#anime and popular tv / movie art style

[oifaaa]

Hi, saw your AI reference post and I gotta ask, how does one tell when something is AI generated?

I'm not up to date on how AI art is developing so when I hear AI generated my mind goes to "psycedelic Windows 95 screensaver from hell" which is how AI "art" was like a decade ago and I know it's developed *way* past that nowadays.

With ai art the devil's in the details literally at this point if your not paying attention or not looking closely its very easy to mistake ai art for real art but if you take a couple seconds to look at the details the hands may look wonky the hair can blur into other areas and then backgrounds especially can have things that just make no sense I think its still very easy to figure out ai art which is currently the only upside

[cringefail-loser]

42 personal questions ask game

how many followers do you have?

when’s the last time you went on a date

how many posts have you made?

What type of shoes do you wear?

what colour are the walls of your room

where are you right now? (not exact location. ex: at a park)

would you consider yourself good at art?

who was your first kiss?

do you still sleep with stuffed animals?

what’s your favourite piece of clothing you own?

do you live in an urban, suburban, or rural area?

what’s your favourite store to shop at? (online or irl)

if you had to choose one POSITIVE word to describe yourself, what would it be?

do you collect anything?

what’s the last thing you ate?

if you go to therapy, do you like your therapist?

what’s one thing you want to buy, but don’t have the money or resources to get?

Who’s the first person you can think of?

how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real?

If you could revive one tv show that has been cancelled, what show would it be?

do you consider yourself a part of any alternative subculture? if so, which one(s)?

who was your childhood favourite music artist?

CDs or record players?

Do you believe in any conspiracy theories?

would you get back together with an ex if given the opportunity?

favourite kid’s show character?

is the person you call your best friend actually your best friend?

when you’re sad, do you prefer to listen to music to match your mood, or listen to happy music?

what’s the last outfit you wore?

do you have any online friends?

least favourite clothing style that is currently popular

how often do you do your laundry?

do you prefer silver or gold jewelry?

what’s your book/movie/tv guilty pleasure?

if you could change your hair however you want, how would you change it?

do you paint your nails?

what’s an uncommon/specific /obscure topic you’re interested in?

what’s the name of your first pet/what would you name your first pet if you had one?

what’s one feature you would change on tumblr?

what’s the most interesting item you own?

would you rather go on a date at a museum or a concert?

what’s one regret you have?

[the-monkey-ruler]

Which translation/adaptation of JTTW is best for beginners? Besides maybe Dragon Ball (doubt it counts)

Heh yeah I mean it’s a great anime but I don’t think you would have a good Xiyouji experience per se. Usually, I see Dragon Ball used as a gateway for people to THEN read/watch Xiyouji content but like it doesn’t really have much Xiyouji plot wise even if the characters are homages.

I would say that if you want an ACCURATE Xiyouji experience then you can choose between three shows. That being the classic 1986 which is many people's first Xiyouji experience as the cast is so iconic you see these designs in dozens of movies and their influence in future performances. The second is more family-friendly but still one of the most charming and fairly accurate portrayals is the 1999 Xiyouji animation, I would say far more younger people's first piece of media and without a doubt the best Xiyouji animation series thus far personally. That last I would suggest is 2011 Xiyouji series which is one of the more newer shows and I would say I would that if you want more modern effects and humor than this might be a preferance to the 1986 version. They both have their own charm but just depends on what you are looking for!

Now while these are the most accurate there are some Xiyouji media I would still recommend even if they take far more liberties.

This without a doubt being the 1996 tv series. This is portrayed as more of a drama but between the characters and the pure HEART AND LOVE that is in this show that you will be falling in love with the characters. It vaguely follows the Xiyouji monster of the weak formula but taking far more time to humanize each enemy and having our main cast overcome not only physical obstacles but also their own emotional obstacles as well. Fantastic show. Another is Chinese Odessey (please note this is a two part movie)! This does NOT follow the journey at all instead more of an introspective of the character Wukong. This is more of comedy but this is a cult classic as one of the first romance films with Wukong to show him as more of a complex hero which was a deviation from how he was portrayed in media for years as this point. This movie is silly but it is actually very heartfelt and makes you feel for these characters's plights. If you don't know Xiyouji I would say you will be confused, but you can fall in love with these characters anyway! Whil I can't suggest Dragon Ball I can suggest another Son Goku from My Son Goku! This is a Japanese production but the animation is so fluid and the characters are not only charming but there are some heart reaching scenes in this very cute art style! I would say give this a watch if you enjoy anime but also can appreciate angst even in a cute style.

If you are looking for more just great Xiyouji movies that you can pop in and a fantastic one is the 2015 Hero is Back! This was the Wukong come back animation-wise since 1999 and a lot of people first Wukong in the big screens! Does take liberties story wise as we don't see Sha Wujing or any of the journey really, but the HEART and soul of Sun Wukong is there. Another great one is just watching the first and classic 1961 Havoc in Heaven! This was the staple of Wukong iconics for decades and even now you see this Wukong in commercials! This is just a beautiful art style and without a doubt charming and feel good vibes. This one is surprising but actually Nezha Reborn where Sun Wukong actually makes a cameo appearance, but I hear so many people got into Xiyouji just cause how much they love him. So while it's not Xiyouji I would say give it a watch if you are a die hard Sun Wukong fan.

There is also Monkey King Reborn which while less known I still think is wonderfully popular and shows both great animation and also how all three characters of Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing interact in a movie. There is also Monkey King 2 which I know that usually I would say which the first movie but honestly the second movie is my personal fav. You don't miss much without watching the first as the second starts right at the begging of the journey and we are introduced to some of the best designs for these characters in my opinion. This last one is kinda of a hit-or-miss but Conquering the Demon! This one follows Sanzang as a demon hunter in a loosely based story of him finding his disciples, each more monstrous than the last in a dark-comedy! If you enjoy Stephen Chow films then you know what kind of humor you are going to get but it is new take on Xiyouji films in a unique but still entertaining manner! They really make you feel for Sanzang as a character and one of the best humanizations of him really as a man still learning about the world himself.

There some other that are great but I would suggest more on a second watch or if you know the story more! Saiyuki / The Great Alakazam was the first eng dub saiyuki piece of media that came to the USA and still had a lasting influence with the beloved character Rinrin! There is also Monkey King 2009 that only looks at the story BEFORE the journey, adding so many elements to Wukong's childhood and his relationship with the Six Eared Macaque. I would also suggest the Monkey King Netflix Movie as while it is fast-paced it really makes you understand how dangerous but also how complex Sun Wukong is. I think it was a charming movie so give it a watch!. Last is Immortal Demon Slayer! This movie was based on a web novel that was extremely popular in the early 2000s which was based off Chinese Odessey funny enough! This is a movie I would suggest if you know Xiyouji already but it such a tragedy I have to share if you love angst.

If anyone wants to share their what was their first Xiyouji or their favorite Xioyuji please let me know!

[vintagegeekculture]

RIP Tracy Tormé, Creator of the "Holodeck Malfunction Episode" and Sliders

Tracy Tormé’s most enduring legacy in popular culture is that, while a writer on TNG’s tempestuous first and second seasons, he created the entire concept of the Holodeck Malfunction Episode.

Yes, even people who suggest you skip TNG’s first couple seasons say that “The Big Goodbye” is one you don’t want to miss. And there was a very nice tribute to Tracy Torme in an episode of Picard, which had him as the author and creator of Dixon Hill… which he is, and deserves credit for this.

I suppose I should mention I had a personal encounter with Tracy Tormé at a convention. The main thing I remember was that he looked absolutely terrified when someone asked him about what happened with “The Royale,” far and away TNG’s worst episode except the clip show, about the crew getting trapped on a hotel they can’t leave from a badly written book. To his great credit, he took responsibility for the episode not working and did not pass on the problems to the production crew.

