#another absolute banger from s1

[bloodfreak-boyking]

faith is an excellent episode for many reasons the main one being how much sam gets to touch dean under the guise of "you're literally dying and i'm gonna help you whether you like it or not" <3

[evelili]

I just finished your Magnum Opus, and it was super great. I especially loved the Pinkie chapter (which surprised me because she’s my least favorite character!). Anyway, do you have any mlp fic recommendations?

oh boy do i have a list for you, strap in!

if you read my magnum opus writeup, you may have seen i mentioned three authors that dragged me back into mlp. if you're interested in sciset (and what's probably the most popular eqg fic on the entire site), Long Road to Friendship by Albi is a longfic that started after the first eqg movie and is a rlly lighthearted read. i don't normally care for OCs but gosh if i dont accept Albi's version of trixie's parents as canon in my heart haha. if you're interested in pony adventure fic, i also rlly liked Sunset of Time, another rlly well done longfic ive carried in my brain since i first read it xd

the second author, Monochromatic, aka the raritwi authority aka someone who has a GREAT taste in editors, has written three of the most formative longfic ive ever read: The Enchanted Library, its sequel The Enchanted Kingdom, and Crimson Lips which i unfortunately can no longer link since she's taken it down, but i believe you can still buy physically through PFP if you wanted to take a gamble on it (it would be a very good gamble). apart from her longfic though i also adore some of her shorter works, including but not limited to The Choices We Make, a really interesting Pinkie study that's definitely shaped how i view her, Your Own Worst Enemy, which is just. peak rarity content, and Injuring Eternity, which while being one of her older works still has certain passages that wreck me emotionally on sight.

and the third author responsible for my magnum opus is the one and only Aragon, who i can not only recommend for his fics but ALSO for his blog posts and comics (see the comic index on his profile for links to all of them, as well as this amazing blogpost about his neighbour that is just peak comedy). he's also the writer responsible for the banger longfic Crime and Funishment which absolutely defined my writing aspirations for a few years and is the definition of comedy if you looked it up in my heart, as well as In Hindsight, yet another banger rarity fic, and Love Is In Doom which is just bloody, silly, stupid fun (and has sunset shimmer in it)

and then if we want to talk fics i love written by other authors, Sleepless Knights by r5h has my favourite brand of scitwi written right into the margins, Administrative Angel by horizon has one of the most amazing endings to an opening chapter ive ever read AND an amazing celestia, The Best Night Ever by Capn_Chryssalid is a fandom classic with a groundhog day twist on the gala episode from s1, Side by Side by Krickis is a feel-good rarijack oneshot w a focus on lgbt (specifically trans) themes, Wax Earplugs by Reedhoarse has a dysfunctional mess of an adagio dazzle that i adore, Merge Request by FanOfMostEverything has all the scitwi/midnight shenanigans you could ask for wrapped up in the relatable content of github hell, Guppy Love by PaulAsaran is a rarijack longfic with an incredibly realistic setting and an interpretation of mermaids that i love so much, Doused Flame by heartlessons has me handshaking on the "sopping wet pathetic relatable guy" flash sentry interpretation that won me over recently, 80 Days 'Til the World's Farthest Shore by Cynewulf feels like reading a professionally published short story (and i mean that in the best of ways, it's enthralling), and finally if you'll allow me to be self-centred a bit i also am very proud of my two oneshots Heartstrings and Something About Midnights if you wanted to check em out too xd

oops long post!! im not sorry for it, i hope you can find something in here that catches your fancy (or even all of it haha), there's soooo many incredible fics in the fandom it floors me every day that i can read all these incredible works for free!!!

[trobedgirldads]

Hey, I'm working on my Cooliver fic. Do you have a list of episodes that are best to rewatch to get their personalities and dynamics?

okay first of all i’m honored that you thought to ask me. second of all, i’m sorry i took forever to reply but i realized i didn’t have a list so i put one together lol

the otto motto (s1 e18) is the first time the idea of oliver being gay is mentioned

the walk (s1 e 20) is sooo important for cooper. first time we see his real personality instead of just his cool kid facade. also iirc this is the first appearance of “move on to your next point”

boo-who? (s2 e5) is pretty good for early oliver. it’s got his sass, some insecurities, a touch of scheming and ofc his iconic scream. cooper’s not in it tho.

blondetourage (s2 e11) is so iconic for them. the sneakers, the phone scheme. “i’m already riding bitch on your vespa.”

all coupled up (s2 e17) is their first big fight, so if you’re writing a fight/argument this is a good one. also some good cooper & katie moments.

it’s hard to say goodbye (s2 e19) is another one without cooper, but if you’re writing sad oliver this is such a good reference; he’s really well written and acted in this episode. the cgi tears take me out tho 😭😭

here we go again (s3 e2) has them work through conflicts and like resolve a fight without intervention from katie/greg. i love them <3. absolutely banger episode for each of them individually, and them as a duo.

enemies: an otto story (s3 e4) has a good oliver scheme, and he gets cooper in on it. cooper talking about tagging along to boarding school with him makes me feel things.

trust me (s3 e5) is the absolutely iconic scooby-doo halloween costumes/making out practice episode that every cooliver writer has written about. i think it’s the first time cooper is seriously brought into the whole “oliver might be gay” bit, but i might be wrong about that (i know cooper’s mentioned the first time it’s ever brought up, but i think this is the first time he really seems like a piece of the puzzle)

body image (s3 e6) again, no cooper, but very good for insecure oliver

mo’ money, mo’ problems (s3 e13) is also so iconic in my brain. idk how genuinely important it is to either of their development, but it means a lot to me. i can’t remember who it was, but someone on here posted a really good analysis of cooper in this episode and how he’s lying to try to get oliver to not go to the party, which could be useful depending what you’re writing. also this is the first time cooper calls katie and greg mom and dad :(

insta-friends (s3 e16) is another big fight for them, and also some serious cooper daddy/mommy issues. this one isn’t super helpful for individual oliver, but it’s great for individual cooper and their dynamic when they’re mad at each other

field trippin’ (s3 e20) is a much sillier, fluffier episode than a lot of what i have on this list. silly lil scheme gone wrong. cooper’s really only in the first like half of this one tho

a mom’s parade (s3 e22) ok so hot take i don’t really like this episode that much… you can do you is very queer coded tho so it’s going on the list lol

girls’ night out (s4 e6) is just so awesome. oliver’s really sweet towards the end, and it’s bcuz of cooper. cooliver/triplor double date mention!!! tiny touch of cooper angst. greg implying that cooper holds a similar role in the family to trip. just all of it is so perfectly cooliver. this is one of their best episodes imo

hip to be square (s4 e9) is the i love you episode!!!!!!!!!!!! them fighting and then saying they love each other!!!!!!!!!!! so interesting for their dynamic!!!

a very english scandal (s4 e14) is the one where the whole school thinks oliver is gay. the one time cooper denies being oliver’s boyfriend. overall very gay episode.

all is fair in love and war reenactment (s4 e17) is a good one for them supporting each other, but not enabling each other’s shitty behavior. really good for their dynamic, and cooper’s got some good layers in this episode

senior prank (s4 e18) ohhhhh they’re such big brothers in this one i love it so much. if you wanna write them as parents this might be a decent reference. also, not cooliver related but franklin is just so iconic in this.

vacation! (s4 e19) i’ve said it before and ill say it again: this episode feels more like a cooliver fic than an actual episode. so good for both of them as individuals, their dynamic as a couple, and how cooper fits into the otto family as a whole.

prom (s4 e20) is another one that i think is good for oliver as an individual and their relationship as a pair. also big brother cooper crumbs!! (they’re very small but they’re there and they’re important to me 😌)

graduation (s5 e1) is ofc so good if you’re writing some angst. seeing how they deal with issues involving them that seem out of their control. also more cooper fitting into the family as a whole <3

psych (s5 e2) is really good for later-seasons oliver and his need for validation. also supportive bf cooper :)

coupling (s5 e3) is the episode i show ppl if i want to get them into the show bcuz it gives such a good overview of all of the characters and their relationships with each other. more cooliver fighting if you need references for that. the couple coding in this episode is so intense.

kids these days (s5 e5) is sooooo good for their dynamic bcuz it really shows how they support each other without enabling each other. i love cooper so much in this episode. “our family” <3

mother’s little helper (s5 e6) is pretty good. shows off that no matter how much they’ve grown, they’re still just dumb teenage boys.

encourage, discourage (s5 e8) is soooo good for cooper fitting into the family as a whole.

the heist (s5 e9) chef cooper origin!!!!! oliver being a supportive bf!!! i love them!!!

getting frank with the ottos (s5 e10) is a big turning point in their relationship. once again, supportive bf oliver!! they’re so cute.

the election (s5 e13) i feel like their dynamic is a little bit weird in this episode (oliver’s like weirdly chill abt once again being confronted w the idea of cooper moving, but ig it’s bcuz he has his own stuff going on) but it’s so good for sad cooper/daddy issues cooper. this is definitely a huge one for cooper angst references

okok so this is a really big list. obvs i don’t know what the plot of your fic is or when it’s set, so some of these might be much more helpful than others depending what you’re writing. these are just my suggestions of the ones that stand out as important for them as individuals and as a duo. hope this is helpful!!!! i’m excited to read your fic if/when you post it :)

[rebelrebelwrites]

Fic Friday! ❤️ Rebel’s Weekly Fic Recs

As always, this week's recs are...

