#bc its a strong sentiment right

[moomeecore]

im actually really good at admitting when i dont know things its just that people keep talking to me about things that i know a lot about and am objectively correct on

[oscshevik]

smth smth the different ways oscar and lando express their admiration-respect-appreciation of each other.

oscar's well-articulated elaborate responses in interviews, promises of stability, of having strong principles (we've always worked in terms of doing the right thing for each other and i don't think that will ever change), and being together a very long time, belief in the capabilities of the two of them as a team and as drivers individually...

vs lando who's respect and praise for oscar most of the time comes out in post-race interviews and is much more like. inthemoment i guess, concerns things that happen during a race weekend. it's the little momentary things, the stuff that you say when your adrenalin's still high and youre feeling more than thinking. unprompted im just happy for oscar, oscar drove a great race, he deserved it, (heart-eyed) winner oscar piastri, our driver of the day, me and oscar– yeah. dude we get it....

also there's the aspect of how oscar's respect for lando was there even before they met. like that's the guy who's career he's been following since he was still 14 and carting in australia (ugh this is kind of the landoscar post of all time). he's seen and is well aware (idk how to do timestams. but see the maiden podium question.) of of lando's achievements, he still has this sort of admiration for lando that kind of makes it impossible for him to admit that he's outdone him. vs how to lando oscar was this almost unknown entity before they became teammates, and how there is now this joy and excitement that comes with getting to experience all of oscar's victories w/ him, or realizing that oscar's the one who can like, really challenge him. or something. do you get it do you understand i feel as though i am rambling incoherently here.

(here, im also reminded of that landoscar communication analysis video and the thing about how oscar's approach to explaining tends to be more detatched, almost technical – and like. those aren't words that can be used to explain relationships really, but i still think there is something to be said about how, for oscar, the big thing is the fact that they've been able to build something like this, that they're still working on perfecting this thing they're building and that it really is long-term and it adds up to the big picture, that they can set an example for the entire team.... – whereas lando, when he explains things, has a tendency to personalize, provide irl examples from his experience. like yeah again, the smaller, passing things that he himself has felt and can relate to.)

and then there's the way they most of the time end up expressing the same sentiment in general, not just when it concerns the nature of their relationship, and just have different ways of going about it (which then allows(?) people who like one of them and dislike the other to twist the other's words, see lando and oscar both saying that they are closer to other teams than ppl like to think, and only lando getting called out for it or whatever (why?? maybe because oscar's got a more diplomatic way of speaking. but to be Honest mostly its probably bc people have a landonarrative constructed already and are willing to look past context and the actual things being said only bc they want to see that narrative actualized. becauseefoneoverallisanarrativesportaboveeverythingelse– whatever.). but all of that's.. a different topic). here see lando in the shanghai postrace conference and how he wants some things on the car, I want different things. But normally our ways align and we always want the same thing in the end.  and have you tried the landoscar ontrack offtrack parallels i thought the landoscar ontrack offtrack parallels were lovely.

and idk. even with the rpfgoggles off... im kindofsortof glad they've ended up w/ each other and are going to grow old together (was hard to pick the clip i wanted to embed in that,,,, they just keep doing this shit i cant keep up.)... or whatever.

[rebornofstars]

MY FAVOURITE PARTS OF THE UPDATE

BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN MY FAVOURITE UPDATE EVER

all comic panels from crescent flame by @linkeduniverse. readmore bc its LONG

can we start with the gorgeous lighting please . like this has to be one of the absolute prettiest palettes i dont know how the colour wheel works but PLEASE im dying over this peach coloured light. and the camera angles??? absolute fire

and we already knew he had it but as far as i can remember this is the first time we've actually seen legend using his lantern????

somoene will have to help me (SOS 😭🙏) because ive lost the spreadsheet matching each item in the december art with its name & game of origin so FORGIVE ME IF IM WRONG BUT ISNT THIS THE SAME LAMP FROM LINK'S HOUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF ALTTP??? legend you sentimental freak (deeply affectionate). hes everything.

and!!!! rulie with the candle. i dont know why im going crazy about a candle but i AM. the fact that rulie uses a light method less modern than legend's old lamp is speaking to me and the inevitable conversation about legend's legacy and the gulf between their eras. this is canon and we've been talking about it for years but seeing them together in direct comparison like this is really hammering it into my skull. and of course jojo's attention to detail is once again UNPARALLELED

also the architecture in this dungeon is just gorgeous. jojo can u design my house pls??? 🥺🥺 i'm in love with all these zoomed out shots as well like holy shit. so effective in creating an atmosphere

PLEASE the fact that hyrule holds his candle right over it to look but then backs off a bit when legend comes over so he can light it with the lamp?????? WORDLESSLY??? i dont know if its just because he knew the lamp would do a better job but the TEAMWORK??? THE COOPERATION??? I LOVE THEM???? i used to think that downfall duo was mostly a fanon invention cause legend and hyrule didnt spend much one-on-one time in the comic but FUCK THAT I BELIEVE!!!! I SEE THE LGIHT!!!!! legend's little grin is telling me everything i need to know

his face im wheezing 😂😂😂😂 rule please how did u survive this long 😭😭😭

and then it doesnt even attack them it just runs away!!!!! accurate!!!! dfd (downfall duo? is this an acceptable acronym?) are TOO OP

im actually fucking dying over this panel u dont understand. strong contender for one of the panels of all time. four has STRUCK UP A POSE. nobody walks down stairs with their hands behind their head that boy is RECLINING DRAMATICALLY.

and WIND DOING HIS LITTLE LEAP. ITS TOTALLY UNECCESSARY. IM SO GLAD IT EXISTS. and time descending in the middle of the stairs staring straight ahead 😭😭😭 equally theatric in his own stupid way im wheezing this is too much. the drama kids. old man & the Youngsters

THE ARGUING ABOUT WHO GETS A TURN AT WHAT. SOOOO SIBLINGS CODED. IM DEAD ON THE FLOOR

wiat wait wait fuck. wait fuck HOW OLD IS FOUR. theyre thinking so furiously theyre gonna hurt their brains. recontextualising every single conversation theyve ever had with the smithy!! im actually sooo sooo happy abt this panel because cheekily mysterious four (especially about completely unecessary things like his AGE) is my kryptonite & i feel like this couldve come straight out of a crackfic. the chaos is unmatched. jojo is on our WAVELENGTH ‼️‼️‼️

they are soooo sooo comfortable with each other. hyrule sasses everyone its true BUT LEGEND IS TAKING HIS SASS AND RESPONDING TO IT. theyre having a debate. legend is expressing all his grumpy opinions and hyrule is like lmao ok i see ur point. ahgsjdbgsj

the way the games are baked into every panel and plot point of this comic.. im actually deceased. also legend's stance is cracking me up

ADORE the way this is framed. love love love

the MISCHIEF AND GLEE ‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️ WHAT IS A LINK IF NOT A DESTROYER OF POTS‼️‼️‼️ this whole page im obsessed with i read it like 3 times cause i couldnt believe my eyes. they ARE besties they ARE. theyre both being so playful & theyre both in their element & pairing them up was a gorgeous fantastic idea and i am SO here for it

in conclusion every update is getting better and better i am LIVING for this dungeon arc and i adore this comic to pieces. thank u for coming to my ted talk

[bitchslapblastoids]

