#i get that some characters and groups are more popular and have more fans available to cater to

[procedurebybyte]

i like the concept of glaadia second module. does she really need that? does she really need that?

[benkyoutobentou]

Beginner Manga Recommendations for Japanese Learners

It's time, you've done your due diligence in studying. Now it's time to jump into native material. But where to start? Here are a few manga series that I've read that I think would be a reasonable place for a Japanese learner to start their immersion journey.

Disclaimer: I haven't read every series, and the manga that's interesting to me might not be interesting to you. We also all encounter different words as we go along our language learning journeys. A series that I find relatively easy might have you looking up every other word. The trick is to not get discouraged and just keep on pushing through! As with everything, it gets easier the more you practice.

消えた初恋 - アルコ＆ひねくれ渡: This BL series follows a group of four friends and their experiences with love in high school (it also has a drama adaptation that I highly recommend! Available to watch for free on Viki). This series is so silly and just a fun time. The art has great visual gags and it's definitely a series where you can sit down and not even realize that suddenly you've gone through an entire volume and why didn't you buy more of this series to start with? It has furigana on everything, but the characters do speak pretty casually, so there's some slang and less standard language. This series is completed with nine volumes.

佐々木と宮野 - 春園ショウ: This is another sweet BL about Miyano, a high school first year, who catches the eye of an upperclassman, Sasaki. After asking to borrow Miyano's book, the two bond over a shared enjoyment of BL manga. The vocabulary is pretty simple in this one as well, but it does use quite a bit of otaku slang, which can be difficult if you've never encountered it before. It has furigana on everything, though! This series is ongoing with nine volumes and also has a spin off series titled 平野と鍵浦 which is also ongoing with four volumes.

月刊少女野崎くん - 椿いづみ: The first manga I ever read in Japanese! This series follows a high schooler, Sakura, as she confesses to her crush and classmate, Nozaki. However, Nozaki thinks that Sakura is just a fan of his shoujo manga series, and recruits her to be his assistant. This series is so enjoyably silly with a wonderful cast of characters that absolutely steal the show. There's a bit of vocabulary specific to the process of making manga, but it isn't too overwhelming. There's also plenty of casual speech and some great moments that can't quite come out in translation (bonus fact: I actually wrote a paper on this series and how humor is translated in one of my university linguistics class). It also has furigana on everything. It's ongoing with fifteen volumes.

加瀬さんシリーズ - 高嶋ひろみ: This adorable little GL series follows two high school aged girls, popular and athletic Kase and the shy gardener Yamada, as their relationship develops over their high school years. The vocabulary in this one is relatively simple with the exception of some more specific words, but those tend to pop up time and time again. This one doesn't have furigana but I think it's a great introduction to readying manga without furigana! This series is completed with five volumes, but there's an ongoing sequel series called　山田と加瀬さん that currently has three volumes released.

ささやくように恋を唄う - 竹嶋えく: This is a music based GL series about a high school first year, Kino, who tells an upperclassman, Nagi, that she loves her music. Nagi, however, misunderstands this as Kino confessing her love for her. The story follows both the relationship between Kino and Nagi as well as the trials and tribulations of Nagi's band. This is another one without furigana, but the vocabulary tends to be simple enough that I think it's still pretty accessible. It's ongoing with eight current volumes.

かけた月とドーナッツ - 雨水汐: Our last GL, this follows two coworkers, Uno and Satou, and their blossoming relationship in a society that pushes conformity and marriage on women. I really loved the way this series depicted coming into one's sexuality as an adult. Another one without furigana, but simple vocabulary regardless. A possible difficulty with this one might be the office vocabulary, though. This series is completed with four volumes.

[l-crimson-l]

I'd love to get into girlpla, I'm just a bit too broke to afford any kits; however, if you'd like to talk about it as a whole, I'd be more than happy to hear.

So…let me try this again. I had a whole nice post written up and I swapped off for a moment to check something and I completely lost the post.

Mecha Musume has a pretty long history that I’m not going to go into but here’s a little video if you’re interested.

Now when most people think of Mecha Musume there’s basically one standout line above them all: Frame Arms Girl.

This line is a bit old now but its popularity has set the aesthetic style for the market as it stands now. The build of these are…ok. Kotobukiya was definitely learning with these kits but they’re still solid at the end of it.

Now if you’re like me you’re not too much a fan of the pantsu out look, and other kits in the line don’t exactly do anything to mitigate that feeling (looking at you Durga I).

The next line Koto would release would be better at this tho. The Megami Device line features all original designs as well as collabs from new and old mecha musume brands alike.

First thing off the bat this is that they’re pricey. At an average cost of $70 you’re basically buying a Bandai MG gunpla. That said, they all typically come with a bunch of option parts. These are usually in the form of unarmored limbs, different chest pieces, face plates (with water slides to make your own) and extra connectors to help with kitbashing. Koto also has released option body segments to let you swap any part of the body you might want to if the right option isn’t available in the box (~$12). It should be noted the newest kits in this line have brought the price down to $50 as well as reengineered the build to add a lot more articulation and pose-ability.

Also in this lines favor is the articulation and build quality. You’re going to get a nice range of motion with or without armor and some of the smaller details also sometimes come pre painted.

That said Kotobukiya is a company that favors more complex character design over an Out Of Box experience so there’s some smaller details that are etched into the kit but unless your paints them won’t be color correct. I would say this is pretty common across most Koto lines.

Both the FAgirls and Megami Device are scaled at 1/12 so Little Armory guns and the whole market of 3rd party accessories will work with these kits.

Next up is Koto’s Sousai Shoujo Teien which is simple girls as plastic models

A little cheaper and at 1/10 scale instead of 1/12. I’ve not built any but I do know they can bash with Megami Device and Hexa Gear lines just fine. If you take a peek at the JP girpla community there’s actually a niche but healthy group dedicated to taking nice photos of their kits dressed up in everyday scenarios.

Finally the newest line of Koto girl kits is the Arcanadea line.

Purely in a fantasy take these are Incredible kits. I’ve only built one (Lumitea) but it was far and away a much better build experience than the FAgirl kits. These are actually designed by a vtuber artist iirc which is why the designs are so different than other Koto kit lines. If you have the cash and want to try something different I would highly recommend.

Now finally we get to Bandai. After learning from their failures with the Hg Build Fighters girls they went back and designed something solid and what got me into mecha musume: 30 Minute Sisters

Right off the bat with an average price of around $30 the barrier to entry is much easier. While not as refined as the Megami Device line, these simple kits cram in a lot for the price. You’ll get an armored and unarmored form, as well as face plates. However the biggest selling point is How Damn Easy they are to bash. Being apart of the 30M line means they’re completely compatible with the 30MM line of mechs. Which also means all of those extra weapon and armor sets transfer over for the most part. And that’s not even talking about the dedicated 30MS option sets like hair parts, body parts, etc.

This is a Very beginner friendly line of kits and the place I would suggest most people starting if they’re looking to get into mecha musume.

This example I think uses about 5 different kits to build and I don’t believe any serious modifications were needed.

Another Bandai line to mention is the Standard Figurise line which you’ll be familiar with if you’ve picked up the Sulletta, Miorine or ChuChu kits. Typically pretty solid kits (uma musume excluded, only get the 30ms version of that one) they usually include characters from a variety of different shows. These are still of course bash-able but not without modification.

With the explosion of popularity with these kits means we have even more companies now joining in the race. ATK and MS General have a bunch of kits to offer and we see new companies pop up some really sick looking kits (see tgat Galahad)

We even have Plamax giving us the really cool looking GODZ ORDER kits and soon character kits from Blue Archive, Konosuba and others.

For these smaller/third party companies I would suggest doing plenty of research before buying one. The ATK kit that I made was Especially frustrating and required a lot of extra work to make parts fit right or to clean them up so they fit at all. Not to mention the extra detail work required to really make them look like the box example. Just do your homework.

I hope this helps!! It’s a growing market so there’s always more kits being announced. This should have covered the majority of kits out there but IMPORTANT! Check sites like AmiAmi for sales or resales on kits. You can sometimes find an unbuilt kit that retails at $70 going for $30.

USAGS will regularly get Koto kits in and new releases but by no means believe them when they say a kit is USAGS exclusive. Remember to check HLJ as well. Let me know if you have any other questions and I’ll do my best to answer them!!

[theresattrpgforthat]

Hi! I'm an apprentice librarian at a university of education, and I'd like to suggest our library get some TTRPGs, ones that are available in print and suitable for school (since our userbase is mainly aspiring teachers), ideally with a German translation (I know that part may be difficult).

Do you have some suggestions?

