I have some thoughts which I will be discussing more and more over time. So here are some of my problems with the latest part, some of which centre around Robby as well as some that don’t. Also *DISCUSSION OF POTENTIAL SPOILERS AND LEAKS FOR PART 3 AHEAD*

- A major issue for me was Robby getting straight up SA’d which was completely glossed over and honestly I’m appalled. It’s not confirmed that Robby and Zara slept together but the implication is there. Robby was blackout drunk and therefore could not give consent and Zara took advantage of him. This isn’t the first instance of SA that has occurred on this show and the throw away nature with which this issue is treated is an irresponsible failure on the writers’ part.

- The writers didn’t truly give Robby his moment to shine. If part 3 is going to be Miguel’s and he’s going to win the Sekai Taikai which is looking pretty inevitable at this point due to some of the supposed leaks, part 2 should have been definitively Robby’s. But no. Naturally when something good happens in Robby’s life like him winning the ST captaincy fight, it is short lived and often snatched away from him just as quickly. I didn’t necessarily mind Robby struggling at first due to Tory switching sides. However the writers pushed it to the point of complete overkill. They kept lazily repeating the same old character beat that we saw in season 4- Robby gaining the upper hand before getting distracted and losing. That got old and boring real fast. Add to that Robby’s moment once again being overshadowed by Miguel performing well. They gave Robby ONE good fight in part 2 and even that went on to be immediately overshadowed and borderline discredited by his match with Axel. Long story short, I could nearly make my peace with Miguel winning in part 3 if the whole reason they’re competing in the finals in the first place is Robby. But if anything, Miguel shone more than Robby in part 2 and this will likely continue in part 3.

- Kwon’s death was no more than pure shock value and lazy writing. You could argue that Kwon’s death is a pivotal moment and a wake up call for the likes of Kreese and silver. Look at what happens when you take rivalries too far and corrupt teenagers. That is no doubt what the writers will frame it as. I just think it was too much and for what? The real reason the killed Kwon off is because of his rivalry with Robby. Part 2 was very obviously setting up Miguel and Axel’s rivalry which will be a big focus in part 3. Meanwhile Robby and Kwon’s rivalry was actually being fleshed out very nicely in part 2. Then, just as that rivalry was starting to really heat up and get really intriguing- they killed off Kwon. It’s fairly obvious that this is so they can give full attention to Miguel and Axel’s rivalry in part 3 without having to worry about further fleshing out Robby and Kwon’s rivalry. That would just be too much for them. In addition, Kwon’s death will facilitate Miguel’s ascension to captain. Johnny will retake Cobra Kai with Miguel as captain now that Kwon and the Korean Cobra Kai are out of the way. Johnny will do this with support of Kreese given that Johnny jumped in to save him and given that Kreese will have a change of heart due to Kwon’s death. Kwon’s death is a lazy end to his rivalry with Robby and a means of yet again facilitating Miguel at Robby’s expense.

- I actually quite like the idea of Miguel and Axel’s rivalry. I was excited to see that Miguel and Robby would be given new rivals (RIP to Robby’s though oh well). I just think that the way this rivalry came about was so forced and yet again lazy writing. Surely they can think of some way to give Miguel a rivalry without it always being over Sam? Why not just have him and Axel kind of single each other out and see each other as their main competition. I just wasn’t buying Axel having such an extreme vendetta against Miguel for…….. already dating Sam? A girl Axel has spoken to once and barely knows and now he’s acting like he’s borderline in love with her after one encounter. And I get it, Axel is being abused by his sensei and probably isn’t too used to positive attention but even so, again he hardly knows Sam. It’s just such an extreme reaction and in my opinion not really that believable.

More to come in future posts

[masterbuilderintern]

Would you be able to share your Axel headcanons? 👀👀👀👀 I am intrigued.

Congrats you just opened my insanity box.

-Axel shows a lot of symptoms of neglect through hating his own emotions or just a simple scene of him being afraid to outright ask for something from Jesse. Almost all of the scenes I'm thinking of are meant to be jokes but they aren't really funny to me. I take this game WAY too seriously, it's a little embarrassing LMAO.

He's also not nearly as aggressive as he initially seems? Like in his interactions with Lukas, he obviously hated that guy at first but he never physically hurt him. A lot of bark, but only bites if you make him.

A lot of talk just to say he totally had an okay parental figure in his life (personally think he was raised by a single mother) only to lose them very early on and absolutely nobody helped him after the fact. He idolized the griefer attitude, a life where you do whatever you want whenever, where you make your own rules. A very "hurt people hurt people" kind of life and he's not even realizing the issue.

For all members of the treehouse gang, I like to think they ended up together through their shared experience of being constantly let down by a world that should've been there for people like them. Whether it was a specific tragedy or just being a little "different" from other people, it caused them to isolate at some point in their lives.

MORE LIGHTHEARTED HEADCANONS:

-Axel has a quiet interest in brewing. Over time he became less embarrassed about it, especially with Ivor around to teach him better. In my perfect world where Axel and Olivia came along for the portal arc, Axel actually supplied the potions Lukas needed to recover from the Sky City incident.

Sure Ivor could've done it, but "It's good practice." Or that's the excuse Axel gave.

-He's also very good at sewing. Specifically, because he made that creeper mask and Enderdragon costume for Reuben. I just think it's cute. I need to do a sketch page of it but I like to think Axel has a mask collection he made himself.

Axel comes off as a tank main that subclasses as a healer to me.

-Petra is the coolest person ever to him. Even after he gets to know her. He had this unrealistic idea of her for a while but after getting to know her found out they share a lot in a much deeper way than just "the fighters." It changed how he saw her but for the better.

It's almost like when you have an older sister you idolize and when you grow up you still look up to her but you're also aware that she's just a person.

-He's always bickering with Olivia, like all the time. But if anything happened to her he'd become a serial killer real fast.

LESS FUNNY HEADCANONS:

-Axel took brewing more seriously after the F-Bomb incident. He never wants to be in a situation where he doesn't know what to do when someone is hurt ever again.

-Also, Axel has definitely been desensitized to death, he was way too normal about people killing themselves in Boom Town. My man has been THROUGH IT. Well, desensitized to STRANGERS dying, anyway.

-Jesse went with Olivia to Redstonia and Axel went to Boom Town alone. This symbolizes two things. One: It's a really big moment where he admits he's grown to trust Lukas a lot more to keep an eye out for survivors and fortify HQ by himself. Two: Boom Town made Axel realize how flippant he's been with his own safety, and how much he needs to start caring more because he has people in his life now that he doesn't want to lose.

[weepforthesinnersif]

DEMO (tba)

———————————————————————————————————————-

It was all a blur.

