#i like both the 2011 version and 1999

[musicalmoritz]

Also happy hxh day to all who celebrate

[im-still-watching-anime]

watching the 1999 hunter x hunter after how much naruto i consume on the daily is confusing as hell

[the-monkey-ruler]

Which translation/adaptation of JTTW is best for beginners? Besides maybe Dragon Ball (doubt it counts)

Heh yeah I mean it’s a great anime but I don’t think you would have a good Xiyouji experience per se. Usually, I see Dragon Ball used as a gateway for people to THEN read/watch Xiyouji content but like it doesn’t really have much Xiyouji plot wise even if the characters are homages.

I would say that if you want an ACCURATE Xiyouji experience then you can choose between three shows. That being the classic 1986 which is many people's first Xiyouji experience as the cast is so iconic you see these designs in dozens of movies and their influence in future performances. The second is more family-friendly but still one of the most charming and fairly accurate portrayals is the 1999 Xiyouji animation, I would say far more younger people's first piece of media and without a doubt the best Xiyouji animation series thus far personally. That last I would suggest is 2011 Xiyouji series which is one of the more newer shows and I would say I would that if you want more modern effects and humor than this might be a preferance to the 1986 version. They both have their own charm but just depends on what you are looking for!

Now while these are the most accurate there are some Xiyouji media I would still recommend even if they take far more liberties.

This without a doubt being the 1996 tv series. This is portrayed as more of a drama but between the characters and the pure HEART AND LOVE that is in this show that you will be falling in love with the characters. It vaguely follows the Xiyouji monster of the weak formula but taking far more time to humanize each enemy and having our main cast overcome not only physical obstacles but also their own emotional obstacles as well. Fantastic show. Another is Chinese Odessey (please note this is a two part movie)! This does NOT follow the journey at all instead more of an introspective of the character Wukong. This is more of comedy but this is a cult classic as one of the first romance films with Wukong to show him as more of a complex hero which was a deviation from how he was portrayed in media for years as this point. This movie is silly but it is actually very heartfelt and makes you feel for these characters's plights. If you don't know Xiyouji I would say you will be confused, but you can fall in love with these characters anyway! Whil I can't suggest Dragon Ball I can suggest another Son Goku from My Son Goku! This is a Japanese production but the animation is so fluid and the characters are not only charming but there are some heart reaching scenes in this very cute art style! I would say give this a watch if you enjoy anime but also can appreciate angst even in a cute style.

If you are looking for more just great Xiyouji movies that you can pop in and a fantastic one is the 2015 Hero is Back! This was the Wukong come back animation-wise since 1999 and a lot of people first Wukong in the big screens! Does take liberties story wise as we don't see Sha Wujing or any of the journey really, but the HEART and soul of Sun Wukong is there. Another great one is just watching the first and classic 1961 Havoc in Heaven! This was the staple of Wukong iconics for decades and even now you see this Wukong in commercials! This is just a beautiful art style and without a doubt charming and feel good vibes. This one is surprising but actually Nezha Reborn where Sun Wukong actually makes a cameo appearance, but I hear so many people got into Xiyouji just cause how much they love him. So while it's not Xiyouji I would say give it a watch if you are a die hard Sun Wukong fan.

There is also Monkey King Reborn which while less known I still think is wonderfully popular and shows both great animation and also how all three characters of Wukong, Bajie, and Wujing interact in a movie. There is also Monkey King 2 which I know that usually I would say which the first movie but honestly the second movie is my personal fav. You don't miss much without watching the first as the second starts right at the begging of the journey and we are introduced to some of the best designs for these characters in my opinion. This last one is kinda of a hit-or-miss but Conquering the Demon! This one follows Sanzang as a demon hunter in a loosely based story of him finding his disciples, each more monstrous than the last in a dark-comedy! If you enjoy Stephen Chow films then you know what kind of humor you are going to get but it is new take on Xiyouji films in a unique but still entertaining manner! They really make you feel for Sanzang as a character and one of the best humanizations of him really as a man still learning about the world himself.

There some other that are great but I would suggest more on a second watch or if you know the story more! Saiyuki / The Great Alakazam was the first eng dub saiyuki piece of media that came to the USA and still had a lasting influence with the beloved character Rinrin! There is also Monkey King 2009 that only looks at the story BEFORE the journey, adding so many elements to Wukong's childhood and his relationship with the Six Eared Macaque. I would also suggest the Monkey King Netflix Movie as while it is fast-paced it really makes you understand how dangerous but also how complex Sun Wukong is. I think it was a charming movie so give it a watch!. Last is Immortal Demon Slayer! This movie was based on a web novel that was extremely popular in the early 2000s which was based off Chinese Odessey funny enough! This is a movie I would suggest if you know Xiyouji already but it such a tragedy I have to share if you love angst.

If anyone wants to share their what was their first Xiyouji or their favorite Xioyuji please let me know!

[misscherrys-world]

Welcome back to:

Random things I think about:

Smut version

Shalnark

He’s my fav boy after Chrollo because he’s more my type than Chrollo hehehe 🤭

Still I like Chrollo but Shal? Oh boy I would be his little good girl 🥰🎀

Warnings: nsfw, blackmailing, shal is a bully, me being very weird while describing, insults.

