#also the filler episodes/episodes without important plot points are really fun too and some of my favs

[sororygilmore]

omg hiii i love ur blog like gennn <3 ive been watching oth for a while now and im on season two but i got so many spoilers that kinda ruined it 4 me yk :’) is it worth watching still??

omg hi tysm !! i also got a ton of spoilers when i was just starting the show and ifl that happens so much with shows that have been out for a while 😭 i got the very end of gossip girl spoiled too

but i do think it’s still worth the watch!! i really love all the characters now & im super attached to them so i do want to find out how their lives turn out even though i already know in part what happens

[destinygoldenstar]

For Anyone Who Wants To Watch 90s Sailor Moon But Doesn’t Want To Watch Several Episodes Of Filler, Here’s A Guide (Dark Kingdom Arc)

Hello, as someone who just rewatched season 1 of the 90s Sailor Moon, I wanted to give newcomers a bit of help.

I watched this version way back as a kid, I will say it didn’t click with me until years later after two or three rewatches. But my opinion isn’t too important for this post, I ran down all 46 Episodes of the first season, and made a list tracking down the filler contained.

Cause yeah… 46 episodes for a 14 Chapter story in manga text… yeah there’s gonna be a lot of filler. And people, myself included, want to enjoy the shows story without getting interrupted.

I will NOT be condoning ALL filler. In some episodes, there is SOMETHING plot relevant that happens, whether it’s based off the manga or based off 90s show lore that they changed.

Basically, I’m going to list off EVERY Episode of the Dark Kingdom Arc, 90s version. If literally ANYTHING tied to the seasons main story is in the episode, I’ll list it as a watch. And if there’s nothing, I’ll list as a skip. Or I could add better context, skip some episodes because they’re pointless, skip because they’re bad episodes, or cause they’re pointless AND bad episodes, my favorite /s.

So, for anyone who wants to get into 90s Sailor Moon, here’s a guide on what episodes are a must watch, and which ones you can skip and lose nothing.

‘The CryBaby Usagi’s Beautiful Transformation’

Quite obviously the first episode is VERY VITAL TO WATCH.

It’s the first chapter of the manga. It introduces our main character Usagi and her powers. It introduces Luna. It’s when our two lovebirds first meet. It’s the introduction of the Dark Kingdom, Beryl, & Jadeite. It’s the introduction of Tuxedo Mask as a mysterious figure. You get it.

It’s one of the few episodes that’s pretty close to the manga version, with the exception of a few not very harmful changes here and there.

Also her mom kicking her out of the house is funnier in the anime.

Manga: “If you’re gonna come home with grades like this, don’t even bother coming home!”

Anime: “YOU DON’T DESERVE TO BE LET INTO THIS HOUSE”

(I watched this subbed)

‘Punishment Awaits: The House Of Fortune Is The Monster Mansion’

Literally the only plot relevant thing in this episode is the introduction of Motoki.

In both versions, he’s a red herring for Tuxedo Mask. In both versions he’s also a very nothing side character, only serving in the manga as a love interest for Makoto, AKA Sailor Jupiter in the first two arcs. But it goes nowhere.

So… if you care about this character, watch the episode just for his introduction. But if you don’t, (I don’t blame you,) there is nothing in this episode for you.

Unless you have a kink for sexual harassment. Umino’s got you covered there.

‘The Mysterious Sleeping Sickness: Protect The Girls In Love’

This one is NECESSARY.

The episode introduces the Moon Power disguise mechanic, which unlike the manga, is used a lot in the anime.

It also has Sailor Moon and Jadeite actually meeting each other… which, yeah, is also important.

I also just like the episode. It’s one of the episodes of the anime where Usagi actually shows some growth as a guardian. The action in this one is really fun. And they use the stock Tiara Attack creatively here. That’s appreciated.

‘Learn How To Be Skinny From Usagi’

SKIP THIS EPISODE

Especially for anorexia and body shaming trigger warnings.

It’s very fatphobic. It’s very offensive to people without mainstream body types. AND there is NOTHING plot relevant that happens in it.

‘Scent Of A Monster: Chanela Will Steal Your Love’

I’m very torn on this one.

On the one hand, this is an episode where Usagi actually uses her brain, (though she kinda drops the ball at one point) and we get to learn more about Usagi’s family. Which is an appreciated form of filler. And we also get Moon Tiara Stardust and Luna living with the family.

ON THE OTHER HAND, there’s NOTHING plot relevant that happens in this episode. The Stardust function NEVER gets used again. It’s not in the manga. And in terms of Luna, I would agree with the plot of her living with their parents if it weren’t for a simple fact: SHE WAS ALREADY LIVING WITH THEM AND NO ONE BAT AN EYE

So, no, you’re not gonna get anything plot related in this episode. But if you want to learn more about Usagi’s brother and you are anti-animal cruelty, maybe you should watch it idk. You decide that one.

‘Protect The Melody Of Love: Usagi Plays Cupid’

Okay, there’s nothing plot relevant in this episode. Absolutely nothing. The characters in this episode besides Usagi and Luna never show up again and have absolutely no purpose. Nothing progresses.

It’s also one of the few episodes where Mamoru doesn’t show up once… though that’s a win in my book.

So no. You do not have to watch this episode.

But… darn it! I can’t write it off! It’s SO SWEET

It has such a different atmosphere than the ones before. It’s so pretty to look at. Usagi is actually extremely competent at her job in this one. And I cared about the stakes in this one. I cared about this piano guy wanting to get his music to his girl. I actually felt like Sailor Moon was a guardian of LOVE and JUSTICE in this one.

Seriously if all the filler episodes were like this, I would not be making this post. It’s that good and sweet.

But it is filler. So it’s your choice. But I think it’s a filler any Sailor Moon watcher can love.

‘Usagi Learns Her Lesson: Becoming A Star Is Hard Work’

SKIP THIS EPISODE

There is NOTHING IMPORTANT or of value in this episode.

At least the rose did something useful in this one I guess.

‘The Girl Genius Is A Monster: The Brainwashing Cram School Of Horror’

Obviously VERY IMPORTANT.

This is the episode that introduces Ami Mizuno AKA Sailor Mercury. She’s an important character.

It’s also Chapter 2 in the manga. So… yeah. Must watch.

Also, I actually like Ami as a character best in this version. Believe it or not. This episode, of every version, did the BEST at grasping who Ami is.

In the manga, she gets brainwashed along with everyone else.

In the anime, she doesn’t fall for it, not because she knows it’s a trap, but because she’s the kind of person that studies on her own terms and her own interest. Shy or not, introverted or not, she has that moral code in her that she stands for. Studying is all she sees value in herself with.

It’s a small change, but I LOVE this change because it gives Ami more characterization to stand behind. And sets up her own story throughout the show.

Her attack sucks though.

‘Usagi’s Disaster: Beware The Clock Of Confusion’

Surprisingly necessary.

The episode itself is meh. It’s confirmed in this one that Tuxedo Mask is indeed a stalker. The animation is quite rough in this one for some reason. And Elder Sailor Moon is cursed.

But I mostly say you have to watch it because Mercury gets a power up in this one. That being her calculus.

This thing is used quite a bit in the anime. And it is also used for an emotional punchline at the season finale.

(Again, I’m going off the anime’s story logic here. This calculus was an addition just for the anime. This was never a thing in the manga. Maybe they realized they did Mercury dirty and tried to course correct)

‘The Cursed Bus: Enter Mars, The Guardian Of Fire’

Obviously this one is also VERY IMPORTANT.

It introduces another Sailor Guardian, that being Rei Hino AKA Sailor Mars. It’s Chapter 3 in the Manga. Rei is an important character. Obviously.

I will say I prefer the Crystal version of the episode over this version, but this version is not bad at delivering THIS version of Mars… a rival character for Usagi, basically. And a rose thorn. Not sorry.

I think that just has to do with me not being given a good reason to like her in this episode. The episode is more focused on the bus mystery and the shrine location than Rei herself. Whereas with Crystal it’s the opposite.

We saw there her insecurities about her abilities and how people unfairly treated her and assumed she was monstrous. So we could sympathize with her when she snaps back.

Here? She just snaps back. At everyone. Even her own family. And that’s our intro of her character. This is the first impression the writers want you to take away of her. Not exactly a positive light on someone who’s supposed to be a main character.

(In case you don’t know, this is NOT Rei’s character at all in the manga)

I find it funny that when Luna senses energy from Rei she wonders if she’s the princess, but when she senses energy from Ami she assumes she’s a monster.

Someone in the writers room hates Ami and that makes me sad.

Also, Tuxedo Mask does something other than throw a rose and peace out in this one. So that’s nice.

‘Usagi Vs Rei: Nightmare In Dream Land’

This is the first of many Usagi & Rei rival episodes. The titles are not subtle.

I know some people love their dynamic in the anime… I’m not one of those people. Like, there’s witty banter and teasing, and then there’s insulting, agreeing with the bullies, and being physical. I just think they take it way too far sometimes and it overstays it’s welcome in this season. They’re both pretty annoying this episode, for different reasons.

But ignoring my opinion on that matter, I do know people who love their dynamic, so this episode will deliver on that content.

And this is the episode where Rei meets Mamoru, which becomes a whole controversial subplot that didn’t exist in the manga. But it is a subplot that happens later and this is its intro so maybe you should watch it. Idk. It doesn’t really affect the main plot.

There’s also a little combo attack Moon and Mars do and it looks pretty neat.

‘I Want A Boyfriend: The Luxury Cruise Ship Is A Trap’

Oh look, an Usagi & Rei rivalry episode…

Wait, didn’t we do that last episode-?

This episode is about these three girls fighting for each others affection when Rei asks Ami out on a date. That’s it. That’s the plot.

Rei denies things. The cruise’s energy draining is homophobic. But I see right through her that she’s just a closeted gay 🏳️‍🌈

(That’s my headcanon anyway)

At least last episode was about solving a mystery related to the villains. Here it’s solely for these girls own dreams. Not that it’s a bad thing. I like it when protags are selfish sometimes.

But this episode is also important because it acts as significant build up to the next episode. That being Beryl getting very pissed at Jadeite for a scandal he pulls. Plus it’s the only time Jadeite gets any sort of character depth ever so enjoy it while you can.

‘Girls Unite: The End Of Jadeite’

I don’t think I need to tell you this one is VERY IMPORTANT.

The death/defeat of one of the major villains of the show is very important. I don’t need to tell you that.

It’s also just a really great intense episode. Usagi is excellent in showcasing her growth in this one. Like GOSH does she feel so REAL in this version of the story.

She also asks a really good question.

“What’s wrong with our government, hiring people like this?!”

I ask myself that a lot, Usagi. And I don’t know that answer.

Mamoru is insufferable as usual. And this might take the crown for his most pointless insults. What do you gain from being a dickhead to this girl, I seriously need to know!! (It’s also sad considering he’s only like this in the first chapter in the manga and then never again)

But at least Tuxedo Mask gets a one on one duel with a villain and that is epic. So I guess this balances it out. Especially since he’s fighting against another misogynist.

“Go on and cry! Do you need a man to do everything for you?! Women are such shallow, useless creatures!”

That’s how you know Jadeite deserved his fate.

‘A New Enemy Appears: Nephrite’s Evil Crest’

Important episode because it introduces the new villain character.

Actually, TWO of them, as Zoisite also shows up.

Yes Zoisite is a queer dude. DEAL WITH IT.

This is also the first time the introduction Usagi makes at the start of these episodes changes. I always like this, as it shows where we’re at in the story and her development.

And yet everyone roasts Usagi and treats her like an idiot, and to that I say “Where were you guys in this episodes battle?? That’s what I thought”

Mamoru doesn’t show up this episode, but Tuxedo Mask does and he actually fights and participates this time. Both of those are music to my ears.

‘Usagi’s Panic: Rei’s First Date’

The start of the episode is about the trio learning this guys beautiful park is being bulldozed and the creatures in it are in danger and he’s all sad about it.

AWWWWW, it’s a cute ‘save the environment’ episode and they’re gonna help this guy. That’s-

“I better find a boyfriend and have a date before it’s gone.”

Oh…

No it’s just an episode about Rei being a selfish prick. As usual.

I know I said I like it when these characters are selfish sometimes, but there’s going to have fun instead of working cause you’re a kid, and then there’s forcing a guy to date you in a park that you heard is being bulldozed as well as not taking no for an answer.

They just go way too far when it comes to Rei.

This episode is about her dating Mamoru. Which is a very pointless love triangle plotline if you ask me, and anyone with even the slightest knowledge of Sailor Moon lore KNOWS this ship is dead in the water upon concept alone.

BUT… as much as I don’t like this plotline, it IS a running plotline in the show, so if you care about it you have to watch it.

I don’t blame you for not bothering though.

Oh yeah this is also the episode where we learn that Mamoru is a college student.

I’m gonna do die in a corner now.

(In the manga, he’s in high school and only TWO years older than Usagi. There was literally NO reason to increase that age gap. What the f-)

At least Mamoru was tolerant in this one, AND Ami was great in this one. She really is precious.

‘A Girl’s Dream: Usagi Becomes A Bride’

This has a group transformation.

That’s it. That’s all the value there is in this nothing episode.

SKIP.

‘Usagi’s A Model: The Flash Of The Monster Camera’

THIS, of all episodes, is where Luna gives the girls communicators.

(For manga context, they don’t get communicators till the second arc)

AND this is our first mention of the Legendary Silver Crystal, which is very important.

So yeah, surprisingly, you have to watch the episode.

I completely forgot about this episode before I rewatched it. And I’m kinda embarrassed that I did. It’s better than I remember it being.

Even if it’s one of those ‘Usagi Bullying’ episodes where everyone makes fun of her and insults her, even though time and time again she’s proven to be much more competent than she seems. AND she saved everybody’s asses this episode. By herself.

And they STILL belittle her.

Really, your tolerance for it depends on who you are as a person. Or whether or not you hate Usagi. I can see why some people would, but I’m not one of those people. Usagi getting bullied just makes me sad :(

‘Shingo’s Love: The Grieving Doll’

This episode was nightmare fuel. Those dolls, just… UGH

There’s really nothing to say about this one other than it’s another episode about Usagi’s family, and this one shot of Mamoru and Nephrite walking by each other.

Yeah… nothing really noteworthy. Pass.

‘Usagi’s Joy: A Love Letter From Tuxedo Mask’

This is an important episode. Quite a bit happens here.

This is the episode where Sailor Moon and Nephrite properly meet. Which is important.

This is the reveal of Tuxedo Mask’s identity… albeit pretty underwhelming of how they revealed it. Still a reveal though.

(In the Manga, he has complete control over his two personas. In the anime, he’s not. That’s a detail change right there.)

This episode also has a bit of a conversation in the manga. Well, a part of it at least.

(In the manga, there’s a conversation Usagi & Mamoru have upon finding out Tuxedo Mask’s identity. It’s explained why Tuxedo Mask fights and always protects Sailor Moon. Another half of it is Mamoru explaining his past, but in the anime that part is split into a different conversation later. This half of it presented in the anime is much sooner than in the manga. In the manga, this takes place after Jupiter joined the team, and after Usagi got her moon wand. And instead of an elevator escape life or death situation, it took place in Mamoru’s apartment.)

This episode is also where Naru & Nephrite first meet, which is… a can of worms. But it’s important. So…

‘The Summer, The Beach, Youth And Ghosts’

Does nobody find it weird that it’s summer break but when they get back to school they’re not up a grade?

Idk how Japan schools work.

Anyway, unless you like haunted mansions, there is nothing in this episode for you. And even then it’s one of the weaker haunted mansion episode stories.

It’s also one of those ‘Forgive your abusers’ story and defiance of said abuser is the bad guy.

Thanks… I hate it.

‘Protect The Children’s Dreams: Friendship Through Anime’

I would say this episode was important for Sailor V lore… if this was actually Sailor V lore, and not about lesbian animators.

Yeah… there’s nothing in this episode for you.

Unless you like lesbian animators.

‘Romance Under The Moon: Usagi’s First Kiss’

Chapter 4 of the manga.

12 Episodes later… oh Serenity…

It introduces Kunzite, another main villain. It introduces Mamoru’s nightmares about Serenity (which near exact to the manga btw). There’s more of the Nephrite & Naru plotline. (Hell, if you skip the previous two episodes like I suggested, this is a near perfect transition.)

It’s also Sailor Moon & Tuxedo Mask’s first kiss.

Though whereas in the manga Usagi was unconscious because she was exhausted from the fight, the anime decided the reason she passed out was because she was intoxicated by wine… as a 14 year old… and Tuxedo Mask kissed her…

What the f-

‘Wish Upon A Star: Naru’s First Love’

“And you’re under arrest for romantic scam charges!”

Couldn’t have said it better myself Usagi.

You thought the 90s age gap between Usagi & Mamoru was bad? Try a 14 year old girl slobbering over a middle aged man who is also a terrorist.

But I like that the other characters call her out that it’s creepy and unhealthy and that their plan is to get her to stay away from him... even though they're the ones proven wrong because 'love'... UGH.

Legit, this episodes subject matter is very sensitive. So trigger warning for this one for abusive relationships & scammers.

But it is important. So… just be mindful of some uncomfortable stuff.

ALSO, this is Part 1 of 2 in a story. So it’s buildup to the next episode.

‘Naru’s Tears: Nephrite Dies For Love’

Part 2 of this two parter. It’s important. You know.

As problematic as the story they came up with is, it is still impressive how the 90s anime utilized Nephrite to flesh out the Dark Kingdom agency over the manga counterpart.

In the manga, Sailor Jupiter just kills him with lightning and we knew nothing about him.

So automatically the 90s anime is an upgrade for this character.

You will be missed, dude.

I didn’t spoil it, the episode title did.

‘Jupiter, The Powerful Girl In Love’

This episode is VITAL. Obviously.

It introduces a new guardian, who is one of the best characters of this show (not sorry).

Like, in manga context, Venus is my favorite, but in 90s anime I’m a Jupiter Stan. (She’s great in the manga too)

I think one of the most interesting changes to her character in manga/anime is Mako’s approach on violence.

In the manga, she saves Usagi from a car, and there was more emphasis on her being an outcast due to her height, where the stories of her being expelled for picking fights were fake.

In the anime however, she actually DOES pick fights with people to protect others, and that’s how she meets Usagi, AND she punches Zoisite in the face without powers… which is just badass. Ngl.

In both versions, her behavior is a trauma response to all her loved ones leaving her. Her parents died in a plane crash, leaving her to live alone, & her previous boyfriend dumped her in a very nasty way. So yeah, her response to crushing on every guy she meets in the anime actually has more depth to it than just a running gag. (I can’t speak since I didn’t watch the other seasons in full, but I heard they go more into this)

As a kid I wasn’t very fond of the anime’s change because the whole point of the manga version was that people misjudge her, whereas here, they really aren’t. BUT I’ve warmed up to it as just another version of the character and one that DOES work for what they are trying to set up about her. Mako’s still the tough girl into cute stuff and a hopeless romantic. She just goes at her treatment from others different ways depending on the version. So, yeah, I like it.

Off topic, but the live action movie based off the first season of the anime goes more into depth on this before Mako even becomes Jupiter. We see her get expelled, and we see her home life and how… depressing and lonely her life was before she met Usagi.

I loved it. I wish those scenes were in the 90s anime. Because we only meet Mako THIS episode, where she was NEVER mentioned before, and we’re supposed to just accept she’s a new main character.

I mean yeah the manga kinda had that issue too, but at least it was Chapter 5 of the manga and not episode TWENTY FIVE.

Whatever. I still love Mako here.

This is also the episode where we learn the existence of Metalia. In a scene from Chapter 7 of the manga. In the manga Metalia is the final boss. But in the anime, it’s just Beryl. So… honestly I kinda wish the 90s anime cut Metalia entirely because not only is Metalia a very boring generic evil entity in both versions, but she does absolutely nothing in the anime. And Beryl is just a way more interesting villain in comparison to Metalia. In both versions. Especially in the manga she’s way more interesting.

And this is also the start of the ‘Silver Crystal Fetch Quest’ arc. There’s these rainbow crystals all three sides are after because they need these things to form the Legendary Silver Crystal.

So, automatically, the Zoisite Arc has nearly all of its episodes important, unlike the last arc. (Sorry Nephrite)

These rainbow crystals were not in the manga. In the manga, the crystal was made from Usagi’s tears. (In the manga the crystal is teardrop shaped as a result. In the anime it’s a sphere.) BUT I don’t hate this choice. It gives us a good excuse to learn more about the world and these people living in it.

At least there’s a reason given for this many episodes now.

OH, and one more thing. This episode introduces the Moon Stick…

…I’m sorry, I prefer how the manga introduces it by MILES. And I’m legit disappointed about how the anime handled it. Luna just… makes it appear. I could buy her doing this with the pens, but this weapon wasn’t that.

It also completely takes away such a wholesome and heartwarming bonding chapter with Sailor Moon & Tuxedo Mask by doing it like this. The stick wasn’t just a weapon, it was a wand of healing magic generated by the couple’s love. It’s so important to the story.

‘Restore Naru’s Smile: Usagi’s Friendship’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

You’re gonna hear me say that five more times.

As problematic as the plotline was, you gotta REALLY appreciate them using the screen time to showcase the grief of the loss of a character. It’s such a great episode to just breathe and process what happened.

