#and idk what the themes are there i literally watched it today

[erinravenseeker]

Super good essay, as someone who (1) read Homestuck (2) got super into DreamSMP for a year or two around the same time as your flatmate, and (3) also was super into The Yogscast's Shadow of Israphel way back when (omg what a blast from the past thank you for reminding me of it) this whole deconstruction & comparison appeals to me.

Definitely recommend people read it, please excuse me dumping my own opinions under the cut.

You're absolutely right when you say "The trick is only revealed to [...] someone for whom there is no other option but to ascend or die." But I think you miss discussing another huge aspect of it here.

PKCiv (PkCiv? PKCIV? do we have a common capitalisation yet?) pretty explicitly parallels real world concerns (in particular the death of the American Dream) by presenting itself as a meritocracy, and then demonstrating how the ruling classes set up (literal) impossible jumps to prevent upward social mobility. So when you say "So as it turns out, it is possible to win by following the rules of the system as it exists.", I think PKCiv is telling you that that's actually incorrect.

Evbo does gain upward social mobility through his own merit, once he knows HOW to do it, that's true. But every time, before he can, he has to be GIVEN the knowledge or opportunity BY someone who is or was already part of that higher social status.

The first ascension would have been literally physically impossible without the barrier block. The second, the narrative tells us he only makes due to having been given the Totem and the hint beforehand. He doesn't even put in that much effort to hunt down this information, because he doesn't know it exists in the first place - he has to encounter the right people simply by chance, and be GIFTED knowledge and items.

He only wins because other people gift him access to resources, which then let him tap into his full potential. If the system were fair, he would be able to make it up on his own merit, and by the system's rules, but it isn't. Kind of like how those in poverty are only able to invest in better education and/or careers when they aren't constantly fighting for their life. And so often there's knowledge or opportunities that you don't even know you should be searching for unless you have access to connections and nepotism.

Evbo's ideal "fixed" world at the end of PKCiv 1 just removes all the impossible barriers preventing the meritocracy from actually functioning like one, and takes away the punishment of death for failing to meet some arbitrary minimum standard (universal basic income anyone?). The series isn't trying to argue that meritocracy is the best system (it's just the system that the character buys into, and the start of PKCiv 2 actually subtly critiques it, but doesn't really go anywhere with the idea), it's just highlighting the lie that Rich People America particularly likes to present itself as a meritocracy when it isn't one.

Obviously nobody can really say just how much of this political commentary was intentional (at least some of it, at most Not Quite All Of It) or how much just happened to resonate thematically.

Anyway ALL THAT ASIDE – super good essay, I appreciate how you explain how it manages to be so consumable and engaging. I especially enjoyed your discussion of genre and how the story is entirely rules-based, and the relation to LitRPG/sysfic/xianxia.

And you also bring up a great point that I hadn't realised about the whole trick jumping thing, which is how so few people have ever seen or done a 360 because nobody does parkour for fun. In this world, parkour is purely about survival. "I think this speaks to Evbo’s ambition not just to survive in Parkour Civilization, but to live in Parkour Civilization" you're absolutely spot on. In Parkour Civilisation, nobody does parkour just because, because all parkour carries the risk of death, and it's better to just play it safe. In Parkour Civilisation, no-one chooses to jump for the beef.

Letterboxd deleted my review of Minecraft but I survive in PARKOUR CIVILIZATION [FULL MOVIE], so I've taken revenge by writing a 7,500 word essay on the topic. I will not be silenced.

Do a SICK PARKOUR JUMP onto that link above to read about how Parkour Civilization relates to LitRPG, MS Paint Adventures, and Neon Genesis Evangelion probably.

[lovelykil]

headcanons─

: ➛ killua & gon x reader older ver.

hc; night owl reader

cw; little suggestive themes mentioned

note; I have a huge headache (´ﾍ｀；) also, this was one of the choices everyone wanted so 😛

˗ˏˋ gon

“you're still awake?” o(*´ー` ?)

I'm pretty sure he passes out dead cold right when he hits the sheets. After a long day of training to build his aura and practice his new ability he's tired asf

Bisky gives yall no break

He changes into his muscle shirt and some sweats then jumps right into bed, you following along.

He tells you goodnight and places a little peck on your cheek before clinging onto your arm and snoozing

You're obviously exhausted too from today but somehow can't find yourself to be sleeping, but to ponder.

You think about how you even began to be with the ravenette and how your life changed for the best along side with him.

You wonder if killua actually really liked you or not σ(￣∇￣;)

He always seemed distant or not wanting to deal with you at all, but he always had your back in fights so.. maybe he did have a soft spot for you.

minutes past by.. You're still stuck in your head, looking up at the ceiling.

an hour..

two..

three..

four?!

damn what possibly could you be thinking about

You played a game on your phone soon enough from after all this thinking , the bright screen waking up the teen next to you.

You were actually surprised that woke him up he was literally facing away from you after shifting in his spot countless times.

He sits up with a disturbed expression, rubbing his weary chocolate eyes.

"y/n, can you turn off your phone?"

"I- yeah sorry gon." (￣▽￣;)

With a click the device shut off and was placed beneath your pillow, you sigh quietly to yourself.

"I wonder what your dad looks like." You whispered.

"I'm sure like me" gon tiredly smiled at you. You looked back at him then at the ceiling, you let out a soft chuckle.

"obviously, I bet that's where you got your weird hair"

"hey!" (｀ε´ )

"my bad" ( ￣▽￣)

gon lays back in his spot, his thoughts flooding his mind aswell.

"how long have you been awake?" He lets out, his head turning.

you think before answering.

"awhile."

"awhile!?"

"couldn't sleep"

"bisky isn't gonna go easy on us tomorrow you need to get your rest you know." The boy tugged on your shirt, trying to get you to listen. Your eyes move around the dark room then you grumble.

"okayy" you scoot towards him to feel his warmth, he lays his hand on your shoulder to kiss your cheek and smile.

"we can finally sleep together now!"

"ahhg, yes night gon."

"goodnighttt" (^^)

will make you go to sleep with kisses and hugs

he cares alot about your health and sleeping is the way to extra energy !!

so I don't think he stays up much

If he does it's possibly because of a sleepover with killua

idk I see him needing that beauty rest 🗣‼️

˗ˏˋ killua

“go to sleep WOMEN” o(｀Д´#)

does NOT need that beauty rest 🗣‼️

he can stay awake for awhile 2 to 3 days I think he said?

he just built different 🥶

so match him up with someone who also can't sleep ..

boom

chaos.

jk I'm sure he's pretty chill about it

like you also can't sleep? cool wanna have a pillow fight and watch scary movies??

you two are probably always doing something in the middle of the night.

nothing weird YOU PERV.

I mean, unless..😗

NO.

like sneaking into the kitchen to steal snacks together, quietly so not to wake up kurapika 😓

kil always eats most of them though to piss you off, then you end up yelling at him as he looks at you with his cat smirk

slowly shoving the chips into his mouth.

ooohh that boy gets on your nerves (`へ´*)

he won't admit it but he enjoys these nights with you, he's impressed how long you can stay up till you eventually pass the fuck out

idk cause sometimes at night too he gets a little.. silly.

suddenly his confidence is WAY high in the dark room as you two talk to each other after snacking.

he plays with the ends of your shirt as you sit on his lap and rant about something

"oh? uh-huh. mhm

he's not listening, he wants to rub his hands against your torso from under your shirt as you gasp from the cold sensation of his digits.

maybe even let him take off your shirt if he's lucky.

though, you knew what he was doing there was a reason why he wanted you to sit on his lap 😒

you grin to yourself, shaking your head.

you stopped talking and grabbed his pervy hands.

"I know what you're doing." You whispered.

"damn it, thought I was careful this timee" He whined.

you escape from his lap and lay next to him with a giggle.

"ohh, you're so cute cmere." You tease the boy, listening to him boil in heat. His pale face pink as flamingos as you lean in to kiss his cheek.

suddenly that confidence died out.

"you're so embarrassing.." (≧ヘ≦ )

he muttered irritatedly but he very much enjoyed that peck hoping you would kiss him on the lips now.

in which you did, the kiss was long and gentle. Your hand held his cheek as his landed on yours your lips formed a smile when he did so causing him to break away from the tender kiss and grow more flustered

"WHYD YOU DO THAT-"

"Smile?"

"YEAH.. DON'T DO THAT."

"Because the way your hand went on mine was cute."

". . ."

"You KNOW WHAT go to BED" ////

honestly it's fun being with him, wasting your nights with the albino

and having meaningful (sometimes) conversations at night, the kind where you and him smile together, with nothing but love in each of your eyes.

[herejusttosufferalong]

So did N post the Brazil restaurant pics and talk about it in an interview (a bit randomly) because she knew a lot of people were taking pics of them, and she wanted to control the narrative? Play it down and hush rumours? I don't recall her posting any other dinner photos during the tour?

Given the precise timing, I suspect the new photos/video that were released today may have been taken by staff who were under a 90-day NDA (from Part 1 release). I know of other photos that were posted in real time of L and N at the hotel restaurant. For some reason, they were not restricted to post? Maybe just a casual diner or guest? It just occurred to me that the two photos of them (on different nights) taken from a distance may have been screenshots from a video, as the quality is so poor? That's an interesting thought.

