#god it's just such good lighthearted fun and i'm having a great time

[sad0nion]

been on a taskmaster binge lately and this comment almost made me choke on my cantaloupe

[nipuni]

Some various lighthearted life updates 🏃‍♀️

It's been a very busy last few months! in a good way mostly. We had a friend visiting us from overseas so we showed him around the city and took him to all our favourite places. We also met new people and were invited to a bunch of events so it's been very fun! We are all out of social battery tho so now we are slowing down a bit and getting back to work. Nicolas is on a short work trip to Berlin and I'm back to painting. We also started running! aaand we are also back to watching a bunch of shows and to me talking about it here to like five people 😌

Under the cut cause it's a lot as usual!

We finished watching S13 of Doctor Who! (we still have the specials to go but after that we are all caught up!) I haven't updated in ages so here are lot of opinions!

We really did not enjoy S11 😞 I was aware it wasn't very popular but we were hoping it was for all the wrong reasons, sadly we found many to be valid. Some of the episodes were baffling, Rosa? Kerblam?! the writing of the whole season in general felt like a rushed school assignment. The first part of Spyfall was a strong start for the next season but that ending in the second part was really not it. We did love Sacha Dhawan's Master tho!! and we really love Jodie too, 13th is adorable and reminded us of Ten at times! Jodie is such a fantastic actress that it makes the quality of the writing and everything else around her even more frustrating 😫 S12 was an improvement in general. In the last few episodes It felt like the writing team suddenly remembered the companions could have a personality and agency lmao. Highlights for us were Spyfall one, Fugitive of the Judoon and Haunting of villa Diodati, tho we did also enjoy most other episodes of the season despite their issues.

The timeless child plot reveal felt a bit underwhelming? The idea on itself has potential but it felt mishandled (and it had a bit of a Moffat flavour to it? and not in a good way). I think it was meant to add more depth to the Doctor's lore but in a way it ends up having the opposite effect. Then the flux was just a complete mess. It read like a Marvel sort of plot, very comic book like which is alright I suppose if that is something you enjoy but it felt out of place. But mostly it was just way too much, it got out of hand. Anyway we still have the specials to watch! and I think the Master is in them so we are looking forward to it 🥰

We also watched Broadchurch!! and we LOVED it. We ended up binging all three seasons. Chibnall's writing on this is surprisingly great and Jodie's acting is spectacular she really shines here. Olivia and David are always brilliant!! honestly everyone's acting was amazing. This series had us both tearing up every five scenes. The direction and the music are outstanding. I could watch Hardy and Miller solve crimes forever I really love their chemistry and dynamic. We went into it expecting the usual detective fiction but it ended up being a whole study on grief with such a focus on family and community and trauma and a ton of touching interconnected character arcs, just really really good!!

Then we also watched Taking over the Asylum!! MAN we were not expecting to have our hearts wrung out like laundry by this!! We thought it was a lighthearted show!! GOD we are still not over it, what the fuck!! It was so good we loved it!! but we were not prepared lmao what do you mean 'the end'?? we'll be thinking of this for months, I was expecting an extra scene after the credits or something. Excellent characters, refreshing depictions of mental illness and trauma and so crushingly realistic. Every character is so loveable I really wish this was longer 😭

And our quest to watch everything with David Tennant on it continues. We watched Decoy Bride on Valentines day too and it was terrible but such a hilarious fever dream kind of bad that it was fun, it has David on it and he never disappoints. I feel so lucky that Nicolas and I are both in love with him, get yourself a man who shares your celebrity crushes lmao it's so fun!! We feel like teens again chatting about him and drawing little hearts next to his pictures haha 🥰 We watched the BAFTAs just for him and speaking of the baftas!! I was not expecting that last drawing of his outfits to get that much attention oh my god 😭 thank you!! you are all insane and I appreciate it so much!! and thank you for all the support in general, about my art and photos and just everything. I feel very lucky and grateful 😭 anyway I'll end this before I get sappy, that is all for now! I hope this week is kind to you all, I'll be sharing some more art soon 😊

[fuckyeahgoodomensfanfic]

Good Omens Fic Rec: Of Fire and Falcons

Since they met at a Florida Renaissance faire a year and a half ago, fire spinner Crowley and falconer Aziraphale have been a great deal more than friends, but they've never quite admitted what they really feel about each other. Now Crowley has fallen in love, and he has five weeks at the Catskill Mountains Renaissance Faire during the most romantic season of the year to convince Aziraphale to see the light. A Good Omens Human AU set on the American Renaissance faire circuit.

Length: 54,201 words

AO3 Rating: Explicit / Spice Level 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

Best for: After Dark, Romance, Human AU, Pick-me-up

Triggers: None

Read it here, fic by CemeteryAngel725

*Minor Spoilers* God, I know this is a particularly adaptable pairing but how does every AU just work with them? This setting is so far removed from canon and yet unmistakably them. Except hornier, much more horny. Like complete sluts they are in this.

So in this AU Crowley and Aziraphale are both Renaissance Faire performers. Ren Faires aren't exactly my thing, but when I was a senior in high school they filmed a (awful) movie at the Ren Faire near us and we spent weeks there as extras, during public hours and after. It was such a neat experience going slightly behind scenes (also because we got to meet Matthew Lillard and Christina Ricci). So I have a normie soft spot for them. This perfectly captured the atmosphere. Even down to the rainy days! The camaraderie and community was wonderful. It's not just a flimsy backdrop for the AU, it's a full fleshed out and lived in world. I don't want to spoil the ending, but something brings the entire group together and it was a wonderful scene. I love the Faire family they have made.

More than that, Aziraphale being a falconer and Crowley being a fire performer was thrilling and unique. They are both so competent at what they do and each have such an awe of each other's skills. Which just makes them even more horny for each other. Truly this is the one time where going to a haunted house as foreplay makes sense for them. I'm like, yep, that tracks. They have a wonderful relationship here, with real life problems. This story doesn't make up villains to create a Heaven/Hell type of separation for them, it's just normal life that keeps them apart. Eventually they will become each other's anchor and home. A safe place to land. Also thank you for giving them tattoos!!! I adore them tattooed

Lots of fun and lightly kinky sex here, so not one to read out and about. It's such a fun, lighthearted romance. The setting is such a wonder to explore. And now I'm craving a bread bowl....

Read it here, fic by CemeteryAngel725

[justablah56]

Dndads?

DNDADS !!!! I'm assuming you're asking me like . what it is n shit . if not . my b . bcs I am about to give you as big of an infodump as I can without spoiling anything lmao .

anyways hello my dear follower , my beloved dungeons and daddies (not a bdsm podcast) is my favorite thing ever <3 it's usually very loosely a dnd podcast , season three tho switches into the call of cthulhu system .

season one is 69 (nice) episodes about four normal world dads and their sons who all get sucked into faerun , a dnd world basically , through a portal while trying to go to their kids soccer game lmao . they end up losing their kids and basically the whole season is them trying to find their kids and then trying to find a way back home with tons of little side quests and detours that they take along the way . most of it is super comedic and lighthearted and it's also just fucking insane sometimes but it also has a lot of super compelling emotional moments and iughencmd it's so good oh my god .

season two is a continuation of the world created in season one , but now the players are playing as the teenaged grandchildren of their original dad characters , and it's heavily influenced by season one so you can't really listen to it on its own . season two is 50 smthin episodes of these teens basically trying to clean up the world after the things that their parents (aka , the kids from season one , aka , the kiddads) and their grandparents did between seasons to try and fix things and kinda ended up making everything worse cbnsndnsnd and it kinda starts off with the kiddads all going missing and suddenly these teenagers are supposed to be in charge of everything the kiddads were originally doing to fix everything . season two is I think a bit less comedic than season 1 , but it does have like . twice as many of those absolutely fucking insane moments lmao , and it does still have a lot of cool emotional moments and ougjfj it's all so good .