Random parasocial phan lore speculation; do you think that when they had seperate bedrooms they were actually sleeping in different beds? Bc ive definitely seen the sentiment floating around since BIG first came out, and even before, that the different bedrooms were just for show, but to me that just doesnt make sense. Like yeah they were both very closeted but also when they moved to london they were also extremely broke and it doesnt make sense to me that initially they only rented a two bedroom apt for show. Like i know this is the "whole fake apartment" duo we're talking about here but that was when they were already mega rich and has started building a million dollar forever home. When you're broke and 21 years old even internalised homophobia and being closeted doesnt seem to me like a good enough reason to rent a whole extra room that you dont plan on using. Personally i think when they were younger they very much utelised having seperate areas for themselves. I think dans room was His room. His own space. And phils was the same. And they probably just picked a room at night and slept there. Or slept in their own beds. I know we joke about dnp being completely codependent, but its also very clear from an external pov that they have a really healthy relationship. And they have worked, lived and spent all their free time together basically since dan was 18. I dont think its possible for any couple, not even dnp to do that without having strong boundaries for personal space, and the physical space to enact that. I dont think they really started to cohabitate in that sense until like. 2016/17. They 100% shared a bedroom in the second london apartment and they obviously definitely share a room now, but i dont think that was the case in the early days at all. And I think probably even now in the phouse they have their own spaces where they can exist by themselves and text each other from across the phouse.

(P.s they uploaded right as I was typing this which is so rude of them to interupt my important thoughts)

to no surprise i've yapped about this before, as someone who is rocking a happy healthy separate bedroom longterm relationship!

yeah i've always been firmly in the camp that having their separate spaces has protected their own sanity. they both really are introverts with different habits about how to keep a space. thinking specifically about sleeping - they are large men, one of whom we've learned snores very loudly. their manchester and london beds were doubles (maybe queens?) which, while fine for some snuggly nights, does not provide much space to spread out when you're long-limbed.

other reasons i think they prob slept separately a lot - phil has said he likes to sleep with many pillows, while dan's manchester and london beds (which definitely seemed used (not used in a weird way just like consistently rumpled whenever we saw it which was often for many years)) always only had 2 pillows max. phil's london bed had 4. they had some text exchange that i can't be bothered to track down in one of the wdapteos about hearing a beeping noise in the night or something, and phil saying he thinks it's something in the kitchen. to me, it read like what you'd text someone when you're in different bedrooms in the same home. plus, the different hotel rooms on tour (instead of just one room w/ two beds, which would be a totally normal thing to do). i know it seems like they often ended up in one another's rooms, but they could spend their evening together and then sleep separately if one of them really needed the rest. snoring can truly drive a person mad.

but also, all that aside, i do think that no matter what, they would have had two bedrooms in manchester & london to protect their own privacy while they were closeted. there's just no world in which they would have moved into a one-bedroom apartment for their first london spot. i doubt that was ever even a question. they were closeted to what seems to be almost everyone in their lives. meanwhile, they had guests over fairly often, and their careers were filmed out of their own home. trying to hide a one bedroom apt would have been way too much of a risk, and they basically wouldn't have been able to have anyone over without outing themselves.

i agree that it seems they shared a bedroom in that second london apt, bc we never saw an actual phil room, only the set, and barely saw the 'dan' one. and it does seem like now in the phouse, the 'dan room' is the primary bedroom. but i'd imagine phil also views the green room as 'his' in that his wardrobe seems to be in there, it's a space he can retreat to, and it's a separate bed he can sleep in. ok long answer done!

tldr yes i think they've taken advantage of sleeping in separate beds

[kamaela]

a year of fandom in recs

cutie pie @garagepaperback tagged me in a 2024 fandom wrap up post and so yeah, i'll hop on the sentimental train. i've been inspired by so many things this year and i shall do my best to honour them in the rambling list below!

--

having previously been an avid lurker, i've thoroughly enjoyed making friends with some truly inspiring people in this fandom. without a doubt this has been a bright, bright spot on my year and im so grateful! you're all so wonderful and i love you and hope you know that.

@kk1smet has been a source of joy and inspiration from the start. my first ever fic (Got Me Started) was inspired by their prompts, and then my first ever fest fic (Mirror, Me) was sparked by their stunning art. THEN they honoured me with my first ever fanart for my fic (To Be Punished). im so blessed to call them a friend!

i can draw a straight line from every single word i've posted on ao3 to the fanworks that inspired them. ive read/seen sooo many wonderful things this year and it's impossible for me to name them all. ive picked out a few below the cut that are directly responsible for lighting a fire in me so strong i had to write that shit down. if you haven't already, please give some of these fanworks a go, they're all top notch.

+ @yiiiiiiiikes25 wrote cruising altitude from the raven cycle fandom and it fucking rocked my world. i am telling you right now, i have never read anything like it. it is an absolute masterclass in craft. every single word is thoughtful and precise. i thought i knew what voice and diction and pov were and how they can be used to tell the story you want to tell but really, i had no idea. yikes has this way of pulling you so deeply into a characters pov that its honestly disorienting to come out of. i fell in love with these random boys from a fandom i'd never read nor cared for, and i keep going back. i don't care if you are drarry monogamous, if you want to experience some of the best this dumb hobby we're all addicted to has to offer, i implore you, go read cruising altitude. go. GO. and then go read the rest of yikes catalogue bc ofc they also do drarry impeccably.

+ @garagepaperback i read this heaven of mud and haven't been the same since. then i read javelin and ive been permanently altered once more. not only is garage directly responsible for exes becoming my all time favourite trope, but the way they explore the deep, long-lasting effects of trauma (in these and all your other fics) is second to none! its incredibly beautiful and impactful and has left such as lasting impression on me. and all that is wrapped up in some of the most poetic and stunning prose ive ever had the pleasure of reading?!?!! get out of here (but also please dont i value our friendship dearly)

+ @mintawasalreadytaken i read All I Want For Kwithmath and then i went on a tear and read most of their Dead Drarry: Do Not Eat series and honestly had the BEST TIME. they write some of the greatest toxic, kinky, fucked up drarry, but somehow make it so i really fucking care about these two idiots, and want the best for them?? minta is so good at hooking you right from the top and then pounding those hooks in deeper and deeper. the end result is that i now cradle toxic drarry in my hands and wont ever let them go (and sometimes I even try writing them)

+ @eleadore's as the plant that never blooms and everything i could ever want helped to shape and sand the edges of the drarry dynamic i love and want to write! el writes some of the hottest, most rewarding, prickly to tender drarry out here. pls run don't walk.

+ @faiell and i shared our drarry fic debuts on ao3 this year and their fic, Purple, absolutely blew me out of the water. it's expertly written, hot as fuck, contains the shifting power dynamics that are at the core of what i love about drarry, and has SUCH A satisfying ending. i was grinning and cackling for about 3-4 business days after reading. (also peep their tumblr to scream at their art) fai, i've said it before and ill say it again, i'll follow you into fire, i really will.

this post is getting far far too long but i cannot end it without also mentioning some (not exhaustive) of the STAND OUT creators i've had the pleasure of experiencing for the first time this year. i'll include a rec (all drarry unless stated otherwise) + whatever unhinged drivel i put in my bookmark for each but it goes without saying that the talent runs deep and id rec multiple creations from these guys if this post wasn't already novel length.

