#also...........proving i can draw dudes lmao

[ns-media]

Elaborating on my previous Oda romance/LuNami post

For the ones who read my previous long post analyzing Oda's thoughts on romance in One Piece + LuNami, thank you!

I'd like to elaborate on some things right here in case some people may misinterpret some of my viewpoints on how Oda portrays LuNami. So, one thing I see many LuNami fans point out is that Oda making LuNami subtle in his manga is on purpose, which I do wholeheartedly agree with! While it definitely is intentionally subtle, my post was to point out WHY that is the case, because Oda goes out of his way to show off the more cliché or "obvious" stuff in non-manga material, while the manga basically exclusively contains subtle things, indicating that there is something holding him back from putting this cliché stuff in his main story, which is what 95% of the content Oda makes even comes from. And as I pointed out in the post, I think it's him wanting to appeal to boys. I do think that if it wasn't for that, plus his shyness about romance, that he would put in more obvious cliché things in his manga, as he seems to be doing that for his non-manga material.

Now, this subtlety LuNami has in the manga is what draws many LuNami fans to the ship, which makes a ton of sense no doubt, in the manga it's basically the ship's bread and butter. My post wasn't to say "Omfg stop being subtle forget your audience and put in obvious shit in your manga Oda!" Nope, definitely not. My post was to point out that he truly DOES see LuNami as romantic and the reason I pointed it out in the first place is because it's so subtle in the manga that some people need convincing that the subtleties in the manga are truly LuNami hints and not just something you can dismiss like all the naysayers do.

This is why I talked about the non-canon material so much in that post, to prove how it's obvious that he DOES really like LuNami because of how the non-manga shit is so much more obvious with LuNami hints. Mr. "I think romance is a good idea for Film: Gold" also said "OP is a shounen manga ffs, no romance depicted lmao". Totally different statements, one for his manga, one for an optional movie... hmm, there's no way my post has any sort of validity!

By the way when Oda said "no romance depicted" he's not full of shit or whatever, he clearly refers to obvious romances stories that aren't subtle hints like how he portrayed LuNami in the manga. Every time he mentions romance it's clear he means the obvious stuff, of course I think it's obvious how UsoKaya is basically canon but there's no dedicated romance story between them in the manga.

This predicament that I think Oda is in with making it subtle in his manga and less subtle outside his manga, is why LuNami seems so easy to trivalize for so many people. Because in the manga it's so subtle that people can easily just go "Nah that is not what it means" and in non-manga material it's like "No man it's non-canon bullshit who cares it's not in the manga". But see, these people saying this is exactly what I think Oda wants his boy audience to think! So... good job I guess!

Now, I know that I may seem to be putting in just a bit too much stock into Oda being restricted by his audience, which yeah I do see why you would think so if you happen to think that. However he keeps bringing up his readers, over and over and over AND OVER AND OVER again when nobody even asked him about that, dude.

Some guy asks: "So uhh who does Nami like?" Oda: "Uhh this is for boys and they don't care man"

The guy: Umm... I didn't ask for that but thanks?

Aoyama: "I wouldn't leave if you do romantic stuff"

Oda: "Well shit, PEOPLE seem so supportive of couples huh!?"

You uhh, seem a bit too concerned with the opinions of "people" and there's a bit too much "shounen shounen manga boys boys boys" when NOBODY ASKED YOU to talk about them in your answers for it. How should that not to arouse suspicion in me?

And those 2 examples aren't even the only time he's like that.

Buuut, I think this is all I gotta say... for now I think. I might edit this post to further elaborate on stuff later, no promises but I'll think about it!

[snowddeong]

Up to now that stupid tweet is genuinely cracking me tf up like wdym girls kissing is "against your religion and beliefs" 😭😭😭

These sorts of christians are such fucking hypocrites because there is so much shit in the bible, especially the old testament, that is just not okay and if you use this line of argumentation then shit like slavery, marital rape, genocide and so much other shit are totally fine because the bible is like really casual about how all that shit is normal. If it was a "different time" why do they always draw the line at gay people 😭 we know for a fact that a lot of the translation of the bible is also rooted in white supremacist, patriarchal beliefs lmao if you're going to use it as your and all be all guide then first of all stop nitpicking and second acknowledge that there is no way in hell that the translations you have are perfect lmao

It's really crazy as someone who was raised in a christian environment how the bible also literally says "hey dude, don't make judgements on people that you think are sinners just live your life" and yet again these sorts of christians feel the need to be like "yeah you're gross and here's a thesis on WHY you're gross lol" Jesus himself was literally chilling with the sort of people that this mf would probably call gross too unyet there is like zero self awareness.

Now, if op hadn't said anything and just moved on with his life that'd be different. It wouldn't be okay imo cause I don't think being conservative is okay but it wouldn't be like impeding anyone. But to go out of your way to qrt a clip of the girls talking about kissing with a whole dissertation on outdated shit that can very, very easily be justified using biology and evolution theory is just bonkers honestly. Like why must that be our business? However much you justify it it's just being fucking hateful lmao.

I'm no scholar or even a debater but shit like this is already a shitty argument from point one because instead of starting with trying to prove why it is that humans have morals you just assume that the only answer MUST be because of god. This shit can very easily be observed by the way that society has all these unspoken norms that pass on and on throughout generations. Humans are a social species, ofc we'd develop instincts that value the well being of the whole and that make most of us not wanna do shit that would oust us from the whole. And like that could be wrong however much it makes sense to me, but there's multiple reasons why "objective moral values" exist come on now 😭

And this bit later

Like, people's moral compasses are also influenced by where they come from 😭there's shit that I assign moral value because I grew up in Uganda that people who grew up in a different place wouldn't assign moral value 😭 it's not about "personal preference" or "illusions" it's just how society works omg. Then hogwash about why actually it's god that causes these things 😭there is nothing substantial here beyond "yeah these big names show it in their works" HOW lmao explain it 😭😭

And this is not to bash on religious people. As an atheist I think that the only reason that I'm not religious is because I'm simply not the kinda person who has the capability or even need to believe in some greater power to build a relationship with. But a lot of people do and that's cool. Your relationship with your religion should be about you and whoever you believe in not an excuse to be a fucking asshole because your fav girl group made a joke about kissing each other jesus christ.

This is so fucking long lmao and I still have more to say but let me leave it at that pff

[soartfullydone]

Bastion, 14 and 15. Cobalt, 25. Yuffie, 6 and 20.

Bastion

14. Assign a fashion aesthetic to this character

Ashley has done so much of the work for me in the slutty goth department, but I have to stress that Bastion is not the studs and chains kind of slutty goth. He's the straps and capes kind, the leather daddy without the daddy part. He's heels and fingerless gloves and too many necklaces and rings. But he likes his flair, too. Huge feather boas, accents in silk, velvet, or lace, all keeping with the red, black, and crow/rogue aesthetic, of course. I think if it were easier to draw, he'd wear one of those see-through mesh shirts, not the cheap fishnet kind you'd find at a Party City but one of those expensive, surprisingly soft and not-itchy kind you'd get at a Macy's. Of course, the texture doesn't really matter. These are all glamours he stores in his torc.

What I'm very interested in seeing is what Bastion's aesthetic would be if he did have to play up the noble son persona in Alderode more. We see that briefly in chapter 7, but his color palette really makes him stick out in Soud territory. I wanna see how he makes himself noticeable in a sea of Jets, particularly since they're all so bitchy :)

15. What's your favorite ship for this character? (Doesn't matter if it's canon or not.)

Oh, Bastion/Lemuel by miles. It's so mean and salacious, fueled by hate and devoid of love. It's perfect.

Cobalt

25. What was your first impression of this character? How about now?

One of the things I remember thinking was, "Why does this dude need three offices? Wtf?" And then he came strolling out into the arena in just his business clothes but with the sleeves rolled up, and I thought, "Oh, I see. This is an attack on me personally."

But now, yeah, I love that nasty little freak. I do wish Riven had had the opportunity to try to—fruitlessly—connect with him about living an immortal life. She was built for that, but he was not, and his drive to end it all, let alone take everyone with him, is a perspective that she has massive trouble understanding. What's so wrong with being young and hot for a really long time when the world is so full of promise? But that moment never came up organically before Szez, and when it did, she was super uninterested and preoccupied with getting everyone home alive.

Yuffie

6. What's something you have in common with this character?

It sounds like a knock, but we both definitely believe that we're more important than we truly are lmao. But it's in a good way. It means that neither of us is easily discouraged and we bounce back from setbacks fast. That said, we can be one-track minded about things, chasing a course of action that stops being feasible well before we realize it. Also, #RogueLife!

20. Which other character is the ideal best friend for this character, the amount of screentime they share doesn't matter?

While it's tempting to say Riven or FFX-2's Rikku, they would be horrible enablers of Yuffie's worst habits and behaviors, which is fun but not ideal. She needs someone who keeps her a little more grounded, I think, but who's still fun for her to be around. Tifa would be great for that, and Yuffie would also help lift Tifa out of her melancholy moods and do wonders for her uncertainty/self-esteem issues. I also think Yuffie and Cissnei would make a hell of a team, particularly because Cissnei would prove a good mentor.

[moonlightperseus]

You're genuinely making me want to try reading them again so badly give me a sec to like, pull them up for motivation. (93 issues? Insane fam) (also again your comic site is great lmao, like just for instance I just pulled up the first issue of bombshells NO pop-up ads, NO leaving the page. If I'd used mine the second I clicked the search bar I would've been sent to a scam site I had to back space from before it could load, then when I clicked on the actual comic there'd be a 50/50 chance that would happen again, same as when I clicked on the specific issue, and then there would've been a giant pop up over the whole comic that I'd either have to read around or exit and if would send me to another site, or open another tab, and would only be gone for like 2 minutes tops, so again, you're a life saver lmao this is GREAT) 

That all sounds very interesting!!! That's very exciting!!! 

and Barda isn't as BIG as I like my Big Barda, that's a bit of a con for me, but she is still very pretty and I appreciate the mention she deserves to be in a  wlw relationship all the time. (Is there a girl doctor light in DC like normally? That's a genuine question idfk) 

I DO honestly mostly agree everyone needs to love things and it's so exciting. But I started talking about orcas for like 10 seconds and I shit you not the mental health worker said "hey have you heard of Asperger's?" (I also get asked "have you ever thought of being a marine biologist?" And I say "no that sounds really boring" and then I get yelled at) 

I've never been to SeaWorld (or anything of the sort) bit as a kid I BEGGED to go to Marineland so I get it. I, obviously, do not support that anymore. I haven't done anything like that but I want to go to British Columbia SO BAD to go whale watching. All of my writing is set in BC (a place I've NEVER BEEN) just because I long to be by the whales lmao. I NEED to see orcas before I die. I would think it's stupidity. I GENUINELY wonder, if I was like swimming in the ocean and a pod of orcas came up to me, if I would remember y'know, COMMON SENSE and leave the water, or if I'd just be so blinded by love I'd be like !!! Oh my god hey guys!! Hey buddies!!! Wanna play fetch?? Wanna be pet??? Because I'm NOT dumb but I HAVE loved them my entire life so they should just also love me instinctively. 

dude that sounds SO FUN we should become Spies. I can talk about whales forever. My phone case is called like "Canadian whales" or "whales of the Hudson's Bay" (I think it's the former bit it's just belugas and orcas and Canada has more whales than that but The Hudson's Bay doesn't???) But yeah it's covered in whales. I can go ALL day. And with an AUDIENCE of ORCAS THEMSELVES??? 