As always, please mind the tags on any recommended story for your own personal preferences.

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The Classic You’ve Heard Of But Somehow Haven’t Read Yet: The Waiting Game by Anonymous

What you need to know going in:

A classic if I’ve ever read one! This fic is a gorgeous one-shot that sees Galadriel and Sauron just on the cusp of the 4th Age, after Sauron is defeated by Frodo. Galadriel is preparing to leave for Valinor, and is visited by him for a final meeting. The melancholy; the knowledge of all the Ages they’ve been at odds, only to come to the end for a final goodbye… it’s stunningly sad, and breathtakingly beautiful. A must-read.

Complete, General

Read the story.

Follow the author I don't know where! But if you're out there, dear author, thank you for your lovely work.

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The AU You Need to Immerse Yourself In Because, Well, Wow: Beautiful Creature of Darkness by @pursuitseternal

What you need to know going in:

It’s a Phantom-inspired fic, y’all! Phantom of the Opera, that is. Set in the 1st Age, Galadriel chafes under her brother Finrod’s overbearing rule in Dol Guldur when she becomes enchanted by a mysterious, magnetic presence. Three guesses as to who it is. 😉 Galadriel becomes increasingly drawn to a very persuasive and persistent Sauron, despite the darkness that shrouds him — even as an unnamed threat shadows her brother’s kingdom. If you’re a fan of Phantom, this is a fun read for the Gothic romance and well-drawn parallels to the Leroux/Weber favorite. I’m intrigued to see where it goes!

WIP, Explicit

Read the story.

Follow the author on Tumblr and AO3.

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The Complete But Never Forgotten Masterpiece: Shine and Lady of the Seas by eye_of_a_cat

What you need to know going in:

Another eye of a cat classic! For me, this series (and yes, you definitely should read both) was the first “Halbrand makes Galadriel her armor in Armenolos” fic. And, like all of eye of a cat’s works, BOTH fics are absolute bangers. I mean… do I need to say much more than he makes Gal her armor and Cat wrote it? 😂 I don’t think I do, but just in case, here’s what I’ll add: terrific sexual tension that’s well, well-rewarded in the 2nd fic in the series, and it’s all Sauron’s POV, so expect possessive, awestruck, utterly beguiled (and beguiling) deliciousness. You’re welcome.

Complete, Teen & Explicit

Read the series.

Follow the author on Twitter and AO3.

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The WIP That Will Wreck You (In the Best Way): Pour Your Light In Me And Watch Me Dissolve by @maironiiel

What you need to know going in:

This S1-set fic gives a repentant-but-struggling Sauron in Numenor, simultaneously set ill at ease by Galadriel and her insistence he join her in the campaign to reclaim the Southlands, and irrevocably bewitched by her. But it’s not just Galadriel who calls to him—the Valar do, too, sending Ossë and others to appeal to him to return to the light in full; to Valinor for judgment. The result is a scintillating slow burn with promise for more, with a lovely expansion and interpretation of what we saw in the show, particularly in how the Valar and other Maia might react or appeal to this version of Mairon. A part 1 with one chapter left to go before part 2, I’m curious to see how this story evolves.

WIP, Mature

Read the story.

Follow the author on Tumblr and AO3.

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The Can't Stop Consuming No Matter What Time It Is Fic: se vis pacem, para bellum by @nenyabusiness

What you need to know going in:

This is another recent sub I added to my rotating reading list, so it’s just starting to heat up, but when it’s a John Wick AU, you know to expect a thrill ride right from the start—and the fic doesn’t disappoint! If you’re not familiar with John Wick, here’s all you need to know: Galadriel is a retired, renowned assassin known as The Daughter from a family of deadly assassins. She’s drawn from her retirement when her brother, Finrod, is killed by a rival crime family controlled by Sauron. In an attempt to curb her quest for vengeance, Sauron turns to subterfuge… and masquerades as an unwitting ally to gain her trust. Where they go from there? 👀 I’m excited to see, but so far, this is a perfect premise for this ETL pair to keep those thrills coming.

WIP, Mature

Read the story.

Follow the author on Tumblr and AO3.

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🤩🤩🤩

Me at all these fics:

Don’t see your story on this list yet? Keyword: yet. Please don’t fret! I can only recommend so many each week, but I am always looking for more stuff to read, share, and generally shower with love, so please feel free to reply with your own fics or your personal faves. I have plenty more to recommend… ❤️

Until next week!

[tam--lin]

Leverage Rewatch: Seasons 1 and 2, speed round

I love The Bank Shot Job, it always hits for me. First episode that's really a banger, IMHO.

Leverage does not have the most informed politics surrounding adoption, at least not in S1 + S2.

When we hit Two Live Crew Job, Beloved goes, "dang, I wish our Eliot looked like that".

Big Maggie fans over here. I love the David jobs, they're very fun.

The con in Tap-Out Job doesn't quite do it for me, but I LOVE the twist, and I would like to watch Eliot box more, please.

We comment that Eliot is a smol man at least once an episode. It's true! Small, punchy man, great hair. What's not to like.

The Order 23 Job certainly hits different this side of 2020. Eliot trying to help the kid does things to my heart, though. That man's dad instincts are unparalleled. I love every episode where there's a kid.

The Fairy Godparents Job - another kid episode! Yay! The fencing scene cracks me up. The Absolute Fencing gear when it should certainly be Leon Paul, Eliot saying "turn your hat around". Silly, delightful. Actually very far from the worst portrayal of fencing I've ever seen on the screen.

The Three Days of the Hunter Job is another banger.

Somehow I'd never seen The Ice Man Job or The Lost Heir Job?

Big Tara fans over here.

Is it just me or does Leverage become more ACAB as the show goes on (while never committing fully)?

The Future Job is one of my all-time favorites.

The Three Strikes Job is a peak Eliot episode. Another very solid two-parter to close the season.

[herobrinna]

ok so ive spammed my friend with toh thoughts a bit to much so time to ramble here i suppose. (sorry in advance thisll be very disjointed and go from one random point to another).

my main take away from the finale is that it felt a bit... hollow?

like dont get me wrong, the animation was so fucking good. getting more titan and collector lore was also so cool (and hellooo The Titan being such a genderqueer royal? absolutely love how natural toh rep is, like its just thrown out there and no one questions it, just how shit is, absolutely bangers- *gets shot*). and aaaa, the aged up re-designs of all the characters are so good, especially like the detail how all the hexsquad have a flapjack tattoo.

yet there are so many bits that just feel off? like they couldve been handle better (even with the cut runtime the show had).

first lets start with the Collector who just got done dirty, like their whole arc was about the fear of being alone again, yet at the end they decided to leave? just like that? like would it not make more sense for him to stay with Eda, to learn to control his powers better and make new friends. especially them leaving to "mature" or whatever doesnt really make sense, like how can they grow as a person if they dont interact with others, if they dont get exposed to different opinions and believes and all that.

and i dont really like Collie, but it still feels like he deserved better, especially after taking up so much runtime.

actually you know what wouldve made the show better? not introducing the Collector in the first place.

no but think about it, why waste so much runtime on a character that didnt even exist before the show was cut (and thus had very little foreshadowing and buildup to his introduction) and then to not even give them a sweeter ending?

if anything the show shouldve stuck with the Day of Unity being the true finale. like honestly if DoU happened over the 3 specials they actually had plenty of time to flesh out all the existing characters further, maybe there could have been even a little more time for more slice of life moments. but then the whole bit with Collie just feels likes taking away precious time, that his character could have only worked if the show wasnt cut, but if it wasnt cut he wouldnt have existed in the first place, so man idk.