This is also the episode where the Usagi introduction changes again. To highlight how amazing Mako is. Can’t argue.

Despite Umino Rei and Luna being especially insufferable this episode (like come on, it’s been how long and Usagi’s saved your asses how many times, how are you STILL so entitled and discrediting her?!), we all wanted Naru to fight Zoisite even if she’d lose. This poor girl needs some serious help. She’s a good kid! Leave her alone!

Also the monster is a boxer…

This is made from a Pastor…

And it made a boxer…

Okay.

At least Tuxedo Mask gets to fight this time. He doesn’t always throw a rose and leaves. Y’all over exaggerate. We also get the music watch this episode, which is used for an emotional punchline in the finale.

‘Crushing On Ami: The Boy Who Can See The Future’

NEW OPENING!!!

Don’t watch it, cause it spoils the fifth Sailor Guardian on this team & the arcs major plot twist. Why???

(Though, the latter is not very hard to guess anyway)

Anyway, Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

Hooray! It’s an Ami episode!!

Seriously, we got how many Rei episodes and only NOW we get an Ami episode?

On top of that, the episode is more about the victim of the week than Ami.

Who in the writers room hated Mercury?

Whatever. It’s still a nice episode.

‘The Painting Of Love: Usagi And Mamoru Get Closer’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

The Usagi intro also changes.

I know. Already. Guess Mako wasn’t that special /j

It’s build up to the big plot twist. I have nothing else to add.

‘Total Chaos: The Messy Love Rectangle’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

Oh yippee, it’s an episode where everyone fights over the same guy. I got Miraculous flashbacks watching this episode with all the stalking involved. But at least it’s just one episode here and not the entire show. And at least that plotline is over with now, at least for this season.

Mako strangles Mamoru at one point and that got a good laugh outta me cause yeah, he deserved it.

Beryl, you don’t need to do anything. Just let Jupiter finish him.

‘Grandpa Loses Control: Rei In Danger’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

Why Rei is such a prick in this show, I cant explain. But at least in this episode it’s somewhat justified…?

But like, she saw her grandpa get attacked and how that emotionally affected him, and she doesn’t do a thing about it till it’s too late?

There’s also a new ship that gets introduced here, one that wasn’t in the manga. Take it however you will.

‘Loved And Chased: Luna’s Worst Day Ever’

Rainbow Crystal. Important episode.

Wow is this the first time we got a Luna episode? I’ve ignored Luna this whole time, and that’s mostly cause she’s just been… there. There to occasionally tell Usagi how dumb she is. But here she actually gets her own little story.

And it’s actually pretty epic.

Yeah this episode is 90s comedy GOLD. They did cat lovers justice.

Jupiter also checks out Mercury. They had no reason to put that in there. But I suppose 90s Jupiter is the bi icon we needed.

‘Umino’s Resolve: I’ll Protect Naru’

Dang, Naru moved on quickly from Nephrite, huh?

But at least this ship is much healthier than that, so that’s nice. It’s something to appreciate Umino for. He’s a good guy.

I guess I should also point out the Zoisite/Kunzite ship since it’s brought up now.

It wasn’t a thing in the manga. Idk whose idea it was. But there’s no real ‘damage’ in making them a couple far as I’m concerned. Yeah there’s the ‘bury your gays’ trope, but it’s 90s, so what do you expect? And hey, could’ve been worse. Uranus & Neptune could’ve not existed.

I mean, I watched this anime subbed with the original Japanese dialogue. I didn’t watch the dub where they censored everything, but I have heard about it and heard dubbed Usagi’s voice, and I couldn’t take it seriously. I also heard about the censorship of the LGBT content in that, where they made the lesbian Sailor Guardians ‘cousins’, and in this case, making Zoisite a woman.

Yeah… the manga specifically calls them the ‘four dark KINGS of destruction’ so why would they call themselves that if a woman was a part of the group?

For those without original context, there you go. Zoisite is a guy. He and Kunzite are a canon couple in the 90s anime. Deal with it.

This episode is actually important because Sailor Moon loses the Rainbow Crystal they had. Can’t say I’m surprised. Like, why did SHE have it? Why not give it to someone like Ami if you really didn’t trust Usagi?

Whatever. Her reasoning was understandable. That’s what counts.

‘Enter Venus, The Last Sailor Guardian’

Obviously this episode is VERY VITAL.

It introduces the last Sailor Guardians of the main team, my girl Sailor Venus.

While I’m not a fan of only foreshadowing/exploring Sailor V in the first episode and a game when this version has so much time, the manga didn’t do that very much either so I can’t complain.

Actually, I more prefer this version of the chapter as an intro to Sailor V.

In the manga/Crystal, Sailor V just shows up at the end as a last ditch save. While that’s also true here, she gets more screen time to actually showcase who she is and WHY she’s a big deal. (Plus, in Crystal, the fight was more focused on Tuxedo Mask’s resolve and complex about Sailor Moon & the Legendary Silver Crystal. A moment with some great writing. BUT that whole bit was made just for Crystal. It didn’t happen in the manga. In the manga, Tuxedo Mask couldn’t even get to Sailor Moon because of a barrier, which was why Venus had to jump in)

This is also the fight where Kunzite participates in the first time.

‘The Shining Silver Crystal: The Moon Princess Appears’

This is part of a 2 parter that is VERY VITAL TO WATCH.

The plot twist is not really hard to guess if you have a brain, but it’s still there and how it’s revealed is pretty sad, Ngl. It’s also the climax of the seasons plot.

Like, even the biggest Mamoru haters have to feel bad for him here.

There is also no Usagi intro in this one. She just describes the plot of the last episode. Shows you the severity of relevance that and this episode have.

Though, there’s a whole plot point on this subject matter involving Venus in the manga. Manga viewers know what I’m talking about. And they just drop it immediately here. And…

Well it was bloody obvious that she wasn’t the thing either way, but it was also heavy characterization for her. So… I guess it’s just another Mako situation how you feel about 90s interpretation.

I’m not someone who docks points just cause it’s different. I’m someone who docks points if the change made makes the story worse. (Like, if you gave Batman a gun. Shit change. Shouldn’t have been done.) In this case, it’s not harming too much. So whatever.

Oh wait, there’s flashbacks to dialogue from the fat shaming episode and the worthless idol episode, so I should claim they’re relevant after all, right?!?!

Yeah, no. I just hate the former episode that much.

But in terms of this two parter. Even haters of the 90s anime gotta LOVE how they handle this part of the story.

‘Returning Memories: Usagi And Mamoru’s Past’

Again, VITAL TO WATCH.

It’s Part 2 of this two parter and part of the major plot twist. We get the Legendary Silver Crystal’s first appearance, a power up for Sailor Moon, Zoisite’s execution (bury your gays), Tuxedo Mask getting abducted, and there’s no Usagi intro this time, as this time it’s Luna that describes what happened last time. We also get some huge vital lore dumps and backstory here.

Rei also somewhat redeems herself a bit. Like I said, she gets better.

Great episode with a lot of plot.

‘Usagi’s Confusion: Is Tuxedo Mask Evil?’

No Usagi intro this time. At all. Instead it’s a follow up of Usagi’s trauma from the two parter. Which is needed.

Though this episode also contains one of the dumbest plans I’ve heard from a villain and the DUMBEST reasons for why it doesn’t work. And the two parter further proves my point.

HOW DO YOU NOT KNOW HER IDENTITY FROM LAST TIME?!

AND HOW DOES A DNA SCANNER FAIL ON YOU?!?! HOW?!?!

These villains are stupid. Kunzite, you’re stupid. Stop being stupid.

This episode is important because of Tuxedo Mask’s role in this episode being revealed.

Also, this episode lies to you. Roses, in fact, do not turn black when they wilt.

‘Let’s Become A Princess: Usagi’s Bizarre Training’

This episode is fun, actually.

We learn that Artemis is the guy that’s been contacting Luna this whole time… which I thought she knew that already, so it’s awkward.

And… that’s it. And in my opinion it’s not enough to call this an important episode because… it’s not.

But it is cute, so… you decide.

‘The Snow, The Mountains, Friendship And Monsters’

Oh. It’s a Usagi & Rei rivalry episode.

(Geez there are a lot of these…)

Pretty stupid they don’t immediately detect there’s a trap in this one considering they literally call it “Moon Contest”

Though Rei actually shows character development and helps Usagi in this one. Like I said, she gets better after the Mamoru incident. Huh, I guess her subplot with him meant something. It leads to some pretty cute bonding with the two that had been missing all season.

And it makes the finale hurt a bit more. You know with what scene.

This is a character episode. In terms of plot there is nothing. You decide.

‘Paired With A Monster: Mako, The Ice Skating Queen’

Uh… let’s see… we learn that the Moon Kingdom loves ice skating.

But it’s completely irrelevant to the rest of the season. And we learn nothing new about the title character. And the episodes existence makes the whole ‘Tuxedo Mask is brainwashed’ thing worse.

SKIP

‘The Legendary Lake Yokai: The Bond Of Usagi’s Family’

This episode is so sweet. Usagi’s family isn’t entirely relevant or anything, but it’s always nice when they get focus.

We also get build up to the next episode with Usagi and Mamoru’s interactions in this episode. Which honestly, I prefer over the manga and how that chapter handles it. Usagi seems less stupid here, surprisingly enough.

Very nice episode. But it’s not needed for the plot so you decide.

‘I Won’t Run Away From Love Anymore: Ami Vs Mamoru’

Yaaaaaayy!! Mercury gets to actually DO STUFF!!

And it’s glorious! It gives a strong look on her character and this is easily her best focus episode in this season!

They also bring back the boy from the last focus episode she had. Who is one of the better side characters in this.

It’s also an important episode because of what happens to Tuxedo Mask.

Mercury W

‘Sailor Venus’s Past: Minako’s Tragic Love’

Okay fr, this is the only character focus episode we’re getting of Venus this season. So take it while you can.

It’s a great character episode just for that and it’s worth a watch if you want to.

‘Usagi Abandoned: The Falling Out Of The Sailor Guardians’

Alright, this is the last filler episode that is not necessary at all.

Nothing in this episode carries over at all. It also forgets the skiing episode being development that happened. So yeah, skipping this episode makes the finale better in my opinion.

‘Usagi’s Awakening: A Message From The Distant Past’, ‘Death Of The Sailor Guardians: The Tragic Final Battle’ ‘Usagi’s Eternal Wish: A Brand New Life’

And of course, the final three episodes make up the finale. All VERY IMPORTANT.

I’m not gonna say much because it’s the ending, but it’s the lore coming full circle, a pretty devastating beat down, and an… odd ending.

I’m also very glad that this anime changed aspects of the backstory from the manga. Changing the Romeo & Juliet date to a plain ‘they were murdered’ and the queen wishing them to live happier in the future is so much less romanticism and the theme from the manga isn’t lost.

Really, my only gripe is the very ending fate of all these characters. If you’ve seen it already, you know what I’m talking about.

The manga didn’t do it, this was an aspect made just for the anime. And it DOES work bittersweetly… if this was a one season show. But it’s not, so Season 2 is left in a very awkward spot. But other than that, this is a great finale to a great season of a great anime.

I actually had quite a bit of fun making this and revisiting this anime. And I do hope that with this some people realize this anime is actually NOT as loaded with pointless filler as many claim.

I thought it would be that way going in, but look at the math I picked up. Of the 46 episodes, only EIGHT of them I found completely pointless and meaningless. But that’s really only if you watch all the episodes that are in the grey area of this regard (what I put in yellow). Those are episodes that help with characterization and/or plain fun if you want it. Or you can skip them if you only want plot. That’s completely your choice.

Whichever route you choose, this is a great entertaining show that is worth your time. Just… be mindful of how many episodes there are.

(Also if you guys want, I can do the other seasons as well. I have no problem with that.)

[seirei-bh]

My opinion about ep 8 - Jason and Amanda's routes

Hi! I'm sorry for my absence for the last month! I'm going to be really busy with college this year, I forgot to write my review of ep 7 and I'm a bit late with ep 8, but I'm still here! Haha

I finally played ep 8! I don't have the VIP now, so I had to wait and I was a bit scared seeing other people's controversial opinions about this ep. My conclusion after playing it is that this episode was… weird. Not as awkward and horrible as I thought it would be, reading other reviews, but as others said I also had the feeling that this ep has a script that would have been more believable in a HSL-type story, since the behavior of the characters seems more like that of a group of teenagers, than adults who work in the same company. It has some similar vibes to HSL in eps 9 and 12 (I loved those eps), when Candy wanted to see Lys' tattoo it was funny and plausible, even innocent since she just wanted to see him shirtless, and not his private parts, plus it led us to find out a secret of Nathaniel's that would later lead us to an important point in his backstory, so it was justified at least as far as "plot excuse" goes, but in a situation with co-workers… it doesn't fit me, and even less if it's in a filler ep. I don't know if it's because they thought about this ep when New Gen was still in the process of being a new HSL, or they just thought that this theme would fit in this environment as well. But it doesn't work for me.

Anyway, I'm happier than ever that my main and secondary routes are Jason and Amanda, since in Jason's route I had the chance to warn Roy and in Amanda's I was able to take her side and against the plan to spy on Roy, warn him too, which in both situations was for me and my OCs (according to their personalities) something much more comfortable. That's why the ep wasn't creepy to me, since it wasn't a "let's catch our coworker naked and without consent" but a "let's have fun watching Roy surprise and get revenge on them."

Amanda received complaints in the fandom for being immature in some previous eps like 3, but in this ep she has been the most mature of all and I love her for it, and the moments with her were wonderful! If this ep was fun and comfortable for me it was largely thanks to her. And I truly felt that things were happening here that made the relationship between Amanda and my Candy advance. I really liked both the conversation they had about how she shouldn't care what other people think about her and how she was grateful that Candy took her side, as well as the date to the spa, both enjoying massages, canapés and scented candles. QUEENS <3

About Jason, I'm tired of us always being in a vulnerable position with him instead of the confident and equal enemies-to-lovers that I would like, however, I was glad that at least he showed respect and consent towards my character, THANK YOU, and I like that he wasn't involved at all in the rest of the plot of this ep, and I liked the special scene of my oc imagining a kiss with him caught me by surprise and was very funny! However, I needed something more, ep 7 had a very emotional scene between them and I really hoped to see something more in this ep that developed their relationship, and I didn't see it. But I have hopes that it will improve. Btw: I can't help but laugh thinking that if my character wasn't there, Jason might have accidentally found Roy naked, wtf XDDD

The scene where I was in the locker with Elenda and Brune pressed up against me… BV when am I going to be able to kiss my girls?? I felt it was a least another good enough situation to get an illustration with them, like the scene of holdings hands with both in ep 6. I miss to get illus with friends like in the previous games ToT

Also, Roy was great during this ep. I'm aware that Devon and Elenda are friends of his since childhood and so they knew that Roy would take that joke in good stead, but still, Devon is supposed to be the boss of our company, he should be more mature and set a limit for the others.

However, I've a painful confession to make, (and please don't judge me, I know Thomas has a lot of fans and I don't mean to offend them), Thomas is supposed to be my third route, but I've decided that I'm not going to do this ep with him, at least not for a while. His behavior in this ep towards Roy has bothered me too much. Roy is his coworker and he's always been nice to him, he doesn't deserve to be embarrassed and have his privacy exposed like this, they're supposed to be friends! Not enemies like Jason with them! Also, I've been finding in these last few episodes that the answers that raise the lovometer with Thomas don't fit with me or my oc at all, and I'm not willing to keep lying just to raise the lovometer. I don't know what I'll do in the future, maybe I'll go back to the Thomas route if he wins my heart again in the next eps, or maybe not, and in that case I'll do the Roy route on that account instead.

Overall, thanks to Amanda and Roy, the episode in my Jason-Amanda routes was very funny, fortunately, and I'm also aware that New Gen is fiction and you shouldn't take it the wrong way, yes, I don't, but honestly, if BV wanted to make an episode with an excuse to show Roy naked and/or Candy having a moment like that with her crushes, I think they could have done it better in another way. The only scene I see justified and believable enough is Amanda's, since they're in a spa and they're women. And I'm not talking about realism, I'm talking about verisimilitude within fiction. I don't know, maybe they all went to a nude beach for some event instead of the pool? And then Candy took a bath like that as a challenge or because a wave made her lose her bikini? Or that Candy wins a free couple spa session ticket and invites her crush! Or that Candy catches Roy naked by mistake simply because she's curious to see him during his common training and she didn't know he bathed naked afterwards? Or that the whole "Roy goes naked in the pool" thing was just a false rumor made up by his fangirls and that when Roy arrived he laughed and said that it was all a lie or that he had spread the rumor to play a joke on them in revenge for something they had done to him before. Or better: wait for more episodes, when we were already in a relationship with our route, and then a nude scene with our route would arise in a more natural way? Like you and your partner wanting to swim together in the private pool at Candy's house, for example, or shower together. At least those scenarios wouldn't let Thomas, Devon and the others act like a bad friend to Roy.

Lastly, something positive: all the images were wonderful! The faces and bodies of all the characters are very beautiful, the luminosity and colors are also very well done, and I liked that there was some variety in some routes and not all of them were in the pool. Also, I was really glad to guess that the promotional image of Candy with the towel belonged to Jason!

[popcultureoverdosed]

Blood Blockade Battlefront is New York at its Finest

NYC often gets a bad rep. Most people either see it as a smelly hellhole filled with crime and crappy attitudes or a breeding ground for hipsters and vapid socialites. People only see what they want to see without looking at the whole picture. This makes Leonardo's all-seeing eyes of God all the more important. Instead of lumping NYC into a box, he sees it for what it truly is; a chaotic blend of volatile elements.

The storytelling of Blood Blockade Battlefront is pure chaos from beginning to end. Leonardo is thrown into a world of highly deadly scenarios with very little breathing room in between. Each episode focuses on a moment in the character's life. One episode will focus on Leonardo befriending an amnesiac monster who loves burgers and another will feature a brigade of Charlie's angels-esque spies who happen to be invisible werewolves. It's the type of show that always keeps you on your toes because you never know what to expect. Some have criticized the show for its lack of an overarching plot and treat it as if that's inherently bad. Blood Bloockade isn't the type of show that needs a complex narrative. Its biggest appeal is simply seeing its eccentric cast interact with each other. Its episodic nature made watching it a breeze since viewers are never overwhelmed with too much information.

Worldbuilding is done at a casual pace where background lore is only given when it's relevant to what's currently happening. Since most characters are already well familiar with the lore, they usually cut the small talk and get straight to the action. In this way, the narrative mirrors New Yorker's aversion to beating around the bush. Show don't tell at its finest. We need more shows that just get to the point. Rie Matsumoto, director of season 1, feels a bit different about the story than I do, though. She inserted two original characters, Black and White, a pair of siblings who share a character arc that Intersects with Leo's. Under normal circumstances, this would have been an incredibly bad move. Filler in anime tends to feel pointless and just detracts from the story. Luckily, Rie Matsumoto made sure that the filler didn't feel like filler. It was fun watching the mystery surrounding the sibling duo unravel with each episode. It eventually culminated in a finale that was nearly an hour long. Matsumoto took a huge risk with her bold decision, but she definitely stuck the landing.

The production values of the show are also top-notch. Pretty much every episode is a reminder of why studio Bones is such a beloved company. They seriously put their key animators to work in both seasons. The fluidity of the fight scenes always left me impressed. Character designer Toshihiro Kawamoto did a great job at bringing Yasuhiro Nightow's art to animation with his iconic style. I love how even when Toshihiro is adapting someone else's character design, his style still shines through.

Special mention needs to be given to composer Taisei Iwasaki because he really killed it with this soundtrack. It's an eclectic blend of jazz, RNB, hip-hop, rock and more genres that perfectly captures the vibe of a busy New York City. Each track is a different flavor of the city and made me feel at home. The soundtrack truly embodies the chaotic feel of the show and captures its occasional serene moments perfectly.The true musical highlights are the openings and endings. BBB is one of those shows where you feel compelled to watch the full episode because the opening and ending are too good to skip. They're all incredibly upbeat songs that make you wanna stop everything and dance. Sugar song and bitter step is one of my favorite anime endings because of it's colorful animation and cheerful aura.

Blood Blockade Battlefront is the type of show that can really resonate with native New Yorkers. We see all the highs and lows of the city almost every day and you have to be just a little bit crazy to appreciate NYC for what it is.

[lovecolibri]

I swear if I have to see one more "think piece" about how "the distance is the point" I'm going to scream. The distance ISN'T the point unless the show TELLS us it's the point.

In season 4 Chim finds out something about Buck. And we see him acting differently and putting distance between himself and Buck, as well as between himself and his coworkers so he doesn't spill the beans. This is overt, obvious, and discussed between the other characters while the audience is in the know that it's *something* about the Buckley family and Buck in particular.

In season 5 we also got a lot of "the distance between Buddie is on purpose", but the show didn't really give us a reason why besides glimpses of Eddie panicking but there is never really a discussion between other characters that Eddie is acting off, or that he and Buck aren't spending as much time together, no moment of Chris expressing worry to anyone before his meltdown at Christmas, nothing. And during Eddie's breakdown there was no mention or discussion between other characters about how Eddie was doing, and no mention from Eddie to Frank or Bobby about how he was keeping his distance for *reasons*. So how was the distance the point if it never came up?

