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vhenanshiral · 3 years ago

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On the Topic of Seiya Kou.

This is a Sailor Moon post rather than a Dragon Age post. Shocker, I know, but Sailor Moon is another one of my loves. This will focus on the 90s anime adaptation of the manga. So do not come at me with “but in the manga,” because the 90s adaptation and the manga were incredibly different in multiple ways. Seiya will be referred to as she/her because the male form was a disguise. That being said, any interpretation of Seiya’s gender is valid and I love them all! Anyway. I see a lot of shit talking about Seiya and it’s honestly ... super tiring. So many of the “negative” points against Seiya are misinterpreted, misunderstood, and misrepresented for the sake of making her look like a dumpster fire. 1. “Seiya is creepy towards Usagi and stalks her.” Except ... she doesn’t. They meet by accident numerous times, and in fact Usagi even seeks Seiya out. They develop a friendship, and it’s normal and natural for friends to seek each other out. Usagi and the girls actually, literally stalk the Three Lights more than once during the season. 2. “Seiya thinks Usagi is weak because she told Mamoru to take care of her when they left.” This honestly makes no sense to me. It is repeatedly shown that Seiya admires Usagi’s strength, both as Usagi and as Sailor Moon. It is natural to want the people you love to be protected, and that does not mean that you think they’re weak and incapable of protecting themselves. Seiya knew Usagi was capable and strong because she had seen her demonstrate these traits multiple times. Throughout the season, Seiya repeatedly lifts Usagi up with her confidence in her capabilities. This is even before she knows she is Sailor Moon. Let’s not forget that when Galaxia kills all of the Inners, they ask the Starlights to protect Sailor Moon, so saying that Seiya telling Mamoru to take care of her means she thinks she is weak ... that must mean everyone else thinks she is too, right? It’s absurd. 3. “Seiya can’t take ‘no’ for an answer, always hits on her, and is constantly pressuring her into a relationship.” It is true that Seiya repeatedly quips about “having a chance” with Usagi. It’s also true that Usagi repeatedly reminds Seiya that she has a boyfriend. But it isn’t true that Seiya repeatedly attempts to coerce her into a relationship. It also isn’t true that she does it all the time. While she shouldn’t have done it even more than once (when she was unaware of Usagi’s relationship status,) it’s obvious from the context that she isn’t being serious. Seiya repeatedly making quips is an issue, and while those kinds of situations can and often do mean someone is being a “Nice Guy,” a predator, an abuser, etc., we know from everything that we see that it is not the case with Seiya. Let’s take the “date,” for an example: Seiya throws it out there (literally, just time and place and walks off) and Usagi willingly shows up the next day and is even irritated that Seiya is late. Usagi is not forced or coerced into the date; she retains all of the power regarding whether or not she shows up. She would not have gone if she didn’t want to. Actually, let’s look at these instances of Seiya hitting/making a move on Usagi. - In the “date” episode, Usagi thinks that Seiya is going to make a move on her. Some suggest that Usagi thinks she is going to kiss her, but the language, Usagi’s expressions, and her reaction to the truth seem to imply that she thinks Seiya is suggesting something more intimate. - In the episode with the beach monster when Chibi Chibi opens up the door and pushes Seiya over on to Usagi, Usagi is the one who, again, assumes Seiya is up to No Good, despite it being a complete accident and innocent on Seiya’s part. - In the episode where Seiya spends the night at Usagi’s because she’s alone and Seiya very nearly confesses who she is to Usagi while they’re in her bedroom, it is Usagi who believes that Seiya is going to confess to having a crush on her. - Later in that same episode, when they are hiding in the cabinet and Seiya again thinks about confessing her true identity to her, it is Usagi who thinks Seiya is about to suggest something intimate. In fact, throughout the season, it is everyone from Usagi, to the other girls, to single-episode characters, to even Luna who think that Seiya is going to suggest or attempt illicit activities with Usagi, and not Seiya. It is all but explicitly stated that Usagi is attracted to Seiya. Not just because of the implications of her assumptions, but also because she is scolded over it. In fact, Rei tells her that she needs to sort her feelings out. Haruka and Michiru forbid her from seeing Seiya because she has Mamoru. She may not love Seiya the same way, but she is attracted to her and she does love her (and Usagi being attracted to other people is not a new thing.) Let’s look at the softball episode, because it’s ... pretty problematic and people often point to it as being one of the episodes that paint Seiya as some creepy stalker who can’t just take a hint and tells everyone that Usagi is her girlfriend. It is Rei who thinks that Seiya training Usagi in softball is inappropriate (let’s remember that it is Ami who thinks that something