@citrusses' Our Objective Remains Unchanged: THE drarry muggle au. reread a 100x material

@oknowkiss' draco malfoy's substitute murder service: this made me laugh out loud at several points and its only 10k!!!! also draco is simply lovely, i love him so so so so very much i want to be his friend and just listen to him talk and be insane. this whole thing is thoroughly enjoyable.

@mono-chromia's Red Wine Supernova: everything about this is wonderful, the relationship development, the sex, the writing. you'll want draco to step on your face after reading.

@putridpommes' [ART] Step by step (NSFW): sub harry. draco stepping on face. neon and sweat. what more do you need.

Helenish's A Soft Spot For Lost Causes (draco/ron): trauma treated kinda unserious but still seriously. gorgeous dialogue.

wild (orphaned): Okay so the banter/dialogue is unmatched, the relationship development bw draco and harry is soooo realistic and so delicious. a study on learning about yourself what it means to forgive

corvuscrowned's An Emerald In The Sky: stretched and pulled taut by this story, perfect longing/pining/yearning, heartbreaking and beautiful

peu_a_peu's The Superfluous Man: utterly delightful, hilarious, i want to stay in the feeling this fic gave me forever and ever. never not thinking about flustered yet domestic draco, endless quotes. An mpreg?? WHAT?? it's peu.

@stratigraphywrites' Untouched: this is delicious!!!! the push and pull between draco and harry is expert. extremely extremely hot

@lemonlimelea's we'll start anew: yeah this is wayyyy stunning, gorg writing, long time span capturing all different facets of harry and draco's relationship

@hephaestiions' It's You: one of those ones that leaves you panting and scratching the walls, crying for more.

okay if you read all this, thank you i love you. happy new year!

No pressure tagging any of the above plus @dryrsheet @its-the-allure @phoenixortheflame @smehur. would love to read about your year in review!

[pixigels]

On your Romerica rambling post, you said that their situationship was off during the 30's and 40's, and that it deserved it's own post because of the complexities of the time period. I actually share this same hc!!

Tho I was wondering if u were ever gonna follow up on dat w another text post?

HIII ! actually I'm glad you asked! honestly I've spent a long time thinking about their dynamic so anyone asking is like "neuron activated" after months of college work and psychological torture. whoa that txt post is like a year and a half overdue since. So I'll use this ask as an excuse to elaborate on my thoughts

DISCLAIMER i do go down the historical route as a way to elaborate how events would impact their dynamic and then into how it shapes the two individuals as symbolic to their nations. My intention is not to water down historical events to ships. Also I've always been really into history as a personal hobby even before hetalia so I will geek out.

During the 30s envisioned them as having a natural falling out as a result of them no longer living together. Adding to that how they both had bigger issues to deal with in their own home countries. Up to then maybe some feelings of fondness for what was until there wasn't.

Now the 40s is very interesting to me because I rarely see people mention it but i think its important because of Operation Husky 1943 aka the anglo-american offense on southern Italy and Operation Underworld 1942 since it is related with espionage in ports that led up to Operation Husky.

To put it frankly I don't think any characters had a "truly healthy" relation with each other during ww2 even those that were allies of each other in general (but that's just my opinion). Now considering the first strong interaction they have after like a a decade of a falling out is being on "opposite" sides of a war, that's quite a lot already. I say ""opposite"" in air quotes simply because at the same time historically Italy is divided in civil war between the fascists and resistance. I personally see romano as symbolic to the resistance (idk if this even qualifies as a hc bcs i think its kind of implied in canon hetalia).

dynamic wise its bittersweet. i find that in terms of the characters its like reuniting with someone you spent time with a lot and maybe you do hold some fondness even after falling out. but like its under the worst circumstances. Where it is way more bitter than sweet as a result of conflicts where as a nation one is very weak at least compared to the other side. On romano's end i've hc that despite collaborating with the anglo-american forces against the axis. It wouldn't warrant full immediate trust. Because by all means they could be taking advantage of you. To an extent my hc is that he is partially right, at least in the way America could use their past bond as an advantage. I don't believe the transition was easy for either to get back to "trusting each other" like before. However, it makes sense for me that around the 50s it's different. (I would like to do another deepdive into their dynamic in this era as well)

I think its important to mention how the US' role in WW2 (historically) isn't simply that of the "hero." (yes unfortunately a lot of people in the hetalia fandom have a very usamerican washed version of history where ppl think they can just repeat the "america is just doing his best bcs he wants to be a hero " sentiment uncritically simply because they like the character (I already have my issues with this in canon at times). i might sound like I'm making this too deep but I find it to be an important disclaimer just in case to not conflate hetalia characters with the countries in a way that makes people uncritically look into a country's role in history.

In hetalia, interestingly enough the only mention of romano + america during ww2 in hetalia is in this specific moment. where romano is kinda terrified. which is veryyyy surface level bcs yk its hetalia. Still I feel like this decade is something that can offer a lot in terms of exploring their dynamics if you aren't bound by canon/

I'm always a 50/50 believer when it comes to the "hetalia characters as personifications of their government" vs the "hetalia characters represent their people" because governments impact people and nations relations and people impact government. So yes I did go very historical. If you know me, I'm pretty big into highlight the importance of at least having a grip of the history to understand why certain characters act the way they do in canon. (even though its fair to say fuck canon a good amount of the time)

I hope I was able to elaborate the complexities with the right amount enough nuance :) let me know if you would like me to clarify any hcs

[saladmix]

can we discuss totmnt? we get a bit more insight into them as characters which is great! i like that donnie & mikey got a bunch more moments to shine! also! leo saying hes nothing without his brothers, raph's insecurities being touched on with the whole "your bros are in danger because *you* couldn't protect them and aren't strong enough" DUDE its the best. i like how this show added some aspects of their rise versions in that way & i enjoy it bc i liked how they were represented there. leo being anxious & insecure as his role of leader, raph's tough/aggressive veneer bc he feels like its his job to be the protector. + those little chunks of info we got from their character descriptions where they say raph is sensitive and "wants someone to talk to." more realistic & less one note for them!

ugh YES! we sure can it's all I want to talk about anyway I sit at my little corporate job answering my little corporate emails but inside I am like DO YOU PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES.

Anyway, that's embarrassing! Thoughts below the cut so I don't clog up a dash with spoilers and rambles <3

I'm going to address these in (as Jenny Nicholson says) an internet-friendly numbered list! And also adding that these are just my opinions, as I am but a nobody on a rock floating through space.

Also these thoughts are SO HALF BAKED this is like stream of consciousness if you ask me what I said here I may not remember I'm just living a turtle life.

