#animated or otherwise drawn is fine because it’s obviously not real

[foxshaped]

Oh yeah. It’s October. Time to not use the internet without an adblocker for a few weeks. Tumblr is generally safer, since I don’t follow anyone who posts about a lot of horror movies, and ads on this hellsite aren’t coherent enough to know what time of the year it is. But in ten minutes of scrolling Reddit I got three different horror movie ads and no way to block the ad without reporting it as offensive.

[protagonistheavy]

Hmm thoughts about anime culture and porn addiction.

Im facing some reality checks lately and yeah, Ive really developed a distaste for loli culture that Im going to have to distance myself from lists of characters I used to like. It's plainly hard to harbor affection for characters that are, ultimately and unfortunately, being directly designed to appeal to pedophiles -- even if my interests are innocent enough, if its an aesthetic appreciation of the character or whatever, there really is a line where I have to be an adult and admit that Im turning a blind-eye towards a very gross culture.

Recently one of those wake-up calls was the newest Koume content on Idolmaster, which features her as a bride. I wish my disappointment could be felt through the internet because I really did sigh sooooo hard lol. Just... what whiplash, the excitement of realizing a favorite character is getting new official art and content or whatever, only to quickly see that it's depicting them as some sort of child-bride. It grossed me out, but even grosser honestly is seeing everyone else just... uncritically admire the art. The same way I probably would have a few years ago.

It's really gotten me to wonder a lot about the anime community, just how deep this goes. I think there's a culture in anime that's very proud about deviancy, and not entirely unlike how you see deviancy be embraced in other adult sectors -- like LGBT+ communities and furry communities. For many people, it appears to be an outlet to "let go" of normal social restraints and immerse oneself into fantasies that are otherwise repressed. And these fantasies range far and wide, not just fetishes or wanting to fuck monster girls, but also nostalgia, which is very powerful with the anime community. So much anime appeals to the nostalgia of being young again, but this time, being important and wiser, or asking the girl out, or having sexual romps that you thought everyone else was enjoying in high school -- an entire genre is dedicated to people, often "losers", dying in the real world and being reincarnated in a fantasy world full of hot women. In the anime community, there's so much interest over even the most mundane interactions, no stone left unturned to sexualize. Cleaning a classroom? Make it sexy. Reading a book? Make it sexy. Clocking into work? Make it sexy. And I understand why people are drawn to this appeal, when so many people within the community feel sexually repressed, unloved, they feel like they've already "missed out" on their best years, they "missed out" on the chances to have crazy harems and make outrageous friends-with-benefits.

... It's porn addiction. It's a culture of porn addiction. And within anime, it has seeped into everything. And so with that considered, it's very difficult to continue even indirectly supporting the most blatant pedo behavior. Like, lol, who can convince me that the child-bride Koume was developed with innocent intent? How can anyone tell me with a straight face that the implication is anything but the fantasy of marrying a 13 year-old? I havent read any of the related dialogue, but I cant help but guess that it only confirms my point, that the appeal is obviously directed to tickle the kind of people who would be okay marrying a middle schooler.

I've had my ups and downs with justifying this kind of stuff with underage characters. I tried squinting and telling myself theyre older, or that whatever Im looking at is fine because I appreciate the aesthetics, not any childlike aspect of the character, or I try to over look the more blatantly nsfw art even though theres plenty of sfw art with implications just as bad. But Ive got to be honest with myself in admitting that this isnt who I am, this isnt what I want to be supporting.

And it sucks, I guess, and it also sounds stupid that I'm "moving away" "from anime" but it really is so simple: there's no way I can trust anime or its extended mediums to not be benefiting pedophiles whenever it has the chance. It's why I can't be assed to even consider watching something like that spy anime, because god knows that pink-haired toddler is getting peoples rocks off -- not just fans, but certainly also the official artists and animators, any storyboard directors, I cant trust any one of them to not have sick intentions behind their handling of a child character, not when its developed in a culture that is unabashedly favorable towards sexualizing children. They dont have to draw anything explicit, it can just be the way they pose her for a scene, or a dialogue bit they make her say, or a dream sequence they insert a fetish into. Like, Im so sick of this lol. Im tired of wading through anime and thinking "oh, well, this scene is definitely written for the porn addicts, I just have to sit through it."

I'm left looking at the SJW-side of anime enjoyers and wondering where theyre going to draw the same line, though. I cant help but think of how widespread this culture is, and how contradictory people can be. Some folks will obviously be disgusted by loli porn, but then happily participate in shota content... Some people will blast your ass for reblogging sexy art of a 17 year-old, but then have their own 16 year-old blorbo that they do fetish RPs with... Some folks would never, ever sexualize a 15 year-old from a Disney cartoon, but are more than fine with 13 year-olds from anime being drawn in bikinis. There's so little consistency, it has always felt like a free-for-all with this discourse. I truly was burned by the fact that so many SJW-types were a-okay with Dragon Maid and its depiction of toddlers engaging in blatant fanservice, so much applause for a cartoon created by an unabashed lolicon just because it had some gay characters -- that told me everything lol, it told me the truth, that pedophilia can just be considered acceptable by anyone, at any point within the community, so long as its to that individual's tastes.

There really does need to be an EXACT discussion about this part of anime culture, but no one wants to engage with it, because virtually everyone would be guilty of having been enamored with an underage character at one point or another. Think of all the porn made of pokemon characters that are implied to be 10-13 years-old canonically, think of all the high school anime characters that rarely go to high school in the first place, think of all the legacy characters from any given person's childhood that they might think is fine to sexualize because it's been 20-30 years. There's so many points and arguments to make, but it truly is a discussion that will just never happen and never be resolved, because ultimately, deviancy is one of the biggest appeals to the anime community -- its a pillar of what "anime culture" is, its why ecchi and hentai are intrinsically linked to most anime spaces, its absolutely a major reason why anime is so popular as it is. To call out deviancy and its implications within the anime community is to prod at one of its base appeals, one of the very core reasons people are into anime to begin with.

I feel like any debate about this topic eventually hits this wall: "why are you trying to take away someone's fun? why are you trying to make something gross?" Thats the strongest virtue of the community. "Just dont take it so seriously" "dont worry about what other people are doing" For so, so many people, it feels like the "point" of anime is to fantasize about all the things youre not supposed to do irl. And I guess Im at a point where I cant keep buying into that lol. I think for many people, their critical awareness has been almost completely dulled down by an addiction to deviant porn that's made them numb to creepy behaviors. Add in a dose of irony poisoning and you have people who openly jerk off to incest loli/shota porn, but tell themselves theyre not ACTUALLY into pedophillic incest because uhh its just anime lol and apparently not at all a reflection of any true self or interests. A culture of porn addiction and unaccountability -- do you see why I just dont want to be so associated with that kind of people?

[advocaado]

Fiction does not exist in a vacuum and absolutely can and does affect reality.

HOWEVER

Before you pin on your thought police badge and march off to start attacking people on the internet for the media they consume and create, let’s take a minute to talk about nuance and identify some actual problematic trends in media which have real life consequences.

The big question you need to ask yourself before you decry a person or piece of media is: Is that person/piece of media promoting, validating, and normalizing trends or acts that hurt real people? Or is that person/piece of media exploring a dark theme in fiction/harmlessly indulging in a kink?

Below are some examples of cases where “problematic” content in fiction is a danger to real life people, and many where it isn’t. This will not be an exhaustive list. I don’t have endless amounts of time to sit here and talk about every problem in fictional media, and even if I did, I wouldn’t, because there are many more things I’d rather do with my time.

Disclaimer: No media is 100% problem free. No human is 100% problem free. Engaging with others online to discuss problems in media is totally fine. If you don’t like something, it’s your god given right to bitch about it. Bitch to your heart’s content. Just don’t be an absolute ass cloak about it.

Example 1: Huckleberry Finn

This book famously contains racism. Is this a problem? No, not really. Listen. This book is literally about how racism is bad. The message is to not be a racist piece of shit. That’s the takeaway. If you got any other message from this book you need to work on your reading comprehension. Books that teach lessons are good things and impact society in positive ways. This book does literally the opposite of normalizing, promoting, and validating racism. It’s taught in schools for this exact reason. It’s not sugarcoated and that’s exactly what makes it powerful.

Example 2: Fairy Tail

The famous complaint about this and other works by Hiro Mashima is that the women are overly sexualized. Over sexualization of women is a big problem in media across the globe, but particularly in the media that comes out of Japan. It’s a problem that absolutely does affect real women. More on that later. But is Mashima really the big perpetuater of the kind of gross male reader voyeurism that has such a fierce grip on the anime industry? Actually, no. Not really. Yes, almost all the female characters in Fairy Tail are hot and have big boobs in a way that appeals to men. However, the lens through which Mashima tells his stories is not voyeuristic. He doesn’t go out of his way to draw panty shots or sexualize female characters nonconsensually. 9 times out of 10 the women are sexy because they want to be and do it in a way that is empowering for them. There are occasional exceptions, but by and large Fairy Tail is not the big offender of female objectification in anime. Moreover, almost all its male characters are hot and have six packs and idol hair in a way that appeals to women. Everyone is hot. There is no deeper meaning here. Enjoy this series if you like to watch hot people having fun and going on adventures together.

Example 3: Goblin Slayer

Oh, boy, Goblin Slayer. Now here’s a can of worms. Many upon many have decried GS for its inclusion of rape scenes and mentions. The goblins in GS have no females of their own species so they must impregnate human women to continue their race. This sounds utterly awful and it is. But is this finally our shining example of a dark theme in fiction that is problematic in a way that is dangerous to real people? Sorry, but no. Firstly, the concept of a fantasy creature who needs to use humans to reproduce was not invented by Kumo Kagyu and is in fact common in folklore around the world. He didn’t make it up as a way to condone rape. Could he have? Sure. But that’s not the reality of the series. The assault by goblins on human women is not treated as a good thing by Kagyu. It is shocking and horrific and has big consequences within the narrative for both the goblins and their victims. It isn’t treated lightly and does not serve to normalize, validate, or promote rape in real life. The reader/viewer is meant to be disgusted by the goblins, and these scenes, which are few and brief, serve their intended purpose. Nobody is going out and assaulting women in real life because they thought it was cool when the goblins did it in GS.

Oh, but Goblin Slayer, I’m not done with you just yet. Because while it would be a huge stretch to label the inclusion of rape in the series a danger to real life people, there’s something else that you don’t need to stretch nearly so much to identify as such. Remember when I talked about the voyeuristic male gaze being a concerning trend in anime? Well, GS has that in spades. The normalization of sexually objectifying women in non sexual situations is very much present in the series. Describing in loving detail the chest size/shape of every female character often and with gusto is a big part of the light novels. Kagyu loves to describe what a girl’s boobs are doing while she’s sitting at a table eating or doing any other mundane thing for no reason other than to sexualize her for the reader. He made the intentional decision to make Sword Maiden, a rape victim, very overtly sexual for the male gaze without the character having any agency in it. Sword maiden isn’t trying to be sexy. She doesn’t own her sexuality. Hell, she’s blind. Being sexy doesn’t empower her. She’s just fap fodder for the male reader. These things normalize objectifying women and are part of a longtime trend in anime which have real world consequences for both women and men. The sexualization of nonconsenting women is a huge problem in Japan and very much promoted through their media. Anime and light novels continue to send and perpetuate the message that objectifying women is okay and natural for boys to do, and while Kagyu certainly isn’t the worst offender, he’s happily hopped aboard that trolly because he doesn’t see anything wrong with it. And he can’t, because it’s been SO normalized.

Example 4: The Birth of a Nation.

This movie, while entirely fictional, is straight up anti-black propaganda intentionally made to spread hate and fear of black people. Obviously this is incredibly problematic and harmful to real black people. This movie was designed to be that way. The message is very clear. It’s a movie meant to rally whites against blacks, and it did. Horrifically so. Typically media containing hateful messages is less overt about it today, but abusing stereotypes and caricatures of real groups of people and otherwise intentionally perpetuating harmful ideas through fiction is a shitty thing to do and should be wholeheartedly condemned. (Note the keyword “intentionally”. If an author does this out of ignorance, which is all too common, rather than condemn we should seek to educate. People are capable of learning and growing and canceling them for mistakes made in ignorance is every bit as shitty as the mistake they made in the first place.)

Example 5: Fanfiction and shipping

At last, we come to fan media. This is where “don’t like don’t read” becomes the golden rule. Indulging in a kink or exploring dark themes in fanfiction is harmless 99.9% of the time. Fanfiction simply doesn’t have the reach, and thereby the influence, that mainstream media has. If someone wants to write something really fucked up, that’s their choice and nobody is making you read it. Unless the author is outright condoning harming real people, it’s really not your business what they choose to write about. Furthermore, deciding to read fucked up fanfiction does NOT make you a bad person. As stated before, the human psyche is messy and the world is not squeaky clean or a safe place. People are drawn to dark things and there’s really nothing wrong with that so long as real people aren’t being harmed. If something makes you uncomfortable, don’t engage. Protect yourself. You’re not making the world a better place by harassing people online. You’re just being a jerk and honestly doing far more harm to real ass people than that 20 year old writer on AO3 who wanted to write a story about Sasuke having sex with Naruto’s son because of 10 years of repressed sexual impulses toward Naruto.

I could say more but I’m tired and ready to celebrate my Friday by getting drunk. Feel free to interact if you want, just do everyone a favor and don’t be a dick.

TLDR

Things that make you a bad person:

Murdering people

Sexually assaulting/harassing people

Having sex with children

Creating or indulging in porn of real minors

Harassing and sending death threats to real people over the fictional media they create and consume

Espousing, condoning, or perpetuating hate toward marginalized peoples

Espousing, condoning, or perpetuating hate toward anyone tbh

Using fiction as a vehicle to promote, validate, and normalize causing harm to real people

Generally being an ass cloak

Things that DON’T make you a bad person

Consuming media that contains problematic elements

Creating media that contains problematic elements so long as you aren’t promoting, validating, and normalizing harmful acts toward real people

Writing fanfiction

Reading fanfiction

Shipping whatever you goddamn want to ship

[hollenka99]

A Mislabeled Hourglass

Summary: Fundy grows up faster than Wilbur was expecting but he is going to make the most of his son’s shorter childhood regardless.

