#he did change… a lot….. compared to his first design

[pastelliek]

After nearly 2 YEARS now, here is Aaron’s possibly official design

[artifeast]

Holzmann (and a Margot I thought I'd throw in) catified! Thanks for the ask!

My designs aren't really specific breeds per se, but Holzmann is certainly inspired by Oriental Shorthairs. They just feel very him

[bug-slappy]

sharing my opinion here about serizawas design inconsistencies over time (spoilers for mp100 ending) i feel like in each new rendition of serizawa weve seen in official art ever since the start of S3 something feels off in a different way with every new merch release

lets start here ⬇ serizawa looks like,, himself. accurate to how hes drawn since his first anime appearance

⬇⬇⬇ and then slowly,,, things start to look off. his jawline is slowly getting slimmer, his eyes look wider (same with mobs too)

AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THESE. especially the one on the right my god. who is that

every new promo art that comes out just feels very careless. I think you could say so for all the characters (mobs giant eyes, reigens waist getting skinnier/pointier features. the PROMO art of dimple that was literally FULLY TRACED OFF OF A TEMU PIRATE HALLOWEEN COSTUME. they all look bad here)

it just feels a little depressing how little they seem to care anymore, like theyre just trying to pump out merch without bothering to use a character reference.

i notice the changes the most with serizawa. every promo art looks like theyre playing a game of telephone. each version of him is based on the last, instead of his initial design (shown below)

at the end of S2, when reigen cuts serizawas hair, he still looks like himself. they did a great job of showing "how serizawa would look underneath his moustache and big hair". In S3 it feels like they've lost that mentality completely. like he's no longer based off of his original design, but an entirely new reference of his salary man look. some comparisons between S3 vs S2 and OVA down below

I find that the line weight in S3 is much heavier and unfocused. but what bothers me most of all is that... Serizawa looks different in nearly every scene... as if they're undecided on what he should look like. the shape of his nose and jaw, his hair all change depending on the episode entirely.

The art style change for S3 was meant to be "more accurate to the manga", but I find that it had the opposite effect. especially how serizawas and ritsus eye shapes changed. ritsus large pupils and serizawas more almond shaped eyes were more reflective of their manga designs there are plenty of inconsistences in S1 and 2, but they're clearly done with purpose to reflect on ONEs art style (my beloved). I feel like the thinner lines allow more room for detail and extreme facial expressions that truly hold a candle to ONEs insane talent for capturing emotions.

these ^^^ compared to..

erm.. this.. ⬇

just felt very underwhelming... and serizawa certainly does mellow out once he starts working at S&S, but that doesn't mean that there's less opportunity for detailed expressions !!

the yokai fight scene was beautifully made i have no qualms.. but the amount of serizawa lore and dialogue in the manga that got cut from the anime just made him look like a cardboard cut out standing behind everyone. lots of funny and interesting moments cut to make room for the moefication of serizawa katsuya..

I feel like there's a lot of important moments that were cut, (reigen "i hope i can become a partner like that" arataka, serizawa "ive had a similar experience myself" katsuya )

or sad, intense scenes that were made lighthearted (the body improvement club trying to help mob, mob and ??? dialogue being cut, reigen removing his shoes in the final arc made to be meant for better grip rather than... his passively suicidal tendencies )

i think the people at bones are very talented dont get me wrong, i just felt like S3 could have been adapted better. this keeps me up at night its like 1am :) anywhosies thank you for listening to my ted talk i love you

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Do you have any crack headcannons like you did with Ace with hitting on Jamil?

I have one of Grim knowing how to use a toilet like a person would but not how to open doors. So during book 5. Guys would see Grim using the toilet, in the dark, in the middle of the night if they have to. They see two bright circles in the bathroom until they turn on the light.

[Referencing this post!]

👆 This scene from Puss in Boots 2 except it’s Grim and Yuu—

I have a lot of silly personal headcanons (probably way too many to contain in a post)! Off the top of my head:

A frequent topic among the first years is romance. It's mostly because Ace instigates (usually to brag about how much experience + game he has and how everyone else is a LOSER). Deuce and Epel are flustered, Jack tries to be mature and call out Ace's childish behavior + views, Sebek loudly compares what Ace says to the things he has read in his romance novels + advice from Lilia, and Ortho--shockingly--is the most level-headed and logical of the group. (He'll take one look at Ace's vital signs and declare the guy is actually lying about having rizz.)

(PREFACING THIS ONE WITH THE CONTEXT THAT I WAS SUFFERING REALLY BADLY FROM MONTHLY CRAMPS AND CAME UP WITH THIS TO COMFORT MYSELF) Due to their heightened senses, fae and/or beastmen are able to sense very subtle changes, such as shifts in weather (ie a storm is rolling in) and changes in the body. For example, local feminist king L*ona can somehow sense when "that time" of month is coming and will show up on some poor woman's doorstep a few days before it starts with a plastic bag of [feminine hygiene products], snacks, pain relief medicine, and a heating pad in it. He gives NO explanation, just unceremoniously tosses it on the floor before he turns around and peaces tf out.

Mostro Lounge staff are granted paid lunch breaks, but if they choose to eat from the lounge then they still need to pay for 50% of it. They once tried to unionize, but Azul sent in the twins to shut it down real fast.

Jade and Trey love really bad puns and dad jokes.

The Magic Carpet is Scarabia's unofficial mascot. The mobs generally like it and act like it's the dorm's collective pet dog. Sometimes they drop scraps of food for it from banquets/parties (... D-Does it eat? If so, how...?).

Crewel and Vil heard about the time the Ramshackle Ghosts designed and made Yuu + Grim Halloween costumes. They decided to work with the ghosts to make a fashion line using repurposed old fabrics for a charity fashion show. Proceeds went to an environmental conversation organization.

Lilia hates milk substitutes. He finds them offensive and it breaks his heart to see others ask for the "fake stuff". Insists that those are not "true milk", "It's just nut or grain water!! NUT OR GRAIN WATER!!"

Lilia goes on dating apps just to see who he can bag, then he kicks down the door to the Diasomnia lounge to brag that he’s “still got it”.

Malleus learned about swear words from Leona. (He asked Lilia what a “flying fuck” was because Leona said it in front of him 😭)

Crowley has a 20-step beauty routine. Also sings (terribly) while he engages in self care.

Fellow goes on dates just to scam women of their valuables and/or to leech off their resources for a little while. His ideal targets are lonely wealthy widows and/or lonely wives whose spouses are often busy with work or traveling. Usually ends with him getting smacked by the woman, chased off by an angry spouse, or him pathetically groveling for mercy at their feet.

[gotta-winwin]

(🎞️) ... hit the road docu.<> for you to walk comfortably

masterlist | cyana's masterlist

word count: 1k TW: fluff? nothing too crazy - woozi's segments pretty mild compared to what's about to go down („• ֊ •„) italics are interview moments cut between other scenes a/n: welcome to the first instalment of htr!

Cyana couldn't help but glance at Woozi when they won the Album of the Year at Asia Artist Awards. She wanted to see that glow of a smile flood across their producer member's face, a smile she so rarely got to see. He was usually so stoic around her.

"We won." Jeonghan breathed into her ear, pulling her and Dino in for a hug. "We won."

She looked at Woozi, who had been tugged into a group hug with Seungcheol and the others. "We won." She mumbled, mostly to herself. She couldn't quite believe it.

