#but this was the overall structure of character dynamics i was just obsessed with for some reason

[friendofthecrows]

I went through this phase where all of my main character sets had a structure similar to the following: two besties living their consensually codependent dreams, the world's most awful bastard (affectionate but also derogatory), and an irresponsible adult who sort of accidentally adopted these teenagers and now has to try to be the responsible adult.

And honestly? That was banger.

[noveratus]

I just finished listening to the last episode of this season of the Magnus Protocol, and I have thoughts, both for the episode and the season overall. Spoilers below.

I have mixed feelings regarding this episode. To put it short, I think it is fine as a regular episode, but I don't like it as a season finale. I think that Celia's reveal and Gwen taking over Lena's position was handled really well, but I think it was done kind of late. I will get more into this in the season review since that is where my main issues lie, the structure of the season itself. Also, the whole 'Sam being taken' thing and being shoved into this other universe betrayal would have felt more meaningful if we had an idea of what the other world looks like, because, if I remember correctly, Sam is falling into a world without the entities where people are most likely rebuilding now so it really doesn't feel that bad and he can just walk through the portal again which is why I wish this reveal had been done in a different episode. It simply doesn't feel worthy of the season finale, and the cliffhanger was very undeserved. We already know the Archivist doesn't want Sam dead. In fact, I have a theory it was trying to save Sam from Celia. Honestly, I'm more interested in whatever is happening to Collin because that guy is dead dead now. There is no way he is living.

Ok, for my season reveal: I think that this season was alright, good even! Not as great as season 4 or 5, but better than season 2 for certain. I think I might like season 1 of the Magnus Archives better simply because of the build up. Are the things real? Are they not? And then Martyn being terrorized for weeks and it all culminating with that attack. It was really cool and had an actual resolution, even if not all questions were answers, there was a sense of finity by the end of it which this one lacks. It just doesn't answer enough questions. "Oh, but Celia-" I think Celia was too obvious to be considered fulfilling, which isn't to say the reveal wasn't great, but I think it needed more. They had to at least have revealed what happened to Collin I think.

Now, for my main issue with the season, it started really well and it was pretty interesting in the first episodes, the character dynamics were really fun and I wanted to learn more about the computers, but at some point the show became the 170th love triangle this side of the pacific with a forced romantic subplot on the house. I think that Alice and Sam being exes is an interesting development, but you didn't need the romance man. You already have Alice as the foil for them just not wanting them to investigate, you don't need to make their previous relationship and current relationship be a whole thing, genuinely, who wanted this? And it wasn't built up, it just happened so that Sam would follow Celia around like a puppy dog (as if he wouldn't do that as was with him being obsessed with solving the secrets of the institute as seen with him exploring with Alice) and half of the season felt like Sam and Celia talking about how they were going to investigate about this and never really doing any investigating while the plot hit Alice like a truck.

And then there is Sam, who is probably the most boring character in his show. His personality traits are that he is into women, is obsessed with solving mysteries, and that's it. Considering that his obsession with his job is something he shares with both Celia and Gwen, that only makes him feel even less appealing. Also, Celia and Gwen have a much stronger reason for why they are who they are, which in Celia's case is her son and the trauma from being in the apocalypse while Gwen is proving herself, which is something that Sam is apparently trying to do as well, except in his case it is not really all that well built. Like I have said before in my previous posts is Gwen, while I despise her and I dream of her death every day, is a really well written character, because that is what the audience is meant to feel. They are meant to hate her, she is kind of a bitch. Alice? She is the most well written character in the show. She has nuance, you understand why she does what she does. Celia? She has potential. Personality wise, Celia is a bit flat for my taste, but she has enough of a backstory and motive to be very interesting if you just remove the stupid forced romance plotline. She is just a woman, a mother, trying to do her best in a pretty shitty situation, which I can stand behind. But Sam is none of those things. Yes, he got rejected by the magnus Institute and saw some fucked up things, cool, but compared to the rest of the cast, it just feels flat. It doesn't have the same impact as Jon retelling his story of how he came across the first book, so what you end up with is a cardboard protagonist surrounded by otherwise very interesting characters! Hell, even Lena and Colin who are meant to be secondary characters are more interesting than Sam since Colin has the paranoia Jon had and makes you wonder just what the hell is he seeing? And Lena, who is in charge of these monsters and yet still clearly cares about people is genuinely fascinating and I want to learn more, and I hope she doesn't die off screen. I want to like Sam. I really, really want to like him, but by God he feels like every protagonist ever and it is so stale and it is so boring and it doesn't help that the season drags on for too long on the later half with people talking about how they are going to do things and never doing them which is my main issue with Season 2 of TMA where there is a lot of people talking about how they will do stuff and how people will do stuff but nothing of importance actually happen. I genuinely think you can cut from season 1 to season 3 of the original show and skip most of season 2 without anything of notice and the same can be said about a solid 5 episodes of this first season of the Magnus Protocol which, since they are on the latter half. There is a lot of build up, and it is not that it doesn't go anywhere, but it is not the reveal one might think it would be. Which is kind of insane considering the writers are the same people who wrote seasons 4 and 5 of the magnus archive, which are probably some of my favorite pieces of media ever and I get that it could be a slow burn and all that, but this is just 2 seasons. There isn't a lot of time to burn slowly here, especially since they are adding a lot of new concepts like alchemy that I feel like won't be handled how they should be handled.

Another point I want to bring up regarding the The Magnus Protocol, actually starts in the Magnus Archive with how it handles its female characters. So, in modern media we have something that I like to call the Nagging Wife problem, in which writers will write women, particularly the love interest of MCs as being 'smart' so they will oppose the MC whenever they act in a dumb way or a way perceived as dumb by them, which puts them in a position antagonistic to your Main Character. Think Wanda from Fairly Oddparents or Marge from the Simpsons for example. And that is a very glaring issue present in TMA where despite not being love interests, all of the main female characters will, at one point or the other, act as Jon's 'nagging wife' at some point, leading to their nagging irrevocably affecting the plot and making Jon act as more of a whump since 'oh look how poorly treated Jon is' and hey, this could have worked, but because the cast is mainly female and none of the characters is really given as much depth as the male characters, we just get Jon's many nagging wives and entire episodes of them doing pretty much that and it can be very inconsistent with their character and very annoying and off putting. Luckily, the Magnus Protocol doesn't have as much of that. Yes, there is Gwen, I suppose, but that's her point in the narrative. She is the most morally dubious one. But I was so terrified that Celia and, particularly, Alice would fall under the 'Nagging Wife' problem, but luckily, for the most part that isn't the case because, while yes, Alice does go against Sam, I think she is pretty consistent overall and they do call her out on it which definitely helps avoiding the issue.

Overall, I like the Magnus Protocol, but I don't think it is anywhere near as great as the Magnus Archive, neither as a stand alone story nor as a sequel. I hope this changes with the next season, because, as it stands right now, I don't think it has that much of a reason to exist- as a sequel. As a standalone story, it is good, not as great as its predecessor, but good, which might sound harsh considering that I said I like this podcast, but then you need to remember how TMA ended and so far, this season hasn't really improved on the ending nor surpassed it.

Final score: 7/10, but only as a standalone story, Gwen and Alice carry it hard, with Celia being a solid character as well and the side characters being interesting enough, but not enough happened to them. Put them in more situations, please, and thank you. As a sequel, as it stands, it's a 5/10, maybe lower, but it has asked a lot of questions that could lead to something great.

Have a doodle of my beloved and my beloathed for the trouble as well :)

[crayonnthief]

Sup, who's your favorite turtle, and why?

If I’m being REALLY specific, then 2007 raph.

This is due to him being my first favourite turtle ever. 2007 having been the first TMNT media I ever watched, when I was really young and is something I loved greatly.

I find a lot of depth within the film and love speaking on the complexity’s of the characters within the movie. (Raph and Leo’s complicated dynamic. You want to be pissed at Leo, sure he’s a hypocrite at many stages and lets his ego get in the way a few times, but you also need to understand his own self loathing. It was causing him to take out his anger on Raph putting up a front to be what he thought his family “needed”. Leo having deemed himself a “failure” and struggled to return because of that, seeing them “better without him” As well as raphs use of anger to mask emotions, clearly upset that Leo was gone for A YEAR longer then we was supposed to.

Caused so much heavy tension and stupid actions to occur. Leo could have been dead for all they knew having disappeared without a letter and the fact Leo did not address his absence clearly upset Raph, he was probably scared that he would note see his brother again, then Leo turns up and pretends like he never left? Raph wanted Leo to address the elephant in the room, but Leo never did. Not even by the end, they still seemed to dance around what happened, leading to an emotional tango. (There is much more I could go into. I could talk on and on about this movie)

Though I wish 2007 mikey and Donnie had more screen time, I actually LOVED 2007 Donnie (for some reason his voice actor just fit so well) plus the times he was on screen I found him funny, and if there was more complexity to the character shown, he would of 100% been my favourite.

But if I’m saying overall favourite turtle then My favourite is Donnie in most iterations.

It Varies sure 2012 Donnie, rise Donnie, 2003 Mikey, idw Donnie (I love metalhead ok. This might change the more I read) Mutant mayhem Donnie and 1987 raph (I’m not forgetting The last ronin, its just it’s focused on Mikey solely and I haven’t watched the Batman TMNT movie. I want too though)

(Tbh mm Donnie can be quite cringy but I just love his design sm)

I think I’m most attached to Donnie because of 2012 Donnie.

2012 was the first tv series I watched of TMNT (after 2007) and easily my favourite was Donnie. His loved for accuracy and fact, as well as overthinking and creativity, wanting structure and control, are things I relate to (not obsessing over a person though :/ that’s the only part I’m not a fan of, is Donnie’s crush on April and sure April did some questionable things but I don’t dislike her, cause people do dumb things sometimes)

I didn’t like her kissing him when he was FINALLY going to give up on her. But it was more a fault of poor writing (There is a lot of Poor writing in 2012 sadly)

Sorry for any spelling and/or grammar mistakes!

^^ im dyslexic please be kind.

[kate-les-bridge-stewart]

I've been having many thoughts about missy and spy!master because of the panels Michelle and Sacha have been doing together so here's some of those for you hehe

As per Michelle and Sacha's opinions on their dynamic together, the sexual energy between the 2 would be off the fucking charts, perhaps even stronger than it was with simm and missy 😳

I just think missy would find dhawan more physically attractive than simm (No offense to John simm of course lol, all 3 of them are GORGEOUS)

Like despite dhawan being debatably more unhinged than simm, something about his overall look in most of his appearances just feels more neat and well groomed than simm

Like dhawans facial hair (excluding the Rasputin thing) was always very well groomed and cleanly trimmed. Meanwhile all of simms appearances always made his hair look at least a little disheveled, especially his goatee

Another thing I think missy would like is dhawans eyes. I'm not sure if the casting director had this in mind when they picked sacha but his eyes lend themselves so well to the masters cunning and manipulative abilities. His eyes are so big and expressive, he can manipulate them to look so soft and genuine and kind. Yet in the blink of an eye he can go from an angel you'd trust with your life to shedding his sheep's clothing to reveal a rabid wolf underneath

Him and missy are a perfect match in that regard since missy also has some stunning eyes herself.

Dhawans eyes are round and large with deep brown irises which lull you into a false sense of trust. Missy's eyes however hypnotize not with trustworthiness but with stunning beauty. They're polar opposites to Dhawan's eyes, being slim and almond shaped and a stark icy blue that snatches your attention and holds it in an iron grip. Her irises are so pale they almost blend into the whites of her eyes and in combination with her overall facial structure give her this ethereal, otherworldly feel. Like a mysterious spirit that claims to be an angel.

Speaking of facial structure, (I guess this is just gonna be a body worship post from me LMAO) dhawans face also lends itself well to his deceptively trustworthy appearance. His face shape is round and his cheeks are full making his face look softer and more approachable. In fact there are few sharp edges in any of his facial features to begin with. His nose is very round and his chin has basically no edges. His eyebrows are thick and dark with the edges of their shape blending into his skin, thus with no defined lines his eyebrows look softer.

Another thing I noticed about his facial hair, it's dark color and well defined edges actually create some symbolic imagry. Think about it, the fine contrast between his beard and the rest of his face almost looks like a mask. Just like how he was wearing the character of O like a mask! Idk I just thought that was a cool idea hehe

Missy's face completely opposes this. She's ALL sharp edges. Her eyebrows? Sharp as needles. Hell their angles form this angry V shape which of course makes her look inherently angry or hostile. Her nose? Straight and narrow. Her jaw? Things built like a fucking cleaver. And don't even get me started on her cheekbones, those things could slice through GRANITE. Even her fucking cupids bow is like 2 razor blades. Her skin (mainly her cheeks) is pulled tight to her skull which causes her to look as deadly as she is. Going back to her eyes, her irises look smaller than Sacha's, they could actually be physically smaller or it could be an optical illusion from how pale her eyes are. Either way her irises looking smaller gives her a wild look and draws far more attention to her pupils.

I could go on but I feel like I've obsessed over these people's faces enough lol

[incoherent-rambling-monologues]

new visual for 劇場版 魔法少女まどか☆マギカ〈ワルプルギスの廻天〉(Puella Magi Madoka☆Magica the Movie - Walpurgisnacht: Rising -)

 This promotional looks really interesting. And that's for multiple reasons. The first one being the power dynamic and its nice use of composition and structure. Usually, with shows that feature humans vs. a system or humans vs. the concept of a system, the human is overpowered and dominated by the figure of the concept—barely even an ant in its face. But in this image, Homura, a presumed doppelganger of hers, and a strange abstract phone-looking thing have much more presence and power over the concept Madoka, who, for the entire series, was the focal point of Homura's universe.

 The most prominent figures in this photo are the two Homuras in a face-off and the abstract phone syringe-looking thing. And only after looking at those two things do our eyes get led to the teensy-tiny Madoka at the vanishing point, and we're led there by the yellow beaming flares at the center as well as the streetlights at the two Homuras' legs. In short, Madoka feels almost like a background character with how small she feels in comparison to the other elements present.

 This can be read as Homura finally confronting herself and addressing the issues with her actions regarding her obsession over Madoka. That's only a hypothetical, though, since I've yet to take into account all of the other elements in this promotional. But then again, they are the elements with the most prominence, so my reading could very well be valid.

 Now, to address the usage of architecture and symbolism,

 But as much as I'd like to address the symbolism, I can't even begin to attach a conclusive meaning and explain whatever this phone syringe serpent thing is supposed to symbolize. I can present multiple of my own personal interpretations, but without extra context, I would be throwing ideas into thin air. I could probably explain the disparate parts present in the symbol, but that would take way too long. So I'll just leave that for sometime else and start talking about the architecture.

 The use of architecture in MadoMagi has always amazed me with how they're always capable of adding something to the scene they're featured in; whether that be pure and simple eye candy to benefit the atmosphere and tone of the scene, or if they were thematically relevant, the builds never fail to improve my overall enjoyment of the scenes they are present in. These builds can be much more grounded in reality or something that leans more towards the fantastical and surreal. In the case of this promotional, it's both.

 The buildings that surround, crush, and loom over our characters, Madoka especially, whatever they're supposed to be, doesn't matter all that much. Apartments, offices, studios—it doesn't matter. All that does matter is that people occupy these buildings. Red lights in the windows and even in the construction going on in the background. Not only do they complement the yellows and oranges present in the photo, but they also signal an error in the system and maybe even symbolize animosity.

 The red lights in the windows of the people-occupied buildings may signify the animosity and hate that's directed towards Homura for dragging Madoka out of her godlike state. It may also mean the same thing as the lights at the construction site: a signal of an error, an indication that the build is incomplete—that it's missing a piece—that piece being Madoka. The red lights in the surrounding buildings, in this case, might be referring to everyone who is in limbo, calling Madoka to their sides.

 The construction site plays a similar role. Since it's close to the center, it acts as a beacon to warn of its incompletion. It draws Madoka to the center like a bug to a light, begging her to complete herself and the world at the same time. But obstructing her path is what appears to be a coffin under a tower, with a spiral staircase and a birdcage at its top. But whether this is supposed to be where she's actually supposed to be, I'm not sure.

I'm also not sure whether what is at the bottom of the tower is actually a coffin, but if it were, then it'd be really fitting. She would be working tirelessly at her task for the rest of her life as a messiah figure, as a concept without an actual life to her name—dead, boxed inside a coffin. Then there's the tower. Towers are normally designated for people with power in a story, an antagonistic force, or a concept to stand against, but in this instance, the tower is overshadowed by everything else present in the picture, and with the birdcage at the top, it's clear that this is supposed to be something akin to a display rack for Madoka.

 All of this, plus the dutch angle, makes this promotional feel literally and figuratively unbalanced. That this world isn't in its ideal state and could lose its balance and topple over at any second. The power dynamics and the composition of the image are lopsided, and I think this disharmony perfectly describes the state of MadoMagi's story.

[no-where-new-hero]

✣ Blake Wrapped: KDrama Edition 📹

Almost exactly a year ago, I watched Goblin for the first time and loved it, as I knew I would (I am so very much the target audience for that show it’s not even funny). And when I started retagging the gifs and stuff I had reposted from that time, I saw that I tagged something with “I’m not in a kdrama phase per se, but…” Reader, I lied. The kdrama phase was just waiting dormant for its moment to overtake my life. Here’s my rough ranking of what I saw this year.

#1: Coffee Prince (2007)

It’s a little dated, but it also has worn tremendously well considering its contemporaries, and the bones are flawless: great writing with well-rounded characters, a gorgeously evocative soundtrack, a lovable cast. It has recognizable tropes (rich boy/poor girl, second leads, deceptions, etc) but never feels cliche. Also, it’s incredibly queer. Yes, the endgame of the main pair is happily heterosexual but the male lead works through a gay awakening and the female lead is basically non-binary. Even the second couple challenge gender roles in a refreshing way. I’ve only seen it twice because of platform difficulties, but it has compelling rewatch value.

#1’ : Goblin/Guardian: The Lonely and Great God (2016)

This show is a masterpiece. It has its weak moments here and there (one dreepy song in the OST, the female leads could be fleshed out more, some of the mythology is spit and string), but it’s such a stunning production in the whole that you don’t really get stuck on that. The cinematography is some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen in any piece of film ever, the instrumental music is unmatched, it engages with deep themes, and the interpersonal dynamics are gorgeous (I love the three-of-us-in-this-marriage feel among the mains). It’s also incredibly moving, especially in parts that you don’t expect. I’ve seen this five times and I’m still not bored of it.