illicit is going on with Seiya and Usagi in the bodyguard episode...) because Mamoru is Usagi’s boyfriend, not Seiya. It is Sonoko who insists that Seiya’s “relationship” with Usagi isn’t acceptable, and it is her that places the bet that if Seiya’s team loses, she’s not to associate with Usagi anymore. Seiya agrees because she’s competitive, hates to lose, has confidence in herself and Usagi, and knows that Sonoko is wrong. When Usagi tries to interject about the actual nature of their relationship (that they’re not dating,) it’s the girls who shush her because they’re expecting Seiya’s team to lose and that will give them the opportunity to make Seiya feel better. I want to touch on the “Seiya knows Sonoko is wrong” part. I think what a lot of people don’t think about is that when Sonoko placed this bet and openly stated her disapproval of Seiya spending time with Usagi, Sonoko was attacking Usagi’s worth as a person. She was openly saying that Usagi wasn’t good enough to be hanging out with Seiya in any capacity. Seiya took issue with this because she obviously believes and knows differently. She values Usagi as a person. Who is Sonoko to decide who is and isn’t good enough to spend time with her? Seiya is not approaching the situation with entirely selfish motives, unlike the girls who fed into the Seiya/Usagi romance for the hopeful eventuality of them being able to comfort Seiya after a loss when she’ll be forced to stop hanging out with Usagi. She uses this situation to help bolster Usagi’s confidence in herself. That doesn’t change the fact that the bet is stupid to begin with, but it is what it is. Oh, additionally ... Seiya doesn’t tell the school that she and Usagi are dating. Them dating is an assumption that Seiya simply doesn’t correct. It’s worth noting that if she did correct that assumption, it would feed into Sonoko’s declaration that Usagi isn’t good enough to be with Seiya. 4. “Seiya tried to make the rooftop scene about herself and used it as a way to try to take Mamoru’s place in Usagi’s life.” This whole entire scene is consistently misinterpreted and has all of the context ripped from it, because that is not what that scene is. No, it 100% was not the best time for Seiya to ask that question (and no, it is not “can I take his place?” that she says,) but people tend to forget that Usagi is not the only vulnerable person in this scene and it isn’t just about her. It is Seiya who triggers Usagi’s emotional breakdown on accident, and in these moments she is watching the person she loves crumble into pieces. The rooftop scene is about both of them and the context makes that clear. Up until this point, the only person who knew that Mamoru wasn’t keeping in contact with Usagi was Seiya. None of the girls knew, none of them. Imagine the amount of trust Usagi had to have in Seiya in order to share that incredibly sensitive information with her and with no one else, not even her closest friends. Usagi had told Seiya a whole 13 episodes before this one, and since finding out Seiya tried her best to make Usagi happy and to keep her mind busy. It isn’t until a few episodes after this that everyone including Seiya finds out that Mamoru is dead. So Seiya spends all of this time believing that Mamoru ditched Usagi when he moved overseas and that he’s a horrible boyfriend who obviously doesn’t care about Usagi. This is naturally hurtful to Seiya, who grows to genuinely like and love Usagi through the season. She cares for her and doesn’t want to see her in pain, which is why she does her best to help Usagi feel less alone. There is no point in the season where Seiya’s intentions are to maliciously shove herself into Mamoru’s place in Usagi’s life. She has no idea who Tuxedo Mask is. She had no idea that throwing the red rose - her own personal trademark - was going to trigger such an emotional response from Usagi. So here they both are on this rooftop in the middle of the pouring rain. Usagi’s breaking down over how alone she feels, and Seiya’s suddenly faced with the realization that not only did she cause this breakdown, everything she had been trying to do to help her wasn’t working and she failed again. She couldn’t save her system/planets, 99.9% of her people are literally dead because she wasn’t strong enough to save them, and she and the other two members of her team had no idea where their princess was or even if she was okay until the episode before this one. Immediately after the destruction of everything they knew, the Starlights had to flee to an alien planet with alien people, disguise themselves, and pander to a bunch of complete strangers that salivated over, stalked, and harassed them, all while searching for their princess and fighting the minions of the person who ctrl+a ctrl+x’ed their home system. She had no time to process any of the unimaginable loss and failure she had suffered through. When people talk about the rooftop scene and about how Seiya “makes it about herself,” this is everything they’re forgetting. When Seiya is asking Usagi if she isn’t good enough, it isn’t Seiya trying to weasel her way in, it’s Seiya both coping with her own numerous losses and trying to remind Usagi that she’s there for her. In the end, Seiya is the one that Usagi credits with being able to get herself through everything she was dealing with.

