#and also have a lot of silliness and wacky shenanigans. they also both have themes of family. idk its very interesting to me

[oneinchfrog]

dndads amphibia au is calling my name but how would it work... the number 3 is so important to the lore/worldbuilding but theres 4 teens......

like obviously scary is sasha, and i think link would be anne. and the core and the doodler work out perfectly

but then whos marcy??? and what do we do with the other one??? taylor has more of a marcy/wit oriented personality, which is kind of necessary to be the wielder of the wit gem, but normal seems more like the type to Trap His Friends In a Frog Dimension Because He's Scared of Losing Them. And it would also make sense for him to be marcy so then taylor could be sprig (bc link and taylor are so close.)

but then it would also be really interesting for scary to be marcy? she's not the wittiest person but it would make more sense for her to live with andrias (who is willy for sure) and doodler-possessed scary would be SUPER NEAT

BUT SHIT WAIT possessed normal is my bae and ik that was a headcanon thats been floating around..... idk im already thinking to much abt it

[niuttuc]

Unfinity was in many ways a disappointment for me. I had a lot of fun with Unstable, but Unfinity didn't offer the same experience. I'm gonna compare the two sets a lot, because I think one of them succeeded where the other failed. A lot of the issues were connected to or worsened by the late decision of making the set partly Eternal-legal, but not all of them. To be clear, I don't think it being partly Eternal-legal is inherently a bad thing, just the timing of when the decision was made cascaded into a lot of issues.

First, the set was complex. Incredibly complex. Like, "the most words on the average magic card of any set ever printed" complex, beating out even sets with double-faced cards and sets like Modern Horizons. It could be blamed on acorn effects needing to be explained much more in depth, but it still has Unstable beat by a wide margin. It could be blamed on the wacky effects needing to work within the black bordered rules too. It's likely a combination of both, but the end result is that during the drafts of the set I did, with some of the most enfranchised players on the planet, minutes were spent reading and trying to understand the cards and there was no time for anyone to enjoy the jokes and humor.

Speaking of, the "humor" in this set was much more focused than in Unstable. Unstable had funky cyborgs and animal people and silly James Bond vs villain shenanigans and classic goblin humor, a wide array. Unfinity had a space theme park. There's a couple of individual jokes, but if like me the space theme park is not something you find inherently funny, a lot of the humor of the set is lost. A theme park is fun, but not necessarily funny. It didn't help that some of the humor seemed in poor taste, the whole Blorbian subplot was more dystopian satire than card game funnies.

Now, while the set does have a lot of interesting designs thanks to its complexity, the vast majority of the actually engaging designs are acorned. This is in part due to the set being designed before the switch to partial eternal legality being decided, and in part because of a (well-meaning) desire to not have the non-acorn cards with the silliest mechanics be powerful enough to upend competitive formats. But what it means for the player is that it seems like all the cool toys are the ones they aren't "allowed" to play with, and they can keep banging their common sticks together. 60% of all the commons and uncommons are Eternal-legal, but only 30% of the rares and mythics. And even among the ones that ARE legal there's situations like The Most Dangerous Gamer, where half of his abilities are essentially non-functional because (almost) every single enabler is acorned.

Now for the two major mechanics, attractions and stickers. Both of them requiring what's essentially an extra deck yet being eternal-legal is quite a departure to begin with, and one that has many consequences... But mostly in the perception of the mechanics. Because of that, many of them were toned down to be allowed in eternal formats without risking upsetting them because that would be terrible looks for the first fun set allowed there. But that also meant that the calling card mechanics of the set were disappointing.

To look at them individually, first, attractions. Clearly building upon Contraptions before them but with their own twists, they're probably the better of the two mechanics, offering a lot of variance, some customization, a lot of different effects. But they're also much less reliable than the (already very variable) Contraptions due to needing dice rolls to do literally anything. Sure you can spend more resources to get value out of your attractions, but the floor for them is literally "don't do anything for multiple turns in a row" it generates bad feels. Particularly with the minor or situational rewards many attractions offered. With contraptions, you could plan ahead at least. And that compounds with the already existing variance of not knowing which attraction (or contraption) you're gonna open in the first place! That makes players feel like they have very little control on their game, and stops them from planning ahead even a single turn.

Now, stickers. Let's get it out of the way, they were hell to deal with, but that's partly due to circumstances out of Wizards' control. With that said, even if the glue on them had been perfect and infinitely reusable, and they never flew off cards to get lost somewhere in the carpet, there would still be some major issues with the mechanic. It was really annoying to remember to take them off cards in various zones after a game was over, and was frequently overlooked until the card was next drawn or you searched for the relevant sticker in the next game. Which was doubly bad because them staying on cards in other zones only mattered maybe twice in the 20+ games that were played in the draft I did with the set. And if that doesn't matter, it's just keyword counters or ability granting auras or abilities with extra, very annoying steps! And in constructed, it's even worse, since your sticker sheets are chosen semi-randomly, you can never guarantee access to what you want, so you can never build around specific stickers, just the number of them, or you just have games you are disadvantaged randomly from turn 1. This mechanic was pretty awful to play with and against, and it wasn't worth the panic of telling people they'd have to sticker their cards to begin with.

Once again, Unfinity was overall a huge disappointment.

Feedback on Unfinity

I’m about to write this year’s “State of Design” article, and I’m interested on your feedback of Unfinity. What did you like? What did you not like? Tell me all your thoughts. 

[eldritch-elrics]

i rewatched the entire ice age series and i have opinions

after rewatching some of the madagascar movies, me and @calocybe​ decided to embark on a quest to watch more animated series from our childhood. an obvious choice was ice age! so, i present to you: finn’s comprehensive ice age opinions masterpost.

read on for an in-depth review of each movie, my opinions on what the series does well (good animation, really fun chase scenes) and what it does not so well (manny is an awful protagonist), and some other things too (like my analysis of queerness in ice age)

first of all, a ranking of the five movies from best to worst:

ice age

dawn of the dinosaurs

collision course

the meltdown

continental drift

first movie

definitely the best

accidental baby acquisition…

it’s just a really good premise. three bros with completely different personalities are forced to work together towards a common goal that doesn’t even benefit any of them personally!

it’s silly and charming and well-written

diego’s arc is especially well-done and it’s easy to follow the way his personality and opinions change

my theory is that they made this movie because they wanted to show off how good they were at animating ice. most of the models and stuff are not very realistically rendered but the ice is honestly pretty impressive

honestly hilarious, has really good visual gags

one of my favorite parts is where they go into the ice cave and find like the ufo and stuff

also the baby does the vulcan hand sign at the ufo which was so subtle and REALLY funny

the ice slide scene. incredible

and then it transitions to the cave painting part with a fantastic depiction of manny’s backstory in a way that’s honestly heart-wrenching??

i wonder if the death of his own family is the cause of his annoying clinginess in later movies, especially with regards to peaches. unfortunately this never comes up again

there are some genuinely emotionally affecting moments in this movie, especially with the humans (when the human woman gives away her baby, when they return the baby to the group) - plus, kudos for conveying all that emotion with no dialogue

this is the only movie where manny’s emotional stuntedness is actually somewhat endearing rather than aggravating

this is also the movie with the most interesting villains - they feel like an especially relevant threat to the protags, and putting diego in with manny and sid creates both good tension and good humor

i wonder why the humans never came back. i think subsequent movies could have benefited from their presence, though i have no idea in what ways. not sure how they would’ve pulled it off but having the baby they rescued in the first movie appear as an adult in a later movie is a plot point that i think would have had the potential to be really powerful

second movie (the meltdown)

pretty underwhelming after the first movie

plot feels disjointed and the climax is weak

i feel like they were trying to go for this sort of found family vs nuclear family / reproductive futurism bent but didn’t entirely succeed and instead made the themes feel muddled. especially after the first movie which was all about rejecting heteronormative standards of family, having manny suddenly go “oop i’m the last mammoth better Reproduce” was a bit jarring

even if he isn’t actually the last mammoth, it feels like the wrong way to start a romance

in general the romance between ellie and manny isn’t very well-done in my opinion.

manny should’ve apologized for getting so offended when ellie freaked out about the pressure to save their species, but instead ellie apologized for “overreacting” for some reason???

number of biblical parallels: a surprising amount??

you’ve got. sid as a jesus figure to the sloth tribe, the ark saving them from the flood, scrat as moses??

the villains in this one were super boring they were just like… evil fish…

ok i’ve said too many mean things about this movie. to atone let me present this opinion: the scene where the vultures sing a parody of “food, glorious food” from oliver completely unprompted is one of the best moments in the series

also the possum brothers are wonderful

third movie (dawn of the dinosaurs)

this was my favorite as a kid!!

it’s still really good

it doesn’t take itself seriously and that’s wonderful. like… dinosaurs? in the ice age? objectively stupid plot. who cares

buck is the best character ever he’s so much fun

buck’s entire thing is also being a VERY cliche kooky adventurer but the way that they play with it and are self-aware about it makes it good

also i legitimately get chills at the scene where he explains his tragic backstory with rudy

god the romance with the female scrat is SO stupid but at least they’re clearly making fun of romantic tropes here

good team-building shenanigans, like the laughing gas sequence

there’s probably something to be said about the ways that family is portrayed in this movie but sorry i’m too busy looking at the scene where they get swallowed by a giant plant and buck has to like cut its veins like he’s diffusing a bomb

also i do need to mention that the scene where they find the carnage of sid’s attempt at feeding vegetables to the dino babies and buck goes off on his whole silly detective-shtick about what must’ve happened (“leaving broccoli… a vegetable!!!”) was my favorite scene in the series as a kid. it’s so wonderfully absurd!