#1.5: Tale of the Nine Tailed (2020)

Considering how much I’ve yelled about this, you’d think it would be higher, and I think my overall complaint about it is that, on a craft level, it’s telling two stories: the overt story is an immortal romance, but the underneath story is about family and redemption, and that’s the story that’s the compelling one. Unfortunately, unlike the first two I listed, the theme and plot don’t always cohere as well as they could. That being said, the characters are top-notch, the cinematography and effects are great, and the atmosphere always feels just a little bit off to be properly otherworldly. It gave me my OTP and set off an obsession. I need to rewatch it and suffer all over again.

#2: Hidden Identity (2015)

Of course, this drama is flawed, as viewers always seem to like pointing out, but I also did watch all sixteen episodes in less than 48 hours during a school week, which tells you something about its gripping pacing and structure. The episodes are, well, episodic, but the cliffhangers are fantastic, the various threads build well to the final boss, and It was also just a really well-produced show? The cinematography and fight choreography were masterfully executed, the cast really made the most of their roles, and the theme music was addictive. I was also, of course, watching it for the Plot (Kim Beom).

#2.5: Tale of the Nine Tailed 1938 (2023)

It’s hard for me to evaluate this objectively because so much of it was fan-service, but since I was the fan being serviced, how could I not like it? It lacked the chic sexiness of the first season, but it was full of sincerity and incredible characters making heart-breaking and meaningful connections with each other—the writing improved, thank goodness—and the mix of fantasy, historical drama, and western made for a really fun setting. I enjoyed the shortened structure of having only 12 episodes instead of the standard 16 since it seemed to hold the pacing to a tighter rhythm.

#3: Special Labor Inspector Mr. Jo (2019)

Would I rewatch this? Probably not. Did I enjoy the heck out of it the first time? Absolutely. It’s a sharp, smart satire whose virtue lies in its breezy ability to entertain as a tall tale while keeping the themes and social commentary incredibly grounded. It’s amazing how a show with such cynicism could also be such fun. The cast was excellent and the plot deliberately uses familiar tropes of rich families, hired gangs, and love struggles to push through its message: Power destroys. Heroism is kindness. Sometimes all you need is one very angry and very tired gym teacher turned bureaucrat to make life better.

#4: Boys Over Flowers (2008)

This should not be as high as it is, but there were moments I still haven’t stopped thinking about and want to see again, which means it must have had something going on, even though I’m not sure what it was. I could never tell whether it was being ridiculous and outlandish on purpose or the show runners really thought they were making serious television. Exactly two songs in the soundtrack were good, and you also had that theme song as proper paratextual warning, and the outfits were what conservative people probably thing Queer Eye is. I do see why people like it. It’s just the kind of liking you have to do while mildly intoxicated.

#5: That Winter, the Wind Blows (2013)

This one was melodramatic to the hilt, but somehow weirdly compelling, both through the elaborate ruse that sets up the plot and through the outrageous beauty of the two leads. This is the kind of overdramatic and indulgent nonsense you sometimes want in fiction, especially when its gorgeous to look at. The male lead goes around in suspenders and nice pants looking like a 1930s gangster. His sidekick’s hair and outfit anticipates David Tennant’s Crowley by six years. The female lead’s disability was pretty sensitively portrayed. Sometimes that’s all you can ask for.

Bonus (movies): You all know my thoughts about Flight. Also going to mention Hellcats, which was absurd but also deserves full points for having a main character come out as gay for her best friend).

[staceymcgillicuddy]

WIP Wednesday

Okay, so here’s my foray into @hellcheeranniversaryweek and their wonderful WIP Wednesdays. I’m not comfortable posting snippets of any of these yet, as they haven’t gone through my intensive (read: obsessive and ridiculous) editing process, but in the spirit of the challenge I’m sharing the premise, why I wanted to write it, and where I’m stuck on each. Mostly, I got super excited about the starts, then fizzled out on the execution. 

If any of them sound like something you’d want to read, let me know! Engagement = motivation to my silly little brain. (And hey, I already made some graphics!)

WIP #1: Summertime Blues

Premise: It’s the summer between Eddie’s first and second senior year, and he’s working for a friend of Wayne’s so he can make extra cash to put toward the van he’s desperate to buy. The friend runs a landscaping company, so Eddie’s out mowing lawns. Cue: the Cunninghams. A pool, a pretty girl, a bratty little brother, and hormones in the summer heat. 

Why? Because I liked the idea of exploring a “what if” that had them getting together when they were younger rather than older, giving me the chance to explore an Eddie who hasn’t entirely found himself, and a Chrissy who’s still figuring out what ‘good’ looks like when it comes to a boyfriend.

Where I’m stuck: I really like the premise, but I’m having trouble finding the there there. I think, ultimately, I want it to follow the structure of a romance novella, but I don’t want to overlap with what I’m already doing in Soul. So, I don’t know, I was hot to trot on it for a while and then I kind of burned out. Maybe I should just post the first chapter and see if that re-inspires me? 

WIP #2: Kinky 90s

Premise: Somehow Chrissy and Eddie both end up in the same early 90s BDSM scene in Indianapolis. Eddie’s been in it for a few years, and he mostly doms. Chrissy’s newly single (maybe divorced) and feeling herself for the first time in her life, exploring some desires she’s never let herself think much about. Leans Dom!Eddie/Sub!Chrissy, but because it’s me, there will be power dynamics and switching and examination of what those roles actually look like in a functional relationship. I wanted to write a series of one-shots, starting with one where they run into each other at a munch, maybe, and transitioning into various scenes where they explore their kinks while 100% falling for each other. 

Why? I wanted to research what BDSM communities were like in the 90s, before the ease of having Fet and other online spaces to find people. How does a woman find her way in safely, and what does community look like when you can’t vet people quite as well as you can these days. I like the idea of Eddie working in the city, getting by, and dorking out about floggers and rope the same way he used to dork out about D&D. Plus, I wanted to write them having kinky sex. I am a simple creature. 

Where I’m stuck: I kind of wanted them to dance around getting together for a while, but the innate attraction is so goddamn strong it’s hard to put roadblocks in their way. Which is usually a sign I need to STOP trying to put roadblocks in their way and find another source of conflict instead. The nice thing about this one is that if I wanted to, I could just post a one-shot every so often and let it be what it is. So maybe I will.

WIP #3: Pegging One-Shot

Premise: Chrissy pegs Eddie. 

Why? I like the idea of them being in an established, happy relationship and discovering something new and a little taboo (to them). 

Where I’m stuck: Figuring out how to actually get to the part where they talk about it. My initial thought was that Eddie brings up anal as a thing to try, and Chrissy’s like “you first” but that doesn’t really feel like them, because I feel like they’re pretty sexually compatible, overall. So, I don’t know, I’m noodling on a few different ways to approach it that feel authentic to both their characters and the time period. Where, again, there isn’t this wide world of porn and helpful hints at their fingertips, and you can’t order a bespoke strap-on from Etsy. If this does get done, it’ll be a one-shot, so at least there’s that. 

And that, as they say, is that! I have other ideas, but nothing I've actually written significant wordcount on. Thanks again to Hellcheer Anniversary Week for fun prompts, and getting me to revisit these guys all over again!

[wishblown]

May the days be aimless. Let the seasons drift. Do not advance the action according to plan.

— Don DeLillo; White Noise

June Reads!

A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers — 4/5: a friend recommended this one to me as kind of a mix between Hannibal and American Psycho with a female protagonist which got me hooked. it definitely delivered on that regarding the plot and food-motif (?). the food descriptions were definitely very beautiful and the protagonist compelling. liked that she was telling her story from prison. only thing was that some of her inner monologue came across a little ‘girl boss-y’ at times which I found corny but maybe that’s just me. I guess you’re allowed to be a bit of a corny #girlboss when you’re literally eating men

The Hauntings of Playing God by Chris Dietzel — 2.75/5: this one was kinda meh? was very excited about the concept (last ‘living’ woman on earth left to care for her patients who’re all suffering from locked-in syndrome (ig?) left to make tough choices) but it just didn’t deliver. it got kinda repetitive towards the middle and could’ve done with some shortening for sure imo. also a little too kitschy in some parts for my taste.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy — 5/5: even better than expected! I had high hopes for this one and it didn’t let me down! not only is McCurdy’s story incredible and gripping but she’s also a really talented writer.

White Noise by Don DeLillo — 5/5: read this for the first time last year and suddenly got this intense craving to re-read it; turned out I liked it even better the second time round! this one truly has it all: coming to terms with mortality (and failing badly), portrait of family life and marriage, critique of consumerism and modern life, there’s an airborne toxic event, it’s a great satire overall, yet its so earnest at the same time and treats its characters with such fondness and care; such nice structure of the novel too. would recommend this to everyone

Idol, Burning by Rin Usami — 3.75/5: short and bittersweet! a story of an obsessive fan of a j-pop idol; the way she devotes herself to studying her idol as the rest of her life falls apart around her — really enjoyed the contrast between her absolute focus and dedication to her idol and how she struggles in her regular life, school and work especially due to her (probable) learning disability. some passages really hit home for me

Severance by Ling Ma — 4.5/5: enjoyed this one a lot! liked how the narration went back and forth between the current “zombie” pandemic the protagonist is trying to survive (and the dynamic of her companions) and the years leading up to that point. it felt kind of like a coming-of-age story but in a settling into your adulthood kind of way? I liked that vibe and could definitely relate to it as well. also, always a fan of when stories give me the very beginning stages of apocalypses etc. the writing’s really nice too! def recommend

[clotpolesonly]

So, I started a cleaning job where I don't have to talk to anyone, which is lovely, but it also meant I started listening to audiobooks, and I've started listening to some book series I've been hearing about here and there, and the latest was The Raven Cycle. Why? Because you posted about it. You are literally the only person on my dashboard to post about it, but the few ones I have seen over the last months? years? have been enough for me to be assured in it having queer rep, being well written, and potentially worth my time. And yeah, it very much was, cause now I'm kinda hooked on it, like not just Adam/Ronan, tho very much them as well, but Maggie even got me caring about a straight couple with Gansey/Blue, cause she just writes such beautiful and unique characters!!! And anyway, besides asking you if you have some favourite AO3 recs (Don't even care much about the ship, as long as it's with these characters) I come having finished The Raven King a week ago, and now humbly but also very desperately asking, do you have any other book recommendations like TRC for me to listen to?? (Oh, and maybe also whether or not the dreamer triology will be just as good? Cause I'm curious about it having Ronan in focus, but more than the story, it's the characters that got me hooked on TRC, and like Maggie Stiefvater's writing style, but yeah I'm unsure how much of Adam there is in the trilogy, and the new characters, are they just as intriguing??)

YESSSSSS I LOVE SNAGGING PEOPLE AND DRAGGING THEM INTO MY FANDOMS XD WELCOME

the Dreamer Trilogy has its pros and its cons. if does significantly shift the focus of the narrative away from the established group, so if the Gangsey found family dynamic is a really big factor in your enjoyment and you don't want to be without it, you'll be disappointed by TDT because the rest of the gang simply isn't present 😭 it's very much Lynch-(and new characters)-focused.

Ronan is the main character and gets the most screen time, but honestly, Declan steals the show in that series. people can go into TDT Declan haters and come out of it with rabid Declan brain rot afdkjgh, i for one am obsessed with him. Matthew gets a real arc too, which i love for him. Adam doesn't have a huge role but he is around and relevant. i am IN LOVE with some of the new characters, and Maggie got us again with the straights!!! she makes us fucking YEARN WITH THE STRAIGHTS, on par with Bluesey imo, the new canon ship destroys me ok??

i will say that TDT doesn't feel as cohesive and satisfying in the overall narrative structure sense, compared to TRC. there are some things about it that confuse/frustrate me or don't make sense if you look at it too closely 😅 but there's so much really interesting compelling character/relationship work that it makes up for it, for me. i enjoyed TDT a lot, have read it multiple times, and will definitely read it again. it expands upon the world and lore, and i'm a sluuuut for complicated dysfunctional family dynamics so the Lynches get me good.

.

as for other recs! in case my unrelenting TRC blogging isn't damning enough evidence, i'll admit openly that i tend to just read the same thing over and over again instead of reading anything new lfkdjgh, so i don't actually HAVE anything else to rec myself, i am useless to you 😅😅😅 so instead i reached out to some other fans on discord and got suggestions from them to share with you!

The Scorpio Races (also Maggie Stiefvater)

The Wicker King (K Ancrum)

Aristotle & Dante (Benjamin Alire Saenz)

A Darker Shade of Magic (VE Schwab)

Iron Widow (Xiran Jay Zhao)

In Other Lands (Sarah Rees Brennan)

Hell Followed With Us (Andrew Joseph White)

The Darkest Part of The Forest (Holly Black)

All Of Us Villains duology (Amanda Foody, CL Herman)

Self Made Boys (Anna Marie Mclemore)

Legendborn (Tracy Deonn)

Folk of the Air series (Holly Black)

Six of Crows duology (Leigh Bardugo)

Winternight trilogy (Katherine Arden)

Gideon the Ninth (Tamsyn Muir)

The Atlas Six (Olivie Blake)

so, again, i have not personally read any of these books to make the recs more specific or say what part of them invokes TRC vibes, but it sure is a place to start?? 😂

.

for fic recs, oh god, my brain is SWISS CHEESE, let's see if i can remember and dig up anything aldkfjg

(ok first i rec my own fics #shameless self promo)

Magnetic i've read SO MUCH and will again, it's everything to me

don't it beat a slow dance to death is a timeloop thing A+

I'm an Empathetic Drunk, Ok? is the first long TRC fic i read i think

All That I Know is Gone has dreamer!Declan, obsessed with this

King by the Roadside Gansey-didn't-die-the-first-time + polyam

A Sound Of Thunder Declan died instead of Niall 😭😭

aaaaaand these are the ones that are coming to my mind as of right now, the first 3 are all Pynch. i think the 4th has Pynch but it's mostly brother feels - that one introduces some elements from TDT but i don't thiiiiiink anything that would be a significant spoiler as long as you've read the short story Opal, which was included in my physical copy of TRK if it wasn't in yours, i have the epub). could hold off on that one until you (maybe) read TDT (if you wanna), but i've read it too many times not to rec it. 5th one hooks up the whole gang in one big polycule and i love it for that, and the last one hurts my HEART as a Declan stan but it's otherwise a great fic 😂

anybody else with TRC recs, add on/reply/hit @so-very-asleep up with 'em!!!

[beautifulduckweed]

Dear Yuletide Author 2023

Shh! Listen—can you hear it? That weird humming sound? That's me, vibrating with joy and anticipation for everything that Yuletide brings, especially what you, dear Yuletide author, have in store for me.

I’m beautifulduckweed on AO3. Below is a list of likes, a short list of DNWs, as well as my requests for Yuletide. I've included prompts, but please know that they are ABSOLUTELY just suggestions and points of inspiration; feel free to deviate from them, or ditch them entirely and write me something else. God knows I can’t write my own dang stories without taking several wild left turns along the way.

Thanks so much for my gift, and I hope you have a blast writing.

💖🥰 Some things I like 🥰💖

Crackfic and mashups. No premise to stupid, no crossover too incongruous. Listen, recently someone in another exchange requested John Wick x Marie Kondo and I have legit lost sleep thinking about that.

Sexytimes. Please note that I absolutely do not require sex! Some of my favorite exchange gifts have featured absolutely zero sex on page. But if the smutty muse strikes—well, far be it for me to stop you. My tolerance is…high. No, higher. No, no, higher than that. Look, I’ve been a denizen of the Internet long enough that I subscribed to porn newsgroups, OK? My constitution is CAST IRON. I especially enjoy service topping, orgasm control (delayed? denied? forced? ruined? YES), femdoms, people coming untouched, multiple orgasms, overstimulation, improbable feats of horny stamina, people losing control while fucking, gangbangs, and threesomes/moresomes/orgies. I also really love first times, and people finally dropping their defenses and allowing themselves to be vulnerable during sex, and the STOP MAKING LOVE TO ME WHEN WE'RE FUCKING trope. I do have a small list of smut no’s in the Do Not Wants section.

Tropes. Some of my fave tropes are idiots to lovers (idiot4idiot4eva), friends to lovers, forced proximity, cramming attractive people into corsets, drag queen AUs, SFF AUs of every stripe (daemon? Pacific Rim? Superhero/supervillain? Vampires? Inception? Yes yes yessss). I absolutely adore the golden retriever/hissy feral cat dynamic. I also like two soft-hearted dinguses doing their best and trying to treat each other right. And ain't nothin' wrong with enemies who are obsessed with each other who OOPS realize their preoccupation may be more than mere antipathy.

I’d also like to note that much as I love a fic that’s like, a trope confetti cannon, I also really love having tropes (and expectations) subverted. Like, take your standard daemon AU. What would happen if the main character and their daemon…didn’t like each other? What if they were, in fact, mortal enemies? It would be so fucked! I would love to read about it!!!

Horror and gore. I love scary stories and horror; I have a really high tolerance for gore. If you want to lean into action sequences, gore, and body horror, I am (with a few exceptions, which I’m gonna list in the DNWs) gonna be totally cool with it. I basically jumped straight from Enid Blyton to Stephen King. My childhood media consumption was very normal why do you ask 😊

And other stuff. If you want to fuck around with the format of the fic, play around with structure, format, voice, POV, all of it, please do. Here for any weird shit you care to toss my way.

I also really love having my sense of what’s real and what’s not messed with. Like, is it ever possible to have a fully reliable narrator? What is the nature of truth and reality anyway? What role does the overall narratorial voice or framing device of the story play in our perception of the story? I regret to inform you that I'm writing this 100% sober; this is just how my brain is all the time.

😭🚫Do Not Wants 🚫😭

Pet death. I am totally fine with, like, random rabbit needs to be killed for dinner while out in the woods, or oh no, we have to defend ourselves from a charging hippo or hostile lizard from outer space.

Animal cruelty. Brief mentions of stuff happening in the past or whatever are fine; seeing an animal tortured on-page is a big no.

Major character death. Random minions, as always, can be sacrificed to the storytelling gods. NOTE: Major character undeath fine.