But at least 5a gave the audience some clear moments of Eddie not being okay and Buck being concerned even if we never got any of the characters talking about it, and 5b gave us glimpses of Buck stepping in with Eddie and one good talk about Charlie, and 5x16 let us see Eddie realizing where he belonged.

Season 6 so far is bringing back people justifying the showrunner's poor choices wrt pacing/plotting/arcs and character interactions/depth with "but not seeing Buck and Eddie together is the POINT because xyz *reasons*" when the show has given no indication that there is anything wrong. Buck had a moment of hesitation about being asked to donate and has been all on board since, he and Eddie are talking about fluff and nonsense at work on calls, he's pulling Eddie in on the group call, no one has mentioned them hanging out less, or expressed concern with each other about Buck or about him and Eddie, so again, there is no reason for the distance that the audience is in on. Not unless they want to spend hours filling in things that may or may not end up being true, because KR is bad at her job and expecting the audience to do ALL the heavy lifting. And without clear things happening in the narrative it creates a multitude of other issues. a) It's harder for fandom to fill in the gaps, and harder still to be accurate meaning things are constantly being shifted as new info/episodes arrive but not in a good/fun way because there is never enough information. b) It's harder for the GA to care about what is happening because now it's homework instead of entertainment. Most of them won't even bother and consequently things feel like they come out of nowhere because the narrative set up isn't happening on screen or even being talked about on screen. You shouldn't need additional source material like interviews to know where characters are or if a conflict was resolved or what is happening on the show. and c) Because the important character interactions aren't happening or being discussed on screen you have huge gaps of time you need to do something with. Which gets you a season like 6a which has had some fun/funny moments, but almost everything feels like filler because nothing is actually driving the plots forward and there aren't really multiple, episode long arcs happening at the same time.

Before one or two arcs would get the focus as another arc was wrapping up and another starting. Bobby gets pulled from duty and partway through that arc Shannon dies. Then as Bobby's story is wrapping up, Buck gets hurt, which starts the lawsuit. Partway through that as Buck is coming back into the fold, Eddie starts fighting. Then Hen has an accident and a girl dies and Maddie is struggling after a call hits too close to home, and they all end up in therapy. And that's just some quick highlights off the top of my head from about a half season of episodes.

This got away from me a bit but that's because it's all tied together! The distance not being explained, the too much filler, the lack of arc movement, the poor pacing, the bad storylines for Buck, it's all tied in to how things are being structured. And when you have someone in charge who can't pace/structure well, and admits to constantly struggling to come up with disasters (they'd done 4 and 2 weren't even that big when they were planning 6a), and come up with/plot stories, well....

[silentfcknhill]

FAVORITE SHOWS IN POSTERS

Well, we’re back for another installment of this tagged meme, this time for TV shows! I also stole this from/was indirectly tagged by @jcmorrigan. My taste in shows also differs a bit from my taste in movies, as I tend to like a lot of comedy shows with not as many horror ones. I’m not into shows as much as movies overall, but there are some that I am very passionate about so I picked twenty again. So, here we go for part 2, in order:

1. Avatar: The Last Airbender/The Legend Of Korra (2005-2014)

I'm including these as one show since they take place in the same universe and tell a continuation of the same overall plot. Altogether this is probably the best piece of media to ever exist, including movies. It has so many great characters and villains especially and some of the most epic sequences, charming humor and heartwarming moments ever. I've never met a person who didn't like these shows, even people who normally don't like cartoons. My dad, who is biased against animation? He loved it. My mother? She loved it, watched it with her multiple times. My grandmother? Loved it. My ex-boyfriend? Loved it. My best friend? Loved it. I dare anyone not to, and I'm so glad it's making a resurgence since it's on Netflix for a new generation to enjoy.

2. Black Butler (2008-2014)

I never was big into anime growing up and only really started watching anime when I was like 16 and above, but this is one of the exceptions because holy shit is it ever dark and epic. I'm not sure I'd really recommend it for kids, it's more of a teens and young adults kind of anime and that's probably why it's so good, because it isn't afraid to explore dark and mature topics and do it with all of the intensity and gravitas required to do said topics justice. It has lots of great characters, and the story of demons who make deals with children who have a dark side is fun to watch play out.

3. Seinfeld (1989-1998)

My dad was a huge fan of this show so I watched it growing up since I was a toddler and it became a classic for me. I've watched thw hole show through at least 8 times, and I'll never stop because it never gets old or boring. It's also my only comfort show when I'm having a panic attack because of one time a few years ago when I was having a drug-induced psychosis episode and watching it calmed me down, so now it's like the opposite of a trigger and whenever I'm having an episode or something I watch it to bring me back to reality. For that reason it's more than a show to me, it's a medical treatment and I'm forever grateful to it.

4. The Good Place (2016-2020)

The big four shows made my Michael Schur all made it on this post (The Good Place, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Office and Parks And Recreation), either in the main list of the honorable mentions, but this is my personal favorite of the four. It's so funny, quirky, relatable and basically tailor-made to suit my interests. Not only is it an entertaining and wholesome show, but I think watching it helped me come to terms with a lot of things like mortality, ethics, philosophy, religion and my relationships with other people. It gets  alot of different viewpoints across and if you're a very analytical and philosophical person like me you'll probably enjoy seeing it all play out. Not to mention, every single character is 'favorite character' material. It's rare you find a show with no filler characters in the main cast, but I genuinely can't choose who is best.

5. Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-?)

Another of Michael Schur's shows, this one is just barely under The Good Place and to be honest it was tough to pick my favorite between the two because they're both equally funny. I know it's kind of controversial right now because of the whole law enforcement thing, but I actually think they do a good job of handling social issues in the show and remaining respectful of real-life systemic problems. As for the characters, this is another one of those shows where every single character is gold and I think that tends to be a trend among Schur's shows in general. He produces damn good comedy, and damn good characters. I can't wait to see what they bring next.

6. Rick And Morty (2013-?)

This is unfortunately one of those cases of 'great show, horrible fandom' and for that reason I don't get involved in the fandom even though I love the show. It's a shame because it really is a great show, so funny and, again, such good characters. I think it's a lot more accessible than the fandom likes to claim, so I'm hoping more people will give it a chance and not get put off by the intellectual elitism of the fandom because it does have some of the most entertaining and batshit crazy episodes ever, poking fun of some of the staples of science fiction in media while also poking fun of itself the whole time. Unlike the fandom, the show doesn't take itself seriously and that's enjoyable nowadays.

7. Orange Is The New Black (2013-2019)

While this show is a comedy, it is also a lot of other things and it's probably made me ugly-cry just as many times as it's made me laugh. Well, maybe not as often, but those few scenes (if you've watched the show then you know the ones I'm talking about) made me hysterically sob hard enough to be worth like fifty minor sads. But I didn't even mind because the show is just that good, and it makes you /feel/ something in a real way. Probably because of just how real it gets in terms of telling stories that happen all the time in the real world, sometimes with inevitably tragic endings. But these things do happen every day, and it's important to shine a light on that. It's not just representation for LGBTQ+ but also for POC, the neurodiverse, the poor, and many more. Give it a watch to broaden your perspective!

8. Big Mouth (2017-?)

This is probably the grossest show I've ever seen but by god is it ever funny. Maybe it's because I have an immature sense of humor or something, but I love this show. It definitely won't be everyone's cup of tea and I don't recommend you watch this show with anyone else around because it will get awkward. I think part of its appeal to me is that everyone I talk to who likes it considers it so relatable to their lives growing up but for someone like me who grew up on the autism and asexual spectrum and who was physically an early-bloomer by years, nothing about this show is relatable to me in any way so it makes it all the more crazy and bizarre watching how the people around me must have experienced things. Did y'all really have these experiences with puberty in middle school???

9. Dexter (2006-2013)

I recently heard that this show is coming back for a reboot soon and I'm so excited because this is my absolute favorite drama/thriller show, as evidenced by the fact that it's the highest one on the list so far that isn't a comedy. I love the idea of having a protagonist who is sort of a villain (or at least morally dubious), and the idea of a serial killer who only kills bad people is particularly satisfying for some reason. Maybe because he's the vigilante we all deserve and want in this unjust and evil world of modern times? Idk but the very premise of this show set it up for big things and aside from the ending I think it delivered consistently.

10. Once Upon A Time (2011-2018)

This show took us on some journeys, and you can't deny that. Sure, maybe it didn't always finish what it started and didn't always end in the most satisfying way, but part of its charm is that you didn't care because the experience was just so much fun. They took characters and stories that have been told to death and somehow managed to put a unique and unexpected twist on them, and that alone is admirable. Good twists, good villains, and pretty much every cliffhanger known to man will keep you hooked on binge-watching every episode.

11. RuPaul's Drag Race (2009-?)

A bit different than the other entries on my list in that it's not fiction but a reality competition show, but I couldn't leave Drag Race out because it's just so fucking iconic and perfect. Even when you disagree with the judges or can't stand a certain contestant you'll still be having a good time. It's got the personalities you love to love, the ones you love to hate, and the comedy that's completely meme-able. I mean just how much has this show contributed to pop culture and the internet? More than most of us, henny. I've watched every single season, even the international ones and all of the spinoffs. This show will probably be on for another thirty years when Ru is throwing shade from a hospital bed and I'll still be watching.

12. House (2004-2012)

Some people hate on this show, and I don't get it. I love House. Yes, he's an ass. That's the point. He's supposed to be unlikeable, and that's why I like him. Maybe because I always love the rude, sarcastic, misanthropic jerkass-genius characters for some reason. And I also love procedural shows, so it's a win-win. I also work in the healthcare field so it appeals to me for that reason too, because obviously the whole premise is outlandish which is what makes it funny. Of course it's not realistic for a hospital, so just enjoy the absurdity and don't get too hung up on the details of medical accuracy and professional ethics and you'll be fine.

13. The Office (2005-2013)

The third of Michael Schur's show and the last one that made the main list (sorry Parks And Rec, I love you too but there was just so many good shows to choose from and I saw you last so the nostalgia isn't as strong!) I don't think I need to hype this show up any, it's already a classic and you can't even turn around online without getting hit in the face by a dozen Office memes. You'll have to pry this show and it's relatable characters (especially Michael Scott) from my cold, dead hands.

14. All Hail King Julien/The Penguins Of Madagascar (2008-2017)

Like Avatar/Korra, I also consider this as one show for the sake of this list because it also takes place in the same universe (Madagascar, specifically) and I just couldn't choose one over the other because they're both so perfect. They're funny and I love all the characters (it cut out the weaker links of the Madagascar film series and just focuses on expanding the standout side-characters like King Julien and the penguins). It also delved into some lore, particularly the first show, and even though I didn't also agree with the directions it took (you may have seen me get salty about the ending because I cared too much), I can't deny how much I love it.

15. Bones (2005-2017)

One of the other scarce non-comedy shows on this list, it still has it's funny moments. It's also, like House, another procedural show that involves some medical stuff, but this time on a more scientific and forensic level which is even more interesting. It's nice to see a lead female with Asperger's, too. There's a lot of cop/law enforcement shows where they try to solve crimes, but this one is the best, and I'm saying that as a fan of CSI as well. Don't fight me on this, I'm right. Oh yes, it's corny, it's campy, it's cheesy, but I love every minute of it. Don't watch if you have a weak stomach though.

16. The Simpsons (1989-?)

We all grew up with this show, don't lie. It's been around longer than most people on tumblr have even been alive. Should it have ended seasons ago? Hell yes. But that doesn't take away what the first like 20 or so seasons gave us (there's a lot of argument about when the show jumped the shark, for me it wasn't until much later than the popular consensus). The characters are amazing, but the secret to the show's longevity is that they always return to status quo and there's comfort and nostalgia in that. Bart will still be in 4th grade when you're out there pushing 90. This show is persistent. This show is eternal. This show will outlive us all.

17. Ash Vs. Evil Dead (2015-2018)

Sorely underrated. This show is hilarious, gruesome and campy as hell and I love it. I don't think you necessarily have to watch the Evil Dead movies beforehand in order to get the plot of the show, although it would probably help. In my opinion this show ended way too soon and I'm hoping someday we'll get a comeback because Ash is the reluctant, self-absorbed hero we all need and it's 2020 so at this point there really might actually be a demon-zombie apocalypse and who's gonna save us then if not for the impulsive womanizer with a chainsaw for a hand?

18. Malcolm In The Middle (2000-2006)

Another show I grew up with, I don't think it gets as much credit as it deserves. It has some damn funny episodes and great characters, and it did a lot of the popular sitcom tropes before they were 'cool'. Some other great sitcoms, The Middle in particular, took a lot of influence from this show and it helped pave the way for the future of sitcoms at a time when they were about to make a comeback. If you want a good show about the real experiences of growing up, this is a much more accurate representation of the highs and lows of being an awkward tween from a dysfunctional home.

19. A Series Of Unfortunate Events (2017-2019)

Unlike most people I actually liked the movie version from the early 2000's, and I read the books growing up so I was excited when I saw there was a live action television adaptation of it on Netflix because I felt like they cancelled the movie franchise too soon. I was interested to see how new actors would handle the roles, and I was not disappointed. I wouldn't say I liked either portrayal of the characters better or worse, they both added their own twist to it and this show is a great and loyal adaptation to the books, probably because the author was so heavily involved. He knew just when to stick to the books and when to improve upon what he had done with the benefit of hindsight. This show is basically the books, but remastered.

20. Winx Club (2004-?)

Sort of an odd one out on this list, but I really love this show even as an adult and it may surprise you to learn it is still going on and the most recent season came out last year. They take big breaks sometimes in between seasons, but it's still going strong and in multiple countries. The only thing I don't like about watching this show is all the different and inconsistent dubs since the original show is Italian and each dub only goes for a couple seasons so by the time you get used to one set of voices/names for the characters oyu have to abruptly switch to another, but it's still worth it for the beautiful animation and cool characters (especially the villains!)

Honorable Mentions: 

13 Reasons Why, America's Next Top Model, American Horror Story, Arrested Development, Bates Motel, Battlestar Galactica, Black Mirror, Care Bears, Chernobyl, Courage The Cowardly Dog, Criminal, CSI, Duck Dodgers, Goosebumps, Kenny Vs. Spenny, Kim Possible, Kingdom Hospital, Lazytown, Lost, Making A Murderer, Mayday, Mindhunter, Modern Family, Monster High, Obsession: Dark Desires, Parks And Recreation, Prison Break, Project Runway, Queer As Folk, Queer Eye, Salem, Schitt's Creek, SCTV, Spongebob Squarepants, The Emperor's New School, The Good Doctor, The Haunting Of Hill House/Bly Manor, The Middle, The Pretender, The Walking Dead, The X-Files, Through The Wormhole, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Unsolved Mysteries, Yugioh

Tagging: @bullet-farmer​ and anyone else who wants to!

[merinnan]

Hi! I'm very new to the DMBJ fandom and completely lost about what to watch or read first. I've watched about 9 episodes of Reunion, fell in love with the characters and started reading fic. I've read the first novel and watched a couple episodes of LT1. But I see complaints about some of the shows and don't know whether to keep watching chronologically or skip around for the best Iron Triangle content. And should I plan to read all the books? Any thoughts or suggestions? Thank you!

Hi， and welcome!

DMBJ can seem a bit daunting and confusing at first just because there's so much of it, it jumps all over the place, and all the canons are muddled together.

On the other hand, part of what makes DMBJ so delightful is that there's so much of it, it jumps all over the place, and all the canons are muddled toghether.

It basically means that you really can just jump in wherever, and watch/read in whatever you like, and you will get the important stuff (and find your favourite details). And then when you go back and reread/rewatch stuff after you've read/watched more, you will pick up on a whole heap of new things you hadn't before.

I would absolutely recommend reading all the books (and unless you can read Chinese, I am so sorry that the terrible official English translations are all we've got for the first half of the main series, but it is worth it to get the story, and once you get to the fan translations those are MUCH better, I promise).

Whether you want to read them before watching the shows, after watching the shows, or in between watching them is up to you. You will get a lot of details in the books that you won't in the shows - and there are also some fantastic books and extras that haven't yet been adapted into show format (Zang Hai Hua and Southern Archives immediately jump to mind). You can definitely jump around with reading the books, too - I read Sha Hai and Zang Hai Hua before I finished reading the main series, and didn't have any problems keeping up with what was going on (although it helped that I knew how the main series ended before I read them).

Like with all TV adaptations of books, the dramas have made quite a few plot changes, so it's definitely worth both reading the books and watching the shows.

The dramas, ah... The dramas are definitely not all created equal. Some of them are significantly better than others, but they're all a lot of fun to watch. (I'm told that even 2.5 has some redeeming features, although that one I have yet to watch for myself due to a lack of time and some of the less than great things I've heard about it). Everyone has their favourite drama, and opinions on most of them vary wildly from person to person in the fandom - what can be one person's favourite one is one that someone else absolutely hates. So, yes, you'll hear complaints about all of the shows, to be honest, because every show has some part of the fandom that dislikes it. Some of these complaints are objectively valid (the longer shows absolutely suffer from some annoying and boring filler in order to pad out the runtime, for instance, and DMBJ as a whole has a problem with fridging female characters), while a lot of them are pretty subjective and come down to the person's personal likes and dislikes.

I like all the shows that I've seen, although I definitely have my favourites, and all of them have both their good points and their bad points. Even with my favourite (Reunion) there were parts of it that I just straight up don't like and will fast forward through on rewatches (and yet I know people who love those self-same parts, but who will fast-forward through parts that I really liked). Which is really just a long-winded way of saying that you're not going to know which of the shows you like better than others (and which parts of those shows you do or don't like) without watching them for yourself.

As for what order to watch the shows in, that entirely comes down to personal preference: do you WANT to watch them chronologically, or do you want to watch the best Iron Triangle stuff first and come back to check out the other shows later? Both of these are completely valid choices and neither is more confusing than the other. You can always change your mind if you start watching one way and decide that that isn't working for you, and switch to the other way.

If you want to go for best Iron Triangle content first, I would suggest either finishing off Reunion, then going back to watch Ultimate Note and Tomb of the Sea (there's a lot less Iron Triangle and pingxie content in it compared to the others, but what's there is really amazing), and then watching TLT1, TLT2, and the donghua, or watching Ultimate Note, then finishing off Reunion, then Tomb of the Sea, TLT1, TLT2, and the donghua. Then 2.5 to finish off the main story shows.

If you want to watch chronologically, it's TLT1, TLT2, TLT2.5, donghua (although the donghua could go before 2.5 or even before 2, since it covers one of the books that 2 covers), Ultimate Note, Tomb of the Sea, Reunion.

As I said above, though, if you want to skip around, there isn't a problem with doing that. If you get partway through one of them and really don't want to keep watching it, you can skip on to the next show without a problem, you'll easily pick up all the important stuff anyway (especially once you start Ultimate Note, which has a 'previously on' type recap at the start of the first episode to quickly bring you up to speed on the major plot points that take place before it).

The Mystic Nine (the Republican-era prequel) you can really watch whenever/wherever you want, since about the only impact it has on the other shows is that it's the show that introduces Zhang Rishan (who later appears in Sha Hai and Ultimate Note), and there's a few references to it here and there in later shows.

Time Raiders, the 2016 movie, is completely standalone to everything. It's best described as a steampunk-ish AU of DMBJ. It's absolutely hilarious and I love it, but it really has nothing to do with the main canon.

There's also several spin-off movies and short series for Tomb of the Sea and Reunion, but I'd really advise that you watch the shows first. The spin-offs have nothing to do with the main plot, and the characters in them really won't mean anything to you without having watched the shows, since they feature side characters from those shows.

Have you found any of the DMBJ Discords yet? There's a few of us around. If you haven't and would like to join, let me know and I'll shoot you some invite links!

Hope some of this helps, and enjoy watching/reading/falling into these pits with us!

[inked-out-trees]

⭐ for The Keep Going Song? Thanks! :)

(anh i would die for you)

Thank you for asking! I am going to be talking about the whole thing because it's fun, and because there's not really many ~secrets~ within the text to ramble about, just little fun snippets!

I'll do it under a cut because I will definitely ramble. Woohoo!

I came across The Keep Going Song (the song) after my Lookout 3 Companion Playlist (& my spotify discovery) introduced me to the Bengsons. The effect was almost instantaneous - it's the kind of warmth I try to encompass in everything I do, and for the next few days I had it on repeat as I worked. This was around the time I was finishing my Lookout script, and I had been toying with the idea of writing a Cornleyverse fic after absolutely devouring all 10 fics in the tag. What I knew was that I wanted it to be sweet, I wanted it to pull them all together, and I wanted it to be a progression. Despite only having seen the Goes Wrong Show, jumping into the fandom made me want to dimensionalize these characters and give them a story beyond everything that had already occured.

I also watched Christmas Carol before / during the writing process, but to date I have not watched Peter Pan or the full-length TPTGW. My prior knowledge comes from Wikipedia, the delightul amateur TPTGW production on YouTube, a friend's excellent transcription of the Haversham Manor script, and tumblr meta analysis. I think I did a reasonable enough job pretending I knew what I was doing.

