#i don't like comedies or romances much in general anyway

[twitterdotcom]

If Izzy dies, I'm not watching season 3. This isn't even out of spite either, I only watched s2 because of Izzy, and if he's not there, then what's the point

[unproduciblesmackdown]

eddie bracken as orville wingait in summer stock (1950)

[thydungeongal]

can you please recommend some TTRPGs that are

as different as possible from the trad/D&D-like "default" that people come into TTRPGs with (and also recommendations that are different from each other), and

deliberately structured for longer-term recurring play? something where the same group can run the same "campaign" for, say, half a year or more, and

has enough mechanical hooks to not lose new players in the sea of borderline-freeform onepagers?

thank you!

Apocalypse World fits all of those criteria. It's the game that the Powered by the Apocalypse framework of games is based on, and it's a very good post-apocalyptic drama game, where the focus is on people with very orthogonal goals getting thrown into a powderkeg with each other.

As I keep mentioning whenever I bring it up, Apocalypse World isn't about a bunch of weirdos forming an adventuring party and going on adventures. It's almost an asymmetric game and a drama generator, instead of a traditional D&D-like co-operative challenge game.

I do not think there is anything antithetical to long-term campaign play in Apocalypse World, although since character development is rather shallow it does eventually lead to characters plateauing. But the game has options for players playing multiple characters and actually heavily encourages it.

Is actually quite crunchy despite the wider reputation of PbtA games.

For a different take, there's Eureka: Investigative Urban Fantasy by @anim-ttrpgs. A modern urban fantasy investigative game with a focus on verisimilitude and a very historically grounded take on the supernatural.

While a challenge-based game the fact that it's an investigative game (and a damn good one at that) is already a huge change, and the fact that it disincentivizes the use of violence as the primary verb for characters also distinguishes it from the defaults set by D&D. (There is a lot more to it where it differs from modern D&D in terms of design philosophy, but I don't want to make this overlong.)

Eureka also has limited character advancement but it is explicitly geared towards bringing the same bunch of weirdos to investigate different mysteries. It can be played episodic or as an anthology and there's even been talk in the @anim-ttrpgs RPG book club about using it for a campaign that is all about investigating one big mystery.

Has a lot of mechanical grit, but also divides its mechanics into easily digestible chunks to make learning it easier.

Most Trusted Advisors by @thehorizonmachine. A comedy game about playing the advisors of a medieval lord in a very historically inaccurate medieval nation, always scheming against each other while trying to keep them on their lord's good side.

Very much not a party-based adventure game, but an engine for creating a comedy of errors starring a cast of fundamentally unlikable nobs in a quasi-medieval pastiche, in the style of Black Adder.

Admittedly, works better for episodic play and shorter campaigns, but I don't know, I think it's neat so I wanted to recommend it anyway!

Simpler than the previous two, but still provides enough mechanical structure not to leave players hanging.

For a classic, there's Pendragon. A game set in a historical-mythical-Britain of Arthuriana about playing through a dynasty of knights as they live through the Anarchy and get to see Arthur ascend to the throne, and finally get to witness his death and the fall of Camelot.

While it is a game of knights going on adventures it's also so much more: it has domain management, courtly romance, trying to be a good knight as opposed to an errant murderer and with actual mechanical incentives for it.

The Great Pendragon Campaign is huge and will give you enough material for years of play.

Not the crunchiest game out there, but still has a lot of mechanical structure while being mostly very intuitive.

Hmmm okay one more since I'm on a roll: Paranoia. A science fiction dystopian black comedy about playing Troubleshooters who help do dirty work for the insane egoistical computer that runs the Alpha Complex.

While it is a co-operative game it is also very much about pitting the player characters against each other. Paranoia is the name of the game. It's also decidedly humorous which sets it apart from your serious D&D-likes.

There's character advancement, secret goals given by conspiracies, and a lot of potential to see the Troubleshooters advance and flourish within the system that slowly grinds them to a paste.

Has mechanics. I mean, the rules and their depth will vary depending on which edition you're playing, but Paranoia definitely has some mechanical grit to it.

[thecarnivorousmuffinmeta]

Now that there's an animated adaptation of Midnight Sun coming, and given the industry's recent track record (see: Minecraft Movie), what's the worst, bad faith, cash grab adaptation idea you can imagine? I figure if we inoculate ourselves then the reality won't suck so much.

My nightmare: Streaming has a long history of making shitty attempts at "adult animation", so we'll get an Edward who constantly cusses and does lewd jokes. It'll be like the HBO adult animated Velma (Scooby Doo) show where the writers' disdain for the characters fills every scene. The first episode will focus on how Carlisle helps plan a murder of some overly suspicious deputy so they can keep living in Forks.

Anyways, worst case theories? So we can feel better when it's not THAT bad? Or else use the apollo prophecy meme on your post a year or two from now.

My 'realistic' prediction

Twilight: The Edgy Animated Adult Series with Twelve Times More Drugs and Swearing

Oh man, yours is worse than mine. I mean this guessing the future business is a little silly in general, but I think that wouldn't happen as Twilight's not...

How do I put this?

Scooby Doo is a beloved, vintage, IP that's so well-known it's a part of American culture/Americana. It's in that weird place where it's acceptable to do edgy reboots of it because everyone already knows the premise of the Scooby gang, each individual character, the bad guys, and their mysteries.

You don't have to explain who any of the characters are supposed to be, so you get a "ah ha ha ha isn't it funny that Velma swears now?" because you know she's from a 1960's cartoon.

Twilight's not quite old enough for that and, at least in my opinion, not pervasive enough for that. It was a huge sensation, but was never as big as HP, and dominated only a subset of the YA audience (female-targeted YA romance). Ask a person off the street and the most they can probably, maybe, tell you is "sparkly vampires and Team Edward and Team Jacob". So, at best you get riffs like we saw when Twilight came out with the Simpsons and various other parodies where the parodies... really didn't know what to do with the characters or what it was even about. "Milhouse turns into a poodle, I guess? Is that funny? It's funny, right?"

Twilight just isn't old enough and as big as it was, I don't think was widespread enough.

So, I think we're going to get an earnest reboot.

But you do now have me concerned. And I may be eating my words later on this post and reblogging with a clown face.

Other Theories

Alright, let's see what we've got/what we can come up with:

Yours: HBO adult comedy horror fest

Mine: Boring, Snoozeville, Tame, Generically Arted Palatable Twilight that is Designed to Be as Appealing as Possible

Other options I can think of are...

Interview with a Vampirepalooza/Oh God I Don't Know What's Popular: given the recent success of Interview with a Vampire, an edgier adult story with adult characters, Netflix will look to make Twilight their exact own version of that. Except they won't understand what made it work there. We sexy it up but in a CW way, the kids are all still in high school but the fact that the Cullens are fucking each other is brought up relentlessly in an edgy way. The vampires all look hot, hot, hot but in a normal human way where you're not terrified they're some crystal robot out to eat your limbs. We'll keep some of the artsy weird dialogue, but Edward will be both somehow made more sympathetic (as he is the lead we end up with) and 'dark' where he's dangerous in a sexy way and not in a "you smell like my personal heroin way".

The Buffy Route: remember that one teen show from the 90's that was so good it spun off an entire genre of television that essentially hadn't existed before? Twilight becomes a fun teen oriented show where the characters say witty, fun, teenage-like things and get into episodic mysteries while somehow trying to remain in the realm of Twilight. Edward loses his edge, Bella loses her unrelatable nature, and we really play up every time a character has a funny line and write a lot more in there. Unfortunately, it's not a well written teen comedy show and so the lines are just generally bad and the plot never seems to go anywhere and it's just boring.

