#but more so what makes for a genuinely good story (aka conflict!!)

[teagrammy]

Just saw a (recommended) post cross my dash hoping Colin is going to be more upset about Pen “writing bad things about herself” than the actual tangible things she’s done to people… be fucking for real please

[ihaveforgortoomany]

What a Sonetto and Vertin "breakup" would look like (aka the Foundation finally forcing Sonetto to choose Vertin or the Foundation)

(Aka I will start throwing random fic ideas to people here in hope more fics are written for R1999, and because Im better at anaylsis than writing a coherent story with dialogue lol)

A running theory of sorts Ive had for a while in terms of main story (global friendly btw) is the critical point in Vertin and Sonetto's relationship, that at one point Sonetto will be forced to choose between Vertin and the Foundation. It is inevitable that Vertin's quest for the truth of the Storm, her mother and desire to save as many people from the Storm will and has come into conflict with the wishes of the Foundation - as seen in Book 3 with the Reformation Bill.

So what will finally cause such a dire situation to force Sonetto into such a situation? @sleeplesssmoll brought this idea that its Vertin that creates this tension, taking a path even the loyal puppy cannot fathom to follow and default to the Foundation. I would wager the Manus will present an offer so beneficial to Vertin that she will eventually side or at the very least need to partner with the Manus for a bit. Much to the surprise of everyone.

(Lets say on a critical mission either Sophia or FMN present a particular good offer to Vertin, a solution where very risky in Vertin's eyes may be the solution she is looking for - maybe the opportunity to save reversed individuals or a way to bring them back, the only thing stopping Vertin accepting on the spot is her being called away by fighting against Manus forces. Still the offer still stands)

What exactly? Maybe it is information about the Storm (we know so far either the Foundation or the Manus know the full intent of the Storm, only finding ways to benefit from it. And yes the Foundation does benefit from the Storm, Ill talk about this at a later point). Alongside this Manus proposal the Foundation has started to crack down on Vertin, pressuring her for more results and attempting in every way to limit her actions - this pressure starts becoming very intense on Vertin, even with Madam Z's aid her workload is needlessly increasing and borderline impossible to stop. We dont know who the White Marble House is, only that they are the ultimate power in the Foundation - maybe it is them holding all the secrets to Vertin's past that they choose to hide.

What I am getting at is a situation where the Foundation no longer benefits Vertin, instead is just detrimental that this starts to waver her alr shakey relationship with the Foundation. Less and less (in small ways) does she comply to their wishes the more the Foundation (mainly Constantine) look to pressure Sonetto into doing something about it.

Sonetto slowly (but noticeably) starts to question Vertin, Constantine's influence does have a large impact on Sonetto, making her second guess herself and her confidence (Book 3 gaslighting). Sure Vertin doesn't mind Sonetto's questions, she loves to answer Sonetto's inquires about the outside world but recently the questions have been ... concerning.

Questioning her goals, is what she is doing even correct; all framed as Sonetto's genuine concern but unconsciously laced with Constantine's influence enough for Vertin to feel pressure on all sides.

Until suddenly something happens, big enough for Vertin to finally express her frustration at everything, the Foundation refusing to cooperate with her as before, this feeling of a bottleneck hold growing tighter and tighter until now she cannot simply brush aside and bottle down. This spirals out in a mission in a cave, maybe alongside Foundation operatives under Constantine that start to question Vertin's leadership, where Sonetto can do nothing to help.

(Its hard to write Vertin actually voicing her frustration)

An argument might break between Sonetto and Vertin, not a full on screaming match of course, but a noticeable outcry of frustration at Sonetto, Constantine and the Foundation - at how every time Vertin suddenly gains ground or takes a step towards the truth the Foundation finds ways to circumvent this progress under the mantra "For the Good of Mankind". Maybe Vertin finally does voice this frustration at Sonetto just accepting everything, a crack in that Timekeeper facade Vertin always holds - all the signs are there Sonetto, why can't you see? Or rather why don't you see the world with your own eyes? Not clouded by Foundation dogma but truly your own eyes?

At this point Vertin chooses to go with the Manus, recreating that scene in the Breakaway (will some of the suitcase follow her? I wouldn't think so, many join Vertin due to their grievances with the Manus). Sonetto is finally ordered to restrain Vertin against their wishes - and Sonetto with only a moment hesitation begins her attack.

(I really do like fight scenes in fics huh?)

Vertin only can outsmart Sonetto here, Sonetto isn't the Foundation's failsafe for her without good reason. Maybe she fakes Sonetto greatly injuring her to incapacitate her temporarily. Enough to run away and create distance, through the collapsing of the cave they are in. @sleeplesssmoll brought up an idea that Sonetto says a line that mirrors the one she said in Book : "It was the pleasure to be your Chief Assistant, Vertin".

(Thoughts? Feel free to run with this and make something out of it, and feel free to run any ideas with me about this)

(I have a couple ideas of scenarios running around I might throw here, its a mixed bag between angst and fun, ill post them eventually)

[lesbianstarwarss]

thoughts on the agatha all along finale and what i wouldve preferred. my issues with the writing, the agathario relationship (or lack thereof) and the sudden focus on billy. SPOILERS AHEAD

about rio, i LOVE aubrey plaza's acting and acting choices of course, but i had an issue with the complete 180 she did. but i'll get into more the more i talk about agathario my big issue with agathario was that it didn't feel like a satisfying way to end their storyline.

at the beginning, we see agatha and rio on angry terms, and rio is ready to kill her. we learn that they are at odds. but when she joins the witches's road, we go on to see that she DOES still care about her, and agatha still cares back.

we have lots of proof that they still care about each other (interviews for example) but most evident in this scene. rio STOPS a kiss because she doesnt want agatha to kiss her unless she wants to.

as the audience we're supposed to hope that when they kiss it'll be because they found resolution in the conflict that stopped the first kiss (nicky) but that's.. not what happened?

she refuses to kiss her until she tells her the whole truth about billy. this seems like its intended for the audience to start hoping that when they DO kiss it'll be on GOOD terms since this was the thing that pulled them apart.

at the beginning of the show the characters are in two different places. agatha's fatal flaw is untrusting of others, and rio's fatal flaw is she put duty above love (aka nicky). so naturally i would come to think that the good ending would be these storylines being resolved

what i WOULDVE preferred was for both of these fatal flaws to be confronted. agatha needs to learn to trust and love again and rio needs to put duty above all else. more on agatha later. for now let me explain why it fell short with rio's writing.

the show paints rio as REGRETFUL of taking nicky. including going far enough to say that agatha and taking nicky was a SCAR in her existence. a satisfying ending wouldve involved her coming to terms with this and doing something to resolve this

in my opinion, i didnt like the total 180 rio seemed to make in the finale. shes no longer regretful. she wants billy so bad that she takes agatha as payment. the only "regret" we see here is her tears

and while i do understand its her JOB and she has to take a life PERSONALLY the more satisfying ending to me wouldve been rio proving her love and letting billy and agatha go. this wouldve resolved her story, while also keeping the "she is my scar"'s emotional impact.

having rio not only take agatha but having her turn into a ghost is a weird writing choice (rio hates ghosts) when their relationship is clearly so fundamental to the story. it almost feels like rio totally turned off her emotions in search of vengeance.

as much as i loved the kiss, my issue with is it that it does NOT feel like proper payoff after their first kiss. rio stops their first kiss because she wants their real kiss to be genuine. and then agatha kisses her to die it just... felt off to me?? it didn't feel like payoff.

it really really bothers me how rio's whole storyline and conflict is that she chose duty over love and she does the same thing in the end. there is no character development for her.

they made rio SO HUMAN but in the end she acted like DEATH. they erased so much of her that felt human and instead of a complex, three dimensional character, we were left with a normal marvel cartoonish villain.

