#i love the little character design traits that make them unique

[eeldritchblast]

I love Astarion's eye bruises... I love Gale's grey hairs... I love Karlach's freckles... I love Lae'zel's scars... I love Shadowheart's messy makeup... I love Wyll's prosthetic eye... I love Halsin's forehead wrinkles... I love Jaheira's jowls...

[katapotato55]

how to make your writing be remembered forever and possibly be well loved.

(incredibly stupid and silly fanfiction line at the end of this post) I know that title is incredibly daunting but listen, its very simple. you ready?

MAKE STRONG CHARACTERS

"but kat! surely its not that simple! " nononono listen. bear with me. I want you to think of your favorite thing. Now ask: what do you remember the most about the thing you love? I will go first:

I love team fortress 2. and guess what: this game has been around since 2007, and was in development hell since before I was even born. The game has been around for 16 fucking years. And guess what? in the strong year of 2023 team fortress 2 Is STILL getting memed about. and do you want to know the crazy part? the character designs to the naked eye are not special at all. ok sure from a designer standpoint, these are very well designed characters made so that you can easily tell who they are based on their silhouette. but from the average joe.... tf2 is iconic but overall it looks ok. it doesn't seem special to a stranger to tf2. look at this completely random and arbitrary example of a game in the same genre:

I don't know shit about the characters in overwatch. Yeah i have a BASIC idea on what their personality is like based on voice lines and some videos i guess... but in-game they just exist. these characters are brightly colored, they have beautiful unique designs, hell they have even more diversity such as robots and people from other cultures! but i don't remember shit about these characters. Maybe I remember the ice lady and tracer, but nothing else. and yeah part of overwatch struggling right now is incompetant development, BUT: The characters in team fortress 2 are SO remember-able because the characters have such a vibrant personality. I am an orange box owner, its been a decade and a half and I am still remembering this game and enjoying art about it.

"but kat! that is a comedy game! Overwatch is a very serious game! are you saying comedy is needed to make a character more noticeable?" no. though I think allowing your characters to lighten up every now and then would humanize them. Not full on goofy, just give them something that makes them likeable. and if you cant do that, you can STILL make a compelling character even though they are mostly seriousness. I have an even more awfully thought out example:

kung fu panda is a masterclass in making a serious comedic movie somehow work. Master Oogway.... he isn't a comedic character at all. Yeah we made memes about him, but ignoring that, he is a wise and resourceful person. He is at calm and has faith in this intuition. there are a lot of characters like this. What makes Oogway stand out is that he is also a little bit kooky and sassy.

this youtube clip sums up what I mean. It is a funny line, it fits the character, and It doesn't ruin the seriousness of the moment. Some of the most successful series in history have something about them that has appealed to people. In my opinion: characters with strong personality and interesting traits is always a good way to ensure your writing is successful. The second most important is the characters bouncing off of each other in terms of their chemistry with each other. There is a reason why I spent years playing the first Destiny game and all of the DLC, but I remember fuck all about the characters. I think I maybe remember the bootleg star lord robot guy.

A writing exercise

here is an exercise to get you in the spirit of character making. step 1- get a random character from a random bit of media. In this case let me bring you master Oogway. Step 2- Get a completely different character from a completely unrelated series. I am going to give you Scout from team fortress 2. step 3- write a random ass thing about them interacting. Think about how the characters would react to each other and why. Think about each characters values in life and think about how they would bond and conflict with each other. Think about characters similar to the character they met in the past and how they reacted then, and if they have never interacted, make something interesting with it. Step 4- keep experimenting. Once you get into the spirit you can apply this to any new character you could want to make anyways thats it byeee- "arent you going to do that ?" do what? "make a writing thing about oogway and scout. " ........

Scout: let's go turtle you got nothing on my speed- Oogway: The one who first resorts to violence shows that he has no more arguments. Scout: that sounds like chicken talk! come on tough guy let me have it- Oogway then proceeds to make scout eat shit before vanishing in a cloud of cherry blossoms and dust from the desert. If this post isn't popular I want you to know my dignity was lost for nothing.

[comicaurora]

thoughts on Castlevania: Nocturne?

HO BOY WHAT A RIDE

ok to start off, the short list of things I wasn't a huge fan of

The dialogue was a little bit wack in places; Richter's extremely badass "there's something you've forgotten about belmonts, I'd forgotten it too" line fizzling out into "ok I was gonna do a one-liner but eh fuck it" was a pretty representative example. Kinda snapped me out of the scene when I was otherwise hella invested

Erzsebet's dumb onion haircut

this is a nitpick but solar eclipses are only visible from very small areas of the earth because the moon's shadow is much smaller than the earth so even if Erzsebet is magically holding the moon in place it'll only produce eternal night in like a third of france

castlevania let even one mom survive a season challenge 2k23

On to the good stuff!

Every character, even the nastiest antagonists, being clearly and consistently motivated by core traits that sometimes lead to them switching between opposing and helping Team Good Guy, I lost it when Olrox smoked his way into Casa Good Guy to give them a plot device in the most unnecessarily threatening way possible

Love that Richter's brand of snark is a blend of Trevor and Sypha's, he's just as sassy as Trevor but all his quips show Sypha's chipperness. Also love that he copes with the Belmont Trauma by constantly deflecting and light-heartedly downplaying The Horrors until he finally cracks

Maria's cute lil pokemon

Richter getting his magic back!! What a beautiful scene, what good animation, what powerful shots

Richter's unique fighting style! As soon as his magic comes back it's All Throwing Hands All The Time and I really appreciate how anime protagonist he is about it

ALUCARD'S RETURN

Edouard's singing being so good it keeps giving people their souls back, also one of the most gorgeous night creature designs ever put to paper

Annette's entire deal is so profoundly powerful and I love how they're using her ancestral magic to expand on the ramifications of Castlevania's "all legends are true" undercurrents

This show feels extremely focused on the specific political landscape of the historical period it takes place in unlike Castlevania's more loose historical setting

The THEMES of colonialism and vampirism being one and the same

Olrox being like "oh you want to make a new world empire of absolute conquest? heard that one before" and somehow none of the other bad guys pick up on the subtext of "and it was FUCKING BAD"

Sekhmet-Erzsebet's cape shoulder-halo thing being the Egyptian sun-on-a-boat symbol is subtle and it slaps

"who's dracula" lmao

[the-nerd-beast]

I believe Carmilla Carmine to be a fallen angel

As well as the fact that she has daughters when sinners can't reproduce there is an important detail I can't believe no one has brought up.