My mother and brother and an ex-bestfriemd all loved/ liked agents of shield so I get it!! And Peggy!! I love like her style and her everything honestly. I had to do an assignment where I wrote a diary as a solider years ago in school and I drew a portrait of his wife and everyone was like 'thay looks like the girl from captain america" as though that wasn't the point? Why would I draw anyone else?? 

It's volumes, I barely buy issues because they're so delicate and that scares me, but I bought a couple individual issues of SAGA this year as they came out and I think *they* were 4$ each? And as for bombshells, as a direct comparison I'll check mine to tell you bit a) I bought it years ago (proves have gone up since) and b) I just recently reorganized my bookshelves but don't really have space for my comics anymore so I couldn't keep it in alphabetical order and I have literally no idea where bombshells is. 

Okay so it was under a lot of comics and it was very hard to get at and I need to figure out what the fuck to do with my comic collection. But I bought it at Indigo (Canada's main book retailer, essentially our Barnes and Noble) so it sold for normal retail value and it was 22.99$ CAD. I remember it being more expensive? But I also had no job then because it was many years ago so. The most recent one I bought was definitely either 30 or 40$ but it's also like half of the green arrow and black canary run. (apparently the Hardcover Injustice: Góðs Among us year four volume 1 should be 27.99$ and the paperback should be 19.99, but most of my paper back (I don't think that's what they're called in comics?) Are 22.99$ like bombshells. The green arrow and black canary comic was 45.99$ and so is my deluxe rebirth justice league comic that I bought from Dollarama bit again I only paid > 5$ for two of those) 

​​​​​

​That could be good!! 

That's faid yeah I don't like when they don't that either. It's cool to know it's all cohesive ( unlike how the current BOP started with Dinah talking with Oliver when in current green arrow comics he's "missing" (I won't like spoil the rest that's literally the plot so it's not intrusive if you haven't read them: Dinah's a fairly active character so far if you were interested but obviously it IS a green arrow comic and I always get annoyed when he's the main character) but it IS frustrating (and, if I were buying them as they came out, more expensive I'd think?) 

I didn't even know that it moved!! And I really just know her from Gotham city garage and Injustice 2, so not like,,, canon things) and I love that the three mom's were so important you mentioned it twice thats wonderful I trust that they're very good 

It is now OPEN on my phone so hopefully I'll get to it bit I won't be starting it immediately since I have go work early tomorrow but hopefully that will be SOON and I absolutely will 

Oh dw I will talk about my mental health relentlessly and do not mind when people do it back so you're good. But I actually get that pretty much exactly so maybe it's kind of a common thing? I don't know how I feel about libraries (the last time I went to one was a year ago for my friend and I just read a book on dolphins while he looked for dantes inferno) but the used book thing is a big one. I have issues in thrift stores entirely but my town has a big book sale once a year where it's all just used books and I go every year and buy SO MANY books but I have go wash my hands as soon as I get home and am now too scared to read any of them. (which sucks because one is called the doctor who lived in a house at sea- I love doctors and the sea!! But I cannot touch it) it's good that you made progress!!! Buying them for someone else was a good idea. And I'm glad that made it easier! And tbch I mostly just buy new books, but that's because I'm stupid. I do have an online library app that's wonderful but my old library card expired so I have to go to my local library and ask for a new one but I am scared :( so I just can't listen to audiobooks for free until I do that (or read the books)

I have no idea what kind of books you like but while I had Libby (my library app) I only listened to two and one was Wonderwoman War Bringér, which was honestly really interesting but I do chronically read YA so. And then a book called wild and wicked things that you might like? It's an adult book set after WW2 about witchcraft and lesbians. 

I didn't like the Harley x birds comic just because everyone but Harley seemed incredibly out of character but I do really like the way her relationship with Dinah was essentially just Harley being like !!!!! And Dinah being 😮‍💨 about it the entire time. I want that back. (honestly it's somewhat similar on Injustice too and it's just like bring that back please). I also hope it gets better!!! If worse comes to worst I'll take over and write it myself I can do it. We deserve it. 

That's fair!! Hope you enjoy it!! 

(I only know so many "good time of day" in Gaelic so you have to be reading this at the time I say I don't make the rules, anyway) Madainn Mhath!! 

akalsjg i'm so glad the site is working well for you! and that’s very fair re:big barda. and yeah! dr kimiyo hyoshi exists as dr light in the main continuity too!! according to wikipedia she was introduce during crisis on infinite earths & has even come face to face with the villian who goes by the name dr light.

also like i don’t really know much about working in marine biology but i gotta say from my own personal experience in working in a career related to smth im passionate about (i work in the dog world) definitely has serious drawbacks in that im hitting serious exhaustion and burnout and it feels like my passion itself is kinda burning out. so yeah gotta say totally respect not wanting to go into a career specific to the animal you love.

ajsjdjsjs i did mention bombshells!kara’s three moms (four actually if you count her earth adoptive mother) twice huh. the silliest part is when i mentioned it the second time i even remember. going back and checking if i had mentioned it previously but clearly i didn’t read my own words throughly enough, whoops lmao

yeah supergirl was originally a cbs show for s1 and then i forget the details but it switched over to the cw for s2. thats why supergirl was set on a different earth from the rest of the arrowverse (up until they changed that with their version of crisis on infinite earths and they decided no more multiverse, which really is no fucking fun i love a multiverse)

i haven’t read the new green arrow run but i think i may give it a try bc i do enjoy comics ollie (he’s VERY much preferred to arrow oliver in every possible way ((which is kinda like saying i prefer pizza over a moldy slice of bread))) and i have a friend who’s really into green arrow comics so it could give me smth to talk about with them too.

also yeah!! thrift stores are hard for me too. it took me a long time but i can buy clothes from thrift stores now because they can go directly in the washing machine but anything else is a pretty hard no. i hope this isnt weird to say but its nice to find solidarity/similarity in struggling w/used items.

i actually own a physical copy of wonder woman warbringer!!! i got it as a gift, and then my dog decided to rip the cover of it and made me very upset (he has now been assigned Wonder Woman Hater-he also ripped up some wonder woman stickers i got as a completely separate gift) but yeah i really enjoyed warbringer, wouldve loved it even more if they let alia be diana's love interest instead of that dude who i barely remember (maybe i should reread its been a long time) i will have to add wild and wicked things to my to read list! one of my friend groups just convinced me to start the raven cycle series so i ended up listening to that on my drive to my parents today, i havent formed a solid opinion on it yet but ive been intriuged/enjoying it so far!

you know i actually dont remember if i read the harley x bop run or not. i feel like i probably did but i have no memory of it. alas such is the way my memory works

okay i kinda liveblogged my reading of injustice a little bit which i will put below the cut for you, its a little scattered bc i read a lot in one sitting last night after work and then fell asleep (on the couch lmao) but ive definitely gotten invested in it. but i have to ask, does dinah not come back until injustice 2? (she comes back right? i feel like i definitely remember seeing panels out there of her and other earth ollie). anyways. yeah here are some of my thoughts i had, a bit scattered, i might attempt more coherent thoughts later but i wanted to finally respond to this ask <3

okay i finished year one of injustice and i am continuing to read as i write this reply. i have to say it is by no means my favorite comic series and its a bit frustrating at times however..... the dinah of it all.... yeah. i was also really loving the dinahollie of it all, i did... forget that ollie dies in injustice. didnt know superman literally beat him to death. killing martian manhunter and green arrow really isnt a good look for superman i gotta say.

the hardest thing with reading injustice so far has been the whole wonder woman aspect of it but ive simply chosen to decide that its not really diana. like idk who that is but that is Not My Wonder Woman <3 i simply know her better. it is nice to see some of the other heroes working with superman questioning things and beginning to have Doubts about what superman is doing. (i feel so bad for shazam who is literally a fucking child he should not have to be a part of these horrors.) and im curious to see what reactions will be if/when they find out superman killed ollie bc like, sure he had a justification for killing martian manhunter (he was trying to kill imposter wonder woman) but ollie was just vibing (he... put an arrow in papa kent but papa kent was fine about it! and that was after clark starting attacking ollie) now if i remember correctly injustice brings in like an alternate earth version of ollie? looking forward to when that happens i hate when dinah is sad.

and okay just got to ollie's funeral and damn even hal's staying on superman's side huh. homoerotic friendship means nothing to hal i see. (i dont actually know that much about hal but from my understanding he does have a homoerotic friendship with ollie and i support that)

okay i just got to the beginning of harley & dinahs friendship and oughghghghghghghghghhghghghghg i love them (i had seen pretty much the entire interaction between harley & dinah that i just read previously but it still was so good and wonderful)

okay so its been a minute since the last sentence (more than a minute) i got home from work and literally.... read all of year two and year three. its 1:30am rn and i really need to not start year four but ouugh. year two was very good for me as a dinah fan. year three not so much however year three did have zatanna and i do love zatanna. (coulda been more zatanna in my opinion)

[finleycannotdraw]

OOOKAY HI THERE

So since you're like yes please come and talk with me pspsps, now I'm gonna tentatively start one by saying the thing I've been restraining myself from saying the whole time I've followed you

I've never talked to you before, just hiding in my lil witchy corner, v shy awkward little bean that I am over here. BUT -

God d a m n it if EVERY TIME. EVERY. TIME. I see your url, I don't sing to myself 'Finley can't draw, Finley can't draw, Finley cannot draw. He only reads books and he cannot draw, even if he's reading a how to draw book...' - and btw it's okay if you don't know that reference, but just it's literally maddening skksksks and I can't stop it

But anyway I really enjoy your blog and seeing you on my dash ! And also your little doodles are super adorable I love them and yes you silly sproutling you, you can very much draw

That's your greeting from your weird neighborhood fairy dude Lemons here, please feel free to leave a message with one of my faithful newts if you wanna talk to me too but just be prepared because I talk a l o t sks

Okay byeeee !

HELLOOOOOOOO

LMAO FJSJGJBKGDKGJDHG ?? I ?? DO NOT KNOW THAT REFERENCE but that’s fucking hilarious oh my god

aaaah thank you so much!! that means a lot!<3

why thank you for the greeting! *curtsies* bestie i also talk a lot so I think we’ll get along great

I am currently trying to paint the version of borch (guy who was the dragon) from the hexer (polish witcher adaptation from the early 2000s) and it is proving Difficult to say the least

[blair-the-juggalho]

Hey! Im back and I have another idea! Xan I request the ericson gang x a reader who is like very tall and has muscles? Like visible muscles and maybe 6'0? And if you're okay with writing in a very PLATONIC SIBLING LIKE FRIEND SHIP, Tenn, AJ and Willy being put on readers shoulders or like being picked up or getting piggy back rides, IN A PLATONIC SIBLING FRIENDSHIP WAY NOT LIKE THEM X READER 😭

YEAH OK LMAO also I totally love that idea tysm for the request!!! 😭😭😭😭💖💖💖💖💖

Violet

Was very impressed by your height and your muscles!

