#guys i have so much high school story art it's not even funny

[hsslilly-blog]

half of my 2022 files are missing on google drive for some reason but i have a backup in an external hdd and god .. portwart you will always be famous..

[loudclan-clangen]

(I thought of something funny)

Whenever Owlstar comes back to camp from solo walks, there's just this giant banner at the entrance reading "Welcome Back, Cheater."

Slitsplash swears they didn't put it up, but appreciates whoever did it.

Meanwhile, Fiercestripe is smirking in the background. (She did it)

They’re throwing him a party!

(˃̣̣̥▽˂̣̣̥) These asks all flow together so well I genuinely cannot tell if they are multiple people or just one person who is SO PISSED. Made my night to see these all come in at about 2am. If Owlstar has 100 haters im one of them, if Owlstar has 1 hater it's me, if Owlstar has no haters im dead.

I do! It was actually incredibly comical from my perspective because Eklutna showed up, did fuck all for 5 moons, got pregnant, then promptly died giving birth, to which i went "aw, that sucks" clicked on her kits, and SAW THAT THIER DAD WAS THE LEADER, SOMETHING THAT I DID NOT KNOW COULD HAPPEN. Eklutna didn't even have any romantic like for him, to my recollection, and Owlstar had like maybe a single tick for her? It was really just lucky rng I guess. Owl and Silt actually didn't break up in the game at all, in my original draft for the story, when i was just writing notes as i played, Siltsplash was a lot more... okay with it? Like they were pissed but their personality was a lot more demure so they didn't act on anything really. The exact quote from the draft was: "I won’t lie to you. I’m angry. Starclan, I’m more than angry, I’m furious. I have half the mind to tell you to leave and never come back.” They paused, seeing Owlstar deflate and taking some slight, bitter satisfaction in it before continuing, “But that wouldn’t be fair to those kits. They didn’t ask to be born, much less to you. They deserve to have a family, or as much of it as they are able to have, and starclan help me we’re in this together." It certainly fit with what I knew about them then, but given my ability to look forward and see future events, I decided that a break up made more sense.

Don't be sorry! I am not currently in artfight, I'm considering it but I wouldn't be able to be very active due to school, and I don't want to take another break from this blog so soon after my last, so it's not very high up on my list of priorities. I'm kinda casually working on refs for the more popular characters, so there's a chance I'll get those done and join a team, especially if it's something you guys want me to do. If that happens I'll be sure to let you guys know! I am now in art fight! I gave into peer pressure again. (In a good way).

I don't think even Silt knew. Siltsplash was OUT of it after their conversation with Owlstar, (see: the Eklutna hallucination), and they probably didn't even know where they were headed until they reached the nursery. But after setting eyes on the kits, Siltslpash knew that there was only one option. Yes, they "took the kids in the divorce" but truly they weren't thinking about revenge. They just saw kids who needed something that they could provide.

In terms of writing, though, since I have hundreds of moons of foresight, it was a total bait and switch. I needed to make sure that people had a reason to come back after the break and any comic with kittens in it usually gets a lot of attention, so it was a "marketing" decision to split up the moon the way that I did, in order to make sure that there wasn't too bad of a fall off in interaction for the blog.

In game Eklutna had an affair with Owlstar, died giving birth, and the "died giving birth" event overwrote the "reveal affair" event so technically, in game Owlstar didn't reveal the affair... ever? (Though I had written in my notes that he told Siltsplash who took them as their own). Story wise, Owlstar hadn't planned to tell anyone until the kits started asking about who their father was. Then he would tell them, and would probably reveal it to the clan when they earned their names and were able to become deputy. But, when Eklutna died all that went out the window. For all his faults, Owlstar is not a bad dad, and he would never leave his kits orphaned, even if it would get him in a lot of trouble to do so. He really does care for them, and he feels terrible about how much he's screwed up their lives so far.

He did bad, deitycrows, he did bad. He cheated on his mate and then his affair partner died in childbirth so he's not very popular rn, I've got to be honest.

I don't think it helps at all but, Owlstar did really genuinely like Eklutna! Now, was that because she never opposed him on anything and flattered him with adoring compliments at every opportunity? Possibly. But the "Starclan said" thing was honestly just more of an excuse for him. He woulda had an affair anyway, he just wouldn't have intentionally had kits with her.

:) Eklutna liked... the power that Owlstar held. She liked that he was chosen by Starclan to lead the clan, she liked that his kits are meant to inherit the position of leadership, and she liked that as the mother of his kits she would have a lot of control over both him and the leader after him. As far as his personality... he's kinda a clown but she could live with that.

To be frank: The order of inheritance is ABSOLUTELY FUCKED. If Eklutna had lived, it would be easy. She would take over as deputy until one of the kits was old enough to hold the position. But, since she's dead and Owlstar's only heirs are literal infants, as their adoptive parent Siltsplash is still the deputy for now. What happens when the kits reach adulthood is kinda up for debate. As Owlstar's closest descendant, Songkit should be deputy upon earning his warrior name, BUT Siltsplash is very much against that plan, and the kits might not want to go against their most attentive parent. So the very unhelpful answer is: We have to wait and see what the characters decide.

Thank you so much! I love to hear from first time viewers and see what you guys think of the characters! I'm glad that the dialogue worked so well and Eklutna definitely has Sol vibes! You look at both of them and go "in what world would this plan work the way you wanted it to???"

[annika-thelostlove]

The art of paper folding - Brian Wilcox x fem!reader

Word count/ 4015

Preview/ But You, for whatever reason that led to it, you were assigned the seat on the other side of him. You are always anxious with stress. You think that maybe this guy who has a reputation for being a smartass will bring too much attention to your side of the classroom. You're a little glad Sally would probably take most of his attention, though. Those types of pretty girls probably have it bad sometimes dealing with boys like brian, you think.

Author note/ its finally completed! Its the most high school romantic idiocy I can put in a oneshot. This is lightly based on my own high school experience. The guy who I thought liked me back really did make me an origami heart. Soon after, he said something super mean to me, and my little 15 yr old heart never forgave him.

Warnings/ super fluffy, and not well edited

Brian is the type of guy in school who always talks shit. It's like he can't help it. Things fall out of his mouth unguarded. He is 17, but he still gets worked up over things like he is still in elementary school. In his new math class in the new year of school, he purposely sits next to the popular girl Sally because he thought it would be fun, but she doesn't tolerate his shit one bit.

But You, for whatever reason that led to it, you were assigned the seat on the other side of him. You are always anxious with stress. You think that maybe this guy who has a reputation for being a smartass will bring too much attention to your side of the classroom. You're a little glad Sally would probably take most of his attention, though. Those types of pretty girls probably have it bad sometimes dealing with boys like brian, you think.

Brian is a guy you've only heard about through another friend because he's "someone's annoying brother that dyes his own hair black cos he thinks it's edgy. He also doesn't wash it often to keep the cheap box colour for longer. Hence, the sticky looking locks. He confidently sticks to wearing black and oversized clothes that hide his 30-pound body." Says the people who talk about him.

So the best course of action is to keep your head down, and don't get involved with either of Brian or Sally.

But then, as the year goes by, whenever Brian is bored at being ignored by Sally, he will turn his greasy head to you and give you a little poke. The first few times sent your nerves up, you were so scared of what he would say to you. Will he say something mean? Point out your pimples? Say your teeth look crooked? That you have a mustache you should shave it? Horrible horrible little scenarios in your mind. But Brian, for the last few months, only asks you funny dumb questions just to avoid actually learning in class. It makes your heart laugh a little in relief.

Brian is sarcastic and complains a lot. He has too many theories and tells stories exclusively comprised of sound effects and explosions made with his mouth. He smells like deep fry oil that you grow to like so much because it reminds you of hashbrowns in the morning. It's gotten pathetic how many things you notice about him. You even love that buck tooth of his making its way out of his little mouth.

Some days, he enjoys telling you how corporations pay commercials to trick people into thinking that you're the bad guy. You listen to him so intently, and the more you do, the things about him begin to make more sense to you.

Brian is not a bad person. Not like what people say. Really, really not. He is actually kind of great.

He's just a little distracted at school, that's all.

You share with him your own little jokes under your breath during class now. And by some miracle, he finds you funny. A fierce blush would bloom up you collar at his laughter.

You hope that it makes him feel special. No one else has really thought of you to be very funny. You've told him some weird things, like: "Last night I had a dream about Dwayne Johnson as a centaur," and he would get detention from laughing too hard.

At times he would still try to get Sallys attention, but most days he spends his time leaving silly doodles at the edge of your notebooks.

🩵🩵🩵🩵

Today, Brian has been folding paper in class again. He watched a YouTube video on how to make an origami heart last week. For whatever reason, he's been so invested in getting it perfect.

He was trying to show off his progress, so he made one in your class. Looking over at Sally's desk, he watched her pack her notebook away, getting ready to leave. Brian then redirects his attention to you. You were still finishing writing your notes down, then packing away your pens.

In a second, he decides to slip the heart shaped paper, between the pages of your notebook without much thought of why. The class then packs up and files out to go home.

💘💘💘💘

You can't believe it, it just can't be.

Brian's heart origami was in your notebook. You had just got home and pulled out your notes, currently staring at the red piece of folded paper. Did he slip it inside? Maybe it was just an accident. It might have fallen. Fallen perfectly, between the pages. That must be it. It didn't mean anything.

You rub your face in confusion. Your heart is not neutral about this at all. Even if it was an innocent mistake. Your heart thumps in the possibility. That maybe. Brian Wilcox gave you this heart on purpose.

But, no. He doesn't see you like that. You're just his friend.

The heart origami sits so innocently on your book, and you picture him making it step by step. His eyes looking up at you, after another doodle he's finished on your book. The way he's smiles, holding back his laughter with shining eyes.

You don't know, but maybe, maybe. Brian could like you…more than as a friend.

The thought echoes around in your quiet bedroom.

🥤🥤🥤🥤

Later when a group project comes up, Brian without hesitation jumps to join a group of boys in the class and leaves you with Sally.

Sally is popular, and very beautiful, but it was the first time you really tried to talk to her. It turns out she's incredibly insightful and a good listener. Its nice for someone to give you their attention like that. Which is funny in a way, it makes you feel kinda special, because Sally doesn't even give Brian the time of day. So in your curiosity, you ask her about that.