"It was hard to imagine we had won." Woozi said to the camera. "I was looking for Cyana the whole time, trying to see her reaction. I never thought we'd succeed with her next to us." He shrugged, a little sheepish. "Guess I was wrong."

"Hi!" Cyana waved to the camera. "We're practicing for our Osaka concert right now." She moved to show the members with the staff in the background. "Apparently they did this all last tour as well, to keep in line with the local staff."

Woozi could be seen directing the bulk of it, naturally taking over as he knew most about their sound design.

"It sounds a bit lower," Woozi said into his mic. "can we adjust that?"

"It was amazing, to see Woozi oppa controlling the stage, even when we weren't performing." Cyana smiled as she recalled. "It made it even harder to hold a grudge."

Woozi approached Cyana as they sat in the green room, two hours before the concert. She was busy eating, her phone propped up as she watched Criminal Minds on low volume.

"Your mic pack's acting up." He informed her, sitting down opposite her. "They're fixing it but we don't know how long it'll take."

Cyana paused her show, looking up worried. "Is there a spare?"

"The staff are finding one now." Woozi let out a loud sigh. "It's a bit hectic today."

"I was kind of checking everything that day. It wasn't that I was a perfectionist. There was just a lot of changes. It was a different size stage, we had changed formations and cue sheets." Woozi recalled the day.

Cyana nodded after hearing the interviewer's comment. "I don't think our performance in Osaka would've gone as well if it hadn't been for his attention to detail."

LOCATION: UNIVERSE FACTORY

"I spend most of my time at the studio. It's like my second home." Woozi explained. "It's also where I see Cyana the most."

Cyana's sprawled on the studio couch, face facing the ceiling as she listened to the track Woozi was playing. "Pause it." Cyana sat upright, her face in thought. "Wait, go back a few bars."

"I liked working with Woozi oppa. We didn't really have much to say to each other outside of work, but working on music was something that could bring us together." Cyana let out a tiny laugh. "I guess being sleep deprived does bring people together."

Woozi rewinds the track, bringing it back to the chorus. "Here?" He asked, looking at Cyana for confirmation.

The girl nodded. "Yeah, play it again?"

The two grew silent as they concentrated on the beats. Cyana stood up suddenly frowning. "What is that sound in the very back? The dat-dat-dat-dun." She mimed drumbeats as she tried explaining what she was hearing.

"Cyana didn't know how to work the sound mixing board yet, she was learning as we worked but I could tell it frustrated her, having to explain her thoughts to me." Woozi couldn't help but smile. "It was endearing, I have to say."

"I know what you mean." Woozi nodded, following her train of thought. "I hear it too. Must've altered when we mixed those two beats together yesterday." He clicked a few keys on the board. "I'll find it."

"Bumzu sunbaenim told me Woozi oppa's always been like this, even as a trainee. A pure musical genius." Cyana shook her head in mild disbelief. "I came to learn that producing is literally his entire life. He doesn't even think of it as anything special."

Cyana let out a yawn, sitting back down on her spot at the corner of the couch, curling her legs up. "You should take a break, oppa. You've been staring at that screen for hours."

"I felt bad, that I couldn't hold my fair share of the work. Sometimes it felt like I was just directing him." Cyana admitted. "I thought: he must feel annoyed, having the maknae throw ideas into his area of expertise."

Woozi stretched his arms, rolling his shoulders back. "I'm fine, Cyana. We can keep going." Rolling his chair across the room, he opened the mini fridge and threw her a bottle of water before taking one for himself. "We'll forget tomorrow."

Cyana could only smile ruefully at his persistence, taking a small sip of water. "Only if you're sure."

"What else can I say?" Woozi shrugged. "The members all say I work too hard. That I should be sleeping more, going out more, living more. But I am living- when I'm making music."

Woozi cued up the track once again, sifting through it to find the error both he and Cyana could hear. Cyana watched from behind, feet tapping absentmindedly to the rhythm.

The concert venue held an insane amount of people. Cyana could only stare out into the vast sea, smiling from the sidelines as Woozi started his Opening Ment.

"I'm a stickler for routine." Woozi said, elbows on his knees as he explained to the interviewer. "Cyana proved to me new things can be better than the old- and I'm grateful to her for that." He side eyes the staff. "She won't see this, right?" Looking back at the camera, he continued. "Anyways, I'm thankful for my members because they are the ones who love my music the most. Because of that, I feel no pressure in creating, only joy."

The cheers from the crowd washed over Woozi as he performed with his members.

'There is something so special about seeing people enjoy your group's music. And it is even more special knowing you created it."

a/n: wahhh first hit the road ep done! it was def a journey, trying to combine cyana into the episode and also keeping it woozi-centered. I tried following the format of the og youtube docu- lmk how it was! these instalments might be on the shorter side just cause the docus are pretty short themselves (｡•́︿•̀｡)

[erinwantstowrite]

OKAY. I DIDNT. I don’t know if it’s been confirmed that bruce is otherworld ben but i’m fairly confident he is and i’m losing it. bruce. i didn’t realise that meant HE’D DIED THE WAY HIS PARENTS HAD. LIKE SAME BUT DIFFERENT, I DIDNT REALISE THE BEN = BRUCE DEATH IMPLICATIONS UNTIL YOU WROTE PETER TELLING DICK ABOUT IT.

YOU’RE AN EVIL GENIUS /POS

even if it’s unintentional there’s a lot in this chapter that’s. delightful. devastating too

it is a SHAME i can't reply to two asks at once so anon #2 this is for you as well teehee

Benny was foreshadowing!! Benny is a counterpart to another guy that Peter knows in his world: Biggie. (he'll show up later in a Ned POV). Biggie and Benny are very similar, but in a way that made Peter wonder if Benny was a counterpart to someone that Biggie is related to- Benny is older, he was military, he also looks different enough that it took Peter a minute to see similarities. But they are, in fact, the same person/soul, and are counterparts to each other. Peter does not know this yet, but he has his suspicions.

that's because some counterparts do not look the same, and have different stories, etc, but are the same person. i'm reeeeaaaaaalllllyyyy stretching it here, but i wanted to play around with possibilities. Kind of like concept art? there can be multiple different versions of the same characters drawn down, one makes it to the movie that we see. but in another universe, a different design was chosen. same character, different design and concept. the timelines between worlds is shifted about 7 years behind for 1300 (Bats') compared to 1299 (Peter's), but that doesn't mean everything is perfectly matched up. there are faces in the crowd that are older or younger or look completely different, but they are there.

this includes Ben and Bruce - which, by the way, Benny's name being Ben is also foreshadowing that Ben is playing a role here: with Bruce. a gruff older guy named Ben takes Peter in to make sure he has a home and he worries about him and is very bad at hiding that fact, and then we look at Bruce and raise our eyebrows. (Ben really is haunting our narrative) Benny was a hint the whole time to counterparts not being the exact same across universes, and he's technically the first counterpart that Peter meets. he had gone into the burger shop before he met Nightwing, but it's not until later in the chapter do they talk to each other.

fundamentally i can see Ben and Bruce as the same person/character type (far more than i can see Jason as Ben, which I don't hate, but it doesn't appeal to me as much). Bruce has a more parent type relationship with Dick than Ben has with Richard but the relationship is not that far off. Circumstances changed and things are different but ultimately they are the same souls. Bruce and Ben advocate for responsibility to help other people with the power you have, they both are trying their best to raise a kid that needs a teacher/guiding hand to comfort them but also push them forward out of their grief, etc. and their stories revolve around gun violence. Ben died protecting Peter from a gunman which is very close to how Martha and Thomas died from a mugger. and i did, in fact, giggle when i wrote it down :3

[buried-l0cket]

Polygun but it’s how they all see each other

i always really like in books with different narrators when how a character looks itself is unreliable narration bc they describe themself differently compared to how the other pov characters see them, and the dungeon meshi shapeshifter chart scratched that itch for me art wise and I got inspired ✨

To be more specific this is what they each picture when they think of each person 👉👈

Details under cut!!