Look at her, I mean really look at her, what is something you might notice? Other than her stunning beauty

An amazing lack of features she has. She has no wings, no shark teeth, no monstrous/bestial features, no horns (I was surprised to learn that her buns weren't wrapped around horns), no inorganic parts like Vox or what have you and she shares this trait with her daughters Odette and Clara. The only arguably inhuman trait are her large hands, which are not exactly a very defining trait especially since they moved away from her pilot design of having claws.

Look at the denizens of Hell:

They are incredibly diverse in form, having taken on features influenced by personality, sin, time period and cause of death. Even most "basic" sinners still look like generic devils.

(I used Mrs. Mayberry from Helluva Boss because she is the best shot of a "devil" sinner but they are seen often as background characters in Hazbin Hotel as well).

Now there is an exception to this though: Velvette

Now with her, I believe that is less a lore reason and more an artistic design choice since it is apparent her outfit and hairstyle is going to be different in every appearance she has so they left out any extra features to make that easier for the animators.

She is essentially a blank canvas for the animators to play dress up doll with, but she does still lack a nose which makes her a little less human looking than Carmilla.

Now getting back to Carmilla's daughters, even if Odette and Clara also died at the same time as Carmilla which is why they are together in Hell, the chances that they wouldn't have enough variables to have any unique features of their own feels slim, did these three really have so little variation in personality and sin one of them wouldn't look a little more monstrous?

Some have pointed out the horns they have are probably fake, with Odette's being her hairband, which with Carmilla's hair buns seem to almost be an attempt to "fit in" with the sinners.

Overall as many have brought up, the Carmines have more in common with Vaggie design wise with how few unique features they have, and we all know what Vaggie's deal turned out to be.

Anyway that's my two cents and I'd love to know your thoughts if you have any.

[novlr]

could you maybe do something on characters becoming serial killers? I’m was originally going to have some sort of characters going insane thing, but I think that the whole “insane people killing” is a little stupid and borderline dangerous (saying that insane people kill all the time) so could you give me some pointers?

How to Write a Serial Killer: A Quick Guide for Writers

Crafting a convincing serial killer requires a lot of research, imagination, and an understanding of the genre. Let’s dive into some quick tips to help you create a serial killer who is gripping, unique, and emotionally complex.

Develop their backstory

The key to crafting a convincing serial killer is in understanding their past to shape their present. Explore their backstory in detail — were they subjected to abuse or neglect? Did they endure a life-altering traumatic event that set them on this dark path? Developing a compelling backstory is essential, not only to justify their actions but also to cultivate a degree of empathy, allowing readers to connect with the character on a deeper level.

Give them unique motivations

Serial killers act based on what drives them; they commit their crimes for a reason. This reason could be a need for control, a hunger for power, or a wish to spread chaos. By connecting their reason for doing things with their unique personality traits and backstory, you can create a well-rounded and consistent character.

Include misdirection and plot twists

To maintain suspense, make use of narrative devices like red herrings designed to divert your reader's attention. The clever use of these diversions can delay the unmasking of the killer, increasing tension and anticipation. Additionally, unexpected plot twists that abruptly shift your story's trajectory can not only alter your reader's perception but can also reconfigure their theories keeping readers on their toes.

Draw parallels with your protagonist

Creating a unique perspective by establishing similarities between your serial killer and your protagonist can add multifaceted layers to your story. This might involve drawing connections in their backgrounds, aligning their motivations, or uncovering shared personal struggles. These parallels not only make the plot more engaging but also heighten the intensity of the conflict between the two characters.

Use foreshadowing

Foreshadowing serves as a powerful tool in constructing suspense and subtly hinting at future events in your story — carefully place clues that can suggest the identity of the killer or indicate their next victim. But remember to maintain an air of mystery by not unveiling too much prematurely. The goal is to keep readers engrossed, continually making and remaking their guesses about the unfolding plot.

Include an emotional subplot

Adding an emotional subplot in your narrative significantly enhances the relatability of your serial killer. This could range from them harbouring deep-seated love for someone, to grappling with a fear that surpasses the dread of getting caught. These contrasting aspects of their otherwise sinister nature serve to give the characters greater depth and dimension, thus enriching their complexity.

Did you know we have a Spotify account with lots of great playlists for writers? Here's one to inspire your next serial killer novel!

[djsherriff]

I’m making a Laserhawk swap au called “Captain Shauni: A Domz Blood remix”, with Jade and Dolph being the first two designs I’ve finished. I don’t have any plans besides doing the cast’s designs , maybe redo the original Laserhawk poster with them. I do however have ideas for this au and how everyone’s roles play out (Elements are subject to change depending on what happens in season two)

In this au Eden is set on Dimension X with The Board of Directors replaced with the The Council of Teensies, this au is not set on the Glade of Dreams however as this is still a sci fi focused setting. Unlike in canon hybrids are not lab made, instead being native aliens of Dimension X along side Rayman characters (and go by different names, maybe their species name based on beyond good and evil game lore?)

In this au Earth was destroyed by unknown forces (idk what yet) and humans had to take refuge in Dimension X. The social system of Eden is swapped in this au , making it so humans are seen as below hybrids/aliens who are average citizens , but Eden is still a dystopian society which naturally comes with lots of issues

While some older humans such as Pagan and Sam (who swap with Rayman and Marcus respectively) were alive during Earth’s destruction and remember life on humanity’s former planet, a majority of the human population weren’t even born when it happened, such as the two pictured above

Dolph Laserhawk takes Jade’s place in this au as the enthusiastic , young and athletic boy toy friend of Alex Taylor. While people give judgemental stares at their way due to their age gap, Dolph pays no mind as he both adores and idolises Alex. Being an abandoned orphan on the street Dolph didn’t really have anyone on and after Alex fixed him up with some prosthetics , Dolph couldn’t imagine being happy without Alex. (Just don’t tell him Alex’s dirty little secret). Being practically raised on the streets of Eden, Dolph is incredibly skilled with parkour, a deadly match with his laser pistols

Captain Jade Shauni is swapping with Dolph. Daughter of the famous pirate Captain Dakini, Jade was taken from her mother by Eden after Dakini was arrested for her piracy. Upon inspection it was found that Jade had unique biological traits, making her a suitable host for experiments with Domz DNA. Her Uncle Pey’J would later rescue her from a life of being Eden’s lab rat and the pair would go on to rebel against Eden’s cruel system , Jade even adapting the Captain title in honour her mother

Jade’s preferred weapon is a Bo staff , being more skilled in hand to hand combat than with long distant weapons. Jade also carries a camera with her , recording both Eden’s injustice during her rebellion stunts and as a way to remind herself of her own personhood that Eden desperately tried to strip from her

Being one of the few people who knew her mother, Jade was incredibly trusting of Pey’J and ignored many of his more unsavoury traits. Jade’s trust in Pey’J however would shatter during one mission where Pey’J would confess to being in love with her and urged her to marry him. Naturally disgusted in the proposal, Jade refused the offer even after Pey’J attempted to reason that marrying him would give a Jade more rights in Eden society. The next thing Jade knew, she woke up in a cell, with a creepy little frog telling her he put a bomb in her head

[axenyan]

Hey!