"I just hate getting the attention of a class clown, when what I really need is to focus in class" she rolls her eyes as she says it. She takes a glance at Brian's group. "..but I notice that Brian and you have become quite the pair, I think it's pretty cool, Brian is so behaved when he's with you".

Blood rushes to your face. "Oh haha, no, no, were not that close..."

But at that moment, the group of boys with Brian began to get loud and rowdy. They've been loudly debating about the best kind of place to take a date out. They've begun to joke and laugh at how Brian works at Mickeys, mocking him how hilarious it could be for a first date. You saw that he was laughing along with them, but you could see it was irritating him.

"Ohhh noooo! A girl would NEVER ask for another date. Can you imagine making her order at the counter? How embarrassing"

"And then brian asks for the kids' meal?!" laughter from the boys.

"Noooo! Brian would use his employee discounts on the combos! That's just so sad!" More laughter. And it just irked you until you spoke up.

"We'll I think it could be fun for a date?" You say interrupting the loud conversation. It was a numbing silence for a fraction of a second before Brian spoke.

"Well, it's because your standards are low since you can't even seem to find a boyfriend." Came a quick response from Brian's mouth. The boys gasped and blew up with sudden laughter.

Regrets flash across Brian's face instantly when he sees you speechless, with hurt written on your brow, but you're fighting against it. Sally puts her hand on your arm, worried about you. The boys don't seem to notice anything wrong. But Brian notices.

He didn't realize what he said. He was just so annoyed and wanted someone else to be teased instead of him.

You feel hot, and your skin is prickly. That was really mean. It hurt. You weren't so sure why. Because what he said was true. But it hurt because it came from him.

Your thoughts flashed back to the origami heart that you've been keeping in your bedside table, it actually means nothing to him. And all the other hearts that he must have made this week and before. All just folded paper and nothing more.

But you swallow the feeling down somehow and focus back on your partner and the project for the rest of the class.

But that night, in your bed, under the covers, frustrated tears fall into your pillow.

Am I ugly? No one has ever wanted me. No one has ever seen me. Aren't I good enough for anyone?

Brian wouldn't ever see you in that way. You hate it, hate him. Hate yourself. He made you feel like you mattered to him, but you must have made it all up in your head, a boy has never been nice to you until Brian, so you didn't know any better. He won't ever see you that way.

🎒🎒🎒🎒

The next week at school you try to act like you always have, havung a better understanding now that Brian is simply the way he is. So you become a little distant. He notices of course. He's been thinking about what he said over and over. And hates himself, he's never liked saying sorry in all his life. But now he's scared for the first time that he might be losing you if he dosent act. You won't even look at his eyes anymore. Like you find it too painful to do so.

During lunch break, he finds you, he asks, unsure how to converse naturally.

"Hey, how's your project with Sally going?" He says. Then you realize 'he must have never stopped liking Sally even from the start of the year. It was so obvious, why didn't I see it?'

"It's going well, actually. we're almost done. Did you want to tag along bri? We're gonna be at the library after school to finish up." You think maybe you can help him get Sally to see that he's a really nice guy.

Brain seems nervous but says yes straight away. He must really like her, you think.

After school, once you all meet up and finish off studying at the library, you insist on going home first and leave to catch your bus. Brian tries to ask you to hang out longer. But Sally lets you go and wants to speak to brian alone. Sally seems like she has something serious to tell him.

You smile a little in sadness, its working out well, it seems.

📚📚📚📚

Brian Pov

She left me here with sally. Avoiding me again. I watch as her back disappears out the front doors. Then Sally hits me on the arm.

"Ow! What's your problem?"

"You!"

"What did I do to you?"

"Not what you've done to me! But to her!! all year, you've been making googly eyes at her, and the other day, you treat her like crap! You need to fix this and apologize, and then leave her alone if you're only going to hurt her feelings because of your ignorant attitude."

"I don't know what you mean"

"I see everything brian, like how you doodle on her notebooks, and talk quietly to her, how you giggle under your breath at her jokes. You honestly can't be more obvious how you treat her special, but then you turn on her so quickly like that. It's such a dick move. An asshole move"

He puts his face in his hands in shame. "God, I AM an asshole!!" Brian is on the brink of breaking down."Do you think she hates me now? I messed up so badly."

"Tell her you're sorry face to face. Whatever she does to you after that is up to her. Though since we're talking about her, she will probably forgive you. But if you want to finally tell her you like her, this might be your best chance "

Brian blushes red, "w-what, I don't like her like that-"

"Why do you bother lying, brian?"

"It really isn't- ughh."

Brian quickly rushes after where you left. And found you sitting at the bus shelter, he looks at the digital sign it says your bus arrives in 20 mins

He looks down at you, and you're already looking at him sheepishly. You've been caught.

"Your bus isn't even here till another 20 mins!" Brian almost yells, but he's playfully scolding you like you normally do. You look down and smile. Brian loves that, your little shy grin.

"How did it go with Sally?" You ask hopefully.

"Good. But I don't want to talk about that. I need to tell you some stuff. Uh, the first one is that..I said something the other day. I just-"

"It's okay, I get it, I overreacted-"

"No, you didnt- Wait. It wasn't that. My point is i'm sorry for what i said, I think I hurt you. It's not cool of me. I'm always battling my asshole-ary every day, you know that. But you didn't deserve it. So I'm sorry"

"You are, forgiven." And you give him a small closed lip smile.

"Oh really? Already? Well, and, um, the 2nd thing is. There's something I have to ask you-" Your bus comes and stops loudly in front of them. Brian is flustered. You are conflicted, there's only one bus every hour for this route, you should take this bus. But you want to wait for Brian to finish.

"Um, Brian, think I should take this bus"

"Oh, yeah of course! Tomorrow then!"

"Ok, see ya bri"

As you climb up the door to pay and look back at Brian, the bus then pulls away, and you miss his sad little frown and his green eyes following you as your image fades down the street.

❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹

The next day in class, Brian pulls out another origami heart he worked on last night and slides it over to you. The teacher notices it and warns everyone about passing notes in class. You grab the note and see what it says.

"Good morning beautiful! Plz open me" you frown at being called beautiful. Glancing over at him, he smirks.

Nervous, you open it carefully. Inside it says something that makes her heart race and break at the same time.

"Let's go to Mickeys tonight, it's my treat" then you hear a snickering from a few desks away, it was one of his boys looking over at you.

🍟🍟🍟🍟

You go to Mickeys, you think he's just asked you out as a friend, but he seems to be as nervous as you are, but you dont want to get your hopes up.

After having your meal in awkward silence, he asks you as casually as he can muster.

"So, I was thinking, do you want a second date?"

"Huh? D-date?"

"Y-you know, we went to Mickeys-- like you said! This is like, a date for you"

"…are you..like- just- teasing me? Hahaah…like you're mocking me? You rascal" You laugh nervously, voice trembling all over the place. Trying to hide the sudden emotions that came with realizing what this was all about. He just wanted to humor you.

"Huh? What? No? He laughs. Mickeys is like, your standard right? For like- like a date?"

"Well, no-"

"And-and, I mean I- we hadn't hung out like together yet.. as friends, and like you haven't been on a date before…I thought maybe..i could, be someone you-"

"So you're… helping me?" You laugh comes out jumpy and strange sounding "Oh, wooow,..I um, thanks man. That's just so, thoughtful of you" and you uncharacteristically lean over to punch his arm, you cringe for the fifth time. And he rubs the spot you bumped him.

"But, um, you know I think that maybe we should go on dates with people we actually have feelings for, don't you think? But, thanks for the offer" you shrug and try to laugh it off, but it feels too loud and fake in your ears.

"So no...date?" He looks kind of paler than usual.

You start to gather your trash. "I just realized i need to get home, sorry I can't stay much longer Bri. This was…fun. Bye!" Practically running away.

You don't understand what had just happened. You don't understand Brian at all. Was he that experienced in dating that he could give you a trial of it? That he felt pitty for you?

Your whole body felt hot from embarrassment. And a hard lump has been stuck in your throat ever since you received his little note in class. You practically speed walk all the way home sobbing into your Hoodie.

💛💛💛💛

"Good for you."

"Huh?" Sally is talking to you, Brian is late for your class it seems.

"I got…some tea, from a little bird, or something like that. That you rejected Brian"

"When did I do that?"

"Uh, didn't you go to Mickeys with him the other day?"

"I did." Has he gone and told everyone about it?

"I'm sorry, but I can't pretend that i didn't know. It just happened to be the same day he left a voice message on my phone, and I connected the dots that it was about you. " This made you sad without realizing it. They've been talking?

"Oh, he did?" But you guess it's good that they're getting to know each other.

"Don't look so sad! It wasn't like that, that boy sounded mad over the phone, he was mad at first. Saying stuff on the message like 'you were wrong about everything!' And that 'he was dumb.' But then he just..started crying. Well it sounded like crying. You didn't do that to him?" You stare a Sally perplexed at what it all meant.

"Explain please"

Sally looked at you for a moment and seemed ro realize something then began waving her hands 'no' at you "Ooooooh, wait no, I think you should talk to him about it, i've said too much"

"No, say it please! I'm tired of him playing with me."

"Ughhh, well he..he thought that you liked him, so…and I thought you did too! But then when you clearly don't, which is okay…he's just. It's just sad. He's going through it right now."

"But I don't know why he would be so upset, it's not like he likes me? He likes..someone else."

"You…think so? Huh. Well, I think it's best if you talk to him about this"

"But-"

"It's best if two of you talk"

"No-"

Then, at that moment, Brian walks in late to class and rushes over to his seat between you and Sally.

"You're tardy, Mr Wilcox, which is actually a first. Take your seat."

He acting stiff and can barely look at you.

Normally, you could get his attention and whisper things to him comfortably, but right now, he's so distant that you just decided to message him on your phone.

R U working tonight?

No Thurs

Ok, do u wna study w me n Sally tonight?

No that's ok u guys can just work on ur project together

Oh ok

And that went on for the rest of the lesson. His cold shoulder. Bothered by this you messing him again.

Ur being weird, is this about the other day? I appreciated ur idea, but I just didn't want ppl to confuse our friendship.

Idea?

Yeah like you giving me dating 'experience' without having an actual bf

What?????

She didn't reply after that message out of frustration. Why is he acting like he has no idea what he's been doing to you?

Nevermind Brian

Hey

You know what? I can get a boyfriend anytime if I want.

You hear a sharp gasp quickly after sending your last text. "Hey." He tries to tap your shoulder, but the teacher tells him off right away.

