#but mostly dissappointed

[chillisreal]

having online friends can be a headache sometimes

[ganondoodle]

I was at first in love with totk, and I still think mechanical wise, its quite impressive

And when I collected all the tears and saw the "story" I genuinely got upset in a good way (at first), because man! Did they really got the balls to go that far? Is there nothing I can do for her? Now I MUST do all the temples, see how it plays out and --oh, I've got this cutscene already. Why are all the people so dumb about Zelda, I KNOW where she is, Link say something-- Link??

After finishing all the temples and almost falling asleep, I stopped playing the game, looked up the last boss and remaining cutscenes and went "Thats it?"

Watching other people (including you) being critically about so many things, both character and mechanical wise, I've almost startled myself with a realization what the gnawing feeling I constantly had, actually was.

Totk feels like a fanfic.

And don't get me wrong, I love fanfiction, I think its great and important, I adore fanfic writers, I love finding gems, I love reading self indulgent stories, see new spins and interpretation of characters. I love the casual, the passion, the creativity!

But totk gives me the same feeling everytime I am reminded that Fifty Shades is a Twillight fanfic.

The world is there. The faces I know and grew to love are there. But everything is ever so slightly different, uncannily so. Just how some characters talk, how they act, how they were placed in the story. The Zonai appearing out of nowhere, but no, they always had been there you see, they were these super magical advanced people but they all died, the king is so tragic. And you see, the king is super cool and powerful and-- oh I dont get to interact with him outside of the tutorial. Did they try to do another King Rhoam-- but wait, that only worked because we didn't knew he was a ghost-- totk wait stop why do you take him out of the story, why couldn't he be a companion, he IS ABLE TO TALK THROUGH THE ARM LET THE OLD GOAT COMMENT ON STUFF?? If you bring up all this ancient stuff and you still got a ghost lingering, let him talk?? (I never ended up getting Mineru but I smell wasted potential as well)

Im not even mad, I am disappointed. It feels like the devs saw what all the lore hunters got attached to and talked about and then just... took the "cool". All the Zonai stuff could've easily been Sheikah tech, but got just reskinned to look more exciting instead of being its own thing.

Like... at this point I prefer what fans are doing over what Totk gave us. The characterization of Rauru (and everything Zonai), projects like you do of what totk couldve been, the little nuggets of actual highlights and details of love fans find in the game. I found much more enjoyment in these concepts than I got from a 70bucks game. And thats depressing.

I love fanfiction. I dont love it when my corporate 70 dollar, six year development, console exclusive game feels like a story that passionate fan couldve written miles better in a week (and I've already seen much cooler and interesting rewrites and ideas).

Zelda has been a huge part of my childhood and its depressing seeing it treated like that. It always was about the story, the epic, its The Legend of Zelda for crying out loud. To be courageous to enter a dungeon, to be wise and solve all the riddles. To become powerful over the journey you embarked on. Zelda to me is the campfire story you tell to others and go into the woods or the beach and imagine what monsters you would slay. Zelda is not the sandcastle you build in the sandbox and then add dinosaurs and star wars ships because you didn't had any other toys, and just stumble into and over some story to entertain yourself until lunch is ready.

I'd have an oracle of seasons over another totk any day at this point. They should've just make the mechanics of totk its own thing, but I guess they were scared it wouldn't sell if it doesn't have a Mario or Zelda skin straped over it.

Anyways, sorry for the mini rant - love your art, love your thoughts and insights, and I am looking forward to see more of it - Zelda related or not (your original characters look amazing, I adore your style sm)

Hope you have a great rest of the day!

*nods along through this entire rant*

idk how many of my rants you have read but yeah ... yeah ... and the further you think about it the further it all falls apart, the wasted potential of it all and the goddamn audacity of them to do those interviews in which they make it EVEN WORSE is just

i know the expectation for a direct sequel to botw was huge and understandbly so but i really REALLY think it would not have been that hard to make it a good follow up even taking into account that totk was originally a DLC, pretty much all of botws aspects could have been developed further, i dont know what could have happened to make totk have turned out like this .. literally it feels like something had to have gone wrong, its like someone who doesnt know zelda nor botw at all was given a few prompts and then just made some generic fantasy story while the rest worked on ultrahand for 5 years

the technical impressive things ARE technical impressive, but i dont think it was necessary nor served the game well in any way (and i LOVE building games- however totk is neither a building game nor a story game nor a zelda game nor an exploration game nor a sequel imo) but zelda, this zelda, is not made for that and i cant help but think it was mainly to encourage people to make some ridiculous mechs so it can go viral on tiktok (not trying to discredit them, it IS cool what they are doing but i .... have my doubts if zelda is the right place for that)

ill stop there bc i have ranted so much about everything i dont wanna repeat it here again; it just doesnt feel like a real game (derogatory), it feels extra bad bc i was not really into zelda when botw came out and while i did get it as soon as i could (months after release since i just started a minijob and didnt have the money) i only over time grew to love zelda this much again, devouring any theories and anything about it bc i loved it so much- i was never into it like this when a new title was announced and dont own any special editions so i bought the totk collectors bc i was just so damn excited for it after the 2019 trailer dropped (god i want that time back ... it looked so much more like it was going to be an actual sequel) even if i was already worried it wouldnt be good at that point given how much i started to sense stuff i dont like about the newer trailers

i recently sold it at our local gameshop bc it was like a thorn in my side given how expensive it was and how dissapointed i was in the game, i genuinely think that, technical impressiveness aside, totk is the onyl zelda i truly cannot stand (for alot of reasons) and im genuinely worried for the future of the franchise

i bought an Oki (Okami) figurine for what i got back and i feel much happier with that :3

(also on a note, i did finish the game two weeks after release but stopped playing it right then and hadnt touched it since, i also streamed all of what i played and its still up if you want to see my slow descend into madness fjkdhkdhjk though its been a long while since then and i by far did not talk about everything back then, just what my most immediate frustrations were while still playing)

(also the gameplay isnt as good as people make it out to be, so much is so frustrating and punishing to use i am kinda baffled it got through like that and most people call that its best aspect ..... though i guess if the rest is so much worse even mid gameplay can seem good ooooooooh how dare i)

also thank you for liking what i do!!! <3 it means alot to know it is appreciated by someone :D

[byberbunk2069]

So Mi is not having the face tattoo anymore

[shysuccubusstuff]

yandere! diluc pt. 1

Content: dubcon/noncon, stalker behaviour, yandere, syringe, manhandling, kidnap, foul language.

Note: Yeah I know I have a pt. 2 left but i'm so so dry bc of exams and stress so I just wanted to post stuff I like without (trying) to think too much, as always, non-proof reader.

Credits to anitelenia for the lovely divider.

It had been a few days since you started to realize it.