Leo saying he's nothing without his brothers ugh you are so right that was such good content! This strikes me as such a core Leo trait, maybe not shared across iterations in 100% the same way but I really do see that sentiment under the surface frequently. I found it so charming that in Leo's little re-telling of what happened with Bishop and the ambush, he basically made all of his brother's seem like these useless side fools, bolstering up his own role (even lying and saying he was the one to check out the hologram), but then we quickly see that he doesn't at all feel that way. In fact he feels the opposite, and it just felt like such a young growing teen thing to do, try to make yourself the hero. It's also my personal interpretation of why specifically this version of Leo wants to be a leader so badly! He's not the muscle, he's not the brains, he's not the charm. So what is he? He has to find a way to make himself feel important when he feels like maybe he has no other stand out qualities to contribute. But I also happen to think it's the right role for him! He shows his bravery again and again, and his ability to put together a plan, when other people are in need. He can't seem to muster that same courage for himself yet, that's part of his growth, but for the people he loves he comes out in front. I think TotTMNT did a great job with that aspect. <3

Raph! Raphael! What a lad! I really latched onto Raph in this iteration more than I have in previous ones, I really enjoy how he's written. I've always found Raph's anger across iterations to actually really make sense. Of course he's angry, he's a mutant turtle living in the sewers with no real sense of place in this world and no way to interact directly with it! And Rise Raph, while not displaying that direct explosive rage that Raph is known for, kind of showcases it in the stress and responsibility he feels for his family. Anyway, all this is to say we get both of those aspects here in this version along with the flavoring of what appears to me as some real teenage excitement for a little bit of chaos. And that scene was extremely telling I super agree with you!! I mean Raph sees all of his brothers as little shaking chihuahuas, particularly Leo which was VERY charming to me. He definitely sees himself as the protector, but even more, honestly, I think they do to. I mean Leo basically assumes Raph can handle four mechazoids on his own, he's got a lot of faith in his brother's ability to be that brick wall for them. And even though Leo is still the oldest, I do feel like they brought some Rise Raph energy to his character with how responsible he feels. Typically we see Leo as the character who is two seconds away from blowing his top off with all he takes on, but I see that a lot in Raph here too.

Donnie's interpretation of the ambush actually made me so so sad. Like it was basically how he thinks his family views him, as the one who has to save the day but gets no respect of it and doesn't have the tools to do it. He thinks they view him as this megamind that should be able to handle it because what else is he good for? All the others had flashback sequences that kind of center them as a hero, and while Donnie's did have him the last one standing, it didn't have that same kind of vibe. And in all the brother's flashbacks, we see that while they do see him as this dorky nerd, it's never said with any anger or annoyance. I'd call it more of a silly little fondness. But I think this insecurity is an important aspect of Donnie's character that we see in a lot of iterations. The big change here is that Donnie really does feel like just a kid. He's not out here ready to build high tech weaponry or distill medication. He's just a kid who is into coding! He's still learning! And I really enjoyed that. And in that second arc, we get another taste of how level-headed Donnie can be in a crisis situation, which for me tied back to how in the Mutant Mayhem movie, Leo kept looking to Donnie for help and answers. Leo is a frazzled lil man, and Donnie seems to be his source of stability. So it really did break my heart that this poor sassy and sweet boy thinks his family doesn't value him. It's a different flavor from Raph's and Leo's, both of whom have insecurities but they're mostly internal reflections. Donnie seems to feel that coming from the outside, and has twisted that into his own self-image.

Mikey is such a fun character like what a scene-stealer he's so funny in every part of this show, his VA is K I L L I N G it I find his voice acting so charming as Mikey and it brings such life to the character. But I really love how this version of Mikey is so dynamic. Mikey has always, always been a really dynamic character but I think it was a little more hidden, if you know what I mean. Rise Mikey flipped a big script and I like how this version really feels like a true combo from the rise version of Mikey to the traditional core Mikey energy, if that makes sense. I LOVE....this Mikey. He might be my favorite Mikey ever and I am a huge Mikey fan I am probably the only 2007 Mikey Super Fan out here in the world. Anyway, I love how his episodes had him forcibly shaken out of his comfort zone as lil bro. In the first arc he's suddenly in charge of a whole new mutant and Useless Man of the Year Rod. In the second arc he's got to save a whole store of people and a cat! It's A LOT of responsibility for this lil child! And he does a great job! All while expressing the whole time that he doesn't really know what he's doing, and he's afraid he's going to mess it up. It reminds me a lot of how other version of Mikey were often thought of as the weak spots by their respective families (intentionally or not). It was always Mikey the goof. TotTMNT Mikey is a HUGE goof but he's also got this energy to him that PROVES how I always felt about Mikey: I CHOOSE to be a goof, but I can and will step up if I need to! And it makes sense that he looks up to his big brother, that Leo is the one he tries to emulate in times of stress. When the going gets tough, Mikey has to get going, and Leo is his framework for how to do that.

boy was this a ramble and a half. I just had a lot of thoughts. Was any of this coherent? Jury is still out. Thank you so much for sending this in!! And listening to me ramble. I really agree that this show did a good job of bringing in a lot of different traits from different iterations it's so much fun and leads to really dynamic versions!

[vividiana]

PERSONAL QUESTIONS!!!

6. What’s your lucky number? 17. Who would be your ideal partner? 27. Would you like to be a big celebrity? 31. What position do you usually sleep in? 37. Favorite swear word? 44. Do you have a strong accent? 55. Most used phrases? 60. Do you talk to yourself? 79. Who was your first real crush? 80. How many piercings do you have? 91. Do you like your own name?

WOO!!! Hope you have some fun answering these <3

ahhh thank you these are so fun ❤️ (the questions are from this post)

What’s your lucky number? idk about lucky, but a number I like is 8 because it’s friend-shaped and bc my birthday is on Jan 8th

Who would be your ideal partner? of course I can only think of bg3 characters at the moment, so out of those, the answer is Karlach, by a long shot. kind, funny, honest, loyal, so deeply loving PLUS she looks like she could throw me over her shoulder and carry me to safety. 100/10 the perfect woman, what more could you ask for?

Would you like to be a big celebrity? absolutely not! I like my privacy and being able to exist in a public space without being the center of attention. although I do think it would be cool to be well-known in a somewhat niche field, like the way people are famous glass artists or famous social anthropologists. the general public has no idea who you are but there is a group of people who enjoys your work/finds it inspiring/considers you an authority on a certain subject and I think that's pretty neat

What position do you usually sleep in? on my stomach, with one arm under my pillow, which apparently is terrible for your back 🙃 oh well.

Favorite swear word? in English, it's either "fuck" (love the versatility) or "cunt" (very fun to say, though I don't use it often). in Polish, it's the verb "jebać," which literally means "to fuck," and, much like "fuck" it is quite versatile. there are so many things and sentiments you can express by using some form of that word or its derivatives and I just think that’s beautiful :’)

Do you have a strong accent? when I speak Polish, I don't have a distinct regional accent, but there are some words I use that are local to my city that people from other parts of Poland are confused by. when I speak English, I've been told I don't have a strong accent, though I do struggle with pronouncing some words (vowels in English are SO INCONSISTENT and I hate them). when I lived in the US I was mostly able to "pass" as American, which I have mixed feelings about. STORY TIME: one time in college I was talking to this girl at a speed-friending event and when I mentioned I was an international student, she was very confused and said that I "sound American.” I had no idea what to say to that, so I settled for a weak: "Thanks?" to which she replied "It's not a compliment" 💀 again, NO IDEA what to respond to that, but that’s such a hilarious thing to say to someone you just met. I think about that girl at least once a week, I hope she’s doing well

Most used phrases? no idea! I had to consult with a friend and all she could think of was:

Do you talk to yourself? I talk to myself a lot, it's very fun and it helps me organize my thoughts or just keep myself entertained. one issue is that sometimes I’ll catch myself doing that in public. like, the other day I was at a store, looking at some clothes and I said to myself, out loud: "Oh that's so pretty!". another time I was walking down the street and looking for some building and I said: "Is this the right address?". it’s like I’m a cartoon character who narrates their life so the viewers understand what’s happening 😅

