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brucebocchi · 9 months

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Ranking every new anime I watched in 2023, Pt. 3: #10-6

hey, i just started a ko-fi for my writing and possible other creative outlets. this post will also be available there, so please check it out and consider tipping/donating as i'm currently between jobs. the tumblr version of part 1 can be found here and part 2 here.

I didn't mean to drag this out quite so much, but I ended up writing a TON for the top 10, so for the sake of everyone's attention spans (and so I can buy some time to finish my top two) I broke it up into two more posts.

ALSO! I've embedded a link to each show's OP in the title of each entry. I wanted to give more of a visual element to each show outside of the header images, plus there have been some incredible OPs this year. I've gone back and edited them into the prior posts as well.

10. Trigun Stampede

It’s funny, I had fond memories of watching Trigun on Adult Swim in my adolescence, to the point where I used to count it among my all-time favorite anime for a while, but I didn't realize until this year that I hadn't actually sat down and watched it from beginning to end. It’s honestly a very uneven watch, and it’s clearly split into two parts: The first, a dieselpunk western revolving around a mysterious goofball with a big-ass gun and a bounty on his head, and the second a slightly more somber revenge quest as he is forced to survive his way past a rogues gallery while vowing not to take any lives. Still, it was a hit among western anime fans for a reason, and it was formative to me even back when I thought anime was kinda cringe.

Trigun Stampede is far from a faithful reinterpretation of Yasuhiro Nightow’s manga nor of the original Madhouse production. Meryl Stryfe is no longer a jaded veteran insurance adjuster but a much younger muckraking journalist. She’s no longer tailed by the gentle giantess Milly Thompson, but rather following her senpai, the gruff, bleary-eyed Roberto De Niro (the names in Trigun have always rocked). Nicholas D. Wolfwood isn’t an affable priest with a dark past; he’s all dark past now. And Vash the Stampede, now rocking a fuckboy undercut, is less of a mercurial wisecracker with a soft side and more of a reluctant gunman freaking it in a sensitive style.

Stampede wastes no time differentiating itself from any previous version of Trigun. Vash’s history is no longer a mystery waiting to be uncovered; it’s a driving factor of the plot as his brother Knives seeks revenge on humankind for their use and exploitation of “plants,” an alien race to which the two seem to be connected, as an energy source. This was always an element of the original anime that I felt went unexplored, so it was fascinating to see Stampede dive right in. It’s a great introduction to the story for people who haven’t seen the original, and full of unexpected turns for existing fans. It’s still built on the bones of Trigun as we know it, but it is very much its own thing.

People made a lot of hay about Vash’s new appearance, but I think it works. The huge pleather trench coat, spiky flat-top, and tiny glasses remain an iconic 90s design, but I believe the 90s is where it belongs. This take on Vash is just as capable but much more self-effacing, tortured, and averse to violence. This is a younger Vash, and it’s clear that his history with Knives is a much fresher wound, rather than the dull, nagging ache in the original. This is a gentler (but no less talented) Vash, so I think the softboy look suits him this time around.

I also spent most of the season quietly insisting to myself that the original version of Meryl is much better (and cuter) than the Stampede variant, and I still stand by that, but the updated version definitely grew on me. I mean, just look at that hat. But it’s clear from the jump that Stampede’s first season is very early in this version of the Trigun story (you may notice that the bounty on Vash’s head is much, much less than the famous 60 billion double-dollars), and Meryl has some growing to do (and presumably a whole lot of professional frustration) before she becomes something like the one we knew and loved around the turn of the 21st Century.

I’m still yet to watch Beastars, but it’s immediately apparent why Studio Orange was entrusted with the Trigun IP. This show looks incredible. This is some of the best CG animation I’ve ever seen outside of a Pixar or Spider-Verse movie. Characters are amazingly expressive and oscillate between naturalistic, weighty movement and cartoony flailing. Action scenes are inventive and dynamic and stand up to even the wildest sakuga. And yet, it still looks like an anime. It still retains the classic 24fps look and even occasionally trades in the CGI for hand-drawn animation for effect. We are long past the botched Berserk revival: This is what CGI anime should look like.

It’s plainly obvious that Trigun has always carried influences from landmark western media like Mad Max and Dune (not to mention Fist of the North Star, but that one always wore its Mad Max influence on its sleeve), so it’s been an unexpected delight to see those influences take a new shape now that both franchises have seen major updates since the last iteration of Trigun went off the air. For all of the alien technology and technicolor glowing lights, Trigun takes place entirely in a desert setting, and it’s impossible to see these chase scenes and not immediately think of Fury Road, or halfway expect to see Villanueve’s take on the Fremen popping out of the dust clouds.

Stampede is a very welcome entry to a franchise long believed to be well and truly over, and the more eyeballs on Trigun, the better. It’s evident by the end of this season that this take on the story is only just beginning, and it has already taken unexpected departures from the story as we already knew it. I can’t wait to see where it goes from here, but that’s mostly because we have confirmation that Milly will be in the next season. It can’t get here quickly enough.

9. Insomniacs After School

I watched and read a frankly absurd amount of romance-centric anime and manga this year, especially of the slice-of-life variety, to the point where even by the early summer I thought I'd had my fill. I'm overjoyed to say that Insomniacs After School proved me dead wrong.

What a treat this was. It's a simple enough premise: A boy with insomnia is sent on an errand to his high school’s abandoned observatory, where he finds a classmate sleeping because she suffers from insomnia as well. They quickly find out that the observatory is a perfectly quiet environment for the both of them, and that they actually get restful sleep around one another. In order to get away with making use of the area, they resurrect the school’s astronomy club and find a genuine love for astrophotography and, you guessed it, one another.

You couldn’t have picked a more apt studio to adapt this work than Liden Films. Call of the Night made a splash last year for its saturated, vibey nightscapes, and Insomniacs’ gorgeous astral visuals carry that mantle. The nighttime backdrops of the quiet suburbs, wide-open beaches, and lush countryside are nothing short of stunning, and Isaki’s adolescent wonder at the world’s hidden beauties reminded me, and I do not say this lightly, of something Miyazaki would’ve animated.

On a couple of occasions this year, I’ve been able to step back from an anime, take a breath, and simply say “That was beautiful.” Insomniacs gave me one such occasion. Even putting the visuals aside, the story itself is lovely and would have made this the feel-good anime of the year, if not for the next entry on this ranking. I would have more to say, but Insomniacs After School speaks for itself. Give it a shot.

8. Skip and Loafer

There are so many standalone adjectives I could use to describe this one, and most of them are ones that would normally make me want to impulsively run the other way like “comfy,” “feel-good,” “wholesome,” what have you, but I think the most comprehensively I can boil it down to a single word is “lovely.” Everything about it just gives you the warm fuzzies, and almost makes me think that the “I want more stories with no conflict” dorks might actually be onto something.

It’s a simple one: Mitsumi, a dorky teenage go-getter with her entire life planned out, moves to Tokyo from her no-horse beach town to attend one of the country’s best prep schools, but much like everyone who played the first two hours of Persona 5, she quickly gets lost in Shibuya’s subway station on the first day of school. She runs into Sousuke Shima, a laid-back boy from the same school who’s also running late, because that’s, like, what he does, and manages to wrangle him into running to school with her.

Mitsumi quickly draws attention from her classmates, not only from delivering a speech as the incoming class representative (and subsequently barfing all over her teacher), but because she inadvertently made fast friends with the hottest, most popular first-year in the school. This attracts the attention of social climbers and jealous hangers-on, but Mitsumi hardly notices. She’s used to knowing everyone in her school back home, so she wastes no time reaching out and seeing what’s up with anyone who’ll give her the time of day.

A lot of Skip and Loafer revolves around the roles for which we think we’re destined in a controlled social environment like high school, and how easily the preconceptions you have of other people can be shattered if you just get to, like, talk to them for 20 seconds. Mitsumi’s friend group quickly fills itself out with people who wouldn’t give each other so much as a passing glance at first, but come together so naturally that you almost can’t believe they weren’t friends already.

Shima, for his part, also struggles with those preconceptions; for as laid-back as he seems on the surface, he’s a habitual people pleaser and is constantly playing a role. He’s so caught up in the performance that he doesn’t quite know what’s going on half the time or how he really feels about most things. Mitsumi is so naturally magnetic, though, that he does seem to genuinely enjoy his time with her, and vice versa. You can see where this is headed, if the gorgeously-animated dances they do together in the OP weren’t enough of a tell.