Seven months ago, you were sitting in your history class as usual, doodling on the sides of your notes as Ms. Schevick blabbed on and on. There was nothing in particular that really stuck with you. That is, until she brought up a familiar name - Awá, a formerly worshipped God of Forgiveness who fell from the heavens after the Massacre of Innocence.

From then on, that name burned in your mind. Every moment you spent thinking about what could’ve happened, headaches were suddenly normalized to you after the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with you. You ransacked the library (and Google) trying to find any information on Awá, but alas, there were none. Your little sister would get worried everytime you came out of your bedroom, all disheveled and sleep deprived. Your once vivid dreams ceased to exist. Worst of all, your memories are distorting and you can’t remember things that were true to you.

Which brings us to today, when in the cursed early hours of the morning, you woke up in a cold sweat. Taking deep breathes, you realize that you had a dream, a vision of some sorts. A vision with Awá and the words coming from their mouth,

“Who shall weep for the sinners?”

Customize and play as an inattentive eighteen year old - from gender to looks, it’s all up to you!

Try to survive high school and life as snobby teachers, a worried parent, your sister’s weird classroom bullies, and a deadbeat counselor are thrown at you.

Find out why Awá fell from the heavens, the meaning of their words, and what on earth that has to do with you.

Experience young love (or just chill) with either your best friend, your picture perfect crush-since-six-years-ago, or the new kid in your grade.

Make a decision at the end of the journey that could determine the very fates of everyone around.

☎️ YOU — the seeker and the search

Description: A student trying to live life as normally as possible. Unfortunately, fate is a fickle thing, especially for you. You don’t really have a straight, dedicated purpose of life, at least, that’s what you think.

Reputation: You’re practically a nobody. The teachers are too conceited to even be concerned by what you do.

Playlist / Pinterest

🎷 NATALIE (she/they) — the grounded sword-bearer

Description: A young girl who is confident and aspired enough to try to get to the top of her grade. She’s your sister, but with the way that she acts, many people aren’t convinced you two are closely related. She has weird, geeky interests and a personality that draws others near.

Reputation: So far, you’ve heard she’s a band kid and a few people have talked about her campaigns during school. She’s a tad bit popular and managed to get close to her English teacher, Mr. Chen.

Playlist / Pinterest

🔎 OLIVER AUCLAIRE (they/them) — the cat entwined with curiosity

Description: An enby who recently transfered to your school. It’s a little bit questioning considering there clearly was a better school in the area, but they seem very fascinated and intrigued by every little thing. Often times, there’s a spark in their eyes as they experience new things.

Reputation: Fresh meat. Everyone in their classes know of them.

Playlist / Pinterest

🏆 AXEL MARTINEZ (he/him) — the comforter of the fearing

Description: A boy alike to a golden retriever. He’s very warm and holds nothing against anyone. He’s also sort of competitive and would never, ever back down from a challenge. There would never be a day where people wouldn’t find you and him seperated, but sometimes it feels very…. strange.

Reputation: He has a good reputation, known by some of the boys in sports teams as just a general volunteer who’d crack a joke every once in a while.

Playlist / Pinterest

🗡️ MOIRA JOYCE SAMPAYA (she/her) - the epitomy of pure perfection

Description: A girl whose perfect. Okay, that may be an overstatement, but she certainly has it all - the looks, the personality, the mannerisms and gestures, everything. She is very understanding and likes to compliment people for personal things she notices over time. She’s been your crush since six years ago, but you may as well be just like all the others.

Reputation: She’s an idol. You see her around, constantly swarmed by her girlfriends or new students. A busy student, indeed, with a promising future - she managed to gain the positive attention of all of her teachers.

Playlist / Pinterest

🕊️ AWÁ (any/all) - the wielder of mercy

Description: A fallen God.

Reputation: What reputation is there to have when you have lost yourself in time?

Playlist / Pinterest

… and more you’ll meet along the way!

[whataboutsimple]

Hi, it’s G again and it’s kinda late here so I apologise for my ramblings. I think what makes Gabriel so interesting and likeable is what we do know about him in Canon and what was shown. Despite the lie, his personality seems so earnest and it’s not like he’s just a blank slate filler good boy. He has snark, he has flaws, he’s interesting because of what we’ve seen of him and what we’ve heard of. He tried to bring people to safety when the wither storm attacked but the fact that he had an obsidian building in the first place was what intrigued me, even if I didn’t know it at the time. He already had something set up and made of the strongest material mineable and close to beacon town too, as though he’s prepared for anything just in case people become endangered and with a nether portal too to the minecart railway. He’s quick to think, to know when he needs help and all these other little things are what make him so interesting and the more I look, the more I speculate, the more I want to see. Anyways that’s enough for now I’m very sorry have a good day/night take care!

No need to apologise, dear G! I love your every ask!

For me personally it was almost the same, but at the same time I liked the fact that from the whole Order he's the only one who actually took responsibility for something.

C'mon, Magnus, Ellegaard and Soren are chillin' at their bases, Ivor doing Notch knows what and than there's Gabriel, who still goes around and does something for people.

I bet this whole EnderDragon thing for him wasn't even for fame, but a way to tell people that they can ask for his help because he can and will help.

Let's start from the very begininng:

Clearly as we can see he's the only functioning member of The Order Of The Stone. There's posters everywhere and merch, but I doubt he's the one selling it since there's a lot of stands with product not only his, but the Order, no way he would managed to do it all counting the fact that they do EnderCon every year but it's only now when Gabriel actually arrives there, so he's not trying to make money of it. For his protection he hired a guy who makes stupid puns and is afraid of chickens. Clearly he thinks he doesn't need normal protection, but he still hired him probably just to help the guy out with a job. At least he trusts himself to be able to fight properly if something will go down. We also see no guards in the building itself, which also means that Gabriel wasn't organizing this since he clearly can put himself in danger, but not others. He wouldn't risk people's lifes like that if it was on him. He doesn't even have any programm for the whole show, all he does is talk to people. He says that all of them can be like him if they want to. For example Magnus clearly wants to hold the crown to himself, meanwhile Ellegaard thinks she's the smartest person in the whole world. But Gabriel? No, no, no, he believes anyone can be great with proper training (for safety reasons). He talks to people as if it some friends meeting or whatever, he doeasn't put himself above all of them. When Axel tries to warn him about the danger, he patiently wait for a normal explanation, but of course he needs to continue the show because other people are there too. He still waited at least. Than there's Ivor. What Gabriel does? Nothing, he doesn't even think about hurting Ivor or calling the guard, he even let's him hug him. Of course he makes this "unhappy" look in case Ivor starts speaking about Order's lies. But other than that? He doesn't do anything, though he probably should've. Yeah, he attacks the Wither since he doesn't know just how strong the Command Block is. Maybe he assumed that this thing as strong as normal Wither? Which means he was ready to fight a freaking Wither just to keep people safe. And we all know that Wither is almost as hard to defeat as EnderDragon (we're talking abt normal way without clutches and glitches). When nothing is working, he thinks quick and gives the Amulet to Jesse, already knowing he won't go through the Nether Portal, but instead he will stay here and try to help people.