there are a surprising amount of dick jokes in this movie? and by that i mean like 2 but. it’s really funny rewatching this and going “holy shit”

there’s also a joke about a butterfly dude that i’m pretty sure is a trans joke (“i knew that guy as a caterpillar! yknow, before he came out”) so that was also pretty funny

this movie parallels the first 2 by 1. having sid take care of kids and 2. having a group of creatures who copy all of sid’s wacky movements. i don’t have anything more to say i just think that’s funny

buck and rudy are kismeses send tweet

fourth movie (continental drift)

yeah okay this one’s the worst

it takes itself too seriously and that is its downfall

feels tonally off from the other ones

i saw this movie during the height of my hyperfixation on plate tectonics and i remember being very offended at the fact that they made such a mockery of the way it actually worked… :pensive:

(granted, poorly-done science is a cornerstone of ice age, so i can’t really say shit)

anyway this one really felt like a jumble of cliches. the enemies-to-lovers thing with diego! peaches’ teenager problems! manny’s troubles of raising a teenager! all the mean girls! evil pirates! sirens! woooo!

it just didn’t feel all that original and it didn’t play with the tropes like 3 did

what is it in this series with guys not apologizing for their sexism and then getting the girl anyway

also wow. damsels in distress much

sheera’s design is also such a generic “female animal” look

the ape dude was a boring villain and too much of the movie focused on the pirates

okay BUT the sea shanty scene slapped. had some good rhythm and clever lyrics

lewis was good and i’m glad he stayed friends with peaches

the water was well-animated! maybe they made this movie so they could show off how good they were at rendering water

the chipmunk creatures on the island are like knockoff minions/ewoks

in general this movie felt way less funny than the others. less punchy dialogue

fifth movie (collision course)

solidly in the middle of my movie ranking. not as good as 1 or 3, better than 2 and 4

this was my first time seeing this movie! which means that my view of it isn’t colored by nostalgia, and also that i have a lot more to say about it i guess

first of all it’s wild to see how much the animation has progressed… this one was so well-rendered wow

i liked this one a lot more than i expected to! it was a good time, and, like 3, didn’t take itself seriously, which is always great

the whole thing is built off a lot of bullshit science which offends my inner scifi nerd BUT i think they pulled it off quite well

the fact that they got neil degrasse tyson to do voiceovers is just so funny

they’ve firmly established by now that the ice age universe can fully ignore the laws of science when it wants to, especially with regards to scrat and his butterfly-effect influence on the world

okay buckle up because i have a lot to say about scrat actually.

scrat’s ability to influence the universe has been steadily increasing as the series goes on, so it made sense that he would be the catalyst for the apocalypse in this one

and also the catalyst for the creation of the solar system i guess?? which was very stupid. i say that in an endearing way. that beginning scene was super fun & wacky

absolutely brilliant way to bring the ufo from movie 1 back btw

ok so the prophecy tablet thing that buck brings back? he finds it by pressing a button with the outline of an acorn on it and that’s very interesting to me

at that point in the movie i was really invested because i thought that scrat and the protagonists were finally going to be forced to confront each other on the same level. the idea that ice age might finally break its unwritten rule of “the protags can never know scrat as the force of global change that he really is” was legitimately exciting to me, and it seemed appropriate for the last movie in the franchise

unfortunately this did not happen. scrat just keeps doing his silly scrat shenanigans

um anyway let’s talk about some of the other characters!

manny continues to suck. more on this in the “low points as a franchise” section

peaches was actually really good in this one! she’s grown out of her “teenage stereotype” phase and into a character with a believable narrative about growing up and moving out.

her boyfriend is adorable and i was surprised to discover i actually liked their relationship!

sid did not need to be paired off though. neither did diego. what is up with kids’ movies and their shallow heterosexual romances

buck is back and he is fruitier than ever

man i really like buck. he’s so silly and irreverent and flamboyant and it’s like kind of embarrassing to watch sometimes but it’s ok he’s just doing his own thing

the villains were pretty good in this one. i liked how the female dino didn’t have a stereotypically feminine design

on an entirely different topic: let’s talk about the aesthetic direction!

the scifi thing was super fun. like, absolutely wild for a series about the ice age, but whatever. i like scifi

like the whole superpower magnetism shit, especially the scene in the forest? great! especially reminiscent of the climax of the guardians of ga’hoole movie

however the whole dive into the crystal cave environment was a lil tonally dissonant and i think it should have been cut (introduced an entire new world/characters way too late in the plot and didn’t have time to develop them enough, went too far down the rabbit hole of magic healing crystals jokes and all that stuff which didn’t seem to relate to the rest of the story at all, introduced a fun but unnecessary girlfriend for sid, the time could have been better spent making fun of more scifi tropes and developing the villains)

brooke the sloth girl is just miranda from the tempest change my mind also that climax is on a similar level of stupid as that one episode from hoshi no kaabii where they deflect an an entire asteroid using uhhhh cannons i think

but it’s like. whatever. they’ve fucked around with science enough that they deserve this

also i just realized there were no chase scenes in this movie which is so sad??

so there are my thoughts on the individual movies. let’s talk about it as a whole!

high points as a franchise

this series consistently has VERY good chase scenes

just top-tier chase scenes with excellent comedic timing and general pacing

3 is so good because it has a chase as the climax, and that’s what ice age is good at

4 is bad because it doesn’t have a proper chase anywhere!

the animation is really good. by that i mean less like the models are realistic and more that they’re great at conveying emotion and body language through animation

like this is especially true in 1 if you look at the difference between the sort of smooth, not very realistic animation of the humans vs… scrat

like they’ve got the way scrat moves down so well it’s delightful

the movies are, generally, funny

there are good messages about found family, especially in the first couple

low points as a franchise

alright i had a bunch of these written out as universal truths about the series and then 5 actually improved on many of them! so here are some criticisms that apply to the first four movies only:

just… every single female character? they deserve better

too many damsels in distress

all the fat jokes about manny are so unnecessary

the romances are really boring and not very well-written or believable

okay with those out of the way here’s the real biggest issue with the series: manny is an awful protagonist

heterosexual “no fun allowed” man

they keep him sucky so he can have a fresh new character flaw to be worked on in the next movie but that seems like a bad formula for character development, especially how many of his character flaws seem to be related to mistreating the women in his life

the man’s got a major possessiveness issue

he is just the archetypical slightly shitty husband/dad who forgets the anniversary and doesn’t let his daughter see boys and calls women hysterical and yes he does get better at each of the individual problems and he does love his family but that development feels so shallow!

manny is absolutely making AITA posts and getting labeled the asshole

it also feels like he never truly learns from his mistakes. he needs to be learning to apologize properly and most importantly to communicate properly! there’s so little emotional reality to his development and the script always seems to give him the benefit of the doubt when he doesn’t deserve it.

plus, this series is meant for kids and i just don’t think manny is an appropriate or relatable protagonist for that audience?

on a mostly unrelated note, yes i do like the found family themes but when it starts pairing up every single character and implying that all of them are gonna be monogamous het couples and have kids and conform to the nuclear family model. that’s pretty sad

some more random thoughts

my dad once said that ice age fails as a franchise because the premise of the first movie was not strong enough to support sequels. i think i kind of agree - you can see in 2 they’re trying to worldbuild off what little they established in the first movie, and also set up a bigger cast of characters, while still keeping up the “man vs nature” theme that’s such a cornerstone of the series.

i’m not sure they completely succeed. the worldbuilding of ice age isn’t necessarily weak but i do think they could have done more to round out the world and make it feel less like just a prehistoric clone of ours

there’s something about the first movie that makes it feel like a moment suspended in time. we don’t learn very much about the pasts of the characters and they get enough development in one movie that we (or at least i) don’t feel any desperate need to know their futures. it feels complete!

so in all the other movies are working with a set of characters who have ostensibly completed their development. so in each new movie, they need to give the characters more problems. usually this comes from external factors, like new characters. a couple times they do a pretty good job introducing new internal problems for the characters - diego’s quest to get over his fear of water was a pretty good one i thought.

but after a while the main trio just stagnates. diego, once the most compelling character, becomes pretty boring. he doesn’t have anything to do anymore. i’ve already talked about manny - each movie he reverts back into an asshole and it gets old so fast. sid’s a little better; he’s got issues with his family and a desire for a family of his own and all that, but more often than not the conclusions to his arcs are unsatisfying

sid plays the role of the character who’s doomed to never get exactly what he wants, except, like, in a way that’s supposed to be funny. we pity him!

i think he has some archetype parallels with escargon from hoshi no kaabii (why do i keep mentioning hoshi no kaabii) but i am not going into that here oh boy

i feel like i’m juggling a lot in my head right now, but sid’s position as the comedic scapegoat is interesting. i’m sure there’s more to unpack here but i’ve already gone way too deep into this series

there’s also more to unpack when you consider his queercoding hmm

anyway, on that note…

additional thesis: sid the sloth is queer-coded

complicated relationship with family (they hate him and think he’s useless)

lispy voice

cares about “fem” things like children. takes care of kids in both movies 1 and 3. calls himself “mama”

gets pushed into the role of caring for the kid in 1

makes vaguely gay comments at his male friends, like “you have beautiful eyes” to manny

there are literally so many jokes in the first movie like. diego’s “you guys are an odd couple” to manny and sid

that whole part in 4 where he’s trying to kiss the sirens and kisses diego instead and is like “wow romantic”

not interested in the idea of a nuclear/traditional family. see his shenanigans with the dino babies

he is interested in women throughout the series though (bi rights)

5 especially tunes down the queercoding and tunes up the “awkward guy who can’t get girls” angle

so. ice age. is it fun? yes! i definitely enjoyed rewatching the series with my friend. and kids will probably get a kick out of the slapstick and silly dialogue. but if you’re not a kid and looking to (re)watch any of them, i’d probably just stick to the first one.

[2ofswords]

top 5: plays, words, chapters/fics you wrote,items of clothing you own, ships

That’s... a lot of questions. I’ll try...

Let’s talk theater!!!