Let's get going!

I knew off the top that it was going to be vignettes - they would give me room to spread the story over the long period of time it takes for a group of people to grow into something resembling a family. Like I said in the original author's note, there was supposed to be more of the early, snippy days - but I got so focused on making them kinder that I found I couldn't properly write a fight. In hindsight, it probably would have been easier if I tried writing that first, but, well. Once I realized that it was too late. The alphabet idea came later, once I had them all finished: I wanted to organize them somehow, but numbers felt too open, too infinite - closing the story on an organizational endpoint was just really satisfying.

a - Every good story needs a good beginning.

c - Starting with the end of Peter Pan is my sneaky way of slipping past the fact that I haven't seen the earlier shows! The Max and Sandra storyline is just so sweet, and I wanted to let it exist a little bit in between our jump from Peter Pan to Christmas Carol. This vignette came so easily when I wrote it and I love love love the feelings and the tentativity about the whole thing.

f - This was actually the last vignette I wrote. I realized I needed some front-end padding because otherwise my angst plot came rather abruptly, and what better way? At this point, too, I was trying to bring in POVs from each one of our characters, and when deciding on Trevor's POV I thought the exasperation-excitement combination would be an excellent choice. It turns out Trevor is my favourite to write, mostly because I can find his voice a lot easier than some of the others - and probably also because I hold a lot of fondness and nostalgia for stage crew work. Also, I wrote most of this one on a long evening walk in the notes app on my phone. Fun fact.

h - I did my original idea slam in a draft tumblr post, and this one just says "birthday party but one without all the drama of christmas carol". And what do you know, that's exactly what it is! I definitely took the birthday party (in CCGW as well as in this fic) as a kind of proof that they really do like each other, if they're doing things like this and if they want to do things like this - and that theme of okay, they want to be here formed the basis for this part. I think it's exceptionally sweet that Dennis came looking for friends and ended up finding, well, something. And I popped in a little MMNI reference with "one of the Janines" - Backwards Janine? Frontwards Janine? Original Janine? Who knows! It's one of them!

l - The thing about this plot is that it's actually one of the first ideas I had when dreaming up this fic, and I couldn't quite let it go. The point was, what if I somehow split them up? How can they get on when half the society is out of commission? And the most reasonable way I could find to actually get half of them out of commission was the car accident. To be honest, this one is mostly filler - it's also the second vignette I wrote, and it found its birth in the email drafts of my work laptop.

m - Trying to map out this little plotline without overdoing it might have been the most difficult part of this fic, and I'm still not 100% sure I succeeded. This is our explanation for the unease from the vignette above, and it took me 3 rewrites before I finally found something that settled in my brain. "Dennis gets chased by a goose" might be one of my favourite lines in the fic though.

Also, putting these letters right next to each other made me feel really clever for no reason.

n - My Jonathan perspective also took a few stutter-steps in its beginning, but this one ultimately came from the promo video's reveal that Robert and Dennis live together, and me playing with the continual idea of the remaining cast members being rather unmoored in their injured castmates' absence. Robert in particular because I love his character and I love making him Feel Things(TM) (fun hint: this will also be a small theme in the new cpds fic I have in the works!) and I want to see so much from this odd relationship between him and Dennis. Obviously they have to tolerate each other if they are willingly roommates - how far can I go with that? I love how this one turned out.

o - All I have to say about this one is that I still really love the sweetness between these two, and they deserve the world. Also, at some point during writing this I was really caught up with how striking Dave's face silhouette is (don't ask) so that ended up making it in somehow.

q - Girls' Night is SO important to me. After all the work they've done to make these gals friends I needed to capture it, and a pleasant night in just made a lot of sense. This one is the home of a few of my headcanons - Annie has a chef roommate and Max does a lot of the cooking, thus the "neither of us are the usual household cooks" comments, and I also think they're at the point where they can joke about their previous failures (especially with these three together) so the nod to A Trial To Watch (my favourite gws episode) was so fun. Also, Waking Ned really is a silly pick-me-up of a movie - would recommend. Special thanks to CBC for giving us Canadians quality British TV alongside our occasionally questionable homegrown programming.

r - It wouldn't be a fic about progress and growth with this crew without a disheartening moment turned into gold. I wrote this one while barbecuing, another fun fact, and no joke the hardest part was figuring out what to name the play they were doing. I kept pace with the whole "Jonathan can't get onscreen" gag, which was personally hilarious and made me cackle as I wrote it, and the rest of it just felt good. I will always have a soft spot for comfort and reassurance in a story and getting to write it has just been an absolute delight.

t - This was one of my other unplanned vignettes. It was originally to fill out Robert's POV, but also to express a bit of how things have changed in Chris's attitude towards his cast - if there's one thing I would change from Mischief's characerisation thus far, it's this brand of almost-kindness that I consistently need to write him with. It takes the aftermath of the car accident and uses it to kind of make him understand - this is a valuable group of people and I don't want to lose it. But of course he's not the type of person to actually express that in any way, so I thought the frenetic hovering was a good way to get the point across. As well, the kind-of-bonding between Chris and Robert - the two of them are such powerhouses of insistent personality that conflict so easily but they've also got a more secret kind of friendship that deserves to be explored a little more. I really like this vignette and how it ended up portraying how they are around each other, how they really do know each other, especially when they're not fighting. Makes me soft.

w - This is the first vignette I wrote! I honestly didn't realize until writing this just how much I identify with Annie - best of both worlds re. crew and cast, a bit of tenacity regarding getting through things, overall personality - I just love her so so much. She also seems like the most sensible of the cast, so the collective "why are we really here?" moment with Trevor really spoke to me. I love their friendship, I love the kind of quiet vibe this vignette gives off - this is one of the ones I can feel most strongly, the one I can step into and exist inside. I also spent most of my old drama rehearsals and classes without shoes, so that had to make it in just by virtue of the sock brigade (me).

z - One thing I knew for sure since the inception of the fic was that it needed to end on a victory. I took the images I had of this victorious adrenaline, everyone together having a good time, kind of getting smashed, and karaoke (I really wanted the karaoke, for some reason) and went the obvious route: the wedding. Ending on Chris POV also felt so right - possibly because he's the one with the most growth in this fic - and getting to finally feel this triumph with him after all these other trials and tribulations was an absolute joy. The wedding hall, in my head, looks like the one my cousin used (it was at a zoo... my sister and I went on a night walk and heard a lot of screaming peacocks) and I definitely threw all my wistfulness, all my love for the characters I'd developed, and all my love for this fantastic fandom into this part. The incorrect lyrics that Annie sings are exactly what I think every time I hear that song, because I've never looked up the lyrics before and my brain likes to play Mad Libs with my super-questionable auditory processing. And the image of the ballroom staff getting really exasperated with them and shutting all the lights off came to me at night and is hastily scribbled on a sticky note (it's a wonder it's legible) but I still strongly believe that it's the perfect, perfect way to end. I still get the warm feelings when I reread this part, even now, after so many reads.

And, finally - our end quote is exactly what started this whole thing. What is this drama society if not a rough beginning? But the concept that we'll make it through, that we can just take a step and then another and it'll be okay because we're together... it's hard to describe just how much it means to me, to my place in the world, to the world itself. I think one of my rather consistent aims in writing, no matter what it is, is to be able to have this collective - characters that become family, people that are important to each other, this constellation to lean on - because it's all I can say for the human experience. It's probably quite a bit of wishful thinking (as I said to another friend, "I am apparently letting loose on all my repressed social feelings of the past year and shoving them into fics") and a sort of subconscious confirmation that if I write it, I can be it. So this force of understanding and kindness and ultimately good people helping each other through the world is something I can't help but include, something that means the absolute world to me.

I'm so glad to have been able to share this fic with everyone, and extra glad that it's been able to touch some people along the way. I've found such an incredible community in Mischief and coincidentally I think The Keep Going Song represents that warmth, too - the community I've been so lucky to exist inside, how we're helping each other along, step by step. What a beautiful thing to be a part of! Thank you for reading and allowing me to give you a bit of my heart. 💖💖

[beybladefanboy]

Top 5 Worst Episodes of Beyblade

I'm gonna say this right off the bat: ranking Beyblade episodes is weird since they're all so tightly knit together. However, I was able to find five episodes that I find either dull or problematic in some way to make a top 5 worst list. When I make the best list, it’ll likely be top 5 of each season because there are way more good episodes than bad ones. In fact, I don't really think most of this list is bad besides the top two. Anyways, let's get started.

5) Episode 109: Kenta's Determination (Metal Fury)

Yeah... I have really mixed thoughts on this episode. I really love parts of it and I really hate other parts of it. I enjoy it every time I watch it, and I've watched this one A LOT, but if I think about it in a critical way at all, it falls apart. It really does feel like the narrative is gloryfing Kenta for stalking someone. Ryuga told Kenta to go away multiple times and when I first watched this episode, I assumed Ryuga was taking a difficult path specifically to throw Kenta off his trail. We don't know that Kenta's statement about Ryuga taking difficult paths on purpose is true, we're just trusting Kenta's word on that, who is still a total stranger to Ryuga at that point. Kenta and the audience have no actual indication that Ryuga wants Kenta around or is letting him follow him until that moment where Ryuga waits for him in the desert, which you can easily miss if you're not paying attention. I know this because younger me missed it. There isn't as much emphasis on this frankly cute moment as I feel there should be. Still, it does save the rest of this episode and later episodes with these two. Without it, the scene at the end where Ryuga allows Kenta to follow him could easily be interpreted as him giving in because he can't get Kenta to go away. "Remember kids, if you stalk someone for long enough, they'll give in!" You see what I mean? It's obviously not trying to teach that but the way this episode is framed, putting Kenta in the right for this, really makes it feel that way. Still, there is at least that little hint that Ryuga wanted Kenta around before the final scene and honestly I love this episode too much to put it any lower. It bothers me when I think about it critically but dammit I enjoy watching it. I hate that dream sequence where everyone is out of character but putting it aside, I love seeing Ryuga kick ass, I still laugh at that scene where he first meets Kenta and doesn't even know his name, I love seeing Ryuga scare off a tiger just by looking at it, and goddammit, him waiting for Kenta in the desert and that entire scene at the campfire are some of the cutest damn things in this show. I love this episode, even though from a critical perspective, it's a disaster.

4) Episode 68: We Meet Again! Wang Fu Zhong (Metal Masters)

This is ironically the only Masters episode on the list. It's the least of the three seasons for me because the overarching story just isn't as interesting but the individual episodes themselves are fine at what they're trying to do. The only exception for me is this one. I will admit I am not very invested in the Wang Fu Zhong characters. I dislike Chi-Yun and Chao Xin, and before his episode with Julian, Da Xiang as well. Mei Mei is fine though her gag of forgetting words is more often dumb than funny. So seeing them wasn't very exciting for me. I'm also just not invested in this conflict. Gingka, Masamune, Yu, and Tsubasa struggling to work together as a team makes perfect sense given their characters and adds conflict. It makes sense it's just not interesting. There were what... two team battles in the entire tournament? And the way they all worked together in the final act was by fighting their own individual battles so this whole conflict didn't feel like it amounted to much in the end. There was this big emphasis on teamwork with no real pay-off (in this season at least, Fury did a better job with the teamwork angle). It also makes the characters really damn annoying. I mean, I can't stay mad at Tsubasa but the other three were being so bratty, to the point where I was getting just as frustrated as Madoka. There are some good comedic moments in this episode but overall, it's just kind of a slog for me.

3) Episode 37: Rock Scorpio's Deadly Poison (Metal Fusion)

Jeez, another Kenta episode. Kenta is one of my favourite characters. Why are his episodes so hit or miss? This one is kinda like my number four pick: not necessarily bad, just boring and annoying. Busujima is an annoying nuisance and I don't find Sora or his pack of randos interesting. This episode was also really misplaced, coming after Tsubasa leaves the Dark Nebula and before he goes to confront the others. If you skip this episode, you will miss nothing. In fact, this episode takes away from the flow of the story and is just a distraction. Sometimes filler episodes can be okay like the Kenta and Benkei changing parts episode in Fusion or the Blader DJ battle in Masters. The difference is those were fun and the latter especially came at a time when the audience and the characters actually needed a breather. This episode doesn't do that. It takes more than it gives.

2) Episode 130: The God of Venus, Quetzalcoatl (Metal Fury)

Okay, Yu and Tithi's battle is perfectly fine. It's quite fun actually. My problems with this episode occur after that. I've complained about this so many times but I cannot stress it enough: this episode destroyed Kyoya's character. It made me hate him the first time I saw this. Kyoya beat up a child who didn't want to fight. When has Kyoya ever demanded to battle a cowering opponent, much less a child? Tithi being a legendary blader isn't an excuse by the way, he was still a non-combatant. RYUGA was above bullshit like this at this point. Also, Kyoya's reason for deciding to return is horribly stupid and forced. Destiny is a theme throughout Fury but it was always portrayed as a choice the characters made of their own accord, impacting the world around them, not some invisible unstoppable force making them do things. I really respected that about this season. Destiny being a choice is more applicable to real life and just more inspiring and interesting in general. But that's thrown in the trash in this episode when Kyoya feels that destiny is forcing him to be with the group, despite him helping them of his own accord in past episodes and destiny not actually forcing him to do anything. It sounds like an excuse and abandons the actual emotional reason Kyoya left the group in the first place. His internal conflict of feeling weak for being in a group was left unresolved and he comes off as a selfish guy only sticking with the group because he feels he's forced to by some invisible concept, something every other episode in the series disagrees with.

1) Episode 48: The Truth About Light and Darkness (Metal Fusion)

In my opinion, this is the only episode in the series that actively hurts other episodes. The Phoenix twist was already incredibly obvious at this point yet they still feel the need to take up the majority of this episode explaining it and the lore about L-Drago and the dark power in excruciating detail. This episode is nothing more than an exposition dump. In the case of the L-Drago lore, it's actually important, but I ask you: what did the Ryo twist actually add? After this point, it gives us a stupidly incompetent director of the WBBA to make frustrating decisions for the sake of the plot in Masters and to a lesser extent, Fury. However, there was no reason this character needed to be Gingka's dad. Or exist, really. These conflicts could've happened whether or not there was a figurehead for the WBBA orchestrating it. However, this episode even more negatively impacts past episodes by painting Ryo's aggressive actions toward Gingka, especially him breaking his point counter, as abusive. He abandoned him, let him think he was dead, and broke something of his for the sake of shaping him into this "noble hero" and the episode has the fucking gall to not only put him in the right, but have the characters and the narrative glorify his actions. "Remember kids, it's okay if your parents abuse you as long as they're doing it for your own good." This is Kenta's Determination levels of messed up implications. Except while that episode was sweet, funny and didn't hurt any other episodes, this episode is drawn out, boring, and actively makes Fusion as a whole worse. And the worst part is it's unskippable. Like I said earlier, there's a ton of important exposition in this episode as well as Ryuga killing Doji, which is a hugely important scene that shows that not even Ryuga's allies are safe and really hammers in just how greedy for power he is. It's honestly the only good scene in the episode. The L-Drago lore is important and strengthens the final battle but everything else should've been scrapped.

And there’s my list. I tried to make this list somewhat objective, only putting episodes on here that had actual problems and not just episodes that annoyed me. That’s why the Garcias episodes aren’t on here for the record. I actually wanted to put episodes 82 and 83 on here so badly but there’s actually nothing objectively wrong with them. Those characters are annoying but the battles are mostly pretty good, the knockout battle set up is unique, and it’s not a distraction. The world tournament is the main plot after all. Call those episodes dishonourable mentions if you will, I enjoy Kenta’s Determination more than both of them, even though that episode is probably objectively worse.

[unnursvanablog]

Vincenzo / kdrama review

This is just my opinions on the kdrama Vincenzo. Thoughts below are pretty much spoiler free, but if there are spoilers, I will put up a spoiler warning first.

It is always fun when any form of media completely surprises you and sweeps you of your feet, and just exceeds all your expectations. With Vincenzo I was expecting something very melodramatic, boring and quite typical legal drama that I would stop watching for a few episodes because I was dying of boredom but what I got was the exact opposite of that. It was so off-kilter.

The drama actually sounds as crazy as it sounds on paper and yet I don't think the description does it justice. Usually, I do not like such makjang type dramas or over the top soap opera style shows, but here it is done with so much humor and skill so instead of getting on my nerves I got this weird mix of soap opera, thriller, and comedy and then a group of weird, flawed and morally gray characters. It is a weird mix, but it works surprisingly well together. There is a good balance between all these different factors, and it makes quite a cohesive story.

Despite all the laughs and the absurdity that the drama throws at us, it never seems as if it is mocking the story or this soap opera world that is had crafted around it. It's more playing with it and really take advantage of it. smart. Because it takes itself quite seriously with it tone, and yet it does not because it's main goal seems to be making the most entertaining story, and achieving that is not easy. It's shows a certain strength within the story and the vision the people behind it had. And that shines quite clearly within the story and makes Vincenzo quite stylish.

The story goes in circles a bit. Sometimes things just seem to happen just because the story needs them to happen just for it to move forward. Some things feel too convenient but the show seems to be very aware of it that you kinda don’t question it too much. It feels wonderfully self-aware of it's genre, which also helps you suspend your disbelief and keeps you thoroughly  entertained while even the most convenient plot points are happening. The story sort of manages to be logical within this small world it has created.

It plays with the soap opera formula and the clichés that comes with those stories and tales of the mafia, to take the story and comedy to another level, making things more exciting, crazier, without making fun of it. It has all done to entertain us or to provoke sort of reaction out of the audience.

But I think it is the characters that really make this show what it is. They are just so fun or interesting! Every single character, whether they are supporting characters or not, have their own quirks and darker sides, although to varying degrees. They are all quite ridiculous and complex in their own way.  

Our hero Vincenzo is more of an anti-hero and even the antagonist gets some nuances and quirks that even if you sort of hated them you also enjoyed watching them. I have personally not enjoyed a villain in a kdrama this much for quite some time. They brought so much tension, drama, and comedy into the show that I was almost more excited to see what they would do more than our protagonist.

The same goes with the supporting cast. I enjoyed every scene, every little side-plot that they had going on, which does not always happen. Sometimes they feel like fillers to extend the story for no good reason, but here the supporting characters get to control both the humor of the episodes but also the heart of the show. They all felt important, flawed, and interesting in their own way. They are not just comic-relief,

The romance in Vincenzo is slow and never takes over much of the story itself, although it is very often lingering in the background and the drama is always alluding to it. However, it is never the center of the drama. It is not the main story or focus, and I have to say for my part I am usually fonder of a slow-burning romance and that really worked well here with everything else going on. I love some good pining and longing because the character does not want to admit that they are in love or have not realized it. And there was more than enough of that in Vincenzo. Both are learning to trust others and become good people. Although no one is really a good person in this show.

Do I feel like the drama could gave allowed Chae Young to save herself a little more instead of always having Vincenzo come and save the day and the drama itself had a tendency to rely a little too much on the charm and the visuals of Song Joongki for my taste. It became a bit too repetitive after a while.

Vincenzo is a style of kdrama that I rarely see. And although it contains many basics of soap opera storytelling and other types of kdramas out there, I feel it does stand out because I have never quite seen this mixture before. No matter what the drama did it was always exciting to see what happened next and it always kept me surprised even though I thought the story went in some circles and brushed over certain things along the way. I never felt like they truly ran out of ideas to entertain me and entertain me it certainly did. It never really dealt all its cards.

Vincenzo is not flawless, but it is a hell of a good time. There is always this tension within it, you kept on wondering what would happen next, what these characters would do. You have no know what is going to happen. There is always a lot going on and so much high drama, such high stakes, yet still always so filled with humor. It was a real roller coaster ride from start to finish. 

Vincenzo grabbed me completely and did not want to let me go until the very end. I have not enjoyed a kdrama and the discussions that took place around this much it for some time now. And that is what I will take from it; it was just pure fun. It was pure entertainment for me.

[forestwater87]

Every episode of Camp Camp ranked: A very (non)objective list

It's well past the time of year when Season 5 of Camp Camp would've dropped. I fully understand and support it not coming out; the crew's health and safety are much more important than a comfort show.

However . . . man, would it be nice to have some comfort right now.

So I'm reliving the entire series! I've been known to share with the world a whole bunch of Spicy Hot Takes, but I've never really sat down and talked about my feelings about the show as a whole. 

And what's the best way to do that? Well, just ask Jenny Nicholson: a numbered list! That is, here's the series ranked from worst episode to best, because I want to get the negativity out of the way early and focus on everything I love (and because people enjoy complaining, so let’s frontload all that). 

The takes will be hot. The feelings will be intense. The post, I'm assuming, will be largely unread.

Let's do it!

Oh and duh, there are spoilers. I tried to keep it pretty chill, but you’ll want to have watched the whole show or just not care about spoilers before going forward.

Also slashes in the middle of “naughty words” are meant to prevent this from being kept out of the main tags. Who knows if it’ll work? I don’t.

60. Who Peed the Lake? (Season 4, epis/sode 3)

Ah, good ol' Pi/ss Lake (or as @hopefullypessimistic84​ calls it because she's funnier than any of us will ever be, “Pis/s Fe/tish Dot Com”). Terrible, one of the few I’d consider nigh unwatchable. I actually kind of love this episode for being such great shorthand for "the absolute worst one."