And that's obnly the first Episode! I could've ramble maybe abt other episodes as well but this thing is already long enough, ahah- I'm always waiting for your asks, dear G!<3

[reverieaudios]

My pages on here, because mobile is weird and doesn't always like to show them:

Other Places to Find Me

Tag List

Character Guides/Recommended Watch Order Below

(This is subject to change as the stories progress)

Honestly, the order that you watch the characters in isn't super important. Having said that though, here's a bit of a guide to help you along if needed:

For lore and wider worldbuilding-

Ellis, Cyril, Roman (also the 2 lore videos lol)

For characters that can stand alone without knowing much lore-

Casey, Gage, Dion (honestly quite a few of them but those are probably the most "stand alone" ones)

Characters whose stories intertwine + recommended watch order for them

Ellis, Cyril, Roman, Jacob, Nathaniel

Gage, Neo, Law, Desmond (order not really important for these ones)

Dion, Kane

Law, Marlowe, Axel (Each can probably stand on their own though, honestly)

And if you're just looking for specific vibes-

Axel - Essence eater who leans more into the incubus side of things than the vampire side, flirtatious, antagonizes to show affection, hostile-acquaintances-with-benefits (like Marlowe, it might be easier to watch Law first, but not 100% necessary)

Casey - Plant-dad, easily spooked like a small animal, Flustered™, friends to lovers, very soft

Cyril - Elven researcher, academic rivals, Tsundere™, the smartest idiot you'll ever meet, emotionally repressed

Desmond - Dragon-shifter, slow and methodical, a bit rigid until he gets comfortable, rough past that he's still healing from

Dion - Flame demon, chaos incarnate, impromptu roommate, boyish charm?

Ellis - Nonbinary book nerd who runs a magical book shop, teasing but gentle, overall soft

Gage - Boy next door + local hellion vibes, domestic and soft but high energy

Jacob - More demons (metaphorical and literal), smooth-talking yandere with a strong emphasis on manipulation and gaslighting- tw heavy

Kane - Flame demon, stoic, confident, intrigue and political turmoil but also he's just vibing, best to watch Dion first

Law - Southern, single dad, soft and sweet with some angst/action sprinkled in, healer with an essence eater listener

Marlowe - Brooding, "too tired for this", detective/suspect, essence eater, might want to watch Law's first to get a better idea of how they work (but not 100% necessary)

Nathaniel - "Mad scientist who loves what he does a little too much" vibes, vaguely yandere-ish but also not technically, tw heavy

Neo - Fox-shifter, pining makes idiots of us all, tries to be cool and serious but fails spectacularly, not quite tsundere but close, overall soft

Roman - Vaguely British accent, time traveler, a bit chaotic, mix of angst, adventure, and soft

Hopefully this is helpful and doesn't just make everything even more confusing lmao

[briefobservationdreamer]

Kingdom Hearts Characters: Lea/Axel

What I think of the character: So many thoughts about him. Axel was a really fun villain in Chain of Memories and a pretty interesting morally gray character, being the devious assasin throughout his time as a Nobody but was friendly, fun-loving and had a soft spot to him that still made him likeable. However, he did a lot of awful things and deeply hurt a lot of people, but many of them get overlooked once he gets recompleted as Lea and I don't think they should be. I don't take issue with him being a flawed character as long as he learns and fixes his mistakes, but he has a lot of work to do to atone and earn trust and forgiveness. Giving him a keyblade might be fanservice but it was a good way to make him self-reflect, discover what's most important to him, show his determination to fix his mistakes and bring back the friends he lost by his own actions. Unfortunately that potential was lost in KH3 and he didn't really do anything for the war or to atone, he mostly became comic relief with a couple of emotional moments. Xemnas destroying his keyblade and beating him up was just the final insult to his arc. And I think that's a shame because he definitely deserved a character arc and deserved to be more than comic relief. While I don't entirely hate him, I can have a lot of trouble forgiving him for the things he did at times. I do really like his chakrams and keyblade though, and I've always loved fire powers and had a soft spot for characters who use them.

Headcannons:

How he got those teardrop tattoos. We know Saïx gave them to him to help him stop crying, which I like though I wish it had a slightly different context because it's not healthy to discourage crying. Maybe as a charm to wipe away tears, or ward away the need for them? I like to think it happened soon after they became Nobodies, with Lea struggling to cope with everything that happened, especially if Saïx got his scar just before that.

The manga showed that, despite being an extrovert who tries to befriend everyone and taking it upon himself to be the big brother to his group of teens, he isn't as socially smooth and can be a bit more awkward than most realise. He's surprisingly particular about personal space and being touched, and isn't comfortable about physical intimacy with just anyone, only people he's particularly close to. The games kind of hint at this too, so I'm not sure how much this counts as a headcannon, but I'll put it here anyway.

Has a magical connection to the sun, but far more subtle than Isa's connection to the moon. It makes his fire magic easier to use when outside during the day.

Relationships:

Roxas and Xion: I like the idea a lot, and the dynamic is cute. However, what I think a lot of people don't realise is that the relationship is not as wholesome, innocent and harmless as it appears on the surface. Axel used deception and force to keep them with him in the Organisation, and while none of the options were good, it was still toxic and manipulative, and he hurt a lot of other people for them as well. What he did in Days and 2 wasn't healthy, and it isn't cute seeing a grown man do those things because he was obsessed with keeping a pair of vulnerable children. I don't ship Lea with either of them because of the age gap, he's more of a big brother in the role of guardian.

Isa/Saïx: I like the dynamic a lot, and they play off each others strengths and weaknesses very well, and I'm really intrigued by their story. I take huge issue with Axel replacing Saïx and abandoning him when he needed him most, and it's the thing I find hardest to forgive Axel for. I am glad they were able to reconcile, but I wish Lea had taken more responsibility and done more to make up for it and show he really cared about him post recompletion, because there was no excuse. Also no, I don't ship them partly because of what I just said and because I'm not big on romance in general. I just like them as best friends/honorary brothers.

Kairi: It was nice to see them patch things up in KH3 and Lea trying to make amends. It's a shame KH3 was had too much going on to expand on this more, I like to think that Kairi was able to give him some much needed emotional support, help him come to terms with his past and process any guilt he feels about what happened.