She loved how capable you where!

Some of the others would tease her because she’d get mesmerised by you when you where doing literally everything!

You’d definitely catch her staring at your muscles and then she’s get all embarrassed lmao

She also finds it so hot that your so tall! Like she has to look up at you when your talking and it makes you look so intimidating

She also loves it when you give tenn piggyback rides! He’s just a kid and she likes seeming him act as such :)

A little secret between you and her she’d love it if you did that thing where you trap someone by a wall with your arms this girl would be in heaven

Mitch

This man was a wee bit jealous of how tall you where

For this reason before you started dating he made sure to not stand to close to you because he didn’t want his height to be compared to yours lmao

He also loves your muscles tho

Live vi you’d catch him staring

Like a lot

Once you start dating he’d defo want to work out with you!

Also he’d get you to do all sorts! Arm wrestling, push up competitions, thumb wrestling LITERALLY EVERYTHING

also much like vi Mitch loves it when you give Willy bigggy backs! He just feels so happy seeing you treat Willy like a normal kid :)

please let this man squish your biceps it’s his only wish in life

Louis

This man is shocked when he first sees you

But oh my god he loves it

Whenever he’s near you he’ll jokingly show of his “muscles” and do all those macho man poses

He also loves how tall you are!

He really likes looking up at you and it gives him the perfect opportunity to give you tons on kisses!

Now when he saw you giving the kids piggyback rides this man got jealous because he wanted a go!

He’d BEG that you give him one!

Oh my days this man loves it when you do stuff like that!

The gentle giant side to you gets him head over heels!

When you start dating he’d play you the piano then rest his head on your shoulders

How peaceful :)

Marlon

This man loved everything about you

Much like Vi he liked how capable you where

You could easily kick someone’s ass if you wanted and he was living for it

Also that man never slouched next to you he had to ass as much height to himself as possible

Once you two start dating he can’t help himself

While cuddling he,d always ask if he could touch your abs or biceps

He loves the way they felt and was low key a bit jealous

This man wants to prove his dominance tho like the alpha male he is🤬/j

So he’d try to hold you against the table or walls

However you could literally just throw this man if you didn’t like it lmao

Tenn

Awww little dudes living every piggyback ride you give him!

You intimidated him at first ngl

But like Louis once he saw your gentle Giant ways he loved you!

He’d get shy asking you for a piggyback but once you’ve done it the first time he always comes back again!

You like a superhero to him (or a super cool member of authority 😎)

And he’s totally draw you giving him a piggyback ride as a thank you!

Willy

As soon as he saw you little guy was all over you asking you so many questions!

“How’re you so tall? Do you work out? How much can you life? Can you pick me up?!”

One question after another!

However if you do lift him up he’d be so star struck!

“Oh my god I’m so high up! Mitch! Mitch! Can you see me! Look at how high up I am!”

He’s just so exited!

Also if you have the energy to run around with him on your back he’d love that!

He sees you as a very trust worthy guardian :)

Oh also do that thing where you pretend your falling and you dramaticly lean in every direction

He will scream bloody murder but he’ll love it!

AJ

Was a little unsure at first but he did admire your strength!

The only reason he asked for a piggy back ride is because he saw all the other kids get ones and he was intrigued!

“Hey! Could you please life me up too? Like the way you did for tenn and Willy?”

How could you ever say no to him!

You gently picked him up and tried not to scare him

And little dude was loving it!

Will now always ask you 24/7 lmao

Aasim

Was a bit embarrassed by the fact that you where both taller and stronger than him but now he likes it!

He’s not afraid of conflict but now everyone knows not to even start on him because he’s with you now

Of course there are many other reasons why he likes you!

He loves that you always keep him company and respect his privacy :)

He’d also love to just lie on you while you both vent about your day

You make him feel so safe!

Omar

Loves everything about you!

He likes having to look up at you when he’s talking to you

It makes you look like an angle…or just a bad ass

He would also love it if you wrapped your arms around him while he cooks!

His little seatbelt lmao

Ruby

Was taken back by your size and strength but honestly loves it!

She likes that your not as scary as you look too!

She’d also bring you to the green house with her! Both for back up and so that you can reach the top shelf for her lmao!

Calls you nicknames about your height and strength like “bean stalk” and such all in good nature of course!

Brody

Loved your height and muscles so much!

Very much like Louis she’s obsessed with your gentle giant side and will always Lean on you

Also loves touching your muscles!

And when you hug her in my she feels so secure!!!

I doubt she’d ask for you to pick her up but if you did she’d love it!

[aoshihugs]

take some hcs bc i have horrible karasu brainrot so…

⤿ general and ‘x reader’ hcs , shitposting

❥ stupid stupid STUPID smirk, he looks so smug all the time i hate his face so much

❥ the type to aggressively poke you to get your attention (probably likes to “tase” people)

❥ wannabe electric guitar/bass player, doesn’t actually own or play guitar or bass, watches dave504

❥ genuinely thinks he isn’t attractive — like he’s average-looking — despite his lowkey fboy vibes

❥ “I GET NO HOES, JOSH. THESE BITCHES DON’T FUCK WITH ME! SO WHY DO I HAVE THIS REPUTATION??”

❥ would be a very sweet bf tho bc that insecurity would fuel determination to prove himself in a relationship

❥ the type to buy flowers when he picks you up for a date, both to impress you and bc he feels like that’s what boyfriends are supposed to do

❥ makes fun of euphoria but would probably be invested in the drama if he watched it (who is nate jacobs and how long has she been fucking him??)

❥ lowkey one of those elitist marvel guys that gatekeeps from casual fans… it’s not that serious bro, just read your silly little comics and mind your silly little business

❥ “oh you like marvel movies? name all of them in chronological order rn 🤨” 😐😐

❥ stupid stupid laugh UGH probably sounds like “pfft- HAHAHAHAH” or “BWAHAHA” i hate him

❥ ik bllk fans hate to see hq comparisons but LISTEN just imagine kuroo’s dumbass full body cry-laugh and replace it with karasu! funny asl!

❥ also hits his fist on the nearest surface when he laughs

❥ no but actually evacuate the premises when he starts doing this, no one is safe from his fists

❥ probably looks hot when he raises an eyebrow and smiles

❥ yk the white boy arm swing thing on tiktok that ppl make fun of? yea he does that

❥ average justin timberlake fan, hates ‘can’t stop the feeling’ tho (as he should <3)

❥ not the type to draw on someone when they’re sleeping but definitely the type to try to stack/balance as much stuff on their head before it falls off or they wake up

❥ 🅿️

❥ tries to flirt but isn’t as smooth as he thinks he is. also cannot take what he dishes out lmao if you wink at this dude he’s already on the floor flatlining.

❥ if you’re walking next to him and hold his hand out of nowhere he just starts buffering irl — full steam-out-the-ears-eyes-wide-open-awooga-awooga-sound-effect reaction

❥ still tries to play it cool but he’s not fooling anyone lmao those ears are red

❥ sleeps on his side with both hands under his head/pillow. doesn’t move around too much in his sleep but somehow always kicks the blankets off and wakes up cold

❥ never lets anyone see him w/o gelled-back hair, but probably looks so good when it’s down

❥ runs up the stairs when turning off the lights after watching a scary movie, those demons won’t catch him today 😤😤

❥ likes amusement parks and fairs and carnivals bc he likes to show off at prize games

❥ particularly good at the basketball, watergun, gopher, and can tower games

❥ dogshit at the ring toss tho L

❥ L

[zozophoenixxx]

Serotonin Booster :D 🐉

How to train your dragon edition

Here are some things I had forgotten or little details I just noticed on my rewatch, maybe even Unpopular Opinions 🤭👀

✨Race to the Edge ✨

SEASON 5

Meatlug and Toothless messing around in ep1 when Hiccup and Fishlegs are trying to figure out how to stabilize the island 🥺

I remember when I first watched this I was actually in bio and hearing Ruff and Tuff talk about symbiosis was like " WOW IM LEARNING THAT" 😂😂😂

Symbiotic relationship - symbiosis is the interaction between organisms living in close physical association to the advantage of both

It can lead to -> parasitism - a non-mutual symbiotic relationship between species where the parasite benefits at the expense of the host

- Hookfang and Snotlout have a parasitic relationship JAHDHAHSHA

wait I like that instead of calling a relationship toxic now imma be like "this shii is parasitic peace out ✌🏼️"

HICCSTRID FOREHEAD KISSES OMG😭

I like how Barf and Belch are incredibly strong, I feel like it's a fact that's usually ignored about them

Astrid: *talking about Garf* that dragon has a lot of fight in him

Hiccup: *while placing his hand on her shoulder* he's not the only one

I can't ok I love them too much 🥺

WAIT I JUST NOTICED THE FORESHADOWING WHEN THE TWINS WERE REFERRING TO JOHAN AS A PARASITE OMG 😳

THE BETROTHAL NECKLACE 😭😭😭

Fishlegs licking Astrid's hand is hilariousss nonono it's just that scene in general when Fishlegs is trying to help Astrid find the betrothal gift for Hiccup and she judo-flips him and then sits on him like 🤔

Sandbuster - doesn't like the light. Lives underground.

Astrid riding Toothless to save Hiccup. Just badass.

Hiccup giving Astrid the betrothal necklace and telling her that it's ok that she didn't get him anything bc she's the best gift in the world 🥺

And their hug and the way he moved her out of harm's way whenever Snotlout threw the sword

Still sad abt Shattermaster being replaced by the Triple Stryke

I really liked ep3 whenever they were in Berserker island bc we got to see them actually fighting in battle without their dragons it was pretty cool

The beginning of ep4 is also hilarious I can't with Astrid and Snotlout fighting and then also Astrid beating him up JAHDHAHSHA

- I also always wanted to know what Snotlout said to her 😭😭😭 all of them were just extremely concerned and shocked and Snotlout even had to leave the Edge UGH AHZHZHAG

Atali and the Wingmaidens 👏🏼🤩

"Males would neither understand, nor would they be helpful." Atali is a queen

Vanaheim - the last resting place of all dragons

"Sadness is a matter of perspective. It is how you choose to view something that makes it happy, scary, intriguing, or sad"

Ok so is Stormfly a tracker-class dragon or a sharp-class dragon?

