#have you seen the movie? i can fulfill his dreams while living mine. shut up. you know I'm right.

[avid-adoxography]

NO WAY

NO FUCKING WAY

THE CEO OF MATTEL????? FROM THE BARBIE MOVIE????????

WHO??? THIS GUY?????

Blocking you for spreading misinformation smh...

I hate this guy. Hate him! I'm throwing him on the big heart shaped table in his conference room. Teeth snapping and growling. Straddling his hips and grabbing him by his tie and and AND! AND THEN I'D!!! .....I'd kiss him. On the mouth.

Then we hold hands... and skate to Barbieland together. We might share a boba if I'm feeling adventurous. And then, well... Whatever happens in the Mojo Dojo Casa House stays in the Mojo Dojo Casa House fhdjbfjdfjkd

[nctinfo]

[TRANS] Doyoung, Jaehyun & Jungwoo’s interview with GQ Korea April 2020 issue!

Doyoung

You're wearing a hoodie with a bear on it and a denim jacket. It's the kind of style I normally like too. I enjoy wearing casual and everyday clothes that aren’t particularly in fashion.

What color stands out the most in your closet? sky blue, blue and cold tones are colors I have the most shirts in. Simple shirts that don't stick to your body.

What color shows your taste in music? Can you name a specific record? '추억은 사랑을 닮아 (Memories Resemble Love)', a song on Park Hyoshin's 5th album. It's a different kind of music from what NCT has shown. I think I'm able to do experimental music and music that stands out thanks to the members. I'm doing music I can't do by myself to my heart's content.

Even when you take a blind test you'd be able to guess it's Doyoung's voice because of the clear tone and aesthetics it has. I first started singing in middle school. Audition programs were very popular at the time, and it was the era where unique vocalists began to draw attention. Because I also wanted to make singing my job, I thought I had to find my own color without any bias. 

Do you know your own strengths as a vocalist? My mom sometimes jokingly says "who gave birth to such a pretty voice?". I think the biggest advantage is that it has a tone that can blend well into the various genres like Hip-Hop, R&B, and EMD pop that NCT's music has.

When you were performing 'BOSS' a video clip of you raising the two octaves up to three octaves became a big topic. Are you the type that isn't afraid to sing high notes? To tell you the behind story, that range was a bit more comfortable. I prepared in advance to get myself comfortable and to be able to scream as much as I want. At that time, I wanted to be a strong team during live performances, so all the members spent a lot of time practicing like it was a real battle.

NCT 127's second full-length album is just three days away. During these times, what do the members talk about? "Now, now, let's start practicing the choreography for the 100 million views in a week music video", "Practice for the no.1 song on music shows choreography starts now." (laughs) We have a job where we have to prepare something for a long time and then show it all in a moment. If you think too much about the success that is possible, you have no choice but to be focused. These days, as time goes by, I try not to cling too much to that. It is more important to make an album that we can be satisfied with now.

The title song 'Kick It' has impressive dance moves that are inspired by oriental martial arts. We worked together with a martial arts director to shoot the music video. Each member had their own action scene, but everyone was spinning and flying as the camera started spinning. It was amazing. Everyone was so good to the point you would doubt we had just started learning it. I was a bit worried because I'm not the type to be confident in using my body. I was changing my clothes after we were done and while I was wondering how the shoot would end up, I saw that my hands were all cracked. I told myself I had worked hard.

You seem like a person who gives 200% in a moment of crisis. In the variety show <The Law of the Jungle> you jumped into the sea at night without a doubt. I'm the type to do something properly if you're gonna do something careless. I think I didn't want to make it an embarrassing moment. When I jumped into the sea, I was really afraid.  Nevertheless, the reason I did it without fear was because I felt like I had to do something because I had come a long way.

Who is like a hero to Doyoung? You might think it's a boring answer, but it's the staff who help us and the fans. I released this recently. After we finished recording late a night I coincidentally had a look around the office. Even at that late hour, there were so many familiar faces. Many thoughts crossed my mind at that time.

Jaehyun

What do you think of the moment you wake up in the morning? 'It's already morning. I have to wash up.' An ordinary routine.

Do you like velvet? My attention was grasped by velvet training pants the moment I entered the studio earlier. I've been wearing velvet outfits on stage and I've been told that it matches me well. Since then, I started wearing it often with confidence.

You wear a lot of various clothes, like in today's photoshoot too, but what do you think shows your charms best? It feels good when I wear a suit. There was also this techwear look from the music video 'Let's Shut Up & Dance' when we worked with Jason Derulo. I like that too.

Have you thought about what you'd like to do if you could make a transformation? I have wanted to grow my hair long since last year. Growing it to the bottom of your ear and then tucking it behind, I thought it looked cool when I saw past pictures of Leonardo Dicaprio or of the hairstyles of Timothée Chalamet.

Do you have something like that? An aura you really want to have. There are people who look simple in ordinary life, but who look professional when they do their job. You can feel their skills. I want to be like that.

It feels just right looking at NCT's perfect stages. What's the highlight of the performance this time? Since debut, we’ve said NCT's style is 'NEO'. We try hard to reach that level every time. For the title song 'Kick It', the music, choreography, and outfits are very conceptual. There are also moves that are reminiscent of Bruce Lee's martial arts. I think our team's synergy definitely comes out when we have new and unique concepts.

This 2nd full album has 13 songs of various genres. Which song do you like most? The is an R&B ballad song titled 'White Night'. It started with the lyrics "it’s quietly getting darker". I was in charge of the first line, and I was focused on the details such as emotions, beat, and pitch. I recorded the "quietly" part several times. I have some attachments to it.

The soft bass tone seems to be Jaehyun's color of voice. I care a lot about tone and emotion, but interestingly, the tone of my voice has become lower than when I debuted. There's a part in me that wants to show myself more by signing than by dancing. From the start, I have received a lot of stress from singing, but as much as that, I also received a sense of fulfillment. I want to continue doing well.

What song would you recommend to someone who wants to hear Jaehyun's voice? 'Coming home', a song that was released last winter. It's a calm song centered on vocals that I sung with Taeil-hyung, Doyoung-hyung and Haechanie.

You said before you like your hands because they are pretty, right? Seeing them myself, I can agree. What do you want to achieve with those hands? I've been playing the piano for a long time, but I want to improve my skills. I feel at ease when I play the piano. And I'm the type to do anything well that requires my hands, the members sometimes call me 'golden hands'. I hope I can do well in anything.

Is there something you're the best at in the team? I'm confident in running. Since I was a kid, I loved sports so much that being an athlete was also a dream of mine. So when it comes to sports, I'm the.... Hahaha

I heard you watch movies when you want to relax. Is there anything you have been enjoying lately? I watched <Baby Driver> again yesterday. I've seen it three times, but the scenes and the music match perfectly, so I get excited every time I see it. I saw <Before Sunrise> several times too.

Do you also look up old stage videos or music videos? I sometimes do, but once I start watching the music videos starting from our debut song 'the 7th sense' to the latest, I will get hooked on it. When I just debuted I was still fresh but also a bit stiff. I also have memories of the Mickey Mouse 90th Anniversary Concert which was broadcasted by ABC in America. During the first tour of North America last year, I developed an aspiration for languages. When I was young, I lived in America for a while and learned some English, which has helped me and I saw how having [language] skills are a benefit.

This album starts with the song 'Elevator'. Where do you want to go up with NCT? As far as we can go.

Jungwoo

I've seen lots of pictures of Jungwoo wearing a fanny pack. Backpacks are big and uncomfortable so I only carry what I need in my fanny pack.

What does it usually carry? Contact lenses, eye drops, nail clipper, masks, bands, and ointments. Eye drops are an essential. My eyes become tired [/dry] when I wear lenses for a long time.

What is the style Jungwoo likes to wear? First of all, it should be comfortable. I usually wear training clothes and I'm often told that NormCore clothes look good on me, so I try to wear items that don't stand out too much. I think flashy things don't really suit me. 

What? No matter how you look at it, you wore fancy and bold clothes today. It’s also curious to me. I like to challenge myself to wear different kinds of styles.