my next big issue is the salem flashbacks and the lack of agathario. i don't like how we're supposed to buy into their relationship as so strong that LITERAL DEATH calls her her scar yet there's like... no salem agathario content? i just didnt like that

moving on. agatha's storyline is to learn to love and trust people. therefore i DO think that her becoming billys mentor was a good writing choice. but i had issues with her death and how she became a mentor! read on for more

for starters, i have issues with her death because of what i said above about it feeling out of place with agathario. i also, despite her being ghost, take issue with burying your gays for obvious reasons.

but most significantly i think that her death scene couldve been achieved WITHOUT her dying. agatha's storyline througout the show is to learn to trust again, to love, and to let billy in as her second son. we need to achieve that by having her choose him.

the show had her choose him by sacrificing herself. now i think this couldve been accomplished without her dying? as i said above, IF RIO HAD BEEN WRITTEN DIFFERENTLY, and she had CHOSEN to let them go the same thing wouldve been achieved.

consquently they also couldve killed agatha off and had rio bring her back to life which woudlve accompished a) rio character development and b) agatha choosing billy

witches road: didnt like that it was fake. while i understand why it was it rlly bothered me that it sort of felt like it was invalidating the entire road sequences. i hated that.

finally, it rlly bothered me how billy became lead character. i love billy. hes interesting. i dont like that they killed agatha to make her basically his sidekick. if you're gonna kill agatha and make billy yhe main characrer basically??? BFFR!

anyway thats basically all my thoughts. in conclusion: as a rio and agathario stan i did not like it. as a marvel stan it wasnt bad. but i am not happy for sure and wouldve changed some things thanks for reading!

[oorusandei]

An Analysis: The Beast-Yeast Update + White Lily, AKA What Could’ve Been

Crossposted on the Youtube video of White Lily’s release in a fanatical comment. Will do the same here, only longer and more detailed, for the White Lily stans (around 5 total)

For the people who don’t get the lore and/or White Lily’s character, I made a very long explanation and analysis. (The Literature student in me couldn’t resist.) Scroll to the very bottom for short summary.

From what I can tell from this video, Whire Lily seems to have been in some sort of coma or unconscious state. This is likely because she fell into the Ultimate Dough and most of her consciousness was reincarnated into her “evil” form Dark Enchantress Cookie. However, the part of her that is pure and good is trapped in the glass coffin shown, and she’s trying to gather her essence to stay awake for as long as possible. She needs “life powder” to escape, so she can only remain in the coffin if no one else sacrifices themself. Faerie King did make the necessary sacrifice, thankfully, and she’s escaped with the intent of repenting for her sins as her alter ego, Dark Enchantress. Then, it’s revealed that an even darker and more dangerous force has awakened: Shadow Milk Cookie, the first Fallen Hero and Pute Vanilla’s counterpart. Seems like the Fallen Heroes are all counterparts to the Ancients. The Ancients and the Fallen Heroes have the same essence (Truth, Happiness, etc) but things went awry some time along the way, turning them evil.

Looking deeper into it, White Lily is a good example of “same goal, different choices, different story”. Perhaps she, like the Fallen Heroes, had the same fate, but she was at least able to preserve her last bits of goodness. She is my favorite Ancient because the conflict happens internally and not externally. Basically, she’s fighting another version of herself. And the interesting part is, it shows that anything can be “good” or “evil”. You could also say that she’s a morally gray character who could go either way, and this created 2 personas: White Lily and Dark Enchantress. You ever read an “Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence” fanfic? This is exactly what happened. Both of them want to seek the truth. It is only the actions they took (and will take) that differ, and what makes them so different from each other. It is why White Lily’s soul split into two. White Lily wants to seek the truth to help Cookiekind: improving stamina and attempting to bake a perfect Cookie, while Dark Enchantress has gone rogue in her quest for and obsession with the truth, firmly believing that Cookies are made to be eaten. It’s noted that this destroyed her character fundamentally, and is ultimately what turned her evil. I like to think that she herself was the reason behind her descent into madness and villainy, not the Ultimate Dough.

Back to the update. Did anyone notice that the Fallen Heroes each have their own corner, or nation, on the map of Beast-Yeast? If we look at the parallels between the Ancients and the Fallen Heroes, we can see a pattern: the Fallen Heroes are direct rivals of the Ancients. If I recall correctly, Pure Vanilla represents kindness, and sincerity (at least he does in my eyes). Shadow Milk is written as a trickster, as someone who likes pranks and doesn’t take anything seriously, the opposite of the genuine Pure Vanilla.

Also, I love PureLily. Don’t hate on PureCacao or anything. Just putting it out there that they were childhood friends turned almost lovers turned enemies to almost lovers again (?) in the coming update, and I’m really hyped. My favorite trope.

I’m honestly impressed that a Cookie gacha game has such intricate lore. Looking forward to this update a lot, the 3 year wait was worth it.

TL:DR: White Lily is in a glass coffin and needs Life Powder to get out. Faerie King sacrifices himself. Evil awakens in the tree as Faerie King’s magic is no longer active: aka Shadow Milk Cookie, first of the Fallen Heroes in the preview and counterpart to Pure Vanilla, similar to what Dark Enchantress is to White Lily.

[backroomskokichi]

I LOVE ALL YOUR AUs!! I wanna make my own but I always get stuck with turning my ideas and concepts into an actual cohesive story. You don’t have to answer ofc but I’d greatly appreciate the advice.

Hope ur having a good day, keep up the awesome work!!

Iii oomg so sorry I’m like between falling asleep and staying awake rn

Anyways uhh how I make my AUs and turn them into stories is such a weird process literally most of my AU thoughts n story ideas play in movies in my head during class butttt here’s some tips if you’re genuinely interested in storytelling from me

Kobis AU Variations : ahem

1. Steal the story, change the characters 💀

If you know me, I’m so unoriginal PLEASE you know the man in the suit? I took the main plot line bro. The only things I’ve changed are little parts in between of what happened before and after the main events happened surrounding around what the characters would do in the situation and so on

A very good example of this type of AU creation is my “ouma snaps AU” it’s quite literally the movie Ginger snaps but different characters. I’m not worried, I don’t get copyrighted soo :3

2. Mish-mash (aka taking inspiration from different plot lines and making it relatively different so it’s your own plot line)

This is one used for many of my AUs if not the first one because all I do is sit around and imagine scenarios with my favorite characters idk why I get so much attention for it but here we are

A good example of mish mash is my AU “Kokichi your co-workers a monster” btw it IS a fanfiction it just hasn’t been worked on in a few months.. I need to work on it.. but anyway It started out with me thinkjnf of a monster design now *I* don’t come to monster designs they usually tend to pop in my head and I suddenly have a super fun vision I want to draw out , this is what happened with that AU. I made a prompt actually,

“Kokichi your co-workers a monster! But he’s in love with you” after that video I made , people kept asking for more of the AU and asking for a fanfiction so I decided to say, well yeah sure!

I started brainstorming the backgrounds, the people, the main areas, what big things would happen (plot points), and beyond that.