Everything about Skip and Loafer is just downright pleasant. Character models are simple and sketchy, the color palette is awash in pastels and neutral tones, and the soundtrack is peppy and whimsical. It’s a warm hug of a series, and at no point does it feel cloying or manipulative. High school slice-of-life is pretty bloated as a genre, and I watched a ton of those this year, but there’s just something so charming and magnetic about Skip and Loafer that instills in me a sort of false nostalgia for the ideal high school experience I never had.

Also: Nao-chan. Exceptional trans representation. We do not get enough of that in anime and she is a breath of fresh fucking air. I would die for her.

7. The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You

And now for something much less wholesome.

I really don’t seek out harem anime. Tenchi Muyo was formative to me as a tween, and a rewatch last year ended up being a major catalyst in getting me back into anime, but despite it being widely considered the second-ever harem anime, it hasn’t left much of a legacy in the ones that followed. Harem anime from the 00s onward has largely been formulaic wish-fulfillment slop that runs itself in circles as a perpetual money-making machine rather than developing any sort of plot (see: Hina, Love and Girlfriend, Rent-a-). I know I covered Girlfriend Girlfriend earlier, and while that’s nothing like Tenchi either, it does scratch an ever-present itch for stupid, madcap, relentless anime bullshit.

The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, [...] Really Love You, meanwhile, sees that itch and takes a fucking chainsaw to it. To say everything about it is over-the-top would be an understatement: The top is Hyakkano’s floor. This show gives you everything you could ever want in a harem comedy, but to the extreme: It is your dad making you smoke the whole carton. It is Hell’s donut machine, and you are Homer Simpson. Satire is often at its best when it pushes the boundaries of absurdity, and 100 Girlfriends revels in that push like a horny bulldozer. This is not genre subversion, it’s genre explosion.

The headcount isn’t the only wildly outsized element of this series; every single member of the titular harem, each a tick on the checklist of every -dere archetype you can imagine, pushes the slider of each of their character tropes so far to the right it’s breaking the track. The deredere is a ball of deranged horniness, the tsundere betrays her intentions so compulsively that she’s functionally incapable of lying, and the kuudere is so robotically devoted to pure efficiency that it’s salient to mention that her name is literally pronounced “Nano A.I.” If you can think of an anime girl archetype, she is in this (or will be in future seasons), and she is the apotheosis.

And yet, this show still bothers to make each one of them an actual character. Harem anime has such a low bar to clear on that front, yet most entries in the genre still bang their dicks against it. Hyakkano's titular girlfriends, at least the ones introduced in the first season, are actual characters with actual backgrounds, actual motivations, actual growth, and actual reasons to like the protagonist beside the premise. They’re all founded on stock anime tropes, to be sure, but the original manga’s author actually put in the work to give them, you know, personalities. And above almost all else, they actually like each other too! This isn’t exactly a full-on polycule (though two of the girls are prone to making out with each other on occasion), but for as deeply weird as this family unit is on paper, they actually come across as a group of people who love and care for each other rather than everyone cattily jockeying for the same position.

And not for nothing, but Rentaro is easily one of the best harem protagonists I’ve ever seen, and again, this is coming from a Tenchi Muyo fan. I do enjoy Naoya’s over-the-top earnestness in Girlfriend Girlfriend, but Rentaro is the gigachad version. He is exceedingly patient, kind, and understanding of each of these girls’ unique quirks and qualities and quickly grows to learn to manage them in conflict and help them work through their insecurities, and he loves them back in kind and puts in the work to make equal time for each of them. He doesn’t want to “fix” these girls; he sees them for who they are and proactively does everything in his power to accommodate them. He's like if Tadano from Komi Can’t Communicate actually got the harem he deserved. Putting aside the fact that he’s, y’know, 100-timing his girlfriends, he comes across as just a really good partner.

I also want to be clear: For its rampant, fanservice-laden anime bullshit, this show is genuinely hilarious. It’s not some kind of “how did this shit even get made” trainwreck; it is a comedy first and foremost, and the comedy hits exactly as intended. The comic pacing is buckwild, the visual gags are so rampant that they’re almost difficult to keep up with, and the translators, at least in the version I watched, did an outstanding job of localizing the constant wordplay. It’s also so unapologetic in its horniness that you can’t help but admire it a bit; 100 Girlfriends knows exactly what it’s about, and it dares you to say something.

There’s a very good chance this won’t be for you. 100 Girlfriends is constantly pushing the boundaries of good taste, but never in an offensive way and never truly at its characters’ expense. Geoff Thew calls it the “most 'harem' harem anime,” but I'd argue that it’s the most "anime" anime: It is every trope you’ve ever seen in romcom anime cranked up to a thousand and smushed up against your nose. This shit hits like Panera lemonade. It is peak trash. If you have a tolerance for anime bullshit, this show may very well test that, but I still cannot recommend it enough.

6. Heavenly Delusion

Didn’t think I’d be getting into more than one post-apocalyptic anime this year, but I’d seen this one recommended so many times that I felt this list would be incomplete if I didn’t watch it. Don’t ask me about Pluto.

Heavenly Delusion (Hulu lists it under its Japanese title, Tengoku Daimakyo, for some reason) splits its runtime between two different stories: The first, a pair of young travelers making their way across a ruined Japan in search of nebulous goals neither is sure even exist; the second surrounding a group of adolescents in an unnervingly idyllic walled garden in some sort of school setting. The narrative flips between these two sporadically, rarely ever showing its hand in how they are even remotely connected.

On the post-apocalypse side, we follow Maru and his bodyguard-for-hire, Kiruko, as they trek across the country to deliver Maru to someplace called “Heaven,” while at the same time, Kiruko is in search of a pair of men from their youth. They are often beset by bandits, cults, and most crucially, horrifying monsters called “Man-Eaters,” which Maru has the unique ability to kill. On the school side, we see a group of gender-ambiguous kids in an enclosed space, constantly monitored and kept in a very controlled environment. Everything feels… wrong. Nobody seems entirely human. There is a lingering and seemingly taboo curiosity about what lies outside the walls. I hesitate to say any more.

There is phenomenal human drama in here, and sparks so many conversations about transhumanism and human nature, gender, trauma, community, all things I’m not smart enough to really dive into. But to even address these topics here is to give the game away, and Heavenly Delusion is a story better left unspoiled, even if, a full season in, I’m still not 100% sure what’s going on.

This show is gorgeous in ways I’m still struggling to articulate. The character designs, animation, lighting, and cinematography are so immaculate that I repeatedly had to remind myself that I wasn't watching a movie. Heavenly Delusion looks like a grungy Shinkai film: Character models are immaculately realized and fluidly animated, the light and shadow effects are some of the best I’ve ever seen in TV animation, and action sequences are visceral and unpredictable. Maybe all I needed to say is that it was made by much of the same Production IG staff in charge of Psycho-Pass.

I want to say as little about what happens as possible, because the mystery is the main draw of Heavenly Delusion, but I feel the need to warn that there is a very dark and sour turn near the end of the season in the form of some strongly implied sexual violence. It was thematically unnecessary, and once that side of things is resolved, everyone just kinda… moves past it. It doesn’t ruin the show, I still recommend it heartily, but be forewarned. I found it upsetting, but more in the “did this REALLY need to be in there?” sense. The mounting tension and slowly-unfolding existential horror in this series are otherwise expertly woven into the narrative, and this part landed with a wet thud.

This is a much longer story than most of the season would have you believe, and it ends with far more questions than answers. One side of the story leaves off with an open end, and the other with a massive cliffhanger, which left me a little cold but with interest piqued for the next season. For what it is right now, though, Heavenly Delusion is a nearly perfect, endlessly thought-provoking mystery and one of the most gorgeously ugly things I’ve seen this year.