and on the topic of the DoU, holy shit Belos got done dirty, im actually mildly mad at his demise.

like it just overall doesnt make sense thematically.

like, ok this is gonna be hard to phrase, and i would like to straight away say i dont think Belos should ever be redeemed, just gonna use other characters redemptions as example.

so toh throughout its enite runtime is really set on showing that everyone deserves a second chance for as long as they want and are willing to change. we see this with Lilith who was pretty much immediately redeemed at the beginning of s2, and whilst many people say it was rushed, or she didnt deserve it, i think otherwise. like throughout s1 she only tries to get Eda into the Emperor's coven out of the belief that Belos will cure her, cuz yknow, she feels really fucking guilty for cursing her sister, and even then she doesnt really force Eda that much into joining, like there are many moments of weakness were Lilith couldve dragged Eda to the emperor, but she didnt, she gave Eda many chances to join on her own. and again the only reason she even wanted Eda to be in the coven was to right her mistake of cursing her. so after going through that guilt for years of course shed be forgiven quickly, as she showed that she wants to change, be better and all that.

we see this with Hunter as well, though his redemption was more gradual, yet still his past wrongs arnt brought up, like how he patronised Eda and Luz during his first meeting, or attacked Amity in eclipse lake, cuz he was also doing shit out of the belief of helping people, and clearly wanted to change for the better, so why bring up his past wrongs when hes a better person now and all that.

why bring this up?

well with Belos toh brought up an interesting dilemma, what do you do with a person that doesnt want to change, thats stuck in a loop of his short sighted beliefs in a system thats ready to accept and help anyone that tries to change regardless of their past?

and the answer to that being to just kill him?

like how does that solve anything? he died thinking he was in the right, that witches are still spawns of satan or whatever tf. it just feels like it goes against what the show established.

now dont get me wrong, the scene of him trying to manipulate Luz for the millionth time and her just staring him down completely unfazed is amazing, it says more than any actual words could ever. what isnt is then Raine, Eda and King immediately stomping him afterwards, which again, just proofs Belos' point that witches are "evil" from his perspective. (how did he even die from that when even mf Collie wasnt able to kill him? and ne got hit by a car and that *still* didnt kill him either, it just feels like he shouldve survived that)

so imagine if instead of them stomping him down they decided to imprison him, that will of course also have the effect of saving him from the boiling rain. so now Belos has to live with the fact that it was witches that saved him, the same witches he'd never show that kind of mercy to, the same witches he would murder the second he got the chance, and what makes it worse is the fact that the human, the one he oh so creepily obsessed over didnt even do anything, wouldve left him suffer in the boiling rain if she had the choice.

and just generally, letting him actually *live* with the consequences of his actions would have been so much more fitting. like dying is easy, wayy too easy, an escape from consequences, but actually living with said consequences, well thats delightfully horrific.

and his death isnt the only way that they done him dirty, the Titan also basically just said that Belos is just evil and theres nothing more too it, when there literally is?? like hello what were all thos Hollow Mind paintings for if not to show that Belos aint just pure evil, how he is a victim of shitty circumstances, yet how despite that it doesnt excuse the extent to which he took shit to.

and the just forgot about that?

... oh right, they forgot the memory paintings even existed untill someone posted their own redraws of them, no wonder they fucked Belos' character up so much :/

man im getting tired from rambling this much lol

but overall its just toh has so many missed opportunities, i could go on and on about them, although not like my rambles make any sense probably, and many people have def explained similar point much better so im just gonna shit up now.

(and of course im gonna rewrite this for my oc x Belos au <3 )

[gins-potter]

character ask game: Flora, the girl we both feel no particular way about whatsoever, with questions 7, 8, 18 and 21!

asdfghjkl you're such a shit-stirrer 🤣

7. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you like?

give her a personality? hmmm i mean stoner flora is a hilarious invention from the fandom. I also love when artists go really hardcore with her plant powers in term of character design and create some absolute banger designs for her.

8. What's something the fandom does when it comes to this character that you despise?

make her a vegetarian/vegan bc it makes no fucking sense. s1 flora literally liked to give plants sentience to try and stop deforestation, there's no way she'd follow a diet that increases the number of plants she eats.

18. How about a relationship they have in canon with another character that you admire?

I really like her friendship with Layla especially in s2, it's got a bit of odd-couple energy to it. She's pining after this dude, Layla's like, bruh can't relate but I guess I'll help. I also really like her friendship with Bloom as well, but maybe that's my fanon version of it lmao.

21. If you're a fic writer and have written for this character, what's your favorite thing to do when you're writing for this character? What's something you don't like?

Hmmm my fave thing is probs to try and expand her character a bit, create some more depth for her because I do find she can be a bit one-dimensional in canon. It's not necessarily what I don't like writing about her, but in general I don't particularly gravitate towards her, so I do find her hard to write for sometimes.

[zehecatl]

2024 media thread PART SEPTEMBER

13th September: Transformers Earthspark s1

god damn, this really is just an overall banger- both as a Transformers show, and as a show on its own merits. surprisingly well-written, really well animated and choreographed (dude, some of these fight scenes, holy shit), with engaging characters and a really solid plot. like, this is a good show

it's not without any flaws, but out of the 26 episodes, there's only two episodes where i had annoyances- and even then, i wouldn't call a single episode bad. the way they kind of compare Transformers to immigrants is, like. a choice. but it's pretty easy to overlook, especially since it barely shows up, and i don't think the ground idea is inherently bad. also, as a Transformers fan, i would like to see more of the pre-existing 'bots! i do love the Terrans, like genuinely so, but also. my babies. show them to me

i really love the theme of family, and also how the show handles the Cybertronian war, and the after-effects of said war- it pretty much feels like every pre-existing 'bot has trauma, and it doesn't feel accidental. hell, it's even outright addressed at times, and while it's still very much coming from a children's show, it's pretty well-written, and i really hope s2 gets around to touching on it even more

also, also, the way this show handles the Autobot-Decepticon relationship is so interesting, and a lot of fun. there's the obvious case of Megatron himself going 'good', and the fallout he has with numerous of the Decepticons (his divorce energy with Soundwave and Shockwave is off the charts), but there's also smaller moments, like Bumblebee knowing Brawl by name, or even just the few moments where the Decepticons are shown in a kinder light, where we get a little glimpse into why they started their cause... i really want s2 to touch on this one more, since it's probably one of the most interesting things Earthspark is doing

like, overall, i'm just a really big fan of this show? it's genuinely really fucking good, and i'm looking forward to checking s2 out at some point, especially since the fandom seems to be throwing a hissy fit about it

also it made me ship Megatron/Shockwave, and i cannot complain about that. Megatron has two loyal husbands, and he does not deserve them at all 💖

16th September: ZERO (Toume Kei)

being so honest, this is a deeply mid ass manga. like, i wouldn't exactly call it bad, and i think it could make a really fun movie, but. it's not exactly good either, lol

mainly, i read this because the main girl antagonist has such a good design. like, the art is on point for the girls, i really like the slight edge they have to it- but anyway, i really like Mao's character. she has such a seme vibe, and i kind of really fucking love with it. would kidnap her as a character and make her have a messy sapphic relationship with another girl. wish it had been about her. she could have seme'd that twink ass protag so hard, and i would have loved that

16th September: Dark Forest, White Road

the atmosphere of this one is so excellent, actually. it's very melancholic, which really matches with its winter setting, and i think this would really have thrived with a longer run time

there isn't a lot of meat here, really, but it feels like there is. the story is brimming with potential and interesting set ups, from the honestly toxic relationship between the main character and her sister, to the fleeting connection between her and the love interest; also, the way the love interest is written is interesting, because again, it feels like there's so much left unsaid, so much you could explore further

also, the art here is really gorgeous? like, it matches the atmosphere so well, and i just really like how it's drawn.. i would have consumed the shit out of multiples volumes, is all i'm saying

16th September: The Miko's Words and the Witch's Incantations

primarily read this for the art, which is absolutely gorgeous, and really up my alley- though i did end up rather liking the whole thing, even if it was a bit confusing at the start

this one has a really interesting set up, with a witch saving a miko from a shrine she's been trapped in her whole life, and the consequences that causes- i actually think this one would make a really good OVA, and that as a stand-alone volume, it actually works rather well

it's nothing super deep, but it was a pretty cute read, and i think some of the stuff that went down in the climax could make for some really interesting story beats