The most extraordinary thing about Tracy Torme is that he had a Forrest Gump like ability to appear in the background of scifi culture’s greatest moments.

Not only was he inside the TNG writers’ room in 1987-88, he was around during the production of Terminator with James Cameron. Tormé was the one who, hearing about the production of the film, squealed on it to Harlan Ellison, telling Ellison that it was based on his old Outer Limits episodes, with a visual based on his script for “Demon With a Glass Hand.” In other words, he was the Gavrilo Princip who got that entire conflict started, where two of the most proud personalities in scifi butted heads, James Cameron vs. Ellison. Cameron, to this day, insists that the film company gave Ellison money and a credit because it was easier to pay him off than to go through litigation (which rings true, frankly, for risk averse production companies), and to this day Cameron insists, with his absolutely expected big dick swagger, that Ellison is a “parasite” who received money for nothing, and if it had been up to him, he wouldn’t have given him a dime.

It’s also worth mentioning that Torme also created the TV series Sliders.

Has anyone else noticed that Sliders is an incredibly right wing show? Seriously, watch it again if you haven’t seen it in years. If you haven’t watched this show since the 90s and you were a kid and all that went over your head, it’s kind of amazing how Limbaugh/Newt Gingrich era right-wing Sliders actually was. It made 24 look like Doonesbury. The targets of Sliders were 90s New Right satire: health care systems, infuriating hippies, the nanny state disallowing the public smoking of cigars, California weirdness, the drug culture, the USSR. Torme��s right wing views were less John Millius-style “blood alone moves the wheel of history” stuff, but more like that of a slobby regular joe in the 90s, Dennis Leary’s character in Demolition Man for instance, who mostly just wants to smoke cigars, ogle girls, and eat hamburgers without getting scolded by his wife. He was less “Passion of the Christ” and more “Animal House.”

I am not saying this as a negative, but merely a description. Contrary to popular belief, right wingers driven by bizarre sexual pathology and weird grudges produce amazing art, as Millius and John Swartzwelder show. A lot of Steven Universe fans love to say things like “all good art is about empathy and kindness” and I reject that notion. Good art can also be about reflecting things in the human experience like fear, trauma, cruelty, and paranoia.

For that reason, it doesn’t surprise me that Tracy Torme’s best movie script was a horror film about a traumatic experience, Fire in the Sky. An ominous movie about a vanished ranch hand who was the victim of alien abduction, in the earned finale the film’s tension builds toward, our hero remembers the true cause of his missing time: an abduction by aliens, who’s motives are emotionless and incomprehensible, and who subject him to horrific vivisection that we see in excruciating detail. Travis Walton is treated not with sadism or cruelty, but with icy detachment, by alien superintellects that view him as no different than cattle, and are to him as we are to cattle. The most terrifying detail of the film is that the classic “gray alien” look turns out to be spacesuits, revealing a far more frightening appearance underneath.

[tanoraqui]

the ideal and frankly only acceptable screen adaptation of The Silmarillion would be a Fantasia-style film with no dialogue, just art and music. Not only would it effectively communicate the sense of a world created from music, and animation could express the epic scale and magic in a way live action would fail at, but it also would capture the characterization-light mythological feel of the whole story. The Silmarillion is SUPPOSED to be a flexible canon! I don’t WANT details of characters and events standardized by some popular tv show or movie! But the amount communicated in, say, a 10-minute animated sequence set to orchestra music, with eloquent character expressions but no dialogue, depicting, say, the entire story of the Fall of Gondolin? And the same for all the other major stories Ainulindalë through Elwing&Eärendil? PLEASE.

[deeneedsaname]

Megamind Sequel, animation, and the apparently-forgotten era of CGI shows

Alright guys, buckle up, it’s time to talk about Megamind and the sequel/show!

Let’s start with the basics: two new additions to the Megamind world are coming out: a tv show called “Megamind Rules!”, and a sequel movie, Megamind Vs the Doom Syndicate. Obviously, the first thing everyone noticed was the animation quality lacking in comparison to the first movie. Then, people quickly reacted either agreeing or complaining that people were complaining, etc.

Yes. The animation is not as good as the movie, or as good as what people have come to expect from CGI nowadays. This is NOT the fault of the animators, obviously!

But I think we can all temper our reactions by remembering a few key points!

This sequel is not the grand ‘Megamind 2’ people have been dreaming of. Will Ferrell is not voicing Megamind and the animation looks funky, I know. Therefore, we can’t think of this as a movie going to theaters, but a sort of direct-to-tv/direct-to-dvd sequel. Think Cinderella 2, Ice Age Buck Wild, Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar, etc!

To put the expectations of the Megamind 2 of our dreams on this movie and series is unfair to it. This is the equivalent of a direct-to-DVD disney sequel that you didn’t hear about until I years later and were like ‘wait, there’s a Tarzan 2???’ in the middle of a drug store (that was a shocking day.) Enjoy it for what it is!!

2. The modern CGI animation consumer has been spoiled rotten. Yes, that includes lots of animation enthusiasts! Back in the day, particularly in the 2010s, ‘poorly’ animated TV shows based on a popular movie were pretty common, ESPECIALLY for dreamworks! Meet some of the examples:

Kung-Fu Panda, Legends of Awesomeness

Aliens Versus Monsters

Penguins of Madagascar

This is NOT a knock on those shows, especially on their quality. Personally, I think Penguins of Madagascar had great animation quality, especially in the later seasons. CGI animation for television is a different beast and doesn’t have the same budget as a movie. (Also, Penguins Of Madagascar show was fantastic, 10/10, no notes, INCREDIBLE music changed lives etc etc.)

Nowadays, CGI animated shows have animation quality comparable to movies, including some Dreamworks ones, such as Kung Fu Panda show Paws of Destiny, or Cars on the Road, the really fun cars short series!

3. The good points!! There is a lot to like about this! The Doom Syndicate is actually pretty cool, as they were first mentioned in I believe the art book, a video game, and an original draft of a sequel film (don’t quote me on that)

Not only that, but ROXANNE IS STILL THERE!! This may seem small, but it’s been common in the past for female love interests to be thrown away and replaced, often because a voice actress couldn’t come back (that’s part of why I loved Puss in Boots 2 so much: Kitty Softpaws had her same voice actress and was still an integral part of the plot just like the first movie) Roxanne still being part of the cast and still being with Megamind is not something to take for granted.

4. Is it disappointing that the long-awaited sequel isn’t a full-blown theatrical release? Yes. Is it disappointing that the voices aren’t returning? Also yes. However…

TL;DR - Megamind 2 and the show should be taken for what they are: a 2010s style tv series and a direct to dvd sequel respectively, this is NOT the fault of any animator, and is not necessarily indicative of quality of writing. Enjoy it for what it is!

[imdigitalvinod]

Tumblr Content Mastery: What Resonates with Users and Why It Works

Creating content that resonates on Tumblr involves tapping into the platform's unique culture and understanding what its users gravitate toward. Here’s a breakdown of content types that tend to perform well:

1. Visual Content

GIFs: Tumblr is known for its love of GIFs. Animated GIFs, particularly those that are humorous, relatable, or fandom-related, are highly shareable.

Art and Illustrations: Original art, fan art, and creative illustrations gain traction. Artists often find Tumblr a supportive place for sharing their work.

Photography: Aesthetic photos, especially those with a distinct style or theme (e.g., nature, fashion, architecture), are popular. High-quality images are more likely to be reblogged.

2. Fandom-Related Content

Fan Fiction: Writing stories related to popular movies, TV shows, books, or video games. This content is often reblogged by members of the fandom.