Hannibal the Twilight: some really artsy director gets involved and we now have a show where the symbolism of Edward walking around as a man-deer takes over the entire fucking thing. Nothing ever happens, Edward just shows up in Bella's dreams as a snarling man deer. When characters talk to each other, it's in artsy nonsense dialogue where it feels like both are reading 2000's era chatbot scripts to one another as they mix metaphors about ponies, china pottery, and dust motes. The plot is so non-existant the only important episodes to watch in a season are the premier and finale, except even then it's unclear what happened.

Audience Input

Anyone else got any wild guesses here?

[silviakundera]

with the conclusion of Snowfall...

why do i enjoy Republican Era chinese dramas so much?

aesthetics! there is this blend of 1920-30s western fashion influences and traditional chinese garb & architecture that just pleases my eyes.

everyone looks very depressed & dangerous & sexy

chaotic period of transition - no matter if you're in the 1910's, 20's, 30's some absolutely wild historical shit was going down

cars and guns and gloves and swords. rotary phones!

dancing & drinking in night clubs, in glamorous pockets amid the violence & instability outside; a lil touch of mask of the red death vibes

end of empire themes, as a country tries to find its way after the end of the last imperial dynasty

there's those gangster, mob boss vibes from american and british dramas set in the 1920s, except everything is cranked up x100 because of general lawlessness; central government and law & order was a paper thin veneer over warlords

the start of WW2 from an entirely different perspective than the common narratives that I was exposed to growing up in the US (which is 99% stories about the european stage)

sino-japanese war / war of resistance material like Hidden Blade is fucking badass ok 🤷

in a time of resistance to occupation, colonizers encroaching, warlords fighting over cities, brewing civil war.... there are many different options of protagonists and unlikely "heroes" who are picking their battles and discovering what they are willing to fight for

Beautiful 👏 women 👏 in heels 👏and 👏 slinky 👏dresses 👏

Lots of revenge narratives. I love an over-the-top, bloodthirsty & destructive revenge narrative

Depending on the genre, there might be little or heavy politcal /patriotic discourse. But tbh none of the rah rah patriotism stuff distracts me much, because all the american and british produced stuff set around WW2 has rah rah patriotism & propaganda in it, so I just consider that part of the essential genre vibes. It's just another country's version. (Of course, others will have less patience when it becomes heavy-handed. YMMV.)

Dark & Gritty

Hidden Blade (film) - a masterpiece, if you enjoy dark WW2 spy films that play with narrative style and challenge the viewer to follow the story as it's woven. Had to review detailed historical context for the years in question, to be ready to consume. But worth it. I've watched it 3 times. 💀

Heroes (2024) - the very beginning era of this genre/the transition into repulican period. rocks fall, everyone dies. Primarily a tragic wuxia & pre-republican fusion. Excellent enough that I didn't mind the bleak storyline. 💀

Detective-ing

Miss S - adaption of 1920s Australian mystery procedural Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, staring Vengo! ML actor of Snowfall

Checkmate - Agatha Christie stories adapted to the setting & time period, plus bromance. I watched half the episodes w my brother, as we are both huge agatha christie fans. It was fun if you can be chill about adaption changes.

My Roommate is A Detective - for mystery & bromance lovers. Same actor duo as Checkmate.

Detective L - don't know much about this one tbh

Romance arc, with a somewhat happy ending for the 2 leads

Provoke - Gorgeous, glamorous, vibes vibes vibes all day long. Revenge and romance. ❤

Fall in Love - sons & daughters of warlords and their supporters get sexy and dangerous and decide even joining the civil war is better than the prior generation's bullshit. This is an objectively bad drama that I really enjoyed anyway (it helps that I skipped every scene for the 2nd and 3rd couples). This one turns v propaganda heavy at the end, if that bothers you. ❤

Arsenal Military Academy - military training hijinks w a side of cross dressing romance. Xu Kai and Bai Lu! It's soliders and japanese invasion et al, so be prepared for the standard patriotism. Comedy & drama. HE for the FL/ML but expect character death in this subject matter. ❤

Rookie Agent Rogue - Late 1930s spy drama with small romance side-plot. Expect the standard wartime patriotism, like with Arsenal Military Academy. The draw is the lead actress, the FL from Princess Agents, Minglan, Legend of Shen Li. HE for the FL/ML but expect character death in this subject matter. ❤

City of Streamer - Older woman seduces younger man who is the son of her revenge target. Melodrama with people serving looks. ❤

War of Faith* - Young man just wants to join the banking industry and have a subtextually gay relationship with his mentor in peace, but there's a civil war going on. Protagonist would like to be excluded from this political narrative, but ultimately is forced to pick a side. ❤🌈 *(Is it censored gay romance? No, not based on a gay novel. So not officially! But some viewers felt there was a subtextual romance storyline #shenlai ; YMMV. The happy ending is Untamed-esque; implied only)

many, many pulpy mini-dramas about revenge! warlords! ladies with pistols! (Miss Mystery, First Marriage, Maid's Revenge, etc)

Also... (happy ending not guaranteed)

Siege in Fog

Love in Flames of War

Couple of Mirrors - censored F/F 🌈

Stand by Me - censored m/m 🌈

Killer and Healer - censored m/m 🌈

Winter Begonia - censored m/m 🌈

[drinkyourvillainjuice]

Drink Your Villain Juice - FAQ

Contains mild spoilers.

What is the story about?

You play as a science experiment turned undercover supervillain, charged with gathering information on a mysterious new villain group in town. With many skeletons in your closet and mixed allegiances, whose side are you really on?

Genres: Horror, action, traumatised people trying to heal (or get worse)

Who is involved with this IF?

There's the writer, and there's her wife (the secretary!). Both of us are active on the blog, so you may sometimes see posts unrelated directly to DYVJ, usually tagged #unrelated.

What are the protagonist's powers?

The protagonist/MC can grow a protective membrane over their body, forming two tendrils from their shoulders. The membrane makes them stronger, faster, and more resilient.

MC can also select one of three power specialities: inducing wild and uncontrolled mutations of their body, creating small creepy-crawly minions (referred to as 'nodes'), and growing an armoured carapace.

Will we be able to gain multiple powers/will you add new powers?

No: both would add too much complexity and also detract from the significance of the choice.

Will our powers get stronger?

Yes, to an extent, but I don't write based on power levels anyway. :)

Who is this Paradigm/Dime person people keep talking about?

Paradigm, AKA Dime, is the MC! It's their codename with their 'true' faction.

How long will the story be? Is it going to be a series?

Length: I have no idea! I'm not intending to get completely bonkers, but I want to ensure all the ROs get their time in the sun too.

Series: I suspect this will be a duology, but I can't be certain yet as we're not deep enough into the narrative.

Did you say Romance Options!? Elaborate!

There are currently 7 romanceable characters in DYVJ. You can also play the MC as aromantic, asexual, or both. The ROs are explained in more detail on choice of games, but briefly:

Mallory (non-binary), Wilson/Wilma/Willow (gender-selectable), Kay (female), Teddie (male, men only), Control Group (female), Alistair (male), Beth (female, women/nonbinaries).

I'm intending on including at least one poly route, featuring Wil and Kay.

I've heard there's a choice to have a previous RO in the past?

Correct! There's a flashback sequence with MC and some friends before the supervillainy. You can choose to have MC dating or crushing on Prii (nonbinary), Shauna (female), Grant (male), or Beth (female). This doesn't prevent you from romancing someone else later on!

Will the characters from the flashback show up again?

I can promise some level of closure! There won't be romance routes though. (Beth notwithstanding)

Will you make [X] an RO?

Seven is already an awful lot! I don't want to overcommit by adding more!

Can I select all the options for the Juice changing my character's appearance?

I'm presently not planning on adding this. I'd have to alter some code in an annoying way and I enjoy it being a choice with intent instead of an 'all of the above'.

Will we be able to get off the Juice/free from control?

Keep playing and see. ;)

How villainous can I get?/Do I have to be a villain?