16th September: Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves

i'm not actually a DnD'er, and most of the information i do know about it comes second-hand, so while i did recognize some stuff (the owlbear!! the underdark!!) this really was just a rather fun fantasy movie for me

i do think they put a lot of effort into bringing the setting to life, and it was a really good movie, like i had a great time, but it's definitely more of a popcorn flick than anything else- though i would definitely love a sequel!

i do kind of wish we had gotten some actual bard action... like, i don't know how exactly it's supposed to work in-game, but i feel like the lead was... super useless lol. like, he truly did shit

19th 26th September: Love Bullet v1

since this is only a single volume right now, i don't think there's a lot you can really say about Love Bullet, but- that's not really gonna stop me, lol

it definitely, like absolutely for real, deserves the hype it's getting. like, it's such a solid first volume, and i'm straight up gonna be heartbroken if it gets cancelled, because there is so much potential here

first of, the art is so so gorgeous, and the manga really utilizes the medium, with lots of parallel shots and framing, and just- i'm not an art person, okay, but this is some good fucking shit

secondly, while we obviously haven't known the characters for very long, and we haven't seen much of Ena especially, just from what little we've seen, and the designs themselves, it's obvious these are well thought out, and well-written, characters. like, i'm genuinely so excited to see more of all of them, because they're already so dynamic and fun, and i really like seeing them interact with each other

also, also! there seems to be some really good layers, here. there's mysteries already being sown, not just with the relationship between characters (Kanna and Chiyo? 👀) but also for the actual cupid system in general. like, the whole 'losing' the hiragani and kanji in the names is interesting, and i think there's for sure some stuff going on in the background that we don't know about yet, and it makes me so excited to learn more about this world

also! i just! really like the action!!! it's so well done, and i love how much detail the mangaka has given to everything (they use different martial arts!!!! the guns!!! it's so fun!!) and i'm just- i'm so very charmed by this manga, and i really really really want it to get super huge and big, so we can get an anime and maybe an english release, and just.. this has so much potential

as a yuri, there's not a lot going on so far, but what we have is, so far, really good. i definitely think we're going to get more, and i definitely think said more will be really fucking tasty, because it feels like this mangaka knows what she's doing, and i think she is going to feed us so fucking good

basically, i just. really like Lovet Bullet so far. and i really hope we get more... please... more cute girls

26th September: Reverie in a Deserted Bus

it's a cute little tragedy with some nice art, and a fun set up. i've actually been meaning to read this one for yeaars, all primarily because i really like the set up of an abandoned bus...

26th September: Damdam!!

THE FACT THAT THIS ONE IS ONLY A ONESHOT SADDENS ME SO MUCH, BECAUSE THE POTENTIAL HERE IS UNREAL...

it's basically a dark action yuri, wherein our two protagonists is part of a super special secret force that specializes in killing monsters. also they're both high school children. because of course

i really really love the set up here, like i'm just a huge fan of monster killing and yuri action, and this one nails it so good. the monster design is excellent, and the art really works for the type of story this is, and also the yuri, while not the focus, is so toxic and fucked, i fucking adore it. and while we obviously don't get a lot of the characters, i did really like them... one of them is super rude and brusque, and calls her partner bitch, and the other is just absolutely in love with her, and is delighted by her very presence, and i just. i wanted more. so bad

26th September: Efude to Kuro Kinu

this one has a pretty good build up, and while i don't think the lack of actual yuri is a failure, i did kind of want more actual yuri...

but! the toxicity is pretty tasty, and the art really works for the story, and i actually really liked the ending. also we just love to see older women in yuri <3

29th September: Wavetale

a genuinely really excellent little gem of a game, that's also a throwback to the 3D platformers of the PS2 era. which i am a huge fan of, like really huge, so of course i was going to love this game

which i do! especially because it's greatest strength isn't actually the platforming (which, being honest, isn't super deep or complex) but the story! which is really good!!!

it's a very ghibli-esque story, set in a post-war/post-apocalyptic world, wherein the whole world is more or less covered in water- which the game lets you surf around on, by the way, and it's great fun- and also the dark mysterious ~gloom~ that fucks you up, and all has basically more or less ruined most of the world. like. the protagonist doesn't even know what apples are. it's banging

it's one of those stories about grief and war and a bit o' environmentalism messaging, which, again- very ghibli! and, like ghibli, it keeps a more light tone, even when it properly addressed said themes, which is obviously helped along by the (very nice) more cartoony visuals

like, i could see this as a ghibli movie. i really good

anyway! as a game, it's definitely not super complex or deep- the combat is very easy, the platforming is easy (but nice. i liked doing it :3), there's no real puzzle elements, etc etc. i do think the surfing mechanic is very fun, but, again- not very deep. but! i think that's okay!! sometimes a game is a vehicle to tell a story, and the gameplay is there to help the narrative flow, or even just underline it- as much as i think the combat is a bit superfluous, it helps with the narrative flow, and so i can't really fault its existence

it's a good game. not very long, but i really liked it, and its story, and its characters. it feels like a work of love and passion, and i always love to see that :]

29th September: Transformers One

so every Transformers fans have already say that this movie is really good, so i'm not coming with any new take, here, when i say, oh my god. this movie was really frickin' good

like. it is SO GOOD. and just- seeing Transformers, animated, on the big screen- it feels so huge. monumental. for so long we have eaten the live action scraps, and now it's animated and it's good, and it's about THEM, and we see CYBERTRON, AND JUST. AAAAAAAAAAAA. IT'S SO GOOD. IT'S SO FRICKIN' GOOD I COULD COMBUST ABOUT IT

(also i will now engage in spoiler talk. if you have not seen the movie, go see it. right now. seriously)

putting aside the sheer fucking hype of this movie even existing, i also think it's the perfect 'starting point' for a possible new 'generation' of Transformers. going into the backstory of Optimus and Megatron is not just fun, but also a really good way to set the stage for (possible) future movies. also, man, it's just. it's so good. i loved seeing the divorce happen on-screen, the way they did Megatron's turn to evil was so good, and while it's obviously a bit- not really rushed, but this is a movie, and we got a time constraint here, it just feels good. the scene with him and the High Guard where he nearly kills Starscream, ough, it's so fucking good. Starscream goading him on and then eventually cowering, like yessss, start off your future toxic gayship properly, i love you <3

ALSO SHOCKWAVE. SHOCKWAVE. I LOVE YOU. I ADORE YOU. LITERALLY NEARLY GIGGLED OUT LOUD WHEN HE SHOWED UP, HE'S MY FUNNY LITTLE MAN <3 <3

also, can i just say- i love Elita? i love Elita so much??? she should, by all account, fall into the 'strong female character' archtype, but, at least to me, she doesn't. she has the trappings of it, but she just- she doesn't feel forced, she doesn't feel badly written, she feels as at home as everyone else, and i love her SO much. her relationship with Optimus is really fun, and also i think she should kiss Shockwave (what. who said that)

also i was rather hesitant about Bee at first, because i haaaaate when they flanderize an existing character into the comedy role, but- they make it work. guy who has been alone for literal years and cannot stop talking now due to trauma and FRIENDSHIP EXCITEMENT. he's fun. i forgive him for his crimes <3

i am, being very honest, not much of a fan of MegaOp. both as characters, and as the ship, but man. this movie did them so good. literally the MegaOp divorce movie of all time. i see what y'all are seeing, and i have to stan. friends to enemies go hard every time, and it goes hard here. like, when Megatron lets go? holy fucking shit? that was SO SICK, and just. the whole climax itself. was so frickin' good

also i love how surprisingly brutal this movie is?? and i hope if we get a sequel they turn that shit up, because it was tasty. Megatron tearing Sentinel in two, like yes baby get his ass

ough, i just. i love this movie. i need a million more. i need more focus on the Quintessons (I LOVE HOW THEY DID THEM IN THIS MOVIE. I LOVE HOW THEY'RE NOT THE FOCUS. I LOVE HOW THEY'RE A LITERAL LOOMING THREAT, AND THEY DON'T EVEN SPEAK!!) and i need the Autobot-Decepticon war, and i need to see everyone. all of them. especially more Jazz, i am so charmed by his little cameo role, like that's my baby boy!!! he is so cute!!!