Okay, for he first one… Are we talking written plays or shows? Because there are…. Very different answers there. I’ll just include both since a lot of my favorite theatre productions are not about specific texts. (I just like a lot of them so much and want to mention them!) Also note: I live in Germany and study German literature with a focus on theatre so there will be a lot of that.

5. Die Winterreise written by Elfriede Jelinek This one is actually about the text. I guess it is not the most provocative work from Jelinek but… the themes man… the themes. The whole “passing of time” and the sadness of it. It kind of goes through all seven stages of grief about it and… well it’s Jelinek so there is much more. The whole part about the lost father near the end that just goes on forever and doesn’t stop and it is so bleak and also melancholic and full of love that cannot be properly expressed an… god. Also the first page of this text is one of my favorite written pieces of… anything really. Sometimes I just read it to… read it. This play also started my interest in theatre studies! I wrote an essay about it out of spite! I was just really annoyed by everyone calling it autobiographical (which to be fair: it absolutely is) and basing the narrator only on Jelinek’s own life when the whole narration has her style of deliberate vagueness and can be applied a whole lot more interesting. But people only relying of autobiography aspects is a pet peeve in literature studies I have in general. (Yes, I am looking at you, people who cannot shut up about Franz Kafka’s father!!)

4. Kill your Darlings by René Pollesch I have to go with one Pollesch play and while I also really liked Probleme Probleme Probleme, this one just has some banger sentences and also an octopus costume. Which is all I ever needed in a theatre production.

3. Ibsen: Peer Gynt by Markus&Markus This one is not a written script but a play. And it’s a really interesting one. It follows a group of performance artists who spend a summer with a man who has dementia and they are trying to make a play about Peer Gynt from Ibsen with him as the main role. It is part of a series trying to find the characters Ibsen writes about in our time and this is the last part of the trilogy and… it really hits. It’s just… super interesting and the plot twist is… Good. There seems to be some debate around the play and the group in general (and I actually have seen one other play from them that I really didn’t like) but this one is genius and I think it handles the discussion with a lot of dignity. Also the connections to the actual source is super interesting. There are a lot of really amazing monologues in there too!

2. Les Robots ne connecaint pas le blues oder Die Entführung aus dem Serail by Gintersdorfer/Klaßen God… this one is so good! Sadly this is another one that was played by the group and cannot be seen anymore. But god… it’s a masterpiece! It’s an analysis of the opera “Die Entführung aus dem Serail” and applies a lot of postcolonial theory, queer studies, gender studies and just… personal experiences and viewpoints. It’s thorough, it has an amazing aesthetic, an entire opera orchestra and a Coupé-décalé dance-off… It’s just a blast and so fucking clever! I really love the analysis and style of Gintersdorfer/Klaßen in general and can really recommend the group!

1. Draußen vor der Tür (The man Outside) by Wolfgang Borchert Surprising absolutely nobody. This is definitely the play I loved most through school years. But let’s be honest here: It’s mainly number one because I made my own production of it with one of my university’s theatre groups and that was – no exaggeration – the best time of my life. The magical semester I had. It’s also really good and really sad though.

The other lists are under the cut because this post is getting too long!

Okay, what’s next. Words?

Uuuuuuh. I like words. I don’t really have… specific ones I love… Uuuuuuuummmm…. I’m going with German here. There is also some great English ones but… I know more words in German… Sorry… The other lists are written in English again!!

5. erwidert mein Lieblingswort, um “sagen” auszuweichen direct nach “fragt“ und „antwortet“. Erwiderungen geben einfach recht viel Dynamik in die Sache hinein und strukturieren Dialoge. Yay!!

4. jetzt Um… ich weiß, man soll keine Füllwörter benutzen… Aber an die Regel habe ich mich noch nie gehalten? Ich mag meinen Sprachrhythmus? Und „jetzt“ ist einfach super praktisch, wenn man eine zusätzliche Silbe braucht, aber einen schnellen Sprachfluss erzeugen will. Es setzt ein bisschen druck in den Satz und lässt sich dabei sehr schnell sprechen. Außerdem eignet es sich auch sehr gut, damit wörtliche Rede ein bisschen umgangssprachlicher klingt, ohne besonders umständlich zu sein. „Was machen wir denn jetzt?“ „Das kannst du jetzt echt nicht ernst meinen!“ „Ich habe jetzt aber wirklich genug von euch!“ Fun stuff.

3. demnach Ich hoffe niemand hier hat irgendwelche großen oder interessanten Worte erwartet… Das hier ist ein Hausarbeits-Wort! Argumente! Sie lassen sich zusammenführen! Und man kann dieses eine Wort benutzen, um von einem Punkt zum nächsten zu kommen! Es ist ein Wunder! Um ehrlich zu sein, bevorzuge ich es, dafür „in diesem Sinne“ zu benutzen, aber das ist kein einzelnes Wort.

2. Enzensbergerexegetenschelte I… am out of words: Aber hier ist ein wort, dass den Buchstaben „e“ ganze zehn Mal beinhaltet und in einem lustigen Gedicht vorkommt.

1. Oh.

 Okay, about my own fics:

I rarely revisit my fics so I will just see where my gut feeling takes me. Also if I talk chapters, I will only include one chapter by fic, so that this list doesn’t become my favorite Blank Rune Chapters.

5 Shenanigans by the sea (Pathologic Fanfiction) It’s so silly but also so happy and genuinely one of my best pieces of writing! Definitelly one of my better Pathologic fanfictions and what can I say? I like to write scenes with a lot of characters that I can switch around. It was super fun! Also lifeguard Saburov is still one of the best ideas I ever used for anything.

4 “Durchführung” in Nur ein Spiel („Execution“ in Just a Game? – Hungergames Fanfiction) Another chapter of my hunger games fanfiction and… well it’s one of the most memorable I would say. I remember that I absolutely loathed writing it because my personal favorite character died and also the favorite character of my best friend but… worth it tbh. The whole love confession in it is also…. Cheffs kiss.

3 How to play. A dramatic text in three acts (Pathologic Fanfiction) I think this is the best Pathologic fanfiction I wrote. It’s just… I can’t help but love it and it’s one of the very few pieces I actually reread from time to time. I love the wordplay in this one and I really love how it mirrors some more abstract forms of theatre and… I don’t know I just think it’s one of the few times I managed to write something really smart.

2 The Last Gebo-Chapter in The Blank Rune (Hungergames Fanfiction) It’s short but… I think it hits. Don’t even think it’s the best chapter from a technical view and also… not the one that hurts the most but… It has the exact sweetspot of hurt and loving it and I worked a long time to finally get to a point in the story where I was able to write it. Also that fucking last sentence…. It symbolizes a lot of what I wanted to do with Blank Rune.

1 Das Glasperlenhaus (The Marbles‘ Shed – Original Work) It’s short story of mine an I really really love it! It’s actually hard to say what it is about but I wrote it for a competition that had the theme “Haunted House”. I guess it’s about some guy who visit’s a pretty weird small house next to a park and how that house affects his life. And also there are a lot of marbles that get knotted into a string and I guess that is metaphor for life and death or something.

 Items of clothing I own

Oh! I have a lot that I really like!!

5 The one black dress with the flower ornaments!! It’s just so… insanely pretty! It’s more for special occasions and I need to be in the mood for wearing it but man… makes me feel very fancy and fairy like.

4 All of my woolen socks! They. Are. So. Warm! And my feet are very cold. Bonus points if at one point they got extended and now have completely different types of wool attached to them? I don’t know, I really love that!

3 The one grey jacket, that kinda looks like a biker jacket where the person who made it didn’t get the memo, that these are supposed to be made out of leather. It’s just a wacky item and still very much my style and very comfy. Also I need another leather jacket, my old of kind of… faded into nonexistence…

2 The blue outdoor jacket that kind of looks like one of the cloaks in kingdom hearts but some fool painted it dark blue and so it got thrown out of the world that never was and directly into… a tom tailor outlet store I guess Ummm… Much nostalgia, I guess? Also it has some fluffy clothing parts an is super warm and comfy…

1 … my binder Not really an explanation needed, huh… Just when binder days are there it’s amazing to have it and I feel awesome wearing mine.

 Ships

5-1 Evergreen’s Ever Given

[aph-imagines]

What countries would really adore having a Steampunk s/o, and why?

There’s steampunk features in the novel I’m working on, so I guess I’ll have a crack at this one!

Germany because ‘In Heaven, the mechanics/engineers come from Germany’, so he would have a good appreciation of all the little contraptions that come together to make steampunk attire/machinery. He’d be cool with his s/o dressing up and going to conventions, and if caught in a good mood, may offer to come along.

Japan would probably have been exposed to steampunk before meeting his s/o. He’d love to help his s/o make some cosplays and attend conventions with them. After a full day of designing or conventions, exploring some steampunk anime will be a fun way for them to relax.

America loves steampunk, especially the Wild West genre! He wouldn’t be the most knowledgeable about it, but would love to see his s/o dress up in costumes or watch music videos featuring steampunk within them. If he finds anything he knows his s/o’ll like, expect him to text them with photos: Look what I found! I’ll show you on our next date!

England wouldn’t be the keenest about wearing lots of accessories, but steampunk has big origins in Victorian England- of course he appreciates it! While there’s obviously fantasy elements to steampunk (which he also enjoys) and it’s not fully historically accurate, he’ll educate them on certain aspects to make them more aware of its origins.

France would be appreciative of the art of steampunk although wouldn’t be too big in partaking himself (although he has worn some wacky outfits before, he may give off that impression and then surprise them!). However, as Jules Verne was an inspiration for steampunk, he’d see it as an art form that he can appreciate his s/o enjoying.

Spain loves getting dressed up for fancy dress events, so he’d appreciate and enjoy joining his s/o in dressing in a steampunk style! Dressing in couple’s costumes is one of his favourite things to do with his s/o, so he’d spend ages trying to find out how to make their outfits complimentary.

