#based on your blog you seem to like darker stuff so that’s what I focused on with the recommendations

[aroacegundamalex]

hi hiiii i've been wanting to get into the mecha genre and the like, but im not exactly sure what to start with/where to start? I know theres not technically rules, but would you have any reccomendations for media to begin with? no worries if not, and thank you !! ^.^

I’m honored you’d go to me!

In terms of what to start with, it depends heavily on your personal tastes, so I’ll be including a range of series. Most of these are real robot, because super robot series can be very jarring for people who’ve never seen mecha before. I personally love super robot stuff, but it can be strange if you aren’t expecting a mech to pull out a giant top to hit pretentious bull-horned space princes with.

This is going under a cut for length!

If you’re looking for tragedy and horror, I have to suggest Space Runaway Ideon. While Tomino is most famous for his work on the Gundam franchise, Ideon is absolutely phenomenal. It often borders on Lovecraftian horror, and is famous for gruesome deaths and unrelenting tragedy. The gist of it is that a group of space colonists find a starship and a combining robot, and wind up in conflict with an alien civilization. As the war stretches on and the tragedies mount, it becomes clear that their wonder weapon, the Ideon, has a mind of its own.

Speaking of Gundam, the main timeline isn’t too unapproachable, and the standalone universes are all excellent starting points. I’m going to be giving a few of these, since Gundam series are ridiculously easy to access for English speakers— no having to dig through fan translations to find whatever has the least agonizing subtitle font here. Looking at you, Brave series.

The newest Gundam, the Witch from Mercury, is a wonderful starting point if you’ve not seen it already! It’s only twenty-five episodes, and while it pulls heavily from franchise history, it can be enjoyed without having seen a single prior Gundam.

It takes place in a future where humanity is split between Earth and space, with Earth being polluted and exploited by warmongering corporations, and space effectively being ruled by said megacorporations who are given the impunity to execute people. The first season primarily takes place in a school for the wealthy, which is effectively a training ground for future corporate executives, and a means to advertise their tech via mech duels. Everything in the school is dependent on one’s class, with even the dorms dependent on who sponsors your attendance.

The plot kicks off when our main character accidentally wins the hand of the daughter of the president of the largest conglomerate, as a political drama unfolds in the background.

It’s all on YouTube, and there’s a short story you should read between the prologue and the first episode, Cradle Planet. It’s on their official website, both in English and Japanese.

The original Mobile Suit Gundam holds up excellently, though the animation is rather clunky and dated. It’s a war story heavily pulling from WWII, following a child soldier who’s effectively forcibly conscripted when his home is attacked, and he hops in the main mech to defend civilians. It focuses on the horrors of war, and particularly soldiers’ PTSD. I’d personally suggest watching the three compilation movies and then circling back to the series proper if you liked what you saw— the compilation films cut out a lot of the fluff and make it a much more streamlined experience, but they also leave out a lot of lovely episodes and character moments.

Gundam the Origin, both the manga and the anime, are also wonderful beginners’ series. The manga is a retelling of the original series made by one of its creators, and expands upon it, giving neglected characters and storylines a lot more attention. The anime is an adaptation of a flashback arc, detailing the events leading up to the war in the original series, albeit with some timeline differences. It’s in my opinion the best place to start with Universal Century— while there are continuity differences, it’s a great primer for what Universal Centiry is at its core, a character-driven political drama and war story.

Obligatory recommendation for my favorite Gundam show, Gundam 0080. It’s a small-scale look at the tail end of a war from the perspective of a civilian child caught up in the mess when his home is used as a development center for the military. It’s a short little OVA, only six episodes, and doesn’t require much prior context for the rest of the franchise at all. It’s a very personal story focusing on a small cast of characters — a civilian child, a rookie soldier, and a test pilot — and their experiences with the war.

It’s best enjoyed with a burger.

If you’re looking for gritty military sci-fi, Armored Trooper VOTOMs is an excellent place to start. In this series, the mechs are walking coffins, with the outright referred to as “bottoms” because they’re considered the lowest of the low. It takes place during an uneasy truce between two warring nations, focusing on a man betrayed by his own side, hunted by both his former faction (and quite a few others) as he tries to discover the truth as to the mission that led to him being branded a traitor.

It is on the harder end of the sci-fi spectrum, so if you’re here for the ridiculous robots, it might not be to your liking.

If you’re curious about fantasy and shoujo-flavored mecha, Vision of Escaflowne is a phenomenal series. It’s an isekai, following a girl accidentally transported to another world by a brash prince on the eve of the destruction of his kingdom. From there on out it’s a mix of romance and political drama, with our heroes trying to thwart the machinations of an evil empire.

The mechs here are designed after knights, with utterly gorgeous designs and some really interesting setup mechanically-speaking— they’re magitek, and rather low-tech at that, with pilots seeing out of holes in the mech. Your enjoyment of the series will heavily depend on your fondness for shoujo romance and fantasy tropes, and especially love triangles. The movie adaptation has some fascinating piloting systems that skew close to body horror. While this one has manga, they’re generally not worth checking out.

If you’re looking for a mix of light-hearted fun and more serious action, the Patlabor show and OVA are essentially buddy-cop series taking place in a futuristic Tokyo, focusing on a department created to deal with mecha-related crimes. Both the OVA and series proper are a solid blend of fun, light-hearted character moments and tenser action. Our protagonist loves her mech like he’s a person, and it’s adorable. However, this one heavily depends on whether you like screwball police comedies.

The Patlabor movies, on the other hand, are densely political, examining the place of such technology in the world, and raises questions about the ethics of law enforcement and its use of violence to combat crime and terrorism, and the implications of using advanced military weaponry. They’re directed by Mamoru Oshii of Ghost in the Shell fame. These ones are pretty standalone, but if you’d like prior context, they take place in the same timeline as the OVA.

If you’re interested in mecha video games, I’m having a blast with Zone of the Enders: 2nd Runner! It’s got wonderful gameplay, and some really interesting mech designs. They’re themed after ancient Egyptian mythology, and the shape language of most of the mechs is very curvy and round, something you don’t really see often, giving it a very unique aesthetic. I haven’t finished it yet, however, so this is based only off the first chunk of story.

After a terrorist attack drags him into a conflict he thought he’d abandoned long ago, our protagonist is shot and left for dead. In a desperate attempt to save him, his body is connected to his mech as a form of life support— if he leaves it, or the mech shuts down, he dies. Seeing as the mech is what his enemies want, this leaves him no choice but to stay involved. The gameplay is quite energetic, the boss battles are fun, and just about every move and animation are designed to make you feel as cool as possible. It is a Hideo Kojima game, so keep that in mind going in.

While it’s a classic and often recommended, don’t watch Evangelion as your first mecha. It pulls very heavily from Tomino’s body of work, and I’d only suggest watching it after you’ve seen a show or two of his— especially Gundam or Ideon. Hell, watch an Ultraman or two first— that’s where the Christian imagery comes from. You’ll miss out on a lot if you go into it without prior context.

There’s a lot of mecha out there, but these are what I consider to be the most beginner-friendly. When it comes to banner franchises like Getter, Mazinger, or Brave— you can honestly pick any one of the shows to start with, as there’s no overarching continuity. Do some reading and pick whatever interests you! If you’ve got an hour or two to burn, there’s a retrospective on Getter Robo and its influence on the genre that’s worth watching even if you don’t plan to check out any Getter yourself.

I hope you find something you enjoy!

[salted15]

Hey! I go by IMELHT (“I’m elite”)

Your bio says you can help with art tips? I’m a digital artist and I would like a few tips on how to utilize color? Maybe even lighting? (Making things vibrant) I have been seeking help for a little while now but nothing seems to work for me (videos and media) (I am taking an art class but we are more focused on traditional which is my stronger point…) Some of my art is on my blog so if you would like to give me some constructive criticism based on it that would be appreciated. Do you do these sorts of things or am I asking too much? Please, let me know.

Thank you so much, and have a good day.

oh !! yea sure-

Typically making things that are brightly colored involves avoiding neutrals, and sometimes black and white. When I color something in a vibrant way (like my profile picture at the moment), I typically have the colors at the brightest they can be, at the bright corner/edge of the wheel, and I usually don't go past halfway up to white/black. To shade/render things like this I usually utilize the colors that are naturally lighter, like teal and yellow/yellow-green. the darker ones are the deep blues and indigoes. I also tend to avoid middle-green and red, making them hot pink instead.

I also mess around with overlay layers- I'm not sure what art program you use, but most have layer filters and overlay is usually one of them. I usually color mine a magenta-y pink color, but really anything looks good with it! I also mess around with hard light in the same way sometimes.

However, this is just my experience, and there is no right way to make art. Fuck around and find out! It's gotten me this far :]

I did look at your blog, and coincidentally before looking at this ask I had just seen your metadede fanchild while browsing the tag (Equinox is very cute btw! I love his name especially), and you have a pretty good understanding of color when in certain lightings, I'd say! Also are you looking for constructive criticism on a specific thing (ex. color, posing, etc.) or just general stuff?

[midzelink]

Well, this is certainly something that happened.  

In response to a post I made stating the various reasons I don’t like the Twilight Princess manga (which was in and of itself a response to some replies I got on this other post), I got a barrage of replies from a user (who will go unnamed, they’ve already been blocked) in defense of the thing - which, ordinarily, wouldn’t be a big deal!  People are allowed to have different opinions and I never once stated anyone who liked it should feel bad!  I started writing up a reply to them in the middle of this barrage, but their replies just kept coming and got subsequently worse, yet it was all...so bizarre to the point that it would feel weird to not address that it happened.  I’m putting all of this under a read more, because wow this is a wall of text, but also this is the kind of nonsense I want people to avoid having to read if it can be helped.  At any rate, this is what they had to say:

I don’t know, this really honestly feels like reaching. It feels like criticism for the sake of criticism without actual narrative flaws being shown, but your anger seems to stem from “This interpretation is different from what I thought even though I admit all official art shows the charachter this way” and “Link HAD to be raised in ordon because of one quote from the enclosed instruction book”. Twilight Princess was literally made to be “the edgy zelda” in reponse to fan overreaction to wind waker. This is undeniable. All official art depicts link this way. He turned into a freaking wolf in the middle of the twilight craze! but no, he *can’t* be like that because of random expressions he makes when holding pets or items? First of all, even in the manga he isn’t an edgeboy all the time.

Secondly, it feels like you're merely glossing over all that was added in terms of charachterization! In the original game, I felt nothing for Ilia. She showed up, yelled at link for maybe getting epona slightly hurt, and then got kidnapped. Maybe a bit of tsundere stuff, but seriously, Midna is literally the best tsundere ever. You can't out midna-minda in her own damn game. XD In the manga, Ilia and Link actually have a warm and very close relationship, you can see them through all the slice of life in the first volume. I really grew to like her and truly felt sorry for her when bad things happened to her. She actually gets far, FAR more respect as a person and charachter in the manga than merely a trophy for link to get back. But no, you're far too focused on subtle expressions and insinuations because that is literally all anyone had to go on for the longest time. In reality, Link, as has been said many times, is an avatar as much as he is a charachter. You can't gloss over his official art depicitons any more than I can random expressions he makes when finding a heart piece.

Not to mention, you call the blog midzelink yet you make zero mention of the super obvious wlw-as-fuck zelda flashback in volume 5? It's a sad thing that Shad being straight is something I have seen people complain about, yet Zelda and Midna's relationship getting such a huge focus passes without a peep. It's a disturbing trend I see in my fellow Fujoshi. And on the subject of Shad, his relationship with Ilia is far more likely something included to give her a happy ending, rather than just seeing link off into the sunset to try to find midna and live forever alone in ordon. On that note as well, Link not being from Ordon fits PERFECTLY with the ending, Link being the only hylian, link being from there, all of this is SCREAMING that that is the place he never truly belonged, the manga simply takes it one step further and in this version says he was never from there any way, cementing that. It gives the concept that Link was using Ordon as a place to avoid being who he was extra weight. And Honestly, it makes him less of a jerk in the end for leaving ordon, as he never truly belonged.  

And It's actually a narrative flaw in the original for Lanaryu to make mention of misusing the power of the master sword and then having nothing come of that warning later. If you're going to set chekov's gun down on the table, you better use it by the end of the play. It's simply capitalzing on something that the story actually set up, and playing into the tone of the story nintendo marketed it. But really, most of my annoyance dosen't come from the fact that you don't like the manga. People can dislike what they want. It's that all your grievances seem to come from stuff at the very beginning, and you liked it for so long, when they were there just as much as they are now. This kinda reeks of someone else slowly influencing you over time, rather than your own thoughts.

Phew.  

Okay.  

First of all, what the f**k, dude.  Who leaves this kind of essay in the replies of someone else’s post?

Secondly,

(Note: a “fujoshi” is a woman who likes yaoi, usually used in a derogatory manner, but it seems to be self-proclaimed in this case.  That is to say, this person proudly announced they fetishized MLM relationships, and then proceeded to tell me my opinion was Bad and Wrong because I didn’t praise Himekawa for a scene that ultimately wasn’t WLW at all, even though I and a lot of other people liked to interpret it that way.  Do not give Himekawa credit for gay rep, ever.)

Again, I was going to reply to this person civilly...up until I read the Midzel/Fujoshi reply, which decimated me on impact. There’s a heckuva lot I could say in response to, well...everything else, but in the interest of making this post shorter, I’ll break it down into a bulleted list:

Link being raised in Ordon is not based on “one quote from the enclosed instruction book” - Ilia specifically states when she gets her memory back, “When we were young, you and I... You were always there... You were always beside me... Link.” (I already mentioned this in my original post, which they evidently neglected to read properly.) And this is to speak nothing of the familial bond between Link and all of the Ordonians that is fairly evident within the context of the game, i.e. Rusl trusting him to deliver a very important gift to the Royal Family, or all the children looking up to him as much as they do.

Saying “all official art depicts Link this way” in defense of his characterization in the manga being edgy (when his in-game persona is far-flung from that) is pretty shaky when you realize that the same can be said for Skyward Sword, which arguably has the most emotive and happy Link of any game. In all of SS Link’s official art, he is angry, mid-yell, or stone-faced.  That’s how character art works.  That’s how marketing works.  They wanted to market TP especially as a darker game, yes, in response to the critiques of The Wind Waker, but this is literally a man who smiles softly every time he picks up a dog or a cat. You can pet the goats.  You get excited about fishing.  If TP Link should be “edgy” because of his official art and no other reason, then SS Link should be, too.

it’s your own damn fault you felt nothing for Ilia, Ilia owns, suck it

MIDNA IS NOT A TSUNDERE, HOLY SHIT.  SHE’S NOT.  I WILL NEVER CONCEDE THIS. She doesn’t mistreat Link because she likes him, she mistreats him because he is nothing to her when they first meet, and this is a stance that slowly changes as they get to know each other!  She stops treating him like garbage when she stops seeing him as such, and her behavior throughout the game post-Zelda is a mixed bag of shame over how she treated him previously and a longing to make up for it.  How anyone can construe that as tsundere I will never, ever understand.

the Midzel comment is so wack I really can’t believe I had to read that shit with my own two eyes

no, Link likely isn’t from Ordon (again, already addressed in my original post, but again, I guess this person can’t read), but he was certainly raised there, see: the first bullet point

Lanayru never once mentions ANYTHING about misusing the power of the Master Sword, so that entire point is completely invalid.  I literally have no idea what they’re talking about here. Lanayru does have the famous line, “Those who do not know the danger of wielding power will, before long, be ruled by it,” but that’s in reference to the Fused Shadows, not the Master Sword.  Which, you know, you would know if you actually knew the source material as well as you claim to, dude.

Lastly, yes, I did like the manga when I first read it, but as I already stated, that was because I blasted through all four (available at the time) volumes in one sitting, and it was immediately after my hyperfixation for this game resurfaced (about a week or so before I made this blog!).  I was Starved For Content, and the manga was Content.  Now I’m not Starved, and two more volumes have released since, and guess what!  People’s opinions can change!  And my opinion is that the manga isn’t for me, and this entire, extremely accusatory essay of yours in the replies of a post I made stating my own opinion was entirely uncalled for and rather intrusive.  So, yeah.  Blocked.

