#i rebooted my colleen

[fandomshatewomen]

Re: Making fun of booktok, I feel like the post you rebooted is missing a vital piece of information, anti-intellectualism amongst book readers has been growing especially amongst the people that read these romance novels…

So I just found this video on my youtube and I think it partially addresses what you're saying.

I personally don't follow many booktokkers, the majority of those I follow are bipoc. I know that there's a lot of booktokkers like the ones at the beginning of her video do exist (0:30ish mark) but like you gotta realize that there's two different sides of booktok. There's the anti intellectualists that got into reading because of books like 50 shades of grey, colleen hoover, and sarah j maas (so ww books).

And then there's booktokkers like tomes and textiles (latina booktokker that focuses on latine books always and is very political) there's others too if you want recommendations.

there are smart and politically progressive romance writers out there like natalie cana, alyssa cole and talia hibbert (here's a review I did on one of Natalie Cana's)

you can't lump all romance readers/writers all together.

[yukii0nna]

Haru Abe nee Shiguya reboot

Age: 16

Birthday: unknown: choose 6/28

Voiced: Colleen Clinkenbeard

Race: Human- Light Fae hybrid

Family: Vivian Shiguya (bio-mother), Liam (father deceased), Yuga Anomya(half brother)

Occupation: Freelance wizard

Style: My choice of wardrobe is not discriminative. Anything will do honestly. Though I am admittedly partial to dark academia .

Flaws: I prefer to keep that to myself, if that's alright

Pet peeves: I don't exactly like unwarranted cruelty. That's not to say I can't be cruel myself though.

Favorite food: I do enjoy chicken soup. My favorite drink is also tea.

Least favorite food: I'm not a fan of chocolate. Why is it popular I will never know.

Background

For the longest time,Haru was raised by her "mother " to be along with her brother to be a tool. To lie and hurt others and never look back. That the world was a cruel place where everyone was the same .Eventually they started to believe it and then acted accordingly.

Personality

Haru is a complicated person, to say the least. They are capable of being like her mother in the worst of times, having her selfishness and manipulative tendencies. She is also pretty ruthless towards those who cross her loved ones. However they are also capable of being caring and genuinely have remorse for a lot of the things they did at their mother's orders.

She is also afraid of becoming completely like their mother so they try to keep their worse impulses in check. She is also scared of expressing their emotions, as they prefer that people don't know how she feels most of the time.

Abilities

Solid script magic: Is known for her spells and penmanship. She has a wide variety of spells at her disposal

Sword fighting: Is an excellent sword welder, which in case her magic falls, is a good backup.

Strategy: She has her mother's brain and makes good use of it.

Trivia

Demi- girl. Like she/her but generally does they/them

Bisexual.

Have multiple scars on their body. They usually hide it with long sleeves and non revealing outfits in general.

Cares deeply about her brother and genuinely wishes him the best

Choose her last name to distance herself from her mother

Was scared when she found out that their mother got the butterfly miraculous

Is kinda inspired by Weiss Shnee

Choose their new last name because it means "Many"

@gritsandbrits @zexal-club @punkeropercyjackson @insomniac-jay @queen-of-twisted @writing-heiress @kousaka-ayumu @bakawitch @lovelyllamasblog

[inkyquince]

inky is having their chai and thinking:

i think people give dark romance SUCH a bad rep, especially these days. i dont care about dark romance having toxic couples at all (please look around here, why would i care) but it legitmately depends on how the story is marketed.

The reason why i hated the toxicity of the boring ass couple in the notebook is because its marketed as... Yknow. A wholesome love story with sap. That's why i hate Noah and what's her face. Man legit threatens suicide if she doesn't go out with him. But its marketed as this whirlwind, somewhat heavy but all together feel good love story. Cause of that, I hate The Notebook. I watched it at 13 and my god, until years later, i didnt really realise that SOMEONE THREATENING TO KILL THEMSELF IF YOU DIDNT GO OUT WITH THEM WOUDL BE TERRIFING IRL. also if that happens to you, legit just call them out on their bluff by telling them you're phoning them an ambulance, save the messages from the conversation and call emergency services. reality check to the extreme.

Anyway, i hate that book for real, but the reason i kinda love the toxic relationships in like.. .Bridgerton novels (not the rape scene between daphne and simon, that was just... deeply uncomfortable AND i still hate miscommunication as a plot device), but ITS NOT MARKETTED... AS A WHOLESOME LOVE STORY. its messy period drama with romance, its a period piece of gossip girl (the old one. not the trash fire reboot, im glad its cancelled). I love mess. I love awful people. "Their relationship is toxic" AND THATS THE POINT. One of the later books has her husband/suitor tie her up in the bathroom and leave her there. It's not marketed as these stories of love. Like Pride and Prejudice is a satire but yknow, they only get together after Elizabeth has kicked him in the knee for insulting her family and he grows. That's cute as hell man.

But so many dark romance books dont market themselves as wholesome love stories, they're nasty, and as someone who watched Anna Karenina WAY WAY WAY too young and adored everything about it to the point I READ THE BOOK... AT LIKE 12... (dont read old russian literature unless you're willing to really stick by it and also cry), I love the mess that comes from a relationship that isn't perfect and is played up to be fucking nasty.

But why do people put dark romance... and nicholas sparks puke inducing cheese romance on the same level of responsibility?

Twilight and The Notebook and Sleepless in Seattle were marketed as these true love stories, where the conflicts are mostly external... Instead of Edward being a weirdo creep asshole, Noah threatening suicide if whats-her-face didnt go on a date and manhandling her and MEG RYAN BEING A PRIVACY BREAKING WEIRDO STALKER BITCH WITH WEIRD PARASOCIAL OBSESSION WITH MISTER HANDS (i forgot their character names) and they should all get flak for marketing themselves as such. I love conflict in a romance, but sometimes that conflict is.... illegal and gross and worthy of a thousand break ups and car keying.

But dark romance makes sure to market itself as... Dark romance.

Why are stupid people on tiktok surprised that its not wholesome.

btw colleen hoover should get run over jesus christ

[sonicboomseason3]

Did you ever see that sad clip where Roger & Colleen said that Sonic Boom Season 3 will never happen, it's completely insignificant but may as well share it due to your tumblr: https://youtu.be/lnrFSpgINkI?feature=shared&t=2391

i didn't exactly start this blog because i ever had my hopes up for season 3 happening so if you want my reaction/thoughts to this clip then sad to say i have none. the writers were tweeting all the way back in 2020 that season 3 wasn't happening so hearing the voice actors backing that up is like a nothing thing to me. from my perspective sega wants to ignore boom for the most part due to how poorly the games did, so while they'll occasionally provide little boom easter eggs for fans (such as in tailstube) i don't see them doing anything major with the way things currently are. that being said i'm not a total cynic, and thus i would say that there's a nonzero chance that it could eventually be rebooted, and IF that actually happens, hopefully sega would be more considerate of it and make it… you know. good? i try to not get my hopes up too high though

[magicandotherstuffienjoy]

The Woke Culture and the Damage to Its Image

What Does the Term "Woke" Represent in Our Society?