Sentinels - Know all the dragons so they know how to deal with each of their tactics. Run Vanaheim. Have never encountered night furies. Good trackers. Blind. They tend to the island

OMG I FORGOT THAT VANAHEIM IS THE SKELETON OF THE KING OF DRAGONS

HAND HOLDING AND KISSES UFFF THANK U

Hiccstrid kiss count: 3😘

It's the way it's so realistic too, the way he smiles at her, the way he holds her hand and looks at her, the way she puts her hand on his chest and he lightly touches it with his free hand I just can't they're too perfect

Snotlout's excitement to see that Fishlegs was Fishlegs again and not Thor Bonecrusher- I mean the dude went running towards him🥺

I love how Hiccup just knows when Astrid's thinking about something

SPARRING HICCSTRID UGHHH I LOVE THIS SCENE

The way he's just in such a good mood afterwards 🥺

The scene leading up to the moonlight flight in ep7. I love them so much.

Hiccstrid Scene: ep7 min 5:42 -> 7:24

Meatlug's shot was the first to free a Singetail from a dragon flyer

Just realized that Johan not being able to get Hiccup's oil was probably also part of a plan to get them away from the edge to attack

Ok but Snotlout actually taking the initiative to be the leader while Hiccup and Astrid were away

The edge 🥺and when he destroyed his own Hut 🥺 I can't 🥺

I love how Mala and Throk were both trying to put the gang in a better mood

Silicates makes Meatlug drool

Tuffnut's Spanish is amazing we love to see a bilingual king✋🏼👑

Just realized that Krogan's name is well... Krogan. I never actually paid attention to the dude.

OMG WE GET TO SEE DRAGO IN THIS SEASON THIS IS CRAZY

I really like the twins in the Wings of War Episodes, the way they attempt to speak Spanish and start pronouncing the Rrrrrrrrs

Spitelout too lmao the way he helped Hiccup 🤩

It was also Spitelout the one that figured out that the Singetails don't like the altitude

I really love how Hiccup actually found a way to fight the flyers without hurting the Singetails, OMG IT REMINDS ME OF AANG when everyone was telling him to just kill the FIRELORD he found the right way

Tuff has a feet fettish

Stormfly and Garff messing around is too funny I love them sm 😭

Snotlout can be so sad sometimes

The twins singing >>

And that hug between Stormfly and Garff, they're just adorable 🥺🤧

HAHDHSHAHA THE WAY ASTRID LOOKED AT FISHLEGS WHENEVER THE SLITHERWINGS SHOWED

Slitherwings - very poisonous dragons! Even their skin is coated in poison. Like snake appearance. Not much is known about its poison and how it works but there is an antidote -> combination of angel fern root, pine sap and Slitherwing venom. The skin coating protects them from Garff's amber

Stormfly is such a badass omg I love her sm the way she protected Garff

Garff is an excellent shot according to Fishlegs

Fishlegs telling Astrid to look at him is just adorable, the way he wanted her to feel better 😭

Have I mentioned how much I love lil Hiccstrid moments? They dont even have to be romantic but just them? Like he just lightly touched her shoulder and told her to be strong and be there for Stormfly 🥺

Snotlout actually being worried about Astrid 🤧

I will never get over Astrid and Stormfly's relationship and how close they are, they would do anything for each other and Astrid just proved that by going up to the Slitherwing and PUNCHING THE LIL SHIT just to get Stormfly the antidote. AND WHEN SHE STARTED CRYING!!! As Tuffnut said "no one has ever prepared us for something like this"

And the Ruffnut being there for her and protecting her 😭😭😭

Astrid can actually draw

Still pissed about the fact that Hiccup never knew Astrid got poisoned NOW I NEED TO READ A FANFIC ON IT

That scene in Snuffnut [ep11] where Throk arrives to take Ruffnut as his wife is too funny. The way Astrid is pissed since the beginning and both Hiccup and Fishlegs are like "umm nope" AND WHEN HICCUP TAKES ASTRID OUT OF THE SCENE AND ALL YOU CAN HEAR IS HIM SCREAMING AND THESE RANDOM NOISES 😩😩😩😂

It really bothered me that Astrid had to stay behind in Looking for Oswald... And Chicken [ep12] just to take care of the twins when we could've had some Hiccstrid 😩😭 but it makes sense because Astrid is the only one Hiccup can actually trust on to keep things under control because even though Fishlegs is kinda sane neither the twins nor Snotlout would listen to him and Snotlout would definitely join the twins or just make things worse somehow. I mean they've both proven themselves to be fully capable but well- yk... Astrid is just Astrid

Astrid and Stormfly's faces whenever the twins said they needes a dragon that loves tracking and chicken😭😂😩

Chicken covering her tracks and Snotlout as narrator 😂

Omg Dagur saw Oswald's dead body... He even had to bury him and wow-

Grim Gnashers - hunters that prey on the sick dragons in Vanaheim.

Chicklet🐥🐥🐥🐥

SNOTLOUT'S TAN LINE OMGGG

"Please let me hurt him. Please? Just-- just a little?"JAHSHAHAJAJ I LOVE AGGRESSIVE DAGUR

Fishlegs saying that "Snotlout can actually be pretty handy in an air battle" is so true. Like we mostly see Snotlout as this dumb, sarcastic, rebellious dude who doesn't care about anyone but himself and but that's actually not true he's actually caring and will fight for the ones he loves but he won't say that because he cares too much about what others think of him 😭

I really dislike Johan sm u guys don't understand like I used to like him and feel bad whenever ppl cut him short but ughhhhhhh it's the subtle things too like him telling Heather to give them the dragon eye, him screaming in Snotlout's ear, not extending his hand to grab Heather, and him putting his hand out to "grab" the lens but just causing Snotlout to drop it

The way Heather jumped to get Windshear and the way Windshear kept telling her to leave and save herself

Archipelago gold = The clouds of corn = pop corn

I can't believe I'm about to start season 6 this is actually so sad

[choconanime]

Rambling about Adami lore don't mind me

lil tibits i have for bsts adami as i got inspired watching anime with friends

Adami while having lawyer parent's,their very much like "if u have a dream seek it without our help especially the field your own, prove to us your worth it n well start sending money if needed" is harsh but is more like she doesn't always depend on them.

Adami office is actually located in a caffe shop! a friend ended up helping her out as they had a spare room in their coffee shop

This prolly explains her addiction to coffee n cinnamon rolls she wakes up n immediately start of her day eating them.

Her group consist: Of two assistant and one other detective, so two girls n one boy. She's the main leader+ with the new addition that Kiri join in once in a while to help on certain cases

She wants to research more about the Blackstar but if i make her the Mc,Kei prolly forbid her hence one of her assistant actually being hired by Kei to keep track of her to her dismay,she hasn't given up on looking more about it so she says Blackstar stuff it's just in hiatus ~~but she looks for clues with Kiri in her off day's~~

Kei and Heath call her Saki to hide her name so calling her saki it's like wrong either.

There's certain things she learned from certain members that should be obvious to the public eye, like she prolly learned Kei name earlier n that's where the talk of "don't search for anyone info, please adami" talk came from n as much as she hates it,she's a woman of her word n has not search further for any other boys info to her dismay+ she however told Kei she dislike they however can look for info, if she realized one of them has info she hasn't share with them she will target them specifically n she hopes that isn't an issue as it's only fair

hence i can see as the boys start caring for her, especially sussy man, they start searching less for her bcuz they don't want to get her in trouble for searching for them as they believe she's quite capable of searching.

Kiri sometimes help in other cases unrelated to Blackstar bcuz of her connections

Unrelated but enstars admai most people she contact are too are girl's

her introduction would prolly be slightly different from bsts

Like instead of a woman chasing her it was due clues+ wanting to find more n realizing one of her old clients she helped , zinnia works exactly on the place a lot of her clues lead here this pass few months but it seems when she got there Kei already was already expecting her to her dismay n it continue off as normal story went

her awkwardness come from the idea of how game saki is grounded n kinda serious but can be kind.

N I'm like imma steal that n make it adami twist of her serioness is actually her awkwardness with people but when she warms up she pretty much becomes motherly

adami i once again change what she's looking for LMAO i feel like. A child is to much of a high stake(bcuz i was gonna make it be she had a child) n seeing how slow this story is I'm giving lore it won't fit,i feel like smt less high stake

N i got an idea that it rounds back to blank place, as i was thinking more about how it worked i actually give a number of girls working there: 10 girl's,Io and Zinnia being one of them, she was working there in the first place because a customer reported a missing person who led her to the blank but by the time she got there the fire happen+ realize that every girl was there except the one girl she looking for, instead of leaving the blank alone she decided to help not only to find more clues but the situation the girls were in was...horrid.

N she still been working on this missing case on the sides,not knowing why it draw a her so much it wasn't till she learned the that this organization, the black card, that smt in her click in her concidendly she also received a card when she realize oh this dude ,Kiri dad, worked under them which led to today event's

Adami is someone even when when she isn't a saki she can easily still have good reason to be there hanging out bcuz all clues keep leading her to this damn place n instead of Kei warning her perhaps is Kasumi,someone who cares for zinnia a lot, understand that it seems Adami is someone Zinny really cares about, feels indebted in warning her to please watch out n don't go poking on people information (later being reinforced by Sin if zinnia chooses that route).

Adami feels like she seen TAKAMI before

TAKAMI: i don't think you have however many people think they met me before so I'm not surprised

Adami: mhm i see **doesn't believe him,she took of that**

TAKAMI: if that's all, excuse me have a good day **he knows that she knows she took note of that n doesn't believe him**

but also

takami ~~or kasum~~ kissing her n instead of getting shy bro my braincell barks at the idea of her while flsutered just traces her fingers accros where they kiss her n looking very pleased n they kinda dont expect that so they get flustered too

[creepypasta-headcanons]

How you met them

Jeff:

Your parents had to send you to a boarding school due to them being extremely busy with their jobs and them wanting a very intelligent and we'll behaved kid.

Well, things never went like that. Your first weeks in that place were decent, but with the passing of the days, the teachers started to show their true colors.

Some of them were nice, others way more strict but still friendly...and the PE teacher. The school assigned your group a male weird teacher, that was cool with you on your first classes, and then things got perverted.

You wanted to get out of that place and he was the main reason, but also your only hope. He said he would run away with you and be happy, and that's what you did...well, with the exception you tried to knock him out to have time to escape using a fire extinguisher, but it seems that you hit him way too hard in the head.

Luckily you were able to run away fast, and you decided to hide inside an old looking house. Karma, that house was the one where Jeff and his brother grew up together. Jeff was casually walking around the place, and he saw something moving.

He was ready to kill you but then he saw your face, your expression...your eyes.

There was murder in your eyes. Your soul was no longer pure.

“—What the fuck do you think you're doing inside my house? —”

“—GAH! I am so sorry, please, don't tell anyone I'm here...they'll lock me up oh my god. —” And then, you fainted. Jeff took a deep breath to calm his anger, and decided to take you to the Creepyhouse to torture you.

At the end of the day, he never harmed you. He literally just forgot that you were in his room chained up to the wall and your mouth covered with masking tape because Eyeless Jack wanted to show him a dead squirrel that he found earlier.

Later, he went to his room and decided that before killing you he would chat a little bit to know why were you inside his old home.

Nina:

You talked to her at school before, but when she appeared in the news something was extremely off.