This has certainly been a trip.

[kumoriyami-xiuzhen]

Hakuoki Drama: Shinsengumi Oni-tan Track 1 Translation

Well im more or less back so I’ll start by asking you to please support me if you can either on ko-fi (https://ko-fi.com/V7V2W0HO), or through paypal (paypal.me/KumoriYami ) …. also let me know if you have any hakuoki drama cds that you’d be willing to share that are on my looking for list since i don’t have the audio for those…..

I’ve also gotten around to getting my patreon account in order (https://www.patreon.com/KumoriYami) while deleting all blog post tls here. My patreon will really only for blog post tls, of which I will be putting out at least 3 each month, and for early access to my next planned post. Right now, I can only do early access for one post since I have nothing stockpiled and since Chinese New Year is this month....I’ll be busy with stuff so I probably won’t be getting around to doing a lot for the foreseeable future.... though I intend to bump that up to 2 posts when I’m no longer as busy....

I hope everyone had a good new year’s day.... cuz im feeling exhausted and my mind feels all waaaaaugh rn cuz of beating Psychedelia of the Ashen Hawk which i keep spelling as Hawke because of Dragon Age.... especially with those endings (i surprisingly couldn’t find anything for it in Chinese but oh well)..... 

Anyway, since this drama is roughly an hour and eight minutes long... it is going to take an extended amount of time to be completely translated since this translation was taken off not exactly great quality/sized images (though i’ll be aided by JP mtl since it’s available for me) which has been a real pain given how condensed some of the Chinese words are... and because im probably going to look at doing this on an on-off basis cuz my mind doesn’t work well focusing on one thing to translate for long periods of time (you have to pay me to do that since i equate that to mental torture lol xD).

enjoy this tl~

Hakuoki Shinsengumi Oni-tan Track 1 “A certain male oni and the Shinsengumi”

Translation by KumoriYami

Kazama: Oni. In this country of Japan, since ancient times, there have been a race known as the oni living here. Holding power that transcended that of ordinary people, no, it should be said that because of this power which transcends that of ordinary humans, they are depicted as evil creatures/beings in folklore and legends.

Sometimes, they are killed, and other times they are used by humans. (the translation of 驱逐 is "expelled" which doesn't seem right so i changed to "killed"]

For this reason we oni have chosen to sever our ties with humans and live in secluded/ hidden villages. However due to the scarcity of oni, marriage with humans has increased, and some oni have chosen to live like/as humans.

And then, there are oni who live unaware of their heritage because of their weak bloodlines.

Yes, for example, the day I met that man.

(intro music)

Flower petals scatter and leaves wither as they fall. The season has already changed to winter. The city was loud despite how cold it was [Despite how cold it was, the city was bustling with activity/ was loud].

When nightfall arrived, it became quite cold. Alright, it's done. Leave/head back before it gets any darker. If [I] return too late, Amagiri will begin preaching again, which will indeed be unbearable. [rephrase later...?]

(sound of running footsteps) But, what's that sound? It sounded like there was a disturbance from a back-alley.

Roshi: che, damn it, the shinsengumi is here!

???: Ronin, there's no escape! Stay where you are!

Roshi: Damn it---  since it's like this let's break this jar, give me some good entertainment! [take a break and get ready? check later.]

(sound of sword being drawn)

Kazama:  hn, that's the light blue haori of the shinsengumi. the bakufu's dog is fighting a wild/stray dog, really what a horrible showing/senseless game/trick.

(blades crossing)

Roshi: Heh heh.... it seems like you're out of tricks. what's wrong shinsengumi, (you're?) all talk! /you seem to be all talk!

???: Che.... Don't... get too... cocky bastard!

Kazama: Nn?

Roshi: Why, why has this guy's eye colour changed....!

(sounds of blades hitting each other again)

Roshi: Uoaaaaah!

???: (heavy breaths) finally caught, caught, caught [my] breath, i just need to wait for the captains to come over.

Kazama: Oi. you. For someone of an oni clan, what are you doing in a place like this?

???: Hm? who are you?

Kazama: Leader of the western clans, the Kazama family head, Chikage.

???: For this first meeting, I am called Sasanami Kurō. Although you speak as though you know me, however(/perhaps) you have the wrong person. [rephrase later]

kazama: it turned out to be the case. i do not recognize that name. However, as a member of an oni clan, why are you wearing the the haori(/uniform) of the shogun[ate's?]'s dog?

Sasanami: Oni clan?

Kazama: Exactly. in my eyes, there is no doubt that you are my compatriot/kin/clansman, that is to say---

heisuke: hey new guy - really , where did you [assuming *he?*] go?

Harada: I can understand how people want to show off a bit because of the team's examination, but to go off chasing someone alone is dangerous/puts one in a really dangerous situation [im assuming its to join the Shinsengumi based on the summary on the drama info page].

Heisuke: although having enthusiasm/being enthusiastic is a good thing, those guys tend to die faster.

Harada: Anyway, pray/hope that he wasn't killed due to his carelessness. Heisuke, check over there, I'll look over here.

(more footsteps)

Sasanami:  oh, Captain Toudou, Captain Harada! I'm [over] here! The roshi has already been captured/arrested.

Harada: oh, over there. It looks like there's nothing wrong...

heisuke: although being popular/recognition is good, it can cause problems...

Kazama: Che, those troublesome guys are around/nearby. No choice then, it's time to go/retreat. The reason for your position, I will listen to it in two days.

Sasanami: Wait, At the end [who are] you----- [rephrase later?]

(sound of Kazama walking away)

Kazama: That/this person, although his lineage is quite weak, there is no doubt of his bloodline. But/However why is there there an oni aside from my wife in the Shinsengumi?

----

final edits will be done when video is posted since im feeling lazy rn.... also i decided that i’d post this drama track by track for text. not sure bout videos yet since i wanna double check the context for what i think is the recruitment examination vs team examination. once that’s done... i think i’ll start making the videos to publish though im going to leave everything unlisted on youtube all 9 tracks of this drama are done.

on a side note, is there something about a location guide in the Hakuoki 3ds game or the ds yuugiroku english patch game (never tried it so iuno how well that worked or if that was even finished but that was one of my first google search bar suggestions)? Asking because I found a Chinese translation/summary of the Zuisouroku ds travel guide (commentary/exchange of certain locations. ex - saito’s room, hanaguri gate, fushimi magistrate)... and well, i just wanna make sure im not looking at game content that was already translated since I know Hakuoki tends to recycle a lot of their stuff before considering to translate it....

also.... this is the only drama where i might translate the interview with the cast (its 4 qs to the VAs sans roshi in text format)... though that would be after i finish this.... whenever the hell that is.

[la-knight]

BOOKS I (RE)READ IN 2018: FURTHERMORE BY TAHEREH MAFI

"Alice Alexis Queensmeadow, 12, rates three things most important: Mother, who wouldn’t miss her; magic and color, which seem to elude her; and Father, who always loved her. Father disappeared from Ferenwood with only a ruler, almost three years ago. But she will have to travel through the mythical, dangerous land of Furthermore, where down can be up, paper is alive, and left can be both right and very, very wrong. Her only companion is Oliver whose own magic is based in lies and deceit. Alice must first find herself—and hold fast to the magic of love in the face of loss." "Red was ruby, green was fluorescent, yellow was simply incandescent. Color was life. Color was everything. Color, you see, was the universal sign of magic." "Love, it turned out, could both hurt and heal." "Narrow-mindedness will only get you as far as Nowhere, and once you're there, you're lost forever.” "Alice was an odd girl, even for Ferenwood, where the sun occasionally rained and the colors were brighter than usual and magic was as common as a frowning parent." "Making magic is far more interesting than making sense." So I actually read this book a few months ago and then recently reread it via audio so I could remember all the details for this review. I was first introduced to Tahereh Mafi’s work through her book Shatter Me, her debut novel. Ironically, it wasn’t through any of the ways I normally hear about books - Booktube, Goodreads, my best friend, Booklr - but from my husband’s aunt. She runs - or used to run, not sure if she’s still doing it - a book review blog. And she posted a review of Shatter Me and I was like, “What a weird, interesting writing style, lemme check this out.” At this point the entire Shatter Me Trilogy plus novellas had been published and I devoured all of them (still need to review those, too). So when I heard Tahereh Mafi was writing a middle grade book, I got super excited! Especially because this was during a time when I was too stressed out to read any YA, since most of the YA I like involves having to save the world and all the stress that entails. I need to lay out some trigger warnings real quick: the main character, Alice? Her mom is incredibly abusive, both emotionally and physically. It’s treated as not such a big deal in the book, which is honestly the story’s only real flaw, but it’s bad. It took me seven tries and resorting to an audiobook (and even with a fantastic narrator, that short audiobook took me almost a month to get through) because the abuse was so bad. So:

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS BOOK CONTAINS EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE OF A CHILD BY THEIR PARENT

Let’s get started, yo! First of all, the setting. OMG. See, I love tthis thing called Victorian fairy tales, which is something you can find in books like Mary Poppins - these super fantastical bits of whimsy that just warm your heart and make you grin because they’re so creative and fun. In the Mary Poppins books, you can jump into chalk drawings and go to a circus amidst the stars and make friends with a woman who sells living candy-cane horses. In Catherynne Valente’s Fairyland series, there are shadow balls and talking phonographs. And in Furthermore, there’s light raining down from the sky in literal drops, sticks of magic you use like money, and forests full of invisible berries. The way the world is put together and described, so full of color and imagination, is awesome and beautiful and I could picture it perfectly. It reminded me in all the best ways of books like The Phantom Tollbooth (one of my favorites). But I wouldn’t want to live there, because Ferenwood is full of colorism and ick. Alice, the female lead, is an albino in a world where color is important and the darker you are, the more magical you’re considered to be. So Alice gets treated like garbage. 

Also I think Alice may be autistic, but I don’t know if she’s deliberately coded autistic or if Tahereh Mafi did it by accident while trying to make Alice eccentric, but she comes across as autistic. I’ve actually begun to pay more attention to that sort of the thing in recent years, being autistic myself, and I see it a lot - authors giving their characters autistic characteristics, often without meaning to. I just touch on it here because Alice is already treated badly for being albino, but she’s also considered a freak because of the way she behaves - like an autistic preteen. And I wonder if Tahereh Mafi did that on purpose as a sort of commentary or not, because while Alice is treated badly by the people of Ferenwood for her behavior, the Narrator (who is an actual character in the story; love when that happens) always sides with Alice in this regard. The storyline is sweet and I love it. Alice tries to compete in the magical testing all the preteens do on their twelfth birthday, and so she dances. And her dancing is magical but it’s not Magical, you know? So she fails the test. Well, turns out a boy who passed the test the year before, Oliver (the brat), needs Alice’s help fulfilling a quest - rescuing Alice’s missing dad. So they go on a quest together, although Alice hates Oliver (and rightly so, he’s rude). They go to a dozen different and cool places, all of which are dangerous and all of which are different. I wish we could’ve spent more time in those places but I understand why we didn’t. The only annoying thing is there’s an origami fox on the cover but it only pops up in one of the worlds for like two pages and then it’s gone and I thought we could spend more time both in that world and with that creature since it ended up on the cover. But alas, not. I understand why - middle grade is often cursed to be short, especially if it’s the author’s first MG novel ever. Once you get big and bad like Rick Riordan you can start tossing out gihugic tomes like Son of Neptune or Blood of Olympus on the regular. Oliver’s reason for needing Alice was one I didn’t see coming, nor was her magical talent - a talent they hint at throughout the book but never explain until near the end, at the perfect moment. I thought it was an interesting commentary on how young girls perceive themselves, that Alice hates this marvelous, amazing talent she has of bringing color into the world from nothing...because she can’t use it to change how she looks. Society has trained her already, by the age of twelve, to discount something incredible about herself because she can’t use it to make herself into what society wants her to be. That’s pretty impressive for a book this short. I loved some of the more deliberate messages in the work - the thing I mentioned about society’s pressures on young girls, and also that it’s okay to tell boys to screw off if they’re mean to you, and to have hope and to look for second chances (Alice thinks she only has one chance to pass the test and believes her life is over when she fails, only to find out she can try again the next year). I love all of that, and the lyrical and whimsical quality of the prose, and the world building is so creative and also makes me a bit hungry (people eat magic in this book, among other things; I wonder what it tastes like). Now...let’s talk about the abuse. That’s my biggest issue with the book. Alice’s mother is a total bitch. And not in a cool, kickass way like the lady in the show Empire. She’s vicious, she’s cruel, and she’s abusive. Alice knows - and the Narrator confirms - that she turned bad when her husband went missing, and apparently the worry for him and the strain of raising four kids on her own is making her hard and sad, but I don’t give a shit. I was hoping Tahereh Mafi would’ve gone all Hansel and Gretel on this lady and when Alice comes home with her dad, the wife’s dead or something. She beats Alice (at one point she beat Alice for chasing a boy out of the place where she was sleeping, even though he kept staring at her in her sleeping clothes, because apparently the boy - Oliver - had the right to break into their barn at 3AM and ogle Alice???), she verbally abuses Alice, she sends her to bed regularly without dinner, is constantly criticizing, won’t hug her or kiss her, and - this one really got me, for some reason - forces her to do illegal things. Those invisible berries I mentioned? Alice can find them and bring back whole baskets because of her magical gift, and so her mom sends her out to pick them all the time. If she brings home enough, her mom smiles. If she doesn’t, her mom yells and calls her names and sometimes beats her. Guess what? Picking those berries is illegal. We don’t find this out until much later in the book, but it is. The thing I didn’t like about the berries is that Oliver, who’s thirteen, is less concerned about Alice’s mother beating her for not picking enough contraband berries and instead focuses on how her ability to find the berries in the first place means Alice has really impressive magic. NOBODY seems to care how much Alice is being abused, not even the Narrator. The Narrator sympathizes with Alice’s hurt feelings and despair over her missing Father, but it’s never objectively stated that her mom is abusing her AND SHE IS. Yeah, her mom is sooo glad to have her back after Alice almost dies on her trip with Oliver, but so what? My roommate’s mom is so abusive that my roommate’s clergy leaders, doctors, and psychological therapist all said my roommate needed to cut ties with said mom, even though my roommate’s mom has also exhibited the same kind of “oh baby I’m so sorry, I love you so much” bullshit. That’s what abusers do. So I hate Alice’s mom. She literally makes her daughter feel like if she doesn’t risk her life numerous times AND bring her father back, there is no chance her mother will ever love her. And if she pulls that stuff off (which she does), then MAYBE her mother will love her. Nuh-uh. Nope. Hate that bitch. Other than that, I really loved this book. The characters felt real (Alice is me, but without my anger), Even the ones I didn’t like were still REAL, and well-drawn. The world building and word choice is fantastic. Basically, if you can get past the evil mom, read this book. World Building: 1 star Realism: 1 star Word Choice: 1 star Plot: 1 star Characterization: 1 star - ¼ star because Oliver Newbanks is an obnoxious little creep - 1 star because the mom is AN ABUSIVE EVIL BITCH - ¼ star because NOBODY DOES ANYTHING ABOUT THAT +½ star because Alice is amazing and has a genius brain and I love her Total score: 4/5 stars Would I Buy It: Yes! I own it and loved it enough I got the sequel for Christmas (in...2017...I've been sitting on this review for months...)! Would I Recommend: yes, but with trigger warnings. Again, highly abusive evil bitch mom who somehow doesn’t die.

[justwhymsical]

Cursed (USUK)

Mermaids for Mermay!! Arthur is an angler fish mer who has been cursed to live in a lake when he came across a cursed piece of coral. Alfred found him and keeps him company while trying to figure out a way to break the curse. There’s some language in there so be warned.

Based on some lovely art by my good friend @triruntu! She originally came up with the AU years ago but I modified it slightly for my little story.