You mostly noticed it when you were alone, walking quietly to your house after your night shift. You had just left the flower shop, trying to walk as fast as possible, just thinking about your warm and soft bed. You were far too deep in your fantasies when you finally stumbled upon someone. Your forehead bumped against something stiff, you could say that it was even hard. Just as you were about to apologize a deep voice talked:

"I'm sorry... I really wasn't looking, are you ok?" Deep blazing eyes encountered with yours, his eyes shining as wild flames despite the cold light of the moon. His hair was swaying, making his face look even more charming, how come you had never seen someone as beautiful as him around? You were dazzed for a moment, your lips almost forming a small circle, luckily, you were fast enough to realize it, finally being able to snap out of it.

"Oh, no, it's my fault, it's kinda dark today so yeah... I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings, I'm sorry..." As soon as you babbled your poor excuses, the man laughted softly, his eyes forming small crescent moons.

"Diluc, just call me by my name." You nodded, a bit stranged cause, who would simply give their name to some stranger found in the middle of the night?

"Oh, nice to meet you sir Diluc, I gotta go, see you around!" You left without losing more time, after all, your dear bed was waiting all alone for you. If only you had pay a bit more attention to whatever that man was saying before leaving...

"I'm sure we will meet much more often from now on, dear." Without saying nothing else, Diluc left, walking back to the wineyard and starting to plan how would he be able to make you let down your walls.

A few months had passed, and just as he had foresaw, both of you had suddenly became the soon-to-be couple in Mondstadt. Everytime people saw you around, his eyes started to share furtive glances, their hands making small gestures in a comedic way. Even despite Diluc acted as if he was unaware, he knew it. After all, those rumors had been planned by him. He helped you with even small stuff, always getting up and bringing you your drink, paying when he invited you to have lunch or diner, always as "friends" of course, definitely not because he was already thinking about the ring to ask you to marry him... He also waited for you after work, always bringing you small bouquetes of flowers that he had "found" around while he was doing small quests (he was actually buying them, then making the bouquet with your favourite flowers).

He had already written down all your favourite places, foods, flowers, colours, the type of clothes that you liked, your most hated food, your fears, the name of your first pet... the list could go on for hours. Cause if he didn't know all that information, could he even call himself your boyfriend?

He also had a "small" compilation of sneak pics he had taken of you, the photos were laying around his room, some were hanged in frames, others were hidden in boxes, the rest were used for his shrine in progress.

Of course, when he finally confessed his feelings, he was 100% sure you would fall in love with him, he had done everything you had told him you liked in a man! So when your face changed, your eyes suddenly losing that loving spark, his world almost crashed completely. You tried to explain it to him, it was not the first time a man who you had considered a friend had confessed to you, so you were a bit dissappointed... did that mean that you had approached her with that intention since the beginning? You didn't know what to think, so you asked him for some time, just enough for you to think deep about it. Before you knew it, his hand was already way too close to your neck, a small zap being sent all through your body and causing you to fall against his arms.

When you finally woke up, you were in his room, the fire was crackling, almost making it feel way too... cozy, almost as if you were at "home". What happened? Just as you were about to move from the bed, you noticed something. There was a chain tied to your ankle, tying you to the bed, your clothes had been changed to a soft nightgown, somehow perfectly fitting your body, what the hell had happened?

You were about to scream, when the door opened, his crimson hair swaying just like the first night you had met. He was carrying a small tray, some grapes and other fruits were on top of it. As soon as he noticed you were awake, his lips curved up, his eyes shining with pure devotion.

"Darling! I'm sorry, it seems the thing I created had a little misscalculation..." Diluc apologized, leaving the tray in his desk.

"Are you ok? Do you feel any type of pain? It would kill me to know that I have hurt you..." His hands moved towards you, although as soon as he saw you flintch his hands stopped, his face looking as hurt as if he was the one that had been chained. He suddenly got up from the bed, once again heading towards his desk and taking something from one of the drawers. He got close to you, and despite your failed attempts of squirming away from his touch, it was all in vain as soon as you felt a pulsing pain, almost as if you had been pricked with a needle. The blood that was supposed to keep you on edge was suddenly towards your lower half. What was happening?

As soon as he had used that strange needle, your whole body had went soft, almost limp. did he inject something inside of you? Before you were able to complain anything about it, your brain felt as if it had turned into mush, your brain feeling too fuzzy to think.

"What... what was that?" Diluc eyes' glistened, looking a bit too proud of his work.

"Just some potion to help ease your mind, you looked too... stressed before, but now you look just like a pretty little doll, darling. Did you like the nightgown I bought? I knew it would suit you, but I didn't think it would make you look even prettier!" His hands went through your soft hair, his hands feeling a bit too... hot, maybe it was actually your body the one that was melting?

"Diluc, you need to let me go... I... We can talk about all of this... I promise I won't say it to the knights of Favonius..." You tried to hard to form a cohesive sentence, but Diluc's face switched, his calm face turning into a grin.

"Oh sweet heart, you are almost as naive as beautiful. Do you truly think that those... pesky little knights can harm me in anyway?" Diluc's gaze darkened, his eyes drifting through your whole body. "I'm sorry for having to take this...solution, but you were getting a bit too... close, you know?" Diluc sat down at your side, his hand moving your head a little, just enough for your head to rest on his shoulder. "Just being close to you makes me feel at peace, you know?" His body shifted a little, his calloused hand taking your hair out of your face. "I finally made up my mind after seeing you two that afternoon... that damned liar keeps trying to take what's mine." His hands moved, his fingertips drifted through your chest, pinching a bit your nipples, just enough to let a moan leave your mouth.

"That drug is still active, I guess..." He pushed you just a little, your body falling to the bed without much resistance. His frame on top of you, his soft hair sending shivers down your spine. His face lowered, his soft lips leaving kisses all through your neck, letting you whimper as much as you wanted. His hands were moving around, slowly touching your clothed cunt, treating you as if you were a delicate porcelain doll. "I can even see your pretty pussy, are you that excited to be touched?" You tried to complain, of course that was not the case! That damned syringe had done something to you, of course you were only able to make some complain noises.

"Uhm... to be honest that was just a muscle relaxant, it was just in case you tried to play some little tricks on me, I'm sorry for doubting you, honey. But I swear I will never do anything like it again, I just got a bit anxious." His hands got away from your lower half, going back up and starting to caress your face, kissing your pretty lips and making them all shiny.

"We can consume our love any other day, I've prepared plenty of stuff for us to do, sweet heart." Before you were able to complain, your eyes started to close, body too tired to even ask when would you be free.

[maxwell-grant]

Me, yesterday: Yeah you know, I like M.Bison but I'm really not a fan of him coming back, he's had his time already, he undermines a lot of current characters and storylines by coming back, we really don't need him again, it was always inevitable but I don't know man maybe oh my GOD is that the RAUL JULIA HORSE? 10/10 100/10 bring him back forever

Okay but more seriously: As one of the dead last characters I wanted to come back, the trailer had me totally flip on that stance. I mean yes it helps I'm a mark for the guy, it helps SF6 is infuriatingly good at character presentation even for characters I don't care for, but I actually think they found a very neat way to reintroduce Bison to the series this time around basically by doing to him what they did with Seth: Destroying and rebuilding him as a shell of his former self, with a whole new design, and thus a new personality and angle to approach him from, and in no position to be the Final Boss from the get-go (since it's not like they have much of a story to insert him in). But where as with Seth they leaned into the tragedy of it, Bison is now a ticking time bomb, a looming disaster waiting to happen, which fits him looking like a Horseman of Death.