Meryl clothing details aside because I think she’s just short and the boys aren’t looking at her traveling clothes too hard (and vash clearly likes making his own clothes with how much his overly intricate jacket design changes so ofc his version of her outfit just looks like another one of his designs 🙄) all of the clothes are based on specific parts of the manga!

A big thing with these designs was taking moments that were important regarding each characters relationship with the pov character and adding in visual nods to that to show what memories stuck with them to shape their image of that person.

The clearest example of this is everyone thinking of a different Vash coat, for Wolfwood it’s what he was wearing when he turned him over to Knives, to Meryl it’s his final fight coat, and for Milly it’s when she met him.

It may be Trimax but I will always have a soft spot for 98 millywood so those two’s impression of each other has been influenced by that, but more specifically just the idea of them both alone together, layers and walls down, hair messy from sleep. Their relationship is one I just see very clearly developing over a lot of late nights at inns and bars during traveling!

Vash is the trademarked inventor of Savior Martyr Victim complex supreme and when he thinks of everyone he sees times they’ve been let down by him. To me he’s the biggest broken gear in their dynamic because of the way he holds himself back and isolates, the ship really works in spite of him most of the time. But he also sees traces of times his desire to be by their side was cemented. His Meryl is heavily based on after she was kidnapped by the GHGs and he lost control in front of her, but her hair is longer + earrings are gone like when they saw each other again after Knives released the ark, and she has a black turtleneck peaking out from under her traveling clothes the way it did under her space suit during the final battle. His Milly has the hair and undershirt of the final battle but her outer clothes are from when they traveled together for the majority of Trimax. His wolfwood isn’t doing too well.

Meryl’s versions of Milly and Wolfwood are both pretty similar to how they looked when she first met them, wolfwoods hair is just a little longer like I imagine it being towards the end of Trimax and is very windswept, from their short first meeting in the original Trigun manga run I always got the impression she thought he looked very cool lol, she was staring up at him like ://0 the whole chapter.

I mentioned it before but honestly most of Wolfwood’s Vash is based on how he looked when he turned him over to Knives, not only do I think that moment stuck with him but I feel like it’s a good visual summary of all the mixed feelings he has towards Vash. He’s drawn to him and sees how sad he his but he also sees how inhuman he is and the threat he and knives pose for the people he cares about and prioritizes. At the end of the day Wolfwood chose the orphans over Vash twice and never went back on that, and a big part of why he broke Vash our of Knives prison was just so he could go fight Knives to the death for humanity’s sake, and I think that’s important to his character and their relationship.

Similarly, Meryl’s Vash is really just final arc Vash. She’d already developed a very strong impression of him before then but they would go weeks to even years without seeing each other and each time the way he looked and the way she felt about him would change drastically, it seemed to me like it wasn’t till she was on the ship advocating for him and the people living on gunsmoke that she knew how she felt about him and what kind of person she saw him to be. It was also a huge moment for her character wise with the way she faced her fears in the name of human connection and made the active choice to not be as apathetic and closed off as she realized she had been in the early manga.

I think Milly’s first impression of Vash was strong and accurate enough to not change much, this nice guy is Vash the Stampede and there is definitely something weird about him.

I don’t know why Wolfwood doesn’t know what Meryl’s hair looks like, what’s wrong with that guy? In general his version of Meryl is very inaccurate now that I’m looking at it, I promise he likes her

+small details that are my personal headcanon and not the characters interpretations are Meryl and Wolfwoods hair being a bit more curly/textured than canon, Milly’s eyes being green, and Meryl’s earrings being silver (gold earrings with a white black and blue outfit and silver guns?? C’mon girl accessorize properly)

[comingdownwithme]

I love your creepypasta au and designs and lore. Do you have anything for Nina the killer, Jane the killer and clockwork?

Sure! Sorry for the late response! had school n' stuff, and I had to reread the old original stories of some of the creepypastas and catch up on any newer additions since this is (technically) my first run in the fandom.

Anyways! Here's my take on the girls! Hope these are alright! This was like- my first time reading Jane and Nina's and my 2nd time since I was 12 reading Clockwork's ekdjske

Nina the Killer

Growing up with a love for horror, Nina Dagon was a young girl isolated from her fellow peers from a young age, with no one else but her brother and mother to confide in. As she grew, so did her love for the macabre, and that love soon grew into an avid interest in True crime. There, at a young, impressionable age where she's at her most isolated and vulnerable, was when she found the man who would change the course of her life, whether he knew or wanted to, or not.

Out of the Creepypastas I've drawn so far (as of Sept. 2024), she's the youngest adult at 25-ish! (Though this may be subject to change as with the actual ages of other characters ://)

Bilingual! Spanish is her first language, English is her second. She's not the best at it, but she's trying.

Grew up with unrestricted Internet access lmao. This... severely impacted her development and how she acted around people at a young age, and a small part of that influence is still present in her childish demeanor as an adult.

Found out about the death of Mr. And Mrs. Woods, alongside the murder of three other kids in the family's suburbian town following their deaths and the burning of their home, through true crime channels.

That is also how she found out about Jeff and related a little too much to his background (her blorbo from her shows).

Jeff's copycat killer, down to his iconic smile, (though hers is a lot thinner and cleaner than Jeff's). They say that imitation the highest form of flattery.

She gets a chainsaw. I think it looks cool :))

Learned exclusively through true crime. Though she's less graceful or experienced than Jeff, she still managed to keep the police off of her, especially when the first of her bullies had gone missing.

Follows Jeff's murders closely. Wherever he strikes, she strikes soon after.

Jane the Killer

While the fires of his own grief and rage still burned bright, Jane E. Arkensaw was a woman that came home at the wrong time. Despite the risk of death as she stands before someone who's hands were stained with the blood of many- including her own parents- Jane fought with adrenaline and anger coursing through her veins like a drug.

The rest of the night was a blur. All Jane remembers as she looks up at the golden silhouette of her burning home amidst the dark backdrop of the evening was that disgusting, Glasgow smile and the fact that within the chaos, she had managed to hurt him.

Jane was scarred worse than Jeff was if comparing their burns. This was because amidst the fire, Jane stayed in a vain attempt to save her dying parents.

As she stands outside, injured, confused and alone as the weight of exhaustion slowly settles in, she wonders why exactly Jeffery "Jeff the Killer" Woods dragged her out of that house before she could die in that fire.

Jane's father used to be in the military, so she learned a thing or two from him in terms of holding one's own in a fight.

Stole the mask she now wears from a Halloween sale at some nearby store during October. A lot of the things she wears has also been either stolen or bought at cheap from thrift shops.

She a lesbian :))

Hasn't and will never kill anyone. Her main target is Jeff.

