#anyway I’ve wanted to post this for years

[starry-eyed-psychopomp]

I mean I actually do read more than just danmei. I only started reading danmei within the past year and have been consuming queer fantasy religiously for years now. I was an English Major. I work in a bookstore. This post was very much informed by my experience reading a shitload of queer fantasy. Lowkey a little offended by the implication that this opinion comes from just not reading enough. That’s kind of a rude assumption to make? Anyway, I’ll elaborate on my feelings, because I have a lot of Thoughts on the topic and I like to yap.

I do think a lot of people in the danmei community could stand to read more genres and generally diversify their shelves (heavy on DIVERSIFY), and I’m sure that was the point you were making, but that’s not really what I was talking about? Like my point wasn’t “Western books Bad, that’s why I only read danmei,” it was “I want to see This in MORE books!” Does that make sense?

This is my opinion of course, but when I’ve read Western fantasy books with queer romance, I often either felt like authors have to choose to either prioritize the romance or the fantasy. It’s either all romance with little high-stakes angst and worldbuilding (you don’t see enough characters getting brutally stabbed and their love interests wailing over their body in Western romantasy and THAT’S A SHAME), or all fantasy politics interspersed with enemies-to-lovers ~yearning~ and ~sexual tension~ every hundred or so pages (and it takes a good writer to keep my attention through all that). Romantasy doesn’t have enough angst and gore, fantasy with a romantic subplot doesn’t have enough kissing and cuddling. So far, most of the danmei I’ve read is able to strike that balance.

And not to mention that romantasy usually comes in the form of standalone books. It’s a lot harder to do high-stakes worldbuilding with those limitations. Or it’ll be technically a series, but every book follows a different couple in the same world, so you don’t get much time to spend with a single pairing. In danmei, it’s a lot more common to see five, eight, thirteen book-long series with lots of adaptations and additional content, which is generally just more engaging. And it’s all centered around a romance! A queer romance, at that!!

I’m familiar with both your recommendations, though I personally haven’t picked up Godkiller. Funnily enough though, A Marvellous Light was actually one of the Western queer romantasy books I was thinking about when I wrote this post, because as you said, it’s very popular, and I personally didn’t like it. The worldbuilding was too…generically British for my specific tastes, and overall I found it pretty boring. A lot of hanging out and fucking in mansions on the English countryside, not enough stabbing and bleeding out and dying in front of your love interest to keep me interested. OBVIOUSLY THIS IS JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION! Read what you want. Regency romance is a thing people like and that’s chill. But that’s something that I really like in romance that danmei is just more likely to deliver. So as an example of a Western book that embodies the traits I was talking about in my original post? Not really.

Like I wasn't just talking about books that happen to have gay people and body horror. If that were the case I'd never have picked up another book after reading The Locked Tomb series, because there's no topping perfection. I elaborated a bit more in my tags, which I recognize wouldn't be kept in a reblog, but I meant it more in the sense of an intersection between the two? The intersection between romance and body horror that I was specifically talking about involves like. Melodrama. The agony of the romance is so intense it must be expressed with blood, and that physical, gory pain then goes on to inspire angst between the romantic leads.

So you get characters cradling their lover’s bloody body; holding onto their corpse for years, unable to accept their death; being forced to watch them be stabbed over and over again; mourning for years, devoted to them and only them; etc etc, and any number of new ways authors conceive to torment us. And all the while, the characters are still in proximity to each other. They flirt, they hold hands, they kiss, they cuddle, they get protective of each other, they keep bridal-carrying each other, and on and on.

There’s a level of physical intimacy that goes beyond just sexual tension and an eventual climactic kiss, and danmei authors seem to understand that it won’t detract from the intense violence that also exists in their stories. The gore and violence and body horror goes hand in hand with the romance, it’s not just tangential to it. Intense emotion that both drives the plot and brings a kind of cathartic pain to the audience, who remain secure in the knowledge that it will still work out in the end. Like Aristotelian tragedy for people who get a bit too emotionally attached to fictional characters.