The term woke, in its contemporary politicized usage, refers to an increased awareness and sensitivity to social injustices, particularly those related to racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination. Originally, it was tied to the civil rights movements in the United States, urging individuals to "stay awake" to systemic inequalities. However, its meaning has evolved, often becoming a critique or caricature, used to describe behaviors perceived as overly progressive or performative. This politicization has sparked debates about its significance and impact.

Where Does It Come From, and How Did It Change in Our Society?

The roots of woke influence vary depending on cultural contexts. In Central Europe, its conceptual origins might trace back to the French Revolution and literary figures like Victor Hugo. During a time when human dignity was disregarded—such as Marie Antoinette indulging in luxury while her people starved—authors like Hugo denounced societal inequalities. Hugo's works combined eloquence with activism, albeit marred by colonialist undertones, reflecting a broader literary movement that sought to awaken consciousness.

These early awakenings were undeniably beneficial. For instance, labor rights improved significantly over time. Yet, figures like Hugo are now taught as historical icons, frozen in time, rather than as sources of inspiration for ongoing struggles. This reflects a broader cultural trend: what was once revolutionary becomes institutionalized and commodified. Similarly, media and entertainment have shifted. In the early 2000s, Hollywood thrived on fresh, groundbreaking ideas (Jurassic Park, Star Wars, The Mummy, Ghostbusters). Today, the industry leans heavily on reboots and remakes, shaped by modern sensibilities but often recycling old narratives.

Corporate exploitation has exacerbated this issue. Labels such as eco-friendly, organic, and woke promise low-cost quality while maximizing profits. Yet these companies often lack genuine understanding of the values they commodify. For example, projects like the all-female Ghostbusters remake raise eyebrows—not for their progressive intent but for their perceived lack of originality and depth. What began as a marginalized stance within indie cinema has, in some cases, been diluted into a hollow marketing tool.

The Case of Blake Lively and It Ends With Us

It Ends With Us is a cinematic adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, addressing toxic relationships and domestic violence. While the book's intent appears sincere, the film's message has been overshadowed by Blake Lively's promotional approach. The focus on fashion and lifestyle—including promoting alcohol brands with thematic ties to the movie—clashes with the serious themes of the story. Considering the link between alcohol abuse and domestic violence, this marketing decision feels tone-deaf. Though likely unintentional, it exemplifies the disconnect between woke ideals and commercial priorities.

My Opinion

I believe woke should carry meaning and a purpose. It should not become a forced ideology or a tool to retrofit progressive ideals onto works where they don’t belong. It must also stop being a label used to recycle and resell old products. Its primary goal should be to amplify the voices of those silenced by systemic inequalities—the 90% oppressed by the global elite. Ultimately, it should foster solidarity and shared purpose, rather than serve as a means to superficial ends.

[niyana-the-ambiguous-mobian]

Since it's midnight EST as of writing this, here are some big clues to my riddle:

"a kitsune cub"

"a trio of rebooted blue children"

"and a game that fills you with determination"

OH NO WAY, ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME???

Surprisingly, I actually guessed the determination part correctly but I had no clue what the other two bits were so I didn't say anything 😅

The fact that you waited until midnight to send this in is astonishing, I'll give you props to that dear Non. 👏 👏👏

But happy birthday to Ben Schwartz, Colleen O'shaughnessey, and the legendary game known as Undertale! 🎂🎁🎉🥳

[sohma-stan]

Episode 9 Reaction

I don’t even know why I’m posting this because really all I have to say is that the reboot was worth it just for this episode lol I loved it. Best episode of the reboot and even knowing what’s to come I feel like this one will be hard to top. It felt very satisfying to me.

The original Japanese actors literally always hit it out of the park but can I just say Laura, Jerry and COLLEEN this episode were INCREDIBLE!!

I absolutely LOVED the dub in this moment because hearing Kyoko’s voice at the same time as Akito’s was chilling! Perfection! Also loved the Yuki moment it was hilarious. FINALLY getting the monologue from Tohru explaining how she and Akito are the same 😭😭😭

This was so overwhelming but such a well done scene. As soon as we got that first shot of the tent I had to pause for a few minutes because I just could not handle my emotions. Ughhhhh

I really liked this scene a lot. Akito just suddenly appearing and Yuki running off to Tohru. Have to say I like that we have cell phones now because it feels more right that Yuki runs off to find Tohru while calling the ambulance instead of him going to the phone in the house. It was just all feeling like the manga come to life ahhh

Just putting this in to say how great the animation looked this week! Everything was beautiful and fluid, especially the running parts.

Nothing but painnnnnnn. BEAUTIFUL PAIN.

The fact that Tohru is ready to move on and heal despite thinking she’ll be alone 😭😭😭

THERE ARE NO WORDS. MY SHIP. MY OTP.

I’ve mentioned this before, but one of my favorite things about the reboot has been my newfound appreciation for Kureno and I guess also Akito. I didn’t really care about anything in the manga outside of Kyoru and Yuki when I first read the ending chapters. I always found Kureno to be a very boring and nonessential character, but something about seeing it all in the anime really has made me love everything else going on too. This moment between Momiji and Akito was really wonderful and this is where I give all the praise to Colleen in the dub. She did the monologue about her relationship with Kureno so beautifully.

Anyone get emotional here?? 😭😫 Just hearing this conversation between Hatori and Shigure about whether the plan worked. I just had this “omg it’s all coming to an end” moment and I am not okay. This scene was hilarious though I love this mf forever 🥲

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Now I’m just thinking about THAT SCENE (alright multiple scenes) coming next week 😭

[happilylovingchaos]

Post-ep Thoughts: This is gonna be out of order— my 1x05 thoughts will be on the last combo post. But since

Owen and Billy are 2 sides of the same male archetype (inflatable egos with hearts in the right places), but one naturally exudes charisma and another works at developing charisma. And now Judd deals with 2 of them. (Joy.)

That said, I like this rival dynamic to an extent. Except the point where they start competing and thinking with what’s between their legs/ misunderstanding each other later. But that’s an issue for later seasons (*coughs in “9-1-1: LS’s song of fire and ice” from seasons 2-3*).

In another life, I feel like Rob Lowe and Billy (Burke) could def play a chaotic bro pair (a la H50-reboot!Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams). Judd (maybe would share w/ TK and Paul) would be the unofficial third member and only sane third wheel.

Tina and Taylor. T and T… I’m not gonna say it. (This is low-key sad foreshadowing.) But that’s a hell of a way to reunite after high school days.

TSP: Well. After that 4-month bombshell and a mild questioning of my life choice I decided to just stick with this TSP. Since Tumblr only lets me save drafts a few times, this is from the last post (1x05, late April to early May 2019):

Ryders: Grace and Colleen talk —> failed roast seduction (1-3 days) —> bull factory call —> successful osso bucco dinner

Strands: bar call —> Owen’s chemo session (+ TK) —> oncologist apptmt —> Zoe and failed sex (1-3 days) —> bull factory call (1-2 days)—> deleted Tarlos date, Owen and Zoe try again —> bar hang w/ Paul (1 day)

Paul: bar call + meeting Josie —> bull factory call (1-3 days) —> bowling date/ breakup —> Josie apologizes —> bar hangout (1 day).