#anime reviews

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blindbeta · 2 months

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hi! i'm currently writing a blind character in a futuristic sci-fi setting (think fifth element). some backstory just so there's additional context: she's orphaned as a baby, and while very young, contracts a virus that leaves her with minimal light and shadow perception. she later gets adopted, and her father acts as her guide until she's 12. when she turns 12, she's gifted a droid who acts as her mobility aid (visually, her droid is similar in design/size of r2-d2 from star wars). i thought this fit the futuristic setting. here's my question. originally, i had her (let's call her C) commission a special pair of glasses that connect to her droid so it can see what she sees and better help it guide her in public spaces, especially if it's too loud for her to hear it or if they get separated somehow, because the glasses have an auditory link for them to communicate with each other. after doing more research, i've learned that the "blind character covering their eyes" trope is super common and kind of looked down upon in the blind community. i'm really worried now, as someone sighted, that i've fallen for it by designing C's mobility aid this way. have i? and if i have, what is some advice or tips for ways i could alter this to where it doesn't come across as trope-y? should i get rid of the glasses, scrap the droid idea completely, etc?

Guide Droid And Character Covering Her Eyes With Glasses

The glasses remind me a bit of the OrCam My Eye, which is a pair glasses and an ear piece. You have an already-existing precedent for this. Additionally, my main concern with covering eyes, which I discuss here, [link], is that there is often no thought or explanation behind why a character’s eyes must be covered. Narratives often twist themselves into knots simply to cover a blind person’s eyes with something like sunglasses or a blindfold, which the character never removes.

Regular glasses are, however, a different story. Regular glasses are transparent. They are usually for protection of the eyes. They may also make objects slightly clearer, which can reduce eye strain. Not that your character will need to worry about that.

The glasses are not able to correct vision. They serve a purpose, and one that isn’t covering the person’s eyes.

My suggestion is to provide an explanation for the glasses and make sure they are see-through. They shouldn’t be sunglasses unless she has transition lenses, which can protect her from damaging UV rays.

The key is not to cover up your character’s eyes. Especially for no particular reason.

However, if you are worried about the glasses, you can also simply have bone-conducting ear piece that sits on top of her ear. Avoid implants or anything that might disrupt her hearing or other senses.

The Guide Droid

Speaking of senses, having a droid as her guide means she will miss out on a lot of tactile information provided by a cane and, to a lesser extent, a guide dog. For example, a handler can feel elevation.

Walking behind a droid is not going to provide that same information.

Yes, there is a step down, but where? Is it an even step or does it curve? Are the steps the same width?

I suggest giving her a cane, as they can be used with sighted guide and to a lesser degree, service animals. Her using a cane won’t interfere with a droid the same way it might with a guide dog or horse.

Alternatively, you can also find a way to connect them so she can get tactile information. Another, cuter option might be a droid service animal with a more futuristic harness.

About Using Sighted Guide Until She is 12

Something about this bothers me.

Sighted guide is a legitimate form of O&M and can increase independence in a way only blind folks can relate to. I also know that sighted guide may be more encouraged in some cultures that value interdependence. Sighted guide is a great and should be used more in fiction. I personally prefer it in unfamiliar areas and at night time.

However, it also feels off to me that she so happens to use a human guide all her life and not a cane. It may be because I am imagining times where her father may not be able to accompany her. Or perhaps I am sensitive to the lack of mobility aids in fiction that feature blind characters.

Lastly, cane skills are a part of O&M, which is needed before being able to work properly with a guide animal. I think she should have at least some cane skills and some navigation techniques even if she prefers to have her father guide her. This also gives her more agency to experiment and choose what is comfortable for her.

Here is a post I made about mobility aids that might help.

I hope this helps.

#blind #blind characters #writing blind characters #blind characters covering their eyes #ask #creating guide animals #disability #white canes #scheduled post

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steddieasitgoes · 10 months

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@steddiemas Day 7 Prompt: Mall and/or Job

Tags: Steve Harrington/Nancy Wheeler (but they don't even kiss), Eddie Munson Has A Crush On Steve Harrington, Shopping Malls, The Great Cabbage Patch Riots, Steve Harrington Is A Sweetheart, Good Sibling Nancy Wheeler, Banter

wc: 1724 | Rating: G

Read on ao3 | ao3 collection

“Can you believe my parents?” Nancy scoffs, sliding into the passenger seat of the Beamer. “It’s all Holly wants and they won’t get it for her.”

“Look on the bright side, Nanc,” Steve says, throwing a hand over her seat as he reverses out of the Wheeler’s driveway. “You’re going to be the best big sister in the entire world when you give it to her on Christmas morning.”

“If we even get our hands on one. They sell out in seconds.”

“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re afraid of a little mall rush after facing off against monsters last month. We can totally do this.”

🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬

Steve should know better than to underestimate Nancy, but how was he supposed to know she was right about this? It’s a baby doll for christ sake. A weird-looking baby doll for that matter. And what the hell is with the name? Cabbage? They couldn’t have thought of anything cuter?

What does he know, though? Apparently, the stupid name and weird design worked because he’s currently stuck in a crowd of thousands outside a mall in Indianapolis at six in the fucking morning. Nancy disappeared into the crowd half an hour ago to see just how deep it went. He’s hoping she made it to the front and that’s why she hasn’t returned. The other outcome is one he doesn’t want to think about, but his mind can’t help but conjure up the image of the headline: “Teen Girl Dies In Cabbage Patch Stampede.” The Wheelers would kill him.

There’s no time for dwelling as the sea of people lurchs forward. He can’t see the front doors but judging from the sudden rush of shoving and shouting, the doors to the mall are about to open.

For the first time in his life, he’s happy Nancy sat him down two days ago and laid out the game plan. The layout of the mall is fresh in his mind as is the doll Holly wants — blonde hair in pig tales, freckles, blue eyes — a creepy carbon copy of herself.

The minute the doors open, Steve’s shoving adults double and triple his age out of the way. He breaks out into a sprint when he clears the pack, b-lining for the toy store on the second floor. Despite his speed, he’s beaten by at least a hundred other eager shoppers who were probably at the front of the hoard outside.

It would be easy to get discouraged, but Steve powers on. He didn’t drive this far to let Holly and Nancy down. Thankfully, the boxes are stacked in the entryway of the store. The massive pile gets smaller and smaller by the second as hands grab the dolls free, hoisting them up over their head in victory.

Acting on adrenaline alone, Steve dives into the dwindling pile and gets his hand on a box. He can’t tell which doll it is, but at this rate, anything is better than nothing. With the box clutched to his chest, he starts getting up from the floor when he feels a pair of hands reaching for him. The person tugs, hard, freeing Steve from the stampede that’s coming. For a second Steve thinks the person saved him, but then he feels the box being tugged from his hands and he realizes what’s actually happening.

It’s not a rescue mission, it’s a kidnapping.

“Get your hands off my doll!” Steve shouts, yanking hard enough to send the person surging forward. They collide in an instant, falling to the floor with the box clutched in both their hands.

“Harrington?” The man asks as he struggles to get to his feet.

“Munson?”

“What the hell are you doing here?”

“Come on, Steve, isn’t it obvious? I’m here for the same reason you are. For one of these bad boys.”

“Yeah, okay, Munson,” Steve snorts, eyes squinting as he takes in his appearance. Ripped black jeans and leather jacket. Vest with patches to bands Steve’s never even heard of. Hair longer than some of the moms currently fighting behind him. Eddie’s not really the Cabbage Patch Kid type. Not in the slightest. “Didn’t peg you as a fan of dolls. Isn’t that a little too freakish even for you?”

“I don’t know. Isn’t it weird for you to be buying one? What would our wonderful peers at Hawkins High think?” Eddie teases, grip still tight on one side of the box.

“It’s not for me.”

Eddie hums, shaking his head. “That’s what they all say.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Steve spots a mother handing over a handful of bills to a man on the other side of the store. The woman is in a pristine coat, not a lock of hair out of place. There’s no way she was in this mess and yet, she’s happily walking away with a doll. The man waves her off, stuffing the handful of bills back into his pocket before making his way back into the store.

It clicks then. The man and the shady business deal a second ago. The news report he remembers listening to a few days ago. Cabbage Patch black market deals. Scammers. Fakes.

“You’re a reseller!” Steve gasps, glaring daggers at Eddie. He tries to roll on top of him to free the box, but there’s no use. Instead, he ends up rolling them into a quiet aisle where they stayed on the floor, hands denting the box.

“I am not!”

“Yeah, you are! That’s the only explanation for why you’re here. You don’t give a shit about these dolls, but you know you can get cash for them.”

