#i feel like she lost so much as 3D model

[floccusmarimo]

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[eggdrawsthings]

Hi! I wanted to ask a question and I wasn’t sure if it was too personal or not so just ignore this is you’d rather not answer, but I was wondering if you went to art school or got a degree in it? I really want to start learning and maybe one day start a career in animation and wasn’t sure whether I should spend time and resources getting a degree. I know it’s going to be different for everybody and nothings a guarantee for this field but since I love your style and technical skill I was curious whether you had done that and what were your thoughts on it or if you are self-taught.

Hey anon! No worries it's all good!

Ig I should quickly go through my art journey so you can have an overall look of why I went to art school lol.

So I'm from Vietnam. I think back in 2013 I went to a small art school in Singapore (they were the only one that gave me a scholarship). My major was 3D modeling actually, but during my final year, I realized I only wanted to draw characters for animation. I could already draw decently, so I just read The Silver Way book and built a character design portfolio on my own during this time. I was lucky I got a job as a concept artist at a small animation studio there so I learned a lot from the job. I also did a lot of self-learning and took Woulter Tulp's Expressive Character class on Schoolism.

Then after 3-ish years of working, I got sick of the tiny and dying animation industry in Singapore. I wanna do sth more than just preschool shows and I was severely underpaid lmao. So I quit my job and took the MA VisDev program at AAU. It's a little more affordable cuz u can do 1 year online and the second year on-site. The reason I went to this school even tho i could just take a VisDev class online was cuz i need the visa so i can try to break into the industry in the US.

Now back to your question. Is art school a must? No. Should you still take it? Maybe, depends on your situation. If you can afford it then hell yeah by all means. Art school is great cuz you have professors and peers to help guide you along the way so you won't get lost while trying to figure out your shit. And to have a few years just experimenting and focusing on art is a great experience. Plus you can make a lot of meaningful connections in school and it will help you a long way after you grad. But if you have to go into debt to go to art school, then don't. There are places like Schoolism, CGMA, and Warrior Art Camp where you can pick what class and from whom you wanna learn. If you are not from the US and wanna break into the industry here like me however, then yeah getting a degree is a better bet cuz you can use the student visa and OPT to hopefully get a job here (it's still very very hard tho ngl im struggling rn as we speak lmao). Also, you need a BA to work overseas so there's that too. The hard truth is studios prefer to hire locally than some rando from somewhere else and have to wait for them to relocate and shit, (unless you are exceptionally good and they'd do anything to have you, but that is super rare lol).

Even though I did go to art school, I have to say most of my skills are from self-study. It requires a lot of self-discipline but I'm pretty much obsessed with drawing and I draw everyday so it's not a problem for me. But my friend is not good at that, so she found art school/classes helped her better cuz there are deadlines and instructors to help guide her to reach her goal. So it depends on your learning style tbh.

There is this chart that can help you consider your options. Im sorry it's a very long answer, cuz yes everyone's experience is different. Feel free to drop me another ask if you still have anymore questions tho ^^

Edit: I must also add, though there are online classes and ways to self-learn animation,I do think it only truly benefit you if you know exactly what you wanna do in this industry (for example I already knew i wanna become a character designer for 2d/3D animation specifically so any books/classes i took I tailored it to fit my goal). If you are unsure what you wanna do, then maybe even a cheap animation course will do better, and then you can take extra online classes on the side.

[igetthedisneybox]

Tell me more about Magnus (Merida's adoptive son)

Backstory (as of now):

Magnus is the grandson of the Witch from Brave.

His mother, Alfreda, was traded to the Witch as a baby as payment for a spell, so she raised her as her own.

Magnus was the result of Alfreda falling in love with a knight from DunBroch, Kalan McKenzie.

The Witch did not approve of Alfreda's taste in men, so she banished her from the cottage. She and Kalan made a home alone in the woods, and eventually had Magnus.

Kalan ends up dying in the line of duty when Magnus was a baby.

Alfreda raised him until he was eight years old, when she started to get terminally sick.

She went to the Witch for help, and she basically told her that she was gonna die, but it's toooootally fine, because Magnus gets to be a prince and stuff.

When she died (her spirit turned into a wisp) Magnus was horrified, so he ran away from home.

He got very lost in the woods for several days, during which he almost died himself.

Meanwhile, a much older Princess Merida (because I can't kill off Fergus, he's still alive) is roaming the woods, when she sees a trail of Will O' the Wisps leading into the forest.

She follows them, and finds a half-dead Magnus.

Merida rescues him, and nurses him back to health. She and Fergus recognize him as Kalan McKenzie's kid.

When he wakes up, he lives in the knight's part of the castle for a bit, but he and Merida really bond. (She likes/ is good with kids because of her brothers).

Eventually, Elinor brings up that, even if Merida's not gonna get married anytime soon, she'll still need an heir to take the throne.

So she picks Magnus.

He doesn't call her "mum" until he's a bit older and healed from his trauma, though.

Physical:

He has curly red hair and brown eyes. He looks similar enough to Merida, that some people think they're actually related. Though, Merida's hair is more orange, while his is more red.

He's fifteen when his story takes place

He's pale, scrawny, and has many freckles.

His face claim is Kyle Breitkopf

I don't have an animated edit for him yet, because 3D models are hard to work with lol.

Personality and Fun Facts:

He holds himself to very high standards, to feel worthy of being adopted by Merida, and to make his birth parents proud.

He pushes himself way too hard to be a good sage, prince, and knight, when all he really wants to do his just be a kid.

His theme song is "Proud of Your Boy" from the Aladdin Broadway show.

I like to imagine Merida becomes friends with the sons of the other lords, and Magnus continues that tradition by being friends with their kids.

He, like Merida, is an expert archer.

He has a pet Scottish deerhound called Beowulf, who's the pup of Merida's dog, Slingshot.

His horse, Saorise, is the filly of Merida's horse, Angus.

He doesn't fear magic like some people do, and instead embraces it.

Descendants Au:

He goes to Auradon prep, and is probably on the tourney team (though he's not very good at it).

He would probably be against the VK's coming over at first, but once he gets to know them, he'd switch sides.

He, Carlos, and Jane would get along very well.

His favorite class would be Enchanted Forestry

Might add some more later, this was fun! Thanks for the ask!

[justabrainrotvictim]

I literally was brainstorming the plot for a lps MOVIE, and there were vivid VISIONS of a fanmade trailer in my head OKAY OKAY!!!

I COULDNT SLEEP LAST NIGJT BWCAUSE OF THIS I HAVE TO GET THIS DOWN

(Rant under cut >-<) Feel free to give your own ideas i would love to read them!!!

Visuals:

Okay so imagine the mlp movie and how they did their models, how crisp and clean with the simple airbrushing at shading points right? Polished and well animated, looking semi-3D? Yeah imagine that but paired with LPS. I think it would look stunning. It would be understandable because both MLP and LPS are made by Hasbro.

I imagined a dynamic 3D-like zoom beginning from the clouds down onto Down-Town city, zooming down the skyscrapers, city park, across bright alleys and busy streets. At some point the pov points towards pets being walked by their owners down to a busy shop of lps.

The drone-like accseleration would cruz through the busy shop of pets jumping for treats and the ring of the cash register from paying customers. Then, finally, the daycare, the theater speakers blasting cute pop music and chattering criters enjoying their time there. With all 7 pets running around doing their little characteristic things and their modles being displayed,. The old timer people watch as they claw at their seats, excited to see their favorite characters.

Then a rattle comes from the Dumb waiter, and this is where we meet the main protagonist, Blythe, off to go to school.

(Stop this looks so good in my head i hope you get it) (i feel like the animation style would be a pixar/illumination style if not hasbro

Plot:

I feel like the plot would be very cliché like something related to Blythe's Mom, since she was brought up and obviously absent (i hope they didnt apply that she's not dead because then this wouldn't work) but ill go with this plot for now.