Memes and Fandom Jokes: Content that captures the inside jokes of a particular fandom can spread rapidly within those communities.

Fan Theories and Discussions: Posts analyzing plot points, characters, or future events in popular media.

3. Text-Based Posts

Quotes and Poetry: Short, impactful quotes, poetry, and micro-stories are widely shared. Posts with a strong emotional appeal tend to resonate well.

Personal Stories and Anecdotes: Posts that share personal experiences or thoughts, often with a touch of humor or vulnerability, can attract attention.

Tips and Advice: How-tos, tutorials, and life hacks are useful content that gets shared, especially if they’re presented in an easy-to-read format.

4. Niche and Subcultural Content

Subcultures: Tumblr users often rally around niche subcultures (e.g., goth, cottagecore, vaporwave). Content that caters to these subcultures can gain a dedicated following.

Aesthetic Blogs: Blogs that focus on specific aesthetics (e.g., dark academia, minimalism) are popular. They often curate content that fits a specific visual theme.

5. Social Justice and Activism

Awareness Posts: Tumblr has a strong activist community. Content related to social justice, environmentalism, and awareness campaigns tends to perform well.

Educational Content: Posts that inform or educate about various issues, especially when combined with impactful visuals.

6. Rebloggable Content

Relatable Humor: Funny and relatable posts, often involving text posts with tags, can go viral. Tumblr users appreciate humor that taps into shared experiences.

Interactive Content: Polls, questions, and posts that encourage participation (e.g., “Reblog with your favorite…”).

7. Music and Audio Content

Playlists and Music Recommendations: Curated playlists, music recommendations, and audio posts featuring new or obscure artists can attract music enthusiasts.

Audio Clips and Podcasts: Short audio clips, especially those tied to popular culture or fandoms, can resonate with the community.

8. Tumblr-Specific Trends

Tumblr Challenges: Participation in Tumblr-specific challenges or trends (e.g., reblog challenges) can boost visibility.

Seasonal and Event-Based Content: Posts tailored to specific events or seasons (e.g., Halloween, Pride Month) often see a spike in engagement.

Tips for Success:

Engage with the Community: Reblogging, commenting, and participating in Tumblr conversations can help increase your reach.

Tagging: Use relevant tags to ensure your content is discoverable. Tags should be specific to your post's theme or subject matter.

Consistency: Regularly posting and maintaining a consistent theme or aesthetic can help build a dedicated following.

Tumblr's user base is diverse, so experimenting with different content types and paying attention to what resonates with your audience is key.

[videostarblogs]

6. ganguro gyaru

ganguro gyaru is a distinctive substyles of the gyaru fashion movement that emerged in Japan in the mid-1990s. known for its striking and unconventional look, ganguro gyaru is characterized by deeply tanned skin, bleached hair, and bold makeup. here's a detailed breakdown of ganguro gyaru.

origin and development

ganguro gyaru developed as a reaction against traditional Japanese beauty standards, which favored fair skin and natural looks. the term ganguro translates to blackface, highlighting the deep tans that are a Hallmark of the style. influenced by western fashion, beach culture, and the rebellious spirit of youth, ganguro gyaru emerged from the broader movement, which itself was a reaction against the conservative and conformist norms of japanese society. the style peaked in popularity in the late 1990s and early 2000s, particularly in Tokyo's Shibuya district, a hub for youth culture and fashion innovation.

key motifs

deep tan: the most distinctive feature of ganguro gyaru is the artificially deep tan, this is achieved through frequent visits to tanning salons or the use of self tanning products

bleached and colorful hair: hair is typically bleaches to a platinum blonde or dyed in vibrant, unconventional colors like silver, orange, or pink. the hair is often styles in voluminous and wavy or straightened and sleek look.

dramatic makeup: makeup in ganguro gyaru is bold and exaggerated. white eyeshadow and eyeliner are used around the eyes to create a stark contrast against the tanned skin. black eyeliner and thick false lashes enhance the dramatic effect. lips often are painted with pale pink or while lipstick

colorful and layered clothing: ganguro gyaru fashion includes eclectic and colorful clothing. layered outfits, short skirts, crop tops, and platform shoes are common. neon colors, animal print, and flashy accessoires like large hair slips, bracelets, and rings are frequently used aswell.

accessories and nail art: accessories play a significant role in completing the ganguro look. oversized accessories, decorated nails, and vibrant nail art with rhinestones and 3d embellishments are popular.

music

the ganguro gyaru aesthetic is often associated with energetic and fun music genres such as jpop, eurobeat, and para para music. these genres align with the lively an bold spirit of the fashion.

here are some artists to listen to

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

Namie Amuro

Ayumi Hamasaki

Morning Musume

Maximum the Hormone

G-Dragon

Namie Amuro

Dir en grey

AKB48

Big Bang

movies

films and media that explore Japanese youth culture and fashion often feature ganguro gyaru. the 2004 film shimotsuma monoatari, also know as kamikaze girls, showcases aspects of the gyaru life style, though it focuses more on the broader gyaru culture rather than ganguro specifically. documentaries and tv shows about Japanese street fashion, like Tokyo girls, often highlight the ganguro subculture as part of the broarder gyaru movement.

here are some movies to watch.

Suicide Club (2002)

Tokyo Tribe (2014)

Female Prisoner 701: Scorpion (1972)

Battle Royale (2000)

Azumi (2003)

Death Proof (2007)

13 Assassins (2010)

Audition (1999)

books and other medias

manga and anime: some manga and anime feature characters inspired by the ganguro style. titles like gals by mihona fuiji provide a glimpse into the gyaru lifestyle and fashion.

fashion magazines: magazines such as egg and kawaii have historically featured ganguro gyaru offering fashion tips, makeup tutorialsm and street snaps of individuals embracing the style.

social media: platforms like Instagrams, TikTok,a ND various fashion blogs have become essentials for ganguro gyaru enthusiasts to share their looks, connect with like minded individuals and keep the subculture alive. online communities and forums dedicated to gyaru fashion also play a significant role in fostering the ganguro gyaru community

inspo

overall, ganguro gyaru is a bold and rebellious fashion subculture that embraces deep tans, dramatic makeup, and colorful, eclectic clothing. it challenges traditonal beauty standards and celebrates individuality, creativly and a carefree, youthful style.

make sure to like, reblog, annd follow for more fashion posts like this!!!! leave any suggestions you may have aswell

videostar signing off...........

[kavehpilled]

ALL of them.

OK SO YIU HATE ME

1. how many followers do you have?

somewhere around 1.7k i lost track a long time ago

2. whens the last time you went on a date?

june? its been so long ☹️

3. how many posts have you made?

WELL over 20k this account is 3 years old

4. what type of shoes do you wear?

white avia elevates or my blue converse

5. what color are the walls of your room?

cream at my moms, brown at my dads

6. where are you right now?

in english im about to pull the trigger

7. would you consider yourself good at art?

perchance…. i know im alright enough at it that people like my art and make it their pfp sometimes. i even have a mutual that printed a drawing i did of atsushi and put it on their wall💀

8. who was your first kiss?

you😛

9. do you still sleep with stuffed animals?

YEA LIKE 5 LMFAO

10. whats your favorite piece of clothing you own?

i have a really nice red cardigan that i basically live in at home

11. do you live in an urban, suburban, or rural area?

suburban all around i think i dont remember

12. whats your favorite store to shop at?

goodwill🫶

13. if you had to choose one POSITIVE word to describe yourself, what would it be?

gentle i think

14. do you collect anything?

classic novels! im restarting my collection of tiny bear figurines and friendship bracelets tho

15. whats the last thing you ate?

i had a banana applesauce like an hour ago :)

16. if you go to therapy, do you like your therapist?

i go once a month and shes nice! got me referrals for diagnoses so that was chill

17. whats one thing you want to buy, but dont have the money or resources to get it?