Kink and smut no’s: I’m not into blood, scat, vomit or piss. Please no noncon/dubcon where a woman is the victim. NOTE: sex pollen scenarios whereby everybody loses their mind simultaneously is totally fine, as is Fuck or Die.

Unhappy/hopeless endings. Bittersweet is fine; endings where it’s clear a cost has been paid and everybody’s changed etc. etc. also fine, but like, please don’t leave the characters absolutely miserable or unrelentingly tormented by their demons (unless the demons are sexy and the torment is also sexy).

Breakups without makeups: If I requested a canon pairing, or if you decide to write a shippy pairing, please leave their relationship intact at the end of the story. It can take a battering! Just don't break them—or my poor little heart—apart. NOTE: If you're writing a missing scene that takes place while or leads up to a period when the characters are canonically on a break, leaving them broken up or the fight unresolved is fine, because I know canon takes care of things.

🍪🧁Treats 🧁🍪

Are very yes. Love me some treats!!!

📝🎅The Requests 🎅📝

Fandom: The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting - K.J. Charles

Characters: Alice Fenwick, Marianne Loxleigh

Thoughts/Prompts: I am a simple bean, and all I want is Alice and Marianne having adventures. Maybe some lesbian porn. Or platonic lesbian BFF vibes. You can have 'em fall in love, or become platonic life partners, or fuck a lot and never fall in love, or start an elaborate grift or heist together. Like, wouldn’t it be hot if Marnie decided Alice needed some tutoring in the ways of fuckboys, lured one in, and used him to tutor Alice in the ways of satisfying herself while not getting pregnant? I’m seriously down for whatever.

Also, as with all of my fandom requests, please feel free to drag in as many other characters in as necessary. The more, the merrier; I just want Alice and Marnie’s relationship front and center.

Crack Prompts: Hey what about a vampire AU? Marnie as a vampire would be hot—hundreds of years of grifting, and GOD what the hell is up with this entirely-too-nice nerd oh WHOOPS turns out she’s her generation’s foremost vampire hunter. Alice as the vampire would also be amazing—Marnie tries to con Alice and discovers she’s bitten off more than she can chew (ba-dum-tish).

Vampire AU not your cuppa? How about crossovers with literally any other KJC universe? Stick ‘em in Magpies, or have them tangle with the Lilywhite Boys, solve a murder mystery with Pat and Fen, cosh some villains on the head with the Will Darling crew, accidentally fall into an orgy with the Murder, be pulled through time by one of the Green Men. I have read all the KJC books and extras. Go nuts.

Fandom: England Series - K.J. Charles

Characters: Bill Merton, Jimmy Yoxall

Thoughts/Prompts: Look, I love idiots, and these two are SUCH MAGNIFICENT IDIOTS. Jimmy is a giant doofus, and Bill thinks he's smarter, but all evidence points to him being at least as big an idiot when it comes to matters of the heart. I get all feral and heart-eyes over these two nincompoops. I will accept any and everything for these two: fics of the two of them getting to know each other during their university days, falling in love in London, THAT HORRIBLE FIGHT AFTER BEN HUR. Whatever. I ain't picky. I also said one time that they'd be great in Lower Decks and ever since then I may have brainwormed myself a little. They'd be so good in the USS Cerritos! Also down 2 clown with like, incongruous mashups---like John Wick? God, what if Jimmy Yoxall was just really weirdly good at murder, and Bill has to keep his stupid ass alive?

Opt-in for this specific fandom: waiving the breakup without makeup DNW for anything that takes place pre-Proper English events.

Fandom: Fire Island (Movie 2022)

Characters: Noah, Will

Thoughts/Prompts: Goddd, over a year later and it's still my favorite Pride and Prejudice adaptation to date. The found family vibes! Noah explicitly being non-monogamous! The dynamics between ALL the characters, but especially Noah and Howie!!! I am down for whatever for this fandom. Wanna write a big ole sweaty orgy? Have the entire crew go on a giant chaotic family vacation together? (Maybe even…the following year’s trip to Fire Island???). Somebody somehow manages to dare Will into entering a drag contest, and it’s gonna take everyone’s help to make this happen. Noah suddenly finds himself a TikTok sensation and gets into a weird Twitter beef with Taylor Swift.

Crack Prompts: These fools would be incredible in What We Do in the Shadows and Our Flag Means Death.

ALSO, oh my god: since this is a Pride and Prejudice retelling, how about sticking ‘em in a Regency romance novel? I’m inordinately fond of Loretta Chase, and the thought of these four idiots running amuck in the ton is giving me so much glee. Like, think of the Lord of Scoundrels retelling: Will is determined to rescue his idiot friend Charlie from the toils of Noah, a notorious rake, only to find himself reluctantly falling for Noah’s charms. And in the meanwhile, Charlie is falling in love with Howie….

[thescrapbookingscientist]

Biweekly Media Roundup

- Trigun (Anime) - Still obsessing over Trigun and Knives specifically. Can’t believe how much I like this patronizing genocidal asshole. That’s good characterization baby.

- Lackadaisy (Webseries) - I don’t have anything interesting to say about this one, just that it was a very well made and pretty intro to what I remember being a pretty compelling web series. The designs of the cats and how much personality each exudes is incredible. 

- The Super Mario Bros Movie (Movie) - The reviews of this seem pretty mixed, but personally I liked it quite a bit. No, it’s not some mind blowing cinematic masterpiece, but for what it is, a kid friendly movie introducing the basic Mario story, it’s honestly much better than I was expecting-especially considering Illuminations previous output. You can tell it’s made by people who love the series, not only with the level of references but also in just the details of how the characters move or how the backgrounds and world are rendered. It’s quite pretty, with the character models looking adorable and the backgrounds full of color. Bowser was a standout of course, both in Jack Blacks vocal performance and the way they incorporated his mannerisms into the character model. I loved the brothers relationship and how affectionate they were with each other. It also had a few pretty solid jokes. I do wish it had been longer, as the scenes went by too fast for any emotional moment to take root, but again if you think of it as a set up of what’s bound to be a franchise of Galaxy, Luigi’s Mansion, or Odessy sequels, then it’s a pretty good “first episode” so to speak. 

- Bocchi the Rock (Anime) - My first venture into binging all the yuri-esque shows I missed from last year, Bocchi was indeed pretty solid. They made the protagonist uncomfortably relatable in her brand of social awkwardness which made for some emotional moments as well as big oof jokes. The cut away gags experimenting with different animation were fun, I did quite like the music and performances, and the character dynamics were pretty good, I’ll watch a 2nd season if it gets one. I’m not sure I’d go as far as calling it anime of the year, the ending didn’t really leave off like a complete story and plot wise it didn’t really have much going on, but as a nice slice of life comedy it’s definitely worth the watch. As a character Bocchi is great, but hopefully a s2 will explore a bit more of the other band members, who weren’t generic characters by any means but didn’t really get much screentime.

- Dr, Stone (Anime) - Hey we are back! New guy seems fun, I still adore Senku as a protagonist, and I’m interested to see how they plan to balance so many characters moving forward. Hope we see more flashbacks of the fantastic dad/son relationship, it’s honestly one of my favorites from any media I’ve seen. 

- Buddy Daddies (Anime) - While the ending surprised me in it’s conclusively (I did not expect a future epilogue to be canonized) overall I’d say it was a good decision. I’d say this was a solid C+, B-, it was good at being the cute little parenting comedy it wanted to be with some fun moments and solid animation but wasn’t particularly memorable in terms of plot or characters-like, I like all the leads, but I don’t see them topping any end of the year favorite lists. I will say that I’m surprised at how platonic they kept the fathers, I hadn’t expected them to get together but I did expect a lot more ship bait than we got. They work fine as a ship but the series really did focus a lot more on the child rearing aspects which came as a surprise considering how often marketing wants to tease mlm relationships for profit. I guess I appreciate it as I prefer giving visibility to more platonic relationships and unusual family structures to queerbaiting with no delivery but also there’s so few genuinely good mlm anime that it would’ve been nice for them to just have them be a couple. I did have a fun time with this, I’d recommend it if you are into the raising children genre. 

- Campfire Cooking in Another World (Anime) - Follow some people who had suggested this as a fun, relaxing little cooking anime and yeah, that checks out so far. Just a very cute and wholesome little feel good series about a man feeding his giant God level talking dog and baby slime child-As a domestic monster appreciator this is checking my boxes pretty well.  

- The Locked Tomb Series (Books) - Almost done with Gideon the Ninth, once again I’m really enjoying these characters and their dynamics, as well as the general space necromancy mystery plotline. I’m listening to the audiobook at the moment, but I’ll likely buy the physical copies as there are a lot of excellent quotes in here that I would like easier access to revisit. Anyway, Gideon and Harrow are the toxic co-dependent love hate lesbian ship I’ve needed in my life since my catradora hyperfixation. 

- Resident Evil 4 (Video Game) - Played till around chapter 6 so far with my friends and honestly, it’s really good. They keep all the fun stuff from the original but make it high res, I love seeing Leon and Ada and Luis and the Merchant again. It’s hard to get everyone together to play but I’m excited about getting to experience it again, got some great childhood memories of hanging with the girls and laughing at all the strange zombie noises they chose to include.

As usual I’m also keeping up with The Greatest Estate Developer, Land of the Lustrous, The Vampire Dies In No Time, and The S Classes that I raised.

Listening to: Nothing is Going Right by Meiyo, Eat Your Young by Hozier, Achilles Come Down cover by Annapantsu, Stalker’s Tango by Autoheart, Ship in a Bottle by fin, I Hate Everything But You and I’ve Always Never Believed in You from Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, They’re Only Human from the Death Note Musical, Counting Bodies Like Sheep by A Perfect Circle, Kickback by Kenshi Yonezu, My Kind by Hilary Duff, Hallelujah cover by Pentatonix

[sunshineistyping]

Sun/Moon Hc with a goth reader please! NSFW is up to you!

Sure thing!

Goth S/O Headcannons

Characters: Sun/Moon (Daycare Attendant)

Warnings: NSFW briefly mentions both AMAB and AFAB bodies! Dom Sun, Switch Moon

———————————————————————

SUN

Obsessed with you, absolutely obsessed.

He loves the Light and Dark dynamic you have going on!

He has and will show you off and is extremely fascinated by your clothes!

Please explain the different pieces and where you got them he’s so curious, that and he loves hearing you talk

Draws little doodles of the two of you hugging and the colors always contrast in a nice way! Sometimes he’ll even doodle just pictures of you, he tries not too but he adores your look

Despite not being goth himself, he loves the aesthetic

He got black glitter glue just for you, he’s so cute I swear!

He loves your lipstick (if you wear any that is) and he looooves seeing you put it on! He thinks it’s so cool!

He’ll ask if you can put a little on him

Please say yes he’s so soft for you!

He loves painting your nails if you let him! He’s also pretty good at it!

Will 100% submit to anything you say because he is super soft, especially if you wear large boots that make you taller

He loves his S/O tall or short, chubby or thin, because they’re goth and they have a beautiful personality!

Goth is art and he acknowledges it as such, alternative fashion is beautiful! He’s actually always had a fascination with it and knowing you like it makes it better!

Truly wants some of your spiked chokers or bracelets and obsesses over any cute belts you have, gloves are also cool!

Honestly might steal them, be careful lol

He loves you and your fashion!

NSFW———————

He is obsessed with how you look when you’re blissed out, and I do mean obsessed. This guy adores seeing your eyes roll back, especially if you wear eyeshadow

If your eyeshadow, mascara or even eyeliner can run he is MAKING IT RUN! He loves making a mess of you, especially your eyes!

HANDS. He lovvvvvves your nail polish, likes to watch you grip onto him or other things

He just gets off on the power trip of being your dom, especially when you look like YOU’D be the dom

This needs an entirely separate part, remember the lipstick? GUY LOVES SEEING IT SMEAR AND WILL FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT SMEAR

Loves when you wear lipstick that can transfer, loves being covered in your lipstick, just LOVES IT

If you’re AFAB he looooves your chest, small or big he does not care. He has and will bring his thumb up to your lips just to pick up some lipstick and smear it on your chest

If your AMAB he adores your back, and very much enjoys seeing it strain or move under his gaze, it’s just hot as hell to him

He just wants you messy and tired honestly, but he’s always sure to clean you up and cuddle afterwards!

———————————————————————

MOON

Loves that your styles mix together so well!

He can’t help himself. He’s a simp.

He especially had a deep love for chains or cute bracelets, but overall, he just likes seeing the way you look in black

He learns how to do eyeliner and makeup just for fun, that and you get to be his beloved teacher

Once he learns how to do makeup he honed his skill by practicing on you and- oh wow actually that looks pretty cool

He’s not one for ‘stereotypical pretty’ and likes making what looks like art on your face

Thank you for allowing him to do this, it’s his new favorite thing and he finds a deep joy to it

He’s actually awesome to go to for gothic fashion advice, depending on what kind of goth you’re looking for

Honestly he’s just good at styling and he loves to help you look your best

It makes him feel important

Please let him steal some of your clothes, he likes to make them look cool. Give him bleach and a black hoodie and you’ll find something fun when you’re back

Sometimes he makes intricate skeletal structures, other times it’s fire or butterflies

But sometimes it’s an intricate moon design

Overall he loves helping you get all dressed up, that and designing things that you’ll really like. He keeps you spoiled just so you smile and that’s one of the best things about him.

NSFW———————

He loves it when you’re wearing something he made, it really helps with the whole ‘you’re mine’ mindset he has

It doesn’t matter if you top him or not, you’re HIS

He adores using your accessories and jewelry against you.

He’ll turn anything into a gag or a way to bind you up, honestly it’s wild how skilled he is

He loves hearing the noises you make but still gags you anyway. It’s a simple display of his claim over you

He doesn’t mind being bound up either though so don’t be afraid to offer

He loves and I mean loves to ruin your makeup just like sun does. He wants it to run down your face

That’s just a perfect sight

He cannot get enough of you both AFAB and AMAB. It’s just something about you in particular that he loves. It might have something to do with the style of clothes but it’s mostly personality

If you’re AFAB he loves watching you grind against his thigh. It’s about the power trip of someone who looks so menacing being desperate I guess. He likes to time how long it will take for you to get off without any outside help

If you’re AMAB, he adores letting you play with yourself while he watches. As long as you don’t mind it. You sit in his lap the entire time and he just talks to you in that smooth voice of his, that’s truly all he does. It’s a challenge to see how fast he can get you off

He’s a pervert but he does really love you

———————————————————————

[there-must-be-a-lock]

Lou’s Quick and Dirty Guide to Smutting

A long time ago (a week ago? two weeks ago?) @riddikulus-obsessions asked me for tips on writing smut that flows. And like... I could probably write a well-constructed essay about that subject, but instead I just started word-vomiting and this is what I came up with. 

1. Don’t neglect the emotional story! It doesn’t matter how “plotless” your porn is; these are people, not just bodies, and so there is always an emotional story. The emotional connection is what’s going to set this smut apart from every other “insert appendage A into hole B” story out there. If you are only paying attention to the physical side of things, the scene is going to feel stiff and jerky, because the emotional connection is what fills in the blanks between the physical movements. 

Sex isn’t particularly interesting on its own. Neither is smut. But if you can find something about the scenario or the dynamic that reveals something new to the characters or resolves some sort of emotional question… those are the stories that you remember. Figure out the emotional heart of the story and let the smut add to that narrative. 

2. Consider pacing and build. You know how sex is sometimes like a zero-to-sixty, need-you-right-now thing, and sometimes it’s a slow-burn thing, and sometimes it’s ups and downs and breaking to laugh about something silly and the orgasm sort of takes you by surprise thing? Yeah. That. It’s not Point A to Point B in a straight steady line, any more than it’s Appendage A in Hole B. 

Use syntax and sentence structure that mirrors the action. When your characters are shy? Quick basic sentences. When they’re getting caught up in each other, when they’re racing toward the finish line and they’re so caught up in sensation that they’re not thinking rationally any more, it’s okay to let loose with a run-on sentence that flows the same way their emotions do. 

If things get too intense too early, it’s hard to make the climax (emotional or orgasmic, take your pick) feel like an actual climax. Sometimes you might need to take a break for someone to crack a joke or just stop dead to stare at their partner and thank their lucky stars. Don’t climax prematurely!  

3. Remember positions! Keep track of where everybody’s limbs are! Keep track of how they’re getting from place to place! Keep track of which clothes are still on! Don’t focus too hard on them, they shouldn’t necessarily be central to the action, but you can wrap those movements and those details into the rest of the narrative. “She noticed the way he smiled as she started to unbutton his shirt,” or whateverthefuck. 

But, CLOTHES DO NOT MAGICALLY VANISH. 

4. Use all the senses, and include small, specific sensory details. You don’t want to tell your reader a story; you want to bring them into it and let them feel it as if they’re there. As a narrator, you have this image in your head of the whole scene, but when you’re in the scene, you can’t see the big picture! The smaller the details, the more real it will feel. 

Anyone can describe the mechanics of sex, the basic positions or the overall experience of having an orgasm, but in the moment, those aren’t the things you notice! What do the sheets smell like? What do you feel when you actually run your fingertips down someone’s back: textures, hair, scars? When you’re close to someone, what do you actually see when you open your eyes? It’s up-close and personal, it’s out of focus, it’s sort of disjointed and fragmented… 

Details make things real. Don’t try to describe the whole scene. Describe the freckle you never noticed on someone’s neck, or the way their skin tastes salty when you kiss their cheek, or the fact that you’ve never been close enough to smell their lavender shampoo before. 

5. Make it real and messy. Related to point #4, but. REAL details. Sex isn’t always flawless or easy or effortlessly romantic. Like, yes, we’re writing fantasies when we write smut, but… the best fantasies are the ones that deal with something real; it’s reality, but better. Like, yes, they’re having this amazing sex, but along the way, somebody got a cramp in their foot and somebody made a weird noise and maybe they almost knocked each other over while trying to balance on one foot kicking off their pants. Because that’s what sex is like sometimes. 

Again, this is true both physically and emotionally. My most popular fics are the ones that sprang from some sort of “well this is a thing I’ve experienced during sex that actually kind of sucks, how do I make it hot?” Things like body insecurity, trauma, “there’s no way you’re gonna make me come by doing that, dude,” dealing with lube and condoms, communicating about things that might be embarrassing… seriously, every one of my most popular smutty stories was inspired by some sort of awkward experience. I just rewrote it to give it a better ending. Usually by making the male character fucking communicate, which… is pretty unrealistic, in my experience!!!! 