And like, there are Western books that I think danmei fans would enjoy. They don't always hit all the marks I was talking about, but they exist. Danmei fans tend to really like Dark Rise by C.S. Pacat, for instance. A Strange and Stubborn Endurance by Foz Meadows and Winter’s Orbit by Everina Maxwell are fantasy/sci-fi romances with higher stakes and more complex worldbuilding. On the f/f and baihe side of things, She Who Became the Sun by Shelley Parker-Chan and the Jasmine Throne by Tasha Suri are political fantasies with dense worldbuilding, but the romances are prominent enough, and they’re really good. And though it's not for everyone, I'll always preach the good word of Gideon the Ninth, which has tons of agonizing homoerotic angst that scratches a particular itch in my brain. I wouldn’t say any of these fit exactly the bill of what I’m going for (Dark Rise probably comes closest, though Gideon the Ninth would beat it if I thought griddlehark was ever gonna kiss for real) but not all danmei fits my specific standards either, so…¯\_(ツ)_/¯

But yeah. Like obviously there are fantastic books that aren’t danmei, but danmei has certain conventions and tropes that I feel we don’t often get from Western media. For some reason, our media is just…weirdly averse to sincerity and melodrama. Too much romance is considered trite and has no place in, like, a gritty war story. There are exceptions, but it is a trend in our culture that I find disappointing. And it’s a problem Chinese media like danmei doesn’t seem to have as much.

GOD I wish more Western books would take cues from danmei for how to write fantasy romance, danmei is like the only genre I’ve encountered that understands my ideal ratio of fluffy romance to body horror

[kuroposting]

Branching off this post a bit, specifically Sebastian as the big bad wolf, there was something I noticed from using google translate on chapter 107.

I cannot tell you if these are more accurate or not, I cannot read Japanese. I’m also fairly sure that there is no official translation of the special chapter following the murder arc, which is what I’m going to compare it to:

This part of Sebastian that seems genuinely impulsed to shield himself from these sorts of accusations and take pride (or at least find validation in?) the excuse that it’s all Ciel’s choice; Ciel knows his true nature, yet he still chooses to ally himself and depend on him anyway. I’ve never been able to decipher if it is Yana using Sebastian’s voice to tell the reader how we are supposed to understand their dynamic as a rule, or if it is truly Sebastian’s cope. She has said a couple of times that he is incapable of shame and he’s said that he’s incapable of emotions, and I don’t know, it could just be poor writing on her part- I never thought of him as having the same characterization as Ryuk from Death Note. He does not seem detached, and I don’t know why he has such a habit of being defensive or annoyed when he’s perceived as some sleaze with the qualities you’d expect from somebody who prides themselves on being, well, devilish.

It would be pretty boring if it turned out to just be Yana’s cope instead of Sebastian’s. For a manga that harps on Facing Truth vs Willful Ignorance to allow its most smug, nihilistic character to never be challenged with self reflection and still win in the end. I think Ciel has to constantly contend with it- more than even the readers have, since I still see the most popular takeaway from the Green Witch Arc to be “Sebastian doesn’t care, he only wants Ciel’s soul.” all these years later. I still have a post about that in my drafts that I’m struggling to condense. Basically, with themes like these, it’s all too reassuring to have a premise spelled out to you which 1. Gives you permission to victim-blame Ciel for the sake of having this premise and 2. Tells you point blank not to think twice about any of it’s characterizations, just take them at face value.

Rereading Chapter 35 on black-butler.net, there was a subtitle that I hadn’t seen before

I would appreciate it if anybody had more information on that, like if it was in the japanese version when it was originally published in square’s magazine, or something.

…

I think the true development is that Ciel continues to make strides in accepting himself and Sebastian for what they are, but that never has to dictate WHO they can become- what choices they can still make. Much like all of his servants and allies. No matter how far gone and irredeemable Ciel believes himself to be, he is still giving orders like this:

He is not descending into the depths of depravity, his humanity has resilience. It continues to expand, beyond his capabilities of even the earliest chapters. So much that it even extends to Sebastian.

Which I don’t expect to be something that Sebastian has no appreciation of. Going back to where I started, with chapter 107, some humility and compassion was all Sebastian was asking for.

[solarwynd]

I used to defend army’s relationship with BTS a lot back when I was still an army. Especially from kpop stans who said we were a cult. Even did so earlier into my days after becoming a solo, but through everything that has happened, especially recently. I’ve really come to realize just how toxic it is.

I saw a these three posts earlier yesterday. (Top one from another pjm bottom ones are mine) the top one might be a solo, but solo or not though, I still know that that all 3 are common sentiments for a lot of actual armys anyway: their fear of becoming obsolete in their need of wanting to be the only people Jimin relies on, basically wanting to own him and loosing BTS as they know them.