Theme: Available in German!

Hello friend, so my strategy for this was to find some German websites for roleplaying games and then try to see if they sold physical copies of certain games. This is going to be a bit different from my regular recommendations, mostly because I can’t read German! So I figured I’d send you to these different publishers, and point out specific games that look like potential candidates.

(Also German-speaking followers please sound off in the tags and comments!)

Plotbunny Games @plotbunnygames

From what I can tell, this is a small publisher with a number of indie ttrpgs, and most of these games look to have physical copies. The games that really stand out to me here are Follow, and Miss Bernberg’s Finishing School for Young Ladies. Follow is a game by Ben Robbins, the creator of Microscope, and is a GM-less collaborative storytelling game about going on a quest. I think it would be a great game for collaboration and quick brainstorming sessions. Miss Bernberg’s Finishing School for Young Ladies is made in-house, and is a Firebrands game, which means that it uses a number of small mini-games to tell a bigger story. Great for focusing on narrative over complex characters. There’s also a German translation of ImproVeto, which is a great tool for introducing safety tools, good for any roleplaying group.

Obscurati

Obscurati has two games that I recognize: Tiny Dungeons and Into the Dark. Tiny Dungeons is made by Gallant Knight Games. It is very streamlined, and has a lot of supplements for you to customize your setting. Obscurati appears to have a large number of physical Tiny Dungeon components, including a hardcover book. If you want traditional fantasy, this is probably worth checking out. Into the Dark is a Forged-in-Dark game by Off Guard Games, and is a dark-fantasy dungeon delving game that gives you character playbooks, tables for adventure generation, and a streamlined game system. I’m generally a fan of Forged in the Dark games because they give you some easy-to-understand mechanics that can carry a story really far. (This game is also in hardcover!)

Ulisses Spiele

Ulisses Spiele looks to be a pretty major publisher, with D&D, Warhammer, and Pathfinder all in one house. I'm assuming you're probably familiar with them. If you want a big-name roleplaying game, this is the place to be. Many of the games from this publishing house are pretty crunchy, so they’re more suited for folks who want to go through the traditional process of complex character creation, and specific rules for things like range, inventory, specific types of damage, etc.

If you’re looking for games that hearken to popular media, Dune and Tales from the Loop both come from Modiphius, a games company with a pretty good reputation for mechanically sound games, although they generally require a lot of bookkeeping. World of Darkness is the game system I’m most familiar with in this list, using dice pools of d10s, although much of the subject matter in these games is rather dark - especially since the bulk of their WoD catalogs appears to be Vampire: the Masquerade. I’m actually really intrigued by Die Schwarze Katze, of which I’m not entirely sure there is an English equivalent, and appears to be a fantasy game with cat characters!

Truant Spiele

Truant has a number of games that I am unfamiliar with, although I may have heard of their names before. Kult is labelled as an adult roleplaying game, so if you want something child-friendly, I’d stay away, and The One Ring has not received many friendly reviews - but Warbirds is a fantastical-historical game about fighter pilots and aerial combat, which looks pretty lighthearted, although this looks like a game that can have winners and losers. There’s also The Witcher RPG, a class-based system all about fighting monsters in a well-loved world based on that of the video game. The Witcher looks to be a bit on the crunchier side of things, so I’d see it as a better candidate for long-term campaigns rather than quick pick-up sessions. Finally, they carry Cyberpunk Red, which I’ve heard rave reviews for, with pre-generated enemies, a giant swathe of lore, and plenty of player support.

Fiasco

There’s a physical German version of Fiasco on the Pro-Indie website, along with a number of supplements. Fiasco is a game about a making a terrible movie using card stock and dice, and is great for lighthearted games and ridiculous stories.

Now, for some digital runners-up.

Pegasus Digital looks to be a German version of DriveThru Rpg, with a smaller catalogue but a lot of resources for Cthulhu 7, Shadowrun, and Avatar Legends. If you get folks who want to see what else is out there, this might be a handy website to direct them to.

Hero Kids is a game that only has a physical version in English, but it has a digital German equivalent! This is a great game for young role-players and folks who want a kid-friendly style of role-play.

DURF is a minimalist fantasy game with a number of different translations, including a German one. It isn’t available in print, but the game itself is small enough that printing copies of the game for yourself and fellow players shouldn’t be very expensive. DURF is based in OSR style play, so expect very small character sheets and an emphasis on your inventory.

Brindlewood Bay is only available in English and Polish, as far as I can tell- but there is a collection of play materials available in German! This game has such a big following because it has a reputation for being easy to teach, and it has a really wonderful mystery system, so I think it might be worth checking out.

[cardcaptorsakura96]

A Pleasant Ruse

Fandom: Supergirl

Characters: Kara Danvers, Lena Luthor, Andrea Rojas, Alex Danvers, Winn Schott

Summary: Lena runs into her ex-Andrea who wants her back. Lena panics and tells her that Kara is her girlfriend. Will Kara be willing to help Lena keep up the ruse?

Lena looked at her phone and sighed as she walked down the street. L-Corp stock was down again after Lex’s latest stunt against Superman. The Board was at each other’s throats about what to do. Normally, these things didn’t get to her, but today she just felt like curling into a little ball and hiding in the middle of nowhere.

“Sometimes I wish I could go somewhere where no one knew my name,” muttered Lena. 

Normally, she would wallow in her apartment and drink the night away, but she knew she didn’t have to do that anymore, especially with Kara and her friends. She blushed when she thought of Kara. Every time she smiled, it would light up the room. She was hoping a little of that light would rub off on her today. When she called Kara an hour ago, she was happy that she was available to talk but was wondering if Lena would be able to do so at Noonan’s. She was saving seats for some of the others in their friend group. Lena would rather they be alone, but she realized that she did call Kara out of the blue without necessarily considering her current plans. Also, her curiosity was piqued. Noonan’s wasn’t normally opened passed 10 p.m. during the week. However, it was currently 10:39 p.m.

After five more minutes, she began to see the outline of Noonan’s but was surprised to see not only was the place lit up, but there were multiple cars parked down the block. As she got closer, she noticed that the place was packed. It was more crowded than the morning rush. When she got inside, Lena looked around the crowded room and smiled when she saw Kara hopping up and down waving at her from the back. She shook her head and tried to maneuver her way towards Kara. 

As she got closer, she nearly stopped and blushed. Lena didn’t notice before because she could only see Kara’s face and arms when she was at the front of the restaurant, but now that she was in front of the blonde, she was surprised at what she was wearing. She had on a green short-sleeved crop top, black short shorts, and brown hiking shoes. Her hair was flowing down her back. The entire outfit highlighted Kara’s muscular form. Kara usually wore things that covered her fully. She didn’t realize that Kara had a hardcore twelve-pack abs, and toned legs and arms. She gulped when Kara hugged her tightly. She could feel the heat in her face growing. Lena had to fight to keep her arms next to her instead of caressing her abs. 

“Lena, I am glad that you were able to come out!” exclaimed Kara excitedly. 

“Me too,” squeaked Lena. 

As they went to sit down, Kara stared at her with a frown. 

“Are you ok? Your face looks a little flushed and you are panting.”

Lena tried to seem unfazed but felt like her brain was in overdrive. 

She started fanning herself and shakily said, “I’m, um, fine. Yes, I am fine.”

Kara stared at her hesitantly and said, “You don’t seem so sure.”

Lena let out a nervous laugh and said, “Don’t worry. I just got winded trying to get back here. I don’t think I have ever seen this place so packed before, even during their morning rushes.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot to mention that they are having an event here tonight. You know the author Helena Bromfield?”

Lena nodded and said, “Ah, yes! She has a bunch of popular action books.”

“Yup! That is the one. Well, she is having a book reading for her latest novel: Alana and the Lost Civilization of Atlantis at midnight tonight. She will then host a Q&A followed by a book signing. That is why a lot of the people here are in costume.”

Lena looked around and felt a little foolish. She had been so focused on seeing Kara that she didn’t notice the outfits everyone was wearing. They all looked like they were out of some archeological action movie. Lena shook her head and stared back at Kara. 

“I never took you as one that was into cosplaying. You look very good as Alana.”

Lena felt her face flushed again and looked down. 

Good doesn’t begin to describe it. She looks sexy as hell.

Lena had to slowly breathe in and out to try to control her racing heart. Lena had secretly been a fan of Bromfield’s work. Her mother always disapproved of sci-fi and fantasy. Her thoughts were living in reality was more important than make-believe. However, the books offered her a brief escape from all the trauma of that household, mostly done by Lex. She would imagine going on an adventure with the Great Alana as she explored distant worlds and planets. She recently had been fantasizing about Kara as Alana and whisking her off on an amazing adventure. The thought caused her to blush harder. 