(ALSO AIRACHNID WAS SO COOL??? HELLO??? HER AND SENTINEL WAS TRULY JUST ICONIC AS FUCK)

ANYWAY THE MOVIE WAS SO GOOD. I NEED THE DVD IMMEDIATELY SO I CAN REWATCH IT ON LOOP. A THOUSAND MILLION OUT OF TEN, BEST MOVIE ALL YEAR, GIVE IT ALL THE AWARDS

[m1ckeyb3rry]

LMAO the double whammy sassy asshole dynamic is so funny but I get what you mean about its practicality LOL I’m ngl between the Isagi post and this I wonder if rewatching bllk this time is gonna lead to isagism LOL Ok but genuinely my other thought was maybe more Barou appreciation!! Or maybe if you come across a tiktok edit to some fire music of a scene in s1 it could be someone completely random/new!

STOP THE KIYORA KNITTING HC IS SO REAL??? I don’t even know how to describe it but heavy on this vibe like, especially with the “not hiding just not brought up” part you kinda cooked with that…also bro the chokehold Rio had on me….talk about gateway bird media

SSHSHS OK IM GLAD LMAOOO the hiatus scare concept honestly just shows your dedication like no one’s doing it like you…we all trust you’ll cook LMAOO

The work you do for Karasu nation is immeasurably truly…ok but I can’t wait for whatever you write next!! The request lineup honestly slaps excited for another Mira banger o7

BRO THE EDIT??? You made that a little too fast but omfg I see it….it’s literally them….

Pause the good ≠ popular thing is so real like….just because something was captivating enough to become popular doesn’t necessarily equate to it actually being thought out well either…I mean there’s several cases where the art style can just be really good or the characters are good looking and it’s enough to get people to read….

I truly think that the inability to understand the concept constructive criticism is like biggest issue plaguing communities like you are required to absolutely love every part of something like hello….

The jjk hype build up/bait is honestly so real though…you can kinda feel it in how gege handles things that he can be reliant on shock factor of capsized to try and spice things up…

Honestly same the rat tails are a no no for me….i also think in terms of more assholey characters i much prefer ones like Karasu over Kaiser LOL

Noel noa being a paid actor would be so real HAHA I can imagine that they’d maybe even just go to sign marriage documents and wouldn’t really even have a full ceremony! I don’t really know enough about weddings to say much beyond that but yeah LMAO

Ok but wait circling back, how’s the dub LMAOO any character updates….

- Karasu anon

EEK DON’T MANIFEST ISAGISM FOR ME!! i just got to second selection but i will keep my thoughts to myself until i’ve finished all of season one…also it’s so funny to see characters from the manga in the background DHDJSKS even though they never put KARASU there 😒 maybe it’s because his hair is just so obviously not side character worthy that it would stick out too much?? like less of an easter egg and more of a “look at these guys”

LMAOO kiyora is mine now 😈 and oh i loved the rio movies too!! as a bird stan it truly is the perfect movie but also in general it’s such a fun and vibrant film PLUS it’s surprisingly heavy given the intended audience

i prefer to slow cook full course dinners instead making of super quick microwave meal fics 🙏🏻 JFJDSJ that was silly but ykwim

it’s truly always a surprise what i’m going to post next i feel 😭 but agreed there’s a lot of cool stuff in my inbox that i’m excited about writing!! plus karasu nation will be fed trust i have more than a couple of requests for him as you know so i will be back 🤩

THE EDIT HAD ME CACKLING BECAUSE IT FITS TOOOO WELL 😨 kaneshiro if you’re listening give us yuki x gagamaru PLEASE they both need friends so bad

no exactly i mean me personally if an art style is good i’ll watch something that’s otherwise mediocre…you see it a LOT with manhwa too where people will gas up the most mid villainess isekai abusive male lead shit ever because of the art style 😭 and yeah the day that people realize what constructive criticism actually is will be the day we reach peace in online fandom spaces

YESS when i think asshole character i imagine like sassy jerk who’s secretly a sweetheart (karasu or barou) NOT someone who is genuinely questionable at times 😟 i think it’s a matter of lightheartedness like with characters such as karasu you know that half of the time they’re just saying bs because they’re trying to tease you but kaiser lowkey means it fr 😭 idk he’s not my fav but that doesn’t stop me from writing him if people request it HAHA

okay i actually rlly like the dub surprisingly!!! i LOVE anri’s voice (probably more than the sub) she just sounds sm more mature and actually in control of things?? her and ego’s interactions also feels more equal somehow even though the lines they’re saying are the same…smth abt the tone though makes it feel less like ego’s degrading anri and more like he’s just kind of a shithead 😭 and oddly enough i rlly enjoy niko’s voice?? it’s very satisfying to listen to somehow 🤩 everyone else’s are pretty fine so far except nagi’s 😰 lowkey i don’t really like nagi’s dub he just doesn’t sound the way i imagined nagi would 😓 his japanese VA is just too iconic ig…also i haven’t gotten there yet but i think i saw a clip of karasu’s dub from the last ep of season one and i remember not rlly liking that either 💔 he was kinda too rough sounding i think i pictured him to have less of a harsh voice and something smoother 😩 but it was also only one line so maybe i’ll like it more in the future?? not that i plan on watching s2 in dub at least at first 🤔 i will say the dub does an excellent job of feeling realistic in terms of the dialogue lines and slang…like yes this is exactly what these losers should sound like LMAOAOA it’s honestly pretty funny at times

[delta-queerdrant]

big doctor energy (Heroes & Demons, s1 e12)

Yeah, our first holodeck episode + our first Doctor episode! This one is pretty silly but it's a capital-R Romp and I'm here for it.

Once again this is an episode that begins with resource management! One of the things that has been cracking me up during this rewatch is what a hands-on and, perhaps, micromanager Janeway is. She really does love science and is always going on away missions, peeking over people's shoulders, and in this case, beaming aboard samples of "intense photonic activity" to see if they can be used in the ship's power converters. No one seems to mind, but there are presumably some off-screen science officers who are grumpy because they never get to do the fun labwork.

Janeway hair watch - the "bun of steel" has been swapped out for a side-swept French twist kinda thing. It's definitely an improvement, though the twisty parts are slightly fussy and overcomplicated. Damn this woman would look good with an undercut! Anyhoo.

If I were sending the Doctor on a fantastical adventure, would I choose Beowulf? Perhaps not - Hollywood depictions of the "Dark Ages" do little for me - but it's an okay time. I appreciate the inclusion of Freya; shieldmaidens are authentic to early Scandinavian culture if not to Beowulf itself. And I have always enjoyed Unferth as a side villain - he is the ultimate undermining coworker and I love that he has existed in literature for at least the last millennium. We all have our inner Unferth and I think that's fine.

Shame they're not all speaking in alliterative verse, or that the forest looks like no forest that ever appeared in Denmark, or that the Doctor is eating what appears to be a giant turkey(????) leg despite it being pre-Columbian Exchange times, but none of that is the point.

Watching the Doctor laconically roleplay his way through this adventure is, of course, a fun and silly time. He is such a fish out of water and his blunt, uncomplicated responses are all accidental zingers. By the end he has really come into his own and his moment of heroism feels earned, facing down Unferth with the absolute banger line, "The only reason you won't die is that I've taken an oath to do no harm." I wrote big doctor energy in my notes and I think we can all agree with this assessment.

I should probably be mad about Freya getting fridged, but, like, she feels surprisingly three-dimensional for a fictional character? And at the same time, she is an in-universe fictional character and it doesn't matter? It's complicated, since both she and the Doctor are holograms. From where I'm standing, she genuinely had her own character arc and her death felt meaningful on its own terms. I will have things to say later in the series about the Doctor's sexuality, but I don't think I'll say them here.

The Doctor makes peace with the glowing squiggle (sorry, photonic life form) and the captured crew are restored, including Harry Kim in his very cute LARP outfit. I am always here for Harry being the absolute dorkiest of dorks; in this episode he looks like he is cosplaying Bilbo Baggins.

As mentioned in an earlier review, I am an ex-ELCA Lutheran (Lutheranism and I are still pals, we just weren't right for one another) so I was tickled by the Doctor briefly taking on the soubriquet of Schweitzer. I am not culturally Lutheran, but Albert Schweitzer is definitely a big Lutheran hero and gets Lutherans going (other things that get Lutherans going - potlucks, Prairie Home Companion, "A Mighty Fortress is our God").