You give him the cold shoulder for the rest of the day. He looks over at you desperately for the rest of that week.

🍔🍔🍔🍔

Thursday comes by. You come to visit Mickeys with Warren, a guy you sometimes talk to in your IT class. You told Warren that there's a guy you like and want to see if he would feel anything if he saw you with someone else. It was stupid, you know it. You promised to buy him a Mickeys meal if he helped you.

You and Warren order at the counter, a sullen Brian takes your order, and you still haven't talked to one another since. And it's eating him inside, and now you're here with someone else? He disappeared to the back once your order was placed.

You receive your burgers and sit down at your table to eat. It was a normal, peaceful few moments until Brian came sprinting out of the kitchen to stop you from eating

"NO, no stop!"

"What! Brian, what's wrong??"

"No, just- don't eat that- I-" You stare at him lost for words, shame written on his face.

"I'm sorr- I just thought -" his face was crumbling, and the shame was turning into sadness. His eyes are glassy with emotion. He buried his face in his hands, defeated. "Never mind, it all makes sense."

"What does?"

"Why you won't like me."

Long silence came after what he said, only broken by Warren slowly getting up to walk away and saying that hes gonna use the bathroom. But either of you actually notice.

"…why I 'won't like you?' Why would that matter, Brian? Why? You like someone, that's who that matters."

"YES, I do. And it DOES."

"Huh??"

"I-im an asshole sometimes. But I know that you know that already, so that can't be the reason. And I'm not much to look at, but. But I've never cared if anyone liked how I looked. It never mattered to me so much before. But I wish I was more, like conventionally appealing. But i mean, that can't be why, you're not that kind of person- but is that why? Or, or- no. Or it's simply because I'm me. Because I'm Brian, the type of asshole that defiles a fucking burger???"

"Brian, please, it's hard for me to understand…"

"I put a LOOGIE in your patty"

"Excuse me????" Not the words you were expecting.

"It was meant for him!!"

"Warren?"

"Yes!"

"Are you somehow, jealous??"

"Yes!"

"And why??"

"Because I like you, and you hate me!"

A painful silence fills the restaurant. Looking around, Brian catches his manager, looking at him disapprovingly. But Brian mouths to him, "just resolving an issue"

"Ok, but lower your voice"

Brian sighs, putting his attention back to you. Sitting there still stunned at his confession. "Let me take that burger back. I'll make you a new one"

"No." You make a mad grab at the box, but Brian had the same thought as you. He now had the other side of the box in his hand.

"Give it!"

"Let go, brian"

"What's the problem!?"

You rip it out of his clasp, open the box, and proceed to scuff the burger down your throat.

"What are you doing?? No!! Why did you do that? I had my saliva in that???"

"Do you think I would do that if I didn't like you?"

A hundred emotions pass through Brian's face in the silence that came after that bizarre display.

"You… like me?"

"Was me eating your foul burger not clear enough?"

"Well no. But. You…like me?"

"I have, like always"

"...me?" His eyes are glassy looking at you in something that looks like hope.

But instead of saying anymore to reassure his low self-esteem just how much you think a he's great guy, you start to cry. And you don't have a clue why. Just that you're so happy he finally knows.

"I really like you too. Like always" and just like in a movie, he reaches out with a finger and gently wipes a tear off your cheek.

[lambcow]

Ok but imagine young Clark coming into his super-hypnotism powers as a young kid and Martha Kent is not having it because you can only argue with your two-year-old so much if they can sweet talk you into anything they want.

She figures out really fast that it's all in the inhuman eyes - and really, she should've known that gorgeous shade of blue was too good to be true - so when Clark gets in a fit and she just knows he's going to make a demand, she avoids direct eye contact with her sweet little angel. She knows he's not doing it on purpose, he's just a little kid, after all.

But then, he has to go to school, and Martha knows Clark won't do it on purpose, but her little baby is a charmspeaker and is accidentally going to manipulate the entire world around him into whatever he thinks he wants and that's just not going to fly!

So, Martha experiments a little. The next time they go into town for the day, Martha hands Clark a tiny pair of sunglasses to wear all day to see if lenses even make a difference. It's not that he's never worn them before, but she needs to know if he can influence anyone if he's not looking directly into their eyes. After a day of errands and several pleading looks and what are certainly puppy eyes from Clark from behind tinted lenses to no avail, Martha has her answer.

Their last stop of the day is an antique shop on Main. Martha greets the man at the counter like you only can in a small town and asks if he has any supplies of old glasses they can rifle through for Clark, just in the meantime until they can get his eyes checked. Just to limp along. It's a lie, Clark doesn't need a prescription. But in a box of used glasses, there's always the chance Martha will find what she needs.

Gary (that's his name) points her toward a dresser down the room and tells her there's a drawer filled with costume glasses and the like. They find a tiny pair of glasses for Clark and he complains at first that the world "looks funny" but then he blinks twice and looks around again and, with a grin, says "Never mind - I like them, can I keep them?"

And that's how Clark Kent starts wearing glasses.

As he gets older, continuing to grow up and especially while he's still shorter than his ma he'll occasionally glare up at her from over his lenses petulantly as he tries to get his way and it brings a whole new weight to the phrase "Don't give me that look, now, son," because Clark knows that she means not to use his Kryptonian eyes on her to get his way. It's not a secret any more than Clark being an alien is a secret that Clark can get people to do what he wants. But the few times he's done it have resulted in the biggest groundings of his entire life and more chores than he's ever wanted to do. And not just manual labor chores, but the kind of chores ma knows he doesn't like, because a ma always knows how to make a chore a chore.

In high school, for all that Clark is not very popular and has that whole quiet nerd persona going for him, he has that cute kid with the glasses Kryptonian Gaze™ down to a seductive art and he's not even trying. Because. Hello? B-i-o-l-o-g-y. So, yeah. That over-the-glasses glance from across the room? It's a whole thing and lots of girls (and guys?) are super confused by why they suddenly think Clark Kent might be super hot. Then when they look again but it's just Clark sitting there with his normal glasses again? They're not so sure...

He doesn't like to use his super-hypnotism because it feels like cheating, but depending on the circumstance he will. It's not that different than using his other abilities after all, right? If it's for the right reasons, is it?

While he's working at the Daily Planet, he'll use it on occasion to push his advantage for a story for that one extra detail, to get access to a room he might not have otherwise, to sneak into places he might not have, to make people forget his face, his name, their conversation if it was a particularly sketchy place... it's all a simple tilt down of the chin so he can look people straight in the eyes over the rim of his glasses and ask a pointed question or say something or suggest something and then....

As Superman it's different. As Superman, he never wears his glasses. He's all heat vision and x-ray vision, micro and macro vision. As Superman, he does what he needs to to save people. Sometimes that's telling someone to get to safety or go home, call 9-1-1, run, stay here, be quiet.. it's a hundred things as Superman. Sometimes it's asking guards for passcodes or entrance, sometimes it's to turn off surveillance altogether. Superman does what he has to do.

[ad-hawkeye]

tot is definitely trying harder because they have more competition in the mobile cn otome scene (esp deepspace lol)but i will not complain it as long as they don’t force us to relive the artem midfest

about the high school au card general thoughts from weibo are holy shit artem why are you making everyone hard pity or almost hard pity smh. the card is good and it does a good job at giving you a cute innocent school romance/crush some posts giving praise to both artem and rosa’s lines + writer/writing team as well

joining the war on love and deepspace on the side of love and deepspace solely to ensure that tot feels pressured to actually write a decent story and to also care about character consistency again

it's interesting from a market perspective. love and deepspace has a really strong grip on those who like "spicy" content, especially because of its 3d models. that's what it's marketed as, and that's what it really excels at. i know of several other cn otome games with better borderline nsfw content too, ones that lean into it fully and a lot more openly than tot. i also know of several other cn otome games that are completely outdoing tot in terms of writing and art - lovebrush chronicles for example.

tot is fascinating bc it originally found a niche as a whodunit mystery game with otome elements and interesting characters. it also had a boost being a mihoyo made game.

but then they noticed people liked the steamier content, so they abandoned their original niche to chase after fanservice at the expense of their storytelling and characters. and now that other games out there are doing the whole borderline nsfw thing much better than they are (because let's be real, tot sacrificed their writing in the name of extremely mediocre softcore porn foreplay and tropes that other games do better), it feels like they're trying to bring back the original writing and are trying to think outside of the box in terms of art and new official art styles.

i wonder where tot will go from here, or if this will work?

god okay, additional side rant incoming. but before i do - that's fantastic news about the high school au cards.. thank you!!

did you know lovebrush had the mls have their first kisses with mc at different times? ayn's happened on white day, cael's happened in an ssr card story following white day, and the remaining boys had theirs happen during their azure island routes. and you know what? it made sense for their characters!

ayn is very blunt and straight forward. cael had several other card stories dedicated to building up their relationship. alkaid is too afraid of upsetting mc and would not make the first move. clarence is still getting used to being in a romantic relationship. lars is a hopeless romantic who seems preoccupied with waiting for the "right moment".

and it just. keeps reminding me of tot's second anniversary. where the writers planned to have luke propose to rosa because of his whole "i'm dying in three years" thing which... makes sense! that makes sense! but why on earth would you make the other three guys propose when it doesn't make sense for them?? i just. ugh.

sometimes i wonder if it's too late for tot to fix their writing.

and the funny thing! lbc has a wedding event in the cn server! but you want to know something even funnier?? it's not an actual wedding! it's a photoshoot event! none of them are engaged!

tot could have gone so many routes and they took the ones with the worst writing and it's mind boggling. you CAN do fanservice with good writing!

[pet-pet-peet]

I don’t know if my request got through, I’m sorry in advance if it and I’m wasting your time reading this. I asked for some platonic headcanons for azul, floyd, and malleus where they visit readers school in their world for the event. (Malleus uses magic to hide his horns)

Omg wait this is super cute! The Malleus part gives me vibes to My Inner Demons (Aphmau)

I am trying to go through my drafts and post the ones I had done, this will not be inspired by canon!

Story: They visit your school in your world with you for a week

Tw: cafeteria food slander from personal experience; lmk!