a lot of what I post abt usually has to do with this sort of untold season that happened between seasons with the kiddads . a lot of people are very attached to the kiddads , and to me a lot of it is bcs these are the characters we've known for the longest and we've seen them as kids and we see how the events of the first seasons shaped them into the adults they are in season two and man . it's just so cool . season two gives us a lot of small hints to stuff that happened between seasons , and we get a few flashbacks , but there's a lot of stuff that we don't know , and there's so much speculation abt how things happened and it's a very fun sandbox to play in chwndnsnmxx anyways .

season three started just a bit ago , there's 3 episodes so far . they switched who was the dm and so it's a new universe with no relation to the first two seasons , and could pretty easily be listened to on its own . season three is set at some point in the 1950s , and the four characters don't really have like . a solid thing they can all be described as . there's like . a teacher and a weird wife and a car salesman and a teenager . they're great . but it's these four characters who are all in a bowling league together and they're kinda figuring out that hey weird stuff is happening around here and there's monsters and just a ton of stuff and so far it is absolutely hilarious , I love it dearly <3 every character is just . fucking insane . and the dynamic is great , it's just awesome and I personally am having a blast with it so far

ok anyways . thats dndads lmao . if theres anything more specific you want to know literally pleaaaaase ask me and I will be soooooo excited to tell you cndnmxmdmd I'm completely and utterly obsessed with this podcast , I've listened to it . so many times . I will talk about it any chance I get , it's just great . I love it . and that's not even to mention the wonderful community here on Tumblr !!!! it's a relatively small fandom , so for the most part everyone at least recognizes everyone else , and everyone is just so awesome , ive made so many friends through this fandom , its great

[osarina]

I didn't want to comment my reply again on the civilian dazai fic but OMG FYO IT WAS REALLY GOOD

I will say it deffo felt much light hearted and had a friday fellthan waterloo and even wykyk but I think that's cause the ✨️drama✨️ btwn them hadn't started yet and also the fact that I know they aren't doomed by the narrative (you) this time 💀

But I am liking the way it is going it already has me hooked and I am so very excited 😊 and God damn I LOVE love the reader so much. She's much more badass and ahhhh dazai is so cute and pathetic I lub him <3

Also fun fact after my 3 hour exam and after 2 sleepless nights, I did the exam well and came rushing home and held myself to read this awesomeness before sleeping for like 8 hours straight. When I woke up I read it again not in a sleepy haze to get the full experience XD that's how much I love your quality top notch fics

I think the reader's ability is a great and beautiful choice. It's not overpowering to change the plot or invite plot holes but powerful enough to impact everyday life. It really keeps me asking if the reader is using her ability on a certain situation or not and I really love that feature.

Anyways hope your life is going well 😊 and dont forget to eat healthily

P.s. : Do you have a fixed schedule to upload wasteland like waterloo or is it not fixed? And sorry for making the asks so long 😅

TUMBLR USER SILVERSNOW2000 HELLO MY LOVE I ADORE YOU, YOU NEVER HAVE TO APOLOGIZE FOR SENDING LONG ASKS I LOVE THEM

AHHHHHH I'M SO GLAD U ENJOYED IT ive had soooooo much fun writing civzai and pmreader. IT'S DEFINITELY MUCH MORE LIGHTHEARTED THAN ANY OF THE OTHER SERIES SO FAR but don't worry the drama starts in the next chapter LOLLLL and it doesn't slow down from there. THEY DON'T DIE THO i feel like i have to say this every time LOLLLLL

YESSSSS PM READER IS SO FUN TO WRITE like she's alwaysssss fun to write but it's particularly fun being able to write her from the viewpoint of dazai as a civilian who isn't like used to seeing her already. like she's very similar in the original universe but dazai has known her for so long there that he's become used to her yk, meanwhile this dazai sees her in a very fresh light if u get what i mean. it's the change in perspective that's so fun to write here

AND OMG IM GLAD - i was so conflicted about how to phrase/what to make her ability because i didn't want to make it too op but at the same time .. she's a port mafia executive, she needs to have a pretty notable ability, and then i was like wait ... her whole thing is politics and negotiations, so obviously it has to be something along the lines of fucking with ppl's minds/brains, but i needed to obviously whittle that down because mind control is just too ridiculous, so i got the idea of her being able to like induce emotions + states onto people BUT they're able to draw themselves out of it if they have the strength for it.

some things are easier to brush off, but other things aren't. like she can put people to sleep with her ability and they can't really drag themselves out of that because now they're sleeping, and inducing fear in particular is pretty hard for people to draw themselves out of because it spirals quickly. but for negotiations and stuff, when she's making them feel as if she's more trustworthy/more susceptible to taking bad terms, she has to be SO careful & calculated with her every word because any small thing could make them double take and jar them out of the induced state.

actually, in civzai universe, it's going to be really interesting because without dazai there to stop chuuya from using corruption, reader and chuuya had to figure out a way to knock him out of it themselves - which they DID and it involves her ability but it's SOOOO dangerous for her so they end up not really using corruption often. this actually comes up in the next chapter

i dont have a set schedule! i'm going to shoot for every other friday max though!

[royallpetrichor]

Okay so I haven't posted in like 12 years and I know I'm like a week late, but what's everyone's thoughts on the live-action ATLA teaser? I'm genuinely very interested to know, because I certainly have thoughts, and I've definitely seen some polarised opinions. What do you like about it, and are you worried about anything?

Anyway, my long personal thoughts are below the keep reading line. I probably haven't said anything super new, or any hot takes but they're there.

First, what I loved about the teaser. It looked visually stunning! The shot composition all looked amazing (to someone who knows nothing about film), the visual tone was definitely there, and the set design was gorgeous! The entire time I was just going "oh my god, oh my god, oh my god" but in a good way. The characters especially look great. In particular, I loved Suki, Aang, and Zuko. I know some people were disappointed with how the characters looked, but I really think it's the best we could have gotten considering the wide disconnect between animation and live-action, and I think it's something people need to remember.

The acting obviously hasn't been shown very much, so it's still up in the air in that regard. I've been trying to convince myself I'm cautiously optimistic, but quite honestly I've gone straight to pure excitement, despite my worries.

We're also getting more flashbacks, as shown by the fact there's a scene of the Air Nomad genocide. More worldbuilding and backstory is definitely something I'm very happy about, so I'm excited to see where it goes. The thing that stumps me on it is whether they're going to do it well. In the film that shall not be named, Shyamalan put references to the original show everywhere, but he never took the time to understand why they worked. It was like he wanted us to say "Wow! They said the thing!!!!!" as if we'd clap at the screen without actually thinking about anything. I'm really, really hoping that's not the case here.

The tone is definitely something that people are concerned about, myself included. The teaser was very serious and dramatic. Of course, the show has those moments but it's overall very lighthearted. It's a show about friendship first and foremost, and those positive messages are highlighted throughout the series. I'm hoping this teaser is more Netflix saying "Look at these cool effects!" and less "This is the overall tone of the entire series!".

The humour also comes to play in this. ATLA has a lot of jokes. You know this, I know this, they work, I don't have to talk about it. I'm curious about the humor in the live-action series because a lot of the humour in ATLA works because the show is animated, and wouldn't work in the live-action setting. In the film that shall not be named, Shyamalan tried to take jokes from the show, but they just fell completely flat because it was the completely wrong genre and just created tonal dissonance.