Can’t believe I get to live out part of my fantasy!

Kara chuckled while rubbing the back of her neck and said, “Thanks! I wasn’t sure if I could pull this off.”

Lena stared at her dumbfounded. 

She thinks she couldn’t pull it off! She looks ten times better than the initial character description for Alana. I am surprised that guys and girls aren’t flocking to her now!

Lena cleared her throat and said, “You pull off the look amazingly. I’m surprised the other people cosplaying as Alana don’t look at you with envy.”

Kara blushed while laughing. 

“You are too kind.” 

They looked at each other shyly for a moment before Lena asked, “If the book reading doesn’t start until midnight, why are people here so early?”

“Good seating. Alex made me promise to get here at 9 to save seating for her and Winn since they wouldn’t be able to get here until after 11. I got here at 10, and I had to fight people in order to get this booth since it was so packed.”

Lena chuckled which caused Kara to frown.

“What’s so funny?” pouted Kara.

“I didn’t mean to laugh. It is just that I wished I had gotten here sooner to see you try to defend your territory.”

Kara chuckled and said, “It didn’t get nearly as dramatic as that. I just gave a very stern look until they backed off.”

Lena raised an eyebrow and said coyly, “Really? A stern look?”

Read the rest on AO3

[purple-link]

Now that actual Unreal Tournament character skins have been released in Fortnite, I want to take this time to tell a little story. Don't worry, this isn't very long, like some people's will be, but it will be no less nostalgic.

See, when I was growing up, there were three games that were available at a moment's notice in group meetings around computers, and always popular multiplayer options:

Trackmania

Unreal Tournament (probably 2003, it was before XBOX LIVE)

and whatever Valve game was popular at the time, usually Team Fortress 2 or Counter Strike: Source, especially the latter (big fan of Surf Maps)

But as much as I love Valve, I couldn't get over the Unreal Tournament designs...right up until they started porting furry characters and mods (but I'm getting ahead of myself).

Its Team Deathmatch mode was pretty simple, but everybody had it, and it played pretty slick. For someone like me, who is most definitely not an Unreal Tournament fan, I nevertheless experienced enough of the game to be delighted by its presence in the game tonight. Something about early 2000s shooter aesthetic that simply defined my culture growing up.

I personally love it when Epic Games pulls IP from their own studio. Doing it with other people, Marvel & DC, ect, is always going to be exciting, but there's something special about saying "Hey, remember these games we released back in the day? That was us, we did that, people did that with us!"

It's also a good time to remember that Epic Games owns the Jazz Jackrabbit property, and here's to hoping we see that green little guy and his bushy green tail as a Fortnite skin one day. 'w'

Now, obviously, since then, I've more or less focused more frequently on furry games and other media properties, so Unreal Tournament fell out of favor with me, but seeing these characters reminds me of a time when Unreal Tournament was on everybody's Dell computers, and I did not hate seeing it when I did.

Here's to you, Unreal Tournament. Gone, but most definitely not forgotten!

[finalgirlminamurray]

i have liked most of grady hendrix's books that i've read - i liked the southern book club's guide to slaying vampires, i really liked my best friend's exorcism, and i loved how to sell a haunted house (probably my favorite of his work so far). i'm hoping to read horrorstör and maybe also we sold our souls sometime soon. paperbacks from hell was a great and very enjoyable nonfiction read too.

i don't like to judge whether i'll like an author's work based on one book - if i did that after i read the final girl support group i probably wouldn't have read any of hendrix's other novels. i happened to read that one first because it was the only one available at the library and i felt like most of the reviews i'd heard from people whose opinions i usually agreed with were positive, but i was just disappointed by that one, idk. after i finished reading it i found myself basically drafting a whole bullet-pointed list of everything i liked and disliked about it and my criticisms ended up far outnumbering the good points. prime example of a book that could have been good but left me wanting to a frustrating degree. i was really mulling over why it didn't work for me for a while.

didn't help that right afterwards i read my heart is a chainsaw, to which fgsg seriously suffered in comparison. maybe it's not really fair to compare them since the only thing they really have in common is that they're meta-slasher novels released around the same time written by popular modern horror authors, but since i flew through both books in quick succession it was hard not to. the main difference for me is that my heart is a chainsaw is clearly written by someone who loves slasher movies just as much as its main character, and - not to presume anything about the author, but the final girl support group honestly feels like it was written by someone who was interested in deconstructing the genre without really liking it all that much before. hendrix definitely did some research - there are quite a number of name-drop references that you'll get if you've seen a lot of slashers and know a lot of trivia - but i wouldn't be surprised if it was just for that book. when i started reading it i felt like despite not really being a big slasher fan myself i did know enough about the genre to appreciate it, but by the time i finished i was thinking...maybe i actually know too much about the genre to appreciate this.

this ties back to what i was saying earlier about cabin in the woods. this also has the same problem as the scream sequels where it takes place in a world where popular horror movies - in this case, all slasher movies - are directly based on real-life murders, which presents a fundamentally different view of the genre than what it actually is in real life. it makes the story feel like it's trying to be about horror movies and true crime at the same time, and maybe i just have an instinctive hostile response to anything conflating the two in real life but...maybe you should commit to one or the other. in fact, this book really felt like it was trying to be about a lot of different things at once and i don't think it all came together that well.

also not sure the conceit of having all the characters be obvious analogues for specific classic slasher final girls, to the point of most of them being named after the actresses who originally played those characters, worked for me. i think i found it more distracting than anything, probably because i know the movies so well. i would rather have read a novel with original in-universe slasher franchises that maybe fit the archetypes (the supernatural slasher, the rural/backwoods slasher, the summer camp slasher, the meta-slasher, the holiday-themed slasher...) but aren't obviously based on specific real movies. those are fun to come up with. plus, the coexistence of obvious expies of real movies and actual real movies (and even some real filmmakers) made it even harder to tell what the book was trying to do exactly.

(also, because there were so many characters in the titular support group, it inevitably ends up that some of them feel underserved in a book that's supposed to be about solidarity among all these women. don't get me started on the...interesting choice to kill off only one of them, before the main events of the story even begin and before we've properly "met" that character in person, and have that character be the only woman of color in the group. maybe it's meant to comment on the "black guy dies first" trope, but like - if it is, you can't just do that and have it go unremarked upon, right?)

there was some stuff i did like - i think dani (the laurie strode expy) had the most interesting backstory, with her being deeply conflicted over whether she did the right thing in killing her brother or if he was just a heavily drugged mentally ill kid with no idea where he even was, who might not even have been the killer. that's like, an actual take with actual commentary on the movie it's inspired by. wish more of them were like that. also she is a butch lesbian version of laurie strode, that's cool in and of itself. and the main character turning out to specifically be a take on linnea quigley's character from silent night deadly night - she was supposed to be just another victim with a memorable death setpiece, the girl who gets naked/has sex and dies gruesomely, but she happened to survive and is a final girl by technicality. that's cool! that's an unexpected pull!

(if we are going to have a christmas-themed slasher in the lineup, though...why oh why does black christmas never get its fucking due. why does no one ever acknowledge it as one of the classic slashers. it's arguably the most influential since halloween was probably directly inspired by it. carol clover shockingly doesn't mention it once in her book - maybe canadian horror just wasn't as available in the us then? where is the british-canadian girl named olivia who fought off a killer in her sorority house who might have been her anti-choice boyfriend but might still be out there?)

i could go on but at some point most of my criticisms would just feel like nitpicks or me reaching for reasons to dislike it further. i think i just didn't like this book even though a lot of other people did and that's fine. it's been a couple years since i read it. i've said before that murder mysteries and whodunit slashers really aren't my thing most of the time so that could be part of it. if i were to do a more comprehensive review i'd probably have to read it again which...i don't feel like doing. i've got other books to read that i'll probably enjoy more, including some by the same author. he definitely seems to actually like the other subgenres he's written in - vampires, possession, haunted houses - so i do look forward to reading more of his horror fiction. i'm just glad this one didn't turn me off of it

[thedemigodoracle]

Please read:

Ok, so as I jokingly said before “I’m back.” - I’m not joking, I am back.

Not entirely yet but here are some things to wait for in the near future.

Before I list it I need to browse fast through the real life stuff first so bear with:

- one of the reasons I did go missing from art and fandoms in general wasn’t just the ammount of books but also family situations, depression, relationships and in the last few years I lost grandma, grandpa and even my mother to a disease they don’t have it diagnosed yet because it was so rare.