“Honestly Harrington, could you be a little bit more original with your accusations?” Eddie scoffs. “What? You see ripped jeans and a guy who lives in a trailer and automatically thinks I need cash? Newsflash big boy, I do fine supplying you and all your friends that grass you love smoking every weekend.”

“Well, then, what do you need the doll for?” Steve asks, trying his best to yank it free from Eddie’s unrelenting grasp.

“None of your business.”

Steve’s about to argue back when another pair of hands join the fray. A petite and wrinkled elderly woman hovers over them. The look of pure determination and mischievousness is a stark contrast to the rest of her.

“Oh, no you don’t lady!” Eddie shouts, tugging the box and Steve towards him and away from the woman’s hand. She stumbles, nearly falling into the display of Barbie dolls. “Come on, we can settle this later!”

Struggling to his feet with his hands still gripping part of the box, Steve and Eddie make it to the checkout aisle. Together they hand it over to the clerk, not daring to put it on the conveyor belt when hundreds of empty-handers are hovering waiting to steal. They split the bill and reach for the plastic bag at the same time, each taking one side as they make their way out of the store that’s spiraling deeper and deeper into chaos now that the store is sold out.

“Now what?” Steve asks when they manage to make it into the parking lot.

“Well, it’s not like we can share the doll.”

“Right, so one of us needs to give it up.”

“Yeah, one of us does.”

For a moment, Steve considers kicking Eddie in the shins and making a run for it. He knows he can outrun him no doubt. The only problem is he’d have to leave Nancy behind. Even if he managed to get Holly the doll, he’s pretty sure Nancy would not appreciate being stranded in the city.

It’s hard to tell what Eddie’s thinking, but Steve thinks it’s something similar. Probably less running if Steve had to guess. Maybe blackmail.

“Steve!” Nancy calls, startling Steve out of the impromptu staring contest. He follows the sound of her voice and spots her exiting the mall with a plastic bag clutched to her chest. A giant smile is plastered on her face. “I got her!”

“The one she wanted?” Steve shouts back.

Nancy nods.

Oh thank god, he thinks before offering her an enthusiastic thumbs up. With Holly’s Christmas gift secured, he turns to Eddie and finally lets go of the plastic bag. “Guess it’s your lucky day, Munson. M’sure you made whoever that doll is for very happy.”

With a finger-wiggle wave, Steve jogs off to catch up with Nancy.

🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬 👶🏻🥬

“Eddie!”

Eddie jumps and turns to find Jeff silently judging him. His arms are crossed and he’s not holding any bags. Oh, fuck.

“What the hell?” He shouts, punching Eddie’s shoulder. “One second you were behind me and then you were gone! I spent so much time looking for you I missed out on getting the new release!”

“Shit, Jeff. I’m—“

“Are you holding a Cabbage Patch Kid?”

“Uh, I…” Eddie trails off and glances down a row of cars. In the distance, he spots Steve helping Nancy and the stupid doll box into the passenger seat of the Beamer. He tears his eyes away when Steve shuts the door, but it's a mistake because Jeff is right there, staring at him with even more judgment in his eyes.

“Dude,” Jeff whines. “You bought a Cabbage Patch just to talk to him?”

“We talked for a long time, Jeff! And our hands touched!”

“I cannot deal with this,” Jeff groans, burying his head in his hands. “What are you going to do with that thing now?”

Eddie glances into the plastic bag. It’s the first time he’s actually looked at the thing. A red-headed doll with green eyes and freckles stares back at him with a painted-on smile. It’s fucking creepy.

“I didn’t think I was going to keep it!” He defends which sends Jeff on another tangent. One that fades into the background as Steve’s words from earlier ring in Eddie’s ears. “Wait! Steve mentions something earlier.”

“I’m sure he did.”

“No, I’m serious,” Eddie snaps, glaring at Jeff. “Apparently there's like a black market for these things. Maybe we can sell one and get enough to buy ourselves a decent miniature set for Hellfire or new speakers for Corroded Coffin.”

“You better hope so,” Jeff says, shaking his head. “Or else I’m never letting you live this down.”

#steddiemas #steddie #steddie fic #steddie ficlet #pre steddie #steve harrington #steve harrington fic #steve harrington ficlet #eddie munson #eddie munson fic #eddie munson ficlet #steve harrington/nancy wheeler #stranger things #stranger things fic #stranger things ficlet #dani writes

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glittery-ishfish · 1 year

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Early Hetalia Character Designs

Early China

I was going to make a cooler, more ruthless old man character with glasses, but after meeting many Chinese people at school and at the local supermarket, I decided to make him cuter, and he ended up looking like his current self. He was sometimes mistaken for a redhead, though!

Early Russia

He changes when he drinks. Usually was supposed to be a big crybaby of an old man. I'm really glad I didn't go that route. The current Russia-san was made to look the way he was in the first episode. In a sense, it’s a miracle that Russia-san is the way he is now.

Early America

I really wanted to make a smarter, cockier young man. In the end, while I continued to draw, I made a “Go-for-it” America. In the second episode of the webcomic, there are few remnants of the initial setup. However, this American power seems hard to move.

Early France

In my image, France was more like an old man…I was surprised to see so many old men in France! In the second episode on the "Kitayume" website, the wrinkles are the remnants of that image. He was supposed to be more of a rough-and-tumble guy, but his character has been rounded out and settled down to the way he is now.

(The hair was also a little different)

Early England

This is the character whose personality was the most solidified. Also, I changed the eyebrows to give them a more Shiba-inu-like pouty look, and they ended up looking like they do now. But I think it was a good choice. By the way, I was going to make him look like an old man who wanted to look young.

(His eyebrows weren't even thick enough!!)

Early Hungary

The oldest character in Hetalia. Originally a Hungarian witch from a character family of New York hero's works. But now she's a completely different person from the original character.

I try to portray Hungary as a rather strong nation, as it's said that Vienna is feminine and Budapest has a masculine townscape.

Early Liechtenstein

In reality, Liechtenstein was a bit more like Switzerland, and her tone of voice was more mechanical than today's, which is totally different from today's character.

I started from Switzerland, made his eyes prettier, and straightened his hair...and then that became the Liechtenstein of today. The reason why Liechtenstein's eyes are rather slanted in the first frame of the "Kitayume" website is a remnant of this.

Early Belarus

Who the hell is this...Was this character really supposed to be more communicative…? The plan was to have a girl who was either angry or complaining a lot, but something went wrong and she ended up like that.

I really don't know how she came to be the way she is now....

Early Ukraine

I had a character who was a crybaby, but she had normal-sized breasts and was just a character to be pushed around. Now she's a bit more sophisticated.

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dokidokitsuna · 10 months

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Inventor/Invention

-In case you didn’t notice, I’ve been trying to make most of the characters in this AU look like they’re age 50+...which is something I’ve never done before, and it might explain why the designs have been so hit or miss. ^^;;; Fortunately, Susie seems to be a hit; I like how this drawing came out. ^^ I think this body type + clothing aesthetic + age demographic is a particularly rare combination; personally I’ve never seen a character who looks like this before. And yet, I managed to make it work~.

-Susie (the current ‘President Haltmann’, btw) is basically Magolor’s right hand, and helps him with all the technological aspects of his conquest-- not only did she create Auto-Nightmare, she also had a large hand in cloning Blade, and studies the progression of her disease throughout the story. In return for playing the tech support role, she’s allowed to have the Haltmann Works Co. drain resources from all the worlds that Magolor conquers-- which he would agree to, of course, since it would be an easy way to keep his new subjects in line (read: oppressed and afraid) while he’s off looking for more heroes to murder.

It makes me wonder, though, what would happen if the “player” chooses to have Magolor become nicer over the course of the story…like, if he really does turn himself around, he and Susie would have to come into conflict over this deal eventually. ^^; Maybe I just won’t let him get to that point; maybe the best he can do for the purposes of the story is learn to love Blade and take care of her…while completely ignoring all the evil he’s done to the rest of the universe, and simply not giving a damn about letting the HWC consume everyone and everything he left behind. XD

-P.S. Susie basically has two main designs: she’d appear in this physical form for certain cutscenes, but fight exclusively with her mecha (which I totally will draw at some point…I promise…⚆u⚆; )

-Auto-Nightmare is the result of me wanting to finally use Nightmare in an AU for once, but wanting to do it in an unorthodox way. ^^ Besides, I can’t really see a more canon-esque Nightmare willingly being subservient to someone like Magolor…and in terms of traitors/fickle allies, Mags already has his hands full with Marx. I don’t need another character in the party who plays the same role…

So Auto-Nightmare was born, combining the Power Orb with some of Nightmare’s accessories to create this cuter, more unassuming design. Which eventually informed his character concept.