The last big thing I'm worried about is the characters, particularly Katara and Zuko.

I'm worried about Katara, because film has had this tendency in the past (and I know this is probably outdated) to "tone down" a female character's more "unsavoury/unladylike" traits. This is a bad example but it's the best my brain can come up with, but Hermione in the HP films compared to the books. In the films she was smart, brave, never wrong, and never made fun of. In the books, she was smart, yes, but also naive, and really mean and judgy sometimes.

Katara is a strong female character because she's not perfect. She's hotheaded and can hold a mean grudge, but those make her who she is. Also, in the film that does not exist, other character's strong moments are inexplicably given to Katara to make her more "badass" without actually putting in the work for her.

I'm worried about Zuko for an entirely different reason. I'm scared they'll "tone back" his assholeness in the first season, and possibly even give us his backstory a lot sooner. I really don't want this, because the whole reason his redemption arc works is because he was a villain first. He did bad things, but he atoned for them. His backstory explains his actions but doesn't excuse them. If we're sympathetic to him too early, the payoff is going to feel a lot cheaper, and like he didn't actually work to make himself better because he was already there.

Okay wow that was a lot, but that sums up all of my thoughts/concerns/excitement for the show. I'm really stoked to see where they go with it, and even if it's a disaster I'll probably enjoy it anyway honestly.

[sinshinelennypops]

Masky/Tim Wright x Reader {SFW}

A creepypasta/Marble Hornets fanfic. It is mostly SFW but can be a bit suggestive (no smut, don't worry). Read at your own risk. The full booklet can be found on Ao3 here:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/43587606/chapters/109835188

-------------------

Ah, yes, it's finally time for one of the manor's monthly sleepovers.

You see, ever since you became a proxy, you didn't expect things in the manor to be so lighthearted. Shopping trips, friendly family style dinners, and monthly sleepovers in the living room made things almost bearable. You've already had the pleasure of attending three so far, this one being your fourth. You've witnessed many dumb things during these slumber parties. It's everyone's chance to get absolutely hammered in participate in dumb games like Truth or Dare.

Tonight, you and the gang were already knee deep in another game. Jeff was just dared to go the rest of the game shirtless, Toby had to share his deepest sexual fantasy, and Brian had a makeshift tattoo sleeve because he was dared to let people draw on him. This was great. Everyone was at least somewhat drunk at this point.

You smiled as you looked around the room at everyone, until your eyes fell on Tim. God, he's adorably hot. Usually he's so stressed and tired, but right now he was just so perfect. He was laughing and chatting with everyone else, a soft blush on his cheeks from the alcohol. His hair was extra fluffy from all of the dares he had gone through tonight, most involving him proving his physical skills. You couldn't deny that Tim was your favorite part of these sorts of activities. Seeing him be able to relax and have fun just like everyone else was always a relief.

You blinked as he made eye contact with you, and you had to quickly look away, sipping at the beer in your hand sheepishly. For a moment, you felt all fluttery, his gaze lingering on you for just a few seconds before someone spoke up.

"Alright, alright, enough shit talking!" Jeff said loudly as he grabbed everyone's attention. "It's my turn and I choose.. Tim!" He pointed to the dark haired man to accentuate his point. "Truth or dare?"

Tim tilted his head back as he thought, closing his eyes for a moment. His mind was beginning to get all fuzzy from the two cans of beer he had already drank. "Ah.. Uh.. Dare, I guess," he said with a shrug as he ran a hand through his hair. He glanced at Jeff challengingly, smirking. "Hit me with your best shot, Woods," he sneered.

Jeff chuckled deviously, leaning forward slightly as if attempting to intimidate his poor victim. "Alright, I dare you to.." He trailed off, glancing around the room before his eyes landed on you. Unfortunately, he knew about your little crush on the manor's most notorious killer, and planned on using it against you as pay back for earlier shenanigans. "I dare you to show (Y/N) a good time."

A collective gasp went through the room, then it was silent. "What?" Tim asked softly, surprised as he glanced between you and Jeff. "Why.. Why would I do that?" Thank god he was already blushing or this would've been very awkward..

"You heard me. I see you two getting all cute and shit. I'm giving you an opening to have some fun~" Jeff teased, cackling afterwards. Tim felt the tips of his ears burning up from how much he was blushing. "Well, I mean, uh.. How the fuck would I even do that?" he asked quietly, keeping his gaze down as you squirmed a little from being put on the spot.

"7 minutes in heaven, of course!" Jeff responded while frowning. "Look, if it's too much, I can pick a different dare," he added while flopping back against the plush couch, bringing his drink up to his lips. He still seemed very smug about calling you two out. A few giggles started to bounce around the room as Tim hesitated. He glanced at you desperately, his expression apologetic. He mouthed the words "do you want to?" and your heart skipped a beat.

Your heart was racing and you felt all fluttery as you gave a vague nod in response. "Ok, ok, everybody hold your fuckin horses!" Tim growled as he put his hands up defensively. "I'll do it," he grumbled, glancing around at the group. Toby looked absolutely baffled. "W-Whoa! You're gonna do it?" the brunette asked curiously, a smirk coming to his scarred face afterwards. Jeff looked absolutely pumped. "Fuck yeah! I knew my wing man skills would come in handy!"

"Set a timer," Tim growled as he stood up, putting his beer on the coffee table and extending a hand towards you. "Oh, we will," Brian responded as he watched you two. "Go on, have some fun, we'll continue the game without you." He waved you guys off.

Tim looked absolutely flustered as he grabbed your wrist and practically dragged you away while the others giggled at your situation then got back to their game. "Fuckin stupid losers, trying to help me get laid.." he grumbled, causing you to blink in surprise. Was this all a big ploy to make you guys get close? How many people had this planned?

He dragged you to one of the hall closets and pulled you inside, shutting the door behind you. "Alright, so uh.. Look, I'm gonna be honest with you. I really, really like you, buut I don't want you to feel pressured, alright? If you wanna screw around, we can but otherwise.. Let's just uh.. Sit, I guess," Tim muttered as he sat down against the wall, keeping his gaze down so you couldn't see his face. Not like you could see much of anything anyway. It was dark as hell.

"Uh.. I guess.. We could sit," you mumbled as you sat down next to him. You still felt all fuzzy, but maybe it was because you had been drinking. It felt very tense and awkward now.

After what felt like forever, Tim spoke up. "Soo uh.. Besides this bullshit, are you enjoying tonight?" he asked quietly as he glanced towards you. His eyes adjusted to the dark much faster than yours did, probably because he's used to being in places like this.

"Oh! I'm having a ton of fun!" you responded with a smile, causing him to sigh in relief. "Well, good. We like to keep morale up, especially during times like this," he said with a light chuckle. What he meant by that, you didn't know. He always spoke pretty vaguely. You scrunched your nose slightly as you scooted closer, hesitantly leaning your head on his shoulder. He jumped a little at the sudden contact but didn't push you away.

"Crazy things happen at these slumber parties, huh?" you asked as you slowly moved one of your hands to his, feeling him tense again. "Ah, yeah, all kinds of stuff.." he mumbled, thankful for the darkness so you couldn't see how red his face was. "What's the dumbest thing you've seen happen?" you questioned, trying to keep the conversation going so it wouldn't feel so awkward again.

Tim chuckled and tilted his head back against the wall. "Oh, I've seen plenty of things happen," he started as you zoned out, slowly brushing you thumb over his knuckles as he spoke. You didn't really know what he was going on about but you enjoyed the sound of his voice and his soft laughs. You smiled as you slowly moved onto his lap, straddling him. "Keep talking," you whispered when he stumbled on his words.