Subject X: This is definitely a retcon and sudden thing to bring up now of all times, particularly with Axels many conflicting motivations, but I do like the idea a lot. It adds an extra layer Lea's and Isa's story and motivations, makes things more tragic. It also gives a personal perspective to enhance how messed up the human experiments done by Ansem, Xehanort and the other apprentices did really were, instead of just being facts and figures. Because it's one of many motivations Axel eventually abandoned, despite him claiming not to have given up, its a bit difficult to say how he really feels about it with the "content to miss what's gone" quote from his secret reports in Days. It could be taken to mean he gave up and stopped caring, which would have made his actions and situation with Saix make a lot of sense. But it could also mean he still cares and wants to look, but is 'content to just miss her' for the time being and isn't letting it dominate his life and stopping him appreciating what is going on in the present, which is a healthier attitude to have that is also in line with Lea's personality. We don't know what their relationship was like yet, but I hope they find her in the future.

[cresvalkyrie]

HI VAL!!!

Who do you feel is the most interesting antagonist in Rejuv?

HI AXEL!!!

Most interesting rejuv antagonist, huh? Okay, this one is admittedly a tough question, because they're all intriguing in their own ways. Yes, even the silly ones like Team Anti-Assist (seriously, I really want to know why this organisation is even a thing. What did the Help Centres even do to them that made them this way??)

(potential spoilers incoming)

Madame X and Team Xen are the first antagonists encountered in the game. Their goals seemed straightforward at first, but as we progress through the plot it starts to get into ambiguous territory. Why do they fight for oblivion? Clearly each Team Xen admin has their own reasons for joining, most of them being for survival or for the sake of their loved ones (exception being Geara who most likely joined because of Vitus' influence), but if they knew that Team Xen is working towards oblivion why would they keep going? Sure there's the whole Soul Crystals thing which keeps them compliant, but by then they'd have realised there's no point staying loyal to Team Xen. Especially in Neved's case, which I'm not sure if he's that delusional to hope that his daughter would be spared from the oncoming oblivion if he remained loyal to Madame X's cause or he's also given up and decided he's past the point of redemption so might as well play the role of a villain until the bitter end.

Also, speaking of Madame X. She's the main antagonist, but she doesn't seem be wholly evil if ch12 is any indication. Her goals have something to do with breaking free from karma's cycles, but why? Who exactly is she? Why did she think that oblivion is the answer to what she wants? What connection does she have to Vitus? Too many questions, so little answers...

Vitus is also interesting one, and one we all love to hate with the sheer amount of shitty things he's done and how he's basically the root behind some of the game's most prominent antagonists (i.e. Geara, Angie, Melanie in the Bad Timeline arc, Angelus, Alice in ch14 and .karma files, and maybe even Madame X herself if her appearance in the prologue cursing him out and her Yveltal is any indication). But if you really look at it, isn't he just doing what he's made to do? He's the Yveltal host, a literal sentient exe file made for the purpose of destruction as part of the cycle of life and death. The only problem is that he's gone way out of control and destroyed more than he should most likely due to Zygarde's disappearance, not to mention his obsessive fixation with Arceus and the Archetype. For what purpose does he seek the long-dead god? Does he want to become the next Arceus, or is he trying to revive Arceus in a vain attempt to salvage this world and return it to "paradise"? Is that why he and Nymiera had a falling out in the distant past? Again, a lot of mysteries...

...okay, I've gone on a ramble here so. tl;dr, I find them all equally interesting.

[mirror-to-the-past]

Finished playing 358/2 Days! Needless to say, I now understand Xion's deal. The only thing that I raise an eyebrow at in terms of confusion was what Xion was to Sora and the nature of her design. I'll touch on the latter first, as the former is moreso story analysis from me and becomes more rambling.

How was it exactly that Xion was able to slowly sap memories of Sora's? In my understanding of Replica Riku's functioning, he was injected with Sora's (Edit: Riku's memories, I recall, albeit still tampered by Naminé) memories as per Naminé's influence. However, it seems Naminé had no power over Xion, leading me to wonder how the memories were given to her in the first place. Was it purely because of her being around Roxas, who has Sora's memories, that she was unknowingly able to do so? I could believe that she was created with an inclination towards such a function that then kicked into gear upon exposure.

As for "what Xion was to Sora," Riku says to Mickey that she has Sora's memories of Kairi (which, I'd like to mention, Riku believes were those "most precious" to him. I found that telling, especially considering how avoidant he was of Sora in the following game chronologically, KH2. I don't believe he considered himself important to Sora following his actions in the previous games, poor guy. Roxas' dream/memory of Sora being left behind by Riku and co. in Hollow Bastion where he cried upon waking says otherwise, regarding how much Riku's opinion means to Sora. I digress.) Naminé adds onto that by telling Xion that he views her (through Roxas, I assume) as he remembered Kairi. This is further demonstrated by Xion, in her imaginary sequence with Roxas, her, and Axel in Destiny Islands' Paopu tree sitting in the places of Sora, Kairi, and Riku accordingly. However, there's much more to Xion than JUST Kairi. If she just had Sora's memories of Kairi, there would be no reason for Roxas having his entirety sapped by her, first of all. Xion was taking much more than things regarding Kairi, from anything like Sora/Roxas' battle techniques, to memories of happenings in other worlds, things like keyholes and whatnot. That's not even to mention that SOMEHOW, Xion, and I would then assume also Sora by proxy, had memories of Riku's confrontation with Zexion in his portion of CoM! Double that with the fact that although her hairstyle was similar to Kairi's, she has Sora's eyes, and a grayscale (since it's black) hair coloring like Riku, and she's more like a combination of the trio of Islanders. Which would make more sense and be less reductive than just: "Xion is everything Kairi to Sora," because just that would write out a lot of other stuff Xion took, too.

Anyway...

That fever dream sequence was so interesting?? The fact that that scene from CoM was re-highlighted by the 358/2 Days story as important has me boggling my mind. Why is it that Xion widened her eyes in surprise and shapeshifted to Sora at the part where Zexion said: "You were the one that destroyed your home!" Even though it was established in that original scene that Riku was the one who did that by opening the Door to Darkness? The intrigue? Aaaa? What could this mean?? Going insane! CoM continues to be the most important game, with the Replicas now being revisited in Days, it being the birthplace of repressed memories of Sora's and sort of kick-starting the whole thing with how memories continue to exist within the heart as feelings regardless of conscious awareness of them, the memory of Sora's that Naminé messed with regarding the meteor shower (the event and imagery that keeps getting brought up across games- it feels important) (As of writing this I have now started Birth By Sleep and once again have raised an eyebrow at the meteor shower in the opening movie and tutorial sequence), man, CoM!

So, that's pretty much everything cohesive from the top of my head. Now comes the part of this post where I generally scream about things that I can recall from the story and general sentiments:

Xigbar is establishing a theme that for every game he's in, he says something extremely intriguing at the end and then nopes out. KH2 he hinted at other Keyblade wielders and then died. This game he sees in Xion who I now know as Ventus (I yelled: "That can't be Roxas, he's wearing different clothes" upon seeing that part and surprisingly I was right, lol) and then doesn't elaborate. So curious about this eye-patched man and all the things he knows.