I hope my ask won't come off as mean, I am coming here with genuine curiosity and love!!

I personally never saw the appeal in Ritsu and feel SUPER curious to see how other people (esp. ritsu enjoyers) see him! :0 What is it abt ritsu that makes him as appealing to you as he is! I have a hope that maybe reading someones enthusiasm and love for a character rambled on in text will help me find affection for the character too! :] (Happened with Leo.. tumblr made me a Leo enjoyer 😔)

- A huge kaito and zenji enjoyer

(Feel free to ignore this ask! I'm just curious <3 and again, sorry if this comes off as mean in any way ;;)

Hello!!

No no no, this didn't come off as mean! In fact, I'm super happy I received this ask🥺 I need more people to know how baby he is.

I'm not good at analysis, and English is not my first language, so this is just me rambling about why I love him. I also apologize for the grammatical mistakes I may have made >_< hopefully I can still get my points across!

Alright, let's go~!

I haven't posted the full pic of this art anywhere because it's an eternal WIP.

∘₊✧────────✧₊∘ How it all started ∘₊✧────────✧₊∘

A friend showed me Ritsu's introduction post because she thought Ritsu looked like the type I would fall for in terms of design, and she is absolutely right.

However, upon reading his quote, I was unsure if I would like his personality, so I took my friend's recommendation with a grain of salt.

∘₊✧──────────✧₊∘ Getting to know Ritsu ∘₊✧──────────✧₊∘

At the beginning of Sinostra chapter, I was still 50/50 about him because he is, ugh..... 😭 We never met him before, and yet he already had our info?! Not just ours, but everyone's?

Plus, bro keeps yapping and is also a bit forceful... That's annoying as heck. But then I remembered I have another favorite character with quite a similar personality: Sebek Zigvolt (Twisted Wonderland).

I tried to see if they had similar traits, and apparently, they did.

Apart from being in their first year of high school (baby!!!), they are resilient, pay careful attention to their appearance, talk a lot, and are keen on achieving their goals... but they're also a little obsessive about it, and the way they do their things could come off as annoying for other people.

And I was like... oh, hm. I'm starting to see a pattern here.

Then I continued reading the story and noticed several moments where Ritsu got flustered, for example, when Taiga called him out because of his handwriting.

It's one of the points where I realized he might be my next mistake... because I like characters who are difficult to handle and get flustered when being teased or when things don't go their way. 😭 Those characters make me say "I love you, you are so cute, but why are you like this??!" 😭 I feel like I can freely pinch their arm when they start being silly. 😭😭😭

After reading Sinostra chapter, I paid more attention to his campus dialogues and home lines. I had a discussion with my friend, and we concluded that he actually has good intentions, but the way he does his things is unusual. I think that's what makes him unique (albeit creepy at times 😭).

I'll take his affinity lv2 home line as an example:

“You’ve lost your notebook? Just a moment. …At 9:04 AM, it was inside the photocopier. Yes, I do have that information recorded.”

I mean, who the hell does that? I appreciate the help, but why does he know the location of our missing notebook just from his recording? Why?😭

∘₊✧──────────────────────────✧₊∘ Moments that make me go uefhuehgfu💞💞💞 ∘₊✧──────────────────────────✧₊∘

Being a little twerp aside, I like how he can be understanding(?) and open to new things.

He has a line like this. This is from the summer lines.

“You want to go and watch the fireworks? A rather childish request, but all right. So? Where would one go to view them?”

He thinks our request is childish but he agreed to go!!! Usually, a prideful character like him would just brush us off, but he didn't...

Another example is his ramen talk with Ren in episode 7. It seems he isn't used to eating food like instant ramen because he's been eating ramen at an actual ramen shop, but he is willing to try it. He even did his research before buying. 🥺

∘₊✧─────────────────✧₊∘ How I personally perceive him ∘₊✧─────────────────✧₊∘

Now that I've learned more about him, I think he is:

A good boy with a clear goal but a questionable way of executing his plan.

Adorable and round... I want to poke his cheeks.

Inspiring! I like how studious and organized he is. I even started writing more in my journal because of him.

Willing to try new things! I admire this about him!

Cute-- wait, I've mentioned that. Okay, he is silly. Please look at his action in episode 8 where he was mostly with Taiga. He did his best to keep a watch on his captain, literally doing everything he could, like using his stigma to be a doorstop 😭

In short, I find him endearing. I want to slap him at times but I still find him endearing. I don't know if it's a suitable word to describe it, but it's how I feel about him. `(*>﹏<*)′

Again, this is my very personal take on his character so I might be biased at some points, but I hope this could help you find a thing or two about Ritsu!

[dontmixpaintinyourcoffee]

EAH was one of my very favorite cartoons as a kid, and I've been enjoying it's renaissance very much, so REDESIGNS!!! (I've done a bunch over a couple months and put them on Instagram, but I figured I'd move them here cause Instagram sucks, so if you've seen them before over there that's why)

I think the original designs are aesthetically pleasing, but they're not super practical for the characters- case in point! Gay icon Darling Charming

I'm gonna put all my design notes under the cut so if you don't care about that carry on, have a nice day

Darlings original design is fun, but it doesn't serve an obvious purpose, at least not that I can see. She clearly wears armor on the outside of her outfit, the Marie Antoinette poof is a bit strange to me, and she has very little visually tying her to Dexter and Daring. I wanted to emphasize her secrecy, but also her passion for puzzle solving, riddles, combat tactics, ect. when she's around the people she trusts (as if the queer metaphor wasn't obvious enough)

Here are some details that just make me happy

-First, the hair. I knew I wanted to give the White Knight a more unique look, and I wanted to simplify it overall. I LOVE the original armor, but it would be a huge pain to animate, and I don't have the patience for that, so I went for a masquerade-ball-three-musketeers-vibe. The braided bun is still a fancy, regal style, but it's a lot easier for her to manage in her uniform

-I tried to synthesize the color schemes of the Charming siblings. They all have a pit of yellow, a bit of pinkish red, a bit of blue. The twins lean heavy into yellow and blue, with splashes of red where thematically appropriate. Darling doesn't really communicate with Daring much, so she has the least amount of red. I think having more muted colors in comparison to her brothers also emphasizes the fact that she's hiding herself. She is very much defying her family with her ambitions, and she has to work hard to keep it under wraps. Sort of related, I gave her a tooth gap, because it's a cute design detail, but also to act as a "flaw" to contrast with Daring. Daring's primary physical trait is his ungodly perfect teeth, so I thought it'd be fun to give her an "imperfect" trait, like Dexter and his glasses. There's nothing actually wrong with them, but it's a failure to reach the insane expectations that the Charming family has cultivated over the generations. Basically the Charmings are petty and I feel bad for the youngest generation.