-”Auto” is not really Nightmare; not even an amnesiac-reset version of Nightmare. Technically he’s just a machine that was designed to force Nightmare’s Power Orb to awaken…but ultimately failed, and now simply draws from its power to create his own identity and abilities. The result is this walking bundle of anxiety who feels inferior to his “former self”, and tries to make up for it by doing everything his bosses tell him to do. ^^; However, over the course of the story, he befriends Blade, and starts to become more assertive. He may not be able to stand up for himself, but he quickly learns to stand up for his ailing friend, even to the point of openly criticizing Magolor for his treatment of her.

-As you might have guessed, this is where his “death” comes in. ^^ Soon after I decided he should be Blade’s only real friend, I kinda knew he had to die, because he would end up getting in Magolor’s way. Isolation is a large part of what makes an abusive relationship work; a victim with a staunch supporter who genuinely wants what’s best for them will escape your control eventually... …Besides, Magolor is terribly petty, and would probably be offended by this ‘magic tin can’ talking back to him…enough to snap and shatter his face while Blade is unconscious, if the "player" so chooses. =T

Because Auto isn’t really alive, he doesn’t exactly die…the Power Orb itself can even reform on its own. But breaking it in the first place causes his whole system to reset: he reverts to a silent, emotionless shell who just stands around and follows simple commands...and this is a devastating, soul-crushing event for Blade. Especially if you go one step further and choose to have Magolor lie about what happened to Auto, and/or imply that she killed him accidentally during one of her Malady flare-ups.

-On that note, if you don’t choose to have Magolor go down ^that sickeningly cruel path and just leave Auto alone, Blade actually does kill Auto accidentally, leading to a similar outcome. But at least then, it becomes an opportunity for Magolor to help Blade through this traumatic experience, and start to form a genuine bond with her. Again, if the "player" so chooses~.

#kirby #gijinka #au #BLADE_Princess #susie haltmann #nightmare

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surlifen · 1 year

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guide to surlis sonas

aka an excuse to Poast Images and drone on because I love to do that!

current main sona I think and closest to a truesona: this otter guy who remains unnamed because all the names that are my name have already been used at this point LMAO

art by nepeteaa and by me! I'd honestly draw him more often if he weren't hard to draw? surli was easy because. Fox. (and Generic Thin whereas my body type is, while still pretty thin, specific in a way that's hard for me to draw) and honestly I enjoy drawing him more oTL.... otters are super hard to stylize cutely + in a way that looks Like Me... surli does not look Like Me teebeehaiche

surli fennec surlifen main sona of the past and still like... kind of me it's complicated

imbages by jilf and vhsdruid

i kinda ended up disconnecting from his Design as a Whole and the alt palette didn't really fix it but nonetheless he's never leaving my possession. it's weird cause my brain can really only connect fully to one character per Thing/Setting as a Sona who is Me so ever since splitting off into otter I don't feel FULLY connected to either the way I once did to surli :( but I am experimenting with having multiple sonas and maybe ill try that thing people do where they also do sonas for different Aspects of themselves so I don't just have an army of Normal Nice Blonds

pokesona: liam

art by me, cicadaghost, me

not much 2 say he is me pokemonned! he's much Smaller Cuter than I am and I really enjoy his simple design + imagining him in the pokemon world :3 like what berries he'd like best and what specific cities/landmarks he hangs out at... hiking in ilex forest and visiting the national park yk

lee: bunny....sona....?

art by me, purrker

he was a bit of an experiment in "CAN I have more than one fursona?" and also "CAN I make a sona who isn't Exactly Like Me?" i've always seen people whose sonas have Supernatural Elements and been like how can you do that. I respect it so much but if EYE am a normal human person how can I connect to something with strange abilities and qualities. and I still couldn't go so far as like... my friend whose sona is an honest to god several stories tall kaiju with a backstory and shit, but lee has supernatural luck and a connection to/control of storms/lightning because that's sick and awesome and cool. and also glows and has cool antlers when he wants. he's not as me as the others but he's there and he's not... NOT me?

fucking... willie dustice, silver city "self-insert" joke guy

unfortunately I DO love his stupid ass. you know how sometimes in a comic or animated show there'll be some obscure reference to one of the creators or someone on the team like as a gag that goes over most people's heads well he's supposed to be that. his appearance is me at my worst (needs haircut + shave) and he has the OP superpower of putting people in pocket dimensions of altered reality he controls entirely but he ONLY uses it to make stupid filler bottle episodes like They All Have To Play Softball or Beach Episode or whatever. represents my oft-abused ability as a creator to Put Those Guys in a Situation. he's not so much a sona (cause if I made a silver city sona it would be genuine not this greasy freak) but he sure is Representative of Me.

horse: horse

i was challenged to make a horsesona. I don't plan to do anything with him but kept him around because I liked his design. someday I might make a more natural horse sona for in case I ever joined some kind of equine rp setting or some shit equivalent but for now my sparklehorse

spinxynsona: coast

art by capricorne, me, me

coasty woasty... made for the nephfei world for the spinxyn closed species. first closed species sona ive ever had and i think hes neat! nephfei is such a well designed world that is really conducive to stories and characters influencing each other's arcs but coast is just some guy he's just there. he just lives there and minds his own business. (he has no gifts or curses so nothing really requiring a Story) but maybe i should get him some Friends at least maybe i can have a sona who has Story OC Friends from other people and still be like yes thats me if i was friends with everybody's ocs

dnd character who was based on me: august

art by me, thembodino

it was suggested since I have a very hard time being In Character (i get so self conscious) that I start with a character similar to myself! so august is incredibly Just Me FR. if i were to go on an adventure i would be bad at it and terrified. his campaign is suspended due to Life but i accidentally, due to knowing nothing, picked a pretty OP blend of stats that has made him bizarrely competent (not like. the best in the party or anything but he really can hold his own and once like critted twice and turned invisible and flew and killed a dragon) and honestly that's hilarious and I like it for him

that's it! the rest of my characters are just characters not sonas though I still love them dearly, some of them even more than some of my sonas i won't name names though ty if you made it this far. i love to Talk

#surli #liam #coast #lee #willie dustice #august

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milkbreadtoast · 1 year

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more oc doodles... tested a braid for him!! also made the butterfly motif more obvious w the butterfly clips... i rly wanted him to have them but rarely drew him from the back so...

this post is kinda short so gonna post some old art w commentary under the cut bc i dont think i posted them here before🤧 thought i did but....

(oct 2020) happy to see visible improvement from then heh... this is where i first got him closer to his current design/palette + decided on the purple/yellow palette and the inverting eye color idea... normally pretty and shiny but w a creepy spotted butterfly eye look when using his powers (simplified the dots to just 3 in his current design)...

more recent doodles (apr 2022)... these r cute tbh i like the 2nd pic, he looks so fluffy + u can see the butterfly hairtie... but i still wasnt satisfied w his design...

in my most recent attempt at designing him(aug 2023) i changed several things... made his bangs longer for a more elegant look(which is actually closer to how it was before)... figured out how to draw his eyes + eyebrows better + more consistent(had been going back n forth btwn double/mono eyelids and thick/thin eyebrows... finally settled on sleepy double eyelids + thick brows) + i also changed the placement of his moles... (used to be right under his eye; changed to middle of cheek + another near the nose.. aka the txt soobin mole KFJKS I like how this new placement gives him a softer and gentle elegant look?? it's subtle but I like it a lot better... Oh also I made his sideburn locks shorter instead of long and curly and I like this change a lot too... idk it looks cuter to me KJFKS I gave him the long curly ones before bc i thought it'd look more unique but... i decided it's more important that I personally like it rather than just give traits to set him apart... he already looks plenty flashy w his eyes and colors anyway🤧

bonus: another pass from p recently (may 2023) where, unsatisfied and wondering how to fix his design, attempted straying further from prev attempts by testing a middle part (and also a mole near his mouth)... but I was actually getting colder and not warmer.... I don't like these but at least I tested it to know that I don't like it!! u can also see a test doodle of the spiky green guy (hyojun) here lol

And finally, here's 1 of his very first design attempts from way back in aug 2019!!! (u can see early hyojun too...)

