#i can't believe i have to Schedule when i'll watch the episode

[mangostarjam]

i really wanted to share the first chapter of disaster bi narumi trying to woo his fwb hoshina with your help (since you're soshiro's childhood friend after all) (never mind the fact that you've lowkey been in love with both of them for ages) before the anime airs this weekend but unfortunately work/life is still kicking my ass

[yuquinzel]

[ 2:18 AM ] — itoshi rin.

joining in on the clingy rin agenda with this :P

rin does not like disruptions to his carefully crafted schedule, specifically— his sleep schedule. he has to be in bed by 11 pm sharp and wake up at the first light of dawn for his morning jog. that's how he's always gone about his day, that's how he prefers everything to be— falling perfectly into a rhythmic routine.

but tonight is different, tonight it's almost past 2 am, long since he found himself cozy in the warmth of his blankets— and yet he lies wide awake, eyes heavy with drowsiness but not enough to close shut because itoshi rin can not sleep unless you're beside him.

he wants to blame his comforter for failing to keep him warm, but in truth he's aware that the cold pooling his sheets is only an extension from the emptiness of your side of the bed.

it looks barren, abandoned even.

it's not like you're not home, it's not like you had an argument that didn't end well and hence refuse to sleep next to him, it's not like some college assignment is keeping you awake late into the night. you're just busy watching reruns of your favourite series because it had your favourite actor and rin is too prideful to admit he's not used to falling asleep without you threading your fingers in his hair.

he told himself he can sleep just fine on an empty bed. and he believed it for about three hours.

now you find him hovering like a ghost by the end of the room, all wrapped in blankets as he's taking long and impatient strides over to where you're slumped on the couch.

“bed. now.” he says, almost a little desperate.

you spare him a glance, then back to your tv screen, “rin? why're you still awake?”

“it's cold. i'm cold. come back to bed.” you know his short and quick answers are just a reflection of how tired he truly is.

“you're cold?” you ask, and rin simply nods.

“just two more episodes rin, promise i'll come after that.” you say, eyes still set on the tv screen and rin eyes the way your eyes glimmer with awe when that actor shows up.

and then suddenly your vision is blocked, the fluorescent light from the tv casting white shadows across rin's large physique as he eclipses your view of the tv, “what's so great about him? you can watch these tomorrow, come back, i can't sleep without you.”

you're about to say what the hell rin step aside before the realisation hits, and his words replay in your mind. the gears in your head turn, an amused smile gracing your lips, “are you jealous of this actor?”

rin huffs, kneeling down so he's eye-to-eye with you, “i never said that. i said i can't sleep without you because your side of the bed is cold so it makes me cold.”

you laugh a little, and rin feels a sort of warmth tingle his skin, “but they won't air these old episodes tomorrow, and its only two more, give me like, half an hour?” you bargain, bringing a hand to cradle the side of his face, rin leaning in your warmth even more.

he ponders your words, grumbling something unintelligible as he gets up. you think he's about to leave, before he plops down next to you. adjusting himself on the couch with you with barely enough space to accommodate the both of you, rin manages to bury his face in your chest while you have to tightly wrap your arms around him to keep you from falling.

“we're gonna fall and it'll be your fault,” you breathe, and rin holds you even tighter at your words.

“no, it'll be your fault. you won't come to bed with me.”

“you're such a baby.” you laugh again, your chuckles reverberating through him with your closely pressed bodies, the comfort of it beginning to lull him to sleep like magic. he's a little grateful to the lack of space on the couch in exchange for the intimacy of this moment.

the last thing echoing in his mind before he dozes off is the sensation of your fingers running through his hair, with a light tug at times that relieves him of all his exhaustion.

sleeping on the couch is perhaps much better than the bed.

© yuquinzel2023 [ plagiarism is a violation of moral rights ! ]

[mcflymemes]

STAR WARS: EPISODE VI - RETURN OF THE JEDI PROMPTS *  assorted dialogue from the 1983 film, adjust as necessary

i'll not leave you here. i've got to save you.

what i told you was true... from a certain point of view.

you're going to find that many of the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.

there is still good in him.

you may dispense with the pleasantries.

i'm here to put you back on schedule.

perhaps i can find new ways to motivate them.

we shall double our efforts.

don't talk that way.

you have a power i don't understand and could never have.

i know. somehow, i've always known.

he must be allowed to speak.

it's your choice, but i warn you not to underestimate my powers.

i shall enjoy watching you die.

good, i hate long waits.

doesn't sound so bad.

she was very beautiful. kind, but sad.

so you have accepted the truth?

that name no longer has any meaning for me.

you want this, don't you? the hate is swelling in you now.

it is unavoidable. it is your destiny.

how many languages do you speak?

you are unwise to lower your defenses.

all craft, prepare to retreat.

we've got to give him more time.

it's an older code, sir, but it checks out.

there may be more of them out there.

i have a really bad feeling about this.

it only takes one to sound the alarm.

you cannot escape your destiny.

i can't kill my own father.

why don't you use your divine influence and get us out of this?

i beg your pardon, but that just wouldn't be proper.

you were our only hope.

soon i'll be dead, and you with me.

your insight serves you well.

bury your feelings deep down, [name].

help me take this mask off.

i do believe they think i am some sort of god.

i can't see! what's going on?

i assure you, we are quite safe from your friends here.

i'm out of it for a little while, everyone gets delusions of grandeur.

if you will not fight, then you will meet your destiny.

just for once... let me look on you with my own eyes.

no, you're coming with me.

your overconfidence is your weakness.

you were right. you were right about me.

together again, huh?

i feel the good in you, the conflict.

there is no conflict.

you couldn't bring yourself to kill me before and i don't believe you'll destroy me now.

you've failed.

who are you?

you cannot hide forever.

i will not fight you.

it is the only way you can save your friends.

your thoughts betray you.

when he comes back, i won't get in the way.

it's not like that at all.

i can't do it. i can't go on alone.

i think my eyes are getting better.

there's nothing to see. i used to live here, you know.

how could they be jamming us if they don't know if we're coming.

break off the attack! the shield is still up!

take evasive action!

keep your distance, though, but don't look like you're trying to keep your distance.

i don't know. fly casual.

you can't do this. i feel the conflict within you. let go of your hate.

this is an unexpected pleasure.

you're going to die here, you know. convenient.

tell me. what's troubling you?

you're a jittery little thing, aren't you?

i just said you were a fair pilot!

i'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it.

[yujeong]

Earlier I read your post on hoping to see a sex scene between Korn and Fasai so that you could compare their scene to Korn and Tonkla`s sex scenes. Now that we have seen them in my opinion there`s a clear difference. Could you tell more about your thoughts on the differences/similarities in how Korn acts around them and what it tells about these relationships. I have lots of thoughts on those scenes and it would be nice to hear how other people see and interpret these scenes.

OMG a 4 Minutes ask! How nice of you to ask me anon, thank you so much ❤️ So, Korn. What a guy. I'm so happy we got the 2 sex scenes, they give us so much info about Korn's character and what his relationship with both Tonkla and Fasai is. Now, let's start with the similarities, because there's fewer of them: - Korn doesn't initiate the sex on either occasion. Tonkla does by poking at his dick a couple of times and telling him he's "not only good at talking", as well as start kissing him all over his chest during the second round that never happened, and Fasai does by signaling to him he should... well, get on with it lol, - Korn uses nicknames to address both Tonkla and Fasai (I can't hear his words clearly, but I have a feeling he calls him Kla? Maybe that's why the subtitle breaks the name for some reason? - it's Tonkla not Ton Kla lol), meaning both relationships are intimate, - Now, I'm mostly adding this for the lols, but neither Tonkla nor Fasai enjoyed their sexual encounter with Korn. This happens for very different reasons though, which I'll explain later, - This is more of a headcanon than anything, but both relationships are transactional, even if KornTonkla doesn't seem like it is (or even FasaiKorn tbh). On to the important stuff, the differences: - In his relationship with Tonkla, Korn is the one who knows more about things he's not willing to share with him (mainly, his new shady job, though I'm sure there could be more down the line), while with Fasai, Korn is the one who's in the dark, - Korn is the one who controls everything that happens during his time with Tonkla (putting on the condom despite being asked not to + making Tonkla come, even though he was "fine not coming"), while Fasai is the one who's in complete control of the encounter with Korn, - Generally, the relationship between Korn and Tonkla seems to revolve around what Korn wants (what he wants to share, his pleasure, his schedule, his money), while the relationship between Korn and Fasai is completely controlled by her and her alone, - Since it's about Korn's pleasure, Tonkla doesn't get to enjoy the sex they have (it's over too quickly for him to come and he feels self-conscious when Korn asks him if he did + telling him he shouldn't bother helping him). The scene is very cleverly shot in a way that this isn't obvious, but I believe a re-watch and the second episode's context might help the audience see it more clearly. On the other hand, Fasai doesn't seem to be enjoying Korn eating her out, because that's not the point of the scene. It's all about power and control. She doesn't seek pleasure from Korn, she seeks his submission, - And now comes the point about both relationships being transactional: the difference, again, is about who the relationship benefits. With Tonkla, it's all about Korn - he gives him money and glimpses of affection and some of his time, for Tonkla to give back his unwavering love and... well, his body. I might seem harsh with this, but those are the vibes the scene gave me and judging by how he talked to him in ep2, I don't think I'm that far off. However, Fasai wants Korn's submission as I said, for which she helps him run his new business in return. It wasn't clear if Fasai is meant to be Korn's girlfriend or not with what little we've gotten, but I'm willing to believe that's the case - Tonkla knows about Fasai, he didn't seem surprised when Korn mentioned her to his father, so she could be what he passes as an official relationship while having Tonkla on the side, - Oh, very important detail which I shall not forget to mention: Korn wants to have sex with Tonkla, while his scene with Fasai suggested he's not doing this willingly. I'd say he's either coerced into submitting to her or it's just... work to him. Either way, key difference to the two scenes so I had to say it. I think that's all I have for now. I am deeply fascinated by all three characters and I can't wait to learn more about them ❤️ I'm sure Sammon will give us many treats involving their storylines.