I think blythe's mom would reside somwehere in a jungle, in a treehouse even, as a ranger. She would use her gift to aid animals and help them through climate change and relationship problems and sortage. Etc. Haven't fleshed this part out yet.

This movie would be an Adventure Comedy Rated G. (I dont really know how much angst i want in this but whatevr)

Blythe and the pets will be going through an adventure to find out if Blythe's mom is still alive .. as Blythe finds a shread of hope, a clue.. of where she could be.

The pets will be going through airports, a rural city in the east continent, jungles, and especially shenanigans.

Now this just came to me, what if blythe brings the pets with her by the permission of the owners through a cruz or something, THEN being stranded (ignore this happening in the show okay) or something out of Blythe's control where now Blythe and the pets have to face being both lost, on a time crunch, and blythe's quest as a lesser priority. Because if blythe doesnt bring the pets back, she could be in serious trouble.

Characters:

Blythe Baxter: Main character energy. Helps point the plot in the right direction while also being the most hopeful about her success in finding her mom.

Roger: A silly goose that nearly messes up the plot with his clumsyness. Dont know if he will be apart of blythe being lost.

Twombly: probably very little dialog, unfortunately.

Zoe: Comentary and would get distracted easily with herself, would help with discovering scents and tracking. The most observant.

Pepper: lightens up the mood with her jokes. She even does this in glim and depressing sequences but slowly trails off when she realizes her failure. She would then wallow in the mood while feeling guilty.

Penny Ling: The most useful when finding food of substance that is sonsumable. It is also helpful with being extremely charming and cute in some instances. The heart of the group.

Minka: The most energetic and finds upcoming trouble first. What isn't helpful is how she freaks out crazily to the point where it makes all the pets panic even more. Otherwise, she is the eye of the group.

Sunil: AHHHHHH! He worries a lot.. sort of anxious about everything new around him.

Vinnie: AHHHHHH's with Sunil. Somewhere in the movie, he would find our something utterly impossible - for comedy - that literally no other living being would figure out. This would reference the many times he did something 'smart' to contrast with his character.

Russel: Group parent, bossy pants, and nerd. Too much dialog. Wayyy too much. At some point, one pet even brings up this detail of how he's such a yapper.

Biskits: Totally like ew. Their like so cool and stuff. Yeah.. The young adult demographic LOVESSS them like Velvet and Veneer from Trolls 3. In each separate scene, they wear a new slaying outfit.

Cashmere and Velvet have a cameo btw

Character interaction:

There will be small details in some scenes, kind of easter eggs at some sort like where one is hugging the other or making sure they're okay. Or a pet observing a butterfly ykwim.

(*cough cough* sunil and vinnie hugging when scared)

I honestly feel like there would be random lore drops, like idk how a pet was adopted/raised (SUNIL WAS OBVIOUSLY RAISED AS A BABY) idk i just really want that in a movie like, lore of a character that sounds awesome.

The pets would be super caring with each other. And during their worst, they will comfort verbally or physically whenever one feels down. They will protect one another like family. They will cry. They will suffer.

All characters will experience something out of their comfort zone. All characters will receive character development. Blythe will prioritize her mom over the pets. That's right, you heard me. She will care less about the pets at some point.

She would be so caught up in her own world that she wouldn't notice the pain she's causing her pets by dragging them with her through this journey. How hard it would be to cope with such stress.

Conflict:

That leads to conflict. Blythe's neglectful behavior would lead to a more serious scene where she breaks down at the idea that maybe, her mom is gone. How all evidence points to her death or some other factor. That maybe if she was just a few days earlier, she could have seen her. She could have met her.

Trailers and Theater posters:

The music would be like the intro music to mlp movie , an electric guitar cover of the intro, like JUST IMAGINE HOW BADASS THAT WOULD BEEEEEEE!!!!!

I could not be clearer ENOUGH! Sunil would be in a scene of a trailer saying something like,

*anoyyed groan* "Could this day get any better?!"

*as sacrastic as possible* and then it pours rain and vinnies like,

"Maybe." In a very oblivious voice.

IDK GUYS THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING LIKE THAT IN THE TRAILER OKAY YOU GET ME???? SOME DUMB DAD HUMOR LIKE IRONICALLY FUNNY OJAY OKAY????

[tiramegtoons]

Okay so last night i finished watching the entirety of Okage Shadow King and-

.... I dont even know where to start. this is unlike any game ive watched or played before. It felt so weird yet so enticing and half of the time i couldn't tell if my brain was rotting or there was just some real deep lore or hidden meaning in here Maybe both??? and it left a strange, creepy, yet longing and nostalgic feeling in the back of my head too.

Let me explain.

spoilers ahead!!!

okay so First of all, the visual style of the game looks awesome I loved the characters and the dynamics going on between the NPC's and especially the main characters. I loved enjoying the witty banter and arguing between Stan and Rosalyn the most. But also, why is Stan insulting and body shaming her so much SHE AINT EVEN FAT??? i LOOK AT HER MODEL AND IM LIKE BRUH

for some odd reason i still found it funny though. Some of the humor might've even been exaggerated to a degree as well(not sure if that was intentional). Even if the writing and dialogue was a bit lost in translation, maybe perhaps, it was still pretty good as a whole and it caught me by surprise.

As for the world and NPC's... something definitely felt off at the beginning and i guess thats what gave me the initial unsettling feeling. Everyone just seemed so bent on doing their own part like dude i couldn't even explain to you Our main protagonist, Ari, is just a wet pathetic little boy who lets everyone step on him/lh Damn, even his own family doesn't seem to care much for him as an individual person and doesn't consider that he has his own ambitions and it rubbed me in a weird way. and yet for some reason i was still hooked. and then came STANLEY HIHAT TRINIDAD THE FOURTEENTH(the 3d challenged flappy shadow)to sweep our poor little boy off his feet and make him his "slave"(adoptive son/j) so he can conquer the world bfhdgsdvhgdfbgdhjg which btw how could anyone take any "evil king" that seriously with a name like that? I LOVE IT. i really enjoyed him getting his ghostly ass handed to him by the NPC's it was hilarious. He was-without a shadow of a doubt(hehehehehe)- the best character. Also it's so funny how he claims to be an evil king but intentionally and unintentionally does good things? I love that trope with villians. Anywho getting off track a little, Another thing that struck out to me was the soundtrack. It's pretty unique, but at times can get pretty repetitive. The ones i enjoy a lot are -Forest of willkur(just really encompasses the feel of the entire game) -Evil King Battle and my favorite- -Addashi Desert(got me in a shimmy FR)

YEAAAAAAAAAA

anywho going back to repetitive things... Eeeeeee... the fighting mechanics are sure something(GOD WHY ARENT THE COMMANDS BEING CARRIED OUT ON TIME WH- IS THE GAME POSSESSED??? DID STAN POSSESS THE GAME???) Also why are there ghosts in broad daylight?? WHY ARE THERE SO MANY GHOSTSSSS) i get it, you do need to grind for items and XP in this game but it looks pretty tedious, especially deep grave pit... oh lordy dude there are literally eight floors in the cave its not a cave its the 7 circles of hell(plus front desk)/j I don't wanna dunk on this game but the fighting could use improvements. Back to the story... i like the melancholy turn it takes when princess Marlene was revealed to be a doll which made total sense when Stan found she had no soul, the reveal of Beiloune's true identity, and when Ari becomes totally ignored and forgotten by just about everyone and from that point going forward the game took a more serious turn... also why does Triste(which means sad in spanish and i see what they did there-)

... why does that remind me of the wasteland from Epic Mickey where other people who've been forgotten reside there... also the dark, odd vibe of both games kinda match too. Another thing, I'm not sure if anyone else had the same thoughts but did anyone else expect a twist where Ari would become the evil king??? i mean, if this was a supposed journey of our main character who is always reminded about how much of a pushover he is would've lead me to think that the buildup would lead to something like Beiloune making him all powerful and force him to fight against his friends. But the last chapter also surprised me with its own twist and im digging that too. but yeah just about everything was coming back together about why the world was and felt as it is. its always the butler isnt it? Also Stan's final form:

I CANT-

im sorry i can't take this seriously when he's just letting them hang out like that(his moobs)

... anywho that happened. As for any hidden meanings and morals I'll have to talk about that later cause my smooth brain still cannot grasp. And its just

SO MUCH

[thequeenofthedisneyverse]

Encanto au discussion

Ok, I've started to realize that people are forgetting/ don’t really know what AU’s are. I’m speaking to the Encanto fandom specifically. So, yes, I know AU’s where Alma, the blue couple, yellow couple, and/or Isabela are evil/mean to Mirabel are not liked. 