Anyway. That’s important. The messy flawed bits don’t detract from the perfection; they’re part of the intimacy of the experience.

Go forth and smut my dears!

And if you have any tips, tricks, or advice: please share!

[him-e]

what did you think of shadow and bone? have you read the books? i only read the duology

Thoughts on Shadow and Bone, now that you've probably seen it?

I think the show is alright? It lacks a real wow factor as far as I’m concerned, but it’s enjoyable. It’s especially enjoyable in those parts I didn’t anticipate to like / didn’t even know would be there. 

Whereas the main selling points leave a lot to be desired.

The good stuff: the visuals. The aesthetic. The overall concept. Production, casting and costumes are excellent, the setting is fascinating. The worldbuilding isn’t perfect and is sometimes confusing, which is probably due to the show jumping ahead of the books and introducing elements that happen much later in the book saga, but I’m loving the vague steampunk-y vibe of it mixed with more typical fantasy stuff and slavic-inspired lore, the fact that it’s set in dystopian Russia rather than your usual ye olde England.

I find it interesting that in this ‘verse the Grisha are simultaneously superstars, privileged elite, legendary creatures and despised outcasts, according to the context and the type of magic they wield. It’s A Lot, and so far it’s all a bit underdeveloped and messy, like a patchwork of different narratives and tropes sewn together without an organic worldbuilding structure. (there are hints to a past when they were hunted, but how did they go from that to being, essentially, an institutionalized asset to the government isn’t clear yet. There’s huge narrative potential in this, and I hope future seasons will delve into those aspects)

Many of the supporting characters are surprisingly solid. I appreciated that Genya and Zoya eventually sort of traded places, subverting the audience’s assumptions about them and their own character stereotypes, despite the little screentime they were given.

Breakout characters/ships for me were Nina/Matthias, and even more so the Crows, i.e. the stuff I didn’t see coming and knew nothing about (having only read the first book). (I thought the entire Crows subplot was handled in a somewhat convoluted way, at least in the first episodes; it was hard to keep track of who wanted Alina and why, but the Crows’ chemistry is so strong it carried the whole Plot B on its shoulders).

HELNIK. As an enemies to lovers dynamic, Helnik was SUPER on the nose, I’d say bordering on clichéd with the unapologetic, straight outta fanfiction use of classic tropes like “we need to team up to survive” and “there’s only one bed and we’ll freeze to death if we don’t take our conveniently damp clothes off and keep each other warm with the heat of our naked bodies” (not that I’m complaining, but i like to pine for my ships a bit before getting to the juicy tropetown part, tyvm). And then they’re suddenly on opposite sides again because of a tragic misunderstanding - does Bardugo hate high-conflict dynamics? It certainly seems so, because between Helnik and Darklina I’m starting to see a pattern where the slow burn and blossoming mutual trust is rushed and painted in broad, stereotypical strokes to get as fast as possible to the part where they *hate each other again* and that’s... huh. Something.

^That’s probably why I’m almost more interested in Kaz x Inej, because their relationship feels a bit more nuanced, a bit more mysterious, and a bit more unpredictable. (I didn’t bother spoiling myself about them, so I really don’t know where they’re going, but it’s refreshing to see a dynamic that the narrative isn’t scrambling to define in one direction or the other as quickly as possible)

-

Now, as for Darklina VS Malina... I found exactly what I expected. 

Both are ship dynamics I’m, on principle, very much into (light heroine/dark villain, pining friends to lovers) but both are also much less interesting than they claim to be, or could have been with different narrative choices. I’ll concede that the show characters are all more fleshed out and likable than their book counterparts, and the cringe parts I vaguely remembered from the books played out differently. And, well, Ben Barnes dominates the scene, he’s hot as HELL, literally every single second he’s on screen is a fuck you to Bardugo’s attempts to make his character lame and uninteresting and I’m LOVING it, lol.

But yeah, B Barnes aside, Darklina is intrinsically, deliberately made to be unshippable. 

It makes me mad, because it’s - archetypally speaking - made of shipping dynamite: yin/yang-sun and moon, opposites attract, COMPLEMENTARY POWERS AND SO ON. And what does Bardugo do with these ingredients? A FUCKING DELIBERATE DISASTER:

^ Placing the kiss so early on (season 1, episode five) effectively kills the romantic tension that was (correctly) building up until that point, and leaves the audience very little to still hope for, in terms of emotional evolution of the dynamic. 

Bardugo lays all the good stuff down as early and quickly as possible (the bonding, the conflicted attraction, the recognizing the other as one’s equal, etc) only to turn the tables and pull the rug so y’all sick creepyshippers won’t have anything to look forward to, because THEY’VE ALREADY HOOKED UP AND THAT BELONGS TO THE PAST, IT’S OVER, THEY’RE ENEMIES. This, combined to the fact that she falls for him *without* knowing who he really is, is the opposite of what I want from a heroine/villain ship (it’s basically lovers to enemies, and while that can be valid too, I wanted to see more pining and more prolonged, tormented symbolic attraction to the Shadow/Animus on Alina’s part). 

But here’s the trick: it’s not marketed as lovers to enemies - it has all the aesthetics and trappings of an enemies to lovers (the Darkling is, from the get go, villain-presenting, starting from his name), so it genuinely feels like a trollfic, or at the very least a cautionary tale *against* shipping the heroine with the tall dark brooding young villain, and I don’t think it’s cool at all. It makes the story WAY less interesting, because it humanizes the villain early on (when it’s not yet useful or poignant to the story, because it’s unearned) but it’s a red herring. The real plot twist is that the villain shouldn’t be sympathized with, just defeated: there’s a promise of nuanced storytelling, that is quickly denied and tossed aside. So is the idea of incorporating your Shadow (a notion that Bardugo must be familiar with, otherwise she wouldn’t have structured Alina and the Darkling as polar opposites who complement each other, but that she categorically refutes)

Then we have Malina. The good ship.

Look, I’m not that biased against it. I don’t want to be biased on principle against a friends to lovers dynamic that antagonizes a heroine/villain one, because every narrative is different, and for personal reasons I can deeply relate to the idea of being (unspeakably) in love with your best friend. So there are aspects of Malina that I can definitely be into, but it troubles me that in this specific context it’s framed as a regression. It’s Alina’s comfort zone, a fading dream of happiness from an idealized childhood, to sustain which the heroine systematically stunts her growth and literally repressed her own powers, something that in the books made her sickly and weak. But the narrative weirdly romanticizes this codependency, often making her tunnel vision re: going back to Mal her primary goal and centering on him her entire backstory/motivation, to the point that when she starts acting more serious re: her powers and alleged mission to destroy the Fold, it feels inorganic and unearned. 

Mal is intrinsically extraneous to Alina’s powers, he doesn’t share them, he doesn’t understand them, he has little to offer to help her with them, and so the feeling is that he’s also extraneous to her heroine’s journey, aside from being a sort of sidekick or safe harbor to eventually come back to. People have compared him to Raoul from Phantom of the Opera, and yeah, he has the same ~magic neutralizer~ vibe, tbh.

The narrative also polarizes Mal’s normalcy and relative “safety” against Aleksander’s sexy evil, framing Alina’s quasi-platonic fixation on the former as a better and purer form of love than her (much more visible and palpable) attraction to the latter. This is exacerbated by the show almost entirely relying on scenes of them as kids to convey their bond. I’m sure there are ways to depict innocent pining for your best friend that don’t involve obsessively focusing on flashbacks of two CHILDREN running in a meadow and looking exactly like brother and sister. LIKE. I get it, they’re like soulmates in every possible way, BUT DO THEY WANT TO KISS EACH OTHER?

Which brings me to a general complain: for a young adult saga centering on a young heroine and full of so many hot people, this story is weirdly unsexy? There are a lot of shippable dynamics, but they’re done in such a careless, ineffective way that makes ZERO EFFORT to work on stuff like slow burn, pining and romantic tension, and when it does it’s so heavy handed that the viewer doesn’t feel encouraged at all to fill the blanks with their imagination and start anticipating things (which is, imo, the ESSENCE of shipping). The one dynamic that got vaguely close to this is, again, Kaz and Inej, and coincidentally it’s also the one we didn’t get confirmed as romantic YET. Other than that, where’s the slow burn? What ship am I supposed to agonize over during the hiatus to season two? Has shipping become something to feel ashamed of, like an embarrassing relative you no longer want to invite in your home?

Anyway, back to Alina/Darkling/Mal, this is how the story reads to me:

girl suspects to be special, carefully pretends to be normal so she can stay with Good Boy

the girl’s powers eventually manifest; she’s forcibly separated from Good Boy

the girl’s powers attract Bad Boy who is her equal and opposite but is also a major asshole

girl initially falls for Bad Boy; has to learn a hard lesson that nobody that sexy will ever want her for who she is, he’s just trying to exploit her

also, no, there is no such thing as a Power Couple

girl is literally given a slave collar by Bad Boy through which he harnesses her power (a parody of the Twin Scars trope)

you know how the story initially suggested that the joint powers of Darkness and Light would defeat evil? LOL NO, Darkness is actually evil itself and the way you destroy evil is using Light to destroy Darkness, forget that whole Jungian bullshit of integrating your shadow, silly!

conclusion: girl realizes being special sucks. She was right all along! Hiding and suppressing her powers was the best choice! She goes back to the start, to the same Good Boy she was meekly pining for prior to the start of the story.

... there’s an uncomfortable overall subtext that reads a lot like a cautionary tale against - look, not just against darkships and villain/heroine pairings, but also *overpowered* heroines and, well... change? Growth?

Like, it’s certainly a Choice that Alina starts the story *already* in love with Mal. That she always knew it was him. The realization could have happened later (making the dynamic much more shippable, too), but no. 

[piduai]

Interview with Noda Satoru from the Golden Kamuy fanbook

sharing anywhere is fine, but please credit me.

Q: Tell me how you feel about passing 6 years of serialization. Noda: I was already serializing at the time of my debut, so I guess I’d be able to give a summary when I’m finished. I don’t really think about how many years it’s been, it’s merely a checkpoint.

Q: What made you decide to become a mangaka? Noda: I feel like I wrote it down as my goal in my yearbook back in middle school. I also wanted to become a movie director, but as a mangaka you can create the entire thing by yourself. 

When Golden Kamuy just took off I was living in a tiny apartment and the postman, a young fellow and a reader of Young Jump, realized that I’m Noda Satoru. The magazine was sending me a lot of things, so it was rather obvious. “Are you the author of Golden Kamuy?”, he asked in a surprised tone while looking around the cramped entryway. I could feel feel his confusion regarding the fact that that vast Hokkaido world of the manga was being created in this modest apartment. Or maybe he just expected me to be making more money and afford a better place. Anyhow, I just thought again about how a manga can be created in even the smallest room in the universe.

Q: Who is your favorite character and why? Noda: As always, it’s Tanigaki. But well, I love all of them. I want to showcase only the best parts of them, and it hurts when I fail. For example I’m very happy that there’s a character who stirs the pot as well as Usami. He’d be Katsuo in the world of Sazae-san.  

Q: Which characters are the easiest to draw, and which ones are the most difficult? Noda: Characters like Shiraishi, Tsukishima and Nagakura, they don’t have a lot of hair and even if they turn out a little ugly their faces are well-defined so it’s easy to draw. In general faces that are strongly distorted and resemble caricatures are easy. Meanwhile Asirpa, Kiroranke and Inkarmat have neat facial structures on top of wearing Ainu clothing, so they are a very high-calorie effort for me. Ogata and Kikuta are difficult too. Their faces are distinctive and I have to make them look cool too, which is wearing me out the most.

Q: Have you decided on all 24 convicts at the very start of the story? Noda: Wouldn’t I sound like a badass if I said that that I have? Anyway. There were the ones that were based off real-life Meiji era criminals, such as Shiraishi, Kumagishi Chouan or the lightning couple, and of course there was Hijikata.

Q: Tell me of a funny thing from the manga that you are fond of. Noda: Gansoku’s “Hah! ☆”. And also when Koito Jr. Was flapping his arms and legs around trying to keep himself in mid-air.

Q: Why did you decide on Otaru as the starting point? Noda: I am from Hokkaido, so I’m familiar with Otaru and Sapporo. Otaru is close to both the mountains and the sea. Sapporo used to be a swampland, it’s wide and flat and there is no sea. Otaru is a place where foreigners come and go, there are many criminals roaming around creating danger, and money is found. There aren’t many big cities in Hokkaido. There were Ainu living in Otaru but sources are scarce, however Nakagawa-sensei, the supervisor over the Ainu language, told me not to worry too much about the difference of location, so I figured it would be best to make it Otaru.

Q: Was there any real life experience you had while growing up in Hokkaido that you turned into a scenario? Noda: When I was about 19 someone I knew told me that there is a locust graveyard on a nearby mountain, which sounded so ridiculous I had to laugh in their face. Turns out it indeed was a heap of locusts and their eggs left after a locust plague, that place was the Teineyamaguchi locust mound (a real historical site). I realized I ended up using this in my story. I owe that person an apology.

Q: Was there any scene that was particularly difficult to draw? Could you elaborate on it? Noda: The time Sugimoto went against Nihei and Tanigaki. It gave me a very hard time. Who goes where and does what, how does Nihei carry Asirpa, stuff like this. I had no time to waste either, I just remember that sequence overall driving me insane. 

There was also the sequence with Wilk, Sofia and Kiroranke being at Hasegawa’s photo studio. It’s really frustrating to draw something that you know will bore the readers, the story flow becomes less exciting too. I was praying for everyone to have a little more patience and keep reading, because the twist was so good.

Q: If you were to take part in the gold hunt, which group would you like to belong to? Noda: It seems that Hijikata’s group doesn’t have funding problems, and because Kadokura is there the atmosphere is relaxed too. I’d go there.

Q: If you were to find all that gold, how would you use it? Noda: No idea. Had a couple when I was younger, though.

Q: Were you planning to eventually transfer the action to Sakhalin from the very beginning of the series? Noda: Asirpa and Kiroranke have roots there, so I anticipated that the story will eventually move to Sakhalin. I also expected to have to travel to Amur river myself, but couldn’t go after all, only went as far as Khabarovsk. 

I was thinking of making Sugimoto eat permafrost mammoth. There was talk of a research team or an ivory excavation team’s dog eating mammoth. However there was no reason to make Sugimoto and Co go as up north as needed for permafrost, so I scrapped the idea.

Q: Tell me something about the hardships you experienced while doing research is Sakhalin. Noda: It was tough, but fun. I was only able to understand the clear differences between Nivkh and Orok people by going there; I couldn't by only looking at records and materials while in Japan. 

Complete unrelated, but I was surprised by how many stray dogs wander around there. One time my cameraman and I ended up being chased by one while looking for a factory and we had to run for it. The beast was big, about the size of a German Shepherd. The guide also warned us about junkies, it was really scary.

I also went to the Japanese military pillbox over 50th parallel north and prayed at a cenotaph deep in the mountains. I met a group of Japanese people in the hotel by the place where it's said you can still find remains of Japanese soldiers and their driver, a Russian, seemed to help with collection of the remains on the regular. He said that he's doing it out of reverence, even as a former enemy. As a Japanese, I felt gratitude. The 7th Division are villains in my story, but I don't have any personal bias against either side.

Q: What were the biggest differences between drawing Hokkaido and Sakhalin? Noda: Well... it's Russia. Even though Sakhalin is so close, it's already Europe. The structure of houses is strikingly different. There's also the differences between Hokkaido Ainu and Sakhalin Ainu, and differences between Orok and Nivkh people. There is no manga that will conveniently lay the differences of those down for you. 

It seems that the Orok and Nivkh's relation with Japan only got more difficult by the beginning of Showa era, there is only one person in the whole of Japan who can supervise on the Orok language. The professors in cultural studies I consult for Golden Kamuy are truly top-level; not only are they tremendously knowledgeable, they also understand how important to me is to stay impartial.

The wildlife, as well. There's a biogeographical boundary between Hokkaido and Sakhalin, observing animals I would never be able to see in Hokkaido was riveting. 

Q: Did Sugimoto really have a hidden plan during the whole stenka business? Noda: No idea. Even if he used it as a pretext to get everyone involved, though... cut him some slack. He's only a man. Sometimes he just wants to fight and win. Not for Ume-chan or Asirpa-san, just for the sake of proving to himself that he's strong.

Q: Your art is dynamic and detailed. I think your style changed quite a bit with time, though. How would you describe yourself as an artist? Noda: I want to preface this by saying that in no way do I think of myself as more skilled than other mangaka, but if you're drawing everyday for more than 10 hours you're going to improve a lot eventually, whether you want it or not. People who are able to keep the same style for years without change are the ones who are impressive, because it means that they achieved the peak of their potential. Ageing and health problems influence your art a lot, you know. I try to draw by observing. I use a lot of references. Drawing by memory alone is not a good thing.

Speaking of other artists, I once had one of the assistants I had working for me for years draw me a door knob from memory, and the result was a truncated cone resembling pre-packaged pudding. The actual shape of a door knob has an intricately angular circular shape. It's the result of being unobservant in everyday life. Good art requires constant observation.

Q: What was the foundation for your style? Is there an artist you were influenced or inspired by? Noda: Araki Hirohiko-sensei, for sure. During my time as an assistant, many authors told me to not even try to be original when it comes to battle abilities, it's already been done in JoJo, it has it all. He's kind of the Beatles of this industry, isn't he? 

By the way, I usually have no intention of parodying JoJo in Golden Kamuy, but my friends will tell me that they identified this or that reference from time to time. I read Part 1 about 30 years ago but I was obsessed, so maybe some things were just left in my subconscious. I only did one obvious parody, during the stenka fight. Funnily enough that trope started in Fist of the North Star, though, not JoJo.

Q: What's one thing that gives you the most motivation to write? Noda: Fan letters. I know how straining it is to write long and neat sentences by hand, and am thankful for them. I'm happy that people go that far to share their thoughts about my work with me. I'm really grateful to the people who keep reading and supporting Golden Kamuy.

Q: Did you have an interest in Ainu culture before starting the series? Noda: I did not. I'll be glad if my work makes people interested in the Ainu. Prejudice is born out of ignorance, so if you want to learn about the Ainu, don't limit yourself to Hokkaido only; there are museums all around Japan, and they have knowledgeable curators. It's important to remember to take into account the time period and the occupation of the person on which the research materials are based when you're trying to learn about the subject.