It was pretty blatant even back in V that Bison was always going to come back, with Phantom Bison existing and Rose's prophecy and characters hallucinating him left and right and all the Shadaloo plot points in 6 spelling it outright. His iconic status aside, his return was telegraphed since forever, so I'm glad that they did it in a way that doesn't actually bring him back all the way to his usual self. Even putting him at the start of a new DLC Year, rather than building a big endgame show out of him like they did with Akuma, also goes a long way towards undercutting the idea that he's coming back to be the Final Boss again.

I'm really impressed with his new design because it is the perfected version of an idea they've been kicking around ever since the drafts for SFIV, that was Bison coming back all battered and torn and fucked-up. Much like older/bearded Ryu, it's an idea they saved into alternate costumes but now are finally willing to go through with as the direction for the character moving onwards. "From riches to rags" is the idea described, and they achieved it by flipping around the kind of old-school overlord he represents. Instead of General Washizaki/Yasunori Kato, he is now Raoh/Violence Jack, the ruler of the wastelands, galloping mightily onwards. (And given Ryu is based on Kenshiro, the biggest villain of this world being Raoh feels like a decision that was waiting to happen)

They've made it so they get to have it both ways: You can have M.Bison in the game looking like his old self with the classic costume, and he's here playable doing all the good Bison stuff and a bunch of new sick shit for you to love, but in the story/lore, he couldn't be further away from being like his old self, and now there is a big mystery box on what is gonna be his deal moving forward. Bison is so well-established to the playerbase that every little thing they do differently can mean something, not just in the design but also in smaller details like his light-blue flames that potentially indicate Soul Power (and that he uses to tame himself in his victory animation), or even the fact that he has visible pupils now.

I think a large part of the pushback against Bison has to do with him being so big in V's storyline and A Shadow Falls dissappointing, and the fear that they'll do it again now that he's back, but there isn't really a storyline for him. The World Tour story is set, the DLC characters add extra stuff to it but are mostly self-contained, I don't think Bison is set to bring another boring world domination plot with him this time around. It's unclear if he even wants it. I could be very wrong here, because I don't want another Bison Doomsday Plot either, I don't want another A Shadow Falls, but my interest is piqued because of how far he seems to be from doing that.

He doesn't know who or what he is, he is a homeless wanderer in Metro City, he is having a hard time keeping his power under control, and Shadaloo is currently warring between factions that want to bring him back and factions trying to ensure he stays dead, nevermind the fact that most if not all of the characters have moved past him (and Ryu still has the power to destroy him, and if Ryu isn't that much fessed up anymore about Akuma, he's definitely not gonna be that concerned about Bison), and the first thing he did when he came back was revive a horse from the dead.

I'm not gonna say this Bison is poised to turn a new leaf, but they did say he is "searching for an identity to make him smile".

Maybe the real world domination was the horses we befriended along the way.

[dvasva]

Tbh? I think the radiant emperor duology deserves more critique than it gets in its tag, so after stewing it over for a couple weeks and also discussing it with my friend, I have decided to do it myself.

So. Spoilers for She Who Became the Sun and He Who Drowned The World ahead.

First off, so nobody accuses me of hating the series, I liked the series. I'd say I'd give the first book a 4.5/5, I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I like both books. I truthfully skipped the fisting scene, it triggered some dysphoria that I wasn't comfortable with personally but I don't have problem with it existing in the book, it's good where it is, no changes.

No, my critiques come mostly from the second book, hwdts. Which sucks because I absolutely loved Baoxiang in it, it's a well known fact that my ideal type is pretty, really mean, characters. ('What about Madam Zhang?!!!???!? Shes mean and pretty!!' I hear you ask. Give it a second cause i will get to my beloved madam zhang) So, my critiques are mostly organized as 'The first part I didn't like in Hwdtw that signals the thing that became my biggest issue, the bits in the middle that i did like along with the bits that I felt didn't really work well, and Act 3 which is where my issues really were exacerbated.'

By the end of book one, I had a general annoyance but acceptance that Ma Xiuying was a bit of a weak character, and not weak as in 'dang shes a woman and cant fight' or any other sexist way you may interpret that, but weak as in structurally, she didn't really have as much depth as other characters. I thought she didn't have as much time put into her character as others. And yeah you could have a million character analysis essays over Ma and her place in the story and etc, but for me, her setup for the next book as potentially having conflict with Zhu or her own morals was the most interesting part of Ma. In general I think a lot of people tend to overlook this flaw partly because Ma is a cis lesbian character and the main 'love interest' in a book that is usually marketed to people as sapphic, which yeah there is certainly a sapphic relationship in the book but I think saying it's a major part of the book is really giving the relationship a load bearing wall ot isn't strong enough to carry. The Radiant Emperor Duology is not a romance, first and foremost. To describe it as a wlw romance is gonna leave people who read ot specifically for that reason kinda dissappointed by the end of book 2.

My big critiques didn't start until book two, and a particular scene, though. Ma, at the start of book two, was generally filling the niche of 'nagging wife' to zhu, which yknow, is a fine place to start from. I was a little disappointed there was no further discussion of Ma's disapproval of the morality of Zhu's actions, and in fact the dead child was pretty much entirely forgotten by Ma in favor of being Zhu's wife. Which, yknow, sure.

The Scene I had issue with happened (Spoilers once again) after Zhu finally captures Ouyang and imprisons him at her base of operations. Ma, dressed in her empressly regalia enters his room with the intention of being the bigger person. She walks in, looks at the stripped down and humiliated general who killed her father and famously is also really a women hater, and tells him she forgives him for killing her father. And then she gets upset and cries when the prideful general who hates women gives her a dressing down and taunts her and is like 'I'm glad I killed your father'? She nearly cries because Ouyang was mean to her (notably only cause he was mean to her and didn't gracefully accept her forgiveness, not because he killed ehr father) and runs off to Zhu. And Zhu responds with 'Wow, he's just a weirdo, everyone likes you and everyone in existance immediately knows you're a good person and you change people.' Which, my friend suggested before she finished the book, was a case of Zhu placating Ma and dismissing her feelings which would be an interesting dynamic.

Really my hangups with this scene come from multiple parts.

1. Ma' few character traits including being observant and reading people really well (a thing she's praised for in book 1) and having good social intuition are completely thrown out by her thinking being alone with ouyang and forgiving him would be a good idea and then her being shocked and upset when he spat on her forgiveness. And

2. Zhu's response is never once treated by the text as her dismissing Ma and placating her, and Zhu's statement despite never being shown to be true before and that moment being the first time it's ever mentioned, ends up becoming Chekov's moral purity by the end of the book, where the plot hinges on Ma being able to magically heal a damaged character's mind enough for Zhu to win in the end. Which I will get back to. There's a lot of other stuff happening between here and the end.