"—Someone or something is watching me... —” you thought. The feeling was uneasy but somehow safe.

Later at night, you were laying in your bed crying. You missed Nina. A lot, even if you two chatted a little bit at school.

You were sobbing terribly.

“—...Nina, please...I hope you are okay now... —”

After that sentence, a very loud sound startled your ears. You sat up in your bed and looked at the door: Nina.

“—Please, come with me. We'll live a better life now. —” you had to admit that your decision was kinda weird and stupid. You were living a cool life now, why would you start another one with her?

Oh, yeah, probably because she is holding a knife to your throat.

Eyeless Jack:

You were carefully walking through the forest, looking for some animals to kill. This was your only source of food due to your house and family being far away from everything in a little abandoned town.

You found a rabbit and tried to shoot at it with a big rock but it ran away. You gave the first step to run behind it but unluckily you stepped on a trap that tied you to a nearby tree with a chain.

Three hours passed, and the sun was going down. You were extremely hungry, dizzy and scared. The fact that you heard heavy footsteps didn't help at all.

“—Oh, cool. —”, you heard someone say out loud.

“— Can you please get me te fuck out of here? I am so hungry I think I'm going to die, oh God. —” your stomach growled loudly.

The strange masked guy walked slowly to you, and lowered his head to your ear.

“— Would you eat... something weird? —”, okay, this dude's vibes are extremely off.

“— I'll eat anything. —” and with you saying this, he pulled from his blue hoodie something that looked like a human organ. Ok, now you were scared shitless.

“— E A T. —” he said while getting that thing in his hand closer to your mouth.

You ate it all. What the fuck.

He took you to an abandoned place and when he asked if you wanted to stay here you showed that you didn't really care about your family or friends, proving him that you are one of them.

Sally:

You had a sister that was similar to her, but one day, she was kidnapped from school. This bad news affected your whole family and life.

One family in particular never gave up. Nope, it wasn't your family, they were the Williams.

A couple that once had a beautiful and innocent child, a family that broke apart because of a dirty man that ruined their lives, a family nobody really talked to due to the depressed aura around them. A family that had a daughter.

You always loved them because of the way the acted towards you. They treated you like you were one of them. They told you about their dead daughter and why they wanted to help you.

Still looking for your sister, you decided to have some time alone, some distraction. You went to the graveyard to talk to Sally's tombstone to tell her what's happening right now and how you feel about it.

You found it. It was kinda isolated, away from the other graves. This one had dead tulips, now you're replacing them with fresh and beautiful white roses.

“— H-Hi, Sally...I... —” you felt dumb, and numb.

“— I wanted to talk to you about my life. I know we never met, but I'm pretty sure you were a beautiful and full of life young girl. Your parents miss you so much, and that's why I'm here. My little sister...she....she was kidnapped some month ago and I-I'm really scared about what could be happening to her right now and I-If she's being raped, or if someone is selling her, or...or...—”, the ambience was weird. You took a deep breath.

“— what if she's dead? —” you were sobbing right now.

Something poked your leg.

“— Let me help you. —” when you looked down, you were met by two beautiful green eyes. Sally is by your side.

“— Go to the Michael's Mafia House. He has your sister. I'll bring some friends to help you, okay?—” you hugged her. Her voice was similar to your little sister's one.

Sally disappeared and adrenaline was running through your veins. You went to your house and immediately started looking for one of your favorite knifes from your dad's collection. When you were passing by the living room, you saw your beloved mother lying on the old couch, staring at your sister's picture. You smiled.

You started running towards the place Sally told you to.

The friends she was talking about were some creepypastas, they helped you to get to the boss office and encouraged you to kill him, wich you did. And you enjoyed every single second of it.

At the end, you found the place were your sister was kept captive and freed her and the other people trapped in there. She had clear signals of abuse like the other victims. You felt so angry, but she was okay. Everything was going to be better now, right?

Well, no. The rest of the mafia started looking for you and your family, and they had to move. Things were never the same, you started killing all the guys that showed up to your door to harm your people, and this interested Slenderman.

You ended up visiting the creepyhouse once a month because you had to stay with your family to protect them from the mafia.

Slenderman:

This is the same story as Sally's one. Sometimes you bring your sister with you to play with Sally, and while they played you talked with Slenderman about a plan to get rid of all those mafia members.

He wanted to help since he saw your potential, but he thought that the fact you had to protect your family slowed down your progress at training to be a murderer.

You felt extremely satisfied when you killed, and this was the other reason why you wanted to keep training with him apart of wanting to protect your family at all costs.

_______

I'm sorry if there are some misspellings or weird incoherences, english is not my first language and I made this blog because I wanted to practice my English, writing and drawing skills all at once lmao

[ouyangzizhensdad]

Mxtx is homophobic discussions seem to follow the same logic as mxtx hates women. Which is people taking what they *interpret* from the books and projecting that onto mxtx as a character analysis. Maybe she does hate women who knows, but how can you possibly tell from a translated work of her novel? Most of it's speculation at best, rumors at worst, and again given the fandom, the irony seems entirely lost the people having these takes.

Works of fiction do not allow us to necessarily draw clear conclusions about an author’s life or opinions. I especially hate the notion that most works of fiction are at heart autobiographical or that people will always write themselves into the main character, or write the romance they wish they had or the world they wished they lived in, etc. Just because that’s something some published authors do, and because that’s something fic writers often claim to be doing, does not translate that that’s the norm wrt fiction lmao.

That being said, it is impossible for authors not to write a part of themselves into their works, however that may manifest. Considering how taxing and time-consuming writing is, generally an author will be motivated by a need to say something or explore an idea or by the desire to see a particular story being told (again, not necessarily because it relates directly to their personal experiences or fantasies). How that translates into a work is not necessarily transparent, or might not transpire into the most obvious aspects of the work: for instance, as I’ve said before, when I first read MDZS, it seemed pretty obvious to me that MXTX wanted to say something about the netizen hivemind mentality and the inherent risks of netizen justice, which then means that I liken these thematic discussions to her own personal opinion. I might be wrong, and I have nothing conclusive to prove it except the way the theme of public opinion is explored within the story, but it was what the themes and narrative led me to believe. 

Sometimes part of the author manifests in an interest in particular topics; sometimes it shows up in details or in the way the specific story gets told; sometimes it's through an unexpected 'self-insert''. If we take the Titanic movie, for instance, the self-insert character is not Jack, but arguably the dude leading the ship wreck investigation, due to Cameron's obsession with deep sea exploration. The way we leave traces of our knowledge and views is also why it's pretty easy to tell whether the writer behind a Coffee Shop!AU has actually worked in a one before. One's experiences, interests, mindsets, opinions etc. all colour the way one tells a story.

It is also difficult to write and to not leave any traces of our biases, implicit or not, into our writing. I don’t necessarily blame people for reading a work and saying mmmmh does it say something about how the author views X? how does the author’s view on X inform their work? on a personal level, is it enough to turn me off from wanting to read the rest of this? does it prevent me from finding enjoyment or value in this work? My biggest issue is that the anti-MXTX people rarely display a real critical and nuanced engagement with the work, falling back instead on cookie-cutter approaches to literary analysis/media criticism that they do not seem to fully understand in the first place (re: the bury your gay trope)--and then use that as an opportunity to condemn the author based on their limited or faulty analysis. It's one thing to finish the book and say: well, there aren’t a lot of female characters with names in this book! Most of them do not interact with each others! Many of them die by the end of the book! But those things alone are not enough to draw any real conclusions about the work or the writers. Focusing on quantifying representation is bad analysis because it disregards context. 

Instead, one should pay attention to a myriad of questions, which include for instance : are the female characters one-dimensional? are they only archetypes? are there different and varied portrayals of women? are they only allowed to be saints or villains? do they have agency, ie, an impact on the narrative? could they be removed from the story and replaced by a sexy lamp? is their portrayal coherent with the social world they inhabit? could any male characters be changed to a female characters without needing to change their relationships with other characters or their part in the story? are they considered in the thematic explorations of the story? are their deaths gratuitous or needlessly graphic? etc. etc. And the conclusions we draw may then have more nuances than just plain condemnation. As for myself, I do find it weird that MXTX did not mention more female disciples in the Jiang sect (which was not segregated along gender lines like the Lans) and, in passing, WWX’s relationship with them. I do think she could have added in the background more discussion of contributions by female cultivators in the Sunshot campaign. I wish there had been a female Junior in the ragtag group of juniors although I am not sure how that would have affected their dynamic.

Do I think this means MXTX hates women? ....... no?

In fact, I’ve found that CQL kinda made the female characters we do have in MDZS less impactful and relevant with the changes they made, in parts just for the sake of giving them more screen time in the story. I’m writing something about Mianmian which will articulate my arguments, so look forward to that if that’s your cup of tea. 

MXTX chose to tell a story in which there are not as many female characters within a genre not generally centered upon female characters. Does that inherently say something about her? Since the people making these criticisms favour genres/fandoms not centered upon female characters themselves.... it’s a little pot, kettle, and all that. Can internalised sexism play a part in such preferences? It can, though it's hard to assess based only on the information we possess. But it’s mostly not very helpful: writing and reading and participating in fandom is not activism. If someone on the interwebs accused me of hating women or being homophobic for being involved in this fandom and for not hating MXTX based on her books, I’d have a good laugh about it because they could not find a single person who knows me in the real world to agree with them (though they could find many men to say that I’m a misandrist). 

Ultimately, even if MXTX were sexist, trying to find books written by authors whose biases never transpire into their works seems like a futile exercise. I don’t like how Jane Austen writes about women with chronic ills or about ‘g*psies’, for instance: does that mean that I think her work has no literary value or that I can’t enjoy them? No. That just means that I need to critically consume those parts of her work. 

Anon, if you didn’t make it until the end, I understand but otherwise I hope this long-ass answer was still entertaining to a degree!

[inmyarmswrappedin]

ok now i need to hear more of your thoughts about the remakes and how they adapted even’s favorite films

Hi anon 🎬 Sure!

So, first off, the thing about Baz Luhrmann is that he makes unapologetic love story movies. His movies have elements of action and adventure, but they’re first and foremost love stories, and that makes him stand out from other big movie directors. His movies aren’t even romcoms, first because they don’t have happy endings (as Even notes in the video with Mikael) but also because the setting is never contemporary. Like even aside The Great Gatsby or Moulin Rouge, which are not set in the present day, Romeo + Juliet does ostensibly have 90s technology. But since the characters speak in Shakespearean verse, it gives the movie an atemporal feel. So this is a super tragic, super romantic movie that is actually super toxic for Even to model his life after, because Even is convinced that, in order for him and Isak to be in true love (for any love story to be valid), their story has to end badly. 

In Skam, Even provides the twist himself, by starting to make references (and model his life after) Pretty Woman when he starts to become manic. Pretty Woman is like, far from a non problematic movie lmao. But it does have an unlikely happy ending, and it’s through Isak’s understanding of how Even sees Romeo + Juliet and Pretty Woman, that he is able to ultimately reassure Even that their love story doesn’t have to end tragically.