Warnings: Mentions of hunting animals, implied character death

Wilbur is no stranger to growing up faster than most. In the midst of learning survival skills as a child, he was still able to play to his heart's content. His mum, and later Phil, never cared too much if he got dirty. Kids will be kids. Despite that, his first experience with grief is at 6, he causes an animal's death sooner than most would and he dies himself for the first time at the age of only 9 (stupid accident, he should have watched his step). He is perhaps 8 when Phil gives him his first taste of independence. At 11, Tommy enters their life and makes him a big brother. Phil's day trips gradually get more frequent, sometimes stretching out for longer durations too. Whenever it's just him and Tommy, he has to be responsible, has to play a more adult role despite being in his early teens when it becomes a noticeable habit. Then Technoblade shows up. You could argue that from around 17 or 18, Wilbur is practically becomes a young carer on a full time basis. However, this accelerated maturation was all mental. The earth had gone around the sun once when he spoke his first word, five times when he began deciphering sequences of letters as words, ten times when Phil told him what to expect over the next several years and it had completed its 19th revolution shortly before Fundy came into the world. Fundy was... different. First of all, he was a shapeshifter so right off the bat, he was never going to look fully human. Sally had fins and naturally red hair. Fundy was born with a substantial amount of ginger hair and ears that seemed slightly more pointed than they should be. When his son gets older, it will become apparent that his senses are stronger than Wilbur's too. Speaking of Fundy getting older... Wilbur has a hunch that something isn't quite right when his baby rapidly outgrows clothes meant for his age group. He initially dismisses it as Fundy likely inheriting his ridiculously tall genes. Because what else could it be, right? Then he is crawling at 2 months old. Wilbur's far from a baby expert but he's sure infants don't become that mobile that soon. A month or so later, Fundy takes his first clumsy steps towards him. Now that? Yeah, that undoubtedly raises alarm bells. He knows for a fact that that milestone was for those around 12 months old. Okay yep, something was definitely up. The books say Fundy should have been introduced to solid foods by now. He guesses that puts him in the Bad Dad category, along with temporarily using cows to feed him when he first got Fundy. He'd defend himself by pointing out he didn't have formula on hand the moment he became a father and was yet to learn non-human milk wasn't actually good for the baby but those excuses don't seem credible. He knows he's been going about this blinder than he would liked since day 1 but the accelerated aging might end up screwing him over even more. Ha, imagine having time to settle into parenting a baby before they graduate into toddlerhood. It's fine, he swears it's fine. It just means he gets to start having comprehensible, reciprocated conversations sooner than most, not to mention going through less nappies. There are stumbles for the first week or two after Fundy learns to walk but his son soon gets the hang of it. Only days after his first steps comes his first word. Noisy pattering paired with cries of "Daddy!" get more common. He could certainly get used to this. A one year old's way of running is potentially one of the silliest things he's ever witnessed. But look at his little champion go! When Fundy learns to crouch, Wilbur is crouching right beside him. Tommy comments that he looks and sounds like an idiot whenever he plays with Fundy. Wilbur pays him no heed because his brother is an absolute hypocrite. He has to say, Tommy is doing a great job for someone who was thrown in at the deep end just as much as he was and his brother doesn't even have the responsibility of having to care for a kid. He's always been a bit... rough and ready when it comes to playing with others. But with Fundy, he makes sure to be gentle around the toddler. Wilbur isn't entirely sure whether hanging upside down from someone's grip on a near daily basis is healthy for a little kid but Fundy's eruption of giggles each time suggest otherwise. When Tommy turned 11, he was not yet an uncle. The following April, he has a two year old nephew who complains he wants to help blow out the candles, nearly fighting for his right to do it instead of the actual birthday boy. It somehow leads to a pillow fight between them. So all in all, Tommy is taking it in his stride. By Fundy's second Christmas, Wilbur is able to start calculating. A 14 month old kid is supposed to be getting the hang of being bipedal, not receiving books that will help them learn how to read. Given that his son was walking at 3 months old, his best guess is that Fundy's development rate was four times that of other children. It seems consistent too since Fundy is approximately the equivalent of a 4 or 5 year old boy now. He recalls Sally once joking about how shapeshifters tended to live fast and die 'young'. He thinks he gets what she means now. Quadruple speed for Fundy though? Fuck. If he's got the maths right, they will be the same physical age when Wilbur is 25. The gap will only grow more and more from then on. At 30, he will have a child who is roughly 40. And when Wilbur himself is 40... he'd rather not dwell on the heartache his early 40s are set to bring. He has been given a 60 second hourglass that's been labelled as a 4 minute one. He's begun to comprehend this with 2 seconds' worth of sand already piling at the bottom. What is he even supposed to do? Does he bake a birthday cake every January, April, July and October 10th or just that last date? He guesses that will be for Fundy to decide in the future. Tommy has made a 'reverse leap day kid' joke before but it really is based in truth. While still a small child, one of Fundy's favourite places to rest is against his father's chest. There have been plenty of nights where the little boy has fallen asleep in his father's arms while being read a story. He's rapidly getting bigger and Wilbur frequently has to adapt how he holds him to accommodate. In the quietest of moments, his eyes will notice a tiny mischievous smile directed at him that will make his day or his ears will catch the softest of snores coming from beside him. As much as he tries to enjoy those occasions, peace often leads to a chance for overthinking to take place. When that happens, it all turns bittersweet with the desperate wish he could get several years of this, not feel lucky if he gets more than 2 or 3 of them. Of course, every time Fundy is resting against his chest is not necessarily positive. There are obviously the typical 'toddler having a breakdown because they scraped their knee' type stuff. Those are fine, all he has to do is soothe him and distract from what is usually an overthought 'injury'. But then there are the times where Fundy's fingers ache from the ordeal of slowly developing claws, Wilbur lets him dig his nails into his jumpers as hard as he feels the need to. The same happens whenever there is any significant growth with his ears too. The older Fundy gets, the more used to the flat of a small head pressing into his chest he becomes. He would do anything to alleviate his pain and discomfort if he could. And no, he definitely hasn't shed a tear or two when nobody is watching in regards to the matter. From here on in, it feels like he's on home soil. He's helped raise a kid from the age of 4 before. The only difference now is that this kid is his own flesh and blood. And a shapeshifter, which Tommy never was. They've begun entering the "Dad, look what I can do!" phase of Fundy's life, now that he is getting more capable with age. The first major instance is when he comes home from a hunt. Tommy has a smug look on his face and Fundy seems seconds from exploding with excitement. His son is let loose on him as soon as he's freshened up, dragging him to a chair where he is made to listen to the most drawn out reading session he has ever experienced. But Wilbur can't help but beam every time Fundy successfully gets through a word. The day he believes Fundy is old enough to start learn how to use a bow can't come soon enough. He knows fuck all about hybrids or shapeshifters other than the very basics. He can't tell you how to construct the most impressive of architectural structures. But this, archery and hunting? Now that he can impart wisdom on. He passes down second hand stories about Fundy's grandma and anecdotes about his trips with Phil when he was a young boy himself. As far as he can tell, Fundy laps it all up. Swordplay is soon added to the mix of training activities. The wooden sword he crafted for his son is slightly too big but eh, the kid will quickly grow into (then inevitably out of) it sooner than later. They gradually work up from technique and stance to improving accuracy and striking moving targets. Every bit of progress he makes, his dad is there cheering him on. Fundy only grows reluctant when it begins to get 'real'. That is to say, when Wilbur tries to take him on an actual hunt or attempts to introduce him to the subject of turning a kill into a meal. And yeah, he gets it. He wasn't the biggest fan of it either when he was being taught himself. Plus, he's aware Fundy's nose is more sensitive than his or Tommy's so yep, preparing a body's going to be even less pleasant for him. It's unfortunately a part of this sort of life. There's... well, there's always the option of heading down to the butcher's in town. Just keep in mind who got his first girlfriend indirectly due to the fact her dad would always give him money for helping supply produce. You've been doing great though. The important part is you're learning how to survive on your own if need be, not to mention how to defend yourself in case of an attack. Another part of Fundy's development to make him gush with pride is when he starts to really hone his shapeshifter nature. It's small at first, a furrier hand transforming into a paw here, a lump of a half formed tail spotted underneath a dressing gown there. He can't really describe how happy it makes him to see a child with a fox's head greet him one morning when Fundy jumps out from behind a door. There are features the young shapeshifter will keep in his human form obviously. Yet it's thrilling to have him keep coming over to show off a new shifting-related ability. The first time Fundy manages to morph fully into a fox, during the spring after his 2nd birthday, Wilbur promises the three of them can have an 'anything Fundy says, goes' type thing the following day in celebration. There are times where Fundy may, for instance, forget to include his tail as an animal or he'll walk around as his usual self, albeit with accidental fox eyes. It's simply a matter of practise, Wilbur believes. One of the best parts of Fundy gradually improving his shapeshifting is the fact he loves to curl up on his dad's lap while in fox form. Wilbur cherishes it. Fundy's getting older now (taller too, this kid is undoubtedly going to be at least 6 foot one day) but he'll always be smaller as a fox than as a human. Forgive a father with limited time to enjoy carrying his son around for wanting to prolong the inevitable. Fundy is 3 when he physically catches up with Tommy, age wise. It's not until he is the equivalent of maybe 15 that he passes his uncle's height. Tommy complains about it incessantly, especially whenever Fundy teases him about how much taller he's getting. It's all fun and games but Wilbur was an unusually large teenager once (only a few years ago really, though let's not dwell on that) so he understands what it's like. Going through growth spurts is hardly the most enjoyable thing out there and he can't imagine how it must feel to keep getting hit by them with even less time to settle into your new height. Not to mention growing pains. During a quiet evening, he checks in on his son and approaches the subject. It leads to him allowing Fundy to rant about the worst parts of growing up. Orange fur recedes on his arms to show a few stretch marks. Ah, he was wondering if the extra hair was deliberate or simply puberty taking hold. He assures Fundy stretch marks aren't something to be ashamed of. He got a bunch of them himself at his age. Although, they've pretty much all faded by now. It's fine, you don't need to stress about it. Besides, Tommy's going through the same kind of shit. The main problem with Fundy and Tommy being similar ages now is that they are arguably closer than ever. Which, no, isn't a bad thing. In fact, he's glad that for a few months they're able to hang out on more equal footing. The issue lies in the fact that Fundy takes after his uncle when it comes to causing mischief. The little rascal is turning into a bit of a prankster. And yeah, maybe Wilbur himself likes channelling hints of chaos into his life but you'll never hear the designated responsible adult admit to that in the others' presence. At one point, Fundy is a six year old gleefully explaining how Tommy helped him up so he could place that water bucket. Only a year later, there's an 11 year old revealing that yes, he was the one to make their chickens, cows and sheep switch enclosures during the night. He only gets more ambitious from there. God knows where he got all that dye from when he's in his mid-teens. Fundy is much like himself as a teenager. Both clearly love their respective fathers but both grow to varying degrees of resentment regarding the level of independence they are given. Wilbur always had too much. It was his job to take care of Tommy whenever Phil left on short trips until the avian hybrid pretty much said 'well, you're an adult now, you can take care of things all by yourself' before heading off with Technoblade for months on end. It's why Wilbur knows kids want a safety net, for an adult to be there to help them out if they need it (no matter how mature or independent they feel). Has he taken it further than he should have? Maybe. Fundy is the only one who can be the true judge of that. He just wants his little boy to be safe and happy. He didn't want him to grow up so quickly. However, even if this was happening in 15 years, he would have grown up too soon. It doesn't surprise him too much when Tommy and Fundy make the choice to go off on their own. He only allows it because they promise they will stick together throughout the journey. He supposes it was time. Phil snuck off to do the same around their age and his mum was roughly 18 when she set off to be a nomadic traveller. The thought to live a similar style life has crossed Wilbur's mind. His duty to the two boys under his care has always made him reconsider. But Tommy is 16 now and not as much of a child as Wilbur likes to say he is. As for Fundy, he's probably around the equivalent of 18 or 19 by this point. He hates to admit it but they've both grown up. Where the hell did the time go? So although it pains him to do so, he nevertheless sends them off with a smile. If they find anywhere nice in their adventures, they'll be sure to tell him. He might even join them if they choose to stick around in one area. He turns back into the house after they leave and fuck, has it always been this empty? He gets a letter in early July, telling him all about this place called the Dream SMP and their time there. He arrives and things seem to snowball as soon as he begins the 'drug business' bullshit. Suddenly, he's a general with his brother and son as soldiers, along with some new friends. They are at a disadvantage in this fight against tyranny but it's okay, Eret says she has a secret weapon. They might just pull through. Or... they might instead be brutally betrayed by a former friend and lose so much more than their possessions. He loses track of his battalion in the chaos. All he knows is screaming for everyone to flee. Then the agony a sword through his stomach. Tubbo's dead, as is Tommy. Where's Fundy? He can't see him anywhere. God, please say he managed to get the fuck out of here. Please let it be that he turned into a fox and scarpered away, something like that. Never mind his dad. If Fundy's alright, he'll be alright too. He loves his son, has done all he was able to ensure his little boy has never had reason to doubt this fact. Over the past few years, that love has been repaid in mischievous grins, unrestrained giggles and drowsy cuddles, among other quieter moments. It gets repaid once again as a boy playing a soldier struggles to join the side of his pretend general of a father in order to loosely grasp hands. It barely registers. Neither does the tiny pained smile or ginger hair that go largely missed by eyes preoccupied with the vain effort to keep them open. They all celebrate the independence they'd fought so hard for the next night. The bittersweet nature of this victory goes ignored. With all the cheerful chatter and singing declaring their land to be one of freedom from tyranny drifting in the evening air from the campfire, it feels like the good mood will never end. It feels like the only thing that may tear the father and son apart is Wilbur's desperation for just a bit more time with Fundy as his little boy, despite how painfully obvious he was already grown up into a man in less than 5 years. Arm slung around him as a toast is made, they are not yet a debilitatingly stressed president, increasingly suicidal exilee or secretly loyal spy. For tonight, they are still a relatively happy, loving pair. For tonight, there is hypothetically still so much time for them to stay like that.

[okayto]

Mini-Review: Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions!

I’m so glad @littlestartopaz​ recommended this to me, because it was SO GOOD.

Yuta wants to start high school afresh: new school far from home, new classmates who don’t know he spent middle school acting out the fantasy of being the mysterious and magic “Dark Flame Master,” new him. But one of his classmates has delusions of her own, and after she accidentally discovers his embarrassing past, Yuta is unwillingly drawn into her life and a growing circle of friends with their own quirks.

The “chunibyo” of the title basically means “8th grade syndrome;” a phase in middle school where some kids inhabit and act out their own fantasy stories, positing themselves as dark magicians, magical girls, and other wielders of magical powers.

I had avoided this for a while, until it was specifically recommended to me, because honestly, it sounds embarrassing, right? It sounds like it’s gonna be an embarrassing manic pixie dream girl scenario. But what it actually contains is the story of how a mixed bag of students--some actively chunibyo, others not--become friends and develop very endearing close relationships, while arguing and frustrating each other because that’s what friends do.

Now, the idea of being the star of what’s essentially your own fantasy-action anime is embarrassing, but what’s notable is that the show doesn’t really hold the chunibyo characters up for mockery. Sure we might laugh at them, but hey--it’s funny to watch friends be silly together. And most viewers, just like some of the characters who have moved on from their chunibyo phases, probably easily understand the mix of soul-wrenching embarrassment and (mild?) fond sentiment that comes with remembering our middle school selves.

But let’s be real: the reactions the two former chunibyo students, Yuta and Shinka have to being reminded of middle school, are #RELATABLE

Rikka, our title chunibyo, in particular uses her fantasy in part to cope with grief, coming from an extended family that (without getting spoilery) didn’t help a young girl to deal with a very hard and life-changing time. Now that she’s in high school, her older sister blackmails Yuta (using an a voice recording of one of his chunibyo speeches) into helping deal with Rikka and things (like the cat she wants to adopt) that pop up.

One thing the show is very good at, though, is not making a single thing the reason behind a character’s chunibyo. One may have started their fantasy inspired by another person, or prompted by an event, but it’s also (while active) part of their personal narrative that influences how they spent their free time, how they see the world and keep blogs or diaries, etc.

But at the same time, they’re still teenagers, and their inner view of themselves...doesn’t always translate skills.

I said the show is primarily about friendship. A lot of that friendship is between Yuta and Rikka, but they accumulate a little group, mainly through Rikka’s attempt to start a magic club. Recruit 1: Kumin, a polite, quiet senpai with no chunibyo history or aspirations.

Kumin starts off seeming like a background character, but by the second season it’s clear she’s not just there for jokes about how she’ll take a nap anywhere. She’s perceptive, and genuinely enjoys watching the others act out their scenarios.

Compared to the other characters who are boisterous in their chunibyo activities (Rikka, Deko, Satone), or vociferously trying not to get drawn in to chunibyo activities (Yuta, Shinka), Kumin is happy to watch and offer encouragement, but she’s also willing to participate if a chunibyo scenario calls for a group.

Incidentally, the show does a really interesting thing where occasionally, we’ll be drawn “inside” the chunibyo world, seeing what Rikka/Deko/whoever see: a fantasy land, big magical weapons, anime-grade magical attacks. Occasionally we’ll also see what this “really” looks like--a couple people running around waving umbrellas at each other--but often we only get the fantasy version. It’s clear that Rikka and co. are legitimately on some level engaging in a shared imagination, and the times when a reluctant character (particularly Yuta or Shinka) willing steps in to the shared illusion are genuinely sweet.

Speaking of, Shinka (aka Morisummer) became one of my favorite characters. Like Yuta, she was chunibyo (”Morisummer the magician”); like Yuta, she chose a high school where she didn’t know anyone expressly so she could reinvent herself as a normal teen. And like Yuta, she’s getting dragged kicking and screaming into chunibyo again.

It would’ve been so easy to make her a bad character. She’s pretty, puts a lot of effort into being popular and likable at school, trying to keep up a good teen girl image, despite being fairly sarcastic at her core. And as loathe as she is to admit it, she likes her friends (even if she won’t admit they’re friends, even if half of them are actively chunibyo, even if she says she’s only hanging around so she can make sure all traces of chunibyo-Morisummer are erased from the internet).

Shinka gets drawn in to the group through Rikka’s apparently only pre-existing friend: Deko, a fellow chunibyo who follows Rikka (or “Eye of the Wicked Lord Shingan”) as her master, and is extremely devoted to the great magician Morisummer. So devoted, in fact, that she has several physical copies of Morisummer’s book containing all her wisdom...aka Shinka-Morisummer’s blog, which Shinka has tried to erase all trace of.

Needless to say, the two don’t seem to get along great.

Deko’s dedication to chunibyo and Morisummer irks Shinka; Shinka’s claim to be Morisummer irks Deko, who refuses to believe the great magician could ever be this sarcastic, mundane girl. Deko’s refusal irks Shinka, bringing out the sarcasm and bluntness Shinka tries to hide from the school at large.

Obviously, they actually become close friends, but heaven help you if you actually say so.