What is the image you try to have? I want to have a dreamy and bright atmosphere. I hope that when people see me they are fascinated and are curious about me.

What kind of person for you think is really cool? Justin Bieber. His style and music have his own unique color. Not only me, but all the members are fans too. I saw Justin Bieber's YouTube documentary yesterday. Besides the external stories, seeing him overcome the agony and growing pains of being an artist, made me like him even more.

What is something surprising about Jungwoo? That I'm purely a hard worker. I don't think I have many talents I was born with. I'm more like someone who will achieve results as much as I worked for it. So I put a lot of effort into anything I want to do.

Is anything possible if you just try hard? Looking at NCT's stages, I think there's more to it than just effort. I often look at others to find out how they do it. When we had a stage on the famous American talk show <Jimmy Kimel Live>, I was able to see and analyze the other stages that were on the program. The ways to walk with the camera and how it appears on the screen. So like that, I learn a lot.

Jungwoo has a very clean and impressive voice, but we heard you passed the audition by dancing. This is also kinda surprising [a twist]. When I was in elementary school, I watched the music shows and became interesting in dancing. But later, when I was recording, the music director told me I had a fascinating charm to my voice since he couldn't really tell if I was singing in falsetto or not. After hearing that, I decided to I should develop my voice into a good one and use it as an advantage to show myself.

What is your favorite track in this album? There is this song called 'Pandora's Box' and when I first heard the guide version, the lyrics 'remember this moment, us, our moment' really stood out to me. I imagined how it would be like if we would sing this with the fans at a concert, and I thought it would really turn out great.

When was the most miraculous moment in your life? When I joined NCT. It felt like a dream. I cried a lot when I came down after finishing my debut stage on the music show. I was happy but also felt regret. I remember the members encouraging me by saying "it's okay, you did well".

What do you think is your role in the team? No matter how, I seem to be the mood maker. I make a lot of jokes. If there would be 100 people, all 100 would be laughing. My humor level seems to match well with Doyoung-hyung especially.

The other members say Jungwoo hasn't shown his full potential yet, they say you have a lot of various sides. I think it can also mean that it's still unclear what I will do next. I often hear that I'm pretty unique. Could you say I'm 8D? (laughs) I too, don't know fully yet who I am.

Do you like that personality? There's only one my in this world. I want the person named Jungwoo to become a new genre. New, unique. In order to do that, I have to accept what I have and work hard to show the charms of it. 

Translation: Esmee @ FY! NCT (NCTINFO) | Source: Grazia Scan — Do not repost or take out without our permission!

[nekoannie-chan]

Lover’s game

Pairing: Steve Rogers X Mutant Female! Reader

Word count: 1111 words.

Summary: Memories of some moments from your relationship with Steve minutes before your wedding.

Warnings: A little angst.

A/N: This is my entry to the @cockslut-padalecki​‘s Lisa’s Back to the Movies Writing Challenge with the song:

“Take my breath away – Top Gun- Berlin”.

Flashbacks are in italic.

My native language is Spanish so I wanna improve my writing skills in English if you notice any mistake please let me know and I will correct it.

I don’t give any kind of permission that my fics be posted in other platforms or languages (I translate myself my work) or the use of my graphics (my dividers are included in this), I did them exclusively for my fics, please respect my work and don’t steal it. There are some people here who make dividers that anyone can use, mine is not this type, please look for the other’s people. The only exception is the ones I gifted ‘cuz now belong to someone else. If you find any of my works on a different platform and is not one of my accounts, please let me know. Reblogs and comments are always welcome.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own Marvel’s characters (unfortunately), except for the original characters and the story.

My other media where I publish: Wattpad, Ao3, ffnet.

If you like it please vote, comment, and give me feedback to improve my skills and reblog. 

Tags: @sinceimetyou​ @saiyanprincessswanie​ @navybrat817​ @realfbi​ @angrythingstarlight​ @pandaxnienke​

Watching every motion

In my foolish lover's game On this endless ocean Finally lovers know no shame Turning and returning To some secret place inside Watching in slow motion As you turn around and say

 Steve held his breath while the tie was settling in, he couldn't deny that he was very nervous, he had finally arrived on the day of the wedding, during the last few weeks he had taken care of anything that could ruin the day, and he wasn't going to let anything bad happen on such an important date for you. You had lived so many things, you had to separate at different times.

Take my breath away Take my breath away

 Steve was sure he hadn't seen you while the STRIKE team was chasing them, suggesting Natasha go to your apartment, although he really needed to know if you were also HYDRA and you'd only used it, the last thing if it was true, it would leave him devastated. 

You grumped when the bell rang again insistently. Who bothered you in your holiday week? Besides, you were having a dream, which you'd like to put into practice with Steve later. 

When you opened the door, you kept your eyes squinting and your face was noisy. 

"Steve? Nat? What are you doing here? Why are you covered with dust? Were you playing in the mud or what happened to you?” 

They both saw each other and then saw you. 

"Can we come in?” Steve asked suspiciously. 

You set aside to let them through, you sighed, surely your holiday week was over and you were going to have to help them, even though you first needed to know what was going on. 

After they told you everything, you were stunned, you'd never suspected the team you belonged to. You even understood that Project Insight had a different aim. 

"How do we know you don't belong to HYDRA?” Natasha questioned. 

"First, I didn't know my team was, second, I wasn't there when you were attacked, actually I didn't even know about Fury until you told me and third, I knew project Insight was something completely different from what you're telling me.”

 Watching I keep waiting Still anticipating love Never hesitating to become the fated ones Turning and returning To some secret place to hide Watching in slow motion As you turn to me and say

 "Steve, are you ready?” Bucky questioned, taking him out of his self-absorption. 

“W-what? Sure, it's about time, isn't it?” Steve replied. 

James only shook his head trying not to laugh, and then he pulled his friend, it was better to hurry to prevent him from fleeing because of panic in the last minute. 

You saw your reflection in the mirror again and laughed a little as you remembered how you had met, you still remembered with satisfaction your ex-boyfriend's face when he found out about your relationship with Steve.

  Take my breath away

 That day, the training had ended in a fight, you and Rollins had started arguing, he still didn't want to accept that you had already ended your relationship and he claimed you'd had a date with someone else.

 "STOP ARGUING! YOU'RE ADULTS, ACT LIKE ONE!” Brock shouted annoyed. You ignored him and you kept arguing, yet you shut up when you saw Fury come in followed by Steve. At that time you were informed that the missions would be done along with him. 

"Hi, I'm Agent Y/N Y/L/N," you introduced yourself once Nick left.

 Through the hourglass I saw you In time you slipped away When the mirror crashed I called you And turned to hear you say If only for today I am unafraid

 Natasha put the necklace on you and then hugged you. 

"You're beautiful, but it's time to go, in a few minutes you'll become Mrs Rogers.” 

"I hope nothing interrupts this moment...” 

“Are you hesitating?”  

"No, not at all, I'd just be terrified that something would happen or Steve would regret it," you replied. 

"He won't, you've been through a lot, but if you don't want to get married, I'll go tell them...“

You and Natasha had been friends since you entered the Organization, even considered yourselves sisters even if biologically you weren't. 

"I never said I wasn't getting married, I'm just nervous," you interrupted her. “It was very difficult when we had to flee, I was terrified that he would be sent to the Raft and me to a Mutant Detention Center.” 

"You two deserve to be happy," Nat said.

 Take my breath away Take my breath away

 You heard noises in the living room while you were in the kitchen, you took the sharpest knife, even though you had an arm hurt by the last mission you'd gone to, you wouldn't hesitate to defend yourself if necessary, not to say that you would also use your powers.

 "S-Steve? Why did you come in through the window and not through the door? "You inquired at the same time that you put the knife down. 

"They're watching you, they're looking for me, and I can't get in through the front door.” 

"What did you do?” 

"I didn't sign the Accords and there were some problems with Bucky...," he shut up, took your hand and looked you right in the eye. “Did you sign the Accords?” 

"No, I just refuse to do it.” 