So anyway, the fact that Even unabashedly loves this super romantic movie makes him mysterious and attractive and passionate, because it’s not a dude bro action or superhero movie. By loving this movie, Even is rejecting the macho persona Isak so badly wants to project.

I’ll start with the examples I like lol:

Only Lovers Left Alive: David identifies with this movie to the point that his cartoon persona is a vampire. Like Adam in the movie, he dresses in all black. He is convinced that he’s a monster who can’t live in society because he will be rejected. So it’s pretty clear how this movie is toxic for David. But I also think the movie is sooo telling of David’s actual desires. David likes to pretend that he can go it alone, that he doesn’t need anyone, that he wouldn’t take anyone with him in the case of a catastrophe. But... The movie is about Adam and Eve, the titular only lovers left alive. By loving this movie to the extent that he does, David is parading his major yearning for a forever partner. And like, of course he eventually asks Matteo to run away with him, but Matteo demonstrates how innately he understands David by telling him he does want a relationship with David, but he doesn’t want the toxicity of acting like they’re two monsters who’ve been cast aside from society. 

Dangerous Liaisons: I think Skam España took an interesting route by choosing to not have Cris verbally connect the dots (like Druck did). The thing is, Dangerous Liaisons is a tragic love story, yes, but a love story between Valmont and Tourvel, whereas Joana projects on the Marquise de Merteuil, who is all but the villain in the story. Tragic story aside, Romeo and Juliet do love each other, as do Adam and Eve. Joana’s idea of romance (and of herself by extension since she projects on Merteuil) doesn’t even allow for loving and being loved back in return, because no one in Dangerous Liaisons loves Merteuil, and Merteuil herself has become so twisted that she can’t even call her feelings for Valmont “love” (though that’s how Joana interprets them). And the thing is, Joana still finds beauty in the movie! She writes Cris a letter with the edges burned out because it reminds them both of the story. She wants to meet at a specific park because it reminds her of the movie. So it’s just so... beautiful, that Cris takes all of this and just gives Joana the Liaisons dangereuses book. Like, she is lowkey reminding Joana that the book is just a book, that Joana is a real person (within the Skam España story I mean lmao) and not a twisted awful villain, that she is loved, and that Dangerous Liaisons can be their thing (like “their” song, but a movie in this case) without having to be the horrible thing that will destroy them. I really like that the writers chose to imply all these things in their minutt for minutt scene, without saying them explicitly. 

Last Man on Earth: Honestly, like I don’t particularly have a big issue with Skam Italia making this Niccolò’s thing, other than it’s so... dude bro-y bland? Like one thing you can say about Romeo + Juliet, Only Lovers Left Alive and Dangerous Liaisons is that they are all such high key romantic (as in, emotions running high) movies, it’s what makes Even, David and Joana so mysterious and attractive and passionate. If I knew someone who told me he projects on Last Man on Earth I’d be like, “The Good Place is better” or “if you wanted to stan a SNL cast member, Andy Samberg was right there.” I mean, I do think Bessegato knew what the point of Even’s movie was, but Last Man on Earth is exactly the type of dude bro material I would expect from him, and would not expect from an Even. 

Polaris: Polaris is an undeveloped motif who seems interesting because of the dark and light aspects, and I claim my five pounds. Polaris is in no way toxic for Eliott, like all the others movies and show (even Last Man on Earth) were for the other characters. It’s just... cute. Cute like everything about Eliott is cute and nothing more. Eliott drawing himself as a raccoon is cute because he has a mask and is nocturnal! Whereas Lucas is small and defensive like a hedgehog! And Lucille is elegant and mean like a cat! Etc. This motif is never really developed or explored, it’s never given a twist, Eliott is in fact still obsessed with it 3 seasons later, just like he was obsessed with it before he met Lucas and it was Idriss he envisioned in the other role. There’s no growth, Eliott just never progresses beyond what Polaris represents for him. It sure is cute as fuck though, which is why the stans love it.

 ???:  Does Sander even have a movie? I heard he likes Baz Luhrmann and maybe even Romeo + Juliet, but this isn’t really explored. I don’t think even David Bowie’s life or sexuality or various musical personas (like you could do something with Ziggy Stardust or Aladdin Sane if you couldn’t think of a movie) are explored. Sander likes Bowie like he could like Iggy Pop or Freddie Mercury, queer music icons who for the most part are “safe” for straight men to stan without their sexuality getting called into question. I assume Robbesander stans think the lack of an Even’s movie motif is a sign of excellent writing, and proves Sander is a better Even because he doesn’t project on anything toxic or whatever the hell, just like Robbe is the best Isak because he was so good at letting Zoë and Senne have drama uninterrupted. 

[4ragon]

OH MAN i do love one sided langworth as well... i get that one sided ships are not for everyone but i do think it really works with them and loved reading your thoughts about it! on that note, do you have any thoughts about what lang would think of phoenix, and vice-versa, how a possible interaction between them would look like? and also ! since you said pretty much everyone can see lang's crush on edgeworth -- how aware (if at all, considering how he is with the subject lmao) would miles be of it? hope this is not asking for too much, you always have interesting stuff to share!

Ah not too much at all, no worries!

I can only imagine Phoenix would find Lang a bit off-putting at first, just given how the two of them present themselves. They’re both stubborn and argumentative, but Lang is way more brash and loud about it, way more aggressive and mean. Phoenix is not that. I think he'd find Lang to be a bit Much at first.

And I feel like Lang would feel a bit like he’d need to prove himself, I guess? Like he’d feel sort of threatened by Phoenix at first, given how close he and Miles are. He’s a naturally competitive guy, clearly, so I think Phoenix and Miles’s friendship could very easily draw that out of him. Plus, I don't know how thrilled he'd be with a defense attorney, just given his demeanor and how defense attorneys are viewed in this game.

But I think Lang would eventually come around to him, just because Phoenix is a good dude. He embodies a lot of the traits that I think Lang appreciates in Miles, and Lang would come to respect him once he got a beat on that. And I think Phoenix would realize Lang is a genuinely good dude under his abrasive attitude. Their methods differ, but ultimately, I think they’d realize they’re both just trying to do what they think is right on their quest for the truth, same way Miles and Lang came to understand each other. I don’t know if they’d ever be close friends, but Phoenix and Lang both care about Miles, so they’d at least get along eventually (and then Lang would have to add Phoenix to his list of birthdays to keep track of and remember it better than Miles).

Oh, and listen. Everyone is aware of Lang’s crush. Every person on the planet is aware of this crush. Except for Miles Edgeworth. Miles has no clue. None. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Lang could be shirtless lying across a bed and Miles wouldn’t even register that as anything past Lang’s usual bizarre behavior. He can barely keep track of and understand his own emotions, you think he has a beat on anyone around him? No. Miles has no clue, and unless Lang himself explicitly tells Miles, he would never notice.

(Phoenix would notice. I don’t know what he’d do with that information, but Phoenix would notice.)

[valleydean]

Love love your fics! I especially love your characterization of Dean, Cas and Sam. I feel like even when I’m reading an AU of yours it’s them. And this is something I struggle with, any advice for getting there characters down?

omg thank you!! that means so much to me!

and i mean... hmm. is there like, a specific example you need help with? i'm just like - you've engaged with these characters every day for X amount of years. these are people you know intimately! so i kinda feel like going with your gut is generally the best rule of thumb. tbh i don't really know how to point to one specific way to get their characters down, especially because they're so realistic and they've changed and progressed and backtracked so many times throughout the show, like real people do!

i can help you with cas but i can't take credit for this because it's a post i saw ages ago that really stuck with me. it was like, "the three things you have to remember about cas are this: 1. he's been lobotomized an untold number of times to the point where he's forgotten huge chunks of his own life. 2. the last time he was on earth, it was in the body of a woman in the victorian era. 3. the very first emotion he ever experienced was overwhelming romantic love." and like !!! that's it! i feel like, if you remember those three things about him, you're set. that text post really did change my life and i wish i had the link to it. but anyway, yeah, he's also changed so much over the course of the show, that i kinda feel like you can pick what version of him you want and it'll still read as authentic. like, he has the range!! and i also think it's important to remember that...... it's not really so much feelings and emotion that drive him, but it's want. i feel like he just wants and wants and desires and craves but he doesn't know what for. he's just kinda never satisfied. whether its his want to be an angel or to be among the humans or to fit in somewhere or to do the right thing or to prove his worth or to not have to prove his worth and just be accepted, and on and on. he very much wants things.

also, i just remembered another text post that was like "sam is a normal person who is actually a freak and dean and cas are freaks who are actually normal." and i think that's also very true. again, i can't take credit for that. but it's very true because sam just strikes you as this normal, everyday dude but then he'll do something absolutely batshit insane like bite off his wrist to draw a blood sigil. and then dean and cas are guys you'd never wanna run into but dean is on a first-name basis with the lady at the post office and the guy at the liquor store and cas is a dad who lets his kid beat him at connect four, and they watch movies together and stay up at night to talk and drink whiskey in a quiet corner of their home. so, there's that.

but idk! it's very hard to sum up entire people lmao. i think i need specific examples or instances of what you're looking for. i actually have a lot of trouble with sam because i understand him but i don't think like him, so i kinda have to feel him out and see what sticks. dean comes naturally to me because i think exactly like him and i actually just kinda write what i'd do or how i'd react in a situation lol. and cas is pretty interesting because i don't think anyone is exactly like him, but he has within him the base and raw traits that make every human who they are to the core of them. yeah. this got very long-winded! a very long way to say "idk how to generally help you" lmaoo. but !!! if you have specific questions, i'm happy to take a look!

one addition: about dean. no matter what he does, he throws himself into it. like, he does everything with his whole heart. larping, learning about a specific topic, movies, hunting, friendship, being a caregiver. he half-asses nothing.

[shimmershae]

Just watched the episode and I’m going to have a lot of thoughts for you, most of them probably bordering on incoherence (LOL) so this is your last chance to nope on out of this post because I’m going to go ahead and put everything else behind a cut to save the eyes that do not want to see any  spoilers at all.  Unlike mine, that very much wanted to see but in a lot of cases?  Could not see shit, but I digress.

Shae’s stream of consciousness coming at you in 3-2-1.  

First of all, can I saw how good it is to have my show back again?  Like, no.  I don’t quite have Season 5 levels of excitement about the new/last season, but it is definitely nice to have all these characters back.  

So all these thoughts of mine.  Okay.  Bear with me because there be a whole lot of them, lol.  

My immediate impression as the episode opened was WHOA.  Such a cool shot of Daryl with one light wing, one dark wing (representing the two sides to Daryl maybe--the man of honor versus the man he was raised to be, hmm?) looking out over some dark vista of something.  Seriously.  It’s dark.  My room is also dark at the moment and still I was squinting to see.  To make out what I’m “looking” at.  I really, really hope the rest of this season isn’t this hard to make out.  