I don't usually write in present tense so it might flow a liiitle bit weirdly in a few places, but it was a fun experience! I hope you enjoy it! You can also find it on AO3 and dA; the links to my profiles there are under the ‘My Writing’ link at the top of my blog. ^-^

~~~

“Hello,” Arthur says, and Alfred nearly shits himself.

“Jesus, Arthur, you scared me!” It takes a minute for Alfred to right himself in the bottom of the boat, for his shin and elbow to stop stinging. When he looks over the side, he’s met with a shit-eating, sharp grin.

“I know.”

“You’re mean,” Alfred tells him, pouting. Still, he helps the merman into his boat, careful of all the fins and lures hanging off him. “Do you gotta do that every time?”

Arthur shrugs. “I find it amusing. Your face today was particularly rich.”

“Asshole.”

“Hmm.” Arthur’s hands move to the cooler, where red snapper is waiting for him today. He bites into the fish and hums with approval. “This is better than last time. How’s your research going along?”

“Not much new stuff to report. I’m telling you, us humans just don’t do curses outside of stories. The only common cure is a kiss.”

Arthur’s lip curls. A dribble of blood runs down his chin. “True love’s kiss. I am not a frog. Why the princess ever kissed it, I don’t know.” His voice drops to a mutter. “Kissing frogs, who’d ever want to kiss a stupid frog?”

Alfred just rolls his eyes. He’s not about to be drawn into that argument again. “Well, who’d want to kiss you? You’ve got sharp teeth, no sense of humour, and your hobby is giving people heart attacks.” He thinks he’d very much like to kiss Arthur.

“I only give you heart attacks,” Arthur says defensively. Done with the fish, he tosses its spine overboard.

“I feel so special.” Alfred places a hand across his heart, grinning at the merman’s unimpressed look.

“I’ll bite you next time, I swear,” Arthur threatens.

Alfred has to try very hard not to think about how that would feel. “Maybe there won’t be a next time,” he says instead. “Maybe your true love will waltz into the lake at night, get taken in by your lights, smooch you senseless, and you’ll swim off into the dawn together.”

If anything, Arthur’s face only grows more blasé. “That’s hardly possible, considering you’re the only one who knows about me.” His expression changes, grows more vulnerable. “You are, right?”

The sight of such weakness is rare when it comes to Arthur, and Alfred thinks it looks wrong on him. “I am,” he’s quick to reassure. “I did promise you, and I always keep my promises.”

He reaches for Arthur’s hand, gives it a squeeze. Feels the skin warm up. The mottled flesh never ceases to fascinate him. Arthur’s nails are dark and sharp; he could easily rip through the delicate tendons under Alfred’s skin, but he’s careful as he squeezes back. They don’t let go of each other for a while.

“Will you stay past sunset?”

“Hell yeah!” Alfred grins and traces the darker blue lines running along Arthur’s fingers. “I love seeing you glow.”

Arthur looks away. “You’re really not supposed to find it pretty. It’s how I kill.” His cheeks are pinked, so he stares hard at the mouth of the river while he speaks. Luckily, from the feel of the fingertips running across his skin, Alfred is still focused on the blue.

“You’re not gonna kill me, so it’s fine,” Alfred says. “Plus, I love blue.”

You seem to love a lot of things to do with me. Arthur bites the words back. If he allowed them to slip free, Alfred would startle and leave. He murders them instead, and pulls his arm back to his side. “I would have if we met out there.”

Alfred ignores the words. “I bought more data, so we can watch more videos if you want. The internet still has a lot more cat videos to offer.”

“I wish you’d bring yours here,” Arthur tells him, and leans against his side.

The American pulls a blanket from under his seat, trying not to gag at the smell, and dunks it into the lake. It’s soon smoothed over Arthur’s tail. “They hate water, sorry Art. You’ll see them when you get free though, I promise!”

Arthur bites back more words, strangles them near his heart. He’s accepted he’s not leaving the lake. Alfred makes it better, though. Alfred makes everything he touches better. “Show me the cuttlefish video,” he demands.

“The True Facts one?” Alfred laughs. “Sure. Pretty soon half the views on it will be from you.”

“I like it.” Arthur pokes his wrist. Hard enough to sting, but not hard enough to break the skin. Alfred scraped his knee once while trying to get out of the boat. Arthur finds it hard to control himself at the sight of his blood.

“I know, I know.” Alfred just chuckles more. He wraps his arms comfortably around Arthur’s waist, mindful of the way his dorsal fin is folded between them.

They watch video after video in the calm, the silence between them only broken when one of them laughs. Cat videos, vine compilations, even soap-making demonstrations, Alfred shows them all. Arthur watches with rapt attention. Occasionally, he’ll ask for something specific – ‘Another True Facts, please.’; ‘I want to watch the animal vines next.’; ‘Show me the lily pad pond soap!’ – but more often than not he’s simply looking at the screen with wide eyes. As the sun dips lower, so does Alfred’s head, until his chin is perched on Arthur’s shoulder and he’s laughing into the merman’s ear. The moment Arthur notices and turns to him, eyebrows rising, Alfred smiles and quickly pulls away. His chin and cheek tingle.

The sky bleeds pink and purple when Arthur swats at the phone, almost sending it into the water. “Swim with me,” he says.

In his scramble after the device, Alfred ends up with his face in Arthur’s armpit, arms tight around his friend’s waist. He’s hanging onto his phone with the tips of his fingers. “Careful with that.” It’s not the first time he’s had to say that, and it definitely won’t be the last.

He disentangles himself and stows his phone back into a Ziploc bag. Arthur’s already halfway out of the boat so he gives him a shove, sending him into the water with a splash and a yelp. Oh he’s going to pay for that, but he has no regrets. Predictably, Arthur launches out of the lake and spits water in his face as he soars over the boat, but Alfred’s laughing the whole time and even claps at the display. While Arthur vanishes for a few minutes, Alfred takes the time to strip to his underwear. The merman is waiting for him by the time he’s balancing on the side.

They dive down into the water together. It’s really less of a dive and more of a flop for Alfred, but soon they’re both underwater. Arthur’s bioluminescence is really noticeable when they’re beneath the surface of the lake. The stripes along his body as well as his frills and lures glow a brilliant blue. They contrast well with his eyes.

Arthur grabs hold of Alfred’s hand and tugs him down five feet, then ten. Deep enough that the merman can move freely. Shallow enough that Alfred can kick to the surface whenever he needs air. Alfred is a good swimmer, but even so he can only hold his breath for less than two minutes. They’ve somehow worked around this limitation.

Alfred can’t tear his gaze away from the sight before him. He thinks he would have died long ago, out in the open ocean. Arthur is mesmerising even without the bioluminescence, but with the bright blue trails in the water it’s enough to make Alfred’s mouth dry. He kicks his legs and swims toward the surface, Arthur guiding him along with lazy sweeps of his tail.

“That seemed longer than usual,” Arthur comments when they can both speak.

“Yeah. I’m getting better.” Alfred’s still wheezing a bit. He grips onto the boat for stability.

“I’ll be waiting.” Arthur gives him a sharp smile and ducks under the water.

All Alfred can think about is how fucked he is.

He peers below and can make out flashes of blue as Arthur weaves through the water. Darkness encroaches around him on all sides, and Alfred has to try very hard to not think about anything else that might be in the lake. Arthur’s assured him that he’s the top predator in this little ecosystem, but sometimes it’s hard to remember that in the dark. Alfred focuses instead on the blue, the beautiful blue. He’s sad because he’ll never act, wouldn’t do that to Arthur because what if he’s not the one? And then it will be awkward and Alfred really doesn’t want Arthur to be alone here again. When it comes down to it, Alfred F. Jones is a coward.

The blue comes closer and Arthur tugs on his ankle.

“Coming,” Alfred says, even though Arthur can’t hear, because the word stops his thoughts in their tracks.

He ducks below again, and doesn’t resist as Arthur drags him down despite the jump in his belly. The merman twists around him, brushing up against him more often than not. Alfred holds in his shivers as the delicate frills and lures tickle against his skin. He grabs Arthur’s hand in his own and lets Arthur tug him around. This is Arthur’s quiet happiness, a relaxed companionship that only Alfred can give him. His own heart aches as he thinks how small the lake is compared to the ocean. His shoulder is yanked a bit as Arthur speeds towards the surface. He breaks it alone, and this time only takes a few seconds to catch his breath before sinking again.

He’s closer to Arthur this time, his hands on those mottled, slender shoulders. Alfred doesn’t think anymore. One hand moves upwards, caresses Arthur’s neck and cheek before toying with the lure on his head. It’s a thin bulb, bright blue like all the rest, and Alfred’s eyes watch it sway with the current. He smiles a bit.

Then Arthur’s leaning in, eyes slack and hyperfocused at the same time. As if he was the one awestruck by Alfred, the measly human.

Arthur’s eyes slip shut and before Alfred can move a muscle, they’re kissing. It’s wet, of course, and Arthur’s lips are cold, but it’s not a bad kiss.

Alfred gasps into it, releasing precious air.

Green eyes open in a flash, and Arthur jerks back. His lips tremble and his face contorts into hesitance and embarrassment before he dives down deep, where Alfred can’t follow.

Alfred’s own face screws up. He peers down into the darkness for as long as he can before his lungs start burning and he kicks upwards. Arthur has gone so far down he’s not visible anymore, and Alfred sighs as he clings onto the boat. That was one question answered. Now they just needed to talk about it.

He stays there like that for ten minutes, hoping to catch glimpse of blue or feel Arthur’s hand around his ankle. It wasn’t like he’d shoved Arthur away… Any longer, and he would have been kissing back just as much. After a few more minutes, Alfred sighs again and heaves himself into the boat. His legs knock against the cooler and he curses, then freezes with an idea.

If Arthur won’t come out on his own, then Alfred will just have to lure him out.

Moving quickly but carefully so as to not destabilize the boat, Alfred reaches into the cooler and grabs a wriggling fish. He also grabs a knife, and slits the creature’s throat before tossing it overboard. The knife tip trembles as he peers into the water after the fish has sunk out of sight.

There! A flash of blue, gone as quickly as it had come.

At least Arthur’s tempted by it.

He empties out the rest of the cooler into the lake, one fish at a time. The flash of blue appears after he’s dropped each snapper, but Arthur doesn’t rise. Alfred worries his lip between his teeth after the last fish is gone. He tosses the knife aside, stilling again when he hears it clink against his glasses. Each time he’s dropped one of his possessions down, Arthur has retrieved it… He grabs the glasses without hesitation and chucks them over.

Two minutes pass. Then five. Then eight.

Alfred’s losing hope when he sees a surge of blue heading towards the surface. He smiles and leans back, preparing himself.

A hand latches onto the side of the boat, and Arthur’s head lure is barely visible as the merman reaches in to deposit the glasses on the boat seat. Alfred has a split second to act, but somehow he manages to grab onto Arthur’s wrist.

Arthur startles and shoots down, hauling Alfred along with him. Alfred yelps as his hip is slammed into the side and he barely has enough time to take a breath before he’s underwater, but he clings on. Arthur bares his teeth and continues diving, waits for Alfred to give up and let go and return to the surface. Alfred, rising to the challenge, only tightens his grip.

It’s after about a minute of this that Arthur realizes how deep they are. How far the surface is. How long Alfred can hold his breath for. His expression morphs to one of worry and he loops around so their faces are close together. Alfred’s cheeks are puffed out, occasional air bubbles escaping his lips. His eyes, screwed shut on the way down, open again and he grins when he sees that they’ve stopped moving. He reaches with his free hand to Arthur’s cheek, caresses it. Arthur feels his heart stutter and can’t help but to lean in. His tail lightly wraps around Alfred’s shin.

Then, Alfred’s face shifts. His smile falls away and his throat works desperately, uselessly. He tries to kick his legs but Arthur is heavy with muscle and he can’t hope to tug him that impossible distance.

“Arthur,” he begs, but it’s a garbled mess and his lungs burn even more as a few drops of water slip down his windpipe.

“No, no!” Arthur yells, the sound echoing in the water. He wraps his arms around Alfred’s waist and races for the surface. His chest tightens when he feels Alfred go limp in his arms, and he pumps his tail faster.

They break the surface together, shoot out of the water, and Arthur uses this to his advantage as he angles them towards the boat, with him on the bottom. The crack of his arms against the wood is worth it if Alfred survives. The human is still for a few seconds. Then, his heaving breaths shatter the air. He curls up on top of Arthur, coughing violently until the water is out of his lungs.

“A-Art?” he wheezes, his hands scrabbling for purchase. He finds Arthur’s arm and holds on tight.

“You’re here, you’re safe.” Tears are dripping down his face for the first time in many years, but Arthur doesn’t care. “You’re safe,” he repeats, and can’t say more because Alfred’s kissing him again.

This kiss is wilder, more desperate. Arthur’s breathing hitches and he’s pretty sure Alfred is sobbing, but their grip on each other is tight and sure. They pull apart once, twice for more air, but before long their lips meet again. It’s ten minutes before they take a longer break.

Alfred breathes in deep and uses the moment to stop trembling. He rests his cheek against Arthur’s chest and closes his eyes when Arthur starts carding through his damp hair. He only tightens his grip on the merman in response.

“Why did you do that?” Arthur asks quietly. A few of his frills are bent at odd angles and hurt, but he doesn’t want to move. Not yet. “Stupid human…”

“If I’d let you go, I knew I wouldn’t see you for a long while.” Alfred’s voice is still raspy, still weak. But there.

“You can’t breathe underwater,” Arthur says, quite uselessly.

“I knew you wouldn’t let me die.”

“You have far too much faith in me. I am not some pretty, dopey, red-haired Princess. I’m a predator.”

“Still cute,” is all Alfred says.

Arthur’s jaw clicks shut. He frowns. “You shouldn’t like me. I am not very likable.”

“No, you’re not.” Alfred laughs as the hand in his hair freezes. “You’re grouchy and mean and I really think my heart’s gonna give out one day because of you.” He tilts his head up and grins brilliantly at the look on Arthur’s face. “But you’re nice to me and I think you’re funny and I wanna find out everything about you.”

Arthur’s cheeks pink and he has to look away. “Because I’m an oddity.”

“Because you’re an interesting person, Art.”

“I see.” He can’t help the smile from coming to his face.

“…And I also think I have a thing for really sharp teeth.”

“Alfred!” Arthur squeaks and tries to shove him away, but his grip is too tight. “I- I’ll bite you!” He purses his lips as he realizes his mistake.

Alfred only smirks. “Oh, will you, now?”

Arthur covers his face with his hands. “Why do I like you?”

“Hmm, why do you?” Alfred peppers Arthur’s knuckles with kisses, though his face is serious again, almost hesitant.

“You never treated me any different,” Arthur murmurs, reaching a hand for Alfred’s cheek. “Even though you fainted the first time you saw me.” He pinches the skin beneath his fingers, and bites back another smile at Alfred’s chuckles. “You’re nice to me too, and you always come back.” He can listen to Alfred talk forever, can talk with him forever, though he doesn’t say that. Alfred’s ego is big enough already.

“Love you, Art…” Alfred mumbles, nosing into the hand and pressing a few more kisses to Arthur’s palm.

Arthur feels his heart stop, reboot. He coughs. “I love you too, you stupid human.”

“Stubborn fish.”

“I take it back, you’re not nice at all.”

“Wh- Hey!” Alfred laughs even more. “You’re the one who started it! But you’re my stubborn fish, that’s what’s important.”

“Oh, is it.” Arthur can’t help a few chuckles from escaping. Unable to meet Alfred’s gaze for too long, he looks out at the lake and jolts. “Alfred.”

“Hmm?”

“I… I can go home now.” Arthur feels his eyes well up again. “Alfred, I can go back to the sea, I can go home!” When he looks to Alfred again, he’s smiling more brightly than ever.

“Oh!” Alfred’s eyes widen, and his lips stretch into a matching smile. “That’s awesome!” Arthur can go back…to the open ocean. To the depths of some trench, where he’s happy and comfortable. His expression crumbles at the edges.

Arthur notices. It clicks in his mind. “You stupid, stupid human,” he coos, holding Alfred closer. “I’m not going to leave you, not after this. I meant I can leave this lake, get my most treasured possessions before coming back to you.”

Alfred shoves his face into the crook of Arthur’s neck. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Arthur suspects he’s one of the very few beings on the planet to witness Alfred’s insecurities. He treasures them, and does what he can to smooth them away. “Shall we…try it again?”

Alfred grows serious again as he clambers off of Arthur’s body. He helps the merman shuffle into a more comfortable position, and as he does so, his hand brushes against a particular torn frill. The first time he tried getting Arthur out of this lake on his boat.

“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Arthur murmurs, placing a hand over Alfred’s.

“I know.” Alfred doesn’t think he’ll ever get the sound of Arthur’s scream out of his mind, the pure agony as his fin started to disintegrate. “I’m nervous.”

Arthur takes in a deep breath. “You love me, and I love you. The curse should be lifted.” If he ever finds the creature who hexed that stupid piece of coral, there will be hell to pay.

“Okay. I love you, Art, I really do,” Alfred says once more, just to be sure. “Tell me the moment you’re in pain, okay?”

“I will. I’m not that much of a masochist.”