-Speaking of concealment! There are a couple bits that I thought would be fun to hide throughout her outfit. First, the skirt is flowy enough and the shirt is positioned just right so that you can't tell, but she has pieces of leather armor on at all times. She saves the plates for wonderland. She also wears gloves to hide the callouses on her fingers from swordfighting! She also probably keeps knives in her hair somewhere. Pulling a small switchblade out of the base of her bun just seems like something she would do

-Final thing, I gave her a scar! From what I can tell, she's always been very rough-and-tumble, so I gave her a scar over her brow. She likes to pretend it's from a Mysterious Incident to mess with her friends, but really she was wrestling Daring when they were like, 4 and 6, and she bonked her face into a table. She got over it real fast, but Daring got a long lecture about it, and that's when he started getting over-protective about her

[lesbianjobutupaki]

Art practice by trying some other artist's styles that I'm a huge fan of!

From Top Left to Bottom Right:

@ghostishere0 - the original reason I started this doodle, as I wanted to draw a "shepherd lovers squad" and their OC (who I don't know the name of F) was the perfect fit for it.

@luminesparkz - the best interpretation of Pom pikmin. If I were Mr. Nitendo, I would make them the official comic creator along with the manga comics.

@marblyso - If I was a little more unhinged and made a shrine to Erma Shepherd, it would be mostly marblyso's art of her, it's my absolute favorite Erma depiction <3

@rexscanonwife - another OC that I don't know the name of, but she makes such a cute pair with Shepherd and has such cute art that why not, let Shepherd have multiple canon wives at this point.

@citruscrisp - I think this is secretly Alph in an alternate universe where he makes comics about himself, because citrus has Alph's character SPOT ON, and also loves to put that boy in a situation (which I am happy for, I enjoy seeing that boy in a situation)

@daisythecomic - oooaaaaaaaaaa they look like little mice people they look so soft and sweet I love them so muuuuuuuuuccchhhhhhhhh

@louie-posting - I can't not include actual Louie Pikmin on this list.

@kiwilittle - the soft, the sweet, the one who makes the best family style art, really making me wish I was an inch tall so I could go to holidays with the olimar family, also their wife design is so cute that if Olimar didn't already get it I would shoot my shot for her m a a m

@pikbugz - really nails the soft aesthetic that makes pikmin such a calming series, and their coloring style is so soft and good that it gives me the ratatouille nostalgia flashback moment.

@splitster - more than just the wraith au guy, they are the one who makes incredible and funny comics; I've seen so many fics with the rescue corps where I can pick up that yes, this trait came from a splitster comic, and that's a GOOD thing. Made me actually LIKE Dingo, the nerve.

@diesaur - I can't do diesaur's incredible, unique art justice, they are amazing at using geometrics and have the best charlie (his little teefs...)

@solluxander - Cars, one of my favorite pikmin Ocs I've ever seen! Collin deserves a slightly unhinged sentient fluffball boyfriend, and I always love seeing the new ways Cars will interact with him.

@sillypikmin - all hail the best pikposter, who I'm still convinced is an actual leafling living on actual pnf-404, literally every time I have a bad day I look at drawings of Moss and feel better.

@eggpathy - thank goodness they came back to give us old man yaoi. I keep their drawing of olimar kissing the pikmin good night on my phone and look at it before I go to sleep and so far I have yet to have a single nightmare.

@the-knife-consumer - the only person I trust with Louittany, toxic yuri my beloved, I just adore their beasty brittany design so so much, I wish I could have a small brittany to live in my house...

anyway they have the best headcanons for our beloved blorbo hamster people

@natibranch - there's a voice line of Louie going "wa-ha!" in this really cute sing-song voice and every time I see any art by natibranch I hear that sound in my head as a little burst of serotonin, they just nail that exact feeling so so well.

@pikked-min - Another of my favorite Pikmin OCs, Yuva! A really interesting and unique character concept with a lot of thought put into the worldbuilding, followed by a strong unusual personality that had me looking at the pikmin world through a new perspective entirely. Please, someone, give them some sunglasses. Read the fic it's so good

@ssserf - artistic and deep while still somehow looking like official nintendo tm art, genuinely the best at the pikmin proportions, how could I resist trying my hand at the classic amazing beautiful Brittany Fruit Sweater moment, literally SO iconic

@kashi-pon - while I was working on the part of this that was just kashi's various highlife dresses there was a part of me that wanted to dedicate the rest of the space to paying homage to the joke comic of Louie lifting his skirt to show Olimar that he's wearing shorts, except this dress....well......

@diamondwerewolf - the reason we got louie in a little bunny outfit anyway, and thus why we got kashi's dress version. you single-handedly turned Louie into a tumblr sexyman, how could you

[pygmi-cygni]

writing tips - nicknames

nicknames!! they are the Cutest I love them! especially if your character has a stupid long name that takes forever to type, nicknames are the best. but they can get annoying if you use them inappropirately or make them equally as stupid as the original name (jk its not stupid but i'll show you what I mean)

nickname based on a trait - freckles, shorty, etc. these are cute but really only make sense when the trait is unique and striking. also- nicknames have a vibe. freckles might not be the best trait to nickname if they're a spy or a corporate god. it's giving strip club, not CEO. throw a couple around and get the right niche.

nicknames as a shorter name - think this through a bit, please. using the first syllable or whatever is fine unless the name is like 'Ophelia'. 'Oph' doesn't have a great ring to it. 'Feely' or 'Fee' does, though.

use nicknames sparingly. too much and it gets annoying, but you could use it as a disguise for a hidden identity... one tip: symbolic nicknames are kinda cliche. nicknaming them 'starlight' because they are secretly a star goddess is blah.