Pairing(s): Azul, Floyd, Malleus x gn reader going to their school (separate) (platonic)

𝕬𝖟𝖚𝖑

He stands out a bit because of his hair, but otherwise everyone sees him normally

For the most part- he does have moments where he’s caught being confused over a piece of history everyone in your world has learned-

Very interested in seeing how different schools in your world function, even if the differences are slight

He’s a little bit thrown off when he learns there’s no magic at all, makes him overly aware of his magic and when he uses it

He likes to talk to your other friends to get dirt on you, just in case he ever needs it

Probably becomes really popular through the time he attends your school

Also picks up the academics really easily, which makes the teachers like him

You have to tell him not to set up his deals in your world- he probably does so anyway, though

Hates your cafeteria’s food, it doesn’t taste how he likes and feels unhealthy, so he convinces you to either bring him food from home or buy him more (but he does it in an Azul way that’ll end up with him not being in your debt, probably makes deals with you to help you with something)

Probably has a lot of fun, learns some things he’s definitely gonna find a way to incorporate into his business practices

𝕱𝖑𝖔𝖞𝖉

He’s very clingy to you, so even if teachers want him to go somewhere else he’ll stay with you or force you to go with him

On the chance he’s not feeling the classes, he’ll ditch them and just wander around and explore the school grounds

He doesn’t usually feel like learning things from your world, doesn’t really see the point in it, so he probably just distracts you while you’re in class together

Stands out immediately, probably one of the tallest guys in your school so everyone notices him immediately in the halls. That on top of his hair and eyes, he becomes very popular very quickly

Drags you around in between periods to show you places he thought were cool hiding spots from teacher (he confirms he used them when you ask)

Even though he’s only there for a week, he gets random love letters everyday and makes you read them to him because he can’t be bothered to focus long enough to do so himself

Doesn’t mind the school food, but probably doesn’t eat much of it anyway cause it’s still not the best

Doodles on all the paperwork he’s given instead of actually filling them out; that said, art is his best subject in your world (Unless you’re also in a music class, then that’s his favorite and best subject)

Probably antagonizes some of the staff because he thinks it's funny, doesn't end too well for you though

Mixed bag, finds it incredibly boring some days, finds it interesting for others

𝕸𝖆𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖚𝖘

He makes sure to stick by the strict rule: he isn't allowed to use magic except to hide his horns and ears

He towers over everyone and quickly becomes notorious for it, if he didn't actively seek you out you'd probably never be able to get through the crowds that always surround him

His high class vibe gets a lot of people's attention, so he gets invited to quite a bit of parties for a change. He's pretty prideful of it, but usually forgets or just doesn't go cause you aren't going

He absorbs your history relatively easily, but will still ask you for more details on the different subjects you learn

Definitely almost forgot to hide his horns one day and you had to panic remind him before he left the apartment

Gets lost when walking around your school sometimes since he's trying to find any sign of gargoyles that may have been removed

Sometimes he just wants to ditch with you, the history of your world is fascinating and all but he wants to see it more instead of just hearing about it

Pretty sensitive when people try to tease his eyes and fangs, but hides it behind snarky remarks and sarcasm

Absolutely refuses to eat food from the cafeteria, also refuses to call it food. You have to bring him lunch or buy it from somewhere better if you want him to eat

Remembers quite a few of the stories he learned, both real and fake, and made sure to recite them to the rest of Diasomnia (he never clarified which were real or not. Have fun explaining to the gang that the Wizard of Oz doesn't exist)

[unnervinglyferal]

Saw a thing that made me think of you for some reason. Gonna paste the entire reddit post here rather than link it, because you need to read in real time for the funny:

"My (31M) wife (32F) and I are in a healthy and happy relationship. That said, we’ve been together since high school, so we both feel that we missed out a little by being each others’ only sexual experiences. We’ve talked about this at length and decided a few years ago that we’re ok with having a few hall passes in our relationship, since we very much intend to stay together the rest of our lives and don’t want any resentment over missed possibilites. Plus it’s pretty rare that we could even find such an opportunity, as it’s a little hard to find hookups when you’re in a committed marriage and don’t go out much. We even gave each other advance approval in case a situation arises, so long as we’re safe about it and tell each other immediately afterward. We’ve both used one HP, each with someone we knew well enough but would never see again, and no issues came out of it. In fact, it’s only made us more secure in our relationship and how much we genuinely appreciate being with each other.

Recently, I had to travel to London for work. I don’t normally get to travel for work, so I decided to make a trip out of it and spend a few extra days of my own time in the city after the project was done. My wife couldn’t join because she didn’t have any vacation time left but was very supportive of me taking some time to explore since I’ve never been to London and she has. Being cheap, and being a pretty outgoing guy when I’m so inclined, I decided to stay in a hostel. I was interested in meeting other travelers since I didn’t know anyone in the city and love being sociable with new people. I chatted with several of the people staying there, and in particular a very attractive French girl (mid-20’s) who dressed super goth.

For context, I love the goth girl look. I’ve been sucked into the goth gf propaganda online, much to the annoyance of my wife. It isn’t her style, but she has been nice enough to cater to me by putting on a sexy goth outfit on occasion, since she’s knows it’s a huge fantasy of mine. Still, I pester her constantly to be more goth because I enjoy it so much.

Anyway, I ended up spending a little bit of time with goth French baddie - we both went to the hostel’s happy hour event and hit it off there. I found out that she was recently single and was in London for an art show. It turned out we were both into emo music, and we talked about our favorite bands. I had the thought that she was acting a bit flirty towards me, but didn’t think too much of it, until I later found myself sharing a sink with her in the hostel bathroom.

The hostel was co-ed, so each floor had a small shared bathroom with a communal sink, and a door that was meant to be kept open but which people frequently closed for the sake of having more privacy than just a stall to shower in. So I’m brushing my teeth while chatting up the real-life version of Shadowheart (who, mind you, is wearing an extremely low cut top), when she suddenly closes the bathroom door behind us. In my mind, my wildest fantasy is about to come true. It’s even more exciting because of the adrenaline rush of being in a semi-public setting, and a girl being so into me that she would make such a bold move. I can’t believe this is actually happening to me. I instantly get hard. Then she turns around and asks “Are you interested in learning about our lord and savior Jesus Christ?”

She had me cornered for 10 minutes trying to talk me into salvation, while I grew increasingly despondent and immensely disappointed, with the whiplash of going from what could’ve been one of the crowning moments of my life, to pure and utter dejection.

When I told my wife this story, she laughed for a solid hour. She said it’s karma for annoying her about wanting a goth gf.

TL;DR life dream was to bang a hot goth girl. Thought I was getting the opportunity, but got cockblocked by Jesus Christ. god is real and he hates me."

The fucking mood whiplash. I was reading this nodding along like okay yeah I guess that could be us in like 10 or 15 years, who knows, neither me nor my girl are the jealous type or anything, and then it fucking struck. The christians have weaponized goth girls. Fucking lost it laughing, it's been a rough 24 hours, thank you.

[dreamsister81]

Hi! Found this answer on a Redit thread. Your take?

he was probably bi. My friend who i worked with at a record store went out to dinner with him and some band mates and Jeff had some drinks and came on to him. I also knew of a couple of his girlfriends in NYC. He was probably like many people open to many things. That's all I will say.

Then there's this long spiel:

I’m late to the party but I went down a hole with this last year after I too listened to ‘Dream of you and I’ and was like that felt very personal and astute for someone everyone seems to assume is het. I went looking here then too and couldn’t find anything so hopefully the next person like me will find this.

I’m a queer person and have always strongly identified and loved his music but besides just my personal opinion that many of his songs have that ~queer energy~ and coding in them I did find a couple of less subjective things. Unfortunately none which lead to solid answers but might make other queer people like me feel happy and satisfied with what we are seeing in him (people who are die hard 'he could never be gay blah blah he’s had all these gfs' are never going to come around but for the rest of us it might be enough).

First big one is this 1997 article published a month after his death. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1997-06-20-9706200305-story,amp.html it quotes him twice describing himself as a homosexual and gay. Unfortunately I can’t find the original articles from which the quotes are pulled for more context but for the most part... idk if we really need it. Feels to me like the author saw how he was being memorialised (perhaps knew him personally idk) and didn’t want this part of him to get lost. Here are the quotes in the event that article disappears one day too...

It's all about getting to a place where I can let my deepest eccentricities out," Buckley once said in an interview shortly after the Uncommon Ground show. "I just see things a little differently and express myself a little differently and I think it's because I haven't been in one place for very long (in four years, Buckley attended three high schools). So I was seen from my childhood as hyperactive, homosexual, weird, insane, obnoxious, offensive, funny. . . . It's a tremendous point of pain, my inability to relate to the status quo."

"I am a storyteller, lounge singer, I am the entertainer, I am the rock star, I am gay, I am wrong, I am there for the story to go down, the cocktail host-shaman, the little romantic chanteuse wanna-be," Buckley once said, trying to explain the image. He says he wanted it as the cover art for the album, but was talked out of it by friends and the record company. "All the men hated my Judy Garland jacket."

The article also mentions Judy Garland's jacket which he wears on the cover of Grace. Which would be my second obvious clue that he’s not a straight man. Idk how much you know about Judy but she was very much an icon in gay male circles at the time and prior - you can look that up if you’re unfamiliar and find plenty of info. He’s spoken about the jacket and other people have spoken about elsewhere too, you could look for more of that if you’re curious.

More directly from Jeff and related to his music is the Last Goodbye video which includes a clip of two men kissing. Pretty self explanatory. Whole video is pretty homo romantic tbh. Can’t imagine the record label was stoked about that if they didn’t even like the jacket. I imagine he would have had to fight to put that in which... why would you do that if you were straight?

Next I found some random forum thread (https://www.datalounge.com/thread/16719162-jeff-buckley) plenty of trolls and people being like no he’s straight and offering no real commentary but also some people who agreed. One gay guy who met him had assumed he was gay and didn’t find out he had a gf till after his death.

“Who actually knows? I met Jeff a bunch of times in NYC in 92/93. He was a nice guy. My BF went to NYU for grad school and I moved back there after leaving in 1988 when I graduated from there. Being back in the city, I threw myself back in the music scene. I would see him play and see him at other venues. I was 2 years older and liked Jazz. We mainly talked about music and guitars. I never asked, but always assumed he was gay. I was shocked when I found out that Joan Wasser was his girlfriend at the time of his death.”

Someone else there also mentions Judy Garland again and his cover of ‘The Man That Got Away’, you can listen to Jeff sing it on the Mystery White Boy live album. You could take his little intro to that song in a queer way too if you wanted.