Is that a tank?  Kinda sorta a callback to Rick’s first episode?  If so, cool.  If not, well.  Us fans have always put way more thought into things.  For real.  Change my mind.  

Holy intense eye contact, Batman!  Daryl Dixon has literally never looked at anyone--not BethusConLeah--in quite the same smoldering way as he looks at Carol.  It’s next level.  I don’t know why people be fooling themselves into thinking different.  

Let’s see.  I can make out--besides Daryl, Maggie, and that face mask dude I already forgot the name of--Kelly, Magna, Jerry (who’s that with him?), and Carol.  Sorry.  My world, like Daryl’s, inevitably narrows to Carol.  She’s loking fierce and fine AF per usual.  

Was that Rosita I noticed rewinding to relive Daryl eye-fucking Carol?  

I’m guessing this is the army base they talked about in 10C.  

That Walker perking up like “I smell food--pancakes and bacon and oohhhh” has me giggling inappropriately right off the bat.  WTF.  

Look at all my fabulous ladies tiptoeing through that Walker minefield.  And Carol spotting that gun that might be useful right away.  Listen, if you don’t think her mind ain’t always ten steps ahead of everybody else’s, you’d be wrong.  

So.  Are these Walkers just so old and feeble not even the call of fresh meat attracts them?  Because just tiptoeing through their midst without the knockoff Lady Gaga meatsuits or skin masks has never really worked before that I can remember.  

I just want to see most of this season.  Is that really too much to ask?  Don’t X-Files and Game of Thrones us, Angela.  Please and thank you very fucking much.  

Okay.  Is the one drop of blood thing making anybody else have 28 Days Later vibes?  Kinda?  Sorta?  No?  Just me?  Okay then.  Carry on.  

Wait a minute, though.  How they be explaining how Daryl keeeps acquiring all these new tats all the time?  Hmm?  It’s like they just quit giving a shit about continuity in these latter seasons.  

I mean.  Do Walkers sleep now?  LMAO.  What is this?  I guess they’re constantly evolving?  

There’s my baby Lydia.  Love my smol bean.  

Alright though.  I love to see the ladies of TWD kick some ass.  It’s very gratifying.  Gimps would never.  Thank you, Angela.  

Clever, resourceful, calm and collected, quick thinking Carol to the rescue!  Seriously.  Her haters must be withering away inside with absolute envy.  

Hey, ya’ll.  Remember when Carol was still mastering her sharpshooting skills at the Prison yard and shot at Rick’s feet?  Her little “sorry, sorry”?  LOL.  If Rick could only see her now.  Wait.  He already knew what so many of his stans refuse to acknowledge--Carol=ultimate survivor and true savior to the group many times over.  

Maggie’s got herself a gun, too.  Go my badass girls.  

Of course, Carol’s got everybody’s back.  Of fucking course, Daryl’s got hers even when everybody else seem frozen in some kind of awe or stupification or something.  Microcosm of the whole damn show right there.  

Carol’s like “here’s your knives, love of my life.”   

Eh.  Maybe that’s just me.  

Nah.  She’s totally thinking it, too.  

YAS!  YAS!  Norman Reedus and Melissa McBride with the top billing.  How very far my babies have come.  

Listen.  I miss all the characters we’ve lost.  Absolutely.  But I love the ones that are still with us, that have been with us for so very long so hard.  Whether I love their stories or decisions or not.  

Is that THE Alexandria sign?  That sign’s been through some shit.  

DOG!  Daryl kneeling to embrace our Grimes babies has me all up in my feels.  And how cute is Dog getting all excited and making sure he’s the first one there to welcome back, Daddy?  

Hershel is literally just as puppy dog cute as Glenn ever was.  Really some Grade A casting.  

What did Maggie call Mr. T?  Ducky?  Dougie?  Sometimes with Maggie?  I really cannot tell.  Anyway.  He’s Mr. T. for me until I find out differently, probably through rewatching with close captioning, lol.  

Maggie’s got more people.  So.  Some new redshirts to sacrifice for plot purposes.  I don’t know if I should bother learning their names or not. 

I seem to remember Meridian being mentioned in one of the episode synopses.  

Sophia’s hair tie around Carol’s neck will never fail to be an emotional throat punch.  My heart.  

“They come at night and by the time you see them, you’re already dead.”  Welp.  Guess that means we ain’t seeing shit for at least this first third of the season, lol.  Very horror-eque though.  

“You’re leaving to fight ghosts.”  Aaron, to Maggie.  So I see Aaron’s the type to get the hell outta Dodge when the Boogeyman comes calling, hahaha.  Least he was.  In the old world.  

Rosita’s pissed off expression at Gabe’s decision to volunteer for the so-called suicide mission gives me life.  

My baby Carol is tired AF of suicide missions.  You can tell.  Also?  Methinks she has something to prove to Daryl here.  Or at least feels like she does.  

Dog with his little tactical vest.  I love it.  

I guess I get why they had Carol and Rosita stay behind.  They had to more evenly split up the badassery to make things more fair and balanced, lol.  

Okay.  So Negan’s definitely earned everybody’s disdain.  But they’re being woefully short-sighted by not at least hearing the dude out.  Isn’t he at least native to the area?  

“That is God telling us to turn around.”  I’m actually on Negan’s side with this one, but Gabe answering him with “I’m pretty sure he would have run that past me first” has me howling with laughter.  Father Gabe has gone straight up savage in these last couple of seasons.  Rosita’s influence, perhaps?  

I see what Angela is doing.  Trying to make Negan the voice of reason.  In this particular case?  It’s kind of working.  I’m still ultimately on Maggie’s side with this though BECAUSE GLENN.  

Imagine showing up to work and unironically dressing like a storm trooper every day.  Excuse me while I LOL.  

Even in the ZA, there’s bullshit paperwork.  

“Pumpkin colored spacesuit.”  Good one, Ezekiel.  

LOL forever.  I love Princess.  

“Michonne.  Our Michonne shut people out of Alexandria for years.”  Timely reminder that choices aren’t always perfect.  Neither are people.  

WTF is reprocessing?  Sounds ominous.  LMAO at Eugene’s “Okay.  We gotta go.”  

What in the actual hell with all those bagged, squirming undead?  Creepy AF in that subway tunnel.  

Should I just go ahead and call that the Easter bunny?  We’ve had some version of it pop up since Season 1.  

Is it stubborn pride with Maggie or what?  Why go through with something when all signs point toward the wisdom of stopping?  You can argue that she’s acting similarly to Carol last season, but there’s a huge difference here folks.  Carol did her damndest to Lone Wolf that shit and minimize the danger to those she loved.  Maggie’s straight up enlisting those she “cares about” to carry out her mission of revenge or vengeance, what have you. Let’s see if she gets near the amount of hate for it.  Personally, I don’t blame her for her feelings one bit.  They are valid.  But her knowingly drawing the others into the game?  That’s my sticking point.  That’s how she and Carol differ, even if some people refuse to see or accept it.  Anyway.  Hopping right on off my soapbox.  

“Why don’t you get up on your little tippy toes and try?”  Omigosh, I’d dying.  When I tell you I about passed out with laughter, I do not exaggerate.  I should hate Negan forever and I do.  Really.  But I adore JDM and he frequently makes me LOL.  He’s made Negan entertaining if not completely redeemable since Angela took over and more layered so I say kudos.  

He has a point about Maggie playing dictator.  Damn you, show, for slanting the writing just that smidgen that makes Negan make sense over his victim.  I guess, though, it’s better this way.  Gives both characters more shades of gray.  

“He’s a dick but he makes sense.”  I feel like this is Angela calling us all out when we dare to harbor any lasting resentment toward Negan for what he did to Glenn.  

Speaking of--Negan.  You deserved Daryl’s punch to the mouth.  You just went a bridge too damn far.  

“Keep pushing me, Negan.  Please.”  Warning shots fired, Asshole.  You better watch yourself around the Widow Rhee.  

Have I mentioned how much I love Princess?  Her shipping the Commonwealth guards is killing me, lol.  I can’t wait ‘til she meets Carol and Daryl.  She’s going to have their number in two seconds flat.  

I like Ezekiel and Princess as a duo.  I’m not saying romantically necessarily.  I just like them in scenes together because they’re fun.  There’s sort of a protective indulgence Ezekiel seems to telegraph whenever they’re in scenes together.  Like he’s like don’t hurt this one.  I don’t know.  For all these words I’ve written, I can’t quite find the ones to adequately describe what I mean.  

The wall of the lost gives me such Battlestar Galactica feels.  What sad thoughts it inspires.  

Eugene in that Commonwealth gear.  Omigosh, lol.  So did they just sneak up and take Princess’s little Commonwealth ship’s gear when they were sneaking off on their own to have a quickie?  

Princess finding that note for Yumiko on the wall actually gave me chills.  Yeah.  I’m easy.  Just the suggestion of someone getting reunited with lost family gets me all up in my feels.  Yumiko saying “I have to stay”?  I felt that.  

Oh no.  Dog ran off!  Somebody protect my favorite fictional puppy.  Of course, Daryl goes after him.  He’s always been the sweet one.  Merle said it.  

Eh.  Negan taking Maggie’s hand at the end there would have smacked too much of Negan Sue and Maggie’s biggest plot of the season would have been prematurely dealt with so I get why they did what they did.  But c’mon.  It’s not really that big of a cliffhanger, is it?  

Okay, so Angela calls those sleeping beauty Walkers “Lurkers” and I get it.  Apparently they’re a bigger deal in the comics, but I really don’t remember seeing them all that much on the actual show.  Somebody jog my memory.  

Of fucking course, you can actually see what’s happening in the inside the episode clips.  I wish we could choose to view the episode with that lighting because some of us be blind.  And this time I mean in the more literal sense.  Not the figurative one.  

Anyway.  I’m going to stop trying to write a novel for ya’ll and move on to better things.  Like maybe a nap.  Maybe some early dinner.  I don’t know.  I’m tired AF and need a little recharge.    

Before I go, though?  Overall impression of the episode?  I liked it.  There were parts that I loved (all the ladies being badass, every second of Carol, Daryl reuniting with the Grimes babies and Dog, all things Princess, some of Negan’s one-liners about had me busting a gut, Rosita serving looks, Kelly and Lydia getting to be badass too) and parts I didn’t love (not being able to see a damn thing, Angela trying to tip the scales in Negan’s favor, not enough Carol or Aaron or Rosita, no reunion between Aunt Carol and the Grimes babies even though that picture floating around suggests it was at least shot, not being able to see a damn thing, all the Alexandria people playing follow the leader for Maggie when she’s been gone 6 years and Daryl’s right there--hell, even Father G deserves the honor over her because it’s obvious they’re not exactly on the same wavelength anymore).  

I don’t know about anybody else, but I’m just glad to have our show back.    

Later, lovelies.  

[legends-live-in-memories]

I Have Too Many Opinions. ep. 1

lmao. i got encouragement to post my opinions on fandom things and now i want to make a miniseries doing just that. so here i am. doing just that.

im putting it under the cut cuz this was 4 whole pages including the disclaimer. yes i put a disclaimer and i explain why.