The entire series is an exploration of relationships, and Yuta’s developing closeness with Rikka (hey, we knew it was going to happen) is also sweet. He’s a genuinely likable boy, embarrassed by the vestiges of his former self he sees in Rikka, but often willing to meet her on her level, and both of them also learn/reaffirm the importance of doing things their way, and keeping both of them comfortable, rather than acting a certain way or performing specific acts just because their classmates think their relationship status mandates it.

Speaking of classmates--and I know this is getting long but I CAN’T HELP IT, I LIKED SO MANY ASPECTS OF THIS SERIES--the characters aren’t ridiculed at school. Sure, some people think they’re weird, but there’s no shunning, no arc involving teasing or bullies. Rikka’s often content as a loner, but when she attempts to join in a social circle, she’s welcomed. Shinka’s obsessed with reinventing herself and appearing normal and seems to think that otherwise she’ll be cast out, but multiple characters mention that others at the school notice how she behaves (oddly, on occasion) and there are no social repercussions. Truly nice for a show that has characters spending quite a lot of time in school.

Verdict

English dub? Yes, and it’s got strong performances. Rikka’s voice actor in particular does a fantastic job capturing the difference between chunibyo!Rikka’s confidence and command, and regular!Rikka’s, well, normal awkward teenageness. (Plus, I also found her lower-than animegirl-average voice enjoyable.) (Double plus, I honestly think her English voice is better than her original Japanese voice at showing the difference between her emotions and chunibyo/reality.) Deko’s VA is fantastic showing the enthusiasm of the 9th grader (and what enthusiasm, Deko is like the Energizer Bunny), and Shinka’s VA manages to show her alternating annoyance, cheerfully sweet ideal self, and organizized leader voices.

Visuals: Fine, and I really liked the chunibyo designs for each character’s chunibyo phase. The contrast between chunibyo-vision (giant magic weapons; mysterious lights, fantasy landscapes) and reality (an umbrella or soup ladle; a strip of lights taped to the floor; a local park) was really well done.

Worth watching? Yessss. It’s very manageable--two 12-episode seasons--and while each season contains its own arc (you could stop after the first one, but why), together they make an excellent story. Heck, I think the second season is equal to, if not better than, the first, because the friend group is well-established and even more fun to watch.

Where to watch (USA, as of October 2020): Netflix (dub, sub); Crunchyroll (sub), HIDIVE (sub & dub, plus OVAs and film)

Click my “reviews” tag below or search “mini review” on my blog to find more!

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #341

“anger, misery, you’ll suffer unto me”

Would you risk your life to save a total stranger? I don't think so. Have you ever trashed your ex’s car after an argument? No, and I never would. Grow up. Have you ever done something because of peer pressure you are ashamed of? I don't believe so, no. Have you ever been embarrassed to introduce your parents to anyone? No. Would you leave a note on a car claiming responsibility if you damaged it? Yeah; guilt would eat me alive otherwise. Have you ever used someone's handicapped parking pass to get a parking spot? Fucking ew, no. Have you ever held back a well-deserved compliment because you were jealous? No. Do you guilt people into giving you what you want? Ugh, no. Would most people consider you better than average looking? Ha, no. For yourself, would you rather have a perfect body or high IQ? Give me the perfect body, living in my horrible one has affected my mental health badly enough. I'm fine with having a moderate IQ. I just want to feel happy in my own skin. Have you ever embarrassed some intentionally in public? Wow, no. Have you ever used a false ID? Also no. Are you embarrassed to tell people your job? I'm embarrassed to tell people I don't HAVE a job. Do you remember the first conversation you had with the person you have feelings for? I don't. I'm sure it was RP-related and not friendly, but I don't remember the exact convo. Have you ever got a D or F on your report card? I want to say no; I think the lowest I ever got was a C. If you had twins, would you give them rhyming names? Ugh, no. I'm sorry if you're into it, but I'm just not. I would want to ensure they knew their uniqueness and individuality was seen. Is there anyone that you wish was IN your life who used to be? There's a large number of those kinds of people. What brings out the worst in you? Probably when I'm building up towards a PTSD meltdown. I get VERY short and snappy and am convinced everyone hates and wants to leave me. My mouth also has NO fucking leash, and I know I can say very mean things that I'll regret later. What do you prefer, Skittles or Starbursts? Skittles. Mike & Ikes or Jolly Ranchers? Jolly Ranchers for sure. What is your favorite thing to eat with peanut butter? Waffles (with syrup). Don't knock it 'til you try it, I'm telling you. What are some wild animals commonly found where you live? Besides birds obviously, there's squirrels, deer, opossums, raccoons... Have you ever had a lucid dream? I think I've had just one. What's your biggest problem at the moment? Probably my anxiety having stunted my growth in so many areas. Have you ever turned down a job offer? I don't think so, no. What's the longest hospital stay you've had? For what? I think my longest was almost two months for suicidal thoughts. Two months might sound long, but it was like... my third or so psych hospital stay for that same reason. What's something really basic that you're terrible at? Even the most simple math. I don't even know the majority of my elementary multiplication tables. Have you ever hugged someone for over a minute? Yeah. Would you ever get a tattoo on your collar bone? I have one there already, but I plan on getting it covered because it was an impulse tattoo that I feel no connection towards. Have you ever searched for your house on Google Earth? My old house, yeah. Are you a beach, country, or city person? Country. Living in the suburbs has definitely reminded me of that... Are you faster at text messaging or typing on the computer? Typing, by a long shot. I make typos texting too much. Have you ever kissed anybody who had a mustache? Yeah. Who is the last person that you said "I love you" to, besides family members? Sara. When was your first real relationship? Sophomore year of high school to early college. Have you ever cried over an ex? I've cried the entire mass of water on Earth over an ex lmao. Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex? Yes. Is there something really bad that you’ve done, that only YOU know about? No. Have you ever copied someone else’s homework? I think I have once or twice, but obviously with consent. What’s a hobby you would like to try out? If my legs worked like actual legs and I didn't sweat like an absolute pig, I would like to try out herping, but without actually interacting with the animal like picking it up and scaring the daylights out of it. I'd just be happy enough looking for reptiles, amphibians, and inverts to photograph instead. Does that still even count as herping? What was the last event you attended? My youngest niece's birthday party. How about the last event you organized? I've never organized an event. What’s something you get excited about doing and want to do it right away? Whenever I take nature pictures, I'm immediately keen to get them into Lightroom and do the postproduction. Is there anything you feel you’re better at than anybody else? Definitely not. What’s the biggest insect you’ve ever seen? If you exclude places like the zoo, that would probably be a rhinoceros beetle or something. Oh no, actually some kind of local moth I don't know the name of. They're beautiful big white boiz. How about the biggest spider? I might be mis-remembering, but I believe at a reptile convention I went to with Sara, one of the vendors had a goliath bird eater tarantula in one of the cups. I do know it was some tarantula species for sure, though. Who was the first person to break your heart? My dad. Obviously not romantically, but him just splitting on the family with no proper communication absolutely broke my heart for years. First person to give you flowers or candy on Valentine’s day? I'm sure that would be my parents. If you exclude them 'cuz that's kinda obvious, I believe it was Aaron, my first boyfriend. I'm pretty sure we were together on Valentine's Day, because I remember getting him a giant Hershey's Kiss. First band you obsessed about? I wasn't truly obsessed with any band 'til Ozzy in middle school. Can you do a backflip? No; I've never tried and never will. I was and still am too afraid of breaking my neck. Like I have a MASSIVE fear of paralysis, particularly from the neck down; that fear is actually the biggest one that keeps me from driving, fun fact. Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Of the two, definitely a pessimist, but I at least think I align most with being a realist. What’s the biggest lie you’ve told someone? I'm unsure. Have you ever been hit on by someone of the same sex? Yeah. How many doors are in the room you’re in? Just one. Have you ever been engaged and broke it off? No. Has anyone ever drawn a picture of you? Tyler once drew a picture of him and me. It was cute. That guy still dove in WAY too fast. Have you ever dated a redhead? I haven't, but I love redheads. Natural red hair is just gorgeous. What are your thoughts on facial hair on guys? Historically, I seem to generally like some, but it really depends on the guy's general appearance. I can like none at all or a full beard and mustache, it doesn't really matter to me. Did you go anywhere today? No; my mom is in Florida with her brothers totally cleaning out Grammy's house, so she's not here to take me anywhere. Do you have any nieces or nephews? Oh yikes, I have a lot. I honestly can't count because I've lost track of how many boys and girls Katie has. You have a choice to shoot your father or die, what would you do? Jesus. I'd rather die; some things just aren't worth living after, and I'd have no desire to keep going if I killed my father. Did you ever cry at the end of King Kong? I've never watched it, actually, but I. LOVED. The video game. I haven't played it in years and only faintly remember how it ends, but I don't remember crying. Are you in any amount of pain at the moment? Quite a lot, actually. It's kinda a TMI subject so I won't delve into it, just know I'm hurting like a bitch. What was the last sugary thing you ate? I snacked on some chocolate chips earlier today... which I really shouldn't have done, but I think I had reasonable restraint and didn't totally binge. When was the last time you did something extremely stupid? Who knows, that's not a rare occurrence, it feels like. Have you been to any parties lately? Only my niece's bday party in February. Thankfully it was kept pretty small, given Covid; not that anyone in that family besides my sister gives a flying fuck about precautions, though... Can you touch your pinky to your thumb around your wrist? Ugh, no. Close, but not enough. I still have thin wrists and hands, but yeah, yay for being overweight. If you were to start a charity, what would you call it? I'd hve to put more thought than I'm willing for one survey question. I'd have to decide what KIND of charity I want to start first, which I'm unsure of. Probably something related to animal wellfare and conservation or something similar to the Trevor Project. Maybe LBGTQ+ youth disowned by their families... I dunno. There's so much good I wish I could do. Are you comfortable with your body? Holy fuck no. It's only gotten worse since I started gaining weight again and almost entirely erased all weight loss progress I'd made. What is your recent inside joke? Most recently made? Idk, man. I don't make those often. Would you rather be a human, vampire, or a werewolf? Er, I'm good with being a human. If I was a vampire or werewolf, I wouldn't exactly be very welcomed, I'm sure, and both have seemingly painful traits to cope with. Are you good at giving directions? It is absolutely impossible for me. I have NO sense of direction, like, at all. I don't know highway names, local exits, etc. etc. etc. etc. Why did you last curse? Pain when readjusting myself due to aforementioned issue I'm having. What is your purpose in life? I hope it involves animals and spreading words of peace and an appreciation for art. What is one of your weak points? I'm very, very, very dependent on others. I'm really working on trying to correct that. I can barely do shit on my own as is. Who was the last person you heard snoring? My cat, haha. Would you rather shower by yourself or with another person? 100% by myself. Another person would just get in the way and make me VERY self-conscious of my body, even if it was my romantic partner. Just please leave me alone to hate myself for 10 minutes. :^) What was your last addiction? You could say my current one is John Wolfe, a really funny let's player I've gotten into. Been bingeing some of my favorite games he has playlists of for a few weeks now. You are in a tank full of spiders, what do you do? Well one, I'd like to know what kind they are. Venomous? Harmless? You gotta give me the details. If I don't have any, then I'm admittedly freaking the fuck out, even though I know I should stay very calm when trying to get out. Fear would win, though. If killing yourself meant saving the world, would you? Saving the world from what? But odds are, yeah. I don't cherish my pretty damn mediocre life more than I do the lives of what, 8 billion people? Have you ever stayed up all night just to talk to someone? Yeah. When was the last time you eavesdropped someone? I kinda do that sometimes when Mom's on the phone and I can hear her from my room, and if they're on speaker. Particularly if the subject is me. When was the last time you went to a club? I've never been to one. How have you been sleeping? Poorly. Are you adopted? No, I'm not. Do you like scrapbooking? Not really, no. Do you collect anything valuable? "Valuable to me." <<<< This. Nothing of great monetary worth, though. Have you ever been beaten up? No, thankfully. Do you know anyone with an eating disorder? I don't think so, in my personal life. What was the last thing you killed? An ant. Have you ever used someone for money? I never could, no. When was the last time you went to the zoo? Sigh, it's been many many years. I'm so ready to get my goddamn legs back in shape so I can go again, this time with a REAL camera, too. Last time I went was when I still only had a Kodak EasyShare; I have a professional Canon camera now with much more education on photography too, so I would be in absolute heaven with at least twenty memory cards in need, haha. Maybe next fall... Is there a teacher you hate more than anything? I actually never had a teacher I hated in my entire school career. It really, really is as simple as just being a respectful student. In most cases, I should emphasize, because I do understand some educators just suck. Now I had some teachers I wasn't very fond of, but most certainly none that I hated. Do you own colored eyeliner? No. Do you have manners? I honestly think I'm very mannerly. When was the last time that you had a pet that died? We last had to put my dog Teddy down; he had cancer and was literally withering away. I knew in my very core that even if we didn't bring him to the vet to euthanize him, he would've died naturally in a very short period of time; I doubt he would've survived another night. Now I'd like to move on. What is your favorite medication that you take, and why? The combination of Vraylar and Lamictal is the reason I'm alive. It keeps my bipolarity and depression under control. Do you decorate Mason jars? No, but those are some of my favorite crafts visually. They're very pretty and cute. Can you see the mountains from where you live? Oh hunny, I wish. Did you ever play pranks on April Fool’s Day? As a kid, yeah. I don't anymore. I'm not really even a fan of April Fool's Day as an adult because of how cruel some jokes assholes play are. Which instrument would you play if you could learn to play one? Maybe violin. Do you part your hair on the left side, right side, or in the middle? The left. What are some names you like that start with the first letter of your name? Uhhhh Bianca, Braelynn (look I know it's so stereotypically Southern but it's pretty)... and idk from there, those are the two that come to mind first.

[stylishanachronism]

So it is in fact Watcher Wednesday, I have a headache, the neighbors are still firing off fireworks and setting off all the car alarms on that side of the street, here’s a sliver of an essay about Pillars of Eternity and sheep.

So if you’ve been following along at all, you’ll know I have a dearly held headcanon that Edér, outside of seasonal agricultural work, supports himself by knitting elaborate ring lace shawls (no seriously what the fuck is he supposed to be doing all year Obsidian answer me who is making his socks), because canonically most of the Dyrwood’s production is tied up in fancy wool and fancy timber. More specifically, per the guidebook, “Wyr (“wire” - Aedyran) wool, gal glas (“green thorn” - Glanfathan) timber, Glanfathan deer hide, tin, lead, iron, copper.” (PGB1, pg 48), and it’s telling that the particular types of wool and timber are specified, as they aren’t for any other country(1). This is surprisingly well supported in game, between the set dressing in the Gift, the shipwreck scavengers beneath the bridge, and Dyrford’s main industry, namely tanning and dyework, as well as the lack of either crop industry on a wide scale, or food prepared for shipment in the Gift. (It does raise the question of ‘where are all the sheep’, but considering Obsidian knows nothing about textiles and the fact adding Yet Another model probably wasn’t the best use of their time, I’m cross about it but I’ll excuse it)

Fun fact: shipping roving is a waste of everybody’s time. Shipping thread on a scale that would enable somebody else to turn it into cloth is less so, but it’s significantly more expensive. Cloth takes up a lot less space than either option (especially roving), and is a lot harder to damage/a lot easier to protect during the process, especially since there’s a smidge more evidence(2) that wyr wool is a fine, light, long fiber wool, and therefore prone to matting in its base state.

This is not in the game at all, and barely barely barely in the guidebooks, but that set of facts means the Dyrwood is probably known for its weavers and knitters, and they probably import a lot more dye than even Aedyr, who are implicated to buy dyed in the wool textiles(3), which leads to the idea that the Dyrwood and Readceras have very strong economic reasons to get over their differences, (which is openly canon, but without explanation) and in the meantime Stalwart’s smuggling business? Almost entirely dye into the Dyrwood. The same economic pressure would explain why Aedyr was so eager to go back to trading with them, instead of being deeply pissy about dealing with a ‘failed’ colony, as they are with Readceras.(4)

On another tack, this takes everything about the Pearl Bluffs and makes it actually relevant to Defiance Bay as a city, because shelling out municipal funds on adventurers because one of your priestesses is having bad symbolic dreams is... a little sketchy, considering the state of the city, but if hiring those adventurers also gets rid of a major predator in the closest accessible good grazing land? Sheep are much more valuable than dreams, and that’s a reasonable expense. (It also explains why there’s absolutely nothing there, because local grazing land > mildly inaccessible but well placed military infastructure, because if I was worried about invasions by sea (which Defiance Bay canonically is), having some sort of lookout on the cliffs above the port would be a good idea, but not if it would hurt the city’s main industry.)(5)

Circling back around to the lack of crop industry, I know mechanically nobody wanted to animate Yet Another field of wheat (or what have you. There’s a lot of options there but they didn’t put it in so We Just Don’t Know(6)), and so it’s not that they don’t exist it’s that they aren’t pictured, just like the dozens and dozens of little towns that ought to be peppered across the place, which must exist but aren’t pictured (or named), but like... I desperately want to know what Obsidian thought everybody was doing all year, and where they were supposed to be living. (Let’s face it, I want a real map, with county lines and everything.) I am, obviously, proposing that in addition to the many many necessary industries (coopers! more blacksmiths! every single citizen from the age of being able to hold a pair of needles knits and spins so they don’t go naked! glaizers! lumberjacks! carpenters! butchers! I could go on!), that pretty much everybody is involved in some sort of fiber production, mostly wool but linen as well (preparing flax is No Joke), or otherwise dye preparation in some form or other, but like... what did Obsidian think. Where are the sheep?