You chuckled softly as his voice got all shaky, but he continued his rambling as you had requested. You hummed to yourself, leaning in and gently pressed a kiss against his neck, earning a shudder in response. His hands moved up and rested on your hips, lightly squeezing and encouraging you to continue.

"Come on, pretty boy, keep talking," you muttered against his skin, moving your head and pressing another kiss to his jaw. His breath hitched and he nodded, trying to focus on his story as you trailed kisses up and down his neck, careful to not overstep any boundaries. You were both drunk and fuzzy, so you didn't want to take things too far. Besides, you enjoyed this. Just being close and getting to kiss him and make him all fluttery.

"More?" he asked suddenly, one hand moving up your back while the other caressed your side. "More?" you repeated, smirking against his neck. You chuckled and lightly sunk your teeth into his skin, causing him to let out a low groan. "Thank you.." he mumbled, blushing like crazy. You felt your face heat up, your blush dipping lower down your body at his sounds.

You pulled away after that and looked up at his drunken expression. He cupped your face with one hand, causing your eyes to go wide as he leaned closer, your noses almost touching. Your breath caught in your throat and you squeaked in surprise as he pulled you into a kiss, his eyes closing in the process. You instinctively kissed back, your hands moving up and combing through his soft hair. One moved down his face, tracing over his sideburn and jaw.

Before things could get heated, there was a knock at the door and you both groaned in annoyance. Tim pulled back from the kiss, clearly annoyed. "Fuck.. I guess we can continue this later?" he asked softly, watching your expression fall. "Orrr I can tell them to fuck off?" he offered. He moved you to the side, leaning his weight against you slightly as he glared at the door. "Go away, we're busy!" he shouted, earning a laugh in response. "Ok, have fun!" Jeff responded as his footsteps descended.

Tim huffed then moved back so he could see your face. Before he could get a word in, you kissed him again, this time more needy and desperate with your actions. Not that he was complaining. He was sort of glad that Jeff dared him to do this..

[immoralimmortals]

I really love that u include things about Takaras life here in our world and well it got me thinking how the heck would the akatsuki survive school in ur perspective, it can be anything really, u can even include Takara. I REALLY love her as a character

I need to be honest with you, and I'll try to put this in the most lighthearted way possible: I fucking hated school. Absolute nightmare, 0/10 would not do again. Makes my pulse race just thinking about it. I learn about socially uncomfortable things for fun and to this day nothing makes me stand up and leave the room faster than a scene where you can smell the school bullying around the corner. The concept of "school" in media is my white whale, my blight, my curse, my ultimate challenge, and it does NOT matter how trivial and comedic the actual scene is.

So my view of school is, perhaps, skewed compared to how other people think about it.

That being said, I'm going to do my best to shove all that into the locker now that this exposition is out of the way. Let's talk about fun school AU ideas!

The "Akatsuki" is a group of kids, let's think maybe towards the younger side, elementary school. They have little in common besides how one at a time, they all become outcasts and join in as a result.

The original Akatsuki are, of course, Nagato, Konan, and Yahiko, who along with being friends, became dedicated to an idea of justice and fairness. Yahiko moved to another school, which fundamentally changed the vibe. Nagato and Konan, though still great friends, are both inherently very quiet and introverted, Yahiko being the one that spoke for them all; Nagato promised himself he'd learn how to be a good leader like Yahiko was.

Obito, deeply lonely having just moved *in* to the school, begins to hang around, inserting himself more and more, giving his opinions and creating "plans" with them, such as where they should build their new base. Zetsu joins much the same way, merely being around, but seems more like he's watching than participating.

Hidan is a homeschooled kid that has a fence bordering on the playground of the school. He peeks his head over the top and asks the nerds what they're doing, climbing over the barrier and sticking his nose in their business before they can say no.

Kisame and Itachi are already friends, best friends actually. Other kids told them it's weird for two boys so different to be so close, and after getting in one too many fights are sequestered on the side of the playground where their opponents are not. Itachi takes interest in the group, so Kisame is along for the ride.

Kakuzu is the kid that legitimately has anger management issues. He's a very bright kid but typically is not allowed to be with others his age unsupervised, as his temper is heavy and always feels justified. He's brought under the watchful eye of teacher assistants to the playground, so that he can implement his social strategies for better behavior, and for god knows what reason attached to the group of outcasts. Honestly, for the best.

Deidara forcibly joins in because he thinks he can make them into what is, more or less, his personal fan club, being one of the two "art kids" with recognized and praised talent. Upon getting the cold shoulder, he sticks around, thinking it as a challenge. Secretly, however, he has no close friends; that's why he stays.

Sasori is in a similar way as Kakuzu, but in a manner less socially obtrusive. He's quiet, with a near constant steeled expression (see: autistic) and a great level of detail. It's less that he joins and more that the Akatsuki begin to merge around him, little by little, as the intrigue about a supposedly genius boy who doesn't talk to anyone but adults greatens.

The adventure begins when after this group is together and established, they find a lost girl in the woods behind the playground, scraped up and crying. She's so shy she can't stop shaking, not enough to say her name, so they call her Takara. Little by little, as she begins to be able to talk, she does not object to this being her name. She is regularly seen being held by the hand and looking down at her shoes. She "got lost" walking from the school to the playground-- hence her being in the woods-- and is constantly worried about being lost again and left behind. She doesn't say much, but she's always included. She is a student that is transitioning from private parochial school to public school.

[stepswowdsen]

【Magi】 JuAli x Unfriendly Hater by Meddmia: Rambles 🖤❤️💛

HI GUESS WHO FOUND THE PERFECT JUALI SONG 🖤❤️💛

IT FITS THEM PERFECTLY RIGHT DOWN TO THE LYRICS VIBES AND EXPRESSIONS RAHHHHH

OVER THE MOON ABOUT THIS

I HAVE AMAZING SONG PICKS

Unfriendly Hater (ft. Hatsune Miku & KAFU)

Ok so I was like "Think Sen you can find more JuAli core songs"

I FOUND THE PERFECT SONG

Unfriendly Hater by Meddmia (ft. Hatsune Miku & KAFU)

I'll show the original MV here.

Unfriendly Hater Fan-cover by abboii (ft. Kagamine Len & Fukase)

My favourite fan-cover! I think this one fits them perfectly

Unfriendly Hater English Translation by KEL! (With Edits by Violet)

Sen's Ships x Vocaloid & J-Pop Songs

I'll be adding this to my song list for LimGuda, IdaTatsu, XanLena, JuAli, and KuroEne~

My previous Tumblr post:

I made a post about my song picks for my fave ships recently here!

Lyrics

Intro Rambles

I found the cute lighthearted rivalry/competitive song I wanted~~ I also like how there's hints of warmth and companionship throughout the MV that fits them well too

MY BELOVED JUALI WAHHHHHH

Y'ALL I JUST REMEMBERED THE PERFECT JUALI SONG

HOW DID I FORGET ABOUT UNFRIENDLY HATER

PERFECT JUALI CORE SONG

Omfg I want to do a JuAli fan-MV with Unfriendly Hater one day. SO BADLY.

OH MY GOD HELLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE TO WATCH THE MV IF YOU’RE CURIOUS... LIKE YOU WOULD BE SHOCKED HOW WELL IT FITS.

IT'S PERFECT FOR THEM ACTUALLY RAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Might do a few crossover doodles soon for now

If I was making an MV with them, I wouldn't put it in a modern AU though, I would put it in canon-verse.

This time I'll tag this cuz I do ramble about JuAli and my ideas for them under the cut.

My rambles will be under the cut!

...

