#can you guys tell that alien stage is my current hyperfixation

[honeybeetlejuice]

Alien Stage is clearly a metaphor for the entertainment industry (especially the idoling industry), so let's talk about it. Because I feel as if that is overshadowed in the fandom.

(A post by not only a massive alien stage fan, but a newer child actress.)

TW: SA, CHILD EXPLOITATION, TALK OF BEAUTY STANDARDS & DIET CULTURE

I've heard people talk about Alien Stage being a metaphor for the idoling industry, but no one really goes in depth that I've seen. I also have a bit of experience and have done tons of research on the entertainment industry for my own career as an actress (who's currently looking for their first acting job. No, this isn't to try to be scouted, it's just to clarify i am not super experienced-)

So here's everything I could find that parallels. I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors, my cat is laying on my arm right now and will not move-

The treatment of the contestants by aliens in alien stage, resembles the way people treat idols in media in our reality. People fan and obsess over their stage personas, yet behind closed doors they are horribly mistreated and abused.

Trauma and tragedy is exploited. In real life, talent shows and the like will make contestants use something bad that's happened to them to gain sympathy points from the audience. In Alien Stage, do I genuinely even need to explain? That show is a massive amount of tragedy, and Mizisua was almost definitely put together in round one for a reason -- to play with the aliens' feelings.

The way aliens exploit pet humans for fame and use them, is similar to the way parents/guardians exploit their children as child actresses. Children are trained from a young age to fit this standard and be entertainment for us.

SA is extremely common in the entertainment industry. Tons of people in the industry, especially producers and directors, end up being fucking creeps who sexually abuse the people they work with. I can name a plentitude of cases. I am not a victim of this myself so I cannot speak for victims, but it is something that absolutely happens. And in Alien Stage, Luka and Till (I've also heard Ivan?) have both been implied to be sexually abused, meaning it's probably not uncommon in that world either.

Insane beauty standards. IRL as an actor, you are fatshamed, every part of your body and appearance is nitpicked, you absolutely have to fit a beauty standard. Many people are extremely insecure, plastic surgery is common too. Not to mention, diet culture runs fucking rampant. People often are put through insane and risky diets. This is especially bad in the idoling industry. Then in Alien Stage, you can probably take note of multiple characters, but I'm going to focus on Luka for this point. Luka's eating habits are canonically strictly managed, and he isn't allowed to eat much. Not to mention, Luka, and likely other characters were literally fucking BRED FOR THIS?? Like its implied they quite literally kept making him again and again until they found one that fit their standard, resulting in all his issues as well.

Dare I say no privacy. The humans in alien stage are quite literally watched by aliens 24/7, allowed no freedom or privacy. In real life, maybe it isn't exactly this for actors, but people dig into their personal lives and allow them no privacy. People doxx information and stalk actors, to the point where there's been cases of people having to move houses because of crazy fans. When people ask to stay out the spotlight, people find them anyways.

May be forgetting some stuff, but my point is that Alien Stage is a metaphor for the entertainment industry, especially the idol industry. We are the real life aliens, if you think about it.

I honestly wish people talked about it more. It's so important to the show yet I feel like it's overshadowed by the romance aspects. That or it's a lack of media literacy. I'm honestly unsure.

[clevercorvidae]

Things I liked this week :

Feb. 16 - 22, 2025

(Ok so I decided to do this thing where I catalog all my favorite things from the week. I like to think it's an exercise in positivity but its probably just the autism again. Anyways I figured I should probably post it to spread the love, so here's that ig. This isn't a ranking btw it's just in order of when I decided to add it.)

1. You're Wrong About Pluto - Hank Green

Youtube Video

Cool video about Pluto and the other dwarf planets and moons of our solar system and how important they are to our current understanding of the universe.

2. "Under Pressure" Arcane/Spiderverse Edit - caitxvix

Tiktok Edit

Edit using Under Pressure by Queen to show the constant theme of the power of love in both Arcane and Spiderverse.

3. "The Distance" Arcane Edit - biggmama07

Tiktok Edit

Edit using The Distance by CAKE to show sequences from the final episode of Arcane, especially focusing on Ekko and Viktor in their actions in the final battle

4. Alien Stage - Vivinos

Animated Webseries

An multipart animated webseries about a future where aliens have conquered earth. The series focuses on a group of people who were raised from children to be singers to entertain the alien overlords in a sort of gladiatorial music competition where the loser dies. It's essentially a jukebox musical, with each episode having little to no dialogue and having a single pre-existing song usually sung by the characters.

5. "Fake Woke Baby" Tiktok - 6asscat

Tiktok

What can I say. A proposed fake woke baby.

6. "This Is My Food" Tiktok - myfoodisme2

Tiktok

Guy on tiktok who eats like a zoo animal. Straight up says he doesn't care about being healthy or about taste. He just chops up ingredients and stir fries them, no seasoning no nothing. Its all he eats. He eats 6 times a day. Fascinating.

7. Were These The First Animals - History Of The Earth

Documentary

Documentary about the Ediacaran Biota and the journey of their discovery and acceptance in the scientific community as the true first animals.

8. "I should've thanked them" Luz Fan Art - @floral-figmentz

The Owl House Fan Art

Art of Luz Noceda from The Owl House from the show's finale when she's "killed" by Belos and disintegrates into a collection of light.

9. "hyperfixate" Viktor Fan Art - samhaiiin

Arcane Fan Art

Art of Viktor from Arcane in the scene where he is captivated by the Hexcore as it whispers to him arranged in comic form.

10. "Brother-Owned Restaurant" Bit - Chris Flemming

Stand Up Comedy

Chris Flemming stand up bit about easy it is to tell when a restaurant is owned by two brothers.

11. Bonus "The Martian" Chapter - Andy Weir

Book Chapter

Random bonus chapter to a book that came out a decade ago? Andy Weir the man that you are...

12. My Brother Winning an Award for Emotional Intelligence - My Brother

Non-Media

I'm just really proud of my little brother.

13. "Morning Routine" Arcane Fan Art - wrwtnb

Arcane Fan Art

Art of Silco, Vander, Powder, Mylo, Claggor, and Vi all getting ready together like a cute little family. This could have been Arcane if the writers and animators were hugged as children.

14. Green Yuri - Sumiko Arai

Manga

Technically the title of this is "The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn't A Guy At All" but I didn't want to write all that. A manga about two high school aged girls who both have the same unconventional music taste and their cute little love story. It's called "Green Yuri" by fans because it's primarily illustrated in black and white with bright neon green as an accent color. I read this on tumblr years ago and decided to reread it since its getting an anime adaptation! Very cute.

15. "Thirty Silver Coins, and a Kiss" Jayvik Fan Comic - baguet95264460

Arcane Fan Comic

A 7 part fan comic about Jayce and Viktor from Arcane and the story of their relationship in regards to the structural inequalities of Viktor's home, Zaun. This is like visual poetry to be honest.

16. "Phineas is a pawn star" Tiktok - churr.bum.lion.yt

Tiktok

Phineas getting scammed on Pawn Stars. A modern tragedy.

17. THE REAL REASON YOU SHOULD COPY OTHER ARTISTS - Joshua Adeoye

YouTube Video

A really well produced art advice YouTube video detailing why studies are done on other artists' work and how to do them properly.

18. Hunter x Hunter Reactions - Letts React

YouTube Series

New reaction series from my favorite reaction youtubers! And it's great cause it's for Hunter x Hunter. I forgot how happy that show makes me. It's a good reminder.