Who signed off on an entire episode centered around Sherlock Holmes meets a bad om/o joke? Give me names and addresses: I just want to talk.

59. Reigny Day (Season 1, episode 6)

And nobody was surprised.

I'll admit I'm more willing to defend this episode than many people, but it's not . . . like, good. It seemed okay when there were only 11 other episodes to compare it to, but now that there have been so many bangers, this comes across as extremely weak. 

And let’s just say the Na/zi jokes hit a lot differently in 2020 than they did in the summer of 2016.

I’m overall happy with the direction the showrunners have moved Dolph’s character in, and I can’t totally blame them for using a kind of humor that was fairly common in the pre-Trump era, but yikes, this has aged like milk. And it wasn’t even very funny at the time, so it aged like milk that was already pretty bad to begin with.

58. Squirrel Camp (Season 4, episode 10)

This is a dumb one.

Not much else to say; it’s just kinda stupid and lame.

57. Fashion Victims (Season 4, episode 13)

I love Sasha, but this is filler. Which isn’t in itself a bad thing -- I have a couple episodes near the top that could reasonably be called filler, and a valid argument could easily be made that “filler episodes” don’t actually exist in a show with no plot -- but as much as I adore the Flower Scouts and enjoy the handful of good moments we get in this episode . . . who cares? Does anyone really give a sh/it about anything that happens here? Does anyone get their life from this one?

I didn’t think so.

56. Foreign Exchange Campers (Season 3, episode 3)

I know, I know, your Russian waifu came from this episode. Why do you think it’s so low on this list?

Okay, for real: this is . . . fine. It’s fine. It’s fine? I’m not mad at it, it just feels tonally incongruous and not very memorable beyond the fact that the fandom got really weird and kinda gross about Vera. But the episode itself? There’s some cute stuff with Neil and Nikki being jealous, but for the most part it’s a big hunk of white bread with some super mild white cheese that’s kinda soggy from sitting in a bag for too long and getting all condensation-y. 

That is to say: it’s fine.

ETA: Space Kid does say “fu/ck.” I can’t decide if that’s a point in the episode’s favor or against it.

This is the last of what I’d call the “bad” episodes. Everything after this ranges from mediocre to mind-blowingly amazing. But whatever our failing tier of Camp Camp episodes is, it stops right about here. 

Onto the good stuff!

55. Night of the Living Ill (Season 2 Halloween episode)

I keep switching this with “Eggs Benefits,” which probably means they should be tied. But whatever, this is my list and I am in charge and I’ve finally decided, after like 5 changes, that I like this one a little bit less.

It’s a fun Romero parody with nothing I’d call bad. Really this one’s only so low on the list because I think it’s kinda icky, and looking at those green snotty faces makes me queasy. If you think this is a bad reason to put it near the bottom of the list, then make your own post.

54. Cameron Campbell Can't Handle the Truth Serum (Season 4, episode 11)

I . . . don’t remember this at all. I initially had it a bit higher because I tend to love things with Campbell in them, but then I realized that nothing about this episode stuck in my brain even a little bit. 

Oh, this is the “Dolph has autism” episode that made everyone either extremely happy or really mad? Okay. I guess that’s the most remarkable thing about it. Neato.

Cam, I love you, but this was just not the best use of your sleazy charm.

53. Eggs Benefits (Season 2, episode 9)

This is one of those episodes with enough cute moments and good ideas to save it from being totally unmemorable, and I mostly enjoy rewatching. Platypus being a mom is a fabulous idea, and pairing the campers the way they did was mostly really interesting and fun.

The Preston-Nurf stuff takes it down several pretty significant notches, though. It’s what the kids would call problematic, and while I normally enjoy how the show doesn’t skew away from darker themes and jokes, it didn’t really fit either of their characters and just . . . isn’t fun to watch. It’s not especially funny, it’s not especially tragic, it’s just uncomfortable.

52. Camp Campbell Wants YOU! (Season 1, episode 0)

Honestly, this would be a lot higher if it was a full-length episode. It’s funny.

The next 5 or so episodes fall under the “cute but not very memorable” umbrella:

51. Nikki's Last Day on Earth (Season 3, episode 4)

I love the ensemble episodes, so this was always going to score higher than any of the single-character “meh” eps. I didn’t see the twist coming, though I know a lot of other fans did. Textbook example of “cute but not very memorable” -- the Platonic ideal of that concept.

50. The Candy Kingpin (Season 3, episode 9)

A clever idea that plays on Max’s worst characteristics and then calls him out for them, while also giving Dolph some much-needed character development. Unfortunately, I don’t feel like it really picks up until the last third of the episode, leaving the rest just kind of sitting there.

49. Campfire Tales (Season 4, episode 13)

Who doesn’t love campfire stories?

That’s all I got. They’re campfire stories.

ETA: OH SH/IT THIS ONE HAS THAT REALLY SCARY STORY! Where David’s all like . . . Slenderman’d. Fu/ck, I didn’t remember that until I was writing out my thoughts for #35 or so. That definitely elevates it, but I’m too tired to try and re-decide where this should go, so just tie it with “New Adventure!”

48. New Adventure! (Season 4, episode 4)

New trio! Focusing on these 3 was a definite risk, and I think it really paid off. While the “plot” itself isn’t anything special, there are a handful of really great side gags (hi, Dirty Kevin!!!!) and it’s fun to see these three interact. They all get some nice character beats. It’s a good time.

47. Something Fishy (Season 3, episode 8)

This might’ve hit me harder if I’d actually seen The Shape of Water, but the send-up works fine without having more than the seen-the-trailer level of understanding. Gwen dresses pretty, which I love; Max sucks, which I also love. What drags this one down is mostly feeling like the surreal aspects of the comedy go a bit too far into the “what the fu/ck am I looking at?” territory without really . . . making an actual joke beyond “look! Wacky!"

Why is David at the opera with a bird? Why??

46. City Survival (Season 3, episode 11)

Literally do not remember a single thing about this episode except David getting mugged and being called a “homeless twi/nk.” That should probably rank it lower on the list, but David being a fluttery mother hen saves it for me -- as does the fact that it leads directly into one of my favorite episodes, and the single best story arc of the series.

Next set of episodes is what I’m going to arbitrarily call “okay! but like the good kind of okay, not the bad kind.”

45. Bonjour Bonquisha (Season 2, episode 7)

Max and Sasha masterminding a scheme is really fun; their dynamic is great (though it won’t be fully realized until Season 4), and heartbroken David is so tragically cute it actually makes my heart explode out of my chest.

Also I can’t resist a good “3 kids in a trench coat” gag.

44. Anti-Social Network (Season 2, episode 2)

Neil is very relatable and I don’t have much else to say about this one. It’s fun to see an episode that more heavily focuses on our nerdy science boy, and Max and Neil teaming up to save Nikki was really charming and sweet and set my Makkiel ship out to sea.

43. A Camp Camp Christmas, or Whatever (Season 2 holiday episode)

Why does this episode have a musical number? It’s not good.

Okay, that was mean. This is fun and cute and Gwen wears a pretty purple sweatshirt and Space Kid gives her a present and it’s really sweet. But that musical number is an instant fast-forward for me, sorry.

42. Preston Goodplay's Good Play (Season 4, episode 7)

We get some Preston character development! Awesome!

It’s done in a really trippy and surreal way that totally fits his character and heightens the drama of the episode! Awesome!

David has an apparently-tragic history of being a French mime! Not a good call! 

Next tier: Some good sh/it! (Tbh, these could all be put in just about any order; they might as well be one massive tie.)

41. Cookin' Cookies (Season 2, episode 11)

I love the Flower Scouts. I love Dirty Kevin. I love the idea of accidentally starting a dru/g empire. Another weird, borderline experimental one focusing on side characters, and I think it works better than “New Adventure!” because the scale of the melodrama is just so over-the-top.

The fact that this is in the bottom 20 but I have nothing but good things to say about it illustrates how dang good this show is. It’s only getting better from here, folks!

40. Romeo & Juliet II: Love Resurrected (Season 1, episode 7)

Preston is a terrible playwright. This makes sense, because he’s like 11, but he’s the kind of hilariously bad I wish I’d been as a preteen, because his play is absolutely bonkers. Max fucking with David is great, Tabii vs. Bonquisha is great, Bonquisha in general is a giant amazonian goddess and I want to be swept up into her giant arms. Neil is . . . a robot, for some reason?

So much fun!

39. Camp Cool Kidz (Season 1, episode 4)

I don’t love Ered’s characterization in this one, but there are a lot of wacky hijinks in this episode that I think make it really enjoyable. Max’s wide-eyed revolutionary naïveté is a fun change from his usual dour pessimism, and Nikki’s loyalty to Ered is both very gay and very charming. Plus we get to learn a bit more about how the camp operates (and fails to operate), and it’s a nice way to better establish the campsite as its own setting.

(Definitely think “Cool” should’ve been spelled with a K though. But whatever, I don’t write for the show.)

38. Scout's Dishonor (Season 1, episode 3)

The birth of Neeancy! The introduction of the Flower and Wood Scouts! Neil saying “cu/nt” -- one of the first and only truly shocking uses of profanity in the entire show! ZUKO!

I don’t know if my fondness for this one is rooted mostly in nostalgia or if it was actually really fun, but I enjoyed the he/ll out of it. Not as highly-rated as some other episodes mostly because it doesn’t really do anything, character or story-wise, but not every episode needs to be a massive game-changer that drowns us in feels. Sometimes it’s enough to have a fun romp, and this is very that.

37. Ered Gets Her Cool Back (Season 3, episode 2)

Awww, Ered. I have a soft spot for her, because I love the archetype of a spoiled bit/ch clearly still figuring out how to be a person and have friends. You really get the sense of her as a teenager trying to sort her shi/t out in this episode, which I would love to see more of. Her interactions with Nerris are top-tier, and I like that it’s a continuation of how her character’s been softening since Season 1 into this kind of big-sister figure.

Also, all the female campers in this show are lesbians. I do not make the rules.

36. Attack of the Nurfs (Season 4, episode 2)

I feel like this is a pretty underrated episode. But then again, I feel like Nurf is a pretty underrated character, so maybe that’s just my own personal bias.

I really enjoyed all the different iterations of Nurf, and I think Blaine did a killer job giving each one its own personality and life. It’s a fun episode that plays hard with cartoon physics (a 3D printer printing people! I love it!) and has a surprisingly moving ending.

At least, that’s what I think. Most other people seem to find this one pretty forgettable. Again: make your own da/mn list. I liked it.

35. Mascot (Season 1, episode 2)

This entire episode is memorable for so many things, but a few of my favorites:

David is established as kind of a di/ck.

Platypus arrives and kicks all the as/s.

Quartermaster is the best.

Nerris, Harrison, and Space Kid all get little moments to show off how cute they are.

Neil and Nikki bonding.

This:

34. Quest to Sleepy Peak Peak (Season 2, episode 3)

I love watching Nerris and Harrison bicker, and Neil and Nikki fit really well into their group. It reminds me of being a kid, and of playing Dungeons & Dragons (as an adult, because I’m so cool), and of summer . . . which is a really good thing for this show. There are a lot of funny one-liners, and it’s just a good dang time.

33. Quartermaster Appreciation Day (Season 2, episode 6)

I don’t think this one is all that well-loved, but I thought it was funny. There are literally zero important plot or character moments, but it made me laugh a lot, and that’s all I need a Camp Camp episode to do. 

I love QM, and the more we learn about him, the more confused and disturbed we end up being. What a fu/cking champion.

32. Arrival of the Torso Takers (Season 3 Halloween episode)

I lowkey hated this one when it came out, because I knew the Daniel stans were going to be exhausting. And they kind of were? But looking back, it’s a great way to reintroduce this motherfu/cker. He’s a lot scarier than he was the last time around -- but also less competent, which is a great way to kick him in the proverbial ba/lls -- and while I wish it had a lot more Gwen in it, it’s a clever and creative Halloween episode. 

31. Operation: Charlie Tango Foxtrot (Season 3, episode 10)

Charlie . . . Tango . . . Foxtrot . . . CTF . . . OH! Capture the Flag! I never got that before. Oh, that’s neat. I love this show.

Listen, every time the writers decide to take a risk and do something bizarre and creative, I’m going to be here for it at least a little bit. An entire episode told from the POV of the Woodscouts, explaining how hard they failed in all directions? A great gag where everyone in Petrol’s story talks in grunts? The return of Jermy Fartz?! Fantastic. 

30. Panicked Room (Season 4, episode 16)

Listen. I’m a sucker for my trash grandpa; anything Campbell-centric is probably going to be pretty good (except #54), because he’s just one of the most consistently funny and engaging characters. Good times are had whenever this terrible man is on the screen, and giving him a romantic backstory? A tragic romantic backstory full of mistakes and emotional damage?? One where he waited 17 YEARS for the love of his life???

We have no choice but to stan.

29. Party Pooper (Season 4, episode 15)

I’m so predictable. If you put Gwen in something, I will be happy. If you make an entire episode about how Gwen is under-appreciated and overworked and just trying to do her best despite the circumstances, I will dedicate my firstborn child to you.

Anyway, this episode is really sweet, and I liked the unexpected direction the writers took her relationship with her dad. He seems like a nice guy, they seem like they have a nice relationship, and . . . well, an episode about how hard it is to be an adult millennial hit pretty hard. Plus this was just a really pretty episode -- and not just because Gwen was in so much of it! Seriously, that night sky was a thing of beauty.

Also if you say a fuc/king word about Max and that godda/mn dog I will choke you out with your own intestines. Few things are more hilariously, annoyingly ironic than the fact that the entire fandom ignored and failed to appreciate Gwen . . . in the episode all about how everyone ignores and fails to appreciate Gwen.

28. Culture Day (Season 3 holiday episode)

Now, would it be arrogant to point out that I had the idea for a Culture/Heritage Day back in September 2018? Yes, especially since I don’t think the writers ever read fanfiction and it has literally nothing to do with this episode. Will that stop me? He/ll no it will not! I am a creature of ego! Read my stuff! 

Anyway, this is a really fun look at Neil’s background, personality, and relationships. Max looking out for him is just . . . oh my god, I cannot, I’ve written like 30 of these and my brain is starting to melt, but these two are so cute. I love arrogant Neil, and I love protective Max, and I love QM and Gwen fuc/king over the Flower Scouts to save the day. Everything about this episode is lovely.

27. Cameron Campbell the Camp Campbell Camper (Season 3, episode 7)

This should not be ranked so high (even if these are all essentially tied). This is a dumb episode based on a really, really dumb premise. 

But . . . I don’t know what to tell you. “Samboy Kidwell,” Max realizing he and Campbell are disturbingly similar and not liking what his future could look like, David’s “I’m not mad, I’m disappointed” face . . . this episode happens to hit all of my favorite things. It had a really good balance of heavy-handed moralizing and goofs, it was part of the most graceful lead-up into a finale the show has ever had, and I’m just all about it. 

Excellent job, Samboy. Count Olaf would be proud of your disguise.

There ends the “some good sh/it” tier. We’re starting to get into the really excellent stuff now!

26. Parents' Day (Season 2, episode 12)

I know. You want this to be higher. I hear you.

Honestly I’m kind of shocked it’s this high; it’s my least favorite of the season finales so far, and I had to push past a lot of prejudice to actually rank this where I think it deserves to be, as opposed to somewhere in the like mid-40s. Mostly because it gave fuel to the raging inferno of “Max has terrible parents and David should adopt him” headcanons, which I’ve detailed my problems with extensively in the past (in a post that, statistically speaking, none of you have read).

But, trying to be objective: is this episode actually any good?

Well . . . yeah, it really is.

So much work was put into giving each of the campers families that make sense with their characters and bounce absurdly well off of them, ranging from wholesome and adorable (Nerris’s family) to quietly tragic (Harrison’s parents), and they’re all designed so well; they’re fun to look at and fun to watch interact with the kids and each other. (The only exception is Dolph’s dad, who is both kinda lame and misattributes the cause of the weird Na/zi thing because it did not come from Germany, I assure you. But things with Dolph are always a little off, and I don’t really know how you would give him a backstory that actually works with the character, so they were caught between a rock and a hard place there.)

The drama of David having to choose between the man he considers his father and the camp he considers his home is really touching, and him and Gwen choosing to take a sad camper out to get pizza instead of covering for their boss’s a/ss is such a beautiful moment for both of them that I can’t really blame the fandom for losing their mind over it. Campbell’s arrest leading into the arcs of the next two seasons was great as well, and the finale left us all with this weird sense of foreboding because we didn’t know what was going to happen next; it was the only finale that actually ended on something close to a cliffhanger, while still being satisfying enough to keep us all from melting down.

Plus, it’s funny. Carl and Candy are really funny and the idea of Neil and Nikki’s parents boning is funny in a horrible way. The joke about Quartersister is funny. It’s a good episode.

Should this be higher? Maybe, but I can’t bring myself to put it above the rest of these episodes. Again: make your own list.

25. Mind Freakers (Season 1, episode 10)

The episode that launched a thousand ships. Assuming those ships are all Harrison/Neil, anyway.

It’s hard to talk about these Season 1 episodes because they feel so classic. Like, what is there to say? You’ve all seen it a couple dozen times; I’ve seen it a couple dozen times. Harrison is a di/ck, Neil is possibly an even bigger di/ck, and magic may or may not be real. (Though spoilers for literally every season: yes, magic is definitely real.) It’s so much fun watching these two smug as/sholes snipe at each other in an almost literal playground hair-pulling way that could very easily be read as flirtation. 

And the fandom did most certainly read it that way, at least for a little while.

24. Gwen Gets a Job (Season 2, episode 8)

It’s Gwen. What, was I supposed to not put it this high?

This was the first Gwen-centric episode, and it absolutely slaps. She’s pushed to the breaking point and responds by being a cold-hearted BAMF, and it got her some pretty significant hate from fans but I don’t give a fu/ck, I loved it. We got to see her all dolled up, and then we got to see her all disheveled, and both of those looks were gorgeous. David gives her a tiny fragment of the love and validation she deserves (I don’t know if this is when gwenvid started taking off -- I think it wasn’t really until “Parents’ Day,” or even Season 3 -- but I ate that s/hit up).

Also, again: job hunting post-2008. It’s a bad time, y’all. Camp Camp gets it.

23. Follow the Leader (Season 4, episode 6)

Yeah, I was kind of surprised at how high this landed, too. I guess I’m just a sucker for unlikely companionships, and these three have a great chemistry. The combination of competitiveness, sass, and reluctant admiration make their interactions a lot of fun. Their motivation of doing petty errands for Campbell for the sake of getting at the Box of Illegal Contraband is a great framework too, with high enough stakes to justify all sorts of wacky shenanigans without causing actual anxiety.

I want to see these characters forced to spend more time together. Please, RT, make that happen.

22. Escape from Camp Campbell (Season 1, episode 1)

In terms of numbers, this feels so low, but considering everything from about #45 on is ranked as at least decent, this is actually a pretty high rating. There are 21 episodes I’d call better than this, but these decisions were all pretty painful.

This introduces us to everyone! The main trio, the counselors, Mr. Campbell; we get a snapshot of the major personalities running around the camp, the major points of conflict (Max vs. David, primarily), the major building blocks of future episodes, setting, and relationships . . . 

Again, I don’t know how much of my love for this episode is nostalgia -- there’s a lot of squeeing at familiar faces and gags; this is the first time David gets hit by a bus!!! -- but it was a fun and funny introduction to a series that’s ended up being so important to me, and I’m so grateful this wonderful, quirky little show with its wonderful and quirky little premiere. 

Of all the episodes, I really can’t look at this one objectively. It’s too important.

21. The Fun-Raiser (Season 3, episode 1)

David and Gwen scheming is my ki/nk. They very rarely scheme together, but every single time their teamwork makes the dream work (or, more frequently, makes the dream fail horribly and have disastrous consequences) my soul flies out of my body and takes to the stars, where I write another 500 first chapters to gwenvid fanfics I’ll probably never finish.

This is a great follow-up to “Parents’ Day,” where we immediately see the consequences of the previous season finale and what happens when the one adult in the camp disappears. Mr. Campbell was a terrible adult, true, but at least he was smart enough not to steal QM’s hook. Like . . . whose plan was this? It was so bad. These two are hilariously incompetent sometimes -- often when their bad ideas are feeding off of each other, actually, a la this and “Space Camp Was a Hoax” -- and watching them frantically try and keep all their balls in the air is so great. 

The ending is satisfying, too; a bit graphic, in keeping with a show that tends to keep the violence limited to periodic spurts of bloodshed 1-2 times a season and mostly pretty mild the rest of the time, but between Max stepping up and fixing everything while still being his shi/tty self to our dear dumba/ss counselors getting their dumb as/ses handed to them (deservedly so, if we’re being honest) . . . it’s such a great note to begin a new season on.

20. Journey to Spooky Island (Season 1, episode 5)

A classic.

We get to meet our spooky boy Jasper, we get to watch the comedy trio play off each other and continue to sketch out the general contours of their friendship, and we get to see the Quartermaster with a big purple dil/do for a hand. What’s not to love?