Alfred covers Arthur in the damp blanket once again before picking up the oars. They’re out near the middle of the lake, so it takes them a good ten minutes of rowing before they reach the mouth of the river connecting the smaller body of water to the ocean. He slows the boat as they reach that border, and keeps his eyes on Arthur the whole time. The merman is tapping a clawed finger against the side of the boat with boredom, but there are lines of tension running through his whole body. They both stiffen as the boat transitions from lake to river, and then Alfred is throwing himself into Arthur’s arms.

“You’re free!”

Arthur laughs and pulls him close. “I’m free,” he says, then proceeds to kiss Alfred senseless.

Somehow the boat manages to keep floating in a straight line.

“It’s like twenty minutes at this pace,” Alfred says a few minutes later, when they’re simply curled together at the back of the small space. “But we don’t have to hurry, right?”

“Right,” Arthur agrees. He’s happy to snuggle into Alfred’s shoulder.

“Hey, so uhh…”

Arthur does not like that tone. “What?”

“You’re an angler fish, right? Like the fish part?”

“Yes.” Arthur squints at him. “We’ve been over this.”

Alfred licks his lips before grinning brightly. “So when we have sex, will I fuse to you, becoming just a pair of extra balls in your side?”

Arthur bites him.

[futuresandpasts]

Futures & Pasts | MRR #421

As seen in Maximum Rocknroll #421 (June 2018): coming full circle from my very first column which also featured Melbourne’s foremost Fall freaks the Shifters, plus some crucial ‘80s post-punk reissues via Louisville + New Zealand & the new Northwest DIY crash-pop cassette wave. 

I wrote about the debut cassette from Melbourne’s the SHIFTERS in the very first column that I did for MRR three years ago, which gives me all sorts of complicated and confusing feelings about the passage of time. And as evidence that sometimes it takes awhile for historical wrongs to be righted, that criminally limited tape is now finally available in its entirety as an LP on the new French label Future Folklore, following the two songs that resurfaced on the Creggan Shops 7” courtesy of It Takes Two back in 2016. The SHIFTERS’ stark, repetitive minimalism and shambolic charms always owed more than a little bit to the FALL in their early years, and revisiting the material from the cassette now just a few months after Mark E. Smith’s passing only reinforces the psychic connection between the lackadaisical post-punk twang in “Captain Hindsight” and the cracked melodies of something like the FALL’s “Your Heart Out” from the Dragnet era. “Creggan Shops” is as close to a contemporary successor to those brilliant first two MEKONS singles as I’ve come across, from the tense interplay between the melodica and a creaky violin, to the scritch-scratch guitar, to the nonchalantly harmonized dual vocals, all sounding like they’re perpetually on the verge of coming undone. There’s way more at play here than blatant UK DIY worship, though—it’s not a huge jump from the homespun, pastoral pop of ‘80s Australian DIY legends like the PARTICLES and the CANNANES to the SHIFTERS’ raggedly melodic “Colour Me In,” and “The American Attitude to the Law” sprawls into a lengthy VELVET UNDERGROUND-addled haze, if only LOU REED had written songs referencing “drinking cough syrup to fall asleep” instead of heroin. One of the best releases of 2015 when it first came out on cassette, and this vinyl version is definitely going to be tough to top in 2018. (Future Folklore, futurefolklorerecords.bandcamp.com)

YOUR FOOD were an early ‘80s quartet from Louisville, Kentucky whose off-kilter, stripped-down art-punk mirrored the similarly self-styled approach of other DIY groups from that era who existed outside of major cities. Their only proper recorded output, 1983’s self-released Poke It With A Stick LP, was just reissued by Drag City at the behest of fellow Louisvillian David Grubbs (formerly of SQUIRREL BAIT and BASTRO, among others), and it’s pretty essential stuff for anyone interested in the chapter of American weirdo post-punk that took shape just before “college rock” became the dominant underground cultural force in the mid-to-late ‘80s. “Leave” and “New Pop” both layer simple, endlessly repeated basslines, obliquely narrated vocals, and trebly stabs of guitar into spartan drones that share the jaggedly danceable sensibility of what was happening a couple of hours to the south in Athens, Georgia with bands like the METHOD ACTORS or PYLON, even though YOUR FOOD were way more likely to switch up to a frantic, thrashy punk fit at a moment’s notice (see the last thirty or so seconds of the otherwise choppy and COME ON-esque “Cool/Cowtown”). There’s a sharp-cornered, chaotic shamble to “Here” that isn’t too far removed from RED KRAYOLA’s late ‘70s post-punk incarnation, and there’s even some touches of UK DIY-style naive jangle in “Corners” before it collapses into noisy abstract guitar squall mid-song. Totally freewheeling and ramshackle bent-punk bliss! I’ve seen a few references to the fact that MRR “refused” to review the LP when it originally came out, so hopefully I’m doing some small justice to Poke It With A Stick here 35 years later. (Drag City, dragcity.com)

I’m most certainly a card-carrying member of the Flying Nun fan club, but I’m also always really happy to see some renewed attention being given to some of the darker and more obscure corners of the late ‘70s and early ‘80s New Zealand underground, beyond the Flying Nun roster and the bands typically associated with the whole storied Dunedin sound. NOCTURNAL PROJECTIONS have often (and rather unfairly) been termed the Kiwi JOY DIVISION thanks to the combination of some deeply propulsive basslines and Peter Jefferies’ dramatically icy baritone vocals, but you could just as easily connect the dots between their take on bleak and razor-edged post-punk and what dozens of other UK-based bands like the SOUND or the CHAMELEONS were doing more or less concurrently. The two 12” EPs and one single that they released before splitting up in 1983 have been impossibly difficult to track down for quite a while (at non-collector scum prices, at least), and the consolation prize has been a selection of songs from those releases that made it onto a 1995 CD-only collection called Nerve Ends in Power Lines, plus a handful of roughly recorded 1981 demos that were excavated for 1998’s Worldview 7”. After all of the recent vinyl reissue campaigns focused on long out-of-print records by some of the most beloved New Zealand groups (who generally happened to be backed by Flying Nun in their day), NOCTURNAL PROJECTIONS have been long overdue for a similarly comprehensive treatment, so endless appreciation is due to Dais Records for stepping up to remedy that situation with the new Complete Studio Recordings anthology, collecting every song from the three original releases on one remastered LP. Even at their darkest and most desperate, like on the sinister, industrial-decay clang of “Another Year,” NOCTURNAL PROJECTIONS never slipped into the sort of over-the-top goth pretensions that were de rigueur in the age of 4AD’s ascendency, and vocal delivery aside, the slashing and anthemic “In Purgatory” honestly has more in common with MISSION OF BURMA or HÜSKER DÜ than, say, BAUHAUS. Highest possible recommendation, and an excellent counterpart to Superior Viaduct’s recent reissues of Peter and Graeme Jefferies’ more avant-garde/experimental post-NOCTURNAL PROJECTIONS project THIS KIND OF PUNISHMENT. (Dais Records, nocturnalprojections.bandcamp.com)

TRASH ROMEO are a very new duo from here in Portland featuring two people who have been in most of my favorite local bands over the last couple of years, including GOLDEN HOUR, the BEDROOMS, and CONDITIONER. Everything about their debut cassette Moving in the Summer brings to mind the pre-internet, early-to-mid ‘90s romance of mail-ordering singles from paper catalogs and building up imagined realities of geographically-centered scenes that you’d only ever read about. Alex and Danny both rotate between guitar, drums, and vocals, crafting sparse crash-pop with a hint of basement punk snarl that picks up a few loose threads from the parallel riot grrrl-adjacent musical universes of Olympia and Washington D.C. The haunting opener  “Cheryl Blossom” juxtaposes delicate-yet-tangled melodies with some darkly angular AUTOCLAVE/SLANT 6 flashes, and sugary sweet TIGER TRAP-style harmonies are at the center of “Night Terror,” while “Teen Vogue” recalls the raw, minimalist lo-fi punk of EXCUSE 17 or even KICKING GIANT at their most raucous. Simple, direct, and deeply personal anthems for loners and outcasts everywhere. TRASH ROMEO definitely make me feel a major nostalgia for some of the formative reference points in my young teenage musical upbringing in the 1990s, but it never seems like they’re simply reproducing specific cultural signifiers from the past in a modern context—in 2018, you could say it’s the difference between posting digital scans of pages from an 1992 issue of Sassy magazine on your blog, or choosing to make your own zine with only a typewriter, a glue stick and a photocopier at your disposal. Also worth mentioning: their first show was their tour kick-off show and they were the only band that played it, which just might be one of the most amazing and punkest moves I’ve encountered in a long time. (trashromeo.bandcamp.com)

[skarletterambles]

I enjoy over-analyzing fictional characters of dubious moral standing and I’m not sorry.

The real reason this blog exists:  I wanted to be able to reblog stuff that is wildly off-topic for my main blog.  I figured my followers there would appreciate it, since personally I think multi-fandom blogs can be annoying if content isn’t clearly tagged (although I tag meticulously like the library clerk I am...)

Unexpected benefit of this blog existing:  It has a fraction of the followers, so not many people will see that I am three things that the Tumblr community seems to hate and/or mock:  over age 35, asexual, and a fan of this character:

The rest of this post is about him, characters like him, and how fandoms approach them. 

Sorry but not sorry: I find the heir to the Skywalker dynasty to be a fascinating character who fits right in with the long line of villains, antiheroes, and gray characters that have always captured my attention.

And I do mean always.  I fangirled the coyote on Looney Tunes before I could write my own name.  Nowadays I suppose I’d have to apologize because oh no, the coyote is problematic!  He wants to kill and eat another sentient being!  He models unsafe behavior!  He runs with knives and plays with explosives!  Children will think they can jump off cliffs and/or get run over by trucks and survive!  WON’T SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN?!?!?!

[Pictured:  The reason for the fall of Western civilization.  Clearly.]

Looking back through almost four decades, if I was going to latch onto a character as a favorite, it was almost invariably “the bad guy.”  The only exceptions I can think of are Basil of Baker Street and Scrooge McDuck.  (Oh, and Aragorn, but that was more based on my crush on Viggo Mortensen than anything about his character.)  The others have all been, if not outright villainous, at least the scoundrel/rogue/trickster/antihero type.

The Looney Tunes coyote.  Junior Snork (which dates me horribly, I realize.)  Chief from Fox and the Hound.  Fanny Fox on Maple Town.  Tito from Oscar and Company.  Don Karnage from TaleSpin.  Negaduck from Darkwing Duck.  Cluny from Redwall.  Jack Sparrow from PotC.  Snape from Harry Potter.  Imhotep from The Mummy.  Jaime Lannister from ASoIaF/GoT.  Zuko from Avatar.  Tom Keen on The Blacklist.  Illidan, Deathwing, Nefarian, and Arthas from Warcraft.

My favorites are the flawed, gray characters.  Complex characters like them offer a way to explore the darker emotions we all face.  What is right and what is wrong?  What is unforgivable, and what isn’t?  Can a villain be redeemed?  Can that redemption happen without the character dying?  If it’s true that every villain is the hero of his own story, what does this character think he’s doing?  Why did they make the decisions they did, and if they had the chance to do it over again, would they make different choices?  When did they reach the point of no return?  What is their weakness?  What motivates them?  What do they have in common with the hero?  With each other?  Is it possible to be a villain and still have genuinely good qualities, or do certain acts of evil indelibly taint everything about the character?  At what point does an antihero become a villain?  Once they do, can they ever switch back?  What would be sufficient motivation to do so?  Where does this character draw the line and say something is too evil even for them?

These are the things I love to contemplate, analyze, debate, and write about!

So hell yes, Kylo Ren is fascinating to me, and I should be able to express that appreciation without feeling like I have to defend myself every time.  

“Yes, I know he’s done some horrible things.  No, I wouldn’t want to emulate him.  Here, allow me to provide a twenty-page annotated list of everything he’s done that is even the slightest bit morally questionable, along with a heartfelt pledge that I know it’s Bad(tm) and promise never to do the things he does.  Oh, and have an additional ten pages detailing my awareness that there are PoC in these movies who are also awesome and interesting characters, and swearing on penalty of death that my failure to fixate on them is not, in fact, a sign of racism on my part.  See also Figure 17b, which provides photographic evidence that many of my good friends in high school looked far more like Rose than Rey.  I have all this verified and stamped by a notary republic, blessed by clergy of four different religions, and I have undergone rigorous psychological testing at the most prestigious hospital in the world to ensure I am of sound mind and body.   Am I allowed to enjoy this fictional character now?!?!”

It’s a fairy tale space opera with magic glowing swords, alien penguins, and lasers that can blow up entire planets.  It’s an escape.  It’s not real.  I know that.  I’m old enough, and smart enough, to understand the difference.  That used to be a given in fandoms, but in today’s climate everything is a contest to show how “woke” and pure you are.  It sparks my anxiety and makes me reluctant to participate in fandoms I would otherwise enjoy.  Just let me overthink a fun story in peace!

Furthermore, I have studied literature and storytelling tropes in detail, and I can read between the lines to see what Lucasfilm is doing with his character.  Leia was not wrong when she said there was “still light in him.”  It’s not merely a matter of “I think this character is compelling.”  It’s “I think he’s compelling and I think the story arc I see starting to form is going to be epic, emotional, and thought-provoking.”

The first six Star Wars films focused quite a lot on the kinds of questions I wrote above, showing how Anakin fell to darkness and then, at least in the eyes of his son, redeemed himself.  If you honestly think that the grandson of Anakin, the son of Leia and Han, is going to be written off as a one-dimensional evil villain, I honestly don’t even know how to begin to set you straight.  Star Wars has always been about hope, and family.

But you know what?  Even if Kylo Ren does end up firmly on the Dark Side, it’s still okay to enjoy his character.  Because he is, indeed, a fictional character. 

And you know what else?  It’s perfectly okay to not like him as a character.  Just don’t condemn fans who do, or the actor who plays him, as horrible people.  (Seriously, Adam Driver has gotten hate and threats from so-called fans who dislike his character.  WTF is wrong with people?!)  Again, Kylo Ren is a fictional character.  Liking him or not liking him is not a grand moral statement.

It is beyond tedious to have fandom discourse over and over again about how if you like X character or ship Y pairing, then you’re in favor of abuse, murder, fascism, violence, rape apologia, ableism, racism, homophobia, misogyny, or whatever awful thing is in the headlines today.

If you knew me IRL you would laugh yourself silly at the thought that I would be involved in any of that in reality.  I’m a nonviolent, compassionate person who follows the Golden Rule whenever possible.  I avoid killing bugs because I feel genuine remorse when I do so.  I’m a progressive, and left-leaning politically.  I have so much empathy I can feel drained after a day of working with the public, depending on what situations I’ve dealt with.  (Me, in customer service mode:  ”What’s that?  Your wife of forty years passed away in an accident, and that’s why your movies were late?  I’m so sorry for your loss.  Of course I’ll waive that fine and close her library account.  You have much more important things to be dealing with.  You take care, now.”  After which I’ll pretend to be unaffected for the rest of my shift, then go home and tear up so badly that I can hardly tell my family what happened.)

So yeah.  Give me my pirates with delusions of grandeur, my brooding antiheroes, conflicted space knights, tortured secret agents, snarky warlords, misunderstood sorcerers, corrupted dragons, and even my clumsy coyote with a taste for roadrunners.  I will enjoy every minute of their antics without a shred of guilt.  Humanity has been telling stories about these kinds of characters since we first grew brains complex enough to do so, and by doing so we learn so much about ourselves and each other.

[iyarpage]

20 Best New Portfolios, March 2019

It’s March, dear Readers, and here in Monterrey, the weather can’t seem to make up its darned mind. Is it Spring? Early Summer? Are we getting a plague of groundhogs? None can tell.

On the whole, it would be best to stay inside, grab a nice beverage that could be hot or cold depending on your weather, and browse through some portfolios. We’ve got a rather varied mix, and a continuation of the amorphous blob trend, which I’m still not tired of. Enjoy!

Note: I’m judging these sites by how good they look to me. If they’re creative and original, or classic but really well-done, it’s all good to me. Sometimes, UX and accessibility suffer. For example, many of these sites depend on JavaScript to display their content at all; this is a Bad Idea, kids. If you find an idea you like and want to adapt to your own site, remember to implement it responsibly.

John Henry Müller

John Henry Müller’s portfolio does several things very right. For one, the way responsive typography is handled makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Secondly, I love the way testimonials are sprinkled throughout the home page, between other things.

And hey, anyone who can get a good review from both Zeldman and their own mother deserves to be on this list.