There will be opportunities to leap off the proverbial slippery slope, but also to be unhappy and conflicted about what you're being forced to do.

Drink Your Villain Juice! is kind of a goofy name.

So I've heard! I know it's given people the impression that this is a comedy, which it, uh, very much is not. Honestly Drink Your Villain Juice! was the only title that popped for me in the conceptual stage: everything else felt much more bland or generic.

I've found a bug, how can I let you know?

First, please make sure you didn't resume playing on Dashingdon from an old save: updates to Dashingdon tend to break a lot of stuff in the backend and that's been the root of a lot of errors in the past.

If you're confident this isn't the problem, then just send an ask or post on the COG forum! I'll look into it.

I'd like to give feedback on the game!

Once again, send an ask, or post on the COG forum. I also have a feedback form I'm trying out for each chapter, so you can fill that out if you like!

Can I support you?

That's very kind of you! Support from fans is how I can work on the game and update as frequently as I do. I have a Patreon and a Ko-fi, but honestly, I'm grateful just for your feedback. :)

Do you have a discord?

Yes, it's tied to Patreon membership. However, if you have sent a tip/donation/etc, please reach out to DYVJ requests to talk about an invite. :)

[intuspluric-culture-is]

In-system relationship culture is how since me and Seán ( @septiccoffeefreak ) formed without knowing we were a system, we chalked our identities and dissociation from the body as factkin stuff (bc we are Factives) and then were in a cycle for a little while of talking to each other, flirting, generally bonding and being cute, and pining after the other, but not thinking it was real because we were TOTALLY both just imagining it.

This also resulted in things like LITERALLY KISSING IN HEADSPACE and then by our next interaction it's as if we've never confessed our feelings at all... because if everything is pretend and nothing is real then a confession can't stop the pining stage because the confession isn't real either, so the stage of the relationship is totally nebulous and everything is constantly being reset. We'd talk to the other while they did dishes in front and be like. WOW they're so perfect but I'm imagining them :). And then we'd realize we remembered things from our own, different perspectives but were like "that's just memories being weird and possibly kin stuff."

And we STAYED IN THIS SPOT FOR WEEKS, not realizing that the late night conversations and multiple love confessions and snuggles and shit were all REAL until one night Seán suddenly asks me, middle of the night, if we're actually the same person, and I was like "??? I think so?? But no?? But- yeah no maybe we're not? But- AAAUGH idk?????" And we had a crisis and texted our system friend explaining what was going on and they were like. My brother in Christ that is not singlet behavior. And immediately I was like. BOYFRIEND REAL??????? BOY REAL??? And was like, shaken from the realization yeah but ELATED at the Same time because it meant he was real and our interactions were real and it was like. OMG. Boyfriend..Boyf... Him real.... And we also realized that we clearly were both in love and so became together, so we were both for the rest of that night and all day the next day like "OMG.... Real...OMG ur real....OMG .... I love u so much...and ur real and I love you...."

And NOW we has been married for two gay ass years 💕🌈 and our itnitial love story of just. The most miscommunication-comedy-of-errors ass possible romance is very dear to us and very funny. Like omg. Girl how did I not know. Shaking my past self by the shoulders HE LITERALLY TALKS TO YOU. YOU CAN'T PREDICT WHAT HE SAYS HE LITERALLY HAS HIS OWN THOUGHTS AND TALKS TO YOU. HE REMEMBERS THINGS YOU DON'T THAT YOUR PARENTS CONFIRM HAPPENED AND SOMETIMES YOU JUST WATCH "YOUR" OWN BODY MOVE BECAUSE HE'S USING IT TO DO SOMETHING AND YOU ARE JUST WATCHING. YOU DUMBASS GAY MOTHERFUCKER

Anyways in summary in system relationship culture is that if you don't know you're plural instead of the linear progression of time through pining/crush, then dating, your relationship jumps back and forth sometimes because the "imaginary"-ness of it takes it out of a normal timeline

Oh wow, that's a long ask. /lh

Thank you for sharing this storytime!

[spaceorphan18]

The Lady Whistledown Papers : 1x2 - Shock and Delight (Part 1)

Hi! Welcome back to The Lady Whistledown Papers, where I’m taking an in-depth look at Penelope Featherington and Colin Bridgerton’s character arcs and romance within the show Bridgerton!

For previous issues, follow tag : The Lady Whistledown Papers

You know, I've never really paid attention to the episode names until I started going this... Time to shock and delight you. Okay, maybe not shock you. But hopefully delight you! As this episode gives a bit of comedy in the best way!

Condition

Okay, before I get into it, I need to mention that it feels weird seeing actual servants in the Featherington household. I'm used to just seeing Varley and Rae -- and I know them losing money is a plot point later on but I'm kind of curious to watch for when it changes.

In general, though, the first season feels like it was best at trying to be closer to historical accuracy? Look - I love Season 3, and it is by far my favorite, but it is historical fantasy more than anything else.

Anyway, we kick off this episode with the Featherington girls gossiping a bit about Marina's 'condition'. How did they find out? Servants? I don't think Marina actually confided in any of them. And with their lack of knowledge on clear display in this scene (among others) I don't think they worked it out for themselves.

I kind of love the little bit of comedy we get in this scene. Everything from Portia's over-reaction to the situation, Varley's quick little -- 'they know' comment, Lord Featherington (does this dude have a first name, gah, I should google it)'s chill calm down hysterical wife comment, to the Prudence's 'eeww' look during the whole scene.

And then Penelope's startled little 'oh no!' look when Portia claims if they don't knock it off, pregnancy could be catching. Makes me laugh every time. Girl does not want to be pregnant and have babies this very second.

But I mean, in all seriousness, it's really sad how poorly women were educated. They know nothing about sex or babies or anything and while it's use as a source for comedy on the show (there are truly some amazing moments because of this) it does show just how much these women are sheltered.

Two key points for Penelope here, though... A) Gossip queen is gossiping. She wants to know! And I mean, she wants to know because she truly is a curious person and who knows she's not getting the full information that's out there. I love that she wants to know things, and yes, she does like the gossip, but she loves knowledge, too, and I love that about her. B) I want to state right here --- they'll show later in this episode how gossip is key for communication. Penelope knows NOW that Marina is pregnant but chooses to keep that information safe and sacred. Because she has no want or need to really harm Marina in anyway. Another person as Lady Whistledown may not have been so careful with the information.

Accomplishments

I LOVE this little scene. It is great for both Eloise and Penelope -- as it shows off a lot of their characters and character dynamics in a very short scene.

Eloise is going on and on about Daphne and Simon, and how it shouldn't really be a big deal that someone finds someone else attractive. Who cares - there are accomplishments to achieve. We learn a LOT about Eloise - what she values in life, her frustrations with being a woman, and how women can't get anywhere on their own and are forced to be attached to men. It's really her struggle through the whole series -- and why I love her character so much.

(And, as an aside, why I struggle to reconcile the possibility that Eloise is going to have some kind of traditional love match -- let this girl be single and free! Or... something.)

But here's the thing about Eloise -- she goes on and on and on, and I think a lot of the time Penelope is right there with her. But I think for different reasons. Eloise comes from a very stable and loving household. She wants to go see the world and learn about it and achieve things for herself -- but she does so from a desire of extreme independence.

Penelope wants that independence, too, but maybe in a different way, for a different reason. As I mentioned above, Penelope is a very curious person, too, and wants to learn and know things. But she also comes from a very verbally abusive household, that doesn't seem to love her unconditionally. She's also treated like an ugly duckling by the ton in a way that Eloise is not. She yes, she wants to be the same strong, independent woman, too, but she has desires in the way that Eloise doesn't.

She longs for romance and love and acceptance and feels lonely and in all those ways she diverges from Eloise. Their friendship is fantastic, and I love it, but they've come together feeling like outsiders, and ultimately, their goals in life are different, even if they think similarly and enjoy and want similar things in life. It's an interesting contrast that will be the source of friction for the series.