Then there's the NY Premiere videos. Why were some released in real time while others were released precisely 90 days after the release of part 1? Why would NDAs apply to some people but not others? Unless the videos posted today were purely by influencers via their official accounts and the other videos posted in real time were from random guests and anonymously leaked?

I'm confused as to why NDAs would be in place? Is it just a safeguard in case anything scandalous happened that would effect viewership numbers? And in the case of the Brazil hotel, just a general privacy thing? But why would it be limited to 90 days if that's the case? Unless they thought something would happen at the hotel that could effect viewership numbers?

Idk. I'm so confused about today. Particularly when you pair it with the week of posting from N. No surprises she posted something social awareness related today (all eyes on her) either because she anticipated today's events OR she had a look at her socials and saw that things had been posted and wanted to make the most of public interest. But still, why the lead up with her own cryptic and love-struck posts? And radio silence from L and all adjacents since he posted the Bridgerton bloopers?

Here are my key takeaways from today (and this week):

They spent a shit ton of time together in Brazil, and didn't get sick of each other. Even going to two separate restaurants in the hotel on one night. They had at least two outings together, without their teams in earshot, across two nights.

He enjoys grabbing her hand unnecessarily just as much as she enjoys grabbing his. Their level of physical affection is unsettling to me, even when certain adjacents are around.

Certain adjacents are just hanging around, whether they know they're being filmed or not. Where is the affection or physical comfort?

A few days before the Premiere, N posts a song about waiting for someone, asking them to give her 'a look again' to get things going. Then in the week leading up to the end of a 90-day period from Part 1 release (and possible NDA expiration), she proceeds to post about someone giving her a call after not hearing from them in a while, and admitting their love for one another (the caller expressing their feelings first). She then posts a song about getting it on with a person where there's no pretending, who knows her so well. Someone who makes her want to dress up and go dancing. Makes me think of that song she posted after S3 filming (I think) and possibly again during tour? - "we should kiss like real people do". What's this whole theme about pretending vs. reality? Being real/yourself vs. fake? What's this in relation to? I mean, I have a few theories...

I can feel it in my loins that the next few days are going to be enlightening, and could literally go in any direction. But did any of us predict this turn of events in what was suppose to be the 'dry period' before s4 filming begins??? This is honestly the best show I've ever watched.

.

[simplaertes]

kinda insane that achievement hunter is like. gone. not that i didn't see it coming--the era that things like them thrived in has passed and it was time. but i spent half my life just..... with them, in a way. like, i was twelve when i started watching. there are times of my life that are unbreakably intertwined with achievement hunter.

i'm glad they're each getting to do what they want. i'm excited for dogbark, i've been following matt and jeremy on twitch forever now. since they've said let's play will stay around in some capacity, i'm excited to see how that works, and hope it means they'll only play games they want now (randomizers? super bunny man?), but even if they don't it was wonderful while it lasted.

idk i'm not sad, just... melancholy might be the word? sort of a 'goodnight my sweet' kinda vibe with me today. i'm... really grateful it existed. last year changed my blog name after literal years of it being achievement hunter-themed and while i pulled away that doesn't negate the place it holds in my memories--the place it held in my life.

idk. it wasn't perfect, but i'm gonna miss it. i'm excited to see what comes, but a little hollow now that it's gone.

i guess what i mean to say is: thanks for the laughs, guys. see you on the other side.

[imshymorph]

Gather around everyone, here’s some soft!Gaz headcanons. Idk if it's a blorbo or me ranting and fangirling but i need to share the brain rot. another post today cause fuck it, i’ve been thinking about it for a while. also this was like a constant stream of thought and not proof read.

I truly don’t understand why this man gets ignored so much and I never will. He literally has everything you could ever want, saying he’s a ten doesn’t cut it. And yet I barely see people talking about him. (Except the gaz nation pookies, I see you).

This man absolutely bags the hottest significant other, doesn’t even know how. Don’t get me wrong, he 100% has rizz but he’s also just naturally attractive and inviting so i feel like by the time he starts to flirt on purpose it’s been two hours of pure smoothness. He’s also absolutely whipped but plays it off really smoothly.

- - - - -

Not only does he bag the hottest and meanest pookie aka you, but he also absolutely knows he did. And he’ll let right about everyone else know. I do think he’s more private about his life than say Soap, so it’s not like he’ll stop a random recruit and tell him about you (which i truly believe Johnny would do). But he has absolutely followed Price around base while he tells him about the two weeks leave he took to be with you.

Poor Price on his desk, dealing with the paperwork that comes as a necessity after Ghost and Soap blew something up during a drill that didn’t involve explosives at all. Not only is he having to fill out like fifteen different forms and reports, but he has Gaz sitting across from him, scrolling through his gallery and showing pictures of the place he took you out to on your Friday dinner date. Not only that but if Price just pretends to look but doesn’t actually pay attention Kyle will know and insist until the captain actually looks at the slideshow.

He doesn’t hammer your dates' knowledge onto Soap and Ghost as much, but he’ll definitely do subtle flexes. He chest the time on his phone instead of his watch so they’ll see the picture of you he has as a background. If someone brings up a weekend plan he’ll say how he can’t because he’s already going out with his darling. Subtly will tell anyone that will listen how you got him his new shirt, pants, cap, whatever it is tbh.

He also knows every single product that you prefer, doesn’t matter what kind it is. Makeup, skincare, cologne, fabric softener, snacks, beverages, food places, clothing brands. He doesn’t care, he knows all of them by heart. It’s like he has a six sense too, every time you’re close to running out of them he’ll randomly stop in the store on his way back to you from base and get them.

While i headcanon that Johnny gets into skin care after his darling introduces him to it (which you can read here, if you want). I believe Kyle absolutely has his own routine and that he is the one who first brings up the idea of having a spa night once a week. He’s the one to get the products, he even goes all out and does them themed, like by scent or colour or something.

Has a bunch of hoodies in rotation (or any other clothing piece you might steal from him) always making sure to wear at least one of them for a few days before “forgetting” it at yours or “forgetting” to take it to base once you’ve moved in together. He knows how much you love wearing them and how important it is that it smells like him. So he dutifully makes sure you always have a fresh Kyle™ piece of clothing available. Also it absolutely works for him too because he takes back the one you’ve had with you meanwhile. The mix of your cologne, body wash and fabric softener his favourite scent for sure.

And last but not least of my Gaz is the perfect boyfriend agenda (for today) is the fact that i know he just gives the best back massages. You don’t even have to ask for it, he’ll just come to the living room, lightly pat your shoulder so you move forward. He fits himself between the couch and your back and just gives you the massage of your life. He just laughs it off when you tell him he could be a masseuse if he ever retires from the military.

It takes less than 5 minutes to have you absolutely melting, and when he’s pleased with how comfortable and relaxed you look he just pulls you back against his chest. His arms wrap around your waist and his chin rests on your shoulder as you sit between his legs, the both of you watching a random show he saw good ratings of.

[hkthatgffan]

Well, today's the day! Hilda comes to an end. I figured now more than ever is time I make this post on just…how I feel about this incredible show ending and why it means so much to me…and why I'm grateful to Luke Pearson and the whole Hilda team. So, long post below ahead!

I found Hilda in 2018 via a post on the Gravity Falls sub of the trailer. Right from the start, something felt special about this show. And like many, I tuned in to watch it when it began. I didn't know what would be in store as I began it, but I was excited. This was at the end of the summer as GF hype for Lost Legends and the box set died down. So, getting in to a new show seemed like the best idea. It took literally hearing that theme song for me to instantly fall in love with Hilda. There was something so familiar and wholesome just bursting out of that opening. It was a feeling hard to really explain. By episode 3 and specifically the ending of it…I knew I had my next favourite show.

Everything about Hilda just felt perfect to me. The animation was incredible, Hilda as a character was enjoyable and full of life, the story felt fresh even if the core concept seemed familiar and all in all, I just loved the atmosphere this show radiated. It also made me so happy to see Canada have a part in Hilda. The Canadian animation industry is one I love given how much of a part of my childhood it was. And so to see it have a hand in this incredible show just made me so happy. Mercury Filmworks did amazing with Hilda. And I think that's how I began to understand why Hilda feels so familiar; it reminds me of those old cartoons I grew up on. Those Canadian Nelvana shows that were so wholesome & yet so fun to watch…while also not afraid to be bold. Hilda was that kind of show for a new generation!

I also didn't shy away from poking some nods to Gravity Falls. It was a great way to help spread Hilda's existence to more people and to this day I get messages from people who tell me they found Hilda because of my tweets, or videos or more. That means the world and I am grateful to have helped you discover this show. And like any show I fell in love with, I also bough the books and other merch for it. The Hilda graphic novels were amazing to read and see how the show grew from them, the figurine still just fits in my shelf, and the tie in books and more are always fun to collect. I'll miss it. Not to mention the memes…of which I made a few. The Hilda fandom is insane, yet so funny. Like all fandoms it has its ups and downs but I've met some amazing people because of Hilda and some who I remain great friends with. You know who you are <3

Hilda's conclusion means that the last of my holy trinity shows is now over…and with that, the end of an era. Truthfully, IDK what my plans are post Hilda. It was the last show still airing that I truly was 110% passionate about. That's not to say there aren't other shows, But there will never be another Hilda for me. Hilda is a show unlike any other I have seen. Yeah, perhaps it's not the most popular or the biggest or the best cartoon out there. But OMG, no other show since ever made me as happy and passionate as Hilda did. It's one of a kind!

