#gymnastic samurai

[y0uc4n7kn0w]

Why older protagonists hit different

There's just something about them... #anime #anitwt #otakuthursday

Welcome back to Otaku Thursday all my weebs and weeaboos! I hope you all enjoyed the You Can’t Know Anime Awards that came out at the end of last month, and if you didn’t, I invite you to read it here! (Shameless plug). Today, as I wind down from such a behemoth of a post, and while we prep for our next big campaign coming at you next week — Doki Doki Days – I thought today would be a great, no…

[j-fashion-wearer-otd]

Today’s J-fashion wearer is Ayu from The Gymnastic Samurai! She wears manba x kogyaru!

[doyouknowthisanime]

Do You Know This Anime?

[itsavgbltpta]

Anime No One Talks About That Live Rent Free In My Brain

There are some anime shows that I've watched, but when I go online I barely see anyone talk about them. Anime that have less than 100k views on My Anime List (I know MAL isn't the only metric out there, but it's a big one).

And yeah, these shows are probably mid to most people. But for one reason or another, I ended up really enjoying them.

So I want to share!

Dr. Ramune -Mysterious Disease Specialist- (Kai Byoui Ramune)

Dr. Ramune looks like an anime aimed at kids. It's not. The second episode is titled "The Chikuwa Penis", where a man's penis gets replaced by chikuwa - a spongy food commonly found in Japanese dishes like oden.

Dr. Ramune gets werid. And it also gets kind of dark. There's an abusive cult storyline, an arc dealing with grief gone bad, and generally some really horrible things that happen to the patients that Dr. Ramune and his assistant help out.

I think this anime would have received more attention if the character designs were more adult? Or maybe the first episode being kind of wacky with a kid that cries condiments was a no-go? But I implore you to give this show a watch.

Muteking the Dancing Hero

I am a sucker for transformation super hero/tokusatsu-esque anime. And the Muteking song that plays (nearly) every episode when he transforms and fights the bad guys is a consistent ear-worm even years later.

This is another anime that looks like it's aimed for kids. And it is definitely more kid-friendly than Dr. Ramune. But this show also has some weird and darker moments, especially towards the end of the show.

I say at least watch it for the music. Maybe you'll enjoy it as much as I did. If nothing else, maybe someone else will know what the heck I'm singing every now and again.

The Gymnastics Samurai (Taisou Zamurai)

This anime has the looks and character designs that should have attracted an audience, but the pacing/plot lacked a lot of focus. It's half sports anime, with training, rivalry, and performances (with somewhat decent CGI involved), but the other half is slice of life/drama anime with the realities of being a single parent and missing out on things mixed along with goofy every day activities with a foreigner otaku who suddenly lives with the family.

And there's a weird pet bird too.

The first half walks, the second half sprints to an ending. There are some characters that could have used a lot more fleshing out. But it was fun. Plus the OP gets a thumbs up from me.

[obscuredilfoff]

Propaganda below the cut!

Jotaro Aragaki

He’s a gymnast that was known as “the samurai” until he got in a slump, but he refuses to give up his passion for the sport. Also his daughter Rei is absolutely adorable

Ray Molina

the best dad in the fucking world. ray molina is my mom <3 he loves and supports his daughter and all he wants is for her to be happy and be able to follow her music dreams but also not pressure her into doing music when she's grieving for however long she needs to. he was ready to move his entire ass home to a different home even though he loved the house and the memories he had there, because he thought it would help her daughter with her grieving process. and he asks before coming into her room and when leaving also asks if she wants him to close the door behind him

[puppys-rhythm-heaven]

kinda weird to me how basically every other language gave all of megamix's sequels unique names and then the english version just didn't bother for 90% of them-

[nightmareentertainment]

so lyoko takes this sort of subconcious desire and natural talents from you and helps make your avatar, right? and only later it can be altered

Ulrich is a Samurai through his desire to fight in such a way, noble and composed instead of the aggressive and brash way he always comes off, (and, my friends headcanon, his respect for Yumi's culture and desire to be closer to her,) and actually has a talent for full body combat due to pencak silat.