Here's the other thing about Eloise -- (and I say this with all the love for Eloise, because she's one of my favorite characters) -- she loves to talk, but she's terrible at listening. She's (rightfully) indignant about a lot of things, but she pays little attention to what's going on around her.

(I mean. I'll say this right here -- I'm genuinely confused how (other than the plot needed her to be) she didn't pick up that Penelope had feelings for Colin. It is so blatantly obvious all the time. But I mean, one can chalk it up to Eloise being in her own little world and us being more privy to Penelope's inner thoughts. Still...)

Penelope is kind of lost in her own thoughts -- thinking about babies and Marina and confusion over how a thing like it happened. Penelope fills Eloise in on the situation (only lies and claims it a maid). I love the bit of comedy we get in Eloise discussing this -- the little digs at Portia for being old, and then Eloise's utter fear that the 'maid' is unmarried. WHAT IF IT HAPPENED TO THEM!! No doubt, this would be the utter worst for Eloise. She does have accomplishments to acquire.

It's interesting the Penelope is the harder read in this scene. She's worried for Marina. She's worried for herself. She doesn't necessarily seem to enjoy the scandal of it. So, now the two of them need to figure this all out. Pen will eventually go talk to Marina. Eloise as something Pen doesn't have... a family to ask... (for what good that will do.)

Babies

We are back in the Bridgerton drawing room where Colin (and Benedict) are doing what brothers do best and are teasing their sister -- Daphne, for getting so much attention at the ball. No, look, one of the things I adore about this show is that they don't shy away from actual sibling dynamics. The playfulness and antagonistic nature they all have with each other is delightful and real and as someone who has three brothers of her own, this author appreciates it.

I cannot stress this enough -- CLAUDIA. JESSIE. IS. A. GODDAMN. COMEDIC. MASTERMIND. (Another reason she and Nicola work so well together as Eloise and Pen.) Her delivery of -- 'how does a lady come to be with child' and 'I thought one needed to be married. Apparently that's not even a requirement' just gets me every time. I love her bluntness.

Colin has some great background moments, at first snickering at the question and then in shock that Eloise keeps pushing the subject. Again, great sibling dynamics in this scene.

I love that Eloise goes directly to her brothers -- which, again, I love this sibling bit. I have to wonder how many times Eloise did go to her older siblings -- and specifically her older brothers -- to find something out. And I have to wonder if most of the time, her brothers are happy to indulge. Here... it's a bit awkward.

Benedict doesn't even want to acknowledge the conversation. Colin is going to do what he always does -- and makes a joke out of it with the visiting a farm suggestion. (I LOVE Benedict smacking him upside the head -- it's such a brother thing to do then they're being a smartass.)

And I mean - okay, there's the obligatory mature vs immature comment I feel like I should make about Colin here. I do think Season 1 Colin is young, and is immature. He's also the youngest boy out of the initial three, who is prone to making light of situations, especially when his older brothers are often so serious.

But... maturity (or lack of) aside, this is honest to god such a sibling thing. It really doesn't matter how old they all get, Colin will probably continue to make jokes because he can.

I also want to mention, even though Eloise and Benedict are probably closer as siblings, I think Colin is more inclined to help Eloise when he can. He's got a good natured and helpful heart, even if he does it in the most sibling way possible.

THE TAKE OUR STICKS OUT INNUENDO! Honest to god, this moment makes me cackle every time. Colin Bridgerton! Indeed!

I love that Benedict is giggling. I love that Eloise is just so confused. I love that Colin is now intentionally getting under his mother's skin. It's such a funny, little family moment of ridiculousness.

I don't think this show gets enough credit for its moments of comedy, because they have some great comedians on the show.

I hope you enjoyed that bit of levity from Colin - because it's 8 minutes into the episode and that's the last we'll see of him in any kind of meaningful way for the rest of the hour. :P

An Extra

Alright, well, we'll have to go wade in the dramatic side of the pool for a moment with some unhinged Anthony.

The reason I'm even bothering is that we get a mention of Colin and Pen when Anthony is raving about how little it means that Daphne is being 'courted' by Simon. He's trying to claim that without a proposal, what Daphne and Simon are doing in public isn't much of anything. -- Look at Colin dancing around with the Featherington girl. That doesn't mean anything -- it couldn't possibly mean anything, they're just friends. Kinda. Whatever. Daphne - you dancing with Simon is nothing like that!

Lol - Anthony is some day going to have to think over every interaction he's noticed between Colin and Penelope and reevaluate things.

But the point here, it's a nice little Easter Egg. It's nice way of nodding that Daphne and Simon are a little like Colin and Pen, and that Colin and Pen are a little like Daphne and Simon and, yes, we will get to that love story but right now we're in the middle of being dramatic so that'll have to wait a few years.

Anyway... it's a cute little shout out, and a nice stopping place for now... :)

[neerons]

Hi! How are you doing? I wanted to ask if you know some stories that are similar to MK. It can be another game, manga/webtoon, or even movies/series/dramas. I want to read or watch a similar story with an interesting plot and deep stories, but not too complicated. The storyline has to be logical/coherent and well written. The characters must be strong and have interesting personalities, good developments and if possible, good relationships too. I don't have a particular theme in mind, but I'd like some romance in the story (the two lovers are equals). If you have some recommendations or if someone else has some stories to share, I'm interested! Thank you ❤️

Hi! I'm very good thank you. I hope you're doing well too ❤

I'm not going to help out much when it comes to other games, webtoons, movies or series as what I play, read or watch in these categories don't really fit Masquerade Kiss' universe.

Anyone is welcome to leave recommendations as well. Try to tag @ himawari ⬆ for visibility so your comment can be seen

MK is pretty unique so not everything I recommend is even 50% close to being similar to MK, so I mostly rely on core details that match.

However when it comes to mangas/animes, there are ones I can instantly think about, and some others that have similarities as well. Some of them don't involve romance but I tried to think of ones who do.

Black Butler

If you're looking for something similar to Kei's route, let me introduce you to my favorite anime and manga ✨ Black Butler/Kuroshitsuji ✨

It doesn't involve the romance you're looking for, but the story is deep, linked to religion and a sexy demon butler, with one of the main characters (Ciel) having a very similar past to Kei. It's actually the only one I can think of that is so similar to MK overall, but it's definitely darker.

It involves the same things we see in Kei's route in general: rejection of religious faith, demons (but here an actual one), philosophy about what being a human is, child abuse in a religious setting, being left as an orphan, and another thing very similar to Kei that I will not spoil as it is a big plot twist in the manga. (But tbh I wouldn't be surprised if the writer in charge of Kei got inspired by Black Butler)

(However, keep in mind that if you watch the anime, you need to look up the episodes that are adapted from the manga so the plot stays coherent (the anime has some parts of S1 and S2 that were invented, and you should avoid watching those, unless you want to, if you want to understand the actual plot)

The Apothecary Diaries

The romance is not completely established yet even in the manga, as it is slow burn. However the FL is extremely interesting and strong, intelligent as well as very funny. The ML is equally as good, and both have a very interesting relationship.

I recommend this one especially for the "equals" part you're looking for, but the era they're in in this universe doesn't fit MK's. But the story is quite deep and not that hard to understand

Spy x Family

This one is linked to spies and assassins, and family life in general in a cold war setting. I realize as I'm writing this just how much I suck at doing these masterpieces justice btw.

Anyway, the characters are extremely good. The story, with all its comedy and funny moments, is also quite profound as you have characters start to understand what love is (kind of similar to MK as well in this aspect?) and well, it's about ✨ spies ✨ I like to compare the MK Boss and Twilight (the ML) as they're incredible at their work.

The romances are not well established as well in this one but they're slowly building.