So, before I get back to Ma and her role in the story, I'll address some other bits from after this scene. Both problems and things I enjoyed generally.

Madam Zhang and her parallels to Baoxiang and her being the absolute queen of dissociating really was interesting (before act 3). She was a very compelling character who I completely understood and felt positively about. She had a way more interesting relationship with gender imo than Ma did, especially in book 2. I didn't really like that she was overwhelmingly shown having sexual villence done to her, that felt weirdly like a punishment. But, I did like her a whole bunch, and I liked the look we got into her head. She was probably my second, maybe third, favorite character in the whole book until Act 3.

I really, really liked Ouyangs dynamic and relationship with Zhu. The weird sexual tension between them, their weird kinda nonsexual but also kinda very sexual S&M relationship. It was somehow the most sensual, sexual part of a book that featured Madam Zhang having sex with multiple people, and Zhu going down on Ma, and a lot of other mentions of sex or scenes involving sex. Tbh I feel like, in a way, Ma was left to the sidelines for most of the book because Ouyang became the primary 'love' interest for a hot second there and the only reason Ma could get her spot back was Ouyang and Zbu's separation. Also, from what I've seen when people talk about this book, they always kinda try to express Zhu and Ouyang's dynamic as very nonsexual and nonromantic, as platonic mostly. And there is no inherent superiority of romantic over platonic, but I think to insist that it is only platonic, and not a strange swirl of romantic, platonic, sexual, frustration and relief, and a swirl of familiarity and vulnerability all wrapped into one, is doing the dynamic a bit of a disservice. And ther is, imo, very clearly a subtle hint of romantic intent and interest on Ouyang's part before he realizes Zhu has a body he hates.

Which is also another point I didn't like. Ouyang and Zhu's relationship end felt off. The entire bit with the pirates felt off, but especially how Ouyang found out about Zbu's body, and how Zhu reacted. I think Ouyang finding out second hand, from a combination of being suspicious and from Jiang saying it, was a poor way for that to be revealed. I think there was a better way for that to happen that woyld have felt more like a betrayl to zhu than this did. The fact that Zhu and Ouyang were so in tune and could see each other perfectly, but this one thing was a blind spot for both of them because of how unaffected by gender Zhu was compared to how overaffected by gender Ouyang was is a really interesting thing to explore, an interesting disconnect between two character's whose entire basis for their relationship is 'like recognizes like'. I think Zhu seeing it as a betrayl would have been more impactful if she had presented this informatuon to Ouyang herself and been rejected than how it went down. And, I think her not realizing Ouyang would be disgusted that he felt connected and felt a sameness to someone with a body he found grotesque and that he feared would have been more interesting for zhu, who views herself outside of womanhood and didnt really think that other people would not see her outside of womanhood, if she was the one who told ouyang herself.

Also, less importantly, think going into Ouyangs annoyance that zhu kept moving his target further away was a good move but it wasn't expanded on as much for my taste. I also really liked it when (spoiler) Xu Da dies, and that entire part despite some minir bits, was extremely good in that Zhu finally has tasted loss. She had, up until that point, been riding a wave of positivity, she was the underdog who won over and over again despite all the odds and despite her own reckless choices. So I did appreciate that everything went wrong for her at least once. that would have been, imo if other things were changed, a good place to end a book two in a three book series. Which will make sense as to why I mention it im a bit.

I also didn't like how Ma was nonexistant unless the plot was like 'ok we need to remind people that Ma exists.'

And there's of course other stuff but those are the main points of acts 1 and 2 that i wasn't fond of or that i liked.

Act 3 is a wholely different behemoth which can be encapsulated with 'I wish it was longer but also different' (courtesy of the convo my friend and I had).

My friend and I both agreed that we liked this kind of courtly drama game it was playing. My friend doesn't tend to like the structure or writing style of a lot of the chinese wuxia, danmei, or courtly drama translated books i read, so it was nice to know that the genre content isn't the issue for her there.

The biggest problems I had with the ending though was 1. I think Baoxiang and Ma had an interesting dynamic despite it being really rushed and how distasteful I found the entire concept of Ma being such a good wholesome goody good good person that she could change Baoxiang, quiet his demons and fix him in some way. That was annoying in an otherwise interesting dynamic. And 2. I think Madam Zhang's character traits and cleverness and all that were wiped away to make her inexplicably jealous of Ma in a way that I don't think fit her character and just served to fit a trope of jealous empress who hates the favored concubine.

So, here's my major proposed changes.

1. Ma gets sent to Khanbaliq extremely early on. Like, act one maybe after ouyang is captured early. This serves three purposes. A. Ma has something to do and is more present in the story. this could be a good xhance to let her actually feel frustrated or upset at Zhu in some tangible way that needs to be resolved or talked thru eventually. B. she gets more time to build a relationship with Baoxiang, whose entire defeat hinges on him having a strong connection with her. and C. Her absence in the other parts of the book feel less like she's being ignored or forgotten. It makes Zhu's lack of haste more than just a way to annoy Ouyang, and turns it into an interesting moral choice. Should she rush to Khanbaliq to save Ma or trust that Ma will be ok in favor of gaining power? Her lack of haste means Ouyang leaves, depressed, and she loses Xu Da, all while she doesn't even have the assurance that Ma is ok, she is truly at her lowest point with nobody with her. If Ma is in Khanbaliq and that's explored, then Zhu and Ouyang can also explore their dynamic without Ma feeling a bit like she is battling for Zhu's attention.

2. Madam Zhang is suspicious of Ma, or feels actually tangibly threatened by Ma. In act 3, Madam Zhang's anger towards Ma feels really out of place. She got exactly what she wants, she is empress, her emperor isn't interested in removing her from her position and her position isn't threatened by anyone. Baoxiang won't get rid of her, he won't demote her, he has shown zero sign of ever even considering it. So, why is Madam Zhang jealous of Ma? Imo, especially since she very clearly has dissociated into oblivion and has no love or affection for anyone anymore, and no real desire or motivation to secure her position further aside from maybe producing an heir to make sure shes taken care of after Baoxiang dies, there's no reason for her to be inextricably jealous of Ma. It kinda just erases all of Madam Zhang's political savvy and cunning into jealous, petty woman, and that sucks. If she was suspicious of Ma's intention, or Baoxiang genuinely expressed spmething that actively threatened her position, her hatred of Ma would make sense, but instead she hates Ma cause Ma is ugly and spends every night with Baoxiang. She hated rice buckets concubine cause that concubine used a lot of funds and competition genuinely made her position less stable. She needs better motivation for hating Ma.

3. As I mentioned earlier, Zhu needs to be the one to tell Ouyang that she does not have a dick. That's just all around better, it feels more like a betrayl to bare your secrets and be rejected, etc etc.

4. The duology should have been a trilogy, with book 3 starting when Zhu is at her lowest, ouyang is dead, ma is in khanbaliq, Xu Da is dead, a new guy is the emperor. This is where a book three should have started. in a series that has so many important characters, i feel like it needs more space. she's in a 10 gallon tank when really she needs a 30 gallon tank. Lots of it, especially towards the end of book 2, felt rushed and the extra book will absolutely push that back a bit and make it less rushed.