Who was your first real crush? in preschool I had a crush on this boy named Bartek. he had blond hair and he didn't like me. that is literally all I remember lmao

How many piercings do you have? I have a septum piercing and then nine or ten in my earlobes, depending on whether you count an industrial piercing as one or two. I used to have four other piercings that I took out for various reasons, including nipple piercings which surprisingly were not nearly as painful compared to some of the other ones (like the industrial—that one was the worst and took so long to heal)

Do you like your own name? I do! it's short and has a nice ring to it. it's also not super common so I don't meet a lot of people with my name, although I do share it with this one right-wing politician that I absolutely hate

[leftclown]

My favourite hozier songs are in a week and I, carrion. I'd love to know what that says about me

I'm gonna do them all bc I know it's tough to pick a favourite with him. Also I think it's funny because I went on about how most of his songs are not genuine love songs and then you picked three that actually are genuine love songs

1. Obscurity rating (again, the higher the more obscure)

I, Carrion - 2.5/5; One of the more popular songs on Unreal Unearth, I think most people who keep their finger on the pulse would know about this song but it's not one of his hits. A casual listener might know about this song just because it's new and he's gone viral this year. I think if you ask me again in a year or two I may rank it like a 3/5.

In a Week - 2.5/5; This one equals out because anything from his first album (except take me to church) is automatically gonna be a little higher on that scale, but also, this song is like a queer cult classic. All the gays want to lay down in the woods and decompose together.

I Could be Yours - 5/5; I mean admittedly I didnt even know this one existed. It's an unreleased song so I dont think you can get more obscure than that :^)

2. My assumptions about you

I don't want want to get invasive but dude you're like pinemaster 5000. Prince of Pining. You might pine more than Hozier himself.

All of these are incredibly romantic songs and they all convey like...honestly a submissive position compared to the subject of his love. So I do kind of assume that in a relationship you take on the role of service, your primary love language may even be acts of service. I think that you maybe pine for the kind of relationship where you serve and the other protects, built on mutual respect and not a power imbalance, because there are plenty of love songs of his that explicitly talk about toxic or abusive or imbalanced situations but these are not it. The fact that you are drawn to these shows an appreciation for gentleness in love. And Devotion.

It did not escape my notice either that 2/3 of these songs have to do with death/dying/being a corpse. I don't know what to make of that besides that you have an affinity for death and morbidity (affectionate-- I do too).

3. My Opinion

I, Carrion - It's a really beautiful song, it is one of those that I expect to hit me a lot harder than it does now. This happened with de selby pt 1 where when I first heard it I didnt care for it and then one day, I started crying while listening to it.

In a Week - CW for pettiness; I don't like this song very much, but for admittedly dumb reasons. Its undeniably a beautifully macabre song with strong vocals and good lyrics, so I can appreciate it from an artistic standpoint.

However, there was a period of time before Wasteland, Baby came out that Hoziers queer listeners were like "Hozier is a sapphic icon let's go rot in the woods together". Its 100% peoples rights to feel that way and I understand why they do but I, a gay man, have never felt sapphic once in my life. This song was the exemplary standard of what people expected from Hozier at that time, and it was so strongly associated with sapphic feelings by its reception that I just never cared for it.

I Could Be Yours - You are actually the person who introduced me to this song, and I fuckin love it. Granted, when I was younger I serenaded my husband during our courtship with the song "I Wanna be Yours" by Arctic Monkeys....very much the same sentiment I think. That may also be why he has never released a studio version of it. I love that its folksy, but I would also love to see what he'd do with it in a studio. I just love love love songs that he hollars in.

[akkivee]

Penny for your thoughts, but I'm wondering if the upcoming Kuko angst is going to be related to him getting true mic'd. Like one of the first things he establishes way at the beginning the importance of making your own choices, and how he wonders if coming back to Nagoya when he did was right or not, but is the choice he made. But he didn't. And like immediately finding out he complains of being shrouded in doubt during "when six colors combine" drama track.

i like where your head’s at!!!!!! love it actually lmao!!!!!!

idk how to try and support your ideas without breaking down each and every verse lol, but i’ll try to keep it short. i think in this song preview, we listened to kuukou question everything he believes in, but as the song further and further progresses, we see him reassert his beliefs and give them focus, quite literally saying to never waver again. what set that off is the big question and i do think it’s linked to that very verse

the only time he’s ever mentioned such a sentiment is towards ichiro actually; ichiro always wavered in his heart and it’s the one thing kuukou could not stand about ichiro, so there’s potential it could be about ichiro

but this is a bat track lol and besides, ichiro and kuukou are very similar people. what he hates in ichiro could be actually reflective of something he hates in himself for a past choice we aren’t privy to, or even that very ‘choice’ to have left ikebukuro

as for it being bc of true hypnosis mic thought, i don’t see why it couldn’t be!!!! esp since kuukou himself didn’t sound very happy with the way he was called strong for breaking free out of the true hypnosis mic in the six colours track. if he needs maybe we’ll get some insight as to how kuukou broke out of the true hypnosis mic???

something that caught my eye while looking over the lyrics was that both he and hitoya have a similar verse about ‘illusions,’ hitoya plans to unravel its lies and kuukou’s is about how those illusions became reality. idk lol!!!!! that kinda sounds like a nod to the true hypnosis mic to me!!!! plus!!!! we had hitoya accompany ichiro, jakurai and gentaro’s block party mission to find out about the hypnosis mics, so that gives bat another connection to the hypnosis mic lore, as small as it is rn lol

on kuukou’s end, he true hypnosis mic had the power to strip away the value of choice. kuukou’s talked about how the hypnosis mic can change your fate in glory or dust and fate for kuukou is directly linked to choice. choice affects karma and depending on the karma you accumulated in life would affect how kuukou faces the buddha at the end of his life. so where does a choice like his actions the true hypnosis mic made him do fall under??? what’s that karma???? maybe it’s why kuukou’s thinking at some point in this song that his heart’s conviction isn’t enough, as evidenced by that verse ‘even when closed, with unwavering resolve in our hearts / this belief itself extinguishes like a flame,’ if his will had been strong enough in the first place, maybe he wouldn’t have succumbed to it is his thought process and that’s very harsh for kuukou to put onto himself lol

and lastly lol, about hirono-san uncharacteristically tweeting about kuukou it was def a hint lol 🤭 our first hint was hayama-san’s post and pic with bimi in may, the second was hirono-san’s kuukou bday tweet and the third was the fact kuukou’s sukajan was falling off the exact same way hirono-san liked to strip tease and then, hirono-san posting that very pic himself after the drop lol

[thepringlesofblood]

so. i watched the trailers for the A:TLA live action netflix series. i went in expecting nothing, and I gotta admit some parts look intriguing. the casting, the set, the bending, the costuming, all look pretty cool. not a big fan of the cgi or how it always seems to be the dead of night in the fire nation, but i was considering watching the first episode at least, out of curiosity and mild respect.

then I saw Zuko's scar.

I thought well, it is really dark, I should wait to get a better look at it before totally freaking out.

are. are you kIDDING ME?