Obvsly took a major hit to my mental health and the ability to write and just have energy kinda left me. I’m handling it I’m in therapy. This is all we need to talk about it.

- it’s been over ten years since some of your fave fics have been updated and while both Clichesbullet on ff.net and thatu on DA will be there and won’t be deleted HERE are what’s to expect:

1. My endgame here is reading the books back and forth again, as well as other source

Material for other fandoms I will

Be publishing for.

-updating the old fan mixes and uploading it to Spotify so it’s more accessible and going back (when possible to art).

- I will use AO3 some new aesthetics and user name (though probably just thatu) and edit a lot more to fit what I believe is better not because the world changed in general but because so

Did I.

Some of the racism and homophobia will still be there are these are the characters having flaws whose arcs weren’t complete but lots of it will also be changed because I’m 34 now I also the world is changed and some stuff just wouldn’t fly and I kinda hate it (but the old material is still there available on the old

Accounts).

- I’m not sure technology will be adapted but some references will here and there and I can clearly deliver something better now that I’ve taught English for over half of my life and am taking a masters degree on translation studies.

- real life will get me too busy sometimes so please I hope you’re excited but I know lots

Of you also have jobs or even families. So leave reviews and keep

Me company but also understand I was bad at updating before even with better time

Management this is will be a ride.

- I’m doing this to prove myself I can do and make good things.

- This site as well as the thatu blog will be updated.

- if you were a follower and have deleted your tumblr or changed usernames please leave a reply with who we were because I’ve had an eventful few years. I remember most of you, but I may need a nudge.

- both my writing and art style have developed and so did my world views - stuff will look different but hopefully still bring you comfort. And laughter.

And tears…?

- there will be some one shots posted focusing on stuff like grown up characters and new knowledge

We now have though the characterization will still follow the book ones as that’s how I kinda got used to it.

- I’m back but I’ll be getting back slowly and posting updates here. Tell ur friends who haven’t been here in a while but used to be part of our group of

Weirdos.

- I missed being a fandom person and hopefully now I can find solace in you guys back again.

- some new fandoms will pop up, as will

Some

Ships (see what I did there? Find solace? Will some ships? Hehe).

-Some extra texts will be added to whatever adaptations I make especially regarding transphobia and HP though I do intend to finish my Hannah/Neville story.

- maybe I’ll write original

Stuff too who knows?

Also, I missed you, spread the word. There’s a brand new old me in town. New ships, new views, new one shots, edits, a very different music taste (actually no I just added more stuff) and a lot of improved knowledge of vocabs and world geography.

Please spread this to whoever you think might be interested. It’s not popularity or anything, I’m trying to get back some pieces of me I lost along the way and writing and drawing used to be FUN and help me make FRIENDS.

I’ll keep u posted once everything is at least remotely ready to go.

And omg you’ll finally know what Silena had on clarisse.

Oh and I’m still not for writing smut but there will be more Adult/Mature like material as some ships require it and I am older. No minors having descriptive s*x

Of course but u know it’d feel weird to talk about these huge ass long relationships and not bring it up naturally.

Anyway, reply to this with whatever. Leave a like or something too but mostly leave a reply so we can start this journey together -

New younger fans are also welcome I’ll make my best to keep this space as safe as possible!! I teach kids and teens and I’d kill for u to have a place to be you safely.

Also there will now be additions on author notes for whether a ship is canon or fanon what I adapted and new fandoms new ships and trigger warnings before sensitive chapters that deal with stuff that before I wouldn’t.

Love, I’ve missed this,

thatu.

[muthaz-rapapa]

Precure Store: Tokyo & Yokohama

Finally have time to sit down and report cuz I'm sure I'll be dead with jetlag when I return home this weekend.

Right, well, it's been 4 years since I've been back in Japan (when StarPre was airing) and this time, I got to visit three stores (not the Osaka one though, saving that one for next time).

Starting with Yokohama. This one is slightly bigger than the one located on Tokyo Character Street at Tokyo Station. And, as I later discovered, had more goods available as well. I'm not sure if visiting the Yokohama store on the weekend and the Tokyo store on a weekday makes the difference but...in any case, Yokohama left the better impression with its display this time around.

(I'll go back to check the Tokyo store one more time before I leave to see if they stocked up on more merch)

Moving along, Halloween already ended by the time I got here but those seasonal goods are still on sale. This year's looked really good, especially Tsubasa <3 so I wanted to get his acrylic stand but alas, it seems he and Ellee-chan were the most popular of the bunch cuz they were sold out everywhere. The power of mahou shounen + his mascot.

I ended up getting Mashiro...and then Sora cuz their outfits clearly are meant to complement each other so it wouldn't feel complete if I left with just one of the pair (will post pics of my loot below). I liked Ageha too but I already collected enough Wing goods so had to restrain myself as there was other things I needed to buy like Pokemon, Pokemon and Pokemon.

Oh, and I decided to order Tsubasa from the Toei online store since it's still in stock there. This one is the finest acrylic stand of him yet and I'm sure I'll regret it if I don't get him.

The cardboard stands are still present and since Yokohama's space was bigger, every Cure of this season got to get displayed throughout the store. Sky and Majesty took the front while Butterfly (forgot to take a photo, sorry~) was placed to right of the entrance.

Prism could be found at the photo studio section where you can dress up in the costumes the store lends out for pictures which I thought was very appropriate since she's the character closely associated with fashion, after all.

And Wing was placed right beside the anniversary collage which was also super awesome, considering he is the first male Cure to officially be part of the main group and they're acknowledging that by letting him stand out among all the other female Cures at a milestone event.

Now onto the merch...

Maybe it's because this year is an anniversary year that I feel like there aren't as much HiroPre specific goods as there should be compared to the year when StarPre was airing?

At least the variety for HiroPre seems a tad less cuz half the store was dedicated to All Stars...but then again, I'm not really keeping up with Precure merch recently so I dunno.

Anyways, there are plenty of otedama available but some are sold out like certain Cures and mascots (Mofurun ;___; ). I wouldn't use that as a measure to gauge popularity but anyone with a brain can tell customers' purchases are influenced by the impact a season and/or character had on the audience. And then there are the sub-factors to those categories too like how recent the season was or if it was and still is a huge fan favorite. Or in terms of characters, how well their personality is received, their position in the group, their color theme, the time spent on their characterization and development, etc.

For example, it should come as no surprise that Sky is the most sold out of everyone in this year's line up due to the combination of her being a lead Cure, a Blue Cure and the most heavily featured Cure in the ongoing show.

I even heard a kid tell their mom that "I like Sora the most!" so there you go.

And this is just my guess but it seems Wing and Ellee-chan (mascot ver) follow behind Sky, then Prism and then Butterfly.

For the overall All Stars, you'll have to check the polls for that ranking. The acrylic stands for some seem to have been sold out already but the space in the store is too small to hold everything so I can't comment any further than that.

Although there seems to be a lot of Soleil still hanging around.

...god, if these are leftovers from 4 years ago, I will be so sad. Soleil is not well loved at all.

I partially blame it on how poorly her character arc was handled but...we all know that's not the biggest reason.

Anyways, the Yokohama store displayed some fan drawings underneath their bulletin board which was very sweet.

I like the Peach one the most and I'm glad to know Prism is getting her deserved share of the love through these art (thank you, Mashiro fans~💖).

Before I move on to Tokyo Station, apparently there's a store called AniBirth (??) that featured Precure at the Parco mall in Shibuya right by all the other anime goods stores like Nintendo and the Pokemon Center on the same floor.

I'm not familiar with this shop so I'm guessing they rotate series depending on the special occasion?

In any case, you can take a picture with Black and White here.

Here are all the anniversary stands on display (extra kudos to the staff for arranging Precure according to their respective generations).

This shop didn't have anything that the Yokohama one didn't so I didn't purchase any additional goods.

And these were the otedama sold out at this location but what bothers me isn't that.

Just why are the seasons not in proper release order?! This drives me nuts!

*wrings hands*

Now, Tokyo Station.

Yea, there was definitely less here than there was 4 years ago. Back then, the whole store was packed to every corner with goods and it was swarming with customers.

Now however, the section where you could get costumes, T-shirts, other miscellaneous stuff and even toys are noticeably absent. It's mostly general keychains, acrylic stands, stickers, some posters that are available. Stuff that I already saw at Yokohama.

Hell, I don't recall seeing any clear files available either.

I guess those sorts of goods won't be sold in the physical stores anymore but elsewhere?

Who knows.

But this conductor Latte was very cute.

Fitting since this is located right next to a major train terminal.

I'm glad they kept her despite all the mascots that succeeded her in the spotlight after HealPre. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to take this photo.