In 1x06 (May 2019):

T&T call —> Texas Hold’em game (1 night) —> golf game and dinner (probably 1 week later) —> Owen vs. Billy (6-7 days later).

Episode 1x06 Friends Like These Discussion Thread

Please feel free to use the comment thread and tags of this post throughout the week as a place to liveblog while watching the episode, discuss with friends, post your metas and thoughts etc. Anything you’d like to discuss while watching the episode is welcome!!

Please reblog this post for visibility!! 

[randowwriter]

For the Fave's Ask... 1-21 😁

Starting off tough! (With question one, but that's okay.) XD I don't know about absolute favorites right now, but I loved My Sisters The Saints by Colleen Campbell as well as Left To Tell by Immaculée Ilibagiza. (Where memoirs are concerned.) My favorite volume from Yona of the Dawn is volume 18 (because of Zeno's backstory!). As far as poetry goes, right now, I'm enjoying Mantras Of A Poet Jessica Powers, but haven't finished reading that yet. Date And Time by Phil Kaye was my go to read last year, because I bought it during a Poetry Month sale (having heard several of the poems in it before), and have reread certain poems lots of times. I also loved my anthology of Robert Frost's poetry. (And I love so many poems by poets I have yet to get poetry collections and chapbooks for.) Novels? Not sure; I haven't been reading much fiction lately. XD (And when I have, it's been fanfiction.) XD And in general, I love C.S. Lewis' writing, though I've read very, very little of his fiction. 2. Ooh. Out of the movies I saw recently, I absolutely loved Chariots of Fire! Like, I watched it about last month or so, but it's absolutely incredible! (I'm debating rewatching it. It's a true story about the Olympics to summarize poorly, but it's about two men in particular who ran during the Olympic games. And it's just incredible.) As far as Studio Ghibli films, I ranked Princess Mononoke as my favorite years ago (and I haven't watched near enough of those). For watching a lot of movies lately, I'm really blanking. XD 3. Right now, probably Yona of the Dawn or Akagami No Shirayukihime. Chuck is up there on the list too, for a non-anime suggestion. I really love FMA in general, and I've been enjoying the Fruits Basket reboot when I was watching it regularly. I have a Season to go in that and the Prelude to see. XD (I've read the whole manga, which now that I realized I didn't mention series has been up in my favorites as far as manga series go. A place that Yona of the Dawn is also at.) :) 4. I don't know??? I listen to all sorts of songs. I've been really enjoying songs about family and friendship though haven't been listening to them as much. XD I know every time I hear "Holy Spirit" by Francesca Battistelli on the radio, I stop and listen. It practically sits me right down in Adoration, and one day, if I ever felt like I could or should bring music with me to Adoration, I'd take just that song. I was absolutely in love with I Wanna Go Back by David Dunn last year. :) Then Cursillo happened, which sounds funny, but afterwards, I stopped finding the song as relatable. (Which is probably fantastic in some ways.) XD Anything Matthew West or Francesca Battistelli is amazing. XD But I didn't really list songs out of other genres, whoops.

5. Of music? I don't have one. Well, in terms of writing, I like stuff that focus on relationships. Like I love family, friendship, and romance genres the most. As far as anything more exact than that, I don't have anything else? I do really love Fantasy though as well, though rarely write or read it, whoops. XD In music, it's the lyrics that are most important to me, if I don't like the lyrics, I don't like the song, and if I love the lyrics, I love the song. So, I listen to about any genre imaginable. XD 6. Uh??? Found Family, I guess??? I don't usually think about tropes, but I always forget that's a trope, and I love it. (Something like what happens in Chuck with the main characters or Yona of the Dawn with the Happy Hungry Bunch. Like both of those are my best examples for what kind of Found Family I'm looking for.) <3 <3 <3 7. What??? Well, I love my family and friends and the Saints, etc... (I guess to put it simply, which doesn't help with specifics.) Saints feel like really good friends or siblings or role models, and there are definitely Saints I fangirl over, though that's probably not the right word. XD And Jesus! Of course! (Since it says people, I'm assuming human. And Jesus being both Human and Divine has to count.) My goal is to love everybody, and so, I'm not actively ranking people. That sounds like a really crazy goal, but it's something I want to do. (Which means loving my enemies, which I don't like to call anybody an enemy, so the closest to enemies I have are the people that don't like me. So, I love them extra hard! Even though it's onesided!) <3 <3 <3

[waitformethistime]

Wow they really popped off with the Furuba dub. Not only are they taking care to pronounce all the names the same as the Japanese (no KaGOOra this time) but all the VA's that returned have improved so much since the 2001 anime.

Jerry Jewell has always been a King and my ideal Kyo but he gets a lot more Soft moments in the reboot and he just nails them. The scene where Kyo realizes he loves Tohru had me bawling (it had me bawling in the sub too but it hits different coming from Jewell).

Laura Bailey has obviously matured since her first debut but shes so much more lively this time around and she adds all these fun voice fluctuations and quirks that the sub doesn't have. Makes Tohru seem more like a real person and less generic.

I've always been hit or miss on Eric Vale as Yuki. I like him as a VA and I like his other roles but I feel like his Yuki always sounds too raspy or like hes straining to make his voice soft. It's the moments where Yuki actually speaks up and Eric uses a more natural tone for him is when hes really good. (Shimazaki is incomparable tho he was made for this role. Sorry Eric)

I like Uo and Hanas new VA's (though I feel like Hana's sometimes is too emotional)

Colleen Clinkenbeard as Akito? I had my doubts about this casting. Not because I dont think Colleen is good because she is and I've loved every role shes done but I wasnt sure if she could make Akito convincingly ambiguous irt to her gender (I had the same doubt about Maaya Sakamoto) but those doubts were unfounded because she truly just gets Akito. This might be the best role shes done.

Obviously Aaron Dismuke couldnt play an 11 year old boy anymore since hes an adult now (same reason they recasted Alphonse in FMA Brotherhood) but bringing him to play Kakeru? Inspired. Every moment hes on screen is a delight (I actually predicted he would play Kakeru before they even announced it). Hes perfect. It's really nice how the reboot wanted to include as many of the cast from the original as they could.

I never cared much about Kureno but I like Ian Sinclair. He makes him sound a bit more lively.

John Burgmeier and Chris Sabat are obviously incredible so nothing more needs to be said there.

Mikaela Krantz for Momiji. I dont...hate it. It's nice they're actually acknowledging Momijis heritage this time and I love all the little bilingual details with Momiji sometimes getting words mixed up ("apprehended" instead of "suspended", "bondage" instead of "bonding") but i admit that his accent is sometimes a bit distracting. It can be hard to take him seriously at times, but I appreciate what they were going for (the extra addition of him playing up the accent to feel closer to his mom was such 👌 10/10 thanks for the tears)

Brina Palencia for Rin. I was a bit perplexed by this choice because the only roles I really know from her are little girls. And I stayed kind of on the fence until the beach house arc where she yells at Yuki and Tohru and that won me over. She had the grit that I was looking for. I'm satisfied with that choice.

Tia Ballard as Kagura is a bit too cutesy and shrill for my taste but she gets the job done.