Platform: Static Site

Victor Vergara

If you’re going to go all out on animation and flashy stuff, do it like Victor Vergara. The site loads fast, the 3D objects are kept simple, and they the animations run smoothly. The whole aesthetic of the site plays heavily into the retro-3D feel, and it looks fantastic.

As presentational sites go, it’s good. Just go ahead and assume that I’ve done some griping about fallbacks, but otherwise it’s beautiful.

Platform: Static Site (I think)

Peak

Peak has achieved something simple yet wonderful with diagonal lines, silhouettes, and a cool (as in mostly blue) color scheme that I absolutely adore. Plus, they’re actually pulling off the logo-in-the-sidebar layout that it took me ages to get right.

Platform: WordPress

Designerpart

Designerpart reminds me of the old days where everything had to look like a shiny vector, but in a good way. This time, they use shiny vector blobs in the background as a motif, and while I think they could have made some of the text on top a bit darker, the whole effect is nostalgic and modern at the same time.

Is it weird that I’ve come to love “blobs” as a trend?

Platform: WordPress

Florian Monfrini

Many sites go for the collage look, but Florian Monfrini’s portfolio is one of the few that actually makes use of the full screen at large resolutions. I mean, why not? If you’re going to cover the screen with your work, really cover it.

After that, it’s pretty much standard post-modernist faire, but it does look good, and it does stand out.

Platform: Static Site

Bethany Heck

Bethany Heck’s portfolio has what might be one of my favorite URLs of all time: heckhouse.com. Also, the entire portfolio consists of project titles, sometimes joined by the logos associated with the project. Some lead to external links, and others to lightly art-directed sub pages with impeccable typography.

It’s so simple, yet it slams you in the eyeballs with lots of high-quality, high profile work all at once. I love it.

Platform: WordPress

Nicky Tesla

If you keep up with various design blogs and news sites, you might have seen Nicky Tesla’s portfolio, and for good reason: it’s a spreadsheet. No, it doesn’t “look like” a spreadsheet, we’ve had those before. It’s literally a publicly available spreadsheet on Google sheets, with a domain attached to it.

I wouldn’t call it the most usable site, what with a few text contrast issues, but on the whole… it works. And it’s certainly intriguing. There’s also a mobile-specific version that is a lot easier to read.

Platform: Google Sheets

Pixelfish

Pixelfish is a fairly standard business site, but it’s good-looking for all that. Just a simple, good website. Can never have too many of those around.

Platform: Concrete5

Alex Faure

Alex Faure’s portfolio brings us more blobs, but with pictures in them! Everything else about the site is almost “standard elegant minimalist portfolio”, but the blobs make it stand out amongst the other sites in the genre. It’s gorgeous.

Platform: Static Site (or a CMS based on Node)

Ada Sokol

Ada Sokol’s portfolio uses that “preview on hover” technique popular with many artsy portfolios, but adds a sort of pseudo-3D smudge effect to the mix. The rest of the layout is familiarly asymmetrical with overlapping elements, but it’s always nice to see a small new twist added to an old formula… Even if the formula’s not actually that old yet.

Platform: WordPress

Shonen

Shonen is, as far as I can tell, some sort of art portfolio. It goes hard on the minimalism, monospaced type, and a typeface called MAD sans that I have just now fallen in love with.

Platform: Squarespace

ONNO

ONNO brings us a classically modernist (Is that a thing, now?) portfolio that focuses on white space, gray backgrounds, and the occasional light drop shadow. It’s simple, reliable stuff, and always looks elegant. And it works without JavaScript!

Platform: Static Site

Kairos Studio

Kairos Studio is our one video-focused portfolio on this month’s list. They keep it simple: scroll down to watch videos (silently!) play. The navigation in particular interests me because it combines primary navigation with contextual navigation based on where in the site you are. Sure, the text is a little small, but I’d like to explore the basic concept further.

Platform: Static Site

PBDA

Have you ever seen a semi-post-minimalist collage-style industrial-artsy site in Russian? Well now you can, because that’s the only way I can describe PBDA. With all of that, plus the bold yellow, it’s a site that takes familiar elements and turns them into something of a spectacle. I want more.

Platform: Custom CMS (probably)

Vincit

Vincit is a pretty large design studio with a lot of high-profile work, so their style runs toward the business-friendly minimalism in such a way that their whole site looks a bit like a tech company advertisement.

It’s also a highly varied design, that evolves rather dramatically as you scroll down the main pages of the site. I particularly like the animations as well, because they run fast. You can tell they’re there, but they don’t ever slow the experience down.

Platform: Craft CMS

3 Sided Cube

3 Sided Cube is an app development company, so it makes sense that they lean hard into the “programmer” aesthetic with monospaced type. They mixed all of that up with bright colors and distinctly presentation-style layout and navigation to create a site that’s bold and brash while still being easy enough to read.

Platform: WordPress

LOOP

LOOP is on the list because it’s pretty. The site’s look is pretty standard business-minimalism, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying a well-crafted portfolio site.

Platform: Craft CMS

5S

5S is a content studio that starts off with a bold promise, and goes on with a boldly modernist aesthetic that combines some pastels, some light illustration, and a fair amount of the now-requisite animation. The aesthetic feels a little odd sometimes, but hey, that’ll just make it stick in your head better.

Platform: WordPress

ejeeban

ejeeban is a Malaysian design studio that embraces the now-familiar put-a-grid-in-the-background trend, combined with pretty good type, and the occasional use of (gasp) texture. I know! None of the individual elements of the design are particularly new, but the overall effect is nonetheless striking and memorable.

Platform: Custom CMS (Probably)

Voga

Voga gives us more blobs! What is that now, three? Anyway, we’ve got blobs, minimalism, beautiful typography, and a very strong focus on using photos to show off their work in the real world.

Platform: WordPress

Add Realistic Chalk and Sketch Lettering Effects with Sketch’it – only $5!

Source p img {display:inline-block; margin-right:10px;} .alignleft {float:left;} p.showcase {clear:both;} body#browserfriendly p, body#podcast p, div#emailbody p{margin:0;} 20 Best New Portfolios, March 2019 published first on https://medium.com/@koresol

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20 Best New Portfolios, March 2019

It’s March, dear Readers, and here in Monterrey, the weather can’t seem to make up its darned mind. Is it Spring? Early Summer? Are we getting a plague of groundhogs? None can tell.

On the whole, it would be best to stay inside, grab a nice beverage that could be hot or cold depending on your weather, and browse through some portfolios. We’ve got a rather varied mix, and a continuation of the amorphous blob trend, which I’m still not tired of. Enjoy!

Note: I’m judging these sites by how good they look to me. If they’re creative and original, or classic but really well-done, it’s all good to me. Sometimes, UX and accessibility suffer. For example, many of these sites depend on JavaScript to display their content at all; this is a Bad Idea, kids. If you find an idea you like and want to adapt to your own site, remember to implement it responsibly.

John Henry Müller

John Henry Müller’s portfolio does several things very right. For one, the way responsive typography is handled makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Secondly, I love the way testimonials are sprinkled throughout the home page, between other things.

And hey, anyone who can get a good review from both Zeldman and their own mother deserves to be on this list.

Platform: Static Site

Victor Vergara

If you’re going to go all out on animation and flashy stuff, do it like Victor Vergara. The site loads fast, the 3D objects are kept simple, and they the animations run smoothly. The whole aesthetic of the site plays heavily into the retro-3D feel, and it looks fantastic.

As presentational sites go, it’s good. Just go ahead and assume that I’ve done some griping about fallbacks, but otherwise it’s beautiful.

Platform: Static Site (I think)

Peak

Peak has achieved something simple yet wonderful with diagonal lines, silhouettes, and a cool (as in mostly blue) color scheme that I absolutely adore. Plus, they’re actually pulling off the logo-in-the-sidebar layout that it took me ages to get right.

Platform: WordPress

Designerpart

Designerpart reminds me of the old days where everything had to look like a shiny vector, but in a good way. This time, they use shiny vector blobs in the background as a motif, and while I think they could have made some of the text on top a bit darker, the whole effect is nostalgic and modern at the same time.

Is it weird that I’ve come to love “blobs” as a trend?

Platform: WordPress

Florian Monfrini

Many sites go for the collage look, but Florian Monfrini’s portfolio is one of the few that actually makes use of the full screen at large resolutions. I mean, why not? If you’re going to cover the screen with your work, really cover it.

After that, it’s pretty much standard post-modernist faire, but it does look good, and it does stand out.

Platform: Static Site

Bethany Heck

Bethany Heck’s portfolio has what might be one of my favorite URLs of all time: heckhouse.com. Also, the entire portfolio consists of project titles, sometimes joined by the logos associated with the project. Some lead to external links, and others to lightly art-directed sub pages with impeccable typography.

It’s so simple, yet it slams you in the eyeballs with lots of high-quality, high profile work all at once. I love it.

Platform: WordPress

Nicky Tesla

If you keep up with various design blogs and news sites, you might have seen Nicky Tesla’s portfolio, and for good reason: it’s a spreadsheet. No, it doesn’t “look like” a spreadsheet, we’ve had those before. It’s literally a publicly available spreadsheet on Google sheets, with a domain attached to it.

I wouldn’t call it the most usable site, what with a few text contrast issues, but on the whole… it works. And it’s certainly intriguing. There’s also a mobile-specific version that is a lot easier to read.

Platform: Google Sheets

Pixelfish

Pixelfish is a fairly standard business site, but it’s good-looking for all that. Just a simple, good website. Can never have too many of those around.

Platform: Concrete5

Alex Faure

Alex Faure’s portfolio brings us more blobs, but with pictures in them! Everything else about the site is almost “standard elegant minimalist portfolio”, but the blobs make it stand out amongst the other sites in the genre. It’s gorgeous.

Platform: Static Site (or a CMS based on Node)

Ada Sokol

Ada Sokol’s portfolio uses that “preview on hover” technique popular with many artsy portfolios, but adds a sort of pseudo-3D smudge effect to the mix. The rest of the layout is familiarly asymmetrical with overlapping elements, but it’s always nice to see a small new twist added to an old formula… Even if the formula’s not actually that old yet.

Platform: WordPress

Shonen

Shonen is, as far as I can tell, some sort of art portfolio. It goes hard on the minimalism, monospaced type, and a typeface called MAD sans that I have just now fallen in love with.

Platform: Squarespace

ONNO

ONNO brings us a classically modernist (Is that a thing, now?) portfolio that focuses on white space, gray backgrounds, and the occasional light drop shadow. It’s simple, reliable stuff, and always looks elegant. And it works without JavaScript!

Platform: Static Site

Kairos Studio

Kairos Studio is our one video-focused portfolio on this month’s list. They keep it simple: scroll down to watch videos (silently!) play. The navigation in particular interests me because it combines primary navigation with contextual navigation based on where in the site you are. Sure, the text is a little small, but I’d like to explore the basic concept further.

Platform: Static Site

PBDA

Have you ever seen a semi-post-minimalist collage-style industrial-artsy site in Russian? Well now you can, because that’s the only way I can describe PBDA. With all of that, plus the bold yellow, it’s a site that takes familiar elements and turns them into something of a spectacle. I want more.

Platform: Custom CMS (probably)

Vincit

Vincit is a pretty large design studio with a lot of high-profile work, so their style runs toward the business-friendly minimalism in such a way that their whole site looks a bit like a tech company advertisement.

It’s also a highly varied design, that evolves rather dramatically as you scroll down the main pages of the site. I particularly like the animations as well, because they run fast. You can tell they’re there, but they don’t ever slow the experience down.

Platform: Craft CMS

3 Sided Cube

3 Sided Cube is an app development company, so it makes sense that they lean hard into the “programmer” aesthetic with monospaced type. They mixed all of that up with bright colors and distinctly presentation-style layout and navigation to create a site that’s bold and brash while still being easy enough to read.

Platform: WordPress

LOOP

LOOP is on the list because it’s pretty. The site’s look is pretty standard business-minimalism, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying a well-crafted portfolio site.

Platform: Craft CMS

5S

5S is a content studio that starts off with a bold promise, and goes on with a boldly modernist aesthetic that combines some pastels, some light illustration, and a fair amount of the now-requisite animation. The aesthetic feels a little odd sometimes, but hey, that’ll just make it stick in your head better.

Platform: WordPress

ejeeban

ejeeban is a Malaysian design studio that embraces the now-familiar put-a-grid-in-the-background trend, combined with pretty good type, and the occasional use of (gasp) texture. I know! None of the individual elements of the design are particularly new, but the overall effect is nonetheless striking and memorable.

Platform: Custom CMS (Probably)

Voga

Voga gives us more blobs! What is that now, three? Anyway, we’ve got blobs, minimalism, beautiful typography, and a very strong focus on using photos to show off their work in the real world.

Platform: WordPress

Add Realistic Chalk and Sketch Lettering Effects with Sketch’it – only $5!

Source from Webdesigner Depot https://ift.tt/2Cg6k0j from Blogger https://ift.tt/2EVjald

[xhostcom]

20 Best New Portfolios, December 2018

It’s December, which means it’s officially carol season. Oh well. Whether you’re a curmudgeon about these things like myself, or are even now feeling the heat rise in your elf ears and Santa hat, we can all agree that portfolio sites are cool, right? Let’s see what those wacky designers have come up with now. There are quite a few modern, as in pre-post-modern designs here. You know, classic, business-friendly minimalist sites. I must say, sometimes my writer and designer sides clash, and I worry about what design trends make me do to the English language. (Also, I’d like to take a moment to thank Hubert Gałczyński from the previously-featured K2. He has directed me towards Wappalyzer which is a tool that’s helping me more accurately figure out what platforms and CMS everybody is using.) Note: I’m judging these sites by how good they look to me. If they’re creative and original, or classic but really well-done, it’s all good to me. Sometimes, UX and accessibility suffer. For example, many of these sites depend on JavaScript to display their content at all; this is a Bad Idea

, kids. If you find an idea you like and want to adapt to your own site, remember to implement it responsibly.

TJ Dhillon

TJ Dhillon’s portfolio starts as the rest of this article will probably go on. It’s simple, it’s clean, it works. It’s got some nice little drop shadows on hovering over certain elements, and is it weird that I’ve actually missed those? They were never a bad thing in moderation. Moderation might be the key to this whole site design. There are frills, but they’re not overdone. Platform: Static Site

Matt Kevan

Matt Kevan’s portfolio looks a little bit like a prototype, though it’s obviously polished. As he is a UX designer, the aesthetic certainly works thematically. He’s also elected to put his writing front and center, rather than his more visual work. It’s certainly one way to demonstrate your expertise, but I wish I had some kind of analytics Platform: Jekyll

Daniel Spatzek

Daniel Spatzek’s portfolio will take us, just for a moment, to the world of the ultra-modern. You know how I feel about sites that are this JS-heavy, but I’m still a sucker for that grid-based aesthetic, especially when it’s properly using the full width of my desktop screen like this. Platform: Static Site

Undersight

Undersight has that clean-and-modern look, but with a little bit of artistic flair provided by the work itself. It feels like the portfolio pieces are almost as much apart of the overall aesthetic as any other element of the site. In a world where so very often the design and content almost feel like separate parts of a website, this is an improvement. Platform: React

Sei Yamazaki

Sei Yamazaki’s portfolio is focused on art. With this comes the classic “art gallery style” which includes lots of white space, and text that’s perhaps a bit too small at times. Still, the layouts themselves are beautiful, and the featured installation has some of the finest video presentation I’ve seen in a while. Platform: WordPress

4POR4

4POR4 is a rare breed indeed. Normally websites that use this much space-related imagery have darker layouts. But here we have lots of literal white space mixed with astronaut imagery, illustration, and photomontages. It’s a bit bandwidth-heavy, perhaps, but the overall effect is stunning. Platform: Static Site

Your Creative Copywriter

Your Creative Copywriter is, as a website, the very picture of business-friendliness. The layout has elements of post-modern asymmetry while maintaining a clearly businesslike look. The illustrations are classic, and even the stock photo of the hand holding the pencil is perfect for the market. Sure it’s a little cheesy, perhaps, but far from the cheesiest stock photo we’ve ever seen. It’s always interesting to see a site so clearly made with modern tech that feels like something from another era. It doesn’t hurt that this is probably exactly what their clients are looking for. Platform: Static Site