After watching this episode I went down a Schweitzer rabbit hole and was reminded that, in addition to his humanitarian work, he also wrote one of the important "historical Jesus" books, in which the facts of Jesus's life were reevaluated. It was so interesting reading about his (shockingly recent) rediscovery that early Christianity was basically an apocalypse cult. Schweitzer was down with this, because he thought it was punk rock or something. I find this approach to religion - religion as something that can be analyzed, that is both culturally contingent and, at its nucleus, contains a critique of powerful political and social forces - such a compelling antidote to gray goo evangelism, in which no belief is ever examined. This is not to excuse Lutheranism for its complicity in many shitty things, or to privilege belief over various forms of nonbelief, but the fact is that many of us have a Christian worldview lodged in our brains whether we like it or not, and it helps to spend some time thinking about what Christianity actually is, deciding what we'd like to hold onto and what's better discarded.

Sorry! This isn't a theology blog! I, ah, definitely can't promise I won't do it again.

Hardly gripping television, but a pretty good entry point to a beloved character's journey. 3.5/5 improbably sized turkey(!?!?) legs.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

EPISODE 5

(written as a liveblog, as I see the scenes)

LOL THE CAT BELL HAHHHAHAHA

LOL Lucius is always so extra I love him hahaha

HAHAH No one believes Ed about Buttons... which makes me think he's gonna come back later :)

Oh poor Lucius he needs HIS healing arc :(

Aww, Ed being supportive of Stede being the Captain <3

Ed allowing Lucius to push him off, and OH hello Shirtless Izzy 😳

OHHH!!! Stede offering Izzy to teach him!!! I like this development!! Stede is so good now about trying to learn about his crew and how he can learn from them <3 I bet Izzy's going to become Stede's First Mate now that Buttons is gone.

LOL Izzy just LOVING pushing around Stede hahahah. I actually can get behind this friendship, yeah. This is really lovely to see this progress from them two.

AAAh Lucius LOL

Y'know, I starting to see what the Stizzy shippers see, here, LOL. I don't ship it, but I can see why it works now. I really do like this fascination Izzy has with Stede. Even in S1, it was there, just got overshadowed by his absolute twattery hahah.

UH OH THEY ENDED UP ON A NO NO SHIP 😮

LOL THE RED OUTFIT, Stede you absolute simp for fashion hahah

HAHAHHAH Aww he's so proud of himself. I actually really think it's cute he turned to Izzy for affirmation hahahha

Izzy trying to be ominous lol. And sticking the knife in his wooden leg hahahha. DAMNIT Con, you're an amazing actor!!

Awww Poor Lucius!!!! All he sees is Blackbeard :(

AWWW PEEEETTTEE!!!!!! :( :( :(

HAHAHH OMG I LOVE Olu-Jim-Archie hahahah <3

LOL STEDE YOU OVERDRAMATIC DORK, doing the swooshy thing hahahhah

Aww, this is a nice scene with Ed and Fang

DAMNIT Izzy you're just... You've really become a great character. Helping Lucius now, and giving him your little whittled shark!! Awwwwww!!

HAHAHAHHHA THE DEVIL SUIT HAHAHA

Aww, Stede you're gonna be a great captain :) I love him looking to Izzy for confirmation.

HAHHAHA AHHH Stede you're becoming a badass!!! I LOVE Izzy being impressed with Stede being assertive!! Good bye, Cursed Suit lol

AWWW Lucius and Pete!! AHHHHH OMG A PROPOSAL!!!! I LEGIT JUST SCREAMED OUT LOUD!!! AWWW that was so sweet

OH FUCK ME UP THIS MOONLIGHT SCENE IS BEAUTIFUL!!

ASDFKAHSDFLKAHF YOU WEAR FINE THINGS WELL FUCK ME !!

THE SCREAM I JUST SCRUMPT!!!!!!!! ASDKFHASKDFLHALKH The little dainty shy twist before the kiss!!!! AHHHHHHHH !

OMG this is a beautiful scene!! Ed wants to take it slow!! He took their Whimsy conversation to heart!!

ASDFKLDHDLFKHASD THE HAND HOLD!! THE CONSENT!!! I LOVE IT OMG!!!!!! 😭😭😭

Stede is so good!! He understands he hurt Ed and is letting him move at his own pace <3

Overall review: LOVED THIS EPISODE SO MUCH. Wow another 2 banger episodes!!! I love Izzy becoming a better person because people showed him kindness and familial love and respect. I love the crew coming together again. ADORED Lucius and Pete getting engaged!! And I LOVE the recreation of the moonlight scene from S1, that Stede was brave, and that Ed set boundaries so he can heal himself, and that Stede is SO understanding! I really can't get over how much Stede has grown. He has the ability to become a Great Captain: he listened to the crew and understood that their mental wellbeing mattered more than his want of material objects (but he compromised and kept the shirt, LOL), and just. So much GROWTH in his character.

I am EATING UP all this character arcs and exploration, fuck me. I LOVE character stories, and I LOVE how much more focus this season is on dealing with the Aftermath of S1E10 for everyone. As I said, it's about healing, and I love it so much.

Great episodes once again and I look forward to next week!!

OFMD S2, E4 & E5

OKAY I'VE FINALLY GOT THE EPISODES! I'm gonna watch them before the Loki S2E2 release at 9, now that I'm caught up on my blog stuff for tomorrow :)

Some of you seemed to be amused by my live enjoyment of last week's eps, so I guess I'll do the same thing again that I did last week: Liveblog as I'm watching and then post all at once :)

Like last week, I’ll just reblog onto this post and will tag with “ofmd s2 spoilers”

[lyrebright]

Over the past two work days, I got through the last chunk of TMA S1 episodes I had left, and got through the first two episodes of S2.

Those S2 episodes will get their own post about my thoughts, but here I just want to ramble about how I felt approaching the season finale.

MAG033: I actually posted about starting this episode a few days back; I won't reiterate my thoughts on the opening when they're already there in my liveblog tag.

That said: it's still really funny.

The actual content of the statement actually did manage to live up to the absolute banger of an opening though; in a stunning display of memory that I rarely possess I do in fact remember the Lukas family being mentioned and involved in another statement and it seems they are, indeed, just That Fucked Up.

Rumour come out: Does Institue Sponsors Is Spooky?

How badly did I just age my online presence with that.

MAG034: another live statement!

Finally, I have context to the anatomy students I've had mentioned. I've literally had no context except that there are anatomy students in TMA somewhere and my friends stan them, apparently, so this was a big moment for me. Very exciting.

Idk what the teacher's problem was I support these inhuman monstrosities getting an education.

Could've done without the teeth apple maybe.

ANOTHER FUCKED UP BOOKS EPISODE (minus fucked up book?)

omg baby gerard. little shitty teen gerard.

Knowing things I know now from the season finale I am looking back at it like Hmm because honestly outside of 1) baby gerard and 2) the closing statement it didn't really stand out that much to me?

(A friend informed me that Mr Smirke was like a real dude tho so :0)

Speaking of the closing statement: I see you delivery guys. I see you.

I know we literally get it confirmed that these delivery guys are Those Delivery Guys but I sussed it out immediately!! Prommy!! I am very smart.

I was listening to MAG036 as I was doing a second coat on a door frame I'd painted the day before and a little beetle was very determined to crawl into my fresh paint and that did not help my experience with this episode.

Might have enhanced it in a way, though?

Just a solid spooky Ugh from the statement though Jon in the closing statement bringing up Vampire Guy and saying that his female companion seemed familiar...i was not given enough of a description of her in any way to lay claim to that same familiarity so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

spiders. Hmm.

And that table. God. I'll get more into my thoughts about it later. It'll be more relevant around the actual finale.

MAG037: confirmation about the delivery men! Good to have

Gertrude FR What Was Up With You

(The finale has only given me more questions)

Jon's repeated stating of how tired he is across the past few episodes has me ):

MAG038: this episode was so mean

I can't believe this cursed piece of monster furniture literally stole this man's husband.

if you or a loved one has been victimised by homophobic furniture, you may be entitled to

trauma

I'm gonna be upset about this forever.

This is the npc statement I'm choosing to Stay Mad about

God I was so caught up in homophobic ceramics I forgot: hello third mike.

I've been helpfully informed there's only like, four Mikes I need to keep straight, but that is still honestly entirely too many Michaels.

What Jonny Sims has in writing talent he lacks in the ability to name characters things other than Michael (or some variation of)

The ending to this episode blew my goddamn eardrums out I swear

Time for the fun stuff though!

:D

Actually you know what. The finale episodes get their own post. Hang on.