19. The Butterfinger Effect (Season 4, episode 17)

CONTROVERSIAL HOT TAKES! GET YOUR CONTROVERSIAL HOT TAKES HERE!

I’ve already gone into some pretty intense detail about why I think this one is actually really good and carries the theme of embracing change that everything about Season 4 was centered around, but none of y’all read that so here it is in short: this episode is super funny, almost all of the campers’ transformations work really well as extensions of their characters while still being strange and surprising, and the fact that Nurf creates all of these problems by trying to solve them is deliciously fun to watch in a karmic sort of way.

Or maybe it’s just because any Nurf-centric episode is going to rank pretty highly for me. That is also possible.

18. Space Camp Was a Hoax (Season 2, episode 10)

Our camp counselors being bad people: it’s my drug of choice.

We get Space Kid tripping balls in what might be one of the funniest sequences in the show, the entire camp coming together to try and pull off the stupidest, most impossible task (and kinda maybe almost nailing it???), and once again the fun of watching Gwen and David scramble to keep from getting caught in their boss’s shit/ty lies is so great. And Lindsay’s voice acting is absolutely killer, even more so than usual. 

17. Jermy Fartz (Season 2, episode 4)

I get the sense this might be a somewhat controversial one. 

I’ve written before about why I think this episode is a lot of fun, but it mostly boils down to two things: watching the campers try (and fail) to be nice to the most bully-able person on the entire planet, and the essential likeableness of Jermy. 

No, really.

I think a lot of people were put off by Jermy’s general grossness, because . . . my god is he disgusting, but he’s also polite and good-natured, and seems totally self aware of how difficult he is to be around, without letting it make him depressed. He’s cheerful in a weirdly downbeat way that’s impossible to understand until you see him in action. He’s so matter-of-fact about his own awfulness in a way that I found entirely endearing. I don’t think I’d want him at my camp, either, but get that kid to a good dermatologist and gastroenterologist, teach him some basic hygiene and social skills, and you’ll have quite a little gentleman there.

I do however find it hilarious that apparently David got the type of tree wrong when making fun of Jermy. Not only is that a great moment for reveling in David being an as/shole, but he didn’t even have the right wood. F/ucking idiot. I love him so much.

These last ones are my favorites! (Well, duh, that’s how this whole ranking thing works.) Maybe not perfect, but just really good and with limitless rewatch value.

16. St. Campbell's Day (Season 4 holiday episode)

They Grinch’d Camp Camp. Those brilliant bast/ards, they really pulled it off.

Ignoring the fact that David is truly frightening-looking for most of the episode, this is a great bookend to Season 4, following up on the theme established in the first episode about how David is a flawed and selfish human being despite trying his best not to be.

This is another one I was surprised to find so high on the list, but the more I thought about it the more I realizes how good it is. David being a jerk is always one of my favorite storylines, and the fact that the trouble comes from him trusting Mr. Campbell too little instead of too much is a nice twist on the usual formula. Gwen coming to help him out despite a blistering hangover gave me aggressive shipping feels, yes, obviously. 

Between a lot of really funny little gags like QM’s failed satanic ritual and the genuinely touching moral about the importance of spending time with the people you love, it’s just a really lovely episode that gets just the right amount of maudlin for the holiday season. 

15. Jasper Dies at the End (Season 2, episode 5)

I kept switching this and “Dial M for Jasper”; it was a really difficult decision to make, figuring out where these two belonged. I think in the end, while the John Dies at the End reference was very, very good, this one loses me a little bit by being told from David’s perspective. Now, normally the more David is in an episode the more I’ll be likely to love it (see my #1 for proof of that), but his blinders when it comes to the camp and Mr. Campbell result in a really funny story, but one without the same emotional heft as hearing about what happened from Jasper’s point of view.

That doesn’t mean it’s not perfect for what it needs to be: each Jasper episode builds on the previous ones, and having the same intensity of “Dial M for Jasper,” where we learn how he died and how his relationship with David fell apart, would be weird and heavy at this point. In Season 1 we just found out he’s a ghost (and eagle-eyed viewers realized he’d been a camper with David); in Season 2 we find out how David views their friendship and time at camp; and in Season 3 we get Jasper’s perspective. It’s an absolutely wonderful raising of the stakes (for lack of a better term), but the one that packs more of an emotional punch is going to rank a bit higher than the one that’s mostly just for laughs.

That being said: there are plenty of laughs in this one. Everyone -- Griffin, Miles, Travis, the animators -- nailed this one, and it gets funnier every time I watch it.

14. Camporee (Season 1, episode 11)

AKA the episode where Forest realized she was in love with Gwen. 

What a great idea for an episode, seriously. Every coming-of-age story has a talent show or a competition or a big game -- something where the kiddos can show off their improved skills and teamwork to beat their bullies or whatever. And this show has both kinds of bullies: the popular girly girls and the violent muscleheads. What a great moment to pull everyone together and show how friendship can help us accomplish anything!

Except . . . of course that’s not what happens. Of course they’re absolute garbage, and of course teamwork isn’t the answer. Gwen is the perfect foil for David here, being the anti-teamwork, anti-Camp-Campbell adult who can perfectly and effortlessly undermine David’s relentless optimism. David wants so badly for his campers to live in the same coming-of-age summer movie he did as a child, and their staunch refusal to do that leads to a really heartbreaking closer to the episode, as well as lead into the next one. Everything about this, from the challenges to the setup to Gwen shouting “we are winning this FUC/KING trophy!” is just gold.

13. David Gets Hard (Season 1, episode 9)

We have David. We have Nurf. We have Gwen. We have Max trying to be helpful in the shi/ttiest way possible.

We have all the makings of a da/mn good episode. And they deliver. Not a very emotionally intense or moving one, but so, so funny.

12. Dial M for Jasper (Season 3, episode 5)

This isn’t the fate any of us expected for Jasper, and it’s not the fate of a lot of people wanted. But godda/mn it, it worked. The constant bait-and-switch the episode keeps playing with, where you keep waiting for something really dramatic and tragic to happen . . . and then the reality is that Jasper died because Mr. Campbell was stupid and careless, and it was all just a horribly sad accident.

It’s anticlimactic, but in a way that suits the series, both as a comedic counterpoint to all the hype throughout the episode and as a way to establish that Cameron Campbell is a bad man first and foremost through selfishness and laziness, not Daniel-esque sinister evil. Jasper’s death was totally avoidable and totally Campbell’s fault, and while that’s sad, it also adds a weird sort of lightness to the episode. David didn’t do something terrible to kill his best friend, Jasper didn’t kill himself, and without having actively chosen to murder a child (well, not this time), the door remains open for fans accepting Campbell’s later pseudo-redemption. It was just an accident, and Jasper was “haunting” David to tell him that he was sorry for how their friendship ended. That’s really sweet, actually.

I think it’s the best way this reveal could’ve gone, and I’m so impressed with how they pulled it all off.

11. Into Town (Season 1, episode 8)

This might actually be the only flawless episode in the entire show. I mean, I call a lot of them flawless, and I mean that on an emotional level -- “I love this so much I cannot see anything wrong with it” -- but this one is a masterpiece of storytelling. All the technical jumbo I’m bad at, like planting and payoff and tension and all of that, is just perfect.

I feel like this is the kind of claim that needs to be backed up with a long-as/s essay full of citations and video clips and references to, like, Joseph Campbell or something, but this is my 49th entry in the list so I am not going to be doing that. Besides, I don’t think my English degree qualifies me to critique film/animation; I don’t even entirely know half the terms I’ve used to compliment this episode. Someone else please explain why this is such a good one.

10. The Quarter-Moon Convergence (Season 4, episode 5)

I’ve mentioned in other entries that the weird, surreal humor sometimes doesn’t work; it feels too much like being odd for its own sake, and sometimes gets so distracted in being surreal that it forgets to include anything funny or meaningful. 

This . . . is not one of those.

Putting Harrison and QM together is a stroke of genius; the two of them are literally the most magical beings in the entire show, and using them as the conveyance for this great Lovecraftian horror-comedy was such a good idea. I don’t know if we’ll ever see these two interact in another episode -- honestly, this felt a bit like lightning in a bottle, and I have a hard time imagining what could possibly bring them together again -- but if this is the only episode we get, it is such a fantastic one.

Harrison makes a really good everyman, despite his powers; he’s just the right amount of confident and insecure to pull off that wide-eyed apprentice to QM’s grizzled wise mentor. (The fact that QM is objectively a terrible mentor is beside the point.) I still don’t entirely know what the two of them accomplished, but it feels baffling and momentous, with the perfect amount of gravity to make things extremely tense all the way through to the end.

Also, I guess God is an octopus? That’s kinda cool. I like octopuses.

9. Camp Corp. (Season 3, episode 12)

Another unpopular opinion? Oh ho ho, I am so contrary! I am Not Like Other Fans! I am the Ebony Dark'ness Dementia Raven Way, refusing to have the same opinions of all you prepz.

I know this wasn’t the most well-loved episode, but I think it did a really great job tying together story threads woven throughout Season 3: Max’s selfishness leading to him hurting other people, his growing realization that he cares about his friends and the camp itself, the parallels between him and Mr. Campbell (and the fact that they both get this redemption moment in the finale). 

This is the most Max-centric season, focusing on his flaws and character growth, and they pulled it off in a really organic way that felt faithful to his character, touching without being too maudlin. The fact that his feelings about the camp are echoed in Gwen, Neil and Nikki, the other campers, and even Mr. Campbell drives home how important the camp -- and David -- are to this strange little family. 

Each season, Max reluctantly becomes a better person, without changing the fundamental core of who he is. That’s a really hard putt for the writers and Michael, and I’m blown away every finale by how they so consistently nail it.

8. Time Crapsules (Season 4, episode 18)

Gwen-centric? Check.

Max learning how to be a better person while still being the bratty kid we know and love? Check.

Looks at one of the most under-appreciated character dynamics in the entire show (i.e., Max and Gwen)? Checkity check-check-check.

I don’t really have much to say about this one, which I should: it was considered a pretty serious letdown to a lot of fans, and I’m not sure how to explain why I loved it so much. 

Comparing Max from “The Order of the Sparrow” to Max from this episode is wild. It’s not like 2 different characters: they’re still very obviously the same cynical, self-absorbed 10-year-old trying to survive summer camp. But he’s become a more considerate friend and decent version of that kid, and it’s great to watch. The moment where he and Gwen go too far and immediately regret snapping at each other is still painful (on my god, the VAs in this show, they’re so talented), Nikki and Neil both get nice subplots about how they’re also growing up, and the ending is fuc/king hilarious, perfectly breaking the tension from Campbell’s speech, which is both beautifully done and important to hear, especially if you’re in a period of uncomfortable transition (like, say, in your late 20s, or living through about 5 different national and global catastrophes).

And okay, I found that speech on the wiki for this episode and it made me deeply emotional, so here:

Here's the thing: you've got to take your failures and make something out of them. Take Camp Campbell for instance: a lot of poor decisions went into making this place what it is today. Sure, somewhere along the line it maybe strayed from its path, not living up to the camp it wanted to be. At some point, the camp realized that the camp would never reach the end of its path until it was ready or until it gave up. So, if the camp wanted to keep embezzling money and dealing with foreign powers, so be it! But, at some point, it didn't anymore. I never saw this coming, but I'm starting to think this camp is the best it's ever been.

If this is the last episode of Camp Camp we ever get -- and for at least a little while, it looks like it’s going to be -- I can’t think of a sweeter, funnier, and more lovely bittersweet note for this show to go out on.

7. The Lake Lilac Summer Social (Season 3, episode 6)

And again: No one was surprised. 

This is the longest non-finale episode of the show, and it uses that time perfectly. Rather than having some big emotional moments and character arcs -- which are great, don’t get me wrong -- the writers use the extended time to build a series of shenanigans as complicated as Gwen’s matchmaking web, and watching her try to set up a series of dominos (with David, for once, being the responsible, level-headed one) is almost as satisfying as the catastrophic results. 

Neil and Snake steal this episode, even from someone as in love with Gwen as I am, and for an episode that’s largely about making fun of shippers, there hasn’t been one that launched nearly as many ships as this. Neil/Snake? Tabii/Erin? Max/Nikki? GWENVID?! It’s all here, and I am here for it.

It was also fun to get a traditional episode setup in a very non-traditional show. I assume this means the beach and/or hot springs episode is forthcoming. (No, Pis/s Lake doesn’t count. Obviously it doesn’t count.)

6. Keep the Change (Season 4, episode 1)

Again, this is an episode I’ve said a lot about in the past -- and I was pretty uncharitable toward Season 3, which in retrospect was very unse/xy of me -- but I stand by a lot of my opinions then: this is a fu/cking great episode.

David is an as/shole, Max is an as/shole, Campbell is an as/shole. No one escapes the as/sholery. David schemes, Max catches him in the scheme, Campbell gets drunk and kind of gay . . . I’m 54 entries into this list and I don’t have much to say anymore: it’s just really good and fun and I love it.

5. Camp Loser Says What? (Season 4, episode 9)

This is another one I kind of hated when it came out, and again for fandom-related and personal-grudge reasons.

Fu/cking Daniel. That motherfu/cker. He shows up for 12 minutes and Tumblr bursts into flames. Every single time.

However, it’s really hard not to love this one. Daniel-as-Trump is a clever but subtle -- I mean, for this show’s definition of subtle -- allegory, and it’s amazing how much this slimy freak and the Woodscouts slot into it. David is a bise/xual disaster with the absolute worst taste in men, Dirty Kevin and Daniel are onscreen together for all of 2.5 seconds and the kevdan shippers lost their minds, and Xemug looks like Megamind for some weird reason.

My only minor complaint is that the ending is a bit anticlimactic, but it plays on Daniel’s stupidity and the value of teamwork, so it’s a very small nitpick in an episode that mostly works like gangbusters.

4. Cult Camp (Season 2, episode 1)

Duh. There’s a really good song and we’re introduced to a charismatic, sinister, and totally dumba/ss villain. What’s not to like?

I don’t think I even need to say anything about this episode. Season 2 started off the summer by throwing a lit firecracker directly at the viewer’s face, and ignoring the fact that we as a fandom proceeded to eat each other, it’s impossible not to get caught up in the episode’s wild energy.

And dude, that song. Fabulous. Fu/ck Daniel, but thank god he’s around to be such a prickly little pri/ck.

Now for the top 3: Literally perfect, wouldn’t change a single solitary thing.

3. After Hours (Season 4, episode 8)

I’m not sure anyone loved this episode as much as me. But this is my list, and I will put this up at the top if I want to and you cannot stop me.

It’s much easier in a lot of ways to talk about the episodes I hated than the ones I love this much. What do I say besides “literally everything about this fills me with joy and my life is better because it exists”? I don’t know. The counselors are my favorite characters, and between Gwen and QM having the weirdest bonding experience, Gwen getting to meet up with people who care about her silly fanfiction, Mr. Campbell being the trash grandpa of my dreams, David getting in way over his head . . . it’s the episode I always wanted, and they made it work so well.

Also, I just discovered that “Gwen Isn’t Your Mother So Stop Asking Her to Rinse Your Dishes” is an actual song and I am overwhelmed with delight. Here, I’m embedding it as well as linking because it’s so good:

God. This show. What the fu/ck even is up with this amazing, weird-as/s show.

2. The Order of the Sparrow (Season 1, episode 12)

Duh.

The entire first season is a great time (except “Reigny Day”), but it’s a pretty low-stakes kind of great time. There isn’t much in terms of emotional depth until the very end of “Camporee,” despite some hints at darker themes in one-off jokes and quick asides, so this episode comes a bit out of left field, tonally speaking.

But that’s not a bug, it’s a feature; if the show had been this overtly emotional from the outset, this finale wouldn’t hit as hard, and the rest of the season wouldn’t be as funny. 

This manages to serve as a capstone to the conflict of the first season, building on episodes like “Into Town” and “Escape from Camp Campbell” in a way that feels totally natural for both David and Max’s characters while revealing new sides of them. It works because it’s so unexpected, but it doesn’t come across as incongruous with their personalities. It’s the first and only time David swears in all 4 seasons, and that line -- I don’t even need to say it, you know exactly what I’m talking about -- still gives me chills.

Also, Gwen sings the camp theme song. Impossible not to cherish.

1. The Forest (Season 4, episode 12)

I’m not sure if this one is a surprise or not. It might be the obvious first place, or it might be a bit of an oddball for some people.

I had a really hard time choosing between this and “The Order of the Sparrow”; I switched their places half a dozen times, and the difference in quality between the two is razor-thin. I think part of that is because it accomplishes a lot of what “Order of the Sparrow” does: puts David in a situation where he’s pushed to his absolute emotional and physical capacity, crushes every shred of hope he has left, and sees what he’s actually made of when you strip everything away. It’s much more dramatic this time around, but it’s the same basic concept.

And just like in the Season 1 finale, what we see is a man who’s determined to do good even when he isn’t rewarded for it, even when he’s actively punished for it. Who wants to love nature, and life, and make the world a better place -- despite his faults, his selfishness and thoughtlessness and anger, David proves that he is fundamentally kind. He’s not nearly as deludedly optimistic as he seems; he just refuses to stop trying.

Because somebody fuc/king has to.

I’ll admit, some of what puts this one in first place is that I’m a sucker for whump, and David really goes through the ringer. However, I also think it’s important to acknowledge the risk Joe Nicolosi took with writing this episode: it’s all centered around a single character, it’s darker and more viscerally bloody than any other episode in the show’s history, the art is focused on these grand sweeping backgrounds that must’ve taken forever to paint, and there’s very little talking in a show that runs 99% on clever dialogue. This could have so easily backfired -- and for some fans it did -- but it was brave and beautiful and breathtaking.

I’ve actually only watched this in full once. It’s really hard to get through; it’s just so intense and even disturbing. But if there’s one episode I'll remember for the rest of my life, even when I’m 80 years old and haven’t seen the show in years, it’ll be “The Forest.”

It’s funny how such a sharp departure from the format and style of the rest of the show somehow manages to perfectly capture the heart of it. Talk about a fuc/king achievement.

So what have we learned?

I don’t entirely know what the purpose of this whole exercise was. I think it was mostly to get myself a nice Camp Camp fix that came from something other than slogging through 20 different fanfic WIPs, and to remind myself of what a strange and fun ride the last 4 summers have been. 

I also wanted to take a moment to acknowledge what Camp Camp means to me. This show has been hugely important to me on a personal level: I met two of my best friends through this fandom, and I’ve never been more connected to a community or readers than I have with CC. I know I bi/tch about this fandom a lot, but it’s a big extended internet family, and I’m so happy to be a part of it. Going through all these episodes, getting the chance to ramble about the things I liked and the things I didn’t, was a great way to reconnect with a series and community that I love.

So . . . what have we learned?

1. Season 4 was all over the place.

Some of this has to be due to the sheer volume of episodes, but when I sat down and organized everything into tiers:

There isn’t a single category Season 4 doesn’t have at least one episode in. I was surprised to see how high a lot of them ended up; it really was the best and worst of the show so far.

For the fun of it, I decided to give a number to each placement -- 60 points for the #1 episode, 59 for #2, etc. -- and see how each season broke down. Because that’s that kind of thing I think is worthwhile, apparently. And . . .

2. Seasons 1 and 4 are really good, actually.

Well, I don’t think anyone’s surprised to see how well Season 1 stacked up; it was amazing. But I was surprised to see how much I ended up enjoying Seasons 3 and 4, when if you’d asked me before this little project, I would’ve said they were the most underwhelming. Maybe I messed up the numbers a bit -- I’m no mathmagician -- but not only are they all really close, but Season 4 was one of my favorites.

3. This entire show is really good, actually.

One thing that really struck me when I put it all together visually is how most of the episodes sit in the “good,” “really good,” or “amazing” categories. The amount of episodes that are memorable, fun, and/or emotionally resonant is crazy. I don’t now how many other tiny cult-hit web series can say the same, honestly, and all of the writers, animators, directors/producers/other people whose jobs I don’t really understand, and voice actors should be commended for their outstanding talent and hard work.

4. Thank you, Camp Camp.

It was a real pleasure to relive all of these episodes again and think about what they meant to me. It won’t be the last time I sit down and watch this show -- and it certainly won’t be the end of my being a shrieking fangirl over it -- but with this break, where we have to get through a blazing, extremely difficult summer without a new season to fawn over, it’s nice to stop and appreciate what a precious gem of a show this is.

I hope everyone involved with Rooster Teeth is taking a much-deserved rest and prioritizing their health and well-being. Thank you for creating something truly special, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

[geekkatsblog]

Making my heart race for 45 minutes every week season 17x5 or like everyone else likes to call it Grey's Anatomy.

"A VERY LONG BUT IMPROTANT PART TO READ BELOW."

Now before I get started I was idly scrolling through Instagram instead of studying like I was supposed to and I was recommended a Grey's Anatomy confession site to torture myself (because most of the time I feel irrationally sad after reading when I see my faves being bashed) and I was a good few confessions in when I noticed that someone had taken a part of lasts weeks review word for word and submitted it. I never really thought I would have to but I beg please don't do that. Confession sites tend to make my heart race and when I realized it was my words that were used I was already in the comments, none of my opinions in these are final so I'd rather not have my words posted anywhere else where people can't see the complete picture. Its definitely fine to use it as inspiration but Please do not post my reviews anywhere else, or at least ask first.