For this AU in particular I chose a boat cruise where Kokichi and his friends decide to work on a cruise for the summer. (summery)

Turns out there’s a new waitress on the ship who most definitely likes Kokichi and wants to hang out with him more! (something that changes and turns the story)

Although, the murders on the boat have all been his doing and it would truly be a shame if Kokichi found out it was him all along. (Irony + conflict)

CONFLICT is a hugge thing when it comes to stories. especially at the beginning, when your character is trying to go somewhere, and anything that has hopes or dreams that need to be destroyed to be replenished again (or not)

Idk if this helped or not this was mostly a rant more than anything but it’s how I make AUs

[fuckmeyer]

hey bestie i'm finally here with that essay about jacob fighting for bella's humanity w/o being a love interest bc the potential that has! he's set up to be the perfect avenue for it! he's the warmth and sun that she loved from arizona; he's the community and family she could be deeply enmeshed in w/ charlie and billy; he's a childhood friend who grew up (which bella's going to lose the potential to do if she becomes a vampire! and she's going to forget that past!); he's someone who fixes up old damaged cars instead of having perfect ones, and they aren't the *same* but they're still good...he's literally thematically everything best abt being human that bella will lose, AND examples of the negatives she sees in humanity, (all the times she thinks abt how the wolves are fragile in comparison to the vampires)...and it would just be SO fascinating to see that played out w/out the romance. it would honestly be even more powerful! bc baked into smeyer's worldbuilding is that vampires prioritize their romantic partners above everything else and having jacob be the true contrast to that where he's a platonic connection that bella genuinely values equally and she has to think abt how becoming a vampire would cut her off from the potential of connections like that!!! i am thinking so many thoughts

BESTIE thank you as always for dropping the Jacob love in my inbox!

you're so right about Jacob being the perfect avenue to explore Bella's doubt about vampirism! the warmth & family & community & LOVE & acceptance & nostalgia she loves about humanity is all embodied in Jacob's character & in their relationship. she likes hand-me-downs & homemade gifts! she likes acts of service! she likes reckless stunts that remind her of her own fragility & weakness! she likes warm sodas & spaghetti dinners! she likes being reminded that she belongs somewhere! & THIS IS JACOB <3

the fact that their relationship isn't utilized to this end (or any end, really) is my biggest problem with Eclipse. Bella drops little hints in the narrative that she's nervous about becoming a vampire. there are so many opportunities— e.g. when Rose tells her story— for her to reflect on what she's giving up.

in the end, she doesn't sum up the argument in a compelling way & doesn't make her choice in a believable way.

in part because the event that kicks off her grand realization that she's not ready (AKA THE CONFLICT OF HER ENTIRE SERIES ARC) is ...graduation

big life event as a catalyst seems to make sense. but how relevant is it to her narrative? & once it's brought up, we don't we see her digging into why she's nervous. what about saying goodbye makes her not ready? what about getting what she wants terrifies her? what does she need to sort through? what plans does she need to make? we're left to wonder what's running through Bella's mind re: the biggest decision of the series...in a first person narrative. no!!!

Jacob, who embodies all these ideals of her humanity, should be the one to push her to this realization. the climax of her internal conflict should be focused around him: losing him physically/emotionally (or both), & everything he represents. there is so much weight that her relationship with Jacob adds to her choice if she's allowed to love him and Edward unconditionally! as a romantic interest, all Jacob's doing is pushing her away.

(& that's why this whole fucking triangle makes no sense. he loves her so much he remembers her from early childhood. he loves her so much he'll sit there for months & pick up her broken pieces. he loves her so much he'll spend every moment just doing silly little hobbies together. he loves her so much he wants to fight for her humanity "until her heart stops beating" AND EVEN AFTER. but he doesn't love her enough to respect her choices or opinions? he doesn't love her enough to know that by being an asshole, he's pushing her closer to death? imo this is where we see stephie's grubby hands moving pieces. Jacob loves her more than he's in love with her.)

& so, because the "i'm not ready" realization is tied to something Bella doesn't give a shit about, the realization that she is ready is equally empty

what makes her decide she's ready to become a vampire is GUILT & FEAR & ANGUISH. she's "ready" to become a vampire because she feels weak & useless. worse, this realization is not touched on as the event (the training sesh) unfolds. she has this realization OFF-PAGE & then shows up to Edward's proposal like "yeah i'm ready to become a vampire but first i wanna fuck :)"

& we're supposed to buy that? girl, you resolved nothing internally. you didn't show us what changed for you. you're making this decision out of fear instead of out of love. & we're supposed to believe this is what little miss "thoughtful & responsible" wants???

it's such a blatant disregard to all the growth she went through & the relationships she developed. you can't just turn Jacob in a fucking asshole & turn the choice into a non-choice & call it day. Jacob deserves better, Bella deserves better, & the readers deserve better!!

MAKE 👏 EVERYONE 👏 SUFFER👏👏👏

(in the name of love!)

[cognitiveafflatus]

whos ur favorite danganronpa character from each of the games (ultra despair girls as well)

Sure, I can do this. Starting with Trigger Happy Havoc, obviously it's Kyoko. I love that girl so much, she's both cute and sharp as a knife, which, really, what more can you ask for in a character? I also love how her arc is about learning that people care about her and letting people in and stuff. One of my favorite types of character arcs. Seeing her finally, really trust people and realize that everything her father had done was for her benefit (to some degree) was awesome. She's even got some interesting stuff going on in the side material, which is great. Mukaro probably would've been a possible rival to her... if 90% of her appearances weren't in her Junko costume, and most of her original interactions stemming from exactly one side novel. She's such a cool character but she is literally the first to die so, she loses points for that, sadly.

We'll go timeline chronologically, so next up would be Ultra Despair Girls, and, let's be honest, there's only like 3 valid choices; Toko, Komaru, and Nagito. I really want to pick Toko, because I really do think she is the best character in UDG and the one who developed the most, and I enjoy her arc the most, but at the end of the day she is a Trigger Happy Havoc character who got DLC. So obviously, it defaults to Komaru, since she's the only one of those three unique to Ultra Despair Girls (as a full character at least), which I mean, it makes sense! Komaru is an awesome character, and her arc is fantastic. Learning to be her own person and to go beyond her limits as a "normal" person and to unlearn her own helplessness is great. Plus, she's really not normal at all. She's such a freak. I love her. Also why is she green. Funny green woman.

As much as I'd want to pick, say, Chiaki here, as much as I love her, she's not that deep of a character in all actuality, and The End of Hope's Peak (aka the anime) kind of butchers her even further, but if we're being honest, the best character in Goodbye Despair is obvious. It's fucking Nagito Komaeda. Good ol' fingers in his ass man. Who the fuck else would it be. He's the best character in the series; he practically carried my run of Ultra Despair Girls. He's just got so much going on. He IS Danganronpa, at its core. More than Junko, more than Makoto. He embodies what the entire series encapsulates in a microcosm. Believing in people despite everything, the conflict of hope and despair, the lying and deceit of the blackened, and even the weird ass innuendos (usually with Hajime). Also he married Sans. How could he not be my favorite.

Last, but certainly not least, Danganronpa V3 (sorry i havent even watched the anime or care about it really beyond it seeming to be pretty bad). I, uh.... hm. This is actually really hard to choose; I adore Kaede but she barely has any characterization or events in the game, so she's sadly getting the Mukaro Penalty. At least she gets to be herself for the whole game. Also, I love Miu, but most of what we know comes from very hard to find information, and most of the time she's actually genuinely a bit obnoxious in the trials, and no one really tries to help her get better. Keebo is fun, and I like robots, but at the end of the day he's still kinda Robo-Makoto, and Makoto doesn't have a ton going on. His relationship with Miu is the peak aspect of his character until Keebo gets his upgrades (which is very similar to how I feel about Makoto/Kyoko), but the payoff to that is just the audience surrogate twist which is... fine, I guess? Danganronpa has still sort of failed to deliver on a satisfying "robots are people too" story since most of their robots are/become the butt of a joke. Or die. Or both. So I guess that really just leaves Maki and Shuichi. And they're very close but... much like Kaede I have a bias for Shuichi just because I think the two of them are both very cute, so I'd probably go with him. (Even though I think Maki is the better character writing wise, I just have a bias.) He's also, unsurprisingly, an extremely compelling character even if I have gripes with the final trial in V3 and his role in it at times. Having a protagonist with an actual character arc is good, having him be conflicting about his detective work is actually incredibly unique in DR, if not just in general, his motivation with Kaede is godtier, his interactions with Kaito and Maki are fantastic, and overall I just really like him. He is someone I enjoyed spending my time with.