[doubleddenden]

Thoughts on Uzumaki the anime, now that it has completely finished airing:

Animation be dammed, I think they needed to give more episodes so that proper tension could be built and it not just be a series of "wow that's fucked up- wow that's fucked up- wow that's fucked up-" over and over.

That being said, from a very casual fan and from the perspective of someone that doesn't like horror- especially cosmic horror- this was decent for me. It's not quite the animated classic I'm sure a lot of people wanted- especially for episode 2- but it is a decent popcorn with friends type scary, imo.

Episode 1 was probably the best for obvious reasons, but truth be told, I was probably more unnerved for the hospital scenes. Genuinely, I felt a moment of fear and uneasiness - the scenes of people eating the snails in ep 4 is close, but 3 really fucked me up for that one scene in particular.

I do feel bad for the people that probably got screwed over and the people that were really hoping for a master piece- and DeMarco and Adult Swim better learn whatever God damn lessons they need to from this, because AS and Toonami already have a bad rep for animated originals. In the case of Lazarus, a 13 episode series scheduled for next year that they claim ALL episodes will be directed by Watanabe, they better make damn sure that goes off without a hitch, or risk losing opportunities in the anime industry going forward.

As for Uzumaki's story as a whole- I think I really appreciate Junji Ito's simple "hey wouldn't that be fucked up" approach to creating with a very simple concept. Some things definitely feel not scary at all, in particular the twister gangs- except for when they reveal pseudo cannibalism. That's not even the spirals' doing- in fact, the strongest horror in this series comes not from the spirals, but from the people themselves losing their god damn minds and giving into depravity and chaos. More than any jump scare or super natural being, I truly believe the most horrifying things to write with are with people and the horrible things they do to themselves or each other, and Uzumaki captures that.

The ending mystery is intriguing- but while I do understand that horror stories and especially cosmic horror rarely have happy endings, I can't help but wish for it. I think the ending is certainly just as terrifying, and the lack of solution- the exhausted acceptance of horrors beyond your imagination and knowledge that it is doomed to repeat forever- that leaves a very uneasy feeling inside of me. I personally don't enjoy this feeling, but that's certainly just a matter of taste and not a reflection of story quality- it's a fine enough ending for the genre and delivers on its job.

I don't think I'll watch it again, truth be told. It's not a story for me, and that's fine- again, just my taste, as I'm not really a horror fan anyway.

I think the most compelling things going for this anime is A. The gorgeous animation in episode 1 and the overall inky black and white colors, which really help build an atmosphere that would be list with color imo, B. The amount of people going for the manga will definitely increase, and C. The genuine curiosity about the production- what went wrong, why so many studios and an inconsistent quality. Perhaps someday an answer will be given.

I'll be honest, I kind of prefer the shitty live action movie if for nothing else that it was actually hilarious.

Anyway I'll give it a 6 or 7/10. Again, not for me, could do better with pacing, and an inconsistent animation quality can take me out.

[dmercer91]

ebug's sister, dm91

taglist, @whenmypartysover

part one / part two /part three / part four / part five / part six / part seven / part eight

blakefriarr_

liked by luca.fantilli, nicohischier and 7,103 others

blakefriarr_: my brother's an ebug my boyfriend is a new jersey devil, episode six!

i would like to start this by saying that @/adamfantilli is the worst if anyone wants to replace him comment below (i would never replace you u fucking buffoon)

second, MY BOY SCORED A FUCKING HATTRICK

now, i am going to try and very calmly type this with minimal use of capital letters.

i have never been so proud to be able to kiss someone on the mouth before in my whole life.

dawson, you are by far the sweetest, most gentle soul i have ever met and i cannot wait for what's to come for you both professionally and for us.

you are the most deserving person on this earth <3

i will not keep from exposing myself with the fact that i literally started crying when people started throwing hats, and the poor guy sitting next to me was incredibly worried for my mental state

and then when nico came out of the locker room i jumped at him with such velocity i landed on his shoulder.

i was still crying.

when daws came out i clung to him like a koala.

i am still clung to dawson as i am typing this.

i decided since he didn't let me flip over his shoulder and fall on my head, neeks gets a photo of him actually looking rather pleased.

oh btw @/jj.friar31 you have the apartment for the next couple days and if i sense that you've been in my room you will be promptly decapitated, love you <3

view 667 comments..

adamfantilli: acting like i'm wrong

→ blakefriarr_: @/luca.fantilli

→ luca.fantilli: hi?

→ blakefriarr_: can you go slap your brother for me

→ adamfantilli: ow.

→ luca.fantilli: does this make me assistant coach

→ blakefriarr_: unfortunately theres a ranking system. it goes jj, rookie, just some guy, assistant coach, quinn, coach

→ luca.fantilli: i'll take just some guy tbh

→ blakefriarr_: you weren't given a choice but i love the positive attitude

adamfantilli: now that you've gotten your revenge can you stop being dry i miss your chaos

→ blakefriarr_: that's so sweet fants

→ adamfantilli: is that a yes

→ blakefriarr_: i suppose. love you, rookie

→ adamfantilli: love you, coach. call me, eddy and mark are being annoying and i think you'd like to watch

→ blakefriarr_: it is the highest honour that you thought of me you're the best

dawson1417: thank you, sweet girl <3

→ blakefriarr_: proud of you, baby

dawson1417: you look so pretty with my name on your back

→ blakefriarr_: if anyone was wondering why it's taking me forever to reply to comments, blame dawson.

→ jj.friar31: EW

→ blakefriarr_: grow up you'd fuck him too

→ jj.friar31: ??????????

nicohischier: you should do high jump that was talent

→ blakefriarr_: thanks for catching me <3

→ nicohischier: you're lucky i'm legally obligated as your captain to love you

→ blakefriarr_: you're not even my captain???? you just love me

→ nicohischier: perhaps i should've found a better excuse

jackhughes: i can't believe i had to watch you cry on nico for like fifteen minutes cause mercer was still in his scrum

→ blakefriarr_: you jealous?

_quinnhughes: next time maybe check the canucks schedule before you facetime me 182 times

→ blakefriarr_: next time get off the ice??????? what if i was dying

→ _quinnhughes: you think i just bring my phone to the bench?

→ blakefriarr_: is this really what we should be talking about right now

→ _quinnhughes: @/dawson1417, congrats bud

→ blakefriarr_: better

dougieham: all that emotion and no warning ????? no viewer discretion is advised???

→ blakefriarr_: i'm sorry hambone i'll do better

lhughes_06: when i become a devil i better get this much attention

→ blakefriarr_: that can be arranged.

→ lhughes_06: is it too late to change my mind that was very ominous

→ blakefriarr_: i happen to know someone who can give you this with (slightly) less chaos

→ lhughes_06: ... i'm listening

jj.friar31: you can sense when i'm going into your room?

→ blakefriarr_: yeah?

→ jj.friar31: i don't believe you.

→ blakefriarr_: you wanna find out if i'm kidding?

→ jj.ffriar31: do i?

→ blakefriarr_: get out of my room james.

→ jj.friar31: what in the sweet jesus fuck

mommafriar2023: can't wait to meet him!

→ blakefriarr_: WHEN DID YOU GET HERE????

→ dawson1417: can't wait either!

→ mommafriar2023: i've heard so much about you

→ blakefriarr_: MOM STOP IT

→ dawson1417: aw baby you talk to your mom about me?

→ blakefriarr_: i hate you

→ dawson1417: i can make it up to you

→ blakefriarr_: MY MOM IS IN THIS THREAD DAWS

view more comments..

[mirai-e-jump]

Hero Vision Vol.7 (2002/Summer) ft. Kamen Rider Ryuki Cast Members with Ryohei & Hidekazu Ichinose (translations below)

Takamasa Suga (Kido Shinji) Interview (page 6-7)

"At the time of this interview, the double filming for both the movie and TV series were underway, and it appears to be a real nightmare."

Suga: I'm already overwhelmed. I don't have time to sleep or even memorize the script. "What am I suppose to do?!" is the current state of things (laughs). My body is starting to get used to it, but it's still very difficult.

"Despite the demanding schedule, he always has such a sweet smile on his face. It's been six months since he started playing the role of Shinji Kido, the main character of Kamen Rider Ryuki. He says that his image of Shinji, which at first felt like a blur, has recently become more defined."

Suga: In the begining, I was so preoccupied with filming, that I honestly wasn't thinking about Shinji. I hadn't seen "Kamen Rider Kuuga" or "Agito," so I didn't know about the whole Rider process. However, when someone said to me, "Producer Shirakura said that after the transformations in Episodes 1 and 2, that was Ryuki's Shinji," I thought I had a better grasp of what was going on. I thought it was the movements of suit actor Seiji Takaiwa in the Mirror World, so I though, "Alright, I'll do that." At first, I thought Shinji was a pretty pathetic guy, but he's actually a strong leader, and always does what he thinks is right. I've recently realized how cool it is that Shinji's charm has the power to envelope everyone around.

"Not the coolness of a dependable hero, but rather, humane and tasteful coolness. He and Takaiwa-san had a close meeting to better express Shinji's emotions before and after transforming. Whether it's how Shinji sleeps, or how Shinji goes about his day after waking up."