"We have to get out of here without being seen, I have to take you to a safe place before they take you as a hostage.” 

"How are we going to get going?” You said they're watching my house.” 

"But not the roof.” 

You opened your eyes as big as you could, what Steve proposed sounded too dangerous to you.

"A-Are you sure? I remind you that I have a hurt arm and despite having powers I do not think I can survive from a fall from the roof...” 

"Doll, I will make sure that nothing bad happens to you, just take as fast as you can the important things and we will run away, what do you think?” 

You nodded, you went all the way to the bedroom and kept some things, and then he helped you up the roof. 

"Walk slowly and carefully, there is nothing to fear," he whispered. 

You were trying to take firm steps, however, it seemed impossible, probably only a few seconds passed, but it seemed like an eternity to you. When you finally got to the shelter, he told you everything that had happened, for safety he was going to leave you there, he didn't want anything bad to happen to you.

 Watching every motion In this foolish lover's game Haunted by the notion Somewhere there's a love in flames Turning and returning To some secret place inside Watching in slow motion As you turn my way and say

 "Little sis’ if you want we can run away, hide and no one will find us," Natasha joked as you walked towards the entrance. 

"It sounds tempting, but I'll decline the invitation, Steve's waiting for me.” 

Nat nodded, you stopped right at the entrance and helped you position the veil the right way.  

At the altar Steve was already waiting for you with a big smile, finally, the dream you had had for a few years was coming true and nothing was going to stop it. 

The ceremony began, you blinked a lot making a great effort not to cry, and it seemed implausible that this day had finally arrived, your dream was being fulfilled. 

After you accept to become a wife and husband, you kiss.

 Take my breath away Take my breath away Take my breath away Take my breath away

[lyrazehedgieboiii]

Sonamy #2 AU

@blogkittylove, you requested this story from the Choice Board, so here it is!

Before you start reading the story, I just wanted to let you know that this is a different AU, than the other one. This one is where Sonic’s in the mafia, and he’s hiding his true identity from Amy. He speaks in Portuguese, but in this story, he’ll speak Spanish, because Portuguese is harder for me to understand and speak, so I’m going with Spanish. (Because I am LMAO) What’ll happen when he tells an order to one of his men in Spanish, unaware that Amy understands? 

(Amy’s POV)

I was sitting in my apartment watching T.V, until I heard the door unlock. Standing there was my boyfriend, Sonic. He was wearing a black fedora and a white dress shirt, which was kind of open at his chest. Oh my Chaos, that chest fur. It’s not a lot, but it’s still there. He looked at me and then the clock, and walked over. I smiled, while his was more smug.

     “Hi, Sonikku. How was your day?” I asked him, as he cuddled besides me. He rested his face in the crook of my neck and nuzzled.

     “It was alright. What about you?” He said, licking my neck a little. It made me squirm a little.

     “It was good, I wrote a few recipes, so I tried making them at the bakery. Everyone liked it, and a lot of people bought it. I brought some for you.” I could tell that he was smiling on my neck.

     “Where is it?” I pointed to the kitchen, and he ran to find the cupcake box. His mouth was covered in it, and he was moaning in delight. My face started heating up for some reason, but I ignored it. Sonic turned and noticed that I was staring at him, and that just caused my face to become more red. He smirked again, and devoured the last cupcake, and walked back to me. While he was walking, he got a phone call, probably from Knuckles, and went to my bedroom to answer it. I suddenly remembered that I left my phone in there, and I was in contact with Sonic’s mother, so I tip-toed to the door and put my ear against it.

    “What?! Find it, Knuckles.” Sonic’s voice was booming from the other side of the door, and he seemed angry.

    “Boss, relax, we’re trying. Besides, you don’t want your girlfriend eavesdropping in this conversation, do you?” I heard Knuckles’s voice from over the phone, but not all the way.

    “Shut up, I don’t think she would do that anyways, she respects my privacy. My Chaos, I love her...”

    “Can you talk in Spanish though, you never know...” I knew Sonic could speak Spanish, but he didn’t know that I could too. I heard a sigh.

    “Lo quiero muerto, Knuckles. ¿entiendes?” (I want him dead, Knuckles. Do you understand?) Wait a minute... Muerto means dead. Why would Sonic want to kill somebody? Wait, no. Maybe he’s saying that in a figurative way? A metaphor, perhaps?

    “Sí señor. Tenemos hombres que le detectan ya que hablamos.” (Yes sir. We have men tracking him down as we speak) Tracking him down? Probably to get him in jail, I guess.

    “Perfecto, ha pasado mucho tiempo desde que tuve el placer de dispararle a alguien.” (Perfect, it’s been a long time since I’ve gotten the pleasure of shooting someone.) Okay, now those innocent thoughts are gone. He’s actually talking about killing. Shooting somebody to be exact. I thought Sonic worked with boats and vehicles? Or at least, that’s what he tells me. Wait, no, Silver told me that.

     “¿Alguna vez le dirás a Amy que estás en la mafia?” (Are you ever going to tell Amy that you’re in the mafia?) I almost choked, but made a silent gasp. I realized that Sonic went silent and whispered something else to Knuckles, so I quickly (but silently) ran to the kitchen, which was right next to the living room. On the other side of the T.V, was my room. Luckily the t.v. was at a good enough volume. My ears twitch as I hear Sonic walk out of my room. I caught him staring at me. Thank Chaos I’m a professional liar.

     “What?” I question, as though I wasn’t just spying on him.

     “¿hablas español?” (do you speak Spanish?) He asked me. I cannot let him know that I understood.

      “. . .What?” I answered, even though I was fully aware of what he had asked.

     “Do you speak Spanish?” He repeated himself in English. I shook my head.

     “I speak French, Sonic. Did I not tell you that?” I told him. I didn’t exactly lie about that, I do know French. (LMAO, the author of this story sure doesn’t)

     “Then say something in French, then.” (i used google translate dont kill me)

      “Je sais ce que tu veux.” (I know what you’re up to) Knowing that he wouldn’t understand what I said.

     “What did you say?” he inquired curiously. I think of a sentence to say.

     “What do you want for dinner?” I lied once again.

     “I’m in the mood for some steak and mashed potatoes.” I nodded, and proceeded to make our dinner, acting completely normal, as though I haven’t just found out that my boyfriend is a mob boss. Or at least I think he is. He was giving orders.

      “Sonic, do you know any new funny movies? I’m in the mood.” I yelled from the kitchen. I tried to keep myself content. Besides, he’s in the mafia. No big deal. He wouldn’t hurt me...

But his enemies would...

They could see me with him and know that I’m important to him. They might kill me...

It’s not safe to date him. . .

‘Oh welp,’ I thought. ‘He’ll protect me. He wouldn’t let anyone get away with hurting me, even emotionally.’

I heard Sonic’s phone ring again, and went to the sink to fill a pot up with water.

     “What is it now, Knuckles.” Sonic whisper-yelled at his phone, making sure that I couldn’t hear him.

     “Lo tenemos.” (we got him)  was all I heard. I knew instantly that Sonic was going to leave, and I decided to tease him a little. As soon as he ended his phone call, I jumped on top of him, before I hear him yelp out in surprise. I go up to his face and kiss him. He was still in shock for a few moments, but started giving back, only harder. His hands go to my waist, while mine go around his neck. He licks my lips, begging for entrance, and I allow him. I heard his phone ring, but I see he’s trying to answer it, so kiss harder, and slowly kick the phone off onto the carpeted floor. I feel Sonic’s hands going a little lower, so I move my hands to his chest, and start playing with his fur. One of my hands go to his back quills and starts to stroke them. He starts quivering at the touch.

That’s one of the reasons I love him. He’s my first, and I’m his first in basically anything romantic. The phone rings again, but Sonic rolls on top of me, and nips at my neck, and gives my hips a squeeze. Once I’m distracted, he grabs his phone and runs to my room. I sigh, and check on the potatoes, which are still boiling, and I start cooking the steak. Once I decide I can leave the steak alone for a bit, I go to my bedroom door and listen in on their conversation.