WRIOTHESLEY DOLL.

18. whos the first person you can think of?

you

19. how old were you when you found out santa wasnt real?

i think ~5? my cousin told me :(

20. if you could revive one tv show that has been cancelled, what would it be?

jjk bro pls revive and continue for me. i need satosugu to be happy

21. do you consider yourself a part of any alternative subculture?

i dont think so!

22. who was your childhood favorite music artist?

taylor swift or sir mix a lot

23. cds or record players?

despite my extensive cd collection i would say records

24. do you believe in any conspiracy theories?

i wish but i think too rationally for any of that

25. would you get back together with an ex if given the opportunity?

i think people always deserve a second chance and we are legitimate living proof of that, even if that concept like translates into relationships. im nowhere near ready for anything right now but if i ever got back together with ANYONE they would have to change a lot. i have hope in everyone tho

26. favorite kids show character?

kwazii from octonauts :)

27. is the person you call your best friend actually your best friend?

yeah!

28. when youre sad, do you prefer to listen to music to match your mood, or listen to happy music?

sad music all the way. i rarely cry so when im genuinely upset its nice to get it out to sad songs yk

29. whats the last outfit you wore?

im a chronic outfit repeater so. white turtleneck under a dark green sweater that has pumpkins all over it and dark brown cargo pants. ive worn this like 10 times

30. do you have any online friends?

YES alice ezra and skylia are the ones i talk to the most!! but i have a lot of mutuals i love interacting with ppl

31. least favorite clothing style that is currently popular?

those white fox hoodies make me carnally angry

32. how often do you do your laundry?

once a week at my dads, twice a week at my moms. its a weird system but i have more clothes at my moms currently

33. do you prefer silver or gold jewelry?

gold, silver makes me look sad and grungy

34. whats your book/movie/tv guilty pleasure?

i like reading cherry crush on webtoon when im bored💀🙏

35. if you could change your hair however you want, how would you change it?

id probably dye it to calico colors but im scared ill look like a goof

36. do you paint your nails?

sometimes! i did them blue like for a day and then i got bored. i pick at them too much so its like a little treat

37. whats an uncommon/specific/ obscure topic youre interested in?

vampire burial practices and eastern european rituals

38. whats the name of your first pet?

KITTY💀 he was an orange cat that got eaten by coyotes

39. whats one feature you would change on tumblr?

im not active enough to notice anything…

40. whats the most interesting item you own?

i think a tiny glass giraffe i love him

41. would you rather go on a date at a museum or a concert?

museum all the way i love intimacy with that kinda thing

42. whats one regret you have?

i could go into extensive detail about what i seriously regret in my life but i think my main one is not telling you enough before we split apart

[dynamic-power]

Weekly tag wednesday!

Thank you Sky @skylerwinchester for the tag!

which character from any media would you like to have as a father?

Aziraphale and Crowley from Good Omens. I can't pick one because even though they are currently divorced, we all know they are actually married. Can't have one and not the other.

if money, laws, time, and effort were no object, what animal would you want to have?

A herd of elephants. They think we are cute, I think they are cute. It would be a good time for everyone involved.

what is your Chinese takeout order?

Pork or tofu fried rice, chicken chow mein, and sesame chicken.

what's your favourite emoji? 🥹

would you rather have a library, greenhouse, or home theater in your house?

Home theater. I consume so many movies and TV shows. I'd be in there every day.

what childhood tv show do you think of the most fondly?

Foster's home for imaginary friends

what was your tumblr like when you first joined?

The first time around, it was exclusively Superwholock. 💀 Then I left for a few years, and when I came back, I started the one you see now, which hasn't changed.

what clothing style do you love but don't feel compelled to replicate yourself?

Hyper fem and hyper masc looks

if you were plopped into a fictional world, which one would you know the layout of the best?

Tbth, hogwarts would be number one. Fuck jkr, trans live matter. But my mom read me the HP books growing up. My love for fiction and writing came from this series. Second would be Hawkins from Stranger Things. Fuck Noah Schnapp. Free Palestine. But stranger things is what really brought me back to the fandom space and writing fan works. So. It's complicated I guess? Lol.

what is your favourite piece of art?

FUNGUS by Narcissistic Cookbook.

do you have a water bottle? what does it look like?

It's one of those tumblers that Starbucks has made really popular. It's iridescent blue and purple. Very me. Because if you couldn't tell, I have an obsession with purple.

what fanfic trope is a quiet fave?

Found family and "unusual" relationships, specifically QPRs and polycules. I love when authors understand that we are pack animals and push the boundaries of queerness. TLDR; Let the homies kiss.

do you carry a daily bag? what does it look like? what's the weirdest thing in it?

Nope, I'm a Pocket Person. The weirdest thing I carry is probably my knife? Or my lighter, but I feel like even that is pretty normal.

if you had to ship Mickey with another Gallagher, who would it be?

Had to? Probably Carl. I think 1. Carl is most likely of the brothers to be queer and 2. He'd vibe the best with Mickey imo. Early 30s Mickey and early 20s Carl keeping each other out of and getting each other into trouble.

what is a fanfic trope you didn't expect to like and then very much did?

No judgement, right? Lol. Mpreg in ABO fics. ONLY ABO fics, but there you go.

Do you think s11 Mickey can still carry s11 Ian?

Absolutely. I think he does it every once in a while just to prove it, to. Ian always humors him.

who got custody of the killing bat when they sold the house?

Sky had it right, Carl definitely got it.

I'm sorta on time, so I'll tag a few people. @spacerockwriting @energievie @jrooc @krystallouwho @callivich @juliakayyy @sweetbee78 @ian-galagher

And anyone else. If you see this and want to do it, tag! You're it! If not, here's some cake. 🍰

[satoshi-mochida]

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem game announced for consoles, PC

Gematsu Source

Outright Games has announced a new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Game set in the world of the recently released animated feature film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. It will launch for unspecified consoles and PC in 2024.

Here is an overview of the game and franchise, via Outright Games:

Taking place months after the events of the movie, the game will feature unique visuals inspired by the film’s bold, painterly art style. Combining energetic ninja teamwork gameplay with a humorous narrative, players will take control of the Turtles as they interact with a host of memorable characters from the franchise and fight to save this stylized take on New York City from a new mutant threat. Considered one of the most popular kids’ franchises, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a classic, global property created in 1984 by Peter Laird and Kevin Eastman. It first debuted as a successful comic book series and then became a hit animated TV show, a live-action television series and later spawned numerous blockbuster theatrical releases. The property is a global consumer products powerhouse, winning in every category that has hit shelves to date—with toys, apparel, video games, DVDs, and more—and generating billions of dollars at retail.

“Nickelodeon is one of our longest standing licensing collaborators and we’re overjoyed to have the opportunity to bring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to life in a brand new and original video game,” said Outright Games chief operating officer Stephanie Malham in a press release. “This is one of the most enduring and beloved franchises in the world and we’re beyond excited to use our expertise to expand the Turtles’ global reach even further through the world of video games.”

Paramount senior vice president of games and emerging media Doug Rosen added, “It’s exciting to launch our first console game set in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem universe, especially as the franchise only continues to grow. The vibrancy of this new film’s animation lends itself perfectly to video games, and we can’t wait for everyone to play it.”

Further information was not announced.