Prussia wouldn’t be much into the outfit itself, but would be into the accessories such as fancy prosthetics, hats, masks etc. He’d also appreciate the worldbuilding, especially the architecture. He’d be the type to say, “Why not consider adding this into your outfit/novel/artwork? It’ll be an awesome addition!”

Denmark would be keen! Instead of picking up his axe, he’d happily trade it for a good ol’ swagger cane or umbrella to partner up with his s/o, creating some silly shenanigans to make his s/o laugh. He’d really make a day out of conventions- either as a date or dragging all the Nordics along too so his s/o can get to know them.

Iceland spends a lot of the time at home on his computer so would be well versed in what steampunk encompasses. While he’d be reluctant to partake in activities himself, he’d help finesse his s/o’s contributions to make sure they look amazing!

Hungary thinks steampunk looks bad*ass which fits right in with this girls’ aesthetic! She’s probably cosplayed herself as a steampunk engineer or mechanic before meeting her s/o, so finding out their common interest would make her extremely excited. Expect her to make up some stories involving the persona’s they’ve both built up!

Poland loves dress-up, so would be a huge fan of the more flamboyant styles in steampunk. However, explore the other cyberpunk varieties, like rococopunk and decopunk! Even if his s/o just writing stories or drawing in the steampunk style, they’ll end up with a wardrobe of many punk styles before long.

Belarus enjoys wearing traditional and historical clothing, so steampunk would let her explore this in a new dimension and she’d lowkey get super into it. She’d enjoy designing new costumes with her s/o, although, unlike Poland, she’d be into the more traditional, darker colour-schemed things. She may even be up for modelling if her s/o is an artist/photographer. 

Taiwan loves the pretty, feminine outfits that have emerged from steampunk so couples costumes would be game with her! She’d love the more pastel aesthetic that steampunk sometimes generates and would really be into thematic makeup. And don’t forget about themed café’s, because she’ll be taking her s/o to many!

Hong Kong loves innovations in his urban environment, so would be down for exploring and photos of steampunk-esque buildings. Whether they go on set tours or just uncover hidden gems, he’s down for some off the beaten track exploring. Just don’t try and dress him up all fancy.

- Mod Door

[sternbilder]

Camille Has Many KDrama Thoughts

As some of you have possibly noticed, I have recently fallen into a KDrama hole and I can’t get up, and I have just finished my 10th drama, which seems like less of an accomplishment than I thought now that I say it out loud, but anyway,

As a checkpoint/thinly veiled plug of some shows I love very much, here is a very long post with some of my thoughts on all the KDramas I’ve seen so far, as well as what’s next on my list, in case you too were interested in joining me in nonexistent fandom hell!

So firstly, all of the dramas I have watched to completion, in the order of how much I like them. First, my top five:

1. Sungkyunkwan Scandal (2010). My #1 favorite drama to date. I’ve probably watched it in full 4-5 times, and it’s still an absolute treat every time. Is it the best drama I’ve ever seen? Probably not. But it’s so fun and charming that it’s just gotta be at the top of my list. 

The best way I can describe this drama is Ouran High School Host Club, except in Joseon era Korea, and instead of flirting with girls the main characters learn about Confucianism and solve mysteries and play sports (twice) and end up accidentally involved in a complicated political scandal. Also, that one text post about how Shang from Mulan is bi because he falls for Mulan while he thinks she’s a man...This drama has that, except actually canon. And while I won’t pretend this is show is a shining beacon of representation, there are multiple main characters who are explicitly not heterosexual and several others with very plausible queer readings, which earns it a very special place in my heart.

As for the actual premise of the show, it’s basically about a wonderfully determined and kind and clever but lower-class girl whose writing skills catch the eye of the most stubbornly strait-laced but idealistic aspiring politician-type on the planet. She ends up getting a one-way ticket to the most prestigious school in the country, except she has to pretend to be a man the entire time because women aren’t allowed to be educated at this time. 

It’s a bit of a silly, cheesy show, and here are many wacky shenanigans, but the main cast is full of incredibly highly endearing and multifaceted characters, there is a lot of sexual confusion, the slowburn roommate romance has an incredible payoff, and it’s also full of deeply moving social commentary about class, privilege, and gender roles. This drama is a blast and I could go on and on about what I love about it, I absolutely adore it to pieces.

2. Six Flying Dragons (2015-2016). I debated between this and Tree With Deep Roots (next on my list, to which SFD is a prequel) as my #2 but I do think I want to place SFD higher just because it's the drama that I keep thinking about even after finishing it. of course, it has the dual advantages of 1) being released chronologically later (and having better production value, etc., because of this) and 2) being twice as long, but there’s just so much stuff to unpack with SFD that it makes me want to keep coming back to it. 

The show is about the founding of the Joseon dynasty, and six individuals (half of whom are based on real historical figures and half fictional) whose lives are closely tied to the fall of the old regime and the revolution that brought in the new. It has an intricate, intensely political plotline based on the actual events that happened during this time, and though this may sound kind of boring if you’re like me and not super into history (admittedly, the pacing in the beginning is a tiny bit slow), it quickly picks up and becomes this dense web of character relations and political maneuvering. Though none of the major events should come as a surprise if you’ve seen TWDR or if you happen to already know the history it was based on, the show adds such a depth of humanity and emotion to every event and character that nothing ever feels boring or predictable. As a matter of fact, there are several events that were alluded to in TWDR that, when they actually happened in SFD, left me breathless--because although I 100% knew these were foregone conclusions that were coming up at some point, I still had a visceral moment of, “oh no, so that’s how that came to happen.” 

But though I really enjoyed following the story of SFD and learning about the history behind it, the highlight of the show for me is definitely the great character arcs. I loved TWDR’s characters, too (especially Yi Do, So Yi, and obviously Moo Hyul), but with double the episode count SFD just has so much time for rich, dynamic character development, and I absolutely loved seeing how these characters grew and changed over time when their ideologies and fates collided in this turbulent and violent age: How young and ambitious Yi Bang Won eventually spiraled into a ruthless tyrant, how the naive and kind-hearted Moo Hyul struggled to retain his humanity in a bloody revolution that challenged his values and loyalties to the core, how the fiercely determined and idealistic Boon Yi grew into a pragmatic and capable leader who comes to realize what politics and power mean for her and her loved ones. 

SFD was also everything I wanted as a prequel to TWDR--I loved seeing the contrasts between some of the TWDR characters and their younger selves in the SFD timeline: The hardened and ruthless Bang Won as a passionate and righteous adolescent, the cynical and resigned Bang Ji as a cowardly boy who grows into a traumatized and bitter young man, and my personal favorite character, the comically serious bodyguard Moo Hyul as the very model of the dopey, lovable himbo archetype. And though the ending was controversial among fans (particularly those who watched SFD first), I loved how it closed all the loops and tied it back to the events of TWDR, both providing that transition I wanted but also recontextualizing and adding new meaning to the original work. I think it's still a very good drama on its own, but this hand-off is what really sealed the deal for me personally, because it was not only super emotionally satisfying to watch how the stories connected, but it elevated TWDR to something even greater (suggesting that Yi Do and the events of TWDR was the culmination of everything the six dragons fought so long and hard for), which is exactly what I expect from a good prequel. 

I’ve already talked so much about this drama but I also do need to mention that the soundtrack to SFD is A+, and the sword fights are sick as hell. There is also some romance, though it’s not really a focus--and all the pairings that do exist are extremely tragic, which is exactly up my alley. Overall, this is a hell of a historical drama, coming of age, villain origin story, and martial arts film in one, and I highly recommend it.

3. Tree With Deep Roots (2011). The sequel to SFD, though it aired first chronologically. Although this show isn’t one of those shows that I could rewatch once a year like SKKS or keep ruminating on like SFD, TWDR (much like Les Mis, or Fata Morgana) is thematically the kind of story that just makes my heart sing.

The story centers around the creation of Hangul, the Korean alphabet, by Yi Do (a.k.a., King Sejong the Great, who is the son and successor of Yi Bang Won, the main character of SFD) as well as two fictional childhood friends whose backstories and ambitions become central to the story of how and why this alphabet came to exist. Not only is the actual process of creating this alphabet absolutely fascinating from a linguistic and scientific POV, but the show dramatizes Yi Do’s motivations in a way that’s so incredibly touching and human--portraying the king as a soft-hearted and extremely charismatic yet fundamentally flawed and conflicted figure who tries so desperately to do right by his people. 

The show explores both a number of personal themes like redemption, atonement, and vengeance, as well as broader societal themes such as the ethics of authority, the democratization of knowledge, and the power of language and literacy. Though the show never forgets to remind the audience of the bitter reality of actual history, it’s still a deeply idealistic show whose musings on social change and how to use privilege and power to make the world better are both elegant and poignant. 

Romance definitely takes a backseat in TWDR, even more so than SFD, though this isn’t something I personally mind. There are, however, a lot of interesting politics surrounding the promulgation of the alphabet, including a string of high-profile assassinations--if SFD is historical/political-thriller-meets-action-film, then TWDR is historical/political-thriller-meets-murder-mystery, and it’s an incredibly tightly written and satisfying story whose pieces fall into place perfectly. Though not the sprawling epic that SFD is, TWDR is an emotional journey and an extremely well-written story with a TON of goodies if you’re as excited about linguistics as I am. 

4. White Christmas (2011). My first non-sageuk on this list! White Christmas is, in a lot of ways, an odd drama. It’s an 8-episode special, and featured largely (at the time) new talent. it’s also neither a historical work nor romance-focused, but instead a short but intense psychological thriller/murder mystery. 

The premise is this: Seven students at a super elite boarding school tucked away in the mountains receive mysterious black letters that compel them to remain on campus during the one vacation of the year. The letters describe various “sins” that the author accuses the students of committing, as well as the threat of a “curse” as well as an impending death. The students quickly find that they’re stranded alone at the school with a murderer in their midst, as they are forced to confront their shared histories and individual traumas to figure out 1) why they’ve been sent the letters, and 2) how to make it out alive. At the center of the survival game the characters find themselves in is a recurring question: “Are monsters born, or can they be made?”