I said in 2018 that Hilda is everything out of a cartoon that I wanted. I still believe that.

No cartoon is perfect and our definition of perfection is our own. If you ask me though…Hilda is the closest cartoon I have ever come across to my definition of perfection!

With that, while I am heartbroken to bid farewell to Hilda…I am happy I got to experience this show as it aired. I'm grateful for all the memories I made in the 5 years I had it. I'm grateful for the adventure and above all else…I'm grateful to have seen Hilda! ❤️

2018-2023

[weirdly-specific-but-ok]

twilight for the uninitiated

HEYLO BABYGIRLS, BITCHBOYS, AND BOYCOTTERS OF THE BINARY! It's your favourite (and I should hope only) Good Omens Mascot and Maggot Prince here. Yesterday (earlier today? idk I sleep in naps) way over on the maggots server some of y'all were insulting Twilight. Which I am 100% supportive of, but for Bildaddy's sake, you need to insult it CORRECTLY.

But should you have to hate-watch or hate-read it? Nah, you've got me. In middle school I got late to school because I was reading the books in the bathroom instead of getting ready. I'VE GOT YOU! Gonna mix up the book and movie for optimum enjoyment.

Dramatis Personae: Edward Cullen, aka Sparkles the Vampire. Bella Swan, aka Bella Sue. Jacob Black, aka Wolfy Eggfucker. Charlie Swan, aka Gunboy ACAB. And Dr Carlisle Cullen, aka Zaddy. @orpiknight taught me that word.

ALRIGHT! So Bella Sue's mum and dad are divorced and she lives with her mum. But her mum's like lmao fuck you when she gets a touring boyfriend and tosses Bella Sue to Forks, where it rains a lot, and where her dad Gunboy lives.

So Bella Sue grabs a cactus because that represents Arizona and hauls ass, and Gunboy makes awkward comments about her hair. Bonding! But then he gets her a pickup truck, which is wild-o.

First day of school and Bella Sue is very popular because Small Town and the boys are very tingly in the ballsacks if you catch my drift. Anna Kendrick asks her why she's white (YOU CAN'T JUST ASK PEOPLE WHY THEY'RE WHITE, KAREN!) and then promptly forgets she was in the movie.

INTRODUCING THE VAMPIRES! This is a vampire story, by the way. There's Himbo, Blonde Murderer, and they're dating/married. There's Bi Awakening and some constipated looking dude from the Confederate army, and they're dating/married (don't worry about it). There's Sparkles, of course, and they all walk into the cafeteria being Hot apparently. Sparkles stares at Bella Sue. This is to be a common theme.

Sparkles thinks Bella Sue stinks. No, like, literally, she stinks coz he wants to eat her and food smells etc. Bella Sue also has magic powers and Sparkles can't read her mind. He's like >:(=. Those are his fangs, btw. But then he goes away with his family to hunt animals and drink blood and comes back like :)=.

Bella Sue almost gets hit by a car but then Sparkles jumps in and pushes it away. He then gaslight gatekeeps girlbosses her, and googles adrenaline rush to explain it to her. AND GUESS WHO HEALS HER? IT'S SPARKLES'S DAD, AND MY ZADDY. He walks into the ER all blonde and gentle and competent. Oh and he's a vampire too and so is his wife but like his magic power is compassion and also he's learned to regulate himself around blood. And he's pretty. Zaddy.

He's so fucking pretty but then we have to go back to the Plot and some humans are being killed or whatever and Gunboy is takin' charge yo. Sparkles keep chasing after Bella Sue to tell her to stay away from him and finding her randomly to remind her to ABSOLUTELY STAY AWAY and then he stalks her in the night and has dinner with her after saving her from a gang to tell her to ABSOLUTELY STAY AWAY. Also, he's like 110 years old. Whatever.

Oh and Sparkles breaks into her room to watch her sleep at night. It's super duper romantic. (No, trust me, once you see Wolfy in the later books, this will be super duper romantic). Then he takes her to abandoned clearings in woods to threaten to kill her and he tells her to SAY WHAT HE IS and she's like MOSQUITE LEECH VAMPIRE.

AND THEN HE SPARKLES! A LOT! And they go to the Cullens house and play baseball and Zaddy is looking absolutely lovely and welcomes them and even stands off some random vampires that show up. But one of them likey-likey's Bella Sue's blood.

Bella Sue is like lmao fuck you you're not a good dad to Gunboy to keep him safe or whatever and runs away with the Cullens to keep herself safe or whatever. Idk man Zaddy is just very pretty throughout.

And then there's a ballet place and Bella Sue goes there to get murdered coz she doesn't want to be a burden to the Cullens (homegirl never been so real). The Cullens get there and kill the vampire but then she's vampiring so Sparkles sucks the venom out and Zaddy heals her. Looking pretty. Blonde hair, golden eyes, etc.

And then Gunboy and Bella Sue's mum show up and she goes home and she's like SPARKLES TURN ME INTO A VAMPIRE TOO and he's like yo wtf no you'll be a monster (I think he's just pissed he sucked that venom out for nothing) and she's like SPARKLES PLEASE UWU and he's like UGH WE'LL SEE and they dance at prom but anyway there it ends. It should have ended with a shot of Zaddy but anyway.

*influence voice* Like and subscribe Like and reblog for a part II coz there are three more books/four more movies. Gotta get that education. Now I have the urge to make a youtube video. Garn. ANYWAY LOVE YOU ALL BYE MAGGOTS.

[absolutebl]

Hiii, I'm glad the ask box is open!

Idk if you already did a rec list on this, but can you recommend me old bls, like 90/2000s? I watched Seven days movies and its really good

Oh yay! Seven Days is the best. Actually, I have never done this. Here's a list of...

10+ BL's rated 7/10 or higher that aired prior to 2018

Just Friends?

Korea 2009 Gaga

This is Korea's first (kinda) upbeat version of a BL featuring already established boyfriends, one of whom is on military leave, trying to decide on coming out, family life, and the future. All of these are themes Korea will pretty much never tackle again, retreating as they would to their bubble. But what a fun little offering this little show was and is to this day. You should watch it.

Love Sick & Love Sick 2

Thai 2014 YouTube

This is one of those BLs that owes almost nothing to yaoi, although it started a number of tropes that are now endemic to Thai BL. What it is, instead, is a well scripted story of bisexual self-discovery and the inherent chaos of loving someone of the same gender for the first time, all wrapped up in hormones, existing relationships, and communication issues. It is high school queer angst at its messiest. Nothing is going to be easy for these boys because queer isn’t easy but also because life isn’t easy… welcome to adulthood sweethearts.

I'm actually considering a rewatch of these beginning of 2024 in honor of the 10 year anniversary if anyone wants to join.

Seven Days

Japan 2015 grey

The asker already mentioned it but still, never doubt my ability to recommend this show. One of the best live action yaois ever made, with perfectly structured angst, fantastic characters and acting, and no problematic tropes (rare in Japanese BL). The leads have excellent chemistry although it’s low heat there’s still some really cute mutual kisses.

Addicted: Heroin

China 2016 Viki

When Chinese BL was good it was very dirty good and when it was bad it was censored. This is the model for that statement: rich kid falls madly for the genius poor kid in his class, starts an aggressive pursuit, includes kidnapping for love, obsession, stepbrother trope, plus some cheating. I love this BL because of what I could have been. Just stop watching it after The Sex Scene. Okay?

SOTUS & SOTUS S & SOTUS Our Skyy

Thai 2016 YouTube

This is the BL that launched a hundred BLs. No literally, it was SOTUS’s international success that pretty much built the Thai BL industry into the juggernaut it is today. People have baggage around SOTUS, I have nostalgia. Trigger warning on bully hazing. Review and discussion here.

Make it Right 1 & 2 (but not Beach)

Thai 2016 YouTube (Cheewin warning)

What to say about this show, the origin of the Thai BL pulps? It’s objectively terrible, and not just the leads but the side couple too - yet I love it. I tend to call myself the “world’s foremost Make It Right apologist.” I recognize the issues but I find it utterly charming, especially Tee’s utter devotion to Fuse the baby bi disaster.

Long Time No See

Korea 2017 Gaga

Catfishing assassins on either side of a turf war who fall in love not knowing they are on opposite sides. Or do they? Good fight sequences, mature characters, high heat, very suspenseful, AND an HEA. If you like KinnPorsche or Kiseki you will LOVE this one.

HIStory Obsessed

Taiwan 2017 Viki

I weirdly love this but you should know what you are in for: that title. It has a stalking theme meets fated mates and quite a bit of dubious consent. Uke obsessed with seme to the point of losing himself and his identity dies after being rejected, and then has a chance to reboot his life. He decides to save himself by never falling in love. But destiny is a bitch, and this time the seme becomes obsessed with him. This one owes a lot to dark Chinese and Japanese BL, but kind of corrects for the expected sad dead finale by ending happily and playing with a ton of BL tropes. The leads have good chemistry, it's higher heat and the first time Taiwan starts to push that, and VERY DRAMATIC.