Same with Yumi, Yumi is Kunoichi (with other inspirations like Geisha) due to her connection to her culture, who's agility and strength is also pulled from her combat knowledge and general real agility since she's shown to be a real gymnast. She's also one of the strongest on the real world.

William is a Dopplesoldner/Mercenary due to his fully voluntary fighting and general desire to fight on the front lines for the group. Not seen as a solid and reliable warrior, much like the Landsknechte, seen as simple recruitable fighters, but ultimately considered outsiders as paid workers. (Though, alternatively, his suit's resemblance could have simply been foreshadowing due to it's resemblance to Mister Pück, showing he was vulnerable and being hunted for an alternative purpose. A doll!!! what symbolism :) )

Odd is a fighter based on a cat as a sort of call to his abnormality and how free-style he generally wants to live, and due to his natural real talent in agility. He's the most creative and alternatively driven of the group, his avatar reflecting this.

and Aelita is an elf due to the connection to her childhood and how young she was when she joined Lyoko!! Also Mister Pück as inspiration, something strong to connect her to the real world, since she's pretty desperate to be there instead.

Right? So I think when it comes to other characters and headcanons on what they would be like on Lyoko, I think im spending quite a bit trying to figure out what their motivations or subconscious desires would be on that plane. and drawing from their natural talents and euheahu or idk, im having fun out here

[queenandkingofthedragons]

My second gif set of Hiroyuki Sanada as Momochi Takamaru in Shogun’s Ninja (1980).

In the 5th gif he jumps on the spears and use the samurai guys as catapults lol

His skills in gymnastics in the 6th gif also left me reeling, just WOW.

[struck-by-the-rain]

was inspired by a few other ppl on here to drop some of the kind of cringy tropey lore I made up about these 2,,, mostly how they met n stuff and how I personally see emm.... im v normal about them I prommy

maintagging this perhaps but it's under the read more so if u dgaf u can just look at the silly picture

ok sooo

they meet completely by accident because This Space Kicker In Particular (who I'm calling SK) gets a try again in space soccer and crash lands outside the karate family residence. he's fine though, probably because he's subject to cartoon physics or something (might rewrite this bit of the lore bc it's kinda goofy but it's the first thing I thought of).

v predictably they start out playing soccer together, like they take a ball to the park or whatever n just having a kick around. but they move on to hanging out in a non-soccer context pretty quickly. i imagine sk's really curious to see what earth is like (it's probably his first time there), like he's filled w whimsy and joy just to go to the cafe n stuff :) joe is meeting him behind seniors back!

sk isn't joes only friend - hes friends w yuka n the wandering samurai n a few others, but i don't know if he's actually close with them? partially because he's busy training, partially because he's quite a reserved person, n to me at least I think he struggles a lot with self-doubt/feeling inadequate for anyone around him (partially as a result of the way he was raised). not to get Angsty on main but I think he ascribes wayyy too much of his self worth on his training... I think he has a tendency to try and isolate himself from others, both physically and emotionally

sk is the opposite (tropey ik lmao) - he's v outgoing, silly n carefree almost to the point where he gets on people's nerves sometimes (he's cowboy sk's "annoying little brother" to me). I don't think he fully gets/realises exactly why joe is v reserved but I think he manages to grow close w him in spite of that... idk how to word it. but I think he's such a ray of sunshine he's able to break through whatever exterior joe has put up for himself (ik how cheesy that sounds but yeah)

ive made a post about this before but joe is v v v affection starved (because Basement) and does a terrible job at hiding it to the point where he just melts over the smallest things. sk meanwhile is suuuuuper physically affectionate so yeah

I haven't worked out exactly when this happens but I think they just kinda fall for each other over time, it takes a while for both of them to realise its mutual tho....

joe alsooo gets flustered veryyyy easily (source: karate man 2 ds superb screen). sk probs picks up on this right away lmao

im thinking sk is out here dropping the most obvious hints... but joe refuses to believe that sk would see him in that way. idk he probs does the wildest mental gymnastics assuming that sk is just being nice or it's like,,, a social norm up on his planet lmfao.