[goonersaurus]

1, 8, 10, 17!

ty for the ask my froggy friend ^-^

1.When did you start creating art? - since i could use crayons and pencils, maybe around the age of 3-4... i liked filling notebooks with silly little comics for myself or drawing pokemon, then i decided i wanted to take it more seriously around the age of 7-8 because i wanted to draw legit-looking dragons… somehow down the line that’s brought me to drawing footballers. 

8.How would you describe your art style? - As an anime/western cartoony art style typically found on tumblr. Doing digital art as a teenager, I was obsessed with the style of art that’s popular on pixiv and deviantart otakus, but i eventually got fed up with it being too pretty, it was inadequate for drawing… more “realistic” human features. So i tried to adopt a more western style to depict that, but I wasn’t satisfied with this either — maybe because it wasn’t turning out pretty enough… And while studying politics in school, I looked to political cartoons for inspiration, including those from the 19th-20th centuries — i think this is how i picked up using black lines and crosshatching effects, and i try to convey an irreverent tone. So.. it’s an awkward mix between being anime, western-animation, and.. somehow slightly political cartoon inspired?

10.How do you deal with art block? - Try to put pressure off myself, take time to absorb ideas rather than come up with them by looking at other works of art, sketching details that interest me. Going for walks with my sketchbook (or ipad) to do sketches or studies of things i see. Engaging with other media - reading, music, tv, and allowing myself to digest the experience. Tricking myself that occasional periods of frustration are growing pains. If I’m lucky (more like, if i’m more disciplined) then an art block just means i can spend creative time doing writing instead.

17.Your personal favourite works of art (not made by you) are…?

I cannot easily think of my goated artworks and i fear that i’m going to forget the pieces that’s been most important to me in my life. I also fear there’s too many to fill in to this answer. So I’ll just name four to sample.

La Jeune Martyre by Delaroche. I learnt of it when Cameos posted their pixel art rendition of it (probably also counts as among my favourite artworks). I have been obsessed with it since then and got to see it in the Louvre for my birthday last year. It’s so ethereal and eerie, and reminds me somewhat of Twin Peaks.

Angel’s Egg (the movie). Something about pieces that have this ethereal or liminal quality that engage you, they really get to me. 

Ruby, Gold and Malachite by Henry Scott Tuke. I used the title of this painting for the title of my blog once, a stunning set of colours/minerals to imagine together. Anyway, twinks galore, who says no. 

Saturn Devouring His Son by Francisco Goya. I like the backstory of Goya’s black paintings. Painting such an image on the wall of your house is a powerful way to go out to say the least.

artist ask game

[yamiheart]

In CELEBRATION of Fanfiction

AI-generated content seems to be aiming at every possible creative pursuit as of late. Theft of art and art styles has become so insidious that digital artists are being forced to “mask” their posted pieces in ways that human eyes can’t detect yet completely scramble AI art programs. AI “animation,” while currently in a state of fairly poor quality, has proven to be feasible, and thus threatens the status of already precarious and underpaid animators throughout the world. Even photographers and their models are not immune to the pressure of the seemingly “miraculous” output of hundreds of thousands of lifelike, frontpage-ready images by AI programs. 

Of course, the above mentioned are all visual mediums. The art of conversation and the written word has also been in the eye of AI for a long time. “Chatbots” have been around for almost as long as the concept of the computer itself, and The Turing Test is still a popular measure of a successful AI chatting program to this day. Back in my childhood days, “Cleverbot” was a novelty chatbot that was fun to chat with for a few minutes, but quickly became stale. As most of you reading likely already know, ChatGPT, on the other hand, has taken the world by storm. Schools are contending with students submitting AI-written reports (a very futuristic-sounding cheating method indeed), and many writing-based industries, already squeezed by the looming threats of a post-pandemic recession, are in turmoil over the potential of the complete replacement of humans by the machines. 

I myself am in no way an AI expert. I do not know if the current state of AI is just a fad or a true industry disruptor. What I do know about, however, is fanfiction, and it seems that people want AI to write it, too. 

I have been writing fanfiction since 2010, back when I was in middle school. I would write for hours and hours, exploring characters and ideas in ways the original source material (in this case, the original Yu-Gi-Oh! series) never intended. I would then post these works onto fanfiction(dot)net for mostly my irl friends and a few dozen strangers to read and enjoy. Over the years, I’ve cycled through a few different fandoms and made the switch to the currently-preferred fanfic-posting website, Archive of Our Own -otherwise known as “Ao3.”  LiveJournal, FFnet, Wattpad, Ao3 -all of these websites and more have had hundreds of thousands if not millions of fanfictions posted and consumed. Fanfiction isn’t just a small circle of Star Trek fans sharing secret magazines through the mail -and in some ways, it never was just that. 

Many “classics” today are, in some way or another, fanfiction by another name. Consider, for instance, the well-known fact that Disney’s 1994 hit movie, The Lion King, is just a retelling of Shakespeare’s Hamlet. When anonymous authors online turn all of their favorite characters into lions or wolves, it’s considered “furry cringe,” but when multi-billion dollar corporations do the same, it’s considered “art.” 

House is a modern-day hospital-au version of Sherlock Holmes. 

All fairytale “reimaginings,” such as the TV drama Once Upon a Time, are fanfictions in every sense of the word.

The current Batman cannon has so many reimaginings that it’s a gag in The Lego Batman Movie!

And these are just some American/European examples. The first “modern” novel, The Tale of Genji, has such a long history of fanart and fanfiction in Japan that there are literal traveling museum exhibitions to display small fractions of what has been (and continues to be) produced. However, in these exhibitions, the words “art” and “fiction” are never preceded by “fan.” These works, though just as “derivative” in content as anything you would find in internet fanspaces today, get to once again simply be “art.” 

What is the difference? Where is the line between literature worthy of “respect” and literature considered worthy of constant derision?

I do not have all the answers, but please allow me to present some for your consideration.

As you may have noticed in my above examples, most of the original works being reimagined are, indeed, in the public domain. This means that no one owns the rights to these original works anymore, and thus they can be reproduced faithfully or completely changed without threat of legal trouble. This also means that all reproductions can make money for the reproducers without hassle. Batman is a somewhat curious case in this instance, since many of his reimaginings are in and of themselves canon while still carrying many of the hallmarks of fanfiction. 

We will return to the curious case of Batman later, but needless to say legality and potential monetary gain make up an important component of the supposed high-literature/lowly-fanfiction divide. If you ever click on “older” fanfictions, particularly those from the 2000s and early-2010s, you will see constant repetition of phrases such as “I do not own X” or “please don’t sue me”. Later authors, including my own childhood self, repeated these out of an abundance of caution without really knowing why. Afterall, no one on websites like FFnet honestly thought the authors owned the “original” works in question to begin with. The problem, as I understand it now, arose from the infamous response of author Anne Rice to fanfiction of her book series, The Vampire Chronicles. In 2001, she made it very clear that her works and characters were protected by copyright, and that she was willing and ready to sue any supposed-copycats. Fanfics were purged by both individual authors and entire websites who were either afraid of the mere threat of legal action or had been notified of impending legal action if there was no change respectively. 

The state of fanfiction legality has come a long way in 20+ years, but even Ao3, which has lawyers on hand to defend both its own existence and the rights of its authors, does not allow authors to talk about taking commissions (ie, getting paid) or post links to websites such as kofi or patreon. The idea of “making money” off of fanfiction still exists in a dangerous gray zone that not even the lawyers of Ao3 can protect you from. 

Still, one of the stereotypes of the true artiste is that they do not create with money in mind to begin with, so this cannot be the only factor in fanfiction’s discrediting as an art form. Another consideration, then, is the content of fanfiction itself. So far, I have not endeavored to try and define the word “fanfiction.” Everyone reading this surely has their own conception of the word in mind either from first-hand experience or cultural osmosis. To me, defining fanfiction is as fruitless a pursuit as trying to define any other medium of artistic expression. What is sculpture? What is painting? What is documentary filmmaking? Definitions require limits, and limits breed exceptions. 