Some Others you might consider

Candy and Kiss - Japan 2015

Silhouette of Your Voice (Hidamari ga Kikoeru) - Japan 2017

Red Balloon - Taiwan 2017

(source)

[portalhan]

˚ ₍ᐡ｡っ ̫-｡ᐡ 💭 who said i hated you?

pairing: kim seungmin x gn!reader

featuring: chan, jisung

synopsis: seungmin has dedicated much of his high school volleyball career to defeating you in the national championships, but when he watches your fall from grace, why is he... worried about you?

themes: volleyball au, high school au, fluff, angst if you really squint i guess, childhood friends to enemies to lovers

format: one shot

warnings: reader is briefly described as shorter than seungmo (sorry to all you tall folk, you already have enough rights sj,dfhkdjhf), slight swearing, injuries, generated high school names lol sorry

word count: 4k

fae's notes: c-can you tell i'm a haikyuu luver... this is my way of using my intricate knowledge of volleyball that i learned through obsessively watching and reading haikyuu. without having ever played the game. also i always find myself giving my best fic ideas to seungmin but like u know what this is my god-given duty for all my seungmin luvers. you are all precious to me. this one is for U. i'm also deeply insecure about my writing (especially this one because... idk i feel like it's not as good as i think it is) so pls tell me ur thoughts. give me constructive feedback. but i hope u enjoy tho mwah have a good new year everyone

the screech of rubber sports shoes squeaking against varnished wood floors, the echoes of skin against multi-coloured volleyballs reverberating throughout the gargantuan arena, the distant chorus of high schoolers yelling at their teammates to formulate a game play.

seungmin closes his eyes and takes a deep, fully-chested breath as he relishes in the charged atmosphere that fills the gymnasium. a familiar voice cuts through the haze as he feels a hand slap him on the back, before snaking its way around his shoulder. "another year in this damn stadium," chan's calculating gaze scans the place. "we better take home a trophy this time."

seungmin adjusts the strap of his duffel to sit more securely on his shoulder, and huffs to blow a stray lock of his hair out of his face. he turns to look at his captain and sighs: "i'll literally treat the entire team to pizza if we do."

"i know you meant that sarcastically, but the motivation is very real to me," a voice that can only belong to his team's eccentric libero, jisung, pipes up from behind him. seungmin can only roll his eyes before snapping something about how he'd love to see that motivation on the court back, as the team shuffle and squeeze their way through other courts over to their designated one, where they'll be having their first match of the national championships today.

once the team settles down on the benches and starts gearing up, seungmin spots a copy of today's tournament brackets and quietly picks it up for a quick inspection. his eyes immediately gravitate towards the name of his team—wildwood high—neatly printed on the sheet of paper, alongside the name of the opposing team—cape coral—indicating their first match. but then his gaze lingers a beat longer on the paper as he scans it again, this time looking for something else he can't really place his finger on (the thing is he actually does know but refuses to admit it to himself).

he finally spots it: laguna creek, court six. playing their first match today against another team he hasn't heard of, just an hour before his. his brows furrow in frustration, and he lifts his head back up before his gaze sweeps the crowd of the arena once more for court six.

the history between seungmin and you goes way back. you were neighbours for basically your entire childhoods, and for the longest time you were best friends who did everything together. that was precisely how both your and seungmin's love for volleyball began—it started with watching re-runs of the olympics on seungmin's ratty old box television in the early 2000s. enamoured by how cool the volleyball players looked, you both began (poorly) imitating it in his backyard nearly everyday after elementary school from then on.

seungmin's a little fuzzy on the details, but things changed just as you two were about to begin your first year at high school. you initially planned to go to wildwood high with seungmin for their volleyball team, since the school used to produce a handful of national players. but then your parents announced that they've split up and would be looking into officially filing for divorce, and you got whisked away by your mother to a suburb that was a good two-hour drive away, so you were forced to leave seungmin at this new school where he knew nobody. it's not like you loved this arrangement either, but you didn't really have a choice.

seungmin, being a pre-pubescent boy who didn't know how to process his feelings, took his frustration out on you, and pretty much blamed you for abandoning him. he lashed out at you the day you were due to leave, and basically called time of death on your friendship. you remember him screaming something about how you were "a shit friend for abandoning him" and how he was "happy about not needing to tolerate you in high school". those words really stung—you have always considered seungmin the only friend you'd ever need, but the feeling clearly wasn't mutual if he could bring himself to say such harsh things about you. over something you had no control over, too?

and so you moved across town, cutting off all contact with the boy for a short while. that was until both your high school teams crossed paths at your first national championships game. you wanted to ignore his presence, but seungmin started picking on you whenever your schools would cross paths at championships and friendly matches, and it just transitioned into this full-blown rivalry where you absolutely hated each other. if you were to ask seungmin why he even started picking on you on top of all the hurtful things he said to you before you left, he'd say it's because he hates you, but deep down, he just misses you.

"let me guess, you're looking for y/n again," chan tuts, arms crossed over his chest and foot tapping against the floor by the time seungmin snaps his head back around. "why are you so fixated on your stupid rivalry with them?" the younger boy raises a brow.

"have you seen them? they are insufferable. someone needs to humble them and if it has to be me, then so be it."

"are you actually mad that they might be a better setter than you?"

seungmin is genuinely offended by his captain's absurd statement. "are you crazy?"

"if you say so."

seungmin chooses peace today, and de-escalates the conversation by walking away, but somehow manages to end up at the bleachers right by court six. he immediately spots you right there on the court, loose strands of hair stuck to the sides of your sweat-coated face, eyes trained on the ball as you guide it towards your teammates. wearing that same goofy jersey your school makes your team wear—who the hell though bright orange and blue would make for a good colour combination?

your team is running some last-minute drills and warm-ups before the actual game begins in about 10 minutes. seungmin's eyes never leaves your figure as he silently debates going up to talk to taunt you, watching intently as you pull the middle blockers in a huddle to talk strategy.

so he does. he now finds himself with his feet just an inch shy from the white paint that marks the borders of the court, fingers entwined behind his back as he smirks at you. you immediately catch his eye—after all, all that staring from him was not at all hard to miss—and jog right over to him as you rolled your eyes so hard they hit the back of your head.

"first match today too, huh?" seungmin snidely remarks, looking down at you as you use your forearm to wipe the sweat from your forehead. "good luck, you're going to need it." you scoff—you didn't know what you expected from seungmin aside from his usual arrogance. you take a sip of water from your bottle. "you know i don't," you deadpan between gulps of water. "looks like you might, though. a little birdie told me cape coral got a new spiker, and he's in the running for the national under 19 team. i know how jealous of good players you can get."

seungmin immediately frowns, and you relish in his silent distress. "what do you mean?"

"why don't you find out for yourself? you only have about an hour, anyway," you give him a curt couple of pats on the shoulder with the emptiest smile plastered on your face. hm, seungmin thinks, how did you know about his match today? "i have a game to play now." you turn your back and jog away towards the rest of your team as the umpire blows his whistle to indicate the impending start of the match.

a perplexed seungmin is left spiralling about this mysterious new cape coral player as he sullenly makes his way back to the nearby bleachers to watch. the under 19 team? that's at least two leagues above the high school championships. how is his team going to progress past the first round now? cape coral has never been particularly outstanding; the furthest they've made in the competition in past years was literally the second round. this could really tip the scales.

the shrill blow of the umpire's whistle rudely interrupts his train of thought, shortly before your team makes the first serve. seungmin didn't really know what he expected—laguna creek has always been a formidable team every single year he's been in the high school volleyball scene, and ever since you joined two years ago, you've been something of a star player. it really comes as no surprise when your team dominates the first set by a good seven points.

but then something completely unexpected happens. it happened so fast that seungmin couldn't recall the exact details even if he wanted to, but just as you were about to set the ball to a spiker, one of your middle blockers accidentally collides with you at full force. their foot completely pushes down on your ankle, sending you pummelling straight to the ground with a thud that was concerning level of loud. he may have been hallucinating, but he thought he heard you yelp very slightly. his eyes widen as he shoots up from his seat to run over to the court-side, as you wince and hisse in pain while gripping the flesh around your ankle, which is now visibly reddened and swollen. the umpire hastily calls for a time-out.

seungmin can only stand there and watch you in silence as his heart violently pounds against his ribs. the middle blocker responsible for your plight shies away in a corner as your team surrounds you, apologising profusely as tears threaten to pour out of her eyes. you assure them it's not her fault through gritted teeth, as your coach frantically asks for volunteers to accompany you to the infirmary.

seungmin isn't sure why he felt compelled to, but before he had the chance to think his response through, he raises his hand and says, "i'll do it." your coach's head snaps up to examine the volunteer, brow slightly raised when her eyes meet seungmin's. he could tell she was a bit confused about why kim seungmin from wildwood would want to personally bring you to see a nurse, but she doesn't complain. seungmin immediately rushes to your side and slings your arm around his shoulder, with his own wrapping around your waist for support as he lifts you up with a grunt. you wince even harder from the sudden movement as you limp your way out of the main hall with seungmin by your side.

your short walk to the infirmary was mostly just awkward silence, with the occasional groan from the pain of accidentally putting pressure on your injury. you guess your curiosity got the better of you when you decide to fuck it and just break the silence. "why are you even helping me? i'm surprised your skin didn't start melting upon touching me." it's not as though seungmin completely didn't expect some sort of skepticism from you, but the sense of defeat that laced your words was what caught him off guard. you feel his grip tighten around your waist as he tries to think of an answer that wouldn't sound weird.