[important: I know nothing about this actor, this aint a dunk on him, I doubt he had a lot of input into his makeup.]

for reference, here is zuko in the OG show.

zuko’s scar isn’t a fucking bad eyeshadow job. His ear is half-melted. It takes up like 1/4-1/3 of his face. It’s not just his eye - it’s his cheekbones, it’s his forehead, it’s all down the side of his head, boy should not have a second eyebrow! I swear to god if they spend their money animating each individual hair on appa but don’t bother to get something as iconic and central to the series as zuko’s scar right? it'd be like messing up Spock's ears, except real-life people don't have Spock ears and struggle with how they are perceived by society because of it.*

*that I know of. maybe there's a secret Spock ears genetic condition I don't know about in which case I apologize

also... there was this bit. we get a quick flash of this shot

ok, we know this shot. we've seen this shot. it's the agni kai where zuko gets his scar. note the relative positions of the two people, and what the floor looks like.

then a little later, we get this shot

it's clearly the same scene. it's ozai burning zuko. but. why is there fire on both sides of zuko? it looks like he's deflecting it. like he's fighting back.

it. it is so so so important for zuko's arc and character growth that he refuses to fight his father in his first agni kai. he shows mercy when ozai does not. he is a child - he does not think to defend himself against his own father. throughout his whole arc, the whole show, but most especially season 1, it is so important to remember that the last time he showed mercy and humility, he literally got burned. that's why he's so aggressive and angry and scared and defensive.

so. why is he defending himself? is this why his scar is less pronounced? because they decided to mess with established history?

maybe we can give them the benefit of the doubt and say this is a different agni kai, or zuko re-imagining how it could've gone, or something, but like. why choose to show this then?

further rant below the cut bc its very long I haven't felt righteous fury this strong in a while

I just. I personally don’t have a facial scar or birthmark or anything, but when Hollywood sugarcoats or makes them look less “gross” or “obvious” it’s a real fuck you to people out there who do have obvious scars, birthmarks, differences, that don’t fall into the neat lines of what is considered “presentable” by the film industry. It’s important that it’s not downplayed bc then the people who see themselves in the original get betrayed by the adaptation that tells them they’re not pretty enough or that they’re “too much” to be seen on tv in live action.

Excuses I have seen thus far (mostly on reddit admittedly)

“They didn’t want to make it look too gruesome so that kids would want to watch it too" Think about that sentiment for 10 seconds, and tell me what it says to people out there who have scars like this. Are they too “scary” to be seen by children? Is their existence automatically PG-13? Something horrible and uncontrollable happened to zuko, and because of that, his life and body are irrevocably changed. People with scars like his who related to and felt seen by his representation and the way he struggles with acceptance, both by himself and by others, will receive the message that can only happen for people with less “gruesome” scars than that. Seriously.

“Of course it’s going to look different in real life vs in animation” Yes, it will. I’m not talking about the appearance of the burn necessarily, but the extent of it. The new series has it limited mostly to his eye. His ear and eyebrow are unaffected, as are his cheekbones and forehead. That is not the case in the animated show. I’m not expecting a big monochrome pink and purple blotch like there is in the OG show - animated visual shorthand is different from live action. But it should look like burned skin. And it should be as extensive as it was - it goes over his ear and eyebrow, and partway down his cheek. the whole point of it is that it’s big and unavoidable and horrifying, and that zuko was a 13 year old kid who didn’t deserve it, but now is stuck with it. That’s war. That’s what ozai is capable of.

“The makeup would be too hard” It really wouldn’t, especially not for something as important to the series as this. Zuko’s scar is central to ATLA as a whole - a symbol of the cruelty of his father and the fire nation, and more importantly his survival and eventual resistance to it. Even if it did take extra time to apply, which I don’t think it would, I’d say it’d be worth it. I’ve seen cosplays and Halloween costumes [and this excellent fan film] without access to a professional makeup and prosthetics team that looked closer to show accurate than what they’ve currently got going.

Let me also point you to examples of both comparable and much more dramatic makeup/prosthetics used regularly (as in every episode, every week, for many years) on 2 shows with smaller budgets, older technology (as in, from the 1990s), and many more seasons: Star Trek: the next generation & ds9

trust me. they can do it. this is a choice.

“What it if made it hard for him to act?” See above for examples of other actors in much more dramatic prosthetics crushing it.

"Well at least it's better than the other live action adaptation"

that CANNOT be the bar we measure things by. standing still and doing nothing is also better than getting brained with a shovel: that doesn't mean it's good.

"He has darker skin than the animated Zuko. the burn probably blends in more."

that's not how burn scars work. it's not just a darkening of the skin - the skin itself is fundamentally changed in texture and color. and again, even if the burn has a different general appearance, it should at least be as big and extensive as it is in the OG show, and it's clearly not.

“They probably didn’t want to shave his eyebrow” No, really I saw this as a point on a Reddit post. Drag queens and cosplayers have been making their eyebrows disappear and reappear for decades without access to a professional makeup and prosthetics team. He’ll be fine I swear.

[ibusukiss]

Boueibu Rewatch

Thursday's for the Boys! 11

Happy Kiss! Episodes 4-6

Episode 4

If ep 2 established HK as my favorite season, ep 4 was the cherry on top

i wonder if gora gave nanao the OK to bring a floating tray and tea into the onsen

idk if its a writing thing or a culture thing or what but i feel like i can understand all the monsters' problems in HK, but in s1 and s2 some of them feel completely abstract

UGHHH the plot point of Ichiro worrying abt the time capsule and knowing that nanao would read his letter is so *chef's kiss* they build up to it so well!!!!!!!!!! AAAGHH I LOVE PLOT

ichiro "no youthful passion" bro your character song is called Dash Dash Dash so idk what ur talking about

the funny thing about this season is it only hints at the seitokai being rich, and here it only says that Taiju's family owns a construction company, which isnt the megacorp richboy son vibes i get from s1 seitokai - i always assumed caerula adamas were MUCH richer than edelstein but only bc they made their wealth more explicit in s1? I think by making it implied in this season they made the seitokai's families seem more like blue collar ceo's rather than megacorp ceo's

i will ALWAYS headcanon that Taishi cleaned up his act bc he was trying to act more like Nanao so Ichiro would like him

THIS is what I'm talking about - by trying to write fanservice they have fully surpassed the queerbait IMO and fully just wrote that Ichiro has a crush on Nanao

i assume Kyochan wasnt trying to be sus when he tucked the photo into his pocket but this moment the first time i watched it was very 'HOLY FUCK THEYRE KEEPING SECRETS FROM EACHOTHER OHH THE INTRIGUE OHHH MY GOD" which i suppose is something the seitokai do in this season later!

I just remember when this was coming out feeling so much unbridled joy from how cheesy this season is - it gave me so much serotonin LMAO

Ata as a little kid with his black bob makes me insane - wym he had a slutty black bob as an elementary schooler??????