but yeah he eventually works it out too in the end... probably partially because he begins to learn to be a bit more confident in himself over time. i think they get to a point where they both v much know it's mutual but r too awkward to do anything about it/don't wanna mess up their close friendship/are too worried about the logistics/implications of living on other planets n senior. so they don't like acc Say anything or whatever for a while. but it's obvious n only gets worse over time lmfao. see the pic above the cut

blehhh silly thought but I hc sk to be besties with 6switcher who I think gets fed up of his shittt... like hes just like "Oh My God Please Just Tell Him. Like Please".

in my mind palace they end up going to the battle of the bands (joes a huge fan of the rockers but he's never been able to see them live before). and ummm after the concert they end up sitting outside live house ogu watching the stars together,,,, and u kno,,,, they kith.... woaw,,,,, but yeah I think because botb is the 1 time in game they "meet" (if u can even call it that) I thought it would be cute if it's where they end up getting together as a couple :)

hmmm like inconsequential shit unrelated to the main story but they find remix 9 cat as a stray kitten at some point during all of this n joe takes it in... i think I could do a follow up post about what happens next in the lore after botb because this is already mega long but they eventually end up living together on sk's planet and the cat comes w them :)

oh adding this on acc after I posted it, but I think when joe meets sk it's like,,, the first time in his life where he hasn't felt lonely...

[theobscurepotato]

Dear Yuletide Writer 2024

Dear Yuletide Writer:

First off, thank you! I hope you are as excited about your assignment as I am to receive it. Hopefully the lateness of my Yuletide letter didn’t panic you too much! I enjoy a wide variety of fic, and these are truly some of my favorite canons, so really you can’t go wrong...but if you are looking for a spark of inspiration, I hope this letter provides it.  

General Likes/Dislikes: 

Things I love in a Yuletide fic: M/M, UST, hurt/comfort, banter, happy endings. When I look at the canons I chose, one consistent theme is that they all end on a note of hope, yet the characters I chose within these canons don't always get to experience that. I think, more than anything, what I would love to see is a chance for these characters to catch a glimmer of it for themselves (or for each other, in the canons where I've selected a pairing). 

Things I generally don’t like in a Yuletide fic: AU’s set outside of the canon setting (coffee shop, etc), MPREG, graphic gore, body horror, unhappy endings. That being said, if you have a wild idea that goes against these, these are definitely more loose guidelines than DNW’s. 

___

Coldfire Trilogy

Damien Vryce/Gerald Tarrant Not sure if there will ever be a Yuletide where I don't request CFT fic. I do write frequently for this fandom, but just because I write in a certain style, please don’t restrict yourself to my “usual” topics. For this canon especially, I’m excited to read what you want to write.  I’m starting my millionth re-read of the trilogy, so I am excited to read anything set either during canon, or a post-canon fix-it. Give me all the banter. Give me all the UST. Give me Gerald Tarrant doing something kind (while doing mental gymnastics to justify it to himself as FOR SELFISH REASONS ONLY). Give me Damien forgetting to agonize over what GT is and just enjoying a moment with him (bonus points for him Prophet!fanboying). Give me physical contact of some sort between them, give me the soul bond! I ship these two hard, but I am happy to read pre-slash/gen.

Dimension20: Escape from the Bloodkeep

Leiland (Kraz-Thun) I watched Escape from the Bloodkeep 2 months ago(?) and once I was done, I immediately restarted it and watched the series again. Bloodkeep has some of my favorite Dropout cast characters, but of course it was Matt Mercer’s Leiland who stole the show for me. Someone on Reddit summed up Leiland as “All that dark power and regal lineage turned into a benny hill skit” and in response I can only say, that’s exactly why I’m here. I am happy with both pre and post-canon fic, gen or shippy (and not picky on ship). I’d really love to see Leiland navigate how to be Leiland, and not Kraz-Thun, and getting more comfortable in the “evil” found family he has created. Galfast Hamhead, while not requested, is of course 1000% welcome in any story.  Yoroiden Samurai Troopers (Ronin Warriors)