Mamabel au’s aren’t liked because these types of au’s usually bash Felix and Pepa for being bad parents (which they aren’t). Au’s where Alma is just an evil person or Isabela is a b*tch to Mirabel aren’t liked because everyone knows Alma and Isabela as characters are complex people who had issues of their own. 

But I think people fail to understand that these fics/ideas have AU attached to them. ALTERNATE UNIVERSE. The characters are literally changed to fit a new story to the writer's liking. I’m sure every Encanto writer understands that the madrigals (the gifted ones specifically) are complex people. 

Alma lost her husband to a brutal death and the miracle came about right after. It’s obvious she thought the magic had to be earned in order for it to stay. She just took the idea too far and pressured her children a little too much. 

Everybody understands that Pepa and Felix would NEVER leave a newborn baby to a ten year old. The very idea would seem absurd to them. Mirabel obviously is like an older sister than a mother to Antonio. Julieta and Agustin would never neglect their daughters nor would Pepa and Felix neglect their children. 

Isabela NEVER bullied/abused Mirabel in any sense of those words. It’s just their relationship dwindled over the years. But you can obviously see they had a loving sister dynamic, even if they didn’t like each other at the moment. 

But these characters…are characters. They aren’t real.  They are 3D MODEL RIGS given a personality to fit a role in a movie! If someone wants to change them to write a new story they certainly have the right to.

But I am NOT talking to proshippers, all of you can f*ck off, die, and live in the fiery pits of hell for an eternity. 

So please, don’t get butt hurt when your favorite character is changed in an au/fanfiction. It’s just writing, it’s not gonna hurt you whatsoever, just scroll on. And certainly, don’t leave comments on the fics saying that (insert Madrigal here) isn’t like that, or “they would never do that”, etc. 

We KNOW Mirabel isn’t a teenage mother, we KNOW Alma/Isabela isn’t a monster, we KNOW the blue and yellow couple are good parents. But you do understand that terrible family members do exist in real life…correct?

There are real life stories where teenagers were forced to raise their siblings. Multiple stories where parents/grandparents are really f*cked up people. Multiple stories where siblings weren’t the best people. 

Don’t you think people who had f*cked up family members read these fics and feel a little represented when they read that kind of au? 

Exhibit A: 

(This comment was on my pequeno soldado fic)

So, just because an au doesn't speak to YOU personally doesn't mean it doesn't speak to others. Don't hate on it either, just scroll on.

Thanks for reading ted talk/rant!

[leavemetoexist]

I finished all 4 Studio Investigraves games and I have opinions. (Spoilers to all the games by the way but you already know that)

I played them all backwards from the most recent to least recent by complete accident hence why I shall be reviewing them from least recent to most recent. I'll be judging them based off gameplay, characters and story. Of course don't take this too seriously it's my general opinion and I wouldn't mind hearing other people's personal tier list about which game was their favourite. My interpretation of the characters can of course vary from others opinions as well so keep that in mind.

4. Eloquent Countenance

Gameplay: the gameplay in this one wasn't actually bad, I quite liked doing the different tasks however with that being said, I also got lost multiple times about what I was supposed to do (I think i'm to blame for this once honestly because it was spelled out for me). Overall I still liked it but again I had issues. I did however adore the mix of 3d modelling and 2d models.

Story: The story isn't bad, if anything it leaves room for so many things. The explanation to the end did confuse me though because I couldn't tell if Forcas was talking to the woman trapped in the body or if he was talking to the angel that had taken over the body. And also why did us the angel decide that we did want to give the body back to her? Again a lot of questions that I think can be expanded on if they ever to second game. (I think this is mostly me wanting a second game so badly lol)

Characters: Our character Lisa is alright, I have no grievances with her, she's funny and sarcastic as hell and honestly my favourite. Forcas on the other hand... I like his shenanigans, but there is only so much fourth wall breaking one can take before it isn't very special, I guess? The way he speaks is like how I would write an overpowered annoying know-it-all character when I was 13. So yea not my favourite. I do love their characters designs though, absolutely gorgeous in my opinion.

3. Cold Front

Gameplay: I had no problem with the gameplay, except maybe when I was running from the monster, that was the only hard part. This was a shorter game so there wasn't too much gameplay and coming down to the end I was honestly a little annoyed that we'd basically ceased gameplay and had started basically just started reading out the rest of the story. I wish there was a boss fight to the end, a little something something to really close it off would've been nice.

Story: It was heartwarming (ironic). I can not express it enough that I really love how well done the story is, both endings really got me. One was a happy ending technically with only Augustine living and it was so dark that he was happy to finally feel seen again once Winnie was dead. Winnie had no idea that he was breaking a lot of Augustine's boundaries but at the same time, these two just needed some communication and they were fine in the end which was perfectly okay with me. They both reflected and became better people together.

Characters: No notes, they were good. I loved the fucked up anxiety version of Augustine and Winnie, it really shows how anxiety is and how overthinking and keeping everything in can really harm a friendship.

2. Dead Plate

Gameplay: There is so much that needs to be talked about with the gameplay. First of all, our character Rody, does not have a side and back angle so that you can tell which way you're facing, which messed me up a lot when I tried to serve tables. When I first booted up the game it took me way too long to figure out the what to do in the tutorial (This one might be on me tbh so I won't be too mean to the game about it). The various customers did not make any facial expressions as to help indicate to the players their level of annoyance going from good-> annoyed-> angry-> leaving. I really wished they had that, even if it weren't a face at least some sounds would've been nice.

Story: I adored the story, it's fucked up, it's nice and it's overall really good. Genuinely no notes, it's cut and dry, nothing overally complicated and I loved it.

Characters: I loved the characters. Rody is so deeply in love with his girlfriend (Marieanna) and loses his sense of self. He literally does not know who he is without her and instead of listening to her and improving himself and becoming his own person, he makes himself think that if he just had enough money, that she would take him back. Vince on the other hand, woah that motherfucker is a little mad in the head isn't he? I was expecting your usual obsessive yandere esc character but no. He becomes not really obsessed but more like testing a theory. He has never tasted food and wants so desperately to make food where you can taste the love in it so when he found out about Rody whiles dating Marieanne, well he just had to put this theory to the taste test right? I also live for the theory of him wanting to express his love to Rody by feeding him the thing that he loved most (I think this theory is actually pretty solid tbh and I'm not sure if it's a theory or confirmed within the game. I played this so long ago that I've kind of forgotten).

1. Elevator Hitch

Gameplay: This one might be obvious to most people who follow me but Elevator Hitch is literally my absolute favourite. The gameplay itself was quite fun, I enjoyed the puzzles and tasks that had to be done and the uniqueness of each floor. I had one problem where I didn't realise you could look around the elevator, I wished there were some arrows to indicate you could do that but overall the gameplay was solid.