Perhaps the broadest stereotypical definition of fanfiction is that it is derivative work containing sexually-explicit love stories of a primarily homosexual-male variety. Many of the most famous pairings -KirkxSpock, SasukexNaruto, DanxPhil- would seem, to the distant observer, to fit this stereotype. A related stereotype replaces the homosexual-male romance with a heterosexual romance between a male celebrity/fictional character and a female oc or “original character” who is thus presumed to be the author’s self-insert (meaning that the female oc is a one-to-one reflection of the author herself). Think of all the most infamous One Direction fanfiction for a taste of this stereotypical form. 

However, as you may have guessed, these stereotypes lead to a superficial understanding of what fanfiction can be. If you go to Ao3 right now, you will find that there are five content ratings that can be attached to a fic: General Audiences, Teen and Up Audiences, Mature, Explicit, and Not Rated. By definition, there is no way to know what sort of content is in a “Not Rated” fic, but putting that aside, let us for a moment be ultra-conservative and assume ALL “Explicit” and “Mature” fanfictions have sex (as an author who has used this system, I know for a fact that they do not). Even with this ultra-conservative assumption, going to any popular series with over 200,000 archived stories will reveal to you that sexually-explicit fanfictions make up less than half of what is published. What types of stories are contained in the majority of fanfictions, then?

Well, let’s take a moment to look at the chat fic as just one example. Chat fics are not the most popular type of fanfiction, but they often attract a fair amount of readers. Chat fics are meant to be, well, group chats between fictional characters. Some may have suggestions of romance, but many of these fics would be better described as chaotic, humor-driven affairs (the humor in this case, as in all cases, being somewhat subjective). Authors often have the freedom to play around with each character’s screen name, as well as what other characters might have someone saved as in smaller or private chats. Details like these reveal that, while chat fics may appear on the surface to be some of the most simple and easy-to-write fanfictions, they often require in-depth knowledge of not just canon facts but also fanon (“fan canon”) tropes to be accepted and enjoyed authentically by readers. The implementation of this knowledge is doubly impressive when the original source material exists in a world without cellphones and the internet, and thus the author must find a way to strike a balance between referencing the original character/trait/meme/etc while making it seem congruent in the new setting. Indeed, the achievement of a particularly impressive “reference” in any fic is often met with high praise by readers in the comment section of the story.   

I should say now that none of this is meant to stigmatize or label sexually-explicit fanfiction as somehow “inauthentic.” It is authentic and it is important, but it is not all that fanfiction is. One of the greatest beauties of fanfiction, as has been observed in pieces like Dan Olson’s breakdown of the Fifty Shades movies on the Folding Ideas YouTube channel, is that it lets both authors and readers get to the “good stuff” without having to be bogged down by character introductions and worldbuilding. In the contract of fanfiction, both the author and the reader have already done some amount of prior “research” so that everyone is more or less on the same page about certain aspects of the work. This is why the many iterations of Batman work no matter the change in scenery or storyline: both authors and readers are bringing assumptions to the table that they are ready and willing to see both reaffirmed and challenged. 

Again, a common reason for praise in the comment sections of fanfictions comes from the perceived accuracy of a character’s depiction within the story. In this case, it doesn’t matter if the creator of the original work would actually agree with the characterization in the fanfiction, just that the fanfic author and the reader agree that it is authentic. It is understandable, then, that creators like Anne Rice would feel threatened by fanfiction. In some cases, this fear is legitimate: no well-intentioned creator would want their work altered in order to spread hateful messages, afterall. Additionally, when characters in a story are not merely fictional but are real, living celebrities/singers/idols/youtubers/etc., there are some reasonable questions about ethics and consent to consider. However, what I have mostly found throughout my years as a writer and reader is that the fanfiction contract allows for a deeper exploration of themes that mainstream media simply does not or will not explore.

This brings us to the final consideration today for why fanfiction is so often belittled and mocked, and to put it quite simply it is the creators and audience themselves. Returning to stereotypes once more, people often imagine that fanfiction is written by and for heterosexual, teenage, cis-gendered girls. The social trend of shitting on the interest of teenage girls is another topic for another time. For now, I certainly will not deny that these people exist within the space, but I also would not say they are necessarily the majority. I can only speak from my own experiences, but I have found is that fanfiction holds a strong attraction for individuals of queer genders and sexualities. These individuals, searching both to express their own feelings and to find a community, can use fanfiction as a means of attaining both. This is partially why sexually explicit fanfiction, while not the majority of what is written, can be some of the most powerful and subversive content that is produced. Fanfiction written about men is almost never fanfiction written for cis-gender men, and the truth is that pornography written by gender/sexual minorities for gender/sexual minorities just hits different. 

And when it comes to minority or disadvantaged groups, queer individuals are by no means the only ones who find freedom in fanfiction. Taking characters “everyone” knows and writing them with depression, anxiety, ADHD, Autism, etc., allows authors and readers to feel fully realized in fiction for the first time. Fanfiction can be just as, and sometimes even more, resonant than traditional fiction because of just how strong people’s feelings are for their favorite characters. If those favorite characters were dismissed or betrayed in the source material, they can be given a second chance at “life” in the fanfiction. Even when this is not the case, there may be elements to characters that simply resonate with minority voices and inspire further creation even after the canon story ends.

Fanfiction is not perfect by any means. There is quite a lot to be said about problems such as the misogyny and racism that can “slip by” or be fully adopted by a fandom uncriticized. Once again, however, this is true of any artistic medium, and that’s what fanfiction is: a medium of expression, not a genre. Fanfiction can be romance, but it can also be sci-fi, mystery, comedy, thriller, historical drama, adventure, and more. It is creation constrained only by the written word itself. 

Now let me tie this all back to the beginning. As I alluded to, there has recently been an increased interest in allowing ChatGPT to “write” fanfiction. I am here to say that AI fanfiction is not real fanfiction. While it is true that AI is by its very nature derivative in its outputs, AI is hollow. It has nothing to say. Fanfiction is a rich and flourishing medium which takes characters the dominant powers in society have “allowed” us to have, and it breathes into these characters fresh, minority voices. Fanfiction is art, and it is worthy of celebration, not derision and cheap imitation.

[popculturebuffet]

Scott Pilgrim Teaser Talk

I normally don't do this, especially these days when i'm so swamped with work thanks to my move and back pains putting me way behind. But... given I did a whole 6 part retrospective on this series, love it dearly and have covered pretty much every scrap of scott pilgrim media except the game (which I now feel confident enough in reviewing games to fix, wink wink), I couldn't.. not comment on this. So let's jump in.

Firstly the trailer diseplled my fears from the cast announcment that they were just adapting the film: the art style from the comics is lovingly presented while at the same time adding some nice wrinkles: there's apparently a segement of the kim and scott fight that takes place on vhs, it has a ncie little grainy quality and I notice the animation is slightly intentionally a touch stitled in spots while being every bit as fast pased and manic as it needs during fights,m amost like a comic in motion which I really appreciate. The animation is drop dead gorgeous and every bit as glorious as O'Malley's style in motion should be while still doing it's own things. Shots I really liked are gideon's screen thing, the split screen with the band all sweaty, and the vhs stuff. And that's really the vibe I get: going a bit closer to the comics but also adding shit. I love the oni half mask Roxy has in one shot, and a lot of the trailer seems to be showing off that we'll be geting some unique scenes neither the movie nor the comics had. I love Gideon's creepy layer with all those tv screens, Roxy and Wallace having a proper confrontation (and a hilarious one), more scenes with Ramona by herself, and what looks to be an absolutely BONKERS take on the roxy fight. It's one of the main reasons I wanted a full series adaptation: while I love the movie a combination of edgar only having access to volumes 1 and 3 primarily and having to slim the narrative down into two hours meant a lot of stuff got cut out out of necsity or, contrary to popular belief, him not being a psychic wizard from an outer dimension. it's an inner dimension. Diffrent thing. Diffrent power set.