Shuten/Rajura

This was my first real fandom, well over two decades ago now, and Shuten/Rajura was my first ship. I definitely carried a binder plastered outside with the Masho chibi from Amanda Swiftgold’s page and stuffed to the brim with too much printed fic from Mink’s Yaoi Cake archive. This was a rare ship even then, and I am absolutely fine with gen, and fics that include all the Masho. I would of course love a fix-it fic, but I am open to exploring missing canon scenes also. I would enjoy a fic either from Rajura or Shuten’s perspective that grapples with their encounter out on the tracks, and that sprinkles in some of their shared complex history. Feel free to bend canon details in terms of what the armor enables. 

Uprooted

Solya/Marek These two have taken up residence in my brain and will not leave me alone. They truly enable each other in a way that is absolutely toxic, but I would love a fic that lets them attempt to do better by each other. I would prefer that Marek lives in your fic, whether that means exploring pre-canon events, or a missing scene during their story, and I would definitely enjoy a fix-it (just think of the hurt/comfort possibilities!) where they get to figure out their version of a happy ending. How do they navigate a world where they both wield less power? Would they be able to make their peace enough with that to carve out something new? Or would they chafe against that lack of power, and it would be that struggle that entwines them further?

[symphonic-scream]

It's me the fool back again with another au this time it's

Actual Criminals Au for P5

Where. They're real criminals.

The metaverse isn't real, and all of them grew up with qualms about how some people get away with everything. And, eventually, they all get the push they need to stop being a bystander and become Phantom Thieves

They all live in the same building, and have a secret lair under it. They pose as normal people with jobs and lives and then at night they're plastering evidence of assaulters all over Shibuya, or leaking videos of insider trading or what's on someone's hardrive

Sometimes they do normal crime like stealing from the rich to fund their bigger operations. Just for fun

Okay let's go down the list

Akira works as a bartender in a fancy hotel bar, and goes home to his "wife", Haru, each night. That's how it appears, at least. As a fresh graduate from secondary school, he ended up coming together with some friends to expose a shitty pervert for who he was, and thus began their lives as the Phantom Thieves. Joker is the ringleader, and known publicly to always be listening from the shadows

Then there's Ryuji, a middle school phys Ed teacher, married to Makoto. It's perceived to be a functioning marriage. He was a founding Thief, and is their Rough'em'up guy. Between Skull and Queen, they get their answers when they want them

Ann is next, wed to Yusuke, working as a model. Mysteriously, the guest room at their place seems to always be occupied by former top athlete Shiho. Ann's love for her best friend was one of the main flames behind the beginning of the Thieves, and Panther is key at tricking their enemies into drinking a spiked drink or spilling secrets for a moment with the attractive blonde

Okay now, Yusuke, he came later. Yeah married to Ann blah blah. He's an artist, paints in a studio all day. His former mentor drove him to the brink, but luckily the Thieves found him there, and gave him the power to drag himself back to his feet. Fox is very feared, as his harsh words and quick moves remind his enemies of an old samurai

Makoto was once looking like she would be another young officer on the streets, doomed to being beat down by the system. Now, she owns a gym a block from where she lives with her husband Ryuji, and moonlights as the fast driving, hard hitting Thief Queen. The only thing that burns brighter than her rage at the failing society around her is her homosexuality.

Software engineer Futaba lives alone, and she likes it that way, supposedly. She's gotten her act together, again, supposedly, and is no longer hacking. Yeah right. After taking down the false shepherd Medjed, Oracle does the computer work for the Thieves, keeping them in the know during missions

The final standard member of the Thieves, Haru, didn't exist until recently. Well, under the name Haru. She used to live as the sole son of the CEO of Okumura Foods, and has found a life that suits her much better. As Haru, she runs a bakery just outside the entrance of her apartment building, and lives with her husband, Akira. As Noir, she's more than willing to show that actions have consequences, though she's often aware enough to keep her act to just frightening rather than deadly