     “Torturarlo por un rato, iré mañana.” (torture him for a bit, I’ll come tomorrow) Torture?! You know what? I won’t allow him to keep secrets from me. I’m going to indirectly tell him that I know! I heard him walk out of the room and back on the couch.

      “Saber algo~” (I know something...{A/N this is not a real song. If you know Camila Cabello’s My Oh My, sing it like that.) I see Sonic snap his head towards me. 

       “Sé que te dije una mentira...” (I know I told you a lie) 

       “Sé que has estado matando.~” (I know you’ve been off killing~) I slide through the kitchen and put the food onto a plate like I’m presenting them in a cooking show.

        “Te amo no importa lo que hagas.~” (I love you no matter what you do) I spin and place the dishes on the already set table. He looked a little shooketh, finally realizing that I understood what he was saying this whole entire time. I knew he was hispanic, and I was too, but from my dad’s side. So, if Sonic’s a mob boss, he could easily find out anything about me, except for my dad. He wasn’t in my life, and I never really met him. My mom taught me Spanish, and sent me to my dad’s parents as a kid, and they taught me Spanish there.

      “No estoy contento con tus mentiras.~” (I’m not happy with your lies) I walk over to him, and kissed his cheek.

      “Pero te amo de todos modos~.” (But I love you anyways) He wrapped his arms around me and brought me in for a kiss. I kissed back with just as much of excitement and passion as him.

      “How?” He asks me. I giggle and pull him to a chair.

      “My dad. He was hispanic, but he died, so I was sent to my grandparents’ house a lot, so they taught me.” Sonic nodded, and pulled me into his lap, which was kind of awkward, because, I wasn’t exactly wearing...much...under that skirt.

       “I didn’t want to tell you, but of course you found out yourself. If you want to break up with me, I won’t allow you to-”

       “I’m not going to break up with you. I don’t care what your job is, I only care about it if it brings you happiness.” I interrupted him. “Besides, you should know that I find this romantic~.” Sonic looked puzzled at my statement.

       “What do you mean?” I narrow my eyes at him. 

      “Have you really never noticed all the romance novels I have in my room? You go in there a lot, I’m surprised you haven’t seen how I have a full shelf dedicated to mafia romances.” I say, nuzzling into his chest. I felt something something sticking out from between my legs. I jump off of him immediately and throw myself onto the floor.

     “What the hell was that!?” He questioned my actions.

     “I felt something between my legs! What do mean ‘What the hell was that! WAIT, DON’T TELL ME IT WAS-” I screamed out in disgust. IT WAS A BONER, HE WAS BEING TURNED ON.

     “You accepting my job is very sexy and I love how you easily accepted that.” He said, putting a hand to my thigh. I rolled my eyes.

     “You can get all of this for the price of only one ring~” My statement probably excited him, because before I knew it, he was on kneeling on one of his knees and took out a velvet box.

     “I know your answer is ‘yes,’ but I still want to hear it come out of your lips in excitement. Amelia Rosette, will you do the honor of marrying me and fulfill the romance you’ve always dreamed of?” OH MY FRICKING CHAOS IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING-

     “YES! YES, SONIC THE HEDGEHOG, YES! I WILL MARRY YOU!” I threw myself into his arms and he immediately embraced me, before pulling away and putting the jade encrusted gold ruby ring. He leaned in for a kiss, which I happily accepted.

After all, I got the romance I’ve dreamed of~

Hoped you like it :)

[bwitchinghour]

Bewitching Hour 2017 - Reveals

Your mods are so pleased with this fest! We hope that everyone has had as much fun as we have :) Without further ado, here are your Bewitching Hour 2017 participants!

Day One

follow me down (swallow it down) 

| ireallydontknowok | jikook

Jimin is tired. He's dragging his feet whenever they go anywhere, is always late to dinners and falls asleep during every movie they watch. He wears sunglasses indoors to try and hide the bruises under his eyes, but everyone knows. Jungkook is worried.

Head Above Water | bugarungus | vmin Jimin's dreams usually have meaning. That's why it's so important for him to rescue the boy from his nightmares before something happens to him outside their dreams.

a song of fire and fruit smoothies | teecysh | minjoon Namjoon is part dragon, and to his complete and utter embarassment, he can't stop collecting cute things for his hoard. Which would be fine except Jimin is the cutest person he's ever seen and it's becoming a real struggle not to collect him too...

White Strings of Gulls | atechamcham | vmin The life of a pirate has always been about gold, glory, power, and conquest. That's what Captain Taehyung's been taught all his life. All Jimin wants is to keep Taehyung alive. One day his magic won't be enough.

Dead Leaves | golden_kimono | yoonkook Jeongguk is a big fan of the TV show Dead Leaves, especially of Suga, one of the main characters. After writing a particular fanfic, he suddenly gets sucked into it himself and is up close and personal with the characters he admires so much. Is it real? Is it a dream? And will he find out his purpose before it's too late? (And does he really want to leave Suga?)

interlude | midnightghostwriter | gen in which a hobby for music gets jung hoseok unexpected attention and more trouble than he ever signed up for.

So Gold (We’ll Be Alright) | onceandforall | jinkook Jeon Jungkook is the witch community's next big thing and he needs all the help that he can get. or Five times Seokjin helps Jungkook and one time where everything works out how it's meant to be.

Day Two

call it magic (when i’m with you) | kthpjm | vmin Taehyung wonders how long he’s been in love with Jimin. Knows that he probably always has been.

Not everything happens for a reason | JimineexTae | vmin Taehyung believes in the reality of cause and effect, a predictable world where he already has everyone and everything figured out.And then Park Jimin and his existence somehow manages to ruin it all.

Why Did It Have To Be You? | realstadt | taekook In which Taehyung gives his sworn nemesis, Jeon Jeongguk, a love potion by accident.

Those Who Wander Are Lost | May Greene (btsmee) | gen It didn't matter. All returned eventually. None had ever truly left. Time was irrelevant.

I put a spell on you (and now you’re mine) | cosmicoffee | taegi, 2seok, minjoon To retrieve the heart of a fallen star, Min Yoongi ventured out into the woods one night. He instead was faced with a witch, who's broom had caught fire, holding onto a quest that was destined to change everything Yoongi had ever come to know.

Taste of Magic | thedarkestdawn | namkook Rookie witch Jungkook is apprenticed to newly qualified Namjoon.Neither of them are all that happy about this.

On Your Mark | Namless | namkook It's Namjoon and Jungkook's first time meeting. One wishes for something and the other's only there to fulfil this wish. Their only common point might be their unusual life mark. Except nothing goes accordingly: client and employer shouldn't feel some kind of attraction, really shouldn’t.

Day Three

Crinus Muto | apocryphalic | vmin Park Jimin's a sixth-year Prefect, top in his year in nearly all subjects except one: Transfiguration. Help is forced upon him in the form of Kim Taehyung, a fellow sixth-year with the rare gift of being born a metamorphmagus. Jimin's never been fond of Taehyung and when a spell goes awry, he's left to take care of Taehyung. Jimin learns that appearances are rarely what they seem and that quite possibly, he's misjudged Taehyung all along.

My Demons Follow Me | paechtae | taegi Taehyung let out a laugh that bordered on hysterical and rubbed at his eyes with the heels of his palm.“Okay going with the line of you eat my fucking dreams, which rude you didn’t even ask first, just– why?” You did ask though. Taehyung didn’t bother with responding this time, busy trying to figure out what exactly the demon was talking about. The demon reached back for the notebook again. You’re a very loud person when you sleep Kim Taehyung. You should be careful what you say and ask for. Crueler things in this world could have heard you.

through the looking glass | deuxoiseaux | namseok, namgi, yoonseok, namgiseok when kim namjoon finds a mysterious book in a language he's never seen, bookmarked with an address that doesn't exist, he can't help but be curious. drawn into a mirrored world that is at once familiar and impossible, with a man he's not sure he can trust, namjoon becomes an unwilling pawn in a struggle that can only end in death. all paths lead in a single direction, forward or back, and time is running out.