I havent heard enough of the other characters to make a judgement yet but overall this is a really solid dub. It took what was good about the 2001 anime (ie good cast but bad direction and limited experience) and evolved it.

Good on you, Funimation.

[rainbow-filmnerd]

My Ranking of the Sohmas from Fruits Basket

Back in late May 2020, I began to watch the 2019 reboot of Fruits Basket (I first discovered it from my good friend @sweet-chinchilla), and it's become one of my favorite anime series EVER. At the end of September 2021, I was finally able to finish the series, and I loved EVERY MOMENT of it! I felt like to do a ranking of each of the Sohmas from least favorite to top favorite (I'll try to keep it brief because there are 14 CHARACTERS to discuss!)

Also, if you haven't read the original manga and/or seen the 2019 anime, there will be MAJOR SPOILERS ahead!

13. Kagura Sohma (my least favorite)

The first female cursed Sohma I was introduced to. As much as I liked Tia Ballard as her in the dub, I just did not care for Kagura. Sure, she eventually moved on from it, but it kinda annoyed me how she kept pursuing Kyo despite him being not all that interested in being her boyfriend. Also, I know she had good intentions to talk some sense into Tohru, but knowing how violent she gets, was it really necessary to SLAP HER?!

12. Hiro Sohma

There was a point where I hated him more than Kagura. I did not like how he was such a brat and jerk when we were first introduced to him, but slowly, I warmed up to him. His crush on Kisa is adorable, and him growing to become a responsible big brother was just too sweet.

11. Shigure AND Akito Sohma (they're pretty much tied in this position)

Shigure is someone I'd like to call a "Sly Dog". He's a bit of a scumbag, but he's well aware of it. He's also one of those characters that's either "lawful evil" or "true neutral". He provides a lot of comedy in the anime including him being just a smart-ass. Also, when he's not acting like a jerk/creep, he's a pretty decent guardian figure for Tohru.

As for Akito, she's a beautifully written antagonist/character in general, and she's definitely someone I pity. Sure, much of her actions are unforgivable, but I feel like she's not expecting everyone to forgive her that easily (or at all even). Also, Colleen Clinkenbeard's performance as her is nothing short of spectacular.

10. Ritsu Sohma

To be honest, he needed way more love! I know people found him annoying, but part of me relates with constantly saying "I'm sorry!" over the smallest of things. He's a gorgeous character that I feel like deserves better. He'd be higher if that were the case, and if not for some of these other characters.

9. Kureno Sohma

I didn't expect to like him that much, but I do! Part of it is that charm that comes with most characters Ian Sinclair voice in the dub (his performance in the s2 finale was especially amazing). He's just a sweet and kind man, and I can see why Uotani fell for him and also reminded her of Tohru. Only complaint I have is that I wished there was a flashback scene of him transforming before his curse broke. I would've loved to see his Zodiac form at least once.

8. Isuzu "Rin" Sohma

Another character I didn't expect to love. Rin is a very tragic character, and what she had to go through was devastating, but seeing her being able to heal was just as emotional. Brina Palencia was amazing as her and is easily my favorite role of hers.

7. Kyo Sohma

Yeah, he's a little lower, but I don't love him as much as the ones that follow. However, he's still a GREAT character, and deserves so much after meeting Tohru. Kyo would sometimes remind me of Bakugo, but he's also a true cat. Feisty, acts like they dislike people but has a real soft spot (especially towards one person). Also, this was my favorite role by Jerry Jewell.

6. Ayame Sohma

The Sassy Snake himself. Oh, how much I LOVE Ayame! Like Shigure, he provides a good portion of the humor to the anime. Chris Sabat's performance as him is mind-blowing but also amazing (since most of his well-known roles are tough guys). Ayame is just so extra, and I love it. Also, his love towards Mine is sweet and I kinda wished we got more moments between them.

5. Momiji Sohma

The boy who was possessed by my Zodiac animal, the Rabbit! I strongly prefer how he looked before his growth spurt, but Momiji is just a precious bunny boy. It is heartbreaking to see that he's suffered and feels sad, but he's just so pure and precious. I hope the one he fell in love with makes him feel so happy.

4. Hatsuharu Sohma

This is who I like to call the "Bi Himbo Ox". Haru was instantly one of my favorites because he just cracks me up, he's super handsome (the studio behind the 2019 reboot really just made everyone look pretty), and also Justin Cook's performance as him. As much as I adore Kirishima, Justin showed off and executed the range of Haru's dumb, sweet, loyal, seductive, and harsh personality. Also, his love for Rin is adorable and him and Yuki is definitely one of my favorite crack ships.

3. Kisa Sohma

The precious tiger cub. I adore this sweet little girl so much, and how she looks up to Tohru like an older sister is so adorable! She's a precious angel that deserves SO MUCH LOVE. And I ALWAYS smile whenever I see her on-screen. And speaking of that last part...

2. Hatori Sohma

I don't know what it is, but upon first introduction, I've been drawn to him and he quickly became a favorite. There's just something so comforting about Hatori, from his kind and no-nonsense personality, prettiness (as mentioned, the 2019 anime animators make everyone look pretty), and his voice (all thanks to Kent Williams' performance). Hatori also has some of his moments of being a little silly, but it's due to the chaos he deals with whenever he's around Shigure and/or Ayame. Out of the Three Musketeers, he's my favorite.

1. Yuki Sohma

He was an INSTANT favorite of not only the Sohmas, but of the entire series, and seeing him grow makes me so happy! I also love how kind and gentle he is, and lemme tell you. This was the first anime I've seen after My Hero Academia, so hearing Eric Vale as Yuki was WILD (same can be said about Jerry as Kyo), because I was used to his creepy and chilling performance as Tomura Shigaraki. But hearing him as Yuki was amazing and it made me appreciate him as a voice actor. SO FREAKING TALENTED. If you wanna know how much I love Yuki, I have his Funko Pop! figure, which captures his beautiful likeness well.

[toriasimmons]

It’s been a bit since I directly promoted my CBR work on here, so I’m gonna do it. Here’s my profile.

Recent pieces include:

Marvel Needs to Learn From The New Mutants’ Dani and Rahne Romance (New Mutants was kind of a garbage film, but the fact that it created a f/f romance between characters that had never explicitly been romantic in the comics was pretty phenomenal)

Rebooting True Blood Is a Massive Mistake (I’m obviously going to be on my True Blood bullshit forever, but also, this reboot would be ridiculously unnecessary)

Netflix’s The Knight Before Christmas Is Basically the Same Movie as Thor (we call it Thor But Christmas, and it is; this is a high compliment)

The Daughters of the Dragon STILL Deserve Their Own MCU Series (justice and attention for Misty Knight and Colleen Wing!)

[fly-pow-bye]

DuckTales 2017 - "The Life and Crimes of Scrooge McDuck!"

Story by: Francisco Angones, Madison Bateman, Colleen Evanson, Christian Magalhaes, Ben Siemon, Bob Snow

Written by: Bob Snow

Storyboard by: Stephanie Gonzaga, Krystal Ureta, Brandon Warren, Hayley Foster

Directed by: Matthew Humphreys

I'm not the only judge around here.