MDNI

This one would be a little more spicy.. with some smutty descriptions on top..

The horniest mf you’ll ever meet in your life, hornier than Hisoka.

His mind is so dirty you can’t tell because of his innocent face.

He’s experienced. Most likely he started with women in their mid thirties.

He started having sex after he hit puberty by a year or 2. Weird yes very true. But let’s be honest he’s the creepiest member of the troupe. Change my mind.

The fact he was kissed by Uvo in hxh 1999 was hilarious. And it was upsetting they didn’t recreate this scene in the 2011 adaptation.

If you caught his eyes, everything you do or say will turn him on. You coughed? He’s aroused. You hit your small toe and whined? He’s aroused. You’re sighing from exhaustion? He’s aroused. You’re talking about anything? He’s aroused.

He would come out of the blue and ask you if you both can spend a night together *wink*.

Very up straight to the point. He won’t start by saying he likes you. No, let’s fuck..

He doesn’t say let’s make love, he prefers to “fuck you”

He may doesn’t seem mean but he’s the meanest person you’ve ever met.

If you’re a member of the spiders he will definitely bully you, not just teasing, bullying, he won’t stop until you cry out of frustration.

You’re crying? He’s turned on.

You’ll hate him for humiliating you in front of everyone.

Manipulative mf.

A bigger gaslighter than Chrollo.

Toxic as fuck

He’s a sadistic. Into bondage and shit like that.

He’s a freak in the bed, very weird kinks. Some of them you never heard of.

Definitely into knife playing. He loves seeing the person he’s fucking terrified. Turns him on.

He owns many sex toys just to torture you.

He is determined to get you underneath him.

Once he’s succeeded, he’ll record you without you knowing. Just for him to watch you again begging him to give you his dick.

Would literally blackmail you to have sex or he’ll tell all the troupe and your friends how much of a whiny little slut you are begging for his attention.

Would definitely touch you while you’re sleeping. And record that too.

The record of him touching you while you’re sleeping is the record he blackmails you with.

He honestly not sympathetic at all, he looks at everyone as they are toys. You’re his new toy.

You feel butterflies all over your tummy every time he passes by you, he would smile at you, you’ll be a blushing mess, and you hate yourself for that you’re supposed to hate him not to catch feelings.

So this is it. I would definitely write a sfw one soon. Tell me what do you think, and what you agree and disagree with. 🤍🎀

I tried to describe him as his ture personality as possible.

[uvonobu]

Okay. I might be very very very delusional. But I had to get this thought out bc I’ve been thinking abt it for a while

So at the start of the series, this is how Nobunaga is portrayed.

He’s chill and laid back, and doesn’t take it to heart when he fights with Franklin. He even smiles as he does it.

But after the death of Uvo, we never really see this side of him again. Only for brief moments. The only moments we really see of him smiling are the times where there’s a chance he could fill the emotional void left in his heart by Uvo’s death.

The reason he’s interested in Gon and Killua is obviously because Gon is like Uvo in a way, but also because they’d be a distraction for him. Getting to train these kids to be phantom troupe material would leave him no time to linger on Uvo’s death. And after that chance is gone, we never see him like how he was at the start of the yorknew arc. From his appearance in the greed island arc to the current one, we hardly see him with a smile. And if we do, it’s not the same as his old, relaxed smile.

And you could say that he was just excited for the mission, and he’s usually like his later yorknew arc self. But even after they get assigned their task, nobunaga is still seen with this carefree smile.

We even see him looking at Uvo like this (i know what you are)

Not to mention we also see him with this same dopey smile when he was a teenager

All this to say, Uvogin’s death left such a deep emotional scar on Nobunaga it changed his entire personality and overall demeanor he’s had since he was a teenager.

Craziest part is that NO ONE else reacts like this. They’re sad and angry, of course, but they keep to the original personalities we see them with at the start of the arc. And I’ve seen some people say he was overreacting, which is kind of crazy, but Nobunaga was the closest to Uvo out of everyone. He outright says in the 1999 version that no one else in the entire troupe is closer to Uvo than him.

No one tries to correct him on this; they know it’s true. Same thing with the 2011 version, “I know him better than anyone.” which no one questions.

Their relationship was pretty complex. Franklin says they’d fight whenever they got paired together. But Franklin also knew they both enjoyed each other’s company despite that. Uvo preferred to fight alone, but he was so much stronger whenever he was fighting alongside Nobunaga. Having someone there to protect motivated him, even if he would never admit it. They were really comfortable with each other, as shown in the coin toss scene in the 1999 version. They exchanged quips, and we even got a scene of them smiling at each other.