Vampire Vs. The God of Destruction  | lulublue1234 | namgi Yoongi's a vampire who's lived for three thousand years. Namjoon's a human prone to accidents. When the vampire unknowingly saves the human from the clutches of a Trickster, he finds himself soul-bonded to the man. Now Yoongi's irritated because....he likes the disruption more than he wants to admit.

there are many names in history (and none of them are ours) | ireallydontknowok | yoonkook, 2seok, vmin

unravel | homopoetic | yoonmin Jimin is a Third-Eye. He can't touch people skin to skin because the contact lets him see into their minds, viewing all their thoughts and secrets and desires at once. Yoongi's brother is a king. (Yoongi's brother is a cobra.) Changwoo sinks in his fangs, injects venom, takes what he isn't his. Yoongi's taken the poison, survived even as it permanently destroyed the layer of skin that keeps infections out, and built up a precarious sort of immunity. He's the only one who can do it. Yoongi is a prince. He's twenty-four years old. He's been grieving a loss for seventeen years now. No one noticed before. That's why he needs to keep Jimin.

Burns Blue | themarmalade | minjoon Jimin is used to relying on the wall he's built up in his mind to block out the constant swarm of thoughts and voices to get through a shift at work, to get through life. Namjoon, his shy new coworker, has an aura so loud it makes everything else go quiet. Jimin hates it. Jimin craves it. Jimin decides not to think about it. Namjoon, however, definitely thinks about him.

the pearl in the pond | hotpepperhoney | jinmin The mermaid rolled around and pressed his cheek to the sand, a happy sigh passing through his lips and blowing the sand near his face back into a small dune. Jimin leaned closer in the bushes, bracing against a nearby tree. He wanted to see more. The mermaid’s back sloped from the widest pair of shoulders he’d ever seen. Sand stuck to sections of his back and arms, a small river of sweat forming between the dip of his bowed spine. Jimin swallowed dryly. He had back dimples. His hand slipped.

Day Four

I’m drinking something lethal (must be you) | synecius | vmin Kim Taehyug, the self-proclaimed best Potions Maker in all of Dahlia, would be the first of his profession to have invented, prepared, and successfully completed the Most Powerful Love Potion Ever Created. But, does that really matters if it doesn't work on the one and only person he loves?

a letter to the moon | words_unravel | ot7

Graced | plantlet | gen Jeon Jungkook hates to be touched. He also hates his nightmares. But mostly, he hates to be alone.

Pieces of a whole | goodbyelover | yoonkook In a world where magic is just every day life and there's a slew of gods and goddesses to follow, Jungkook is just trying to do his best. Everything begins to change when he meets a mysterious tattoo artist named Min Yoongi.

fireflies | kaythebest | vmin When Jimin is six, his brother catches a fairy in a jar.

I know you; I walked with you once upon a dream | anatomiadea | yoonseok In a society where humans and supernatural creatures coexist together, Yoongi is a cursed human who he has been asleep for 500 years. Namjoon is the witch who was assigned to teach Yoongi about modern world, but he wasn´t able to find time to properly help the man and he asked his friend Hoseok, an earth witch, for help. Hoseok starts teaching Yoongi everything about the 21st century and Yoongi ends falling in love with the boy who looks so much like an old lover he had 500 years ago

Firepower | eclecticat | namjin, yoonseok If there’s one thing Kim Seokjin is expecting to see inside his freezer, it’s not a small scaly lizard lounging on top of his ice tray and eating an extremely small scoop of his expensive pistachio ice cream.

Dude, Don’t Be Scared | sunshlneboys | vmin It's 7am on a Saturday, It's not really going the way Jimin had hoped. He's currently handcuffed in a decidedly unsexy way, sitting in his living room and being questioned for murder by fairy police officers. All while his boyfriend sleeps peacefully upstairs. His weekend's not really off to a great start.

Day Five

Kindred Spirits | makitaechim (MnM_PD) | vmin, yoonjin Three Spell Casters. Two Roommates. Two best friends. One fucked up phone. One hell of a game. Will everyone survive a spell gone wrong?

every road leads back to you | vminism | vmin Taehyung knew, from the very first moment he met Jimin, that he was out of this world, unforgettable. He was only half right.

and we return to the beauty [from which we came] | spookynat | yoonmin yoongi is a writer and jimin is his come-to-life character

you’d think me rude but i would just stand and stare | melanic | vmin

There’s a Honey | mnsg | taegi Yoongi wakes up one morning to discover that everything he wished for has come true.

Keep You Alive | tinytaegi | vmin Jimin was about to go back to sucking his blood, but Taehyung kept giggling and Jimin murmured an annoyed “shut up”. Taehyung couldn’t hold back his laughter anymore. “No, you shut up.” Jimin wanted to talk back but suddenly, it was as if his lips were glued together. The other was wheezing by now, doubling over before looking into Jimin’s eyes with a mischievous grin. “Get on your knees, babe.” And Jimin’s body moved on its own. or One bad life decision leads Jimin to be dependent on the most hated vampire in the city.

the sky that ate up the blue sea | krystaljung | jihope

Min Yoongi: Author and...Magical Prince? | quebaek | yoonseok “My lord.” Jungkook started. “No, stop!” Yoongi stood up, “Quit saying that. I’m not your lord. I’m a writer. I write novels. And you aren’t a page, okay? You’re just a barista at Starbucks. I don’t know how I got in this castle, but I don’t belong here and I’m not going to keep sitting on this goddamn throne all day.”

find me in your depths (save me with your soul | vminskook (Mery_Strider_Egbert) | taekook Kim Taehyung, a sworn knight to the royal family, is sent to Earth to find Jeon Jeongguk, the long-thought dead prince of the kingdom of Vescaria.

we who bore the mark | tendershipping | vminkook Each summer, Jeongguk and Seokjin take a backpacking trip. This year, they're separated, and Jeongguk finds himself very lost and far from alone.

Day Six 

Crocodile Tears | larryflurry | yoonmin, namjin "I'm sorry, I thought you were someone else." He said as his round cheeks started to turn a shade of pink, almost the same pink as his fluffy hair. Almost. "Sorry to disappoint you then" Yoongi stated in response. "And honestly, I thought you were supposed to be something else."

or the one where Jimin wasn't exactly what Yoongi was supposed to be looking for, but he found him and he's not about to complain about it

He’s a Phantom | feihart | jihope Jimin could hear the hushed voices of his parents discussing his poor performance with his physics’ teacher. They’ve had the same lengthy discussion so far with the chemistry teacher, the math teacher and the English teacher, his parents’ good mood dropping with each bad review they get. When asked, Jimin didn’t have a better explanation for them other than ghost-fighting and keeping up grades was hard to balance—but he couldn’t quite tell them that. OR That Danny Phantom AU nobody asked for.

[hockeyytrash]

Alaska - Chapter Nineteen

Sorry for not updating! I’m a working gal because I gotta buy food somehow lol

-2300 words-

Toronto!

I never thought I'd say this, but I really missed this city. I know that it's only been a few days, but I am more than ready to sleep in my own bed. Plus, I really want to get my graduation straightened out so I can start applying to colleges and finally be done with high school.

Our last day in California was spent on the beach swimming and napping with a stop at an ice cream shop on our way back to the hotel. The Leafs flew back on a private plane while Steph, Carly, and I flew back by ourselves. The flight went pretty smoothly, seeing as though I was asleep for most of it. Thankfully, I got the window seat and the other two didn't talk a lot, so I was able to get a few hours of sleep in.

Steph drove Carly and I home after we landed and took a few pictures in celebration. I opted for one awkward picture because I was groggy jet-lagged. However, Steph still managed to get me to post it on Instagram.

@alaskamay: home sweet home away from home

Tagged: @stephlachancee & @carlyyvalentine

3,126 likes | 21 comments

@marner_93: what animal died for that coat

@carlyyvalentine: I can't believe you like this weather :(

@alaskamay: @carlyyvalentine :)

@43kadri: stop following me

@alaskamay: @43kadri pretty sure you're following me

@adamvin: come home!