Footnotes:

1: Per the guidebook: Readceras produces “Vorlas (purple dye), corn, corn flour, wool, cotton (minimal), lumber“ (pg 50), the Republics “Iron, copper, silver, glassworks, ships, spices, clocks, and astronomical equipment” (pg 52), Aedyr “Iron, fine steel, cotton, dyes, lumber (a major export of many varieties), spices” (pg 54), and Eir Glanfath “Gal glas (“green thorn” - Glanfathan) timber, Glanfathan deer hide, gold, adra shell (the odd shell material found in Engwithan ruins), rare fungi“ (pg 57) even though their exporting adra makes zero goddamned sense. No other countries/cultures have listed products, though Deadfire made a good effort at showing the exports of individual cities in the Deadfire. I’m not citing it because I’m too lazy to go copy all that shit down by hand, though.

2: The evidence on wyr wool is, very basically, it’s either a long fiber wool (wire like, able to be drawn very fine), or a short fiber wool (wiry, coarse). Long fiber wool is more desirable, and more likely to be specified out on a consumer level, versus a more ordinary short fiber wool, where knowing the provenance really wouldn’t change much. Long fiber is also a much lighter wool, the sheep more delicate (not by much, but still), and the Dyrwood’s climate as shown doesn’t particularly require a hardier sheep. Without actual sheep to look at, or somebody on staff with enough textile knowledge to incorporate said knowledge literally anywhere, there’s not a ton of evidence either way, but I have my biases, and finer wool suits them so that’s the argument I’m making.

3: “Aedyran clothing is known for being relatively simple in construction and often using large, colorful striped or checkered patterns for accents.” (pg 54) Trying to dye stripes is a misery. Trying to dye checks is worse. Weaving stripes or checks, on the other hand, is very, very easy, but requires you to dye the thread before it’s processed.

4: I would cite the guidebooks here, but since they never actually come out and say ‘there was five years of famine and it was not great’, I can’t, but uh, there was (at least) five years of famine and it was not great. A fraction of the population wandered off to make candles in sufficient quantities that they’re a minor Dyrwodian import (”Many a Dyrwoodan lord who illuminated their keep (and cursed all Readcerans) unknowingly did so by the light of Eothasian candles.” (PGB2, pg 81), in reference to The Bright Shephards, said fraction with the candles), and another went to the Deadfire, where they were delighted to finally be successful farmers (”To the delight of these wayward pilgrims, their crops took to Deadfire soil better than they had in Readceras,” (pg 80), in reference to the Children of the Dawnstars), even though they... don’t actually grow anything in common with Readceras, and meanwhile Aedyr continued to be dicks about the whole mess, even as Readceras proper finally got their feet under themselves, and managed to get the Vorlas properly established to the point where it’s their main export. (Look, Vorlas is fantasy indigo, and indigo takes a couple of years to like, not die at the first hint of literally anything going wrong. It’s more finicky than roses, especially since they’re not growing it in a region it’s built for, there’s a reason everything went to shit.)

5: It also explains some of the bounties, because ‘dangerous thing that only bothers *really* stupid travelers’ is a much smaller problem than ‘dangerous thing that bothers fairly defenseless essential livelihoods’. Also mechanically you’re paid for the Caed Nua bounties but like... Caed Nua is setting the bounty? so you aren’t being paid you’re just saving the house a lot of money to get somebody else to do it. You need to defend your sheep as well as your roads, I guess is what I’m saying?

6: Look, someday I will dig through every recipe I can get my hands on, in game or in the cookbook, and come up with a list of things the Dyrwood probably grows for food, but today is not that day, so right now your guess is as good as mine, as long as your guess is ‘not corn’.

[kallypsowrites]

Game of thrones: Conquest and Rebellion

I’m a happy camper this Christmas as I finally got Game of Thrones season 7 for myself. And I was surprised when it came with this beautiful little DVD that contains an over 40 minute history of the Targaryens in Westeros, narrated by several of the characters in Game of Thrones including: Viserys, Varys, Euron, Peytr Baelish, Sansa, and Jaime. I say characters and not actors because it is clearly supposed to be from the perspective of the characters and what they have learned about the history of the Targaryens.

Now, I was intrigued to watch this because I am actually midway through a big ol’ post on unreliable history in Fire and Blood. The basic thesis is that by telling the history of his world through the eyes of someone in that world, he makes it unreliable and biased and this is very much by design. I have my ideas about what is exagerated vs what is real in Fire and Blood, but I wanted to see how this video compared. Especially since it contains what the SHOW views as the most important notes in the Targaryen conquest.

And boy did it confirm my suspicions about unreliable history. In fact, hearing individual characters bring in their bias illustrated my thesis perfectly. But let’s talk about some of the highlights. Because I was surprised to see how the Targaryens were represented her.

1. Viserys suggests that the Targaryens may have left Old Valyria because of a court mishap and not the prophesy from ‘The Dreamer’. I have had my suspicions about some of the “prophetical” motivation behind the Targaryen conquest, because in large part it seemed like stories written to justify Aegon’s conquest. Like it’s his “destiny”. However, I never thought to question the idea of the dreamer foreseeing the doom of Valyria. Now, if this was from any other character’s narration I might call it unreliable and an attempt to discredit the Targaryens but this is Viserys, “number one Targaryen fanboy”, “my family is the best and like GODS among MEN” Targaryen. Even he thinks that perhaps the vision is just a story. At the very least, the vision wasn’t super clear as the Targaryens left a full twelve years before the Doom. Already the show seems to be calling attention to the fact that the Targaryens are just like everyone else.

2. This continues with the implication that Aegon conquered for resources and knew he could win because of dragons. This is also Viserys’ implication. He also makes a statement about Aegon “teaching the squabbling families the meaning of greatness” and it sounds very villainy. Again. This is Viserys who later on calls Maegar the cruel, “the wise” and says the title of cruel was slander! Viserys is 100% team Targaryen and yet he does not begin to make Aegon’s intentions sound noble. Even though the Targaryen history books are FILLED with that kind of thing. Viserys also calls them “strangers” to Westeros which follows the narrative of this being an invasion. in fact the next section is even TITLED ‘invasion’

After this, we switch to Varys’ narration. As a narrator, he’s probs the most trustworthy as he is the most neutral. And HE adds in the suggestion that Aegon used the hands of the envoy sent to him by Argilac the arrogant were just a PRETEXT for the conquest he’d been planning for a long time. He wanted to rule the seven kingdoms and was just looking for an excuse to attack. He also suggests that Argilac the arrogant was surpassed by Aegon in arrogance. Not a great picture painted of Aegon.

3. “Before he was done, the rivers fields and skies would turn red” -- Varys on Aegon the conqueror. Continues to speak of this man like a villain. in sharp contrast to the ‘noble conqueror’ painted in Fire and Blood. Speaking of which, Aegon is the one who comes up with the words ‘Fire and Blood’ according to this video, which definetily makes him seem like he was hoping for some casual mass murder.

4. Obviously, Harren the Black and Argilac the Arrogant sucked. Totally not coming to their defense. But how are their deaths portrated. Well, Euron is given the chance to describe the death of Harren and he is CLEARLY turned on by the destruction of his ancestors which is a bad sign. It’s description is horrifying and the animation is dark. Obviously if Euron likes it, its supposed to be kind of freaky.

Argilac, however, is given a heroic final battle seeming almost noble. Orys Baratheon, the most humanized of all the conquerors, seems to respect him enough to take his sigil and words “out of respect”. We’ll talk more about how the characters are drawn later, but there’s a big difference between Orys and Aegon.

5. Jaime describes the field of fire and he himself looks VERY MUCH like Lorren Lannister. He stresses that Aegon had “no mercy”. But its no surprise that he hates Targaryens cause they have a bad history. But still, the Field of Fire is shot like a horrifying war scene and the Targaryens are again depicted as the villain. Thousands return home as “scarred monsters”.

Favorite line “Aegon had a fetish for collecting swords”.

6. Sansa narrates the bits about House Stark and House Stark is indisputidly depicted as heroes. Now, this isn’t surprising. Sansa is loyal to her house. But she implies that the north was different than the other kingdoms because they were focused on survival not power. There is focus for a lot of time on the white walkers and how it is a Stark problem to deal with and they are a greater threat than dragons.

She puts emphasis on how Starks are willing to make alliances for survival, regadless of pride as well. She seems to respect Torrhen Stark’s decision to kneel saying ‘he had no choice’. Aegon was offering a very ‘kneel or die’ message after all. The Starks would have died if they did not bow. But their swords are still taken for the throne!

The most ominous bit is this:

“The swords Aegon took from them were not twisted or mangled” - Sansa

“Yet” - Viserys, very ominously

What an ominous thing to throw in there Viserys!

7. Most unsettling display of Targaryen villainy happens in the Eyrie, narrated by Littlefinger. Queen Arryn arrives to see that Visenya is with her son, next to her dragon. Visenya doesn’t say it, but she is fully threatening the boy. You can see it by her smile which is just...oof. It’s scary. She clearly intends to kill him if his mother doesn’t give the crown. She has “no choice” and Littlefinger describes him as a “poor boy”. Visenya is clear villain in this. This is in HUGE contrast to the two women apparently relating and connecting with each other in Fire and Blood.

8. Viserys mocks the “religious” reasons for old town’s surrender suggesting that they knelt because otherwise everyone would die. This once again undercuts the idea that the septon saw some grand purpose for Aegon which is suggested in Fire and Blood. The septon is just afraid, again, according to Viserys the number one Targaryen fanboy. Bonus: calls the north savages because Targaryens are better than everyone~~ He even calls the Targaryens the "Greatest dynasty ever.” when Aegon is crowned.

9. But after Aegon’s victory, the neutral Varys comes in to remind us of the Dorne failure. Rather than making Rhaenys seem unflapable and invincible as Fire and Blood did, Varys suggested that the yellow toad of Dorne SCARED Rhaenys. And later on, of course, Rhaenys gets taken down. Dorne really is painted as the heroic underdogs of this scene. and emphasis is placed on the fact that Aegon and Visenya set every city on fire except sunspear. If there HAD been people there, they would all be dead. Fire and Blood indeed.

10. We skip right from the conquest to the Dance of Dragons.

“With no enemies left they started fighting each other.” - Viserys

This defs doesn’t sound like the centuries of peace and prosperity that Dany talked about. This video is focused ENTIRELY on the wars of the Targaryens and not the good things or building of infrastructure. No mention of Jahaerys the concilitator at all. Instead we focus on Aegon, Maegar, the Dance, Aegon the Unworthy and the Mad King. All the very worst Targaryens. And there are lots of good things the Targaryens did! But instead of focusing on that, the show focuses on the war, which means they know that Dany’s line about “centuries of peace” is wrong.

Bonus, we have more of Viserys arguing for blood purity and that Targaryens are SPECIAL and that they would have been fine if Aegon didn’t legitimize so many dirty half breed bastards.

11. The greatest Targaryen threat, however, is madness (according to Jaime who saw the Mad King first hand). We bring up that line again: “Every time a Targaryen is born the gods flip a coin”

“We put up with Aerys hoping Rhaegar would be better but then he also proved mad when he took Lyanna Stark”

This does not place Rhaegar as the sane, good sibling most people do. Instead, it also paints him in a negative light. Which, this is Jaime, so take it with a grain of salt. But he actually never hated Rhaegar so yeah...

12. Jaime is so bitter about Ned condemning him and it’s kinda funny. I love Nikolaj narration

“I saw what Ned Stark couldn’t. Robert was ashamed of the bodies of the children... and more ashamed at his relief. Glorious heroes didn’t kill children. They simply didn’t punish their murderers” - Jaime being smart with one of my fave lines.

He clearly sees things as they are. He doesn’t like the Targaryens but he also doesn’t elevate Robert as a god. Jaime doesn’t believe in heroes and it shows here.

13. Then we end with a particularly ominous note.

“One day I’ll return and repay all traitors with the only coin my family knows. Fire and blood” - Viserys. 

These are the last words in the video. A threat. It really does not paint the Targaryens as tragic characters pushed out of their rightful throne.

And this is where I want to talk about the character drawings. Every pose from the original three dragons (Aegon and sisters) is the most villainous thing in the world and the music behind their conquest is intense and dark. Their faces are often lowered but with their eyes glaring up and shrouded in shadow. Their smiles are sharp. Their body language is arrogant. It is victims of the conquest like Lorren and Torrhen who are given more humanized designs.

On the Targaryen side of things, the most humanized design belongs to Orys Baratheon who has much kinder eyes and a more open expression. And the there’s Viserys and Daenerys at the end who look like scared children more than anything. But the Targaryen dynasty that is their birth right doesn’t appear to start out on a great foot.

This kinda all backs up my point that if Daenerys wants to break the wheel, she will have to reject and correct the legacy of her family. The show clearly does not view Aegon as a great hero. So if they mean for Daenerys to be a hero, I hope they have her recognize the history and take steps to correct it (maybe even destroy the iron throne, plz?) And if she doesn’t recognize her history or tries to emulate Aegon, she could be headed down a bad path.

I love the Targaryen family because, like lots of my favorite Westeros families, they are SCREWED UP and have lots of interesting characters, and I look forward to exploring them more in my Fire and Blood post. But if anything, this video just backs up my thesis about unreliable history and what Dany will have to do if she wants to be a good ruler. Break that wheel! It was forged in fire and blood!

[that-shamrock-vibe]

Movie Review: The Lion King (Spoilers)

Spoiler Warning: So I am slightly later to the party than originally intended but I will be talking about this movie in detail and am posting this review a day or so after it is released in U.K. cinemas, so if you haven’t yet seen the movie, either go and watch the original or wait until you have seen it before reading on.

General Reaction:

I have several problems with Disney’s “live-action” remake of The Lion King, not only with the choices the actual movie makes, but unfortunately also some of my ranting will be down to the live-action remake fatigue that has struck almost every Disney fan with the recent onslaught of remakes coming out. For me, The Lion King is where I have reached my  peak because up until now the live-action remakes at least brought something different from the originals for me.

Here however, if for some strange reason you haven’t seen the original animated version of this movie...as I know at least one person who hasn’t...then this may be a brand new enjoyable movie for you. However, for the rest of the world that has, this was pretty much the exact same movie scene for scene with dialogue that seems very tired and characters that lack the basic sense of emotion.

I just want to clarify something, anyone who knows me knows I do not talk follow trends when writing these reviews, so the fact that I am going to spend a lot of this review pretty much complaining about the movie is not because it seems to be the “it thing” to hate it, but instead I have actual reasons as to my disdain.

I do blame Jon Favreau for some of the problems with the movie, especially because he hit it out of the park with The Jungle Book remake back in 2016. I can remember walking out of the cinema after seeing that movie with such a sense of enjoyment from my cinema experience which was decorated in Jungle Book paraphernalia, to the actual movie which was obviously based on the original animated version but also took inspiration from the novel the original was based on.

Here though there was no decor save for one lion totem hidden away, and from the very start of the movie I was seriously underwhelmed by it all.

I don’t know if something got lost between the 2D animation and the CG animation but the movie just felt rather slow compared to the 1994 animated version. There was something so iconic and special about the original version that maybe it was simply the case that nothing could match up to it, but if that is the case then the talent behind the scenes should have at least tried to do something different with the story like Aladdin and Dumbo tried to do.

I genuinely believe that Jonny Fav blinked when tackling this compared to The Jungle Book because while The Jungle Book is a classic it isn’t as iconic or beloved as The Lion King and therefore maybe he didn’t want the backlash if he changed it and it wasn’t received well.

Also, this “live-action” version of the animated movie has 30 minutes more content in it than the original 1994 animated version, this is both a good and a bad thing. The two worst crimes of this movie, aside from it lacking originality and emotive facial expressions, as well as one particular song which I will get into, are two minor scenes that stretch-out pointless plot-points.