ALSO. IF THE NICKNAME IS LONGER OR MORE COMPLICATED THAT THE ACTUAL NAME, it doesn't serve the same purpose. nicknames by design are supposed to make it easier to say or pronounce the original name. or it can be a cute little term, not an honorific.

xox byeee

[jacarandaaaas]

opening random encanto yt videos’ comments section is like staring at the waking storm you’re about to plunge into and knowing it’s not gonna be pretty and you’re probably not getting out of it unscathed (aka calm/happy fine—also sorry pepa oof—)

god the amount of misinterpretations people have with the movie, with so many scenes is insane, i’m about to go even more insane myself than usual

it’s so frustrating and i want to throw my phone every time AAAAAAA

but anyway yes, i wrote this ask in the first place to ask about your thoughts on different details and plot points and just general stuff of the movie that you noticed and really love, with any/all of this helping you appreciate the movie more? just anything, really, your choice on whatever you wanna ramble :3 (also to make up for how my last question had stopped you from rambling AHAHAH)

because i know you have so many good ideas and thoughts, so i’d love to hear it hehe :>

hope i made sense with the question, just a bit sleep deprived rn haha, but yes, ty!! <33

I totally relate to this feeling😭 except instead of YouTube comments it’s like almost every platform💀 and thank you for the ask!!

I could rant forever about all the details in this movie honestly!!!

The foreshadowing is SO good in this movie!! waiting on a miracle and the family madrigal being obvious ones but did you guys know the order mirabel sees the doors flicker when she sees the cracks is the order they lose their powers in? Isa + Luisa first because that’s who’s powers act up first dolores + camilo + antonio at the dinner scene and alma last because she was the last one willing to admit the problems!!

I love the character design!! I’ve rambled about it many times but it’s just !!!

I love how despite mirabel being our protagonist they show when she’s wrong and other characters call her out! She’s not a perfect protagonist she’s a flawed teenage girl and that just makes her more endearing

I love that they didn’t make Mariano a mean character just because isabela didn’t want to marry him. The problem isn’t Mariano it’s isabela feeling trapped!! Mariano is also shown to be considerate!

I love that most of the focus is on the female characters (if only the fandom would do that) I love seeing a multigenerational cast of women all flashed out with their own unique traits

about the misinterpretations i completely agree. I feel like this fandom has a “fanon” problem. especially with the most developed characters! surprisingly the ones with the most screen are the most common mischaracterised. I really dislike how encanto as a movie went to such an effort to give every character such a variety of traits and nuance only for the fandom to continuously reduce them down to one singular trait. It almost feels like reinforcing those stereotypes the movie was so set on breaking. As well as this continuously ignoring some of the best canon traits each character has. They feel so far from the original you might as well consider them ocs at that point.

I love the animation on Bruno’s vision shards (they look edible), I love the little details in mirabels room like her outfit sketches being hung up on the walls! THE BUTTERFLIES!! this movie has so many hidden butterflies it’s so fun to spot them!!

the soundtrack obviously but also the score!! only recently discovered that “the house knows” is a reprise of “the cracks emerge” it blew my mind!!!

One thing I really love about encanto is the expressions! they can convey so much with so little and the little subtleties it adds to each character is just incredible to me!!

SKIRT ANIMATION. it’s like hypnotizing to see how the skirts flow in this movie I am glued to the screen every time.

the dos oruguitas scene is gorgeous and so incredibly important to the core message of this story! As well as this scene the fall of casita is another incredible one!!

the songs feel like full blown fantasy musical numbers and I don’t know why people consider that a criticism of the movie is about MAGIC I want to feel that magic in the visuals of the song. So each musical number was like the most incredible experience!!

I love how waiting on a miracle starts off as a reprise of the family madrigal before changing to 3/4 time to show how mirabels out of place

the line “how far do these roots go down” hits so hard and I cant explain why

Felix and pepas love is so real and pure

julieta and agustín are incredible parents

dolores entire design

the fact luisa wasn’t reduced to a stereotype and was allowed to be flawed

mirabels voice!! it’s so unique and recognizable like I love it sm

the way felix sings “no clouds allowed in the skyyy”

I love that the characters actually look their age!

almas room being a replica of her old home showing how metaphorically and physically she’s stuck in the past

“I was thinking of my daughter!!”

I love that with isas transformation it’s not her hating femininity but changing what her femininity means to her

I love how mirabels worst enemy is her own mind. the madrigals aren’t aware of how she feels because she never opens up and it’s just slowly eating her up inside. in the end mirabel needed to acknowledge herself in order to grow (I say acknowledge because I refuse to believe it’s acceptance and I think she would still struggle with her self perception post movie)

I love how the Madrigals use their gifts to help their community and not for self gain. It’s such an interesting twist on the classic superpowers story

I love that the Madrigals are just normal people who randomly got a miracle, nothing of status just normal people in a normal town who got gifted.

the way pepa kisses antonio and hugs him after he gets his gift !!!

the way isabela is the one to initiate the hug but mirabel is the one who snuggles into it

julietas smile

the entire animation is so gorgeous!!

antonio. just antonio if u hate antonio I hate u

I love how realistically written alma is and how her story is treated with respect and nuance.

how all the madrigals problems aren’t solved instantly but it’s shown in a montage that happens over large period of time

[threepandas]

ANOTHER~: YANDERE!AFO

(But first! Art link! I found the edited version. The ORIGINAL is better VVV)

OKAY, SO...

As I mentioned on my LAST Yandere!Afo? The person Afo most wants to fuck? Is HIMSELF. But NOT as his own equal. God, No. He'd kill that treacherous, no doubt attempting to usurp him, snake in the grass IMMEDIATELY. He's an awful and untrustworthy WRETCH. He would know.

No, no, the man AfO MOST wants to fuck?

Is a slightly to moderately YOUNGER version of himself.

Someone WEAKER. Someone he can OVERPOWER. Watch as they struggle helplessly in his grip. He wants a GAME. To watch them LOSE. See the realization in their eyes, that they've been outmatched all along. Played. That their stubborn pride means NOTHING before him.

He loves himself. Is OBSESSED with himself. But at the same time? Wants to break that other self down and make him? Helpless, pathetic, and dirty.

Submit to him.

Refuse him.

Show him your RAGE.

And? We can argue all day, about whether he is heterosexual, homosexuality, bi or pansexual. A raging narcissist (he is). If he's Ace as FUCK. But? For the purpose of THIS post and prompt? I am commenting upon his boner for himself. His Selfcest aspect. So we're all going to go with it.