[coldflasher]

is the sound and the fury the best episode of s1? well, it’s certainly a contender

that bitch has EVERYTHING. plot at its strongest, with all the eowells mystery and the dramatic irony of the audience knowing who he is while barry’s trust in him only grows stronger, versus the tension of knowing it’s all going to come crashing down. hartley’s very PRESENCE. he’s SUCH a good character WHY DIDN’T WE GET MORE OF HIMMMM, WHY DO THEY PERSIST IN INTRODUCING CHARACTERS WHO ABSOLUTELY FUCK AND THEN JUST. NOT USING THEM. PLS. society if we’d had hartley on the team instead of ralph, and i didn’t even DISLIKE ralph but come on, if it’s a toss-up between hartley rathaway or hartley sawyer, one of them is a gay icon and one of them said a bunch of fucked up shit on twitter. who would we really rather have. i mean now we have neither of them so it’s a lose-lose but you know, andy mientus could save this show. we could easily squeeze out another 2–3 seasons with him on the team, you know i’m right

he’s just so GOOD. top-tier flash villain, genuinely. maybe in my top 10? should i make a top ten? and his dynamic with eowells? SO dark and fucked up and sinister. wells really goes full mask off and shows how ruthless he is. 

we have hartmonnnn and like. hartmon? more like hartMOAN, am i right? like sorry hartley’s not the only one breaking sound barriers cos every time they’re on screen together i am screeching just cos they’re so perfect. they hate each other so much. they’re 0.3 seconds away from hatefucking at all times. it’s beautiful.

also we get 0.5 seconds of the royal flush gang and the show really totally forgot that they already played that card, if you’ll excuse the pun, except i can’t be mad about it bc s1 royal flush gang was a few faceless ppl on motorbikes and s8 royal flush gang are cool and sexy so like. fair. but someone pls make a series bible for continuity i am B E G G I N G. season 1 has so many of these moments. caitlin mentioning her parentS, plural. barry defeating throwaway metas who get reused seasons later and we all just forgot they were already in the show before. i know they didn’t KNOW they were gonna do a lot of this stuff but pls. continuity. i beg. 

we have iris BEING A BOSS BABE. the way she said stick it to mason bridge was SO hot. i looove when iris graduates from having her blog to being a journalist and she’s SO good at it and you get to see that fire in her... the only way to go is up!! she continues to excel and i cannot wait to watch her show all these irritating men just how much better she is than all of them

and then we round off an absolute BANGER of an ep with the cuuuutest scenes with joe and barry where they really just. hang out. barry’s like HEY LET ME SHOW YOU MY WEIRD SCIENCE SHIT AND BLOW STUFF UP and joe’s like i have no idea what’s happening but we’re having a great time, i love my weird nerd son. and then barry comes right out like ‘btw i know you’ve been jealously eyefucking every father figure in my life but you’ll always be my favourite" 😌 and joe’s like aw that’s so cute, anyway i can’t talk now cos i just had eddie break into wells’ house to prove he’s not good enough to be your third dad

[bushimodo]

Thoughts on SIFAS Chapter 28...

NOTE: THIS CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!!

Well, I can’t say I didn’t expect this, but...I can’t say I’m angry either.

The whole time Lanzhou was dominating the School Idol Club, stole Karin and Ai away, made Shioriko choose between helping her and her new friends...turned out she wanted friends the whole time. And while I get that, I also see that the way she went about it was totally wrong. She was high handed and pushy about it, which is probably why she had such a hard time making friends. Plus, her attitude towards the player character is outright hostile for no reason, which didn’t warm her over to players either.

But despite all her actions, you can tell that, for all her arrogance, she does have a good side. She still treated Shizuku well after she left the Association, and compliments Kasumi despite the latter’s justified aggression towards her, as well as trying to befriend them during numerous chapters. And while she is naturally talented, it’s made obvious that being a school idol is not just another challenge that she decided to take up on a whim—she busts her butt to become the best school idol that Nijigasaki has ever seen, hence why Karin and Ai wanted to join her. And no, we don’t get a formal apology from her to the Niji girls—I have a feeling that’ll be later on down the road—but seeing her perform with Mia and Shioriko (both of whom have gone through their own struggles within the story) and being honest with expressing her feelings is a step in the right direction.

This is partly why I like Lanzhou. Her absolute BANGER of a song aside (which we still need the full version of, COME ON LANTIS), she is technically the first outright “villain” Love Live has had. Whereas A-RISE and Saint Snow worked well with µ’s and Aqours but still remained rivals, her Association was directly against the Club and even hindered their progress as school idols at one point. Lanzhou basically did what S1 Eli wished she could have done, and though she was arrogant as heck, she remained entertaining enough that I didn’t want to throw my phone through the wall. (The main cast, though...I definitely had a few moments. Looking at you, Shizuku and Ai.)

The writing for the second season has been a bit shaky (don’t even get me started on Shizuku, Ai and Karin’s chapters), but a good way to wrap it up would be to give Lanzhou a reasonable redemption arc. DiverDiva got hit hard by karma during this season, so I think that Lanzhou will get some of that as well. Perhaps in the next chapter, a more powerful rival will utterly trounce Lanzhou. Similar to Karin, she would most likely be beside herself, and probably even lash out, wondering where she went wrong in her performance. To that end, she would probably end up spending more time with the Niji girls (and hopefully, the player character), learning how things work for them and why their performances not only moved the audience, but also her when she first discovered them. Naturally, Mia would still write the songs, but seeing the Niji girls’ approach would inspire Lanzhou to change hers when performing. It would be a great way to give her some character development and fully cement her as a member of Nijigasaki’s club.

Which, to be honest, we knew would happen anyway. We just didn’t know how it would happen with everything going on.

Please, PLEASE give this story a good ending, KLab!

[chidoroki]

Okay, so this is basically a follow up post to all the thoughts I had about season 2 the night before the first ep aired. You’re welcome to read it if you wish but I’ll let you know that it’s a mess and does contain manga spoilers. If you don’t wanna that’s perfectly fine, but the main thing I rambled on about was the possible episode count for season 2 and where in the story this season will end.

I’ll try to give a short version of that post now though. I was certain that we would get 24eps for the second season when it was first announced, especially due to the large gap of time in between when S1 ended and when S2 was originally going to start. I believed that a 24ep season would end at ch101, right before the two-year time skip. But then 2020 happened. Anime series got delayed and Cloverworks also has two other series premiering this January alongside TPN. So I thought another 12ep season was reasonable. Though if they wanna split up a 24ep season and give us the second cour over the summer I’d be perfectly fine with that too. The only reason why I had trouble wrapping my head around a 12ep season was.. where in the hell were they planning to end it? I had several ideas, which I mentioned in my other post with little more detail, but ch60, ch64, and ch74 were some of my guesses. Of course I would love to see Goldy Pond animated but with a 12ep season, I had my doubts. S1 adapted 37 chapters and if S2 were to at least reach ch96 then that would be the next 59 chapters, which seemed a bit much at first. Then came the issue with starting the possible next season with the time skip and eh, the idea didn’t sit well with me?

But now, after seeing the second season’s OP and first episode, I’m honestly reconsidering my original guess of ending at ch101, even if we get 12eps. Let’s start with the OP first. While it’s completely beautiful and I already love “Identity” with all my heart and soul, a couple things really stand out, some more obvious than not.

First off, Peter appears. His debut chapter is 73.

Then we get this shot of Phil, who doesn’t show up again until ch100.

Next up is Emma’s braid & hair-clips. Along with her fantastic Goldy Pond outfit, the clips first appear in ch75. However, she receives three from Sandy: blue, yellow & green. Not only is the blue clip missing, but her hair is now braided. This style didn’t appear until ch102.

Ch102 is.. post-time skip, which surprises me? I honestly never thought we would get a glimpse of that this season. Unless it’s an error perhaps? This other shot has Emma with the two clips & braided hair, but then you would think Ray would have his scarf here too, right? Neither of them look much older either.. maybe the anime just decided to go with two clips instead of three? I dunno.

But then you have Anna’s hair which is significantly longer here... which I’m pretty sure isn’t until post-time skip? I doubt it grew that long in between the events of Goldy Pond and the Cuvitidala search, since it was only what..5? 6 months? I tried to spot her during the ch102 flashbacks but didn’t see her, so pretty sure this is post.

And then we also see Yvette wearing her goggles, which also shows up post-time skip. Well, she actually obtains them mid-time skip, because there’s flashbacks of her with them in ch102, but also one that shows her without them that happens around July/August 2046.