Someone else in the thread also links to this 1995 MTV interview + outtakes video and just says “he seems gay in this video” which made me laugh but I mean.. they’re not really wrong. You should watch it either way because it’s a cute interview. https://youtu.be/vcxGwQKW6Ac

From the ‘In His Own Words’ book which fortunately and unfortunately is very obviously curated there are a couple things that are specifically queer. You’ll have to excuse any small errors in this, some of it is hard to read.

“Thanks for the beat, for the sumptuous rhythm you give that I continue at the silent handoff, watch me run baby. My baby’s got a strong right arm. The drag queen... such a queen, queen 4 my lust and juicy hope of happiness somewhere in this world... her back, her shoulders, her ecstatic downcast eyes that lead to her legs... just like my baby oh you should see her, you are both oh such the real thing, such the real thing... I smiled when you weren’t ready (word I can’t make out) the show and I brought you some (cut off page) kissed my cheek and it kept me (cut off page)”

“It’s something you don’t realize You’re funny that way Hatred and fascination Hatred and fascination

For the cultures closest to the earth For the lovers throughout history of the same sex For the feminine in all things For the body itself For the surrender and courage of the heart

DECODE THAT FUCKING EVANGELIST DEVIL DOCTRINE”

I feel like there was one more but I didn’t write it down and I can’t see it just flicking through the book again sorry - if I remember I’ll come back and add it next time I read it. There are other things in the book that also made me think he was queer but they were more subtle. Those are the two things that explicitly mention queerness. There’s also plenty in the book where he writes about sexual attraction to women or alludes to relationships with women so before someone comes at me about not acknowledging that - here I am. I will say though people who are gay have relationships with people of the opposite sex when they’re working themselves out, doesn’t make them any less gay. Also he could be any other variation of queer and be having relationships with people of any and all genders and identities.

You can read into all his lyrics or things he’s said in interviews or his general demeanour or whatever it is you want to. I could keep linking to what I recognise as queer coded but some of it’s more subjective and the rest of it is just too nuanced to try to articulate or argue on the internet.

Sentiment is basically that it’s very likely that he was gay or queer but that it was the 90s and that he grew up in the 70/80s - a time when being gay and out was not something one could comfortably or safely do much of the time. Especially not as a public figure. He was also very young, which unfortunately means maybe he never got to fully realise or authentically live out his queerness. Which really adds another layer of tragedy to his death if I’m honest.

If he was alive today with the evolution of queer language and general understanding we have now who’s to say how someone like Jeff - who was so obviously and openly in touch with his feminine side - would describe his gender identity let alone his sexuality.

Each to their own but if you’re queer and see yourself and your community reflected in him I don’t think anyone can accurately or definitively tell you otherwise.

It's all subjective opinion and an unsubstantiated claim imo...I don't think he was, but, as also claimed, "people that want to insist' won't be convinced otherwise...The Last Goodbye video...they seem to forget, or don't know, the part that involved Merri was inspired by Jean Cocteu who was, if the blurb I read is correct, gay... perhaps that was included to reflect that? Or maybe something similar was in something related to him that inspired? Who knows? They were also friends of her's, maybe she wanted them to be in it for whatever reason. They also miss a crucial thing: Jeff, to me anyway, did not think along lines, and may have acted in ways perceived as gay (hence being called so as a kid), but didn't think of it as being "gay" or "not gay", he just did whatever came, it doesn't necessarily mean he's gay...also, what they take as "codes" may not actually be (and people, please don't @ me, this is only my opinion and impression... I was asked, I'm replying, thanks)...

[legallybrunettedotcom]

hello !! :) today a friend of mine asked me this question and if you’re ok with it, i wanted to know your version: if you could host a party with your favourite artists ever (musicians, directors, writers, editors, actors etc) what kind of party would you organize & who would you invite?

oh what a fun question! feel free to tell me your own choices, anon! would love to know! i think i'll make it a dinner party. i can envision a beautifully decorated table, some candles, it's intimate, it's cozy. i don't know if all these people would mesh well but they are my favourites and i've connected with their artistry and work.

i definitely need fka twigs there. she's such a renaissance woman. so incredibly talented and curious. i remember when i first stumbled upon her back in high school, it was the two weeks music video and it was like finding a precious gemstone. even at that moment it felt like i just witnessed something important and crucial. everything she does is so cohesive and sturdy and idk how else to say it, but some music is like a snack, while her albums and everything that comes with them is like a five-course meal.

then i'll say trent reznor. he's a genius to me. i discovered nine inch nails when i was like 20 and it was the perfect moment. he gets me. he gets self-loathing like no one else. he wants to skin himself alive and you can hear it in his voice. there's so much variety in his discography, from industrial to these more ambient and atmospheric albums to his movie soundtrack endeavour. i think he also stayed true to his artistry, as much as one can, and i think he's funny, very no bullshit allowed type of person so yeah. and he has a super hot and talented wife that needs to come to my party too.

ok so another musician, david bowie. he's another renaissance person. i like re-invention, i like never staying the same, trying to fit as many lives as you possibly can in one life. he has that chameleon-like quality in his work and when i first discovered his music it was this moment of recognition, of someone getting the anxiety and passion that comes with creativity.

i need a painter now, and i'm choosing jean-michel basquiat. when i was a child, i used to catch this movie called basquiat from 1996 on tv all the time and i was so transfixed. looking back it's not a particularly great movie or like a super accurate depiction of his life, but at the time i didn't know that. i was just in awe. like as an idk 10 year old i've never seen someone so interesting and different and cool. it was a sort of entrance into the art world beyond those like classic old masters.

for film, well my favourite director is david fincher. i would say that everyone i list here gets my heart and the emotional aspect, while he gets my brain. his films scratch my brain and there is something clinical and sterile about his films that attracts me. he dissects things, he's a surgeon and an investigator, he gets research, all his characters are obsessive freaks who can't stop peeling the layers of the object of their obsession.

another film person. i'm choosing someone who is a menace and might create some commotion at the party and that's dennis hopper. his story, in his own words, is the one of great potential largely squandered by a rebellious nature and self-destructive hedonism. he's just an interesting guy and i think it would be so fun to hear his stories, but underneath all these crazy stories and like life ruining decisions is someone whose approach to life is very much create or die.

i think i need a writer there and tbh i don't really have favourite writers. i have my favourite books but i still haven't found my writer, like someone who i cling to, but i'll choose my favourite poet who is rainer maria rilke. he wasn't really religious but his poetry was doused in it, the way he talked about God was so beautiful and different. his art was his prayers and i feel like all i was supposed to get from religion i never did, but instead it was art and philosophy that offered that to me. he was someone who believed he was nothing if he wasn't an artist and he was this eternal spectator in life, you can really see his dedication to details in his words. i love the way he talks about nature, i am instantly there wherever his words are. i think he was just a very sensitive soul burdened by the search for truth that he'll never be able to touch.

i think i'll stop here. it's so funny bc i now notice 5 out of 7 of these are earth signs lmao.

[quartergremlin]

Top 5 anime?

what have you dome. there was so much litigation for this one. i had to consult people (one guy) (it was fun).

Im going to only include tv shows, not movies or (only)manga. And exclude "american anime" (it is very valid its just too many new options) and shows that are currently being released.

1- Soul Eater:

Beautiful animation, beautiful fights, beautiful story. Its funny and thoughtful and I wish the ending wasn't as jank as it was (as an anime from a manga that got cut short). I have the whole series second-hand from a friend's brother who knew how to burn dvds and watched it religiously through my early teens. Maka and soul's relationship drives me insane. Romantic or not, they are completely devoted to each other and on rewatch i love how their individual strengths work with their dynamic even in their introduction episode.

2- Ouran High School Host Club:

It definitely shows its age in some places, but years later ohshc is still a fun watch. Its cute! Its got romance! Its got gender schennanigains! It was my first brush with anything queer as a kid and kassanoda - bisexual king - deserves the world.

3- Blue Period:

One of the only anime ill only watch the sub of. Every episode fucks me up artistically (sometimes positively sometimes negatively) and it helped me understand composition better than art school did. I enjoy the large cast with a wide range of views on art and school and paths and their personalities clash beautifully! Cons: Too many characters with y names. I get confused.

4- Mob psycho 100:

You know why. Its beautiful. With a beautiful message.

5- Deca-dence:

THIS ONE GOES OUT THE FIVE OTHER PEOPLE WHO'VE WATCHED THIS SHOW MWAH! Do you like gay robots? Found family monster hunters? Post-capitalism post-apocalypse city car with a giant fist on top?? Wait where are you going come back the main character is disabled and it isn't "fixed" hey-

+1- My Dress-Up Darling:

Im a dirty cheater but I already cut so many things from this list let me live. I've gotta insist on the dub for this one, the sub reads as a more literal translation and the characters personalities (esp marin's) really shine in the English dub! The romance is cute, but marin and gojo's budding friendship is even cuter! they bring out the best in each other and it explores the technical details of cosplaying in a way thats genuinely interesting!

[houkagokappa]

The Yuri Manga Post

From when I first came across yuri manga a decade ago, followed by a long break from it due to the excruciating longing I’d experience reading about girls loving girls while not experiencing it myself, I’d been wanting to get back to reading yuri manga again. The loneliness hasn’t gone anywhere, but my love towards girls and girls loving girls has remained, and I’ve wanted to take part in it once more.

What got me started was Hanamonogatari by schwinn. People were hyping it up on twitter as old woman yuri, and not just yuri involving a grown adult, but an actual grandmother. So far only 2 chapters have been translated, so I don’t have a whole lot to say about the series. It’s a nice change of pace to read about someone in their 60′s, and it’s wholesome to see how they discover make-up as a new hobby and the salesperson as a new romantic interest. Life doesn’t end after your 20′s, y’all!

This inspired me to check out what else is popular these days, and one of the first works I saw recommended was Mahou Shoujo ni Akogarete by Akihiro Ononaka, which is the polar-opposite to Hanamonogatari. It’s about a young girl who adores magical girls, but ends up becoming a villain forced to fight them. Her new alter-ego is sadistic and enjoys teasing and torturing her opponents. The manga feels like a combination of Douman Seiman’s works and Kill la Kill, the way it’s stylized with high contrasts and contains plenty of wacky, sexy comedy that takes things just a little too far for comfort. Personally I love it. It’s not a manga for everyone, and I wish it would start wrapping up soon after 9 volumes, before it starts repeating itself too much. It’s been one of the most refreshing manga I’ve read in a while, a funny parody with an amazing artstyle, even if it also contains some... questionable scenes.