So, yeah. Those are my thoughts on my favorite characters for each Danganronpa game.

[fraeuleintaka]

Investigations 2 Introductory Description

This is the 36th post in the Ace Attorney Investigations Collection Countdown: 45 days left until release!

Today's topic: the Introductory Description of Investigations 2!

I ADORE the tagline they chose for this game aka the absolute best game in the series because yes, it absolutely is "a turnabout like no other"! Couldn't imagine something more fitting for this masterpiece! Nothing else in the series comes close, not only to how epic the story is but also to the level of deductions Miles operates on here. All of the cases are beyond amazing, cases 3, 4 and 5 would all be final cases in any other game, and the "mastermind" is the only character on par with Miles on pure wits alone. "A crisis like no other, a turnabout like no other." really encapsulates all of that.

Interestingly, the first part of the introduction is focused not on the story but on new mechanics and other new stuff that comes with the game. Of course, they have to mention this being Miles' 2nd solo game and then they mention new characters, a new gameplay mechanic in "Mind Chess" (or Logic Chess in the fan translation) and an expansion on the old gameplay mechanic "Little Thief" from Investigations 1. That's especially interesting since the introduction to Investigations 1 didn't mention that gameplay mechanic but rather focused on the change from courtroom to crime scene in general. It makes total sense to highlight these things, I just find it interesting. Maybe because the rest of the website doesn't talk about these so they thought they'd tease them in the description at least?

The latter half talks about Miles' character arc and his central decision over the course of the story. I love this as a focal point. It's a very natural question for his character to ponder considering he initially became a prosecutor because of the trauma from his father's death. Asking himself if and how he wants to continue this path or if he should rather switch back to following in his father's footsteps is a great conflict that feels absolutely necessary for him so that whatever Miles ends up choosing is solely his personal decision and not forced by circumstances. Him thinking about this possibility is forced by circumstances, as the introduction mentions, his right to investigate crimes has been taken away referring to how Justine (Verity) constantly prevents him from investigating the crimes he comes across, threatening him with taking his prosecutor's badge away and forcing him to find alternative methods to get access. This in combination with Ray's (Eddie's) appearance is a good incentive for Miles to start thinking about this but I like that by the end when he makes his final decision the framing makes it clear that this pressure is gone and he is free to decide, it wouldn't feel as genuine otherwise. What his decision ends up being might be comparatively obvious, though the introduction of course frames it as a great source of suspense and mystery, but that's not all that important. Way more important is how Miles gets there and imo they absolutely nailed it! I also love that the introduction frames the question completely neutral, pursuing the truth as a prosecutor VS as a defense attorney, as it should be because one is not inherently better than the other (unlike some other games in the series might end up implying). Since Ray is the one who mainly brings up the question in the game he frames it in a biased way, which makes sense for him. In the end though, Miles and the overall narrative positions it as a decision between two equally viable options and I love that the introduction follows suit.

[trainingdummyrabbit]

✨ i dont know much about demon slayer, introduce me to it!

oh boy i can certainly try my best!! this will be somewhere between an Introduction and What I Like About It <33 so basically:

demon slayer is a manga/anime series set in taisho era japan (aka ~1910), revolving around a thousand year conflict between Demons, folklorish man-eating creatures turned from normal humans; and Demon Slayers, a secretive group of swordsmen sworn to protect humanity from this supernatural threat.

the story revolves around two siblings-- Tanjiro and Nezuko Kamado, and their struggle stumbling into this conflict after Nezuko is turned into a demon.

on paper, it's a pretty typical shounen anime-- a very straightfoward "good-vs-evil" plot with a heavy focus on swordfighting. however, in my eyes, its charm comes less from its actual in-present-text plot, and more on the sheer amount of love put into so many little details in so many places. i'll be keeping this as entry-level spoiler-free as i can, but i'll elaborate on a few of my personal favorite bits! under the cut:

Art Direction

Narrative Details

Characters

> Art Direction.

ill disclaim that i dont watch a Lot of anime-- in fact, this is pretty much. the Only anime i watch. but the art style + animation of this series is absolutely fucking Stunning. every single frame of it looks like it could be its own illustration, and this traditional brush-like line weight sticks around for the entirety of the show. not only this, but a lot of the sillier, more doodle-esque panels in the manga get translated into the anime, and it is insanely charming.

its ability to handle atmosphere and backgrounds is just as strong, and it only gets better the longer the show goes on. also, circling back to the line weight, there's a lot of effects like Fire and Rushing Water, and not only does that too carry the same lining style, but its constantly in motion. its genuinely such a treat to watch.

and god, the voice acting. (DISCLAIMER ive listened to both the english and japanese versions and Heavily Heavily prefer the japanese voice acting. i wont elaborate too much because this will get Long but you gotta trust me: youre gonna wanna pick the subbed version.) the voice actors do such a genuinely stunning job at both conveying their roles, and also conveying tone and emotion. demon slayer is a tragedy and jesus fucking christ do they fucking commit to it. if a character is crying, they are going to Cry. if they are screaming, they are going to fucking scream. it's very intense at times, but god is it so fucking good.

tanjiro's voice directing is just. [waves hands around] SO GOOD. he's described by another character to have "a sound so kind it makes you want to cry," and. shit dude! theyre right! he's got such a soft and kind inotation to his voice, and yet he still has the range to do [waves hand again] All The Rest Of That. AND THERE'S ONE ANTAGONIST. in season 2, there's a demon that has three entirely different voice tones, and it is genuinely chilling to hear them switch between them just. on the drop of a hat. you have to trust me. you are just going to have to trust me, its SO good.

> Narrative Details.

this one's A Lot. theres something about the tone of the story itself, the way it Carries itself and its relationship to its setting, that is just. so delightful to take in. it's got this weird split between the realistic/historical and the fantastical/mythological.

demons are real, pseudo-unkillable, oftentimes physically montrous, and possess nigh magical powers ranging from typical elemental effects to Pots That Eat You. however, they're also simultaneously staunchly stemmed in the Physical and Tangible-- theyre treated as entirely different species with entirely different biology. their abilities stem from their Blood-- as does their seeming immortality, which is a hypercharged version of cellular regeneration, needing to be fueled by their altered diet.

slayers are nigh-superhumanly powerful swordfighters with ridiculous amounts of physical strength and stamina, using techniques bedazzled with imagery of flames, thunder, rushing water. however, the biggest part of the series is focus on the training of demon slayers-- focus on breathing and allowing your body to function at peak efficiency-- sometimes even pushing past its typical limits-- each form of swordfighting having an entirely different physical execution. those that reach the highest levels of skill are able to practically conjure the look and feel of the elements their techniques are named after. hell, the focus on their swords is shockingly detailed as well!

its a delicate balance that is genuinely so much fun to watch and analyze-- in fact, some of the characters' looks are even given folklore-esque explanations for things like hair and eye color. it's delightful!