Story: The story is simple, simple in a fun complicated way. It certainly didn't answer why the building is the way it is but that was alright with me. I enjoyed especially the small glimpses at protag's life before he got stuck in the elevator. I loved the ending, the fact that he had no real choice but to go back was *chef's kiss* Sad ending for Protag but that's okay, solid story.

Characters: One of my favourite head cannons about this game is that coworker is actually pretending to be stupid about the situation that we the player are experiencing and I can be more than be convinced about that. Our main character definitely has shit going on, as saw in the end he needed that job and well the fourth floor with his parents. I loved the dialogue options and the dynamic going on between the two of them. They're both silly and share one brain cell and I adore them for that.

[amaiguri]

When you're a Writer and a Vtuber...

If you like storytelling, Vtubing, or both, this one's for you 🥰

You'd think there'd be more overlap of "People who want to be fantasy characters and hide their face" and "Writers" but there really aren't. I know like me and @moonfeatherblue and that's it for the writing/worldbuilding and Vtuber overlap lololol. I think there should be more of us!

So, let me convince you to become a storytelling/worldbuilding/writing Vtuber like me...

In addition to just loving all the cool things you can do with Live2D as a software (if like art and you don't just stare at rigging showcases on YouTube, you should. It's so cool!), I also love storytelling in a social media space. Like, how do you tell a story over time? How much information should you reveal and when? What colors, images, and sounds evoke the feelings you want? And what feelings will keep people coming back for more? Basically, Vtubers have made me fall in love with marketing because the best marketing is just storytelling with some sort of call-to-action at the end.

Am I GOOD at marketing? No, lol, but maybe YOU would be! KEEP READING to find out XD

On the flipside, so so many Vtubers are like "I'm the embodiment of sin and also a gamer and a singer" or "I'm a cottagecore whale who is also the collector of lost souls and I play video games" and it's like... clearly Vtuber audiences LIKE the fantasy aspects of this. Why is the Vtuber default just gaming? Why is there not waaaaay more whimsy and storytelling? (This isn't to say Gaming Bad TM. I'm literally a game dev. I NEED streamers to play my games. I love them.) There's just so much opportunity for cool storytelling with Vtubers!

If you wanna get into being a fictional character/having a kayfabe-like wrestling persona for your writing, you should 100% get into Vtubing. You don't even need to stream to be a Vtuber -- and honestly I'm not even sure you need to post videos necessarily lol -- GIFs and pictures could probably get you pretty far on the right platforms. You could start out using a PNG --there are so many good, free PNGtuber softwares and you could use Picrew images (with the right permissions!) for your PNGtuber to start. Or if you can draw, you can just DO THAT.

Or if you have like $50 USD, Raindrop Atelier has a FULLY rigged Vtuber "Picrew" with chibi models that are so high quality and cute! Or if you have like $300 USD, you could get one of the Picrew-like Vtubers from Charat Genesis. (Yes, that's a lot BUT most Vtuber models — 2D and 3D alike — run you from $2000 to $8000 sooooo $300 is a steal in comparison.)

And then, over time, you could post and reveal facts about yourself and tidbits of your lore! And you could give writing advice or talking about your worldbuilding in-character! I've had this idea to make a fantasy creature mockumentary for actually years now and I'm just trying to find a good scope for it...

On the downside, as with all "storytelling in real time", it can a little discouraging at the start when you don't have a big audience. And this specific niche is especially underdeveloped so it's definitely hard to find a foothold. BUT I find that, because it's all play -- it's all FANTASY -- I have a lot more energy for this kind of marketing than I would if I were promoting myself as "just a writer, trying to sell my writing." Getting people to like me is exhausting. Getting people to like my writing is part of the writing process!

Cuz like, aside from just "inhabiting a fictional character" and "reducing your face presence online while still giving your personal brand a face", being a Vtuber is also a fun way to tie into your work.

Like, my Vtuber model is Arlasaire and she's the protagonist of my (probably) upcoming RPG, Untitled Yssaia Game, (Not the final name, real name pending lol). She talks about cooking and music and geography over on my YouTube channel and it's all infused with cool fantasy music and sound effects. She speaks in and teaches you about conlangs in the world. And she goes on fantasy dates or fantasy vacations! So now, I'm getting people attached to this character and her world BEFORE I even get into her actual story. And all her merchandising and stuff is really just game merchandising and so on and so forth... and that's just good branding! Hopefully some day, this translates into more people playing the game and seeing more of my work!

But obviously, I'm very new to marketing or else this blog post would convince more writers to become Vtubers and more Vtubers to write lol.

Anyway, here's some Arlasaire art (art: LexiKoumori on IG, rig: Kanijam) AS WELL AS some of her earlier model sketches before I asked for her hair to be silkier and less feathery! And lastly, a short unedited video of me being cringe so you KNOW you could do better :DDDD

[aldi-spice]

Also I’m not criticising Stardew Valley at all - I love that game so much I bought it for PC, Switch and iPad lmao. Compared to FoM the characters are a little more flat but that’s all, otherwise Stardew is a fucking amazing Game.

I’ve played Harvest Moon DS the most followed by Animal Parade for the Wii and Tale of two towns for the 3DS and several others I don’t remember the names of right now 💀 but all in all my criticism goes towards the HM/SoS games post 2016ish I’d say and especially after 2020.

I just remember that huge feeling of disappointment when I started story of seasons a wonderful life and expected a nostalgic feeling and instead got hit with utter shock at how flat (and kinda ugly :| ) all the characters got. I adored Celia in DS, in sos wonderful life she just scared the shit out of me with the horrible design and deadness in her eyes.

And probably unpopular opinion but I don’t like the whole 3D Animating thing going on in the new games, the camera floating around 360 style and all. I loved my little 2D Pixel characters and still do. Celia my beloved…

It’s the same with cartoons, the 3D clayification of Heidi, Biene Maja and more. :(

If well done I ofc love 3D games like Bg3, the forest etc. haha

Also I scrolled a bit down your blog and am wondering if you’re German? Bc if yes, I could’ve done all those essays in german instead 😭

Lmao how did u know I speak German?! Jk, but I agree totally with what you said about friends of mineral town, I never played the og so I was really excited to play the remake and I couldn't even get past the first season of the first year, I got bored so quickly, I think it's because the map feels so claustrophobic again. Like, I'm not asking every farming game to be open world, but SDV did a fantastic job at having a town, a forest and a mining area and not make it feel like I'm stuck in some kind of cultist town where outsiders are not allowed and you can't leave.

I'm not totally against the 3D models, I really just adored trio of towns, the characters are 3D but you still get a cute 2D sprite of them, I found that was a perfect solution for HM games. I think I'm just really nostalgic about classic Disney animation, since I don't like the new modern 3D animation style either. I get it cheaper but it also lost its charme like that, such a shame. (But yes, we can agree on Biene Maja and Heide, keep KiKa shows 2D for the love of god!)

I'm kinda worried if they ever decide to remake Animal Parade (my beloved), that they'll fuck it up like they did with wonderful life, I'd rather they just don't touch it and the game can live on as a pleasant memory from the past.

SDV is obviously an amazing game overall, I'm not hating on it either, it was one of the best modern farming games I've played, it's literally become the standard for farming games (for better or for worse).