"i'm not a monster, you know," seungmin huffs under his breath, refusing to make eye contact with you as you both trudge on. "i just need you to be back in the game. i can't score one over you if you're out of commission, right?"

your immediate reaction was to scoff. "score? yeah right," you sneer, but pause for a beat as you let his response sit a bit. "but i suppose you're right," you mutter after a while, eyes darting everywhere but seungmin's figure. you spot the infirmary room in the distance and mentally thank god. "although, it is a bit weird seeing you be this kind to me. if i didn't know any better, i'd even think you cared about me."

blood rushes up to seungmin's ears as he slides the door open, keeping his lips sealed in case he blurts out anything he can't take back. "i only care about properly defeating you." he knows somewhere deep down that that was a bald-faced lie, but you are too pre-occupied with your ankle to retaliate the way you always do. after setting you down on the bed, seungmin wordlessly takes a seat on a chair at the corner of the infirmary as the nurse checks your injury out. "it seems you might have fractured your ankle," she deduces after a while. panic visibly takes over your face as you ask about what you should do. "i'm afraid you'll have to go to the hospital to get this patched up properly. i can call an ambulance," she says. "you might not be able to play for a few months."

seungmin watches you intently as you just sit there, processing the news in complete silence as your gaze burns holes in the floor, your fingers gripping onto the edge of the bed. seungmin doesn't really know what to say or do, except to heed the nurse's instructions to return to the court to inform your couch about the decision to hospitalise you. he's puzzled by his own reaction as he hastily walks back—he should be gloating about the way you're practically removed from the picture, but why does he feel like complete shit?

the day carries on as usual. the ambulance arrives and you're loaded in on a stretcher, although seungmin wasn't able to see you leave since he had his own match to worry about. turns out, you were just lying about the new cape coral player to rile him up—thank god, he thinks—so seungmin's team managed to easily beat them out and progress to the next round. he doesn't tell his teammates about the mishap with you earlier, and no one really notices the way an air of dreariness clouded him today, except for chan. while the rest of the team celebrate the win, he quietly pulls him to the side for a quick check-in.

"is everything alright?" chan mutters under his breath to avoid eavesdroppers, once he brings seungmin to a secluded-enough corner. "couldn't help but notice you were a little off your game today. just a little, though."

right, nothing can ever really escape chan when it comes to his team, can it? seungmin's shoulders slump as he sighs, before he quickly gives him the run-down of what just happened with you earlier chan's face just morphs into an expression of concern as he listens on. both your teams brushed shoulders a lot, considering you were both pretty on par in terms of skill, so chan is pretty well-acquainted with you. he is understandably shocked—your reputation as one of the best setters at the national high school level precedes you. you were always known for being precise and intentional with each move, so to hear that you got taken out by an injury sustained on the court (by a fellow teammate, no less), is unexpected. as chan processes the news, seungmin can only look down as he fidgets with his fingers.

"you know, it's very out of character for you to actually be... i wanna say... bummed out by this," chan observed as the setter's gaze remains on his hands. "that's weird."

of course it's weird, seungmin thinks, he doesn't know our history. "i'm just angry they couldn't take care of themselves better. how am i supposed to one-up them now? it wouldn't be a real win." the way chan tilts his head and purses his lips at his response, seungmin notes, indicates he doesn't buy his excuse. "come on, be honest with me. you like them, don't you?"

the younger boy's eyes immediately widen as his head snaps back up. "you're insane," seungmin declares, but the way the blood rushes to the tips of his ears betrays him. "why would i ever like y/n? you need to wash your eyes out with bleach, look at them again and get back to me."

although it was a complete shot in the dark, chan can't help but laugh at how dramatic seungmin is being over his theory—it basically confirmed his suspicions. "look, i've seen the way you and y/n act around each other. you pretend like the feeling is a mutual hatred, but i can see that you actually care for one another underneath all the snipes and jabs. true arch nemeses don't go out of their way to keep tabs on the other like you two do," chan explains once he calms himself. now the blush makes its way to seungmin's cheeks. " i don't know in what world it's considered acceptable to personally escort your number one enemy to the infirmary after an accident, but it's certainly not this one. i can tell your relationship runs deeper than it shows on the court. you have to sort this out. the tension is killing me."

what tension??? seungmin doesn't really know how to respond, so he just scoffs and walks away, but he knows better than anyone that there's truth to chan's words, even if chan didn't know it himself. perhaps he does care about you, because otherwise, why would he feel so bad about what happened today? seungmin and chan just silently tail behind the team as everyone boards the bus in a single file.

no matter how hard he tries, seungmin can't stop thinking about the conversation he just had with chan on the bus ride back to campus. he's sitting a few seats shy from the back on the bus alone, earphones plugged in and blasting some song from a random playlist he hastily put on the moment he sat down in an attempt to clear his mind. but the moment he sees the bus pull up in the school's parking lot, he hurriedly bids goodbye to his team—chan flashing him a knowing, almost fatherly smile when he makes eye contact—rushes over to his bike, mounts it, and speeds off to the hospital.

perhaps it was the adrenaline from cycling for 15 minutes straight, or maybe it was the escalating anxiety of actually having to talk to you without insulting you, but by the time he parks his bike at the hospital lot, he feels a huge lump form in his throat as he saunters through the sliding doors. "is there a y/n here? i believe they just came in for a fractured ankle," he asks the receptionist, who points him to a ward just around the corner. he warily walks over, mind racing.

"knock knock," seungmin manages to say, after taking a giant gulp to quell his nerves. he peeks through the door to see you sitting upright on the hospital bed, foot wrapped in a thick, white cast. you immediately recognise his voice, and feel your breath hitch in your throat right before you beckon him to come in. you kind of just awkwardly sit there in silence as seungmin dawdles bedside, trying to formulate what he wants to say.

"what did the doctor say?"

"i'm out for two months. might take longer."

"oh."

seungmin clears his throat as he quickly scans your disheveled appearance. you don't really notice since you're doing everything in your power to avoid his gaze, but even then you couldn't hide how upset you were about being crippled by an injury as preventable as this. "how are you feeli-"

"why are you here?" you cut him off, voice raised, boldly spinning your head around to look seungmin dead in the eye. "are you trying out some new demented way to make fun of me? to insult me?" your voice cracks a little bit as you feel your eyes sting from the onset of tears. you aren't really sure what overcame you to confront him so aggressively like this. sure, you certainly have dished out your own fair share of insults to seungmin's face, but they were usually more playfully snarky and sarcastic. this is different; this is personal, but not towards him. you're angry at yourself for letting this happen, and you're taking it out on seungmin. he blinks and attempts to stutter out a response.

"i was just worried," he sheepishly admits, gaze falling to the floor and arm reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. "about... about you."

"why now? why after all these years of hating me?"

"who said i hated you?"

now it's your turn to be caught off guard. your eyes widen as you wait for him to elaborate. "i never hated you," he mutters after a brief pause.

"then why do you treat me like you do?"

"i..." seungmin trails off, squeezing his eyes shut and gulping one more time for good measure. here goes nothing. "w-when you moved away all those years ago, i just didn't know what to do. i was so scared of losing you and i didn't know how to deal with that. so i did what i knew best—push you away first," he rambles as you silently process his words. "then when i saw you again... and i didn't want to come across as weak. so i continued pretending like i hated you. but i never have."

"that's not good enough."

seungmin throws his head back and exhales deeply, heart pounding so violently in his chest it feels as though it's about to pop out any second. "i...i care about you. more than you know. no matter how hard i tried to push you away, i just couldn't."

"still not good enough."

"fine, i like you! i always have," seungmin finally exclaims, throwing his hands up in pent-up frustration. "damn it, was that what you wanted to hear?" it was such an extremely, emotionally charged reaction, but for some reason you couldn't help but giggle profusely as you watch his epiphany unfold before your eyes. you know he's going through something serious here, but watching him act out like this with such strong emotion—while literally looking like a puppy in human form—feels like watching a muppet having a rage episode. "wait, wait," seungmin pauses as he notices your... unusual reaction. "was this just one big, elaborate scheme to get me to embarrass myself in a hospital?"

you absent-mindedly sit up to assure that that was not the actual plan, and completely forgot that your ankle is in a cast. you wince and hiss in pain again, now eliciting seungmin's own fit of laughter. "you're a brilliant setter and a smart, handsome kid, but you are so incredibly dense," you finally tell him between giggles.

"what the he- wait, did you just say handsome?"

"i've always liked you too, you know. since before i can even remember. so when you said those things to me and continued acting like you hated me all this time, i just thought you moved on. so i never did anything about it."

"wha-"

you press your index finger against his lips to quickly shut him up. "sshh. let me finish," you tell him, and he mouths an apology. "i can't lie, you really hurt me. i don't know if we can go back to what we were just yet," you mumble as your hand cups and gently caresses his cheek, and he leans into your touch. you spot the sadness in seungmin's eyes, but you can tell he understands where you're coming from.

"telling you how sorry i am can't even begin to cover it, y/n. i know how much i hurt you. i understand if you don't want anything to do with me anymore," seungmin says, teary-eyed.

you couldn't hold back the chuckle that escaped you after he said that. seungmin tilts his head and raises a brow as he watches yet another abnormal reaction from you. "woah, woah, when did we jump to that conclusion? i never said i didn't want anything to do with you anymore, silly," you smile softly, using your thumb to wipe the little traces of tears that welled in his eyes just a few seconds before. "let's start over. how about a date first?"

you wish you could capture the way seungmin's eyes lit up. his own hand reaches up to hold yours against his cheek, squeezing your fingers as his lips press a chaste kiss onto the skin of your palm. "let's do that."