> Characters.

in my honest opinion, this is probably my favorite part of the entire series. there's so many things i could elaborate on, and it's all presented with such shocking simplicity! it all feels very genuine! they all, honestly, feel like People!

the character design is, comparatively, very simple. even so, so many of the characters remain genuinely iconic and easy to recognize at a glance.

and then, their actual characters. the way they act. This is the bit i love the most. aside from background characters and the such, there isn't any character that feels entirely one-note. the protagonists are genuinely so lovingly written, and theyre so so easy to get attached to. tanjiro is genuinely one of my absolute favorite protagonist characters, not just because of the way he is written, but the way that you get to see him Think and Grow. he's defined by his kindness, but is staunch in his motivations.

as well, demon slayer is very good with character introductions. it has this funny thing that it does where it introduces a character in such a way that makes you go ". am i supposed to like this one??" presenting them in an almost one-note stereotypical fashion, sometimes even in an antagonistic fashion-- but episodes down the line when the stakes raise their head, you look back and suddenly realize: oh god. i care about this fucker. if anything happens to them im going to actually cry.

its such an interesting way of introducing characters, especially the way it completely reframes the way a character Acts at any given moment in a way that makes them painfully human. you really start to feel for them!

all in all, the charm in demon slayer lies in its worldbuilding, its characters, and especially: its Themes. god i could go on for hours about the links between characters in regards to the themes it chooses to present and delve into, but. this is already long enough. but i'll just say: it handles all of these things ridiculously well.

what does it mean to lose yourself? how do people interact with the concept of death and entropy, of loss? legacy, family-- how do these ties push you on, weigh you down? what will we do for the people we care about-- how far are we willing to go to protect the ones we love? what was given for us to make it this far? who will carry on our message when we are gone?

bonds between siblings, between friends, between those we choose to protect. what makes them real? what are we willing to fight for? to die for? loss is inherent to being alive, but so is joy. we're temporary, we're fragile, we're unstoppable-- we are all painfully human, and thats what makes our lives worth living, no matter how dark, no matter how "insignificant," we're worth it because we're together, we're worth it because, inherently, we are alive. and that is worth protecting.

[nebulouscoffee]

Any favorite garashir tropes?

Omg, so many! I'll try to limit it to five :)

That thing they do where they start talking about something (often something Very Important) by using an allegory- because that's the only way they can be honest about it (or at least, more honest)- and then get increasingly frustrated by the vagueness of the verbal dance they're doing but neither of them wants to come out and Say It because they're stupid and competitive idiots so they proceed to stretch the metaphor further and further until they're twisting themselves into pretzels trying to stick to it and then at last it snaps. Usually by this point they have begun making out furiously (I love this trope SO much, and my humble contribution was 'Pretenders' chapter 8 lmaoo)

Post-canon letter-writing. I just feel like these two were made for the epistolary format, like they both choose their words (and Lines) so deliberately, they're both always willing to commit to a bit, and also they're both long-winded and witty and cringe (I can't believe it's canon that Julian describes his whole coma dream to Garak over lunch and Garak is actually so interested to hear it? It's just sweet okay!!) More than that, I think what draws me to this ship is the way that they're both storytellers; who've both lived with secrets and lies so long they see themselves more as "characters"/archetypes/roles than people, who both carefully tell truths about the people they are (and were) by spinning self-mythologising narratives (aka, "the lies"). I find this so beautiful because like in some ways their narratives were forcibly spun for them when they were children; so I love how in each other, they find someone that's really willing to listen (regardless of whether they "deserve" it), someone who'll give them the space to maybe learn to spin a new narrative. The idea of them continuing to do so by crafting long letters to each other is very in-character imo, and also romantic in a way that's very them (looking for hidden meanings between the words! Subtext! Wordplay, obfuscation, backtracking, who-will-crack-first, the waitinggggg between responses, all great stuff👌)

Julian's forgiveness of Garak's past being tested- like, personally I think it's OOC for Julian to suddenly start lecturing him about his past, I think it's far more interesting for them to have conflicts over Garak's (often atrocious) present behaviour and opinions- but every now and then, especially if he's living on Cardassia, Julian is going to see stuff that brings home to him in a very real way what Garak used to do for a living. It's such good angst, I love it! Especially when Julian is forced to acknowledge the parallels to Sloan, or that Garak might not actually have moved on from some things

One of them casually does something small that happens to be a Big Deal in the others' culture, but the other can't call them out on it because that would be Acknowledging The Game- and ofc, there's always the possibility that it wasn't deliberate, and isn't it just so much nicer to pretend? Either way, they refuse to directly talk about it, leading to much confusion and hilarity as they try and call the others' bluff by increasingly escalating the stakes and aggressively talking about books till they just end up looking like idiots

They never actually got together during the show. Don't get me wrong, I like reading stories where they get together at the wrong time and mess each other up lol, genuinely I love this pairing for The Range (it is entirely possible that their conversation in the finale ends up being their last!) But I am, at heart, a big sap, so my favourite version of the garashir get-together is them finally figuring it out post-canon. Also, it's genuinely so interesting, like- what do you do when your exiles and secrets and wars are all over & you're finally the person you need to be to make something you always wanted work? (What do you mean, you can just go after it? For real? Like you can actually just ask? Outrageous! Lol) Also, it lends itself so well to other entertaining tropes, like 1. absolutely unhinged levels of UST & long-distance pining, 2. Garak having a funny freakout over some small domestic thing which drives home to him how much ds9 domesticated him, 3. them just like. trying to figure out how to exist as regular people & relaxing into a sort of intimacy and authenticity they've never experienced before, 4. them being huge workaholics who barely see each other during the day but still give each other something nice to come home to, 5. them learning each other's languages & customs, 6. Garak angsting that this is all temporary and Julian is definitely going to leave him, 7. war orphans (I'm not much for kidfic generally but there is something touching about these two characters redefining parenthood and "legitimacy" for themselves; even if not as parents just by helping "unwanted" children in different ways, especially considering what happened with Ziyal), 8. Julian leaving Starfleet & practising more culturally sensitive and less exploitative medicine on a ravaged alien planet which shows how far he's come, and I'm sure there's many more but wow that's already so many! Post-canon garashir endgame my beloved

[tangledmovielove]

Why Cassandra Should Not Exist in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure and Why She Ruined the Love Story

Let’s be clear from the start: Tangled is one of the most perfect Disney movies ever made. The magic, the romance, the freedom, and the depth of the characters all come together in a way that’s timeless. It tells a beautiful love story that isn’t just about falling in love, but about two people discovering who they are, and choosing to be together after their personal growth. The way Flynn and Rapunzel’s relationship blossoms and deepens is one of the most authentic love stories in Disney’s entire catalogue. But then came Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure (aka the Tangled series), and with it… Cassandra.

Now, let me start by saying that the addition of Cassandra to the Tangled series is nothing but a blatant attempt to copy the overwhelming success of Frozen and its iconic sibling dynamic. Elsa and Anna’s bond was something incredibly powerful and resonated with a huge audience. But here’s the thing—just because Frozen was successful doesn’t mean every Disney property needs a similar character dynamic, especially when it comes to Tangled, a story already rich in emotional depth and a strong, established love story.

Cassandra: The Disruption of Flynn and Rapunzel’s Love Story

The moment Cassandra entered the picture in the series, it became painfully clear that her existence was less about storytelling and more about creating unnecessary conflict for the sake of drama. She was introduced as Rapunzel’s best friend, but rather than adding any depth to Rapunzel’s character, she became a wedge between Rapunzel and Flynn. Cassandra, at the core, should not have existed—she's a character who does nothing but drive a wedge between a couple that is already set up to be the Disney couple for the ages.

In the original movie, Rapunzel and Flynn are portrayed as two souls who have been through their personal trials and tribulations. Both have gone through great change, and by the end of the film, they’ve chosen each other. Rapunzel, a girl who spent most of her life isolated and controlled by Gothel, finally learns what freedom is and chooses to live her life with the man she loves. Flynn, a man who once lived a life of deception and selfishness, finds purpose in the love he shares with her. That’s the core of their relationship: sacrifice, trust, and love. But enter Cassandra—who does nothing but stir unnecessary drama.