#sailor moon #sailor star fighter #eternal sailor moon #seiya x usagi #seiya/usagi #seiusa #bssm #bishoujo senshi sailor moon #90s sailor moon #pretty soldier sailor moon #usagi tsukino #tsukino usagi #seiya kou #kou seiya #sailor stars #sailor starlights

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gracemyheart · 3 years ago

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KaguMyu Act I ~ RANT REACTION

Okay, so I watched act 1 of the new Sailor Moon Musical "Kaguya Hime no Koibito" and spoiler: it felt like wasted time. Even NewMyu is more exciting to watch and I say that as an official NewMyu-hater-disliker...

You can watch the musical full for free on vk.

I included screenshots to make my little notes a bit more exciting. Disclaimer again: I am and will forever be honest with my opinions. If I think something sucks, I'll say that it sucks. (Spoiler: This was even too boring to suck lmao). Tbh. I have no idea how the manga handeled this story so I will make references from the S-movie.

- The musical starts with the song "You are my universe" and I have to say, it reminds me strongly of Tsukiiro no Chainon. That is not particularly a good thing because those random J-Pop songs these days have a bad thing in common: There is not really a melody in them? Like it feels too mechanical and not like music anymore. I couldn't really follow the melody because it was actually not existing. A good thing is that every Senshi has some solo lines in the song but that doesn't make it better. I am for example not sure if I could sing it with that lack of melody and rhythm.

- Next thing is the costumes. Was there really not enough money to make them look not THAT cheap? Also, Chibimoon's costume looks so baggy? And her wig looks, I quote @vampiru-chan "like a burst sofa cushion" xD.

- What annoys me too is that we got those no-name background-dancer demons again. SO boring like wtf finally get something interesting like in Banitimes again!

- However, the choreography wasn't as bad as it usually is in NewMyu and with that I mean they were not swinging their arms like crazy while running and walking from on end to the other end of the stage. So I grant a bonus point for the choreography.

- Yuuka-Saturn NAILED her solo-line. Good girl.

- I am still annoyed, that we got that all-female cast again! It might be rare, but I am still a straight girl in this fandom and I need real men again xD And I think all the lovely gay fanboys in the fandom agree xP.

- After the dance-fight-song-scene we see how Kakeru finds Snow Princess Kaguya's ice crystal as he does in the movie and then we get to know that it is winter and the Senshi will celebrate Mako's, Mina's and Setsuna's birthdays all together. And I have to say, she doesn't do ANYTHING, she is only a side character and simply...well there - BUT I LOVE Shinjyu-Haruka so much, omg. Finally a good Uranus! Her face reminds me of Asako but she is stronger and her male-like acting does not feel that forced. Too bad she was in a musical that was not about the Senshi at all :(

- Again I have to say, WHO, WHO thought it was a good idea to cast a Sailor Moon with that kind of face? Like, literally wtf. Tbh I would sue the surgeon who is responsible for this.

- Okay, now we found out why the costumes are so cheap: The whole budget was spent on the civilian outfits. They are so sweet and so pretty, omg. I want to have them all!

- But because all the money was spent on the outfits, there was no budget left for Artemis >:( He is only mentioned.

- Then lemme ask why our Usagi-chan is so bitchy here? She pushed Minako to the side in a very-not-Usagi-like style??

- Okay, birthday goes on and we get a birthday song and then some kind of idol-song by Mina and Mako. And the songs are not memorable at all :(

- What I liked was this little scene between Rei and Usagi. Looks like a reference to the anime where both quarrel a lot and it feld refreshing.

- And I have to say, that the lovely voice of Kisara-Mako/Jupiter reminds me SO MUCH of my friend's voice @missemperor you gotta cover her, nobody would notice the difference lol.

- Okay, now Himeko sings a song of how Kakeru developed as a professor or something and it makes no sense because Himeko is just so unimportant. Oh, yes and I never liked her in the movie because she was such a fkn bitch to Luna? I mean, I don't like Luna either but stop bullying the cat, bitch.

- as I mentioned in my last post about KaguMyu - we do not have a real setting again :/ But they tried to compensate that with heavy projections even from thought bubbles. I'd liked it better if there had actually been a setting but okay, we live in the century of technology and not of proper requisites.

- I also wonder why Michiru always has such a cute voice in Nelke productions? Ever watched the anime? She has a normal adult voice which sounds very elegant but not cute. But besides being a side character, Ayana plays a decent Neptune/Michiru.

- The rest of the musical is basically Luna and Kakeru doing stuff? But it feels like nothing happens T_T. Btw. the actress of Kakeru reminds me STRONGLY of a Zuka actress too. Apropos Takarazuka: Riku Sorahana is a cool Mamoru. Maybe a bit too cool for Mamoru but I like her.