*Now finally onto the review*

All in all the episode was like I expected in terms of outcomes however Grey's has got to come up with another genetic disorder besides Alzheimers, because this is yet another doctor with the gene. Not much happened besides the main event so let's hope I don't talk all over myself again.

___________________________________________

Catherine Fox and Jackson Avery

Refuses to wear the mask like the pig headed woman she is. Her especially should take no risks because as it was pointed out in the episode she is immunocompromised. She didn't actually appear in person but I thought I would mention her part in the episode because it gave us Richard and Jackson scenes which I have grown to love and appreciate because they're always wholesome the one they had tonight on systematic racism was great and one that I hope managed to educate viewers on the situation. It's great to see Jackson have someone there who has a parent figure there to listen calmly. Catherine as great of a mother as she is in my opinion sometimes she can come across as an eccentric aunt. I'm glad Richad managed to tame the wildcat and convince her to wear a mask with his sexual promises. We've lost enough Grey Sloan staff and family from it so far.

___________________________________________

Meredith

A hopefully temporary resident at the fake beach where nothing is real. Unfortunately there were no new visitors at the beach. Like I stated last week, I'm not entirely sure if we'll see anymore of the greats such as Mark Sloan, Lexie ect but there's still a chance next week although it seems like she might be waking up, but like I always say with Grey's expect the unexpected She may or may not be out of the deep end yet but I'm just thankful for the few glimpses we got to see George and Derek grace our screens again the nostalgia was great. However as much as I enjoyed seeing them again, I want Meredith to wake up I miss her, she may not be as fun and quirky as she used to be in the earlier seasons but without her working in the hospital it's hard to deny that something's missing from the episodes.

___________________________________________

TEDDY / OWEN/ TOM

(Here we go again.) 😔

This triangle has been going strong for a long time almost too long, and once again they flipped the switch its always back and forth. A few episodes ago she was begging Owen for forgiveness and now she's telling Tom they have a future. I feel like she needs some time to process what she's really feeling most of the time it seems like she's confused and fair enough it all happened so fast the time between her being with Tom and Owen expressing his still lingering feelings to her but now she needs to make sure that the decision she makes now is the one she actually intends to stick with.

On another note Tom seems to be out of the woods, for now at least which is great when he asked for his son I was a little concerned for a bit I wasn't sure if he was really going to make it. He's a douche and a hard ass but he has the potential to have a great character development, so I'm glad he got another chance. And my comments about wanting Helm to be his new protege remains in that small scene they had last week something just clicked with me and there's also the fact that she wanted to treat him despite the risks.

Owen was here as a filler basically, and to reinforce the love triangle again.

___________________________________________

Jo Wilson

Is thinking of switching specialties, if Ben can do it like changing sweaters why can't she switch? I do think it will be a good fit for her the way she has been fawning over the babies of recent it was either that or give her one of her own which in my opinion I don't think she's ready for. But even in all of the excitement I can't help but think that she's only looking at the cupcake and rainbow side for now because although it's awesome being the first one to hold the babies and everything, not every delivery goes well sometimes the babies don't make it or in other cases the mothers die I hope she's ready to face that side of the package as well.

Just mentioning as well that I love the friendship between her and Schmitt. It was an unexpected but pleasant pairing one of which I'm looking forward to seeing more of in the long run.

On the other hand if Jo switches this gives us more of a chance to see Carina as well because she was signed on a a series regular yet we don't get to see her enough except for on Station 19 and on there she's only Maya's girlfriend. I hope it changes soon and they give her more of a plot or something.

___________________________________________

Amelia/Link

Not much relationship content other than Link finding out about her and Koracick's fling and he took her going into the hospital before the end of her maternity leave quite well. They are one of the healthier relationships in Grey's. Right now at least things always get trickier later.

I'm glad she went in though it let Koracick know that he still had people who care about him and she managed to make Teddy who everyone was treating like garbage as well feel a little better.

___________________________________________

Maggie

No Winston today but we got a lot of Maggie content which was great. She was the moral support once again but today I was fine with it I always enjoy her moments with Bailey and at least she was able to be there for her seeing that Ben was MIA and Webber was busy taking care of her patients along with Jackson. Once again a very needed conversation between her and Bailey and I loved that she still went to comfort her despite the fact that rehashing her own mother's death had to be painful to do.

___________________________________________

Bailey

(Thanks for ruining My Girl for me Grey's now instead of feeling happy I'll forever think of Bailey saying goodbye to her mother.)

We all know that whenever Bailey starts spouting out her feelings and asking for help and advice things are about to go down.

Before we get completely into it I'd just like to express my disappointment in the fact that Ben literally dropped everything took the aid car to save his in laws no questions asked then dropped off his mother in law at the hospital with Covid and left his wife who has anxiety without even checking in. I know he's a first responder as well and he isn't allowed into the hospital that easily either but geeze no other phone calls or messages to check in?. He better have been stuck putting out a huge fire or something equally as bad, besides being him being hurt himself at least.

Another foot note to appreciate Bailey primping before her facetiming with Ben. Go get it hun. Their relationship be cute as usual.

Then the big revel her, mother has dementia, yet another doctor with the alzheimers gene. The moment between her and Meredith was heartwarming to be honest it's a foreign thing seeing them so close and having life conversations still but it's something I hope we get to see often they've had them as semi rivals/ semi friends long enough.

It was hard to see her have to say goodbye and the fact that her father couldn't be there to tell his wife any final words and be there to hold her as she passed made it worse, his wife that he was married to and loved for so long had to die without the comfort of her husband by her side and her daughter could barely hold her hand because of the bulk of her suit, then one of the saddest parts was that she possibly didn't even know what was happening to her. But thankfully Bailey could have been there to sing to her and keep her calm, a lot of people don't even get that much of a chance during the pandemic their loved ones die alone.

The moment I saw the conversation with her dad and the way she was only half listening I knew she was going to blame herself at some point over what happened, it remains to be seen if Maggie's speech worked or if she's going to continue to blame herself. Like I stated before I love the conversation her and Maggie had. One of the reasons why I haven't stepped off the Grey's Carousel is because they touch on topics that others don't cross they aren't afraid to touch the important and controversial things.

I was too being sad over her mothers death at first but I also want to talk about her and Webber's friendship he immediately postponed everything to be there for her, he took over her workload and still made sure he was there in time to be there and support her when she watched her mother flat line.

___________________________________________

The pandemic has always been real to me but somehow seeing the names of those that passed at the end was surreal I found myself just staring at the screen for a few minutes later reflecting on everything.

___________________________________________

Next week is the winter finale and I have no idea how it could get anymore dramatic than it already is. There's been so much already but Grey's always manages to surprise me. Then after that episode it's back to nothing until March 😭😭😭.

[maddiicake]

Why Both FMAB and FMA03 are good and should be treated as Independent Stories:

I will go on the record of saying that Appreciate and Love FMA as a whole and love both series for what they are. And while it may sound like a broken record saying things like this... there’s still hateful words against those who like one over the other. So, I’m here to make this post addressing that both FMA2003/03 and Brotherhood are great in their own way and should be respected as their own individual stories.

Also warning there will be obvious spoilers.

What I liked about the Original (FMA03/2003) Series:

I watched 03 before delving into Brotherhood, and even before reading the manga. Now, I know Brotherhood and Manga fans are the small minority of the fandom, while 03/2003 fans make up the majority. That being said, many of these people simply can't get used to 03 after watching Brotherhood.

However, for me, I was happy because: A) I got more FMA to watch, and B) The differences in 03/2003 simply made it even more fun to watch, so for it was no trouble getting used to this anime.

But if I were to be specific of what I liked, I’d say I liked the following about FMA03/2003:

Characterization of the Protagonists and all the 'good' guys: The show heavily focuses on the relationship and tragedy of Elric Brothers, and 03/2003 portrays it much better with such a deeper level. The relationship between both brothers is intimate, and it feels like a genuine sibling bond. I also enjoy the fact that the anime shows that even if Ed follows his ideals, he, like any human, can break away from them under severe pressure, which was beautifully shown in the 5th laboratory arc. As for other characters: Scar in this version is a total opposite of his Brotherhood counterpart. He is written realistically in the 2003/03 anime. His absolute hatred for the military is more legit, and he feels morally grey in this anime. Izumi Curtis for me was also portrayed better in this version. Meanwhile, other Characters like Roy, Winry and Alex felt the same to me throughout both versions--so, not much change there.

Worldbuilding: The 2003/03 anime does a fantastic job at portraying the widespread effects of war and politics, Alchemy, etc. and how it has affected the people of the FMA World. For example, in Episode 16, “That Which is Lost”, Ed meet, a guy who had lost his limb while working as a soldier and was reluctant to use an automail prostetic because he wanted to “retain his wound”. Now, this episode itself was more so filler and didn’t really matter to the main plot of the story in itself; however, I feel that it was added to series to portray the depth of the FMA World, and how everyone has different reactions to the events that happened in the 2003/03 anime. Also, many of the events and how they unfold in this anime seem to parallel the middle east, which just makes all this feel realistic and provides some occasional social commentary which is quite nice. I also like how the first few episodes take their time to slowly and, with great subtlety, develop their world.

Thematic Depth: FMA2003/03 is dark, grim and kind of realistic--more so compared to Brotherhood. While, both versions of the anime deal with some important and mature themes, FMA2003/03 takes it to the next level. The 2003/03 series focuses on the Law of Equivalent Exchange, and shows how putting blind trust in it is a terrible thing to do. The show also focuses on how obsession, a denial of reality, and the inability to move on can be a bad thing. Moreover, sometimes life just simply isn't fair, and we should accept it; however, always try to improve what we have. All in all, we have to understand the consequences of our actions. That life is uncertain, and sometimes we don't get everything, and even we pay a price for it. All of these themes mixed in with the meaningful dialogues and the dark tone, made me appreciate this anime. For example, in episode 48, when Roy and Ed talk for the last time, that’s the pivotal point that brings all these themes together.

A Good Start: The Show had a better start than Brotherhood, simply because 1). We have more time with Maes Hughes and Shou Tucker, and 2). The Liore arc. Despite BONES studio and it’s tendency to create anime too early *when the mangaka is barely halfway through their series), they made it work, and, with the material they had, the 2003/03 series was given enough time to bloom. The 2003/03 series was simply immersive and very emotional, especially during The Curtis Arc, as an example.

Soundtrack and The Art Direction: I feel like both are equally good. However, I will go on the record of saying that I don’t think “art style” is what makes a series, nor is it an important factor. It’s nothing more than glorified “eye candy” However, for the sake of argument (especially since the “art style” is the first thing that “03 Stans” mention) I’ll be adding it in here. Both the 2003/03 and Brotherhood series have some amazing and beautiful orchestral OSTs in their respective soundtracks; thus, it added to the immersion of their respective series. In FMA2003/03, the color palette is very unique, sometimes it feels dull but it just suits the dark tone of the series.

All in all, I am impressed by a lot of aspects of the 2003/03 anime series, but as much I love and respect it, there are lot of things this anime messed up and I will note that as well.

The antagonists were... Meh: While I really love and enjoy the direction and depth BONES Studio added to the Homunculi... some of the other antagonists could have been better (or just not added at all imo). For example, Frank Archer... he has no reason being there except for convenient plot device to the point it feels forced. Though, him becoming that weird cyborg always makes me laugh just because of how dumb of a character he became because of it. Speaking of which, him becoming a cyborg was just... weird. It was like the Studio staff were trying to make him “cool” by making him into some crossover of The Terminator and Two-Face from Batman, but it just failed. As for Zolf Kimblee... He is still sadistic and likes making things explode, much like his Brotherhood Counterpart. But... that was it. Other than that, he was just boring. Him and Archer were both just the staple 90s Kids Cartoon Villains; not much to them except “Muahahaha I’m evil”. Now Dante... I’d say that she’s a good villain to an extent. Her as a villain is very subjective within the fandom, depending on who you ask. While I believe that she could have been just as great a villain as Father, her character was rushed and her goals were a bit vague and unexplored. I like how, like with Father, she had ties Hohenheim; however, that backstory and those connections were introduced a little late. So, in the end, she just came across as more of the generic Vindictive Ex-Wife, and just a generic female villain. As for the Homunculi... I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I LOVED their portrayal in 2003/03. They were the “saving grace” of the entire team of the villains within the 2003/03 series. My favorite of the bunch were Lust and Greed--namely Lust, because of her ties with Scar. Envy came at a close second, but only seemed so because of a way to back up Dante as a villain, and the other Homunculi seemed a bit more underdeveloped as characters. 

The Plot's quality drops after episode 35- Okay don't get me wrong. The first 35 episodes for me were 100/100. After that? a 60/100. Why? Because everything after that point feels contrived and feels forced. It's as tho, they are trying to do everything they can, even if it doesn't weave in, to make the brother's life miserable. Archer doesn't die and pops up, with his automail? Alphonse is there to be turned into a bomb, and become a philosophers stone. Okay, but why does this feel so forced? Also, can we talk about Nazi Shit? Now, I feel the brothers being separated is the perfect ending to this anime thematically and I have nothing against it, but A Nazi gate? Why? It was so sudden and pointless. It was never foreshadowed. They just showed it to make it as tragic as possible, because they didn't know of any other way to twist the plot, without convenient and totally forced plot devices. Also, How can Dante make Gluttony Mindless? Why is Juliet Douglass's Secret so obvious, when it can be fatal if leaked? Plot- Holes, Also, why are the Homunculli named the way they are? It just doesn't make sense. Also, FMA's Plot has an air of mystery to it, but it doesn't execute properly. I don't hate the end, I just felt disappointed, because the buildup towards it was terrible.

Now, I give a bit of grace concerning how the plot sort of dropped off and felt rushed halfway through, as well as the characters being underdeveloped and rushed. After all, Studio Bones was making up the majority of the material and took it in their own direction. Some factors to all of these cons in FMA2003/03 could be because of the Studio’s lack of a budget to flesh the characters and plot out more. Or, they had created so much additional material for this series that it became overwhelming.

As a writer, I can attest to the fact that “Character Overload” or “Element Overload” can either make or break a series, depending on how you handle it. That being said, there need to be a balance when it comes to these factors.

However, FMA2003/03 ended around 2004-05, So what we got is what we have.

Now, with that out of the way, let’s get on to the analysis of FMA: Brotherhood:

Characters: There isn’t a single character in this version of the series that I can choose as a “favorite”. Because, honestly? I lile them all. They’re all well developed and lovable in their own way, and have their own demension of depth to them. No, they’re not as deep as they aare in FMA2003/03, but from a writer’s perspective, that helps keep a balance with the overall plot of the stories. Now, some minor characters were just outrageous, but not to the level of boring (like 03!Kimblee and Archer), for example...  Darius and Heinkel. There isn’t a vast difference in Brotherhood’s and 2003/03's cast of characters. However, if I had to note a difference, FMA2003/03′s characters were are more on the edge of realistic and Brotherhood’s were just... Loveable. However, that doesn’t mean that one counterpart of a character is better/worse than another. Both are quite memorable in their own way. Of course, in my opinion Brotherhood's villains are just better than 03's villains. Sure, the Homunculi aren’t given as much depth, but, they have redeeming qualities near the end of their time (i.e. Envy, and GreedLing). When Father was first introduced... his character made me think of how Dante started out, and I was worried that his character would end up just as rushed and he would just be the generic cliche Shounen villain. By the Promised Day Arc, however, I was surprised. Yeah, Father was still very shounen-y villain, but still a pretty darn good villain. I feel his backstory, and how he discarded all his human qualities which led to the creation of Homunculi was well put together, and I felt the concept how he created Alchemy in Amestris, while Hohenhime helped build Alkahestry in the east was well put together, and helped build the world of FMA (literally). To put it simply, his character was much more interesting than Dante, because it was fleshed out more. The Homunculi were awesome as well, Lust did her job, Pride and Wrath were simply awesome, GreeLing's development from an anti-villain to anti-hero was exceptionally well written and not the cliche anti-hero, which I can appreciate. Envy is the character you love to hate. And Gluttony and Sloth did their Part as Well. While I enjoyed 03′s portrayal of the homunculi, I felt like they only fleshed out some for that series (i.e. Lust) while others were just left to fall flat. With Brotherhood, all the Homunculi were evenly balanced out in their characters, not too much depth and not too little. Solf Kimblee was still the sadistic baster, but at least his entire personality was more explored this time, and I liked how they portrayed his psyche as an added affect to why he has his views.

Plot: Bortherhood’s plot was more fluid and weaved in seamlessly. As a lover of all things continuity... Brotherhood did it right, and every time I find an analysis of a teeny tiny subtle continuity detail (i.e. Ed’s gash on his forehead that lasts a few episodes), I get a writer-gasm! Sure, there were few plot devices and filler here and there. But the plot in gneeral wasn’t rushed or choppy, nor did it leave any holes in it. The way Brotherhood portrays it’s plot is to keep you as engaged as possible, adding some silly comic relief here and there to balance out the dramatic intensity every so often. Unlike 2003/03 where is was just one depressing and dark element after another, Brotherhood added in the comic relief points not and again to give it’s audience a break. And, that’s what I really appreciate, and think is a great story writing technique. All in all the Brotherhood series is literal binge-watch material

A Great Shounen: Many Shounen anime have their Arcs for the purpose of portraying the progress of a character, and keep introducing new villains; however, depsite this, there is rarely a sense of mystery, intrigue or a moving plot in a Battle Shounen Anime. What Brotherhood did was just that, except make it more digestible (and not super long like Naruto or One Piece), and added a great thematic exploration. For a shounen it was quite deep, the plot structure was more like seinen, and characters were awesome. In a way, we got everything we could in a Shounen anime that only lasted a little over 50 episodes: Depth, plot, characters in a shounen.

Thematic Exploration: Both FMA 2003/03′s and Brotherhood’s themes are the same, but Brotherhood makes it a bit more lighter. All the while, it also manages to raise questions on additional themes: revenge, truth, knowledge, sacrifice, worth of a human life, and many other things.

Soundtrack and Animation: Same as the analysis in the part of FMA 2003/03, and, once again... I will restate that I personally don’t believe that art style is what’s important to a series. It’s nothing more than glorified “eye candy”. However, for the sake of this analysis, I will be adding it in here. While Brotherhood’s art style and animation is more simplistic, it’s much easier to create those dynamic poses and expressions on an animation level. While FMA2003/03 did have it’s dynamic moments, it was mostly only during battle scenes or the really heavy moments in the series. Brotherhood maintains it’s art style through the series and keeps it a balance, so that some scenes aren’t too much animation but also not too little. And, both FMA2003/03′s and Brotherhood’s OST Soundtracks are beautiful orchestral pieces that really add additional effect to a scene that the respective series are trying to portray.

A sense of conclusion: A lot of Shounen Anime get prematurely cancelled, most Seinen end in a bittersweet manner. That’s why FMA2003/03′s ending with the fate of the Elric Bros was a bit more preferable for those who like a more realistic ending. But, I enjoy a story with a more conclusive ending that wraps all the plot points up together without leaving too many holes. Yeah, the “happy ending” of Brotherhood is cliche, but “happy endings” wouldn’t be “happy endings” if they weren’t. Not to mention, those types of endings are rare, because people really don’t want to write them, and, when they do, they’re rarely done well. Ed’s entire charcter arc wrapping up to where he swallows his pride as an Alchemist and gives up his Alchemy to bring his brother back is both wholesome and satisfying, because, through the show, it shows his progression and growth from beginning to end. And, having an arrogant character obsessed with Alchemy give it up and learn to humble himself because of it.. it’s really uplifting.

Now let's talk about the Cons within the Brotherhood series, they aren't a lot, but still, they did affect my experience quite a lot.

Overuse of Comic Relief: While the use is a nice balance to the already dark and dismal atmosphere of the series, it felt a bit overused. So much so that some emotional moments were inconvenienced by the use of that kind of humor. It was a bit much and created dissonance with the tone the scene was trying to portray. Now, it worked more in the Manga, because of the more visual gag of it, but, sometimes the visuals within the manga don’t translate as well to an animated one.

A Rushed First Half: While FMA 2003/03 began “In Media Res” with it’s first episode and then started a “flashback episodic arc” with the next handful of episodes.. Brotherhood just jumped right into it. While, yes, it was a better balance to not have the characters’ depth right at the beginning (slowly revealing it as the show goes on), the first half of Brotherhood was 0-100 through just the first few episodes. To the point it feels like the audience has to catch it’s bearings. But, once you get on the same page, it’s enjoyable from there.

So what’s the Point of this Ted Talk-esq FMA Post?

I’m sick and tired of seeing 03 Stans  and MangaHood Stans fighting each other over just the smallest detail, especially when 03 Stans decided to bring leftist politics into it for no reason.

Personally, I just appreciate the fact that both series exist, ever since I've got in the franchise, it has become a part of my life, and still to this day is part of my life. Sure, I’m forever going to be part of this fandom.. but, I still see the beauty that peeks through the ruins and ashes of destruction now and then. I appreciate both series. Sure, I do prefer Brotherhood more, and get called a “Nazi” just because of it (ironic considering FMA: CoS was the movie sequel to 03... -__- ) , but 03 was excellent as well in it’s own way. It was very involving while FMAB was engaging. Both shows are something which you can learn something from and get attached to.