If you’ve been following me for a while, it’s easy to see why I was drawn to this drama. In terms of setup and tone, it’s Zero Escape. In theme, it’s Naoki Urasawa’s Monster. It’s Lord of the Flies meets Dead Poets Society. or as one of my mutuals swyrs@ put it, Breakfast Club meets Agatha Christie. The story is flawlessly paced with not a scene wasted. There’s so much good foreshadowing and use of symbolic imagery, and though I’ve watched it at least 3-4 times, I always find interesting new details to analyze. The plot twists (though not so meta-breaking as ZE) are absolutely nuts, and aside from the somewhat questionable ending, the story is just really masterfully written.

Above all, though, WC is excellent for its character studies. Though I typically tend to stay away from shows that center around teenagers because I don’t find their struggles and experiences particularly relatable, WC does such an excellent job of picking apart every character psychologically, showing their traumas, their desires, their fears, and their insecurities. We see these kids at their most violent and cruel, but also their most vulnerable and honest. Their stories and motivations are so profoundly human that I found even the worst and most despicable characters painfully sympathetic at times, as cowardly and hypocritical and unhinged as they became. 

Like I said, it’s only 8 episodes long with probably the best rewatch value on this list. My only complaints about it are its ending, as well as its relative lack of female characters, but otherwise I would absolutely recommend.

5. Signal (2016). Okay, this might be the recency bias talking because I just finished this series but I'm sure but I'm still reeling at the mind-screw of an ending and I feel like it deserves a place on this spot just for that.

Signal is a crime thriller based on a number of real-life incidents that happened in Korea in the last 30 or so years. In short, a young profiler from the year 2015, who has a grudge against the police after witnessing their incompetence and corruption twice as a child, happens to find a mysterious walkie-talkie that seems to be able to send and receive messages from the past. on the other end is an older detective from 2000 who tells him that he’s about to start receiving messages from his younger self, back in 1989. Through the seemingly sporadic radio communications, the two men work together to solve a series of cold cases, which begin to change the past and alter the timeline.

As they solve these cases, expose corruption within the police department, and correct past injustices, the two men (along with a third, female detective who has connections to both of them) also begin to unravel the mysteries of their pasts, as well as why and how they came to share this connection.

Like WC, the story and pacing of this drama were flawless, reminding me of an extended movie rather than a TV series. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, and the 16-episode run went by in no time at all. I always love timeline shenanigans and explorations of causality and fate and the consequences of changing the past, and this show has oodles of that peppered with the heartbreakingly tragic human connections and stories that the main characters share. The main pairing has great chemistry and gave me exactly the pain I crave from a doomed timeline romance, and the cinematography and soundtrack were also beautiful, which also contributed to the polished, cinema-like feel.

My only complaint is that I wish that the ending felt more like an ending, such that the drama could stand on its own. I do realize this is because there’s a second season coming, but right now the show feels somewhat incomplete, ending on a huge, ambiguous cliffhanger/sequel hook and with several loose ends. I obviously can’t give a final verdict until the entire thing airs (and I typically don’t like multi-season shows, so I will wait for the next season to come out both reluctantly and begrudgingly), but even where the show leaves off I still did enjoy it immensely.

...And now, some brief thoughts on the other 5 shows I’ve watched, because I ran out of steam and have less to say about these:

6. Healer (2014-2015). It’s been a few years since I’ve seen this show, but I remember being really impressed by this drama at the time, especially the storyline. Unfortunately though I don’t remember too much about the drama itself, which is a shame. It’s a mystery/thriller, I think, and there is hacking and crimes involved? The main character is a very cute and sweet tabloid writer and she falls in love with a mysterious and cool action boy who helps her uncover the truth behind a tragic incident that relates to her past, or something. Judging from my liveblog it seems like this was an extremely emotional journey, and I enjoyed the main couple (who are both very attractive) a lot, and it was just overall a cathartic and feel-good experience. I feel like I should rewatch this drama at some point?

7. Rooftop Prince (2012). It’s also been forever since I watched this show but I remember thinking it was hilarious and delightful and I definitely cried a lot though I do not remember why (probably something something time travel, something something reincarnation/fated lovers??). I do remember that the premise is that a Joseon-era prince and several of his servants accidentally time travel into modern-day Seoul and end up meeting the main character who is the future reincarnation of his love (?) and he is hilariously anachronistic and also insufferably pretentious, which the MC absolutely does not cut him any slack for, and they have an extremely good dynamic.

8. Coffee Prince (2007). I watched this around the same time as Rooftop Prince and I remember really enjoying it! it’s basically just SKKS, but the modern cafe AU, and I mean that in the best way possible? It definitely shares a lot of the same tropes--crossdressing/tomboy female lead, sexually questioning male lead who falls in love with her despite being “straight,” very good chemistry and also extremely charming secondary characters.

9. Shut Up Flower Boy Band (2012). This show...Was just OK. I enjoyed it at the time, but I can’t say I found it particularly memorable. As I said, I don’t typically find stories about high school students particularly relatable, and the battle of the bands-type plot was interesting enough at the time but didn’t really leave a lasting impression. As expected, the music was pretty good. I kind of watched this mostly to hear Sung Joon sing tbh?

10. Rebel: Thief Who Stole the People (2017). I wanted to like this show. I really did. I wouldn’t say it was bad, but the beginning was painfully slow, and I only really enjoyed the last 10 episodes or so, when the vive la révolution arc finally started kicking off. The pacing was challenging--the pre-timeskip dragged on about twice as long as it needed to, and I just wasn’t really interested in the Amogae/Yiquari storyline very much. I also really, really disliked all the romances in the show, especially the main pairing, since I didn’t particularly love either the male or the female leads until pretty late in the show. Overall I think I would have enjoyed the show more if the first 2/3 of it was about half as long, and it either developed the romance better or cut it out altogether.

What I’m thinking of watching next:

1. Chuno (2010). Mostly because the soundtrack to this show is so goddamn good, but also because I’m craving more historical dramas with good sword fights after SFD. I was kind of hoping Rebel would fill that need but I was a little disappointed tbh?

2. Warrior Baek Dong Soo (2011). Same reasons as above, honestly. also has a very good soundtrack, and Ji Chang Wook, who is a known nice face-haver, doing many very cool sword fights.

3. Mr. Sunshine (2018). Late Joseon era is something I’ve never really seen before in media so I’m pretty intrigued? Also Byun Yo Han was one of my favorites from SFD and I definitely want to see him in more things.

4. Rookie Historian Goo Hae Ryung (2019). A coworker recommended this to me and the trailer looks delightful. first of all it’s a sageuk with the gorgeous and talented Shin Se Kyoung in it playing a smart and plucky female lead, which have historically been extremely good to me, but also it gives me massive SKKS vibes, so how could I not.

5. My Country: The New Age (2019). This caught my attention because it’s based on the same historical events as SFD, so it features some of the same characters. I am very very interested in Jang Hyuk’s take on Yi Bang Won, even if he is less of a main character here compared to SFD, and he’s already an adult so he’ll already be well on his way to bastardhood. I also hear it’s very heartbreaking, which is instant eyes emoji for me?

6. Chicago Typewriter (2017). It’s about freedom fighters from the colonization era, which I’m very intrigued by after The Handmaiden and Pachinko, plus a reincarnation romance. I am very predictable in my choice of tropes. Also, Yoo Ah In is in it.

7. Arthdal Chronicles (2019-). Ok, it’s a gorgeous-looking historical fantasy set in Korea written by the same writers as TWDR and SFD, plus it has not just one but TWO Song Joong Ki characters, one of which is a pure, doe-eyed soft boy and the other an evil long-haired fae prince looking asshole who I hear is a complete and utter Unhinged Bastard Supreme. Nothing has ever been more Camille Bait than this, but unfortunately this show hasn’t finished airing, which does pain me deeply. speaking of,

8. Kingdom (2019-). It’s a fantasy sageuk with zombies, is about the extent I know about this show. The fact that it also hasn’t finished airing turns me off a bit but it looks absolutely gorgeous and I also just found out it was written by the same writer as Signal, so,,,,,,,,,

9. Gunman in Joseon (2014). I honestly don’t expect too much from this drama but I just enjoy its premise a lot? From what I understand it’s just Percy from Critical Role, but make it Joseon era.......Like, they just straight up took a Shadow the Hedgehog, “let’s make a sageuk, but guns,” approach, and I kind of unironically love that. Also the soundtrack kicks ass, which like...you can really see where my priorities lie here, huh,

10. Misaeng (2014). I don’t remember at this point why this is on my list but I found it in the Keep note I have of all the media I want to watch?? I have no idea what this show is about, except that it takes place in an office. Apparently Byun Yo Han is also in this one? I’m sorry this is the only non-sageuk or sageuk-adjacent show in this list, I know what I’m about, and it’s fancy old-timey costumes and cool braids.

[kohakuneko]

12 Days of Anime 2017 ~ Day 1: Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid

Thinking back, I honestly don’t remember what got me to start watching this show in the first place. The most likely answer is probably that I’m a sucker for nearly anything gay, so there was no way I was gonna avoid this show for long, but I also recall finding some clips on YouTube and liking them enough to watch it. Funimation also picked this one up for SimulDub and I’ve got a subscription with them and follow them on social media, so I did see a number of promos for it as well.

But the thing that I really think got me hooked on this show was that it aired at the exact right time for me. I won’t go into details, but basically at the beginning of this year I just really needed something that would lift my spirits. And that’s what this show did for me. Okay, I can’t remember roaring with laughter while watching it, but it really made me smile. Every time I rewatch part of it I just start smiling like an idiot. I love the opening theme, too, it cheers me up any time I hear it. Maid Dragon isn’t what I’d call an amazing show, but it’s definitely a very heartwarming, feel-good one that makes you get all tingly inside. And it still makes me very happy.