I WAS RIGHT ABOUT AXEL'S NAME BEING LEA! 🎊 I have no idea what Saïx was like before he became a Nobody, but this guy is a complete jackass as of now, so I don't know why he'd think he's hot enough shit to pull the "you're prioritizing your new, fake friendships over the *real* ones from before, Lea," card, because dude. Axel deserves better than your blue-haired ass. I called him so many names this game, sorry to any Saïx enjoyers. Actually, not sorry. He's mean.

When Roxas flaked out in his and Axel's expedition to Castle Oblivion, and then emerged to consciousness with a yell of "RIKU!" I laughed so much. Like... of course Sora's subconscious gut response of even slightly engaging with a Riku-based stimuli would hit so hard that even his Nobody would then emulate a teaspoon of Sora's oncoming KH2 behavior. Roxas was just like *screwed up expression* 'Where the hell did that come from.' Hah.

Speaking of sad boy Wiku who I now hold in my hands so gently, his entire interaction with Xion post fever dream was one of my favorite parts of the game. He was so immediately kind towards the Nobodies/Replicas, once again, in a way that no one else has been, not least themselves. Of course, as it's implied that Riku likely saw Sora's face in Xion's, I imagine it would be harder to be especially cruel to her, but considering his sympathy towards Roxas in KH2, I think it's just in his nature. Just...

"Do you hate me for taking your friend away from you?"

"No. I'm just... sad."

IT WAS SO SIMPLE, YET SO EFFECTIVE. GUT PUNCH. OWIE.

Added Riku note: I only now noticed in the final duel between Roxas and Riku that Oblivion, the Riku Keyblade, has the same silver crown on Sora's necklace on the end of it. 🤔 Storing this interesting information away for later...

Xion! I love Xion so much! The fact that she was ready to go down a-blazing at the end because of how she knew she was hurting Roxas? AGH. Killed me. And yet, she got so wrapped up in her sense of purposelessness without Sora that she still was ready to take Roxas down with her at the same time? It feels so contradictory, and yet it doesn't! She didn't want Roxas to suffer, and she especially didn't want Roxas to suffer and feel, as she perceived it, incomplete. And just... ah.... she wanted to give him the greatest gift she felt like someone else could give her: a feeling of belonging in identity. Except she never truly realized that Roxas had found a different answer to that question than she had, even if it turned out to be a shaky one: he found his sense of home in the loved ones around him. He never cared to learn about himself or his origins when he was with her and Axel. His diary entries repeatedly showed him forgetting to ask Xion about his Sora dreams, and repeatedly forgetting to show Axel the Winner stick, because all he could care about when being with his friends was... being with them. Never answers. He only wanted answers when he had nothing else. Whereas with Xion, she was the one who would say she wanted everything to stay the same between them, and yet she, in a conflicting manner, was the one disastifsifed without having answers, therefore driving the three of them further apart.

And MAN the Winner stick with Axel! When he pulled it out of the envelope at the end of the game... ouch. I personally wonder if Xion was the one who gave it to him, considering between grilling Axel for answers and then escaping the castle, I didn't see any off screen time for Roxas to have given Axel the stick. However, in the in-between time of Xion being apprehended by Xemnas and fighting Roxas, there's definitely a window of time where Xion could've given the slipped the Winner stick to Axel, perhaps as a final attempt to reconcile him and Roxas. I personally found that thought so affective that unless there's a canon alternative, I've accepted that as my headcanon. It's definitely something I could see Xion doing and man, I love her. I have hope about Roxas being able to reemerge from Sora somehow down the line, but Xion? What with no one even remembering her and being a blank canvas of an individual to begin with, I don't have as much hope for her. I want to, but... :(

Lastly, poor Axel being stuck in the middle the whole time. That scene where he told Xion that 'he was the one who would always bring her back' rendered my soul vulnerable as all hell. That was the closest I got to crying, honestly. His voice actor perfectly exuded that angry, torn up feeling of trying so hard to help someone who doesn't want to be saved, despite everything. That line perfectly encapsulated Axel's struggle of being stuck in the middle this entire game series. Being a double-double agent in the Castle Oblivion mission. Knowing his previous life, and trying to appease the connections he has in this one. Trying to make it good in the Organization. Trying to find his own freedom. Trying to be a good friend to Roxas and Xion, even when he knows they're destroying each other. He just felt so helpless by the end of this game, seeing how despite trying so hard, despite saying the things he was meant to and keeping quiet about the things he wasn't supposed to, he ended up losing everything it was all for, in the end. By being too careful, he was left scorned and abandoned by the only things that mattered. I bet he wished he would have said "I would miss you," more than he did.

All in all, really interesting experience playing a game I knew was gonna end badly since finishing KH2, all while still becoming invested regardless. It was like reading some sort of old tragedy. I think the KH strategy is to confuse you just enough that you get invested by your attempts to understand the plot, therefore trapping you into becoming emotionally invested, as well. Good plan, writers. I'm taking notes. Another compliment to the writers, I've not found KH's dialogue bad, but it's not stood out to me a bunch for the most part. This game had some really good dialogue writing though, in my opinion. Liked it a lot.

Like I said, I've now booted up Birth By Sleep, and already have my head abound with theories and questions and- Xehanort's old now? I thought this was a prequel! Luke Skywalker is a Keyblade Master mentor? Why does Terra enunciate in lowercase? Why does Roxas look like Ventus? Okay, I do have a theory for that one, given the intro...

I restarted my playthrough after starting as Aqua, because I quickly realized doing so was going to make the story seem very disorderly. Stay tuned for my continued documentation of my KH journey! I'm healing post-358/2 Days by playing KH monopoly in Birth By Sleep's Command Board minigame, lol.

[the-library-and-the-teashop]

The Forest Grimm

Author: Kathryn Purdie

Genre: fantasy, fairytale reimagined.

Format: novel.

Serie: yes, tome 1 of 2. (Tome 2 out in October)

Editions: Micheal Joseph/Illumicrate

Romance: allodyacishet romance with a love triangle. Kissing. No sex.

Other representation(s): disabled main character (scoliosis, chronic pain, MC wears a shoe lift)

Tw: blood, attempted murders, poisoning, scary woods, non consensual drug use, matricide, infanticide, cannibalism, starvation, ghosts, suicidal ideations (kind of).

Rating: 6.5/10

Tea association: a berry-flavoured black tea or a Pu'er.

.

I the small village of Grimm's Hollow, villagers used to live prosperous lives. Until their most precious possession, given by the mysterious Forest Grimm, the Book of Fortune, a strange oracle with the power to grant one wish to every villager after they turned 16, was taken back by that same forest after one villager used the book for a nefarious wish.

Soon after, villagers start disappearing in the Forest Grimm never to be seen again; they are called the Lost. And no one can go and look for them to bring them back because the trees of the forest themselves will stop any attempt at passing the treeline.