Suga: Even in my private life, I notice I'll say, "Eh!?," or some other Shinji like reaction. Sometimes, I get caught up in a strange emotion where I can't tell who is the original, myself or Shinji.

"Suga-kun, who is now a huge part of Shinji's life, had never seen "Kamen Rider" until he was given the chance to audition. Although he had always been interested in the entertainment industry, he was unsure of his career path after high school. It wasn't untill he saw the movie "Swallowtail," directed by Shunji Iwai, where he decided to become an actor."

Suga: It felt as though I had watched that movie with my whole body. I saw it with my eyes, heard the sounds with my ears, and even felt like I smelt the movie. After watching, I was still in a mix of emotions and thought, "What is this feeling?" Then I realized, "Oh, I know! I want to be on the screen!" It was a real Shinji moment (laughs).

"After working on TV dramas and gaining some experience, he auditioned for Ryuki a few years later, but with the feeling that he was "grasping at straws."

Suga: When I went into the second round of judging, all the models around me were on the same level as Ryohei-san, so I thought this was definitely not going to work out. Even after making it to the final round, I was so nervous that at one point I said something unintelligible like, "I love beer!" When I received the news two weeks later that I got the role, I didn't believe it right away and was cautious, saying, "I don't believe this."

"When you went to the costume fitting with high expectations of what kind of cool Kamen Rider you'd see, when seeing Ryuki for the first time, you though……."Kendo?!" You were very surprised.

Suga: When I first saw it, I thought it was a really strange design that I had never seen before. Now, I'm very attached to it, and think it's the coolest out of all the riders. I love it so much.

"Of all the episodes that have been filmed so far, episodes 13 and 14 are the ones that you value the most. It's the episodes where he was distressed by the thought that he had killed Zolda."

Suga: It was then, that I once again found myself thinking about my sense of responsibility as a Rider. It was like I had just shed a layer of skin. But, even though he grows little by little this way, I would like to keep Shinji's "roots" planted as they are. Everyone around Shinji is carrying something on their shoulders, except for Shinji himself. He's quick to say, "I'll protect people," while having nothing to back up his words. No one to protect, and no past. I once thought about it deeply, and asked the producer, "Does Shinji have a past?" I was told, "No, Shinji is just a young man who had a normal upbringing." I think that's when my mind began to wander. I don't have anything to prove it, but I'm not sure that's something Shinji would say. What I am sure of, is that his emotions are straight and pure like a child, which I like. I also cherish the bad and idiotic parts of Shinji as well.

"You get along well with your co-stars, Matsuda-kun and Ryohei-kun, who are of the same generation."

Suga: We'll talk about upcoming scenes and say things like, "Ren, how do you feel about this part?" and "Ok then, let's do that part like this." We'll work through this process by trial and error. Everyone has a strong character, so I hope we can create relationships on screen that brings out the best in all of us.

Suga-kun talks about Shinji and Ryuki with more enthusiasm than usual. Everything in his life is all about Ryuki now, and he seems to be enjoying it very much. _

Satoshi Matsuda (Akiyama Ren) Interview (page 8-9)

Matsuda-kun was dressed in a black tank top, with black leather pants, and short black boots. Just like Ren, black seems to be his main image color. We asked, "Are you trying to convey Ren's image?" He responded with, "I think Ren is trying to convey me." If a normal man said those words, you'd think he was being sarcastic, but when Matsuda-kun says them, they sound natural.

"Matsuda, a native of Osaka Prefecture, still occasionally speaks with the Kansai dialect."

Matsuda: Recently, I've been able to play the role of a Ren naturally. Ren's a really cool guy, isn't he? Before, I worked hard on creating the "extreme" part of him. You don't normally see people like him in real life (laughs). People who have known me for a long time will say, "You and I are exact opposites." Usually I'm just messing around while speaking nonsense.

"Ren (Kamen Rider Knight) is a complex character, being neither right nor wrong. Therefore, when acting, Matsuda says, "I try to give weight to each word instead of saying too little." He also said, "If I move too fast, I'll look weak, so I try not to move too fast except for when I run at full speed. Like when I'm chasing after Shinji, you know?"

"He won the role of Ren through an audition, but even before doing the audition, he "debated for a week whether or not he would accept the role." According to his manager, who is Toei's producer for Ryuki, Shinichiro Shirakura, he had been paying attention to Matsuda-kun since his debut work in "Natural Girl Next ~ 100 Nights in Yokohama". Matsuda-kun, who never heard that before, shyly said, "This is the first I'm hearing of that!! I'm so embarrassed (laughs)."

Matsuda: Before the audition, I had some hesitation due to the fact that Ryuki was a children's show. So I worked with the manager, faxing each other back and forth, talking about all kinds of things, like what kind of fans the franchise had, the kind of material we had, who would watch us, and so on. In the end I decided, "Okay, I'll accept!! After all, I went through all this trouble of research, so I'll definitely have to do it now!"

"Oooh, so cool Matsuda-kun!!"

Matsuda: Afterall, I would look like a complete idiot if I failed the audition because I said, "I don't want to be associated with tokusatsu" (laughs). That's what I thought, so I didn't push back at all when I entered the production.

"Ren plays the "Secondary Rider" role in the show, and while Shinji is the main character, according to Matsuda-kun, "It's probably better than having the lead role (laughs). The camera follows Shinji, and Ren follows him in order to make the story more interesting." He goes onto say that Shinji and Ren have a bad relationship."

Matsuda: Rather than liking, disliking or having a friendship with him, I feel it's more like, "It's stupid to even hate this guy" (laughs). When he says to Shinji, "I owe you one," he says it as if embarrassed, and I think it's Ren's way of dealing with Shinji that he'll carry through to the end.

"There are rumors (!!) on the internet that you're on bad terms with Takamasa Suga, who plays the role of Shinji."

Matsuda: I'm often asked by magazine reporters if we don't get along (laughs). But, it's actually really surprising to be asked such a question. Sugacchi (Suga-kun's nickname on set), is a good friend and co-worker, who I usually go home together with, or out on the town together. So, I'm trying to figure out what else I should do to emphasize how well we get along with each other.

"It's been said that you're also on good terms with Hassei Takano, who plays Tezuka Miyuki (Kamen Rider Raia)."

Matsuda: He and I are strangely compatible. On my way to the studio, we meet up at a convenience store near the train station and make the 10 minuet walk while goofing around. That's what we like about each other (laughs)

"He says that working as an actor is difficult, but also enjoyable. He says that tokusatsu programs are particularly appealing because he can play a role over the span of a year. However, he also has his complaints."

Matsuda: I've begged the staff to do more action! Riders fight after transforming, so there's not much action before the transformation. And since Ren is supposed to be a strong fighter, he can knock out his opponents with a single punch. Well, that's not exactly what I mean, I just wanted to make a big statement. The other day, there was a scene where Takashi Hagino, who plays Takeshi Asakura (Ouja), filmed a scene that I really liked, and I watched admiringly while also being jealous (laughs).

"Matsuda-kun was originally scheduled to work for a fashion related company, but after his debut, understood "the depth of the industry," and chose to be an actor."

Matsuda: Ryuki is a battle between 13 Riders, but in reality, it's also a war between the Riders to see who can survive and who will be eliminated. That's why I myself, feel like I'm in a very serious competition as Akiyama Ren. There's no end to how difficult it is to be an actor, and the fact that there is no answer, not a single one, is fascinating. It's perfect for a arts major like myself.

Ren (Knight), wasn't the only one who continues to fight without an answer. Actor Satoshi Matsuda's battle has only just begun. _

Hassei Takano (Tezuka Miyuki) Interview (page 10-11)

Two years ago, Takano-kun gained popularity for his cool acting as Hiroya Fujimiya (Ultraman Agul) in "Ultraman Gaia." He didn't expect that he would also appear in Kamen Rider Ryuki as the fifth Rider, "Raia." As expected, no one else has appeared in both productions but him.

Takano: At the time I overheard from a friend of mine that, "There are going to be 13 Kamen Riders this time around." "Eh? That many?," we talked about it so normally. Then he said, "My friends are going to be in it." It turned out to be Matsuda-kun (Akiyama Ren) and Yuge-kun (Yura Goro). So, while I had heard stories, it was a surprise that I was also going to appear in the show. It felt almost like fate (laughs).

He had no hesitations about appearing in a tokusatsu program for a second time, as he thought to himself, "I want to do it."

Takano: If I had been the me from a little while ago, I might have been a little put off, but this time, I'm enjoying the challenge of how to play the hero and making them look good.

"The days of Ultraman Gaia were the dawn of a new era for tokusatsu. This was followed by "Kamen Rider Kuuga," which marked the new wave of tokusatsu, as these series of works have made the public recognize tokusatsu programs more and more in recent years."

Takano: I felt this phenomenon firsthand. The quality of "Gaia" was high, and I felt that the range of people watching the show was expanding, but since filming Ryuki, I've realized how popular these shows are.

"This is a comment only a performer of two works can make. What did you feel was the different between Ultraman and Ryuki when you actually played the role?"

Takano: The difference in enemy size (laughs). In Ultraman, alot of the performance is looking up and imagining the enemy in the blue background. Furthermore, for Ultraman, the SFX team would split up my shots in two directions, whereas in Ryuki's case, I would just keep saying, "Ok, I going to transform," so I really felt that I was transforming. I'm actually really fond of it. Uh…But, when I was shown a picture of Raia's image for the first time, I honestly thought, "Eh-?!" (laughs). The color is kind of mediocre, like it's pink metallic with some orange. Personally, I love blues and black, so I thought, "It must be nice being Knight~." Everyone else has a clear motif, like a bat or dragon, but Raia is a stingray? Can't I be a shark or maybe a whale? Furthermore, I'm a fortune telling stingray? eh? (laughs). At first, I was surprised by the world view of Ryuki. "A net for grilling meat?", "Transforming with a card?" things like that (laughs).