Q: You showed us a lot of aspects of life during Meiji and Taisho eras. Tell us about what surprised or impressed you in the process of research. Noda: It's not that I was particularly knowledgeable, so having to check every single thing was quite exhausting. The Ainu, the military, katanas - all of these needed research on my part. 

There are more regulations and rules set for things out there than one could assume, and mangaka who base their works on real life need to be especially careful about this. You have to take into account things like the size of the buttons on a military uniform, how a tea cup is held, and and how different people talk in different ways. For movies there's staff working on costumes and props, there's the cast, there are screenwriters, but in a manga you are the one responsible for every single detail. I wish I had a time machine and travel back to those eras. There are things I couldn't get right here and there that I keep having regrets about.

Q: Golden Kamuy was the main visual in the British Museum manga exhibition between May and August in 2019. I know you went there in person. How was it? Noda: The trip felt like a reward for all of my efforts. The exhibition is jam-packed by opening time, but I got special treatment and they let me inside early in the morning so I could walk around the vast British Museum in solitude. I also travelled between Jack the Ripper's crime scenes at night by taxi.

The driver in a taxi I caught by chance was wonderful, she looked up photos of the crime scenes and surroundings taken at the time of investigation on her smartphone and showed them to me one by one, saying things like "the third victim was found here!". 

I've always had a soft spot for Jack the Ripper, back in middle school I even wrote a screenplay for a school festival stage and played him in it myself. It was done in very poor taste, like that one scene in the Addams Family movie where there are arms blown away and fountains of blood gushing out. The audience loved it. 

Q: Please leave a message for the readers. Or maybe some advice for the troubled youth. Noda: I want people to say that everyone in Golden Kamuy had a satisfying ending, and I want that for everyone involved more than anything. As for advice for the troubled youth, there's none. Life is survival of the fittest. The weak ones get eaten.

[a-long-walk-in-the-forest]

Astrology of Sasuke, Itachi and Naruto: a semi-comprehensive analysis

I’ve been wasting away months of my life on this task and I’m finally reaching relatively passable results. This is the fruit of my labour thus far.

I really tried to be as unbiased as possible and keep several different interpretations of the characters in mind but I can’t guarantee that my personal feelings and opinions didn’t seep through to some extent (specially with regards to that whole genocide thing). I also don’t like some of these characters as “people” so I’ll warn you beforehand, I ended up bad-mouthing Naruto and Itachi a bit.

This post is broken up into four sections. 

Section one is a quick run up of the planets (only the ones I’ve been working on), houses and aspects. 

Section two is about the signs I’ve chosen for the characters, how I’ve chosen the degrees, and natal aspects. 

Section three is focused on degree interpretations. 

Finally, we will have a quick look at synastry and composite.

I’ve used equal temperament house system and cross check with placidus though because I don’t have Konoha’s longitude and latitude I’ve used Japan’s ones. Also, in this post we are assuming that Naruto’s planet is earth and their moon (and other planets) functions the same way as ours.

The degree interpretations are supposedly translations of La Volasfera published by Sepharia in 1898 (the translations. La Volasfera is older), Walter Henson’s interpretations and Kozminsky’s interpretation in that order. Keep in mind that they lived in different times and some of the things they say reaaallly reflects that.

For aspect and midpoint calculations, I couldn’t be bothered to calculate everything by hand so I wrote a short program for it; however, I didn’t debug much. It should work fine but just in case something slips by, I’m giving a warning. I also didn’t proof read so please excuse any mistakes.

This is a long post. Any additional comments, opinions, ... are welcome.  

Section one: Planets, houses, aspects and additional notes

Planets:

sun: ego, the father, vitality, stamina, core personality, the self, takes around a day to move a degree, ...

moon: the emotional mind, the mother, comforts, instinct, habits, moods, need, takes a couple of hours to move a degree, ...

mercury: the logical mind, petty daily habits, communication, rationality, learning style, ... 

venus: values, things we like, wants, love style, sensuality, takes around a day to move a degree, ...

mars: our drive, how we get and go after things, aggression, passion, takes a little more than a day to move a degree, ...

saturn: restrictions, the mentor, the somber and sober, constraint, structure, the serious things, takes around 8 days to 2 weeks to move a degree, ...

neptune: the collective unconscious, allusion and disillusionment, spirituality, the veil, deception, intuition, takes around 6 weeks to move a degree, ...

pluto: control, power, transformation, magnetism, fears, death, rebirth, takes around 8 weeks to move a degree, ... 

Houses:

first (the cusp is the ascendant): shallow identity, our first impression, temperament and constitution, presentation, ...

second: self-esteem, tangible values, possessions, material gains, ...

third: communication, siblings, the everyday things, short distance travel ...

fourth: roots, family, the mother, home, comfort zone, ...

fifth: fun, children, light-hearted romance, hobbies, creativity, ...

sixth: health, coworkers, servitude, pets, work, routine, ...

seventh (the cusp is the descendant): interpersonal relationships, ideal partner, open enemies, part of ourselves that we have a hard time integrating or accepting, partnerships, aesthetic preference, ...

eighth: death, crisis, what we hide, other peoples stuff that we want, taxes, death and rebirth, occult, fears, intimacy, painful transformation, ...

ninth: travel, philosophy, higher education, wisdom, expansion, world view, ...

tenth: public perception, career, reputation, ambition, greater community, admiration, delayed gratification, ...

eleventh: friendship, aspirations and wishes, where we are more accepting, humanity, how we relate to society, liquid income, ...

twelfth: what is hidden from us, the unconscious, spiritual things, the vague and boundaryless, idealization, escapism, ...

Aspects:

square (90): tension, dynamic, needs adjustment, major, ...

opposition (180): polarized, projection, can be tense but less than square, dynamic, major, ...

conjunction (0): blending, can be dynamic, major, ...

trine (120): comes naturally, can be taken for granted, harmonious, major, ...

sextile (60): similar to trine but slightly weaker and more moving (a fun spark sort of energy but not dynamic), major.

inconjunction (150): awkward, can’t be compromised, has to be tolerated, minor, ...

semi-sextile (30): similar to inconjunction, some say it’s more workable, minor, ...

semi-square (45): like square but weaker, minor, ...

quintile and biQuintile (72 and 144): creative, dynamic but compatible and comfortable, minor, ...

sesquiquadrate (135): making a mountain out of a molehill, acting energetically without understanding consequences, putting a lot of energy but the more you try the less you get results but when you don’t try they work really well, minor, ...

Additional notes:

on a full moon sun opposite moon occurs. The moon would be 180-225 degrees away from the sun. 

during the last quarter phase, the moon is 270-315 degrees ahead of the sun (Sasuke was born on this phase). 

mercury is up to 28 degrees away from the sun and venus is up to 48 degrees away from the sun.

aspect between sun and moon could denote how you perceive the relationships between your father figure and mother figure.

neptune retrograde happens every year when neptune is opposite sun.

plutonian relationships tend to be controlling, obsessive, disrespectful, painful and manipulative but can be transformative and life-changing.

neptunian relationships and about falling for an idealized image and not seeing things for what they are, rose coloured glasses, a feeling of betrayal and disillusionment once those glasses are shattered, forgiving easily, lack of boundaries in both good and bad ways, worshiping someone and putting them on a pedestal and never seeing them for what they are (humans), overlooking vices that shouldn’t be over looked, ...

both neptunian and plutonian relationships can manifest in nice ways but generally they tend to not do that as both people involved would have to be quite “evolved”, mature and level-headed for that among other things.

Section Two: natal signs and aspects

We will start this section with Sasuke, then we will have a look at Itachi and then Naruto. I’ve checked to make sure that it is mathematically possible (though I didn’t get into retrograde cycles much) for the characters to have these placements both on their own and relative to each-other. 

I put a picture of each character’s natal aspects and wrote which degree I used. If it is between several possible degrees I wrote it in orange, otherwise, it's green. I didn’t discuss the aspect interpretations much because this post would become far too long if I did. I also used pretty wide orbs because the exact degrees weren’t certain but the overall range was extremely likely.

Sasuke’s planets and house placements:

Ascendant: Capricorn 21-22 or 23-34 degrees

Sun: Leo 0-1 degrees (7th)

Moon: Taurus 22-23 degrees (4th) 

Mercury: Leo 12-13 degrees (7th)

Venus: Cancer 15 degrees (6th)

Mars: Scorpio 12 degrees (10th)

Saturn: Cancer 28-29 degrees (7th)

Neptune: Libra 4-5 or 5-6 degrees (8th)

Pluto: Aquarius 10-11, 13-14, 15-16 or 18-19 degrees (1st)

His sun was decided by the author and fits him quite well so there is no need for speculation. Sun in the 7th seems iffy but he does only go for people he respects, deems as reliable/competent and all that (that sun-saturn conjunction in the 7th house) and some of his identity is based on his interpersonal relationships. He also has that passive, non-confrontational way about him where people intrude on his personal space and disregard his boundaries all the time and he really doesn’t react as strongly as one would expect.

There seems to be a common consensus about his Ascendant in the anime astrology community. It is also worth noting that capricorn ascendants are often mistaken as scorpios for some reason. He is driven, comes across as standoffish and serious, has a slight aloof way about him, it puts his mars in the 10th and his moon in the 4th which is perfectly him, ... (I actually considered cancer ascendant for him at first because he had those doe eyes, soft features, youngish face, paler than his brother/father, family oriented, ... but I was torn between that and capricorn and everyone said capricorn so capricorn it is.) 

With regards to his moon, as I’ve already mentioned in my previous posts, I saw how Naruto was born on a full-moon and how the relationship between his parents had that masculine-feminine polarization and some other things and decided to put his moon in aries and if we were to calculate Sasuke’s moon with consideration to the moon’s average speed and the time between his birth-date and Naruto’s, we get moon in taurus (3rd decan, in his 4th house), and the degree will be explained in the third section but the house placement is apparent, given that Sasuke’s heart and comfort has always been with family, home and roots (clan). The cancer one also works because, again, heart with family and an innate gentleness and the 6th house can bring a need to be of use and good organization skills and an attention to order, efficiency and good dietary habits which he certainly does posses. 

Mercury in Leo is self explanatory. It’s either this or cancer and his style of communication is blunt, straightforward, sarcastic, confident, direct and to the point, dramatic, ... and his learning style matches leo more than cancer.

Venus in cancer is one that I doubted quite a good deal and there isn’t a common consensus about it either. The options are gemini, cancer, leo and virgo. I’ve heard mostly leo and virgo but I personally think Cancer in the 6th house makes more sense than in Virgo in the eight. This is based on his aesthetic sense, my understanding of his values and his love style with the only person whom I’m 100% sure he loves (his brother). He really needed quality time to feel loved, he valued competence (6th house) and family (cancer), he cared about receiving compassion from loved ones more than many of the other characters, he expressed affection mostly through acts of service (6th house), he was verbally expressive and hugged his brother and all that so he wasn’t that distant or somber in his approach to expressing affection in general (cancer), he got sulky when his brother refused to spend time with him and pouted and blushed a lot (cancer), ...

Mars in scorpio is another thing where everyone is of the same opinion and it falling into the 10th house makes it even more fitting as he will be very driven and hyper focused on one thing and he can also spend a very long time not having anything to do with fun or sex or any of that. The 10th house is disciplined, it delays, it makes thing serious and it has much to do with self-restraint. This placement is very action oriented and Sasuke is exactly that (he doesn’t spend time just thinking about doing things or just talking about them, he does them).

Saturn in cancer aspecting both his sun and venus. He was only expressive and affectionate with people he was comfortable with and his relationship with his father and authority figures and his general demeanor practically scream saturn in hard aspect to sun. Misfortune in the home and family life and a rigid upbringing (military parents) which saturn in cancer can bring are also there.

Pluto is a generational planet but I’m convinced that it falls into Sasuke’s first house. He constantly attracts plutonic people, he has a mildly plutonic energy himself and if it’s there, it aspects a ton of his planets which would mean that in his relationships with people of his own generation, he would have a pluto heavy synastry (composite is a different matter). 

The aspects didn’t quite turn out how I wanted but they do make sense in my opinion and he has that grand cross with pluto, moon, mars and mercury which is just perfect. His heart, his head, and his drive are all in conflict and there is quite a bit of intensity, issues related to power and control, ... involved.

Itachi’s planets and house placements:

Ascendant: Virgo 20-21 or 26-27 degrees

Sun: Gemini 17-18 degrees (9th)

Moon: Scorpio 20-21, 21-22, 24-25 or 26-27 degrees (3rd) 

Mercury: Cancer 6-7 or 11-12 degrees (10th)

Venus: Taurus 6-7 or 8-9 degrees (8th)

Mars: Taurus 1-2, 3-4, 14-15, 16-17, 18-19, 24-25 or 28-29 degrees (8th)

Saturn: Taurus 24-25 degrees (9th)

Neptune: Virgo 23-24 degrees (1st)

Pluto: Aquarius 2-3 (I chose this but It still isn’t concrete enough, the last one also works), 5-6, 7-8 or 10-11 degrees (5th)

Again, his sun is canon and very fitting. Sun in the 9th house of philosophy and all that also fits his interests (this doesn't say anything about his competence). 

He is very into that whole “I’ve plan everything” and he talked waaay too much about perfection and all that for him to not have some sort of strong virgo/6th house. His ascendant in virgo puts the house cusps in nice places too. I’ll copy this part from my previous post on the subject. 

I considered virgo rising for him (but I’m not particularly attached to this idea)  since that would put scorpio as his 3rd house (intense relationship with siblings) capricorn (ruled by saturn which is restrictions and stuff) on his 5th (fun, children and all that), gemini on 10th (can easily change their persona and know by the general public as intelligent), taurus on 9th (likes philosophy and all that, tends to have different beliefs from what he was raised with (likely by family) and can be very stubborn about beliefs and once he finds them, is very unlikely to change them) and some other stuff.

Moon in Scorpio because I calculated and given the distance between his birthdate and Sasuke’s (if they are 5 years apart) his moon would either fall in sagittarius or scorpio and honestly, I think scorpio fits him more. 

Mercury in cancer because he’s somewhat verbally non-confrontational (would rather deflect and run away, in his case he does that with lies and that stuff) and passive-aggressive and speaks in a vague way instead of just getting to the point and being clear and concise and he’s good at emotional talk in a sense (although that doesn’t necessarily mean he is comfortable with it).

venus in taurus because when he isn’t busy being genocidal or dishonest, he likes some pretty taurusian things like hanging out at traditional coffee shops and getting some sweets. He’s also aesthetically very close to his root (traditional japanese stuff) in terms of preference and taurus likes the familiar. 

I calculated his mars and saturn sign after deciding Sasuke’s mars and saturn. It does match him in a way though. He has a taurusian feel in a way and he really seems to adore the look of security and stability (even when it’s not really there). Venus and mars in 8th because of his fascination and acceptance of the morbid, death and human nature. Also he has an inclination towards extremism in both his actions and adorations (that isn’t the same as being showy though).

Neptune in first because he obviously would have neptune in first. Those acting skills, a habit of dishonesty, being extremely inconsistent and unknowable, weak constitution, slow and lethargic movements, ... He has one of the worst manifestations of neptune in first in my opinion. And he should have more Than one planet in virgo.

Pluto in aqua in 5th solely because of sasuke and calculations, not because of what it says about him (though I also took synastry into account).

Naruto’s planets and house placements:

Ascendant: Leo 1-2, 3-4 or 5-6 degrees

Sun: Libra 17-18 degrees (3rd)

Moon: Aries 12-13, 13-14, 16-17, 17-18 or 20-21 (9th or 10th depending on house system)  or taurus 24 or 28 (10th)

Mercury:  it’s between virgo (2nd), libra (3rd) and scorpio (4th)

Venus: Libra 23-24 or 26-27 degrees (3rd)

Mars: sag 24-25, 25-26 or 29 degrees (5th)

Saturn: Leo 8-9 degrees (1st)

Neptune: Libra 6-7 or 7-8 degrees (3rd)

Pluto: same as sasuke since pluto is a generational planet and their birthdays aren’t that far apart (7th)

His sun is also canon.

His ascendant in leo makes sense because he was born late at night on the 10th of October and he has that leoish persona. There really isn’t much to say here, he embodies it. He has big movements, flamboyance, an outgoing “sunshine”y demeanour, ego-driven, loves to make everything about himself, ...

Moon in the 10th because his emotional security and self-worth and all that are very tied to what the general public thinks of him and he tries to achieve that through his career. Moon in aries and moon in taurus both fit him and the anime astrology community is also divided on this.

For mercury I have no clue. 

His venus could be in virgo, libra, leo, scorpio or sagittarius. I calculated venus in libra from Sasuke’s venus in cancer and then I looked at the degrees and plenty of them fit Naruto and he does have the power of charm so I just left it at that. I eventually narrowed the degrees a bit and found a range I’m comfortable with (in terms of both aspects and degree interpretations).

I used to think his mars makes harsh aspects to both his moon and pluto but it could be just one of them, in the end it ended up being neither of them. I calculated his mars sign from Sasuke’s mars and sag in the 5th seemed pretty fitting specially since his hobby was pranking people and he is a bit of a trickster, his earlier battles also had some creativity.  I used to think his mars is in taurus but it didn’t work out. And honestly he talks about working hard more than he actually works so mars in the 10th was kind of off either way.

Saturn was also calculated based on Sasuke but saturn in leo works pretty well. He got reprimanded for his “fun” and he has a lot of self-esteem issues and simultaneously has a bloated ego and a pretty low opinion of himself. He was so insecure that he had no problem taking credit for other peoples work so there is that. Saturn conjunct ascendant can cause people to have a hard time expressing their true self, often receiving criticism for the way they present themselves/the way they are, they can also often feel like no one will every truly love/like them (as people).

Pluto in the 7th house is extremely fitting for him, in fact, I would go so far as to say that I can’t imagine it anywhere else. He’s controlling, he’s manipulative, he’s possessive, obsessive, he’s all about taking what he wants/needs from relationships while not giving an iota of care to what the other party wants or needs, he’s stalkerish, ... he manifests pluto in the 7th house in one of the worst possible ways. 