[aataraxiiaa]

DAILY FOOD LOG IS BACK YIPEE

I’m trying out this new themed diet until my trip which I’m gonna hope I can just do OMAD for those 4 days cuz fuck.

Butttt I had a hash brown from McDonald’s:140 cals (cousin literally made me, she won’t leave me alone abt my weight. She’s steady gaining and her sisters are total assholes abt it and ig she’s trying to take it out on me?? Idk if it’s the ED talking but she literally tries to force food down my throat even when I constantly tell her I’m just not hungry. She’ll make me buy food and watch me eat and then won’t eat hers? And she constantly says that my new weight makes me look gross and that I have to gain some. I dropped down to a size 4 in jeans and she’s been at a size 4 for some years now but she’s shorter and younger than me so she always says that it’s weird. Same with my sister, they’re so weird. lmk what you guys think).

Ham and Swiss croissant: 320

Cup of chicken broth x3: 30cals

Total: 490cals.

The limit for the first day is 500cals so YAY ME

I’m gonna do a workout later today after I clean my room and do my hw, have a good day guys!!

[brxkxnhxxrtsclxb]

finally picked up pasión de gavilanes 2 again and… SIGH

it reminds me why i dropped it to begin with ._.

i finished the ACTUAL novela a couple months back and it was so fun. it’s no wonder is a highly regarded classic. BUT THIS ??!!

i’m on what ?? episode 11 ?? 12 ?? around there of season 2 and it’s just eww😭😭

idk if i should give it a little more but i did check the first two episodes after finishing the OG and the vibe was VERY different and NOT IT from the get go. like how tf do we go from a romance storytelling and being character driven… to a murder mystery (which is so stupid cuz the OG had nothing like it) ?? it’s dumb and feels ugly

the new cast is so bland too. like i’m sorry but i really do not gaf about their kids😭 the worst offenders are the freaking reyes twins like goodbye. y’all annoying and ugly. at least be good to look at ?? idk😭😭 (that was mean but at least the three reyes brothers were good to look at in the original >.< they still are but that’s besides the point)

sorry. i just had to get this out my system >.< i don’t think i can continue watching this :// i went back to it cuz i recently found out they’re apparently making a season 3 but i can barely get past season 2 so i might just not even watch it T_T

the little i’ve seen of spoilers is so dumb. oscar wouldn’t have cheated on jimena. he just WOULD NOT. and have a kid without her ?? FUCK THAT. franco would’ve never left sara. why tf y’all got her thinking he left her for someone else and insecure over rosario AGAIN ?? speaking of rosario, why tf is SHE BACK ??!! she moved on from the reyes. she had her villain era when she was trying to keep franco and sara apart in the OG !!!! also the juan david and rosario plot is just so boring and stupid. again, SHE MOVED ON FROM THE REYES (not to mention juan david was literally A BABY WHEN SHE MET HIM BACK IN THE OG) !! don’t get me started on miss gaby (that’s how i call gabriella cuz she would piss me off in the OG lmaoo) NOT believing her granddaughter about her bestie demetrio. DID SHE LEARN NOTHING FROM DON FERNANDITO ??!! also, i don’t like the new don martin. no hate to the actor, it’s not his fault he did his job. he’s just not as funny and doesn’t have the charm jorge cao did T_T

sorry for the rant. this novela went from a cute, lighthearted story about family to… whatever this mess is. sure they talk about family but it doesn’t feel like they mean it. doesn’t even have the comedy bits the original had to help break the tension. of course, the original has some issues and some problematic jokes that wouldn’t have flown by today but i can forgive it as it’s in tune with the times (early 2000s)

also the THEME SONG ??!! i’m sorry but the song originally made sense . it was in tune with the story and now it’s not. this is a murder mystery. sure there’s romance but it literally took the backseat so it doesn’t even make sense anymore. and i don’t like the new version. it sounds bad T_T it just doesn’t fit

this season 2… none of the vibes fit anywhere. doesn’t even feel like the same show. they should’ve just not made season 2 but that’s just my opinion. or at the very least, they should’ve just made it a different version of the characters. kinda like the addams family or marvel / DC comics where we have the same characters, just different versions of them. that would’ve worked better to separate the two but nah. they wanted to continue it thus ruining everyone. it’s ugly ._.

[ghostradiodylan]

Which Hacketteers do you think are pro Christmas music and who do you think is totally against it?

Okay this is a great question and such a hard one for me because I’m kind of ambivalent about Christmas music myself! I like it fine for a couple of days beforehand but when it starts playing in stores right after Halloween? I’m still in spooky mode, stop trying to make me be merry for the sake of capitalism! 😂

Also given the setting of New York state, I wonder if any of them come from Jewish or otherwise non-Christian families. Idk who’s most likely to fit into that category but it’s a consideration. Christmas culture infects everyone though lol.

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

I feel like Jacob is a literal child so he probably gets super excited about everything Christmas and is like helping his parents put up elaborate light displays and buying Christmas themed snacks and stuff, so he’s probably listening to Christmas music the day after Halloween and I feel like Emma might be similar. Emma might come Christmas caroling at your house because she loves performing so much! Emma doesn’t mind a pop cover or a bit of Mariah Carey at all.

Kaitlyn might be a total Grinch if left to her own devices but she can’t help indulging Jacob a little. She doesn’t mind Christmas music in the context of Christmas movies but she probably wouldn’t listen to it on purpose just for fun. She has a secret soft spot for the soundtrack to The Muppet Christmas Carol.

I feel like the holidays might be complicated for Ryan. We don’t know why his mom isn’t around, though I obviously have my headcanons for fiction, but that might make it a little bit of a tough time for him. At the same time, he seems really invested in his sister so he probably wants to make Christmas special for her. He lives with his grandparents, so maybe they’re listening to the more classic, old school Christmas music and jazz covers and he’s probably fine with that.

Dylan I think could go either way, either he’s rolling his eyes about it altogether or he’s making massive playlists of indie and alt rock covers and then throwing in annoying goofy songs like “Dominick the Donkey” and “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas.” I think he probably does not want to hear Christmas music prior to Thanksgiving. But maybe I’m just projecting as I often do.

Abi’s watching The Nightmare Before Christmas on repeat to match her Hot Topic aesthetic. 😂 She likes that original soundtrack and the various artist cover versions and “Yule Shoot Your Eye Out” by Fall Out Boy. But when it’s actually the week of Christmas she gives in and gets into the regular cheery stuff.

I wonder how long Nick has been in the US because I always think it has to be so weird for Australians to have all this wintery themed Christmas music when it’s summer in their hemisphere at Christmas time! Maybe he gets really into it because it’s so different from what he’s used to. Or maybe he gets cranky and misses the summer and listens to Tim Minchin’s “White Wine in the Sun” to remember warmer holidays. Could go either way.

Maybe it’s his 50’s fit talking, but I imagine Max being into the old crooner type Christmas music, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra and more recently stuff like Michael Bublé that’s copying that style. I feel like he starts terribly serenading Laura with that music in early November.

I feel like Laura might not get super into Christmas until school is out because she’s so driven, so maybe she pushes all that out of her mind until then, except when Max is badly crooning “White Christmas” in the shower. But then again, I also headcanoned her as a choir kid in high school so she probably had concerts to practice for too that made her get into the spirit earlier than she really wanted.

Thanks for the asks today y’all! I think my brain is tapped out but I will be meditating on some I can send back! 💜💜💜

[transmascutena]

Never got around telling you that I watched the transfeminism in utena essay and loved it!

Today I finally rewatched Adolescence and loved it as well, I think it's one of my favorite movies, it's visually stunning and so amazingly haunting/hypnotizing, felt like I was in a trance while watching it.

(and oh my god Anthy is my favorite character in anime of all time, I adore that she gets so much more dialogue and screen time in this, specially towards the end. Hearing her say the "Give me the power to revolutionize the world!" line made me tear up)

Just wondering your thoughts on it, or your favorite thing about it (?) Idk! If you have any rant about aou I'd love to read it

sure, i'll rant a bit about aou! this is mostly just my thoughts on various parts i like and dislike, not really any analysis.

i have mixed feelings on adolescence that change every time i watch it but mostly they're positive. i think my favorite thing about it is anthy. i love that we get to see her be more free and more forward. i love that it's her narrative, that we get to see what her and ohtori are like without akio (though still haunted by him.) i love the reading of the movie as a sequel, in that the show is about anthy escaping her abuse, while the movie is about the lingering trauma from it. i love the "we were together in killing the prince" line from utena at the end. i love that they're both free and together now. i also love the visuals of it, of course, it's a gorgeous movie. and i appreciate that we get to see utena and anthy in a much more explicitly romantic relationship, even though i do prefer the subtlety of the show by a lot. all their scenes together are very good, but i especially like the bedroom scene, the dance scene, and the drawing scene (i want to write some proper analysis of them sometime). i love the layers of metaphor and symbolism in every part of the movie, and that it feels even more abstract than the show. i love the car scene, it's silly and it's symbolic and it's emotionally impactful <3

on the other hand i think pretty much every part of the movie that isn't about anthy and utena is .. not very good in comparison (to the parts that are about them, and to the show.) which makes sense when you read the movie as anthy's narrative. of course she's not really focused on any of the other characters. saionji especially lacks literally all of his depth, which i think is just funny when thinking about it through that interpretation. uh, i hate the nanami cow scene which i've talked about before. i think it's unnecessary and uncomfortable and purposeless. i do however like that she doesn't appear in ohtori, because of the implication that she escaped. i appreciate touga's backstory reveal, though i don't really care for his role in the movie very much. it's never felt all that coherent to me, though i do understand what it's saying about the themes of the prince being dead. shiori has a weird antagonistic role that i don't know how to feel about. she's lacking a lot of her depth too, and i'm not sure i fully understand her motivations. or maybe i do and they're just not that interesting to me. hmm what else . akio is a far less interesting character than in the show also, but i think it works. he's not very intimidating, incredibly pathetic even, because anthy has already left/has already made the choice to leave him. also i like that he kills himself :)

i don't want to directly compare it to the show when talking about what i like about it, because obviously i like the show more. but i don't think the movie is trying to like.. compete with the show in terms of which you like better. because it isn't just a retelling of the same story. if it was, a 39 episode long tv series would always beat it in how developed its characters and themes are. which is why i think the movie works much much better when read as either a literal sequel to the show or as a continuation of its themes. it doesn't stand very well on its own in my opinion, aside from how pretty it is.