Cassandra was introduced to create tension, but all she does is undermine Flynn’s role in Rapunzel’s life and diminish the strength of their relationship. In every episode where Cassandra interferes, you feel like the love story that was so pure in the original movie is being turned into a sitcom-style miscommunication narrative where Flynn is made to look weak, insecure, and unworthy of Rapunzel's affection. The way Cassandra manipulates Rapunzel into believing that Flynn isn’t good enough for her only cheapens the love that they share. Why did we need this? Why turn Rapunzel and Flynn’s relationship into a question of “who’s the better person for her,” when the movie made it so clear that Flynn was the one?

The Problem with Cassandra: A Forced, Undeveloped Character

Cassandra was created with no real place in the original movie or fairy tale. She’s an artificial addition to the universe, and this is what makes her character feel so out of place. She didn’t belong in the story, but she was created to add unnecessary conflict because it seems like Tangled was trying to re-ride the wave of Frozen's sibling drama success. The “friend-turned-enemy” trope, which Cassandra embodies, doesn’t have any genuine grounding in the context of Tangled. Rapunzel and Flynn's journey was always about them and their shared love, not about a third-party trying to interfere in their dynamic.

Moreover, Cassandra’s transformation from loyal friend to villain is both rushed and inconsistent. She starts as someone who seemingly has Rapunzel’s best interests at heart but quickly morphs into an antagonist. This drastic character shift is jarring because there’s no real narrative justification for it within the world of Tangled. Cassandra’s entire character arc could have been avoided if the show focused on developing the core characters (like Rapunzel and Flynn) rather than inventing a rival to create pointless conflict.

Cassandra: A Cheap Attempt to Copy Frozen's Success

Let’s face it: Cassandra was made to mimic the success of Frozen and its memorable sisterhood conflict. The story of Rapunzel and Cassandra becoming enemies over time was clearly an attempt to create the same level of emotional drama that Elsa and Anna’s sibling relationship had. However, this is a misstep because Tangled isn’t Frozen—they are two different stories that don't need to be molded into the same structure just because one was wildly successful.

While Elsa and Anna’s story is built on deep, complex family bonds, Tangled is a tale of romantic love and personal freedom. These two stories are unique, and trying to force a sibling-like dynamic into Tangled weakens its original narrative. Cassandra’s presence feels like an effort to shoehorn in an “Anna” into Rapunzel’s life, which not only undermines the richness of Rapunzel’s growth but also the depth of her relationship with Flynn.

Why Cassandra Should Not Exist in the Tangled Universe

Cassandra disrupts Flynn and Rapunzel’s love story: The entire premise of the show revolves around a love story that, in the original movie, felt pure and untarnished. Cassandra, however, acts as a constant obstacle to this love, and makes Flynn seem like less of a true match for Rapunzel, which completely ruins their connection and the essence of their bond.

She was added for unnecessary drama: Cassandra’s arc serves no real purpose other than to create conflict where there was none. The original movie shows Rapunzel and Flynn overcoming challenges together. There was no need for a third-party antagonist to try and create problems within their relationship.

Cassandra was created to copy Frozen: The inclusion of a rival friend in the Tangled series feels forced and derivative of Frozen’s success. It cheapens the original story’s unique focus on romantic love and personal growth, turning it into something more akin to a generic Disney “rivalry.”

Cassandra doesn’t fit the story’s tone or message: Tangled is about freedom, love, and self-discovery. Cassandra's character arc doesn’t fit within this theme. Her existence just introduces unnecessary tension and drama, breaking apart what was once a simple yet beautiful narrative.

In conclusion, Cassandra should never have been added to the Tangled universe. She has no place in a world where love, freedom, and personal choice are central themes. Her inclusion feels forced and her presence completely disrupts the essence of the original movie. What’s worse, she perpetuates the idea that relationships should be torn apart by third-party interference and manipulation, when in fact, Flynn and Rapunzel's love story was meant to be a celebration of two people choosing each other after finding themselves.

Flynn and Rapunzel deserve better than this unnecessary drama. They were perfect together, and they should have been allowed to stay that way.

[miloscat]

[Review] Sin & Punishment (N64)

A cool, hip, and experimental rail shooter.

Lylat Wars is easily one of my favourite N64 games. Another well-regarded entry in the rail shooter genre on that console is Treasure’s Sin & Punishment: Successor of the Earth/Stars aka Glass Soldier, a cult classic Japan exclusive. Until the Wii Virtual Console that is, where it was given an international distribution and the menus were newly translated (the game's spoken dialogue was already in English). Then came the Wii U Virtual Console release with new controller remapping features (essential for this game if you ask me) and savestate support, and that's how I played it.

It's an unusual sort of rail shooter as it has platforming elements, and a stop-start pace akin to gallery shooters. One level even plays out like a sidescroller! Your character is on foot and for the most part advances automatically but can strafe side to side. The control scheme is actually pretty complex, not helped by playing it on a controller other than its native release, and fumbling with it cost me a few cheap deaths. The ideas are sound but it feels like it demands a lot of practice and mastery, even on Easy difficulty. Thankfully checkpoints and credits are generously handed out, so even without savestates it's doable.

Your analogue stick controls the cursor, while C-Left/Right strafes/rolls, shoulders jump. The Z button is the all-important shoot function, a rapid-fire stream of projectiles. Holding it down makes for easy DPS but tapping it at the right moments instead does a sword strike for bigger damage and the ability to reflect projectiles back, which is a necessity for certain fights. The A button toggles between free fire and a lock-on reticle that isn't as useful as it sounds, but has its moments.

At this point I'd like to explain the story... but the truth is it's nigh-incomprehensible. Presumably the manual set up the premise somewhat, but in this release we're dumped into the post-apocalypse in medias res, in the unthinkable future year of 2007. What follows is a torrent of superpowered moody anime teens blasting monsters, soldiers, and robots, flatly delivering dialogue about saving the world and the conflict between various proper nouns. The genetic mutants are called Ruffians with a straight face, and the main character Saki soon turns into a kaiju himself, at which point sidekick Airan takes over as playable.

After blasting away an entire armada single-handed while floating on a telekinetically levitated slab of scrap, she enters a vision of the yet more unthinkable future of 2017, meets her own son, and manages to contact spiky-haired Protag-kun sufficient to revert him to semi-human form. Airan, sadly, quickly becomes helpless and Saki takes the reigns, blasts some fools, and eventually blows up a mock Earth which is trying to supplant our Earth. I think it's a metaphor. Anyway your friend the magic god lady turns out to be an alien or something who engineered the whole thing as a test of the powers bestowed on you by her magic blood... I think. So yeah, it's a big pile of anime tropes, poorly-explained sci-fi wackiness, and nonsensical twists, but as an excuse for some cool setpieces and visuals it's perfectly serviceable.

The setting is presented in a cool way within the N64's polygon limitations. There's good use of colour and the shifts in perspective from level to level keep things fresh. The English dialogue however was probably an afterthought for the Japanese audience, and for a native speaker it's flat and stilted, not to mention tinny from cartridge compression. At times they apply mechanical filters and it becomes genuinely difficult to make out. Certainly leagues below Conker's Bad Fur Day, the gold standard for voice production on N64.

In most ways for an N64 it's genuinely impressive, and experiments in some interesting ways. I don't think it quite comes together well enough to best the purity of Lylat Wars, but they can coexist comfortably. The fact that you can save and jump into completed chapters makes it approachable, and there's little penalty as you don't have any resources to expend apart from credits to continue after a death. No resources does mean there's no helping you out of a pinch though; instead you just have to learn the patterns and get better at reacting. Overall for Treasure I think it's much more successful than Wario World, even if it's trying to fit 10 pounds of story into a 5-pound story bag.

[dropthedemiurge]

Thank you so much for the contribution and sharing the posts that helped you on your BL journey!