Despite that, due to her inexperience and Jeff's tendency to escape without a trace, she's sometimes caught in the scene of his crimes instead, leading her to be indirectly framed when she had first decided to hunt around for the white-hooded killer. She's gotten better now though.

Has a complex relationship with Jeff. Despite her seething hatred for him and his apparent distaste in turn, the killer had helped her escape the cops on several occassions, even feeding her during her earlier days.

Still, she won't and will never forgive him, and she dare not try to make sense of the mind of a literal serial killer.

She was an avid enjoyer of the occult and the supernatural before the incident. She still is now, though she's often busied with other priorities.

Clockwork

Having been raised in a broken family and knowing nothing but pain for most of her life, Natalie Ouelette, even at a young age, felt as if both time and space were working against her, puppeteering her life to entertain whatever twisted Gods were watching over humanity. As the years went on, the line between pain and the mundane- even enjoyable- had began to blur, which is reflected in her art during her younger years which she had used to cope. After a series of continuously concerning events, leading to her hospitalisation at a mental institution, Natalie "Clockwork" Oulette escaped, leaving a trail of blood in her wake, including her so called "family".

Practically homeless (like most of my interpretation of the creepypastas are tbh) and had never changed out of the scrubs she had to wear during her stay at the mental institution.

The mutilation and replacement of her eye was a desperate attempt to regain some control of her life, and in the end, she felt like she had

Often confuses physical pain with other sensations.

Doesn't like being touched. Even with injuries where it would prove easier with someone's help, she'd much rather do it herself, leaving some injuries to heal for far longer and scar worse.

Her jacket was one of the few things she brought along with her after she had ransacked her family home.

Usually targets families, especially its older members. She then stays in the family home for a short moment before she moves on.

[mr-butter-face]

I've already expressed my adoration of both designs of Telltale's Joker. But I just want to break down why they're so appealing to me.

In the game, John Doe goes through huge changes in his life that are expressed in his wardrobe. But the most dramatic change is at the last episode of the series. When he fully transforms into Joker.

Brian Matyas is a concept designer who had worked on both Batman Telltale games. He had posted some of his works on Artstation and Instagram.

[Brain Matyas Instagram Post]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BhucYx5lGCb/?img_index=1

(I suggest you read the entire post till the end.)

[John Doe]

As the game progresses in the story, players will probably take note of how John's wardrobe goes through the most changes compared to everyone else. But the key thing to note that stayed consistent in each episode was his half-fast way of buttoning/tucking-in his shirt and how progressively colorful his outfit was getting.

[Villain Joker]

There's a lot of things to break down about this outfit. First, Brian Matyas stated that Villain Joker was molded primarily by Bruce Wayne. Not Batman. Joker's business tie and fancy suit's purpose was to emulate Bruce's public persona of being a CEO (or, more simply, a person with power). Interestingly enough, Joker's gloves are basically the same kinds that Harley wears in game, as if it were to say now they're equals in their relationship (but obviously they're not). I've heard from others that gloves are symbolic of secrets, which describes how Joker has kept some information hidden from Harley.

The Villain Joker design is probably the most colorful one. His bright green hair, the 80 carpet patterns in his navy suit, the pop of hot pink, and the most disgusting looking dress-shirt I've ever seen. Jack Nicholas' influence isn't lost on me. This outfit screams bold and confident, and most importantly, free.

There are still elements of John Doe. The poorly done tucking and buttoning of Joker's shirt are there. But strangely enough, the strain of hair in front of his head is flipped. John’s was located on the right side while Joker purposely flipped it to the left. And that's not the only thing that's flipped. John's outfit consisted of a purple vest inside and a green/teal shirt outside. Now the pattern is switched with Joker, green shirt inside and dark navy suit outside. Subtle differences like this are led to believe that Joker wants Bruce Wayne to know that he's completely different from John Doe.

The last thing to talk about is his shaved eyebrow. I have no idea why he would do that. People have said it's because he wanted to express how much damage Bruce did to him. Personally, I thought it was like ‘girls making bad hair decisions after a breakup’ thing.

Although his design encompasses both Bruce Wayne and Harley Quinn's impact on his life. It's more leaning into Bruce.

[Vigilante Joker]

There's something about this design that always makes me feel so heartbroken. Not because it's a bad design but because of how much it reminds me how John had faith that if he lived up to Batman's standards that he would be able to maintain their friendship.

Brian Matyas said that he wanted the Vigilante Joker's silhouette to emulate Batman's. It's shown by how his hair and shoulders are curved to a point. Joker's makeup is a lot more gothic and is a lot more menacing than Villain's makeup. It also almost resembles the mask that typically Robin would wear.

Again, there are still elements of John Doe present here. But they are less noticeable than Villain's. Joker's left arm has stitches, (John has been seen wearing a vest that has a different color button then the rest) his shirt's collar isn't properly folded correctly, (John is practically never seen to maintain his dress-shirt collar properly) and he still keeps his vest unlike Villain route. (Although like Villain, there is a color swap with the green shirt and purple vest)

But one thing that jumps out to me is how dull in vibrate color he is compared to Villain Joker's or even John Doe's fourth episode outfit. I had to brighten up my screen in order to identify the smile patterns in his suit. Vigilante design is flashy, but it feels like he's being held back from fully expressing himself.

Joker never really understood Batman's moral code. For players to unlock the Vigilante route, they had to enable John's more violent tendencies. So his outfit only reflects the darker side of Bruce Wayne because that's what Joker believes to be what Batman wants from him.

Huge thanks to hemfbg. They were able to locate both Joker's concept art from Brian Matyas' Instagram.

[Hemfbg Telltale Community Post]

https://community.telltalegames.com/discussion/121009/concept-art-by-brian-matyas

[deliciousangelfestival]

Nothing Has Changed - 14

Summary: Returning home for peace, you're faced with your tormentor, Bucky Barnes, who is now involved in your family's business.

Character: Bucky Barnes

Warning: Angst, Tragedy.

Author Note: So... I wrote the story outline until the ending. I didn't expect the story to turn dark. Prepare yourself.

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Thank you to anyone who gave a like, reblog, and left a comment. It motivated me to write more. 💖💖💖

You knew that Steve and Bucky weren't as close as they used to be, but seeing it up close felt even more awkward. Bucky, on the other hand, didn't seem stressed despite his mother being sent to jail.

As you watched Bucky load your groceries into your car, you asked, “I don't feel any bromance between you and Steve anymore.”

Bucky shrugged, not missing a beat as he placed another bag in the trunk. “Well… I won’t deny it. Ever since we all went our separate ways, while Steve stayed, everything just became different.”

“I did offer him a job at the resorts, but he declined.” His voice held a note of regret. “It’s sad that we’re not close anymore.”

You watched him for a moment, feeling a pang of something you couldn't quite identify. You never had someone who used to be close to you turn into a stranger. The closest person you had was Ransom. He betrayed you once but still kept in contact. Then there was Harlan, the only older person who was like a grandfather figure to you. But he's gone now.

“You're a good friend,” you said softly.

Bucky’s eyes widened in surprise. “Did… Did you just give me a compliment?”

“No.” You quickly got into your car, hoping to hide the faint smile on your face.

He chuckled and hummed, “Yes, you did.”

As you closed the car door, he knocked on the window. You rolled it down a little. “What?”

“I know I'm asking a lot, but could you help out at the resort again?” Bucky’s voice was earnest, almost pleading.