@austonmatthews: you have holes in your pants

@alaskamay: @austonmatthews I'm glad you're so observant

@sydneyesiason: cutie cutie

@stephlachancee: glad you woke up long enough to take this pic

@carlyyvalentine: ^yeah, you would be still on that plane if we hadn't woken you up

@alaskamay: @stephlachancee @carlyyvalentine sheesh, I was tired, ok?

@stephlachancee: yeah, tired from sleeping all the damn time

As soon as I got home, I went straight to my room and got right in bed. I woke up a few hours later to eat something and change my clothes, but ultimately went back to sleep. In hindsight, this probably wasn't the best plan because now it's midnight and I'm wide awake. I tried everything to help me fall asleep so I could just sleep through the night, but nothing is working.

I tried texting Carly, but she's either ignoring me or asleep because I haven't heard back from her. Lying on my back in a lethargic heap, I contemplate going for a walk. It seems great in theory, but it's also not the safest idea I've come up with. Given Carly's lack of communication, I decide to text Steph.

are you up

Steph: no

ok

Steph: why

I can't sleep

Steph: good for you?

can I please come over

Steph: but I'm hanging with Mitchy

I'm used to third wheeling :)

Steph: lemme ask Mitch

*Steph added Mitch to the group*

Mitch: what

can I come over

Mitch: no

please!! I can't sleep

Mitch: how is that my problem

I'll ring your doorbell all night if you don't let me come over

or sit outside with a blowhorn

Mitch: you wouldn't

Steph: mitch, you know she will

listen to your girlfriend

Mitch: fine. it's movie night anyway

YAY THANK YOU! BE OVER IN 10

Mitch: no really, take your time

As soon as I get the okay from them, I roll out of my bed and slip on a pair of leggings to go with the baggy crewneck I am already wearing. I don't even bother with my appearance beyond the basics and slip on a pair of UGGs. Then, as gracefully as possible, I stumble down the stairs and collect my keys from the table that sits in the foyer.

The Jeep's engine purrs to life with one turn of the key and chugs along as I drive the familiar route to Steph and Mitch's place downtown. Dark shadows of skyscrapers and a few lone pedestrians whiz by, while my frozen car attempts to blow warm air.

However, by the time I pull up to Mitch and Steph's building, the heat is no longer needed. I turn the key once more, this time killing the engine. After a small sigh and glance over my shoulder, I tumble out of the SUV and jog over to the entrance to the building. Warm air greets my numb limbs as I step into the lobby and race to catch a closing elevator. I slip inside just in time and select the appropriate floor number from the panel on the wall.

A minute and a half of staring at my distorted reflection later, the doors open, revealing Mitch and Steph's front door. Sluggishly, I walk over to the large wooden door and ring the doorbell. Silence overtakes the hallway as my eyes glaze lazily over the dark carpet beneath my feet.

The heavy door is soon swung open to reveal a groggy-looking Steph, decked out in her flannel pajamas with a fluffy blanket draped over her shoulders. She manages a small smile before stepping to the side and motioning for me to come in. I smile back at her and step inside the dimly lit condo, eyes going straight to the living room.

Steph follows my gaze and shuffles into the living room with me right behind her. Mitch lifts his head up from its place on a pillow to see me. Steph immediately flops onto the couch and snuggles back into Mitch. Mitch shoots me one of his signature goofy smiles before breaking the sleepy silence.

"Can't sleep?" he asks, glancing over my appearance before placing a protective arm around Steph.

"Yeah, I did it to myself, though," I say, nodding sadly. Steph turns her head, showing that she is, indeed, awake.

"Maybe if you didn't sleep for like fifteen hours straight, you'd be able to sleep," she says knowingly. I roll my eyes but decide against defending myself. Instead, I meet Mitch's gaze and shrug my shoulders.

"Well, you're here now, aren't you? You can take the armchair or you can snuggle with sleepy over there," he says, pointing first to the oversized leather chair and then to the couch, I stood beside. I furrow my eyebrows and glance down at the couch to see what he meant by 'sleepy over there.'

The correct term should be who he meant by 'sleepy over there' because there on the fluffy white couch, laid none other than Auston Matthews. Luckily, he was sound asleep with his mouth parted slightly to allow soft snores to be audible. His hair is a mess, sprawled across his forehead and the pillow stuffed under his head. I glance from Mitch to the sleeping Leaf on the couch, questioningly.

"He showed up an hour ago and just crashed on the couch with no explanation. We don't have the will or energy to kick him out," Mitch explains. I nod, then pad across the hardwood floor and flop onto the big leather chair, sinking into the cushion. I curl up in a ball and lay my head on the arm of the chair.

For the first time since I got here, I glance up at the TV. It takes me a minute, but I finally recognize the film as Hush. Fortunately, I've already seen this, or else I'd be scared as shit. I always am with scary movies and I hate them for that reason. I'd much rather watch a comedy or musical. In fact, musicals have to be my favorite kind of movie. I'm a shit singer, but I love singing along anyway, much to my family and friends' dismay.

Relaxing, I lazily gaze at the thriller that flashes across the screen. The room is peaceful other than the music from the movie and soft snores from Auston and now Mitch. A weight I didn't even know was on my shoulders is released as I feel my whole body relax and melt into the leather of the chair.

The idea of sitting out on the balcony makes its way through my mind, but a sudden rush of fatigue shoots it down. Instead, I continue to mindlessly stare at the bright screen, attempting to hold back snarky comments about how dumb the characters are. I mean, why would you live alone in the woods, first of all, but why would you live alone and deaf in the woods? Hell, I wouldn't live alone in the woods if I got paid to.

The movie drags on, my incessant urge to comment on everything vanishing alongside whatever energy I had stored up from my day of sleep. I spot the remote on the coffee table a foot or so away and reach for it. I quickly press the power button, then set the remote back on the wooden table. Returning to my curled up position in the chair, I try to fall asleep. However, my knees start to ache from being bent so much, so I stretch them out in an attempt to get comfortable. But of course, my legs are too long and just slide off the slippery material of the chair.

I huff in annoyance and slide out of the chair, plopping down on the floor in a glorious heap. I grab a pillow and blanket off the chair, starting to set up a makeshift bed. Contrary to what you may be thinking, it is quite comfy. My back rests on the couch while I adjust the blanket so that my whole body is covered. Once satisfied with my sleeping arrangements, I shut my eyes and once again, fall asleep.

I don't know how long I slept, but know it's not for nearly as long as I need. Now, I would have kept sleeping and fulfilled my sleep quota for the night if it weren't for a huge amount of weight falling on top of me.

My eyes jolt open as soon as whatever it was lands on me. I try to sit up and get out from underneath of it, but my hips were pinned to the ground. My eyes flash to my lower half to see a mess of brown waves and their tall owner sprawled on me in a disorderly lump. Brown eyes meet mine with a smirk, causing me to groan.

"Could you move?" I ask, sounding ruder than I originally intended. He stares back at me with widened chocolate colored eyes.

"Could I get a good morning kiss?" he asks in reply, smirk growing every second.

"In your dreams, Matthews," I snort, struggling to break free.

"That's interesting. You were in my dreams last night, but you definitely weren't kissing me good morning," Auston says suggestively, emitting an involuntary eye roll from me.

"Yeah, I don't need the details," I say, holding up a hand to halt him from any further elaboration. He shrugs, still crushing me from the waist down.

"Okay, seriously, though. Get up," I demand.

"What's the magic word?"

"What are you? Four years old?" I question somewhat seriously.

"Nope. Just turned seven," he fires back with a grin.

"Fine. Please get off me," I repeat my demand, this time adding the 'magic word.'

"Wrong magic word. Try again," he says, completely amused by this situation.

"Cut the shit and please get off. I can't feel my legs," I whine.

"Is that a fat joke?" he asks, clutching his chest in mock offense.

"Yes, definitely," I reply, chuckling a bit, despite my best efforts. I really hate that he's funny.

"Fine," he sighs, rolling onto the floor beside me, "but I only caved because I have practice in half an hour."