Anyways, here is the first piece in what inevitably will become fandom info dump, this time on thomas astruc’s writing on miraculous ladybug. but only some of my opinions cuz we would be here all day otherwise.

So… a disclaimer before I begin… 

I do not hate Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir (yes i'm using their government name). I am quite a fan of the show actually despite its faults. I am also older than the intended audience but was obviously younger when the show first aired which is how my interest was piqued (the fact that its been 6 years and only 3 seasons says more about the show than me being a fan for that amount of time but also i never want to rush content creators cuz they're doing their best) and due to my age, there will be inherent bias in my approach of what i'm about to say as there is in EVERY opinion. The fact that it is an opinion should imply the presence of bias but most people tend to lack the critical thinking skills required to draw that conclusion ANYWAYS…

If I did hate the show I would not have this blog nor would I be even writing this because i tend to not give more than 2 seconds of thought to things i actively dislike (some of yall should give this a try) and i'm allowed to like things that are designed for an audience that i was originally a part of but grew out of. (I don't suddenly stop liking things because I'm older despite what many younger fans seem to believe about older audiences. I also don't need to be ‘allowed’ to do anything cuz i wasn't asking for permission anyways.)

This will not be character bashing, astruc bashing nor fandom bashing cuz, again, that would imply i hate any of those elements and if i did, i would not dedicate brainpower to them. Analyses and criticisms of media are fun and engaging and required if you wish to produce good enjoyable content. Now most of this should be already assumed and self-explanatory but people on the internet like to play morality roulette roll dice on purity culture and I rather have documentation that I am in fact not bullying fictional 14 year olds or a grown man. But alas, people get trigger happy whenever someone has less than 1000000% positive opinions on something they like and will throw out words they can't define (gaslight, baiting, toxic, problematic, gatekeep etc) in an attempt to defend their blind devotion, 

which is not needed, if you like something you never have to defend it, even if i don't like it. If you respond to anything I post saying you disagree with me, I will not argue with you. I won't debate back and forth and try to convince you that the things you like are wrong. Unless you are being absolutely tone deaf to what i'm saying, you wont get a negative reaction from me. So don't try to fish for a fight. Please. I got metaphorical hands for days and I'm mean, you don't want me hurting your feelings on the internet. Do yourself the favour. Difference of opinion is how we get diversification in media and is inherently a good thing. Now that that's out of the way, please don't ever let me have to say that again. I beg.

Now onto the fun stuff

I didn't know what I wanted as a first topic so my trusty internet friend @moonlitceleste suggested astruc’s writing… 

AND BOI do i got some opinions on ole tommy boi. Again I don't hate the dude. In fact, he has worked on a few shows that had defined my childhood, including but not limited to W.I.T.C.H. (all eps available on youtube for those interested, 2 seasons, general fun time all around).

So I don't think he’s scum of the earth but I do think his approach to writing mlb specifically has more misses than hits.

The first big miss is that he has no idea how to write 14 year old girls. At all. Almost every girl he has ever written feels like some terrible archetype built entirely for marketability and childish projection and pubescent self-insert (kind of). He has never been a 14 year old girl. I have. In fact when the show first aired, I WAS around the (assumed) age of the mlb characters. The behaviour he passes off as quirky or awkward or just the character’s genuine personality tend to perpetuate harmful stereotypes of teen girls found in the media and are never actually addressed as harmful. they just get swept under the rug. Marinette’s exuberant collage of teen heart throb model boi Adrien Agreste and her very painful almost fan worship she has of him (which flip flops like a paper sandal in the rain) being portrayed as a cute school girl crush uwu, Chloe being the y7 Regina George, Alya being the token best friend of colour with her ‘sassy’ personality (i want y'all to imagine me eyerolling so hard i bust a vessel in my eye), Kagami being the very damaging Perfect Asian Child stereotype. And before y'all get on your dusty soap box and defend going on about “BUT IT'S FOR CHILDREN”,,,, know this.

 i don’t give a solid fuck. 

Not one. 

Children arent stupid. Children are always going to remember the richy bitchy blonde who bullies the art kid, and the big kid, and the shy kid, and the non white kids, and was only nice to her equally rich white friend who she probably had a crush on or was only ever civil to her equally white lapdog. They're going to remember the half asian girl who was never allowed to actually be asian or the only black girl who existed solely as a soundboard for enabling bad habits or chastising the main character for the same habits she enables in the first place (boi aint THAT a topic for later). Like do i really need to explain that alya chastising marinette for taking max’s spot in gamer just to play with adrien rings absolutely hollow when she actively encourages her to sabotage the contest she’s in just so Kagami doesn't win?? Like I don't have to explain that right?? Again kids arent stupid and its quite something that Mari gets chastised for proving herself the best video game player regardless of her intentions just cuz it comes at the expense of max’s feelings/ego but is actively encouraged to sabotage not only kagami but herself by extension cuz kagami is ‘competition.’ Adrien is not a trophy to be won. And no I don't expect 14 yrs old to be perfect and to always make good decisions but these decisions are never addressed as being bad decisions. they get swept under the rug cuz those decisions were necessary for the ‘plot’ but astruc can barely keep characterization consistent and his characters suffer for it and it's the same children you preach are watching it that suffer as well. Cuz guess what? I KNOW 14 yr olds aren't like that cuz i've been there done that (this is the last time i'm saying that i promise) so I know astruc is just metaphorically throwing darts to figure out who says and does what without consideration for pre established personalities to drive the stalemate plot along. The same kids you say are watching this don't know that that's not how preteens work and will absorb and internalize those dynamics like baking soda and vinegar. Cata-fucking-strophically. 

And I haven't even gotten to the boys yet. Which honestly doesn't require much explanation anyways cuz they suffer the same fate as the girls. Tired archetypes with nothing to give them life. Nino falls into Adrien’s person of colour token best friend who dates the female lead’s person of colour token best friend so they can have cute double dates uwu. Except the plot goes nowhere and we have no inclination of romantic development beyond moments that only act to actively convince me to anti ship the lovesquare (i don't want to do that so i self indulge in fanon that actually cares about the characters and plot. may i interest you in True Sight on AO3?). Max is the residential nerd but it doesn't matter (cuz he and everyone are dumbed down for the sake of ‘plot’), kim is the sports jock (which interestingly subverts the asian comedic relief stereotype but only barely) and luka is cute older guy ™ that wears black nail polish and is in a band. The point of all this is to say there is no depth in the characters. It's especially blatantly obvious with the characters astruc doesn't like (chloe). Again, it being a show for kids is not an excuse to be absolved of putting effort into the characters you make.

This is one of the biggest misses astruc has. I haven't even gone into all the nuances of this particular miss. And i havent gone into how that works against him in the plot either. Mostly because the plot itself hasn't gone anywhere and partially because I wanted to go into the plot (or lack thereof) separately as its own miss. 

AND BOI is it a miss. 

SO home boy astruc wanted to reap the benefits of a serial show with ‘engaging’ plot without putting in any of the work to make a linear storyline and relying on the episodic format for, again, marketability. You can't have the best of both worlds, you are not Avatar: The Last Airbender. Which btw has a lot less episodes and a desired end goal that didn't involve top dollar. Legend of Korra did but that's not the point and it had its failings with that too. I challenge you, tell me how many episodes actually contribute towards a plot point or introduce new thematic elements to the show? Can you name them? I can and I'm going to include the plot points that moved the story in some direction if only temporarily. Yes only temporarily for some of these and i will explain later. (if you're in the server you already saw this list *wink*)

25/26. Origins- self explanatory, the beginning of the story, 

24. Volpina- introduction of the grimoire and Master Fu (kind of) and no, Lila is not a plot point,

28. The Collector- proper introduction of Master Fu,

37. Sapotis- introduction of Rena Rouge,

41. Syren- introduction of new aquatic power ups,

44. Anansi- introduction of Carapace,

47. Frozer- introduction of new ice power ups,

48/49. Style Queen- introduction of Queen Bee,

51/52. Heroes’ Day- introduction of Mayura and mass akumatization,

66. Startrain- introduction of Pegasus,

67. Kwami Buster- Marinette wears multiple miraculouses,

68. Feast- backstory as to how the miraculouses were lost,

69. Ikari Gozen- introduction of Ryuko,

70. Timetagger- introduction of Bunnyx,

71. Party Crasher- introduction of Roi Singe and Viperion,

73. Chat Blanc- alternate timeline that essentially means nothing but got a reaction out of fans anyways (myself included)

 77/78. Love Eater/Battle of Miraculous- Marinette becomes guardian and other heroes lose their miraculous,

New York Special- other heroes exist and there is an American miraculous box,

That's 21 episodes. 21 out of a heaping 78 plus 2 specials. Everything else was just your typical akuma of the day episode and everything that happened outside that had no lasting consequences on the plot thanks to the miraculous status quo. Was it entertaining to watch Lila stir the plot of the class dynamic? Hell yeah. Too bad it meant nothing by the end of the episode cuz we were struck with miraculous status quo. She literally doesn't appear again until Heroes Day. that is from episodes 25 all the way to 51, she means nothing and yet she is treated with the severity of a b-villain/rival thing. She means nothing by the end of Volpina if I'm being honest. She is only relevant for 20 mins of episode time she’s in then it's back to magic status quo that undoes any shift in dynamics and relationships. It's like Spongebob who can't get his driver’s license. The worst part is I actually like Lila and I wish the story treated her with the seriousness we as an audience are expected to treat her with. Despite being painfully inconsequential by the end of each of the 3?? 4?? episodes she’s in, it's entertaining to watch a character create drama just because. 

Too bad it means nothing.

Astruc is constantly building up suspense to something ‘important’ only for it to not deliver and fans are constantly having the rug pulled out from under us. Oblivio teased us with a reveal only that gets undone cuz memory akuma. Chat Blanc teased us with romantic development but that gets undone cuz time travel bullshit. Feast introduced more miraculous lore and the history of the guardians but that means nothing by the next episode or ever (i'm not including any reference to the season 4 trailer cuz i've been around the block a few times and im familiar with this lil dancy dance). Heroes Day teased us with a possible future team of heroes but that gets undone in Battle of Miraculous cuz ????? why?? (here's why; astruc was having a jolly ole time letting us know how irredeemable Chloe is at the expense of shooting his own stagnant plot in the foot. Again, discussion for later.)

Too bad anything that slightly swerves off course from the akuma of the day gets undone or ignored. Too bad nothing has any lasting consequence. I mean, if anything did, the episodes would have had a consistent order and release schedule so im not scrambling to watch the leaked ep in Portuguese or something while the french dub is two episodes behind while the english version hasnt even been dubbed. I really wonder how he plans to conclude the show when he’s so afraid to step out of the corner he painted himself in.

Again, not going into nuances. If you want you can ask for more specifics (i doubt anyone would) but this is really just a slightly detailed general overview of my opinions on astruc’s writing. 

I was going to include another miss in his approach to this show but imma save that for another time. 

How’s that for a ‘first’ post?