All in all, comparing both shows is okay, that's what I did here, but having a debate over which one is better isn’t just inherently bad... it’s TOXIC. Both series have their pros and cons, and they’re starkly different from each other. They’re two sides of the same coin. But, most importantly they are extremely important and impactful, so Pls don't have death battles over which one is better, don't say bad things about any fanbase, be respectful, and most importantly watch both and try to appreciate them. Because trust me liking both is a pretty darn good feeling.

[just-a-gay-toku-girl]

This chapter comes to a close

As you’ve seen by my posts I’ve recently been watching through Samurai Sentai Shinkenger, and just last night at the time of writing this I watched the final episode. This is significant to me because it was the first sentai I watched all the way through that was from before I became a sentai fan (Which was around the halfway point of Zyuohger). Why did I pick Shinkenger as my first? Partially because I like the suits, partially because the opening theme is a bop, and partially because I had seen parts of power rangers Samurai and I was just curious. So having finished the series (still having some movies to watch) I thought it would be fun to give my thoughts on the show and its characters, no note just talking about my thoughts on the show as a whole(Beware as I won’t shy away from spoilers). Starting with...

The Villains 

Arguably the villains can be just as important to the success of a show or movie as the main characters are. They need to be intimidating and powerful to make them seem like a real threat to the team, and I think the Gedoushu manage to accomplish that well enough. The suit designs for the main generals are ok, very intricate but not overly so (The exception to that being Dokoku who just has a bit to much going in his design IMO). One of my favorite things about this group is their main goal: raising the level of the Sanzu river so it’ll flood into the human world, To do this they have to create negative emotions in humans. It’s not often that bad guys in these shows actually have a goal besides just world domination. This actually gives the individual monsters more purpose than just attempting to destroy the rangers, plus it means that whenever they attack their scoring at least a small victory as the river will raise ever so slightly. Another small thing to mention before I get into the main villains as individuals is that despite being evil there seemed to be a bit of comradery between at least the main 3. It wasn’t brought up too often but a scene that stuck out to me was at the end when Dokoku and Shitari seem to be just the least bit saddened by Dayu’s death. Granted that could just be them being thankful that her death made Dokoku stronger but I digress. Onto the individual villains from least to most favorite

Shitari

There’s not much to say about Shitari since I can’t actually remember him doing much throughout the show. He may have helped with the plots of a few filler episodes and commanded a few monsters but that’s about it. Really the most notable thing about him is that his actor also plays Brook in One Piece so part of me was always expecting him to ask to see Dayu’s panties.

Dokoku

Surprisingly the big bad of this season just barely escapes being the worst villain. Much like Shitari he doesn’t actually do much throughout the season, what places him higher than Shitari is two things: 1. he has a reason for being idle throughout the show being that unlike other Gedoushu he can’t stay in the human world for more than 3 minutes without drying up severely and being out of commission for the next week, though we never are really told why that is. 2. When he eventually DID actually do something he was damn powerful. Easily walking through the shinkengers in their first battle. Not to mention it was clear even with monsters that seemed more intimidating than him they still were afraid of him and his power.

Dayuu

Honestly I don’t have much to say about her either. Most of the villains were decent at being villains but for the most part kinda unremarkable. What puts Dayuu and Juzo is just the fact that they had backstories and pretty interesting ones at that. Dayuu after finding out the man she loved had married another woman was consumed with jealousy and burned him and his wife to death. That is friggin metal as hell and I love it. In a series like this where full scale invasions from aliens are common place in rare to see something so small scale like this to be treated as serious as it is. It really makes her feel more human as a villain, which I dig.

Juzo

Juzo was easily my favorite villain in Shinkenger. And no not just because he was played by my favorite character from 555. Like Dayu he had a really interesting backstory that made him feel a lot more human (Despite the whole point of his arc being that he wasn’t human.) Basically he found out he was dying and decided to take a couple people down with him which led to him becoming a Gedou. In the earlier episodes he seemed to be sort of an anti hero, not necessarily working for the Gedou and even saving Shinken red’s life on a couple of occasions just because he wanted so desperately to fight red himself. That is until close to the end of the show when he basically said “I don’t care if my family’s souls are suffering because of me, let them suffer.” to show there really wasn’t a shred of humanity left within him. Not to mention he had an amazing death scene that I won’t say anything because it’s best seen for yourself. 

Now with the bag guys done I’m gonna move onto the actual shinkengers. like before it’ll be least to most favorite

Shinken Green - Tani Chiaki

In this case saying Chiaki is my least favorite really just means I didn’t like him as much as the others but I still did like him. Admittedly there wasn’t much to Chiaki in terms of an arc, just that in the beginning he had an inferiority complex that made him not want to follow orders but that kinda went away after one episode. What I liked more about him was his personality, very happy-go-lucky while still taking his role as a shinkenger seriously. He’s also very friendly, being the first to make friend’s with Genta when he joined the team as well as having a good relationship with every other ranger and even Jii. He really is fun to watch but not much else.

Shinken Pink - Shiraishi Mako

Mako is a very kind person and wants to help those in need, however she only helps those in need and as soon as they don’t need her she leaves them. She’s one of the older Shinkengers thus earning her the affectionate nickname of “Big sis” from the rest of the team. However that’s basically all there is to her. She doesn’t change that much and overall has the lowest amount of character focus episodes. But she’s cute so that puts her above Chiaki.

Shinken Blue - Ikenami Ryunosuke

Ryunosuke is easily the most dedicated to his role as a samurai,he’s kind, hardworking and he’s loyal to a fault which ends up creating an internal debate for him when he discovers the person he’s pledged his life to isn’t the actual Shiba head. Being that he was a kabuki actor his movements and mannerisms are very lively and wild, it’s really just a joy to watch how his actor portrayed him. He definitely carried the show’s energy for the most part. I also loved watching his interactions with the others and when he’s forced to work with them. Some highlights of his include the episode where him and Chiaki get glued together and the episode where Genta tries to follow him around to learn to be a samurai.

Shinken Red - Shiba Takeru/Shiba Kaoru

I lump both of them together mainly because we didn’t see enough of Kaoru for me to really make a judgement of her yet I still wanted to mention her. I’ll say this, I did like her. She was definitely worthy of being the first female red ranger. I appreciate that despite her recognizing herself as the strongest she never tried to put the others down for being weaker than her, even berating her retainer for doing just that. I’ll admit the thing at the end with her “Adopting” Takeru was kinda weird but it showed she recognized the team was stronger with Takeru.

As for Takeru himself I really enjoyed him. Stoic, intimidating, and cold at the beginning but as time went on and he developed relationships with the rest of the team he slowly began opening up to them more and more. So much so that by the end he was joking around just as much as they were. And the twist of him not actually being of the Shiba household I thought was executed pretty well, I would’ve been genuinely surprised by it had power rangers not done the same thing. He was a really solid character and easily one of my favorite red rangers.

Shinken Gold - Umemori Genta

Genta was a unique 6th ranger in that he was mostly comedic relief, but a damn good one. He had me genuinely laughing out loud a few times. despite being a comedic character they managed to have a few serious plots with him that turned out alright. Not much more to say about him, he’s funny and (as the show called him) an extraordinary good boy

Shinken Yellow - Hanaori Kotoha 

Easily my favorite of the shinkengers, Kotoha is the youngest and therefore least experienced of the team. Originally her older sister was meant to take the role of yellow but fell ill before the events of the show leaving Kotoha to take her place. This of course makes her feel inferior to the others and ike she isn’t a real samurai, just a substitute for her sister. Eventually though after Jii learns of her insecurities he helps reassure her that everyone thinks of her as a real samurai. Although this part of her character isn’t really seen until close to the end, it was that which made me love her character, hell I even shed a tear or two during her last character focus episode. Plus she is downright adorable so there’s nothing not to love about her.

Final thoughts

Overall I think Shinkenger was a really good show, easily in my top 5 sentai (although that’s not saying much since most of the sentai I’ve seen have been pretty Meh). As I mentioned the suits are really well designed, and the opening song as well as the fight songs are just badass. The characters are all really good with the weakest of them just being the ones that were under developed. The story while not necessarily ground breaking it was still enjoyable to watch and I wouldn’t mind coming back to it pretty soon, but for now I need to move on to a different sentai.

I contemplated for  a while what sentai to watch next, between Goseiger, Goonger, Dekaranger, Magiranger, Bioman and a few others. Ultimately tho I decided that since one of my favorite things about sentai is the crossovers I should go back and watch all the crossovers, so I’ll start with the season that made these team ups an annual thing. So if I ever make another Long ass post like this, then you’ll be hearing of the fight to protect earth against the evile Baranoia army in Chouriki Sentai Ohranger

[prongsmydeer]

Ayesha Liveblogs Oh My Ghost (2018) Ep. 9-16

Part 2 of this post because tumblr would not let me save anymore either because of the numerous images I’m commenting on or because of how many times I use the word H*rny 

Kaopoon is frustrated bc Real Jiw is now vibing with her new BF Sun while she is sitting sadly on a swing set [Alexa play Sadness and Sorrow]

Backtracking to the other kind of drama: Lieutenant Murder is finally going to murder someone on screen (specifically his fellow police officer) because Lieutenant Murder jumped him for getting too close to solving Nammoon's hit-and-run case, which is at this point obvious he committed)

I love when Sun and Jiw flirt through their apartment wall

Jiw and Sun are dating now but the remaining point of contention is how much Horny Ghost just wants them to sleep together instead of getting to know each other to which Sun thinks “Jiw do u only want me for my body 😔?”

I can't believe that Lieutenant Murder's tragic backstory is that he was an orphan oh my god. Adoption is normal!! Murder is not!!

Lieutenant Murder was possessed by an evil spirit????? (After the first time he tried to murder????) WHAT WHAT WHAT

Sous Chef Rain is yelling at the restaurant staff bc of forgetting his birthday, bc he is, truly, a perennial pain in the ass

They are all out for Rain's birthday except for Sun bc of his and Jiw (Kaopoon)'s sex fight and so he is very anxious about his girlfriend being out with The Guys without him

Also Study-Abroad Win is handsome to the point of distraction AND nice  where is his romance? Where is the justice for the male models of the world

Sun's Mom does not know he is Dating and Housing his employee possessed by a Horny Ghost He Thinks is One Facet of Her Personality

Presented without commentary:

Win has been politely pretending not to notice that Sun and Jiw are in a relationship and now I'm thinking he will get a romance and it will be Ida, to wrap up most of the loose ends of this relationship pentagon. Based on no other reason than that they are both single

Dkjhgkjgh lmao @ Sun going to his whole staff: “WHO WANTS TO GO TO THE MARKET?” and then saying no to everyone one by one except his girlfriend

Kaopoon is making Sun help her dad install a restaurant hose in the middle of their work day hahaha

FINALLY PROOF THAT LIEUTENANT MURDER IS A MURDERER. Warning for murder related description, there was a flashback where it showed a still body (face obscured) wearing Kaopoon's outfit on his bathroom floor

They really hammered home the ‘he is a murderer’ thing, he has a bag full of evidence of his crime

In more lighthearted news, Sun's rice intolerance is psychosomatic bc his mum never cooked rice for him and it's Sad Boy Hours

Sun and Kaopoon!Jiw seem like they're finally ready to have sex (they've talked out their feelings and are going away together) but there are FIVE MORE EPS and the murder stuff still lingers so I wonder what other madness this show will unleash on me

Actually, six more eps!! Ahhhh that's so much time

Oh how the tables have turned now Kaopoon is the one too in love with Sun too have sex (bc she will go to the afterlife if she does -- But if she doesn't she'll be an evil spirit so... stuck between a rock and hard-on) 

I have been suspecting for a while tho that the sex will not change anything. She will probably have to solve her murder to pass on

You know what that is? Growth!!

Now they are back to the weird energy of Sun going “Now that we are in love I would like to have sex,” and Kaopoon!Jiw going “Sex????? Never heard of it!!”

Against Kaopoon's credit, she has not informed Jiw that their relationship has progressed this much. She's just like "yeah things are normal" bc she wants to spend as much time with Sun while she has the chance

Win and Kaopoon!Jiw are just being good bros and Sun, in tandem with the sex-back-and-forth, is jealous of their dynamic

Kaopoon has begun to solve her own murder!!! Unfortunately the first thing she did was point out inconsistent evidence to Lieutenant Parin, who extremely Murdered Her

I feel so happy for Jiw when she gets to experience normal boyfriend moments with Sun like these cheesy matching necklaces. <3 Why does Jiw's life have to be so complicated?

Kaopoon is... spiritually breaking up with Jiw, so she can end the messiness of her involvement with Sun

Ehkjehrrk Jiw is back to living her own life and a spirit just tried to grab at her and she just whacked their hand off and said, "Don't bother me now!" so she could keep cooking, love that for her

The employee-boss affair's out of the bag!!

They also keep cutting to Lieutenant Murder with his knife ready to go after Jiw for Knowing Too Much kjhgkhgjh so I guess the last four-and-a-half eps will dedicated to crime-fighting

Auntie Pu is kind of my favourite character on this show bc she goes from Ghost Nemesis to Ghost Mom all while having Sun's mom as her BFF and Sugar Mama

Hahahaha all the other restaurant staff (minus Win, who is chill) are sucking up to Jiw now bc she's dating Sun

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Jiw felt guilty about dating Sun when half the things he loves are things that Kaopoon did and now the Horny Ghost is out of the bag

I can only assume, bc he thinks she's bipolar, he will assume this is product of a hallucination

Reservations on the commentary on bipolar disorder aside, what DO u do when the person you love tells you that they can see ghosts and key relationship moments you had together were the product of them being possessed by a ghost

Sun now believes in ghosts but he's very upset about the romantic implications of this knowledge

“I think the reason I haven’t been reincarnated... isn’t the fact I’ve never slept with a man after all” HORNY GHOST CONFIRMED FOR DETECTIVE GHOST. VINNNNNDICATION!!!!!

Awww the restaurant staff are all surrounding Chef with support in his time of romantic woe

“But I want the two people I care about the most to be happy” I want Win to date Sun AND Jiw he's so good to them

AYYYYYYY Sun found out that Jiw made the recipes for the blog he liked (and called his soulmate) and now he's visiting her grandma bc he truly is in love with both Jiw AND Kaopoon

Sun said, “I acknowledge this is a complicated situation but I'm willing to work through the ghost thing and figure out how we feel about each other”

Cutting back to Lieutenant Murder, he has just meowed at his coworker threateningly in response to being investigated (for attacking that same coworker!!)

Lieutenant Murder wears this same stupid outfit every time he's gonna do a crime recently and can I just say: I hate it

WHAT'S HE GONNA DO, KILL EVERYONE WHO KNOWS SOMETHING ABOUT ONE OF HIS MANY CRIMES?? THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE! AUNTIE PU! JIW! THE FORESENICS ANALYST! ALMOST-SUN? HE CAN'T EVEN KILL KAOPOON BC HE ALREADY KILLED HER AND SHE'S A GHOST!!!!!!!!!!!

“Chef, is something wrong?” Jiw asked, after telling Sun that his brother-in-law is a murderer who also probably hit his sister with a car

Sun said, “Pls don't be a murderer I love u bro” and Parin said “My life of crime is very important to me”

This is Kaopoon possessing Auntie Pu so that Kaopoon, Jiw and Sun can be a crime-fighting trio, love that for them

There are SO MANY crimes going on right now I cannot even begin to describe but just know Lieutenant Murder is responsible for all of them

So Jiw has been kidnapped (GUESS WHO) and Sun is investigating every school in the area and Kaopoon has a network of ghosts looking for her while Jiw tries to find a way to communicate her location. The Crime-Fighting Trio Continues!!!

You'd think more people would notice  what a creep this guy is considering that he is literally DIGGING A GRAVE for the woman trapped in his cupboard!!

Poor Nammoon she has no idea her husband is possessed by a murderous ghost. Which like, to be clear, he did try to murder before the ghost possessed him sooooooooooooo

“You're a good person,” said Nammoon, to a man who has committed at least three murders with a fourth on the go

Sun rescued Jiw via high speed car chase and now Auntie Pu and Kaopoon have taken Sun's car to chase Parin and GET HIS ASS

Also Jiw got 2 attack Parin which I think she deserved to get to do

Oh yikes it's possible she fatally injured him which doesn't bode well for the psychological implications of this whole ordeal

Nope I was wrong the ghost-busting continues

Well I don't know what's more perturbing, the resolution of that fight or the fact that there is still one more episode of 1 HOUR left jhfkjhkfjh this better be a happy filler ep where Jiw and Sun get married omg

HORNY GHOST SHOW REALLY MAKING ME TEARY-EYED ON THE LAST EP

The entire restaurant staff is a collective of morons who love Jiw for who she is  

Jiw won a cooking scholarship and gets to study abroad in Europe for two years so it's Sad Boy Hours with Sun again

THEY GOT A SECOND DOG THIS IS THE BEST THING THAT'S HAPPENED ON THIS SHOW

SCREAM NOW AUNTIE PU IS A RICH AND FAMOUS GHOSTBUSTER MEDIUM

Sun has expanded his restaurant business, leaving Rain in charge, and so they have been sent a new employee Summer, who I guess is everyone's new Pain in the Ass just for fun kgjhkjhkgh

He was merely a plot device to prove the Chef Boys are Bros 4 lyf

In a weird turn of events Parin is still alive with amnesia???? Even if all of what he did as an adult was ghost possession stuff.... he did still try to attack a baby as a teen. That's a thing he did! Are we forgetting this????? I guess!!!

GET SOME THERAPY NAMMOON!!

BACK TO THE DOGS:

Sun is strumming a guitar woefully because he misses Jiw:

SHE'S BACK AND THE JIW SUPPORT SQUAD IS THRIVING:

Sun is presumably somewhere sadly shaking a tambourine

IT'S FINALLY HAPPY BOY HOURS

[drpepperhateblog]

TV Series I’ve Watched so far on Netflix, (Relatively) Spoiler Free Description

Dark + Well planned plot, no plot holes in sight, more and more makes sense when you rewatch. + Some of the best casting I’ve seen in a TV series. + Gets a third season soon that will complete the series. - May feel slow sometimes and have some scenes that seem filler-y, but the payoff is worth it. Score: 10/10 (so far)

Insatiable + A surprisingly deep examination into binge eating disorder and body dysmorphia covered up by camp, black comedy, and a plot that twists all over. + Subverts your expectations in the best ways possible. + Despite being a goddamn comedy show it actually has a great explanation of sexuality that other shows are lacking. - A character inconsistency in the second season affected my enjoyment negatively. I can’t say how much it might affect yours. - Ends on sort of a cliffhanger as the show was cancelled, but it works anyway and answers questions you had while watching the first season. Score: 8/10

Iron Fist - Awful Season 1. Absolutely horrendous. + While Season 1 is one of the worst things I’ve ever seen on television, Season 2 tries its best to pick up the pieces and work with the mess Season 1 gave it. The second season brings some great acting, gets into the characters’ psyche and introduces a fascinating character that I’m sad we won’t get to see again. - Unfortunately ends on a cliffhanger as the show was cancelled. Season 1 Score: 1/10 Season 2 Score: 6/10

Jessica Jones + Good from start to finish. The show was cancelled but the ending is quite open, works as an ending but also works as the start of another season. + Well executed villain arcs and moral complexity, examination of heroism, what it means. +/- Close examination of sexism. My friend felt it was a tad too much. I thought it was a reasonable amount. Your mileage may vary on this issue. - Starts a little slow, the second half of each season is always the best. Although, in my opinion a good ending is more important than a good beginning. Score: 10/10

Pretty Little Liars + The drama, the mystery! You get hooked and excuse the terrible because you’re convinced it all pays off. - ... It doesn’t. Countless plot holes, timeline inconsistencies, a perfect example of how not to write a mystery. - A bizarre romanticization of statutory rape. + Janel Parrish is a great actress and nearly carried the whole show on her back. Score: 5/10

Sex Education + Some great characters that keep you watching. By that I’m not referring to the main ones. + Fun drama, albeit predictable at times. - Inconsistent characterization for some of the main characters. - Plenty of rushed character arcs and out-of-nowhere plotlines that appear to have been added for fan service. Characters discover things about themselves that have had no hints at all in previous episodes or even seasons. Score: 3/10

The Defenders NOTE: Watch Daredevil Season 1-2, Jessica Jones Season 1, Luke Cage Season 1, and Iron Fist Season 1 before watching this or nothing will make sense. + I don’t think I’ve ever seen a show before where I’ve been so happy to just rewatch scenes of characters talking. Screw the action, what was interesting was seeing the characters we had watched grow in their separate shows come together and play off each other’s personalities. + Makes a certain character that was insufferable in their own show one of the bright points of this series, a breath of fresh air that the others really needed. - Some of the villains are weak and motivations aren’t clear. - The flashing lights in early episodes are so annoying. Score: 7/10

The Witcher + Have you seen the main character? Hot. + Great actors. + Nice special effects, brings in many of the fantasy elements other more “realistic fantasy” series neglect. + Positive treatment of women without becoming too preachy. - One of the main characters’ plotline moves at the speed of a snail, but hopefully it pays off when the second season is released. Score: 9/10