He? Wants to Fuck This Man:

This one right here. Biiiiiit older of course, as this is baby faced Teen AfO. But? Twink AfO. Early-mid-late Twenties lookin, "I think I'm an adult but am wildly unprepared to handle the manipulations of a Seasoned Adult" baby faced, arrogant lil shit. Proud and sneering. Disdainful.

THATS the one he wants to slam full force, with super strength, not just down ONTO a flat surface, but THROUGH and right into the ground until it CRATERS. Hold him down by the NECK and choke him slowly as he takes his time. Make him watch as he destroys his precious little suit, his put together appearance, do as he pleases.

See the FURY in his eyes. The hatred. The kindling, obsessive, need for REVENGE.

You have NO idea how many times he's gotten off on that fantasy. Idly kept an eye out for Time and Reality Hopping Quirks. There is, after all, only so much relief quirks and his own touch can provide, in the end. He IS but a man. Even he gets... frustrated.

But? As they say? Every human on earth supposedly has 7 doppelgangers. Especially when you don't FUCKIN DIE. It was bound to happen EVENTUALLY. The right combination of genetics and Quirks. Lightning striking once again.

Perhaps they are distantly related through his mother's unknown family. Perhaps his father's. Impossible to tell. The traits were obviously VERY recessive. But? White hair, familiar eyes. A... "copy" quirk.

The young man is LYING.

Unlike himself, the younger man requires all five fingers touching. A variation of his own. Dressed sharply, he is a vicious lawyer. One with a preference for the poor, discriminated, underclasses. Those with DANGEROUS Quirks. Useful ones.

He greets everyone with a firm, American style, handshake.

AfO is ENTRACED. How many HUNDREDS must he have by now? A net, thrown to collect indiscriminately, until something useful appears? Does he piece them together? The weaker quirks? CAN he? Like AfO? Can only take or can he give as well? But, ah, why SHOULD he?

A little demon prince, pretending to be the benevolent hero. The white knight on shining steed. Here to save the day. How GREATFUL they all are! Afo laughs and laughs. Oh, how it takes him back.

And? They never see him coming. How could they? He is a ghost of a shadow, hidden in the dark. They think they are unique! Their own special brand of predator. Unaware there is something bigger, meaner, hunting THEM.

I imagine AfO has ALOT of fun.

But! That's for part two!

[tiasha-sims]

🌳 Creating a Family Tree | TheSimsTree

Keep your family history and precious moments!

ㅤ

If you're a dynasty lover who cares about your sims, you’ve probably been looking for a way to recreate your family tree in digital form.

Today, I am with the team want to share a young project called TheSimsTree, which has been a real lifesaver. We genuinely recommend it based on our own experience 💫 ㅤ

ㅤ

🌿 TheSimsTree.com

This site will become your go-to helper for creating and managing your family tree. It makes it easy to save and visualize the stories of your Sims, share them with other players, and enjoy a ton of unique features and customizations that will make storytelling even more fun.

💌 And if you’ve used PlumTreeApp before, you can import your family tree with just a couple of clicks, so you won’t lose any precious progress.

We’ve shared with links to our family trees ⇣

🐇 Tosy | The story of a little green one sim

🐾 Slooo | A dynasty by chance

🥐 Cladkaya_bulka | The Lauder dynasty

━━✶━━

The main features of the site are available for free, which is great and doesn't feel awkward like when payment is forced on you.

If you genuinely want to support the project and enjoy some premium perks, you can sign up for a subscription. The team has offered a really sweet bonus for our subscribers as a token of appreciation :3

���️ The promo code TIASHA gives you a discount of 4$ on an annual subscription!

━━✶━━

Site features:

✍🏻 Creation and management ° A multifunctional family tree that lets you go both up and down. No limits on characters, pets, or generations. ° Displays relationships, allows you to highlight the heir’s line, and even add your partner's family for a complete picture. ° Personality traits can be entered manually, allowing for custom traits. There are also icons for occult affiliations. ° The parent function highlights only the specified parents on the card if the child has different parents. Biological parents won’t be shown in cases of adoption. ° You can keep a personal diary for your sim, adding photos, stories, and details. Uploaded avatars are saved, which helps track the character’s development throughout their life. ° Markers show the completeness of the diary and the avatars of each sim.

🎨 Customization ° A creative space for crafting and designing a unique vibe. ° Lovely wallpapers for every taste, including custom ones from your favorite simmers. ° Dark mode for the interface, along with photo and text editors. ° Options for fonts, colors, tables, lines, highlights, and other elements. ° You can share your social media links in the author’s profile and add a video widget for YouTubers.

💭 Community ° Several privacy settings and the option to share your family tree. ° A public gallery where you can read others' stories and find your audience. ° The ability to like and comment on diaries. ° A blog with articles where you can publish and share your own stories.

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It's clear that the team puts a lot of heart into their work and listens to player feedback, constantly making improvements. It's a wonderful and responsive project that truly deserves support! 💚

[apoptoses]

thinking about our threesome 🫶🏼

46. How much do bad interpretations of this character upset you? for Daniel 🫢

48. What’s your favorite physical/design feature for this character? for ARMAND

49. What’s your favorite personality trait in this character? for Lestat

idk why i stayed in the 40s those seemed like the most unique questions to me

46. Lmao god, a LOT.

I think the thing about Daniel is that he's one of those characters with a lot of blanks to fill in, right? He's only present for 10% of the entire VC at best, we don't know much about his background, we only get a handful of chapters from his POV and one of those contains a lot of montaged shit.

But when he's portrayed as a being without agency, or someone who never cared for Armand at all, it really grinds my gears.

It says directly in the text how he loves Armand. He begs for immortality because he wants to be with Armand. He loved the luxury that Armand provided, he loved having fine things, he loved their travels, he loved being lord over Night Island. There was a lot he loved about their relationship and the intimacy they shared.

And I think that as a society we're just starting to really identify abuse, right? But often people forget that there's a spectrum between '100% healthy relationship' and 'victim/abuser', that relationships can fall into the middle. That sometimes it takes two people making shitty choices to make a fucked up relationship.

That's why their relationship is fascinating, because it falls into those shades of grey and slides up and down that spectrum. Daniel demanded and belittled just as much as Armand withheld and was selfish. He had agency. He was never some helpless puppet or a damsel in distress.