[ieatnomnom9823]

stupid headcanons no one asked for and make 0 sense

me and my friend enjoy in making the most shit headcanons to exist so i'm gonna share some of them bc why the fuck not?

princess kenny is an amazon box

kyle only knows how to play football because of how much he kicks Ike

cartman vibes to this video: https://youtu.be/PDJLvF1dUek?list=RDgBpdSlgR5qM (thats not mine btw)

butters has a MLP figure he literally sleeps with and treats it like his own child

everyone is sort of worried about butters obsession to that toy

the plural of kenny is in fact not kennies, but kennys

kyle not only kicks babies, but he also throws them

butters genuineley thinks the rickroll is a banger

kenny and cartman have the weirdest fucking pinterest feed *cough* maid catboys, shitty t-shirts, those random-ass pictures with text over them, like memes kinda but not with a very specific color text and font, the most random stickers and flags like bibble idk they really like bibble though also this totallyyyy isn't inspired by my feed *cough*

stan dedicates his LIFE to minecraft parkour. i'm talking watching those low guality parkour things with screenshits from the interent and he is a GOD at hypixel housing parkour (i came up with this because i have hypixel parkour open rn)

kenny is #1 lemon demon fan. i will NEVER change my mind about this.

craig literally sleeps with a fucking metal pipe.

instead of warming glasses of milk by pouring milk into a cup and microwaving the cup, he literally puts the whole fucking CARTON IN THE MICROWAVE AND THEN PUTS IT IN A CUP

instead of repenting your sins, cartman repeats his sins ( i just really needed to say that phrase today)

kyle is so weezer coded

stan's the type of mf to say "chat" instead of "guys"

anytime someone makes a dirty joke butters just akwardly smiles politely bc he doesn't get it but he's too embarrassed to ask what it meant

i found a picture this is exactly cartman and kenny's feed:

(that was my first screenshot since cleanig my files out other then the random bunny thing i drew in class cuz i was fucking boerd and had no idea what was going on)

stuart, randy, gerald, and steven (or whatever the fuck their name is) are literally besties but HERE ME OUT

randy and gerald are the silly besties like kyle and stan BUT stuart and steven (what the fuck is that man's name) are ALSO besties BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE BECAUSE IN TFBW IN THE STRIP CLUB THEIR WATCHING LADIES DANCE TOGETHER AND THEIR GETTING DRUNK TOGETHER THEIR LITERALLY BEsTIES OMG

craig has flying powers

butters thinks skibidi toilet is peak comedy and that is why everyone hates him (except for literally like 2 people)

why the fuck is his name dougie

FUCKING HOW IS CARTMAN EVEN CAPABLE OF HAVING CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS AND BUTTERS DESERVES BETTER

"life goes onyonyonyonyonyonyonyon" is literally cartman's theme song after trying to kill everyone with some shitty plan he got from watching Megamind or something

kyle literally has trauma from burgers he will NOT eat any burger if you paid him fucking 56,000,000 bucks

kyle is so an elephant he's literally an elephant that's his spirit animal

tweek is literally a turtle idk how i can't describe the vibe but he is ik he's SO not a turtle but he just... idk he is

kenny is a fucking rat i literally have art of me bullying him and calling him a rat

butters is either a bunny or a cat of a duck he's just silly like that

cartman isn't a duck he's a goddamn angry goose

stan is a bear or like a giraffe or something idk ik he's the main character but i don't think about him that much for me

butters is literally in choir guys

HOLY SHIT STAN'S AN ORANGE CAT

craig is the most beaustiful majestic dragon to ever exist

craig's literally my favorite character if you couldn't tell

kenny is too scared to eat cheetos so he eats takis instead

literally everyone loves megamind

[13docwriting]

So I'll start with the fact that I am, indeed, a fan of Chibnall's era. I am an even bigger fan of the 13th Doctor. I'll also start with the fact that I quite literally grew up with RTD's writing and loved Ten with all my heart. But now I am an adult and some of RTD's writing has left me a bit scared. Here's my "live streaming" review on The Star Beast. SPOILERS BELOW!

I'm going in order of how I processed things, so it's gonna be chaotic. My first essay is this: You know why this post is so long? It's because we're not livestreaming things anymore. I'm not immediately with other fans in real time, typing out our little posts. I'm quite literally doing this at my leisure. I'll miss watching DW live. Now then, in order! 1. The music? Ten out of ten. I have always loved Gold's compositions and he did not let us down. And this opinion is only being generated from the new(er) theme song. Which leads me to...

2. Look at the B U D G E T. Even the opening credits has a budget that you can just FEEL. Those stars/galaxies? Very nice... And then I have to chuckle over the low level lighting / 2000s era effects of David Tennant's full profile voiceover of Donna and his story.

3. Him taking the boxes, seeing Donna's face, and slowly putting the boxes back is an RTD special and I LOVE that kind of comedy. It just makes me chuckle. And then him having a full blown panic over hearing Donna shout "Rose!" which... 4. Having these little call back moments feels rather bitter since we're calling this a reboot of the show. UNLESS the reboot is when Nucti starts up? But the fact that I'm confused just shows how bitter I should be. Again, my Chibnall love is showing. I don't believe in yet another reboot for DW, but that's a marketing thing over anything else... I hope. 5. I'm glad the 2000s Rose/Doctor shipping era lives strong through the name Rose. I know those fans are going to be happy and they deserve it. 6. NOW... Donna having a family. Okay. I'll have a separate post but... Does anyone else think that Donna having a husband just doesn't fit for her? Especially with her memories erased? Idk, I just never envisioned Donna getting married after the whole Lance thing. BUT I'm glad she's happy and the husband seems so nice. 7. Donna giving up that lottery money? Also strange considering she lost her memories. The first time we meet Donna we get this feeling that she's a bit shallow, which makes sense because she has to develop as a character. That was her character development so here KEEPING the money would have made more sense here. Which...

8. Rose. That's all. She's great!

9. Hey, can't help but notice, but when did the 14th Doctor have time to make a new screwdriver, huh? What gives? AND - AND there's not a single hint of 13's sonic on there. HMM. What the heck!

10. FORGOT SOMETHING. Whatever the line was "that says mistress" "Oh, catch up, will you?" I don't know how to take in this scene quite yet, but it's making me pause. It felt... Off kilter. Maybe cause I love 13 so much, I don't know. There's always callbacks to other faces when the Doctor first regenerations, but this felt... Wrong? Also, TEE HEE my mind went to Missy IMMEDIATELY and I love that little connection my fic writing brain is going wild.

11. WHY DOES UNIT HAVE SO MUCH MONEY???? Look at this uniforms, holy cow! I almost don't like it? Like, they're an underground agency. WE JUST SAW THEM GET DESTROYED BY CYBERMEN IN THE POWER OF THE DOCTOR. Are we just ignore that entire episode or...?

12. Donna not being able to keep a job? Yeah, THAT one I believe haha.

13. "I will burn down the world for you, darling" says Donna Noble to her transgender kid. WHICH IS AMAZING, WHICH MADE ME SMILE SO WIDE I WAS HAVING A PARTY IN MY BRAIN. There's my Donna! 14. "Gramps used to talk about flying saucers" oh god my heart. I teared up a little, not going to lie. Wilf, I think about you every single day. You made the Doctor the person he is today.

15. MEEP IS SO CUTE. OH WOW. I know "evil" is coming but SO CUTE RIGHT NOW.

16. To go from some excellent animatronics from the Meep to whatever those alien, fly things are was HILARIOUS. What, we'd run out of money for those costume's? Were they meant to look like a typical RTD alien back in the 2000s? How does that work?

17. WHAT THE ACTUAL FLYING FUCK WAS THE SONIC DOING. Wait, did Disney give the sonic some magical powers? Why are we suddenly writing in the air? How are we getting readouts of the ship from the sonic like that? Could it do that before? Why would we not do that before? I'm dying that's so funny.

18. Shirley seems cool!!! I hope we get more of her! And I love the nod to PROPER representation. Chibs did a good job of that as well. Edit: REAL representation! Good on RTD. The scene with the stairs and she says "don't make me the problem"... I am not a wheelchair user but I do hope that was properly done. 19. "I absolutely love her [Donna]" LOOK AT 14 HAVING FEELINGS! Aww, I hope 15 follows through with the feelings! 11, 12, and 13 have been so locked up, so scared to love... Having a Doctor that's ready to loudly embrace their love for things would be such a good character development. (My fear would be RTD ripping that away in the most tragic way possible, but that's a future problem I suppose).