Anyways that's my critique of The Radiant emperor duology. Once Again, I liked the series, its one of my favorites i've read all year. I don't dislike it, and having a critique or opinion about something doesnt mean I didn't like the book or understand the book (because obviously if i understood it i would understand why its flawless). I liked it, there are things I wish were different, that's it.

[brascu]

Ok, I've always treated Horrance as a headcanon, but, DAMN, hear me out.

And I'm not even talking about Sparrow Ben, ok? I'm 100% talking about Umbrella Ben and his dear brother Klaus.

Ya'll must be tired of me talking about how Benny boy got visibly upset when Klaus was talking about Dave, even getting to the point of leaving to let him gossip about the guy with Diego in peace.

Or you'll say there's nothing to it when I bring up that time Ben told Klaus that "Luther" would do anything for him, when in reality Ben was talking about himself. (Luther didn't even notice Klaus died) And how that whole thing was a way for Ben to try and keep Klaus sober for longer.

I mean, we all agree they talk to each other as a mixture of brothers AND an old couple that is so fucking tired of their bulshit, but wouldn't change a thing.

And there's that whole thing about Klaus lying about Ben's presence simply because he didn't want to share him.

But as I was watching the second season this time, I picked at some things.

The other day I read someone calling Ben's crush on Jill pointless and, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I disagree. Ben wanting to stay at their cult to hang around her is him mirroring Klaus wanting to leave to be around Dave. Think how nonsense those two are: Klaus is the one who fits being a cult leader and Ben is the one who'd say he's taking advantage of people. But Klaus hates it in there and Ben is the whole reason the cult was able to be built.

Klaus AND Ben knows that it would be better for Jill and Dave if they don't follow what they're currently doing. But Ben doesn't want Jill to leave, selfishly. And Klaus doesn't want Dave to leave, selfishlessly. Which is ridiculous, if you think about how Klaus is mostly the selfish one and Ben is the opposite.

Jill is a lot like Klaus. She's a dissappointment to her family, she uses drugs, she is very open about sex...

Dave, on the other hand, is a lot like Ben. He's serious, he's well mannered, he's thoughtful. He follows his family's ideals in a way that leads him to death... And he likes books, like the nerd he is.

OH, you say, but Jill likes reading too. Ben likes watching her read.

And that's true, yes, but we also know, from season 1, that Klaus and Ben read together. Even when we first see them in 1963, Ben calls Klaus over for him to look at a magazine. It's funny, because Klaus is paying more attention to the guy on the cover, but if you think about this reaction, you get that Ben pointing out what Klaus should grab for them to read is something they're used to. Just like he asks Ben what they should eat.

Ben took notice of Jill because Klaus was too busy with new paople and he was left to the side. Klaus fell for Dave because Ben was not there to occupy his own place.

The cult is their baby and thats one of the reasons Ben is so angry when Klaus goes after baby Dave. The other reason is jealousy, which is the same reason he keeps on interrupting Klaus.

BUT OK, If you've been following my posts for a while, you must've seen me saying these at some point.

The thing I DIDN'T notice was how much they go about dicks and sex? like, FOR WHAT REASON, MAN?

First of all, when Ben steals Klaus' body in that dinner with Reginald, Klaus says with all his words that he was violated.

Then, when he decides to lend Ben the body, he shares his ground rules. "No touchy-touchy down there." he says as Ben rolls his eyes. "I mean, I guess I wouldn't mind." He corrects. "Just don't look, because I'm shy."

The first thing Ben does when he gets inside the body is to look inside Klaus' pants.

Later, when they're talking about the experience (and I must say the way Ben asks how Klaus felt sounds almost like pillowtalk) , Klaus says if felt like sex in a way that is pretty dismissive, I agree, but he says that whatching Ben's every move as he listens. And when Ben tells him how he felt, which was not so weirdly sexual, but still a lot about touching things, Klaus listens leaning against him and without taking his eyes from him.

That dialog, for me, looks like Klaus is flirting, yes, and he's not so sure if its jokingly or not, so he's just owning. Ben, who knows shit about flirsting, is just genuinely into the conversation.

And we can see they're comfortable with sharing things with each other, which is so sweet.

BRAS, YOU'RE STILL REPEATING OTHER POSTS

I know, sorry.

On that flashback where we see Klaus calling Ben back, the FIRST THING he offers Ben is for him to watch as Klaus sticks his dick inside their dad's car for him to piss there. Which is in no way sexual, but is still a childish reason for Klaus to show his dick to Ben.

Just like telling him not to made Ben look at his penis as soon as he got the body.

Soon after the flashback, when they're discussing what to do and Viktor goes to call Sissy, Alisson calls out how Diego and Luther seem to be in a dick measuring contest. To which Klaus starts adding that, for real, he and Ben--

Which I'm assuming is that they did that more than once.

That homoerotic tension of wanting to place your dick besides your bro's just to see how they look together. I mean, who's got the bigger one.

Second season is so fucking Horrancey it makes me embarrassed.

The whole parallel of Ben punching Klaus/Dave punching Klaus and again Ben punching Klaus, but this time sparrow Ben...

Even the whole thing that Dave punches Klaus because Klaus is acting like he knows him and he freaks out in front of his family is exactly the same thing that happens to Sparrow Ben.

And maybe one of the main reasons Klaus is the first one to let go of simping over Sparrow Ben was because of what happened to Dave last season. He knows this Ben could turn into his favorite person, given the time, but he's just probably fuck things up, so why bother?

This Ben still doesn't know he loves Klaus.

Anyway.

Klaus and Ben are that weird teenager friendship that was almost but not exactly a romantic relationship but somehow ended in bad terms when one of them got a real bf.

that's what's happening that season.

[samuelroukin]

And a 2nd one cause I'm greedy, in a separate ask for ease:

First and/or Loss (whichever is more applicable) for all three, please 🙏❤️

thank you 🙏

First: Has your OC ever been the one to leave first? Why did they go, and who did they leave behind? Do they regret it?

ray: he's always leaving, and doesn't give much thought to how and if it affects anyone but himself. it never has, and he's fairly sure it ever will, so there's no point lingering physically or mentally

chuck: i don't think he's ever left first unless it was made clear that he should, and even then he's a master of outstaying his welcome. not clingy at all, but even when he's not attached it's hard for him to accept when something's over

moose: left his longest relationship pretty abrubtly, when they were pretty much on the path to getting engaged and having kids. they were both unhappy and staying in it more out of a sense of 'guess this is what our lives are' and he was the one who decided he'd rather be alone than unhappy together. he doesn't regret doing it (and she's much happier now) but he he was way younger and not very gentle about it even if she wanted out just as much

Loss: Is there anyone important to your OC who has passed away? How did they handle the loss?

n/a for ray and chuck, ray doesn't care and chuck hasn't had anyone die on him outside of work

moose: his mom died when he was pretty young, after being sick for a long time, and he was a huge momma's boy so he took it really hard. he withdrew from the rest of his family, nearly stopped speaking, all his school friends dropped him and he was almost held back a year but got Smart Kid privilege even tho at that point his grades were in the gutter. that's actually what helped him move on, cause she would've been dissappointed in him and he couldn't bear that thought. his dad passed when in moose's early 30's, very suddenly, but they were never that close so he was just numb mostly, more sad because his sister was really broken up over it

[graillore2point0]

PMMM ships and what I've seen of them and/or what I think they'd do in bed. Because I'm weird.