This was back when I was just starting to figure the current ver of his chara/personality/role in the story... not fleshed out at all but i at least had a vague idea and this was when I decided he would be purple (instead of other palette ideas i had considered earlier like brown hair, orange coding...) But at this early stage I hadnt come up with the butterfly motif, or the purple/yellow palette (he was purple/magenta here) or darker skin... Tbh I consider this a "beta design" bc theres sm thing that were diff/not decided yet but it's technically the same chara ckdbf

I can't fit any more images ㅠㅠ but u can see more concept sketches in this twitter thread... and yea I was testing an inverted eye concept even back then... I really liked this idea so I didn't want to abandon it, and im happy I made it even better since w the butterfly concept *_*

#OC #my art #im happy that im p satisfied w his design now... T^T IVE BEEN TRYING TO DESIGN HIM FOR YEARSSSS #i think the braid is pretty tho... i like that doodle i did on the top left heh #theres no reason for the braid to be upside down but i just like the shape kdjfd #o yea i tested a braid here but #theres no reason why he has to stick to 1 hairstyle...#hes the type to care abt/for his appearance and he has pretty long hair so why not switch it up from time to time #i like keeping a low ponytail look just for consistency but he could have variations of that #+ maybe diff types of braids #the important thing is just keeping the 'cut' fairly consistent

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imperial-nuisance-rudje · 1 year

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Current vague fantasy villain/hero story species line-up:

- dragons that are isolationist little meat computers that sound somewhere between a modem and a vocaloid

- rodent dwarves that definitely were not caused by "okay ffxiv kobolds are cute but I can make an even cuter underground fuzzball species and wait a fucking second that's just a 3-foot-tall chinchilla. PUT IT IN."

- catgirls (80s apocalypse biker throwback subtype), everyman species in the way humans typically are in fantasy

- elves that are also bats, still determining how much bat is in them but it's at least hitting their noses and ears and creepy little hands

It'll be a fun to design lineup even if the elves are going to have me kicking myself when I have to start rotating them, lots of weird shapes to work with

Also with that solidified I've finally nailed down the hero's species which is nice even if it leads to the extremely silly "catman and his monotreme bff vs angry monotreme man and his catwoman bff" dynamic

#the dragons are not. remotely. as 1:1 as the rest.#but monotreme helps to establish how weird they are as an entirely artificial species #(ie I deliberately stuck with mammalian traits where possible save for the tails and wings)#(the tail has elements of Sirenia but is mostly sea snakes and the wings are Yi dinosaurs)#I guess the walk posture is mostly again but like. how many bipedal mammals we got to look at?#*avian ugh fucking autocorrect #not a lot and they don't match the dragon body plan

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spooksverse-asks · 1 year

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Tattoo and Piercing Refs: Main Group

Something I've thought about doing recently, since unlike my other stories, I never shared any visuals for these guys' piercings and tattoos. I first described them in separate posts(the piercings and the tattoos) last year, but for these visuals I thought it would be easier just to combine them into one.

One thing to note, but for the visuals for the tattoos, they are mainly for the vibes and wouldn't be the exact tattoos they would have, as it was hard trying to find ones that fit exactly with what I was thinking(such as Shadow's tattoos being mostly black/gray shaded but with tiny pops of color here-and-there). Especially when it came to their matching friend group one, because I always imagined it as them each drawing a heart that is of their favorite/main color, then getting the other three's hearts tattooed. Since it was both difficult finding tattoo references of three hearts, let alone would it be even more difficult to find them in the different color combinations, I just found ones that fit closer to the arrangement and locations I was imagining for them.

Regardless, these were still fun to find and put together, and I hope you enjoy! :3

================================================

-- Shadow

. Currently, the only piercings she has are her triple lobes and double sets of cartilage, plus her left eyebrow, but as she is over 18 pretty soon she gets more

. She has triple lobes, two sets of cartilage, a rook, and a tragus piercing in each ear

. She also has her left eyebrow pierced, a septum, philtrum, and when she is older, her nips(with skull-themed jewelry), that she gets done when she is in her mid-twenties

. All of her piercing jewelry is red or black usually, with her preferring hoops, cuffs, or spiky elements with them

. As for tattoos, she currently only has one, of a red heart design with little swirly bits, located on the back of her upper-left arm near her elbow

. When her and the others are in their early-twenties, she also gets the idea of them all getting a matching tattoo, where they each draw a heart filled in with their respective favorite colors and then get the other three's ones tattooed

. Hers is on her left collarbone

. As she has a big love for tattoos, she plans to get several of them

. These include full patchwork sleeves that start just over her shoulders/back and spill all the way onto her hands, ones going all the way down the side of her legs, and a couple of back ones

. Most of these would be in traditional black-and-gray with occasional pops of color here-and-there, of witchy or spooky motifs with a couple cuter and softer ones, and some are dedicated to her family, friends, children once she has them, and love of her life, and all were mostly designed by her as she is an artist herself

-- Suzie

. Currently, the only piercings she has are double lobes, a couple flats for each ear, her left nostril with a stud, and her navel with dangly jewelry

. As her 18th birthday is just around the corner, she is planning on getting her daiths pierced, as well as her first tattoo

. Prefers pearls, pink diamonds, and heart shapes in her piercing jewelry, but she is also a fan of any kind of cute or fun jewelry(like ones from Claire's or other similar stores)

. As for tattoos, she is planning her first one to be a pink bow on the nape of her neck, to commemorate her old favorite hair accessory

. Her matching friend group one would be on her left ankle

. In terms of her other future tattoo ideas, they would include a fairly large, colorful candy and sweets-related one on her left thigh, cherry blossoms ranging from her right shoulder to her collarbone, a crescent moon with the quote “I love you to the moon and back” on her lower-back, and once she has children she would get simple black hearts with their names going down the side of her lower-right leg

-- Kyle

. Currently, the only piercings he has are a single set of lobes, that he got done for his 18th birthday

. They are the only piercings he would want done, as he does not think other piercings would suit him or his aesthetic much

. Most of the time, he only wears small studs, whether simple diamonds or more cute and fun ones when he goes shopping with Suzie

. As for tattoos, he was also unsure about getting any done, however he eases up to the idea once Shadow brings up the idea of them all getting a matching tattoo

. His matching friend group one would be his first, located on his right shoulder-blade

. In time after that he would get a few more, with his ideas including a simple VHS tape design on the inside of his right forearm, the lyric “Hopelessly devoted to you” on his left shoulder-blade with a simple outline of a video-game controller next to it, and once he has children he would get their names on his right bicep

-- Liam

. Currently, he is the only one out of the group who does not have piercings or really wants them, as he doesn't really think any would suit him or his aesthetic that much

. However if asked, the only piercings he would entertain the idea of getting would be his lobes, as they seem simple enough to get, or his eyebrow, if he had to get something "bolder"

. As for tattoos, he is also the one most hesitant to think about getting any in the future, not really knowing if he could pull them off or if they would work for him with how he’s already covered all-over in freckles

. However, he decides to give them a try when Shadow suggested getting matching friend ones, with his matching friend group tattoo being his first one and located on his left bicep

. After that one he would be more comfortable getting more in the future, with his ideas including “Cherish those closest to you” done in a simple and slightly small font between his shoulder-blades, something small and minimalist of video game controller buttons on the inside of his left forearm, and once he has children he would get their birthdays done in a simple and small font on his right forearm with simple green hearts between them

#spooksverse #ocs #character-building #piercings #tattoos #main group #shadow blackson #suzanne evans #kyle stewart #liam small #shadow #suzanne #suzie #kyle #liam

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clairethecutepup · 3 months

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How to Design "Villainous" Characters:

Ah, "villains"... The common obstacle for a hero or general protagonist to face. Sometimes, they're your standard "evil for evil's sake," or they're a bit more complex than a generally sadistic psychopath. However, there's one thing a villain always needs: some manner of "threat" to their appearance, traditional methods and otherwise. Let's go over how exactly, shall we...?