Three years later, Clara, the daughter of the first Lost, is still determined to find a way into the forest and reclaim her mother.

.

Honestly I had a hard time getting in the book at first, despite being intrigued. The second half was way better. In the end I wanted more, that is, the second book, which is not out yet unfortunately. Though the author actually give us a good enough final to not feel dissatisfied and the end of this first tome. But the epilogue is intriguing and set the foundation for the plot of the next book.

It's an overall good read. I genuinely enjoy this story, despite my aversion to love triangle, though I have to admit that as far love triangles go, this one wasn't completely unpleasant and actually made sense.

The plot itself had a few twists I should have seen coming in insight, some that I've partially seen coming, and some that just plain caught me totally by surprise.

The world building is set mostly on the Grimm fairytales, but twisted, cutted in pieces and used as the author please. The result is quite fascinating, It is actually fun to look for the clues of which characters is from which tale. Sometimes it's not what you'd expect. Sometimes the original fairytale is twisted beyond recognition.

This was a good debut! Worth your time.

.

Note about the fairyloot edition: it's really gorgeous.

The dust jacket design is fairly close of the original except for the background that went from white to a beautiful green. The dust jacket is reversible and the other side is absolutely gorgeous with the main characters all depicted on it.

The naked book it also sublime and is a rendition of the book from the story, "Sortes Fortunae" (the book of Fortune), with foil on the hardcover.

The end pages show Clara and Axel.

And the sprayed edge is beautiful, with it's depiction of Clara in her red cape near the black wolf with the forest in the background.

This is an overall gorgeous edition. I just would have like a real binding, and not the sheets just glued together. It makes the book really fragile. I was scared several times to damage the book while reading. Not the best experience.

Though I'm really hoping that fairyloot will publish the second tome too. I definitely want the whole set.

[youngmasterwisdomperson]

I’d like ask you about your book. I would also like to say I sought you out after seeing your response to the writing prompt about the Dark Lord. Now I’m excited to find out there’s a book (possibly)

Thanks for asking! That said, if you’re expecting my book to be about Maximus the Dark Lord, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed. I have a fondness for that character and his story, sure, and if you’re looking for another part to his story I’d be happy to build a little more on what I’ve already written for that, but I don’t really know if the story as it stands is what I would consider Novel material. The pacing is much too quick to take up that many pages, and the format is much more conducive to a series of short stories than a full-length book. To adapt Maximus’s story into a novel, I’d need to start from scratch, take my time, flesh things out and slow the pacing down quite a bit.

As for what my book is actually about, it does share a genre with Maximus’s story (high fantasy), but it’s a lot less rooted in toying with the classic tropes and dynamics between fantasy princesses and heroes and dark lords. Instead, my goal in writing it was to create a fantasy story where the main male protagonist not only doesn’t solve problems with violence, but physically couldn’t if he tried.

The working title is Pathos. It’s a story about a boy named Gideon who was born with the ability to feel the full-force sum total of all the pain and emotions felt by people around him within a large radius, at all times. It’s kind of a passive ability for him, and he can’t turn it off, so it creates an interesting limitation as he learns to apply the magic system over the course of the story. Gideon literally cannot help but empathize with the enemy, and he physically *feels* any and all pain he inflicts, so physically fighting to win is a recipe for failure on his part. For plot reasons, Gideon washes up on shore in the jungle on the coast of the nation of Revel, and it’s in this jungle that he meets a boy his age named Axel, who is secretly the Crown Prince of Revel, and who Gideon can tell from use of his powers and context clues is being led by his bodyguards straight into a trap. Gideon foils the assassination attempt, and the story progresses from there, featuring mystery, magic, and political intrigue, as the two boys try their best to prevent conspirators in the court from sparking a war with the people of Chimera Desert (and slowly develop feelings for each other of the queer-platonic variety along the way).

That’s a bit of an oversimplification of the plot in my opinion. There are other main cast members and plot lines as well, such as a magical murder mystery featuring Anna, a girl with the power to turn into any species of spider she’s familiar with at will. Unfortunately, she can’t turn her powers off entirely, so she’s always at least partially transformed at any given moment. Her plotline starts out fairly separate from Gideons but the two stories will merge before the story’s end.

Anyway that’s my pitch of the story of my book as it stands right now. If it sounds interesting to you that’s cool. If you’re just here for Maximus the dark lord that’s fine too. Thanks for leaving an ask! I love talking to people about the things I write.

[cooledtured]

Axel Foley Returns in a New Era of Beverly Hills Cop

For generations, the name "Axel Foley" has conjured images of a banana-in-tailpipe-wielding detective, infectious disco grooves, and enough witty banter to fill a Beverly Hills mansion. Now, after thirty years, Eddie Murphy's iconic character is back in the driver's seat, cruising onto Netflix screens in a new chapter of the "Beverly Hills Cop" saga. The recent trailer for this long-awaited revival isn't just a nostalgia trip; it's a carefully crafted promise of a film that respects its roots while injecting a fresh dose of action and humor for a new generation.

The opening notes of the legendary "Axel F" theme are enough to send shivers down any fan's spine. It's not just a song; it's a portal back to 1984, when the original film burst onto the scene with audacious action sequences, hilarious one-liners, and a charismatic lead who redefined cool. The trailer cleverly taps into this nostalgia, showcasing Murphy sporting the iconic Detroit Lions jacket and dropping lines like "Still got the moves," sending a playful wink to the devoted followers who cheered Foley on all those years ago.

However, the trailer also hints at a film that's more than just a rehash of the past. The sun-drenched streets of Beverly Hills now share space with gleaming skyscrapers and cutting-edge technology, reflecting the city's evolution. Foley, too, seems to have aged just as gracefully as the city he once patrolled. The trailer emphasizes his experience, showcasing him effortlessly disarming a suspect before uttering the timeless line, "Just another day in paradise." This suggests a seasoned detective, still sharp and witty, but tempered by time and ready to face new challenges.

The action sequences, too, promise a modern twist on the franchise's signature blend of humor and thrills. Car chases weave through CGI-enhanced cityscapes, and explosive shootouts punctuate the comedic banter. However, the most intriguing aspect lies in the mystery itself. The trailer teases a high-stakes case involving corruption, technological warfare, and possibly even some familiar faces from the past. This blend of fresh intrigue and classic charm suggests a film that can resonate with both longtime fans and newcomers eager for a taste of Axel Foley's action-packed world.

Of course, the true heart of "Beverly Hills Cop" has always been Eddie Murphy. And even after three decades, he seems to effortlessly slip back into the shoes of Axel Foley. The trailer captures his comedic timing perfectly, from the playful smirk as he throws sunglasses back and forth to the exasperated sigh as he confronts a bumbling rookie cop. There's a comfortable confidence in his performance, a reminder that Foley may be older, but he's lost none of his swagger or sense of humor.