Also, the SimulDub for this show was very well done. I like this show equally in both Japanese and English. And a big part of that has to do with the cast and crew. All of them very clearly loved and cared a lot about the show they worked on and I really like seeing that. (Sarah Wiedenheft, Tohru’s VA, even bought a Tohru tail pillow and wore it to recording sessions like how’s that for dedication lolol)

(Not featured from the main cast: Garret Storms as Fafnir, Jeff Johnson as Takiya, Alison Viktorin as Shouta, Sara Ragsdale as Saikawa, Jamie Marchi as Lucoa (she also adapted the script, I think), and Rachel Glass as Elma)

seriously tho i love all of these people and they did a phenomenal job on this show send them all some love and check out all their other work

Moving on, when trying to select a moment for this year’s 12DOA feature, I initially went for their first meeting in episode 12, where we see how Kobayashi got completely wasted and accidentally invited Tohru to live with her. It’s easily one of my favorite moments in the show since it’s simultaneously hilarious and full of feels. 

But as much as I loved that scene, in the end I’m really gonna have to go with the final episode instead. Within the first ten minutes or so, Tohru gets forcibly taken home by her disapproving father, leaving Kobayashi and Kanna to deal with her absence for most of the episode.

To be perfectly honest, the first time I watched this episode when it aired, I actually found this portion to be underwhelming. I don’t know, it just felt too slow and quiet and I guess I expected something more from the series finale. Besides, I feel like I and a lot of people have seen this set-up before, with the girlfriend leaving and everyone else moping.

But the more I rewatched this, the more I realized that this was actually a whole lot more tragic than I first gave it credit for. And to understand why, we have to look back on the series as a whole.

I’ve been trying to think about what really separates Maid Dragon from other similar slice-of-life shows. Because after all, there’s been plenty of these “magical girlfriend from another world comes and falls in love with someone while bringing in more wacky people and shenanigans with her” anime in the past (that was very specific but I’m sure you know what I mean). These days, it’s kind of a tired set-up and come to think of it, you don’t really see too too many of those anymore; there’s still a couple every year, but I think this genre really peaked in the 2000s and maybe the early 2010s (don’t quote me on that; I’m a weeb not an expert). So yeah, we all know this story by now.

But something about Maid Dragon always felt different to me; something always set this one apart from all other shows like it. Of course, there’s the fact that Kobayashi is a woman and our main pairing is a same-sex couple, but ultimately that doesn’t really change anything since Kobayashi’s still the jaded protagonist who’s missing something in her life and Tohru’s still the wacky magical girlfriend who comes and shows her the way. The rest of the cast is typical for this sort of show, too, and throughout the whole thing we kind of go through all the motions of a fantasy slice-of-life: beach episode, hot spring episode, shrine/festival visit, boob fanservice, y’all know the drill by now. So then what is it that Maid Dragon does different? I think I’ve found out what it is: the relationships between the characters and the actions they all take feel very real and genuine.

The moment where I first started to realize this aspect of the show was episode 4, when Kobayashi and Tohru are talking about Kanna getting all excited for her first day of school. Specifically look at this part here, where they’re watching her through the bedroom door.

The way they’re talking about her while she sleeps, the way they smile at her like that from the door, it all makes them look like two parents watching over their child, no? There’s no real prompting for them to be acting like this; there’s no scene where they go “whoop we parents now gotta start acting like it”. They don’t even comment on the fact that that’s what they’re acting like until a bit later, but I’ll get to that. This is something they just settled into naturally. And I’m not speaking from personal experience, but I feel like that’s how it is in real life, right? 

This really put the rest of the series into perspective for me because it made me realize quite a lot. Maid Dragon spends a lot of time in the background building up Tohru, Kobayashi, and Kanna’s relationship together. Nothing about them changes incredibly drastically - all of them are still very much the same people/dragons they were at the start - but there’s subtle changes in how they start talking to and treating each other. Kobayashi, whether she realizes it or not, is very quick to start talking to Kanna like a parent would their child when she starts encouraging her and giving her advice. Same for Tohru: Kobayashi is quick to pick up on how to deal with her antics and through that comes to learn what she likes about her, just like a real couple might. So when Kanna tells Kobayashi and Tohru that Kobayashi’s like a mom to her, it may be played for laughs, but it honestly doesn’t seem all that surprising. I think all of us viewing think the same way by now, too, whether we realize it or not. 

A lot of their daily behavior is also something they gradually start to settle into throughout the show. We never get a scene where they lay out their morning routine together, but then one day we see Tohru make everyone breakfast, send Kobayashi and Kanna off to work and school, then get her chores done in time for everyone to have dinner. There’s no real attention drawn to these moments even the first time they happen, so it all feels just as natural to the viewers as it does to them. We still have Tohru being her usual silly self about it, of course, but that’s become natural to us, too, at this point.

What I’m trying to get at is that the way they so seamlessly fall into these roles without much fanfare really solidifies their connection and their growing dynamic as a little family. I feel like most other shows I watch like this tend to have a lot of cheesy scenes or dialogue to call attention to how the characters are acting, but it’s so much stronger in Maid Dragon because of how natural everything is played.  

And that’s why episode 13 hits so hard.

Just look at this first bit where Kobayashi and Kanna are just silently trying to figure out what they’re going to do now that Tohru’s not there anymore. There’s not a whole lot of dialogue exchanged between them and then they’re just silent; neither of them know what to say or what’s going to happen next, which is just such a genuine reaction. 

Speaking of genuine reactions, that’s exactly what they have for the rest of the sequence without Tohru. Their numb acceptance of everything is just so real and I think maybe even relatable. Both of them know there’s nothing they can do about their new situation, so they just figure out what they think they have to do now and try their best to resume their normal daily life without Tohru.

First and foremost is Kobayashi, who’s running around doing the best she can to take care of herself and Kanna. One of the big moments in this sequence for me is when Kobayashi’s not only picking up some of Tohru’s jobs, but also when she making sure Kanna can take care of herself in case she works late. It legit feels like she’s learning and doing her best to be a good single parent.

Then there’s Kanna, who’s always wearing her usual expression and not complaining at all to Kobayashi so as not to worry her, but she’s clearly affected by Tohru’s absence; the shot of her erasing a doodle of Tohru gets me every time. And if you thought that was sad, we then get the little scene of her at Saikawa’s house where she finally just breaks in front of her and starts crying.

There’s even Takiya, who in any other show might be doing the “GO AFTER HER YOU DUMMY” thing that best friends are supposed to do. But instead he’s super considerate and supportive, doing his best to give Kobayashi the space she needs while also looking out for her to make sure both she and Kanna are doing alright in the wake of this loss, like maybe a real co-worker/best friend might. 

Honestly this doesn’t feel like the season finale of a slice-of-life anime. It feels more like the opening to a movie about a widowed parent trying to cope with the loss of their wife while raising their kid. I mean yeah, we all know Tohru’s not gone for good, the show wouldn’t do that. But the way this part of the episode is done, she might as well be dead.

Sometimes family is two wives and their tiny dragon child. (yeah, Kanna says it’s like having a big sister and a mom, but come on, we all know what’s up) From start to finish, everything about these characters is very real and human (barring the fact that everyone’s over-the-top anime and most of the cast consists of dragons), which is a big part of why every moment, happy or sad, hits home for us. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid isn’t as much a story about romance as it is about the bonds between members of a family, whether that family is even blood-related or all belongs to the same species. And it’s beautifully executed the whole way.

damn remember when i said this show made me happy

[simptasia]

Doctor x River?

thanks buddy!

Who is the most affectionate?

River is pretty handsy (11 can touchy too and 12 is far less touchy. however, they did spent 24 years together so... oh boy)

Big spoon/Little spoon?

holy shit i just thought about it and 11 & 12 are sooooo little spoons

as such, river is the big spoon

Most common argument?

“rivaaaah that kills people!!”

river is not as moral as the doctor likes himself to be

Favorite non-sexual activity?

wild and wacky adventures thru space & time!!

Who is most likely to carry the other?

i doubt river actually has the strength but i just pictured her carrying 12 bridal style (but really tho, the doctor, cuz we’ve already seen him carry people)

What is their favorite feature of their partner’s?

ah now river may be a flirty mcflirty lady but when ur partner has 13+ bodies and faces, well, i guessing features don’t matter that much to her (basically the doctor can look like anything and river is like “i can work with this”)

and we know the doctor isn’t a feature person... timelords, ya know... however. i’m thinking... hair, eyes, arse? if he had to pick (not that he’d ever say that last word). but now that i think about it: the doctor and river have a relationship wherein looks hardly matter at all. because of the whole timelord thing

What’s the first thing that changes when they realize they have feelings for the other?

“oh god i’m in love with the man i’m supposed to kill”

“oh no i’m not supposed to fall in love with companions :(((” (cuz it hurts so much. but a lot of their relationship is the doctor like ?????)

Nicknames? & if so, how did they originate?

river called 10 “pretty boy”, i presume because she’s not used to him looking like that. this is a tad funny in hindsight because after 10 they cast a real young guy as the 11, whom fits that nickname a bit better with the baby-ish face. she later on referred to 11 as “benjamin” (as in she’s mrs. robinson) cuz she had just regen’d into a mature body which contrasts 11′s “face like a 12 year old”

11 referred to river as “mrs. robinson” cuz she’s sexy and mature and also he was kinda messing with his companions with the nicknames

i can’t remember any others

Who worries the most?

oh, the doctor. he’s in love with somebody whose death he’s seen and knows is coming soon. it is sad and worrisome 

Who remembers what the other one always orders at a restaurant?

they both remember everything about each other. knowing the doctor, he’d do something silly like order five plates of river’s fave meal. or something grand like get river the best seat at a great restaurant which he caused the existence of

oh wait that happened :3c

Who tops?