Because of all this, I do think Nobunaga’s reaction to Uvo’s death made sense. I don’t know why so many people think he was being overdramatic. He lost the person that he was closest to. They were always paired together for missions. They were hardly away from each other. No wonder he feels so empty now. Nobunaga’s a valid crashout ngl

[rceibo]

taking a break from studying and thinking about leorio’s birthplace. it’s fun how differently both versions decide to depict it… 1999 hints at him being greek/southern european:

while 2011 seems to be more inspired by favelas/barrios populares here in latin america in my opinion:

peep at him and pietro playing fútbol :( ik that this type of infraestructure is not exclusive to latin america but i DO like to project so he’s latino to me

[wrdn-tabris]

BATMAN BEYOND/TERRY McGINNIS; a reading list

So, you're interested in the Batman of the future! A series which takes place in the far off year of... 2039? Listen, the original show came out in the nineties, you gotta give it some slack.

Hopefully here I've compiled a nice list of the comics, as well as any extra appearances of Terry, Batman of Neo-Gotham.

Who is Terry McGinnis?

Terry McGinnis is our seventeen year old protagonist. He meets Bruce Wayne after the old man helps him in beating back a gang who take after the late Joker, and in helping Bruce into his manor discovers that he was formerly Batman. After his father's murder, Terry steals the hi-tech batsuit in order to hunt down the people responsible for his death. In doing so he sees Gotham for how corrupt it really is, and becomes the Tomorrow Knight and Batman of the future.

Where to start?

The best place to start is with the 1999 animated series of the same name. It takes place firmly in the DCAU, alongside Batman: The Animated Series and The Adventure continues, Superman TAS, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited.

The show goes over three seasons, with cameos in a spin off called The Zeta Files (which only ran for a season) Static Shock (ep, Future Shock) and Justice League Unlimited (The Once and Future Thing; part 2, Epilogue) and a movie, Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.

While the cameos are more optional, you don't really need to watch them, though Epilogue is treated as the 'end' of both JLU and Batman Beyond. ROTJ also has two different versions, a censored and uncensored one.

You can watch it on WatchCartoonsOnline, though I'd be a little careful with using that site. If you also have MAX, it should be available for streaming on there.

Comics wise, I apologize for not putting individual issues. I've also included links to readcomicsonline for each comic.

DCAU Tie-In Comics

These tie in directly with the show, and as far as I know, were released at the same time.

Batman Beyond I

Batman Beyond II

Superman Adventures #64

Unlimited and 2.0

The unlimited and 2.0 comics take place post show, and are in the same universe as the DCAU so I personally consider it canon to the series.

Batman Beyond: Hush Beyond (2010)

Batman Beyond: Industrial Revolution (2011)

Batman Beyond: 10,000 Clowns (2012)

Batman Beyond Unlimited

Batman Beyond 2.0

Justice League Beyond

Justice League Beyond 2.0

(and optional, the Superman Beyond comics. I think Terry only has some cameos, but it's always fun to hang out in the world a little bit with different characters)

Superman Beyond 2011

Superman Beyond 2012

N52 Futures End and Rebirth

Futures end is... personally, I'm not a fan. While Terry isn't Batman for the entirety of 2015, 2015 takes place in the aftermath of futures end, while Rebirth is the aftermath of 2015, only a few months later.

N52 Futures End #1-17 #18-30 #31-48

Batman Beyond (2015)

Batman Beyond Rebirth

Neo-Year

A reboot of BB, Urban Legends #7 and Neo-Year set off as Terry's own personal sort of 'year one' as Batman, one without Bruce. I'm personally highly enjoying it so far, and I feel like it does treat his character very well. Neo-Gothic is currently on-going.

Urban Legends #7

Batman Beyond: Neo-Year

Batman Beyond: Neo Gothic

Optional Individuals and Cameos

Batman #700

Superman/Batman 2010 Annual #4

Milestones 30th Anniversary A story with Static and Terry

Batman 2016 #135

Countdown #21 (Just a brief cameo)

Justice League vs The Legion of Superheroes #3

Batman: Beyond the White Knight

This is as comprehensive of a list as I can get, including almost every appearance of Terry's that I can think of. I hope that this helps anyone who is interested about Terry, he's personally one of my favorite characters and I think he's really fun and compelling.

[pawphin]

while i love how both versions portrayed hisoka's true bloodlust finally shining through, 1999's portrayal strikes me as much more visceral.

gon, the brave and quick-witted kid that we've been following throughout the exams, is faced with mortal fear for the first time during the exam. and for once, he is scared. terrified, even. he instinctively curls into a ball, shaking and pleading to be somewhere, ANYWHERE else than here, and the audience is reminded that despite being leagues above most of the other candidates, he's still a 12 year old boy looking for his father. and yet, despite feeling this terror; despite learning what fear really entailed, he continues on. he takes a few uncertain steps, and he's running forward once again.

meanwhile, 2011's take strikes me as very matter of fact; hisoka is scary, and gon is scared, but he quickly gets over it and moves on. it's still a very, VERY well done scene, and it gets the message across well (i actually do not know which hisoka i prefer between the two, they're both so unnerving), but 1999 is so good at humanizing its characters that i can't help but praise it for making me feel like i was there. like i could feel the exact same horror that gon felt, down to the last frame. it's difficult to achieve that sensation, but they ABSOLUTELY succeeded.