But since I don't think we'll ever get that magical, whimsical feeling from HM/SOS ever again, I think FoM might just become a classic in that genre. Of course the game is in ea but I have hopes and dreams 🫶

[aleniksimmer]

Miraculous the movie

Final thoughts:

-if you watch it alone without any prior knowledge of Miraculous it feels extremely random, the characters are flat, the powers blurry, their objectives kinda lost in the songs, which are there but don't really clear the situation or move the plot forward

-if you watch it knowing the show it does make even less sense, the powers are completely fucked up, sometimes the suits protect them, sometimes not, the characters feel a very faded copy of what they're supposed to be and most of the times the plot doesn't plot, things just happen cause it's fanservice and "a laugh for the kids", it really feels like a fanfiction in which the author was focused in a couple of scenes and then tried to connect them together even if they don't work. Conflicts starts and are closed at random, there's zero build up, as I said before it all feels like it happens because the "author" wanted it to happen but not because the story makes sense developing in that way through the characters (as it should be with a well written story)

In the end, I enjoyed some visuals, I enjoyed some 3d models, but in general it's not something I would want to watch again, it feels uneventful and it does feel like you just have to be a casual/passive spectator. There's no foreshadowing, no messages between the lines. They tried to make the line "save a life, save the world" meaningful but it really gave nothing.

Last very personal opinion, as a hardcore fan of Frozen movies and shorts, it feels like the animations/camera angles/songs were heavily inspired by that and classic Disney in general instead of focusing on the canon material. I get they wanted to retell the story in a shorter format but it didn't quite deliver the intended result for the mentioned reasons.

Spoilers

So I finally decided to watch the movie cause I need something lighthearted rn, and a few seconds in I'm hating how they are presenting the miraculouses "they were only given to heroes but the butterfly is the most evil one cause evil butterfly ohhhhh" like the fuck did you just smoke Fu? Seems like Zag didn't really watched the show and had this vague idea that the butterfly miraculous is EvIL. It would be a long watch. I will edit this post each time I have to say something.

-

I'm a DIE HARD fan of musicals, like half of my songs on Spotify are from musicals, I have playlists of Disney songs. But this?? Seems Zag watched more Anna from Frozen than the actual show. I know Mari was very insecure in the beginning, but this is all over the place, and the dialogues, they are so detached (and I don't want to shit on the animation, but for fuck sake she wants to be a fashion designer, her whole room is pink, her sketches are colorful but the best she can imagine is a gray smoking and a white dress?? Not even a hint of color?? And she stops in front of a white dress?? For frick sake she's Marinette not "I love a sterile environment with bland people" Gabriel Agreste). And I'm 5 minute in. God save me

-

At least I can relate to the flute scene. What a vile instrument c_c

-

Ahh I don't know how to feel about them using that tune and those scenes that resemble so much the parts of the show that make you heart skip a bit in a context that feels so less deep. I think I'm missing the build up to the crucial point.

-

The long hair?? Gabe with the long hair?? I'm crying 😂😂

-

Oh come ooooonnnn. They give Nooroo a fuking bad reputation like this. And it doesn't make any sense design wise. If the butterfly is the worst of the worst why does it have a random place in the circle of secondary miraculouses. I hate it.

-

And now the jewels fly. Okay. OK. I need to forget about the show.

-

Ok. Now I'm 100% certain that Fu is high on something.

-

No Tikki, the butterfly is lost due to Fu and you perfectly know what it is capable of? Otherwise you wouldn't call it the eViLlllll.

-

So, what did we learn today. The gargoyle is there to do nothing, no objective, no plan, no correlation between the emotion and the akumatized result. Gabe should want their miraculouses but apparently the akuma is just trying to play with them through the city? Why sneaking behind? Why attacking CN at random and then going around? Why staying in Notre Dame and just make noise in the beginning? Second, the yoyo is doing all the work, God forbid Mari learns how to use it. Just make the yoyo do the job and LB is just there like a sack of potatoes. Everything is so random.

-

Who needs heroes when you can crush the akumatized person with a train, right?? Also that poor akuma got fried to death just to make the batman symbol.

-

He keeps making fun of her, treat her like an inferior but he's in love?? I'm face palming hard right now. Also, a fucking God of destruction apparently has a digestive system he can't control. Nice. Really really nice. So funny. Ha ha. 😑

-

He really went for that disney villain vibe..

-

I NEED a figurine of them on the moon.

-

I am weak for Ladynoir, ok? Ok. Don't care much about the song but how they interact now it's adorable. They're dancing. My poor heart. 😭

-

Really, hawkmoth decided to become batman.

-

And now he's a Jedi, ladies and gentlemen!

-

Oh, the flying superman shot was really missing now.

-

Physically and canonically everything doesn't make any sense but okay. God feels like a fanfiction.

-

Show Gabe would have laughed maniacally and grabbed that ring without any second thought. Oh well.. This is anticlimactic.

-

So.. Are we finally going to see a lucky charm at the end of the movie ooooor... Nope, just some dust and Elsa building skills.

-

NOT EVEN THE KISS??? YOU DIDN'T EVEN GIVE US THE KISS??? YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE A SEQUEL OF THIS?? Like what, Mayura and the other 3 heroes? Oh for God sake. I would prefer this investment in the quality of the show animation than in this.

[vinxwatches]

watching disenchantment season 3

big spoilers. i recommend it a lot. it can be harrowing, but the ending is so worth it. if you might watch it i recommend you do. otherwise, lets delve in.

the intro promises the love pendant to be broken and the screwed crown to be bloodied. those are very bad signs even with the better ones. a book that on a page is a stairway down? holy shit stealing that for my DND campaign. was that a visual gag, or what that more future plot points? and Bean has the endless conflict between the life she wants and the people she cares about. too good of a person to have a simple easy life.

on the one side Mora is being more rude then usual. on the other her girlfriend did just say no to running of with her over friends she doesn't know. damn, with a girlfriend like that Bean with have powerful AF muscles in no time, truly hope that's the way they're taking this. beating her mom with the strength literally gained from her girlfriend would be just so beautifully cheesy. satan is going to become a goodguy just to get rid of his wife isn't he. damn, that 3d was pretty good. i mean if you know what to look for you notice that it's not the 2d models, but you need to know to look for it. there are definitely some potholes in this one. like the conflict between Bean and Nora if you think too much about certain events does not line up, but when you just take it like a normal person it really works. don't know if i like the people constantly splitting up, but it does allow for more things to happens. it's simply hard to have too many people act at the same time and certain people make others largely useless. Elfo doesn't have a lot do to when Bean is around. he fits in small things and can be easily motivated, but that's it, any other activity Bean is simply better at. he works as friend of Bean of course, but she's less reliant on others to take action now. split apart there are just more conflicts that can be interesting.

yea, ok, this conversation is painful. i mean i get that that's the joke, but it's painful because it seems like a stupid way i could come across if i stopped worrying about how things i say come across, something i in general worry too much about making friendships incredibly hard. "it's like they took a nunnery and made it awesome", ah, a lesbian bar. oh, how odd that they did the same thing twise. first with lucy and now with bad beans body. of all parts of the body that you should not be hanging from THE HEAD IS NUMBER ONE! but the overall plan makes sense, i wonder if it'll come to fruition in a more willing manor. also pretty avatar legends of Korra. oh those are working together, that's not good. that means Bean is really running out of allies. fucking hell, i'm trying to watch this while doing something else. i end up just watching it. and then it comes with these strong cliffhangers meaning that stopping to watch is also really hard.

oh... he's just dead... fuck... that... sets stakes. i mean Elfo and Luci will probably be fine, but this may be the death of Miri. well, that's one problem... delayed some more, and another... solved, and replaced for getting lost.

ok, so yes, Elfo's death set a lot of bad things into motion, undoing it also removed Mora and the great relationship Bean has with Zog, if you could ask Bean it would be a hard question. OH, that's a fun plot twist. Miri isn't human? oh. that... well it explains nothing, but it's neat.

oh, she's finally allowed to start seriously winning. it really feels like an earned powerup. in part because it has been set up well, in other because FUCKING HELL LET HER BE HAPPY DAMNIT. oh. i thought they were allowed to get away to, idk, be a minibos later. nope, instead killed to set up some evilness.