Niccolò Miranda

Niccolò Miranda’s portfolio is one of the most “presentational” sites I’ve ever seen. It’s dark, it’s got animated illustrations, and even the blog is animated to an extent. This is only possible because every blog post is a YouTube video tutorial, with accompanying practice files. It’s not the most accessible site I’ve seen, but it is beautiful, and it takes an interesting approach to ongoing content. Platform: Custom CMS (I think)

Pixavio

Pixavio is another highly presentational site with a “modern” look so old it reminds me of old fashion magazines and, weirdly enough, a lot of the barber shops I went into as a kid. It’s something about the typography and gradient use. The site shows off the flexibility of this aesthetic by using a different color scheme for each portfolio page. It feels like a blast from the past, but it still works today. Platform: Static Site

Eleken

Eleken brings me back to a time when everyone was doing design “like Apple but with thicker headings”. It’s pretty classic minimalism, mixed with a little background video, and workplace photography. Platform: Gatsby

Kobu

Kobu is a rare beauty. It’s sleek, stylish, and makes wonderful use of curves in its illustration and animation. The animations run smoothly, and aren’t altogether too distracting. The color palette is strong, and the headings are thick. And it does all of this without scroll-jacking. Can you even believe it? A fancy site that performs well and lets me scroll normally. I’m in love. Being a bit more serious, it’s a lovely looking site. Just wish they had more fallbacks in place for all of the JS stuff. Platform: WordPress

MOXY

And we’re back to the scroll-jacking. But I can forgive MOXY for this because it’s just that pretty. It’s sites like this that remind me why—even though I dislike how JavaScript has become the new Flash—web animation is a discipline and an art form all its own. It’s an art form worth exploring, and MOXY does that beautifully. Platform: React App/Static Site

Trajectory

Trajectory is doing it all wrong! If you’re going to use a monospaced font, your site either has to be an ironic brutalist meta-commentary on web design or a post-modernist artsy design. None of this pleasant, business-friendly stuff with smooth illustrations and gorgeous gradient use. Using monospaced type for all the body text might be a bit much, but it certainly does stand out when combined with everything else. Platform: Craft CMS

Soap Media

Soap Media is hitting all the right buttons for me, personally. It’s bright with bold colors, it’s playful, and it’s got a huge rubber ducky. This is an entirely subjective point, but I just like rubber duckies. The whole site feels creative and whimsical in that “we’ll playfully make you a lot of money” sort of way. It’s genius. Platform: Static Site

Nate Denton

Random chickens are equal to rubber duckies if you want to be silly and playful. Nate Denton’s portfolio went with a big one, contrasted by a relatively soft and warm color palette. The resulting aesthetic is a combination of professional and artsy that is overall pleasing to the eye, but less likely to scare away the more straight-laced potential clients. Platform: Static Site

Crema

Crema is this month’s site that isn’t mind-blowingly experimental or anything, but is here because I admire the craftsmanship. Plus rounded corners. We don’t seem them as much as we thought we would, do we? Platform: Custom CMS (I Think)

NoBears

The amusingly-named NoBears agency goes with wackiness, combining striking photomontages and background video with a comparatively subdued dark design. I’m still a sucker for those semi-visible grids as part of the design, so of course this one’s on the list. Platform: Silverstripe

BAUNFIRE

While many other sites are going for bold and bright aesthetics, BAUNFIRE keeps it soft and pleasant with a pastel-infused, and fairly minimalist design. It’s a calming and soothing experience from an agency that presents itself as easy to work with. Platform: Craft CMS

Friends

Friends’ website presents a fusion of that near-postmodern, element-overlapping aesthetic with some more classic-feeling minimalism and typography. That fusion works quite well. Platform: Craft CMS

Daniel Kusaka

Daniel Kusaka’s portfolio gives me some of that good old magazine feel that designers wanted to do for years. Well now we can, and I can’t get enough of it. God bless Flexbox and CSS Grid. Platform: WordPress

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[usotaku]

Summer 2018 Seasonal Round up by usotaku

Yikes I can’t believe how far I’ve fallen behind not just with the blog but with this season in general since were almost half way through the fall and there are still Summer episodes I haven’t finished. I guess this is what happens when you get wrapped up in a long running live action show and have a whole lot of stuff in your life that demands so much of your time and attention that when it comes to finding time to sit and finish a season wrap up or a new blog post in general you just don’t have the energy or words to do it with. Despite that I knew I needed to get a new post up and browsing my drafts I just had to finish this so here it is, better late than never, let’s dive right in! 

Steins;Gate 0

The successor to the original Steins;Gate anime 0 brought us a view of the events that proceeded Okabe’s failure to save the woman he loved. Unlike the previous series this series took for ever to spool up and get going. I had a very hard time sticking with this series until the end but I managed it was finally worth it to see Okabe finally beat his lack of confidence and return to his former self so his true brilliance can finally shine through. 

Attack on Titan

When are we ever going to find out what was in the basement? I don’t know if that was the question on every ones mind through the first two season on AoT but it was deffinatly on mine. However this season, despite it’s start has done more to advance the story narratively than either of the first two seasons as a whole and in only a few episodes. 

Cells at Work

I picked this one up after fallowing some of the hype after its debut for the season and I’m not really sure how I felt over all about it. From a story standpoint it was good with it’s episodic nature and its detail for the world it portrayed but by anthropomorphizing cells in the human body even for educational purposes just seems a bit strange. Then again this a Japanese production and I shouldn’t be the least bit surprised by this fact but I think it kind of contributed to my loss of interest in the show a little over half way through. 

Angolmois

Despite the sketchy (literally) nature of the animation in this series this was a far better show than I expected. The characters were extremely well written and while the action was short and to the point it never dragged out much of anything beyond human limits giving it a very deep since of realism that many historic pieces lack. I’m deffinatly hoping this gets a season 2 at some point to wrap up the stories end since the final episode left things fairly open. 

Asobi Asobase

Yep deffinatly not what any one expected unless they read the manga this totally bonkers anime was based on. What I thought was supposed to be cute girls doing cute things turned in to a mixture of the bizzare, barely understandable and weird as the season progressed. I did still enjoy it for all its strangeness and exploration of the darker side of human emotion but I’m just not sure I would watch it again.  

How not to Summon a Demon Lord

When I first read the synopsis I thought “oh joy another Iseki, harem with another OP MC that will make me want to cringe in horror at just how lame he is and how bad the writing gets. Then I started watching what turned out to be a laugh out loud echi comedy that never took its self to seriously and just had fun with what it was doing. Now I’m actually considering reading the light novel and waiting for season 2 so I can see just how many more antics our OP hero can get in to. 

Holmes of Kyoto

Well this one was a let down. After reading the synopsis on MAL’s seasonal list I thought this would really be worth watching as a Holmes spinoff but the episodic nature and lack of a truly admirable villain left it lacking and only occupying a space in the romance genre. It took a lot to get my self to watch this week to week and in the end I lost all interest in it at all with its bland characters, lack of dramatic tension and basic plot lines.

Well there we have it, I finally got to the end of this only a month after I first started writing it. Over all this last season just got really interrupted with my interest in a current running American program and I only really finished watching a few shows that were really important. Hopefully the spring won’t be as bad since were half way through the winter almost and I’m way behind on every show I planed on watching. Sometimes you really do get burnt out on focusing only on anime it happens a lot more often than I like. What were your thoughts from the summer and how are you enjoying the current season. Let me know in the comments or via social media and until next time, jane!

Image Source: https://myanimelist.net/

[echoslammin]

Yuletide 2018 Letter

Dear Yuletide Author,

I’m Echoslam on AO3. Thank you very much for checking out this letter! 

General Information:

Likes: Any kind of AU, romance, friendship, introspection, worldbuilding, smut, canon-appropriate pop culture references, humor (all kinds - comedic situations, witty dialogue, running gags, memes, etc. Seriously, if you’ve ever wanted to experiment with bizarre crack, I’d be happy to be your guinea pig). I also *love* metafiction and nods to quirky game mechanics and canon in-jokes.

DNWs: Body waste kinks, poly, bestiality, non-canon incest

Most of my favorite works tend to be character studies and fluffy romance, but I definitely enjoy darker stuff as well, if that is your thing. Feel free to ignore my prompts and go with your own ideas! If there's a story you've always wanted to write, please have at it, and let me share your enthusiasm. I'm a huge fan of all of these games and am just so excited at the thought of reading fic for any of them.  

Links by Fandom:

Heroes of Might and Magic III Girls' Frontline The Secret World Liar! Uncover the Truth Liar! Office Deception Liar! Scheming Socialites

Heroes of Might and Magic III - Any Character 

I just about had a heart attack when I saw this in the tagset - I've loved HoMM since I was a kid, and III is my favorite in the series. Truly, the turn-based strategy game of my heart. I loved all flavor text in this game, especially the snippets of lore on the heroes and their backstories. If you're writing about any of them, I'd love all kinds of details - from their army composition to the spells and artifacts they have equipped.

Prompts:

Lorelei and Synca relationship development, whether as friends, enemies, or lovers. Since their specialties are harpies and manticores, respectively, how does that work out in combat? Technically, you couldn't have multiple heroes on your side of the battlefield until HoMMIV, but how would these two interact if they were fighting together?  

Anything based on the story campaigns. Maybe missing scenes from Dungeons & Devils or a "bad" ending for Long Live the Queen where the Nighon forces are victorious?

Detailed description of the siege and takeover of an enemy stronghold or the development of a new township.

One of the game mechanics that I always found interesting was how, when you open a treasure chest, you have the option of taking the gold or "distributing it to the peasants" for experience. Is that really how it works? What is the peasants' view of the heroes in this game?

少女前线 | Girls' Frontline - Any Character

Another wonderful surprise in the tagset! I just started playing GFL this year, and I've found it extremely fun and addicting. I actually found the plot very engaging, and the armory of T-Dolls is irresistibly cute.

Prompts:

I love the idea of a gift exchange between members of the Anti-Rain Squad. Maybe someone gives M16A1 a bottle of her beloved Jack Daniels?

Orchestra AU! Just...anything based on this picture would be amazing.

Anything focusing on team dynamics, especially if you want to incorporate references to game mechanics (different T-Dolls and their buffs/active skills, etc.) Or hurt/comfort after an intense firefight.

You know how T-Dolls are made of sugar, spice, and everything nice a combo of manpower, ammo, rations, and parts? How exactly does the factory utilize those resources? What do they even do with all those meals ready-to-eat?

Coffee shop AU starring Persica (the woman loves her caffeine).  

The Secret World - Any Character

One of the best MMO experiences of my life. TSW combined so many things I love into one game: an awesome modern setting, dark humor, and an incredible story with amazing characters. I play the Legends reboot from time-to-time, but I prefer the original version and still like to play on the vanilla server (kind of fun having an entire MMO to yourself, heh). I've also played the tie-in game, The Park, and really loved that as well.

I was fascinated by all the narrative details in this game, like the lore honeycombs and ambient story telling. If you could incorporate that into your writing, that would be fantastic.

Prompts:

Long ago, on the TSW forums, someone mocked the idea of a schmoopy Sonnac/Geary romance as a terrible idea for a fic - I want to read that story! Whether you want to make it complete crack or be serious about it, I would love to see something develop between these two. Maybe they go on a date for tacos at Dante's stall? Or maybe Geary tries to troll Sonnac somehow, and he plays along until the last minute...and then snark ensues.

Issue #5: The Vanishing of Tyler Freeborn is my favorite for a reason: filthy NPCs. I would love to know what filth-infected versions of Geary and Sonnac would be like.  

Anything Moose/Andy. This is the romance I was waiting to see blossom, but alas, it never did. What happens when Andy finally catches on to Moose's crush on him? How about rescue romance or rides on Moose's chopper? Pining on Moose's end, requited or unrequited, would be good, too.

I love the world of this game so much, especially the urban areas (the faction hubs, Fusang, Tokyo) and New England. Would love to read anything about a bee of any faction exploring and going on missions, their opinion of their handler, etc. Please do go into excruciating detail about your bee's gear and abilities, because I'm all about that. What are there primary/secondary/auxiliary weapons? Which NPCs are their besties? Tell me everything!  For the record, my main was a Lumie that chose not to side with the Dreamers, but I'd by happy to read about any faction/alignment.

I adore faction rivalries, and the ones in TSW were just awesome. Whether it's old school Templars vs. Illuminati or you get the Dragon involved somehow, I just love witnessing all the contention. Seriously, you could just write 1,000 words of back-and-forth trash talk, and I would absolutely adore it.  

ダウト～嘘つきオトコは誰？～ | Doubt ~Usotsuki Otoko wa Dare?~ | Liar! Uncover the Truth - Any Character

Since last year, I’ve become a huge fan of this mystery/romance app with its feisty heroine and the quirky Liars she has to unmask before finding her Mr. Right. If you’re interested, I maintain a sideblog dedicated to it over @whoistheliar​ as well as a random screenshots blog: @liarscreenshots. (Warning for spoilers at both links).

All of the characters in this game,"Mr. Right" included, have their own imperfections, and it feels like half the point of this game is giving you the opportunity to navigate your feelings about certain character flaws. I love how MC isn’t a blank slate and is very much her own character. She can be quite a mess at home and has a lot of insecurity about her humble background, seeing as she’s originally from a small country town (IIRC one of Joe’s side stories mentions that she’s from Akita prefecture).  

I definitely enjoyed the sequel stories, but I'm more fond of the main route of the game. Shipfic revolving around MC is something I would love to see, but I would be open to other pairings as well, especially between secondary characters. I would also welcome gen or friendship fic.

Prompts:

I loved the multiple endings you could unlock at the end of every chapter and the insight they gave into each Liar's backstory. Anything expanding on those would be great, especially the True or Love endings. I really enjoyed seeing POV from other characters besides MC.

Love triangles are my guilty pleasure, and I would definitely enjoy reading a situation where MC has to choose between two of the Liars and/or Mr. Right/Ayumi. Would love it if things got Very Emotional.

I always like marriage/honeymoon/married life stories, and MC's occupation as a wedding planner complements that wonderfully. How does she get her love interests or friends involved? Are there wedding crashers? Will she serve takoyaki at the wedding??

In the main story, MC found out each Liar's secret before things got too serious, but what if the emotional stakes had been much higher? For any of the Liars, would MC react differently if she didn't find out the truth until after falling in love over a longer period of time? Basically, I'd like to see your take on a "Bad Ending."

So, after following this game for a while, it seems that other players have very strong opinions about the various Liars, so in case it helps you, here's a summary of my take on them:

1st Liar: SQUICK. SQUICK. SQUICK. Honestly, they seems like a very nice guy in all their side stories, but stil...squick.

2nd Liar: I find their profession very interesting, so I'm a bit biased in their favor, despite their true nature. Could see them with MC after getting a ton of therapy. They also definitely have some chemistry with the 9th Liar, lol.

3rd Liar: I can't bring myself to hate them; they're just too ridiculous. Side note: I really like Nanyami as a character.

4th Liar: Never forget the fountain pen!! This guy is a bit of a tragedy, so I do have some sympathy, but imo that slap from MC was well-deserved.

5th Liar: I think the fandom unequivocally regards this one as complete garbage, and for very good reason. Still, I have to admit that their side stories appeal to my morbid side (it's like they're in a bizzarro world where MC's personality is completely erased). Also, I do find their character design very attractive - I'm not proud.

6th Liar: Umph. Definitely in my top tier along with 7th Liar. In terms of sheer chemistry with MC, I think this guy wins hands down. I'd be up for both seeing them walk away from the issue that makes them a Liar or embracing it.