Finally, my loot...ok, it's not enough to be called a loot but this is my haul for HiroPre.

(maybe I'll get another Wing keychain before leaving...)

Got the Virtual Live flyer as part of the purchase along with a Halloween bromide set and two stickers of my choice (naturally I chose my fave and Butterfly since I don't have any seperate merch for her).

There was the option to choose a bag with all the HiroPre members (they charge you for bags, it's like 11 yen (??) or more depending on the size) but it was too giant for me to use so I just went with Sky.

K, that's all. Looking forward to coming back again.

Hopefully Osaka will be on that trip's itinerary.

[bookaddict24-7]

REVIEWS OF THE WEEK!

EVERY WEEK I WILL POST VARIOUS REVIEWS I’VE WRITTEN SO FAR IN 2024. YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY GOODREADS FOR MORE UP-TO-DATE REVIEWS HERE.

___

87. Sidekicked by John David Anderson--⭐️⭐️⭐️

SIDEKICKED was a fun adventure following a kid who has extra strength in his senses (sight, smell, etc). He was paired up with a less than interested mentor who is never really there to save him when he needs it the most. While there is definitely an emphasis on the idea of good vs. evil and what that entails (and the black and white levels of moralities that come with these two terms), we also get a pretty good insight into a middle school young teen boy and his varying emotions about his crush and the new kid in his secret sidekick program.

I honestly thought the concept of this book was fun, especially because we got to see the world of superheroes from the perspective of a younger kid. And because I've always been a fan of superheroes and stuff, so that's always a fun thing for me to read. But the tone of this book felt...older? The main character was sassy (which I loved), but his thought processes also felt like this book would have been better set in high school.

But that being said, this was fun for what it was. I felt really bad for him and the hand he was dealt in the mentor department. But I did enjoy seeing how everything came together. I can see 11+ year-olds really enjoying this. I think it would make a good movie too, tbh, made me think of Sky High a bit, too!

___

88. Cherry Magic! Vol. 2 by Yuu Toyota , Taylor Engel (Translator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Okay, I'm officially obsessed with this series. I know this is only volume 2, but sometimes I just know when I'm going to devour a series and this volume is it for me.

Still not the biggest fan of the artwork, but I love these two characters and the hilarious thoughts and commentary. I also love this idea of a character who isn't popular being romanced by another character that everyone else wants. I love this and need more!!

___

89. Stay Gold by Tobly McSmith--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It took me a while to pick up STAY GOLD even though I knew I was going to love it (I was right). From the very beginning, I was pulled in by the personalities of these characters and how well they worked off each other. I also felt their emotions and frustrations as they navigated the difficult and sometimes dangerous halls of high school. I also appreciated how McSmith navigated the complex emotions teens have of how they are perceived by the people around them.

This was such an emotional punch and I think that some trigger warnings will need to be read by those who are sensitive to suicidal thoughts, misgendering, dead-naming, and homophobic violence. The way McSmith wrote on these topics also showed me how having people who love you surround you is so incredibly important. It was also a great insight into how one's experience can't be seen as everyone's experiences. There was one character who was pushing the MMC to do something that though could be helpful to a group of people, it could be incredibly dangerous for the MMC.

I'm cis, so I am privileged enough to never have to deal with this level of danger, but it broke my heart to see the MMC torn between what others believed to be right and what was right for him.

The FMC had such great character growth and is proof that sometimes patience is a virtue--but also hope.

I just really loved this book and I'm so glad I finally picked it up! Now I have to read McSmith's other book!

___

90. Cherry Magic! Vol. 3 by Yuu Toyota , Taylor Engel (Translator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Ugh the cuteness. I can't. Watching the MMC slowly fall and realize his feelings? Please.

I remember finishing this book and immediately cursing myself for not having Volume 4 readily available to read right after. I'm excited to see how those around them react to their slowly forming love. I also love seeing the jealousy and how intense the love interest is with the MMC.

Also, something I noticed is that the volumes have a content advisory but these are pretty clean (so far). Gay manga must equal parental advisory, I guess LOL. Please.

___

91. The Haunted Forest Tour by James A. Moore & Jeff Strand--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Holy crap, THE HAUNTED FOREST TOUR was such a fun and bloody horror. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't that. The brutality and blasé way that the authors killed off characters was actually amusing. I don't think there was a heck of a lot of depth into this book, but I honestly just had such a good time reading this.

The one thing I wasn't a fan off and why the one star was taken off was the unnecessary mentions of these creepy men wanting to bend over certain women to have sex with them. It just felt predatory. Like the dude who had to constantly remind himself he was married. Or the ones who were always thinking about having sex with women who had no idea they were thinking these thoughts. It was creepy and unnecessary. God forbid we have a horror book where women aren't sexualized for the sake of making the reader either uncomfortable or just...because male authors can't help but comment on women who are "do-able".

Anyway, other than that, this story was pretty original and so, so bloody. It's a perfect October read tbh. Surprised the hell out of me. Would also make a great movie.

___

92. The Escape by Katherine Applegate--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I'm starting to find that I really like the story told from this perspective. I think this character is one of the more underestimated ones because when we see him from other characters' POVs, we see someone who is one way, but from his perspective, we see his true depths. Which is something he touches on here: he's the funny friend; the one who never seems to take anything too seriously, but this kid wears the humour mask as a survival thing.

This was a great addition to the series because of the emotional aspect. And THE ESCAPE also makes me want to read more of the series just so I can see this character get his greatest wish granted.

Also, loved how great they all worked together!

Will hopefully read the next one soon!

___

93. Cherry Magic! Vol. 4 by Yuu Toyota , Taylor Engel (Translator)--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Stop, I can't with this adorableness.

The fact that these two characters are so different but not at the same time kills me. One is very good at hiding their nerves and if it wasn't for these powers, the MMC wouldn't even know it. Sigh, both a gift and a curse.

I love that the character growth in this one--especially as someone with social anxiety--happened so organically. The MMC is going at his own pace but is still keeping the love interest's feelings in mind. I seriously can't wait to see how this all develops over the next few volumes!

___

94. Dick Fight Island by Reibun Ike--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My adventures in Boy Love Manga has led me to this interesting work of art.

While yes, the majority of this is definitely porn, the storyline was actually really interesting and unique. And the artwork is freaking stunning. My friend told me that he didn't finish volume 2, so I'll probably just stay with this one and remember the story (cough) fondly.

I'm happy I read this because it was truly something else, but if you're thinking of reading this, be prepared. I don't think I'd recommend reading this on the bus.

___

95. Dread Detention by Jennifer Killick--⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read this book under a different name and I was so surprised to see it was the same book (I just bought a physical copy of this book and the other books in this series, so that was a nice surprised.)

I genuinely really enjoyed DREAD WOOD (or DREAD DETENTION). It definitely gave me EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS vibes, especially with some of the scarier scenes. I love middle grade horror books like this one because it's just pure story--sometimes, older books have too much focus on the characters themselves rather than the scary side of a horror book. I thought there was a good moral story behind this and I think it's great kids will (hopefully) get this message.

I also was reminded of the Katherine Arden middle grade horror books where kids work together to solve monster and scary mysteries.

DREAD WOOD did have moments where it felt older than its intended audience, so I'd probably recommend this to the older side of middle grade.

If you're scared of spiders, you'll either have to miss out on this one or you'll have to find your bravery!

___

Have you read any of these titles? What were your thoughts?

___

Happy reading!

[dojae-huh]

Hlo huh nim..! Happy New Year! How was your first day? Since it's a fresh start, I wanted to share my little journey with Doyoung. I hope you won't get bored.

To be honest, I wasn't into any Kpop stuff before. Even now, I only follow NCT and don't really look for other groups. But seriously, COVID brought a lot of people into Kpop, including me. And you know what? I'm really grateful for it because I got to meet Doyoung.

It was amazing how I got interested in him through his old videos when he was just starting out. YouTube only showed me his time with NCT 127, and I saw all the criticism he faced for newly joining, not being a dancer and the teasing from his members. He even had haters calling him ugly. But we all know that he had a glow up after that. Everything was happening back then, and I even found out about his show champ era afterwards. Funny, right?

But what really made me admire him more and more was his savageness and youthful energy. Then he started getting more opportunities and his popularity increased. Now he's the global ambassador for DOLCE&GABBANA, a famous fashion brand. Isn't he great? As an idol, he's far better than a lot of people and serves as a great role model. Everything, and I mean everything, about him makes me wonder. I'm his fan, but I don't even want him as my boyfriend. It would just be amazing if I could talk to him. That would be heaven for me. That's how much I love and respect him. He's truly someone worth following, and I'm glad I chose him as my idol.