I do agree that having a context and knowledge of previous generation series is extremely important, especially if you're a new Thai BL fan. I think you're a living proof of the fact that watching modern "high-production progressive" series hits differently when you know what lied before them. And as much as BL actors and fans are being confined by some rules in the industry, it also didn't come out of nowhere.

Few years ago when GMMTV blew up with their "classic" BLs (with TayNew, KristSingto and OffGun), there were no established fandom rules, behavior etc. With BL being a rare breed and sudden popularity and especially attracting a lot of foreign fans, people really flocked wanting to seek hidden meanings and ship real actors and break their actual relationships for their pairing fantasies, the post you brought up says it amazingly - no one had or has right to question actors sexualities or harass them into fanservice or sharing personal lives or feed into delusions.

This path was barely known, they all had to learn how to navigate invasive attention and I don't blame that actors' reactions were too harsh or could cause reputation blows. Mistakes happen, but also it's important to know the context and see how they were redeemed. I just really don't think sending death treats for years, celebrating Krist being in an accident and coming to mock him in his face, as well as urging your friends to hate-watch shows with him to post about it online is what makes anyone look cool.

Because it's been years and I'll bring some more posts for curious people that explain the situation with Krist more: like this thread explaining what happened from the pov of Thai and queer fans of him, as well as Krist being a vocal ally for LGBTQA+ community for years... and also a post of Krist (flirting) vibing with all cute GMMTV boys he invited to his own concert :D

And then I want to highlight the reblogs for this post

@jjsanguine you are so right %)) Like WHY, I also have actors I don't vibe with but you're never going to hear about it from me unless in a personal conversation on discord or somewhere, because genuinely why spend time and effort to shove negativity into the world

@befuddledcinnamonroll Oh actually, yeah, it was hilarious xD The way some people started hate watching or just watching with prejudice and then were converted and felt conflicted because of how good the show actually was lmao

@waitmyturtles sssh, let the boy think that he's the one in command xD If I'm not wrong, he whined about wanting to switch roles and play someone confident and flirting on others but he was being casted into the opposite types. Who knows, if this show with Singto is coming, I will be happy to see them play some new characters rather that returning to the molds that fans miss. And you're so right! About OffGun and TayNew rocking the series about people in their 30s, it's time for GMM to broaden their limits and create more stories about adults, and the three OG pillars can be great for this indeed. :D "Aging gracefully", I love the turn of phrase you used. 2024 aka Renaissance era of classic pairs :D

I've seen things after SOTUS extreme actor harassment, I've been here through BMF "hate watching flashmob" and you know what, this year I will actually stop tolerating BL fans (at least on tumblr) who don't even have the decency to just ignore things they don't like and who think bullying someone is a good fandom sport, and start calling out. No matter if you believe clickbaits or you're a proud member of celebrity witchhunt or just don't believe people and situations can change, whatever, I really don't want to see KristSingto hate if - when - they will come back with another BL series.

Peraya fans have been waiting and hoping for KristSingto reunion for years, they wanted it themselves for so long as well, and we've unfortunately encountered way too many people who don't use their braincells and who encourage others to follow their footsteps when making derogatory comments about (mainly) Krist or Singto who they don't even know about, or their shows. For years. Some even go to talk shit and laugh right at his face. What the hell.

Maybe don't ruin someone else's parade and don't turn a nice community lake into a swamp. If you consider yourself a good person who can have an opinion "I just don't vibe with this person/show", watch it unbiased, be open minded and if you don't have a full picture, ask fans of the actual story or do research and read proper compilations about him instead of blindly stacking your opinions on repeated echoed insults from yt and tiktok. And if you aren't willing to be open minded and rational, well, let the fans celebrate and stick quietly to your swamp.

It's really no fun to gather around to discuss something and slip on poop piles thrown around for no reason. What happened to civil discussions?

[kiwi413]

Heyyy so I have a itty bitty request for you if you don't mind! I was wondering if you could write something for a reader who's getting courted by the monkeys but just so happens to be MK's mom? 👀🕶️🤏

I absolutely love the way you write them and hope to see you around more often!

-💗

A/N: certainly, thank you for the kind words! I kinda got carried away with the length (also sorry I took so long)

Characters: Sun Wukong, Macaque, MK + female!Reader

Wukong

You didn't get along at first

You really didn't like this whole putting the world on the shoulders of your kid

however, after careful consideration, lots of stern talks with the great sage and puppy dog eyes (from both MK and his mentor) you decided to let MK keep training under the Monkey King

Your conversations with Wukong revolved around MK's progress and safety for a while

until one day it developed into more, such as his adventures from back in the day, where you worked, what happened between you and MK's dad, etc

as you got to know each other more and more, soon budding feelings began to rear their heads

When he realized this Wukong had conflicting feelings, to say the least

on one hand, you're a very nice person (not to mention attractive) and a perfect mom to MK

on the other hand, he's been alone for centuries, and he's a bit rusty

cue emotionally repressed monkey panic

after he's done having his moment, he pulls himself together and decides that he's gonna do this right.

So! he starts asking MK about you a whole lot more often

things like what sort of flowers you like, your favorite fruit your favorite color, if you talk about him at all

he thinks he's being subtle

he's not

thankfully, MK can be a bit oblivious

it only takes seeing the great sage in your kitchen one evening, looking at you a lovesick look while you laugh at something he said for MK to finally piece it together

MK.exe has stopped working

he feels weird about it at first but ultimately gives his approval to Wukong and becomes his wingman

Sometimes a family is you, your turned superhuman son, and your thousands of years old celestial monkey husband

Macaque

(before I begin, I simply have to mention that this reminds me of that one TikTok audio "come here you little jerk taste the back of my palm /but you ain't my daddy/ Nah but I'm doing yo mom")

this start is a 100 times rockier than Wukong's

You really don't like him for actively harming your son both mentally and physically

he's not very keen on you either, your mere presence alone makes it harder for him to manipulate MK

After the LBD incident, he tries to make up with you, for MK's sake

you're very hesitant, that is he apologizes for what he's done with the most genuine look you've ever seen on him.

reluctantly you give him a chance and find that he's actually a decent guy when he's not trying to kill your loved ones

you find his humor and sarcasm charming, and love it when he tells you stories with shadow puppets

he starts hanging around more often under the pretext that he's only doing it to please MK, but we all know that's not the only reason

he realized he had feelings for you when he was telling you a story and he glanced at you for a second only to see you with your attention focused solely on him with a soft smile on your pretty face

his heart skipped a beat and words got stuck in his throat

he quickly excused himself and teleported away, leaving you very confused

he rethinks his entire existence (aka emotionally repressed monkey panic 2, now with more edge!)

mentally adds up the pros and cons of getting attached™

you've been good to him thus far and he really likes MK so

congrats now you have a clingy emo monkey after you

he becomes way more physical and teases you way more often

has to hold back purrs and restrain himself from positively combusting when you return his affections

he may be smooth when he dishes them out but he can't handle being on the receiving end of things

MK doesn't catch on until he wins you over, and he finds out in the worst way possible

walking in on you two being affectionate with one another

he's a bit mentally scarred but he'll be fine, eventually

way more hesitant than he'd be with Wukong, but he comes around after you talk to him and he sees how happy Macaque makes you

he does tell the shadow demon that if he hurts you he better watch his back though

Macaque says he'd never dream to, but he gets the idea

Overall? all three of you can get used to this new family dynamic you've got going for yourselves

[missdisnerd01]

ENCANTO: SPOILER EDITION

Be prepared! 

Took me long enough, right? But, now that it’s on Disney+, I feel it’s time to finally get around to going into more details...under the cut!