7th Liar: They made me cry buckets. I love them with MC so much, and the way they're always smiling through their pain just makes my heart ache.

8th Liar: Out of all of the Liars, I felt that #8 was the most outright malicious. I just wasn’t convinced by the ending of his Lover’s Route. I know he's damn attractive, but wow, that attitude...

9th Liar: I really feel like the 9th Liar got the short end of the stick in the main story. His interactions with MC kept getting interrupted by unnecessary drama, and it felt like they never got the chance to really get to know each other. Also, LOVE Rumi!

"Mr. Right": It seems that people are really divided on this one. Some see him as the most precious cinnamon roll, but people have also told me that he comes off as a creepy stalker. (I've seen him  get called problematic more than once). I’m pretty sympathetic towards him myself, but I’d love to see your own take on him, whether romantic and sentimental or super dark.

ダウト～オフィスは男女の嘘だらけ～ | Doubt ~Ofisu wa Danjo no Uso Darake~ | Liar! Office Deception - Any Character

I love the Liar! sequel every bit as much as the original game. You can bet that I’m super hyped that Voltage is going to be releasing Lover’s Routes for it in the future. Office MC was very no-nonsense, and I would like to see what she would be like in the process of falling in love, or even just getting a chance to let her hair down and hang out with her coworkers.  

Prompts:

Post-game or redemption story revolving around any of the Liars, with the exception of the 2nd, 3rd and 5th. Ideally, this would end on a positive note with them being able to have a reciprocal friendship/romance with MC.

Office Battle! I was so amused by the Star Wars parody that kept popping up throughout the story and how everyone seemed to be totally into it except for MC, who’s just completely out of the loop. Maybe one of the Office Liars tries to teach her about the series or something like an Office Battle AU that’s basically Office Deception in space?

Narration of some part of the game from James’ POV. I loved MC’s cat and found it hilarious how she kept spoiling him at home while being so disciplined at the office.

Liar! Commentary:

1st Liar: Honestly, I thought they were super cute, and I wanted to see them make some more Cactaur cookies for MC.

2nd Liar: What a tool. I have to admit, I was amused by them sucking up to MC for the rest of the game after being found out.

3rd Liar: I thought they were going to be my 7th Liar 2.0, but N O P E. I found their backstory a little amusing, but they're just so slimy.

4th Liar: A real sweetheart. I love that they become MC's right-hand coworker after their chapter.

5th Liar: Not a fan of Rat Face McGee, tbh. Wtf, dude.

6th Liar: I have a weakness for "falling in love with the mark" scenarios and really wanted see it work out with this Liar. I also loved the idea of them going on to work for Uncover the Truth's 6th Liar, as was suggested in their Dumbass Ending and one of the sidestories.

7th Liar: DEEP SIGH. I love them despite their self-centered/obsessive actions. Will always be a fan of them pursuing MC, whether requited or not.

8th Liar: I like their kink, lol, and their accusation scene was hilarious. I really wish their behavior had been less invasive.

9th Liar: Just like with 6th Liar, I like to believe that they really cared for MC at the end. I think they were a perfect "Final Boss" for Office Deception especially compared to the more one-note villains. They did some horrible things to get what they wanted, even putting the 8th Liar in the hospital, but I’ve always wanted to see something that shows some of their inner conflict once they realize they’re hurting someone that has actually become a friend to them.

"Destined Partner": They've grown on me a bit, but one thing that definitely put me off was how they threw the 8th Liar under the bus during their route. (Sure, tell MC they've got a dirty secret and don't clarify at all as to what it is...) Seems like they're hiding a spiteful streak.

ダウト～セレブは華麗に嘘をつく～ | Doubt ~Serebu wa Karei ni Usowotsuku~ | Liar! Scheming Socialites - Any Character

I almost mistyped the title above as Liar! Screaming Socialites, but honestly that would be a pretty apt name for this game, because wow, does this cast go off the rails. The chapters are shorter than in previous routes, and MC is a bit more passive. I was worried this was going to be too "Gossip Girl" for my tastes, but I actually really enjoyed this one, even if my heart did get stomped on once again. (Loved the hyper Eurobeat accusation music - it was like something out of Initial D).  

Prompts:

Ship fic with MC and 8th or 9th Liar. Love triangle maybe? There's so much that was left unexplored at the end of the game. Would MC abandon her lifestyle or try win her parents over? Something based on one of the love endings would be great as well.

I also adore the potential Liar that turned out to be MC’s true BFF through thick and thin. I love how they're both anime fans and their favorite shows are clearly based on Touken Ranbu and Land of the Lustrous. Also, what exactly was BFF doing to test the 8th Liar during that awkward scene at the mountain resort in the 7th Liar chapter? I really wanted details on that, but it never got explained.

Okay headcanon: Given the similar detailing on their dresses, I think Kyoko and Reina shop at the same place. What would an interaction between them be like? Would they dish about their respective MCs?  

Liar! Commentary:

1st Liar: I have nothing but pity for this poor kid. Definitely see them still being friends with MC.

2nd Liar: Ick. One of my least favorite among all the Liars. Would like to see them get some comeuppance for their actions.

3rd Liar: This one hurt. Would really like to see them redeem themselves. Maybe they were secretly attracted to MC the whole time and just wanted to get her attention?

4th Liar: I enjoyed investigating their elaborate lie, but as a character they really fell flat for me.

5th Liar: WOW. That escalated quickly. I have to say, the 5th Liars in these games are probably the best fodder for something grim and disturbing. I think the implied rape in the bad ending was the darkest point in the entire series.

6th Liar: It felt like, with this Liar, Voltage was trying to have their cake and eat it too. Like, "Oh nooo, they're so kinky!" *wink wink* I actually really liked them despite their being the token kidnapper.  

7th Liar: I hated the way this Liar was presented. Their friendship with MC was really nice, but then it just had to get ruined.  

8th Liar: MC’s rejection of them was devastating to me. They really won me over despite the nature of their lie, and I really believed it when they claimed their feelings were sincere. For someone who was supposedly trying to con her, they did a hilariously bad job of it - like, they never tried to pressure her when she was vulnerable and even set up this really over-the-top charade just to make her happy, only for it to be what gets them exposed. It's almost like they were setting themselves up to fail. I really need a Lover's Route...

9th Liar: Surprise plot twist! This Liar was set up for some really interesting development which...did not happen. Would have loved to have seen more of their inner conflict. I ship them with MC the most after 8th Liar.

"Destined Partner": Definitely cute, but I found them to be rather pushy when they brought MC over to their place. Also, what ever happened to the pet rabbit?  

Thank you so much for your time! Hope you have a great rest of the year and a wonderful Yuletide.

[mrasheedcartoons]

Awakening the Atrophied Eye: INITIATION

It's embarrassing to see the date on the last entry in this series. lol Paradoxically, those five years have flown by even as September of 2013 somehow seems like a lifetime ago, and indeed, I have experienced what has often been considered a sort of rebirth.

The concept of 'correct meditation,' as described in the lore of spiritual science developed by the ancients and recorded on the granite stele at Saqqara in Egypt, was the intended point of the blog series. I had ventured to chronicle my own attempts to build up the habit of meditating every day with the hope that at some point my diligence would be rewarded with the opening of the UDJAT Wisdom Eye, initiating me into the enlightened state of the 'Followers of Second Sight' (called 'Shemsu Hor' in the well-known Greek and 'Shemesu Heru' in Ancient Egyptian, the latter which I prefer and have titled myself with).

To be clear, the practice of correct meditation with the hope that the third eye would open is completely separate from the third eye opening. I point out that distinction here because, on Sunday, July 1, 2018 at approximately 6:15am, my third eye opened for me, and the drill of correct meditation was the furthest thing from my mind at the time.

I will describe the event itself, but I will hold the content of what the Wisdom Eye showed me close, because it was very personal... pregnant with meaning for me to meditate upon and extract knowledge for my own path... and I do not care to share it. So unless the prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) magically steps forth to offer aid in deciphering the content for me, I am uninterested in the opinions of others on that narrow topic. To even a well-meaning outsider, the content very well may quite reasonably seem mundane to the extreme – even to the point of provoking an instant "That's IT?! So what?" type of response – and I am in no mood for all of that since I'm still very protective of the experience in general.

Although I initially started not to share that part either, I will share my experience of what actually happened around what was shown to me though, since I believe it is the duty of all of us to record an accurate account of any and all spiritual experiences we have to add to the body of human literature. It's important. Contrary to the empty opinions of the secular, it is precisely our spiritual experiences that have humanized us, enabling us to build our civilizations. (I may end up writing out a detailed description of what the third eye showed me anyway and hiding it somewhere, to be found after my death. Then y'all can make fun of me all you wish when I genuinely really, REALLY won't care a damn.)

On the morning of 01 July, shortly after I had finished uploading the political cartoon of the day, I found I had about 30 minutes to kill before my alarm went off to get ready for work. So I decided to lie down and get a bit more sleep, but I noticed as I got in the bed that I was keyed up for some reason. Similar to the caffeine-induced "UP!" feeling when I've had my one cup of coffee during the day. Since I hadn't had any coffee in almost 24 hours, I expected the feeling to go away once I got comfortable, but it didn't.

I squirmed around for a few minutes until I finally noticed that the feeling was getting progressively worse. All by itself it wasn't a necessarily unpleasant feeling – this building excitable sensation – just wildly inappropriate considering my intention was to actually fall asleep. It felt like a strong 'bzzzzzzzzz' feeling building near/around/through me, and I remember that at its peak I began actively worrying as to whether it was one of the symptoms of a heart attack.

And then the third eye opened.

Suddenly my entire field of vision was filled with the darkened imagery the eye was showing me, but in the fovea focus area, there was a jagged 'hole' where a portion of that same imagery was quite bright. When I looked around, the scenery shifted, but the 'hole' stayed in the same place, and it didn't take long at all to notice that with my will alone, I could zoom closer to stuff, see stuff behind the darker areas and pull them up for better scrutiny in front of the 'hole.' I also noticed I wasn't really allowed to focus too much attention on one particular thing in what was shown to me; there was a level of zoom-in and detail it wouldn't let me achieve. This experience was clearly intended as a 'big picture' glimpse of something. All while this was happening, I noticed that the 'bzzzzzzzzz' energy feeling was retreating/dropping/defusing, which gave the very strong impression of a countdown. Then sure enough, once the 'bzzzzzzzzz' sensation stopped, the 'hole' in the veil closed. For precious fractions of a second, I could still see the imagery behind the now even darker veil, and then there was just normal darkness.

I continued to lie there, stunned and amazed and humbled beyond belief. I started praying, thanking Allah for gifting me with this great blessing. And it was absolutely a blessing! I felt an immense gratitude that my path had led me to the literature I had read gobbled that enabled me to recognize what was going on at the exact moment it started; I had no doubt or confusion as to what I was seeing. I replayed the event over and over, teasing and probing my memory for every precious bit I tried to take in during what seemed to be a few seconds.

I've thought long and hard about this event over the last few days, and I have some speculations regarding the how and possibly even why it may have happened for me that I'd like to share.

The Holy Qur'an 42:51 — It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills: for He is Most High, Most Wise.

THE HOW I wasn’t meditating at the time I had my third eye experience and in fact, I hadn’t meditated in quite a while. So how was I able to experience this wonderful thing if I wasn’t engaged in the technique of ‘correct meditation’ that was specifically designed to trigger that third eye experience?

Well, obviously an accurate answer requires a necessary adjustment in my understanding of ‘correct meditation.’ The third eye experience that I had was the truth; my understanding of what I needed to do to create that experience was wrong. Based on what ‘correct meditation’ actually does —

uses a specific rhythmic breathing technique to get your body's natural N,N-Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) levels up, corresponding to the rise of the 'Serpent Fire of the Universe' energy ('Sekhem/Chi/Kundalini') on the other side

trains you to comfortably focus visual concentration into the area the Wisdom Eye opens at for up to an hour at a time

encourages you to begin the drill while well-rested and generally healthy

...it’s now clear to me that the point of the technique is to set a stage. You are by no means 'activating' the eye to open, but instead, you’re creating a physical scenario that we believe should be ideal-optimal to invite the third eye to open… to make things easier for it to open for us should the forces that direct it decide to do so.

And that’s it. That’s all it does. The technique of correct meditation is a hopeful invitation to the unseen to pleeeeeeeeeeeeease open the third eye for us.

Yet, when I had my third eye experience, I was not breathing in a measured, rhythmic way. I was just breathing. lol My DMT levels were not already elevated, thus when the unseen forces elevated them for me to the levels required to rip a third eye ‘hole’ into the veil between realities, it was very noticeable to me in those moments as an intrusive, alien sensation.

When I had my third eye experience, I was not focusing my visual concentration into the fovea spot. Far from it, as I was looking around, semi-annoyed at the excited energy sensation I was feeling that was preventing me from falling asleep.

When I had my third eye experience, I was not well-rested either. Although I am generally healthier than the average Black American male of my age/peer group, I’ve been getting less sleep than normal for the last few months in order to stay committed to my on-going project of producing one political cartoon per day. I do walk around tired, enough to require that one cup of coffee during the day so I’ll be alright.

So the man-made understanding of the ancients' conclusion of what should be the most ideal conditions for the Wisdom Eye to open were not met when I had my experience, but that doesn’t mean that the optimal conditions that it DID require weren’t in place. Obviously they were. As a Muslim, I’m analyzing this from an ‘Islamic Theurgy’ position. In the Qur’an, there are very specific things Allah commanded (or even just softly advised sometimes) the believers to do in order for them to be “prosperous in this world and in the next.” I am a practicing Muslim, and other than not yet performing the Hajj (the pilgrimage to Mecca), I have made the sincere effort to keep up with the ritual core pillars of my faith, as well as other items that in my research into scripture I felt were related in some way and should also be adhered to as a believing seeker of truth. Here are the practices I did leading up to my experience:

1.) I had just finished fasting the month of Ramadan. It is well known that the act of fasting is a spiritually rejuvenating practice, and in my case I successfully completed the full 30-days of one of the most intense forms in the world.

2.) I pray to the One God of Abraham in the formal ritual five times a day, during which I pointedly ask Allah to strengthen me with His spirit and teach me that which I know not. I’ve been asking for that for about 8-9 months now.

3.) Allah said that those believers who will prosper are the ones who seek His help with patient perseverance and prayer, “for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” I believe this requirement is being met just by my commitment to my one cartoon a day project. No matter what, I make sure I get up and make that cartoon before I start the day, and God is with me for the sincere effort.

These three bullets, combined with my goal to win paradise by being a good person in general as described by God in scripture, puts me in the optimal state for receiving a spiritual breakthrough. Make no mistake… the phenomenon known as the UDJAT Wisdom Eye of Heru is absolutely a Sign of Allah. Therefore, if one holds hope of achieving an authentic third eye experience (or repeating it), one must be minimally purified according to the criterion of the One God of Abraham, the all-powerful Supreme Creator of reality. I believe my own sincere efforts, especially within the last year or so, to adhere to God’s minimal requirements for the believer are what enabled me to achieve the state favorable for the coveted third eye experience, this being far more powerful than the mechanical techniques of ‘correct meditation.’ This understanding aligns to the truth of God’s core message to humankind in scripture regarding that which the Lord our God wants us to take away from our spiritual study.