"That was a very honest yet blunt comment by Takano-kun. But now, he loves playing the role of Raia. As for the character of Miyuki Tezuka…"

Takano: I liked him from the very beginning. Tezuka wanted to change his Rider's fate. The desire to push back against something that's already been decided is a natural trait inherent in humans, isn't it? "If I can decide my future, then this wasn't it!," and I think everyone wants to change something. I think Tezuka, who says that he creates his own future, is a very charming and passionate character to play.

"Takano-kun says that he also admires Tezuka. In the show, there is a scene where Tezuka asks Shinji, "Have you ever felt so lost that you feel you could die?"

Takano: I've never been that unsure. I am indecisive, so when I'm in doubt, I'll ask someone else to decide for me (laughs). Even when I'm hanging out with friends, they'll say, 'Where do you want to go?" I'll say, "You decide. I'll follow you." I admire Tezuka's way of life, but it seems so extreme that I'd rather not live like him.

"By dying, Tezuka proved to Shinji that he could "change his future" with his own hands."

Takano: For Tezuka, when I read the script about him becoming a Rider because of what happened to his friend, I cried a little.

"At first, Takano-kun heard that Tezuka's friend (Saito Yuichi) was initially suppose to be a racer. The story was originally about him being unable to use his legs due to an accident, then, it was changed to him being a pianist that lost the ability to use his hands due to an incident caused by Ouja (Takeshi Asakura). This is what caused Tezuka to become more agitated before the battle with Ouja."

Takano: What's most sad to think about, is that I'll no longer have a role in the show after I die. In Ultraman Gaia, I was always out of sync with everyone else and was often alone, but this time we were always together.

"As their senior in tokusatsu, he gave advice to Suga-kun and Matsuda-kun, and in return, they taught him about Ryuki. On one occasion, when filming for the day finished early, the three of them went out for drinks in Shinjuku"

Takano: At that time, there was a counter across from the table where we were sitting, and there was a young woman reading a copy of Hero Vision. I noticed and went, "Ah-!," and all three of us were exposed immediately. I thought to myself at the time that the popularity of tokusatsu programs were reaching new heights (laughs).

Kamen Rider Ryuki, which was made with the help of people of his generation, will likely be a very memorable work for Takano-san. _

(partial translations for the rest below)

Kamen Rider Ryuki - Film Site Report (Page 12) (top, 1st photo): "Between takes, they made friendly conversation. They were constantly surrounded by the neighborhood children, but only Matsuda-kun kept his distance from them (laughs)." (bottom, last photo): "In his hand is Dragreder. Hidden away in his bag is a Ryuki Plushie." _

Satoshi Ichijou (Shibaura Jun) Interview (page 14)

"The sixth Kamen Rider, Gai (Shibaura Jun), is a smart, game freak, and coldhearted college student, while Ichijou-kun, who played Jun, is also an active college student."

Ichijou: During filming, I had to ask my friends to help me with various things like, "I’m sorry! I lost my attendance card somewhere" (laughs).

"When Ichijo appeared in Kamen Rider, his friends reaction were, "We can't watch it because it airs tooooo early in the morning!" The reaction of his friends are very natural."

Ichijou: On my days off, I hang out with my friends in my hometown. I also play street futsal with the guys from my high school soccer team, as well as those from the baseball and basketball teams who liked to play soccer. There's a place behind Meiji University in Ochanomizu, where we play all the time and always win, plus, it's free to get into (laughs).

"At first he wondered how he was going to fit in, but it turned out "they were all nice people" and he settled in easily."

Ichijou: I was aware from the beginning that Gai would be gone in five weeks, so it wasn't a shock to me that he died. But, I had been wondering how he was going to die. I really didn't think he would die in an explosion (laughs). Furthermore, what's inside the suit of a Rider whose been bombed to death with such incredible force? I wonder.

Ichijo-kun is an active university student with a flexible attitude. I wonder where we'll see him next?

_

Yasuko Kobayashi (Main Writer) Interview (page 15)

"When the production of Kamen Rider Ryuki was announced, we were surprised at how ambitious the setting was."

Kobayashi: I think that 13 riders were chosen in part because Bandai was going to produce alot of toys. Rather than having just one rider with multiple forms changes, Bandai said, "Let's have a lot of Riders." We planed to use this as a strategy to create an impact in terms of the number of participants. At first, we wanted to say, "Let's send out 50 Riders!," and I think Bandai was also interested in the number of people who would be involved in the project. Bandai also requested that we integrate cards in and to fight in a different universe. That's why Producer (Shinichiro) Shirakura-san must have thought a lot about it, until he decided on what we now call the "Mirror World." We wanted it to look like there was a "story" first, and not the "setting" first.

"In certain situations, only the main character, Shinji, "Has no reason to fight", which we think is very original."

Kobayashi: I think it's important to sometimes say "It can't be helped," because other people are carrying a variety of burdens. Because he's not carrying anything on his back, he's able to look at the battle from a "pure" perspective, which is what makes him the main character. I think the strength of not carrying anything on one's back comes out in the genuine strength of a person. Because, even though there is nothing of interest at stake, it's usually impossible to do something dangerous or foolish like risking lives, especially for today's generation. That's why Shinji is the strongest of them all……is what I think.

"However, Shinji watches and fights for Ren and his friends suffering, and in the end, Shinji too is able to grow.

Kobayashi: But, I don't think it's a good idea for him to grow based on circumstances of the people around him, due to them being so grave. However, how we move Shinji forward is an issue for the future. What will happen to the relationship between Ren and Shinji is the most important thing now. _

Ryohei & Hidekazu Ichinose: The Secret Records Vol.1 (page 17)

"How did you two get to know each other?"

Ichinose: I went into the office because I wanted to ask for some advice. Goro-chan immediately stopped me at the entrance (laughs).

Ryohei: Goro-chan is a bodyguard, you know (laughs). Actually, we had a mutual acquaintance. The first time we met was before I got the role in Ryuki. It was after I had auditioned, so it must have been last fall.

…

"Recently Ichinose-san has completed filming for "Ultraman Cosmos."

Ichinose: "The question now is how can I make the most of what I have gained during the past year? The other day, I was in Myanmar to live on a lake as part of the filming for "Sekai Ururun Taizaiki," where I had a great time, and I hope everyone enjoys the broadcast! I slept soundly every night, and even drank tea made from boiled river water without getting sick or having an upset stomach. After this I hope everyone will continue to look out for me.

Ryohei: I'm currently putting all my energy into Ryuki. I'm happy that I'm popular among adult women, but what I really want is for children to focus on me. I would be happy to receive fan letters from children. I really don't understand them at all (laughs). I like kids, but they're all afraid of Kitaoka, so when they see me on the streets, they back away, and, I'm pretty sure won't look me in the eyes?

Ichinose: The children become frozen.

Ryohei: It's strange, isn't it?

"It may seem unconvincing, but we're rooting for you to become popular with the children!"

[i-believe-in-melinda-may]

Okay, after watching 1x08 and 1x09 for the second time I think I'm... indifferent.

There is just so much left unanswered/doesn't make sense. I'll try to explain a little better:

Why did Jen hate Agatha? what was their history?

Was Rio there in 1x01?

Agatha said that Billy didn't break the spell in 1x01... so it was Rio right.? that being a little more clear would have been good.

Billy just felt so inconsistent. Like he keeps going back and forth. Like we didn't even get a conclusion as to if he is Billy or William, It does seem in retrospect that it was HIS SHOW, which as you know i HATE.

Rio called him Nicky, implying she knew him, but then they made it seem like she didn't. But then when She 'took' Nicky he didn't seem scared, didn't seem like she was a stranger, and he listed when Rio told him to kiss Agatha. (also i think he had brown eyes... just saying)

Where does Agatha getting the Darkhold fit in all this?

The kiss was amazing, and i believe that they were able to kiss before but that was just Agatha trying to take Rio's powers what killed her, but that brings me to my next point:

"You can't kill me," "you can't kill me, it's not allowed"--- WHAT CHANGED BETWEEN 1X01 AND 1X08. I know they don't have to explicitly spell everything out, but a few more details would be nice.

It makes no sense that Rio wasn't there when Agatha was killing the witches. Was it just a side effect of Aubrey's schedule? because that feels wrong

"Use your Purple," "let me get my purple back<"- Again Agatha is using something between her and Nicky that Rio seems to understand- SO WHAT HAPPENED IN THOSE 6 YEARS.

Like i am choosing to believe he knew her as Rio, but not Death.

In 1750 she called Rio, MY LOVE, so what happened before then??

It does hurt like hell that we got the kiss then Agatha died, BUT because she was immediately brought back as a ghost, i am choosing to believe that we will get her back completely. I never expected a happy ending for Agatha, so i am not surprised... still a little hurt.

We know from Rio's actions and words in 1x08 that she clearly loves Agatha completely, but we just DONT KNOW, how much Agatha loves her beneath the anger.

"I watch you closely like you watch everyone else,"- Okay great line i love it, but then in 1x01 she says Agatha hid from her... so which is it?

So, is 'the truth so awful' that Agatha used the song her song created to kill witches?? feels like it's a bit of a let down for Agatha's character.

We see that she has trust issues she tells Nicky "They ill kill us" which makes sense considering her mother, but AGAIN, that should have been explored more.