And yeah everyone can have their own reads and their own interpretations, and their own head canons. But to insist that the opposite of what is in the text is true and to take this character and remove all of his agency- that makes me nuts lmao

48. Listen. You know that I love Armand as a beautiful androgynous vampire but I also love him as a young man, with all kinds of masculine attributes. The juxtaposition of a soft, pretty face with hair under his arms and on his legs, the delicate features but hidden strength.

He practiced sword fighting and so he'd have had strong thighs, some muscle on his shoulder blades, fuckin biceps!! He climbed bridges constantly in Venice so he would have had strong calves! Maybe Armand has the face of an angel but give me and Armand with a beautifully strong body beneath the clothes and a little body hair and I'm gnawing at my enclosure ♥

49. I think above all things, I admire Lestat's tenacity. We make fun of the bimbo shit he does and how he's openly a cry baby, but at the end of the day he always scrapes it together and takes action. Just like Armand he has the strength to endure deep down- Lestat, more than any vampire, always finds something fascinating about the new age. He finds that he loves mortals more and more, he interacts with them in a way that can be so kind and benevolent. And in spite of putting on a facade of self love when he's mired with self loathing Lestat carries on and adapts to the times, and I love that.

[theresattrpgforthat]

(To clarify, I don’t have any preferences on genre or tone here, just budget. Or lack thereof I guess.)

THEME: Free TTRPGs (2/2)

I’m so so glad that you posted two asks because holy shit do I have recommendations. This is the second part, once again organized into different pieces of advice!

4. Unofficial games based on a licensed IP. 

Yeah, people do crazy things for the stuff they love, including designing an entire roleplaying game and then releasing it for free! Here’s a few that I’ve found.

Unofficial Hollow Knight RPG, by HKRPG Team.

Vast kingdoms, ancient mysteries, and adversaries far beyond reckoning await you.

The Unofficial Hollow Knight RPG is an original tabletop role-playing system inspired by Team Cherry's hit indie title. In HKRPG, players take the form of daring bugs going on adventures in the strange and wondrous world of Hollow Knight and its insect-populated kingdoms. 

What a labour of love this game is. This TTRPG feels dungeon-crawly, which makes sense considering the game it’s designed after. Each bug has hit points, stamina points, and Soul, referring to their magical reserves. Inventory is also tracked, using a pool called Stash. There are three Bug templates available for you to choose: Small, Average and Large, with different benefits and drawbacks for each template. There’s over 100 pages of character traits and abilities, spells, charms and rituals, items and obstacles, which allow for complex character builds.

On the GM side, there’s links to info for settings and NPCs, as well as Lands Beyond, a supplement that allows you to create your own insect kingdoms and gives you four random roll tables to aid you in this creation. If you want to replicate your own little traumatized bug adventure, this game is absolutely for you!

Skyfarer, by Failbetter Games.

Queen Victoria has brought London into the heavens. The High Wilderness stretches out ahead of you; cruel, unwelcoming, and filled with opportunity. Here you make your living as a Skyfarer, working on board a locomotive jury-rigged to fly through these cold skies and raging winds. Your captain has taken you to the Reach, a frontier on the edge of civilization, in search of fame, fortune and adventure.

You will change out here, where the Empire’s light falters and casts deep shadows, where rebels stake their claim on fragments of sky-rock riddled with fungus, where pillagers dig into ruins built by the now-dead sun. 

Players form the crew of a spacefaring steam locomotive. Gunners, quartermasters, engineers, signallers – even mascots – are brought to the fore as the Captain is struck down by misfortune and the crew must band together to get out of (or into) many surprising kinds of trouble.

Using a simple dice-based system, Skyfarer allows players and game-masters to easily tell stories set in the Fallen London universe with plenty of climactic moments, tense stand-offs, and grim decisions. As characters risk life and limb, they’ll accrue Peril – the more Peril they have, the greater the chance of them meeting a grisly and permanent end.

This game uses both d6s and d10s, and leans more towards the narrative side: your character qualities are descriptive, and your abilities are abstract representations, titled Iron, Mirrors, Veils and Hearts. You’ll collaboratively come up with your starting situation, and include details like who your Captain is, what the current crisis is, and what kinds of Allies and Antagonists are involved. 

One thing that’s really unique about this game is that there’s a character that the GM must play - the Captain, someone who gives orders to others, but for the purpose of this game, can’t carry out their normal duties for some reason or another. Once you set up your characters and determine what your starting scenario looks like, you’re good to go!

5. Playtests.

Sometimes the playtest of a game is released free of charge, with all of its editing errors and without any art. These games won’t be perfect, but they contain rules, as much of the setting as the creator has managed to flesh out so far, and the spark of creativity that can pull you into a fantastic community. Get in early on a playtest and you might find yourself holding the early stages of something truly great - and you’ll get a sense of warmth knowing you got to be part of it.

Aeronauts: Flight After Fall, by Electric Purple Studios.

The world is covered in purple mist, the legacy of some cataclysm long past. Through the haze have risen several powerful city-states, built where the mist is thin enough that they are not constantly besieged by the fog’s lurking horrors. Now airships fly above the mist, and a new era of trade and conflict has begun to bustle in. The city-states, previously only in contact through small trading caravans, are now forced to face the reality of different cultures, different ways of life, and the possibility of war.

Aeronauts: Flight After Fall is a TTRPG of grand quests and small moments, of journeys from the tops of the clouds to the depths of the darkest tunnels. You and your friends tell the story of the crew of a small airship, trying to make their way in a world that is rapidly changing around you. Are you diplomatic envoys endeavoring to build connections, or are you a group of ragtag scoundrels simply trying to survive? It’s up to you.

Aeronauts uses a 3d6 system, and emphasizes narrative role-playing, similar to games like Apocalypse World and Blades in the Dark. When you roll, you add up your dice - a 15 is a critical success, 10-24 is a partial success, and a 9 or less is a failure. You will have access to a pool called Focus, which can add a bonus to your check, as well as tokens, which can be gained using certain actions and spent to alter certain types of rolls. Finally, there is a tool called Kismet, which allows characters to establish details within the narrative, either for their benefit or just to put their own personal stamp on part of the story. 

The rules as put out here are simple, but the ways you can use them and your characters go into much more detail, taking up 198 pages in total. There’s rules for different kinds of combat, examples of how to use certain parts of your character sheet, a delve into the lore, and pre-made characters who want to pick up the game sooner rather than later. There’s also a community Discord advertised in case you want to find other players, talk about the game, and get updates about changes as they happen. 

The Modern Eldritch, by Moondog Gaming Press.