The era is also a bit different, but it's not too shocking

Kaguya-sama: Love is War

This one is also a funny one. The FL and ML and side characters are all amazing and well written. It's an elite high school setting. It's not dark like the others ones I've mentioned and is more of a comfort anime/manga.

I think the characters' banter can be similar to what we're used to see in MK, and it's a lovely, although frustrating at times, slow burn

7th Time Loop: The Villainess enjoys a carefree life married to her worst enemy!

I almost tired my fingers out typing that title, but this anime has a really good romance with a very independent, strong, intelligent and capable FL, with a strong, cold but actually tender ML.

Not the same era as MK again, but it's another one with both leads being equally as good and having a good relationship (although it's not easy at first). The FL's belief in justice and her kindness are also similar to our lovely MK MC as well.

I don't know if you have already watched or read those, but that's mostly what I could think of. Sadly, I have yet to find one very similar to MK's glamour, sensual, funny and dark vibe myself but I hope I helped you a bit, and if I didn't, then I'm sorry and I hope you'll find something good!

I guess the Mission Impossible movies that the MC loves so much are actual inspirations for MK? So you might be interested in those if you haven't watched them.

The movie or series about Hannibal Lecter with Mads Mikkelsen for Kei's route as well? Although I haven't watched it myself so I don't know if it was an inspiration, and it's gore, so be careful with the warnings

I could recommend you French romantic movies that MC would enjoy and that would be similar to MK (as MK heavily implements French references in its content), but I won't be able to guarantee there'll be a translation for you to understand, so I'm giving up the idea

Thank you for the ask, and have a lovely day/night ❤

[offbeat-manga-ships]

this is a weird sort of thing to say but i am like. so deeply appreciative your blog isn't mostly m/m stuff. bc like you i don't have a lot of interest in m/m (for me though this is mostly because i love women So Much my brain sort of shuts off if the story doesn't have women in it, i basically never enjoy a story that lacks women) and a lot of other blogs or accounts i've seen of this time tend to skew heavily with yaoi works bc. well a lot more yaoi works get the "freedom" to be "grosser", messier, less saccharine bc people are a lot more cagey about what girls get to do in fiction across the board..... i really really am so grateful you've got so many recommendations for series that are more to my taste in general and tend to feature a lot of messy and interesting women! not to say that's like Why You Do It, but it's a really refreshing thing since almost every time I go to hunt something fucky down it's m/m. the sheer volume of m/m overwhelms other series but you're bringing those ones into view and i've found a lot of really interesting series thanks to how you run things around here so thank you so much......

ANON!!!! IT'S A SUCH A PLEASURE TO RECEIVE A MESSAGE LIKE THIS!!! because i don't know if you guys know, and to be honest i don't remember if i deleted that part to make it easier to read or not, but i'm pretty sure that in the first iterations of my pinned post i went a little bit into why M/M is not my thing. i am exactly in the same boat of having ALWAYS been more into female characters than everyone around me. my mother has always teased me for it, my friends have always had varying degrees of "huh that's curious" to "weeell i don't care. how about that male character instead?" i was the person defending sansa stark and loving cersei lannister. i was lowkey in love with sharpay while pretending i didn't care about her, my favorite character from percy jackson was and still is annabeth chase, i loved sakura haruno and rukia kuchiki the most, i fucking HATED when anyone said anything bad about leia organa in star wars and it just became a pattern throughout my life that i would come to fiercly love female characters.

i mentioned before how i started watching shoujo when i got the 12 yo version of Being Serious about anime, but i also need to give credit to getting female friends in middle school and even more in high school with whom i talked about romance manga (some also real BL enthusiasts, but they still read some of what i read. honestly, i think it always came a surprise to them how much i liked some stuff the anime fans in general tended to turn their nose up to). 

and i literally won't ever forget when my friend gabrielle showed me the pride and prejudice movie in 9th grade i think and i honest to god had no idea i could love something so overtly aimed at women that much. like, sure i've been casually watching cartoons aimed at girls (if you didn't have cable tv, you watched the cartoons open tv made available to you in the saturday mornings. and yeah i watched and enjoyed totally spies and powerpuff girls and thought kim possible was really cool, but my bread and butter was still ben 10, naruto, jake long, static shock etc. it wasn't just me in the house though. every relative i had at that point from mom to aunties to grandma and cousins: all of them women. we had plenty of girl movies and all of us got together to watch melodramatic soap operas in the evening).

but anyway my point is that i really opened up my personal media consumption after feeling such love for this "chick lit" movie (which of course is actually a great and important piece of western literature which became one of my favorite books not only because i'm still in love with lizzy bennet to this day but also because it's so SO DAMN FUNNY. i laugh out every time i re-read it.) i started watching romantic comedies, i watched series like pretty little liars and whatever seemed to have a bunch of girls in the cover lol and yes, i started reading even more romance manga. even with my 12 yo shoujo watching, i still wasn't fully into those shows. i really liked some of the protagonists (much love to misaki ayuzawa, nanami momozono, haruhi fujioka and risa koizumi but i also could not be fully into whatever was transpiring between such cool girls and those guys LOL). but it was because of the influence of my girl friends and exchanging ideas about what manga to read that i fully found my place in smaller niche romance manga with odd couples and interesting women. 

and it's not like i'm not capable of enjoying media with a lot of guys in it, so i'm a little bit different from you in that regard. i have plenty of favorite male characters and one of my favorite movies ever is master and commander: the far side of the world and that has not a single woman in sight except in one picture and one 5 second shot 💀 obviously, it's not my only favorite movie (they're mostly dominated by women too). as a bi person, of course some men catch my eye once in a while and it's true that sometimes (though it's rare) it's a m/m couple that gets my main attention in a random piece of media. and that's because i'm not like a person with any agenda. i'm fully and wholeheartedly following my instincts (basically a somewhat lighter version of you. my brain also kinda shuts off when it's all the same old Men At The Forefront business and i have to work towards trying to care lol) and it just so happens that i think girls are fucking cool. i don't know if i've said that already, but the main reason i decided to stick with tumblr even though i didn't initially get the appeal of it was because i could find a lot of lesbians here LOL and true, some of them were fujoshi but a lot of them honest to god liked female characters and saw their appeal as i saw them.

and just to wrap this up, i want to clarify that me clearly having an involuntary preference for female characters was not one of the reasons i laid down on that other post when i said why i wasn't as drawn to m/m but it was basically just because i was trying to list reasons that had to do with what m/m had to offer me and not just what it lacks. i sincerely try to approach any story with an open mind and an open heart and i have done that many times even though i realized soon enough that seeing those trope-filled romantic scenarios between manga boys is just really not for me. if you're curious about the type of m/m i like, it's basically the unexpected kind in random non-lgbt media with (probably) tortured men in it and a severe lack of women and it always has been. which is why going after specific m/m media doesn't appeal to me as much (though i can still enjoy it. i really really loved watching the interview with the vampire show for example and even though i didn't like louis/lestat — as i hadn't liked then watching the movie years ago —, i still loved the characters and enjoy a few other m/m pair possibilities).

i'm sorry i went on this whole thing with this many words, but i just want to say, not only do i see you anon, i am you!!! if this blog is for anyone, you are at around the top of the list of people i wished to reach and knowing i could help and connect with someone else who feels the same way i do is such a warm and priceless gift. i understand your frustrations of female characters being more limited very well. not only because i love them, but i abhor any injustice since i was 3 apples tall and that has bothered me since the first signs of the development of my critical thinking skills. but ultimately i also can't help but love manga and i want to find the gems and celebrate varied, complex, weird or even toxic female characters and their messy relationships as much as i can.