The first just after the “Circle of Life” opening where the movie follows the travels of the mouse that Scar eventually tries to eat. But this mouse is followed from the bottom of the cliff-face into the cave that Scar is in.

The second is after Simba begins to question everything he has been told about life and slumps down on that ledge. In the original 1994 version there are leaves and particles that originally spell out “Sex” that are now replaced by a piece of Simba’s mane flying away and going on a journey for five long minutes.

This hair lands in a lake, floats across a Savannah, is eaten and subsequently pooped out by a giraffe, rolled away in a poop ball by a dung beetle before being separated from the pile and being carried up to Rafiki’s tree by worker ants. In the original, a breeze carries leaves across Rafiki’s path which he catches and it is over in about 2 minutes.

Both scenes are dragged out, almost completely irrelevant to the plot and just took me out of the movie questioning why I’m following a mouse and a piece of hair.

Then I have to quickly talk about the stampede scene which leads to Mufasa’s death. 2-D Animation vs. photo-realistic technology is becoming a massive battle in cinema recently particularly at Disney, but there are many things that hand-drawn animation can get away with that live-action cannot. Not only did I get zero facial expressions from Simba or Mufasa in this scene but also that stampede scene in the original animated movie is so grand and has such an emotive response from audience members no matter how many times you see it whereas here, it didn’t seem as epic. It still felt grand because it’s a stampede but not on the level of the animated version.

To end this section on a positive, I do appreciate the photo-realistic CG because it does comprise the entire movie, even the scenery, because it all does make it seem like watching realistic animals for the most part.

Cast:

Alright so there are some good and bad thing about the cast and characters. For a start, the characters in “live-action” are emotionless, lack any real form of empathy and require your love of their 2D animated counterparts to gain any affection from the audience.

The best characters in this version are Timon, Pumbaa and the Hyenas, even Zazu is high-up for me...this presents another problem with the movie, the comic relief of the movie is the best part about it. But it is true, while Billy Eichner as Timon and Seth Rogen as Pumbaa may not be as strong a double act as Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella, they are still rather funny together and actually are given more of a meta humour than in the original movie. Not only with their version of “Hakuna Matata” but also the new Hyena distraction scene which in the original is the Hula scene but now starts off as the beginning of Beauty and the Beast’s “Be Our Guest”.

The hyenas meanwhile are made more formidable and fearsome in this movie, not only is Florence Kasumba as Shenzi more of a leader of her clan even opposing Scar at times, but both Keegan Michael-Kay and Eric André prove to be almost as good a double act as Kay & Peele. For this reason they’re high up on my list.

Donald Glover is an okay adult Simba. He has got that innocent youthful tone that adult Simba should have given the experiences of his life, but he does just feel like he’s reading a script rather than actually acting..

Beyoncé is, well Beyoncé in lioness form but the thing that lets her down is the lack of emotion on Nala’s face. Also I don’t understand why the back of her ears and tail were blackened aside from the fact that Favreau wanted Nala to stand out from the other lionesses.

Scar is as fierce as ever and Chiwetel Ejiofor proves once again why he is a great villain actor.

I was also pleasantly surprised by Simba’s mother Sarabi in this movie as not only did she have more to do but her backstory with Mufasa and Scar, which doesn’t necessarily make me want a prequel but adds to the Hamlet story that this story is based on, and has Scar state that she chose Mufasa over him...so does that mean she was somehow romantically involved with her now brother-in-law? Also Alfre Woodard is great in the role.

James Earl Jones is back and...it’s simply for nostalgic purposes because there is nothing really elevated in his performance. If anything his performance falls slightly flat in parts but otherwise he’s fine.

The biggest letdown for me is the character of Rafiki, who in the original 1994 version is my favourite character. I love the fact he’s a shaman, I loved his first meeting with Simba I could easily watch it over and over again. I do not understand why they effectively cut that scene and the message of morality that comes with it.

Then he only had his stick when preparing for that climactic fight. It seemed as if they were saying that point was him coming out of pacifism but it isn’t fully shown, but I wanted to see Rafiki walk around with his stick like he did in the original, they copied pretty much everything else but got rid of that?!

Also the one bit of facial emotion that any of these characters show is in the beginning “Circle of Life” sequence when Rafiki carries baby Simba to the edge of Pride Rock and Simba looks genuinely sad to be pulled away from his mother.

Speaking of young Simba, both JD McCrary and Shahadi Wright Joseph do a good job as the young versions of Simba and Nala respectively. I think McCrary tries very hard to recapture the emotion that can bring grown men to tears when Simba finds his father dead, it doesn’t quite stick but he tries.

Songs:

I don’t know if it is because the original score and soundtrack is so iconic and ingrained in popular culture, or just that reworks of the same songs don’t really work...Aladdin for all its plusses still fell into that category...but the songs from the original movie in this version do nothing good for me.

“Circle of Life” is supposed to be the energised introduction to the movie, but if you were to watch the opening to this movie and the original side-by-side, it is practically a shot for shot copy but this version is slower and therefore misses a lot of the cues. Even the shot where you first see Zazu flying over to Pride Rock is underwhelming and they screwed that up twice, first at the start and then again at the end of the movie.

“I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” was also slightly lackluster because of the fact this movie seemed to take away the fantastical elements of the performances in favour of apparently making it more grounded, but it was still a fun performance. I think the two young actors playing the two young cubs did a great job vocally and the performance of them hiding from Zazu amongst the animals was an okay alternative.

“Be Prepared” is the one time I have been actually offended in one of these Disney live-action remakes, this song is one of the greatest villain songs in history. They take a performance which fully executes the Elephant Graveyard but also turns the hyenas into the New Reich! This is Scar monologuing for a couple of minutes and the “song” lasts about maybe 30 seconds. This was my favourite song in the original and it fizzles out completely.

“Hakuna Matata” is a fun song as it was in the original, like “I Just Can’t Wait to Be King” the fantastical elements are taken out of it so Pumbaa swinging on the vine swing and the use of the bugs and the diving into water are all taken out. Even so, Billy Eichner and Seth Rogen do a good job singing as does JD McCrary...Donald Glover on the other hand is not a singer.

“The Lion Sleeps Tonight” is probably my favourite song in the movie, and it’s a song not original to The Lion King which is more of a problem for the revision of the soundtrack to the original 1994 version but the fact Timon and Pumbaa got essentially their own doo-wop group going of the animals that also inhabit their home, it’s just such a good rendition.

“Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”...if it wasn’t for Beyoncé would be an absolute bomb because Donald Glover, again, cannot sing. Also the song happens way too quickly. The movie is effectively a shot-for-shot remake but some scenes are cut short and Simba and Nala’s reunion is made very short before this song kicks in.

Recommendation:

I can’t say this is a perfect movie, if you love the original and want to see that again you will like this just fine, if you were wanting something different like how Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast altered themselves slightly then you won’t really get that here.

I still recommend it as a movie to see just one because it is an important movie to see just to see how stretched out these live-action remakes are becoming. However, I will agree with those that say it is one of the worst remakes.

[comickergirl]

I’ve got a pretty big soft spot for Kara’s Daring New Adventures costume, with the shorts and choker. What do you think about that one? And what are your ranking of Supergirl costumes?

I am a HUGE FAN of Kara’s look in Daring New Adventures. Definitely one of my favorite costumes.

I’ve got a few posts about various Supergirl costumes, but I don’t think I’ve ever actually ranked them! So I’ll give it a shot. XD

Okay, so here it is: Supergirl Costumes, RANKED, from the Least Favorite to HECK YEAH!*

*DISCLAIMERS BEFORE WE BEGIN: Obviously this stuff is subjective, so my list is probably going to be different that other folks’ lists, and so on and so forth. Personally, I value simple, effective designs that are both functional and…oh, what’s a good word. They’re superhero costumes. Like, sure, you could probably get the same stuff done in a Kevlar vest and cargo pants, but there isn’t really a ton of flair to be had when you go the practical route

 And bonus points if the costume reflects the character’s personality/disposition, and has a story reason for existing.

Also I don’t think I’ve got EVERY DESIGN, EVER, for any and all Karas in the multiverse, because this post is ALREADY crazy long; we need not make it longer. XD

OKAY, so now that that’s done, LET’S GO:

25. Brainwashed Apokolips Supergirl 

Proof that ‘adding pants’ won’t always solve your costume problems. 

24. Dark Supergirl

So, here’s the thing: I love the black and silver Superman costume. LOVE. IT. So it should follow that I love the Supergirl variation, right? …Well. Sometimes, a design that would otherwise be ‘just fine’ is pushed into ‘oh God, please no,’ by 1.) a terrible story surrounding said design and 2.) really weird, sexualized artwork. Such is the case with our dear friend Dark Supergirl. Which is why it sits so low on the list. (And for those curious, yes, the blue equivalent also sits down here as well, because there’s just. A lot about this era that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.) 

23. Flamebird

Another design brought low by being wrapped up with a terrible story. (I think I dislike the Kandor plot more than the Dark Supergirl plot, actually.) This feels over-designed and like it’s trying way too hard to be edgy. Less ‘edgy’ than Apokolips Girl up there, but. Close. 

22. New 52

This isn’t awful in theory but that red…er…plate? kinda ruins the whole thing. Some artists did their best to make the plate look more like the equivalent of Clark’s trunks, but at it’s worst it’s just an awkward patch that looks even more awkward from a variety of angles. (And it’s BRIGHT RED so it distracts you from the other, more effective areas of the design. NOT GREAT, BOB. NOT GREAT.)

21. Bombshells

Look this one is absolutely a personal taste thing, I’ve just never been into the pin-up aesthetic. 

20. Superman: The Animated Series

I dunno, this design just never really worked for me. It’s not bad–in fact, it’s really simple and clean, but. *shrugs* Maybe it’s just too much a departure from what I generally associate with the Superman ‘family’ of costumes. Also, the gloves always make me think of like. Loony Tunes and Mickey Mouse. (But I love the boots, guys. Those are great.) (I didn’t include her later JLU costume on this list, but know that I like it a lot.)

19. Justice League 3001

Not a huge fan of the color blocking for this look. The crest is cool, but. The shapes don’t really mesh well, IMO. 

18. 70s Hot pants

I like 50% of this costume! As we will see shortly! But that remaining 50% really kills it, man. The way the shorts/hot pants are drawn, they just end up looking like really uncomfortable underwear.

17. Cyborg Supergirl

I’m just not a mech/tech armor person. Lot of plating and circuitry…kinda starts to look too busy and you lose the cooler design elements. (But there’s a story reason for it! So it does get some points in that regard!)

16. Red Lantern

Weird color blocking/shape language strikes again! Not a fan of the knees and torso. (But! It ranks way higher than the new 52 because it makes the plate into an actual full piece of clothing. Improvement!) Mask is really cool. And the sleeves.

15. Elseworld’s Finest

Honestly it’s not a bad design. Pretty simple and slick. Mostly, it’s just kinda plain. I like the way the cape attaches to the main portion, and the boots! 

14. Crucible Academy 

A bit more streamlined that the Cyborg look. Not at all a bad design. But again. Just not into the mech armor take. 

13. DC Superhero Girls

I actually really like this? I mean, she’s adorable? But I don’t quite understand the shirt. Is it a polo? Sweater vest? A sweater vest on TOP of a polo? IDK, it’s a mystery.

12. Gotham City Garage

Belly shirt feels a little dated, but otherwise, I dig it.

11. 1984 Movie Costume

HONESTLY, FRIENDS. ALL THINGS CONSIDERED…IT’S A SMALL MIRACLE THAT THIS COSTUME LOOKS AS GOOD AS IT DOES. We’re starting to move towards my personal favorite look for Supergirl–it’s got all the right elements! But the belt’s not great, and the material–I mean it works but it’s a costume from a movie that’s three decades old. So it’s a touch dated.

10. Headband

So we’re at the point where a lot of these designs are gonna start to look similar so really I can only rank them based on nitpicky things. XD Like, I don’t love when the skirt comes to a point like that, and the way the pleating is drawn makes the skirt sort of…hang weird. (Yes I realize it’s ridiculous to talk about gravity affecting fabric in a DRAWING where neither of those things actually exist but here we are.) Overall though? The crest is nice and bold, the shape is cool, it works well with the rest of the outfit, and they are just LEANING INTO THAT HEADBAND. YOU GO, KARA. (Also heeeeeey STORY REASON FOR HEADBAND so you know what that means. BONUS POINTS.)

9. Matrix

Improves on the areas that I don’t personally dig on the Headband costume–belts and boots are GREAT. Skirt still comes to a point though. :/

8. Linda Danvers

This is why I can’t really take that Flamebird design seriously. You want your Supergirl to look edgy? DOESN’T GET EDGIER THAN FIRE WINGS, BRO.

7. Injustice 2

It’s a video game, so you’ve got SEAMS and WEIRD RANDOM DETAILS and SUPERFLUOUS DESIGN NONSENSE (see: the costume options for the metal thigh bands) but GIVEN that it’s a video game, this coulda gone so bad, bro. So credit where credit is due. XD Don’t like the gloves and bare arms, though.

6. Jamal Igle Update

They took a costume that was…causing problems, and they made it work. Really, really well. 

5. Smallville Season 11

Okay, when they advertised this comic, and Kara’s costume, I was not into it. And then I read it, and LO AND BEHOLD, IT’S G8. The color blocking is KINDA CRAZY but remarkably, when you start drawing it in action? It just. It looks good.

4. Rebirth

IT’S JUST SO CLASSIC. (So why is it not in the top three? Because of that infernal skirt point, I tell ya.)

3. Silver Age

I mean they basically NAILED IT right out the GATE man. NOICE. 

2. Daring New Adventures

The 80s fix the 50% I didn’t like in 70s look–there’s just something about adding those boots…I dunno man, it just MAKES IT WORK MUCH BETTER. I love this look. I love this era in the comics. I love Carmine Infantino’s art. LOTTA LOVE, IN THIS NUMBER 2 SPOT. 

SO WHAT’S NUMBER ONE? 

Oh come on, like you guys didn’t know. XD

1. TV Show Costume

Listen. Listen. A real human being puts this suit on–a human being subject to gravity and weather and REAL WORLD** SCENARIOS–and it’s not a train wreck. The silhouette is nice! The material is convincingly durable! There are little design elements that don’t overwhelm the overall look! The CAPE HANGS WELL AND LOOKS SO GOOD, GUYS. SO GOOD. The skirt does not come to that awkward point and the minimal pleating is well hidden by that front portion. The tights and boots help with the whole ‘flying around in a skirt’ thing by covering her legs completely, and the shirt is actually a leotard, so it’s comparable to stuff that dancers wear. 

LOOKS GOOD.

WORKS WELL.

ALIGNS NICELY WITH KARA’S CHARACTER AND PERSONALITY.

SCREAMS: SUPER! AT THE TOP OF ITS PRIMARY COLORED LUNGS.

LETS FOLKS KNOW THAT YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY KICK BUTT AND TAKE NAMES IN A SKIRT.

So yes. It wins. Forever and always. 

Honorable Mentions: Every single one of Kevin Wada and Cory J. Walker’s Supergirl designs.

[scribblechill]

On Thundercats Roar, the Calarts Style, and ‘Toxic Masculinity’

Okey, I know I rarely, rarely make blog posts. If I have something to say about cartoons or the animation sphere I would probably make a video on my channel. But I believe that this matter is not a suitable topic for a potential video, and also I’m still kind of on my Youtube hiatus. Anyways...

There is a reason why Thundercats is hated so much, and it’s because of the plight of the ‘Calarts style’. A lot of people, especially those who grew up with cartoons from the 80′s and 90′s, criticised the show for repeating the art style repeated in modern 2010′s cartoons such as Steven Universe and Gravity Falls, and that the Thundercats reboot is no more than an epiphany for the ‘lazy’ style in all contemporary cartoons. 

But is this true?

The modern ‘calarts’ style is constructed from drawing a circle, and drawing a bracket, representing the lower jaw, that protrudes out, as seen in this image:

As an artist who has emulated and utilised this style, I can say that this is perfectly true. But now let’s look at the other side, the 80′s- The 80′s style is primarily based on realistic human anatomy and proportions, with accurately depicted muscles. 

But here’s the catch. The education process of an animator within an art school is rigourous- students are required to attend mandatory figure drawing classes, where their skills when it comes to anatomy and perspective are drilled to perfection. The artists who animate with the calarts style, and the artists who made the original Thundercats have no doubt gone through this process- with all that intense training, one could probably regurgitate a human figure as easy as...well, drawing a circle with a jaw below it. 

Image credits: Reiq from Deviantart

I do agree that there is more effort that is placed into defining emotions and muscular features in the original Thundercats and many 80′s cartoons. However, the fact that they regurgitated the real life anatomy does not make them any more, or less, creative than contemporary cartoons. 