You raised an eyebrow. The idea of going back to the place that kicked you out felt just as wrong as when you got fired from Drysdale. Memories of the humiliation and hurt still stung.

Bucky seemed to sense your hesitation. “I will make sure the environment is different this time.”

That got your attention. “How?”

“You'll see it tomorrow.” He smirked a hint of mischief in his eyes, and then turned to leave. You watched him walk away, a mix of curiosity and skepticism swirling in your mind.

🏨🏨🏨🏨🏨

The next morning, you woke up with uncertain feelings. Should you go back? But you decided to give it a try.

When you parked your car, you saw someone walking out the door carrying a box. It was Natasha.

You got out of the car and walked past her. Natasha glared at you, spitting out, “Bitch. Are you happy?”

You stopped and turned to face her, feeling a newfound confidence. “What did I do that made Bucky fire you? Tell me. All the evidence points to Lydia.”

Natasha flinched, taken aback by your directness. The old you would have been too afraid to talk back to her.

In truth, only Bucky knew the real reason she was fired. She had been receiving hush money from Lydia. The first time she caught Lydia red-handed, stealing money from the vault and stuffing it into her designer bag, she was paid off to keep quiet.

Her front desk salary couldn't buy her designer bags and shoes with cash. The money from Lydia was the reason she could afford them. But no matter what she had, it was nothing compared to what you possessed.

“Tsk.” She clicked her tongue and walked away.

You sighed. She hadn't changed. She always lashed out at you.

“Did she bother you?” Bucky's voice broke through your thoughts.

“No. She just blamed me,” you replied, shaking your head.

“I'm sorry,” he said, looking genuinely apologetic.

“I'm used to it. She hasn't changed at all,” then turned and walked into the building.

You started working again. You felt more relaxed, perhaps because Lydia and Natasha were no longer there to cast their shadows.

‘Knock, knock.’

You lifted your head and saw Jake standing at the door.

“You're back,” he said, stepping inside.

“Yeah,” you replied, continuing your work.

He took a seat in front of you. “Me and the other employees are grateful to you.”

“Why?” you asked, looking up.

“Because those women are gone,” Jake said.

Your pen stopped moving. “Was it that bad?”

Jake shrugged his shoulders. “Well, we kinda knew. But we couldn't do anything. Especially me. This place was the only one that gave me a job after what happened.”

You leaned forward, curious. “Can I ask what happened to you? Someone as smart as you making a mistake like that doesn’t seem right.”

He sighed, leaning back in his chair. “People won’t believe me when I tell them, but I guess you could understand it.”

“Me?” You raised an eyebrow.

He nodded. “Just like you, I was framed for something I didn’t do.”

Before Jake came back, he had a good job at an IT security company. But he was blinded by money when he got an offer to make a gambling website.

“Wait… what about the rumor you hacked the Department of Defense’s security?” you asked, intrigued.

Jake leaned in, lowering his voice. “That’s… well, off the record. I can’t tell you about that. But it wasn’t the reason I got arrested.”

The reason he got arrested was someone tipped off the authorities that he was the person who made the illegal gambling website. Jake did, but he was also accused of receiving $30 million from money laundering that was used on the site.

“Wow,” you said, shaking your head. “Do you know who asked you?”

He shrugged his shoulders, scratching his head. “It's my own fault too. I got the request from the dark web. It was difficult to prove to the judge, and I didn’t have the money to pay for a good lawyer.”

“How did you get released?” you asked, still in disbelief.

“I got a plea deal. I knew some secrets. Do you want to know?” Jake winked at you.

You scoffed, “No thank you,” and went back to work.

Jake chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “But seriously, thanks for what you did here. It means a lot to all of us.”

You nodded, acknowledging his gratitude, but focused on your work.

🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠

You went back home, only to see the last person you wanted to see walking out of your house—the mayor.

You stayed in your car until he left, then got out and headed inside.

When you entered the house, you saw Tom sitting on a chair with his head resting on his hand. He looked stressed and pale.

You rushed to him and touched his shoulder. “Father?”

Tom flinched, then looked up at your face. He patted your arm. “Y/N.”

“Yes?” you asked, your voice filled with concern.

“Could you stop whatever you're doing right now?” he said, his voice trembling.

Seeing how stressed and scared your father was, you knew it could only mean one thing—the mayor had given him a warning.

“Did he threaten you?” you asked, your eyes searching his face.

Tom shook his head. “No, he just gave me some advice. Lydia has all the connections. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Bullshit. It wasn’t advice. It was clear that Lydia and the mayor were partners in crime.

“I'll listen to you,” you said, patting his shoulder reassuringly.

Tom sighed in relief and nodded, glad you didn’t object. “I'm going to make some tea. Do you want some?”

Before you could answer, your phone vibrated. It was Steve. “I’m going to take this,” you said, stepping away.

You moved to another room. “Hey.”

Steve’s voice came through the line. “Are you busy right now?”

“No. What’s up?”

“I just wanted to tell you that I’ve arrived at the art gallery,” Steve said.

“That’s great!” you replied, a smile spreading across your face.

“Y/N?” he continued, sounding a bit uncertain.

“Hmm?” you prompted.

“I feel so small surrounded by these skyscrapers,” he admitted.

You remembered feeling the same way when you first arrived in the city.

“But it gives big opportunities,” Steve added, a note of hope in his voice.

You smiled, feeling a bit lighter. At least there was some good news. “Stay optimistic like that, and you’ll get it, Steve.”

🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠

In a big house, a woman lay on the couch, casually flipping through a magazine. An ankle bracelet adorned her right ankle—it was Lydia.

Bucky came home and walked into the living room, his footsteps echoing in the spacious room.

The moment she saw him, her expression twisted with anger. She hurled the magazine toward him, but he caught it effortlessly.

“You're just like him,” she spat, her voice dripping with bitterness.

@starsofcloud

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Author Note: Hey friends,

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[ncillary]

Self Aware AU (Xavier)

Summary: You have the lowest Affinity with Xavier. The reason is because you feel bad for the Queen MC and vow to play only the main story for his path so that you can find a way to return him to Queen MC safe, sound and happy end.

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Masterlist Self Aware AU

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| 1 | 2 [current] | 3 | 4 | 5 |

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"The Hunter Contest is nice. But trying to complete it is another story."

"You know. You have that lover boy. Why can't you just use him? He has a lot of green gem, right?"

"Protocore."

"Same difference. Just... Use HIM. You need the red diamonds, right? For that new... story... liking all of them, by the way."

She huffed, "Why don't you just play it? Are you going to sit next to me when I roll the gacha again?"

Your friend grinned, "Of course. I'm your lucky charm. Besides, I'll need a good phone to download it, right? Let me collect my funds first then we can shout out and grimace to our hearts content."

You chuckled.

-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------

"I know you hate being Lumiere but I kinda need to pass this level, 'kay."

He blinked. Confused to hear your voice right now.

Girl. I don't care. Just use me all you want. Our Affinity is almost there. I can feel it.

-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------

"Look. Look! I got the birthday card!"

"How many times you wanted to show it to me? It's not that lover boy, though."

"Heyyyy... I'll get his too. Birthdays are much more important than other limited 5* so far. Wish I could get the fishie's one. Shouldn't have been so stuck up on exchanging the diamonds for the Blue Ticket at that time."