OH, oh ho ho hehoooo~

river tops more than the doctor does (no matter the regeneration) 

Who initiates kisses?

from what we’ve seen, river mostly

Who reaches for the other’s hand first?

awwhh, the doctor

Who kisses the hardest?

RIVER OH BOY

Who wakes up first?

doctor as per the whole “timelords sleep less” thing

and yes i know river is part timelord but the way it happened really makes her more like a bio-augmented human being (basically human+)

Who wants to stay in bed just a little longer?

river. tho they’re both energetic restless beings, the doctor is even more so. river wants the doctor to stay in bed a little longer for some heavy kissing, while the doctor is sitting in the corner sonic-ing some alien doo-dad. whilst naked

don’t worry, he’ll be back. give him 5 more minutes. maybe half an hour

Who says I love you first?

ohh i know for a fact there was an “i love you” or something like it in the show. it must have been river, because the doctor doesn’t directly say that (romantically)

but they’ve both made their love obvious over and over and over again

Who leaves little notes in the other’s one lunch? (Bonus: what does it usually say?)

the doctor packs river lunches.  in an attempt at being domestic and human-y wuman-y for kicks and science and because he thinks river would like that

river finds it all very sweet and amusing, because the doctor trying to be a husband is endearing. and river never had a stereotypically normal life

“humans like cabbages, right?”

Who tells their family/friends about their relationship first?

oh we saw amy and rory find out, bit by bit

What do their family/friends think of their relationship?

amy and rory they don’t seem bothered by it, like at the worst they’re confused and awkward. i mean you’ve been hanging out with guy for some years, and then there’s also a lady. you then find out this lady is ur daughter

and then they get married right in front of you

so it’s weird, at least. but they don’t disapprove (amy is far more weirded out by the fact that she’s the doctor’s mother-in-law)

Who is more likely to start dancing with the other?

THE DOCTOR IS A DANCEY BOY!!! (SOON TO BE GIRL)

Who cooks more/who is better at cooking?

the doctor’s cooking skills vary from time to time (he’s a very inconsistent character. he can be both awesome and sucky at whatever he does)

river i think cannot cook At All (she’s never in her life had to)

Who comes up with cheesy pick up lines?

okay river is canonically full of cheesy flirty one-liners

and the doctor is like “haha am i doing this right?” kinda flirting

Who whispers inappropriate things in the other’s ear during inappropriate times?

RIVER RIVER RIVAAAAAH

she takes vixen-y joy in making the doctor flustered & blushy

Who needs more assurance?

the doctor, i think (that’s one of the things companions are for, really?)

What would be their theme song?

im sorry i haven’t got a song for them

Who would sing to their child back to sleep?

;_;

doctor... oh the doctor was a dad once.. with his Dad Skills. oh and river has computer children in that computer world she lives in. but if THEY had kids...

they both seem more the type to tell their kids stories together before bedtime

(tho i’m thinking the doc would sometimes telepathically make a kid go sleep. 12 has done that in canon. not sure if he’d do that with HIS kids...)

What do they do when they’re away from each other?

the doctor: shenanigans, the stuff we see on doctor who

river: archeology, crimes, shenanigans

one headcanon about this OTP that breaks your heart:

oh i don’t need headcanons for them to break my heart

one headcanon about this OTP that mends it:

again, no, the canon fact that they get 24 years together before river eventually has to die, is a beautiful happy ending and makes me cry with joy

(i pretty much reacted like river did when the doctor told her)

[theinquisitivej]

Bojack Horseman (Season 4) - A Review

Back in the ‘90s, in a world populated by both humans and anthropomorphic animals, BoJack Horseman was in a very famous TV show. It was a silly, vacuous, ‘Full House’ type of show named ‘Horsin’ Around’, and it was about a horse adopting three human orphans and getting into various wacky shenanigans for half an hour each week, complete with terrible catch-phrases. After nine seasons, the show was cancelled, and since then, BoJack has lived in soul-crushing limbo.

          BoJack is famous and wealthy enough to have anything he could want, and somehow, he even manages to get away with being shitty to strangers and friends without losing their misplaced support. Adoring fans and the general public are happy to be around him, but they don’t want to get close enough to know him, and his friends consistently find just enough reason to never quite sever their connection to BoJack. They allow themselves to be pulled into his orbit and find it difficult to leave, often because they’re dealing with their own personal issues.

          While you can’t help but cathartically enjoy spending time with BoJack for his cynical jokes and his egotistic indulgences, you slowly realise that he is a sad, lost person. He hasn’t done anything important or fulfilling for the best part of two decades, and there was little substance to the thing that made him famous in the first place. He has made mistakes and hurt people, but what’s worse is that, despite his efforts to be better, he keeps finding new ways to damage himself and those around him. Born from a home that showed him no love but saddled him with huge expectations, BoJack went into the world, got famous, and it still isn’t enough. He’s desperate for some answer that will fix his sadness, but the more he tries and fails, the more he fears that he is broken beyond repair; that he’s always been broken, and the only thing he can ever do in life is repeat the same cycle of ruining everything of value he touches, and getting nothing in return to sooth his endless dissatisfaction. BoJack is a reverse Midas, doomed to never hold onto golden things.

Did I mention this is an animated comedy?

          Well, a year ago I watched all three seasons of ‘BoJack Horseman’, this show from Netflix that really deserves your attention. It’s witty and very amusing at times, but it stuck with me less for its comedy, and more for its powerful drama (though its sense of humour strikes a chord with my own more and more as the seasons progress). Its moments of humanity and sincerity resonated with me because it looked at characters who felt real, whose issues, personalities, and traumas felt developed enough for the inhabitants of this ludicrous world of animal people to feel tangible. There were no predictable arcs, no clean progression for the characters to undertake and come out as fully-adjusted people with all their problems neatly resolved as a result. With some shows, you’re watching to see how things end, and discover how the fictional characters have lived once their story is finished. ‘BoJack Horseman’ is not about endings, but the state of ongoing. Its characters aren’t heading to some obvious end-point, they’re just endeavouring to sustain themselves and find meaning in a world that often robs us of control. It’s not a neat story where the main characters find an answer to their worries and then get to live their lives free from trouble. It’s a series of attempts to figure out life made by people hoping to find some philosophical solution to the daily problems they face, and then those convictions are tested on a day-to-day basis until something bad happens to make them break under pressure. Because in life, nothing really concludes. There’s always tomorrow, and there’s no way to know for sure if you’ll be okay with whatever it has in store.

          And yet as scary, as impossibly daunting as that is, we never stop hoping. BoJack often talks as if he’s given up on ever improving, surrendering himself to the notion that he is a lost cause. But every now and then, he manages to find a glimmer of hope to cling onto, whether it’s through the little moments of goodness he sometimes finds within himself, or by interpreting external signs in the world around him as proof that he should keep trying to move forward. Life is impossibly hard, but we somehow find the strength within ourselves to keep facing it. That’s what ‘BoJack Horseman’ is about, and that’s why it’s one of my favourite shows.

          That is my review for this show overall. I think, or at least hope, it works as a spoiler-free introduction for the uninitiated, as well as a reflection on the show’s successes for people who are already familiar with it.

          But I do want to review the specific themes of Season 4, which recently released in its entirety and is what prompted me to write this. I’ll still keep this spoiler-free, but this is just a way of processing the ideas this season prompted in me, and my way of articulating why this might just be ‘BoJack Horseman’s best season yet.

Season 4

A lot happened this season, so I’m going to try and get a handle on it by looking at what each of the five main characters went through during Season 4.

          Todd, the undeterrable force of optimistic positivity who crashed on BoJack’s couch one night and never left, continues to be an uplifting presence in the show that saves it from becoming too bleak. His development doesn’t occur in an arc that you notice gradually unfolding each episode, so you may think he comes off a bit short at first. However, episode 3, joyously titled ‘Hooray! Todd Episode!’, works so well as a self-contained thorough examination of his role, both in the show and in the lives of those around him, that you don’t feel lacking in rich Todd content. Considering how heart-wrenching the rest of the show can be, it’s immensely rewarding to see Todd tend to himself and his own identity, quite possibly gaining the most healthy and content mindset in the entire series.

          I’m glad I recently rewatched the entire series before Season 4 came out, because I had completely forgotten where the last episode of Season 3 had left Diane and Mr. Peanutbutter. If the previous season wasn’t fresh in my mind, I would’ve been blindsided by the swiftness with which we move into Mr. Peanutbutter running for governor. In the past, Diane has gone from potentially being the most mature and level-headed character in the show, to being almost as unsure about her life and as disillusioned with her career as BoJack. Meanwhile, her husband Mr. Peanutbutter, a yellow Labrador Retriever whose naivety and relentless happiness would be grating if his chipper charisma wasn’t so infectious, has stayed more or less the same. He occasionally shows his emotional insight and how he is less oblivious than you might think, but he’s still the same chipper dog we knew back in Season 1. Their relationship is fascinating to watch, as you initially think they’re completely wrong for each other, until you start to notice the good things they do for one another, and you start to root for them. But as Diane starts doubting herself more and her patience with Mr. Peanutbutter stretches thinner and thinner, you start to worry. Seeing what has been building up for three seasons come to a head in Season 4 is explosive, but not so dramatic all at once to make it apparent which way their relationship is heading. This fictional marriage is believable, organic, and a brilliant illustration of how people are often drawn to relationships that make them feel like they can be a better person, even if they fear that this is not who they really are.