Look at Lion-O for a start, he is supposed to be a human-cat-alien. However, all the character designers did is illustrate a normal, muscular person, change the eye size to match a cat, and made the skin orange. It’s practically one or two cat features stuck to a perfectly standard rendition of a male figure that the artist could have drawn a million times during anatomy class in animation school. 

And hence, like how the ‘Calarts’ style is based off a regurgitated circle and a bracket, the 80′s cartoon style is based of a regurgitation of standard human anatomy that is commonly understood by all artists- including modern animators in Calarts. Anime uses a regurgitated style, so as comic books. But how about this image?

So are 80′s cartoons a pile of shit too?

No, the creator of this image has obviously nitpicked the characters from contemporary animation. But it does tell the point that the ‘repetitious, lazy style’ argument could work both ways, and it could be true with exceptions at the same time. The point is- each era of animation have a stylistic/anatomical thing that is repeated, and that’s fine! Because in the cartoon industry a lot of artists work between shows, and this result in their style being intertwined between many dominating shows within the industry. Both style has their beauty- the 80′s, muscly, realistic style is a celebration of how life-like and realistic you could make a series of moving pictures to be. And the Calart style looks fluid, lively, and well, cute. 

Though the design from Thundercats Roar might have been too much of a generic copycat (ba dum tss) of the Calarts style, let’s remember there are many amazing cartoons that are animated in the same style, but are beloved and are appreciated for their artistic beauty. For a start- Wonder Over Yonder, created by Craig McCracken, who surprise, came from Calarts himself. We should appreciate each era of cartoons- past, present or future, and of course, be free to criticise it too. And we should not allow one bad fruit in the basket to ruin it all for everyone. 

But there is one last thing about this whole Thundercats thing I want to address. I think this comment left by a fellow on Youtube highlights this problem I want to talk about best. 

‘When I see this style (Calarts), I don’t think ‘cutesy’. I think racist bigoted, vindictive, far left authoritarian. This drawing style is a huge warning sign that you’re dealing with the someone who’s really into violence and revenge, but deluded enough to think they’re childlike and fun.’ -anon

This is one of the biggest problem with the whole issue- people politicising the Thundercats reboot and the Calarts style. 

Basically the consensus is- the Calarts style and the Thundercats reboot itself is an attempt from leftists and SJW’s to stifle ‘toxic masculinity’, otherwise known as ‘the war on boys’. As we have all noticed- the original Thundercats is very masculine, while the reboot looks cutesy and non-threatening. Many people believe that this reboot is a small part of the agenda from the liberals imposing feminine standards on young boys at school, in the media they consume and in society, instead of allowing them to have rough and tumble play. 

Let me get this straight first- I do believe that this is an issue with the western education system in many western countries, especially Sweden. But I’m not here to talk about politics, I’m here for animation. 

The modern cartoon style portraying their characters as more cutesy instead of more masculine is not a large social engineering project, but it’s instead a mix of the change in writing style and economics. 

First of all, large corporations like Cartoon Network has no intention on manipulating kids to be more feminine. They just market, greenlight, and promote what sells. It’s called business. The cutesy style is trendy nowadays- so networks today promote it. The muscle-man, masculine style is trendy back in the 80′s, so networks promoted it before. Welcome to the free market. 

Second of all- the writing style. The entire Calarts style started with the ‘cartoon renaissance’ of the 2010′s- catalysed by shows like Adventure Time and Gravity Falls. These shows not only brought a new art style, but they also brought something back that has been mostly eroded in the previous decade- story and character development. The imperative part of character development is relatability, and this would mean the rejection of ‘Mary Sues’, or perfect flawless characters. 

It lies in the visual narrative- a worked up person with large muscles- as portrayed in Thundercats, does not seem as ‘relatable’ as maybe a more bubbly, cutesy, character, because the fact is that the majority of us do not look, and more importantly, feel like that. But unlike the Thundercats reboot, this bubbly Calarts character design in many good contemporary cartoons juxtaposes with the character’s surrounding world, which is often illustrated to be much darker, and included more physical and emotional challenges they have to face. They are more appealing because the audience, whether they are kids are adults, realise that someone meek and not very insignificant like themselves, represented by the ‘cutesy’ style, could fight and fare along in a world that’s dark, complex, and that they can overcome the hurdles in their personal life like family relationships etc (classic examples being Gravity Falls, Steven Universe, Adventure Time, even Gumball, OK KO and Star Vs to some extent) and that they could do so too. They are not more appealing to the audience because the audience is being brainwashed into being more feminine. 

A lot of the people supporting the notion that the Calarts style is representative of the feminisation of society will point out that cartoons today do not show and encourage people to take action on their own flaws, and that the audience is shielded from reality and are replaced with rainbows and sunshine to ‘feminise’ the children, and some of them end up calling artists and animators that utilise the Calarts style as ‘cucks’, ‘soyboys’ (lol) and ‘betas’ and are obsessed with their ideologies and social engineering. When in fact, cartoons today have been promoting the idea of overcoming one’s own flaws all the time, (Maybe not in Thundercats Roar or TTG but in Adventure Time, Steven Universe, Star vs. etc) and are in fact building stronger people in real life, all thanks to the fact that the audience could actually relate increasingly to  more modestly, cutely designed characters.    

Img cred: Know Your Meme

And I have to say, I personally think a lot of them are completely new to the modern cartoon/animation sphere and they just popped in because they saw this Thundercats reboot, and just because of that one reboot they came up with the notion that the Calarts style and the entire cartoon industry is stifling masculinity. No offence to them at all. But like I said earlier, the cutesy style actually creates a sense of reliability and juxtaposition for the audience that a more masculine and strong illustration style like the original Thundercats might not be able to offer. It’s only that Thundercats Roar failed to create this sense of juxtaposition, but it doesn’t mean the rest of the bunch- OK KO, Steven Universe, fail to do so too. 

If you are a big fan of cartoons, may I ask you, will the show lose it’s appeal, at least slightly, because...

- Star from Star vs looks more like Wonderwoman

- Dipper from Gravity Falls is an alpha with gains. 

I’m well aware that this is could be different between person to person. 

The point is, the fact that we are politicising a fucking art style and calling everyone who uses and endorses it as your political opponent, shows how emotionally driven this whole debate is. Fans of the former Thundercats have every right to be mad at the reboot- it is a bastardisation of the original and a disrespect towards the original creator. However, turning this nostalgic rage into political stigmatisation and blanket generalisation of the many hardworking artists and animators that just get along is childish in itself. Sure, some artists might actually believe that masculinity is toxic, whoever designed the characters in the Thundercats reboot might be lazy- but the majority of those people who use the Calarts style, or come from Calarts, want to pursue their passion, make the best animations they could, and put food on the table. 

The political issues implied are very real, but using them to emotionally justify one’s rage against these artists is not right. 

It takes some balls for you to voice out against social change (despite doing it in the wrong place), but it takes a real man to pursue the gruelling yet rewarding art form of animation. 

[bearpillowmonster]

Yakuza Kiwami Review

Welcome to a japanese 'The Game Plan', the video game adaptation. (Kind of) I wanted to start this review with a first impressions, so I'm writing this after playing the first few chapters of the game.

First off, I like the atmosphere, the town is nice, I like learning the street names and seeing all the people on the road and talking to them. There are even drunks running about (more like stumble about) which is such an odd little feature.

There are plenty of battles, including street fights and each one increases your experience, however if there's a person who wants to pick a fight, they will chase you down at times until they can get close enough to talk to you, you "can" outrun them and cheese it by walking in a nearby store or something then walking back out. I'm not going to complain because it's a remake of a game on the PS2 (which I try to take into account for this review) but some of the models are janky at times with the way the models jerk but again, no big deal. There's a sprint system but he'll get tired and stop to catch his breath but you can reuse it right after, no bar to refill or anything but I will say that the health bar doesn't refill itself unless you die or get something to eat, so be wary if you're going into a fight.

There's a pretty decent skill tree like stuff to increase your health, tech, etc. I'm sure you already know that you can pick up random items like chairs, motorcycles, traffic cones and such to fight with but it really is fun to mess around with, just adds to the world building. It also has a play-style system with Brawler, Beast, Rush, and Dragon to fit however you like to play (I like Brawler best). If you played FF7 Remake, it kind of reminds me of the Operator vs Punisher mode, I wonder if they were inspired by this game. I know I'm going to offend some people here but this is what the Arkham franchise's combat wishes it was (as far as Asylum and City go, I never played the other ones) I just like this more. 

Now the story is pretty simple but pretty decent, I still can't believe this is the same guy who made Super Monkey Ball. I could see where it might build for the future games, I wanted to start with Yakuza 5 because I hear that's the best besides 0 and I don't normally care for continuity and do it with plenty of game series and don't have any trouble for the most part but the 5th entry in the saga seems a little more steep than say the 2nd or 3rd so I'm happy to settle on the first.

First impressions over, let's get into the thick of it.

The story is pretty cutscene heavy. Goofy at times but I still dig it, especially seeing Kiryu and Haruka interact.

How are the bosses? Well, the first proper boss is Shimano. There are some mini bosses before it but he's the big one. In the first Kingdom Hearts game, if a boss has a good amount of health, they'll stack the health bars into different colors, such as green, yellow, and orange, this is very similar to that. Shimano isn't what you should base the bosses on because he's a tough first boss, he's very strong and drawn out, but in a way kind of reflective because Kiryu is meant to be a bit rusty after all that time and this dude is huge on top of it so of course he's going to have a rough time with him. Narrative-wise, it makes sense but it's still a hard, kind of unforgiving and annoying boss battle. (also why didn't Kiryu just point out the hole in the window or have Kazama say otherwise??) Just know that they aren't normally like that.

I will say that the Akai break-dancing trash of the bloody eye were also super annoying though. You can't even approach the older brother, one is fine, but two? And a buncha goons? 

My actual worst enemy is falling over though...

Majima is more of a rival but you fight him frequently. He reminds me of somebody I know, and that's what makes him funny but I don't like him, you're not really supposed to like him. He does have one of the best fights of the game though and if you’re dedicated then you can upgrade your dragon abilities through him. 

One thing that I know may put people off from this game is the localization because for one, "Yakuza Kiwami" actually sounds kinda cool but it's very japanese which means, there is no dubbing, which is kind of rare for big games such as this, you just rely on subtitles. If it doesn't bother you with anime then it's fine. It's actually really fun. Now I have the PC edition but that's mainly because it was on sale (then it was on sale on the PS store a few weeks later which made me pretty salty) but I easily just plugged in my PS4 controller and it was all good, especially since "Real Yakuza use a gamepad". I personally wouldn't recommend the keyboard and mouse setup though as it can seem kind of tedious.

Random Section! Each dude has a name so I know who I'm trash talking. You ask Shinji for money early on but never pay him back and that really bothers me. I will say that the weapons and items you buy should have a stats chart so that you can tell if an item is stronger than one you have (how is an umbrella stronger than a revolver??) you kind of just have to take a shot in the dark based on price. Now once does Kiryu place the blame on anybody even after his 10 years and everything he's been through, it's really honorable, mad respect but it might've saved some hassle at certain points...

One thing that surprised me is just how easy it is to get a lot. I mean it makes sense because you're a yakuza, but I'm not used to getting so much CP after just a few fights and money out the wazooh (not always through fights, but sell a few things and see where you get). There are side missions but are they interesting? I mentioned the random people wanting to beat you up, but there are those that chase you and the ones that are beating on somebody else where you can choose to intervene, like how you would do basic stuff like taking someone to the hospital or stopping a robbery in Spider-Man. But then there are the ones with more context. A homeless man that needs a coat, a girl being harassed by men but then she takes you for a drink, none of them stand out a whole lot or lasts too long (because there are so many) but they're interesting little side things. There’s obviously lots to do, so I know I haven’t even experienced everything.

I mentioned atmosphere and how I liked exploring, you can take a cab, but I would say at least learn the area first, you find tons of little stuff like locker keys. Was it worth losing Super Monkey Ball over this? Not really but you can get an AiAi plush in the claw machine! Was it a good game though? Yeah, I'd have to say so, I'll be moving on to more in the series, Kiwami 2 seems like the next logical approach.

[chimeramaker-blog]

Rules

[last update - 07.12.2017]

First off, this page may be heavily updated in the future, since I am not very experienced with the rp community on tumblr nowadays - feel free to consider me as some kind of newbie though I've been rping in the past, things were a little bit different back then, I will do my best to adapt. What I am trying to say by this is that I will add/change rules along with my experiences, for example if I come across something I feel uncomfortable with. I will write a little text post to inform you if things have majorly changed. With that said, enjoy reading my basic rules, lmao.

For more info about the muse, go here. If you want to know about the mun, there.

General Information

This is an independent and semi-selective roleplay blog of my BNHA OC.

I obviously am OC-friendly. Multi-muses are depending - it can be confusing. If your rp blog is a sideblog, please tell me what your main is in order for me to keep track on who to follow and if we're mutuals. I interact with mutuals only. I am very selective about crossovers, I prefer rping in my muses universe, but I may make exceptions.

I am 24 and from Germany. Since English is not my native language, some grammar and spelling errors may occur, however I will always try my best and double-check before submitting a reply.

I am very okay with romance and shipping. I am also fine with multi-shipping, however my muse would not cheat on someone, all relationships will be in different universes.

Do not interupt a thread I am writing on with someone different than you. Starter calls/ask memes and the like are always open for multilpe persons but already ongoing rps are usually closed. If you want to interact with a certain situation/comment on something that has happened in a thread: write a separate ask/post about it.

Writing smut and other nsfw content is fine by me under certain circumstances. Altough I'm a very smutty person, I am not okay with writing smut without at least a bit of plot beforehand, much less if our muses have never interacted before. It'd be impossible for me to know how to act in these situations if I don't know how our muses interact in normal situations.

I will not write nsfw content with you if you are not at least 18+.

I may reblog/post drawings of my OC now and then - if not stated otherwise, those were drawn by me and it should go without saying that I do not want you to repost them without credit/permission or claim them as your own. If you do, I will report you without further notice.

Personal Things

I see how my muses abilities can remind of themes and shows like Steven Universe. I personally don't like Steven Universe much so please try not to make comparisons or jokes containing it. I don't want to affiliate my muse with a show I don't like.

Dragonball Z jokes however are okay, actually I can see Kenzou try to trick classmates into learning and performing the DBZ fusion dance in order to be able to use his quirk on them.

At this point, I am not up to date with the BNHA manga yet. However I don't care at all if you post spoilers or the like, I'm perfectly fine with that. Just know that I may not understand some plot-related things or know some characters all too well yet. Don't be too surprised if I mix things related to the manga up a bit - I just may have not reached a certain point yet. [This point will of course be deleted as soon as I reached the latest chapter and finally am up to date.]

I have ADD, AvPD and high grade depression. Therefore OOC posts may be heavily depression themed, but I will tag them accordingly.

Interacting with my ooc posts is okay.

I'm a slow writer, please be patient.

Mun faceclaim = Jinie Kwon [The Breaker: New Waves]

I'm all for quality over quantity. If my reply contains more or less words than yours, do not think I may have lost my interest or want you to write more as well. Sometimes I'm able to write more and other times I can't think of a way to make my reply any longer. I prefer to receive a reply at all, than for you to struggle keeping up with the numbers of words. At the same time, please don't be mad at me if my reply may end up a bit short. It's either that or my avpd making me avoid replying to the thread at all because I don't think I can pull off writing as much.

IC =/= OOC If you read both my mun and muse about pages, you probably realized that I am sharing a lot of traits with my muse. Yes, I may be self-inserting a bit but the genral rule of course is that all ic do not represent the mun. If our muses get into a fight, it is simply because of the ic interaction and in no way because I have a problem with you as a person. At the same time, if I'm a bit moody ooc, I will not try to make it show ic.

Triggers and Blacklisting

I'm fairly easy to handle. There are no real triggers for me, after spending over 6 years on tumblr I think I have seen some shit but I have never felt the need to blacklist anything other than specific fandoms/shows I do not feel comfortable with (those being: Rick and Morty, Homestuck & Hiveswap, Voltron, Hetalia, Transformers, MLP, Steven Universe). If you're part of these fandoms, please don't feel offended, I either have bad memories for these shows or just don't enjoy them. If you are rping as one of the characters of the shows I will not follow you/rp with you, so unless you are reblogging posts of these shows independently to your blogs theme there will no problems. If you do reblog content of these shows: please tag it. If your mun/muse faceclaim is a character of these shows, please ask me if I am okay with it - in some cases I may make some exeptions. Since my muse likes to fuse animals, I may reblog pictures/drawings of animal hybrids or mutated animals. I will not tag them as 'animal abuse' unless the theme is actually showing - which I usually wouldn't even reblog. At this point I am not tagging them as things like 'body horror' either. If there is specific mutations that make you feel uncomfortable, please tell me. For example a irl photo of a snake with two heads: I would tag it as 'muliple heads'. If you are uncomfortable with the theme of fused animals altogether - maybe blacklist the tag { creations } or do not follow me at all. !!! This blog may contain triggering content like (minor) gore, explicit language, swear words, mentions of abuse, nsfw content, violence, depression, anxiety and so on. I will always do my best and tag everything as good as I can. Should I ever forget to tag something or if there's something specific you want me to tag, always feel free to contact me about it.