The episode begins with Scrooge and Louie dealing with a bunch of furry, multiplying monsters that are in no way supposed to be the Tribbles from Star Trek. They're Gribbles, they're completely different. Before they can deal with them entirely, and almost immediately after Scrooge tells Louie how he should accept responsibility, they are suddenly summoned into the All-Powerful Karmic Court. This otherworldly court features a seemingly all-powerful bailiff, and a giant Lady Justice holding a scale that will hold Scrooge's innocence and guilt. Who was responsible for getting Scrooge and Louie into this Karmic Court?

None other than Doofus Drake, who is just as creepy as he always was in this reboot. He makes his entrance by being wheeled in while wearing a strait-jacket, an obvious reference to Silence of the Lambs, he puts chap-stick all over his face, and, right before a commercial break, he appears to start an attempt to lick Louie's face. We get it, the character was bad and unlikeable in the original, so the new version of the character has to be disgusting and intentionally unlikeable. They could have just not have him appear, put him on a milk carton somewhere, or, since this is a reboot, they could have made him a different character entirely like they did with Burger Beagle, but instead, we get this Licky McCreepo.

Using the combined money and supernatural powers of him and his witnesses, Doofus, wanting revenge, er, justice over losing his inheritance to his own family, managed to get a supernatural summon to sue Scrooge McDuck out of the fortune, land-holdings, and treasure that would have been Louie's inheritance. Why? Because he ruined their lives! Scrooge immediately balks at these accusation that he can be guilty of ruining anyone's life, saying that he got everything fair and square and he has done nothing wrong. The Bailiff, acting as the judge as the giant Lady Justice can only nod or shake her head, has to keep telling him to sit down and be quiet as the plaintiff and his witnesses bear their case. As Scrooge can't help but make himself look guilty in the face of the all-powerful and all-seeing Karmic Court, it's up to Louie, the irresponsible schemer that Scrooge was scolding minutes before, to help him against three different shorts, er, three different witnesses! Our first one is...

Witness #1: Flintheart Glomgold!

Or, as he puts it as he jumps out of the door:

Flintheart: FLINTHEART GLOMGOLD, HA HA HA HA HA!

Yes, he even introduces himself with lightning strikes behind him. I'd like to think he requested the court supply those, as that was also the explanation for the Hannibal impression. It does not matter to the Karmic Court that the plaintiff and witnesses are acting like villains, as the case is supposed to be that Scrooge's actions have led them this way in the first place. We get a flashback, courtesy of the Karmic Courts power to get video clips of anything that happened in the past. Having video clips of things that couldn't possibly have been recorded is a reason for the supernatural element to this court. It is magic, it does not need to be explained.

No, this isn't about his former Duke Baloney persona, though I like how they mention that right in the beginning, but how he managed to steal the heart of Duckburg from him. It happened all the way back in 1987, as they sure liked that year for reasons that should be obvious. Back then, Duckburg was in a state of Glomgold Fever, as reported by Webra Walters. Her joke, besides being an obvious parody of Barbara Walters, is that she has a lisp. In the beloved adventurers latest adventure, he's going into a cave full of sharks and booby traps to get a large, sharktooth-shaped diamond for the people of Duckburg. He even takes Webra Walters and a cameraman with him, all so they can report on his benevolence. He is trying so hard to make himself look like a hero, though I'd argue putting a reporter in danger for the sake of his own ego is a hint that things are not right with this. Well, besides the fact that he's Glomgold, but the people in 1987 didn't know that.

However, that unapproachable and miserly billionaire, Scrooge McDuck, shows up with a grappling hook, swinging effortlessly. Glomgold, in his anger, accidentally pushes Webra off the rock she was standing on. As she grabs onto the ledge for dear life, Glomgold sees this reporter struggling to not get eaten by sharks and accuses her of being in cahoots with Scrooge, and jumps away to that diamond without even trying to save her. As Scrooge manages to get to the diamond and Glomgold ending up holding on to a stalactite after accidentally hitting a booby trap that caused that rock Webra barely managed to climb back up to start sinking. As Debra starts with what she thinks is her last report on how Glomgold has revealed his stupidity and cowardice, assumedly ending Glomgold Fever for good, Scrooge uses the grappling hook to save her and the cameraman, the diamond still strapped to his back.

Needless to say, Scrooge becomes the hero of Duckburg as Webra reports that the originally "miserwy" Scrooge is now showing his "herowic" side, while Glomgold Glomgold then laments at the days he had to hang on to the stalactite, eventually having to make friends with the sharks that infested the cave's waters. It's here where we learn why Glomgold loves sharks so much: because it's the only love he had after that fateful day. Revealing key moments of the villain's past that shaped them into the villains they became is going to be a theme with all of the witnesses, bringing some more importance to this episode. I'll admit that this part is the weakest of the three to me, though I can't deny Glomgold's charm in his reminiscence of his friendship with the sharks. Also, his unforgettable intro.

There is one moment that definitely did not shape them into the villains they became: Scrooge. At least, according to Scrooge himself, who continues to blast the court for even considering this to be evidence against him. The bailiff has to conjure up a muzzle at some point, though even that does not last. Louie eventually comes up to the court and tells them that he was clearly evil even before this incident, and the court. This goes to show that the court is indeed all-seeing, though I do still have a feeling that this court seems to be really easily convinced, as they seem to accept it. They probably should have accepted the "dooming Webra to a shark-caused death" as evidence against the Plaintiff, but this isn't even the worst the court gets with this sort of thing. There's no reason to complain, it's currently Innocent 1, Guilty 0.

Witness #2: Ma Beagle!

Next, it's Ma Beagle, and she wants to get the deed for the town the Beagles rightfully owned before it was stolen by that crook. While the last story revealed Glomgold's shark affinity, this one is the very backstory for how the Beagle Boys became the enemies of Scrooge. We finally get the story behind that painting of Scrooge McDuck and Grandpappy Beagle on how he managed to get the deed for the place. It's been shown in that picture that hangs on Scrooge McDuck's wall, but this is the first time we actually get to see what events that picture depicted, taking place long ago in a place known as Fort Beagleburg.

To make a long story short, it was an arm wrestling match, with Grandpappy as the undefeated champion. Scrooge shows up, talking about how this place used to be known as Fort Duckburg, and he offers to buy the town with his endless riches. Putting his money down on the table, Grandpappy and Scrooge agree to an arm wrestle for the fort's deed, the former getting praise by his daughter that he never lost. However, Scrooge proves that "never" rarely lasts, as much sense as that makes, and manages to defeat him using his wit. He also reveals him to be a cheat, once again revealing some villainy on the part of the Plaintiff that the all-powerful Karmic Court seems to ignore. In fact, unlike Glomgold and his former Glomgold Fever, there's no sense of heroism with these guys at all. In fact, they're all wearing the masks that would be made famous by their descendants.