I’m not trying to say that just because the OP shows us some future scenes/people/changes that we’ll actually reach that far this season. It would be nice, sure, but they could just be teasing us too. I know this is a minor detail and it shouldn’t prove much of anything, but they did give us real small cameos of Michelle & Olivia in the first ending, “Zettai Zetsumei,” and yet we didn’t see them in the flashback in s1ep10. 

So now I’m still on the fence a little bit. I mentioned before that I would love for Cloverworks to expand on the Cuvitidala search during the two year time skip, but would that work better at the very end of a season or at the start of one? Who knows.

Speaking of seasons, the first episode of this one? Can you believe we’re already at ch45? I knew all the action would go by at an alarming fast pace, compared to the dialogue heavy S1, but damn. And that was with some of the added anime scenes! Granted, they also heavily changed the snakes of alvapinera and took out Isabella’s scene from ch38 completely but.. yeah. Although, I’m seriously hoping they include her scene at some point in the future? Because how could you forget this wonderful woman? I’m grateful they gave us that quick glimpse of her in the OP (with her hair down still! so i thank the anime staff for that at least!) but come on.. I was really looking forward to seeing her again, darn it.

One thing I’m sure about is that we’re reaching shelter B06-32 and seeing our favorite father figure because, hello.. the shelter jackets!

Speaking of the geezer, I was also actively looking for him throughout the OP, but had no such luck. I saw some people think he appears in the above mentioned screenshot, I think? but I counted 15 heads, so I believe it’s just the GF escapees here. Why everyone else is wearing them aside from only Emma & Ray.. I have no clue, but they all look nice!

Also, that screenshot got me thinking (as if i didn’t just do a whole bunch of that again already) more about Goldy Pond at the OP itself. While the opening sequence didn’t currently give us any large hints that arc will happen anytime soon, I could see Cloverworks updating it to incorporate the many characters that have yet to make an appearance. I think these two shots could easily be changed by replacing the escapees with the GP Resistance and showing the poachers instead of the wild demons.

Not only there, but any other group shot could work out too. Of course “Identity” would stick around as the song (because it’s an absolute banger) since I don’t see any point in having it last less than 12eps? Yes I know, S1 switched up the ending songs and “Lamp” only showed up for 3eps, but shhh.

Anyways, that’s enough out of me. (also r.i.p to all the extra pages i hoped would get animated. no such luck so far because the anime seems to be flying by like hayato.)

[hermywolf]

ranking my favorite characters about random shit part 4

ranking my  favorite characters (clarke griffin, dean winchester, fox mulder, rose  tyler, newt, kaz brekker, samwise gamgee, charles xavier, bill  denbrough, lord asriel, steve rogers, scott mccall, anna milton and  barry berkman) about random shit. this is entirely self-indulgent

part 4: how cool are their nicknames/titles

1- CLARKE GRIFFIN alias: WANHEDA (The Commander of Death) MOUNTAIN SLAYER, SKAIHEDA/SKAIKRU PRINCESS/AMBASSADOR (Commander/Princess/Ambassador of the Sky People) PRISONER 319, THE KEY, THE QUEEN, FLEIMKEPA (keeper of the Flame) NATBLIDA (nightblood)

i mean DUDE. do i even need to explain myself here. she’s got SO MANY titles and they’re all SO cool like even The Commander of Death ALONE is enough to get her the first place, so if you add all the others. i mean DUDE. she’s literally WANHEDA like. wow. wow. iconic

2- DEAN WINCHESTER alias: THE ULTIMATE KILLER, KNIGHT OF HELL, THE MICHAEL SWORD, THE RIGHTEOUS MAN, MESSENGER OF GOD’S DESTRUCTION

once again, just one banger after another, are you shitting me? he’s literally the ARCHANGEL MICHAEL’s perfect vessel, the MICHEAL SWORD. the KNIGHT OF HELL assigned by CAIN HIMSELF. Billie, aka DEATH HERSELF, called him the Messenger of God’s Destruction. i mean BRO how fucking cool is that. and the one who called him The Ultimate Killer is no other than GOD HIMSELF like what are you even gonna DO against this are you kidding me how are you even going to compete against a man who was called by DEATH HERSELF THE MESSENGER OF GOD’S DESTRUCTION. GOD. JESUS FUCK

3- KAZ BREKKER alias: DIRTYHANDS, THE BASTARD OF THE BARREL, DEMJIN (demon)

once again i have to give him kuddos for these. every single other title in this list was assigned to the characters by other people but kaz really decided his own nickname, and he really chose the bastard of the barrel like. he’s not even a bastard. he’s not even from the barrel. he’s just straight up lying about his parents’s marriage for street cred. so true. and Dirtyhands fits SO well, the myths around his gloves and hands, his lockpicking abilities, the blood on his hands, his relationship with touch, the fact that he’ll get his hands dirty and do the most horrible things for money. it FITS

4- STEVE ROGERS alias: CAPTAIN AMERICA, THE CAPTAIN, CAPTAIN ROGERS, NOMAD

a classic. absolutely iconic. the fact that he’s literally Captain America and yet spends half his screentime saying fuck the government and being a criminal and a traitor in the eyes of the american government like. the absolute big dick energy of it all

5- SCOTT MCCALL alias: SWORN PROTECTOR OF BEACON HILLS, TRUE ALPHA

i mean, true alpha!! he’s a true alpha!! the first in so long because he’s just THAT awesome. sworn protector of beacon hills too like, excuse me sir, you are the kindest mf ever. the way his two titles literally say right away everything you need to know about scott mccall; they both show you he’s kind, protective and loyal, and trustworthy, like. he’s pratically called scott mccall the leader who protects this town, has never killed, and is kind and worthy enough to be the first true alpha in generations. i love him so much

6- ROSE TYLER alias: THE BAD WOLF

yes yes yes yes yes. the s1 finale fucked so hard with her scattering the bad wolf message all across time and space. the bad wolf graffiti on the tardis.. donna saying ‘bad wolf’ in s4.. rose’s glowing eyes.. ‘i am the bad wolf and i create myself; and i bring life’ like bro.. her power

7- ASRIEL BELACQUA alias: LORD ASRIEL, EXPLORER, LEADER OF THE REBELLION AGAINST THE AUTHORITY

god this fucks so hard. he’s literally the leader of a rebellion against... god. like he really said fuck you i’m going to literally kill god like. the big dick energy of it all

8- SAMWISE GAMGEE alias: SAMWISE THE BRAVE

god his fucking MIND. he is the BRAVEST bitch in middle earth i love him SO much everytime they say samwise the brave i feel like chewing through my own arm like YES he IS samwise the brave YES SAY THAT SHIT

9- CHARLES XAVIER alias: PROFESSOR X

it’s still so funny to me that a teenager went “you should be called professor x :D” and he was like “that’s so fucking stupid you fucking idiot” and then proceeded to go by that name for like. the next fourty years

10- ANNA MILTON alias: FALLEN ANGEL, THE ANGEL WHO RIPPED OUT HER GRACE

listen both these fuck. they’re so good. she’d be so much higher on the list if only they actually CALLED HER THAT in the ACTUAL SHOW. once again supernatural displays a glaring flaw which is that they refuse to use the great oportunities that are given to them

11- NEWT alias: THE GLUE, SUBJECT A5

not gonna lie i snorted when i read this for the first time because i just imagined a little glue tube with newt’s face on it. but later on i did see how sweet him being the glue holding them all together was, and it does fit his character

12- BILL DENBROUGH alias: BIG BILL, STUTTERING BILL

ok Big Bill is fine because it lets us know that james mcavoy is indeed packing but that’s not news by any stretch of imagination. stuttering bill would also be fine if it wasn’t what bill’s bullies used to bully him which makes me want to murder them all because he’s stutter is adorable and they’re all just mean he does not fucking deserve to get bullied for anything he is my beloved little clown gay man

FOX MULDER alias: SPOOKY MULDER

now we’re getting into the part of the ranking that’s just characters that DO deserve to get bullied for their nicknames. god these rankings are making me realize how much of a loser mulder is. like mulder baby i love you i’m sorry you keep getting bullied but you need some better nicknames hon. the government is literally scared of you. you’ve seen actual aliens. you’re in the x-files. couldn’t you have some cool names like, idk, man, something with ‘truth’ in it or something like, there’s so much potential there

BARRY BERKMAN alias: BARRY BLOCK

i mean. he had the perfecly respectable name berkman and decided to call himself barry block. he deserves no rights whatsoever