Examples of things I'll tag for you: nsfw, tw: spiders, tw: cannibalism, tw: gore, tw: irl gore, tw: animal abuse, tw: blood, tw: self harm Things I want you to tag for me: - other than the fandoms listed above, none so far -

If possible, please like this post after you read my rules, thank you!

[ow-harpy-blog]

Rules

[last update - 07.01.2018]

First off, this page may be heavily updated in the future, since I am not very experienced with the rp community on tumblr nowadays - feel free to consider me as some kind of newbie though I've been rping in the past, things were a little bit different back then, I will do my best to adapt. What I am trying to say by this is that I will add/change rules along with my experiences, for example if I come across something I feel uncomfortable with. I will write a little text post to inform you if things have majorly changed. With that said, enjoy reading my basic rules, lmao.

For more info about the muse, go here. If you want to know about the mun, there.

General Information

This is an independent and semi-selective roleplay blog of my Overwatch OC.

I obviously am OC-friendly. Multi-muses are depending - it can be confusing. If your rp blog is a sideblog, please tell me what your main is in order for me to keep track on who to follow and if we're mutuals. I interact with mutuals only. I am very selective about crossovers, I prefer rping in my muses universe, but I may make exceptions.

I am 24 and from Germany. Since English is not my native language, some grammar and spelling errors may occur, however I will always try my best and double-check before submitting a reply.

I am very okay with romance and shipping. I am also fine with multi-shipping, however my muse would not cheat on someone, all relationships will be in different universes.

I will strongly distinguish musings from rps. I may post headcanons about Ronja that involving canon characters, but of course whatever I write is more of a musing for the verse in my head and if you are rping as the canon character I wrote about you do not have to use this as a guideline. - for example: in my headcanon Ronja is in a relationship with Jesse McCree, but of course that does not make her be in a relationship with any McCree rp blog I interact with [unless you're down for that of course].

Do not interupt a thread I am writing on with someone different than you. Starter calls/ask memes and the like are always open for multilpe persons but already ongoing rps are usually closed. If you want to interact with a certain situation/comment on something that has happened in a thread: write a separate ask/post about it.

Writing smut and other nsfw content is fine by me under certain circumstances. Altough I'm a very smutty person, I am not okay with writing smut without at least a bit of plot beforehand, much less if our muses have never interacted before. It'd be impossible for me to know how to act in these situations if I don't know how our muses interact in normal situations.

I will not write nsfw content with a underage mun or muse.

I may reblog/post drawings of my OC now and then - if not stated otherwise, those were drawn by me and it should go without saying that I do not want you to repost them without credit/permission or claim them as your own. If you do, I will report you without further notice.

Personal Things

I have ADD, AvPD and high grade depression. Therefore OOC posts may be heavily depression themed, but I will tag them accordingly.

Interacting with my ooc posts is okay.

I'm a slow writer, please be patient.

Mun faceclaim = Jinie Kwon [The Breaker: New Waves]

I'm all for quality over quantity. If my reply contains more or less words than yours, do not think I may have lost my interest or want you to write more as well. Sometimes I'm able to write more and other times I can't think of a way to make my reply any longer. I prefer to receive a reply at all, than for you to struggle keeping up with the numbers of words. At the same time, please don't be mad at me if my reply may end up a bit short. It's either that or my avpd making me avoid replying to the thread at all because I don't think I can pull off writing as much.

IC =/= OOC Ronja is very dear to me, she is kind of like my Overwatch self-insert so please treat her and me well. Still, even if I may be self-inserting a bit, the genral rule of course is that all ic do not represent the mun. If our muses get into a fight, it is simply because of the ic interaction and in no way because I have a problem with you as a person. At the same time, if I'm a bit moody ooc, I will not try to make it show ic.

Triggers and Blacklisting

I'm fairly easy to handle. There are no real triggers for me, after spending over 6 years on tumblr I think I have seen some shit but I have never felt the need to blacklist anything other than specific fandoms/shows I do not feel comfortable with (those being: Rick and Morty, Homestuck & Hiveswap, Voltron, Hetalia, Transformers, MLP, Steven Universe). If you're part of these fandoms, please don't feel offended, I either have bad memories for these shows or just don't enjoy them. If you are rping as one of the characters of the shows I will not follow you/rp with you, so unless you are reblogging posts of these shows independently to your blogs theme there will no problems. If you do reblog content of these shows: please tag it. If your mun/muse faceclaim is a character of these shows, please ask me if I am okay with it - in some cases I may make some exeptions. !!! This blog may contain triggering content like (minor) gore, explicit language, swear words, mentions of abuse, nsfw content, violence, depression, anxiety and so on. I will always do my best and tag everything as good as I can. Should I ever forget to tag something or if there's something specific you want me to tag, always feel free to contact me about it.

Examples of things I'll tag for you: nsfw, tw: spiders, tw: cannibalism, tw: gore, tw: irl gore, tw: animal abuse, tw: blood, tw: self harm Things I want you to tag for me: - other than the fandoms listed above, none so far -

If possible, please like this post after you read my rules, thank you!

[nic-and-annie-in-france]

Two Weekends

It has been a while since our last update. That’s partly because we have been so busy in the past month, mostly with happy things! Here’s how we spent two of our weekends in our new area.

At the beginning of October we spent a Saturday in Chambéry to go to the Festival International de la Bande Dessinée, a festival celebrating comic books and graphic novels. Comics are way more popular in France than they are in the US—at our preferred branch of the Lexington Public Library, there is about one tall bookshelf full of graphic novels. At our library in France, which is much smaller overall, there are about three times more shelves dedicated to bandes dessinées (or BDs for short). After taking a French class at UK dedicated to studying BDs, I have grown to enjoy reading them. I don’t care much for the DC- or Marvel-style serial comics, but I’ve found and read quite a few memoirs and novels where the narratives are enhanced by their stunning artwork and visual storytelling. Nicolas prefers reading sci-fi and fantasy, so comics are a favorite genre of his, too. When we had the opportunity to celebrate the graphic novel at the third-largest BD festival in France, we took it.

One of the things on the schedule for the day was a “spectacle"; based on the brief description of it, I gathered that it was a blend of live theater and a comic book. I had trouble imagining what that might be like, but it sounded interesting. However, our train was 45 minutes late arriving to Chambéry, so we missed it. I was disappointed, but later we found out that you had to pay extra to go to the spectacle, so we probably would have opted out anyway. 

The rest of the festival was basically a ComicCon (I’ve never been to a “-Con,” but from what I’ve heard about them, this was similar). There were several rooms where you could buy new and used comic books, and there was a large room set up with rows and rows of booths. At each booth there were authors and artists there to meet their fans and sign copies of their books. We had no book for them to sign, and I hadn’t heard of any of the authors anyway, so we only walked around this area and watched. We saw lots of artists draw pictures on the cover pages of people’s books, which seems like a logical thing for an artist to do at a book signing. But I was shocked to see the level of time, attention, and detail going into these drawings. Each picture we saw looked like it took, at the bare minimum, 20 minutes to draw and/or ink. Even though we didn’t enough about any of the artists to get anything signed, it was really cool to walk around and see so many artists working, and in such diverse styles. We were also glad that we weren’t among the poor souls waiting in line for hours to get their books signed.

The other thing we particularly wanted to see was the screening of a short documentary about an illustrator’s work, start to finish, on one page of a comic book. The artist in the documentary was in his eighties, and he had been illustrating for decades. Over the course of a week, he read the author’s manuscript for the page, considered what needed to be drawn, drafted the panels in pencil, refined and finished them in ink, then presented them to the author for approval. It was amazing to see him draft each picture with what looked like no effort at all—he was clearly a master of his craft. It was also funny to see how critical he was of his own work—after two days of working on the first panel, he scrapped it because he didn’t like how he had laid it out. The documentary was in French, obviously, so I whispered summaries of the things the artist said in English in Nicolas’ ear. Luckily he only spoke in the short pauses he took from drawing, otherwise Nicolas and I would both have been lost.

______

The following weekend was the Descente des Alpages in Annecy. During the summers in this region, there are livestock grazing on the mountainsides. In the fall, they come down from the mountains to spend the winter in the stables in the valleys. And in Annecy, they have a festival to celebrate this event. As I talked about this event with other English-speaking assistants, the best English translations we could come up with for this event were “cattle descent” and “cow parade.” It sounds a lot less bizarre in French (at least I hope it does).

Nicolas and I went to Annecy with a group of fifteen assistants in our area to check out the cow parade. It was our first time going to Annecy this year, so it was nice to visit a familiar place. All through the narrow streets of the old quarter of Annecy, there were street vendors selling meats, cheeses, drinks, souvenirs, and tartiflette, the faux-traditional ham/potato/cheese casserole we tried for the first time last year. They ladled the tartiflette out of comically large pans, which was quite a sight to see. Our party of fifteen weaved its way through the packed streets and took in the sights, and even better, the smells. 

After we had eaten our fill of tartiflette, we found a place to stand along the parade route. Soon, there were people dressed in traditional alpine clothing dancing, waving, or riding in wagons down the street. There were also a few groups singing and playing instruments like horns (the Ricola kind), accordions, and some instruments I can’t even name. The real stars of the show, though, were the animals. There were packs of Saint Bernards (with the barrels on their collars, of course), flocks of sheep, herds of cows with flower crowns and huge bells around their necks, and even a flock of geese! I had read earlier that geese would be part of the parade, and I wondered how you could ever get geese to walk along a specified route, but they were very well-behaved and didn’t even honk! 

The most memorable part of the parade was the sheep. They were escorted by a horse-pulled cart, a few shepherds, and a sheepdog. The cart stopped right in front of us, and then the sheepdog and shepherds got the sheep to start running in frantic circles around the cart. The sheep and the sheepdog brushed our legs as they ran by, and they left quite a bit of poop on the street when they finally moved on. I was a little bit startled by all this, and I could only imagine how alarmed a toddler standing too close to the action might be! In all, it was lots of fun to celebrate all those farmers and farm animals!

Just like I was surprised that a cheesy potato casserole was considered a “traditional” regional delicacy over here, I was kind of amazed that this cow parade was happening in France of all places. Apart from the traditional European clothing, the exact same thing could have taken place very easily in Kentucky as some kind of FFA-sponsored event. I’m starting to realize that there’s a fine line between “elegant” or “sophisticated” French culture and the things that go on in the holler!

[comicteaparty]

January 31st, 2019 CTP Archive

The archive for the Comic Tea Party chat that occurred on January 31st, 2019, from 5PM - 7PM PST.  The chat focused on Apricot Cookie(s)! by Louis Lloyd-Judson.

Featured Comment:

Chat:

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- THURSDAY BOOK CLUB START!

Good evening, everyone~! This week’s Thursday Book Club is officially beginning! Today we are discussing Apricot Cookie(s)! by Louis Lloyd-Judson~! (https://apricotcookies.net/)

Remember that Thursday discussions are completely freeform! However, every 30 minutes I will drop in OPTIONAL discussion questions in case you’d like a bit of a prompt. If you miss out on one of these prompts, you can find them pinned for the chat’s duration. Additionally, remember that while constructive criticism is allowed, our focus is fun and respectfully appreciating the comic. All that said, let’s begin!

QUESTION 1. What is your favorite scene in the comic so far and why?

Superjustinbros

Hello!

RebelVampire

hey super~!

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Hi everyone This is late into the comic, but I loved the reveal of Apricot's family -- how it was treated as normal and matter-of-fact in-universe, because for her it is, even though it's a real Wham Moment for the readers.

Superjustinbros

Glad to be here!

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

(And that's gotta be the reason why she can't transform properly, right?)(edited)

Superjustinbros

https://tapas.io/episode/1265858 This oen gave me a good chuckle

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Yeah, I love all the self-aware genre jokes.

RebelVampire

i agree with erin. my favorite scene is when we find out that apricot's secret is that shes the princess of darkness. because i did not expect the secret reveal right then, and just like the entire process as things evolved was personally comical for me. cause first her dad shows up in this weird attire, then grandma darkness, then the helmet thing, and then just more from there. like it was a bunch of puzzle pieces all falling into place. if i was a cartoon character thats when a lightbulb and exclamation point wouldve appeared over my head.

Superjustinbros

the genral humor of the comic is top notch

and how it plays with stereotypes

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Ooh, it was totally unexpected. And most people would consider this as a possible reason why she can't transform! But it's perfectly in-character for her that she never spoiled the reveal by even thinking about it.

She's such a ditz, I love her.

RebelVampire

yeah. the humor of the comic is definitely top notch. this, imo at least, is parody done right. because its walking that fine line between mocking the tropes but having them and loving them anyway.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Definitely.

RebelVampire

i also love the reveal cause suddenly this page made more sense https://tapas.io/episode/274726

and i love that sneaky foreshadowing i didnt mark in my mind as sneaky foreshadowing

Superjustinbros

Yes^(edited)

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Ooh, nice.

RebelVampire

but yeah, i definitely think everything played out in a natural way for apricot. cause of course she denies all the things. cause her family doesnt fit into her tragic back story

which btw i love when shes talking about that and her dad is just sitting there reading the newspaper

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

A+ introduction there.

mathtans

I like how it all clicked together too. Though I think my favourite moment was on this page: https://apricotcookies.net/5/31 ... Not only a BTTF reference at the sake of fashion but also a callback to an earlier joke that I hadn't expected.

Superjustinbros

Time traveling movie references in a reference to a past joke. Genius(edited)

mathtans

Yeah, it's interesting the stuff in the background, not just that bit with her dad, but her sister in the background of one shot, and I was like, hmmmm wait? Then it all gets explained.

Missed the "An" bit though.

RebelVampire

yes. i love that this joke made a comeback. like this is the sort of attention to detail i love and that i think really makes the comic's humor top notch.

mathtans

Speaking of which, I will say, not impressed by the fart humour. I feel like it's (comic's) too clever to need to reach for the bottom shelf there. It's the one thing I shake my head over.(edited)

But that's me.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Nah, it's me too.

Superjustinbros

Fart humor in 2018/19?

mathtans

Back to the amusing, the line about her being "16 but 18 outside of Japan". OMG.

RebelVampire

that was way too topical and i loved that line

cause its so true

Superjustinbros

Indeed

mathtans

I was thinking about it again when she was in England. Like... hm?

RebelVampire

especially now with more companies cracking down

and suddenly all these 18 year old high school girls

mathtans

Yis. eyeroll

Superjustinbros

eyerolls

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

That's a good example of a joke that's clever and genre-savvy, it just happens to refer to something that's bad news IRL. In contrast to the "it's gross, that automatically makes it funny" bits.

mathtans

Yeah, there's lots of clever genre stuff.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

A little more seriously...I really liked Starlit Pony's whole arc. It's irreverent and wacky but there's actually something sincere underneath.

mathtans

Sorry, which? Abysmal with names.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

The trans one!

mathtans

Ah! I suspected but wasn't sure. I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about that one, like I almost wish it had gone deeper. I wasn't sure if the dad was being sarcastic with the "son" comments near the start or not. But I agree there was some good consideration there.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

She's a great counter-example for the kind of people who say "what, you don't want us to make fun of crossdressing-boy characters?? How will we be funny now? You obviously just hate jokes!"

Like, no, you can be funny and respect trans people. Here's proof.

Superjustinbros

^

RebelVampire

i really liked they involved the trainers aspect more in that arc. because i also love the boys all card duel just as much as i love the girls are all magical girls.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

And her dad refers to her as his daughter eventually -- it's a happy conclusion, that he comes around to accepting her gender.

mathtans

Yup, smashing stereotypes through use of stereotypes. Or something.

Erin: Yes, but I wasn't sure if she was actually a girl who liked cards, or a boy who liked magic. Like, the way it was presented felt ambiguous, even through the dad's comments, until later.

Of course, I'm also sleep deprived.

Gawd I hate January.

Superjustinbros

As someone that dislikes stereotypes anything that's used to bash/take shots at them is welcome by me

I know that feel

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Well, she's a girl who likes magic. But she has the card-based powers because apparently those are divided by biology, not gender identity.