[i-heart-hxh]

Hi! I have a question, between the two versions of the anime, which one do you think was more faithful to the manga when it comes to the personalities of Gon and Killua? I've recently finished watching the 99 anime and I really enjoyed it, but idk if this is an unpopular opinion, but sometimes i felt like some of the characters were a little bit ooc, people usually talk about how the Killua of the 99 anime is so different to the Killua from 2011, but I also felt that Gon was really different in both animes, in the 99 version sometimes he was kinda shy or doubtful, like he was too passive, where as in the 2011 anime he seems overall more confident except for the times where he doubts about his self-worth, like after Hisoka didn't take the tag back during the hunter exam, in the 2011 version it also feels like when they are doing something even if the plan wasn't his, like going to Heaven's Arena, Gon is the one taking the lead and deciding how he is going to do things, idk if I'm making sense lol, the point is that he is a little bit more assertive while still being a sweet boy in the 2011 version while in the 99 version he is mostly just a sweet boy at least to me, I'm really interested in getting your thoughts about this topic, sorry for the long post 😅.

Thank you for sending this, it's definitely an interesting thing to discuss and something I've thought about quite a bit myself! Going to go on for a bit right back at you, haha.

Gon and Killua's characterization is actually a major reason for why I have mixed feelings about the 1999 anime. It has some wonderful strengths--like the beautiful cel animation, creative visual direction, more realistic character designs, unique (and darker) atmosphere, some great OPs/EDs, and a lovely soundtrack, among other things. But there are a few different aspects that I'm not a big fan of, and the changes to Gon and Killua's characters are at the top of my list.

First off, I want to say that to an extent I understand why Gon and Killua are characterized differently. Not much of the manga was out when 1999 was made, so the staff could only work with (essentially) the first impressions of the characters, and the anime had to expand into filler/anime-only material to prevent it from catching up with the manga and running out of things to adapt, so to a degree the staff had no choice but to get creative. The artistic liberties they took aren't always a bad thing. I even like some of the additions they made. But I do think some of the choices they made to deviate from the source material--and some of them were definitely not necessary--lead to them being much flatter characters in 1999 than in the manga itself.

This whole paragraph requires some oversimplification so bear with me, but I feel like in 1999, Gon is characterized as too much of a "good boy," while with Killua they lean too much into his "bad boy" side. Leaning into these stereotypes runs counter to what I love about these two, which is that they're both complex and have mixed lighter/darker attributes that feel somewhat "balanced" between them ultimately, and by the end of CAA they have essentially switched positions with regards to their respective light and darkness. They both have strong light sides and strong dark sides contained within them, which is part of why they get along so well even when they're as different as they are. To make Gon more passive and sweet (as you said, which I agree with) and Killua more edgy and bratty makes the relationship feel much more unequal and, to me, uninteresting.

I love Gon's assertiveness, strong-willed nature, and feral and scary sides, and Killua's softer, more vulnerable, and more childish sides, as well as other sides to them we see in canon, so having those toned down makes me sad.

One small example of a change that has always bothered me in 1999 is that they had Gon introduce himself to Killua when they first meet, and Killua even ignores him initially when he tries to introduce himself. While the scene isn't drastically different, I think it's incredibly important in establishing Killua's character that he introduces himself first and is so eager to get to know Gon. He desperately wants a friend! This is a vital basis for his character and motivations! There are a number of decisions in 1999 like this, where some deviation is made to make the characters more straightforward/fitting an archetype, and it would just be a small thing if not for how carefully constructed and extremely intentional Togashi's writing is, and how delicate the balance is with their characterization in the original series.

I'm personally not a fan of how much bigger and older Killua seems in 1999 compared to Gon as well--at times it feels like there must be an age gap of 3-4 years, which is weird to me with two characters where an important aspect of their relationship is that they're the same age. In the early parts of the manga, there was a bigger height gap between them as well (though it gets less and less with time), but even taking that into consideration, the strongly emphasized size difference is odd to me. (I know some people find it cute and that's fine, this is just my own preference!)

That said, I still do enjoy a lot of their scenes in 1999, even some of the added ones! I just don't think the way their characters are portrayed comes off nearly as layered/fascinating/well-balanced as in the manga and therefore in 2011 (which more-or-less closely follows the manga, with some exceptions). I consider 1999 its own alternate canon and any changes/additions only canon within that universe. (Though some of the additions I like can go under "Headcanon accepted!" status for me, LOL.)

2011 does have some small deviations from the manga too, and I do think there are subtle differences in the characterization vs the manga, but 2011 and the manga are much closer to each other overall and the characters are essentially the same at least, with only small exceptions.

So anyway, I definitely agree with what you said about their respective characterizations, and it's something that bugs me, too. There are a lot of aspects I appreciate about 1999, but I'm actually glad I didn't start with it for multiple reasons, and it's a pretty mixed bag for me overall.

[bharv]

I don't often talk on here about that many passions outside of D&D but inspired by a very brief exchange by @plethomacademia I want to talk very briefly about my great love for period dramas.