Looking at more conventional works, I picked up Ki ni Natteru Hito ga Otoko ja Nakatta by Agu. It’s about a high school girl who falls for a guy as they bond over similar tastes in music, but as the title suggests, it turns out the guy’s actually a girl and her classmate (disguised in her casual/alternative style). The manga releases on twitter, and it’s been a fun exercise for me to keep up with it in Japanese. The twitter releases have also allowed Agu to use some colour, adding lime green to the traditional black and white, which makes the manga stand out and look really cool. The art itself is great too, both girls are super cute with their own distinctive styles. I like seeing how their relationship develops and I’m glad that it doesn’t dwell on the initial misunderstanding for too long. I will say that it’s a shame to be caught up with the story, since each weekly update is only 4 pages long and I’d rather read this in one go.

Next, I picked up Kakeochi Girl by Battan, since it was recent and renowned, with gorgeous covers. It’s about a woman who runs into her old high school sweetheart again after 10 years. While she never got over her, her old lover is now about to get married to a man, and have his baby. I wasn’t a huge fan of this manga. I thought it was sad how the main girl hadn’t been able to move on and felt stuck with her life for so long, while her romantic interest was stuck making bad decisions. I also didn’t like how the husband was portrayed as a villain of comical proportions. I think there’s value to the story which explores what comphet does to a woman, but it’s not something I care to read about when men become too central to the story. I also have conflicting feelings about the art. The covers, illustrations and some pages were absolutely gorgeous, and I love how Battan portrays different feelings, especially whenever something’s a little scary, but exciting, with tingles and sparks, but I’m not a huge fan of her style when it comes to the eyes and other facial features, which is a stylistic choice for her and a personal preference of mine.

I gave Battan another chance with Ane no Yuujin, since I couldn’t resist the enthralling, sensual cover. I liked it better than Kakeochi Girl, and it helped me appreciate the art more, thanks to her excellent portrayal of longing and joy. I was about to say that I liked the characters better too, but now that I think about it, I’m not sure I did. I think the fact that this was much shorter and focused on more characters masked it for me. I don’t think Battan’s works are for me, but I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who do love them for good reason!

I continued my yuri journey with another work I’d seen and heard much about, Sayonara Rose Garden by Dr. Pepperco. It’s about a Japanese maid who works for an English noblewoman, set in England in the early 1900′s. My first impression was that Dr. Pepperco is a genius for this setting and combination of aesthetics, with the Japanese maid dressing in kimono off-duty (!!!). The manga is beautifully drawn, and I enjoyed both main characters, but unfortunately a man had to get between them as well. It makes sense considering the setting, but it’s still not something I enjoy reading about, so my initial excitement was dulled out after the first volume. Overall it was a good read with great art, but because of my high expectations and slight disappointment, it didn’t end up as a favourite of mine.

After getting worried about not finding any more good yuri to read, I was happy to discover Ikemen Girl to Hakoiri Musume by Mochi au Lait and majoccoid. It’s another manga where one girl mistakes her classmate for a man and falls for them. Here the girl confesses right at the start, the other one accepts as a joke, and they end up dating while the misunderstandings are still at play. The girl who was mistaken for a man is incredibly sympathetic and a whole mood (TM), while her girlfriend is super bubbly and sweet. The manga is light-hearted and funny, and I wish I could find something similar to this, since it’s been one of my favorites.

Next up I read Yuunagi Marbled and Kimi Koi Limit by Momono Moto. Yuunagi Marbled was a tad bit on the edgy side, but still an okay read. Kimi Koi Limit had a real mess of a main character, which I enjoyed immensely, since I’ve been looking for something like that in yuri works. After all these stories about women who suddenly end up in lesbian relationships, or who have to hide the fact they want to be in them, it was refreshing to read about women who were open and assertive about their interests. I can’t say either of these works left a strong impression on me beyond that, but I found the girls cute and they were easy enough to read.

Then I went on to read Papa no Sexy Doll by Kajikawa Gaku. Look. The title is questionable. And the manga is indeed about a girl and her dad both having some sort of relationship with an android to get over the loss of the girls’ mother. I checked it out because I read something else by the same author, which left me curious about what else they’d done. Then I wanted to check what Papa no Sexy Doll could possibly be about, since it wasn’t marked as r-18. It was a pleasant surprise to see that it was yuri, and I actually got attached to the main character, who’s a young girl going through a rough patch with her crush/girlfriend and seeking solace (not necessarily sexual, but also that kind of comfort) from the titular doll. There are only a few chapters out and it’s still ongoing, but so far it’s been a nice story about loss and the pains of growing up. I can’t recommend it for everyone, but it’s been a pleasant surprise for sure.      

To continue with more questionable works, I was excited to give Kyou wa Kanojo ga Inai kara by Iwami Kiyoko a try, based on the gorgeous art and a powerful line I randomly came across and had to fish out the source for. Like the title suggests, it’s about a girl in a lesbian relationship, but said girlfriend is still in the closet afraid to show any sort of affection towards her in public. Furthermore, she keeps ignoring her in favour of club activities, which leaves our main girl sad and lonely. A third girl shows up, and with a few pushes, the main girl starts two-timing her girlfriend. I love how horrible the girls are, and how easy it is to see what drove them to be the way they are. The art is to die for, and although I can’t recommend such a controversial topic to everyone, it’s been one of my favorites. The manga is still ongoing, with 4 volumes currently, and things are heating up!

After reading all these popular and currently talked-about series, and not finding that much more looking though what’s popular, I discovered the greatness of Interest Stacks on MAL. There were a few collections with titles and covers that looked intriguing, and I started reading older works, with the oldest being Maya no Souretsu by Ichijo Yukari, published in 1972. I love the 70′s shoujo manga style, and the story was a tragic wild-ride about loss and revenge.

From there I kinda fell down the rabbit hole that was 90′s josei. Some of the yuri works I read were Love Vibes and Sheets no Sukima by Erica Sakurazawa. They are both about messy relationships that involve a lot of sex and cheating, and while love between women was central for both, there was more action between women and men. Because I read other josei works from the same era before these two, I came in thinking it was cool to see women be active and forward, so I didn’t mind it, but I do think Sheets no Sukima in particular suffered from not developing the relationship between the two women further. The ending was incredibly unsatisfying and abrupt, even if it could be seen as realistic and tragic in a way I usually love, because it reflects how uncertain and unsatisfying real life can be. I definitely preferred Love Vibes out of the two, where the feelings were more clear and reciprocated. Both works had a charming artstyle, and the girls were cute so it was nice reading them.

Back to the present day, although ready to take a journey into the past, I continued with Yume no Hashibashi by Sudou Yumi. It’s about two women in their mid-80′s who have been in love with each other since they were 14/15, but unable to be with each other due to various societal reasons. The manga starts with them in their old age and progresses backwards in time, with each chapter giving us a small glimpse of the choices they made and the feelings they had throughout different periods in their lives. It’s quite an interesting structure, and I loved seeing what drove the characters to make the decisions they did, when I already knew what they would lead to, and to see what prevented them from choosing to be with each other throughout the years. I wasn’t sure what to think of it based on the first two chapters, but I was crying as I reached the end. It was tragic, yet beautiful, and what hurts the most is how there are people out there who have gone through similar experiences. This was another favourite of mine and I highly recommend it, with the warning that it’s a heartbreaking read. I’d love to read more yuri by this mangaka, but unfortunately I couldn’t find much else.

Following these, I read Nettai Shoujo by Yoshitomi Akihito. I picked it up after reading Balance Policy, also by him, thanks to the nice cover art. Balance Policy contained some yuri as well, which would ordinarily be a nice bonus, except here it was paired with some of the most absurd ideas of how women work I’ve come across in a long time (weird stuff about periods etc.). Along with some other choices, it was quite obvious it was written by a man. I don’t think gender should prevent you from writing whatever, and I can even appreciate yuri that’s created for the male gaze, but oh man does it hurt when it’s combined with bad writing. Both Balance Policy and Nettai Shoujo got me though, since they depict summer in the countryside, which is one of my biggest weaknesses when it comes to manga settings, especially paired with queer themes. Nettai Shoujo is a collection of shorts around that theme, and it delivers, save for a couple instances where you can clearly tell it was written by a man, and a few “but I’m a girl” lines, which I didn’t know I’d come to dislike as much as I now do. In their defence, it was written in 2007, so I can’t be too mad about it.

It was only after reading Nettai Shoujo that I realised Yoshitomi Akihito is the man behind Blue Drop. I’ve read one or two installations from the series and I’ve always wanted to read through them all, so I’m now stuck in this weird love-hate relationship with Yoshitomi Akihito and his works. I’ve gotten quite busy, so I haven’t had the time to read more than the first (original) volume so far. I love the art and the sci-fi setting of lesbian aliens taking over Earth, but it feels aged and contains gratuitous fanservice, which I don’t enjoy. The girls are either undressing themselves at weird moments, too often, or it’s done to them in a way which feels exploitative. I’ll read and reread the rest of Blue Drop, and I’ll probably check out the anime too, but for now, I no longer have the time. Pride month is coming to an end too, so this shall be it for my big yuri manga review.

Thank you for taking the time to read any or all of this!

I hope you’ve been able to read some good yuri as well, and if you have any recommendations I’m happy to receive them!

[msperfectsheep-posts]

Okay Note here. CHARACTER ASK. i7 Torao, Haruka, and Nagi. Ouran High School Haruhi. Batman Jason. Anyone in persona you must talk about (I don't know anyone there). Did I miss someone? (You don't have to do all. I am mereky curious)

THANK YOU NOTE!!! I'm gonna put all of these beneath a cut just so I don't clog up people's dashes <3

Torao Mido: (IDOLiSH7)

Torao is the kind of character where you're like "literally why is he in the main cast when everyone else is a banger" and then you realize that his arc is just 4-5/6ths of the way into the story and you go Oh. Oh. I get it now. That's him. That said, I want to blast him with a fire hose.

Haruka Isumi: (IDOLiSH7)

Haruka was my discord pfp for several months and I think that says a lot already. I love him so much, he's like. so bulliable and he should be bullied. Dramatic ass teenager baby that dresses like an e-boy. I love him so much and every time he bleps (:P) in official art I want to Die. Prime blorbo material.