Seriously, these past few days with his McDonald's project and all those hate comments have made me really sad. I don't want those people to understand what he's doing, nor do I want to explain it to them. Nobody explained it to me, but I still understood it. If they really wanted to understand, they would have done the same, but they don't want to. So what's the point of explaining? Besides, he's a grown-up and he knows what he's doing. Who are we to judge his decisions? But all these situations have made me realize one thing for sure: I love Doyoung more than I even thought I did.

I'm not sure if it's because I liked him when he was unknown, but even if his popularity doesn't grow this year or his fans abandon him, I don't mind if he becomes unknown again. I'll always be there for him in any way I can, supporting and cheering him on for his success. Do I sound like an idiot who is starstrucked by some kpop idol?? 😅

The post got a little longer...let me conclude with the new year wishing.. May this year bring happiness and success to everyone who knows how to show kindness like Doyoung. Happy New Year huh nim...have a great year...

(This Ask dropped while I was writing the "sad post", so it's independant)

Happy New Year. I ended up procrastinating after all, heh. It's so easy to find an excuse not to work...

You know, I like how idols serve as a kind of diplomats and ambassadors. Korea gained a lot of soft power thanks to its tv-series and music. And eventhough I don't subscribe to the notion that idols and celebreties must be the best of people, unblemished and untainted (their job is to act, sing, write music, nothing more), it is nice to have not only talented people but also those who can serve as a good example amidst their ranks. They have reach afterall.

Doyoung's type is rare. He is a natural "soft" leader who leads through earned respect. It is no wonder his fans turn into the people he takes care of as well (I'm referencing to all his life advice, the way he tries to build up a mutual emotional support bond, be better (History exam) to be worthy of following).

It is advantageous to have all these programmes and interviews recorded and available, to have idols do lives and vlogs. They are not just highly curated images anymore, PR managers can't hide the true characters of idols, paint a fake picture. I mean, they still can produce a desired impression, but a fan has the ability to test it by observing the idol in multiple contents. A person can't lie or act 24/7, there will be slip ups. Not to mention, authenticity is popular nowadays. Sure, it takes time to get to know an idol. Still, a fan can rely on and trust his/her own observations.

I want to point out that although Doyoung is a kind person, he doesn't let his kindness be used. His kindness isn't his weakness how it often is, he doesn't let others take advantage of him. One can only help others if he is mentally OK himself, from a position of power (energy resource advantage, financial stability, emotional health, etc).

Doyoung wants to stay in history, heh, be an idol to other idols. And he wants to sing. It is hard to fill in concert halls without demand. So let's wish him to be known. Kpop is still a niche genre. There are no soloists with a popularity on the scale of Western singers.

[implausiblyjosh]

TEW 2020: Let's At Least Run One Show

Last time we booted up TEW 2020, we did all the setup stuff. We defined our player character (Poppy, a real-life pop star), made our company, hired workers, made some title belts, and... that was basically it! (Last post here)

It's now the middle of June 2023. What's the plan for our first show?

Well, one of our bigger "gets" was The Voros Twins (Da Vinky???), which I think tells us one direction we should go in: tag teams.

The Voros Twins are heels (bad guys), and while we do have some faces (good guys) to put in a team (I've put Amazing Red & Samuray del Sol into a team called "Amazing Sol") I think it may be a good idea to look for some tag teams who are available to work for us.

While we wait for people to get hired, let's look at our Storylines. Our product type wants storylines, and I think what I really want is a "Good Guy Group vs. Bad Guy Group" thing going on at the start. We've established that Poppy is an on-screen personality, and we've floated the idea of Shane McMahon as some "outsider CEO type" last time, so let's go with that?

I've got another idea with this, as well. What if we tie in The Voros Twins? So Shane has brought in The Voros Twins (and other heels) to try and take over True Power Wrestling, while Poppy will bring in her good guys (Amazing Sol and other faces) to stop the takeover.

Something we should talk about, while I'm thinking about it, is "Perception". In previous TEW games, you could just tell the game "I think this person is a Main Event level talent" or, crucially, the game could tell you. This would fluctuate, and you can push someone or manually go in and make adjustments, but the game "knew" where to put people for the most part when you're just starting out. This is not how it works in TEW 2020. In this game, it's all about crowd perception, and there's no way for you to flag in-game where you, the owner/booker, think a talent should be.

Take for example Shane McMahon. Let's assume he was actually wrestling for us. Based on his popularity (59 Pop across the US) and his skills, he would probably be a main event talent. In TEW 2016, there's a drop-down I can select and put him there, which will help me with my organization and booking of shows down the line. In TEW 2020, despite the fact that people know who Shane McMahon is (remember, Popularity of 59/100 in the US!), and despite the fact that the in-game news reports on my company and all other wrestling companies, Shane McMahon has yet to get a perception rating.

Now, I get what this is trying to approximate. This system is trying to play out the difference between what the owners/bookers see (ex. Roman Reigns is The Big Star, he's gonna be on TV all the time) and what the fans see (ex. Roman Reigns doesn't have it, they are pushing him too hard and he just kinda sucks, we don't wanna see him on TV). The problem is that they've only allowed one part of that equation any form of categorization. Yes, I can get a notebook out and write out who belongs in what tier, but that's not useful when I'm trying to search through people. Right now it's manageable, we've got maybe 20 people total that we've hired. What happens when you play as a company as big as WWE? How do you go and filter for Main Event talent from your roster of like 50+ wrestlers? Not people the audience sees as a star, people you have labeled a star? You can't. There's no way.

Anyways, this is all to say that apparently my audience will not have a single sense or idea of what kind of talent Shane McMahon is until the day of the show or until I pre-book a segment/match, despite the obvious information in-game to the contrary. So, let's pre-book a match.

But first, let's make a dang event.

Not too much going on here, but this is how we set the specifics of our show. I'm gonna name the event TPW - Power Zone I, it will be 1 hour long, and it will happen on the last Saturday of every month. Tickets will be cheap so we get more people coming out to our shows, and we'll spend a bit of money to get better sets. Also, for now, this will not be put on TV in any capacity. We couldn't even get on public access lol

Now that we have an event, let's pre-book a match!

I've decided the match I want to pre-book will be that tag team match we've been talking about. Even though we're likely to get more people hired on before the show, I really want to have this one match ready to go. So I've selected 2 Vs. 2 from the left, clicked the boxes in the center bottom to add my wrestlers, then clicked on "Road Agent Notes" to explain how the match should go.

This is going to be a 15 minute match between The Voros Twins and Amazing Sol. One of the Amazing Sol guys will win, and the goal of this match should be to further the storyline they're involved in. Click pre-book and... uh-oh, apparently none of these guys can call a match in the ring, according to this game. Okay, change that to "scripted beforehand", and the pre-booking will go through.

Now that I've pre-booked a match, I get to finally see those perceptions! What does our audience think? That The Voros Twins are unimportant. Great.

Now, this isn't that big a deal. I can keep pushing them as main event talent, and if they perform well then the audience will see that. But... sucks that I couldn't have known any of this before this moment! Good thing we're having the twins lose, cause apparently the audience loves Amazing Sol!

With all that done, it's time to finally advance time.

We are finally at the screen that will handle our show! These show screens happen the "night" of the show happening. Now, in this screenshot it says we don't have a backstage incident, and that's cause I took the screenshot late. We did have one incident:

Neat. We have to acknowledge this incident before we actually run the show later, so we'll do that now. We do have "Absent Workers" highlighted, which tells us Shane McMahon is injured so he can't wrestle, Kylie Rae is on maternity leave, and Komander & Aero Star are working with AAA tonight). Guess we may have to find another night to run our shows for the future!

I've added my one match to the show, The Voros Twins vs. Amazing Sol, and I've used the "auto-booker" to generate more matches and angles for me. I really don't know how people view my roster, so I definitely need the help! After a touch of tweaking, here's the match card so far:

From first to last: 1. An Angle w/ Shane and Poppy (I imagine this to be an introduction to the "Shane wants to buy out True Power Wrestling") 2. El Hijo de L.A. Park vs Reyna Isis 3. Allysin Kay vs. Dragon Bane 4. An Angle w/ Big Swole & Frightmare (I imagine this is table setting for their match later on in the card) 5. The Voros Twins vs. Amazing Sol 6. Angle w/ Poppy 7. Frightmare vs. Big Swole

There are some people being left off the card, so I think I'll have them be in a tag match for the post-show. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with this lineup! I'll click start show once I've made my final changes.