The return of "Beverly Hills Cop" is more than just a movie; it's a reunion, a celebration, and a gamble. It's a chance to recapture the magic of the original while proving that Foley's charm can transcend generations. The trailer may be just a glimpse, but it's enough to ignite anticipation and raise a question: can Axel Foley still rock the streets of Beverly Hills in a world of smartphones and drones? The answer, like the detective himself, promises to be both hilarious and unforgettable.

 — — — — — — — — 

DANIEL SIMMONS | Writer POP-COOLEDTURED SPECIALIST cooledtured.com | GROW YOUR COLLECTION

[thedeliverygod]

a ranking of the Kingdom Hearts series thus far, by Sora with brief explanations

the games within the tiers themselves are not in any particular order

S Kingdom Hearts: The OG, my dearly beloved. The classic hero's journey. Gameplay was overall fun but definitely had some battles that felt impossible (unskippable cutscenes anyone?)

KH3: An absolute joy to play, I've never had more fun exploring worlds. It did suffer from having most of the main plot towards the end of the game and unanswered questions that were later answered by Re:Mind. The fact that employees from Disney aided with the development of this game really shines imo. A more in depth post about why I loved KH3. Battle was fun but also had difficult moments.

A

KH3D: The game that made me fall in love with Riku. The drop dynamic kind of sucked if/when you dropped in the middle of a boss fight I'm not gonna lie lol. But the story was great. Though Sora & Riku were essentially sent back in time (aka their appearance) the story and especially worlds are not repetitive. Flowmotion was extremely fun to use and the dream eaters were also another fun mechanic. Also the command deck is honestly my favorite iteration of the battle system so I was glad to see its new & improved form in KH3D and was sad to see it gone in KH3.

BBS: The introduction of the wayfinder trio, what a blessing. 3 different stories + a final episode. I loved that Terra, Aqua, and Ventus all had their own very unique playing styles (honestly I was the worst with Terra lol but I got used to him eventually). The first version of the command deck that I loved. Also the first time you could unlock treasure chests during battles (and they saved my ass). Shotlock also A+ loved it and so glad it came back in KH3. Difficulty was pretty standard; mostly a good level with a few really tough ones.

B

COM: So well written and intriguing. The worlds being 'repetitive' played into the storyline of exploring Sora's memories and it was the first time, so it felt okay. The first curse words of the series lmao aka Axel and Maleficent saying hell. This game pushed the gameboy advanced to the damn max. Also the first game we play as someone other than Sora~ enter Riku in Reverse/Rebirth. The card system sucked ass at times honestly and it was extremely hard to maneuver during certain battles on the GBA but that got a lot easier after the PS2 remake. While I'm glad the cutscenes were voiced for the remake, I will say the voice direction of RE:COM is some of the most awkward in the series. It also doesn't help that they did not put in any effort into changing the lip movements for the English language as they usually do.

Dark Road: Excellent writing and fun characters. Relatively fun gameplay at first, but quickly got repetitive. The good news was they let you use an auto function to cheat and speed through to get back to the story lol. I loved learning the back story to Xehanort and Eraqus and what made them into the adults we meet in BBS and later KH3. Shout out to my boy, Hermod. Never forgotten.

KH2: Character designs are immaculate and there are moments that are absolutely iconic. Had a good amount of fresh worlds while bringing back some beloved ones. KH2 suffered from some awkward voice direction and the game play was far too easy, imo. I beat it on critical mode with hardly any effort (other than the Roxas battle which is unique to the final mix version) and I'm honestly not very good of a gamer lol. I beat the game on my first play through in less than 20 hours which is kind of crazy. Also the 2nd visit to most worlds often feels forced and doesn't add much to the overall story of the game

C

KHX/KHUX: I barely managed to play KHX so most of this is based on KHUX. The fact that you could change your gender at any time was literally the best invention ever; signed, a non-binary person. I wish more games had that option. The customizable characters were freaking adorable and the options were limitless. The story was well written and intriguing when you got it. But... you had to do SO MANY repetitive endless missions to get to any story. I mean you'd get Disney related story sometimes but I mean like KH-core story. Not to mention essentially having to pay to win unless you got EXTREMELY lucky. And in general I'm just not a fan of MMORPGs so I dipped out after a while.

Days: Amazing story. Xion is my precious baby angel and I love her so much. The sea-salt trio reunion in KH3 was also the one that hit me the hardest tbh. But oh my god, the gameplay sucked. One of the hardest KH games to exist and I definitely nearly gave up on it a few times lol. The DS is just so awkward for KH gameplay and as we all know the graphics were.... abysmal to say the least. But there are some moments that were left out in the cinematic remake which will forever live on in our memory.

BBS 0.2: Really fun gameplay. Customizing Aqua's outfit was one of my favorite things as well and it really gave me hope that it would be a feature in KH3, but alas lol. The story overall was interesting, but it overall had to do a lot of retcons to try and make the past connect with the present so that was kind of awkward lol. Also they improved a TON from early models, but overall bbs 0.2 still looked a little weird at times compared to KH3 which had extra time to be fine tuned. Also it's essentially a KH3 demo rather than being a real game but essentially KH3 was already too massive so it made sense to separate it.

D

Re:Coded: I'll be real, I hated this game lol. It switching up the type of gameplay a lot was a fun idea in theory but actually playing the game it ended up being annoying. Also, it was essentially a rehashed idea of chain of memories when you get down to it. We explore previous worlds we've seen many times by now with Data Sora. We get little bits of new info but ultimately really the only useful thing is the very end of the game. I did enjoy the cinematic version a bit better; the voiced dialogue made a few moments a more comical.

Melody of Memory: A fun rhythm game, but the fact that it includes story that's important all buried at the end of the game is kind of pointless/annoying? lol. I loved seeing Kairi get her time to shine but I wish it was more than her just narrating over Sora's journeys and then a handful of important cutscenes at the end of the game.

[namtanlovesfilm]

[04th June, 2023]

Hi Axelle!,

HAPPY PRIDE MONTH. #PrideMonthSeries

Not sure what percentage of BL audience understand the algorithm, or the metrics of how an OTT platform is run, but I believe, since they are paying for it by taking either monthly, quarterly, or yearly subscriptions, they should be made aware of how things work with the OTTs, because almost all the BL series are streamed on them, unlike movies which have their theatrical release. 

I do know for sure that well-established filmmakers, and producers get the analytics from multiplexes, and media companies that's into research, about how well their movie is doing domestically, and internationally. And they also get a detailed information about the demographics of the audience, to understand better about the kind of consumers they have. 

For some strange reason, I think it would be fine to compare HW, or any other successful movie industry in the world, with that of the BL, because although the genre may be different, the intention of making money remains the same. And I guess, no producer would deny that, be it someone from the Asia, or the West. And given that almost 90% of the BL audience are international fans, the amount of money that's pumped in by the producers, as against the money minted by the OTT platforms would show a big difference. 