Homura x Kyouko : They pretty much just chill together, clothes are generally optional even when they're not dating yet. Homura wears a Nun outfit when they're doing foreplay because Kyouko wants to dissappoint her father, and Homura's kinda into both of those things. They're surprisingly vanilla in the end though, excluding when Homura pauses time to eat Kyouko out on a bench in a crowded park.

Homura x Mami : Bondage play, but it's specifically Mami that wants to be tied up. There have also been guns in various orifaces, some of which may have been fired on accident when the wielder came.

Homura x Madoka : Just pure body worship from Homura's end, but when Madoka doesn't psyche herself out of taking charge there's bondage and corruption and whispers that'd make Hitomi explode.

Homura x Sayaka : Homura likes to tease Sayaka in many ways. May or may not involve tying her up and making Sayaka watch as she plays with Madoka, Kyouko or even Kyosuke. Meanwhile Sayaka likes it when Homura drops enough of her walls that she can protect her again.

Kyouko x Sayaka : Mortal combat as a love language, alongside some incredibly kinky stuff with Sayaka's regen.

Sayaka x Madoka : Knight and Princess play. Madoka plays a surprisingly good seductress too.

Sayaka x Mami : 'Let senpai teach you~' stuff, for the most part. Though they'll sometimes fight a witch naked.

Kyouko x Madoka : Kyouko's protective instincts trigger hard. The lesbian sex is as vanilla as lesbian sex gets, but outside of that it's mostly domestic. May or may not involve adopting Yuma.

Kyouko x Mami : They tie themselves as tightly together as they can using chains and ribbons. Abandonment issues have a place in this bedroom.

Madoka x Mami : Mami struggled with it for a while, but apparently Madoka kinda likes being tied up and left to stew for a couple hours. Also a bit of petplay in return.

[ganondoodle]

Hylia was referred to as "The Goddess of Wisdom" in one of your posts (the Hades-inspired artwork) so it got me wondering: does Nayru not exist in your AU? Are the three Golden Goddesses absent, or do you have something in mind for them?

(your Hylia is super pretty btw, I love that her hair is like water <3)

oh jesus that is OLD xD

no the Hades stuff was just a little one-off thing back when it was new; it means nothing for my actual zelda fanworks!

so no, Hylia does not replace Nayru; in the main stoyline of destiny (comic) the gods only briefly show up fully at the end and mostly only manifest parts of themselves bc in my story they cannot physically directly do much in those physical worlds aside from manipulate peoples dreams and in the small area of the one ancient spring (a seperate spring from the three usual ones that is dedicated to all three of the gods- demise destroying the one of his home created the gateway to hylias world btw) which is the reason they created deities like Hylia, a creature not a full god but not a mortal either, not what i would call a half-god tho; a Deity to do as the gods say, to act as a mere exentension of them in a world they cannot fully control ... bc what does a god hate more than not being able to control their creation .. :^)

if i ever get to the point of finishing destiny, depending on how i feel about it then and how well it was received, i could imagine adding an alternative ending where everyone lives and they work together to rid the gods influence from the world (the first ending is supposed to play into the rest of loz, the other one would mess up EVERYTHING but i cannot deny i have stuff for that planned as well ;__;)

basically the gods are the main looming threat, they are, essentially, the villain, their motives ... might be dissappointing but as they are gods they dont really have to make that much sense ..? i dont want to go into it too much unless it doesnt bother people to already know, i just hope it will feel right when the story gets to that point xO

i havent gotten to designing the gods fully yet as, again, they show up rather late so its gonna change anyway, this is an old concept of Nayru

here in the background are they again with a more recent design (this sketch is for a .... another dream game based on the alternative good ending for destiny where here you fight as demise against the gods in their realm.. i know its a bit convoluted all but my brain likes to brrrrrrrr when thinking about loz and games so theres lots of ideas and concepts that have no chance of ever becoming real)

also thank you!!

[randomgentlefolk]

HEYYYYYY it's me. yk. agua (billingal win)

for the CPC ask bestie westie - 🕵️‍♀️ , 🎸(asking the controversial questions frfr) :3 :3 (eats your blog(

OHOHO You know the good questions, alright XD

🕵 = unpopular opinion?

May I say more than 1?

I haven't seen much people say this so I assume it's an unpopular opinion

1. Leopold still gotta apologize to Jamie, man. I mean, calling him hideous? That's kinda, nah..

Also Gwen's reaction to Jamie being called hideous doesn't really satisfy me. I mean, she knows how it feels to be called smth like that so I expected she would be more defensive to Leopold. Maybe say something like, "Hey, don't say that!"? Or anything similar to that but more softspoken considering her personality.

2. Blaine still owes so many apologies to Lance and Frederick (is this an unpopular opinion?)

Look, don't get me wrong here. I'm glad Blaine is going on a self discovery journey and all, but he could at least bid farewell to his family first. Not to mention, he was supposed to be the king, right? I assume he already study a lot for that so really, he could've taught Frederick a thing or two. I just really want the plaid family (minus Leland) to actually bond together as a healing family, man... Also i feel bad for Isolde, y'know?

3. I'm just gonna rip it off like a bandage, the plaid princes not ruling the kingdom together.

I know, I know, they all have each their own dreams and aspirations. I love that! Really, I do. But damn.. Imagine all of them ruling the kingdom together! That would be so cool?! Like, each of them sharing their own perspective on things. Maybe I'm just desperate for more Plaid Princes content :') Their relationship at the epilogue just kinda dissappoint me, aha..But! At least each of them got their own happy endings, so I'm thankful for that.

🎸 = favorite fan theory?

To be honest this is a hard one...Mostly because I've already forgotten most cpc theories aha. But I do remember one I quite like. The theory that Leland pushed Blaine away at the dungeon because he was momentarily possessed by Leelathae who was angry that Blaine called Gwen ugly. I just think it's neat and pretty sweet.

Also the theory that Nell's parents ate the omniscient clam still makes me giggle to this day. It makes sense but it just kinda sound silly XD

Oh! Oh! The uh, the theory regarding what each of the Plaid princes and Pastel princesses costumes mean! Like the correlations between Frederick and The Little Prince! That is also cool!!

I might reblog with more fan theories if I remember them, but for now this is what I got.

[iamemeraldfox]

I watched the Ghibli movie The boy and the heron and I didn't like it?

It was way too chaotic for me, some plot points came out of nowhere, or weren't supported by former plot. I also thought the boy would have some kind of relationship/kinship with the heron, but nope. The heron is just some guy, and he mostly makes things worse for the boy.