"No worries. Nothing special."

"It is though. Maybe there's not much happening compared to Snowy here."

"If Snowy got a birthday kiss, your lover boy will definitely get one too." You friend wiggled her eyebrows.

"Shush."

"Still going to get it?"

"Yes."

"Woah. Didn't you say-"

"Birthdays are special. I'll compromise. He still belongs to Queen MC."

Your friend sighed.

"You have the red umbrella one though."

*SMACK*

"Ouch!"

"Travel companion. Nothing more, nothing less."

She smirked, "Sure~"

You pouted.

-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------

"Haven't been able to force myself out lately. Do others have a higher Affinity with her now?"

He looked solemnly all around the cafe. It looks like she changed the cafe to the beach one. He liked the breeze here.

*Ding*

Head whipped quickly. The entire body automatically returned him to the designated spot.

"Oh, Xavier. It's been... a week? Yeah, a weak... Nice to see you."

As do I - a big inner smile

"Lumiere is a lot of help. Ah, sorry. I just completed your Light Seeker cards. The story is beautiful. Finally I could experience it in-game. I could only see it from fan sharing before."

She quitened.

"I really hope you could be with her in Ulruru soon."

She tapped the Stamina for the evening and logged out.

He could only stare. The mouth. Her mouth. Your mouth. He saw it.

He blushed, "It's cute."

Clearing throat, "Did she change her phone or something? Her front camera is on perfectly fine this time."

-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------

You were restless. Findling with your phone. Your friend pinched you.

"Aww!"

"It was just his birthday. AND... You already KNOW about it from the official news. Just LOG IN already."

"Jeez... Calm down. How about YOU log in first so that I'll know what to expect."

She stared, "Good idea. I'm sick of your nerves."

Your friend logged in. The Event icon has a NEW indicator on the corner. She tapped at it and the event started. You were awed by it. Mentally prepared on the event when you logged in after this.

"Happy?"

You grinned, "Totally."

"Diamonds?"

"Enough to get R1 but of course if and only if others didn't bother my 50/50. And of course if I already get it in the first 50/50 I'll stop."

"Saving for future?"

"Saving for future."

They laughed simply.

-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------

"Finally my plan is fruitful. For two days... It's going to be just you and me." She spoke to her phone.

"And chores...hahahahahaha..."

"Xavier's birthday is tomorrow. I'll log in at night. Judging from past birthday events, the video call happened after the birthday celebration. I'm going for his card tonight and watch it afterwards. Wait until tomorrow's night to answer the phone call to feel more canon. Yup. Good plan." She grinned confidently.

"Let there be... songs~" She proceeded to play songs on her phone before continuing with her chores in a high mood.

-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------

~Hmmhahmm~

He blinked, "She sounded happy today. Probably hyped up by the birthday event."

"You've been appearing frequently. Maybe because of your birthday event. We'll meet tonight, 'kay."

Her chuckle got cut off.

He smiled, "We'll definitely meet tonight."

-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------&&&&&-------

Plates full of food. Phone charged, currently has been set up well in front of you. Eating dinner while pulling the gacha and having a good time out of the birthday story will be a nice night for you after a long day of chores.

"What does the moon look light tonight?"

"Sloppy. Hungry. The moon outside is chilling well with the clouds though."

You joked around. A small unusual upturned of the lips when unnoticed.

"Let's get your birthday card, yeah."

*Bling*

You gasp. It was his birthday card. Your 50/50 were not wasted. You jumped out of happiness. Coughing afterwards to the food you chewed being jostled uncomfortably in your mouth. Forgetting that you were still eating.

After settling down, you immediately watch the memories. Tissues prepared for the big confession.

The dance was almost over. He stared at you. You briefly noticed his eyes looked different. Or maybe your imagination from the sobbing you're having right now.

"Here it comes... Here it comes... The confession."

"I... ... ..."

Your cupped your mouth to hear it better.

"I'm real."

Blank. Your mind took a screenshot of what you just heard.

He lifted MC and whispered the next dialogue.

"I see you. Please don't be scared. I'm real."

The scene didn't stop as MC seems to whisper something in his ear. He smiled but his eyes glanced straight at you. The real you. Not MC.

The scene faded as they kissed in front of the water fountain.

The memory ended.

Your hands trembling.

Slowly taping your way to the front screen. His birthday's attire glistening in the golden light. Face conjured up to one you've never seen before. Stuck that long on his face.

"Breathe."

You cough. Immediately standing. Just realizing you're holding your breath.

"Hey. Hey. I apologize. Go. Go drink some water or just... lay down or... anything to get you to calm down."

Watery eyes blearly saw his gestures were free will now. A bit closer to the screen. Not on his designated spot.

You sucked a deep breath, "I need to sit."

You crumbled onto the floor with your back flattening on the nearby cabinet.

Silent.

A few moments pass.

"Umm... Hello..."

Silent.

" -sigh- she passed out."

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| 1 | 2 [current] | 3 | 4 | 5 |

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Masterlist Self Aware AU

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[scribbling-dragon]

as promised,, here's the few headcanons I've currently got bouncing around in my docs/notes!

- BigB was slightly changed by his time in the mesa. not changed in the same way other people have been by the Games, but just enough to be noticeable. his feet don't make a sound, even when other's do. when he walks over sand, or snow, or freshly turned dirt, he leaves no footprints behind, as though he was never there in the first place. When you turn your head away from him, enough that you can barely see him from the corner of your eye, he changes. his limbs are out of proportion and nothing seems Quite Right. when you look back, everything is normal. there is no hole in the mesa.

- martyns a fucken cat. half of the time he looks as though he's just walked through the worst rainstorm in the world, even if it's currently sunny.

- do not approach the secret keeper just before dawn. It does things then that are only barely veiled beneath the darkness. if you look closely, you may see Its assistant (though perhaps that "assisstant" is the true mastermind).

- no-one's wounds are healing. they may eventually stop bleeding, so the players do not die of blood loss (a slow, creeping death may bring with it lots of dread, but it leaves a sour aftertaste for whoever consumes it), but the wounds remain gaping open.

- leading on from the previous one: martyn may have died, but some are secretly jealous that he is no longer walking around with open wounds. others are simply glad that they do not have to try and find an unmarred piece of skin to look at while they talk to him anymore.

- their secret tasks are each given to them in a small book, one that they must keep on their person at all times. with these books came personalised little holders for each player, so they can have it resting at their hip for easy access. these "book holsters" are just large enough for the book and nothing else. these holsters cannot be burned or damaged or destroyed in any way. whoever made them must have known the players well, with all the small hints to their personality within the design.

- skizz was the first to discover that you could additionally customise the book holsters, as he was doodling "Love Island" onto it to see if the alliance name would stick. it did, and others began writing their own alliance names on it, sitting and customising their holsters together so they could all match.

- jimmys "book holster" has a rather unique design compared to everyone else's. his holster is visibly falling apart, deteriorating throughout the day. only once he manages to complete his task does his holster get restored to its original condition, though with gold stitching highlighting where it has been pieced back together. he does not know what will happen if his holster falls apart completely (he's not sure he wants to know).

[warblogs17282]

Helluva Boss and it's usage of music, why the sound design is so important and how the music connects things together.

So, I've discussed this subject before but I've been thinking about it again recently and I'd like to go a lot more in depth about it, just so we're all clear, I am not mentioning songs in this at all, things like All 2 U and Two Minutes Notice for example.