The top one literally reads exactly like how music execs used to (still do in fact) view them in regards to BTS. The music industry’s fear of armys encroaching on the decades long ecosystem of keeping artists indebted to their labels in the pursuit of chart success and fame. How they hated how armys beat the system and started a grassroots movement that allowed BTS to get to where they are now.

It was never about really wanting anything for Joon. Armys just feel like they’re loosing control, influence and are trying to reassert it just like Billboard did. Intentionally using underhanded tactics to ostracize us and Jimin. Delegitimization of our efforts and dactively trying to break our morale. There’s a reason they care about quelling us more than the other groups of solos who are just as large in numbers despite them presenting actual harm to Jimin’s person and character. They care more about keeping their norm and BTS in tact for their own stanning needs over anything else. We’re a threat to that.

And even outside their hatred of solos, most importantly, BTS is an even bigger threat to that. The bottom two are proof of this. Staying in solo era longer than they're comfortable with. The hidden resentment that they hold towards those men for doing so. Because here you have a fandom with a superiority complex that's so egotistical, they believe that they could never be like other kpop fandoms who treat the group they stan like property and characters. When, in just this past week alone, we've had 3 instances with them proving that they're exactly like that. And I think the company is using and has been using that mentality of armys to their advantage. Them thinking that they're too "aware" to be manipulated as well as them believing that they always do what they feel is best for BTS.

It's symbiotic and parasitic in that way. Where the company is potentially weaponizing armys (unbeknownst to them) by carrying out their own agendas against through them at the cost of destroying the foundation of the fanbase. And where both armys and the company work in tandem to keep a member (Jimin) in line.

It is a little scary to me, because as we've seen last year, Bang has very underhanded ways of ruining people who he views as a threat or don't fit within his vision. Armys are so unperceptive and it has very little with them being naive. They just don't feel the need to question anything as long as they're also content with things falling in line with their version of normal. They always need visible and verbal proof that something is wrong before they move to act. So to be willing to ignore all that, some of the members being burnt out, Bang's obvious campaign against Jimin (and potentially Joon) just to get back the BTS they're used to just shows how selfish most of them are.

[blastzachilles]

welcome to… ACHILLES’ CHALLENGERSVERSARY CELEBRATION .ᐟ ★ (ignore that it’s two days late shh)

hi everyone!! i’m so sorry for how long this took it was literally criminal (i have awful time management anyway.) here’s what i’ve been cooking up for some time to celebrate one year of the best movie ever made!!! if you have me on airbuds you probably have seen me listening to three songs on repeat at varying times. it will all make sense now 100 emoji. 

@jordiemeow and i have been hard at work during this time to make lesbian atp fics for each of them (by me) and corresponding bots to go with them (by the lovely jo). i hope you all enjoy!! 

MAIN DIRECTORY (links will be updated as i post!):

— Photograph .ᐟ  [fic] | [bot] ✿ STANFORD BUTCH!ART . x reader? — yes  .  no

— Sun Bleached Flies .ᐟ  [fic] | [bot] ✿ PASTOR’S DAUGHTER!TASHI . x reader? — yes  .  no

— Girls .ᐟ  [fic] | [bot] ✿ BASSIST FUTCH!PAT . x reader? — yes  .  no

this is a thank you and i’m so happy we met to everyone i’ve interacted with through this wonderful tennis movie. i only watched it in october and joined tumblr late february, but i’m very glad i did. thank you to everyone, challengers will never die. i love you all <33

tag list: @artstennisracket @glassmermaids @cha11engers @kaalxpsia @apatheticrater @tacobacoyeet @tigerlilywl @newrochellechallenger2019 @compress1repress @artspats @artaussi

want to join my tag list? fill out this form! 

[missw0rld]

Marilyn Monroe (1952)

Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2006)

[doccywhomst]

[fantasykiri5]

Ticklish

[mi-spark]

what’s up, party girl!!! 🪩🌈✨

[reflectionsofgalaxies]

A story told in pictures:

✨ I love this cast so much 🐉

and @toodrunktofindaurl (thank you to the person who reminded me of her URL! I had her insta tagged here before bc I couldn’t for the life of me remember her url.)

(also honourable mention to Yellowjackets’ Jane Widdop)

[kamabokobun]

Old rough gijinka raidon designs

[myokk]

She hears him calling her name as she flees down the spiral staircase, almost tripping over her feet in her rush to get away from him, but he catches up quickly, reaching out to grab her arm in an attempt to slow her down. She stops running immediately - she supposes her traitorous body wants to see what he has to say, or maybe it just wants to bask in his intoxicating proximity. He crowds her space, and she sees that unfamiliar look in his eyes again. So very different from the cold disdain she had seen the last time she had been this close to him, during the argument that had ended their friendship.