We got snipets of Agathario, and it had the potential to be so much more, but they just didn't show us the whole story. It's like they were scared to.

I want to hope we get more, a prequal about Agathario or just more of them together.... but i don't know to hope.

Rio was soft in 1x04, 1x05, even 1x01, but then in 1x08 she went straight chaotic, and i think i needed to see more of her to understand that duel side of her. Also, she was crying when looking at Agatha's body, but then nothing more??? And like she looked devastated when Agatha said she doesn't want to see her.

Does Rio know Agatha is a ghost? I think we should have seen at least one more scene of her in 1x09 to understand what was going on with her a little more.

Basically episode 4 is still my favorite, and this should have had, even just 1 more episode, to explain things a little more.

[myloveforhergoeson]

Hiya! 😊 You're now a writer for the show. What three episode storylines are you gonna write? (In other words, what are you gonna make the boys do?)

ohm y god i literally have so many episode ideas but i'll try not to repeat any of the ones i've made posts about (except my first bullet bc im so passionate about it) so i'll give you my big list. most if not all will likely be something i DO end up writing about in my own story because ehehe i love making them do things

ones i think i've mentioned before:

a returning to minnesota chapter!! not for anything but nostalgia, getting to see the guy's favorite places, seeing their friends and families, bringing them back to realize how far they'd come. not so shy spon for my fic but i wrote a chapter like this last month and it's probably one of my favorite things i've written to date. it let me explore some of the boys' past, family dynamics, a little bit about Katie and agh i can't believe btr didn't capitalize on that at least once. ik its expensive to fund sets and hire new actors but idk i imagine it like an hour special where they could afford to shell out a bit more. idc when it happens, could be after they sign their record contract or the last episode or whatever :)

sketch comedy episode, something akin to saturday night live or so random

graduation! like you and i talked about lol i think it would be sweet

get me in the writers room stat:

originally i'd planned a "home alone lost in new york" like chapter for my story around thanksgiving where the boys are going to perform at the parade in town but they end up having their own adventure around the city beforehand. boyish antics, screaming gustavo, beautiful scenes, the works. i was just in too much of a slump to actually put it to paper :)

more tour-focused chapters (again, spon for my own fic lol) the episode in Canada was cute and the one on the bus was fun but idk there's just so many elements toward touring that i think they could've capitalized on; homesickness (for CA or MN), hardship of a go go go schedule, or fun things like being able to travel with your best friends and not ending up on the world's most wanted list lol. i know they tried really hard with this one so i don't blame them too much but my vision is just different and that's okay!

crossovers! while i'm so very happy dan schnider didn't have either of his disgusting hands in big time rush, i do remember watching the icarly/victorious crossover for the first time and wishing big time rush were there. it takes place in LA! the victorious kids are singers! carly, sam, and Freddie are pop culture experts! it would've worked really well :) so i'm writing that as a chapter for my fic LMAO

generally either an episode focusing in on or more scenes including james and lucy since the writers wanted them to be together so bad. inherently there's nothing wrong with them being together, but i do not think the relationship was given enough time to develop. give me lucy discovering her feelings for him, give me james not being creepy and obsessive about her; something more needed to be done on both of their parts to make me believe in it

additionally on that note more with jo/kendall and logan/camille; i love them both but they also had little development, just more than james/lucy. maybe they give carlos a gf (not alexa IMO, sorry. that got into weird territory for me idk why they made him be with a "real" person when he isn't other than they were already together irl) earlier and they can all have like conversations about their gfs and how much they love being together idk

and another generally, there were many songs btr put out that i love so much and feel like deserved their own episodes for hehe. i know not all of them have storylines easily transposed but i think they used confetti falling like four different times in the last season when any other love song from their third album could have been placed instead

and also another generally, and i know the early 2000s would've never allowed this for children's television but they should have and i'm the writer now!!!, but more representation all around. maybe some episodes about cultural heritage that didn't make stereotypes the main focus, canon LGBTQIA+ characters, holidays that aren't christmas, aspects like that where all kids can see themselves represented... LA is such a huge melting pot, it's not all white kids trying to make their dreams come true!

good god that was long SORRY AKJBSKJGBAB i have a lot to say and there's a lot im trying to incorporate into my story to add in what i think enhances the already present storyline. that's what's so beautiful about fandom, i love that we can have conversations like this :)

but what about you? anything you'd like to add in? i'd love to know <3 thank you for the question!

ask me a question! save my life!

[bronx-bomber87]

Happy Friday all. Posting a day early. I'll be gone this weekend wanted to post this before left. I pre-wrote 3x05 as well. I return Monday night So all I'll have to do next day is edit and add gifs to stay on schedule for Tues :) We are onto the next ep of Tim’s growth. I love writing about this man and the psychology behind him. To watch him develop and grow is one of my favorites things to write about and watch really. Lucy being his good influence for that growth is perfection. This is a damn good ep. Let’s keep it rolling.

3x04 Sabotage

Grey has assigned Tim and Lucy to be Jackson’s backup with Stanton. Love this btw and it's a smart play. If Stanton gives him grief they’ll be there as witnesses. Grey has them assigned to the same sector as Jackson/Doug. They hear a pedestrian stop come over the radio by Stanton. Lucy tells Tim let’s go. Her anxiety rising up. Tim calmly replies not yet. If they do Doug will realize they’re following him. I love them getting to do this together. Tim with new clarity and focus on Stanton.

Beautiful thing is he can help keep Lucy even keel. Something he is very good at. He needs to be the level head for them both. Lucy’s emotions are going to get best of her. Because her base need is to protect Jackson first. Doug be damned. Tim wants to protect them both so he’s going to be the calmer more rational one during this. I love it. Exactly what both Lucy and Jackson need. Tim’s calm leadership and cool head on their side during all this.

(I can't believe this scene isn't gif'd btw it's so good. I did my quick ones with my phone/website.)Luckily it’s a clean stop and Jackson calls it in as Code 4 all clear. We pan back to them in their shop. Lucy telling Tim it isn’t fair Jackson has to deal with this. Tim agrees and says he can’t imagine what it’s like for him. To have to ride next to a guy who’s on the edge constantly. Ready to cross the line. Lucy makes a little joke and says she can...

I mean early Tim was exactly that. Not Doug obviously but on the edge of crossing the line a lot. A time bomb ready to explode at the smallest provocation. Very early in her career she had to rein in an emotionally damaged Tim. He was in the midst of his Isabel trauma and radioactive. I know he isn’t proud of those days especially now. That he knows how lucky he was Lucy was there to stand up to him. Right his ship. Knock some sense back into him. So he didn’t end up self destructing and taking her with him.

It’s why they’re so damn solid though. Those early episodes built what they have now. As rough as they were for them both. It bonded them in a way no one can touch or understand other than them really. Lucy proving she had the backbone. Not only that but to stand up to him and make the right call when he wasn’t able to. To be that positive light and good influence that has changed him into the man he is now. What I think really sets Tim off in this scene isn’t that as much. It's part of it but not the main factor. It’s her calling him her potential Doug.

It's triggering something deep down for him. Making him face what he did on day one. I think with the clarity he has now its a tough pill to swallow. The POV and ways he’s changed himself since then he’s embarrassed to think about that now. Ashamed of that moment. That he did that bad stop, used those men in a negative light and said his non PC words. I think looking back on that he is remorseful and feels shame that he did that. He hasn't really had to face that till now.

The feelings are flooding him and he doesn't know how to handle it. When you've changed like Tim has to look back on your darker moments isn't easy. He is having a visceral reaction to it and I don't blame him. Its normal to have that reaction. What's important is what he does after this scene. After the initial shock of having to re-face it.

Lucy telling him her honest thoughts about how she felt during it only makes that worse. As much as it hurts he needed to hear this to complete his growth. I think Lucy telling him it wasn’t a good stop, wasn’t a good experience for her or those men is hitting him hard. He feels exposed and that he’s let her down. Because he has grown so much it pains him to think about how he acted. To think in that moment he disappointed her. That didn't matter back then but it sure as hell does now and that absolutely kills him.

It goes back to his insecurity about how Lucy views him. No matter what this man says her opinion of him matters a great deal to him. So to bring up one of his most shameful moments feels like an attack on that insecurity. So what does he do? Lashes out. Become defensive. Tries to defend it because if he can find a modicum of logic in what he did it’ll lessen the damage. It'll minimize her thinking less of him during that stop. He is grasping as straws during that defense. Defaults a bit back to how he used to be. When he couldn't handle his emotions. When he was a live wire flailing about with no one around to ground him.

It's a deep rooted thing he innately goes back to. Like I said before they are deep groves in his brain. He can't handle the emotions coming at him right now so he shuts down. Lucy can see she has upset him deeply by bringing this up. The way he cuts off the convo, The pre frustrated tears in his eyes, and how stiff his body language has become. Tells her he won’t talk about this further. She has hit a nerve inside him and he needs time to recoup. I think Lucy regrets bringing it up a little. She never likes to be the source of upsetting him. It produces a lovely scene later but she knows she’s hurt him.

We catch our beautiful duo walking up to a call afterwards. Lucy wants to test out the waters with him. Asking if he’s still mad at her? Tim the master of deflection says ‘I’m not mad.’ Ok honey.....Lucy doesn’t buy that for a second. I mean look at his posture he’s as stiff as a board. Tells him as such cause she can’t stand him being mad. Especially if she’s the one who caused it.