Then it's the half members, Goro and Sumire. They're legally married. One is a top tier detective, the other teaches youth gymnastics. Crow and Violet appear maybe once every other month at most, filling the roles the teams those nights need

--

Okay so this is a Polythieves au, so the married couples above are mostly for cover. Below is a simplified web of the poly workings of the group

Akira -> Goro, Sumire, Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Shiho, Haru

Ryuji -> Akira, Ann, Yusuke, Haru

Ann -> Shiho, Akira, Ryuji, Yusuke, Makoto, Haru

Yusuke -> Akira, Goro, Ryuji, Ann

Makoto -> Haru, Ann, Shiho

Futaba -> Sumire

Haru -> Makoto, Akira, Ryuji, Ann, Shiho

Goro -> Akira, Yusuke, Sumire

Sumire -> Akira, Futaba, Goro

I have lots more for this but this is just the like outline post. SEND ME ASKS IF YOU WANNA KNOW ANYTHINF OR HAVE QUESTIONS

[ghooosties]

RYOANZUGIE HEADCANONS!

Hi tumblr. Do you like gay people? I sure do!! this was a style test as i've been very inspired by milkkirie lately and wanted to redo my old ryoanzugie lineup. hope u all enjoy <3 more information + text version under the cut!

anzu kinashi is 17, uses any pronouns but prefers she/it/honk, is genderfluid, pansexual, and polyamorous. short and chubby, very circular. her accessories are usually gold. dresses in bright colors, clowncore kidcore kind of stuff. her and ranmaru are best friends!! in school i imagine she excels in sporty extracurriculars, probably does track or something. my idea of school for them is very americanized so i apologize if anyone doesn't really like that. works as a clown on the side. wants to be a gymnast so she could do some cirque du soileil shit!! she is the sun in their relationship ☀️

ryoko hirose is 17, uses they/she pronouns, is nonbinary polyamorous & a lesbian. tall and lanky. triangles. her accessories are usually silver. dresses in comfortable, loose clothing. lots of blues and greys, they are like a dark academia fairycore kind of girl But make it wintery. If that makes sense?? Best friends with Joe and Sara obviously. i imagine they are like.. a really popular person? Very well known in school, probably on a student council. Would be a teachers pet. i headcanon them and joe WERE dating but was like "i am. a lesbian. Help me?" and joe went "yeah ok i got you IF you help me with sara lol" and fake dated for a little while while ryoko wingmanned for joe. I think the two of them are super good friends and bond over being fans of Samurai Yaiba (ryoko is like reko megafan #1.) they are the moon in their relationship 🌙

kugie kizuchi is 17, uses he/she pronouns, is a transmasc nonbinary lesbian & polyamorous. short and blocky, squares and rectangles. accessories are usually bronze but dabbles in a bit of silver. black, dark, leather clothing, he dresses very punk and techwear. this design is simple but i promise i lean more into the leather jackets and spikey accessories and lots of grungey layers. I headcanon him as kind of .. mean, as a front. Very protective of the ones she loves but doesn't allow those to get close to him; keeps up an icy and distant wall. Other than that she's just kinda perpetually chilling. i think he and ranmaru have a love-hate relationship; they're mean to each other for the joke and most people probably think they hate each other but they're pretty solid pals. I know Kugie is supposed to be like sara (kind, dependable and trustworthy) i think she is dependable and trustworthy but NOT super kind. They're on opposite sides of the personality spectrum. sara is sweet and nice but kugie is blunter and ruder but theyre both still good people. he is the star in their relationship ⭐

thank you for reading and thank you for the love.

[rpking99]

Tokusatsu Part 1

Power Rangers

MMPR Pink Ranger/Kimberly Ann Heart

Ranger Slayer/Kimberly Heart (World of the Coinless)

Kim is one of the original five chosen by Zordon to become a power ranger. A trained gymnast she is spunky, quick witted and always ready for a fight.