Serenity you already said this but I must reiterate that it is WILD that Kyoata have eachother's contact info and seem to text often enough that its not strange for Kyotaro to text Ata out of the blue - they deffo arent nearly as estranged as Kinatsu were

Episode 5 (CW: discussion of eating disorders and weight stigma)

We have now entered what I think of as the 4-episode lull of HK where the episodes dont hit as hard - not bad in any sense but theyre just not as iconic as 1-4 or 9-12

*midori gets up on their soapbox*

I have a lot of thoughts about Maasa. I dont normally have such a strong headcanon for a character - but their whole arc feel so strongly to me like the story of a trans person who has a lot of complicated feelings about their body. While that's CLEARLY not what the writers intended it is how I choose to interpret their character bc 1. i have to put my dirty trans hands on everything and 2. to me - Maasa's story is uncomfortable and poorly written otherwise

some context: I have a lot of Complicated Feelings about weight stigma/body image and spend FARRR too much time learning about the science of dieting and eating disorders, so naturally I am gonna take this episode WAY more seriously than intended - youve been warned LOL

While my bar for anime is extremely low, I am pleasantly surprised at how this ep handles talking about weight with the exception of Maasa's diet. It has always looked explicitly like disordered eating - full restriction of fats/sugars is Very extreme and dangerous, and completely goes against the 'as long as you're healthy' sentiment the episode promotes - I take issue with that mindset anyway bc 1. why should only 'healthy' people have bodies that are excused from criticism/ridicule and 2. who gets to decide what 'healthy' looks like? does healthy imply thinness? to some people, yes! But regardless, extremely restrictive diets aren't 'healthy' anyway, so no dice there, HK.

And Ata is right! People do resent those who represent the opposite of their greatest fears! The implication here being that most people's greatest fear is being fat - and therefore bully the guy who will absolutely never be fat. While I dont think anyone should bully anyone about their body, this messaging makes fatness out to be the enemy in a way that I'm not in love with :/ This ep doesn't address the relentless, institutionally-ordained negative messaging that people receive about fat bodies, which definitely fuels the need on a personal level to bite back at those who those messages dont apply to - not an excuse of course, but a much-needed explanation.

It just feels strange that the episode that is saying 'dont bully this guy because his body is a certain way' is also saying 'we support your decision to make everyone in the school fat because it's your greatest fear and youre lashing out at your peers because of it' ? I know, I know, it's not that deep, the writers weren't thinking about this shit.

*midori steps down from their soapbox*

i love the detail of Taishi wiping the steam off his glasses

now i want ramen T_T

Episode 6

Ata's umbrella has always FASCINATED me - bc i think the writers were just making him seem overly-fancy, but it reads gothic lolita??? So is he a prep or a goth??? what does he dress like outside of school??!?!? I must know!!!!!!

Taishi recites fun facts to self-soothe

Umbrella guy is me trying to make conversation at work lmao

It's interesting that Taiju and Maasa are taken aback by Ata talking about not wanting to carry the 'umbrellas of commoners', maybe theres a bit of Furanui's influence in there? and it's not normal for him to think like that?

LMAOOO I forgot about the bit with Nanao distracting umbrella guy, thats such a good bit

Ata 'likes spending time at home' PERFECT for my headcanon that he has social anxiety

Taiju wanting to stay longer bc Ata's not leaving bc he's worried Ata is taking this whole thing too seriously and needs to babysit a bit longer

'its hard to care when it's raining' PERFECT for my headcanon that Kyotaro has depression

I project a lot on these characters if you couldnt tell

[ironmanstan]

i do have the experience every time ive picked an identity and settled on it where im like “plsss let this be right so i dont have to change this again” bc it is kind of annoying to switch the phrasing for myself in my mind (demigirl, bi/pan agender guy, vaguely queer gay man, genderfluid aroace) but i think the constant uncertainty/change is kind of a key thing to what i am and i need to let it be. i think about it when i read any lesbian media bc i end up identifying sooo so much with it and i will for so long after be like yeah i was wrong this is it im a lesbian.

the thing with that though and with a lot of my aroaceness is i share the sentiments and the way i experience and see the world but a lot of that comes from a very different root from other ppl in the groups i share them with, and u can argue it doesnt matter and its semantics but those semantics leave me feeling fundamentally disconnected when you do get down to it. i dont like women (or anyone) in a romantic/sexual sense at all but i do have strong feelings about ppl outside of whats platonic. i have an especially odd relationship w asexuality bc it ends up being mixed up with the fact i have ptsd (and subsequently gets anger mixed in) and the mishmash of libido, repulsion, sensory shit and the attraction i Do feel. i didnt even realize i was aromantic for so long and the way i express care for others is an active thing im constantly thinking about and often struggling with because of being neurodivergent and just not having experience to guide how to act or what to do or to help decipher what i want or why i feel anything.

i have this constant aversion to being interpreted romantically not entirely bc of repulsion like with asexuality but because im already struggling to get across some niche thing that i can barely explain and if im pushed into that box then ive completely fallen off of the line im trying to balance on. a lot of things i also still hold in my head as possibilities not because i necessarily want or crave them at all but its morbid curiosity and wanting to understand why other people do crave them (like kissing for example) and wanting to experience them as an experiment more than anything but also to see if i get something out of them even if its different from what everyone else looks for (as is the case with everything else i do) but i still have reservations about a lot of them (i guess i dont know specifically why? my friends kiss my face and i dont see it as a huge thing but i still havent done it. i cant ever tell if its because of disgust, or a fear of the social consequence, or some part of me that holds reverence for these things, or maybe i do find value/sentiment in the action and my want to play out any experiment feels like it betrays the part of me that would want to do them out of genuine emotion even if it is non romantic/sexual [maybe even moreso because if i betray that then im viewing my feelings as lesser and something to walk over and ignore just because they arent the typical motivations youd expect]) and end up never pursuing that curiosity because im compromising any satisfaction i might get

[broodsys]

little fandom vent on here instead of my sideblog bc. well. i have too many followers over there akjfjsklf. no detailed game info tho!

without getting into the weeds about it, i am just Really disappointed in the response to veilguard

like every individual has all the right in the world to hate the game and loudly talk about how much they hate it, ofc. it's their blog. i love it beyond reason but not everyone does! and i'm not condemning any one person or anything

it's just sad to see at a broad, generalized level. for a lot of reasons, but the biggest for me is that this game was very intentional in its diversity and its messaging. and it really is a product of this moment; a deliberately queer, neurodivergent, diverse game published - in part - as a response to increasing fascism and rn transphobia in particular

idk. i guess the critiques and condemnations end up feeling a little... tactless to me

they aren't, i get that. again, everyone has the right to feel how they want and post what they want. it's just that it is such a big part of the "fan"base right now that it feels kinda inescapable. either ppl are posting critiques or they're posting responses to critiques (i am guilty of this too! it gets frustrating and the urge to vent and seek out like-minded ppl is Strong...) or ppl comment on your fucking positive posts with critiques

and again. it is fine. it is. my comment is only expressing disappointment at how wide-spread these sentiments are. but it can end up feeling like ppl are missing the forest to nitpick the trees

and it's not like tumblr is some super-secret clubhouse. anyone can search through common tags once they know what to look for. devs can - although they shouldn't, and i'd hope they'd know better than to go looking - but so can companies who are debating about the economic feasibility of adding in a more diverse cast. so can writers - professional or otherwise - who are debating about adding more diversity to their works. and they can see firsthand how the hammer comes down hard on more diverse media

it came out last halloween. that feels like a long time for haters to still be this active and involved, and a short time to have totally sailed past the inherent value of the game and its representation - coming from a triple-a studio, and from a dev team with multiple queer people on it

like. idk. i've never gotten into critiquing shit but is it really so important to share and post.... not to sound totally naive and childish, but can't we just not talk about games we aren't into? personally, i find that easy to do! idk! i'm happier not focusing on things that did disappoint me. most ppl don't even know media i dislike bc i have absolutely no desire to talk about it! ever!