          Princess Carolyn is one of my favourite characters throughout the show (though if you ask me on another day I could say the same for any of the five main cast members). When we first met her, this pink cat was introduced as a side character in BoJack’s life; she was his ex-girlfriend and the agent that bailed him out of the troubles he got himself into. However, since ‘Say Anything’, the seventh episode of Season 1, ‘BoJack Horseman’ has fleshed out Princess Carolyn’s character. She’s torn between her romantic side and the pride she takes in her work, as it allows her to help people, and she believes she’s good at it. Her life is a tug and pull between two things she dearly wants, but she can never quite keep hold of either of them. The impact of one episode focusing on her in Season 4 was admittedly lessened for me because (without getting into spoilers) I wasn’t buying it and the episode reminded me of one ‘How I Met Your Mother’ episode which it ended up following a similar path to, so I saw the ending coming. However, the progression of her character was still terrific to watch. Princess Carolyn is the master of keeping up a juggling act even when things aren’t looking too good, but in Season 4, we finally saw her stumble as she lost some faith in herself.

          Finally, BoJack’s storyline, as always, left me feeling raw in the most bittersweet and satisfying way. The sixth episode, ‘Stupid Piece of Sh*t’, gives us a telling glance at the inner workings of BoJack’s mind. It provides a poignant look at how crippling anxieties and self-doubt manifest themselves on a day-to-day basis and why they can feel so inescapable at times, while also somehow managing to be hilarious through narration that can hit close to home as we find it mirroring our own thoughts. Hollyhock is a welcome new presence in the show. She represents a more innocent, younger version of BoJack that has come into his life at a key moment when he has the potential to change and become a better person. The moments when she challenges his cynicism create an entertaining and often hilarious dynamic, and BoJack’s trepidation around her is understandable and heartbreaking.

          My favourite element of Season 4, however, was the storyline with Beatrice, and the devastating way this culminates. The only major criticism I had rewatching the first three seasons was how the cruel behaviour of BoJack’s parents, and how they are responsible for many of BoJack’s deep-rooted issues, seemed to be exaggerated to almost cartoonish effect. These scenes would be darkly humorous, but given how seriously the show took its deconstruction of BoJack and the rest of his life, it seemed mismatched whenever it would have a joke where Butterscotch or Beatrice would be excessively cruel to a young BoJack. In the absence of any explanation as to why they were so harsh towards BoJack, the only way we could take their mean nature was as a dark joke about the cruel unfairness of life. Season 4 retroactively fixes this issue for me, because it provides context by characterising Beatrice. We, as omniscient observers, are informed of the past, and are allowed to see how BoJack has inherited the wounds of the past and is haunted by family ghosts. But despite our omniscience, we are powerless to help BoJack, who may not fully comprehend what he has inherited, and can only ask why he suffers as he feels its effects. ‘BoJack Horseman’ has gained a reputation for having each season’s penultimate episode be a gut-wrenching climax to the dramatic thread of each season, and Season 4’s is no different. I will say nothing more about it, because it’s the kind of television that is so excellently crafted and so not worth spoiling that it feels clumsy to even attempt to describe it through words.

          Season 4, like each of ‘Bojack Horseman’s seasons before it, has more going on than I can adequately address in one review. It continues to deepen its lead characters to the point where they have gone far beyond being fictional and start feeling like real people living tangible lives that we are checking in on. The humour and the drama has never been balanced better, and I would argue that each half is at the top of their game. As I reached the final shot of the season and heard the closing music, feeling full of more hope and happiness for BoJack than I had ever felt before, as fleeting as it may be, I knew that this really was one of my favourite shows.

10/10.

Sad, silly, beautiful, and sobering, ‘BoJack Horseman’ is brilliant television with exceptional character writing. It is worth your time.

[mastcomm]

The D’Arenberg Cube Is a Zany, Adult Fun House

MCLAREN VALE, South Australia — The Cube rises from neatly tended rows of grapevines in the middle of the d’Arenberg winery like a meteorite from some faraway jagged dimension. Housing art galleries, a restaurant and a wine tasting room, the giant glass geometric structure is both impressive and confounding from the outside. That confusion only intensifies once you enter the five-story building, where you are greeted by a statue of an upended life-size cow, cradling a large vintage polygraph machine in its outstretched legs.

Since its opening in 2017, the d’Arenberg Cube has attracted about 1,000 visitors each day, making it one of South Australia’s most popular tourist destinations. Its twisted, blocky glass facade — inspired by a Rubik’s Cube — has become a recognizable symbol for the region and the eccentric winemaker who built it.

This is exactly what Chester Osborn, a fourth-generation winemaker at his family’s 108-year-old d’Arenberg winery, had in mind almost 20 years ago when he conceived of the Cube. “I wanted something iconic, like the Sydney Opera House, with its own amazing architecture that tells a story,” he said. The building cost $15 million to $16 million Australian, $2 million of which was provided as a grant from the South Australian government.

The ground-floor Alternate Realities Museum is made up of a series of spaces plastered with art and objects curated by Mr. Osborn: A room with walls made of flowers and plastic fruit has jars holding various foods, with air pumps that blow the scent from each jar into your nostrils; a 360-degree video room plays a loop of psychedelic animations projected onto the walls. The second floor is a gallery for rotating exhibitions — it currently holds Salvador Dalí sculptures.

To run the restaurant on the third and fourth floors, Mr. Osborn hired two South African chefs, a husband and wife team who had been working at the nearby Leonards Mill. Brendan Wessels and Lindsay Dürr were given one main directive: D’Arenberg should be the best restaurant in the world.

The fourth-floor dining room carries on the aggressively zany theme of the rest of the building, with chairs upholstered in multicolored harlequinesque velvet. A mishmash of artwork and objects hangs from the ceiling, including a full-size cafe racer motorcycle. The restaurant serves only lunch, a set $210 tasting menu, from Thursday to Sunday. Wildly mustachioed sommeliers recommend pairings, either drawn entirely from the d’Arenberg collection, or comparing d’Arenberg wines with international labels.

The first course, labeled on the menu as “down the rabbit hole,” sets the tone for the extravagance and folly to come. Presented in a hollowed-out replica of the book “Alice in Wonderland” is a black sphere that contains foie gras mousse, a puffed and crackly “mochi” made from duck fat, and a vial labeled “drink me” that contains a rich duck consommé.

Mr. Osborn is heavily involved in the planning of the menus, an effort which, according to Mr. Wessels, included a 3 a.m. text message instructing the chef to purchase a 3-D printer for the kitchen. This extravagance has resulted in a dish of coconut labneh that is printed into a hexagonal honeycomb shape and presented on a plate alongside tiny squeeze bottles of colored “paint.” The red paint is made from pickled red cabbage, the green from cilantro and mint, and diners are invited to decorate their 3-D printed labneh object however they desire.

While you’re hard at work creating your edible masterpiece, the final part of the dish arrives: a puck of juicy goat meat flavored with masala and coated in wiry wisps of shredded vadouvan, made by turning vadouvan paste into a solid with hydrate methyl cellulose and then grating it.

This is almost certainly the most ridiculous dish I’ve ever been served, down to the weird viscosity of the paints. It was also undeniably fun, and the complete dish actually tasted … good. Better than good! All of those meaty, creamy, fruity, juicy, crunchy elements added together — miraculously — equal deliciousness.

A rosette of thinly sliced, crisp potatoes is presented at the table and then drowned in a densely chickeny and umami-rich “chicken cream.” Mr. Wessels explained the method for making the meaty goo, a process that involved two chicken stocks, one made from feet and wings and the other from whole chickens, which are pressure-cooked and ice clarified, then steeped with kombu before being strained and combined with cream. Over crackly oily potatoes, it tastes like an outrageously elaborate version of that great Australian snack, the chicken-flavored potato chip.

In the hands of lesser chefs, these shenanigans would come off as pure gimmickry, and there are times during a meal at the Cube when all the playfulness falls flat. The final dessert course features a vial of powder and a mirror, along with an oversize American $100 bill emblazoned with Mr. Osborn’s face. The powder is a sherbet made from acai berries and ground-up popping candy. The experience of sucking it up through the rolled bill (you are instructed not to snort it) isn’t especially enjoyable.

Mr. Wessels said the dish is “an attempt to illustrate the polar extremes between childish naïveté (sherbet) and complicated adult taboos and vices.” O.K., sure. I’m not convinced that philosophy is this restaurant’s strong suit.

However, most of the food served at the Cube puts flavor and gimmick on roughly equal footing. It’s almost refreshing, in this age when most high-priced Australian restaurants focus on local or native ingredients, to see these chefs worry about nothing except luxury, deliciousness and a giddy sense of fun. Everything about the experience is exceedingly silly, but there is a lot of thought and technique and effort behind making that silliness work.

You do not have to eat at the restaurant in order to visit the Cube; most visitors pay the $15 entry fee to see the wacky artwork and to taste d’Arenberg wines in the bright, airy top-floor tasting room. This fee provides entry to the third floor, home to selfie-friendly wax sculptures of Mr. Osborn and his father looking distressingly like rubbery animated corpses. The third floor is also where you’ll find the bathrooms, which are set up like mirrored fun houses, making them purposefully confusing to get in and out of (all the more so if you’ve had a few wines). The men’s room features urinals that double as giant gaping clownlike faces. Yes, their mouths are the, um, receptacles.

Sound juvenile? It is. But that streak of immaturity and not-quite-right shabbiness is part of what gives the Cube its wonky, and sometimes disturbing appeal. The first piece of artwork that confronts you upon entering the Alternate Realities Museum is a bright painting that depicts a large yellow creature impaling a man with its penis while simultaneously devouring the his head. This may be a fun house, but its themes are decidedly adult.

At a nearby vineyard owned by another family, I spoke to some local winemakers who were discussing the Cube and its impact on the region. “It’s kind stupid and daggy in some ways, but that’s why it’s great,” one said. “If it were all slick — if it took itself too seriously — it would be unbearable.”

She was right. The d’Arenburg Cube is quite wonderful, mainly because it is so very stupid.

Do you have a suggestion for Besha Rodell? The New York Times’s Australia bureau would love to hear from you: nytaustralia@nytimes.com, or join the discussion in the NYT Australia Facebook group. Read about the Australia Fare column here.

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