I'm a particular fan of Georgian era and Victorian era (but you know, every gal of a certain age had their brain chemistry altered by the 1995 Pride and Prejudice as Greta Gerwig knows well) so I wanted to talk very, very briefly about some of my absolute favourites (and whether the adaptation or the book has my heart)

Poldark. The books and the 1975 version, not the modern version (I liked the Elizabeth, wasn't a fan of the rest.) Poldark man. It's the ONE. Incredibly romantic, but with a real political agenda too around landowners rights and the changing role of the gentry. The books were hugely formative for me - and there's LOADS, so get them from your local library and enjoy.

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling. The book, and the delightful 1997 BBC adaptation. I love this book. It's one of those early novels where the narrator just fucking talks about whatever they want. And because it's set in the earlier Georgian era where people did whatever they wanted, it's super sexy. Tom is basically fucking his way through the West Country and London.

Vanity Fair. The book, I've not liked any of the adaptations I've seen. Becky Sharp, beloved. The first real antihero I read. I love her to the ends of the earth. All adaptations try and soften her too much for my liking but the 1998 and 2018 both have good strengths.

The House of Mirth. The book and the 2000's film. Just sublime.

Anna Karenina. One of my favourite books. Western adaptations of Russian novels never quite hit the mark but I have to give a shout out to the 2000 version with Helen McCrory because she really sold the sexual obsession to me in a way others didn't. Man, she was the GOAT.

North and South. The book is great. The adaptation really is superb. Probably the best on the list, one that I would rank just as highly as the novel.

Wives and Daughters. The book was unfinished so they filled in a lot of gaps in the 1999 adaptation starring Justine Waddell (who incidentally was in EVERYTHING for a while? Like every period drama cast her, it was bizarre, and then she just disappeared. This also stars Keeley Hawes who was also in everything, including the very underrated Our Mutual Friend.) I know this one isn't the best, but I'm very fond of it.

Middlemarch. Listen, the book is the greatest book of all time to me. You have to read it at least once. The 1994 adaptation does a great job but it will never be the book, whose strands come together so perfectly, which teaches us so much about the intricate webs of being human.

The Crimson Petal and the White. The book is extraordinary, and the 2011 adaptation tries its best but suffers a bit from some odd casting. Still it's very worth the watch.

I Claudius. Curveball lmao. But it's perfect. Utterly perfect. The cultural impact of the 1976 adaptation can't be understated. A masterpiece.

[murumokirby360]

A vintage Motorola phone (from the 90s; "Motorola d368") [feat. my Paper Dolls]

DeviantART version → [CLICK ME!]

Hello, July. 🌧️☔ Sorry, I didn't make a promise to do some improvised item review because No. 1 - I'm still trying to find a decent GPU Card with a cheap price 🔍🤔, No. 2 - My homeland suffered from the devastating (if not deadly) typhoon⛈️🌪️🇵🇭 days ago, and No. 3 - I'm selling non-functional PC stuff that was staying on shelves for a year to make myself a decent profit and buying a new GPU card, with additional adjustments to prevent a similar tragedy. 💵🖥️ (Or maybe, I'll just buy my own laptop instead as an alternative 💻) As of now, I'm still a helper from my parents' small business without paying a salary (at the same time, I'm still looking for a suitable job. Although, its rainy season so maybe I should get a home-based job? Who knows? 🏠🧑‍💻🤔), as they are focused on earning for renovating our home.

• Nevertheless, I'll be continuing to share my family's throwback items from the past, with another Mobile Phone of the 90s. This right here is the "Motorola d368" 🇺🇸📲 released in 1999 during the peak of Motorola above's popularity competing against Nokia and other cellphone brands, not to mention that their brick-shaped CPs will soon be decreased into small and slimmer packages. I mean, take a look when I compare it with my current Honor 8C 🇨🇳📲smartphone. While the specs of this phone were nothing new and a 90s spec standard, what's special to me was my mom used to be a "Motorola" user who owned two phones (including this one) before she switched to "Nokia" 🇫🇮📲 in the early 2000s. Furthermore, I could never forget the ringing sound when either received an SMS text or someone's calling from her former Motorola phone. And does it have games on her Moto (a nickname for "Motorola") phone? As far as I know, Nah. 🎮👾❌ Playing pixel games on her old solid Nokia phone(s) never gets old (than a boring and modern revamped Nokia phones). Nowadays, the Motorola brand had brought back to death after its bankruptcy 🇨🇳📲, and it doesn't have the popularity as before (save it for their iconic "Motorola RAZR", which is pretty rad to look at and owing it, to this very day), meanwhile, both "Samsung" 🇰🇷📲 and "Apple" 🇺🇸📲 (as well as other phone brands that we're budget-friendly) dominate each other with their impressive future-proof specs and features, since 2011; That's 13 years, and its already celebrated 10 years of rivalry. But, what about Nokia? 🤔Well, it had a similar fate as Motorola. So yeah... 🤷‍♀️

• As for this phone, you could see it already a "relic" status, with a missing antenna that went broken, the battery for this phone was long gone, and the phone itself was yet another decommissioned much like the previous old Nokia I'd already tackled on Sept of 2023 [CLICK ME!]. Well, your spotlight moment is over and its time for you to go back where you belong; the box of family memorabilia. 😊🤗

Well, that’s all for now! And the end of my topic.