GOD THE CHARACTERS' EXPRESSIONS IN THE MV MATCH THEIR EXPRESSION RANGES TOO, HELLO???

This is basically how their canon interactions go! /lh

Even the black haired character's expressions in the MV matches Judar's expression range. Also the pink haired character matches Alibaba's expression range too

Ofc modern AUs are still fun to do on the side but I prefer working with canon-verse AU settings.

Omfg modern AU Judar would totally be a delinquent kid tho

...

I also love Dyalexa's Unfriendly Hater fan-MV with Ruikasa (ProSeka). I'm Polysho 🥰💞 I ship all members of WxS (Wonderlands x Showtime) with each other. Really strong lining style and super fluid MVs. Dyalexa's fan MVs are so well made.

I was going through my playlist. I love this fan-cover of Unfriendly Hater (ft. Kagamine Len & Fukase) by abboii. Their voices sound so good together. Len and Fukase duets rule. The Yellow and Red themed Vocaloids work well for them

I prefer the fan-covers over the original. The OG is good too, but I think Fukase and Len's voices are much stronger here and have more grit, and fits the tone of the song more. Love the tuning and mixing in this. Great job to abboii

...

F: Oh my god I’m crying why do the MV charas lowkey kinda look like them as well 😭Just change the hair and colours a bit lmao

Me: Right with the black haired spikes and the pink haired charas’ softer round hairstyle???

IT HONESTLY HELPED SOLIDIFY THE JUALI MV THAT I IMAGINED IN MY HEAD BECAUSE OF THAT TOO

Yeah like the black haired chracter fits Judar’s carefree and smug arrogant uncaring personality. And Alibaba totally fits as the more patient character who gets fed up with his antics and chides him for it

...

A: Wooma art 🤤

Me: WOOMA's art style is so expressive omfg

WOOMA is really good at drawing sharp eyes and expressions. Love the way WOOMA draws eyes and teeth. They're so striking and feral looking

JuAli x Unfriendly Hater: Rambles

In terms of how I’d depict this with JuAli

Since I’m not depicting it in a modern AU, I would make the scene with the black haired delinquent running in the hall way instead a scene where Judar flies around on his staff and then, when he lands and gets off his staff, he just carelessly steps on the flowers in the Kou Empire’s gardens (in the same place where Kougyoku and Alibaba would spend time together making flower crowns and tend to the flowers), and Alibaba chides him for stepping on Kougyoku’s flowers

And Judar just sticks his tongue out at him.

Judar: BLEHHH~ (>:P)

Also so interesting as well cuz in the fan-cover, OP makes Fukase (red) sing the black-haired delinquent’s parts, and makes Len (yellow) sing the pink-haired “diligent, earnest” yakuza’s parts

Alibaba is very patient but increasingly gets fed up with Judar’s selfish stuck up personality

Judar lets out an exasperated sigh at Alibaba for chiding/scolding him

Judar: This guy is so persistent, it’s annoying!

In the 1st chorus where the two characters both try to get a leg up on each other, I would depict Judar teasing/poking fun at Alibaba for their height difference and pulling on his ahoge (hair cowlick), like pulling on weeds.

Like I would draw it very similar to the Magi omake where Judar rests his head on Alibaba’s hair while pulling on his hair spike (cowlick). SO CUTE…

Pre-2nd chorus, Alibaba fusses over Judar’s clothes (perhaps Judar’s hanfu is loosely tied so it’s slipping off his shoulders/skin and Alibaba gets flustered. And maybe also the ties around the wrap around skirt are loosely done as well)

Alibaba: Can’t you fix your clothes so that you don’t go walking around like that???

Judar: You didn't have any problems with it before~ Is a certain someone actually getting embarrassed at showing a bit of skin? PFFT—

Alibaba: Shut it!!!

Also I would still draw them in my HC designs where Judar wears traditional Chinese clothing and Alibaba has tan skin and wears traditional Arabic clothing

THIS IS SO WHDHSHSDHSH

JUDAR BEING SO CLOSE AND RESTING HIS FACE ON ALIBABA’S HAIR WHILE PULLING ON HIS HAIR SPIKE IS SO CUTE LMAO. HE HAS NO SENSE OF PERSONAL SPACE WHATSOEVER… WHAT ARE YOU SO CLOSE FOR?

After the 2nd chorus, in the segment where it shows the two characters being childhood friends, I think I would depict a scene of their first meeting, then transition to their meeting on the Dark Continent with Judar and haniwa (clay doll) Alibaba.

Magi: Ch. 45

Magi: Ch. 266

And then pre-3rd chorus, the black haired delinquent character calls the other one "Your highness" sarcastically which honestly fits so well with the two of them.

Pre-3rd chorus, I imagined a scene where Alibaba is so occupied with chasing after Judar that he also accidentally steps on Kougyoku’s flowers, and Judar laughs at him and teases him for breaking his own “rules” and doing the exact same thing that he was scolding him for.

Also I just realized that pre-1st chorus, the pink haired character goes like, "Wait wait, hold on, listen to me! I’m telling you to stop flouting discipline!"

And then pre-3rd chorus, the black haired character repeats the same line, "Wait wait, hold on, listen to me! Have you blown your top or something?"

Repeating the same line -> Remembers his words from before and uses it teasingly

Judar laughing and snickering at Alibaba teasingly is so cute...

And Alibaba chases after Judar in good fun. Teehee 🥰💞

This song is so cute cuz despite the bickering it still shows the characters having a sense of warmth and companionship, with them smiling as they argue, which I think fits them well...

Magi: Volume 20 - JuAli Omake

For context:

Me: HAVE Y'ALL SEEN THIS LIKE WDHSHDSH

(Not my photos)

I'd have to go look at the JP scans later for the full image

WAIT THIS VOL. 20 JUALI OMAKE IS SO CUTE WAHHHH

C: Dysfunctional husbands

Me: MY JUALI CRUMBS

Also Sinbad at the end lmfao 😭

I always headcanoned that Judar would play with Alibaba's hair spike tbh... I imagined he'd have fun twirling it but him pulling on it totally makes sense for him too

C: And now. It is canon.

Ahh I see!

Me: Also Judar this mf has no idea of the concept of personal space

This guy has no idea what personal space is

HE'S SO CLOSE FOR NO REASON SKKSKSKK

HE’S LITERALLY LYING HIS HEAD ON HIS HAIR

C: HE IS A CAT

Hakuryu literally giving handling instructions of Judar

C: HHHH

R: Yunan 😭

Me: GHHGHGH YUNAN'S DIALOGUE CRYING

Me: Judar using Alibaba as a shield crying lmaoooo

And him pulling on his hair spike like pulling on weeds 😭

And him probably lifting it higher intentionally. THIS GUY

Judar going like “I have to get the idiot?” KSKSKSKSK

C: HHHH

C: All of this valid

The entire crew seems to get along great and have such fun interactions tbh lol

Me: Also yeah! They're all very fun and endearing and cute

Me: Actually, in the JP version, it seems more like he's saying that getting the “idiot king” (バカ殿, baka tono) would've been good, referring to Sinbad.

(Fixed up the TL, first one is more liberal and second is more literal)

Judar: It would've been better if I got the idiot king—

Judar: Getting the idiot king would’ve been good—

ジュダル：ばかとのがいいーーっ

(Judaru: Baka tono ga ii——)

C: OMG YEAH. DYSFUNCTIONAL HUSBANDS...

Me: Judar pulling on Alibaba's hair spike is just like pulling weeds out of the grass :)

Threateningly (/lh) but most likely playfully!

C: LMAO

Me: LMFAO YEAH JUDAR IS A CAT.