The Modern Eldritch leads you into a world run by mega-corps headed by eldritch horrors who demand brand loyalty over blood sacrifice, wizards who believe themselves better than worldly governments, and non-profits who leverage vast intelligence networks to find donors. Players take on the roles of average citizens who have had their lives shattered by these systems, and now must journey through this world to fight for some sense of normalcy. 

The Modern Eldritch utilizes quick character creation, which revolves around crafting motivations and backstory; a wide skill set and freeform magic system which encourage roleplay and creativity to tackle obstacles; and a unique exhaustion system that invites players to gamble with their own sanity to increase their odds of success.

This PDF starts off with a quick introduction to the world and an outline of some basic concessions that the group should agree on before getting ready to play. Character abilities are ranked from a d4 to a d12, and character skills are ranked from 1 to 5. You’ll be rolling dice pools, and adding up the results to determine whether or not you succeed. You’ll also assign positive and negative elements to your character, to flesh them out and give them exploitable weaknesses - this is an eldritch horror game, after all. 

This game is also supported by a Discord server, and also provides a link to a Playtest Survey, where you can send in your feedback for future edits! My only complaint is that the PDF takes a little bit long to load - it takes patience!

6. SRDs - write your own game!

Maybe you have the perfect idea of a game in your head. Maybe you have a setting that you absolutely adore - you just need rules to tell you how to play a character in that setting. Maybe you really really like filling all of your free hours with matching character tropes to game stats and putting together character sheets and writing random tables…. maybe I’m just calling myself out here.

SRDs are tools to help you design your own game in your own setting using rules that have already been sorted out. They will contain advice about the kinds of games that were in the creator’s mind when designing the rules system, and steps through what a character will need. Creators often offer them up for free, out of the kindness of their hearts and the desire to see just how far people can take their rules and bend the genre.

Caltrop Core, by titanomachyRPG.

Ever wondered how to make your own TTRPG? Welcome to v1.0 of Caltrop Core, an introductory game design system using the humble and sharp d4! It's extremely simple and bare bones so anyone can make a game with it, regardless of your experience level! It can have as much or as little complexity as you like.

This game is extremely beginner friendly, and familiarizes you with the core dice-rolling mechanic before introducing you to character building blocks, ways to communicate genre and tone, and optional elements that help characters change the narrative. There’s also an entire collection of Caltrop Core games for you to check out (some of which are free to download!) that really show off what this system can do!

Titanomachy has also released Caltrop Core EX, which they refer to as a “director’s cut” of the regular SRD, and EMERGE8, an SRD that’s designed to help you create your game as you play it. It uses a d8 dice mechanic that takes inspiration from World of Darkness dice pools, as well as a few other tips and tricks that encourage collaboration between players and GM. 

VRBS SRD, by David Garrett.

VRBS is an ultralight system for creating highly improvisational role-playing games that reward creative, heroic action. It has a universal conflict resolution mechanic that requires a single six-sided die. In VRBS, characters are defined by what they do, not by abstract statistics. Characters can attempt anything that a creative hero would be able to reasonably accomplish and they either succeed or grow in the process.

The VRBS SRD is easy to understand and is excellent for games that need a tight session with an easy-to-predict end time. It uses only d6’s - the easiest-to-find dice - and sets up your characters to move through three scenes, plus one scene through each member of the group. Throughout the game, they will draw on a pool of Energy. If you finish the final Scene without depleting your Energy, you are sucessful! Run out of energy, you go home. Try again tomorrow.

Full disclosure, I have designed a game using this SRD before - Mischief by Moonlight, a game about small gods getting up to shenanigans inside a museum where their relics have been trapped. (Go ahead and download it for free!)

Finally…

Games I’ve recommended in the past!

Mothership, by Tuesday Knight Games.

IronSworn, by Shawn Tomkin.

Straight to VHS, by Lost Cat Games.

[isfjmel-phleg]

Why I think you guys might like Space Boy

Space Boy is a webcomic by Stephen McCranie. It's being gradually published in book form, but you can read the entire thing (as it currently stands--it's still in progress) online here.

It's set in the future in a world that's a little to the left of ours, and it begins with a girl named Amy, who lives on a mining colony in deep space. When her father loses his job, the family has to relocate to Earth. It's a long journey that requires them to be cryogenically frozen for the duration so they don't have to waste decades of their lives. Unfortunately, that means that Amy will wake up to find that she's now thirty years younger than her friends from home. It's a difficult adjustment, not only that but having to get used to a planet she's never been to before, but experiencing Earth for the first time is also cause for wonderment. Twinkling stars! Blue skies! Birds! Snow!

Amy has a form of synesthesia in which she perceives other people as having "flavors." Her mom is mint, her best friend is pineapple and jalapeno, etc. So at her new school, she is surprised to encounter a boy who, unlike anyone else she's ever met, has no flavor. None at all. Her curiosity will lead to even more mystery--no one knows who exactly this boy is, and there are a lot of rumors swirling around him--but also a friendship. Oliver has a lot of secrets, and as a result of her association with him, Amy will find herself caught up in a situation that's bigger and more dangerous than she could have anticipated.

And that's the plot, but what it's about is how to make sense of a world that seems chaotic and uncaring, how to find meaning when everything seems meaningless. It's about isolation and the need for human connection. It's about love. It's sweet and joyful and tragic and funny and poignant and suspenseful and gentle by turns. Although the story itself does not overtly address religion, the worldview is subtly, beautifully Christian.

A lot of what made me love this story was the characters. They feel very real. Amy is warm-hearted and guileless and determinedly optimistic, but she's got her share of struggles and low points alongside her sunniness. Oliver has a very different nature from hers, no less complex, and he's in the middle of a fantastic character arc. Their relationship, which progresses from friendship to romantic interest, is well-written; they bring out the best in each other, are mutually willing to sacrifice for the other, and are making genuine effort to be supportive and encouraging despite a lot of complications. I do not say this lightly: I ship it.

The supporting cast is excellent too, and many of these characters have their own subplots that connect to the main themes. This world feels well-populated with a variety of people that have their own stories and their own growth (...or not) to undertake.

The art is lovely, and it gets better and better as McCranie solidifies his style. There are fun unique design traits, like Amy's distinctive pigtails and pointy feet (her design was originally based off a teardrop motif!). The world is visually interesting, and I find this story to be as pleasant to look at as it is to read.

Anyway, I don't know if this is enough propaganda for you guys, but I'm willing to elaborate further if necessary. It's worth a try, you can read it for free, and it comes in small increments that make it easy to pick up whenever you have a free moment.

I enjoyed it a lot (the hiatus can't end soon enough for me), and maybe you would too!