Section Three: degree interpretations

Like the previous section, we will start with Sasuke and make our way to Itachi and then Naruto. 

edit: these need to be updated

SASUKE

Moon: 22-23

It signifies one who will suffer misfortune in the height of his career and whose fall will be dangerous in proportion to the height he has attained. The native will be too apt to depend on his own powers and will essay feats which will be beyond his natural powers. Ambition will lead him into dangerous positions, and at a weak moment he will fall. Let this be taken as equally affecting his physical, moral, and social welfare. It is a degree of COLLAPSE.

Doctors; art; projecting and the arts; medical fields; painting; homicidal tendency; alcoholism; has some unique quality (affected, may be an abnormal trait); an enthusiast who can inspire others with his plans, but thy may not always be successful; teeth.

Denotes one with strength of purpose and ability to sustain trials. The Dragon is lust, corruption, end the cold moistures of the earth. St. Michael is the life, solar energy, conqueror of decay; the black rain the evil which corruption draws. So when the native realizes his soul force he becomes a veritable victor over the monster into whose jaws so many unwarned and unguarded fall. It is a symbol of Victory.

Venus: 15-16

It indicates a person of much tenacity and strength of purpose; who by dint of extreme power, whether physical or mental, will overcome his greatest and most terrible enemies. The native will have much to contend with in life, and will encounter many dangers; but, as indicated, will finally overcome them. Together with this native strength, there may be blended a softness and gentleness of manner, which may induce others to attempt an advantage over him; but those Philistine who may have this Samson out (shorn and eyeless though he be) to make sport with him will rue the day. It is a degree of CONQUEST.

Business; music; good at mathematics, writing, or making money; a fortunate degree; taciturn; blindness or defective eyesight; gastric nerves.

Denotes one who is entrusted with a high mission and who is deeply inspired, having a spirituality entirely serene. To him has the mandate “Co forth and teach the people” been echoed from the heavens. He will be granted power and influence, so that the people will hear him call. The evidences of this peculiar mission are made manifest in his twelfth year and mature between the twenty-fourth and thirty-sixth years. It is the symbol of the Inspired.

Saturn: 28-29

It indicates a person of docile and tractable nature, combined with a certain subtlety of mind and high order of intelligence. One who will be held in restraint by others, or whose freedom will be taken by the hand of Fate and the force of circumstances. Although thus held in check, the native will be subject to dangers of an unknown character from secret enemies and jealous foes, and will be in peril of an untimely end. It is a degree of forced RESTRAINT.

An interesting person but sometimes unreliable and uncertain, conscious awareness of hair, often acts on inspiration or impulse; spleen.

Denotes one liable to be bound soul and body, who will be restricted in action and desire. But even so he may yet release his true self and meet the force flowing from the fountain head. Thus, though one side may frown and obstruct him, the other will smile and release him. It is a symbol of Obstruction.

Sun: 0-1

It denotes a person of extreme dignity of character, with much self-reliance, fearlessness, nobility and freedom of nature; an ambitious person and somewhat jealous of honor, being much subject to praise and flattery. The native will be apt in the government of others, and equally so in self-control; but unless the heart be kind, the native will be a mere pompous tyrant. It is a degree at DIGNITY.

Magnetic, brusque, and forceful; homicidal tendency; often seems to know things without taking the trouble to learn; left coronary artery.

Denotes one who will be enabled to grant or to refuse to grant the wishes of others. He will reach a position of importance and will receive many honors, and benefits will accrue to him. The demand is for an understanding of the use, not the abuse, of power. It is a symbol of Authority.

Mercury: 12-13

It indicates a person of firm and steadfast character; one who will resolutely hold to his own beliefs and principles, though it be to his disadvantage. In some ways the mind will be precocious and there will he some degree of self assertion shown; but, whatever the native may determine upon as the right thing to do will assuredly be done if within the compass of resolute striving. It is a degree of CONSTANCY.

Music, a degree of beauty; strong beliefs and disbeliefs; fortunate but restless; intentions are good; may be an orphan or may care for a parent or other relative; usually has special talent for some work where a well-trained eye and hand, plus his idealism and artistic tastes, enable him to excel al others; right heart chamber.

Denotes one of rugged, conservative, and patriotic nature who will be blessed with the goods of the world and who will use his blessings well. His position in life will be distinguished and his sincerity will command respect even from his enemies. He carries about him a fine and pure aura which benefits all who come within its radiations. It is a symbol of Exaltation.

Mars: 12-13

It shows one of a powerful and independent nature, relying on his own counsel and capable of standing alone. A degree of taciturnity and reserve will add to the general inscrutability of the mind of this person, and dispose him to command the respect and regard of others. His position will be elevated, his success in life will be assured by his own innate strength, and his fortunes will remain untouched by the hand of change. It is a degree of’ STADILITY.

Business: degree of attraction and repulsion; electricians; independent and self-reliant; stability; magnetic healing; dignity; artistic sensibilities; inclined to poetry; may be either mystical or unfeeling

Denotes one whose work is destined to live and influence men long after he has left the earth, one of an intensely psychic nature, sensitive, and mediumistic. He will have many earthly struggles and will find many sharp rocks in the way of his progress. He suffers more from his absolute lack of sympathy with earth matters as they are at present. His wanderings in the summer lands, however, bring him infinite peace and joy in the midst of pain. It is a symbol of Reveries.

Neptune:

4-5

It indicates a person of high intelligence and lofty aspirations but very prone to the use of force instead of persuasion. A man who is always getting in front of himself, so to speak, losing his temper against his desire, and letting his energies run away with his reason. He will be in danger of hurt by the sword or by fire. He must be careful of the martial element. It Is a degree of IMPULSE.

Fastidious, intellectual, optimistic, and sagacious; some women with this are dreamy and apt to have unsatisfactory love affairs; fear; honor, congeniality, order, and a lovable nature; benefics here a true friend and home lover, malefices here denote energy but sometimes misdirected. Oriental philosophies and painting; surgeons, sharp edges or clearly defined edges, martial arts (straight lines); sharp, incisive gestures, placing things side by side in deep contrast; goiter. Malpighi’s pyramids.

Denotes one who attains influence and a degree of power through aggression, forcefulness, and fighting. He is of an adventurous nature and endures a wound for the glory of getting it and the honor it gains him, and he will have many wounds. It is a symbol of Encroachment.

5-6

It denotes one very unfortunate, who will be constrained to severe and hard work for a certain period of his life. The native is patient, enduring, and capable of much self-government. In the end he will assuredly reap the reward of his labors, It is a degree of LABOUR.

Comparison; cruelty; homicidal tendency, sometimes a critical or top heavy mentality; apt to be fickle and indecisive; works hard for a living; degree of fear; pubis.

Denotes one of an artistic nature and a plodding but powerful disposition who is called to do work of a pioneering nature. He is an advocate of force, and the discipline with which he has been bended he would use on others. It is a symbol Pioneering.

Ascendant:

21-22

This symbol belongs to one that is capable of arduous and protracted labors. His inherent force of character will carry him through all difficulties and beyond all obstacles. He is endowed with much definition of purpose, determination and incisiveness, so that he will make headway against all obstructions and cut out a line in life for himself. He will in all probability find the recompense of his labor in association with agricultural projects, and in the utilization of old and waste materials, it is a degree of DETERMINATION.

A scholarly degree; active mind; persistent in his efforts; studies the past to guide him in his future; usually has more than one hobby; music; muscle endings.

Denotes one whose power is directed to the uplifting and advancement of his race—a stayer of war and strife, of plague and riot. He looks directly ahead, far ahead into the years to come when the new sun will illuminate the glory of a new age of gold. It is a symbol of Renewing.

23-24

This denotes a steadfast and capable person, whose life will be orderly and useful, whose mind will be open to the reception of truth and knowledge and whose passions will be well regulated. He will display a frank and even blunt nature, being free from all craftiness and subtlety; and his mind will have a sincere regard for all that is simple and natural in human nature, and a rooted distrust of the non-transparent. It is likely that he will be disposed to seek his livelihood in the vineyard or hostel, but in the highest capacity he can be will aspire to become a teacher and purveyor of spiritual truths. In any case, he is a man of the common walk and his sympathies are with the people. It Is a degree of SINCERITY.

A blunt, steadfast, and militant person; music; gastric ulcer; from upper to lower legs.

Denotes one who will escape three great dangers by reason of a faith which draws to him the protection of the higher Powers. The most threatening is the third danger, but his faith is proof against this also. He will have moments of intense feeling and will not permit others to usurp his position nor rob him of the fruits of his toil. He is a peculiar child of destiny, and destiny does not design him for a low position in earth life. It is a symbol of Favor.

Pluto:

10-11

This symbol is related to one in whose nature there is more force and energy than power of direction and self-restraint, and who in consequence will be continually running into dangers which to him will be wholly unforeseen though obvious enough to others. He will rely upon his strength and pushfulness to overcome his enemies, but it will be shown to him that there is nothing so insignificant as the strength of a man. Since he cannot overcome Nature let him learn to use her forces with discretion and moderation or he will be wounded in the conflict of life, and unseen dangers will lurk within the hour of exultation as snakes beneath the flowers. It is a degree of FORCEFULNESS.

Fame, leadership and skill at handling men when tact and courtesy are required; can smooth out difficult and antagonistic relationships; when inspired by an ideal; these people have tremendous power; where the cause is great; his work may have its effect on future generations; right crural band.

Denotes one of gifted mind and exceptional qualities, a singer of songs and a bearer of light, whose works gain for him respect and dignity, and whose name will be remembered long after his form has left this earth. Beautiful thoughts will cling to him as the ivy clings to the garden wall, and pleasant minds will come to him as the flowers which entwine the scepter. It is a symbol of Taste.

15-16

This symbol is related to the one who will show considerable aspiration in things of a spiritual nature and will be instrumental in awakening in the breast of man a belief in things supernormal, by fanning the spark of intelligent faith into a flame of conviction and consuming desire. His profession will be allied to the useful arts and his walk in life, although simple and devoid of ostentation, will nevertheless be of singular service to humanity. Great in soul and of immense aspiration, he will prove a veritable Vulcan. It is a degree of INSPIRATION.

Oil producing, literature; appreciation of the beautiful; the artist; often prominent in charts of those who have achieved literary eminence; judicial with good mentality and mathematical ability; fond of sports, music or reading; usually suited to law, finance, statistics, or literary work; lymph vessel of left lower leg.

Denotes one of a trusting spiritual nature who will have trials in life threatening and bitter, and who will often be storm-driven and held in the grip of hard circumstances. Now and then there are breaks in the storms of life which bring relief, no matter how small. But he must go on; his way is difficult and the night is dark, but in the morning light will come. It is a symbol of Experience.

13-14: 

This is the symbol of one whose life will be beset with unforeseen dangers, and who should therefore go warily and with much circumspection into the narrow walks of competitive life. About the middle of his life there will be a great catastrophe, by which he will either lose the use of a limb, or will suffer a total collapse of his affairs. He will then be in danger of liquidation and may become involved in serious trouble. Almost from his boyhood he will have to be self- supporting, and while he is sure to be of considerable service to others, and may even be author of much wise counsel, he will himself stand in need of help and sustenance ere his days are half completed. His future thereafter is in the keeping of Heaven. It is a degree of COLLAPSE.

Literature; idealism; music; “Jack of all trades”; apt to be a child of fate; fortune may push him up or down in unexpected ways; appreciation of the beautiful; degree of an artist; versatile ability; rheumatic fever; rheumatism; artery of left lower leg (fibula).

Denotes one who strives to do more than he can accomplish, who has “ too many irons in the fire,” and, while thinking to accomplish much, does but little. He may be two-sided or have two philosophies obtruding themselves at the same time. The life is restless, anxious, and over it hangs a threatening hand. Peace comes from the cultivation of the higher and the rejection of the lower. It is a symbol of Difficulties.

18-19

This symbol is related to one in whose life some great catastrophe will occur at a time when providentially there will be a friend at hand to rescue him from his danger. It indicates that a deficiency of tact and skill is liable to reader him subject to adversity of fortune, and he will suffer financial disaster and even peril of death. But there will be raised up to him a friend capable of sustaining him in his extremity, and he will not therefore sink into the depths. This will be in response to his great faith. The nature, although daring, is lacking in tact and strength. All his troubles will arise from failing to admit his own incompetence. He will travel afar. It is a degree of INSECURITY.

Musical ability; medical fields gain and recognition in any field; good intellect; well adapted to literary work. Bright’s disease; nervous system of the spinal cord.

Denotes one who has a graceful method of expressing his thoughts and who will reach his place when life’s midway has passed. He will accomplish much, and his words will ring so that many will stop to listen. His actions harmonize with his beliefs, and his soul is serene. It is a symbol of Proclaiming.

ITACHI

Saturn: 24-25

It indicates a powerful and haughty nature; one who is disposed to justify himself by force of arms rather than by intrinsic merit. Such a person will make many his servants but few his friends and in the end his state will be a pitiable as that of a dying lion. It is a degree of PRIDE.

Sometimes have theories and ideas of doubtful value; homicidal tendency; alcoholism; men with planets here are careful with their money; lower jaw.

Denotes one of natural talent who will be beset with difficulties in gaining recognition, but whose mental strength will be the more determined because of them. When his time comes his power will be felt. He will force acknowledgment by sheer ability and energy. It is a symbol of Premeditation.

Sun: 17-18

It indicates a person of lofty aspirations, keen mental powers, penetration and executive ability, one who will cut out his own line in life and excite attention, but who may, by his destiny, fail in achieving the result aimed at. It is a degree of EXECUTION.

Good imagination; cordial but caustic; energetic, enthusiastic, and intellectual; a dual personality - men may sometimes have feminine traits; homicidal tendency; Bright’s disease (kidneys); second rib.

Denotes one of great bravery who, feeling himself unconquerable, becomes a mark for the attacks of his enemies, who, thinking to smite him at the point of his weakness, raise about themselves the power which arises from his pain. It is a symbol of Invulnerability.

Neptune: 23-24

It denotes a person of misanthropic spirit and unsociable disposition, who will be estranged from his kindred and may be exiled or outcast from his country. In addition, the native will be short-sighted or have some moral obliquity. so, that be will incur severe troubles through this defect in various ways. It is a degree of LONELINESS.

Painters; “a ship at full sail”; a hard worker who has many ups and downs; sometimes hard to understand because he is not a good mixer and t other times he does not understand himself; benefics are favorable here, but other planets here may denote a lack of chastity; spine; tendons of liver.

Denotes one who may become vain of his earthly power and may use it for purposes which can be of no real benefit to him and no real gratification. Suffering may force him to hold himself in check and to understand that” he who conquers himself is greater than he who conquers a kingdom.” It is a symbol of Violence.

Ascendant:

20-21

The native will be of a penurious~ acquisitive, and mercenary nature; always counting the cost of all he does, and looking well to it that whatever be performs shall first be remunerative; then, if possible (though this is not important), just. He will acquire wealth by easy means, and will indulge in some very notable speculations. It is a degree of COVETOUSNESS.

Talent for mimicry; has the soul of a poet, but necessity often compels him to work along more prosaic lines; interested in diets, health, and laws of nature; gall bladder duct.

Denotes one of resourcefulness and determination who can be trusted to protect and safeguard his vital interests. Others, perhaps even amongst his own kinsmen, may interfere or attempt to interfere with the liberty of the native and prevent his free actions, and he may have to use craft to protect his rights and himself. It is a symbol of Finesse.

26-27

It denotes a person of a peculiarly incapable nature, unhappy disposition, and a certain awkwardness in his bearing. He will suffer ills through want of practical ness and executive power, and by reason of his backwardness will be liable to be victimized and deceived by the more active and wary. It is a degree of BLUNTNESS.

One of the strongest literary degrees. yet, unless the rest of the chart favors writing, Mercury here merely denotes interest, and Venus a love of literature, painting, good philosophy and honest bluntness along with artistic taste; combative but beneficent; strength of character; alert and aspiring; suicide; denotes art and literary ability; intelligence; honor, and riches in disgrace; hip veins.

Denotes one of a quick and critical mind who is gifted with powers of observation and discrimination He is able to turn points to his advantage, and does not hesitate to push forward with energy and activity to gain his desires. It is a symbol of Keenness.

Moon:

20-21

It is the symbol of a bold, independent and forceful nature, that knows either restraint nor law, and that will suffer great privations in order to maintain the semblance of freedom. It is a degree of INDEPENDENCE.

Doctors: music (variations of pitch); not as strong as most Scorpio degrees; alcoholism; violence; homicidal tendency; has little respect for rules and conventions but usually abides by them. Often so reserved that few people understand him.

Denotes one who conceives the dualistic nature of man. He holds that the connexion of spirit and matter is the initial force from which all other forces are brought into being. He admits no intermediate force, pressing home his beliefs with all the certainty of proven facts and with all the vehemence his powerful nature is capable of. It is a symbol of Forcing.

21-22

It is the index of a nature that is impelled by force of circumstances to precipitate and hazardous projects. A restless and impulsive mind, defective in foresight and never aware of danger till it is encountered. The life will be narrowed and confined, and so largely determined by the force of circumstances that it will be in danger of falling from one level to another until it is lost in obscurity and swallowed up in the sands of time. It is degree of COMPULSION.

Doctors; alcoholism; now; homicidal tendency; often found in charts of painters, poets, and astrologers, impulsive and restless yet loves home, solitude, and contemplation; (Unukalhai) immorality, accidents, danger of poison; ethmoid bone and ligaments.

Denotes one who is forced by circumstances to undertake duties which are not always of a pleasant nature. His destiny is to adjust and to demand, and the necessities of his life are opposed to investigations of an ideal or psychic character. It is a symbol of Gathering.

24-25

It is the indication of a predatory and adventurous spirit, a mind that is avaricious and cunning, quick to perceive and enforce its owl advantage, but slow to cultivate the more useful and sociable habits of life. Such will lead a distressful and contentious life, and will not long enjoy the benefit of his conquests. He will snatch an advantage and will be forced to surrender it to others; and because of his selfishness his own friends will berail him. It is a degree of SEIZURE.

Alcoholism; homicidal tendencies; strong desire to gain wealth or power, a malefic here usually denotes trouble with the opposite sex; some connection with magicians; ovarian ducts; coccyx.

Denotes one who is lost in the maze of worldly gain and whose sole happiness is in his ever- increasing wealth. His nature is hard and his estimate of his fellow-creatures is judged by his own standard. His motto is: Treat every man as a rogue until you find him out to be honest, and when you find him out to be honest, think again before you trust him. It is a symbol of Hardness.