1. Shape Theory

Generally, the basic idea is that some shapes are more likely to elicit a certain feeling than others. Case in point, characters with rounder features are often "cuter" and seem the least threatening; then, characters with lots of points or "triangles" will seem more dangerous when simply touching them seems enough to hurt you.

Example: how does circular Claire make you feel, compared to the pointier Melon (Beastars)?

Even without Melon's gazelle horns, you'll notice his head still has a rather "sharp" look to it, like his cheekbones and muzzle’s end. The sharp shape of his eyes doesn't help make him look any friendlier... As for Claire, you probably would feel more weirded out by her animal-human appearance than you would “threatened”: her big and round ears emit more of a “puppy” feel, her eyes' roundness makes them less piercing...

Triangles/points should be a key component of your villainous design-- if you want the message loud and clear at first sight. Sometimes, circles can actually make for a threatening character design themselves: not a "danger" of obvious harm from simply getting too close, but a "danger" of being able to lure you into being close enough.

Back to Claire, as an example, she may look all "round" and cuddly-- which she is, but she actually has sharp canines for her entire set of teeth and her paw’s dangerous claws are "invisible" during her general docility. In other words, sometimes the best kinds of threats aren't what you can identify at first glance, but capable of creating a false sense of security and manipulatable trust. I mean, are you gonna better trust the big and scary wolf, or the cute and tiny hamster? Bad Guys reference, by the way.

Squares are the third shape in this "theory," often said to symbolize "reliability" and "safety." So, perhaps also ideal if creating a villain meant to have a deceptive appearance.

2. Color Scheme

As psychology has taught us, colors have the ability to elicit certain moods: red makes us feel aggressive, blue makes us feel calmer... However, did you know that our minds also associate darker colors with things more sinister? After all, you'll find people more afraid of the darkness than light because of what may lie within. Therefore, it’s one reason why our brains will think "danger" when spotting a character who can hide in said darkness easier.

For example, tell me which Cadejo here you find as the "evil" one.

Okay, in actual Hispanic mythos, it depends on which region you're in; but if you're being honest, you assumed it was the black Cadejo, right-- despite the white one also having red eyes? That's how darker colors cause our mind to function: they're automatically associated with "danger" and "predation" in our brains' subconscious, therefore an ideal choice when making a menacing appearance for a villain. Of course, you can still do the "deceitful subversion" for a villain and use lighter colors instead.

3. The Eyes and Expression

"Eyes are the window into the soul," the phrase often goes. There is truth to it: you can often realize someone's intentions and general feelings by how the eyes stare at you. An ideally creepy villain will have an unreadable emptiness to them, leaving you uneased by denying you any clue what's currently thought-- like your possible planned death. An ideally scary villain will have eyes that do an evil nature justice: ready to pierce through you and make you swear you're locking eyes with the reaper himself instead.

Of course, the rest of the face is equally important. Do those eyes belong to a constant face of angered contortion, clearly eager to make you suffer-- regardless of what you actually did? Are those eyes sitting above a creepy smile of someone looking in through your bedroom window, possibly planning to have that noticeable bed of yours used for nefarious purposes after breaking in? Of course, some find blank eyes above a constantly calm and expressionless face the scariest of all.

Depending on the personality and nature of your villain, you'll want the proper face for them to wear. Are they the type to instantly inflict wrath and explode over the slightest thing? They should constantly convey this present aggression through clenched teeth and the eyes in a permanent scowl. Are they the type to remain calm, cool, collected and be a puppet master? They should constantly wear a calm frown of inner calculations, with their eyes unreadable yet also clearly in focused thought-- perhaps a little narrowing of those eyes when finding the next target. If you also want them to be smug, don't forget the stretched smile and gleeful eyes of vengeance from your suffering.

Eye color actually isn't all that important. True, there's a reason black and red are such popular choices for those "scarier," and pure white or blue eyes for those "creepier"... However, if you know how to design and portray your villain's face properly, even green or pink eyes can strike as much terror as the standard red color. After all, why do the eyes need to be red themselves, when those eyes convey that your body will supply enough of the color itself?

Why does her stare fill you with dread? Cinderella’s stepmother has light green eyes, not scary red nor creepy blue ones…

4. The "Uncanny Valley"

Ah, the classic term for things that appear like what we recognize, but there's something... wrong, so horribly wrong. It's a perfect addition to any antagonizing monster or human that you wish to make reality: deadly doppelgangers, zombies, aliens… furries and fursuiters (or general mascot costumes). Yes, really, the human similarities but them obviously not being full-on human is one reason they’re disliked. Overall, sometimes it just takes the right amount of “humanness” to trigger the alarm within our minds: “This thing is pretending to be my kind to better trick and harm me, or it’s an old member of my kind and it threatens what may become of myself next…” And that’s what makes the “uncanny valley” so effective at creating unease and terror: perceived “deception” and “visually threatened fates.” However, there can also be the addition of: “If it looks and especially acts like a human, it’s as smart as a human and can counteract my own thinking capabilities-- perhaps surpass them.”

In all honesty, there’s not much else to be said than: “Make them look human enough, but also not a trustable fellow human”... Make the creepy stalker’s grin unnaturally large in anticipation and their eyes enormous in eagerness: they’re more a creature in human skin preparing to rape whoever they’re watching, rather than a fellow human who’s just sick in the head. Give your villain a creepy fursuit/mascot costume: the typically large eyes, the false friendly smile on the muzzle, perhaps with the head even far too small/large for the rest of the costume… What else can really be said?

However, don’t fall back onto the uncanny valley as your sole means of a menacing design… Long fingers, wide eyes and so on will only get you so far. After all, remember the rule of horror: “Not everyone finds the same thing scary.” Some people find big and wide eyes creepy, but I’m not bothered by them. Some people find Courage the Cowardly Dog’s “You’re not perfect…” monster scary (left), but I’m instead terrified of King Ramses (right)!

So, it’s your best bet to also incorporate the other mentioned steps into a villain’s design, than assume that your take on the uncanny valley is “one size fits all.”

Now, let’s see what happens when we take all of these, turning Seve and Alexis here (Corn Kidz 64) into more villainous versions of themselves, as an example...

Then, with all of the points we’ve covered (and covered them) in…

There, despite the different art styles, you can tell who is meant to be evil and who just has a gothic/emo sense of appearance: the ears are pointed upward and they’ve got sharp teeth/claws, they’re darker and only their foreboding red eyes would be visible in pitch blackness… Overall, two clearly prefer eating nachos, while the other two would obviously prefer eating your insides after gutting them out or digging in those teeth.

Now it’s your turn. What sort of nightmarish being will you create?

#artist advice #artist help #character design #tips and tricks #how to guide #making villains #OC tips #Original Character help #antagonists

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dexaroth · 5 months

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feels a bit awkward for xor's mecha form be so different color-wise from his organic design.. i've already tried having the mecha form have a similar gray coat pattern but it just looks bad. awful even

i also dont feel like adding gray details on the mecha would look good either. im thinking maybe i could redesign him to fit a bit more but i can't deny that his current design is way more detailed than what black and white really allows.. plus hes cuter bc of the white eye arch. but the one without that looks more.. critter-like..? sigh

#ive always felt a bit conflicted bc i identify with white rodents more than other colors but i still identify with grey n black #white rodents as in mice and rats. id rather be a grey bunny than a white or black one in a heartbeat #i suppose bc the furless skin areas really call attention to themselves rather than when its all fur #so the whiter one is appealing a bit more to me rn. in a way. though im still very attached to xor's original design #the more i look back and forth at the designs i cant help but like the og more. yet it doesnt fit the mecha..#wips #ch:xor

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blithesrps · 5 months

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TWST Next Gen I

Featuring: Kana and Ton Kingscholar, Olivine Ashengrotto

“W-welcome to the M-mostro Lounge Host Club! I’ll be your host t-today, can I get you something to-“

“No, no, NO!”

Olivine shrieked as he ducked another swing from the menu in Kana’s hand, the older girl’s eyes bright with fire as she loomed over the boy.

“Cuter! More bubbly! More alluring! Stop acting like you’re terrified!” Kana roared, smacking Olive for emphasis on his perfectly coiffed head.

“B-b-but I am terrified!” he managed to squeal, tears welling in his eyes as he cowered under the edge of the table. One would think that after over a decade of knowing Kana Kingscholar, he would have been able to stand up to her tempers with more gusto, but Olive couldn’t help it! She was scary!