Before they can talk any further they reach the woman who made the call. Talking about a porch pirate. Tim says they’re going to do some foot patrol. See if any of the neighbors have a camera they can tap into. As they walk away Lucy looks up at him willing him to talk to her. He breaks pretty easily. Tells her he’s not mad but he is upset. Lucy with a knowing wifey smile says ‘I knew it.’ He continues on with a reply she wasn't expecting. Telling her he's not upset with her but himself. *heart clutch*

Then we see the fruit of his arc the last couple episodes in the gif above. Letting her know she was right. That he had carelessly used those gardeners without thinking of his impact on them. He owns what he did and says he can’t undo what was done. But he can make sure it never happens again. Ugh this man. I’m so proud of him. I could cry. Not only seeing he was wrong but accepting it. Saying he’ll work towards never letting it happen again.

My damn heart. The growth in this man. S1 Tim would've held onto his anger all day. Would've been short with Lucy for most of their shift. Until she forced him to confront his anger. So much progress these two. It makes me so happy. I also need to commend the hell out of Lucy. Always having the backbone to say what needs to be said to him. No one could ever have the impact she has had on him. The positive influence she’s injected into his veins and life. Damn I love them.

Lucy is beaming when he is done speaking. You can see how proud she is of him. Telling him what progress he’s made. Let’s not forget the way she touches his arm. Says she’s proud of him when she does this. You don’t have to touch him Lucy hehe but seriously touch him more LOL Her little taps of love and affection for him. I adore them so much. He tries to down play how much relief this gives him. Sarcastic in his reply. ‘I’m thrilled....’ Lying Liar who Lies.

That man is biting back a smile when he says this. Can’t even keep eye contact with her for long. Because if he does he’ll break. She will see how much it actually means to him. That her opinion of him means so much more to him than she realizes. Lucy closes out the scene with heart eye city. Girl you are working put those away baha Lucy is practically levitating off the ground with how she is looking at him in that last gif. She truly could not be prouder of him and it shows. His moral compass leveling up and she is here for it.

Their moment is broken up by them seeing a dog steal food delivery off a porch. It looks like they have found their porch pirate and he is furry haha This is such a cute and comical moment in the middle of an intense episode. Lucy is baffled by what they’re witnessing. She cracks me up with her reaction. The way they watch the dog take off in-sync is adorable. They decide to follow the dog to see where it leads them. Naturally right back to its owner. He’s all excited and happy till Tim and Lucy show up. LMAO

Tim has a funny opening line when they reach the owner. Their reactions are so funny after the guy says 'Bad dog' HA. It was some much needed levity after their tense morning. The way they look at each other at the end. Be still my heart. They always say so much with just a look. I can not with them haha Seriously look at them could they be any cuter? Mirroring body posture and the precious looks. God I love them. Getting cute aggression over here.

They head to lunch after dealing with their doggy criminal heh. Stanton comes up to Tim while he waits in line. I LOVE Tim in this scene. Getting protective over Jackson and wanting to clock Doug. Mmm gimme. Tim tries to take a pot shot and see if it gets through. Tim thinks it does at first then Doug takes it the wrong way. Blaming Angela and not himself for Jackson's behavior. Classic narcissistic douche. Tim's body language says it all. Looks like he wants wipe the floor with Stanton's face so much. Me too love me too...

After lunch they’re having a little pow wow together. I love this scene. Both of them in alignment talking about Stanton. A united front against him as it should be. Lucy is venting to Tim about how unfair this is. How Stanton is getting away with murder. Just like earlier Tim is the steady eddy one for her. Trying to keep her calm with logic and what they’re faced with.

Lucy desperately wants a Tim Bradford sideways thinking solution to this. To have an out of the box thought from him to save Jackson from Doug. Seeing how flawed the system is driving her nuts. She is desperate to get Jackson out of this situation. Sadly there is no sideways solution to this one as Tim states above. Just like with Nolan in 3x01 they have to play the game. Even when the game feels rigged af.

He’s solid in his reasoning as to why they need to. The same system that protected Nolan in 3x01 sadly also protects people like Stanton. It’s maddening and infuriating to think it could represent both. Tim is right is they don’t play this exactly right he gets away with murder. Becomes even worse than before because he beat the system. A cancer like that spreads and spreads quickly. Lucy is seeing what he is saying even if it annoys the crap out of her.

I just adore him coming to her side of thinking. He is viewing this in a whole light cause of her. Tim is able to keep her steady while they play the long game with Stanton. I love the way he listens to her towards the end of the scene. She has completely changed his outlook towards this and it shows. How intently he’s paying attention to her words and emotions. I love it sfm. Lucy is so defeated and you can tell Tim wants to do so much more than they currently are.

Tim decides they need to be doing more than they are. He grant's Lucy her wish for a sideways solution. He’s decided to take Lucy to meet Doug’s old rookie Owens. His previous rookie was a black man as mentioned by Doug earlier. Tim is hoping he has dirt on Doug. Something actionable they can use to strengthen their case. Tim warns Lucy to play this by the book. Not to tip their hand and get too protective of Jackson. Playing the game to get something solid. No accusations and no demands. Just info.

Tim has it handled at first....Doing code of silence. Having all three of them turning off their body cams. They do it Tim’s way for about two seconds LOL They’re able to get out of him that Doug is a hater. Lucy gets impatient though with the double speak. Says let’s just say what we mean. Do you thing Doug is a racist? Tim’s eyes nearly pop out of his skull. haha His ballsy wife just going for it. He tries to do damage control after that with this guy. Seeing if they can salvage anymore info.

Lucy has spooked him a bit and he’s starting to retract. So she comes at him hard since the politeness is gone. Asking if he’s ever seen him doing anything unlawful against minorities? If he’s ever seen him treat them unfairly. Owens gets defensive and says if he had he would’ve been breaking the rules by not reporting it. Tim says they’re not here for that they just want him to be real with them. He has been creating grief on their end.

Owens spooks more says Doug could make or break his career. He’s weeks away from Metro. Can’t throw it all away now. Lucy tries one more time and ask about all the people he’s hurting? He hesitates then says they’re good people but he doesn’t know them. That he can’t help them and takes off.

Lucy is bummed and says that was a bust… Tim actually sees something positive. Says he saw how conflicted he was. To give it time for him to come around. So proud of him for not jumping all over her for not following his play. That her aggressive tactic led to a result of some kind for them. How far we’ve come ❤️

Sadly their interaction with Owens backfires horribly. He warns Doug about what they’re doing. So he tests Jackson acts like he lost his body cam and is gonna beat the crap of of their suspect. Tells Jackson to watch the drugs and he doesn’t.... Tim and Lucy pull up and that’s when they find out Owens stabbed them in the back. The suspect is fine and Doug leads on he knows what they're doing.. It sucks. The look between Tim and Lucy is everything. He's got them beat at the moment.*sigh*

The final scene for Tim is SO good. I couldn't be prouder. I know Lucy would be as well. Also I'm a little hot under the collar watching him action. The way he goes to the mat for Jackson. It’s sexy af. How he comes at this guy. Get ‘em Tim! The turn around in him is unreal. Went from 'It is what it is. '' The system will never change.' To backing Jackson and standing up for what’s right. This scene reminds me of the story about the starfish on the beach and the little kid trying to save them all.

This little kid sees a beach full of dying starfish washed up on miles of beach. He keeps tossing as many as he can back into the ocean. A grumpy old man comes up tells him there are hundreds of starfish and miles of beach. That he can’t make a difference. He picks another one up chucks it into the ocean and says ‘I made a difference to that one.’