Scrooge: Pleasure doing business with you! (Takes deed and the cup of juice Young Ma was drinking)

Young Ma Beagle: (crying) Aw, I can't believe you-

(video pauses)

Sure, Grandpappy Beagle was a cheat, but Scrooge does admit that it was unnecessarily mean to young Ma Beagle, and this would be a major cornerstone in her becoming the evil mastermind that headed the Beagle Boys. Lady Justice decides this is a win for Guilty, teleporting Ma to the Guilty side. Much like the wrestling episode, the episode's tension would be completely gone if one side went 2-0 unless they were planning on more than three witnesses. However, Louie isn't going to deal with that, and points out that the young Ma Beagle's line was clearly cut off, which it was. Again, for an omnipotent and omniscient karmic court, not only can't they keep a muzzle on Scrooge, they sure like changing their mind. Then again, this seems to work for the villains as well. At 2-0, it seems like Doofus is doomed to have his case dismissed, but he has one more short, er, witness:

Witness #3: Magica De Spell!

Right from her appearance and despite Louie gloating that he can totally take her case on, Scrooge realizes this is the one that may outweigh the other two. We flash back to a time where Magica is currently controlling an entire town's wealth and food with the power of her magic. In fact, she's not alone, as she reveals she's not an only child.

We get to meet a brand new character: Magica's brother Poe De Spell, making his first appearance in the series. One may guess by the amount of guilt Scrooge is showing that it is also his only appearance, and they are correct. To give more of a description, these twin sorcerers are causing chaos among the people they ruthlessly rule over, turning people into various animals, including a daddy goat that is expected to give them milk. Don't think of that too hard. While Magica is just as evil as she ever will be, it's Poe that ends up being the closer to Earth one. This all changes when Scrooge comes up, and, much like the Beagles, he manages to defeat Magica and Poe with his wit and make off with the money. Some of it went to rebuilding farms.

Of course, the worst part is the reason why Poe is missing. I'll keep this one vague as it is a major crux of the episode, as this is mainly caused by Scrooge being selfish. Even though Magica and Poe are clearly villains, this is one true The episode does build up more and more in both Scrooge's guilt and the quality of the segments. One may guess Poe's fate judging by the author he's clearly named after, and if they can't guess, they haven't gotten to that part in their English class.

What's important is that this is the one where even Louie has to admit that he can't weasel his inheritance, er, Scrooge's innocence out of this one. The ending seems like it's going to go into this cliche where they just admit Scrooge's guilt and the court decides that's good enough to let him off the hook, but they throw a few curveballs at that. As much as I don't want to spoil it, it's hard to believe Scrooge and Louie are going to lose their fortune, land, and treasure, especially an episode before the finale, but I think the way the episode ends, while feeling a bit rushed as a lot of events happen in the last minute, is good enough for me to judge this episode as innocent.

How does it stack up?

I debated whether this should be 3 or 4 Scrooges, and I felt this shouldn't get the same rating as Kit Cloudkicker despite being a good showing of Louie's cleverness. With an okay first part, a second part that is good to see, and a third part that's quite interesting, I'd put this at the same level as the decent Split Sword of Swanstantine. Unfortunately, with DuckTales 2017, decent can only go so far. 3 Scrooges.

Finally, after facing off against all of these non-FOWL related villains in a Karmic Court, the McDucks get to face off against FOWL once and for all.

← The Lost Cargo of Kit Cloudkicker! 🦆 The Last Adventure! →

[darksaiyangoku]

DarkSaiyan and OddNub’s YuGiOh Reboot

Back in February, my buddy @oddnub and I were talking about how we would reboot the YuGiOh anime, and we decided to follow in the footsteps of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and pitch a more faithful adaptation of the YuGiOh manga:

Now don’t get me wrong, the anime back in the 2000’s definitely had a big impact and, despite my hate for 4Kids, I do have fond memories of it. However, it’s such a shame that a lot of fans have overlooked such a great manga. What makes YuGiOh stand out from other Shonen titles is the fact that despite not being very action heavy, it’s still an engaging read and a battle of brains can be just as compelling as a battle with fists, maybe even more so.

Anime Studios

Some of you are probably wondering what would this new adaptation might look like and I have three main studios in mind for this:

A-1 Pictures

A-1 Pictures are my go to studio for this project. They have a knack for making good fantasy anime, such as Fairy Tail and Seven Deadly Sins, and using animators from those teams can really bring the battles to life in new and epic ways!

Not only that, but A-1 are also the studio responsible for producing Your Lie in April, Anthem of the Heart and the legendary Anohana. All of these are very emotional and hard-hitting stories and can carry over to the heavier moments adapted from the original manga, showing the audiences that this is going to be much different than what they’re used to.

OLM. Inc

While it would be great to have a more serious look at the story, let’s be honest with ourselves; there’s gonna be a huge demand for new merchandise. Known for also producing the Pokemon anime, OLM Inc seem like the perfect studio and can really capture a nostalgic “Saturday Morning Cartoon�� vibe the original had.

Madhouse

Ah, Madhouse. One of the most popular studios among anime fans today. They would be a great studio to handle the YuGiOh reboot. Why? Simple.... horror. Madhouse is no stranger to horror anime, mainly thanks to their sleeper hit of 2014; Parasyte. Not only that, but they’ve also had some solid action series too such as 2011’s Hunter x Hunter and One-Punch Man. If they can combine that horror and hard hitting action, we could be in for a really good time!

Seasons

Keeping things simple, New YuGiOh would be divided into 7 seasons, each one being 24-25 episodes. The main story arcs are as follows:

School/Death-T Arc

School/Monster World Arc

Duelist Kingdom Arc

Battle City Arc

Tournament Finals Arc

King’s Memories

Ceremonial Battle Arc

Cast

Okay, I know that this is gonna sound controversial, but I wouldn’t have Dan Green or Eric Stuart return as either Yugi or Kaiba respectively. Before any of you jump at me, I have a reason. Mainly because I want this reboot to go in a new direction, which is being a more faithful adaptation of the original manga. As such, I don’t want any ties to 4kids being in this show. I want this to be fresh and exciting not just for newcomers but for older fans too.

Dan and Eric are the iconic voice actors for Yugi and Kaiba, I know that. But they shouldn’t be the only ones to voice the characters. Batman has had multiple voices, I think Yugi and Kaiba can have them too.

Anyway, me and Odd had a pretty cool idea where characters with a Yami form would have their voices be completely different, emphasising that there are two separate people inhabiting one body. The voice actors I had in mind are as follows:

Yugi Mutou/Yami Yugi- Colleen Clinkbeard/Bryce Papenbrook

Anzu Mazaki- Cherami Leigh

Jonouchi “Joey” Katsuya- Benjamin Diskin

Hiroto Honda- Kyle McCarley

Sugoroku Mutou- David Lodge

Setō Kaiba- Johnny Yong Bosch

Mokuba Kaiba- Alexis Tipton

Ryuji Otogi- Todd Haberkorn

Mai Kujaku- Erica Lindbeck

Dinosaur Ryuzaki- Newton Pittman

Insector Haga- Robbie Daymond

Bandit Keith Howard- Kyle Hebert

Para Meikyu- Lex Lang

Dox Meikyu- Talesin Jaffe

Maximilion J. Pegasus- Kaiji Tang

Ryo Bakura/Yami Bakura- Josh Keaton/Clancy Brown

Marik Ishtar/Yami Marik- Matthew Mercer/Mark Hamill

Shadi- Todd Haberkorn

Thief King Bakura/Zorc- Ray Chase

Music

There’s only one choice; Yuki Kajiura. I mean, she composed the music for Ufotable’s Fate!!!! What more could you ask for?