Oh, Merlin, he's getting closer to her, and she can now clearly see the freckles dusting his cheeks and nose and forehead and then before she knows it, his hand is sliding up her arm, leaving goosebumps everywhere he touches and then he's caressing her jaw with his rough thumb and he pauses. Her eyelids flutter closed as her head tilts towards him - she couldn't stop herself even if she wanted to (what does she want?). She can feel his warm breath ghosting over her lips and she has the improbable, ridiculous thought - how is he remembering to breathe? - before he speaks. His lips brush against hers with every soft word and a deep shiver runs through her body.

"I," she hears him say, his voice so, so low, "haven't been able to think since last week."

That's all she needs to hear, the brush of his bottom lip against hers all she needs to feel, to push her into closing what minuscule distance there is between them and then his lips are on hers and it's better than anything she's been imagining. His mouth is soft against hers, insistent, and her hands go up to grip the collar of his plaid jacket to make sure he doesn't go away or disappear on her.

from my oneshot💘

[banditblvd]

GHHHHHRR….GHGHHHOSTNKNIFIRE……..GHHHRGHOOOSTNKMIFE…

[samglyph]

I might delete this, but shout out feeling real grief about inanimate objects.

[kaleidofreak]

hiii chat hi hi hey what’s up hiii i still love south park south park hi i missed tumblr omg hi hi south park is yummy!!!

okay i’m going back to bed for anyother century bye

[waddles-ex-machina]

soooo I’m very very bad at being photogenic and I’m never gonna get around to making a proper post, so in honour of it being halloween here’s some miscellaneous pics of the Kaisa cosplay I made (aka me goofing around at cons). I still love this cosplay very much and take it to cons whenever I can. I’m proud of it :) also ft. my own familiar inspecting the wand for me :))

(also if you look at the 2nd one you can see my friend standing behind me to hold the wand in my hair while we tried to recreate that one shot from the show JBKSHJSH)

[phoenixkaptain]

My favourite thing about Leia is how fucking soft she is.

Like she is a little lady. She speaks very gently. She cares so much. She’s protective and warm. She just smiles and looks so happy. With Luke. Like, only Luke.

In the movies, this is also the case, but it really is one of my favourite parts of the 2015 run of the comics. They’re like, Leia: “Luke is doing great” while Luke is in the background getting thrown through a wall.

Sana (I love Sana) says she’ll won’t take Leia to Nar Shaddaa (to Luke) for free and Leia immediately offers her credits. When Sana is like “nah, just give me Han” Leia immediately agrees, and like. It’s funny for a variety of reasons but my favourite one is that Leia is trading Han for the Chance of seeing Luke.

And like, the comics show Leia telling Luke that she supports him even though he has to leave and she is very sad about it. She’s super disappointed she doesn’t get to go on the long probably meant-to-be boring mission with him. She just wants to hang out with Luke and make sure he’s okay and try not to lose him in the first fifteen minutes (again) or fifteen minutes after finding him again (also again).

I mean, it isn’t just Leia, I fucking adore Chewbacca’s relationship with Luke because. “Who would be stupid enough to volunteer to go on a doomed rescue mission for Skywalker-“ and it’s Chewbacca, Chewbacca is stupid enough, Chewbacca has the ship idling in the hangar, Chewbacca has had a Luke Rescue Kit in the ship since Luke left a week ago, Chewbacca is so ready to go on a doomed, borderline suicidal rescue mission for Luke.

Chewbacca just beats up a bar full of people to get them to tell him where Luke is. Like, that’s amazing. It’s adorable. He makes C3PO come with him. A wonderful idea. Chewbacca eventually picks Luke up like Like is a big cat. My favourite panel of all time.

Chewbacca and Leia are both over there like “I’ve only had Luke for three and a half months and if anything happened to him, I would kill all of you to get enough blood to perform an ancient ritual to make him perfectly alright again and I would start with Han.”

Han, meanwhile, is over there like “rude. Understandable, but still. Super rude.”

And I just think how soft Leia is with Luke is really sweet and how soft Chewbacca is with Luke is really cute and how both of them are so sarcastic to Han for literally no reason other than that they Thrive with his annoyance-

It’s great. If nobody else gets the characters, the 2015 run comes the closest.