If you haven’t seen my previous topic, then please → [CLICK ME!].

Tagged: @lordromulus90, @bryan360, @shadowredfeline, @coda-archive, @leapant, @rafacaz4lisam2k4, @alexander1301

[hellredsky]

Happy Halloween!!

I wasn't sure if I was going to draw something this year, but after the little poll I made the other day on my stories, the winner was my current hyperfixation.

Not very current really, cause I've been a HxH fan for 24 years (gods, I'm old!) But I'm currently rewatching both versions of the anime (1999 and 2011) at the same time (to compare and rant) and reading the manga to catch up cause I stopped reading around chapter 333.

So, I drew my favorite character since 1999: Kurapika! And I was trying to remember when was the last time I drew him and I think it was like 2003 or something. Gods, I'm old!

The uncropped version of this illustration is available for Ko-fi members!

Enjoy your Halloween if you celebrate and if you read and watched the animes: let's talk!

[luulapants]

look into the name Declan for me?? enable my brainrot akldfjgh

Let the brainrot flourish! Declan, as your The Raven Cycle fandom source material would suggest to you, is an Irish name. It's remained relatively unchanged since Old Irish (Declán).

According to vetted sources, the origin is unknown, but -án is a diminutive suffix used in many Old Irish boys' names. That leaves us with a mysterious undefined root, 'decl.' Other -án-suffixed names show us that it's used after both nouns (Cúán = cú 'hound, wolf' + án = 'little wolf, little hound') and adjectives (Senán = sen 'old' + án = 'little old one'), as well as some combinations (Caíndelbán = caín 'handsome' + delb 'image' + án = a handsome little sight).

It's possible the word the name is based on was archaic by the time of its first recording, but looking at Old Irish glossaries, I can make some wild speculations. I'm starting with the 'cl' ending, because it's not a consonant cluster that exists at the end of Old Irish words. That suggests the original word likely changed, dropping a vowel either after or between those consonants. Clú, meaning 'fame' immediately sticks out as both a common name theme, meaning-wise, and a viable phonological origin. From there, I see a prefix, deg-, meaning 'well-,' which is promising because when a voiced velar plosive 'g' is placed before a voiceless velar plosive 'c' (pronounced 'k'), they almost always combine. The pre-Anglicized Modern Irish version of Declan is, in fact, transcribed with a 'g' instead of a 'c'! This would give deg+clú+án, pronounced 'deh-klahn' or 'dehg-lahn' the meaning 'little well-famed one.'

I think that fits Declan Lynch pretty well, don't you?

As for its history, Declán of Ardmore was a 5th century Irish Christian saint who was notable for converting the Déisi, a social class in southern Ireland. These pre-Patrician saints are often overshadowed by St. Patrick, so the following of St. Declan is fairly regionally restricted to County Waterford in Munster.

As a side note, Wikipedia's disambiguation page says, without a source cited, that the name is believed to mean 'man of prayer' or 'full of goodness.' I can find no evidence of an Old Irish word 'prayer' which would support the first meaning. The second could be supported by the Old Irish dag- 'good,' but there's nothing to support 'man' and the exclusion of the diminutive leads me to believe this is a meaning contrived without evidence by the Catholic Church, which they did with several saints' names throughout history.

Irish baby name records only go back to the 1960s, but Declan was in the top 25 most popular names from the start of records start until the late '70s, when a slow decline began. Ireland only tracks the top 100 names, so it's probably still fairly popular, but it did drop out of the top 100 in 1999.

In the US, on the other hand, Declan has seen a skyrocketing increase in popularity from around the same time - 1998. It shot from below the top 1000 to within the top 500 by 2001, the top 200 by 2011, and peaked at 95th in 2019. It's ranked at 390 in the UK, which is the lowest it's been since the 1990s, and is fairly popular elsewhere in the Anglosphere.

I've seen a few movies credited with the rise in US popularity, but none seem particularly compelling to me. What I find more likely is that it was aligned with an overall increase in popularity of Irish names at the end of the 90s, with names like Aidan, Donovan, Brennan, Reilly, and Reagan also suddenly shooting into rankings at the time. This is aligned with an increased popularity of Irish and Irish diaspora in media at the time (Boondock Saints, Angela's Ashes, Traveller, Mystic River), perhaps stemming from the end of The Troubles in Northern Ireland.

In any case, Niall Lynch was right in time with the trends when he named his son.

[suchamiracle-does-exist]

Dear @faisonsunreve thanks for the tag. This was definitely a time taking task but so much fun to do. A true time travel to your watching history. To my surprise there are three French films and three Tom Hanks films included. 😄

A few comments about certain choices.

Favorite film of all time: The Thief of Bagdad (1940): The jewel of the film is Conrad Veidt’s insane Jaffar dressed up with the turban.

Best script: Some Like It Hot (1959): The story about two antihero musicians trying to make a living and avoiding gangsters by dressing as women and joining a female band and traveling to Miami is still unique to watch.

Favorite poster: The Empire Strikes Back (1980): Memories from the childhood. Darth Vader’s perhaps a little too epic posture promises you an emotional adventure and that promise will be fulfilled.