oh. making her sound mad. yea, not a joke i think works in universe. like there's one fuck setting with a non mechanical function metal prosthetic. yes i know my immersion is broken by the strangest things but it's bugging me. damn, setting up something heavy, destroy yourself the saves the ones you love? i mean media in general says "do it and for your good deed you'll survive", but i'm afraid they won't do that here. it's either better, or much, much worse. maybe a reset and you get to rebuild your life, but i'm not fan of those endings either. don't undo everything we've grown to care about, even if it can be rebuild. one is planning to kill, the other is planning to delete.

everyone's coming together for (hopefully) the final finally. oh, the tune return. i wonder if there's a meaning to it or if it's just creepy for creepy sake. fuck this battle has some epic moments. i mean there's only so much you can do with the animation style, but fuck they truly do everything possible with it. NO, you can't do that. healing magic? not real? i was fearing that, the scene seemed awfully similar before. DON'T YOU FUCKING DARE END IT LIKE THAT!

yea, no, obviously there's no care left. for episodes it was set up she cared most for Mora. the show has struggled at times to set things up, Beans magic, was probably the only thing set up more. the only motivation could be the same as Dracula in the castlevania show: a long suicide. a rocket, to the moon? why though? well fuck, now everyone is dying. i'm hoping not permanently, but i don't trust it isn't. :O he killed god "love conquers everything, and anger helps"

goodbye Bean is not a promising title, especially after the last episodes cliffhanger. AND NO i will not be ok with Bean and Mora being together in heaven. oh, magic came from the tears of joy of angers mixed with steam from hell. what will tears of sadness do? i just realized what i want: i want dangmar to have a third act breakdown finally. i love Luci's arc. it has totally nothing to do with that i wrote his speech multiple times already in less elegant words. "i've always hated weddings, especially my own" the show has such good lines. not the gay wedding i was expecting, but still one i'm very happy about. i love an overly happy ending. finally a happy ending, it was such a long wait, but it was worth it. YES, finally the third act breakdown.

wait... but the world is flat. so how it it on the other side of the moon? also what a random reveal. it adds nothing, it takes nothing away. it's "what a twist!"

incredibly unbelievable happy ending. I LOVE IT!!! literally every plot point is is resolved, even the ones even i forgot about.

seriously the show had a lot of frustration to it, victories often fell flat, setbacks and defeats were often and big, and as someone who likes happy endings it was often dreadful. honestly i don't know why i kept watching. i guess just something made clear they had plans. sure, details about people plans seemed often not fully planned out in advance, but the arcs of characters? those were old, and they revealed they were working up to the happy ending i was after for so long. Really good series, highly recommend, fuck me if it can't be harrowing, which is why i'm writing it at 2 am because i needed to get to the end.

and i finally got the best way to describe it: the show is cynical, but not pessimistic.

[fluffbeast7]

watch me mess around the 3d designs because i want to

what is the mimic's origin? i dont know much about him, but i'm curious about this

he has two completely different set of legs

his hands are also different

he also has a chunk of foam in his cheek, and the daycare attendant's set of teeth ( i have no idea who the mimic is so i cant say much, but i guess he kind of- builds himself?)

extras because i was looking into the other models:

this makes me think roxy painted her nails/claws at some point, but i know this probably isn't true lol

hands are used often, and in ruin, since all the animatronics are acting crazy and the place is a mess, i can see why they would break their hands often without regularly checking on them- (like how i feel that the daycare attendant lost their feet by tripping on something.)

but for roxy- welp, you can see a bunch of claw marks in the game and also, she punches a lot of stuff (she punched her own mirror, seen as it has hand mark on it), i think roxy broke her hand like this (and she punched HARD, but i dont see the point, i was going to say she did this to not see herself, but, she blind, so..????)

OH AND ALSO, Roxy used her left hand to reach out to cassie, since her right hand is broken down...

MXES has separate teeth! and rabbit teeth! you just cant see it very well

skin textures, pretty

i dont know what this is supposed to be!

ah... hello monty! you lil traitor <3

idc what everyone else thinks, the pizzaplex story of how monty came to be can be fake, but i don't think mony used to be a 100% JERK, everything indicates that he killed bonnie but in my opinion

he was set up, OR

he did kill bonnie, but not without reason, something has to have happened, monty killing bonnie out of jealousy does not make sense to me, how was he even created? was he a thing that existed before bonnie? was he a glamrock? huh? whatz going on????????

There isnt much to cover about him, i'm just surprised he's alive! alive, but not rational. boy cant even speak!

whats this?

gift!

D:

[rays-of-fire-and-ice]

BLEACH: The Thousand Year Blood War Ep 12 and 13 Reactions and Thoughts

Overall reaction:

HYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYPE! I know I keep screaming it, but honestly, how could you not feel hyped by the end?! They gave us so much in these last two episodes to get emotional over, whether it was Isshin and Masaki's love story or Ichigo getting his bread-cutting knife two swords. Also, didn't hurt to see my boy again, I honestly thought they were going to save that for the next cour.

Highlights:

The Masaki-Isshin love story: Kubo has said before he doesn't write romance...but this adaption elevates what he wrote, and it's basically the equivalent of the first 10 minutes of UP. How can you not feel anything while watching this sequence?! I absolutely LOVE that scene when Isshin describes her as the sun and he walks up the hill to her, just beautiful stuff! ;w; I'd go as far as to say this is the most beautiful scene in the adaption so far!

Ryuken: seeing all of Ryuken's scenes reminded me of what he lost. He lost Masaki, his wife, and now seemingly Uryu. I feel for the guy, even if he did do some pretty dubious things.

The Shinigami training: we got a nice adaption of the Toshiro going back to basics scene, where we finally got hear him say his monologue about losing his bankai; Romi killed it here but I expected nothing less form her. Also, it's a small thing, but I loved that they showed Toshiro actually training with his officers; in the manga he's surrounded by no one (and don't get me wrong, I still love how it's presented in the manga) and here it shows he's with them, training to becoming stronger alongside them. My only nit-pick would have to be the part where he asks the instructor to let him be part of the class, you can definitely notice the 3D Shinigami models in the background. They managed to blend most of the 3D seamlessly into the 2D, but here it was pretty obvious. However, the main focus of this bit was Toshiro and the instructor, so it's honestly not a big deal. I love how they animated Sui Feng here, they really showed her endurance and she just looked like a badass. Omeda's scene with his sister was cute but also, as a manga fa, really sad foreshadowing. Hisagi, Kensei, and Mashiro and Sajin's scenes went as per the manga, but as a reader, it's sad to think where this will end up for Sajin.

Ichigo choose his asauchi: was I the only what that got chills watching this? Just something about the asauchi bowing to Ichigo and accepting his hand, it was epic in it's own way. Of course, animation and the music helps to make the scene too! Maybe it's the whole thing about Zangetsu saying 'one of has to be king' in the past.

Ichigo gets his true zanpakuto: the exchange between Ichigo and 'zangetsu' always made me tear up, and here it's no exception. It's interesting they went with the new colour scheme for Ichigo's inner world (it might explain why the pink-grey-white-black branding colours came from?), but maybe it's just for this scene. If they chose to keep it, I wouldn't complain. The sequence underwater was just beautiful, I love the muted colour scheme, the bits of glass and debris floating all around them, and the bit where 'Zangetsu' vanishes was bittersweet. But then 'Number One' started playing, and my hype levels went through the roof as I realised where this was going. They honestly couldn't have adapted Ichigo pulling his swords from the flames any better, it was utterly brilliant!

The ending: Uryu's betrayal is the final note we go out on, and it was a good choice for an ending. Anime-onlys get left on a cliff hanger, people who've read the manga know this is going but are hyped to see it!