20. I'm at the scene where Rose is talking to the Meep in the shed, and just, again, THE MUSIC. We did have some good musical moments in 13's era but, even I have to admit, nothing as pretty as this. It really is something, round of applause once again.

21. LISTEN. L I S T E N. I don't condone slapping the Doctor. I don't. In fact, it's wrong. It's very wrong. And you can't slap 13, can you? So slapping 14 shouldn't make sense. It's the definition of sexist. It's just not something you should do. BUT. B U T. Jackie's "stitch this, mate" is always in my head and now THIS "here we go again" after Sylvia gives the Doctor a good slap... I laughed, okay? It was funny! But really, in the good year of 2023, there shouldn't be comedy like that. That joke should have died. BUT I LAUGHED. So I'm to blame as well.

22. "Never mind about the ferret from mars." I LOVE the mars callback from Donna, thank you very much.

23. Kate looking after Wilf damn near brought tears to my eyes. Kate, you are the real hero of the DW universe. Thank you.

24. This is... This is gonna be another post. But. Okay. So. The whole "you're assuming he as a pronoun". Right. Okay. I know groups of people that talk like that. Both online and in person. Personal life spoiler, I work(ed) in musical theater. I've seen it all. I, personally, do not like this whole... "Let's be really obvious about it" thing. And also highly believe in someone else first telling me, when it fits, what their pronouns are. Having someone pull the defensive "YOU ASSUMED" crap doesn't work because humans don't think like that. It's a whole other rant, but yeah. This felt forced and I hate when shows do that. Representation is important but FORCING that representation doesn't help.

25. what's the. what's the sonic doing. what. how'd it. we got lines in the air. we got unbelievable shield. we. he waved it like a wand and now. what the. how'd. (Yo, not me head cannoning that this is 13 banging around in 14's head demanding that they have a better way to protect their friends. Love it). I WILL HAVE A LOT MORE THOUGHTS ON THIS.

26. DW has money now. That will continue to blow my mind.

27. "This is a sonic screwdriver and if it's good at one thing, it's resonating concrete". Oh yeah, Doctor? I'd like to bring forth you, never once, being able to do it. Not once! (And now it's good at creating magical shields and complex, alien holograms, but that's point #25)

28. Where'd in hell's name did he get that wig and how soon can Donna throw it out a window?

29. MEEP YOU - YOU UTTER AHOLE. Man, it was SO CUTE

30. O k a y. I take back, holy crap what point am I on? I take back point #7. So there's some of the Doctor left in her, eh? That's why! I dig that. I really, really dig that. Sorry for being a downer, that was my mistake.

31. I too can come up with technobabble bullcrap that means nothing. I sometimes think that's RTD's biggest failing, his incessant need to over describe things. EDIT. JEEZ, a good five minutes later as we're STILL talking gibberish.

32. Hey, I see you "glass wall between Donna and the Doctor" and raise you "glass wall between Wilf and the Doctor". OW. I demand emotional compensation!

33. Listen, I just got over 13 keeping every. single. emotion inside of her. She never raised her voice, she never really cried, she never had a chance to just scream and yell and be angry at the universe. The fact that there's 14 RIGHT HERE, screaming, because to save Donna, he has to lose her YET AGAIN. Just angry and devastated and grieving... It's a stunning scene, it's a scene that makes sense, but my 13 loving little heart says that this is 13's moment to be angry and it was taken from her.

34. Also, ha, I know Disney bought DW, but did we just "Winter Soldier" Donna Noble. We gave her trigger words to keep her memories at bay? Really?

35. "Hold on a minute," said in Ten's/Fourteenth's voice... Was that.. Was that ELVEN'S theme music while Donna was being, well, Time Lady Donna? Because that was... That was GOLDEN. How amazing is that? What a great idea!

36. You MONSTER, RTD, making Fourteen hold Donna the same way he held the Master? What the hell is that about?

37. The.. The nonbinary, but binary. I... It's... Something! Okay, I'll get there. I'll have a post about it. Maybe. But. Yeah, it's something!

38. DOES UNIT HAVE AVENGERS *cough* sorry it's been a while for Marvel me *cough* STARK TOWER. WAS THAT STARK TOWER? Damn, Disney, you really did bring us back to superwholock Avenger's "Clint in the vents" era, huh?

39. "It's a shame you're not a woman anymore, because she would have understood... Something a male presenting Time Lord will never understand." You can't... You can't do the whole "nonbinary" thing and that just immediately point out gender like that. What. The defeats the entire purpose. The whole point you're trying to make is that gender DOESN'T matter, and yet... And the Doctor has always, always been nonbinary. I refer to the Doctor as "they" when speaking as a collective whole, and many of us have done that. I use pronouns when talking about specific Doctors because humans have always used pronouns. Again, 11 and 13 have made mention that gender has NEVER mattered to them. I just... You can't be poking a bear and then expecting the bear to not to come after you if you've changed the poking object from a stick to a teaser.

40. I gotta laugh that Rose and Donna had the most peaceful "regeneration" we've ever seen. Somewhere in there, a Doctor or two is screaming lol.

41. Oh... The TARDIS is ugly. DON'T HIT ME. STOP HITTING ME. I MEAN It. Not, for real though, Oh my god, what. Why. The colors. Or lack of colors, really. What the fuck. Where's the... Where's the personality? Where's the sass? I've loved every single TARDIS change but THIS... This is a hard one to swallow.

42. The TARDIS having an shit fit over Donna spilling coffee on her is WONDERFUL. That's so funny to me. With everything she's been through with 13, that was just the best way for her to get her revenge! All in all, strange episode, yeah? I mean, what WAS that plot? It was really more of setup for the next episode, and double really meant to reunite ten and Donna, which was well done, but also... Why? It just felt a bit all over the place but very much cushioned by nostalgia. I'm done now. My fingers HURT. As always, and as I say in all my fics, I'm here if you want to chat. Reblog this, PM me, tag me in stuff!

[scarefox]

Some BL babies under the Playboyy trailers: "But can the actors ever face their parents again?" and "BL is doing too much now"

I don't even know where to begin with this. Like literally porn actors and / A(dult)V(ideo) idols exist and they still have good relationships with their parents and friends. Some parents are totally fine with their GROWNUP kids to go into the adult industry. SOME (grownup!) "kids" may not even care for their parents opinion. Gown up people should not have to ask their parents for permission to act in certain media. Sex scenes acting and even literal (modern) porn and sex work gets treated professionally within their industries. So why can't the rest of the world treat it rather with respect?

And the Playboyy actors are not even porn actors (I think. but wouldn't matter if they were) but 'normal' actors who just play pretend sex scenes. Literally most of hollywood and Cos actors have sex scenes that are on the same level of graphicness as they are in Playboyy (like Game of Thrones????). They still all show their faces in public and infront of their family.

Some people are simply not that prude and shy. It's that easy 🤷‍♂️

And some parents may be totally fine with the stuff their kids do, but simply don't watch it or skip it if it's too awkward. I think that's more common actually.

ALSO it annoys (and secondhand embarrasses) me so much that so many BL babies act like Playboyy is the first and only explicit gay themed drama ever existing on this planet. Not even in the box of the BL genre are they the first (maybe only for the thai corner... but even there it is not much more explicit than KinnPorsche and Love in the Air so far, it's just more scenes all together due to the plot setting). But meanwhile the whole LGBTq film industry all around the world is that explicit too. Some more, some less. The ones that are tame are made for a rather general audiences, younger audiences or to appeal to cis-straight audiences even. But a lot of LGBTq stuff is explicit like that. So that's not new?

The LGBTq movies and series I have seen in all my life are wild. Also not always wholesome, nor 'perfect representation' either (a lot of gay movies are kink fantasies or trauma themed, some of them are so much darker than any 'toxic' BL but yea... ). So idk what this annoying discourse around BL and good representation is supposed to be in that context. That ALWAYS sounds to me like "but we have to make this queer content in a way that the homophobes and queerphobes can watch it by accident without finding us weird and disgusting"...

And regarding Playboyy I don't even know if that's supposed to be BL aka if it's supposed to please the general BL audiences or if it's not rather purely from and for LGBTq folks (+allies) in and outside of the BL genre bubble. But as I said before already, the genre borders are melting at some projects anyways to the point that it's hard to find the differentiating factors (for BL I would say the only fixed point is that it has the romance (romantic fantasies) genre at it's core, anything else is optional). I feel like a lot of people assume that BL has to be for teenager's. Meanwhile not even the origins (manga) and the source material (usually web comics and novels) of today are all for teens. That genre is diverse and for ALL audiences of ALL ages. And it's GOOD that more parts of the audiences can get their own niche content now! Like I for example am originally not that much into sappy romance and marriage plots but I still watch it since it's with characters I can identify with more than the heteronormative & gendernormative stuff from the west (I also learned a thing or two maybe, like the fact that I may like sappy romance plots sometimes after all).

Anyways, Rule of thumb for anything in general: If you don't like it, then it is not made for you. So stop complaining about stuff that is for others* 🤷‍♂️

(*unless it's proven to be harmful or disrespectful, as in the tone of the whole story, not the action of characters that are supposed to be dumb sometimes.)