[utilitycaster]

I HAVE VEILGUARDED. everything below the cut for spoiler reasons. I will also say to the anon I shut down earlier (again, me not you!) that I do intend to do a second run because I had a marvelous time, I would really love to do the Dock Town quests and explore Neve's other options (and romance her, frankly) and check out some of the other companion options (honestly I'd be open to almost all of them except for Lichdom. sorry I refuse to leave Manfred dead and I'm correct.) and maybe this time I'll actually solve the stupid wisp puzzles and get all the chests and uhhhhh maybe even play on Easy mode instead of Easier Than Easy mode (because lbr my equipment does not matter a ton because. story mode.)

because I am a good girl and did all the quests everyone lived. I also accidentally got the best ending, because Rook in this run is a romantic and optimistic person. This is funny to me because I am god's greatest hater and so I am ROLEPLAYING a character who is like yeah inquisitor go be with your boyfriend who looks like a stupid egg. I did have the Diet Essence Of Mythal but I've been informed the secret even better ending only hits if you know other past characters, which I don't, so whomst cares!

Takes on characters from previous games in brief. Obviously Harding is great. Solas gets his happy ending and that is FINE I guess. Generic Default Inquisitor Lavellan is like. again Rook is like "do what makes you happy but I am like DUMP HIM. which means that while Morrigan is very "I say things in a portentous voice that are extremely obvious" to me, her deep and abiding hater tendencies towards Solas do it for me. Obviously Varric is great as well. Dorian and Mae? Great (unsure if Mae is in previous games but anyway, love her). Not sure who else is a returning character but I think that covers the bulk of it.

This is very out of order but: because no one died other than of course Davrin in the Isle of the Gods, the pay respect for the dead scene is unintentionally really fucking funny to me, a person who has had to go into morgues for professional reasons. Literally like I walk into a morgue where I know zero people. I walk out. I pass Teia and Viago flirting aggressively as an archdemon ravages Minrathous. I continue.

The final conversations are really good; blighted Neve is of course horrifying but she gets better and her nailpolish, crucially, is not chipped. This is HILARIOUS to me. The final romance line with Bellara is lovely. The ending conversations are all really good but Taash's and Emmrich's were my favorite outside of Bellara's. My girlfriend and I are going to hang out with griffons and she's going to write so much fanfiction about us and it will be unhinged.

Hilarious and sexy of me to wear the appearance of the shadow dragons armor I got literally in like. Shadows of Minrathous or something. the entire fucking time. You can see it in the screenshots and I assure you it's only for the vibes (deep V neck and sick chest tats), I am actually in +8 Warden Champion full plate armor and wearing some wild-ass helm (I did not at any point hide the appearance of my shield. even when I was using the gaudiest gold one that looks like a shell from the lords of fortune. I eventually got a very sick-ass Mourn Watch shield). But it does feel really funny to like, pick Treviso, send Neve to the shadow realm, and wear this armor the full time. I literally didn't see Tarquin for like 2.5 acts.

Elger'nan's first form is weak to necrotic damage. I took Taash and Lucanis. I am fully statted out as a reaper. I have an AOE that does over a thousand necrotic damage. genuinely it was a comedy, I triggered the cut scene where Neve goes to the throne and wrests control so Solas can kill the archdemon almost immediately. Second battle was harder but also level 50 story mode so it was FINE.

I do think a Trick Solas ending would be fun; fighting him seems like it would just kind of suck but like. It's funny I actually really did feel grateful after Blood of Arlathan and then after he stuck me in the mind prison I was like FUCK THIS GUY FOR REAL even after he helped us through in the endgame and killed the archdemon.

Lords of Fortune continue to be hilarious to me. There's a codex that's very BY OUR POWERS COMBINED right before the final assault on Minrathous that I described thusly:

Then in the final scene before the narration the Lords are pulling people out of the wreckage. Imagine you're in a world-ending fight during an eclipse with wild-ass mood lighting and you are trapped under rubble as a horrifying blight tentacle monster rages above and then it all stops and THEN someone in a gold bikini helps you up.

In all seriousness the fact that the Mourn Watch and Lords of Fortune don't come up in the final narration does have me like. yeah whoever wrote their faction quests should have worked harder. I know the mourn watch is largely unscathed because there's no point blighting the undead but like, idk, I feel there could have been more venatori work there that tied into Zara's whole deal, and the Antaam or Wardens ties to Rivain could have been more thoroughly explored. Taash and Emmrich's companion questlines are fantastic but even playing Mourn Watch and loving the build and the vibe, I was like hmmmm this is underserved.

Second hater moment: loved the song over the credits but it felt jarring as hell to have a modern sound here. stick to the hans zimmer. this reminds me, I should listen to the soundtrack because as my Midst Mutuals can attest I am literally the worst at noticing themes. I know Harding's and Emmrich's because I really like them and like, I vaguely recall Lucanis's because it's got accordion elements but otherwise I'm like uhhhhh if it's not the main theme or the Solas theme I'm confused.

I also realized that hilariously, if you like Neve or Lucanis but are ok with romancing someone else (and I very much am) it's actually kind of great to fuck over their city because then you feel justified in taking them out on every single mission to try to up your bond level.

Finished with Lucanis, Harding, and Bellara fully level 10 and everyone else level 9 (including Davrin, RIP); I do wonder how you can get everyone to 10. I might have assigned some quests badly but also like, 9 ain't bad.

anyway feel free to ask questions; this was great and I'm so happy I did it.

[affluent-havoc]

As I've drawn Kyoko way more times than I ever would have predicted I would, I've learned that drawing her in the category of "done with everything" is extremely entertaining for me and will never get old. Also, drawing Kyoko with Byakuya has also opened my eyes so much and now I adore these two together, butting heads and just interacting. Like, Kyoko and Byakuya antagonizing each other and being intellectual rivals? Spectacular! It is a crime that it too me this long for my brain to comprehend the beauty of their petty potential. But, anyway, it's really amazing seeing the many ways this can be done. For instance, they can be shown as these strategic foils for one another like a battle between two scholars. It can be a complex showcase of their internal struggles and hypocrisies where the two just look at each other and go "At least I'm not as bad as THEM!". Also gotta love the more comedic side of the dynamic too. It's like their strange little creatures dueling one another via slapping each other's hands or using the other's hand and going "Ha! You're hitting yourself" over and over. Like, pettiness with these two is golden. Let them snark at one another and be overly judgmental! Also, it's just really wholesome seeing art of them getting along (which I so gotta do more of sometimes though the sillies are strong) or AHEM "getting along" in which one or the other is just a wee bit annoyed while the other has that cocky smirk, joyous that they bested the other. It's beautiful when Byakuya's the one getting annoyed though it can be equally entertaining seeing Byakuya all proud of himself while Kyoko looks mere minutes away from grabbing the nearest blunt object and chucking it at him, all done with that deadpan expression with a glint of satisfaction after she glances at his crumpled form on the ground. Always a bonus to see Byakuya being put in his place. In regard of the wholesome side though, I'm just a sucker for fluff and that'll never change. It's intrinsically tied to my funky little blood vessels. Plus, seeing these two having a chill hang out together is just neat. There's gotta be some shenanigans in there too though! Shenanigans are always fun to play around with. And, adding some hurt/comfort into the fluff (maybe even the shenanigans), YES!! Two characters who don't think they have much in common but actually have a TON in common getting on the same page to help the other?! Beautiful. Gorgeous. Good fucking food right there. If only I could write Kyoko... rip (I say when all my fics are unfinished and unpublished ;-;) But, anyway, these two have a lot in common, so, seeing them acknowledge that fact and help each other grow will forever be amazing in my heart. Always been into those dynamics where both characters gain something out of it and grow for the better because of the interactions they share, romantic, platonic, or anything in-between. AND, speaking of romance, hell, as of recently, I don't mind seeing them in a more romantic angle. I will still prefer the platonic side but I don't mind the alternative a lot more than I used to. At the end of the day, as long at their both being little smarmy brats towards one another, it's fine and dandy! Though, tldr; no matter how ya look at them, these two are lowkey comedy gold if ya do it right and are pretty cool together. Also, they need therapy. It's not related to their relationship but like, just in general. They need therapy, dang it!