- Another thing I noticed: The birthday scene, in the beginning, was just to show that this musical actually has the Senshi in it. Because after that scene... they are gone. There is that one scene with Usagi and Luna à la how does a kiss taste and then Chibiusa sings (very badly, omg. Why not casting a child that can sing?) a very annoying song, of how Luna is in love.

Overall:

- It was so boring. Literally, nothing happened. It felt like wasted time and yes, I know that the story is mainly about Luna but....geez no. I had a bit of hope that this musical might be better than the last ones but I have to say out of the new musicals - NogiMyu stays the best.

- Those songs were really not good and not memorable at all. They feel like the typical mass-production these days. Maybe BaniMyu was so good because back then it was a rare thing for anime/manga to turn into stage plays? I mean, today almost every anime/manga which is a bit popular gets a musical. Plus BaniMyu had Akiko Kosaka for the songs (and Queen Ado for the choreo <3).

- Funny thing: Usually in the new musicals it is that the first act is rather good or at least ok while the second one is boring af - but in this case, I doubt that this can get even more boring - maybe act 2 will be good then? Ewwww, we'll see but I do not have big hopes, tbh.

- If I had to rate it with points while 10 points would be super good and 0 points super bad, I'd give it so far 2 points. (LR, PE and UNV would even get 3 to 4 points, wtf it's really so bad xD. Okay, no they'd get at least 3 but still xD).

Today I'll watch the second act but I doubt it will get any better... :(

BANDAI! GET SERA MYU BACK AND DO GOOD STUFF AGAIN!

#sailor moon #sailor moon musical #sailor moon 2021 #kaguya hime's beloved #kaguya hime no koibito #kagumyu #sera myu #reaction

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ffamranxii · 3 years ago

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Sailor Moon is the only series where I have different ships depending on the adaption. For the most part, manga and anime have the same ships, but the absolute curveball that was PGSM (my favorite adaption, hands down) gave me a TON of new ships I’d have never considered otherwise, who I DON’T ship in the manga/anime.

1. Usagi/Mamoru. Across all adaptions, I ship these two, and the reason is actually funny. I never used to like either of them, so I just shoved them together. It wasn’t until PGSM that I ever liked Usagi at all. I found her to be whiney and annoying in the anime, and once I got my hands on the manga, my dislike of anime Usagi had permeated too deep for me to like manga Usagi. PGSM Usagi is a much more expanded concept of Usagi as a whole, and Mamoru (while still embodying Sailor Moon’s very own Princess Peach) has a whole arc of development and backstory himself. PGSM is the only adaption in which I like Mamoru, even now.

2. Ami/Nephrite, PGSM only. PGSM has a whole side story for many of its minor characters and expands on the girls outside of the concept of senshi. Tbh PGSM is a slice of life show disguised as a tokusatsu, and it’s super apparent in how they treat the characters. Ami has an entire arc of her own where she ends up brainwashed and has several scenes with Nephrite, who is sort of the black sheep of the Shitennou for reasons that are never explained. This fledging relationship continues after Nephrite is reincarnated as human and it’s really cute to see Ami develop outside of her relationship with Usagi (her strongest relationship in this series) and the girls. Nephrite is hotheaded and angry at the world and Ami makes him just so soft.

3. Ami/Zoisite, manga and Crystal. While I very much detest the first two seasons of Crystal for their abominable animation (through no fault of the animators, I blame Toei and their complete disregard of their fans and employees), I DO like that they tried to work in the senshi/Shitennou romance that Naoko hinted at in the art books. It was stupid rushed but it’s the only incarnation that really attempts it. I wish it had had time to develop.

4. Rei/Minako, PGSM only. PGSM only deals with the Dark Kingdom (sadly) and Rei/Minako are its Haruka/Michiru. I actually ship them harder than I ship PGSM Usagi/Mamoru. Several episodes are given over to the development of their relationship, which is not easy to do given the way they took Minako in this series, and Rei is the only one of the girls to even have a real relationship with Minako, even over Usagi. They trust each other on a deep level, and fight with each others’ weapons at two critical points in the series.

5. Minako/Zoisite, PGSM only. Zoisite in this series, like most of the Shitennou, differs drastically from his manga and anime component, and I actually really like this one more than I like him in the anime and manga. Beryl’s hold on Zoisite is the weakest of all the Shitennou, and he spends his time doing exactly three things: playing piano, pining over Mamoru Endymion, and stalking Minako. (Truth be told, I enjoy his relationship with Endymion more, but the one with Minako leads into my next point.)

6. Minako/Kunzite, anime and manga. Minako managed to bag not one but two Shitennou with her love powers and that is a FEAT. You get it, girl. I really like the dynamic of two leaders together, and really enjoy Silver Millennium Minako/Kunzite fics.