-This movie feels...so different from any animated Disney movie I’ve ever seen. A good deal of this comes from the family dynamics. The closest example of such unconventional dynamics I can surmise is Lilo and Stitch (2002), but it is so much more in the spotlight here. The conflict doesn’t come from any tangible, full on antagonist, but from displacement, generational trauma, and a lack of healthy communication between . Despite all of this, it’s obvious this there is a lot of love and affection in this family!

- The character design is one of the biggest reasons I was drawn to it in the first place: From skin tones to body types, the family Madrigal is a diverse bunch! Good job, Disney!

-Lin Manuel Miranda does it again: All of the songs slap! ALL OF THEM!  My favorites are “Surface Pressure” (An absolute bop in which Mirabel’s sister, Luisa, opens up about the ‘pressure’ to appear ‘strong,’ both physically and emotionally), “What Else Can I Do (Mirabel’s annoyingly perfect sister, Isabela, finally lets loose (with Mirabel’s encouragement...can I just say Diane Guerrero is absolutely *ahem* PERFECT as Isa?!), and “Dos Oruguitas,” one of two songs not sung by any characters, where Abuela Alma and Abuelo Pedro’s relationship is played out in the emotional climax of the movie.

- Mirabel is more than an ‘OhSo QuIrKy UwU” protagonist.  The difference is that she is up front about the fact that she doesn’t quite fit into her family.  Her feelings are genuine, from her optimism, to her love of her family, to her desire to be not special, but helpful; as Bruno says, she is “just what this family needs.” Also, thank you for giving us a bespectacled heroine, Disney!

- Speaking of, LET’S TALK ABOUT BRUNO-NO-NO-NO-NO-*shot* ..sorry...anywho...Bruno is a quirky recluse, but not in an obnoxious way.  He obviously loves his family, but his gift serves as a double-edged sword, thus causing him to become misunderstood, even feared at times.  So, it makes sense that Mirabel connects with him.

“I don’t think [your gift is] bad. Sometimes, the family weirdo gets a bad rap.”

-I like that Alma is not the villain of this story, but made complex due to trauma and the determination to protect her family.  I guess when you are so focused on keeping your family safe for so long, you become cold and stern out of necessity (The issues between the grown-ups might have been wrapped up rather briskly for this kind of thing, but with a 90-minute movie, that’s par for the course. I choose to believe over the course of rebuilding their casita, they were able to talk...like, really talk).

-My animation instructor at Exceptional Minds explained an interesting layer about a caterpillar’s metamorphosis: it has to literally break down its body and reform as a butterfly. “Dos Oruguitas” is about two caterpillars in love that must separate to form into butterflies. Therefore, Casita’s foundation, the literal and figurative foundation of the Family Madrigal, must break down in order to reform...That’s deep, y’all! DEEP!

-Some thoughts about the characters: 

- Luisa: MY BELOVED! That is all.

-Isabela: Her arc is just beautiful! I love  her willingness to experiment further with her gift.

- Pepa and Felix: I love this dynamic! Pepa is a bundle of nerves. Felix is the life of the party, and together they are like Peanut Butter and Chocolate)

- Dolores: aka Breakout Character of 2021! An inversion of a gossip: quiet and sweet, but can’t keep all she hears to herself...just too much! Poor girl!

- Camilo: Such a theater kid (also accurate depiction of a 15-year-old-boy...trust me...I’ve had teenage boy cousins)

- Antonio: Cinnamon roll. That is all.

- Julieta and Augustin: Standout parents! Despite Alma’s iron grip on her granddaughters, they are not afraid to stick up for their girls (Also nice to hear Wilmer Valderrama in anything ever)

- Mariano: aka Señor Himbo (no one has Might Guy beat for me, but y’know...) He is genuinely sweet and romantic, and not just in it for the privilege of becoming a Madrigal. And you know what? Thank GOODNESS. I was so dreading that we’d have another Hans on our...um, hands.  But this is so much better!

If you have a chance to check out this movie, DO IT!

[all-about-seggs]

If Jujutsu kaisen were to have typical shojo manga troupes/ Cliches-

Warnings- Headcanons about what kind of story would the JJK folks be in if they were in a shojo manga. Shitposting basically. Ngl this is not my best but they've been sitting in the drafts for so long, so i decided to just post them.

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Gojo Satoru - Lets say hes not the clan head yet, so its a Contract marriage for him, ya'know the higher ups from his family won't leave him alone, saying he should settle down and though he ignores it at first it gets to a point where he can't get anything done without having his family interfere so he offers an unsuspecting relatively 'normal' girl aka you a tantalizing offer.

It'd start of with that Love- hate relationship with you bc of his inherent personality defects. You had your own reasons to accept his demands bc uhhhhh *insert any reason that works for you pls*

You thought he doesn't take anything seriously until you saw him teaching his students. His methods are far from conventional but it was the most genuine you'd ever seen him be. That was probably a turning point in your previously distorted relationship.

You'd live together, but in seperate rooms. His acting skills during the whole ceremony+ any family visits are top notch tho.

The type who'd annoy you the most but will also secretly help you from behind the shadows without you even knowing.

A little side note. He is the one who falls for you FIRST. But will think up of a way to manipulate you into confessing first and then would never let you live it down, how you were "SO MADLY IN LOVE WITH HIM" or so he says. Pls woop his ass.

Geto Suguru- If we're taking about Geto before going rouge then its, The bodyguard and the threatened girl. It's pretty simple how you two met. He had a mission to help you survive and you fell for his *charms* or his sexy man bun you can choose🤷

Villan! Geto- Since he started as a good guy I'd say his story would be one of those where you'll end up chasing after him even after your contract ended bc you could see the internal conflict he was going through during his teen/ highschool years.

He wouldn't push you away tho. He wants to take you to hell with him if his heaven doesn't come before.

Gonna be toxic af tho. Gaslighting champ will make you his trophy wife and no one will ever know your whereabouts.

Kamo Noritoshi- The rich nobility and the commoner. Let's throw in a little bit of debt on y/n as well shall we.

So, at first he doesn't even spare you a glance but after realizing how your home condition was not something to be taken lightly he felt an odd connection to you, and remembering his mothers words to always help people out he gave you a place to stay and work....in his own mansion, commence the awkward but sweet mutual understanding and pinning between you two.

Aoi Toudo - Bullied girl and the Savior. For the sake of this cliche let's say y/n is a 'big' girl okay (big in what way? you can decide that for yourself reader) so you get bullied for your size/ weight/ stature in general.

One look at your ass and he's already hooked, so he trails after you and eventually sees you getting harrassed by a group of girls and guys.

He was so angry, all the veins of his mascular forearms bulged as he clenched his fists to stop himself from flinging the entire mob of bullies out of the damn window.

He may have held himself back for the sake of not frightening you any further but the intimidating scowl and cusses he threw was enough to make your bullies flee like tiny little flies.

From that day onwards you got yourself a fan and a bodyguard combined. Or maybe even more?

Toge Inumaki- A case of mistaken identity. This may come off as a bad attempt at humor but weirdly enough , Toge was wearing a skirt (maybe he Gojo lured him into doing it or maybe just for funsies) and since he's not able to talk normally either so being the pretty boy he is, you end up mistaking him as a girl.

The second time you met, you saw him enter the mens washroom and you just🧍stood there processing why?

The third time? You had to change cloths and it was crowded everywhere so you just chose an empty class room which was not exactly empty since toge was there. But since you thought he was a she, you just quickly shit the door and off goes the t shirt.

Poor Toge was so confused and flustered, he couldn't speak nor could he look up after getting a peek at your bra. If he wasn't such a gentleman he'd think you were trying to seduce him.

So what happens when you do find out that hes actually a guy?

Cue the mutual blushing and struggling to communicate.