Jackson is Tim’s starfish. He’s going to make a difference for him. Take down Stanton cause it’s the right thing to do. Save future rookies and suspects from his skewed POV of the world. Owens is the old man saying they can't make a difference. So why even bother? He tells them they’re fighting a rigged system. They’ll never win and Doug won’t go down without a fight...How true those words will be in the next ep.

~~~~

Side notes non-chenford

Nice to see Nyla get a little flirting action. I don’t like her with this guy but still good for her to have someone post-Donovan to get the ball rolling.

John’s SL with his mom is rough. But I have to commend him (I know I rarely do that lol) to cut his toxic mother off. His line ‘ I love you I’ll always love you. I just don’t want to see you anymore.’ Damn that’s rough and yet I get it. I wish I could do that with mine. She’s just as narcissistic and manipulative as John’s is so props for doing that for his mental Well being. I actually envy him in this moment.

Wopez’s baby SL was stressful I did love Nyla being there for her through it though. Also watching Lopez destroy her boss about being pregnant then have to walk it back LOL gotta love Angela.

Thank you as always to those who continue to support these reviews. The likes/comments/reblogs are everything to me. So thank you all. See you all in 3x05 :)

[billpottsismygf]

I've been stewing a little over the last few days about the news regarding the Doctor Who airing times and, although there's been a lot of discourse and probably everything has been said already, I just need to get my rant out there anyway.

For the uninitiated or the unsure, the brief rundown is that new episodes will drop online at the same time worldwide before the BBC 1 broadcast. This will be Fridays 7pm US time (EST I think) and Saturdays midnight in the UK. There will also be the usual Saturday evening broadcast on BBC 1, 18 or 19 hours later. Also, the premiere (10th/11th May) will drop the first two episodes of the series at once.

Simultaneous broadcast is pretty cool, and I believe the 60th specials dropped at the same time as the UK evening broadcast, giving an afternoon time for the US. That's great, but it's really messing with me that this new system completely shafts the UK in terms of viewing times. I'm not saying that only the UK has passionate fans, but I am saying that the UK is where Doctor Who is a cultural institution more so than anywhere else in the world, and seeing it prioritise the US is incredibly frustrating.

Moving to the specific fallout, there's the part of me that is upset on my own behalf, as my autistic self is really struggling with the notion that to watch the show ASAP I will now have to do so at midnight (on a Friday night too!). Since I was 9 in 2005, I have only twice gone to bed with a new episode unwatched. Occasionally that has been at stupid times in the early morning because I've been doing things for Saturday night, but generally I have watched the broadcast as much as possible, and often with other people as a community event. As a child it was always with my dad; as an adult it's often with friends!

Ultimately, though, I'll be fine. I'll watch by myself on iplayer at midnight because I am an adult who can make these choices, even if I'm sad that I probably won't get to have the viewing parties I had started to have with friends in recent years. (Though, who knows, we all have weird sleep schedules. Maybe midnight viewing parties are still on the cards.)

However, for all the kids out there I am so incredibly annoyed. I can't imagine if any of the iconic episodes from my childhood had aired the night before and I'd been unable to stay up for them. Blink? The Stolen Earth? Doomsday? I don't wish to overstate the matter, but I truly believe Doctor Who has remained such a cultural institution precisely because of its status as a family show. People are raised on it and then raise their kids on it and so on.

What are kids going to do now? Some might be allowed to stay up for the midnight release, though not many, especially for that double release which will end at like 1:30am. Others might watch it when they get up, but likely without the community aspect of the whole family sitting down for it. Still others might wait for the Saturday evening broadcast, having to dodge spoilers from other kids and adults as they go about whatever Saturday activities they have.

Regarding spoilers, I've seen some snarky comments saying 'just avoid social media lol', but firstly that's quite difficult in this day and age, and secondly it's not just social media. For one, there are all the tabloids that will plaster any new details across the front page, but also I can vividly remember talking about the brand new Doctor Who episodes at school, and how big an aspect that was of the community excitement. My teacher even did an impression of a weeping angel the week Blink aired, moving closer with a scary face when I looked away for a moment. Sure, there won't be school on a Saturday, but plenty of kids will be doing activities with other kids (dance classes, football, drama clubs etc.). What will happen when some kids have been allowed to watch the new episode and others haven't?

It may seem trivial to some, but I don't think it is. Where's the event aspect of it? Where's the community? Sure, I'm biased as an autistic Brit who grew up with the show and doesn't like change, but this new model seems designed to dilute both the excitement and importance of a new Doctor Who episode on a cultural level.

[benkyoutobentou]

31 Days of Productivity Reading: Day eighteen

Before: I'm going to the bookstore today! The plan is to study more Mandarin, then pick up the book for that book club that I'm crashing as well as a thank you note for the person who sent me all those volumes of manga. I especially want to mention the thank you note here because I really don't want to forget...

Also, I've been seeing more and more people online talking about that Ali Hazelwood book Check & Mate, and despite how little interest I have in anything she writes ever, seeing a book about chess being talked about so much makes me want to continue reading 3月のライオン so I'll probably pick that up either today or tomorrow, depending on how I'm feeling after I finish 独り舞.

And now that I have more free time, I really want to start that ASL course! So much to do, so much to do... I think I might do some thinking about how I want to schedule all my different languages...

After: As usual, I didn't get to the bookstore until quite a bit later than usual. I started my day with my favorite Sunday ritual (which had to be put off until today), which is watching the latest ゆびさきと恋々with a cup of tea. I love this series so much, I can't believe it's ending next week. It's so sweet, and I love how we got even more of Itsuomi speaking German this episode.

When I was finally ready to go to the bookstore, my dog begged for a walk. I can't go anywhere without taking her out first, and I can't say no either lol.

I have a few rituals that I use to get myself going and start being productive, and pone of them is making a cup of tea. I made myself a cup of tea to drink while I read, and then I drank my entire cup of tea while talking to my mom and still have not read a single page today.

I finished 独り舞！ I ended up reading thirty pages today over an hour and thirty five minutes, with an average reading pace of (miraculously) 3.2 pages per minute. I must’ve just been zooming through it, I never felt like I was sacrificing comprehension for speed (other than my usual ignoring of unknown vocabulary words). I guess this is what happens when I read in an undistracted environment?

Even though I didn’t have the best time reading 独り舞 I’m glad I read it. It’s a good book and one that I definitely want to return to when my Japanese is a higher level, because I think I could really enjoy it at the right times. That being said, it’s definitely not a book for everyone. It’s extremely depressing from beginning to end. There were moments that I thought would be the turning point, and then something got in the way. I really liked the way it presented the main character’s almost dissociation from herself with the way it only referred to her as 彼女 in the narration, and the linguistic aspects when writing in both Japanese and Chinese were cool to see as well. In a strange way, the end reminded me a bit of 僕らの地球の歩き方 despite the tones of the two being almost complete opposites.

[muthaz-rapapa]

Hirogaru Sky Impressions (1/5)

We're in for 48 episodes so I'll do these after every 10 episodes until the end.

And I'll try to keep it short since I'm sure most of the major topics have already been discussed in great length anyway so I don't want to add to the redundancy.

Simply put, this anniversary season has been a blast of heartwarming fun so far. Not to mention, quite innovative in regards to the franchise as a whole. The breaking of old trends is excitingly refreshing while the show is still keeping it very Precure in spirit.

If anything, SkyPre (HiroSky? HiroPre? which way are we calling it?) feels the most Precure to me since probably StarPre and I think that's due to how the writing is handled this year.

Story format changes

I'm very happy that they went for spreading out the introductions and pacing the debut schedules instead of bunching the first four episodes with one new transformation after another.

True, this technically started with DeliPaPre but last season was rather weak in the characterization and group chemistry departments that the effort seemed almost wasted.

Of course, I'm not saying the DeliPa girls were a poor team or anything. They were alright.

But when you watch SkyPre, the development just feels so much more satisfying, don't you think?

Starting the season off with paired Cures (as a tribute to FutariWa, kyaa! 😆) was a great idea because it gave a lot of time for Sora and Mashiro, the first members, to bond and find their groove as partners while establishing their characters through their individual personalities, goals and inner conflicts.

Then incorporating more Cures as we go along (Tsubasa/Wing and later, Ageha/Butterfly), we have something to look forward to every week instead of letting the hype die down right after everyone debuted already...until it rises up again with the reveal of the next stock footage only to go down again and repeat.

Precure's strongest trait as a magical girl series has always been its theme of friendship and teamwork. However, you can't achieve a solid execution of that theme well if you don't actually devote time and focus to the build up of genuine camaraderie.

And the basic foundations for that lies in everyone acknowledging each other's different strengths and demonstrating how vital and valuable those are to the group.

Ep 10 really reinforced those principles (even letting Sora and Mashiro dismiss the villain cuz their friendship moment with Tsubasa came FIRST 😤) which is great cuz with Ageha's debut coming up around the corner, we can rest assured that this aspect will remain steady for at least another 10 episodes.

2. Characterization

To have a good diversified team, naturally you would need distinctly carved out characters (in other words, more than just archetypes).

SkyPre does display some old patterns but that's not a bad thing since the show largely avoids over reliance on them by giving each Cure a significant amount of depth to work with and specific goal(s) to aim for.

For Sora, Tsubasa and Ageha, their personal character arcs are quite clear and they all fit into a type of hero to go along with the season's motif. Cure Sky being a traditional ally of justice, Cure Wing as the knight to Elle-chan's princess. And Ageha wishes to become a nursery teacher, which is a very admirable ambition as teachers can serve as role models to children.

That leaves Mashiro, who's been troubled on several occasions for not having a dream of her own.

But I don't believe this means an absence of a character arc for her. At the very least, there's certainly no lack of conflict since she realized the "problem" herself and has been given screentime to address it and overcome her own doubts.

Perhaps this is also indicating that "finding her dream" is her goal and learning to accept her own "light that illuminates others" is part of that discovery process.

Mashiro's personality and drive is very supportive in nature, after all. We saw that in how she was very welcoming and accommodating of Sora and Tsubasa, residents from another world. We saw that in how she was the one to comfort Ageha, who is older than her, in the past when they were both small children.

And that is a type of hero, too.

You don't have to be super confident or bold and forthright. You don't have to be a leader or force stereotypical notions of heroism onto yourself to be a hero.

You just need a good heart and to be able to act on it.

Chances are, if you were kind to someone in need or helped someone less fortunate because you knew it was the right thing to do, then you already qualify as a true hero.

I believe that is the message of Mashiro's story.