And that’s the pitch for our potential YuGiOh reboot. Even though it’s highly unlikely that this would all happen, it was still a fun thought to have. One day, I’m sure we’ll see another YuGiOh series that does adapt the manga more faithfully. Until then, we still have the manga with us right now. Seriously if you haven’t read it yet, do it!

Special thanks to @oddnub for helping me with this. Go check him out, he does some fun, cute artwork as well as some good stories. 👍

[trombonesinspace]

Typhoid Mary: feminist femme fatale?

“Season 4 was going to be Typhoid Mary, Alice Eve [who played the role in Iron Fist], we were doing a kind of...I had a much different version of her than what Raven [Metzner] had done in Iron Fist. I was kind of rebooting what she was going to be like, and we were going to do a, you know, kind of a warped love story/murder mystery kind of femme fatale, but kind of a modern-day, feminist version of it, as opposed to kind of the older, sexist kind of femme fatale archetype.”

-Erik Oleson, in conversation with Steven DeKnight, SaveDaredevilCon 

As I said yesterday, I have some thoughts about this! If you want some opinions nobody asked for, about a storyline that may never come to pass, you’ve come to the right place! Let’s dive in.

A femme fatale is a character type with quite a history, that can take various forms. She is always an attractive woman who brings ruin to the man who gets involved with her. But sometimes she is deliberately manipulative, while sometimes she is more a victim of circumstances. She may be evil, or she may be sympathetic/tragic. But whatever her moral alignment, she has two defining traits: sexual allure, and some form of negative consequences for the hero as a result of his involvement with her.

A woman who schemes against the hero, and succeeds in harming him, but without using feminine wiles? Not a femme fatale. The Marvel TV universe has featured several examples on different shows: Madame Gao, Mariah Dillard, Alexandra. And, ironically, the version of Typhoid Mary who appeared in Iron Fist. (We’ll get there.)

A sexy woman who tries to manipulate/damage the hero, but fails? Also not a femme fatale. I wish I could give some examples, but sadly I can’t think of any, in dramas at least. Our current media culture loves a sexy manipulator, no writer ever seems to introduce one into a dramatic story without making her succeed in her schemes, to some extent at least.

Which is unfortunate, from my perspective, because I loathe sexy manipulators. It’s a character type I really dislike, whenever I encounter her. As soon as she shows up, I know the hero is going to fall for her bullshit like a chump, and I’m going to end up respecting him less as a result. I could try to unpack my feelings about this a bit more, but that would probably make a post all on its own, so for now I’ll leave it at that.

This doesn’t mean I hate all femmes fatales—it really depends on her motivation and her behavior. If she isn’t trying to harm the hero, and it happens due to circumstances, then I might like the character, but the story becomes a tragedy. Which is not necessarily bad. Just, you know. Tragic.

Anyway! Let’s talk about Typhoid Mary.

Mary Walker is a woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder (multiple personalities), and high-level combat skills. In the comics, she is also a mutant with mental powers. She appeared in the Daredevil comics starting in 1988.

In this original version, her personality fragmented due to childhood abuse, leading her to vow as an adult that no man would ever hurt her again. Her personalities are: Mary, who is timid and gentle; Typhoid, who is adventurous, lusty, and violent; and Bloody Mary, who is even more violent, sadistic, and hates all men.

Mary becomes romantically involved with Matt Murdock, who is cheating on his girlfriend, Karen Page, to be with her. At the same time, Typhoid is trying to ruin him, having been hired to do so by the Kingpin. Matt can’t tell they’re the same woman, because when she switches personalities all her bio signs change (voice, scent, heartbeat, etc) so much that he can’t recognize her. (Uh, sure.) She may also be using some of her mutant powers to confuse his senses. I haven’t read the comics, I’m relying here on what I could learn from the internet.

Eventually Typhoid drops him off a bridge, but then Mary finds him and gets him to a hospital, saving him. Karen is with him when he wakes up, but he breaks her heart by calling out for Mary.

This storyline...does not thrill me. As I said, I haven’t read it, but comics writing about mental illness is generally neither nuanced nor accurate, and comics writing about women circa 1988 is also not great, by today’s standards. And comics Matt’s disastrous love life is legendary—cheating on your girlfriend is bad, Matt! Don’t do it! 

I have, however, watched season 2 of Iron Fist, where we get a different version. This Mary Walker is a US army veteran, special ops, who was captured by the Sokovian military. Her personality fragmented due to the brutal abuse she received from her captors for nearly two years, until she finally escaped. She got a medical discharge from the army after being diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder.

Her personalities are: Mary, who is innocent and naive; and Walker, who is a ruthless, coolly efficient mercenary-for-hire. The existence of a third, ultraviolent personality, previously unknown to either Mary or Walker, is revealed near the end of the season. 

Mary meets and befriends Danny Rand, while Walker is hired by his enemies to stalk him, and eventually capture him so they can steal his Iron Fist powers from him. She later changes sides, getting hired to bring down Davos, the season’s main villain, by Joy Meachum, his former ally.

There are clear parallels to the Daredevil comics storyline, albeit in less extreme form—Mary befriends the hero, but isn’t romantically involved with him; her more violent personality works against him and fights him, but doesn’t try to destroy him. 

I enjoyed this version of the character more than I expected to, for a couple of reasons. For one, she is never the out of control, “crazy” stereotype of a person with mental illness. Both Mary and Walker are more-or-less functional adults, managing to live a strange hybrid life, aware of each other’s existence even though they don’t share memories.

But what I especially like is that she isn’t sexualized, at all. It’s incredibly rare, in my experience, to see a young, female antagonist opposing a male hero, and not have her be sexy. Older women are exempt from this obligation (see my list of examples above), but the young ones always vamp it up, and I am so tired of it. I am not opposed to sexy women, but I am very opposed to the requirement that all women must be sexy. (Unless they’re old.) Male antagonists aren’t required to be alluring, so why should women be? (Yes, I know why. I just don’t like it.)

There’s also a lot of potential YIKES in sexualizing a woman with a severe mental illness, which was caused by (among other things) repeated sexual violence. Could it be done in a way that isn’t super problematic? It’s possible, sure. Am I assuming that most television writers would give the subject the respect it deserves? NOPE! 

I’m really glad they chose to just not go there. Walker is extremely good at what she does, takes no shit from anyone, and (almost) never gets riled up. After everything she’s been through, nothing in her present life has the power to faze her, and none of the men around her have the power to intimidate her. It’s pretty great!

She isn’t the least bit coy or seductive, and, equally refreshing, none of the men try to sexualize her or hit on her. Everyone Walker talks to knows she is a highly skilled professional, and they treat her accordingly. Or, when someone does disrespect her, it’s never gendered as far as I can remember, and it stops as soon as she calmly states what she’s going to do to him if it doesn’t.

As for Mary, although she has a more feminine appearance than Walker (hair down and loose, makeup), she is also not sexualized. Her friendship with Danny, who is in an established relationship with Colleen Wing, is platonic, and no one else tries to hit on her that I remember.