Every time a segment happens, we get this screen that gives us a breakdown of what happened and how it got rated. Here's our opening segment w/ Shane & Poppy, and we can see it got the crowd hotter and it started the show off hot. We'll get this for every single segment, but I won't show every single segment.

So. Our angles are good, but our matches... not so much. The thing that hindered most was that they were unscripted matches, and it doesn't seem like anyone on the roster has the skills to call the match in the ring. I'll need to change our settings to make every match scripted. Big Swole is now our True Power title holder, and Allysin Kay is our Rising Star title holder. Now I gotta make a speech and finish out this day.

I'm going to compliment Shane, Patrick Voros, and Black Taurus. Giving people positive feedback will improve their morale after a few times, which is great! You want your backstage morale high so things don't fall apart socially. Limiting the messups to "i am a bad booker" is much better than "i am a bad booker and everyone hates each other backstage".

And with that, our first show was run! In the news the next morning, there's an "article": True Power Wrestling held TPW - Power Zone I in Mid South, and drew 86 fans. The feedback has been very positive.

Looking at our budget, we lost about $25k and earned around $5k. At this rate, we lose about $20k per show, and it won't get better until we can draw more people in. Since no one even knows about our promotion, we're gonna be in the red for a lonnnng time at this rate. Once we get to 17 Popularity in the Mid South we'll move from "Insignificant" to "Tiny", which will hopefully bring in more viewers. Until then... we keep up this pace as best we can, and try and get popular.

Until then... See ya next time!

[lady-sci-fi]

deep space nine, please?

Name a Fandom

How I entered/learned about the said game/show/movie/etc of that fandom

Star Trek has always been a thing for me growing up. Comes with having two parents who like sci-fi. DS9 was the first Trek show I fully watched once it was available on streaming like 10 years ago.

Fave character

Julian Bashir. I love him so much. He's pretty, intelligent, a little awkward, has some great character stuff. Just my type.

Least fave character

Sticking to the main characters. A tie between Jadzia and Worf. They're not particularly bad, just mostly uninteresting. They're usually fine as part of the group, but I can't with their focus episodes.

OTP(s)

Julian/Garak is my main one. I like seeing Kira/Odo and Sisko/Kasidy.

Pairing that everyone likes but I don’t get 

Generally, I don't get ships that feel out of character for one or both of the people in it. I ship by what I see presented. I can't do "wouldn't it be cute/funny if..." if it's out of character.

The most popular DS9 example is Odo/Quark. At best, it's one-sided for Quark. But there is no way Odo would feel anything romantic/sexual for Quark, and definitely no way he would act on anything like that with him. We see how Odo is with the one person he's in love with for years, and the one one-episode love interest. It takes him A LOT to act on those.

(Also not a fan of the whole "polycule" thing, for the same reason)

Fave thing about the fandom

We can be silly and serious. I'll always appreciate that in any fandom.

The most despised thing

Them trying to shoehorn in Julian/Ezri at the end. It does them both a big disservice. It regresses some of Julian's character development. There's no real written or acted chemistry between them.

 If there is something I would change from said game/show/movie/etc., what would it be.

The social-cultural situation allowing for Garashir to be explicitly canon (I consider it canon, in the as far as they could get away with way) and them being allowed to interact more in the later seasons.

Maybe not actually trying to use the "genetically enhanced" thing for Julian after they stated it. It works great as an explanation for the odd little things about him, but it's just not used in the right way for him after that. Good on Sid for passive-aggressively getting them to mostly drop it after a while.

Not making Section 31. While "Inquisition" is a good episode, they introduced the idea of Section 31 into the universe, and its just not good at all after that. They used it in "Enterprise" and I don't think it worked there. I know its been used in "Discovery" and there's been stuff about doing a spin-off show for it from that. I just find it uninteresting, annoying, and I don't care about having a "edgy secret dark side of Starfleet" thing. It doesn't need it.

[mimikyuno]

You're a big sekai head. Is there a good way to engage with its content that isn't just playing the gacha game, that you know of?

a big sekai head…. 🙂‍↕️

hmm tbh i started engaging with the game when i actually started playing so im. hmm

okay this answer might be a bit longer than u were expecting but i hope it’ll be useful!

the way the game works is you have the rhythm game part, and the stories. each unit has a main story, and then there are events, which come out periodically, one after the other. events can be a key story event (about just one unit, focusing on one character from that unit) or mixed unit (so with multiple characters from different units). you can easily follow the story of one group by reading just their main story and then their key stories, but i think it’s all much more enjoyable when you go in order, bc sometimes they reference past mixed events or smth that has happened in another unit’s key story. there’s also the side stories which just add a couple of scenes to an event and those are indeed locked behind actually having the cards related to the event, but you can always find the side stories online, and honestly i dont read them much (unless they involve my faves uwu).

so imo you don’t need to play into the gacha mechanics or even the rhythm game aspect to enjoy the content, you can download the game and just read the stories! they’re all available (like, you dont need to play to unlock them!) and neatly organized (you can even organize them by unit, characters appearing, when they happened etc.) basically, you can treat the app like a free visual novel and pretend the cards dont exist lol you can even play the rhythm game ignoring the gacha system, bc after readind the first chapter of the main story of a certain unit you get the 2* cards of the respective characters, so then u can make a team and play some songs just for fun

but if u rly dont want to get it (i know some people are against gacha games as a principle!) i guess you can check the schedule of past events on the fanwiki and the then google them one by one to see if u can find them online (i know the official project sekai channel is uploading past events, just know they’re quite late lol and that’s on top of the 1 year delay compared to the jp server). i’d still recommend reading them on the actual game tho, or at least i prefer it! you can press to go forward faster if the auto speed feels slow or pull up the log to read back etc.

either way i’d say find a way to read the stories in order, at least the main story of each unit so you get to know the characters and choose your faves! after that you can totally just read the events related to your favourite characters / units. and then you just follow people who post about prsk / create fan content for it and follow some tags (i follow the tags for my favorite prsk ships on my social media uwu)

prsk is quite popular so there is a LOT of fan content out there, on every major social media platform… which is both a blessing and a curse lmao

GOOD LUCK!! if u get into it feel free to come into my inbox to scream about mizuena and kanamafu <3 OH and this is a good (or bad) time to get into prsk bc mizuki’s focus event is coming in 5 days and everyone is losing their mind 🏳️‍⚧️

[expertmaster1]

Where Can I Watch The Secret Life Of The American Teenager?

Are you ready to dive into the dramatic world of teenage secrets and tangled relationships? Look no further than "The Secret Life of the American Teenager"! This hit TV series captivated audiences with its compelling storylines, relatable characters, and plenty of juicy drama. Whether you're a fan looking to re-watch this addictive show or a newcomer eager to discover what all the fuss is about, we've got you covered.

In this blog post, we'll explore where you can watch "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," discuss the pros and cons of diving into this teen soap opera and more. Get ready to immerse yourself in a world filled with love triangles, unexpected twists, and coming-of-age dilemmas!

What is the Secret Life of the American Teenager?

The Secret Life of the American Teenager is a popular television series that aired from 2008 to 2013. It revolves around the life of Amy Juergens, a teenage girl who becomes pregnant and must navigate the challenges of young motherhood. It explores how one decision can change the course of someone's life and affect those around them.

Throughout its five-season run, The Secret Life of the American Teenager garnered a dedicated fan base who were captivated by its relatable characters and compelling storylines. The show tackled important issues faced by teenagers including sex education, peer pressure, and self-identity.

One aspect that sets this series apart is its ability to balance drama with moments of humor and heartwarming scenes. It presents an honest portrayal of teenage life while also providing entertainment value.

If you're looking to watch The Secret Life of the American Teenager, there are several options available for streaming or purchase online. Whether you prefer subscribing to streaming platforms like Hulu or Amazon Prime Video or purchasing individual episodes on iTunes or Google Play, you can easily find a way to enjoy this beloved series.

So if you're in search of a captivating coming-of-age drama that will keep you hooked from start to finish, give The Secret Life of the American Teenager a try!

From Where you can watch  the Secret Life of  an American Teenager

One option for streaming "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" is Hulu. With a subscription to Hulu, you'll have access to all five seasons of the show, so you can binge-watch to your heart's content. Another streaming service that offers the series is Freeform, which allows viewers with cable or satellite TV subscriptions to stream episodes online.

For those who prefer purchasing individual episodes or seasons, platforms like Amazon Prime Video and iTunes offer options for buying or renting episodes. This way, you can watch at your own pace without committing to a full subscription.

It's important to note that availability may vary depending on your location and streaming platform preferences. So before diving into any particular service, make sure it offers "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" in your country.