Hakuryuu literally giving Alibaba instructions on how to handle Judar 😭

C: Cat care sheet

Me: JuAli crumbs... Judar what are you so close for!

C: He just latches onto him

Me:

Judar: (—> Not sorry in the slightest)

C: YEAH LOL

Me: LMAOOO YEAH. Cat cot up in your personal space with no sense of the idea of personal space

(Magi: Ch. 266)

Me: I remember I was scrolling the JuAli tag on Twt and I saw a JP fan who talked about how they liked that "JuAli are so incompatible (in terms of their personalities) that they're drawn to each other."

Though, I feel like that's more HoroRen (SK) than JuAli. Cuz I think they're very compatible with each other. Rather than that, I see it more like… That they’re prone to clash, but their personalities mesh very well together.

As Lumen said, I love this panel sm cuz it’s always AliHaku, and Aladdin and Judar, who are put against each other in terms of the narrative, but Ch. 266’s panel shows that JuAli and Aladdin and Hakuryuu are the true opposites in terms of their personalities and motives/goals/ideals.

And I agree! That’s what's what causes them (JuAli) to clash sm, but also draws them to each other (re: Judar's inner curiosity towards Alibaba on the Dark Continent)

I also really love this panel cuz it shows that Judar recognizes that Alibaba has qualities that draw others to him, but just can't seem to understand why. Jaqui said that shows an inner curiosity and desire to know more. Which I agree with.

Me: Sinbad at the end help 😭😂

R: I'm Sinbad

Me: Also I'm confused af because Lumen said there are volume omakes at the end but I haven't seen them at all for the fan-TL on MD (MangaDex)

C: Valid!!

C: Cursed! Could be the MangaDex ones are scanned from the magazine releases of invidual chapters?

Me: I think MD has the EN fan-TL (magazine release) while Bato has the official TL by Viz (volume versions) that includes the omakes

Yeah I think the omakes are additional supplement papers (which are usually released with volumes)

C: CURSED

Me: I think people on Tunglr compiled them though, so most of them are fan-translated. So they're at least easy to find, but HHH.

I forgot who translated this one though… I swear I saved it off Tumblr?

Iirc @/youdontknowthings and @/arashidono fan-translated most Magi omakes. But I'll have to check again and read them all after

C: Aaaa I seee

...

Me: Ok so I just tried looking for the Magi: Vol. 20 - Nininbaori Tournament Omake and it's not in Vol. 20's extras??? Like I just checked right now.

So it must've come as an exclusive paper with Shounen Sunday Shop's Vol. 20 release in physical stores in Japan

DAWGGG WHY WASN'T IT INCLUDED IN THE VOLUME VERSION??? NOW I HAVE TO HUNT FOR IT MYSELF SO THAT I CAN GET MY HANDS ON IT

Ok let's see what I can do about this... I want that JuAli in HD and not in super low quality, so I just searched secondhand stores reselling it and bought it rn.

I'm waiting for it to get confirmed so it can get sent to me. Hope I can get my hands on it 🙏

I really want to get it so that I can scan it in HD. If it's JuAli related I MUST have my hands on it.

I've already collected a bunch of JuAli's old doujinshi from EA/JP creators back then.

[aslitheryprinx]

Reasons I Love Rise!

(because I'm tired of seeing posts where people claim to like rise, but then do nothing but bash it!)

Character design! All of the characters designs, whether main characters or even side characters, are super unique and fun! The turtles all have designs that match their personalities both in this show and, imo, their general character through every version. They're my favorite turtle designs, with Batman vs TMNT coming in at close second.

Filler! Of course not every episode is a hit. But rise reminds me of 03 (early seasons at least, I haven't gotten to the later ones) in that even when there Is a filler episode, it doesn't feel like we're wasting time, or just waiting for the next plot episode. Most episodes feel fun and engaging! We're watching the turtles grow, and having fun while doing it.

Tone! The way this show balances tone is pretty well done! It's, at it's core, a more lighthearted version than others like 2012 or 2003. It's probably closer to the 1987 version in tone, though not exactly the same. However, it can still have it's serious moments when it's important!

Relatability! Now, obviously, these are cartoon characters, so their personalities are exaggerated pretty often. But! Even with that, the characters in this show feel very real, especially in the more heartfelt moments! For example:

-Donnie shows his love through gifts, and has trouble understanding emotions

-Splinter cares deeply about his sons, but (potentially partially due to his own trauma) doesn't give them the attention they deserve.

-April is an incredible friend, but sometimes just wants to be normal.

-Raph does his best to be a good big brother, and sometimes the pressure gets to him.

Family!!! At it's heart, this is a show that focuses on a family! That's something that's great about TMNT as a whole, that family is important. That's especially present in rottmnt: Anatawa hitorijanai. This is also a personal preference, but it's really nice to have a show where there's almost no romance. There's enough to the show already that there's no need for idk a love triangle or something. Platonic and familial relationships can be just as meaningful or more as romantic ones!

Animation/Fight Choreography! Mostly focusing on the second bc I was rewatching Insane in the Mama Train a while back and Oh my God??? It's so well done? Like I love love LOVE fights that are as fluid as dancing. It's just so fun to watch. There's so many fight scenes, mystic powers or not, that are just Fun! Mikey and Cassandra's fight in Hot Soup the Game, when Splinter fights all four of the turtles at once in.... the episode whose name I forgot, the 'fish n ladders' fight, the series finale fight? Just all so good.

[mermaidsirennikita]

I need a laugh. What titles have made you lol the most? And like, actual lol, not the breathy exhale "heh" lol :D

Ooooh, GOOD QUESTION

Alexis Hall is always one of my go-to funny writers. He's just so fucking naturally hilarious. If you're in the mood for true "oh my god this is hilarious and largely lighthearted" funny, I would go for Something Fabulous and then Something Spectacular, his two historical romcoms. (A Lady for a Duke is also historical romance, and it is quite funny, but it's not really a romcom imo so much as it is a true sweeping romance.) I laughed out loud with both of them, and though they standalone, I think they're best read in order. (Spectacular is my favorite of the two. It does have a bit more emotionality than Fabulous, but there's also a scene where the leads accidentally incite a gay orgy at a poetry slam, so.) They're super irreverent and so, so good.

Julie Anne Long writes some very funny books. Her Palace of Rogues series is consistently funny, and though it does have some sadder aspects, After Dark with the Duke is overall very lighthearted and made me laugh out loud a couple times lol. The entire series is set in this boarding house where everyone is kinda zany and crazy and I have a GREAT time with it.

The Queer Principles of Kit Webb by Cat Sebastian is a m/m historical highwayman/dandy book that had me laughing quite a bit. Especially because when our heroes have a meet cute, one of them (the dandy, Percy) is internally like "OH YEAH. HE WANTS TO FUCK ME. HE'S CHECKING OUT MY ANKLES LIKE CRAZY". To be fair, he's right.

Ooh, The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen by KJ Charles! Like, there are some stakes, but KJ is also frankly hilarious. Another m/m historical about a smuggler and a guy who accidentally inherited a baronetcy or whatever trying his Best. Part of why I love this one is because some of the humor is in like... the sex. They have a lot of snarkery and fun while fucking. MORE OF THAT PLS.

Sierra Simone and Julie Murphy's Christmas Notch romcoms are fucking hilarious and STUPID HOT. Yes, they have Christmas vibes, but for the most part they often don't take place around Christmas--they're about people filming Christmas movies, lol. I had to sit these books down a couple of times because it was just TOO funny.