and ik ik, critique is important. it's part of analysis. all that. i'm just tired. and i'm tired of the scale of it all, although i understand, logically, that the angriest voices are often the loudest and are disproportionately represented and not actually indicative of reality

but the reality is i'm still so fucking tired

[cainightfics]

your canadian right? how are you feeling about the canada vs america stuff rn? (sorry for that by the way. as an american)

hmm yeah... i mean to be honest this is the kind of stuff i expect rn in terms of where the world is at materially. i get the sense world leaders have clued in to the fact that climate change is unfixable and its effects are already here, so theyve opted to go the barbarism route (in terms of the ol' socialism vs barbarism at times of crisis question). i expect regional conflicts to get worse as states scramble to grab up dwindling natural resources before they're gone. an intensification of conflicts over colonial borders (israel and palestine is the obvious one, and its clear by how israel is moving into syria and testing other borders that they intend to take over the region, but india vs pakistan and their ongoing skirmishes over the river is another that will intensify with climate change) will continue to get worse.

anti immigrant and anti refugee rhetoric will also grow increasingly violent as worsening climates push people north—you're already seeing this in europe and america, and its why far right parties are running on great replacement conspiracy theory campaigns. helps that theyre backed by billionaires like musk, too, who's well known for using government resources to strong arm other countries into giving him mining rights, and also ripping off taxpayers. his support for trump is similar to his support for the AfD. its easy for the working class to be whipped into a nationalistic froth over immigration because its an easily noticeable thing that can be pointed to as the reason for unemployment, worsening economies, social change etc. theyre ideal scapegoats.

i also predicted trump was going to win last year so i am equally not shocked about any of this in the american context. there was tariff bullshit and economic coercion after he won in 2016, too. i worked at a hardware store at the time and i can remember how the lumber industry was immediately fucked. its actually funny asf bc the trade deals hes currently yapping on about being detrimental to america are ones he negotiated during his last presidency lmfao.

anti-american sentiment in canada is really nothing new and to people who live here its very standard. on polls we rank the second most anti-american nation and have for a long time. for all of the ways canada is equally as evil as america, there also remains the fact that canadians are both economically and militarily imprisoned by america. i personally grew up near an american military base and there was widespread hatred for the soldiers amongst the locals. moreover, americas foreign policy is wildly unpopular here (hence official lack of support for the vietnam war, and the cuban embargo). the constant threats of invasion are another huge factor. americans are a massively war-hungry people and will clamour for any chance to talk about invading or bombing a country so thats nothing new.

i find it kind of funny how precious americans are getting about lOsInG tHeIr NeIgHbOuR because ppl here already have not liked them for a long time??? i think anti-american sentiment has become more vocal over the past few months, but it has always existed. the tariffs are a drop in the bucket. i personally find nationalism of all kinds stupid and dangerous, so the accompanying canadian nationalism makes me roll my eyes. i am not a fan of my own country, to say the least.

i think its probable in coming years that america will invade canada, if nothing else for the fresh water, lumber, potash, power plants etc. the american people will support an invasion once drought begins to impact them more severely; it really will be an us or them situation. i dont really see a reality where the average american opposes invasion on moral grounds when the alternative is failing crops and dry taps. the american (western in general, but especially american) lifestyle is propped up on comforts robbed by neocolonialism, slavery, military invasions, and cia puppet governments giving them cheap oil, produce, clothing, technology, and small luxuries. if people already dont care about that, they definitely wont care about it happening again for something as necessary as water or potash.

the benefit of whats been going on the past few months is that it has GREATLY diminished the power of the far right here. people are seeing what that has done to america, and so liberal support has risen in canada. our old prime minister, trudeau, stepped down last week, and has been replaced by a new liberal candidate, carney, who is growing in popularity. there are obviously huge problems with that as well, but in terms of harm reduction, better carney than poilievre. not that i particularly love carney or the liberal party lmfao but it is what it is. the things i want to happen or would want in a leader will never come to pass. a genuine socialist threat has not existed for a long time and honestly i dont see it realistically happening anytime soon in the west

[comtessacrow]

I was tagged by the amazing @softzosan love her sm CHECK OUT HER FICS THEYRE WONDERFUL

20 questions for fic writers!

how many works do you have on ao3?

a teeny tiny 2 haha. While I've been involved in fandom for a good chunk of my life, I didn't start writing until fairly recently. my current writing process is less than ideal but I have lots of ideas and WIPs! Creative writing is well beyond the scope of what I regularly do, so writing fic is a fun exercise in broadening my horizons.

what's your total ao3 word count?

a slim 9,411

what are your top five fics by kudos?

Previously established that I currently have a whopping 2 posted works BUT my zosan has more than my vashwood

what fandoms do you write for?

Currently, I've posted for Trigun and One Piece. I have some more One Piece and Trigun and a dash of Jujutsu Kaisen floating in the ether (my notes app), as well as a Good Omens fic I might return to at some point, and I've toyed with some House MD and New Girl.

do you respond to comments? why or why not?

absotutely. I laurv a comment on any platform.

what's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Vashwood for sure has the most ambiguous edging into potentially angsty ending. Like its source material. I'm such a sucker for Trigun angst.

what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Well naturally it's the zosan. All conflict resolved by the end how wonderful.

do you get hate on fics?

girl not to my knowledge

do you write smut?

hell yeah and I quite enjoy it. Will not be stopping any time soon that's for sure.

do you write crossovers?

I toyed with one but nothing posted!

have you ever had a fic stolen?

no clue but prolly not

have you ever had a fic translated?

I WISH. I have a friend that's fluent in Mandarin I should ask her hehe

have you ever cowritten a fic before?

I'm working on two!! With two of my most wonderful friends! I'm tagging them at the bottom of this post bc I know neither of them have done this but keep your eyes peeled for some One Piece collabs teehee

what's your all time favourite ship?

ummmmmmm. I can say that percabeth was the first ship I was ever serious about and was my gateway to fandom. Bubbline has a very sweet spot in my heart, but I actually can't say for certain what my absolute fave is because my brain has serious zosan fog atm.

what's the wip you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

def the good omens one

what are your writing strengths?

I personally find that I'm more confident in my editing or betaing than I am my own writing. Creative writing is something I've never been super strong in, I'm much more suited for academic writing and it's also something I enjoy. But! I want to write more fic! I want to become more confident in my ability to write fiction and be able to do that alongside helping other people with theirs.

what are your writing weaknesses?

I cannot for the life of me get myself to write long form right now. It's something I'm working towards, but the major thing is after a bit I definitely become frustrated or resentful of my writing. Which is funny because. I'm the one that wanted to do it lmao.

thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I could do Spanish! as long as we're talking Mexican or Puerto Rican dialects.

first fandom you wrote for?

technically Justice League when I was a wee child. I was absolutely OBSESSED with the 2001-2004 animated series and wrote a self-insert for free write in elementary school.

favourite fic you've ever written?

There are things I enjoy about both of my posted works and my WIPs but I think it's the Vashwood. Not because it's particularly good, but because of sentimentality.

off the tippy top of my head I would be oh so curious to see how my homies @oldbagofteeth and @blanketsmakemesafe would answer these but absolutely feel free to participate if you see this!