RebelVampire

QUESTION 2. One of the main aspects of the comic is to parody manga and anime in a comedic manner. Of all the parodies so far, which one do you think is the most accurate? What about its execution in the comic do you think makes it work as a parody? Additionally, which of the parodies did you find the funniest? Outside of the writing, there are also plenty of visual gags. Visually speaking, which moment stood out to you as particularly comedic? Lastly, what do you personally feel the underlying commentary is saying about manga and anime? Has any parody in the comic made you think about manga or anime in a new light?

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

It's really funny that there's this whole card-game-based conflict going on in the same world, in the background to the magical-power-based conflict.

Like, that's how the industry as a whole feels sometimes -- though obviously it's not along such a rigid divide (much as marketing companies wish it was).

mathtans

The visit to the Convention was rather amusing. There's these times when the creator pokes fun at themselves, visually or otherwise. (eg "No one does these things in full colour").

Superjustinbros

lol

Yeah, doujinshi are rarely drawn in full color

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Yeah, that was good. I love that even the in-between pages have that kind of self-referential gag. "This is best read out loud, in a crowded place, such as on a train."

mathtans

I had feels for the artist when Apricot critiqued. Though Apricot also seems to appreciate things that are "hard to draw".

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

XD

mathtans

Yeah, the explanation pages are clever. I like how it's actually a different character and bird each time.

I still remember when they were looking at that post with all the wires too.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Usually "that looks hard to draw" is a cartoonist's lampshading of the fact that they're fudging their way out of drawing something. Here, nope, we get to see the whole thing.

Superjustinbros

This^

RebelVampire

i love thatd moment where they took a moment to look at the electrical telephone pole

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

("They", I say, as if I'm not included in this group, heh.)

RebelVampire

for the hard to draw thing

A+ joke

mathtans

I liked the dark lord muttering about having to watch teenage girls too. With the globe he got and everything. He probably would prefer Anzu to be doing it as part of her training.

Actually, his intros are hilarious.

I'm not sure what it parodies, but it works.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

He seems like a riff on the standard Video Game Final Boss to me.

RebelVampire

i think my favorite parody of them all is the one where apricot actually does wake up late and then takes the time to go get bread, and etc. etc. cause its just so drawn out in how long it takes. but its true, you cant go late to anime school without toast in your mouth.

Superjustinbros

lol yes

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

...realizing now that I don't actually have much personal experience with Video Game Final Bosses, I'm basing this impression mostly on how they get parodied in other webcomics. Like RPG World, or Adventurers.

mathtans

Heh. That was clever (the toast). I felt like it went on a bit long was the only thing. (Also, in the background, 11-11. Subtle.)(edited)

The language thing (are we speaking Japanese or English) felt like it went on a bit long too. I think it only stands out because usually the pacing feels very good.

I don't play the Video Games, I only watch Let'S Plays.

RebelVampire

i also loved the translation bit. it did go on for a bit, yet i think what sold me on it was the OK that was supposed to be english was actually changed to the correct universal font for trying to show things in english

mathtans

I did notice that. Another clever detail.

RebelVampire

he seems most assuredly a riff on video game final bosses, especially considering everyone mistook him for sephiroth at the convention

Superjustinbros

lol

mathtans

Do not challenge him. He will summon your parents.

Superjustinbros

that would be amazing

RebelVampire

one of my fave visual gags is probably this page https://tapas.io/episode/483838

mathtans

The navigation is also really clever (on the main site). My first time there, I just clicked right arrow. It brought me to the first page again, and I had to actually read what was going on.

RebelVampire

where shes telling jacques shes surely pretty under that helmet

but nope

Superjustinbros

those eyes tho o_o

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

And the "sorry if you were looking for recipes" in the header cracks me up.

mathtans

Jacques is creepy. Another nice detail with the missing a leg in human form, but like, wtf with birds.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

I'm so glad she put the helmet back on

RebelVampire

yes i really loved that detail in the header

mathtans

Header's good too, yup.

RebelVampire

but makes me wonder how many ppl have gotten to this site wanting apricot cookie recipes XD

mathtans

I like how "Anzu" means "Apricot". Though it just adds more language confusion.

RebelVampire

oh lol, i didnt know that. never crossed my mind to translate her name XD

mathtans

I suspected, so I went to a translation program.

Superjustinbros

god bless translations

RebelVampire

smart. thats a great detail then

https://apricotcookies.net/5/21

i enjoy the last panel

about the adaptions

especially cause the hollywood one would be terrible

too accurate

but i also appreciate the art style switch in the next page

cause that takes some skill

Superjustinbros

yes

RebelVampire

and i love the filters kind of effect on it that references the kind of shit quality 90s anime had

mathtans

I'm bad for noticing art stuff at times.

Interesting how she started blonde though.

RebelVampire

i assume the blond is their natural color, and their hair only becomes black when infused with dark power

so ya know

typical anime stuff

QUESTION 3. The comic features a slew of colorful characters with even more colorful personalities. Which character at the moment is your favorite and why? Further, of the comedic moments related to them, which one do you think was the best? What sort of scenarios are you hoping to see this character in in the future? Finally, what do you think their relationship with our protagonist Apricot adds to the story? Speaking of relationship dynamics with Apricot, how do you feel like those dynamics in general might change between all the characters as the story continues? Overall, what typical manga scenarios are you hoping to see addressed in the comic, and which character are you hoping to see participate in them?

mathtans

It amusing that Apricot wants her parents to be dead in her backstory, but her real story is kind of messed up too.

Superjustinbros

Design wise, Meal Deal and Moonlight Spritzer.

mathtans

Cream ftw. For definite.

Can't beat teleporting and quipping like Spiderman.

I'm bad for noticing designs too.

Superjustinbros

Especially with a name like Cream

RebelVampire

im really sad there wont be more moonlight spritzer cause shes now an office lady

Superjustinbros

r.i.p.

mathtans

... ... I had always pictured it as "cream and sugar" until you said that ...

I was amused by "that doesn't count". I'm not a motorcycle fan though. ^.^

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

I was thinking whipped cream. To go with the other desserts.

mathtans

I guess I was automatically onto the tea or coffee mindset.

Wait, butter's a dessert?

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Butter cookies are?

They're not all desserts, just several of them.

mathtans

Did not even pick up on that. Point.

Superjustinbros

mmm, butter

mathtans

Speaking of, Apricot's interest in Butter, like trying not to look at her transforming or how she reacted to the idea it was just the two of them at a sleepover... that amused me. Because of the yuri implications. ^.^

Though I guess Apricot's turned out to be... pansexual?

RebelVampire

they at least all have a food theme i think.

mathtans

Not sure if that's the right term.

RebelVampire

i assume apricot is just into whatever although i doubt were gonna get any actual ships going on alas.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Bisexual or pansexual would both work. Unless she uses a specific word in-universe...and AFAIK there aren't separate words in Japanese.

She just says she's into "men and women...and trains."

mathtans

Bisexual implies male or female to me though, versus the trains thing. ^^

RebelVampire

apricot x trains otp

mathtans

apricot x ships?

Superjustinbros

apricots on ships sounds liek the name to a song

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Eh, there are straight and gay people who talk about weird xeno attractions too.

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

Geh. 9A9 I'm late! jumps in anyway

I like the Apricot x Butter ship. XDDD

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

So many anime with trains/planes/boats/etc personified as sexy moe girls...

Superjustinbros

^

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

Much agreed with Erin. ; v ;

RebelVampire

i wonder if jacques plays hatoful boyfriend

mathtans

Erin: ... Point. I hadn't even gone there yet. O.o

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

It would be some epic planning if the endgame ships turned out to be foreshadowed by "they're named after foods that go together well."

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

I've had Apricot Butter before... 8L

mathtans

Well, the girls seem to go for harem-style guys (aside from Butter).

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

I do have to say, I didn't expect Butter to be called Butter because she's got a blue scheme going.

Superjustinbros

In before there's a yellow-themed girl called blueberry

mathtans

I wonder why Butter sleeps underwater.

RebelVampire

yeah butter's mostly blueness really stood out to me. but maybe reflective that you dont want too much butter

Superjustinbros

Yeah, lol

RebelVampire

cause you put too much butter on something and it tastes icky

mathtans

I can't believe it's not Butter.

Superjustinbros

Too much butter on something is kinda gross tbh

I can't believe I missed that reference/joke Math just said

RebelVampire

the character i really want to see more of is jammy smasher the head bully. cause she and apricot need to have that arc where they become the true best friends who still constantly bicker but are on the same team and all those shenanigans. cause im really interested to see what punches the comic throws at all those tropes

mathtans

Just gotta put Butter on Apricot.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

I'd be into this Jammy Smasher arc.

mathtans

I could see that, Rebel, though it might get subverted.

ShaRose49

I only read some of the beginning so far but I wanted to say all it’s breaking of the fourth wall was great. I liked the lord of darkness guy the best or whatever his name was

mathtans

I'm still on about Cream. She knows more about Apricot's family now, could be relevant later.

Superjustinbros

always love me some good fourth wall destruction

ShaRose49

@Superjustinbros sometimes it needs to be broken

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

I actually got a bit confused when I started out reading because I thought Lord of Darkness would be the main character. XDDD

RebelVampire

he can be the main character in your heart

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

True, true. ;v;

RebelVampire

and im sure hed be the type to tell you everyone is the main character of their own life story

mathtans

Dude can't even figure out slide shows, let alone the internet. (Though I guess now we see where some of Apricot's incompetence comes from.)

RebelVampire

and his mom did say his love story with his wife would be like a 10 year manga so he can be the protag of that

and 100% its gonna get subverted cause this is a parody comic. no way theyll play it straight. i half expect apricot to turn to jammy in the climatic bond moment where they admit they arent so bad and apricot just goes "just kidding youre a bitch"

Superjustinbros

well stories aren't limited to just one main

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

That too~~. XD

Superjustinbros

Sometimes you get a side character or two that has such a large impact on the story that they become a major fofure

RebelVampire

i really did like the opening introduction though where the lord of darkness treats it like a business meeting and such.

although

who exactly are we in this context. like what if this isnt just a fourth wall break, but were just first person cameraing a character

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

I actually felt like I was being thrown back into the days when I was in Uni. XDDDD

Like, Lord of Darkness felt like a professor and his powerpoint struggles... ; v ;(edited)

RebelVampire

i enjoyed that he called tech support XD just wasting more of the time. and i enjoy that panel where hes crying about the wasted hours he spent on a powerpoint that doesnt even work

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

RIP oh great Lord of Darkness. XDDD

RebelVampire

QUESTION 4. Apricot’s one true dream in the story is to become a magical girl. Do you think that Apricot will achieve her dream eventually and learn to transform? If so, what measures do you think she might have to take to ultimately achieve this dream? How might this affect Apricot’s relationship with her family? Alternatively, will she eventually come to accept her role as the Princess of Darkness? Regardless of which event occurs, how do you think Apricot’s friends/school mates would react to finding out who her parents are? Do you think they’ll find out or will it stay a secret forever? Finally, what shenanigans do you think Apricot will get up to in general throughout the story?

💩 💩 💩 YY 💩 💩 💩

I havent' read that far, but I think Apricot will become a magical girl at some point.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

I think she's gonna get a Devil Homura type of magical-girl form. And it'll be epic.

Superjustinbros

Yes

mathtans

(Back - little one's entered a fussier time of the evening.)

RebelVampire

that would be awesome if her form just winds up being pretty evil looking. as long as all the others comment loudly about it. like "Wow who would expect the ditz girl to have a form like this." "Isn't this form a little evil looking?" and apricot just has to flail assuring them nah its fine, perfectly normal

mathtans

The others are all aware of a great power when Apricot tries to transform. Thing is, didn't someone say at some point that Princesses couldn't transform? I think she'd need to renounce her throne for it to work. Which she might do, but then regret.

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

I thought it was "only the Princess can transform without relying on her bird companion."

mathtans

I'm torn between thinking her form would show off too much, or like practically cover her entirely like a snowsuit. (There's few in betweens with her.)

Erin: Oh, that might have been it, good call.

Maybe that's the important thing the bird had wanted to tell her, the power's in you, I'm only holding you back.

RebelVampire

it was specifically the princess of light though. who can transform without a bird companion. and her sister is the princess of light and i assume its a there can only be one thing.

Superjustinbros

Hmm

Is that so?

RebelVampire

although idk what would happen if the parents decided to have a third child

very convenient they stopped after two

mathtans

Princess of darkness might have similar restrictions.

What if it was a boy? Would darkness have a deck of cards?

Superjustinbros

What about the princess of in-between?

RebelVampire

yes i support this if the third child is a boy. a boy who is destined for a magical cube that contains the soul of an egyptian pharoah. and that even as a baby he becomes the best dueller in japan.

and you cant have a princess of in-between. theres only light and darkness. this isnt real life where all the things are actually gray and cant be fit into two boxes O_O

Superjustinbros

Are you sure about that

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

I get the impression there could be multiple light/dark Princesses within the family -- it's just that this kind of power can't manifest outside the family.

Superjustinbros

Aah ok

RebelVampire

definitely can agree it cant manifest outside the family.

i def cant wait to see the fallout when others find out apricot's secret. not that i expect huge amounts of drama

but no way they wont react

i could actually see them encouraging apricot to accept her role

cause once her dad retires what are they supposed to fight if theres no ruler of the darkness

director of darkness

cause suddenly remembered the appropriate title

Superjustinbros

Director of Darkness sounds badass

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Maybe at some point they'll meet a girl who hates being a frilly magical girl and longs for a dark evil powerset. (With parallels/foreshadowing in how Starlit was born with the deck-of-cards powerset but wanted the frilly powerset.) And then she and Apricot can engineer a swap somehow.

Superjustinbros

Lol

Well not every girl wants to be some sweet and dainty rightly colored girl that's for sure

RebelVampire

this does seem like a potential arc, but more like the kind thatll blow up in their faces and not work out. XD

mathtans

(Back again.)

RebelVampire

i really hope chapter 7 is about cream though. cause as i think math mentioned earlier, i want to see cream deal with being the only one who knows at the very least that almond and apricot are sisters

mathtans

Maybe the family decides to adopt.

I just want more Cream! ^.^

Superjustinbros

*ads more cream to Math's dessert

mathtans

I wonder, if students transfer to Japan, do they get wrapped up in this stuff? Because there aren't magical girls in the UK, as Cream indicated.

RebelVampire

i think cream is evidence that yes

Superjustinbros

What about in the US?

RebelVampire

yes they do

it is destiny

the comic hasnt said anything about the US

mathtans

So what if they move away? Powers are sealed?

(Reminds me, they're able to toe the line rather neatly, what with tentacles and rope tricks, without crossing over.)

RebelVampire

thats basically what is implied. that they dont get to use their powers anymore. since cream was barely there a few mins before the visa kicked in

i was looking at earlier pages

https://apricotcookies.net/1/8

i wanna know who the figure is that got her own panel

cause that is the chara who shouldve been butter if we go by color scheme XD

mathtans

Oh yeah, the figurine. I'd forgotten about that.

Also, sleeping in hair ties for branding. Hah.

Superjustinbros

If only we had known

mathtans

(Was it Cream who said "in the name of the spoon?"... I forget but it sounds like something she'd say.)

Maybe the figurine is Mom when she was younger.

Superjustinbros

Anyways since the tea party's ending I'd like to wish Louis luck on continuing the comic, this is a great read so far and I'l looking forward to what happens next

mathtans

One last wondering, is Apricot's last name "Cookie"? Or is that a web cookie pun? Because her real last name is "Hikari", right?

Superjustinbros

Lol, that'd be one hell of a last name

RebelVampire

i assume its apricot's pre-chosen magical girl name

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

Same.

RebelVampire

considering her first name is anzu

not apricot

Superjustinbros

Fair enough

ErinPtah (Leif & Thorn | BICP)

But anzu means apricot, yes? So that's just a translation thing.

RebelVampire

yeah but still her actual first name. i dont think its necessarily just a translation joke

mathtans

I suppose. I wondered about translations.

Superjustinbros

Anyways cya (edited)

mathtans

Anyway, final remark is the recipe if people hadn't spotted it yet. With 3D printing. Well done. https://apricotcookies.net/specials/2

All very clever.

RebelVampire

COMIC TEA PARTY- THURSDAY BOOK CLUB END!

Sadly, this wraps up this week’s Thursday Book Club chat for now. Thank you so much to everyone for reading and joining us! We want to give a special thank you to Louis Lloyd-Judson, as well, for making Apricot Cookie(s)!. If you liked the comic, make sure to support Louis Lloyd-Judson’s efforts however you’re able to~!

Read and Comment: https://apricotcookies.net/

Louis’ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Louistrations

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Louis’ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Louistrations