THE WHY According to Clesson Harvey’s research, the first 2 or 3 third eye experiences will guide you in a specific direction, with subsequent experiences enabling you to explore the unseen realms through the Wisdom Eye within a more self-directed, quasi-independent state. It is in my best interest—as I do indeed hold hope that the Wisdom Eye will open for me again—that I maintain this optimal state for it to do so. Indeed, since the rewards and punishments of God are merit based on a tiered system, I obviously need to try even harder in my spiritual walk and work to do more than the base minimal requirement as a believer.

Basically this wonderful, initiating third eye event happened in order to assure me that I was on the right path, and I must continue and even strive for better if I wish to have another. The technique of correct meditation then is but a communication tool and although I do plan to continue my quest to personally build up that skill (I'm very motivated now! hahaha) , I understand that it is the righteous behavior of the believer in good standing with God that is the true way towards having that amazing, supernatural experience.

Peace.

Very respectfully,

M. Rasheed, PMP®

Cartoonist | Socio-Political Commentator | Graphic Novel Serialist | Shemesu Heru Second Sight Graphix www.mrasheed.com

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Benefit It’s Potent Review (UPDATED 2017): Don’t Buy Before You Read This!

Benefit It’s Potent is an eye cream that was designed to help fade dark circles. The product is supposed to have a brightening effect and may also help smooth away other signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines.

Benefit It’s Potent contains a number of plant extracts, a peptide complex, and other ingredients that work to firm the skin surround the eye and protect the area from free radical damage. The product is an ivory-colored cream that reportedly can be layered under makeup.

Kremovage is the product we’ve found most effective in treating the signs of aging around the eye. This eye cream is made from a long list of active ingredients, which include plant extracts and oils, ocean-sourced retinol, and peptides. Check out our website to learn how you can place an order for Kremovage today.

Do You Know the Best Eye Creams of 2017 ?

Benefit It’s Potent Ingredients and Side Effects

We found the ingredient list for Benefit It’s Potent posted on a blog, so keep in mind that this list may not be entirely accurate. While it would be nice to get a full ingredient label from the company themselves, here’s a look at what we believe is present in this particular blend:

Cocoa Extract Apple Extract Peptides Plankton Extract Sweet Almond Extract Avena Sativa Linseed Extract

Cocoa Extract: Cocoa extract is thought to reduce the appearance of sun damage and wrinkles when applied topically.

Linseed Extract: Linseed, or flaxseed, oil is rich in fatty acids that work to fight inflammation and treat dry or irritated skin.

Avena Sativa: Avena sativa is an extract derived from oats. It is thought to have a moisturizing effect on the skin and may ease conditions like chronic itching, psoriasis, acne, and eczema.

Sweet Almond Extract: Sweet almond is high in vitamin A content and may treat and prevent acne and reduce the appearance of fine lines or hyperpigmentation with use. This ingredient may also be used to gently clean out clogged pores.

Plankton Extract: Plankton extract may be used to help the skin retain moisture, but unlike algae, has not been proven to provide any additional benefits.

Apple Extract: Apple may be used to thicken products, but also has a skin-restoring effect due to its antioxidant content.

Peptides: Peptides provide a range of anti-aging effects on the skin. They work to build collagen and elastin, proteins responsible for keeping skin supple, firm, and wrinkle-free.

Click to see which eye creams our review experts liked most — from the hydrating to the rejuvenating.

Benefit It’s Potent Quality of Ingredients

Benefit It’s Potent contains a range of ingredients loaded with antioxidants, which provide a layer of protection from free radical damage. We like that this product is made primarily from plant extracts.

Based on the formula, it looks like most of the benefits come in the form of prevention and protection, as well as some repair for fine lines and shallow wrinkles.

The brightening effect likely comes from titanium dioxide, a mineral that deflects light away from the eyes for a visual effect. Some people may find this ingredient irritates their skin.

The formula is unlikely to do much for dark circles and under-eye bags, despite claiming it has an effect on these things.

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EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this product with a proven eye cream such as Kremovage for better results.

The Price and Quality of Benefit It’s Potent

Benefit It’s Potent is sold through numerous channels both online and in person. This brand is reasonably popular and you can find this item, as well as the rest of the product line in stores such as Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, Macy’s, and on Amazon. All retailers currently offer this product for $34.

Shoppers may also purchase this item directly from Benefit’s e-commerce platform, also for $34 for a container with 0.5 ounces of product.

In all, this product is priced toward the center of consumer pricing expectations–$34 is far from the most expensive eye cream on the market today, but it still feels as though it warrants some consideration from a lot of users out there.

At this price point, we’ve come to expect some filler ingredients, and this product is no different. There are a lot of alcohols and the like present, but nothing that could be considered harmful. Our thinking is, Benefit It’s Potent might not be as potent as advertised.

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Business of Benefit It’s Potent

Benefit It’s Potent is made by cosmetics company, Benefit. Here are more details about the business, as well as how you can get in touch with them:

Phone: 800-781-2336

Benefit is a popular brand of cosmetics marketed under cheeky names. The line was designed by former models Jean and Jane Ford in 1976—who opened their San Francisco boutique featuring a number of “Fake-It” solutions.

The company has a cult-like following and sells products through their own e-commerce channel, as well as in department stores and one-stop beauty shops like Sephora and Ulta.

The official benefit site is well-designed and community oriented. Users can get makeup tips and learn more about the products—particularly those items focused on creating the perfect bold brow.

While Benefit focuses more on cosmetics that enhance and conceal, they do offer a free products—like It’s Potent—that bring more to the table than a temporary fix.

Customer Opinions of Benefit It’s Potent

Benefit It’s Potent received some mixed reviews from past consumers. We found that there was quite a variation in the experiences of people who had dark circles—as some felt this concealed them very well and others felt the opposite.

Other users reported issues with makeup transfer, irritation, or a general lack of efficacy. Here is a look at some comments:

“I like this a lot. Got a sample of the cream and noticed it fills in fine lines pretty well and I didn’t need to put on makeup. Eyes definitely look brighter.”

“Saw some good reviews and found that it both fails to adequately moisturize the area and it burns my eyes. I think my dark circles look worse, too.”

“I tried this product because I was curious about the skin-brightening and fine-line reducing abilities I had read about. This product is basically useless. It doesn’t work and messes with my makeup.”

“This eye cream is just ok. I don’t love the weird off-white color that comes out and I didn’t feel that this faded my dark circles as much as I had hoped. I liked the packaging, but that’s not enough to buy again.”

Overall, we’ve found that there were a variety of complaints posted online—but with issues like dark circles, it’s hard to find a one-size-fits-all solution, as they can be caused by a number of things.

It’s worth acknowledging the comment above that discusses the ivory color of the product. This may have a concealer-type effect on lighter skin tones, but people with darker skin may find this product to be too light for them—and may want to skip this one in favor of something that blends better.

Some users felt this product was effective in treating fine lines—that seems to be the most successful application of the product—but again, experiences varied a ton.

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Conclusion – Does Benefit It’s Potent Work?

Benefit It’s Potent looks like it may be a good solution for many users tackling under-eye concerns like sun damage, fine lines, or age spots. The product is rich in a variety of antioxidants from different plant-based sources, and with that comes a sense of repair and protection.

In looking more closely at the formula, there’s nothing inherently wrong with this product by any stretch, but it does seem a bit watered down. There are a lot of filler ingredients listed before we get to any of the “good stuff” like peptides and plant extracts—so it may not be as potent as consumers would like.

Additionally, the reviews suggest that Benefit It’s Potent is not all that effective in treating concerns like dark circles and puffiness under the eye—so users with those concerns are better off with an eye cream that can deliver more benefits for the price.

Still, at $34, you’re getting a product with decent reviews and no harmful ingredients (that’s not to say the formula worked for everyone, as some people found it irritating).

With Benefit It’s Potent, we felt that there are better products that can do more, but some people might find this acceptable. It all comes down to what you’re looking for in an eye cream

Kremovage has other eye creams beat, due to its diverse blend of ingredients. Made with squalane and hyaluronic acid for hydration, antioxidants and peptides for repair, and plant oils that soften the skin, this product brings a renewed, youthful look to users of all ages and skin types.

Kremovage is an eye cream designed to bring potent, yet gentle repair to users with a range of skin concerns. The product has been thoroughly vetted for quality and safety, and is cruelty-free. Click here to try Kremovage — you’ll be glad you did.

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20 Best New Portfolios, December 2018

It’s December, which means it’s officially carol season. Oh well. Whether you’re a curmudgeon about these things like myself, or are even now feeling the heat rise in your elf ears and Santa hat, we can all agree that portfolio sites are cool, right? Let’s see what those wacky designers have come up with now.

There are quite a few modern, as in pre-post-modern designs here. You know, classic, business-friendly minimalist sites. I must say, sometimes my writer and designer sides clash, and I worry about what design trends make me do to the English language.

(Also, I’d like to take a moment to thank Hubert Gałczyński from the previously-featured K2. He has directed me towards Wappalyzer which is a tool that’s helping me more accurately figure out what platforms and CMS everybody is using.)

Note: I’m judging these sites by how good they look to me. If they’re creative and original, or classic but really well-done, it’s all good to me. Sometimes, UX and accessibility suffer. For example, many of these sites depend on JavaScript to display their content at all; this is a Bad Idea, kids. If you find an idea you like and want to adapt to your own site, remember to implement it responsibly.

TJ Dhillon

TJ Dhillon’s portfolio starts as the rest of this article will probably go on. It’s simple, it’s clean, it works. It’s got some nice little drop shadows on hovering over certain elements, and is it weird that I’ve actually missed those?

They were never a bad thing in moderation. Moderation might be the key to this whole site design. There are frills, but they’re not overdone.

Platform: Static Site

Matt Kevan

Matt Kevan’s portfolio looks a little bit like a prototype, though it’s obviously polished. As he is a UX designer, the aesthetic certainly works thematically.

He’s also elected to put his writing front and center, rather than his more visual work. It’s certainly one way to demonstrate your expertise, but I wish I had some kind of analytics

Platform: Jekyll

Daniel Spatzek

Daniel Spatzek’s portfolio will take us, just for a moment, to the world of the ultra-modern. You know how I feel about sites that are this JS-heavy, but I’m still a sucker for that grid-based aesthetic, especially when it’s properly using the full width of my desktop screen like this.

Platform: Static Site

Undersight

Undersight has that clean-and-modern look, but with a little bit of artistic flair provided by the work itself. It feels like the portfolio pieces are almost as much apart of the overall aesthetic as any other element of the site. In a world where so very often the design and content almost feel like separate parts of a website, this is an improvement.

Platform: React

Sei Yamazaki

Sei Yamazaki’s portfolio is focused on art. With this comes the classic “art gallery style” which includes lots of white space, and text that’s perhaps a bit too small at times. Still, the layouts themselves are beautiful, and the featured installation has some of the finest video presentation I’ve seen in a while.

Platform: WordPress

4POR4

4POR4 is a rare breed indeed. Normally websites that use this much space-related imagery have darker layouts. But here we have lots of literal white space mixed with astronaut imagery, illustration, and photomontages. It’s a bit bandwidth-heavy, perhaps, but the overall effect is stunning.

Platform: Static Site

Your Creative Copywriter

Your Creative Copywriter is, as a website, the very picture of business-friendliness. The layout has elements of post-modern asymmetry while maintaining a clearly businesslike look. The illustrations are classic, and even the stock photo of the hand holding the pencil is perfect for the market.

Sure it’s a little cheesy, perhaps, but far from the cheesiest stock photo we’ve ever seen. It’s always interesting to see a site so clearly made with modern tech that feels like something from another era. It doesn’t hurt that this is probably exactly what their clients are looking for.

Platform: Static Site

Niccolò Miranda

Niccolò Miranda’s portfolio is one of the most “presentational” sites I’ve ever seen. It’s dark, it’s got animated illustrations, and even the blog is animated to an extent.

This is only possible because every blog post is a YouTube video tutorial, with accompanying practice files. It’s not the most accessible site I’ve seen, but it is beautiful, and it takes an interesting approach to ongoing content.

Platform: Custom CMS (I think)

Pixavio

Pixavio is another highly presentational site with a “modern” look so old it reminds me of old fashion magazines and, weirdly enough, a lot of the barber shops I went into as a kid. It’s something about the typography and gradient use.

The site shows off the flexibility of this aesthetic by using a different color scheme for each portfolio page. It feels like a blast from the past, but it still works today.

Platform: Static Site

Eleken

Eleken brings me back to a time when everyone was doing design “like Apple but with thicker headings”. It’s pretty classic minimalism, mixed with a little background video, and workplace photography.

Platform: Gatsby

Kobu

Kobu is a rare beauty. It’s sleek, stylish, and makes wonderful use of curves in its illustration and animation. The animations run smoothly, and aren’t altogether too distracting. The color palette is strong, and the headings are thick.

And it does all of this without scroll-jacking. Can you even believe it? A fancy site that performs well and lets me scroll normally. I’m in love.

Being a bit more serious, it’s a lovely looking site. Just wish they had more fallbacks in place for all of the JS stuff.

Platform: WordPress

MOXY

And we’re back to the scroll-jacking. But I can forgive MOXY for this because it’s just that pretty. It’s sites like this that remind me why—even though I dislike how JavaScript has become the new Flash—web animation is a discipline and an art form all its own. It’s an art form worth exploring, and MOXY does that beautifully.

Platform: React App/Static Site

Trajectory

Trajectory is doing it all wrong! If you’re going to use a monospaced font, your site either has to be an ironic brutalist meta-commentary on web design or a post-modernist artsy design. None of this pleasant, business-friendly stuff with smooth illustrations and gorgeous gradient use. [/sarcasm]

Using monospaced type for all the body text might be a bit much, but it certainly does stand out when combined with everything else.

Platform: Craft CMS

Soap Media

Soap Media is hitting all the right buttons for me, personally. It’s bright with bold colors, it’s playful, and it’s got a huge rubber ducky. This is an entirely subjective point, but I just like rubber duckies. The whole site feels creative and whimsical in that “we’ll playfully make you a lot of money” sort of way. It’s genius.

Platform: Static Site

Nate Denton

Random chickens are equal to rubber duckies if you want to be silly and playful. Nate Denton’s portfolio went with a big one, contrasted by a relatively soft and warm color palette. The resulting aesthetic is a combination of professional and artsy that is overall pleasing to the eye, but less likely to scare away the more straight-laced potential clients.

Platform: Static Site

Crema

Crema is this month’s site that isn’t mind-blowingly experimental or anything, but is here because I admire the craftsmanship. Plus rounded corners. We don’t seem them as much as we thought we would, do we?

Platform: Custom CMS (I Think)

NoBears

The amusingly-named NoBears agency goes with wackiness, combining striking photomontages and background video with a comparatively subdued dark design. I’m still a sucker for those semi-visible grids as part of the design, so of course this one’s on the list.

Platform: Silverstripe

BAUNFIRE

While many other sites are going for bold and bright aesthetics, BAUNFIRE keeps it soft and pleasant with a pastel-infused, and fairly minimalist design. It’s a calming and soothing experience from an agency that presents itself as easy to work with.

Platform: Craft CMS

Friends

Friends’ website presents a fusion of that near-postmodern, element-overlapping aesthetic with some more classic-feeling minimalism and typography. That fusion works quite well.

Platform: Craft CMS

Daniel Kusaka

Daniel Kusaka’s portfolio gives me some of that good old magazine feel that designers wanted to do for years. Well now we can, and I can’t get enough of it. God bless Flexbox and CSS Grid.

Platform: WordPress

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