Let's start with s1 e7, the scene after the date goes horribly and Stolas is talking to Blitz. Notice when the music piece starts here, it starts right during Stolas' line of "We could... talk.", more specifically starting right as Stolas says the word 'talk', which is one of the most important words in that scene, and the purpose of starting the music piece right at that word is to emphasise that word more, and there's another example of the show doing that to prove this point.

So, Blitz gets home, the music has completely stopped by this point, then the music piece starts up again the moment that Blitz scrolls onto that picture of his mother, which is obviously a very significant thing to Blitz, and us, the viewers, showing once again that they've used that music piece to bring emphasis on specific details, this time it being the picture of Blitz's mother.

That music piece is so great at placing more emphasis on details and being a great mood setter for the scene as well.

Now, let's head to the ending of s1 e8, that one scene where Blitz is talking to Loona on the couch. The same music piece as we just discussed starts up again, after Blitz says "Fuck, Fizz was right.", starting the moment that Blitz's lip starts quivering because he's obviously extremely upset about everything right now, yet again placing heavy emphasis on Blitz's emotions, and the statement he just said. Plus, setting the mood of the scene excellently as well.

S2 E1, but first, keep in mind the specific music piece titled 'Stolas Speaks', first shown during this scene in s1 e1, as it's used three different times if I'm remembering correctly.

Now, let's look at Paimon's introduction, and pay close attention to the music piece used, if you compare that and Stolas Speaks, it becomes obvious that Paimon's theme here is a variation of 'Stolas Speaks', which makes complete sense as Paimon is Stolas' father, and is probably a reoccurring theme across the Goetia as a whole as well.

Quick detour here but, pay attention to the music piece when Cash is talking to Blitz, and also pay attention to how the music piece almost instantly changes when Cash does the fake sadness face, the music piece now giving off a sadder tone compared to before Cash did that face, placing even more emphasis on Cash and his fake sad face.

Anyways, Stolas has just woken up from his drinking session, and we hear what I believe is 'Stolas Speaks' once again, but this time, stripped down to just it's bare bones, the piano that's normally there being completely absent this time. With the piano starting back up again right as Stolas takes the 'happy pills', which is also most likely done to bridge more naturally into the song, and to place more emphasis on Stolas taking the 'happy pills'.

S2 E4, we all remember this scene where Stolas is being wheeled into the hospital, and what we also know is that the first piano note of 'Stolas Speaks' plays right at the scene where the screenshot is taken, time slowing down as Blitz sees Stolas on the stretcher, all to sell the impact of the scene more to you and to place more emphasis on the rapidly approaching realisation to Blitz that Stolas can indeed get hurt.

S2 E8, the moment Stolas starts to place the Asmodean Crystal on Blitz's glove, the same music piece from s1 e7 and s1 e8 starts again (that or the general melody is quite similar), and this is most likely done to compare and contrast the car scene in s1 e7 and this scene in s2 e8.

One more thing I noticed, I may be overthinking this connection but the sparkles in the song that starts right after Stolas says 'be who you are.' really reminds me of that one scene in 'Stolas Sings', like the melodies sound so similar, and the show does that to specifically take you back to that moment in the song, to make you compare and contrast that moment in 'Stolas Sings' to what's happening in the current scene in the full moon.

Now, moving onto the argument, (I'm at the 10 image limit so I'm just gonna have to give you timestamps now lmao), go to 21:52, and notice the music piece starting right after the view you have of the scene changes, right when Stolas' face becomes visible.

Then the piano kicks in, just after Stolas becomes in the focus instead of Blitz, and when his face becomes even more visibly upset.

(Timestamp, 22:05), the piano ends, shortly after the show focuses in on Blitz again and does a close-up on him, the final note timed for the exact moment when Blitz's eyes and face shrinks, the exact moment when Blitz has realised just how badly he's fucked up, with the final note being the heaviest note of them all, to sell the impact of the scene even more, and to place major emphasis on showing you, the viewer, Blitz realising that he's fucked up big time.

S2 E9, pay attention to just how much the music changes when Blitz goes to the different people on his list during his 'Apology Tour', it changes to match specifically who and the area which Blitz is apologising to. But during the two times Blitz checks his phone, both times it being opened to his messages with Stolas, the music piece appears to change, sounding and feeling a lot less upbeat and much more saddening, most likely to reflect Blitz's feelings during those moments when he has his phone open to his messages with Stolas.

In conclusion: I have listed plenty of examples to show just how important the music pieces in the show are to the scenes they're in, and to also show just how interconnected those music pieces are within the show as well, some melodies showing up in multiple episodes throughout the show.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

I remember you did character opinion bingos of the twst charas, has your opinion changed significantly for any of them since then, whether positive or negative? Since it’s been awhile since you first made those and many stories have been released after that

[Referencing this tag!]

It’s hard to compare characters using Bingo boards, so I’ve included the current version of my personal character tier list for your reference. As I tend to say when I discuss my character preferences, these are just my opinions and are not meant to invalidate your opinions.

To answer some commonly asked questions (as I inevitably get these every time I reshare my tier list):

Why I don’t like Vil

Why I don’t like Skully

Why I don’t like Malleus (there’s multiple posts for this one; please see my pinned post and scroll down to the “I noticed that you don’t like Malleus. Why?” section to see the whole collection)

As for characters who have shifted since 2022:

Cater went up a tier. I explained why I don't like Cater in this post; it essentially boils down to him being a clout chaser and his annoying lingo (which is only made more frequent in the localization). However, Cater showed significant self-reflection and character growth in book 7. He also showed me a lot of his "cool" side, particularly in Ace, Trey, and even Riddle's dreams. You can read more about what Cater does specifically in these segments in this post and this post!

Jack went up a tier. I have always thought that he was lacking in character compared to the others in the cast. It doesn't help Jack's case that I also don't enjoy his design or general character traits or him being one massive friggin' DOG. However, Jack's dream in book 7 sheds some much-needed light on the extent to which he admires his dorm leader--something which I felt was not fully explored in book 2. You can read more about what exactly goes down in that dream here. I also must attribute some of Jack's ascension to @/tinyfantasminha, who has a really unadulterated appreciation for the big fella. It's been really enlightening listening to them explain why they love him so much.

Kifaji went up a tier. This is not so much because of anything Kifaji did in canon, but moreso because Leona's dream made me reevaluate my previous understanding of Kifaji. Dream!Kifaji has the distinction of being the first non-antagonistic NPC and actively pleads with the dreamer to "open his eyes". While this isn't something that the real Kifaji is doing, I think the mere fact that Leona's psyche manifested the grand chamberlain as his voice of reason implies Kifaji played a bigger role in Leona's upbringing than he would like to let us believe. For as much as Leona bitches and moans about the old man... It must have been Kifaji his main ally and source of comfort in the palace. With his father ill, his brother caught up in royal duties, and the other servants resentful of him, Kifaji was the one playing chess with his second prince, supporting him emotionally in his time of need. When I think back on Tamashina Mina, too... Kifaji doesn't shame Leona for things he cannot help. Yes, he tells Leona off for not respecting traditions or behaving rudely, but he doesn't talk down his abilities. No, Kifaji actually recognizes his talent and intellect, unlike the other servants who cower in fear or hold up the first prince instead.