But Ranger Slayer is from a dark future. One where Lord Drakkon, the evil future version of Tommy the Green Ranger, has taken over. Given the Bow of Darkness, she was remade into his Ranger Slayer for years. Now trapped in this alternate last she is freed. She is less jokey than her younger self, more snarky instead

MMPR Yellow Ranger/Yellow Omega Ranger/Red Omega Ranger/Trini Kwan

Scorpina

Rita Repulsa/Movie Version/MMPR Green

Super Sentai

Samurai Sentai Shinkenger

Princess Shinken Red/Karou Shiba

Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger

GokaiYellow/Luka Milfy

GokaiPink/Ahim de Famille

Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger

KyoryuPink/Amy Yuuzuki

KyoryuViolet/Yayoi Ulshade

Candelilla

Luckyuro

Dobutsu Sentai ZyuOhger

ZyuOhShark/Sela

ZyuOhTiger/Amu

Kaito Sentai LupinRanger Vs Keisatsu Sentai PatRanger

LupinYellow/Umika Hayami

PatrenSangou/Tsukasa Myoujin

Mashin Sentai Kiramager

Yodonna

Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger

ZenkaiMagine/Magine

Avatar Sentai DonBrothers

OniSister/Haruka Kito

Sononi

Ohsama Sentai KingOhger

KamakiriOhger/Hymeno Ran

PapillionOhger/Rita Kaniska

Rita is the ruler, the Soverign, of Gokkun. The Icey kingdom of Terra. They are also the Chief Justice, the judge of the planet. Someone who tries and practice pure impartialness, to be as fair and honest a judge as possible. Rita is non-binary, using they/them pronouns.

Nephila Idmonarak Ne

Ultraman

Mother Of Ultra/Ultrawoman Marie

Ultrawoman Grigio

Grigio Darkness

Carmeara

Total Muses: 27

[toastypockets]

Do you have any headcanons about Momakase?

i have a handful of them after all the time i've spent thinking about her 🤭💕💕💕

1.

In Fan Friction, Obake gave Momakase a small graphene shard to help her escape prison. It either came from one of her own blades, or Obake had produced one himself, but that little tool marked the beginning of her whole affair with him and his crew, so I think she kept it after all this time instead of discarding it. Now that Obake is also dead, she holds onto it for additional sentimental reasons. 🥲

2.

I like the idea of Momakase being from the UK, since she's got that British accent in her English, but I believe she was deeply connected to her Japanese roots. Her family used to own a daishō. Maybe they once had more? Maybe she descended from an ancient line of samurai? They're frequent thoughts of Momakase's because she knows how good she is at this stuff. 🥷

3.

Like pretty much the entire population of San Fransokyo, Momakase also fell for the baby mayoi that Mr. Sparkles controlled. Even though she understood what they would become because of Di Amara, she couldn't resist trying to adopt one and it embarrasses her from time to time. But she would have been a great mother. 😔

4.

This one's more about her attire, but, Momakase depends on collapsible heels. With San Fransokyo set in the future and everything, I'm sure they've developed the perfect shoes for good looks and extreme-gymnastics stunts. They're one of the few things Momakase pays for instead of steals. 🫢

5.

Being a sushi chef was something Momakase didn't take seriously until she realized that she was exceptional in the craft. Before, it simply covered her real work as a blade-for-hire. Now, she's very proud of it and even makes good money. If anyone asks her though, she lies and claims she's been in the sushi business her whole life. 🍣

[finlands-beret]

11, 12, and 13 for the anime ask!

11. anime you didn’t expect to like but did Earlier this year I finally got Moribito in a sale; it was better than what I had in mind! Ditto Blood-C; I rather liked the plot twist. 12. anime that should get more attention from others Dororo (2021), Un-Go, Ronja the Robber's Daughter, Project Blue Earth SOS, Le Chavalier D'Eon, and The Gymnastics Samurai, just to name six. 13. funnest anime you have watched If by "funnest anime" we're talking "anime I've had the most amount of fun watching", then most recently, that would have to go to Ranking of Kings. Out of all the anime I've watched, however... Then I would have to say Monster.

[the-outer-topic]

Are you a fan of the Conan movies with Arnold?