[idrellegames]

Not an ask. But thank you so much for the aspec representation in Wayfarer. It's so refreshing to see an alloaro character like Veyer that is canonically alloaro and isn't the character archetype that sleeps around a lot and you just hope that they are around but then they eventually gets "fixed" by love. Anyways thanks for being awesome.

I so very rarely see alloaro characters handled with respect in fiction since it's so easy to boil their traits down to "noncomittal person who sleeps around until the right person comes around and fixes them". It's the flip same of the same coin as romantic asexuals, where the character gets boiled down to "inexperienced person who has never had sex until the right person comes around and fixes them."

Sexual attraction and romantic attraction are so often tied together as a single experience. And it is this way for many people, but not for everyone. Just speaking generally as an ace person, my experience is that aromanticism and asexuality are more palatable for non-acespec folks when they're treated as something that goes hand in hand. But being aroace isn't the only way to be aromantic or asexual - there's a huge variety of way people experience attraction and calling treating romantic and sexual attraction as the same thing is a disservice to everyone (even for allosexuals whose sexual orientation may not match up with their romantic one!).

Within the context of storytelling - at least in western writing - there's a narrative demand to meet certain expectations otherwise the trajectory may fall flat and be seen as unfulfilling. A committed relationship that includes both romance and sex is typically the desired end goal with fictional relationships (look at any romantic comedy, even going back to Shakespeare - Shakespearen comedies always end with a wedding). You can also look to the prevalence of the OTP in fandom - there's a desire to see your favourite characters get together in a specific way and to have that relationship come to fruition. And it is quite fun! I don't mean this as a knock against it - I enjoy OTPs myself, I love romance in fiction so much. I love a satisfying romance arc. Most of my OCs for video games have relationships and its a focal part of their character development.

But this does mean that aromantic and asexual people often sit on the sidelines because they don't fit perfectly into that type of story structure. So it can be very difficult to include them. They blur the lines of the format. They make it a little messy. They don't match the expectation.

I think with aromantic characters, too, both writers and audiences don't know what to do with them. There's always this lingering sense of disappointment that romance is off the table, that their arc isn't going to culminate in a committed relationship. Even in the world of IF and gaming, we don't have terminology to classify aromantic characters who can have some kind of relationship with the player character because the terminology is Romance Option (RO) or Love Interest (LI). Wayfarer's character roster is evidence of how much of a stumbling block this is - Aeran and Veyer are included on it as "romances", even though they aren't in the traditional sense (Aeran falls into the "conditional" label, Veyer is in the "tryst" one, but neither of them are technically "romances" in the traditional sense).

As for Veyer themself, they aren't interested in romance. They are in their 60s, they've been around the block a few times, they know what they do and do not want. They know what their life is like and what they can and cannot commit to due to outside factors. They may be smitten with people they find interesting or intriguing, but romance or long-term commitment isn't a part of that.

This doesn't mean that they can't be compassionate or genuinely care about their partners or enjoy their company, they're just going about it in a different way.

[yume-x-hanabi]

Currently watching: Miss Night and Day

I decided to review a few of the dramas I'm currently (re)watching, starting with a new find: Miss Night and Day

This one is currently airing (new ep every Sat.-Sun. on Netflix) and has just reached its halfway point, so I think it's a good time to write down my thoughts.

The basic plot

(Genres: Romcom, Mystery, Fantasy)

The main character, Lee Mi-Jin, is a 28-year-old who keeps trying and failing to get a job as a public servant, and even falls for a scam out of her desperation to find a proper job. One day, she helps a magical (?) cat, who grants her a blessing/curse (depending on how you see it lol) as a result: during the day, her appearance ages to what she would look like in her 50's, while she comes back to her young self during the night. Cue her scrambling to juggle those two identities while keeping it hidden from everyone.

Ironically, she manages to find a job quite easily as her old self through a senior employment program, and through hijinks ends up as secretary to prosecutor Gye Ji-Ung, whom she met as her young self when she got scammed, then later as a witness to a murder case.

Impressions so far

Story: One thing you need to know about me is that I'm a sucker for crime/mystery/legal dramas, especially when there's an interesting twist in the setting. So right off the bat this one's premise drew me in. I also tend to not really enjoy romance/romcom dramas on their own, but sprinkle in some crime/mystery, plus some supernatural element on top, and I'm innnnn.

So far it's delivered on both fronts. The serious underlying investigation plotline is less prominent than the comedy hijinks, but that's good for where we're at, I like the balance between the two. There's a lot of subplots going on, and they keep things moving and interesting; it's worked well in terms of pacing. There's one plotline I would have preferred done a bit differently, but I'm reserving judgment on that until I've seen where it leads. Otherwise I've enjoyed the way it's going.

Characters:

Main girl: She's a very fun lead. She's generally a peppy heroine, but she's also a woman nearing her 30's whose life has not turned out how she wanted, so she's also got that Tired Adult™️ vibe that's quite relatable. She may not be the smartest (she sometimes has a tendency to rush in without thinking at first), but she's also perceptive and resourceful, so while she does need saving from time to time, she also often can find a way to get out of some situations she put herself in (often when it pertains to keeping her identity switch secret lol). Both actresses are doing a great job with the role--you really feel they're playing the same character, so much that you sometimes almost forget they're two different people.

Main guy: I'm really, really loving this take on the "stoic/assholish male lead (who will be softened by the love interest)" archetype. Yes, he is a stoic workaholic and a bit of a jerk... when he's at work. But in his day to day life, he's quite openly sweet and empathetic. And I really like that this is the side that Mi-Jin got to see first. So it's not really that he has a hidden soft side that she needs to discover, but more that she gets confused by the contrast with his work persona. She eventually calls him out on his bad attitude toward her (old self) in the office, and he improves on that front too. (Honestly tho apart from his scheme to get her to quit being his secretary at the beginning, I don't think what earns him his reputation as a jerk in the office is even that bad? he's just mostly blunt and doesn't tolerate slackers; like in a lot of cases it's warranted imo). Anyway I really like his character, and there's a lot of little scenes I absolutely adore (and definitely makes me ship them :p) Only thing I find weird is that he hasn't taken note of the similarities between young Mi-Jin and her old self (for example, her bright pink backpack she takes everywhere should be a giveaway; also the fact she tends to pop up in the same places he last saw her old version at lol). Dude is supposed to be a smart prosecutor, I'm surprised his observation skills are failing him there (especially since there's been a few close calls).

Second male lead: I'm gonna be honest, I don't care much for him. He's obviously gonna be important considering the recent plot development, and I guess I'm glad Mi-jin has someone at work who knows her secret and wants to help her, but I still don't have much of an opinion of him. He's just there lol. I do hope they're not going to drag in an unrequited love subplot or something like that.

Supporting cast: I initially found Mi-Jin's overbearing parents annoying, but it's clear they love her and want the best for her, so they've become quite endearing. I absolutely love her best friend (she's a beauty youtuber lmao), she's so cute and such a sweetheart. Other supporting characters are okay so far; potential suspect is creepy enough, tho he's so obvious I'm wondering whether he's a red herring. We'll see I guess...

Music/Directing/etc: The music's appropriate to the scenes, which is what matters most, but nothing particularly stands out aside from the main theme. The directing is good, again nothing particularly stands out imo (maybe a small negative point is a bit too much repetition at times), but nothing bad either.

All in all, it's a pretty fun show and I'm quite enjoying it so far. Waiting for new episodes is hard lol

[otakween]

One Pound Gospel - Volume 1

Yay, new series! (This one was next on MAL after 0 Man). Happy to be reading something by another icon (Rumiko Takahashi). I've never heard anyone talk about this one at all, so I don't know what general opinions are nor do I know anything about the plot. Let's go!