We've actually got quite a bit of cut content from this one too, particular for episode 12:

First and foremost is the scene where Rangiku discovers Isshin has gone was cut, and I for one was sad to see it gone. Yes it's just a small, comedic scene that doesn't add to the plot, but in the gradn scheme of the characters it adds a lot, especially considering that 1) as far as Rangiku and Toshiro are concerned, this is their captain's final words before he's reported as missing, 2) when you think back on other scenes in the manga, you start to think Isshin's sudden disappearance with leaving only a letter behind may have influence some of the character's actions (eg. Rangiku hadning Momo Aizen's 'final words' and saying she believed Momo should be the one to read and cherish them, Rangiku thinking on mementos after Gin's death). Also, who doesn't want to see more of past Toshiro and Rangiku?!

The fanservice-y exchange between Masaki and Isshin, where he chastises her for getting excited without wearing clothes. I'm personally glad this was cut, I was never a fan of it.

If I'm not mistaken, Isshin mentioning Ryuken was the one who decided Masaki would leave the Ishida estate after graduating was cut.

In a similar vein, Isshin not mentioning some info, like how Uryu's mother fell into a coma the same day Masaki died, and he doesn't outright state he deliberately didn't go to fight Grand Fsicher the day Masaki died because he thought she could protect herself and Ichigo.

And now it's over until July. All I have to say is: what an awesome and fantastic adaption!! I may do an overall reaction to this first part, giving my top ten scenes and just general musing, if it's something everyone would be interested in. I'll probably do these reactions again for cour 2 when July comes.

Until then, thank you so much to everyone who read these and left a like, or comment (whether it was in reblogs, tags, or comments)!!

The 'is is October yet?!' tag has officially been retired, and it's replace it now 'is it July yet?!'

[revclver-jesus]

{{ ok. having watched what i think is all the new takaya scenes from near the beginning to the end... Here are my final thoughts!

It was worth the wait !! dfhkgskhgd

Takaya's great, the decision to have him develop a fixation on the main character is Iconic, he feels like a deeply weird and intense and erratic feral stray cat that has lived on the streets too long and gone completely haywire, and he's just the right balance of tragic and a little pitiful and menacing and heartless enough to not pity him TOO much. Like, you can choose to feel sympathy for the guy or just see him as a fun over the top antagonist, and that's an impressive line to walk tbh.

Jin is great, he's so much more emotional now, and to go with it they gave him such a sympathetic and almost melancholic end. The tone felt a lot more sad for him this time around, but his devotion to takaya comes across as really sweet as much as it is fanatical. And YES btw-- they did have Takaya do what he did in the movie and says Jin's name as he dies. So don't worry, all his third wheel simping did pay off and Takajin is still online skhgdfdskh

BUT........ I do have one major complaint. Though, tbf i kinda didn't really expect this to change, I just really hoped so. Chidori Chidori Chidori, she.... still doesn't interact with them! At all lmao! I know she spends 70% of the game bedridden, but she also doesn't utter a single word during the scenes where she's with them. It would have been so easy to have her make a single line of banter between the two to indicate some kind of dynamic or history. And when she's outright asked what she felt about the other two she blows the question off in just the right way where its impossible to read how she felt. I get Takaya not being close with her, he doesn't want to be openly close to anyone, but it is just very strange to me to have Jin say twice how much he cares about Chidori as "one of them" and being eager to get her back only for neither of them to say a word to each other. Such a shame, though maybe we'll get to see it in supplementary material/DLC who knows.

It also would have been great to see all three fight together, since they went through the trouble of adding that "takaya team up" battle, but I think the way they fight separately is symbolic so i'll let it pass lmao.

Also-- though this is def more of a long shot and less of a criticism, but in the manga the depiction of them as children really went a long way in showing them as lost and unlucky souls, ( like showing takaya go from sitting alone at the steps of tartarus to being a little boy still sitting alone in the dark ) so I was kinda hoping they'd depict them as children at some point! But that's ok honestly, they'd have to make more 3d models and all that lol

But no, yeah, overall? Really glad to see them again, and this felt like a major improvement in general! Lots more heart and nuance and more intimidation and power to them, I love to see it!

Oh and btw? their last names are indeed still in the credits lol. }}

[noddytheornithopod]

Watching Star Wars: Visions! Individual reactions under the cut.

"Sith" by El Guiri Studios, Spain: I liked it! Not my favourite, and I did kind of feel like it was more about showing off the cool visuals, but it was still a neat little story about choosing your own path. I mentioned the visuals so I'll say, they're obviously the standout here. 3D animation but in a sort of painted style? And a lot of the backgrounds are like blank canvasses to be actually painted? Droid was cute, and the Sith looked cool. Not sure about the sabre designs, but I do like seeing a double blade with two colours. I guess to finally be free this woman had to accept the darkness would still be part of her, but it didn't need to define her? But yeah, nothing too special story wise, but cool visuals and some neat character designs. Also is it just me or did one or two shots of the main character feel kinda fanservicey? :v

“Screecher’s Reach” by Cartoon Saloon, Ireland: Well this one certainly surprised me. I don't know much about Irish folklore and I've never seen anything by Cartoon Saloon, but it's a hell of a first impression. Like at first, I just thought it was gonna be a cute little ghost story, some kids on an adventure. Of course, animation and visuals are great, that should be obvious. I thought the purple alien girl was pretty cute too. But then suddenly, things aren't what they seem. So the main girl is interested in Screecher's Reach and the others follow, but it turns out she has her own motivations. She has the typical "I want more than this" stuff from many protags, but the moment we realise the "Ghost" is actually a Sith, suddenly things get interesting. She separates herself from the others, something I didn't understand at first but it turns out this was her plan all along. She's confronted by the Sith, who seems to be modeled after a banshee, but eventually she's able to take their lightsabre and kill it. She makes it out to the relief of the others, but then we see another Sith appear. This was all a test for the girl. This Sith basically offered a way out of her current life of just work, and she took the chance, even if now she's basically forced to abandon her friends. This twist really sold it for me. Also, the Sith that comes to take her, she has a really cool design. 

"In the Stars" by Punkrobot Studio, Chile: I liked this one a lot too! This was my most anticipated short because I was curious about the real world inspirations of it being based on the genocide of the indigenous people of Tierra Del Fuego. I don't know enough to know if there's any specific references to certain things, but I appreciate Gabriel Osorio for trying to use this story to shed light on the dark side of his nation's colonial past. Animation had a cool style, it was actually CGI but if I didn't know better I would've assumed this was mostly stop motion, because they use a lot of techniques and aesthetic from that medium. Also appreciate they didn't need to be overly flashy and colourful, beauty can be found in more than just bright colours. Story was simple enough, but it's easy to get invested because these two sisters might be the last of their kind and the Empire has fucked their planet over. Also liked how the Force was incorporated for the most part, like the older sister was jaded after their mother died and lost hope and faith in everything, and the younger one while reckless still has that youthful idealism they need. The older sister realising she can still have the Force was nice, and the part where they work together and you think it's to stop the AT-ST but in reality they actually destroy the whole facility and free all the water is cool. Only real downside is... it's kind of a shame we don't have a mystical power that can make colonial resistance this easy. XP You can only do so much in 15 minutes, though. Still, I appreciate what they're trying here. And of course, they see their mother in the stars again. I do wonder if stuff about people joining the stars is something based on real beliefs of the people who lived in Tierra Del Fuego, actually. But yeah, even if it might be a bit naive and too hopeful, I still really appreciate this short. 

"I Am Your Mother" by Aardman, UK: Really liked this one. Really sweet story about a mother and daughter coming to understand each other better, but also as someone who grew up watching Aardman stuff, seeing Star Wars stuff in that style was just so cool. Like, one of the ships in the race looked like the Mantis from the Jedi games, and the ship of the snobby family looked like the Nubian ship from The Phantom Menace? And lots of fun little Easter eggs here and there. Also just some genuinely fun and amusing moments, and honestly the humour could even have a little edge. Like, we got a bra joke, and one of the main girl's pals seemed like he was about to drop an F bomb, lmao. Also, seeing Wedge in this way was pretty funny, and he looks delightfully goofy in Aardman stop motion. But yeah, had a blast with this one.