Nagi Rokuya: (IDOLiSH7)

I'll admit outright that, as someone who had Ouran High School Host Club change my brain chemistry forever when I was a child, and with i7 having a main character named Tamaki, I CONSTANTLY called Nagi "Tamaki" during the first season just because he was the silly blond weeb guy!! I was like holy shit there's two of them. And then I got to parts 3 and 4 and I was like Oh Holy Shit they're even more similar than I thought :'). Nagi is a BELOVED character of mine but it took a moment for me to grow into loving his character. I wish I saw more fan content of him because he fucking rocks, but he's also just on a different plane from a lot of the more popular characters and I get it. I love how everyone respects him as they should though. My king forever and ever.

Haruhi Fujioka: (Ouran High School Host Club)

SPEAKING OF OURAN HIGH SCHOOL HOST CLUB. Haruhi's arc in the anime and manga is a little different, and obviously the anime wasn't supposed to end where it did, but with the changes the director and writers made, I truly believe that it would be impossible for the animeverse to end the same way the mangaverse did. Anyways Haruhi is a really funny character because she's supposed to be the straightman in a lot of the jokes, but she's just as dramatic and silly as everyone else. And it's great. 10/10 protagonist, every time I think of her I think of that tumblr post about her with the big brown eyes and I go Yeah. yeah.

Jason Todd: (DC Comics; Batman)

(If you can't read that square, it says "SCOTT LOBDELL")

Jason was NOT my favorite DC character or even Robin for a long, long time. I only really got into his character when I started working on my fic, Beyond Imagination, and had to start analyzing what a younger Jason was like and how he would interact with the world in a modern day and age. All of the Batman characters get flanderized and mischaracterized by fanon and canon a lot, so it's hard to figure out what was generally agreed upon as canon unless you read yourself, but Jason's got a strong story and personality that really shined with his resurrection. I'd say it's one of the best uses of reviving a character thought to be dead, and every time I think about his death and like. both the in-universe and real life events that lead up to it, I get emotional. Great character that makes me deeply ill to think of from a meta-perspective.

Maya Amano: (Persona 2 Innocent Sin & Persona 2 Eternal Punishment)

Okay so. You may have noticed I tagged two Persona games for her and that's because, spoilers for Persona 2, the first Persona 2 (Innocent Sin) is a timeline that fails. The game with you resetting the timeline because you fucked up that badly, and the second Persona 2 (Eternal Punishment) is your second shot and doing things over. HOWEVER. Maya changes with the timelines because she was doomed to die with how things were set up in Innocent Sin, and fixing that to give the timeline a shot in Eternal Punishment changes her as a character. This bingo is more about Innocent Sin Maya, who is a 23 year old girlfailure reporter that makes me Deeply Deeply Ill. If you're ever curious, you can send me an ask and I'll talk about her more in depth because Persona 2 isn't the easiest game to play

Thank you for the ask!!!

[k-n-e-o]

Nct Dream as high school students

This has been in my drafts for years! I’ve just reread it now and I think it’s pretty decent to post lol.

This is also mildly based off of my own highschool experience (which it’s now been years since I’ve graduated so obviously not current experience lol)

Disclaimer: this doesn’t have mark in it because he wasn’t back in nct dream at the time of writing, so I had it in my head that he already graduated and is in college

—————-

[ Renjun ]

This is used a lot but it fits him so well

He’s our little artist

Loved art class

Helps the drama kids make the props and costumes

Made a chair once for an art project, absolutely hated it (this was taken from something a friend of mine had to do once lol)

He was covered in black, red, yellow, and blue wood stain for weeks

He also smelled like saw dust for a while too

I think he’s the only one that would make and bring his lunch just because he doesn’t want to have to deal with the other idiots at the school during lunch

Him and the boys stay in the art room at lunch, it’s quieter

I want to say he’s the only one in the group that actually studies

But knowing this group of boys,

None of them are getting anything done lol

[ Jeno ]

We all know this boy is the jock of the group.

He’s also one of the responsible ones

Being the driver of the dreams carpool to school everyday

He also uses the schools fitness centre (basically a weight room and stuff)

Gets his lunch money stolen by Haechan all the time so he now brings double so he’s not asking Jaemin to steal stuff from the cafeteria

Track and field boy

Probably beats his own records every year

Also probably does football with Jaemin (spoiler?)

A goofball in all his classes, especially the ones he shares with Jaemin

Leaves little smiley faces on his friends work when they aren’t looking.

[ Haechan ]

I’m sorry but he’s a theatre boy

Auditions for all of the plays

Leaves his I.D card on the stage all the damn time

So he can’t sign out a computer when he needs one

Ends up using his phone instead and sometimes gets in trouble for it

He’s known all around the school even if people don’t actually know him they know of him

Every teacher knows him too

And they only roll their eyes when he’s loud and goofy in class

I won’t lie he probably doesn’t know any of the names of people in his class so he has to ask whenever he’s paired up with them for projects even though he’s been going to school with them for years already (how can you tell I was the person who people forgot lol)

But they can’t be mad at him for long when he’s got them bent over in laughter a few seconds later

[ Jaemin ]

In culinary arts, so he gets free food sometimes

Especially when he works in the cafeteria at lunch

Sometimes if jeno doesn’t have lunch money Jaemin will sneak some fries out for him

Also on the football team

(I don’t know why I see him doing this but I do so fight me)

Forgets his water bottle all the damn time so had to do push-ups whenever any of the football coaches catch him

Heart breaker of the century

Has girls (and some guys) staring at him and stalking his social media

Taking bio and chem at the same time

Quickly regrets that choice he made lol

Spends his spares annoying Renjun in art

Ends up painting his arm or hand and gets scolded by the art teacher

Friends with almost all of his teachers

Yes like Haechan he’s also that kid who the teachers know instantly by name and who they tell their other classes funny stories about

Probably almost blew up the chemistry lab with Haechan once

Now Haechan and him aren’t allowed to touch any of the lab equipment

Works out with jeno but sometimes slacks off

Makes jeno stop by the local coffee shop every morning on the dreamies way to school

[ Chenle ]

I don’t know why but I struggled so much with Chenles

It’s weird

He’s probably a band student who uses the piano in the room as often as he can.

He goes into the band room in the morning when jeno and Jaemin have early football practice and he goes when he has a spare

And when he’s still there after the school he plays the piano

I mean, he probably has like three pianos at home

But there’s something about the giant nearly empty room

And just playing the piano just to play

He’s a simple boy with simple desires

You can expect this boy will try out for the basketball team

And if he’s not with his friends or at a piano in the band room

He’ll probably be in the gym shooting hoops

Hate hate hates doing homework

He’s the main reason why Jisung gets nothing done too lol

Also if the dreamies aren’t “studying” at a cafe you can bet they are at Chenles house

And the only reason is because his house is the only one that can fit all six of them comfortably

Sometimes mark joins too, for old times sake

[ Jisung ]

You can fight me on this but this boy would be in the poetry slam club

He’s that quite cute boy who everyone glances at through out the meeting

Never used his locker

Instead he puts all his stuff in Chenles locker because, and I quote

“It’s easier”

Goes to all the sports games cause Chenle drags him there

Attempts to study

But we all not that ain’t happening

Gets really stressed during exam season

Probably eats one to many instant ramen packages

(He found Chenles secret stash)

Probably doesn’t skip class

Although he tried it once with Haechan but decided it wasn’t his thing

Eats lunch with the others at a near by food place every Friday as an end of the week treat

Is late to his afternoon class because they lost track of time

He’s the one always asking for a pencil or a pen

Probably tried out for the soccer team

And obviously got in

Kinda disappointed that the soccer season is short tho

But works hard none the less

Always forgetting his water bottle

Works on his writing when he has a moment of free time in class

Probably the kind to leave little love notes in his crushes locker

I don’t think he’s a huge party person

But he gets invited to a lot of them

Always complains about his student I.D photo 

But it’s not as bad as he says it is

Hands in assignments late because he keeps forgetting to do them

[rawrrbats]

The Twisted Wonderland fandom makes me sad (rant)

I’m going to be honest. For a fandom of a videogame where you only need to be like 5 to play and most of the characters in the main cast are kids, it sure has a lot of weird nsfw content…I wouldn’t say anything if it was of the few adult characters, but the most popular ones are of the younger ones…it’s disgusting. Most “popular” people in this fandom follow accounts that post this kind of stuff too.

Twisted Wonderland, for what it is, is a beautiful game with a beautiful story, and it’s a shame that people only seem to care about how “hot” the characters are, even if they’re teens, and shipping another character or yourself with them or whatever. Nothing wrong with shipping or selfshipping or whatever (as long as it’s not nsfw stuff with teens obviously), most ships and OCs are cute and funny! But it becomes weird when it’s all the fandom can think of when thinking of these characters, ESPECIALLY when it’s done in a very nsfw kind of way, which is the case for the majority of this fandom.

I can not count with both of my hands the amount of accounts I had to block because they either make weird incestuous fanart, ship adults with non-adults or make nsfw fanart of TEEN characters!!! Like how can you make weird art of minors and have the courage to put “minors dni” in your bio?!

“Oh but what if the people making those are teens too?” Most of them are not, trust me, I always check their bios.

“Don’t worry, they’re just anime characters that don’t even look that much like their age” Yes they DO, that’s the issue. Or are you going to tell me that Ace Trappola does not look like the most stereotypically 16 year old boy ever?! I even remember reading somewhere that the artist and author (Yana Toboso right…?) made a special effort for the characters to look their age.

Another argument I have seen is that some characters, like the twins, may have started as 17 in the story but have probably already turned 18 by now, since their birthday technically already passed, which is WRONG.

If NRC is following the “European model” of schools then the twins would have started the year as 16 year olds, and then after book 2 they become 17 year olds. Basically you turn the age you’re supposed to be in a school year in the year the school year starts. I know this is confusing so let me give you an example:

person A is born in January and person B is born in October. They both go to the same school. They start 11th grade, where they are supposed to be 16 in september 2024. This means that person A turns 16 in January 2024 but person B only turns 16 in October 2024, still in the same year the school year starts but after the school year already started.

Even if you guys were only attracted to these teens because of a weird high school nostalgia fetish, you guys still have Lilia and LEONA, who is 20 and GORGEOUS AS HELL, HELLO???