26-27

It denotes one who has a forceful and yet pliant mind, a persuasive tongue and a brave spirit. Such an one will lead others by the power of authority which is vested in reason and sustained by the ability of expression. From such a man an appeal is equivalent to a command, and an exhortation equal to a rebuke. He will undertake high duties and grave responsibilities in life and will largely be moved by a power that is within him, unrecognized but potent. It is a degree of PERSUASION.

Usually seems well-balanced, genial, sympathetic, and philosophical, may be placed in positions of trust only to meet personal misfortune.

Denotes one capable of lofty thoughts and high mental flights. There is a subtle, strong diplomacy about this native which cannot be easily gauged by others, but he knows himself, his own ambitious spirit, and his ever-growing faith—a faith which never wavers, no matter if he basks in favors or shields himself from frowns. It is a symbol of Distinction.

Pluto:

2-3

This symbol is related to one whose life is liable to many and severe shocks of misfortune, the severing of ties and the disappointment of hopes. Nevertheless, he will show a spirit of steadfast resignation to the will of Heaven and therein will find consolation for his grief’s and sorrows. The task which he will have to perform in life will be honorable but unprofitable, and many will be the difficulties which encumber his upward path. He is nevertheless equipped for a long and arduous journey, and being endowed with a patient and firm will, he must eventually attain his goal. Only in the interval he will have to surrender all that he holds most dear in life. It is a degree of PERSEVERANCE.

Inquisitiveness; obesity; brings strange events into one’s life; women are much loved; men are natural leaders and follow some unusual line of work; right fibula.

Denotes one of a truly religious mind whose career will be as full of incident as the many pieces which go to make a mosaic pavement are full of color. Material life is not without its dangers— moral and physical—but the native is not born under the heel of fear. He sees beyond his times and bears his cross. It is a symbol of Faithfulness.

7-8

This symbol is indicative of a nature that is strong forceful and independent, loving freedom above all things and desiring death by hunger rather than servitude or restraint. Such a one will prove himself to be of greater service to the race when left to his own resources and given full freedom of action than when bound to a narrow or restricted walk in life. Nevertheless, he is liable to captivity or imprisonment, whether it be as a prisoner of State or as the victim of a hard and unrelenting Fate, and this will be entailed by his inordinate love of freedom. He will, suffer and will serve, and thus gain both wisdom and freedom for all time. It is a degree of ESCAPEMENT.

Hearing; anemia; may be especially good or clever at some particular thing; afflicted; an extremist; hitting at truth of life (something universal); vein of lower left leg.

Denotes one of a vital, vigorous, and martial disposition who endeavors to cut his way by mind or sword. Danger in early childhood may be overcome according to the power of the horoscope, but danger is never absent from him, and he is liable to be constrained or oppressed with enemies of his own making or he may be a dangerous enemy to himself. To pass through a barred window self- conquest alone knows the way. It is a symbol of Limitation.

5-6

This symbol is related to one who has considerable faculty for teaching (prophecy), and skill in manual crafts. As a director of thought, an exponent of religious teachings, as traveler, lecturer, even handicraftsman, he will show himself capable and will meet with distinction. He will be ambitious and will have a mind set upon things that are remote from his environment. Careful in his methods, and ambitious in his designs, he will have to travel far, nevertheless, for the results of his actions, and of him it may be said that what is remote from the sense is ever more attractive than things corporeal, and that which is afar than which is near. It is a degree of APPERCEPTION.

Medical; healing airmen (avoid air travel if Jupiter is afflicted); if prominent; it warns against accidents when traveling especially by air; inventive, unconventional, loves new and experimental schemes; interest in Oriental philosophies smoothness - silk, peace; singers, chanting, nerve of left fibula.

Denotes one on whom Fame smiles and who is fitted to receive her favor. For this native there is dignity and honor, which follows a degree of struggle, disappointment, and comparative obscurity. He is moved by many and varied feelings and is blessed with a vivid and fine imagination. He is cultured, neat in style, and artistic, with considerable psychic ability and occult understanding. It is a symbol of Ascending.

10-11

This symbol is related to one in whose nature there is more force and energy than power of direction and self-restraint, and who in consequence will be continually running into dangers which to him will be wholly unforeseen though obvious enough to others. He will rely upon his strength and pushfulness to overcome his enemies, but it will be shown to him that there is nothing so insignificant as the strength of a man. Since he cannot overcome Nature let him learn to use her forces with discretion and moderation or he will be wounded in the conflict of life, and unseen dangers will lurk within the hour of exultation as snakes beneath the flowers. It is a degree of FORCEFULNESS.

Fame, leadership and skill at handling men when tact and courtesy are required; can smooth out difficult and antagonistic relationships; when inspired by an ideal; these people have tremendous power; where the cause is great; his work may have its effect on future generations; right crural band.

Denotes one of gifted mind and exceptional qualities, a singer of songs and a bearer of light, whose works gain for him respect and dignity, and whose name will be remembered long after his form has left this earth. Beautiful thoughts will cling to him as the ivy clings to the garden wall, and pleasant minds will come to him as the flowers which entwine the scepter. It is a symbol of Taste.

Mercury:

6-7

It indicates a person of strong personality, but of a tyrannous nature, who, by force of arms and aggression, generally will press forward regardless of the merits of others and insensible of their feelings. His hand, though strong, is frequently unjust and cruel in its action, impelled by the motive that might is right; and, when opposed, is capable of extreme cruelty and selfishness. In certain natures, the influence of this degree generates the common-place bully. It is a degree of SELF-ASSERTION.

Not always diplomatic but appreciates diplomacy in others; physically fearless but sometimes emotionally vulnerable; well aspected, discipline; afflicted, sometimes denotes a bad habit; thoracic canal.

Denotes one who will by his own skill and ability receive and profit by impressions and reach a position which gains him the recognition due to him. To such, perseverance and faith are the essentials, and if he regards the meaning of these two words apart from the words themselves he will crown his labors with success. It is a symbol of Fame.

11-12

It denotes one of fatal tendencies, destructive to a degree; inclined to cruelty and oppression. This person will need to hold his passions in strong check or some fatality will surely come upon him. The nature is melancholy and taciturn; yet silently discerning, and capable of keen feelings. “It makes not, but it mars; and with the hollow eyes of death looks back with secret self-condemnation upon its unfruitful work.’ The end of life is tragic. It is a degree of UNDOING.

History; can work in solitude; degree of retentive memory; usually prudent, bright, and charming; magnetic personality; poison, possibly in working with chemicals; alcoholism; Bright’s disease; cancer; highly occult (the owl, dark subjects, collects owls, night owls); religious; large gastric curvature.

Denotes one of brave and generous disposition who is an earnest and sincere champion of the oppressed and who is one of that great band who cannot be deaf to the moans of the suffering many. He is a militant, generous force, and in his philosophy “charity covereth a multitude of sins.” It is a symbol of Humanity.

Venus: 

6-7

It indicates a person of strong personality, but of a tyrannous nature, who, by force of arms and aggression, generally will press forward regardless of the merits of others and insensible of their feelings. His hand, though strong, is frequently unjust and cruel in its action, impelled by the motive that might is right; and, when opposed, is capable of extreme cruelty and selfishness. In certain natures the influence of this degree generates the common-place bully. It is a degree of SELF-ASSERTION.

Not always diplomatic but appreciates diplomacy in others; physically fearless but sometimes emotionally vulnerable; well aspected, discipline; afflicted, sometimes denotes a bad habit; thoracic canal.

Denotes one who strives to stand erect. Time does not cast him down, for grandeur and beauty are his companions; but beauty, however sublime, is never without a flaw, for the flaw intensifies the beauty. The erect column indicates strength, the crumbling at the base fear, which alone can destroy if permitted to infect the whole. Where faith is, then fear will be never. True faith is knowledge absolute, and what knowledge so perfect as the consciousness in man of his own strength? It is a symbol of Gracefulness.

8-9

It denotes a man whose chief interest will be in his home, and in the care of his children; one who is attractive to young persons, and whose mind is pacific and benevolent; one who has the ability to inspire confidence and faith in other; whose footsteps will be followed in security and whose life goes by easy way to a peaceful end. It is a degree of MINISTRATION.

A born teacher and scientist; hearing (afflicted - may in - cline to deafness); inordinately fond of food; afflicted - gluttons; if the will is weak, may become a drunkard; a tendency to be contrary and stubborn, especially with planets in 27 degree Aries-Pisces; frequently their own worst enemies; has much to do with healing; cervical vein.

Denotes one who acquires much by work and application, but who lacks the faculty of watchfulness in protecting his gains from the greed of others. He has an easygoing tendency, but gains come from labor, craft, and the management of his own affairs. He may be the victim of deceit or treachery, and should never put himself in the hands of others when his own well-being is concerned. He should avoid things and circumstances he does not understand. It is a symbol of Misleading.

Mars:

1-2

It denotes one for whom life will be a severe lesson; whose ambition is likely to outstrip his power; one who will attempt great his discomfiture; whose efforts will prove futile, and whose hopes a will vanish as the clouds. It is a degree of SELF-PRESERVATION.

Magic; a pleasing personality; a person who is above petty things; loyal and serious-minded; some interest in occultism; magnanimous; opening of throat.

Denotes one capable of immense sacrifices who surrenders self, expecting no reward. The life will be often lonely, but ever threatened by storms. In the end wisdom and worth will triumph and the second half of life brings good promise. It is a symbol of Devotion.

3-4 (likely)

It denotes a person in whose life much sedition will prevail, whose affairs will be marred by his own violence, and whose house will be dismembered through strife, in whom wrath will affect great evils, and whose force will be turned against himself. If is a degree of DISINTEGRATION.

Literature (skill in working out plots); writers of detective stories; one accustomed to the exercise of authority; favors playwrights; military men. organizers who work to uphold the law; degree of plot; planning, tact, and scheming bodily injuries; destruction by fire, war or earth-quake; unscrupulous defeat; throat or larynx.

Denotes one whose destiny it is to come before the public in some professional capacity. The native will be impulsive, bold, and brave, and will be gifted with controlling and magnetic force. He will travel and move about a great deal, and will be exposed to danger with little or no hurt. It is a symbol of Intrepidity.

16-17 (this is also linked with explosions so I think Dei is likely to have something here)

This symbolizes a life of toil without much fruits; the misdirection of effort through ignorance of natural laws; a straining after that which Nature has not designed, and consequent failure in life. The native will be unpopular, moving against the stream, and by much exertion, hurting himself alone. It is a degree of FUTILITY.

Painting; business; musical ability (variations of pitch); singers; oratory; a powerful degree for men; color; and original person who has much influence on his sphere of society; ideas or popularity may grow by spurts, but unexpected falls sometimes follow too; homicidal tendency; abscesses of neck if with 25 degree Leo-Aquarius or 21 degree Aries-Libra; associated with explosions (of nuclear plants or bombings); often a tall person; tonsils.

Denotes one free as air, brave, spiritual, restless, and unfitted for the regular routine of daily life. Care in infancy is essential. He is of a wandering disposition and frequent changes are for him. It is a symbol of Wandering.

14-15 (likely)

It denotes a studious and intuitive nature, whose mental vision will see where others arc in the darkness; one devoted to the inner meaning of Nature’s workings, and acting from obscure motives; one of much self-reliance, inclined to solitariness, and yet always surrounded by friends; one who will be sought after while himself seeking none. It is a degree of MYSTERY.

Business; singers; a degree of exchange and barter; some times traveling salesmen or financiers; may live or die in foreign lands; circulation of blood as well as ideas and propaganda; causes disease, disgrace, ruin injury from beasts, sickness, and loss of fortune; epiglottis.

Denotes a person whose tastes and desires are directed to the understanding of the secrets which rest beneath the veil. He has brought to earth from other sources the knowledge which enables him to find the entrance to the cavern of hidden jewels, but it is doubtful if he can enter, for the gateway is guarded by sublime and intense colors caused by more excessive vibrations than can be endured by the human body. The light vapor approaching the “Ultra” stage is more powerful and effective than dragons of fire. It is a symbol of Initiation.

18-19

It denotes a gentle, inoffensive but weak nature, inclined to indolence or hopelessness, and thus while Nature is luxurious and fertile, and all around speaks of wealth gained by industry, the native remains in a poor condition for want of determination. It is a degree of INCOMPETENCE.

Music ( a trumpet); a person who rises from a humble birth place to a great renown through a process of unfoldment; hair; leader of party; often a tall person; maxillary artery.

Denotes one who is unable to estimate his abilities and who attempts things foolhardy and useless. There is a tendency to irritability and aggressiveness and lack of self-restraint. Thus he will court unpopularity and will suffer from his own actions. It is a symbol of Futility.

24-25

It indicates a powerful and haughty nature; one who is disposed to justify himself by force of arms rather than by intrinsic merit. Such a person will make many his servants but few his friends and in the end his state will be a pitiable as that of a dying lion. It is a degree of PRIDE.

Sometimes have theories and ideas of doubtful value; homicidal tendency; alcoholism; women with planets here are usually intuitive, poetic, lively, and flirtatious; men careful with their money; lower jaw.

Denotes one whose life is harassed by other people, and who will be held to a position to his disadvantage from which he will free himself and go where better conditions prevail, and where he will have better opportunities for employing his skill for his own good. Consult the horoscope. It is a symbol of Restraining.

28-29 (honestly, now that I think about it, this is Tobs through and through)

It signifies a tyrant, who takes delight in power apart from its uses, and whose opinions are bigoted and selfish. To rule, without regard to qualifications, is the passing ambition of one born under this degree. Death, which frees the slave, will bind the hands of a tyrant in irons forged from his own heart. It is a degree of DESPOTISM.

Good organizing ability; strong will; usually magnetic, proud and stoical; heavy drinking; suicide; a degree giving “something to cry about”; Trapizius.

Denotes one who is continually beset with difficulties and who finds it hard at all times to decide his course of action. He is ever between forces of opposite natures, and is quite as likely to do the right thing as the wrong one. These conditions must be subdued by the steady cultivation of the will. It is a symbol of Embarrassment.

NARUTO

Sun: 17-18

It denotes a person of hospitable and homely nature, ever ready with the best of fare to entertain friends and acquaintances. The native will grow to be much beloved for his open handed ness and sincerity of feeling. He will be both prosperous and happy, and will rejoice in the company of his friends. It is a degree of HOSPITALITY. 

Electricians; a romantic degree; rules poets; oratorical ability; violence; a person who will get considerable publicity; has many friends; ambitious to be the greatest; kidney illness; liked with sexual problems; subtle mind, shamelessness, and loss through friends and company, fatty capsule of kidneys.

Denotes one of a simple nature who is gifted with a strong spirit of self-sacrifice and endowed with inherent bravery. His way in life will be tangled at times, and he will need his energy to set it right again. He is a helper of himself and of others, and he does not count his own needs first. It is a symbol of Self-sacrifice.

Moon:

12-13

It denotes one who through suffering, pain and hard work, will at the close of life rise to much dignity and receive many honors. This degree is capable, of lifting, the native from obscurity to prominence as the reward of enduring effort. It is a degree of REWARD.

A degree of movement; medical fields - doctors (along with 23-24 deg Leo, Aquarius); sportsmen or athletes (with fixed signs); electricians; wrestlers (with fixed signs); lawyers (along with 23-24 Leo, Aquarius); hair, spiritual intuition; if afflicted - may start many things he will never finish; corpus callosum (band of nerve fibers).

Denotes bravery, love, and sincerity. Honor will come to this native, his thoughts and ambitions lead him upwards. By Love’s guidance he passes over obstacles and pursues an honorable course. His nature is somewhat proud, but he is generous and noble-minded. Influence and favor come to him. It is a symbol of Light.

13-14

It denotes loneliness and indigence in life; one who will lead a strange and outcast life, with few friends and those either unwilling or unable to help him. It. seems to contain the idea of much traveling, perhaps exile, and finally a lonely grave. It is a degree of ISOLATION.

Bakers; dietetics - food and drink; music (the beautiful); love of words; often found in charts of those who compete in games or sports, especially tennis; the physicians; gluttony; independence; freedom, love of wealth and honor, and keen intellect; gives a sixth sense. One cannot tell them a lie because they see through others. They are seldom mistaken in their judgment of others; rheumatic fever; rheumatism; frontal lobes .

Denotes one who reaches a position of responsibility, power, and influence, and seeks to find in man the spark which being agitated blazes forth in glory, guiding by its perfect light. Here we have the teacher who strives to lead men from the valley of darkness into the light of understanding, but who himself is threatened by Error and Hate, which if he permits to influence him will drag him from his throne. But if he join his own great soul to Truth and Love, what wonders may he not perform! It is a symbol of Intercession.

16-17

This is a degree indicating one of a speculative nature, selfish, and luxurious; one whose heart is divided between pleasure and wealth, but who knows not the true use of either. Such would gain wealth by. speculation, but waste it in extravagance. “The fool and his money are soon parted.” So here. It Is a degree of EARTHINESS. 

Music (a trumpet); electricians; interest in occultism, spiritualism, metaphysics or magic; persuasive oratory; public life; spinal cord canal.

Denotes a lotus-eater, a lover of pleasure, who delights in ease and the sweets of life. The fortunes are favored, but the native makes no personal effort to increase them. The mind is romantic and art- loving, and the form graceful. It ii a symbol of Luxury.

17-18

This denotes a person of an amiable and pleasant disposition, friendly to all, and beloved of his kinsmen. One who desires peace and concord, and who will meet with success through the intervention of some female friend. It is a degree of AMITY.

Oratorical ability; electricians; poets; children; a romantic degree; with Virgo-Pisces novelists; with Leo-Aquarius or Gemini-Sagittarius poets; often connected with tragedies of violence in either the chart of the attacker or the victim. Associated with divorce and separations; sexual emotionalism; linked with sexual problems; nerve connections.

Denotes sympathy. Many times will the native stumble and fall by the way, but ever will there be a bright light before him to dispel the darkness of the night and to dissipate his fears. The mind is aspiring, but to reach its ideal, pain and struggle are involved. The native must not falter, for very nigh unto him is his hope—a little sacrifice and endeavor will unite him to it. It is a symbol of Upraising.

20-21

It denotes a generous and hospitable nature; one that will succeed through good and worthy actions, yet has some sense of his own merits and powers, and is desirous of recognition. A steadfast and sincere man, who will make many friends and be held by them in respect. It is a degree of CONSCIOUS MERIT.