7. Makoto/Motoki, PGSM only. This was another fun little thing PGSM did, and Makoto is the only other senshi to have a confirmed relationship in the series. Motoki himself is pretty fleshed out for a minor character, with his own little quirks (turtles!), and he is over the moon for Makoto. By the end of the series they’re engaged.

8. Haruka/Michiru, anime and manga. Who DOESN’T ship HaruMichi? I actually shipped HaruMichi way before I ever shipped anyone else on this list. Along with Touya/Yukito from Cardcaptor Sakura, they were THE definition of LGBTQ+ relationships (for me) for much of my childhood. They have an extremely adult relationship, possibly even an open relationship (or at least Michiru seems to have no problem with Haruka’s flirting hobby), which isn’t really something you see often in anime. I love them, they are goals.

9. Haruka/Michiru/Setsuna, anime and manga. Very specifically during the time they are raising Hotaru. Sometimes a family can be three moms and their child the incarnation of death and destruction and that’s beautiful. They’re just such a cohesive unit that I have a hard time believing that they live together and HaruMichi HAVEN’T invited Setsuna to join them from time to time. They’re also the first OT3 I ever shipped.

10. Helios/Chibiusa, anime and manga. I think the Helios/Chibiusa shippers are as numerous as the Usagi/Mamoru shippers tbh. Like Mamoru, Helios also is a damsel in distress for much of his arc (I guess the Tsukinos have a type, which raises some interesting questions about Ikuko and Kenji), and what I really liked was that, despite the single kiss they shared, it was never really pushed on us? I think Chibiusa/Helios is the first thing I ever shipped without the source material directly telling me to do so, because I wanted them together SO BAD and was SO PISSED they weren’t.

11. Chibiusa/Hotaru, anime and manga. Another ship I put together on my own with no direction from the source material, and the first lesbian ship I ever did that with. They are just too close and love each other too much, and Chibiusa shares more pictures with Hotaru in official media (art books, stills, promo art) than her supposed future love interest Helios! They’re just a very sweet ship, two girls trying to figure out love and stuff.

12. Setsuna/Endymion, anime and manga. Setsuna has a thing for Endymion, but never really seems to transfer that to Mamoru. I do like unrequited ships, and this one is my favorite.

HONORABLE MENTION

1. Ami/Usagi, PGSM. Ami has a huge lesbian crush on Usagi in this version. I’m not even making this up. She ends up brainwashed due to her insecurity and depression that Usagi is replacing her by making more friends and getting a boyfriend. Usagi, of course, is oblivious.

2. Kunzite/Zoisite, classic anime. Classic anime gave us (female) Zoisite and Kunzite (named Malachite in the dub I watched) as a couple, which I actually really enjoyed. I remember being disappointed when I read the manga and Zoisite was not only not female but also not banging Malachite. They were another adult relationship, way before HaruMichi existed, that I looked forward to seeing onscreen. I’m cool now with Zoisite not being female, and Malachite’s real name being Kunzite, but I still really like their relationship in classic. Plus, they’re the only ship that can crossover the adaptions in my brain to form the ultimate ot3 Minako/Zoisite/Kunzite. You get it, Minako.

#sailor moon #pgsm #ffamran succumbs to her ocd #ffamran makes lists #headcanons #i still find it super weird in my head how cleanly i split the adaptions #my brain absolutely will not let me ship anime manga reinako despite my obession with it in pgsm #and similarly i can't ship the senshi with their 'proper' shitennou if i'm talking about pgsm #pgsm is just a totally different point #to the point where i prefer them to their manga and anime counterparts #which makes for a weird blend when i try to write stuff with the series #god i wish pgsm had introduced the outers #how fucking sweet would that have been #the fanbase and demand was THERE #i don't understand why they didn't do it

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lucyoftheabyss48 · 5 years ago

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Top 6 Spring 2020 Anime to Watch

I was going to make this a Top 10, but it got way too long, so I cut it to 6. (Also above pic is from BNA)

Anyway, these are the Top 6 Spring 2020 Anime that I personally think will be worth watching. For all of these included in the list, I have watched at least the first episode. But of course, this list will be very biased, because my beloved Studio Trigger finally has another show again.

I won’t be including sequels (but I’m watching Fruits Basket S2, Ascendance of a Bookworm S2, and I’m trying to catch up on Kaguya-sama and Tsugumomo)

Let’s start from Number 6. May contain vague spoilers for the first episodes of these shows. More below!

6. Gal to Kyouryuu

This one looks like trash. I know. I know, but give it a chance. Maybe all you’ll get out of it is its comedy and strangeness, and its wacky live action second half. But just let me tell you the best part of this show, and why it’s so high on my list.