(and technically all of the 3rd years but to me that is being on thin ice)

Sorry for bad English

[anhed-nia]

I have way too much shit to do over the next few days starting tonight, so yesterday I decided to stay on the couch and have cramps and vegetate and watch all the lady movies I've been sleeping on.

EILEEN is pretty much what I expected, it's good but not great and a little pretentious, but the character study with Thomasin McKenzie is really cool. Or maybe I just thought that because she reminded me so much of a close friend of mine that I just decided the movie was about my friend and it was more fun that way.

THE ASSISTANT was also about what I expected, good but not great and sort of predictable--although I like how it plays like a thriller even though what's happening is sadly mundane and unsurprising. That approach works pretty well for this movie.

THE SOUVENIR is not a masterpiece but very strong, and disturbing. One critic called it a type of horror film. Years ago I was in a version of the awful relationship at the heart of this movie, and although that guy didn't have the excuse of [SPOILER REDACTED], all of his behavior and its effects on me were basically the same. It could have literally been him on the screen. My viewing experience was pretty tainted by unpleasant, shameful flashbacks and although I'm confident in saying it's a good movie, it's hard for me to imagine what it's like to watch it if you don't connect it directly to your own biography. I'll just never know what it's like as a pure work of art.

The funny thing about THE SOUVENIR is that it has this weird Rotten Tomatoes ratio were the audience score is really low, I wonder what that's about. Maybe it's just one of those things where general audiences are more resistant to being Very Bummed Out than film critics and aficionados. Or maybe it's that dumb thing where audiences find the choices of the victimized protagonist too hard to relate to because of the media they've been trained on. I often notice this in discussions about horror movies where the characters are motivated by fear, hysteria, dissociation, incomprehension, and other totally normal responses to extreme experience, and shallow unimaginative viewers go "UGH why did she do THAT, THAT'S not what I WOULD DO," and not only is it exactly what they would do in an incomprehensible situation, but their basis of comparison is not even "rational behavior"; their basis of comparison is the behavior you see in THE BOURNE IDENTITY or something where the hero does everything perfectly all the time and because certain viewers are strongly pursuaded by inhuman perfection, they think that's the standard everyone should be meeting, that's what they think is "realistic". It's stupid and ignorant and egotistical, and it's actually part of my secret criteria for who I can and cannot be friends with.

But anyway that's kind of what THE SOUVENIR PART II is about, which has high ratings for both critics and audience. It is a better movie, to some degree, but it was extra fascinating to me because as the protagonist uses her senior film school project to do a post mortem on her awful relationship, she is confronted with the fact that nobody quite gets what the story is about because none of her cast or crew have been in her shoes and they find the whole thing unconvincing. They don't get why the heroine subjects herself to abuse, or how to humanize the guy who seems like a total monster. You know, why is she so weak, he's "obviously" bad, what is the logic of this situation? All this black and white, judgmental thinking from people who are lucky enough not to have had to live through such a thing. The truth is that the abusive relationships are sort of absurdist in nature, they don't play by the normal rules, even the laws of time and space bend around this black hole you're being sucked into, which the heroine finds out as she's trying to put scenes in order. Strong stuff.

THE SOUVENIR PART II reminded me of this great rant Joe Bob Briggs has about "strong female protagonists" that basically amounts to the idea that characters should be whoever they need to be to serve the story. They're not exemplars of some ideal state of existence for us all to emulate--I mean unless they are, but that's under fairly specific conditions. His example is always Laurie Strode, who is typically upheld as a Strong Female Protagonist even though she doesn't become that thing until years down the road; in the meantime, she is a completely normal person with anxieties and phobias and insecurities and perfectly rational responses to Michael Myers. And that's what makes her so relatable, not her perfection, but her humanity.

[EDIT: Pardon me if the tone of this is a little alien to this blog. I don't even know if it definitely is, or if anyone cares, but I couldn't figure out where to put this post because I don't post much autobiographical material here anymore and I try to make the content of this blog reasonably appropriate for colleagues to see in both tone and content (like this feels both too intimate and too casual to me). But, I also try to keep all my movie information over here, so this is what I picked. I'm sure this doesn't bother anyone but me, but I have to justify my own rule-breaking to myself in order to feel better, so there.]

[tsunflowers]

LIST OF GUYS IN IDOLISH7

idolish7 these are the main guys. the show is named after them. they have a rainbow theme bc there are seven of them

riku

he always works hard and does his best but he has asthma so its hard to be an idol like that

iori and tenn's evil dad think he is a "monster" bc he's so cute and friendly that everyone wants to stan him

tenn is his twin brother but they haven't lived together for years ever since tenn got a new evil dad

not in high school but not of drinking age

iori

hes meticulous and loves planning

wants everyone to take him seriously but secretly loves this hello kitty like brand of cute mascot characters

basically elected himself sub-manager of the group

kind of obsessed with riku and wants to make him a superstar but is afraid of his power (cuteness, singing good)

mitsuki is his older brother and they're close

in high school

mitsuki

he struggled to become an idol and he thinks that people hate him bc he is short and old and talks too much. hes not even old he's 21

iori's older brother

kind of the peacekeeper of the group unless he's mad at them

potentially the most normal guy

an adult

yamato

rude. love him though

calls himself onii-san (embarrassing)

hates his famous actor dad for cheating on his wife

he had beef with yuki that was so wild

loves to pound beers all the time (an adult)

nagi

hes from a made-up Scandinavian country and his dad is nobility there while his mom is from Japan

hes like your classic foreign guy who loves anime

but he also has martial arts skills and is really good at politics and holding press conferences due to being a duke or something

he might be the prince for all I know

not in high school but not old enough to drink

tamaki

basically he's like a son to me

in my mind he is like a large dog that was transmogrified into a human teen by a witch's curse

he just kind of does his own thing, gets emotional easily, and loves food. especially this one brand of pudding

he and his sister were split up so he spent a lot of time looking for her and then found out she lives with tenn and his evil dad

in a subunit with sougo so they're usually together

in high school

sougo

neurotic and a perfectionist so it's funny he has to spend time with tamaki. but he loves tamaki after three seasons

the three main jokes with him are that hes a yandere, he gets wasted easily, and he puts too much spice in food

his family is rich as fuck but they hate entertainers so he is estranged from them. I choose to also interpret this as gay coding and when his family says "entertainers" they mean "gays"

an adult

trigger this is the second set of guys. they are rivals to idolish7 and they got started as idols earlier

gaku

his dad is his boss... embarrassing :/

always mad at his dad

he's cute bc he's pretty aggressive but he's always so sweet when it comes to idolish7's manager bc he has a crush on her. but even if he didn't I think he would still be kind and gentle

sometimes pretends to be a soba delivery guy

an adult

tenn

he loves his fans more than anything and they see him as an angel but he is such a huge jackass to his brother and the guys in his unit

riku is his twin brother but he got adopted by his new evil dad to pay for riku's medical bills

usually you see him either arguing with riku or arguing with gaku and ryunosuke

not in high school but not old enough to drink

ryunosuke

his manufactured showbiz image is a hunky playboy but hes just a sweet guy

for some reason they also pretended he was rich even though his dad is a humble fisherman

AND they made him stop speaking in his native Okinawan dialect but he still does it when he gets drunk

I like him a lot but he's not often involved in insane drama so I probably don't post him a lot

an adult

re:vale they're the longest-running idol group in the series and are the senpais to everyone else. they have so much tasty drama and I love them. these are the ones I stan

momo

he started out as a fan of re:vale and then got to join it. huge success story

when he was younger he had solid black hair

he replaced yuki's former partner so he has a complex about it and thinks yuki doesn't love him as much

fun and energetic but extremely quick to escalate to violence

I feel like his moveset is 1. attack 2. do something gay

an adult

yuki

my #1 special guy in this series

cares about music more than anything else

bad personality. sarcastic. terrible

cold and rude to most people but extremely clingy with the people he's close to

gets SO embarrassed when he has to show feelings openly

also escalates to violence easily

an adult

zool I still don't know what these guys' fucking problem is bc I haven't finished the anime. I'm not actually sure if their deal gets explained in the anime. anyway they're the s3 rival group who all have a personal grudge against one or more of the previously introduced guys

haruka

he's mad bc tenn's evil dad dropped him like a hot potato for tenn

the other zools don't take him seriously bc he's a kid

in high school

touma

his band disbanded after losing to re:vale I think so that's why he's mad

clearly supposed to be the most sympathetic zool and the one who encourages the rest to be friends

BUT I tune him out whenever he speaks bc his voice actor is annoying racist kimura subaru :/

minami

my personal favorite zool

he's soft-spoken and polite but then he says the meanest shit out of nowhere

he's especially mad at nagi for being friends with a famous composer (?) but I feel like he's lashed out at pretty much everyone he's interacted with for no reason

not in high school but not old enough to drink

torao

he really is the guy ryunosuke is marketed as. since he only thinks about fucking babes and his dad is rich

yuki bullied him for being straight

I'm not actually sure which guy he's the most mad at. he did try to tank ryunosuke's career with a scandal so I guess him

an adult

other guys

banri

this is a SPOILER but he was yuki's partner in re:vale before he got hit in the head with a stage light and almost died

he had shorter hair in flashbacks

currently he is one of idolish7's managers

just like a nice and helpful guy who we only ever really see get mad at yuki in flashbacks

an adult

rinto

nickname is okarin

re:vale's manager

a normal guy who tries to stop them from being insane but isn't qualified

an adult

tsumugi's dad

ok his name is takanashi otoharu but I've never in my life called him that

runs the production company idolish7 works for

imo he has something going on with banri

an adult

tenn's evil dad

I included a full sprite so you could understand the vampire vibe this man has going on

his name is actually kujo takamasa

he was obsessed with his bestie who was a famous super idol and now he keeps trying to train random teens he finds to be better idols than that guy

an adult

tsukumo

the manager of the zools. king zool if you will

the devil

he has History with momo

he wants his idol group to be better than anyone else and crush the other companies

he needs to get some new hobbies but he's the type of guy to be like "everything I've tried before was too easy for me... I simply must pivot to doing the thing the show is about in the most evil and annoying way"

an adult

other characters that aren't guys

anesagi

she's trigger's manager

trans woman

fun and friendly but very defensive of her boys (trigger)

has a crush on nagi for some reason??

an adult

tsumugi

the player character from the game

idolish7's manager

her dad is her boss just like gaku and just like with him it's cringe. but she likes him and they don't fight

not in high school but I don't think she's old enough to drink