Ch. 1

So we got a boxer in love with a nun...I saw a commenter comparing this premise to Nacho Libre and now I can't unsee it.

(I might need to include a rewatch of that movie, for the meme).

Anyways, our leads are Kosaku and Sister Angela. Kosaku seems like a head empty jock who thinks with his heart and stomach. Sister Angela seems like she can whip him into shape (emotionally lol).

Despite having watched most of Ranma 1/2, I don't think I've ever read a Rumiko Takahashi manga? Craziness! This isn't her first work but it's one of the earlier ones from the 1980s, so I'm expecting some newbie scuff (or maybe she was just a legend from the start?)

Christianity in anime/manga isn't that uncommon, but to have it be one of the main focuses is intriguing. I wonder if we'll find out how Kosaku and Angela came to the religion as Japanese people?

I don't care about boxing at all IRL, but I don't mind reading about it and learning the lingo. Maybe I'll gain an appreciation I didn't have before lol.

Didn't like Kosaku forcing a kiss on Angela (her being a nun makes it extra scuzzy). Oh the 80s...

Ch. 2

See? I'm already learning stuff. Apparently boxers aren't supposed to drink water during a fight (just rinse) and they're not supposed to have sex prior to the fight (I already knew about that one, but this reminded me). That second one's more of a superstition though.

I wasn't sure if Sister Angela wearing her habit all the time was realistic, but I googled it and apparently in some cases that is enforced. Also, I've seen nuns in public wearing habits, so I guess it's legit.

Sister Angela getting plastered was kind of funny but her breaking her wine bottle was a bit extreme. She's kinda unhinged in general, she shows up at Kosaku's match and tells him she'll never forgive him if he loses? (Seems toxic but okay)

The strategies Kosaku's coach has him using to make weight are kinda fucked up (borderline disordered). Starving himself, laxatives and sweating the weight off. I'm sure that happens plenty IRL though. Pretty sad that athletes feel the need to put their bodies through that.

Ch. 3

People in Japan...they can't actually down like 5 bowls of ramen right, that's just an anime thing? I eat one bowl and I need to lie down lol.

I look forward to seeing the food in the adaptations of the manga. Particularly in the live action.

The crucifix falling over when Angela prays for Kosaku was a funny gag.

At this point in the story the focus is definitely more on Kosaku's boxing career than on romance. I wonder if it will kind of go back and forth between the two or if the romance will always just be on the sidelines?

Ch. 4

I can't tell if Kosaku has a food addiction or if they're literally starving him. They never show him eating healthy/low calorie food that's approved by his coach so it kind of feels like he's just not allowed to eat at all. Anyone would obsessively seek out food if that's the case! He did mention "diet" earlier, so I'll hope it's not...

If I was let loose in Tokyo I'd struggle with food temptation too lol. So much street food... (Wait, is this set in Tokyo?)

Ch. 5

Kosaku stumbles into a win after throwing up in the ring again. Apparently you're allowed to win by yeeting your opponent outside the ring? Seems wrong, but what do I know

All this starvation-binge stuff is making me a little nauseous. There's gotta be a better way!

Ch. 6

You know how straight dudes in the 1980s dressed in a way that seems gay-coded by today's standards? That's kinda what Kosaku's giving. He's really cute. (Not much of a personality tho)

Takahashi sure likes her repetitive gags doesn't she? A lot of "comedy" anime do this and it's frankly kind of frustrating. I'm not gonna laugh when you do the same joke for the millionth time...

They seriously just should have put him in a heavier weight class sooner, but it feels like I'm missing something here. Why does it matter which weight class you're in and why are some more sought after than others? -shrug-

I also don't get the "4 rounds" vs. "6 rounds" thing. Is it like baseball vs. softball or something? At least Sister Angela is just as clueless as me!

Ch. 7

Okay so apparently you pick your weight class based on your bone structure, I get it I don't really get it

Ch. 8

Okay, I immediately hate Onimaru for begging his pregnant wife to have a son and not a daughter 😒 I hope Kosaku kicks his ass

It almost seems like a conflict of interest to have your friend do your confession, no?

This series is reminding me of Spy x Family. Like you know how in that show Yor's plotline is mostly sidelined compared to Loid's? That's kinda how the Kosaku/Angela balance feels here.

Ch. 9

I really don't know anything about boxing, so I don't know what makes a good or bad fight, but this one seemed really pathetic lol. I'm glad at least Onimaru wasn't a sore loser, he probably needed to be humbled anyways.

The manga seems to be implying that Kosaku is fat which...huh? He doesn't look fat at all? Sure, he eats like a fat person but...I think 1980s "fat" meant something different lol.

IDK why Angela is so set on Kosaku being in the lower weight class. I guess it's good to be disciplined, so she sees that as the morally right thing to do?

So so far this seems like a very low stakes manga. It's leaning more towards the sports genre than the romcom, which isn't really what I expected. Well, after 0-Man I could definitely use an easy-breezy read like this. Onto the next volume!

[trashcanwithsprinkles]

Hi!!! poppin in to say hey. guess who reread your stories again. me. i did for like the thirtieth time. i love them so much, they’re gorgeous. you glorious creature <333

anyway, i read the gekkan shoujo nozaki-kun manga. i saw your chapter 19 note on ‘i think youre so good.’ do you, perchance, have any notes or ideas you’d be willing to share abt what you’d write in a zhongchi gsnk au??? people don’t talk enough about that series and god the idea of that au is already brewing comedy across my mind. Love you(r writing and art), hope you had a great christmas and new year!!! <3

well obviously it'd have to be nozaki = zhongli and mikoshiba = childe. i'm very tempted to say it would then be sakura = lumine? aether? aether would be funnier. of course we'd completely ditch sakura's massive crush on nozaki and focus on whatever the fuck nozaki and mikoshiba got going on there. the rest of the characters i don't have a clear "this one would be this one" idea, so it could be whatever.

but i think instead of being a gsnk au it'd be more like.... a gsnk-inspired modern au. so like i said in the notes, the premise would be zhongli is a romance novel writer who goes under a woman's pseud bc he's fluid like that, and his pseud is hailed as like this marvellous writer, the spokeperson for women's hearts and all that – half the fanbase have giant crushes on him/her and generally portray him as like this all-knowing poet woman. zhongli-jiejie is what i'm saying. and the only one who knows zhongli is the author behind that pseud would be his editor, which i'm so tempted to say would be hu tao bc it'd be hilarious; but idk that hu tao would be able to keep such a funny detail private among her own friend group? so maybe it could be literally anyone else. ningguang idk why i feel like it'd fit. i think editor ningguang would be funny. so the only other person who'd know besides ningguang would be beidou, who CAN keep it a secret.

anyway- other than that, the main Funny of the au would be that most of the main characters in his famous ongoing novels would be genderbent versions of the people around him. main character soft dainty delicate heroine would be childe, sweet overworked nice young man would be ganyu, strict responsible workaholic boyfriend of previous nice overworked man would be keqing, scarred quiet serious Complex(tm) young woman would be xiao, beautiful gentle mildly-menacing doctor lady would be baizhu, etc.

we would need a sakura for this though, which is why i think we'd have to have like- someone else beyond beidou and ningguang find out that zhongli is the author. maybe we could pull a ysmms and like- make it someone entirely random. like- xiangling. or yunjin. and have the entire thing be an outsider's pov on the whole mess. maybe we could have it be xingqiu, and instead of it being a 'sakura has a crush on nozaki and tries to confess' situation, it could be a 'xingqiu is a fanboy of zhongli's pseud and started writing because of him/her' and ends up finding out via the writing world or smth.

idk it was just a mess of thoughts i had back then but it was too funny an idea not to point it out. not sure i'd ever write it though, unlikely.

but it is pretty funny to think about so thank you!! i hope that was interesting;,,