I was really dissappointed, honestly.

Also the thing with his new "mother", aka his father's new wife, was kinda creepy.

[maxwell-grant]

thoughts on Tekken8 so far ?

Not too many, I have mostly mixed feelings on Tekken stuff but:

Okay this rules, this is a killer fucking idea for a fighting game story mode. I was actually just thinking the other day about how a lot of modern fighting games with big story modes can't really integrate the tournament structure into the story, so it's either not there or it becomes a schrodinger's tournament. But here there's no mistaking it, there is a King of Iron Fist tournament being held and fighters the world over are invited to join with their lives and with the lives of their ENTIRE COUNTRIES riding on the line. This rules, this fucking rules, I'm pissed Street Fighter didn't do this first because this is the most M.Bison idea that is also a way better plot than anything M.Bison ever did, fuck yeah.

I've heard this described as Tekken doing the Cell Games and having never watched Dragon Ball I'll have to take their word for it.

Don't care about Jin, never have really, but I am at least marginally curious as to how they'll square "Jin you are the light and hope of this world you are the hero of everything you must save us all" and "you totally fucking killed millions of people for no reason with that WW3 stunt dude". Love that Kazuya throws this in his face like, you weak little shit, you think you're putting me down? You think YOU have some kind of body count? Well it's just gonna keep growing watch this *BWOOOOOM

Tekken has spent a loooot of games running in a loooot of circles around the Mishima bloodline drama so this game promising to blow things out of proportion, with Heihachi dead (so far) and Kazuya cutting loose and the entire world seriously on the line, well okay that has my interest.

Gotta be honest folks, up until now I actually hated Azucena. Decent design, Peruvian representation is extremely rare and I was super on board for that, really liked for a beat how her fighting style's meant to abuse Tekken's 3D space with a lot of dodging and swaying... but then the character started talking and, oh great, she only talks about food, she's a gimmick character that only talks about her gimmick, here comes the next annoying latin-american stereotype that the gringos just find sooo charming and sexy and funny, here comes the next El Fuerte/Laura/Zarina, and all my interest died.

And then the latest story trailer revealed that she's happily teaming up with the G Corporation (and by extension Kazuya, you know, the guy currently raining fire and murder on the entire planet) because they make for "better brand optics for my coffee" and, huh. Well. Turns out she's a total piece of shit! The "beloved for her innocent personality" thing was a dead giveaway looking at it now. Turns out she's a business major cracking winks and poses while tanks and soldiers steamroll the land and people around her. You hear a lot of stories growing up here about plantation owners being cutthroat ghouls and I must admit, it's pretty great seeing that as the twist on a typically obnoxious Disney inclusivity cartoon person, feels very topical. Maybe it is just a rehash of Lucky Chloe's twist but Lucky Chloe wasn't that inspired to begin with where as this feels a bit more thought out. I expect to be ultimately dissappointed but it sure got me almost kinda liking her a bit.

Big year for evil women in fighting games.

Feels like Tekken was just bound to have a Nick Fury at some point with other fighting games elevating characters to that position, but it is pretty weird that this a thing, right? I guess when they're going more into world-threatening stakes and characters teaming up being treated like an Avengers gathering you kinda need a Nick Fury or several to glue that nonsense together. Anyway, Victor's pretty cool. Kinda shocked that he's the first French character in Tekken apparently.

It's not easy to make me like espionage-themed characters in fighting games but he's got enough style to him that I appreciate. He's just Vincent Cassel if he was a John Wick guy with a weird Final Fantasy sword but that's not like a bad combo by any means, really just seems like Harada really wanted to put a guy he likes from da movies in there. It's the Kojima impulse but hey, if it works and the voice acting isn't terrible (like a certain other studio, seriously how do you manage to get such lackluster material out of J.K Simmons doing Omni-Man), I'm cool with it.

I'm not too sure what to think of Reina? I feel like that's gonna be entirely dependant on her role in the game, because the other two are fairly throwaway characters where as her they seem to be putting a lot of stock in. I kinda like her design although I appreciate it better in fan art that lets her actually emote and look mean, the in-game face is just way too dull for what she's doing. I like the ego she's got and that she can back it up, that she's this new mystery newcomer with potential arriving to shake up the scene. I think a lot about her would be very generic and forgettable if it wasn't backed up by her mean punk personality and power, which I really appreciate. She kinda feels like if Asuka wasn't a joke. I'm just curious as to what her actual role is gonna be, and while I don't think she's gonna be a full blown villain the way Kazuya is, I'm gonna be pretty dissappointed if she just immediately slides into being a hanger-on hero. So I'm just waiting for more on her with cautious optimism.

I hope Heihachi never comes back because A: it's just wrong to have him without Unsho Ishizuka to voice him, and B: I hope they never ruin the humor of "Yeah he's dead dead but he has at least 20 bastard children all over the world and at least one of them is gunning for the throne so if you thought he was done causing problems or that the Mishima Bloodline would end with Jin, lmao"

[spamtoon]

DCRC PKNA Week 11--Silicon Time!

thankfully our little book club break has meant i've had enough time to rest, get into what is potentially a new hyperfix, and feel motivated to read paperinik! ...and um ducks on the road. at some point that's not now.

you know what. im feeling ultra relaxation for this issue let's go to the cove. nevermind i got distracted and entered the pizza parlor

angus fangus cosplay

starting off and first of all i have to say dear lord. the airport experience is indeed horrendous as someone who has been on an airplane recently the sign "clogged toilets delay flights" baffled me. like i understand why but im also like okay. the toilet is clogged. there are two toilets per plane surely the line woudlnt get that long

im gonna be real i thought big nosed human guy was gonna be exclusive to silicon. like i didnt think he would just. also show up here

the idea that angus fangus hasn't had a day off makes me wonder like. was the new zealand thing last issue technically a work trip despite the fact he was there to save his tribe. because if so that rules

it's nice getting to see scrooge again despite the fact he's probably gonna be written out of the story. i missed him

thought he was wiping his sweat with his money for a second here i'm goign to be so honest. and in the second panel he's sillouetted for no reason it amuses me. i mean i know why hes threatening to ruin donald and uno's situationship but he doesn't know he's doing that

i love you chilling in purple shirt donald

i love their little dumb mirco-bickers. they're so domestic

rip to whatever italian pun was lost in translation here. unless there was no pun and donald is just like ughhhhhhhhhh because he does not care

hi little drink serving robot... these things did exist in the 90s but they were very very basic and mostly for flash. which is why it would absolutely get on the news when the only other news is its hot. donald's pose and uno's response is also so cute im. who would have expected comic silicon would have Uno Content

ohohohohoho... oh no, how tragic! how tragic it would be if a certain robot enjoyer skipped to the next town over for this specific day--nevermind he's on vacation too he's at the supervillain convention in florida (SORRY)

cog these car panels are cool... i am once again praising paperinik action moments

rest in peace all the computers at duckburg technofinancial im glad they at least got a viking funeral

it feels so werid to see angus fangus in a tank top and shorts. he belongs in a trenchcoat. and i just

the way he gazes into the distance makes this panel feel so much more contemplative than it actually is i love it

i love how the evronians have a whole division that's job is just. to deal with xadhoom. who is presumably killing evronians off camera all the time

i hope its a story where its the computer in the tower that did it like we saw in the start but he's just messing around. he's just like hi uno!!! :) remember when ducklair made you i was there when you were born uno and he's like oh BROTHER this guy STINKS !