"Journey to the Dark Head" by Studio Mir, South Korea: Okay this one was pretty cool too. Seen Voltron in terms of stuff animated by Studio Mir, and I definitely saw a lot of the over the top action and epicness you'd expect from a show like that. Not too much to say, it just managed to have a lot of epic and striking moments and imagery, but they still were able to get some levity in. Liked the characters in it, too. 

"The Spy Dancer" by Studio La Cachette, France: I saw this one being hyped up, and it didn't disappoint. As mentioned in promotion, this is based on how some women would act as dancers for Nazis but secretly work for the French Resistance. Of course, animation was great and all that, but the story was surprisingly touching too. Like, the titular dancer sees the Imperial from her past that occupied her world, so it ends up seeming like it's a revenge story, but that's isn't very Star Wars, is it? Turns out the officer attending now is actually her son who was stolen from her by the Imperial she thought he was, and he even cut off his horns that species has and wears and eyepatch to hide the species' heterochromia. More Empire doing things real colonial powers do. I know the director, Julien Chheng, is Asian, not sure exactly but the surname seems Cambodia, which was a country France colonised, so I wonder if there's some backstory there. But yeah, this was really cool and surprised me quite a bit. A very different kind of war drama or thriller we don't see as much, it honestly felt kind of film noir with many aspects. I do wonder who that second girl was though, like I can't tell if she's just younger and working under the dancer or if she's actually her daughter (which would make her the Imperial's sister). But that aside, liked it a lot. 

"The Bandits of Golak" by Studio 88, India: Another I was curious about because I don't know much about the animation industry from South Asia. It didn't disappoint, I liked it a lot! They really embraced having an Indian aesthetic, with the designs and an amazing score. Also was surprisingly tense, seeing this guy and his younger sister on the run, especially knowing the sister is force sensitive. The Inquisitor was cool too, also eyy Purge Troopers! After being almost caught on a train, they make it to this other place that the brother was looking for, but before the Inquisitor can catch the sister, the old woman running the establishment reveals she's a Jedi and takes care of the Inquisitor. There's a twist too, with the sister realising she has to go to this safe house without her brother, because it will be the best way to protect her. A touching goodbye is had, even as they play bandits. Animation style was really cool, too. 

"The Pit" by D'Art Shtajio (Japan) and Lucasfilm: IDK if this is exactly my favourite, but I still liked it a lot! Made by Japan's first black owned anime studio, and directed by LeAndre Thomas, with Justin Ridge from Star Wars Rebels and Resistance co-directing. Damn. Some of it was a bit slower, but it was appropriate here, these prisoners were just digging a massive hole for kyber crystals. The montage where we see the city nearby built was cool. Also damn, who we thought was the main character actually dies. His I think sister continues tho. Also the whole "the Empire didn't build the city, we did", you can definitely do a socialist reading on some aspects here I'm here. Also, the girl turns out to be force sensitive in an ending twist. Surprised the Empire didn't fight back harder, but if their forces were really that small, I guess it wasn't worth it, especially if most of the city was out there. I guess it's cool we saw mostly nonviolent resistance, though?

"Aau's Song" by Triggerfish, South Africa: Last, but certainly not least. Not sure if this was stop motion, or it was like In the Stars and just used that aesthetic. Still a nice style though, with everyone looking like different toys. Very unique aesthetic and score. Also a nice story about Aau realising she can sing in tune with the force and uncorrupt her planet's kyber, but her father seems afraid to accept that and thinks her singing is making it worse. She eventually is able to prove otherwise though, with the help of a Jedi. A nice story, and also shows that you don't always need big epic conflicts for a compelling story.

So yeah, that's Visions Vol 2! Not sure I have a favourite yet, though my gut is kind of leaning to I am Your Mother just because of Aardman nostalgia, lol. Only short I thought was just okay was Sith, but even then there was much to enjoy there. Overall, the fact that we went global and therefore got more variety I think makes this even better than the first Volume of Visions, and even that was already something very special. I do hope in the future they continue this more global approach for the sub-brand.

[courtofmatchups]

Hello! I was wondering if I could get a matchup? I’m bi so any gender is fine. I use she/her pronouns as well. For personality I’m creative, introverted, and individualistic. Though I’m introverted, around my friends/when I’m comfortable I can be quite talkative and humorous. However, I definitely treasure my alone time the most. Im a very big homebody and can be very hermit introvert sometimes. As for bad traits, I am sometimes the worst pessimist when it comes to myself. I’ll be fine motivating others but then when it comes to me I live by the “be ready for the worst and you wont be disappointed” As for hobbies escaping to new worlds while reading books/comics, watching movies, and playing rpg video games. My favorite genres are fantasy and sci-fi, though I do love a good classic from time to time. Apart from that, I love working out. My interests on the other hand are art focused. I’m currently in art school working with mostly digital mediums, though I sometimes work with traditional. I love my practice and everything including, game, web and interaction design, video art and visual effects, 3D modeling and character design, and digital illustration. Sometimes I whip out graphite and ink. A list of random likes: coffee, chai tea, dark chocolate, rock/blues/jazz/80s pop/soundtrack music, cafe art shows, arcades, comic book stores, purple, thai/Indian/Chinese food, roller blading to classic rock, quality alone time. A random list of dislikes: people i am unfamiliar with and have to make small talk with, the biting cold, rain, non fiction, staying too close to reality and not being allowed to daydream/imagine/roam freely in my thoughts, physical touch, overly crowded areas. I think that’s it thank you!

It seems to me you've captured the heart of...

The Lone Flame:

Lance Ira

(A/N: WOW. This took forever to write. I had university assignments that are a higher priority for me 😳)

I hope you're into slow burn because this burn will be incredibly slow. It is worth it in the end, however, since he realizes how similar you are. You give off some major black cat energy, and I feel like Lance would quite appreciate that. He's also a bit introverted, so the first time you'd meet is during a class you're both basically conscripted into taking. You might laugh, but the way you'd actually get to know each other happens in the most "Wattpad" way possible: the two of you are paired up for a project kind of like what happens in his own route.

As he gets to know you, he takes more interest in what you're into. Of course, some of the more modern things you're into are a bit lost on him, but he's more than willing to hear about them. I headcanon that he also has an appreciation for art, so whatever artwork you'd make he'd absolutely adore. He may even ask you to draw him and Gruscha if you're okay with it. He'd even keep some of your pieces for himself.

If he does make it to Earth, I think he'd also like your more modern interests. Heck, I think he'd even do some of your favourite activities with you.

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(Earth AU because, why not?)

To say that the experience with your paramour on Earth was bizarre is putting it quite lightly. The ubiquitous nature of technology here is dizzying to him, much like magic was to you when you were unceremoniously thrown into Saligia. It took him a while to learn about the magicless world around him, but he managed in no time with your help.

Once he's got his footing on Earth, you took him to places you thought he'd enjoy: restaurants, parks, arcades, as well as some comic book stores. He quite enjoyed his time there, mostly because he was with you. Of course, he was still a bit lost, but he still enjoyed himself. His favourite activity was roller skating at an empty park with you.

You: All right, over there?

Lance: Yep. I must say, no matter how much I do this, I can never get enough of the thrill

You: Tell me about it. By the by, what do you think of my playlist?

Lance: I quite like it! It has all the classic rock songs you and I like, but it feels a bit different

You: That's because I made the playlist with the two of us in mind

Lance:

Lance: Hahaha! You're a precious one, you

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