I fold my legs and sit criss cross, glancing over at the other couch that contains the lovely couple. They are both still sound asleep, obviously not disturbed from Auston's tumble from the couch to me. Auston stands up, making him seem like a giant from my position on the floor. He walks over to the couch and shakes Mitch awake.

"What the fuck do you want?" Mitch grumbles angrily, clearly pissed by his shortened sleep.

"We got practice in half an hour, smart stuff," Auston says, stretching his arms out. Mitch groans loudly, causing Steph to stir in her sleep but thankfully, not wake up. He then carefully removes himself from the couch and stands next to Auston.

"Morning, Mitch," I greet with a small wave. He smiles then frowns when he realizes I'm on the ground.

"Why are you on the floor?" he asks, puzzled.

"I couldn't fall asleep on the chair, so I just slept down here," I explain, gesturing to the ground.

"You could have slept in the guest room," he says, chuckling. I shrug, not even realizing that possibility until now.

"It's fine. It was comfortable until Auston fell on me," I say, nodding my head in Auston's direction.

"How was I supposed to know you would be laying on the ground right in front of the couch?" he asks, bringing up a good point. All I do is roll my eyes and scoot back so that I am able to lean against the couch.

"Well, we should head out. You good here with Steph?" Mitch asks, motioning to the sleeping blonde. I nod and flash him a thumbs up.

"Good. We'll be back in a few hours. Feel free to get something to eat. Just a warning, though, we never have food," Mitch adds.

"Thanks, I'm sure I can figure something out," I laugh. He shrugs and follows Auston over to the front door. Mitch throws me a quick wave and then slips into the hall while Auston looks over his shoulder and sends me a short wink before joining Mitch outside.

I swear, that boy is impossible.

[recentanimenews]

Staff Picks: Our Favorite Anime of 2017

Welcome to the third and final entry in our Staff Picks series, in which we count down our favorite anime, manga, and video games of the past year. This time we’re talking about anime, and what a year it’s been for Japanese animation! 2017 saw the US release of a number of highly anticipated anime films, including the worldwide smash hit your name. (now slated for a Hollywood remake). On the business side, Netflix and Amazon leaned in hard on anime streaming rights, picking up multiple popular exclusives and frustrating the efforts of established players like Crunchyroll and FUNimation. The biggest results of those investments had to wait until 2018 to manifest, with Netflix releasing Devilman Crybaby to wide acclaim just as Amazon shut down their Anime Strike service. Despite the fracturing of the streaming market, fans found a lot to love, even within the typically maligned medium of 3-D animation. Anime is evolving fast thanks to a mix of technological advancements, the decline of the domestic home video market, and increased overseas attention, and 2017’s unlikely success stories point to an exciting future for the medium.

And with that, enjoy the list of our favorite anime of 2017!

David Estrella

#3: Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel Part 1

Fate/Stay Night: Heaven’s Feel has carried the ignominy of being “unadaptable” for so long that I started to believe it. The route in the original visual novel is a long, meandering read. Half of it is spent in the kitchen cooking dinner; the other half of it is sweaty, relentless banging in the bedroom. Plot happens at the end but not after hours of Kinoko Nasu failing to get to the point.

FSN readers generally believe “Unlimited Blade Works” is the best route in the game and have aligned their issues with the writing in “Heaven’s Feel” to place the blame on Sakura, a purple-haired childhood friend trope with a whisper-soft voice and little agency in the hot-blooded shonen manga battles of the Holy Grail War. Leave it to Ufotable to adapt the first part of the “Heaven’s Feel” theatrical trilogy as a superpowered slasher film in which legendary heroes go down like hormonal teens at summer camp. It’s a gorgeous, moody film that evokes the spirit of Garden of Sinners, another Ufotable joint that is somehow 10 years old now. The vision here is greater than simply adapting text-to-screen, it’s all about making a good film, leaning into the strengths of the Fate franchise while respectfully cutting the fat from the source material. Hopefully the remaining films can match or surpass this excellent beginning.

#2: Kemono Friends

Take a second to forget about the Kadokawa drama and search for that moment in time when Kemono Friends took the world by storm. Crystallize it and hold it dear. Kemono Friends should not have, could not have existed in a world such as this. Media giants are poised to consume one another and stamp out all the good in the world. It has always been this way. Somehow, Kemono Friends was broadcast on TV Tokyo. By the last episode, hundreds of thousands of viewers were in an animalistic fervor for this show. Anime fans have never beheld a work as pure, joyous, and heartfelt as Kemono Friends. It came from nowhere, from nothing, and it became everything for us. It gave me the power to slug through my day-to-day as I followed it.

“I have to live. I have to watch Kemono Friends.”

Kaban-chan, Serval-chan, all the Friends we met on the way. With their help, I rediscovered some ephemeral, nameless thing in creative work. Something compels us to create. Sometimes it goes away, sometimes it comes back, sometimes it goes away again and it doesn’t come back for months. Writing these blogs, writing in general takes time, effort, energy, and an iota of love for my own craft, just an iota to write it even with the shrill voice in my head telling me that no one reads these things and that it’s not worth the effort.

Kemono Friends was a dead smartphone application before the anime adaptation became a cultural phenomenon. Technically, that means there are more people reading the Ani-Gamers blog, specifically my writing, than there are people in the whole world playing the Kemono Friends mobile game. I’ll write my damn blog because of this truth.

#1: Kizumonogatari Part 3

What more do you want me to say?

“Kizumonogatari Part 1 is the experience of having all my hopes and dreams realized, and then surpassed.”

“Part 2 loosens up and charges forward with a maniacal glee – washing the world in theatrical arterial sprays and small intestines uncoiling in mile-long arcs.”

“These three films are a singular artistic effort, the like of which, realistically, won’t be repeated for some time.”

“This is the best possible Kizu animation we could have gotten, and we are all immensely blessed to have lived long enough to see it.”

I might be wrong, but I think myself to be a reasonable person. Reasonably, I can be allowed one or two things to be irrationally passionate about. If you know me personally, if after all this time you have not seen the Kizumonogatari trilogy despite my having spent a lifetime online gushing about it, we can’t be good friends. I’m drawing the line in the sand here. We can be friends, just not good friends. You cannot call yourself a good friend of mine if you haven’t seen Kizumonogatari. Between us, there will be a distance, a permanent, unresolvable distance that cannot be bridged by any act of kindness or gesture of goodwill, except for watching Kizumonogatari. Having friends that aren’t good friends is good, actually. People you only feel 6/10 happy to see is still a positive. It’s a low-energy positive that doesn’t require a lot of effort to maintain.

So I’m Definitely Not Mad about people being really into garbage media like 2-D idols and F2P shooters over Kizumonogatari and the Monogatari Series. Kizumonogatari is great, it’s for me alone, and I will share it with no one.

Ink

#3: The Eccentric Family 2

You know what Two Car: Racing Sidecar fell short on? Mascots. The sheer show-don’t-tell conversion of novel-based dialog to facial reactions and sets in the second installment of The Eccentric Family builds upon the competency in the first adaptation with an emboldened sense of maturity. (In reality, I just love boy-meets-girl stories.) These are characters that have become very dear to my heart, and seeing them grow (no matter how) is an honor. I feel somewhat uneasy naming a sequel as an “of the Year” pick, but the degree to which this season of this anime amps up the previous season’s ambitions is as noticeable as it is enjoyable.

#2: Girls’ Last Tour

Even in the season of a revived and re-envisioned Kino’s Journey, Girls’ Last Tour feels like the spiritual successor to the original Kino’s. Light on the surface but ponderous beneath, Girls’ Last Tour is charming and engrossing. It feels like a puzzle-platformer video game but develops worlds of wonder from the exploration of desolate areas of a post-apocalyptic world. The youths balance each other out via their unbalanced blends of optimism and pessimism, and this odd couple formula, mixed with the contrast of cute girls doing cute things against the setting, creates something truly special. The only flaws in the series are that it does not take place on the Isle of Man and that it only has enough protagonists for a single kneeler team.

#1: your name.