First, a quick summary. A gyaru (gal) girl takes in a dinosaur that she found one day, and they spend their time just living life together. That’s it.

That is it, but I think there’s more to it than just that. This gal girl, Kaede, from what I can tell, has just been going through the motions in life. She felt bored and uninspired and unmotivated. Her life was just work, and whatever fun things she could find to fill up her free time.

But when she brings in the dinosaur, despite her many complaints, she still cares for him and thinks of him and is considerate towards him. And for her to have someone by her side, and looking to her as a companion to face life together, side by side, creates a little more fun and a little more motivation in her own life.

This isn’t a deep show or anything. I don’t think there’s some dark hidden message, unless you want to look at it that way. It’s a sweet little show about the relationship between two lost and lonely people, finding their way in life together. One of them just happens to be a cute dinosaur.

Which amazingly, no one seems to question. I think that’s great, because it just cuts out that whole obstacle of others coming to terms with the dinosaur’s existence, and goes straight to him as just an individual character, and his relationship with Kaede.

It’s just really sweet, I can’t say this enough. It might be a little subtle. But just watch out for the things that Kaede does for the dinosaur, like how she seriously thinks about what she can do to help him. I also think the dinosaur definitely helps Kaede let down her guard and be more relaxed about some things. Both their lives are just brighter with each other than without.

(Edit after seeing Episode 2, SPOILERS: Never mind about this not being deep or dark, the ending of Episode 2 has changed my mind!! Please watch it, and let’s discuss theories!!!)

5. Arte

If you’ve read any of my past essays, maybe you’ve found out by now that I live for the dynamic between really great and supportive partnerships. And maybe you’ve also found out by now that most of this list consists of said partnerships. Arte definitely has one too.

So Arte is about a noblewoman who wants to be an artist, but everyone is against that, because she’s a woman, and women at that time don’t become artists. And moreover, she’s a noble, and so she needs to be ladylike and get married so she can continue to live a comfy life.

Basically that’s the premise, and Arte goes about trying to find her path to becoming an artist. She eventually becomes the apprentice of someone we all know: Leonardo da Vinci.

If you like art, if you like history and historical figures (read: if you’re a Fate fan like me), or if you just like a cool and determined female MC, then this is for you. I would say this is comparable to Ascendance of a Bookworm, or the anime movie Miss Hokusai. It’ll probably have equal parts lighthearted comedy and darker seriousness, and plenty of coolness from Arte and Leo both.

4. Gleipnir

I read a good chunk of the manga a year or two before this came out, so I’ve been looking forward to this. The animation in this first episode was really good quality, and it’ll probably only get better from here. The story is basically, one day, our MC Shuichi suddenly gains powers to turn into a big stuffed animal suit. Everyone who has these powers to transform has entered into a big battle royale to the death to collect the most coins.

Shuichi just wants to live a normal life and get rid of this animal form, and Claire wants to find a certain someone (among other things). Shuichi doesn’t want to fight, doesn’t want to kill anyone — but he can’t do nothing because then he’d be killed. And he doesn’t even know yet why he was turned into this monster.

That’s where Claire comes in. She has a goal, but she doesn’t have powers like he does. She’d be killed instantly on her own, just as he would because of his hesitation. Just so you know, she gets it into her head that the best way for them both to live, and get what they both want, is for her to get inside his animal suit form, and control him from the inside.

They’d both die on their own, but together, they can survive.

I think the story is interesting and plenty mysterious. There’s a lot of good stuff to sink your teeth into. But like always, the core of the show, to me, is the dynamic between Shuichi and Claire, and how they both find purpose and motivation because of each other.

Also Shuichi’s VA is the same as Tanjirou. And Ikuto in Runway de Waratte. So that’s a plus.

3. Princess Connect! Re:Dive

So it might be easy to dismiss this as another fantasy adventure harem with the lackluster MC, but I’m going to argue for our mostly silent and robotic protagonist. We find out in the first episode when he wakes up that he lost his memory, so I would say that that’s the reason why he’s pretty emotionless. So as he interacts more with Kokkoro, and learns more about the world from her, he becomes more expressive.

I think the best example of this is his last line at the end of the first episode, which sounded a little more emotional and personal than any lines he’d said earlier.

On another note, the animation is top notch — way, way too excessively pretty and beautiful and detailed, but I ain’t complaining. The grass. The grass. Watch it, and you’ll see what I mean. And the lighting. The lighting.

The action animation and comedy both are pretty reminiscent of Konosuba. A certain character’s finishing move is pretty similar to Explosion. And like Konosuba, a lot of the appeal of this show will probably be the female characters, their wild personalities, and all the shenanigans they get into.