Now that we've covered where to watch this beloved teen drama series let's explore some pros and cons associated with watching it.

Pros and Cons of Watching the Secret Life of the American Teenager

Pros

1. Engaging Storyline: The Secret Life of the American Teenager follows the lives and relationships of a group of teenagers, tackling real-life issues such as teenage pregnancy, love, friendship, and family dynamics. Its relatable storyline keeps viewers hooked from start to finish.

2. Strong Characters: The show features a diverse cast with well-developed characters, each dealing with their unique struggles and growth throughout the series. From protagonist, Amy Juergens to supporting characters like Ricky Underwood and Adrian Lee, the depth of these individuals adds layers to the narrative.

3. Emotional Details: It explores themes such as identity crisis, self-discovery, heartbreaks, loss, and personal growth.

Cons

1. Unrealistic Dialogue: While the show aims to depict authentic teen conversations and issues realistically portrayed at times dialogue can feel forced or overly dramatic which might not sit well with some viewers seeking more naturalistic dialogue.

2. Stereotypical Portrayals: Some critics argue that certain character stereotypes perpetuated in this series may oversimplify complex social issues or reinforce harmful tropes about gender roles or sexual behavior among teenagers.

3. Pacing Issues: At times there are pacing problems where certain storylines drag on for too long or seem repetitive while others don't receive enough attention resulting in an imbalanced viewing experience.

The  Life of  American teenager Netflix

One popular platform where you can watch "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" is Netflix. This streaming service offers a wide range of TV shows and movies, including this beloved teen drama series.

Netflix provides convenience and accessibility when it comes to watching your favorite shows. With just a few clicks, you can start binge-watching "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" from the comfort of your own home. Plus, with Netflix's user-friendly interface, navigating through episodes and seasons is a breeze.

Whether you prefer to devour each episode in one sitting or spread them out over time, Netflix gives you the freedom to choose how you consume this addictive series.

Additionally, another benefit of using Netflix for "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" is that it allows for seamless streaming across multiple devices. Whether you prefer watching on your laptop, smartphone, or smart TV, Netflix ensures that you can enjoy this show anytime and anywhere.

However, while there are many advantages to watching on Netflix, it's important to note that availability may vary depending on your region. So before getting too excited about diving into this teenage drama series marathon session, make sure that "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" is available in your country's library.

Overall, "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" promises an engaging storyline filled with romance, drama, and relatable coming-of-age themes. Opting for Netflix as a platform allows fans old and new alike, enjoyment at their convenience.

Conclusion

As we come to the end of this blog post, it's clear that finding where to watch "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" can be a bit tricky. However, with a little persistence and some online searching skills, you'll be able to find a platform that offers this beloved TV show.

Remember, there are several streaming platforms out there like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video. While "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" may not currently be available on these popular services, don't get discouraged! There are other options available.

One great alternative is to check if the show is available for purchase or rental on platforms like iTunes or Google Play. Additionally, keep an eye out for any special deals or promotions that might include "The Secret Life of the American Teenager." Streaming platforms frequently update their content libraries and offer limited-time discounts.

By being resourceful and persistent in your search for where to watch "The Secret Life of the American Teenager," you'll soon be able to enjoy this captivating series from start to finish. 

[avatarmerchshop]

Meet Our Avatar Merch Shop Superfans: Their Favorite Products and Why They Love Them

Get ready to meet the ultimate AvatarMerch.shop superfans! These dedicated customers know everything there is to know about our products, and they can't get enough. We sat down with them to find out what their favorite items are and why they love them so much. From t-shirts to phone cases, this group of fans has tried it all – and we're sharing their top picks with you. Get ready for some serious inspiration as we dive into the world of AvatarMerch.shop fandom!

Introduction to Avatar Merch Shop 

If you're an avid online shopper, chances are you've come across AvatarMerch.shop at some point. If not, allow us to introduce you to one of the coolest shopping experiences around.

AvatarMerch.shop is an online retailer that specializes in selling avatar-themed merchandise. That means everything from clothes and accessories to home decor and even food items are all available with your favorite characters on them.

What's even better is that AvatarMerch.shop offers products for all of the major avatar-based platforms, including Second Life, IMVU, Gaia Online, and more. So no matter which virtual world you call home, you can shop for avatar gear that will help you express your unique style.

Of course, the real question is: why would anyone want to buy avatar merchandise? Well, we asked some of our biggest fans to tell us why they love AvatarMerch.shop and here's what they had to say:

"I love that I can find clothes and accessories for my avatar that I can't find anywhere else. There's such a great selection on AvatarMerch.shop and it's always up-to-date with the latest trends." - Sarah, Second Life user

"I think it's really cool that I can support my favorite artist by buying their art in the form of an avatar shirt or poster. It helps me feel connected to them in a way that just buying their music doesn

Overview of Avatar Merch Shop Products

At Avatar Merch Shop , we've got everything you need to show your fandom for your favorite shows, movies, games, and more! Our products are high-quality and affordable, so you can find the perfect gift for any occasion. Here's a look at some of our most popular items:

T-shirts: We have a huge selection of t-shirts featuring all your favorite characters from TV, film, and video games. Whether you're looking for a classic design or something more unique, we've got you covered.

Figurines: From Funko Pop! figures to statues and busts, we have a wide variety of figurines to choose from. These make great gifts for collectors and fans alike.

Jewelry: Whether you're looking for a necklace, earrings, or even a bracelet, we have plenty of options to choose from. Show your fandom proudly with one of our stylish pieces of jewelry.

There's something for everyone at AvatarMerch.shop! Browse our selection today and find the perfect product for you or a loved one.

Meet Our Superfans

We asked some of our loyal AvatarMerch.shop customers to tell us about their favorite products and why they love them. Here's what they had to say:

I absolutely adore the custom phone cases! I've ordered several and they've all turned out beautifully. I love being able to show off my fandom pride with a stylish and unique case.

The t-shirts are also great! They're super comfortable and the designs are always top-notch. I never have to worry about wearing a boring, generic shirt when I can sport one of AvatarMerch's amazing designs.

The coffee mugs are perfect for showing my fandom love at work. My coworkers always get a kick out of seeing my latest mug design. Plus, they help me start my day with a smile knowing that I'm representing my favorite fandom wherever I go.

- Introductory Interviews with Each Superfan

We interviewed each of our superfans to find out their favorite products and why they love them. Here's what they had to say:

Superfan #1: "I absolutely love the 'I'm with Her' shirt! It's such a powerful message and it really resonates with me. I also love the design - it's simple and stylish."

Superfan #2: "My favorite product is the 'Avengers Endgame' poster. I'm a huge Marvel fan, and this poster is just so cool. It captures all of the characters perfectly and it looks great on my wall."

Superfan #3: "I love the 'Harry Potter Deathly Hallows' necklace. I'm a big Harry Potter fan, and this necklace is so pretty and well-made. It's a great statement piece."

- What Products They Love and Why

Superfans are the backbone of any good brand. They’re the ones who evangelize your products to their friends and family, they’re the ones who wear your merch with pride, and they’re the ones who are always first in line for new releases.

At AvatarMerch.shop, we consider all of our customers to be superfans. But there are a few that go above and beyond…

Introducing our three biggest superfans and their favorite products!

Product 1: 

I absolutely love the product! I have been using it for a while now and it has never let me down. It is super easy to use and I can always rely on it to get the job done. Plus, it always leaves my skin feeling soft and smooth.

Product 2: 

This product is life-changing! I used to suffer from chronic headaches, but since I started using this product, they have completely gone away. I cannot believe how well it works and I will never go without it again.

Showcasing the Best Testimonials from Our Superfans

There's nothing like hearing it from our customers themselves. Here are some of our favorite testimonials from our superfans:

"I absolutely love my AvatarMerch.shop products! The quality is amazing and the designs are so unique. I get compliments on my gear all the time." - Lindsey B.

"I'm a huge fan of AvatarMerch.shop! I have several of their t-shirts and they are by far my favorite shirts to wear. The designs are awesome and the quality is unbeatable." - John G.

"AvatarMerch.shop is my go-to store for all things Avatar related. I've bought several items from them and have always been happy with my purchase. The customer service is also top notch." - Stephanie M.

Conclusion: Wrapping Up the Customer Spotlight Series

After spending some time getting to know some of our wonderful customers, we’re wrapping up the customer spotlight series with a huge thank you to everyone who participated. It’s been so great hearing about your favorite products and why you love them. We feel incredibly lucky to have such passionate and enthusiastic fans!

We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our superfans and their favorite products as much as we’ve enjoyed sharing their stories. Stay tuned for more exciting news and updates from https://avatarmerch.shop/ !