Vivienne Lorret writes a really funny book, but Never Seduce a Duke is by far the zaniest one I've read by her. Arthurian cookbook shenanigans! Secret baby! The hero almost coming in his pants while watching the heroine eat pastries.

Speaking of, Grace Callaway is also very funny, but her books do also tend to have darker notes throughout. So I'm not sure about recommending her. But if you are okay with a bit of darkness, I would say try Olivia and The Masked Duke. It's extremely funny to me. But it also has like. Murder and stuff lol.

Talia Hibbert is really funny, though Act Your Age, Eve Brown is by far the funniest to me. While also being super sexy? I mean, he fucks her with a sparkly purple dildo at one point.

Omg! Annika Martin's Billionaires of Manhattan books are HILARIOUS but especially The Billionaire's Wake-Up-Call-Girl, which is basically Phone Sex with a Bit o' Degradation for the hero. I also really loved The Billionaire's Fake Fiancee, though I'll admit that part of why the humor worked so much for me is that it's kind of a send-up to daytime soap operas, and daytime soaps are integral to my psyche.

[jackredfieldwasmyjacob]

What are some Spanish shows you would recommend to someone wanting to learn more Spanish through shows? Preferably shows that where they’re streamed at have a subtitles option

(Same anon, meant to include movies as well but forgot before sending)

Hello anon!! Let's see:

Shows:

I am currently watching El Ministerio del Tiempo (The Ministry of Time), it's a great show to not only learn about the language but also about the history of Spain as the show is about these time travelers trying to mantain history untouched, it's pretty neat! I've done some googling and it used to be on Netflix, but I don't think it is anymore. I've seen there's some English subtitles you can download, but I don't know how you can integrate that into the original video. Here is a post about someone using like a plugin to see the subs directly through the RTVE Play page (where it's still available) so maybe try there.

I just spent fifteen minutes looking for Spanish shows that have easy access to English subtitles but I haven't found any (at least of the ones I like), so I think they might be a bit tricky to find; I'll recommend them to you nevertheless in case you manage to get a hold on them.

The quintessential Spanish TV shows are imo Los Serrano (The Serrano Family) and Aquí No Hay Quién Viva (Nobody Can Live Here); they both have very simple premises and are just lighthearted sitcoms (Los Serrano is more narrative while Aquí No Hay Quién Viva is more similar to The Office). The latter is probably the most iconic one of the two, it is quoted daily and it is really good, while the former just exemplifies the 00s in Spain (keep in mind the shows are form the 00s so some of the plots might have not aged so well).

Paquita Salas is a modern classic, this one is definitely inspired by shows like The Office and it's also incredibly iconic, memeable and quotable. Anyways, it's about this washed up talent manager and her agency, and it has tons of cameos from famous Spanish people, it's very fun. It is on Netflix but I do not know if it has English subs (I think it does tho. Maybe? There's a possibility that's for sure). Also the seasons are like 6 episodes each so it's very easy to watch.

Skam España :) It had to be here :) And I know it has English subs cause I helped translating it lol. It's basically the Spanish remake of Skam, it's very good and I really recommend it. From season 2 onwards you can watch it completely in Youtube (just search for skam españa season x in the search box and you should be fine), or you can go to the best place in the universe, where you can find all episodes in true skam fashion :)

I am kinda embarrassed cause I haven't watched many Spanish shows so I cannot really speak for myself, but here goes a list of shows that I've heard are pretty good and where you can find them (maybe subbed!): Las Chicas del Cable (Netflix), Sky Rojo (Netflix), Merlí (Amazon Prime), Vis a Vis (Netflix), Veneno (Netflix), and El Internado (Netflix).

Movies:

I have watched even less Spanish movies so yeah. But I can still recommend some let's see

La Llamada (The Call, in English is called Holy Camp! for some reason) is the only Spanish musical I respect, I've seen both the movie and the original musical and I love them both so much, the movie is great (with the original actors of the stage production) and yeah I couldn't recommend it enought. It basically is about these teen girls who are at bible camp and one of them starts dreaming about God. It sounds boring now that I think about it but it's not I can assure you. It isn't really religious either don't worry. It used to be on Netflix but I don't think it is there still, I'm sorry :(

This one's a bit controversial but I'm putting it here cause it really shows the contrast between different regions in Spain; Ocho Apellidos Vascos (Eight Basque Surnames, once again, the English name for this movie is Spanish Affair for some reason???). Anyways, this one was a revolution when it came out, I don't know how many times I watched it in the span of like 2 months, it was a lot. The actors are all great, the story is pretty solid and it's generally funny I think (albeit maybe perpetuating certain stereotypes). It is a very simple premise; guy meets girl, guy falls in love with said girl and follows her from Sevilla to Euskadi. On Google it says it's on Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO so... yeah.

The most beloved Spanish filmmaker is Pedro Almodóvar, and his movies are classics (that I have yet to see). Mujeres al Borde de un Ataque de Nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) and Volver (Return) are probably his best works, and I really recommend them! They are both available on Netflix :)

Last week I watched another really famous Spanish movie from a director who passed away earlier this month, ¡Ay Carmela!, a movie about this troupe of itinerant artists during the Civil War that really shows how both sides of the war were. It's on HBO Max.

As with shows, here are some rapid-fire Spanish movies I've heard are pretty good: Los Santos Inocentes (Amazon Prime), Bienvenido, Mister Marshall (HBO Max), El Laberinto del Fauno (HBO Max and Disney Plus), Celda 211 (Netflix and HBO Max), La Lengua de las Mariposas (Amazon Prime), Mar Adentro (HBO Max), and Amanece Que No es Poco (HBO Max and Amazon Prime). I have actually watched the three last ones lol, I just didn't remember them.

Hope these recommendations serve you well, and please let me know if you watch any :)

[dragonchris]

Game Review: Wandersong

I heavily debated reviewing this game. On one hand, I love it. It's an amazing game with a wonderful message and I've been thinking about it constantly. On the other hand, it's fucking buggy as hell and I'd never recommend it to anyone who has patience thinner than a 2x4 or epilepsy.

Welcome to Wandersong, where you play as one of the most bizarre creatures in the world.

An Extrovert.

Story:

The world is ending and you gotta stop it! You're not a brave warrior or a clever mage, but you're a bard with a heart as big as your vocal chords. And by god you're gonna sing to save the world.

This game balances lighthearted goofiness and emotional depth with a good amount of skill. The characters are charming and funny, and the emotional moments are touching and thoughtful. The more you play to save this world, the more you fall in love with it.

Gameplay and Controls:

If the story is the game's strongest point, the gameplay is it's weakest. BY A LONG SHOT.

I'm not gonna beat around the bush, this game is broken. The mechanics don't control very well, the physics of this world are often your enemy, and sometimes the game just will not work with you, which makes some puzzles just slightly more enjoyable than pulling out your own teeth with a crowbar.

In all honesty, I never got to finish the game. Because it Fucking broke halfway through. Fun fact, if you fail at one puzzle enough times because the physics simply refuse to work, the game just DELETES ASSETS FROM THE LEVEL. Have fun playing an invisible character falling through a platform that no longer exists, fucker.

To make matters worse, the accessibility options don't even work. I tried to toggle off the flashing lights option. It did fuck all. I tried to clear my game data to restart the game after it broke on me. The button does nothing. The only thing worse than a game with no accessibility options is a game with options that do jack shit and jill piss.

Sound:

But, to a more positive note, the soundtrack of this game is very good. I do think it's a clever mechanic to use singing as your primary ability. And with a game that relies so heavily on music, it's no surprise that the music delivers, carrying the whimsical and adventurous tone of the story through its soundtrack. You're just a happy little guy singin' your way through this world, and the music does a great job of helping you feel that way. My favorite part was where you controlled a pirate ship with your voice. It's also very rewarding to recognize recurring motifs and see how they represent the overall story.