So this is the version of Typhoid Mary that Erik Oleson was going to reboot, into a femme fatale. Only, you know. A feminist one. 

I...have some questions. What does that even mean? What does feminism mean to Erik Oleson? Let’s be real, the idea of a woman becoming an ultraviolent, sadistic man-hater as a result of sexual trauma would have been seen as feminist in some circles, back in 1988 when that version was written. So what, exactly, did he have in mind?

As I said before, sexual allure is a necessary component of a femme fatale. So she was definitely gonna be sexy. And you know now how I feel about sexy female antagonists. As for the “warped love story” part...Matt wouldn’t be cheating on Karen, since they aren’t together (please, for the love of mercy, don’t have them get together right before he meets Mary, we did that once and I do NOT want to see it again), but I am still not a fan of Matt/Mary as a couple.

Her Dissociative Identity Disorder raises some serious issues around consent, and even if the show chose to ignore that, there’s still the issue of past sexual trauma. Unless Oleson’s reworking of the character was going to include a completely different back story, a Matt/Mary relationship would mean Matt unknowingly having sex with a woman who has suffered brutal sexual abuse in her past. Not to mention, having sex with her that only one part of her personality actually wants.

Is it possible for someone with Mary’s past trauma and present mental illness to have a positive sexual relationship? In reality, of course! In the hands of writers with only a layman’s knowledge of psychology, on a show that loves to torment its hero, I wouldn’t bet on it. How do you suppose our poster boy for Catholic guilt would react when he inevitably finds out the truth?

Plus, aside from any issues around Mary herself, Matt starting a relationship with anyone other than the handful of people who already know his secret identity, means a whole new round of Matt lying to someone he cares about. Does anyone really want to see that? I know I don’t. Sure, maybe he’d tell her eventually, but how long would they have to date before he decided to trust her with the truth?

I’m not opposed to the Mary Walker from Iron Fist appearing in Daredevil, if the writers could come up with a new story for her (i.e, don’t just have her repeat all the same plot beats with Matt that she already did with Danny). But bringing her in as a femme fatale really doesn’t sit well with me. We’ve already seen Matt in an ultimately destructive relationship with a sexy, violent, morally grey woman. I really don’t want to watch Round 2: now with multiple personalities!

Of course, maybe we never will. The quote at the beginning of this post is from just a couple of weeks ago (July 25 2020), so Erik Oleson still seems to think it’s a fine idea. But obviously we don’t know yet if there will ever be a season 4, or who the show runner will be if there is. He may never get to make the story he was planning.

So yes, I realize I’m merely speculating about a completely theoretical story that may never happen. But I wanted to write this anyway. I had a strong “ugh, no” reaction to the idea of a feminist femme fatale Typhoid Mary, and I wanted to go deeper and pick apart my reasons for not liking the idea.

To the three of you who have read this all the way through to the end (this post is nearly 2000 words, yikes), thank you for indulging me! These are, as always, my own opinions, and YMMV. 

[yukisohmasmokesweed]

So I’m rewatching all of season 2, but now through the dub format and it’s actually pretty good?? Like there are moments where it’s a little jarring, but mostly I’m impressed by everyone’s performance. Kureno’s VA is so good (!??!) like I wasn’t expecting to like his voice that much, but crickey, the English performance is amazing (makes me wish for the 100th time that they didn’t make his character a creep) I’m also really impressed with Tohru, kyo and shigure’s actors, they honestly portrayed all of their respective characters with such nuance and consideration! I was even impressed with Eric Vale, he’s a talented actor though his voice for Yuki does have those awkward moments, but it seems like he’s getting more comfortable with playing yuki! I’m honestly so hopeful and ready for the next couple of episodes, I’m excited to see how the voice acting will continue to improve and change

opinions on the dub? I dont speak eng irl so I always watch anime subbed. I know a lot of people hold emotional attachment to the dub since they grow up watching the 01 anime. I heard the main trio dubbed voices and I really liked kyos , sounds similar to his jp voice! I prefer tohru with her jp voice but the eng is not bad... and yuki... i absolutely dislike his dubbed voice and im sorry if i sound rude 🥺. Its just too deep? It lacks emotion imo

(combining these asks since they’re about the same topic)

i like the dub a lot! i hold somewhat of an emotional attachment to it since i grew up with the og dub, but i actually always hated eric vale’s yuki (but preferred him to his jpn va from the og who is a woman with a pretty high voice, though an amazing actor who also plays sailor mercury and miki from utena). vale’s reboot yuki has grown on me a lot and agreed that he still has awkward/stiff moments, and also agreed that his voice is too deep. overall i think eric vale was miscast as yuki, i would have preferred someone with a naturally higher voice because i think yuki just. has a naturally higher voice like shimazaki does. i also think eric vale relies too much on breathiness to try and make up for how deep his voice is but it comes off as exasperated or even creepy when he’s not meaning to be. i think his yuki has greatly improved over s2 and he’s settled a bit more in the role and taken out a lot of that breathiness, which i like, but it does mean that he’s speaking lower. besides that i do think vale is a good actor and he’s doing what he can with the role, but because of his vocal quality and because i’m constantly comparing him to shimazaki, who i think was absolutely perfectly cast as well as an incredible actor who deeply understands the role, i will never love vale’s yuki. but he’s fine.

i agree that jerry jewell actually sounds similar to yuuma uchida, but jerry jewell has a really specific vocal quality that uchida doesn’t have which makes them both unique from one another. jewell has a sort of throatiness to his voice that uchida doesn’t have and uchida is pretty growly with his kyo (and overall, i’ve heard him in other roles) but i really love both of them equally tbh! but jerry jewell will always be my kyo, when i read kyo i hear his voice. i like these two an equal amount and its very exciting to have two incredible actors who i love so much interpreting the same role. 

i LOOOOOVE love love love laura bailey’s tohru, i think she’s doing incredible work and i’m super looking forward to hearing tohru’s more serious scenes in english this season. i also really like manaka iwami, her performance is very understated and i think she captures the role perfectly. i don’t prefer one over the other but i definitely have a lot of nostalgia connected to bailey’s tohru.

also yes im glad you brought up kureno’s english va because I LOVE HIM??? i like kureno’s jpn va but i think his english va is perfectly cast, exactly what i think kureno should sound like. he has a great vocal quality for kureno and he seems like a good actor from what i’ve heard so far, very excited to hear more from him.

i also big love john burgmeir who plays shigure, i think he’s perfect for the role and he’s always gotten shigure’s humor really well but i’m enjoying all of his dramatic readings as well. colleen clinkenbeard’s akito is also great and i love hearing both actor’s versions of akito, i think she sounds pretty similar to maaya sakamoto vocally but the delivery is slightly different. another big one i love is justin cooke’s haru, i think he’s a great actor and perfectly cast and i always enjoy his line readings.

sometimes i have problems with momiji’s va but i have problems with his japanese va too, i like the english va’s vocal quality better but the accent irks me. other than that though i think fb has a very solid cast and i really enjoy watching the dub and hearing other actors’ takes on the same roles!