But also like Konosuba, there’s a small, hidden sweet side sprinkled throughout, in how their ragtag group finds friendship and companionship with each other, when they couldn’t find it elsewhere. If you look at it that way, I think this show can be sweet and deep in its own way.

2. Tower of God

This is a big one that I know lots of people have been looking forward to, as it’s an adaptation of a popular Webtoon. I haven’t read the webtoon yet, but I will eventually. I’ll just say that first, the art and animation here is really, really good. In particular, the scenery and background art is amazing, and really creates the whole atmosphere. A single change in background can change the mood in a second. You’ll see what I mean immediately in the first scene with the big door. Or a little later on with the blood splatter.

The animation of the movement in action scenes is smooth and fluid, no problems there. The art style may take some time to get used to for some people who may not like it, but it’s personally just the kind I like. Honestly it reminds me of a Shaft work. So if you like the Monogatari series, the use of art style and background art here gives a similar vibe, or at least I think so.

As for the story, it starts with Bam getting separated from Rachel, and he starts his journey to climb a tower so he can meet her again. We get pretty much no reason for why she left yet, but I think we’re in for something really good with this story.

(I’m planning on making a separate analysis essay entirely on a certain scene in the first episode, so look forward to that.)

1. BNA

Brand New Animal. Trigger’s latest work, the last few being SSSS Gridman and Darling in the Franxx, and their first movie, Promare. I am a huge Trigger fan, and I’ve been excited for this one for a while.

Our MC, Michiru, is a human, but she suddenly gets turned into a tanuki person. She seeks refuge in Anima City, because (surprise!) the humans don’t like the animal people. But not everything is as it seems in Anima City, and she teams up with the wolf person, Ogami Shiro, to find answers — thus getting caught up in something way bigger and stranger than she ever expected.

First off, if you’ve been missing the crazy and cartoonish animation from Trigger’s earlier stuff, then you’re in for a treat. This has an undeniable Kill la Kill vibe, but with Promare’s amazing popping colors and backgrounds.

If you want to say it’s another animal show, like Beastars and Zootopia, go ahead. Let’s just get that out of the way.

Moving on, Michiru escapes to Anima City, expecting it to be a place where all the animal people can live freely and be themselves. But it turned out to be a free-for-all, strongest wins type of society, where animal people are quick to betray their own kind for their own personal gain. And even side with the humans who discriminated them in the first place.

Michiru’s character will probably be a hit or miss for most people. Some might find her annoying, others charming and endearing. I like her, as I tend to like these types of characters.

But I think what’s great, is that she gets challenged. Her ideas and beliefs about both the animal people and humans are put to the test, and her suddenly becoming an animal person herself means that she’s in a unique position of being able to understand both sides. But she’s also still an outsider, and she finds that maybe neither side was really quite like what she once believed. And so, her place in either side of society will come into question for her. There’s a lot to dig into here, and I’ll probably make separate posts for BNA alone later on.

If you like Trigger, watch it. It’s probably more of a mix between Gridman and Promare than it is Kill la Kill, despite sharing many animation similarities (even a certain sports match that’s basically torn right out of Kill la Kill). If you want something that’s a little more different and subtle and intriguing than their usual works, then this is for you. If you liked Beastars, give this one a try too.

Some Extras

--that I wanted to add to this list, but I’ll just briefly put them here so this post doesn’t get any longer:

My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!

Shironeko Project: Zero Chronicle

Listeners

If there’s more you think I missed, feel free to put ‘em in the replies!

Upcoming Essays:

Analysis on Orb Scene in Tower of God Episode 1

Navigating the numerous Fantasy-Adventure genre anime of the Spring 2020 Season

Various BNA essays (I’ve seen episodes 1-6 already, will be tagged for spoilers)

Gal to Kyouryuu Theories

Maybe something Fate related, it’s my recent obsession

#anime spring 2020 #bna #tower of god #princess connect re:dive #gleipnir #arte #gal to kyouryuu

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keyofjetwolf · 5 years ago

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GIFTENING Bonus Rounds

For each category, I included a “bonus round” question. YOU GUYS KILLED IT. I loved all the answers, but listed below are some of my particular favourites.

Haruka Tenoh is trapped in the wrong anime! Which would you have her visit next?

I want her to earth shake Kyubey out of existence, please and thank you

My bride is a mermaid. She can relate. :P

i think she would THRIVE in bodacious space pirates. gay teenage space pirates whose job is to dress up, be Dramatic, and rob the wealthy??? that shit is RIGHT up her alley

Hamtaro

Princess Tutu - where the world is finally as dramatic as her

PGSM (and Michiru is trapped with her, for REASONS)

Pokemon because everyone deserves to be happy

Any moe-style series so hijinks can ensue at her being baffled by everyone's ages

1960's Speed Racer

is is this a captcha or something i missed oh god

Free! so she can be indifferent to all the hot men and slightly uncomfortable because she still can't swim.