Art:

The paper cut-out aesthetic of this 2-D game gives it a whimsical charm and a special aesthetic that helps make this game memorable. It just looks so cute. The character designs are all varied and unique, and the levels all have unique visual themes that keep the game vibrant and interesting all the way up until the end.

Playable, Replayable, or Unplayable?

I want to say that it's a playable game. That you should play it. I fell in love with this game and its story, which is probably why its unplayable mechanics frustrated me so deeply. Though I wasn't able to finish the game, I did watch someone else's playthrough because I wanted to see how it ended, and I'm glad I did.

I loved the ending. I loved the way the story progressed and expanded, the themes that it used and the way that the characters developed. There was genuine heart behind the production of this game. If I could rank this game on story alone, I would give it a 10/10.

But for the game as a whole, a lot of things would need to change before I could mark this as an amazing game. The physics need reworking, the accessibility options need to actually function, and perhaps a failsafe like a level selector might be beneficial for people like me who got completely softlocked and would rather go to the beginning of the act rather than start over completely. It has amazing highs and some pretty bad lows, so because of this, I give this game a smack-dab in the middle 5/10.

Steam

Itch.io

Wandersong Official Website

[ursaspecter]

Danny Phantom a Glitch in Time Spoiler Free First Impressions Review

I'm in the hospital right now, so I won't be able to really sink my teeth into any analysis yet so bear with me on that front. But oh my god what a way to continue the series after 16 years of being cancelled!

I can definitely tell that this was made by and for fans of the show, and they had fun doing it too! Is it a groundbreaking mindblowing story? No, but I don't think Danny Phantom needs to be either of those things. It's a fun campy teen superhero drama comedy. There are some darker elements to it, but at the end of the day it's a lighthearted romp and I think it's important to keep that in mind!

That being said I think this is a great start to hopefully a series of these graphic novels. Danny Phantom has always took inspiration from comics like Spider-Man, so I think it's only fitting that these characters work so well in this medium. I also think it's a great way to make the series more accessable seeing as the original show does has its problems with flashing lights and overstimulation. The comic medium takes away those problems and gives the characters some room to breathe.

Speaking of characters, it's like they're taken right from the show and put into the page! I can't tell you how refreshing it is to see these characters actually be in character instead of what the fandom thinks their character is. Of course I loved seeing Dan again, or I guess he's Phantom now officially? I always wanted to see his return ever since I was 12 watching the show for the first time, but he never showed up! Well, now my 12 year old self can rest easy knowing he has such a great return to the series.

The art is just amazing as well. I love that the designs are updated but still stay true to Steven Silver's original work. Everyone feels more expressive and emotional, and the poses feel more fluid and dynamic. I think one limitation of the show's art style is how stiff and firm the characters felt.

Without getting too much into spoiler territory, I really appreciate how this decided to address Phantom Planet. Like it or not, it (and Season 3 as a whole) are still part of the series. It happened and we just have to accept that. Or maybe we don't anymore thanks to the ending! In any case, I think it was a smart way to handle the giant disasteroid elephant in the room so we can move on.

It was a bit of a quick read, but keep in mind this is intended for kids, and I'm an adult with an adult reading level. And that's perfectly fine! I'd rather have an action comic be snappy and have more punch than it overstay its welcome with a 900 page in depth character study of everyone's childhood trauma. It does a good job of being what it is, and I can't wait to see where the series goes next!

Also there was a cowboy part. Y'all know I love my cowboys. As soon as I get discharged and back home I'm gonna draw the gang in their western outfits. Except a little more historically accurate. Seriously, where 👏 were 👏 the 👏 suspenders 👏

Overall I give it a solid 7.5/10 based on my first read!

[elshells]

Anxiety is ridiculous.

I moved into this new house a couple of weeks ago and everything is going nice and smoothly. I'm getting along great with my housemates, all of whom I've been good friends with for two-going-on-three years. In fact, the only reason I'm here at all is because they approached me when they knew I was looking for a place to live and offered me an open spot on the lease.

So why can't I just settle down and be normal about it??

Don't get me wrong; some days I'm super comfortable with hanging out in the common spaces and using the same facilities and taking up the same spaces as these people. And I've been a part of so much laughter and cool conversations and fun outings that I wouldn't have taken part in otherwise.

But the rest of the days I'm like the girl from Jojo Rabbit hiding in the walls and I musn't be seen by anyone. I need to sequester in my room like the hermit I am at all times until I need to scrounge around for meals like a nervous deer. And god forbid I show my face to my housemates, lest I make them uncomfortable with my presence. Maybe if I keep showering them with baked goods they'll realize I'm not a threat... except they already welcomed me into their home and told me to make it mine, so... maybe they're actually okay with this. Further research shall be conducted.

And the thing is, both of these realms of thought exist simultaneously and are constantly at odds with one another. And whenever one set of feelings is stronger than the other, that is the only one I'll listen to until it goes away.

Do I have any control over these feelings? Hell no. What factors into how I think each day? Wouldn't you like to know.

All of this is written in lighthearted jest but at the same time please tell me I'm not alone in this because ack help 😕😅

[ladyodaskonpeito]

For 2023 in review, 9, 11, and 12 please!

Helloooo muse, thanks so much for dropping by my ask box!

9. What fic meant the most to you to write?

The first fic I've ever posted for RinHaru, hands down. I wrote this high on the RinHaru feels I got from watching Free! and at first, I was a little bummed out that the show didn't make them outright canon. But as I worked on this fic, writing out whatever it is I think should have happened on the show (lol) helped me come to terms with that and I actually learned to appreciate that we're given the liberty to choose how they'd end up together. As such, I've come to really love writing fanfiction thanks to the realisation that we as shippers are bestowed with the freedom (and power 😌) to decide how we want that magical moment of them getting together to finally happen 💖✨

TLDR this was the work that made me realise how much fun I could have with fanfiction, and I've been hooked on this hobby ever since!

11. What fic was the most satisfying to finish writing?

This was a tough one since the feeling of finishing a fic is always satisfying, but if I had to choose one... Dear Diary. It was based on the first prompt I chose for make a splash! and I felt kinda pressure, to be frank. I mean, I got an AO3 account for this event! The least I could do was to contribute at least something decently readable. The prompt caught my eye since I wanted to write something lighthearted and fun, but the thing about this prompt is that it also very much reminds me of this legendary fandom classic by sauntering_down. I could only ever dream of making something half as funny as that 🙈 The pressure I was giving myself made me force words out in a feeble attempt to make it work initially, thus my first draft was an unreadable mess. By the grace of the fanfiction gods and my kind beta reader @declawedwildcat, I managed to pivot and rewrite the entire thing, so it was such a relief that the prompt did not go to waste after the initial struggle I had with Nitori's POV.

12. What fic was the most difficult to write? Did you finish it?

My entry for Soumako Week since I was challenging myself to use one prompt from each day of the week. I planned to make "drabbles" every day that would connect to make a coherent story, but they turned out to be much longer than just drabbles 😂 I struggled with the plot for some time, and while the end result got me thinking of what could've been (not my best work, I'm afraid), I'm still so glad I somehow managed to finish it. Even though it was difficult I did enjoy learning from the process and managed to have fun with the event, so I would love to repeat a challenge like that for another ship week someday. Seeing how I could connect prompts to weave them into stories is too much fun!

Aww man, I got too carried away with each question again. Thanks for putting together such great questions and Happy New Year in advance 😝 Hope 2024 will be another good year with TNP again 🥺