"I’ll watch it some day": Napoléon (1927): @missholson and I were introduced to this 6-hour biopic of Napoleon and we were stunned by the shots of the twenty-minute triptych sequence, where widescreen panorama is made by projecting multiple-image montages simultaneously on three screens. Blu-ray is waiting on the shelf.

Big personal impact: Elvis (2022): I wasn’t prepared for the narrative where female gaze and male vulnerability are allowed and validated.

You like, but everyone hates: Angels & Demons (2009): Don’t know today’s reception but when it was released the film was heavily criticized by the critics and the audience. I like both this and The Da Vinci Code (2006), but having more convincing characters, plot and hold for the entirety makes it better than the first one.

Underrated: The Ninth Gate (1999): Polanski is a very contradictory director for his sexual abuse charges, therefore it feels shameful to admit liking his films or considering his films to be valued. Many find Gate as a dull thriller. The film doesn’t rely on jump scares or gore but the mystery around the occult books and the things you can’t see. 

"Why do I like this?": Bachelor Party (1984): This is my favourite question of them all. I discussed with @faisonsunreve about on what basis you should answer this and does it reveal your true movie taste. The 80’s crazy comedy is a silly and out-dated genre and that is why the films of this era fascinate me. Bachelor Party is full of lame humor and over-the-top characters. Yet the storyline is versatile and entertaining. Young Tom Hanks embodies the past. 

Great soundtrack: La Cage aux Folles (1978): Ennio Morricone has said first he has to understand the film, the images, the story and the director’s intentions before starting to compose. I would like to know his study for Folles, because the soundtrack has such a humorous, characteristic and warm sound. 

That cinematography: Furiant (2015): I was balancing between Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) and La double vie de Véronique (1991), but this short film stands out with the way the rural landscapes, the dimly lit rooms and the unspoken moments are visualized (and edited) by the producer, director, writer, cinematographer and editor Ondřej Hudeček.

Criminally overlooked: Angélique film series (1964-68): Yes, you could put almost any Conrad Veidt film here, however I chose this. I have been fond of Angélique films since I was a child. These spectacles tell the story of Angélique in the time of King Louis XIV of France. Romance, adventure, scheming with breathtaking soundtrack and costume design, beautiful Michèle Mercier in the leading role and the flashy way of speaking French offer us an exquisite interpretation from the 60’s. 

Favorite active director: Peter Strickland: I have seen only The Duke of Burgundy (2014) and Flux Gourmet (2022), nevertheless his style of using the aesthetics of Italian genre films and the intimacy he creates is just heartwarming.

Anyone who wants to make their own version, please do and let me know. 📼📀📦🔦

[consanguinitatum]

David Tennant audios: a plethora of Macbeths (but this one's just MacB)!

It's been a while since I've delved into a lesser-known David Tennant project, so let's see if we can't fix that, shall we? And especially since he's currently at the Donmar Warehouse doing Macbeth, I've got just the thing to showcase! (And no, it isn't his 2005 role as the Porter in Arkangel Shakespeare's audio version of Macbeth, though that IS cool! And it's not the more recent April 2022 version of Macbeth he did for Radio 4 with Daniela Nardini as Lady Macbeth and Stuart McQuarrie as Banquo - two actors he's worked with in the past; Nardini in Antigone for the 7:84 back in early 1993, and McQuarrie in a 1994 production of John Byrne's The Slab Boys Trilogy at the Young Vic in London.)

No, this is yet another Macbeth-adjacent project. It was something David did in September of 2009 for a BBC Radio 7 programme called Big Toe Books. I'll say up front that I wish I knew a LOT more about this project than I do...but I just don't. So I'll tell you what I do know.

But first, a bit of history:

The Big Toe Radio Show - a children's programme aimed at children aged 9 to 11 and which featured games, music, and stories read from well-known books - ran on BBC Radio 7 from 2002 to 2007. When it ended in 2007, the BBC created another show with an adapted format to replace it called Big Toe Books.

Big Toe Books was an hour long show of book readings for older children 8+, which transmitted at 4pm. It featured presenters Kirsten O'Brien (2007-2009) and Chris Pizzey (2010-2011) and lasted until 2011, when it was axed. At the same time, Radio 7 was rebranded as a BBC Radio 4 spin-off station, Radio 4 Extra. At the time, Big Toe Books' listenership was about 136K, but only 21K were children.

Now you're probably wondering how all my ramblings about children's programmes ties in with Macbeth, right? Well as I said previously, David was a guest reader on Big Toe Books, and at 4pm on 14 Sep 2009, he read a book by Neil Arksey called MacB!

And there's the tie-in!

Here are a few blurbs from various newspapers featuring the listing for the show - and oh, incidentally, if you look at the 6pm slot, you'll see a show called Seventh Dimension. That show was a speculative fiction show of various kinds - and in early 2007, it featured a series of original Doctor Who audio dramas starring Paul McGann as the Eighth Doctor!