If Two Car: Racing Sidecar involved every pair of racers switching souls with one another and then again with the racers on other teams, it would only be a slightly lesser masterpiece compared to Makoto Shinkai’s body-swapping epic your name. I love this movie on multiple levels. Any movie that necessitates a second watch is worth valuing above the average anime. Shinkai accomplished something truly spectacular in terms of storytelling: he made the world weep and laugh together during a theatrical release that crept across the globe against all odds (I mean, c’mon … it’s anime) like a fulfilled Wyld Stallyns prophesy. But I’d be lying if I said this was his best work as a director. (Garden of Words forever!) Even so, your name. is a tour de force in that it made a non-Ghibli anime, featuring multiple instances of adolescent boob fondling, palatable and beloved to a worldwide audience.

Evan Minto

#3: Land of the Lustrous

I already wrote up the Land of the Lustrous manga for my manga Staff Picks, but it’s doing double duty this year so here I go again! Studio Orange’s anime adaptation retains most of the appeal of the original series, with atmospheric environments, surreal effects, and a meandering story that has a surprising amount to say despite not really coalescing into a single focused narrative. But the true achievement of the anime version of Lustrous is its CG animation, which blows away its contemporaries. Featuring translucent materials, copious simulation effects, dynamic virtual camera work, and expressive acting backed by both keyframe animation and motion capture, Lustrous is a new breed of CG anime that captures the appeal of traditional animation while taking full advantage of digital tools. The deft mixing of 2-D and 3-D animation in some scenes has been discussed at length and is indeed worth highlighting, but as a fan of CG animation who has been consistently disappointed by its use in anime, I want to believe that Land of the Lustrous represents the beginning of a CG renaissance, not just deference to the old ways of hand-drawn anime.

#2: Little Witch Academia

Little Witch Academia’s move to TV brings with it a few downsides: less ambitious animation and background art, simplified character designs, and a story stretched a tad too thin. But despite it all, the strong cast and unique brand of family-friendly magical adventure means it still maintains much of its original charm. Akko, the excitable and untalented young heroine, is just as stupid and lovable as ever (in fact, she might be even stupider this time around) as she joins Luna Nova Academy and works toward her dream of being a great witch. The series excels at episodic comedy vignettes, but it also tries out, with mixed results, a darker direction via both the backstory of Akko’s role model, Shiny Chariot, and the introduction of a direct antagonist. There’s also more time spent with her classmates, including two standout episodes focusing on her two sidekicks: a literal look inside the head of the morose and sarcastic Sucy and a visit to the family home of the timid bookworm Lotte. The world around them still has the whimsical design sensibility that made the originals so unique, with ornate architecture and mechanical design that showcases a magical world whose ancient origins collide with modern technology. And then there’s the staff at Studio Trigger, who have clearly fallen in love with this series. They delight in bringing its characters, creatures, and machines to life on screen with springy animation recalling the glory days of their time at Gainax. Little Witch Academia’s TV series is sometimes inconsistent, but when the stars align it makes for absolutely delightful viewing.

#1: In This Corner of the World

A mini-phenomenon in Japan when it came out in 2016, In This Corner of the World chronicles the everyday struggles of a young married woman in the shipbuilding town of Kure, near Hiroshima, during World War II. Based on the original work by Hiroshima native and manga artist Fumiyo Kouno (Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms) and directed by Sunao Katabuchi (Mai Mai Miracle), In This Corner is a film with genuine heart and an unprecedented sense of historical verisimilitude thanks to the absurdly detailed research the filmmakers undertook during pre-production. It’s a WWII movie, so there’s a heavy dose of tragedy, but also love, laughter, and beauty. What makes it the year’s best anime is the way that these contradictory emotions inform and accentuate each other. The effect is a story that’s layered and thought-provoking, surpassing even Ghibli’s masterpiece Grave of the Fireflies. By mixing comedy and drama, In This Corner builds a richer view of the psychological and moral contradictions of war, and leaves its audience with a profound understanding of the sacrifices made by civilians under siege. The film is essential viewing, not just because it captures the reality of war in 1945, but because it can inform our understanding of war today.

Alex Osborn

2017 delivered a healthy assortment of both quality TV series and unforgettable feature-length films. I’ve already put together a video rundown of my top 5 anime series of the year, so I’m sticking strictly to movies for these picks.

#3: A Silent Voice

Tamako Market and K-On! director Naoko Yamada crafted an emotionally gripping and visually astounding coming-of-age film that will stick with me for a very long time. A Silent Voice addresses bullying, disability, and depression with a level of care and authenticity rarely seen in the medium. Shoya Ishida’s transformation from an indifferent, thrill-seeking brat into a broken, lonely, and suicidal teenager is harrowing, and sets the stage for what is ultimately a cathartic tale of one’s desperate journey to find genuine friendship and redemption.

The animation is expressive and fluid, the painterly backgrounds are stunning, and the character designs are diverse but maintain a visual coherency. While the inclusion of The Who’s “My Generation” during film’s opening didn’t really work for me, Kensuke Ushio’s restrained, yet deeply affecting score marries beautifully with the themes and overall tone of A Silent Voice.

I must say I’m glad I decided to dive into Yoshitoki Ōima’s manga after having watched the movie, as the film’s lack of development for the secondary characters would have been far more glaring had I already been familiar with the source material. Still, given the constraints of a 130-minute film, Yamada delivers an admirable adaptation that has me eager to see what she does next.

#2: In This Corner of the World

Grave of the Fireflies holds a special place in my heart as one of the finest World War II dramas of all time. I honestly never thought Studio Ghibli’s animated masterpiece would ever be topped. Then I watched In This Corner of the World. Set in WWII Japan, director Sunao Katabuchi’s astounding war drama provides an admirably accurate depiction of Hiroshima before and after the devastating effects of the atomic bomb.

Ani-Gamers editor-in-chief Evan Minto called the studio MAPPA production a “masterpiece war anime,” and I couldn't agree more. He spoke with the film’s producer, Masao Maruyama, about the incredible amount of work that went into recreating the experience of WWII, and their monumental effort really shows.

The carefully-researched production depicts life during WWII through the perspective of a young woman named Suzu, and expertly weaves moments of endearing comedy into what is ultimately a heart-wrenching drama. Despite the unnerving tragedies Suzu faces, her story is ultimately one of hope. In This Corner of the World delivers a conclusion that, for me, puts the film ahead of Grave of the Fireflies as the greatest animated WWII drama of all time. MAPPA created a breathtaking adaptation of Fumiyo Kōno’s manga, with distinct and beautiful character designs by Hidenori Matsubara, and music by Kotringo that seamlessly shifts from solemn to uplifting, rounding out what is a near-flawless production.

#1: your name.

I missed the opportunity to see your name. when it debuted at Anime Expo 2016, so I had to wait for its theatrical debut in the US the following year. In that time, the mounting critical praise and commercial success it received in Japan elevated my excitement to ridiculous heights. When I finally got my ticket for a matinee showing in April, I entered the cinema with near unattainable expectations, and somehow the film managed to not only meet those expectations, but exceed them, leaving me a satisfied, albeit blubbering mess by the time the credits rolled.

your name. is the culmination of director Makoto Shinkai’s career up to this point, fully realizing the “lovers separated by distance” premise that’s served as the focal point of nearly all of his prior works. In addition to being his most technically polished production, your name. integrates the best elements found in his prior works, yielding one of the most emotionally gripping romance anime I’ve ever seen.

I love how it takes the well-worn “body swapping” trope and subverts expectations, using it as a springboard to tell what is a deceptively-profound and thought-provoking love story that also has something to say about spirituality and the devastating effects of natural disasters. The leads are instantly endearing, the comedy is almost always on point, and the lovingly-crafted backgrounds, as expected from a Shinkai film, are a marvel to behold. The soundtrack, composed by Radwimps, is my favorite of the past few years, and on top of that, one of my favorite artists, Masayoshi Tanaka, did the character designs. your name. is basically the perfect blend of everything I love.

For more 2017 Staff Picks, check out our manga list and video game list!

Staff Picks: Our Favorite Anime of 2017 originally appeared on Ani-Gamers on January 14, 2018 at 6:08 PM.

By: David Estrella