Electricians; active and adventurous; a degree of supreme sacrifice; abscesses; accidents; a traveler who makes plans and lives them; preparedness, steadiness, determination, and final success; a fortunate degree; eye muscle.

Denotes one who will be assailed by secret and open enemies, who will be liable to troubles and false accusations. In his dealings he should always exercise great care, and should not rely on word- of-mouth agreements. He will not be without devoted friends, who will not neglect him in the hour of his greatest need. His intense feelings will cause him trouble, danger, illness, and regret, and he will have to strive with the dark serpent. Let him unite himself with noble and good-living people, and put away from himself votaries of evil. It is a symbol of Contention.

24-25

It indicates a powerful and haughty nature; one who is disposed to justify himself by force of arms rather than by intrinsic merit. Such a person will make many his servants but few his friends and in the end his state will be a pitiable as that of a dying lion. It is a degree of PRIDE.

Sometimes have theories and ideas of doubtful value; homicidal tendency; alcoholism; women with planets here are usually intuitive, poetic, lively, and flirtatious; men careful with their money; lower jaw.

Denotes one of natural talent who will be beset with difficulties in gaining recognition, but whose mental strength will be the more determined because of them. When his time comes his power will be felt. He will force acknowledgment by sheer ability and energy. It is a symbol of Premeditation.

28-29

It signifies a tyrant, who takes delight in power apart from its uses, and whose opinions are bigoted and selfish. To rule, without regard to qualifications, is the passing ambition of one born under this degree. Death, which frees the slave, will bind the hands of a tyrant in irons forged from his own heart. It is a degree of DESPOTISM.

Good organizing ability; strong will; usually magnetic, proud and stoical; heavy drinking; suicide; a degree giving “something to cry about”; Trapizius.

Denotes one who is continually beset with difficulties and who finds it hard at all times to decide his course of action. He is ever between forces of opposite natures, and is quite as likely to do the right thing as the wrong one. These conditions must be subdued by the steady cultivation of the will. It is a symbol of Embarrassment.

Ascendant:

1-2

It denotes a person of an extremely vacillating and uncertain disposition; weak. minded, and subject to be driven about from one opinion to another; generally moved by consent to prevailing sentiment, and incapable of any firm and independent decision. The native will be liable to experience strange caprices of fortune; and will wander, with many a change of object, from one place to another, but little permanence for good will be assured to him. At times exceedingly hopeful, and anon depressed and nervous, the native will make little headway or progress. It is a degree of WEAKNESS.

Have a way of making themselves pleasing to the opposite sex but often seem monotonous to those of their own sex; prodigal sometimes vacillating; apt to use the other fellow’s ideas because he lacks confidence in his own; sometimes not dependable and apt to wander from place to place; aorta.

Denotes one whose early life is threatened and who in later years will gain possession of material secrets discovered by another which he has long sought to obtain. Having obtained them, he claims the discoveries as his own, gaining thus further professional advancement and reputation. His triumph may last till he breathes his last breath, then he will learn what in spite of all his learning he does not know, and his action of yesterday brings remorse on the morrow. It is a symbol of Artifice.

3-4

It denotes a person of the most prudent, circumspect, and patient mind; capable of sustaining great fatigue in the accomplishment of his desires; a mind gifted with much diplomacy, suavity, self-restraint, and watchfulness; keen in observing but slow to draw conclusions; capable when aroused, of much malice, but not of open anger. Firm in his attachments, a fast friend and unrelenting enemy. The native will succeed in life by dint of caution and perseverance. It is a degree of CURCUMSPECTION.

A benefic there or any planet well aspected there inclines too honesty and integrity; anarchism (not going with any thing); an active person; not easy to anger but capable of malice when aroused; usually sensitive and often hurt by lack of harmony in the home; a critical analyst, but sincere with good intentions; left carotid artery.

Denotes one who may be deceived by smiles and promises. He should be especially careful of those in power, and should be wary lest in negotiations he betrays his plans and aspirations to keen and subtle adversaries. Wisdom is in silence. It is a symbol of Treachery.

 5-6

It denotes a person of a proud, martial nature, with considerable tastes for athletics, deeds of daring and prowess, contests, feats of arms, and the like. Somewhat given to argument and contention. ever ready to rush into disputes regardless of danger. The native will succeed as a soldier, or in active service requiring courage and strength; but will be liable to some reverses of fortune following upon undue self-assertion. It is a degree of PROWESS. 

A medical or healing degree; hair; a martial nature with a liking for athletics; a leader, usually in some physical or military way; usually well-liked by inferiors; a person of great energy who may drive himself to ruin unless he controls his passions; entrance of pulmonary artery.

Denotes one who will be compelled to fight and struggle during a great part of his life and who will often have to use his ingenuity to release himself from entanglements and troubles. He may have financial difficulties or difficulties over property or estates. In the end—perhaps even in the midst of worry—his star rises and he triumphs over enemies and evil conditions. It is a symbol of Strategy.

Saturn:  (honestly these both sound kind of off)

8-9

It denotes a person of tasteful, but luxurious habits; one who will spend much upon mere show, and will depend much upon appearances to the neglect of more desirable uses. Together with these characteristics, there is a great deal of pride, which in the uneducated may run to ostentation and snobbishness. Yet, in any sphere of life the native will be fortunate among his compeers. It is a degree of DISPLAY.

Sense of hearing; anemia; skin; afflictions to planets here; love of solitude; generosity; travel in connection with business; talkative but incapable of pettiness; often misunderstood because they do not fully understand themselves, looks at things from positive standpoint; knows that even his troubles are of his own making; care and responsibility; a charitable and fostering nature; afflicted brings danger of a violent death, serious accidents or burns; the eyes; vena cava.

Denotes one fortunate, but somewhat vain, whose desire it is “to make a good appearance’ and who expends much money for this purpose. But the glories which shine forth from a great soul glitter more than the choicest diamond in the daintiest setting, giving a lasting beauty which age cannot change nor time obliterate. There are two sides to this symbol, and both reflect, for it is a symbol of Reflection.

9-10

It denotes one whose chief ambitions will not come to completion; but, either through disaster or untimely death, ‘will be prematurely brought to naught. To whomsoever this degree may appertain, the warning goes forth :—build not for the future, but for eternity, for it is very nigh; and if thou sowest aught, make no count of the harvest, for the seasons are not to thy hand; yet both sow and build for the greater good, and work in hope! In character the native will be versatile, somewhat morose and despondent, but strong in trial; and giving shelter even to the worthless out of pure goodwill. It is a degree of PERIL.

Alcoholism; army and navy; versatile, fearless, firm and sure but sometimes morose; often interested in the mystic secrets of life and death; sudden friendships and estrangements; bladder afflictions; jugular vein.

Denotes one of brave, fearless, and noble disposition whose natural greatness of soul is moved by the necessities of others, and who always puts the well-being of another before his own comforts. Envy is directed against him and malice turns her evil eyes on him. He will be exposed to many and grave dangers, for duty to him is ever the first thought. It is a symbol of Daring.

Venus: 

23-24

It denotes a person of much independence of spirit, self-confidence, pride, and no little love of distinction. The native will suffer on account of his isolated feelings, and will be in danger of betrayal by the machinations of perfidious enemies. At a time when he has reached a height of isolated distinction, he will fall under the jealous hand of his enemies. It is a degree of PRIDE.

Often associated with homosexuality (depending on aspects); gives success, renown, and riches; a love of arts and sciences; adversely aspected; unscrupulousness, unfaithfulness, and injustice to innocence; “sweetest star of the heavens”; “star of the artists” and promises honor and fame; prefers to work and plan in privacy, but his work may achieve great renown; vascular circulation of the renal cortex.

Denotes one who will suffer from an overconfident nature that neglects those details which, insignificant as they may appear, are as necessary for the safeguarding of his interests as water is to earth. His mentality is good, and he is capable of useful mental work, but he may lose the results of his labor. and suffer thereby in many ways. It is a symbol of Entrapping.

26-27

It indicates a nature that is attuned to works of benevolence and homely simplicity, careful in the affairs of daily life, solicitous of peace and comfort, and ever ready to shelter, befriend and succor the wayside traveler without neglect of those within his doors. It is a degree of BENEVOLENCE.

Detectives; artistic and sensitive; a lover of children; sympathies often on the unpopular side; peculiar mental quirks such as a mind that can do only one thing at a time; a cool courage; lack of moral and physical suppleness; slow-witted and slowly aroused; vascular system of the skin.

Denotes one who if saved from malefic planetary action is contented with little and is pleasant and kind to men and animals. His nature is devotional and sensitive, and is capable of obtaining knowledge from astral sources and atmospheric conditions. He influences others for good, spreading content in the halls of inharmony. It is a symbol of Harmony.

Neptune: 

6-7

It indicates a person of susceptible and weak nature, easily led away, and liable to be drawn to his destruction by the agency of the opposite sex. The native may attain to a high position in life, but whatever his position, he is in danger of an untimely fall. Let him take heed against the allurement. of the world. It is a degree of FALLING.

Aviation; birds; a child of fate; strange things happen to them; often psychic or intuitive; dancers, love of danger; goiter; nervous system.

Denotes one with a great message who will travel everywhere and whose thoughts and feelings are expanded and uplifted thereby. His wanderings are often directed beyond this earth to the heavenly fields and, to the lands dosed to those held in material bodies. He is capable of performing many good acts for others and is ever ready to resist actions unworthy of a true man, holding meanness in contempt. It is a symbol of Movement.

7-8

It denotes one of a melancholy and retiring nature, very sensitive, and of keen sympathies. The native will be in danger of early bereavement, and will at an early age be left devoid of family ties and friends. It is a degree of EFFACEMENT.

Rules animal life, usually loquacious; given to speculation; paint, perfume, or chemicals may play a part in the vocation; sudden death, dancers, love of danger, jaundice of the renal pelvis.

Denotes one who will have need to exercise very great caution as to the safe keeping of his worldly possessions. Such a one should keep away from speculations, ventures, and crafty people, and undertake nothing of a nature involving risk. It is a symbol of Forfeiting.

8-9

It indicates a person of quick, impetuous, quarrelsome, and aggressive nature, who will cause many disputes in life on account of his Irascible disposition, and will make many enemies. The native will be in danger of losing his life while engaged in sonic affray or quarrel, and should know bow to forefend himself by self-command, which Is the greatest of all conquests. It is a degree of FIGHTING.

Publicity or scandal (if Venus here, over a love affair or divorce); often causes one to become a widow; immorality; courage, talent for science, literature, or leadership; aggressiveness; linked with sexual problems; jaundice of the kidney and renal pelvis.

Denotes one who should avoid law and disputes. Inharmony is to him a state of evil which forces him into a groove of fate and holds him in bondage. He should endeavor by the power of his soul to keep the scales even and do nothing to prejudice his peace. It is a symbol of Unevenness.

Mars:

24-25

It is the index of a mind that is given to excessive indulgence and undue enthusiasm in matters of a spiritual and mental nature; one who will follow out his projects regardless of consequence, impelled as it were by a species of mental intoxication. The substance and form of this symbol is allied to the higher nature, but should the carnal appetites gain an ascendancy over him, he will in all probability degenerate into a debauchee. Moderation should be his watchword even in spiritual things. It is a degree of EXCESS. 

Usually quick perception; remarkable memory; good imagination; condyle of right femur.

Denotes one of romantic mind, loving and leaning to the philosophy and thought of other days, in which he is a master. The forces play around him and attempts from the two worlds will be made to draw him from his deeper thoughts to the frivolity, folly, and transitory joys of earth. Many times will he be shaken, but his power is too great for sensual over comings. Instead he throws to the world the wine of life that those who are able may drink. It is a symbol of Spiritual Struggles.

25-26

This is the sign of one to whom appearances are apt to count or much, but who will nevertheless be possessed of a really deep and sympathetic nature. Fidelity and friendship will be prominent characteristics of his nature. Fidelity will be dexterous in the use of arms, apt in the imitation of mannerisms, and would make a capable actor,. being gifted with powers of dramatic. representation. Of a kind and sympathetic nature, he will readily attract friends, and yet few will know him for what he really is. It is a degree of IMITATION. 

Anarchism; literature; better for benefics than for malefics, which bring trouble through the opposite sex; associated with nervous troubles, especially in his speech, if afflicted by Mercury or Uranus, sometimes due to a glandular deficiency; tyrannical disposition; love of liberty; good mentality; inventive, intutive, and emotional; gout; neurasthenia; if conjunct or opposition an afflicted luminary or its afflicting planet; impaired eyesight, perhaps blindness.

Denotes one who is attracted to the sport and gaieties of life, and to whom physical pleasures constitute the essence of existence. The native may indulge in extravagances and will feel the ups and downs of life. His philosophy favors the pursuit of happiness, and his mental gifts will be directed to the furtherance of his thoughts. It is a symbol of Pleasure.

29-30

It is the symbol of mind that is capable of sustaining great and arduous work, one to whom some of the dark secrets of Nature will be revealed. He may show some taste for agriculture culture or may follow the fortunes of some great mining industry or archaeological research, and in such he will be a discoverer. Whatever his walk in life, his work will be difficult and protracted, but success will ultimately crown his labors. Endowed with a sharp, incisive mind and strong purpose, he will ignore the advice of friends and rely wholly on is own efforts. It is a degree of DISCOVERY. 

Clairvoyance; imitators; aptitude for studying human nature; angina pectoris; large or peculiar teeth; especially if on the Ascendant; wants to be the “head man” unless a benefic is here; good intellect; sometimes art ability but better suited to commercial enterprises; gives an immoral; mean; slovenly nature; pear-shaped muscle.

Denotes one of active mental power who is indispensable to his friends and a thorn to his enemies. He is capable of seeing events far in advance of their materialization and counts the years of human progress in its pendulum-like motion. He has in him a strong spirit of fight and a feeling of naught else but victory. It is a symbol of Supremacy.

Pluto : Same as Sasuke.

Section Four: Synastry and composite

Based on the degrees I used for natals, I drew up a composite chart and a synastry chart for sasuke and itachi as well as for sasuke and naruto but I wont be providing interpretations since that would make this post far too long. Note that some of these aspects might be wrong as not all degrees are certain.

Before we get started let me just clarify the difference between synastry and composite. 

Synastry is conversations between different parts of people. An example would be if my mercury and your moon are in a nice harmonious aspect, I say something in my style of communication based on my thinking process, now you get what I’m saying at an emotional level because you feel the same way, your feeling process and my thinking process are similar, the way you express your emotions and the way I express my thoughts are close, so I get how you feel on a logical level and you get what I think on an emotional level. 

Composite is the overall, combined energy of the relationship. Lets say you have a very rational and to the point way of communicating but then you meet this person and with them, for some reason, as soon as you meet both of you seem to communicate in an emotional, passive-aggressive way (strongly aspected composite mercury in cancer). Or if you have tons of things in common with someone, you communicate in a similar way, you like the same things, but you just can’t seem to think of a single thing to say to them. You meet and your mind goes blank, there should be a world of things to talk about but literally nothing comes to mind, the conversation is dry and an absolute chore and then you look at that composite and there’s a tight saturn (restriction, block) conjunct mercury (communication) and everything makes sense. It also says things like why you got together (composite sun), how people perceive your relationship (composite ascendant), ...

So lets go see how these characters relate to each-other on a cosmic level.

edit: I removed the composite to natals part because they require extremely tight orbs so it’s kind of risky for something so uncertain.

Sasuke-Itachi synastry:

I forgot to erase that sun-sun semi-square (it’s out of orb) so just ignore it. Lots of harmonious saturn could lend itself to commitment and respect, lots of harmonious aspects to sasuke’s venus along with itachi’s sun in his 5th shows how fun and loving this relationship was for him (sasuke). Both their moons are getting lots of close aspects too. Those moon ascendant aspects and quick comfort and easy relating, an immediate emotional connection, Itachi’s mars aspecting Sasuke’s moon, ...

Sasuke-Itachi composite:

So this composite sun (purpose, nature of the relationship) in cancer (family) is perfect. I wonder if this was a coincidence or if Kishi really looked this up. Ascendant in scorpio is pretty nice as well. Plenty of neptune, lots of pluto, ... 

Composite sun in the eight very much paints their relationship, intense, obsessive, transformative and full of death (both metaphorical and literal). Composite moon in the third, communication is important to the health of their relationship and emotional security regarding it, ... There is plenty of stuff to unpack here so I’m not going get into it, specially since we don’t know much for certain.

Sasuke-Naruto synastry:

An interesting point here is that naruto’s moon would be in sasuke’s 4th house of family so that explains why he sees his family in him. Also, like I mentioned, plenty of harsh pluto, harsh mars-pluto giving lots of energy which if directed well, can contribute to good teamwork against outside forces and if not will lead to petty yet emotionally volatile arguments and controlling behaviour.

I put the ascendant opposition aspect there even though it’s out of orb because kishi went out of his way to make them opposites in the way they present/carry themselves and their aesthetic so this aspect would probably exist.

Sasuke-Naruto composite:

There are two extremely important personal planets missing here (jupiter and mercury) so the picture isn’t complete but based on what we have, we can tell quite a bit of the story.

Venus conjunct sun is a very good aspect which means the relationship makes the people involved in it feel good, have fun, ... Sun trine moon and venus trine moon are also great aspects to have so that’s nice. Mars trine saturn could make them more organized and better at acting together in a systematic way. Neptune trine mars could mean that they understand each other’s actions and drive (in a physical/tangible sense, not necessarily the reasons behind them) intuitively.

Sun square mars is similar to my previous point, lots of energy which will at best lead to working effectively together against outside forces and at worst will lead to violence, unhealthy rivalry/arguments and constant irritation. 

Mars-neptune, not seeing the nature of the relationship properly, delusion, illusion, escapism, an unwillingness to see the relationship for what it is, ... neptune-saturn and lack of proper boundaries. 

Ascendant in aries and the rival look, sun in virgo (coworkers, a work relationship), composite sun in the 5th, a fun, dramatic and creative relationship, composite moon in the first, projecting feelings about the relationship all over the place, it just can’t be hidden and the outside world sees you as emotionally tied together, perhaps more so than you actually are unless there are other strong moon aspects to personal planets, ...

One thing that is oddly not here is major pluto aspects, however, if lack of aspects to a planet in a composite chart is similar to a natal chart then it could make that planet’s themes more prominent because the energy has no proper outlet so it pops up everywhere.

Thank you for your time, any input is appreciated :))