That said, we already got so much good content and we still have so much to look forward to. Yay! 😆

Ageha/Cure Butterfly joining the team foremost (sometime after ep 15 apparently since the next announced titles don't list her name yet)

More villain generals appearing soon and therefore, more insight into what they're really after (though it's probably gonna be generic evil as always but eh, whatever cuz everything else is awesome).

More on the person who saved Sora and inspired her to become a hero, Tsubasa accomplishing his dream of being able to fly w/o the assistance of magic.

Ellee-chan's mysterious powers, oooh~

First group attack, group power-up + power-up attack, ultimate power-up (??)

Midseason Cure already spoiled but we all know who it's going to be anyway and the question if her debut will fall around the early 20s or later with the shift in narrative arrangement (see above).

Hehe, yep it's gonna be great 😁

(on another note, they now have 38 more episodes to fix Prism's transformation sequence cuz god, did they do her dirty. Especially her going MIA on the "JUMP" platform did she jump so hard she went to Skyland?! and the static split screen. I can let go of everything else but PLEASE. FIX. THOSE. DAMMIT!! 🫵💢)

[nevalizona]

2). Fall Schedule.

Pardon any errors.

Erick sat at his desk thinking about the weekend. Gracie went to a nightclub, and of course, he had to go too. He, for once, isn't cursing her for spending the weekend doing something so energetic and worldly. He actually enjoyed watching her dance, even if it was with Darren. Her hips swaying, watching her bump and grind, was thrilling. Normally, he'd be pissy about it. He will never get to experience that with her. He's not the kind of guy to go out dancing and even if he was to go, he wouldn't dance with her, especially not like that. So often, when he would leave the nightclub after watching her, feeling so dejected and sometimes downright depressed because he knows he will never be the kind of guy she wants. He's not fun. He's never been fun. He tried to force those thoughts out of his head. He didn't want to think about all the ways that made him lesser as a man, instead he'd rather think about her sensual dancing and how he wished he could experience that, if even only for a moment.

"Hey, Erick." His co-worker, Genevieve Rivera, greeted him shyly as she stood at the entrance of his cubicle. She had a warm smile and rosy cheeks. Erick himself felt a little giddy when she was around. But Genevieve is just too shy for him. He has always liked a confident woman. Genevieve can go for long periods without leaving her house. That's something Erick cannot understand and really doesn't know how to combat.

"Gen! How was your weekend?" Erick asked, immediately being friendly and kind.

Genevieve's cheeks reddened a little as she looked down at her hands.

"Uh, well, this weekend one of the stations, can't remember which one, was playing this docu-series on the decades and this one was focusing on the 60s and there was an episode on Vietnam and everything that happened there. Made me think of you, though, because that's one of the wars you've told me about." She said sheepishly.

Erick smiled smally.

"Yeah! That was just awful, huh? I can't pretend to be an expert on it, but I have read a bit and watched even more. I think I know the series you're talking about! Is the 70s next?"

"Uh huh! I must admit, I got a little choked up near the end of the 60s. With all the bad that happened near the end, I couldn't help but just… almost long for the good the stuff the moon brought." Genevieve explained, barely looking at Erick as she talked.

"Yeah, what a hopeful end to such a shitty decade. I mean- there was a lot of good but… I'm going to start rambling, and I know I'll bore you."

"You won't bore me at all. I love listening to you talk. What did you do this weekend?"

Erick looked at her for a few moments, thinking about what he wanted to say. He obviously can't tell her he went to a nightclub. That just isn't in his character. What can he say? For some reason, he was blanking on anything he could say.

"Uh- just went to breakfast with my sister. Nothing special. Did you end up hanging out with your friend from the book club you go to?" Erick asked, glad that he could move the attention away from him.

Immediately, Genevieve's cheeks reddened, and she looked away from him and toyed with her necklace anxiously.

"Something came up. So I spent the weekend alone."

"Genevieve."

"I know. I know. I promise I'm going to get out of the house this week, really."

"It's autumn now. There's so much to do. How about you and I go to a bookstore and get some coffee." Erick couldn't believe he just asked that outright. Talking to women he was attracted to has always been difficult.

Her eyes widened for a moment before she nodded her head quickly.

"That sounds great, Erick!"

Erick smiled back at her, heart pounding in his chest. He kept wanting to pinch himself, calm down a little so he wouldn't make a fool out of himself.

"We'll solidify our plans when it's closer to the weekend."

"Great! I'll talk to you later!" She exclaimed, hurrying off in the direction of her cubicle. As soon as she was gone, Erick sat back in his chair and sighed, rubbing his face.

He likes Genevieve enough. She's attractive. He's always thought so. Pretty brown eyes that look soft and friendly. Her nose takes up too much of her face, but he always thought that was just the cutest thing. Her body was right down his alley. Fat but not afraid to still dress nice. She may not be as big as Gracie, but he has always enjoyed a full figured woman. That's something Claudia never had going for her. Always too thin, never much to grab onto. If only Genevieve was just a bit more confident. She'd be perfect for him. His dream woman, in fact. She has always appreciated everything he's ever said to her, and he does the same for her. But her inability to go out into the world, be dependent on herself, just bothers the hell out of him. He never wants to be responsible for his partner in the same way a parent is responsible for their children.

He doesn't want to ask her if she's got some fresh air recently. Make sure she's not holed up in her house for days at a time. He doesn't want to ask her if she's eating right or eating at all. Has she moved around, or has she just laid in bed all day? He cares an awful lot about Genevieve, but he gets why she's 42 and single. Erick immediately felt bad for the thought. No one deserves to be alone just because they're obviously mentally ill. She needs help. Agoraphobia and anxiety have taken over her life. His precious Gracie is bipolar with severe bouts of anxiousness. He should be more understanding than he has the tendency to be.

[linn-94]

Chapter 6: It's a date!

Omg! Did he just send me a message to ask me out? Well it's not in so many words, he just asked me for out for coffee.. but still. Okay Soph just send him a cool, natural message back. Don't freak out in the message.

Sophie Wilson:

I would like that very much!

You just tell me when and where, I have a lot of free time at the moment.

I tried to be calm when I had hit send. He propably wouldn't answer in a few minutes with his busy schedule. So I put on F.R.I.E.N.D.S again. I was just a few minutes in the episode when my phone went off.

I looked at my phone and there was a message from Aaron.

"That was quick!" I thought by myself. I opened my phone and read the message.

Aaron Tveit:

Are you free tomorrow morning? We can also have breakfast if you like?

I was shocked, he also asked me to have breakfast with him. Since I moved to NYC I had never imagined that something like this would happen!

Then I turned worried again. I questioned myself if I should answer right away or wait a while. Like if I answered now he would propably think that I was waiting by my phone. But if I don't right away, he can still see that I,ve read the message.

I decided to just answer right away.

Sophie Wilson:

I'm free all day tomorrow and breakfast sounds good! Where do we meet tomorrow?

AARONS POV

I had send Sophie a message on Instagram just because I feel so happy when I'm around her. When Sophie answered my message I felt something in my stomach. Were those butterflies? I just met the girl..

Never have I ever felt this for a girl that quick. It was stupid, but it was there.

I decided to answer her message right away. I didn't mind her thinking that it was quick. I just really wanted to see her again!

I thought of how long I had to propably wait to get a message back again. So I tried to get my mind of off things by listening to some music while playing with Miles.

Not much later I received a message on my phone.

It was Sophie!! She responded immediately. With all my enthusiam, my phone almost slipped out of my hands.

"Get yourself together Tveit!" I thought to myself.

Then I read the message and there it was, a big smile on my face. I texted her back.

Aaron Tveit:

It's a date!

How about I'll pick you up at 8:30?

I was nervous about what I wrote back. Did I really say it's a date? Was it a date?

SOPHIE'S POV

Aaron was so quick at responding. But what he wrote.. I was confused.

A date? Did he thought this was a date?

I wouldn't mind if it was an actual date. I mean I had feelings for the guy even if we knew each other just a day.

He was kind, handsome and funny. And he made me feel safe when I was around him. A thing all my ex boyfriends didn't give me.

I knew I wanted Aaron in my life. Having him as a friend meant a lot to me.

I decided to respond to his message.

Sophie Wilson:

8:30 sounds great! Can't wait!

The rest of my day was spend on my couch watching tv. I needed a relaxing day inside. Although I loved people and being outside this time of year, I once in a while needed a day all to myself.

In the evening I ordered pizza and decided on watching a movie. I was scrolling through all the movies and then one movie stood out to me.

I couldn't believe what I saw.. why didn't I see this movie earlier?

With the movie there was a picture of the two most important persons in the movie and one of them was Aaron. The movie was called 'One royal holiday'. I knew it was a Christmas movie but I decided that I really needed to see it. I couldn't get Aaron out of my head anyway.

A few minutes into the movie there he was. I laughed immediately at his funny accent. But he was cute I had to admit.

There was a feeling in me that wanted to send Aaron a message about me watching the movie, but I didn't want to bother him with it.

30 minutes later I got a message on my phone. I looked and it was Aaron.

Aaron Tveit:

What are you doing at the moment?

I laughed at his message. I decided that now was the time to send him the picture. So I made a picture of the scene that was on. Luckily he was in the shot.

I pressed send and just waited for his response.

Aaron Tveit:

You're really watching that movie? Did you miss me that much already?

Oh so now he thought I was missing him? Couldn't say it wasn't true, but I would never admit to him this early on. So I decided to tease him a little.

Sophie Wilson:

Yes I'm really watching this movie and who says I miss you? You were the one sending me a message! So you were the one thinking of me Tveit.

Aaron Tveit:

Yes, I was indeed thinking of you Wilson. Just can't wait for tomorrow! X

I blushed reading the message. I read it over and over again. I couldn't believe he thought of me. Me just a normal girl living a normal life. A boring life. Nothing was exciting about my life. Why would he fall for me? And the x at the end of the message. My heart made a little jump. I wished it was tomorrow soon.

[lindwurmkai]

This isn't meant to be a complaint or even an opinion, really, it's more of an observation - whenever people talk about streaming services supposedly ruining fandom with their release schedules and such, I feel so disconnected from that logic because I've always been that person who would get into things years or decades late and it didn't take away from my enjoyment at all. The only series I ever watched "in real time" as it was broadcast on TV in my country was The X-Files, and that experience was mostly stressful because I had to actually be in front of the TV at the same time each week.

Many years later, I got another taste of weekly release schedules via Star Trek Discovery, and despite being able to choose when exactly to watch each episode that time, I still didn't like it. You can forget a lot of details over the course of a week! Not to mention it sucks when there's a cliffhanger. Then you go online and can't even reblog gifsets yet because people aren't done making them, plus 90% of your followers have "[series title] spoilers" muted anyway so what's the point. Thoroughly dissatisfying experience all around.

If you tell me that I've been passively benefiting from weekly release schedules this whole time because they kept other people engaged and thus there was an active fandom for me to check out once I was done, I'll believe you. But I also kind of think those other people are living in an entirely different universe than I am. :P