:// i know the computer literally said the evronians might be useful but like i saw computer wanting to use the spore hatchlings and i was so dissappointed. especially disappointed that he wants to shut uno down. i think. at least i assume its a computer hence the name silicon if it was silicon and it wasnt even a computer there was a guy in front of it i would be SO dissappointed but im pretty sure its the first ducklair sentient technology at this point

i have absolutely zero thoughts about this robot rhyno thing its just an important enough detail i have to bring it up. actualy i do have a thought and its look at him. he's so fucking stupid looking. neutral connotation ITS FUCKING DUE AGAIN? FUCK OFF DUE. i gaslighted myself into thinking we were gonna get a different computer but no. okay. alright

of all the villains to figure out donald's secret identity im so. two. of course. not that he's going to get it i dont know if they'd go that route but

im gonna be so real after his introduction issue i fulyl expected them to never use due again

this panel si so dramtic (i LOVE the rainbow windows) but out of context its just like TWO !!!! im so mad

i know its the 90s but i like how it was confirmed later in ducktales 2017 if due did launch donald like that it wouldn't have done anything as long as he thought about the triplets (or maybe uno in this case) hard enough. our bravest man on two worlds... (yes i know they're different donalds)

IM SO MAD donald just kinda handwaving away the duck avenger's inveolvement. they hate each other so much

im so mad the way he's just. at channel 00 news now. due and the evronians deserve to be fighting each other for a while i think

and that was silicon!! i enjoyed seeing more of uno but i was disappointed the computer turned out to be. due again. but maybe im just a little loser who always wants a new robot OOPS i miss lyla lay hopefulyl we see her next issue considering we're going back to channel 00. hoepfully she had a really good vacation while this was all giong on

[batsincastlesociety]

more KRABTLASBAHCO, hegegehegeghehe. if you're new to this batshit insane series; it is a compilation of rants that i've compiled about simon belmont and his outfits; rating them based on both functionality and fashion sensibility.

this time it's main man. the one and only. ultra cool chronicles simon!!! yaaay :3

((this is the first KRABTLASBAHCO i've posted on this account, by the way! part 1, for his CV1 version, is here. part 2, for his CV2/SQ version, is here.))

once again, the full talk is under the cut! i'm happy you guys have been enjoying this series so far :3 sorry for the wait!! ... i've been quite busy with school and my schedule is much different now than when i started this series during summer break.. (>_<;)

oh. my god. simon are you okay???

don't get me wrong, i absolutely LOVE this design with all my heart just like how i love all of simon's other designs, but that outfit does not look remotely comfortable whatsoever! at least compared to simon's other armours...

first off, no circlet! :( kind of dissappointing; that's one of my favourite staples of simon's outfits. additionally, if the circlet was actually meant for some sort of head protection, and not just for show, it's gone now 💀. so there's definitely something lacking there.

anyway, you can really tell both simon and ayami kojima really love their leathers with this design, haha! it is... everywhere... haha...

now, as i've mentioned before in previous KRABTLASBAHCOs, leather is a very nice staple to armour; it is both durable and strong, yet not as strong as metal, which is something that both the CV1 and CV2 simons have. this simon... has none. the only metal that this guy has on him is from his belt.

granted, chronicles simon does still have some sort of metal accents on the straps under his belt, the studs on his top and bicep band, shorts, and boots, but those are just accents and accessories; not proper metal protection.

i've said it once, i've said it multiple times, and i'll say it again! leather may be both durable and strong, however it is not the strongest material that can be used for armour whatsoever; there are alternatives.

CV1 simon had his circlet(!!! 💞), plate armour, a pauldron (might not be fully metal, by the way it is shaded, however...), the accents on his loincloth-belt apparatus, and his bracers.

CV2 simon was decked out in metal! with his pauldrons, poleyns, couters, and a metal belt. (the skirt-like armour he has along with the belt is definitely metal as well, but i'm not sure what to call it.)

chronicles simon has... a belt. :) definitely a step up in durability, with all that leather, but two steps back in proper protection.

additionally – and this is something i've been thinking of for a while – but is he even wearing anything under there, for fuck's sake?! this kind of applies to all of the simons, but this one especially.

i mean, the top is leather, the shorts are leather; EVERYTHING is leather!! and it is skin-tight!!! that must be annoying to deal with. some sort of chafing, at the very least... it doesn't sound like the most simple-to-deal-with problem. i just feel bad for him.

his top is a little odd. i'm not sure what to call it... some sort of leather turtleneck tank top, for sure, but i'm mostly referencing the red fabric on simon's shirt here. by the way its shaded, it almost looks like velvet, haha! probably a stretch, though...

anyway, the red fabric on his chest is bordered with some metal. not enough to be protective, of course, i'm pretty sure it's just for show, along with the chain. he also has fur on the side, there, which is very interesting to me! i have absolutely no idea what the purpose of that is, either. probably for warmth, because i don't see any main way it can be the most protective garment (except for warmth, as aforementioned, and maaayyybbeeee some off-screen padding? or it's just for a fancy accent.) there's fur on his boots, too, and i'll assume that the only purpose that serves is also for warmth and some sort of softer padding.

there isn't much to say about protection here... i remember a certain mutual (hi, chibi!! ^vv^) mentioned a while ago that the straps on CV1 simon's belt. thingy are good for mobility and protection against slashes, and that actually makes a lot of sense!! i definitely agree with that, although i still have no idea why they're leather specifically, lmao 💀. i mean, i definitely understand the vision but simon dear. you do realize that leather, at such a speed and force and position, is likely going to make you whip your thigh. right. right??? i feel like something like that would definitely shoot simon in the foot less if it was any other cloth!! that's probably just me overthinking though, haha,, ^p^

as for appearance, though? oh. My god. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!!!!!! the black, brown and red colour scheme. the fuckass red hair. THE BOOTS. i doubt that the leather is very good for protection, but for fashion sense? it's amazing!!! once again, i have absolutely no clue what that red fabric on simon's chest is called, but god DAMN do i want it in my closet. the belt is also Amazingly Cool and Very Very Awesome. the high-heeled boots, the collared gloves and the cunty pose really remind me of SOTN richter too! and how could i not love being reminded of SOTN richter?

the studs literally everywhere on simon's outfit, although pretty useless in terms of long-term fortitude, are also a very beautiful accent. the corset's a classic, the literal dog collar on his neck is quite hilarious yet let's be real here, it's not that unexpected with a character like simon, and the sword??? also very neat!!

in short, in terms of functionality, i have to give this simon a good 4/10. HOWEVER! he is saved by my bias for simon his wonderful fashion sense, giving this outfit a solid 10/10 for style! :)