Sebek went up a tier. Bro really made out like a bandit in book 7; he's the one person who gets consistent character development throughout its monsterous 290+ part run thanks to his interactions with the other first years centering him and that promise made during the farewell party early in the book. We also have Lost in the Book with Nightmare Before Christmas to thank for extra content which allows Sebek to shine and demonstrate his growth.

***Book 7 conclusion UPDATE:***

Lilia dropped several tiers. I felt that although he is a loving father, he too often enables Malleus's worst tendencies. It happens so frequently it got to the point where I could no longer tolerate it.

Not really a character going up or down, but I axed the "love ya <3" tier which previously existed above "unfortunately enjoy", as I felt it was just not a good use of space to make a tier entirely for one character. By that technicality, Jade dropped down a tier. The more I thought about it, I realized he really annoyed me in Azul's dream by wasting time. Jade also hasn't gotten any interesting content as of late, so I feel like that also contributes to my shift in feelings.

... Honorable mention goes out to Trey, who almost dropped down a tier simply for an uncomfortable implication his dream had 😭

If you're curious, other characters that have changed positioning from 2020 to 2022 are:

Jade went up a few tiers. He basically shot up to replace Azul. His personality ended up being what I had expected Azul's to be. Bonus points for being a butler (one of my favorite archetypes).

Azul dropped several tiers. He used to be my favorite character (around the time of Twst JP's release), but he fell from grace after Azul was revealed to have a much... "squishier" more bulliable true personality behind his cool, collected persona. Just not a fan of this type of character.

Leona went up several tiers. Book 2 was an awful first impression for him. Most other showings are MUCH better. If you want an extended explanation of my own journey with learning to accept this asshole, please see this post.

Idia went up a few tiers. My opinion of him mainly improved after book 6 and Glorious Masquerade. I like Idia primarily when he's being a good big brother figure.

Rook dropped down a tier. Leona has basically claimed his old spot. I think I just became a little annoyed that he doesn't get much expansion of his lore/background. I get it, part of his appeal is that he's mysterious. Still frustrating that we barely get to know anything about him, even when we get to literally see inside his mind/dream :/

Malleus dropped down several tiers. I was pretty neutral on the guy when the game first launched, feeling like I didn't have enough information on him to make a judgment. However, the longer the game went on, the more and more I found myself really disliking the guy (again, you can see my extensive reasoning for this in my pinned post's FAQ section). Even if the ending to book 7 is somehow perfect in every way, I don't know if it would drastically improve my opinion of him.

[blazehedgehog]

what is the sonic franchise's problem? why does every concept have to be stretched to death and then discarded entirely?

"What is the Sonic franchise's problem" is such a broad question these days because there's so many layers to so many different parts of the franchise but ultimately it boils down to two things:

Time and money.

The way capitalism works in creative fields is that if you prove you can do it faster and cheaper, then you have to keep doing it faster and cheaper. The more you save the company time and money, the better it is for them.

And at least in the case of Sonic games, they've had long stints where they get made dangerously quickly. Even as far back as Sonic 2, that game spent a long time in the concept phase that eventually got thrown out as they rushed the final game to completion. Sonic 3 legendarily came together in as little as 6-9 months after the original pitch (a pseudo-3D isometric game) fell apart.

Sonic Adventure 2 was made by half the people in half the time as Sonic Adventure 1. Rush and crunch on Sonic Heroes was so bad one of their level designers was hospitalized for months due to exhaustion related illness. Takashi Iizuka stepped up and basically doubled his workload to cover for that guy and has publicly said he lost over 30 pounds because of the stress.

He then worked so hard on Shadow the Hedgehog, the next game after Sonic Heroes, that he straight up burned out and left the Sonic franchise for like six years. If you check the credits for Shadow, Takashi Iizuka is attached as the director, game designer, level designer, story writer, and CG movie supervisor. The dude carried half that entire game in an era where directors did not get their hands dirty like that.

Sonic Unleashed in 2008 was a change in form in that it was a very expensive game. So expensive that people working on the game complained that they were wasting too much money on details nobody would be able to appreciate because you were always moving too fast.

So Sega changed gears. Sonic Generations looked like another big money sink, so they brought in Morio Kishimoto, a guy who came up through games like Sonic & The Secret Rings and Sonic & The Black Knight. Secret Rings in particular was a huge success story for Sega: it was immensely cheap and produced incredibly quickly, and when compared to the bomb known as Sonic 06, Secret Rings looked and played like gold.

Kishimoto was given the dying embers of a failed Wii port of Sonic Generations, which he quickly and cheaply turned around into Sonic Colors, and again, it was a runaway success compared to the very expensive and divisive Sonic Unleashed.

And so once again, Sonic games erred towards faster and cheaper and faster and cheaper and faster and cheaper. That was Kishimoto's style.

I was watching someone stream Sonic Lost World for their first time a few days ago, and in theory, the concept of the game makes sense. Kishimoto is open about saying that Sonic Colors was them trying to inject a little Mario flavor into a Sonic game, so Sonic Lost World is trying to be Sonic Colors 2, and it's a lot more overt with its Mario inspiration. And it's a lot worse, too.

That's because Mario games incubate for years and years and years, building and iterating ideas until they are perfectly cut, highly polished finished products. Sonic games are rammed through production as fast as possible, square pegs forced through round holes, exhausted developers making the best of table scraps, and they are covered in rough edges and misshapen gameplay.

Every time you play a bad Sonic game and see the twinkle of a good idea, that's a seed of greatness that was not properly cultivated and given room to grow, because cheaper and faster makes them more money.

This is why you hear people say they hope the success of Sonic Frontiers will get Sega to increase the budget for future Sonic games again, because it's REALLY clear they were making a game out of basically nothing.

(I am not holding my breath.)

[loofiedee]

I finished wano and was so angry about their design choices that it made me draw OP fanart for the first time in months.

Design notes under the cut!

I wanted Hiyori to look more like Oden, so i made her features longer and Actually gave her Oden's eyeshape since that is. you know. a plot point?

Also very obvious inspiration from Ukiyo-e style woodblock prints bc I think having her be Stunningly Gorgeous And Painting-Like by the beauty standards of the era would have been fun.

I really love her color palette and silhouette so I didn't actually change her design much beyond that.

Momo has his mother's eyes in the same way Hiyori has her father's. Slightly downturned and extremely sweet-looking. I think this reflects nicely the way they each parallel their parents in the story, and the way each parent was important to them.

I made momo a lot smaller. I wanted the visual contrast when compared to Oden. Oden was muscular because he was running around fighting wild boars, but he was also muscular as a representation of him being strong and a capable leader. Momo didn't grow and slowly build strength like his father. Momo is awkward, and lanky, and wearing clothes that are far too big for him because they were never meant to be his in the first place.

In addition, I wanted to soften and round out his features. I wanted him to look just slightly too-young, younger than his body is, because I want everyone who looks at him to have a haunting reminder of the fact that he is a child being forced to awkwardly pilot the body of a man because of the legacy people forced him to take on.

I DID really like his unkempt hair though. I think it was a really nice visual representation of how completely and utterly he does not have his shit together. It makes him look like he was living in a cave for a few years and just rolled out.

And Also Hiyori Should Have Been The Fucking Shogun. For The Record. And She Should Have Killed Orochi By Stabbing Him To Death With A Hair Pin While He Was Helpless Bc Of The Sea Prism Stone Nail. Anyway, Bye.