But back to David and MacB. Now Arksey's book wasn't the Macbeth we're familiar with…not really. Firstly, his book was written for young adults. Secondly, it was based on Macbeth the play, but Arksey set it on the football field rather than the Royal Court. Here's a summary of the plot: "It tells the tale of two best friends, Banksie and MacB. The two train together at football all summer in the hopes of getting onto the football team. When a fortune Teller tells them both that each would be captain, it seems unlikely, especially as they are up against star striker Duncan King, the most likely man for the job. When Duncan has a terrible accident that means he can't play, Banksie has suspicions about whether it really was an accident after all. Was it fate, or did MacB have a hand in it?"

And that's pretty much all I know about David's stint as a guest reader for BBC Radio 7 programme Big Toe Books, reading Neil Arksey's book MacB (which was originally published by Puffin in 1999). Like I said, I wish I had more information about this audio drama. But this little bit is all I've been able to find. And oh, if you want to hear it, go here! I won't tell if you won't!

[hyodyton]

Saw that you said you’ve seen 11 adaptations of Great Expectations? So curious on your rankings and which ones you like the most/reccomend!

OMG AHAH YES... It's even more than 11 now! Including theatre productions, even went to one recently :')  English is not my native language, BUT..

I rank them, but mostly for myself, as the criteria is very specific.

But I can recommend them! I'll talk mostly about the ones I liked, because the ones I hated could be talked about forever.

Naturally, the 1946 version is good, even if it has a romantic ending (which I personally can't stand, but it's present in 90% of the adaptations, so if it happens in the final seconds, you can tolerate it). At least the atmosphere is retained and the film is really great.

I also really liked the 1922 silent black and white Danish film, there's something special about it. Naturally, it was quite shabby, but the actors show everything perfectly with their facial expressions. And most importantly, it's atmospheric and funny. I highly recommend watching it if only for the sake of the experience! I was especially hooked by the very first scene. It's very rare that an adaptation pays more attention to it than the scene where Pip and Magwitch meet. When, as in the book, it's quite sad, as Pip strokes tombstones and fantasises about what his parents might have looked like. So in the film it takes a certain amount of time and he just lies by the tombstones while the wind ripples the grass and you can see the gallows in the background.

For me in general, the most important thing about an adaptation of Great Expectations is that it has to be funny and tragic. Humour is such an important part of the book, and black humour at that.

The 1999 series isn't bad either, although it's quite dark. But here I was sometimes confused by the presentation of the characters, but it's definitely very good compared to many others.

But my personal favourite is the 1989 series, I like everything about this adaptation. And it's naturally tasteful, but all the characters behave the way I expect them to! Especially Pip, Estella and Herbert, they generally often screw up in their character writing in adaptations. In this version, Pip is literally the best I've ever seen.

And Miss Havisham, how gorgeous she is! She is, by the way, played by the actress who played Estella in the 1946 version! (and who better to play Miss Havisham than Estella, ahah).

There's a lot in this adaptation that's often cut or portrayed in a way that's better not tried. Hammersmith with the Pockets family, Wemmick's house is charming with A.P. and Miss Skiffins! What a delightful Joe and Biddy there...... And the fight scene between Pip and Herbert? Wonderful. Funny, ridiculous and with a complete lack of any aggression, as it should be. Pip and Herbert are great here in general, very nice. 

In short, yes. Favourite adaptation.

The 1981 series isn't bad either!

In other adaptations I usually only like certain elements, or the way certain moments are played around.

And it's often just a shame that good actors are used so poorly.

I don't like the 2011 and 2012 versions at all, although I've seen 2012 occasionally praised. But how bad is it for me.... Such disrespect to Estella's character. Not to mention the others, Pip I can't digest here at all. Literally the only good thing I could see for myself was the use of Handel's nickname. But there's a very strange Herbert here and it looks very vulgar and not sincere.

In both these versions Miss Havisham is played by eminent admirable actresses, but how strangely the character of the heroine is turned out by the writers... Such wasted potential with such a cast. There are especially a lot of questions for 2011 in terms of Miss Havisham. Brr. I also hate it when Biddy is made whiny and helplessly in love with Pip. So does Estella...

( Also a shame about Harry Lloyd as Herbert, how little he was and how hastily he was cut. It's a strange desire to cut Herbert out of the plot, to fuse him somewhere. Often, he and Pip aren't even close friends, it's like they're no more than neighbours and drinking buddies. There is no deep connection and no tender loyal friendship).

The 1974 version is neither good nor bad, but rather odd. But I was amused by the scene where Molly is forced to show her strength. She and Drummle wrestle at arm's length and he, of course, shamefully loses.

Here I decided to slow down and not describe absolutely everything I've watched so the post doesn't get any longer. (God I hope you find this post at all useful... And I hope you'll respond.Honestly, if you get the urge to discuss it, I'd be delighted!)

Although it's impossible not to mention the Australian cartoon 1983. It's so bad it's good. It's so fucked up. Had the odd pleasure of watching it, but of course it's bad.

But. Most of all, I hate the 2023 version with all my heart. It doesn't have a single silver lining. It's just disgusting and unbearable to watch, they wanted to look at the story in a new way but fucked up absolutely everything. What a waste of cool cast, impossible.