Hello Anon, thanks for the question! I like to talk (or write) about the things I love. The fist film is a good movie in its own right, but it's Millius story and vision of the character and, not Howard's. I dislike the infatuation with Asian things of the 70s-80s, you know when Conan is taught swordmanship by some Asian and he strikes poses with the sword to show off his muscles, but the more I know about Western swordmanship and see videos of reenactors reliving ancient swordplay, the more I dislike all that stuff that was cool in the 80s, ninjas , samurais, kung fu, and all that, and the more I lament that in Hollywood we don't get proper and realistic sword fights. It's either effete fencing with foils or exaggerated coreography with somersaults. The film is good but not great, the best part is the soundtrack is so good I recalled it and now playing it . Comics are much more faithful to the original movies. I don't really like Arnold, now that I think of it perhaps Dolph Lundgren with dark hair would have been a better Conan. I don't like Arnold much, I don't care about the German accent, as I watch movies dubbed into Spanish, I hardly can understand spoken English as it is. Arnold physique is magnificent, but he's an awful actor, even Stallone with his facial paralysis is better, and has improved with age.

I think the movie was a bad influence on artists like Royo. All his girls have the same face, all his guys look like Arnold. I also dislike the stereotype of Conan as a hulking brute who talks in grunts. Too much muscle, I think. Conan as depicted in the novels would have the body of a olympic gymnast and feline grace. Also I dislike the stereotype of mountain of muscles and no brain. Conan is no intellectual but he's very smart, cunning and articulate. Above all things, Conan is a leader of men, and in a world before the printing press, culture was oral. Story telling, verses , songs. Conan perhaps does not talk much, after all, his stories are action adventures, but Conan does not become king on the strength of his sword arm alone, he does know to talk. After all, the stories of Conan are supposed to be reminiscences in his old age, as he tells his drinking buddies his adventures as he recalls them as the mood suits him., Conan is not only a warlord that knows how to harangue his men, but he also knows how to haggle, cajole and persuade.

There's something of Howard the writer in the character of Conan.

Due to the constraints of media, both in comics and film Conan is always scowling, a tight lipped stoical, which is sad because it deprives him of his humanity. Conan is a sensualist, glutton, drunkard, lascivious, and emotional to both extremes of mirth and melancholy. What sets it apart from a mere hedonist is his ambition and thirst for power. It's not just that he wants power to have riches and enjoy the nice things in life, he resembles the Nietzschean superman in the "will for power". Conan wants to rule, to be obeyed, to conquer. In the end quite by chance he achieves his lifelong dream when he picks the crown of Aquilonia from the gutter, and finally settles down to have a wife and children, but then gets a whole new set of challenges and troubles. One wonders if Conan was a good ruler at all, considering his track record, of being ousted, overthrown, or giving up and leaving in all his positions of power he attains, course being a pirate captain or a bandit chief is more unstable than being king, but Conan t having taken the throne at spear point finds you can't sit on it.

But I digress, as I am wont to do, but hey, you asked!

As for the sequel, "Conan the destroyer" just a B grade adventure movie, without the epic and symbolism of the first one. Best that can be said about the movie was how hot Olivia d'Abo was.

No, I am not a fan of the Conan movie. It's good, but it's not Conan. I suspect that for most of those that hail from the 20th century before the internet, the only Conan was that of the Savage Sword comic. Of course the stories became derivative and repetitive after a dozen tomes, and it depends of the quality of the artist.

As for the original source, the novels.. I think I prefer the comic. Howard was a good storyteller, but the stories are pulp, and the Hyborian age as a fantasy universe is quite lacking and sketchy. They are readable, enjoyable, but not memorable. I think Howard was more suitable for historical novels , but the pulps demanded sword and sorcery so he had to shoehorn in supernatural elements and magic to make them enough of a "weird tale". Like Lovecraft, Howard lived at the wrong time. Decades later, instead of Conan, he would have been a best selling author of a series of novels of a Pictish warrior adventures in the Roman empire.

Probably you are sorry you asked. I wonder if anybody will read this...