“Now, now, Kana. I think you’ve made your point…” The purr of Kana’s twin appeared over Olive’s shoulder and he jumped, leaning out of the way as Ton bent to set a tray of tea on the table. Kana made a show of taking an aggrieved breath, before falling back into her chair with a sigh.

“Very well, Ton, if you say so,” she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as Olive tentatively poked back out from his hiding place. Around them, the lounge was a buzz of activity as staff prepared to continue their first week of operations.

As far as Olivine could tell, it had already been quite the success. Kana and Ton had caused quite the stir when they stormed into school as freshmen and made quick work of challenging the prior dorm leader, claiming the title for Kana, and assuming operations of the Mostro Longue. Olive supposed having the blessing of his father helped, his Papa Azul having made no secret of his confidence in his young protégés. But the twins hadn’t been satisfied to just run the lounge in its current form. No, they had endeavored to make it bigger and better than ever before, capitalizing on NRC’s stock of good looking students to create a Host Club designed to attract guests from all schools on the island.

“Olive, darling, do you know why we asked you to join the Host Club?” Ton asked as he slid into the booth. Olive instinctively shrank back: Ton may speak more softly than his sister, but he knew from experience the younger twin could be just as scary.

“Um…because my father is your Uncle Azul…?” he asked tentatively. Ton and Kana exchanged a glance, their expressions shifting to indulgent smiles in a way that made Olive feel remarkably prey-like.

“Oh, Olive. Don’t be silly,” Kana said, tone suddenly warm and affectionate.

“You know we don’t care about little things like that,” Ton agreed, elegantly pouring a cup of tea. He slid it to Olive and waited to break his gaze until he took a sip.

“It’s because of your beauty, of course!”

“Your lovely eyes and pretty lips…”

“The artful way you do your make up.”

“Why, you’re almost prettier than Kana…”

“…right. You are.” Kana smiled through grit teeth as Olive heard Ton give a soft breath of laughter. He swallowed and sat up a little straighter, looking down at his delicate hands curled around the cup of tea.

“Is…is that really true?” he asked shyly. His father had always praised his looks growing up, and he did prefer to wear pretty clothing, but…

“Of course it is.”

“Why would we lie to one of our oldest friends?”

“Olive, dearest-“ Now Kana joined them on the booth, slipping in to Olive’s opposite side (and cutting off his means of escape), “You’re easily one of the most beautiful students in school. Which means we simply must have you as one of our hosts. Guests will come from all over to have a nice conversation and admire how pretty you are. Doesn’t that sound nice…?” Olive bit his lip. To be honest, he didn’t really like being in the spotlight, but if Kana and Ton were asking him…

“S-sure…I mean…I guess I can try it again…”

“There’s a good girl,” Kana cooed, while Ton smiled at him from his other side. Her tone stayed simpering even as her finger began to jab at Olive’s forehead, “Now all you need to do is be a little. More. Confident.”

“Ow…okay...I’ll try again…”

“Good.” Kana clapped her hands, all business now. She stood and smoothed her uniform, sharp eyes raking over her domain for the slightest hint of anyone slacking, “Let’s all do our best then? Talesin is coming tonight, so everything simply must be perfect.” She hovered an air kiss over Olive’s cheek and rushed off to check on the kitchens.

“Now…” Ton’s hand grabbed Olive’s jaw and twisted his head, bringing the boy to look right into his hawk-like gaze, “Let’s take it from the top, shall we? And this time, no stammering.”

Eek! Maybe he should have taken his chances with Kana…

Just a little drabble because I wanted to write something for this kiddos. Kana and Ton are the ambitious babies of the Ara/Ruggie/Leona Kingscholar family, while Olive is the adopted son of Azul Ashengrotto (with honorable mention of Uncle Jade and Uncle Floyd). Olive uses both he and she pronouns.

#blithes ocs: k + t #blithes ocs: olivine #If you have next gen OC's you think would interact with my kiddos please let me know! I love making friends with other characters ;v;

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goldenhypen · 2 years

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❣︎ ⎯⎯ you’re adorable .

PAIRING ! yang jungwon x reader // GENRE ! fluff // WC. ! 0.7k

PROMPT(S) ! 1. smiling at each other from across the room ;; 13. teasing each other good-naturedly ;; 19. tugging the other’s clothes to keep them close ;; 30. laying their head on the other’s shoulders // requested by two lovely anons // 2k followers event

A/N. ! em comeback omg ??? i’ve honestly missed writing <//3 and i’m rlly happy to be back again <333 i rlly hope you guys like this one ^_^ enjoy <3

“wonie!” you exclaimed. “i can’t believe it! it’s the same one you had when you were little!”

you two were at a small shop in the city, and you just so happened to stumble upon a replica of a little something from jungwon’s childhood. it was a small, white bear hat that had hands extending down from the bottom for children to put their hands in after placing the hat on top of their heads.

you recalled the pictures from when your boyfriend was little of him posing cutely, pursing his lips out with his tiny hands in the paws of the hat by his plump cheeks.

jungwon was currently standing at the other end of the aisle when he heard your loud and excited voice, and he sent you a smile, slightly hesitant to come over before you smirked, gesturing with your hand for him to quickly come over.

so he did.

and within moments, he was by your side.

when he saw the displayed accessory that you were pointing to on the shelf, he let out a chuckle. why did he have a feeling this was exactly what you were talking about?

you pulled it off from where it was sitting and smiled, “try it on.”

your boyfriend looked at you for a moment with a slight are you serious? type look before you nodded for him to do it. he smiled, finding the way you persisted too adorable to resist.

he took the hat from your hands before placing it on his head and adjusting it to fit properly. he then placed his hands in the designated areas that were hanging down from the bottom of the hat.

immediately, laughs escaped your lips.

“what?” your boyfriend questioned with a soft, playful scoff as he began to narrow his eyes at you.

“that does not suit you as much as it used to,” you said, giving him a slight look of disgust. “you aged, yang.”

“yeah, right,” he smirked. “you’re just jealous that you can’t pull it off as well as me.”

you rolled your eyes jokingly before taking another one of the same hats from the shelf and placing it on your head.

it was jungwon’s turn to let out a fit of laughter, “you look funny.”

“hey!” you narrowed your eyes at him.

“but i must admit, you do look very cute,” he said with a smile he failed to conceal.

you stuffed your hands in the paws of the hat, also unable to hide your rising smile.

spotting some mirrors just a few feet away, jungwon tugged on one of the arms of your hat, almost causing you to fall at the sudden pull, yet giggles still escaped both your and jungwon’s lips.

stopping in front of a mirror, you immediately took your phone out, holding it up to take a picture.

jungwon was standing behind you, resorting to resting his chin on your shoulder, close to the crook of your neck. and posing for the picture, he raised one of his paws to the side of his face, imitating the same expression he made for the photo all those years ago.

you giggled, taking multiple mirror selfies with the two of you.

and as you were dropping your arms to put your phone away once you were done, you felt jungwon’s fingertips meet your chin, pulling you close to meet his lips in a short kiss.

“i take it back,” he started, voice unexpectedly low. “you look really, really cute. i hate to admit it, but perhaps even cuter than me right now.”

laughs emitted from both of your bodies before you noticed his eyes drop down to your lips.

but as he began leaning in, you gave him a smug look, replying, “i know.”

he scoffed lightly, and a smile began growing on his lips as you turned on your heels and began skipping away.

and before you could get too far, you turned around and said, “we’re buying these, and since you lost this cutie contest, you pay.”

you stuck your tongue out playfully at him before turning back around, making your way to the cash register.

he just let out a chuckle, watching your energetic form skip away before he let out a breath, complying and quickly making his way to your side.

A/N. thank you vv much for reading :)) as always, feedback and reblogs are always much appreciated! i’d love to hear your thoughts on this one <3 hope you liked it!

2K EVENT MASTERLIST.

TAGLIST FORM.

#enhypen #enhypen fluff #enhypen x reader #enhypen imagines #enhypen reactions #enhypen scenarios #enhypen drabbles #enhypen oneshots #jungwon #yang jungwon #jungwon fluff #jungwon imagines #jungwon x reader #jungwon scenarios #jungwon reactions #yang jungwon fluff #yang jungwon x reader #enhypen jungwon #jungwon enhypen

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