So yeah this looks like everything I could've possibly hoped for and I look forward to seeing it this november.. and covering it. See the reason I don't cover a ton of streaming series when they come out, much as i'd love to, is that I'm not psychic. I can't predict when a service will deem to release their show unless they tell me and most wait till the very last second, long after i've filled up my schedule. IN this case though I hadn't gotten to november yet and even if I had now I have a hard date, I can carve out a space for this series. So expect a review of this show in november baby and like you i'm hoping it's gooood.

[littlemisstfc]

EARTHSPARK IS SO GOOD, YOU GUYS. OH MY FUCKING GOD. 😩

Hello boyos, gorls, and nonbinary pals. It’s been a while since I’ve written a huge writing on this silly platform, huh? Lol.

Anyways, quick updates: I’m releasing a new video sometime this month, which is me ranting about the misogyny of the Bayverse. Fun times. Fun times. :D Also, I’ll be at TFCon LA 2023 next week for Saturday and Sunday. Feel free to come by and say hi to me. :)

Back to the review…so….the 2010s to early 2020s has been a very weird decade for Transformers. Not only for the Bayverse movies (my beloathed), but for the tv shows. While Age of Extinction is my guilty pleasure and Dark of The Moon is legitimately good, the movies are declining in popularity and quality, thus resulting in a huge reboot to fix up Bay’s mess. That resulted in Bumblebee (2018), a gem that was the light at the end of a very frustrating tunnel. Transformers Prime started strong, but then turned into a mish mash of wasted potential and became a frustrating chore to watch by the end. RID 2015 is a show that exists. Rescue Bots is great, and Academy is fine for what it is. If you read my review of BotBots before the accidental deletion, that show is pretty good. However, it’s a show where someone might gotta have to take it or leave it. In the middle of the downward spiral of the Aligned continuity and the movie universe rebuilding itself from Bayverse’s mess, Transformers Cyberverse is the true outlier. It’s so great I made an entire video about it that you can check it out in the link below. 🤭

Now, I wanted to bring this up when talking about Earthspark because ngl, I was worried about the potential likelihood of the show falling into the pittraps of the Aligned continuity in the first round. Now that I’ve watched the show, I can confidently tell you that IT’S EVEN BETTER THAN I EXPECTED. WE HAVE A FUCKING MIRACLE AT THE END OF A TURBULENT DECADE.

This show is thankfully so much amazing and cool and wholesome, JUST LIKE IT HAS NO RIGHT IN BEING THIS GOOD. True, like I always say, there is no such thing as a perfect show. This show definitely have flaws, but they’re not detriment to the show’s quality. It’s basically everything I ever want from a Transformers show, including even subversions of the Transformers formula like Cyberverse.

Let’s go on this little journey together on everything I like and dislike about the show. Spoiler warning here since this show is best experienced blind and I’m not like some people who decided it’s a good idea to not put spoilers behind a tag or filter. Don’t be like these people. Don’t spoil the show for those who cannot access it. Don’t do it. 🙂

Anyways. 3, 2, 1, Pingu.

The Good, The Bad, The Skullcruncher:

Let’s get the elephant in the room clear: the art style is…an art style that exists. It’s not for everyone and it did take me a while to warm up to it. However, over time, I’ve gotten used to it since the amazing animation and fight choreography are great enough to make up for the art style.

The school episode is meh. It’s nothing interesting of note except the Terran parts and frankly, I find the two bullies pretty annoying. However, it does deserve points for having the amazing Daran Norris back in a Transformers show. At least it is not boring, but it’s not worth noting.

The humor sometimes doesn’t land, especially since modern humor such as the iPad environment we’re in is a delicate line these days. The humor is Yeessss tier most of the time though.

I’m glad that Hashtag didn’t keep her weird accent when she first appeared. That’s a plus. 👍🏽

Bee did come across as a bit of an asshole at first, which was admittingly something I wasn’t vibing with. However, thanks to the power of good character development, I warmed up to him. However, a counterpoint is that it’s a unique subversion of how Bee is introduced from other Transformers media.

I have no idea how to feel about Mandroid. It feels like he really doesn’t have much of a significant impact on the story, since GHOST are the main antagonist and the Decepticons being more of a morally gray chaotic neutral type characters. After the end of the first part, I only have questions of where the hell is he. It’s such a shame, since he has a lot of interesting potential and he has a banger voice actor behind him. At least he came back in the finale episode for reasons I’ll get to in the positives section of this review.

Anyways…yeah, that’s all I have to talk about in terms of critiques. Let’s move onto the good stuff: EVERYTHING ELSE. 🥳

A Night of a Thousand Bumblebees:

This show gets points for referencing the Optimist Prime and Negatron meme.

The main characters are just so charming and lovable, I WILL PROTECT THEM WITH MY LIFE. The Malto family is the main human characters done right. Dot is such a badass with such an enduring friendship with Megatron, along with being a loving mom and best wife to Alex. She’s also really great disability representation, showing that even with the prosthetic leg, she’s still a badass. Speaking of Alex…this man has no right in being such a lovable dork who loves his family and having so much swag. I want that Bumblebee suit. Mo and Robbie are very likable and adorable, especially regarding to their relationship with their Terran siblings. Speaking of the Terrans, they’re just utter darlings and a joy to watch. Twitch is hyperactive and cute, Thrash has a lot of funny moments and a likable personality, Hashtag is surprisingly enjoyable considering her powers of the Internet, I would die for Jawbreaker, AND NIGHTSHADE IS THE AUTISM CREATURE. I fucking love them, not only for being already being great nonbinary representation but also has a lot of relatable quirks such as their mechanic hyperfixation and their difficulty in having social interactions with other people. And…THE SCENE WHERE THEY SAY THEY ARE THEY/THEM HAD ME SOBBING SO HARD. It’s just amazing to see the franchise that helped me out so much throughout my life validate my existence and the existence of so many others like me. ✨😭✨

LOOK AT FLUFFY EARS. SHE’S SO ADORABLE. 🥺

ELITA IS MY PINK WIFE. I FUCKING LOVE HER. SHE CAN TOP ME. ✨😩✨

Bumblebee took a while for me to warmed up to him, but he eventually becomes the Bubblewrap we all know and love. Also, his relationship with Breakdown, although brief, is so wholesome. 🥺

Other things I love is the voice acting, including the welcomed returns of Transformers alumni such as Steven Blum and Roger Craig Smith, the animation is beautiful, the fight scenes are bonkers and well choreographed, the humor is yeesss tier, and overall, the messages such as having a good relationship with your family and good teamwork. Delicious food. ✨

I really love what this show is doing with Megatron and Optimus. Their relationship is perhaps my favorite part of the show. You can definitely feel not only how close they are as fwiends, but you can see both sides of the idea they represent: what if every bot deserve second chances? I appreciate the nuance to the Autobot vs Decepticon conflict, something that is definitely built up from Cyberverse. Here, it explores in depth about the more gray and complex areas of the conflict, where neither side is right nor wrong. However, it’s a reasonable two sides of a coin story that is explained well enough to appeal to both kids and adults. I also like how Megatron and Optimus are willing to hear each other out even through their disagreements. Optimus is also very likable and adorable, being a big ol dork you cannot help but be charmed by. Now…let’s focus on Megatron now.