That's the reason, I have always been intrigued with how OTTs function. And how does the business of streaming BLs on multiple OTT platforms work?

Apologies if any of my question is repetitive, but I guess its not.

So, my question to you are as follows:

As a BL fan yourself, how many OTT platforms have you subscribed to? And the price-point of which OTT platform according to you is justified? (If possible, mention how much you pay in your currency for each OTTs - Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly.)

The subscription model of which OTT platform is affordable for all three options (Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly)? (To you give you an example, a lot of BL fans are in praise of Viki, and have taken a yearly subscription of it, as against "iQIYI", which most have subscribed to for just Quarterly.)

At the moment, which BL OTT platforms would you consider the best in terms of streaming regular BL content, while at the same time offering a feasible subscription model? (The one that you are subscribed to for long, and will continue the subscription in future too.)

Which OTT platform according to you has the best User Interface? And what is it that's more appealing to you? (Please elaborate in detail if possible.)

As an audience, what kind of changes do you expect from an OTT platform? (Like for example: No pop-up ad windows, introducing comment section, multiple language subtitles, being able to reverse and fast forward, off-line download, etc,..etc,)

With multiple options of OTT platforms, like "Viki", "Netflix", "GagaOOLala", "iQIYI", "WeTV", "AISPlay", "DisneyPlus Hotstar". Don't you as a BL fan find it confusing and ridiculous at the same time to subscribe to so many platforms?

Should mid-budget, low concept BLs really be offered on a Membership model on YouTube, only because its coming from an independent production company that's trying to establish itself? (Case in point - "Commetive Productions by Dir.Aam Anusorn".), 

Will you be ready to pay more price for an OTT platform that not only offers the best BLs, but also offers HD quality content, and multiple other options that you were looking out for?

If you as a BL content consumer had to give a critical advise to the creators (service providers & app developers) of an OTT platform, what would that be? And why?

Thanks!

xoxo

Arjuna

hi!

I am not subscribed to ANY streaming platform, be it as a thai drama fan or outside of that. as someone who grew up watching everything on free streaming sites, & considering half of thai dramas are available on youtube anyway, it has never crossed my mind to pay to watch a show lol. for western content, I never subscribed to netflix either bc they cancelled all of my fave shows in my late teens & now I almost exclusively watch asian content so it would be ludicrous to pay for something I'd barely use.

I haven't looked into any streaming platform so I can't answer you.

again no idea since I'm not interested in that, but imo viu seems the best bc some (or all?) of their shows are available for free. also I'd say the distribution of bl shows is pretty equal across wetv, viu, & ais play. gagaoolala seems to have the most shows though, while disney+ hotstar & iqiyi have only a few.

I have no idea which one has the best interface, but let me tell you something: it ain't ais play lmao. you can't fast forward, you have to reset the quality at every new part of an episode, and the search bar is also shit so finding shows is horrible. but hey at least they stopped making this a paid service lol.

since I'm not a streaming platform audience I have no idea.

I agree that there is too many platforms, but I also think I don't care bc I don't use any. every show will either be on youtube or end up on dramacool anyways so I just have to patiently wait lol

for mid-budget & low-budget bl series, I don't really know which is the best plan for them. I think hiding the eps behind a youtube paywall might be good for some that do gather success, but sadly I've also seen it stifle a project's success bc no one outside of the paying members (so not a lot of people) is watching it or talking about it. I think working with sponsors & ads is almost always the best option to offer the show up for free, as that's what drives more viewers to watch the show.

the only platform I've considered paying for is gagaoolala, bc it really has a lot of the bl content from thailand & also some great qualitative queer movies & short films, that include the always forgotten wlw. but the reason I haven't is that the price is too high for me & I don't see myself getting enough value from it for that price. apart from that, I am not ready to pay for a streaming platform AT ALL, therefore not willing to pay more, even for better content.

streaming platforms are simply not for me, so I don't know if I have anything to say. there are two types of people in the world: the ones who are willing to pay for comfort & no ads, and the ones who'd rather have to struggle more to find a show but not pay at all. I'm part of the later category, therefore I'm just not a streaming platform demographic. I would, though, definitely watch a streaming platform who ran on ads for free, like linetv was.

xxx

[i-am-beckyu]

Hmmmm

Well I FINALLY got all the frames drawn!!

Now I just need to animate the mouth speaking! Which your encouragements are very helpful for bc I thought I couldn't at all for a good hour til I looked at our talks about it

And yes, they're just blobs. You get me. Irza is an angry looking blob and Axel is like evil grinning face like a >:3

I'm giving this a try bc I REALLY wanna be able to animate for myself bc it's really fun so I'm attempting to learn better

And I LOVE how so many frames are just a reeeeeaaaally weird face or movement

Good luck seeing the cookie

I struggle to see the sparkles even after zooming which is sad mainly bc I spent too much time on it

Maybe they should be a different color...they're yellow on a white background right now...what color should I make them be instead?

Thank you for the encouragement with doing any progress at all tho!

Also, here's another tiny snippet I actually only recently finished lining...no context:

AYOOOOOOO FRAMES ARE DONEEE!!! WOOOO

Blobs for dah winnnn

And lol yes! I can only imagine the weird in between frames haha.

I will intently find it and ZOOM it to the max to see. Mmmm maybe blue sparkles? I’m not sure???

And that snippet has me both very intrigued, confused and hyped! Because I have no idea what the heck is happening and what it will look like animated

[bonsaistrike]

@ncmcrcy asked: My sensei wants me to be the best. It's because of him I never lose. (axel)

"He   also   hurts   you."   He   had   seen   the   same   type   of   devotion   in   those   of   Cobra   Kai,   back   when   it   was   both   Kreese   and   Silver   together   and   even   with   Sensei   Kim.   Axel   seems   so   used   to   it   that   he   doesn't   even   flinch   or   denies,   the   bruises   out   in   the   open   and   plain   sight   for   everyone   to   see.   "Is   it   worth   it?   What   about   friends?   family?"   Sam   takes   a   step   closer,   the   concern   unable   to   disappear   from   her   voice   as   he   speaks.   Even   Tory   had   been   able   to   leave   the   influence   of   a   bad   sensei   but   she   had   someone   on   the   other   side.  

Sam   can't   help   but   to   think   if   Axel   has   anyone   that   could   help   him   too.   "I   mean.   .   .your   moves   are   pretty   damn   great.   I   never   seen   anyone   move   like   you   do."   It   is   truly   a   compliment.   He   was   equally   good   at   defense   and   offense   and   she   had   been   intrigued.   While   everyone   was   dancing   and   having   fun,   he   was   training   doing   kata   on   the   beach.