I thought “Decay” was my favorite episode for exploring Optimus’ and Megatron’s relationship in depth, and bitter divorce ex Soundwave…until “Warzone” came out. This Megatron manages to fix the main issue of Autobot Megatron: it makes sure that he has to work hard to earn trust in his journey of redemption. He is someone with a lot of regrets over how much destruction and devastation done to Cybertron, because of his actions. It doesn’t sugarcoat the realities of his redemption: there are people who are not gonna accept that he wants to end the war nor understand how much the war costed the Cybertronian people everything. The cherry on top of his lessons to the baby boo boos about not repeating the same mistakes the Transformers did is the presence of the flowers from the IDW. Quick summary: they represent how much lives are lost in a conflict. Just…the way it fell from the monument at the Spacebridge Memorial to Megatron gently picking it up and putting it back on it, symbolizing how much he truly changed for the better. After the fight with Shockwave, including all the heartbreaking LAYERS of the gravity of Megatron’s redemption, it concludes on a beautiful message that many people came learn from, especially in these current times. you cannot change the past, but if we learn about it, we will be able to not make those same mistakes ever again. Thus, “Warzone” is my favorite episode in the entire season. In fact, I want to dedicate an entire essay to how this series portrayed Megatron once everything is done and finished. We’ll come back to the topic soon, lads.

Also, I really love how the show is exploring the not so bright side of having bots on planet Earth. The finale episode is perhaps the episode that rivals “Warzone” for not only bringing more amazing nonbinary representation in the form of Sam (looking forward to seeing her and their relationship with Nightshade in future episodes), but for managing to tell a story of how to deal with racism (through the Terrans being treated as outsiders in the big city) without sugarcoating it and telling it in a way that kids can understand. Hashtag feels the most pain in being treated as an outsider, even with her family there to tell her that everything will be okay. Then…perhaps one of the darkest scenes of Transformers as a whole is when Mandroid took over her as an attempt to get rid of the baby boo bops and try to get Bumblebee’s parts, and feeds into her insecurities over whether or not she has the right to live on Earth. Through the use of mind tricks, he is a representation of all the disgusting ignorance and stupidity plaguing our real world right now, trying to “prove” that marginalized people, who are represented by the Terrans here, have no right to exist. However…then the Malto kids used the power of the Green Prime to reach out to Hashtag and let her know that everything will be okay. True, not everybody is going to be compassionate and understanding of people who are different from them. There are genuinely evil and hateful people who will never be negotiated with and will never understand the concept of being a decent human being. However…it doesn’t mean that you should let them get to you. You deserve the right to be yourself and live your life the way you want to live it. You are surrounded by people who love you and understand what you’re going through. You are not alone. You are good enough. In a time where we experience such amount of racism, misogyny, and homophobia in places in and out of the Transformers fandom…we need this message more than ever. We should not follow Mandroid’s hateful ideology. Instead, we should be the Maltos. Love will triumph over hate, and no matter how much the world tries to crush you, you are more than meets the eye in beautiful ways.

Conclusion: This is number three on the Transformers ranking list as of the time I am writing this. 💕

Transformers Earthspark is incredible. It has no right in getting everything so right. It’s a fantastic love letter to the Transformers franchise as a whole. Let the haters talk smack. I am confident in saying that this show is the ever rare Ultra Yesss tier 10/10.

Please check it out if you have accessibility to the show on any platform. I promise that you’ll not regret this fantastic start of a promising new future for Transformers. ❤️

[snekverse]

Ik in mystreet a lot of the chars are anime enjoyers but im gonna be so specific with ranking them and the type of anime they watch

Travis: bro's the type to only watch it early morning, mid afternoon because the daylight makes it more enjoyable and his nd ass needs the mood to be there so he can watch his favorite shows. He had a BNHA phase but over the 3rd seasons halfway point he became a Sailor Moon watcher and is now embarrassed to admit he only watches shoujo anime, specifically ones with a good magic system because shapes and colors make him happy /lh

Katelyn: Strictly a magical girl anime enjoyer. I think this is cannon but she's the type to only watch it at night when everyone is asleep so nobody walks in and asks why she's smiling 😭 she never watched the origional Soul Eater but regularly re-watches Soul Eater Not! because that still counts /lh. She never finished Sailor Moon because she wants to watch the movies on the TV but almost never has time alone 😭

Nana: She watches a large variety but refuses to watch BNHA because Bakugou just pisses her off so much 😭 whatever it is about him she just wants to claw his eyes out. She definitely bullies the 30 year old bakugou fangirls /lh

Garroth: watched like one episode of one-piece but didn't care for the art styke and dropped it 😭

Lucinda: girl watches death note and only death note. She just likes the plot and the skrunkly ass man that doesnt wear shoes he's funky and reminds her of one of her ex's when she was still comphet /lh

Aaron: "i dont like the voice acting" he's so picky. Genres don't particularly matter but if the voice acting is a certain way he won't watch it 😭😭

Jeffory: He put on Madoka Magica with Abby thinking it was a cute show to occupy her with when he was too tired one day to play. It in fact was not just a cute magical girl show. She isn't allowed to watch anime he doesn't do research on now no matter how innocent it looks /lh

God... all of these are so true... Aaron just like me fr lol

Travis FOR SURE is a shoujo and shounen enthusiast,, heavy preference for shoujo. He def also watched, or at least tried to watch, a bunch of classic ie Naruto, DBZ, all that wackass 90s/early 2000s stuff lol. He def doesn't watch them anymore but still looks back fondly <3

Katelyn for sure is a softie for magical girl animes and probably enjoys watching shoujos with Travis from time to time, but she vehemently denies it all. I think she would really wanna cosplay some of the characters but would uncomfy with,,,, all of it lol

Nana watches anything popular until she decides that it sucks ass, which doesn't happen very frequently but she def watched episode 1 of BNHA and gave it a HARD pass bc.. yknow.. Bakugou.. anyways she is easily the most involved in Fandom culture and for sure starts shipping discourse for fun lol

I think garroth would be pretty off-put about a lot of anime tropes/genres and would generally not enjoy it but you're so right like so many people in his life watch anime he's gotta at least try right?? Don't ask me where this come from, but lowkey he seems like the kind of guy to accidentally watch a hanime and not realize until if was too late...

Lucinda def does not strike me as someone who really watches anime like at all,, unless the art style is genuinely just gorgeous beyond reason. That being said, I think she's a huge supporter of women's wrongs and would be interested in fucked up (female) charas like Makima from JJK. I don't think she'd ever get around to watching it, but she'd like all the fanart n shit and lowkey be involved in the fandom

Aaron is spot on lol no notes. He started watching it for Aphmau’s sake and while he doesn't dislike it its only very specific anime that he does like. Literally if anything is off it becomes just about unwatchable for him

Jeffory I think started watching because Katelyn used to be SUPER into anime and while he likes it a lot he rarely ever watches, partially bc he's such a busy guy. He def talks about anime the same way a parent would yknow?? Like he's trying to be interested and supportive but he's so out of touch now that he has no fuckin idea what's going on anymore lmao

Aphmau only watches super cutesy things, and sometimes shounens. She seems like the kind of person though he can't for the life of her sit through an entire show, but she's always super active in the fandom and despite never finishing the anime and not reading the manga, she's always up to date on what's going on plot-wise (def not projecting nope no way). The only exception is Attack on Titan which she's seen in full several times

Zane is almost the opposite, generally preferring shows with darker themes and goreier visuals. I generally think he tries to stay away from fandom spaces until he's up to date, and while I think he'd prefer to read the manga before watching the anime that takes a LOT more time and his free time's limited enough as is