Stick Haruka in a Gundam!

Dump her in Pretear or one of the Precures! It would be hilarious! She's never in the genre she wants to be!

Revolutionary Girl Utena, so she can be offended by misuse of roses.

Initial D, she will out-drive and out-drift all those guys and steal all their girls.

Evangelion. I would feel bad to watch her suffer, but it would be so, so funny for her to be the comparatively most normal person around.

Yakitake Japan! SO SHE CAN HAVE A SNACK OF DELICIOUS RIDICULOUS BREAD BEFORE THE NEXT INTERDIMENSIONAL ANIME STORM WHISKS HER AWAY.

The Holograms or the Misfits? DISCUSS

Holograms

both? both. BOTH IS GOOD

misfits bc Evil Ladies Hot

Steven and the stevens

Misfits. How dare you make us try to think about anything in our lives.

Both, you mad fool. Those combined songs were the best.

The Misfits, their songs are better

The Misgrams: A group of girls who form a singing telegram start up company, but constantly deliver the telegrams to the wrong people.

kimber & stormer

Neither. Limp Lizards all the way. BROKEN GLASS.

I do not know what these things are

Misfits because guitar motorcycle

The Isle of Misfit Holograms

Holograms is just arguably better

I mean, I’m told the Misfits’ songs are better, but my true answer is the band Kimber and Stormer made in that big gay episode you liveblogged (checks) almost four years ago.

I've no idea what these words mean and I hope this does not make me TOO uncool.

this is about jem, right? right?? im hip i swear

Misfits, because Jasper is a member apparently

I don't know from Jem, but I mean...I certainly prefer holographic material to Glenn Danzig? So I guess there's your answer ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Stingers

LIMP LIZARDS FOREVER

Senshi Band

You can make me liveblog a full series of any show you want! You also hate me. What do you have me watch?

Pick a GoT rip-off, any GoT rip-off

The Bachelor?

The Bachelor :(

depends on how much i hate you, but....probably the bachelor. quantity AND lack of quality

Critical role, it would take forever

If I were a horrible person who sought only malice? Big Bang Theory. Entire series.

Toddlers and Tiaras

The Mandalorian - Disney would come after you and kill keyofjetwolf just as dead as keyofnik. We would all be very sad, you would have to go through a second round of restoring things to a new tumblr account, and your organizational heart would weep over adding yet another hosting site out of chronological order.

You are liveblogging Eva, and must discuss in full detail Shinji's emotional state at all times.

Hannity & Colmes

The Kardashians. And all of their spin offs. *kisses*

The price is right

the bachelor

Probably something with lots of romance and no friendships. Soap operas are like that, right? My college roommate used to watch General Young Light Restless Hospital of Our Lives (which one had Like and Laura?) And it was torture.

One Piece, because it's over 900 episodes so you could maybe do 10% before you die, also you will hate how the women are treated most of the time.

Fushigi Yuugi. Not only do you hate it but it also comes with you squirming when you admit to watching the whole thing. ;)

Plus belle la vie. It's an ongoing French soap opera that has been airing five days a week since 2004, they're nearing their 4000th episode and there's no end in sight. Imagine all those hours upon hours submerged in French drama, mwahahaha!!

The Bachelor. Or the Bachelorette, maybe - more straight dudes in that.

The Young and the Restless - IT IS THE LIVEBLOG THAT NEVER ENDS. IT WOULD OUTLAST THE INTERNET.

The entirety of the Bachelor franchise.

You can only play one game for the rest of your life. Which game would it be and why?

Kingdom Hearts Complete Collection. A) I love them. B) I beat the system and get like 10 games instead of one.

Gemcraft. This game actually takes a lifetime to finish.

Hatoful Boyfriend. It is the best game ever created. Feel it in your heart.

that's a mean question and you can't make me answer it

Pathfinder, which you could play for the rest of your life and still never finish.

Civ VI , so I can rule the world without leaving my house.

I am legitimately perturbed by this question and refuse to answer it.

Pokemon Go. I would have nothing else, but I would catch them all.

The Elder Scrolls Skyrim: I'll never run out of side-quests.

Mass Effect--it's the only way I'll get full completion.

The dinosaur game on Chrome when the internet doesn't connect because my life is monotonous and it's a welcome relief.

Stardew Valley. Peaceful farmer life and turning my children into doves when I'm bored with them.

Crabs Adjust Humidity

Oh my! A number of things come to mind, not one of them fit for print. Just, you know...*gestures vaguely* sex shit.

I can't even stick to the ones I play now.

This is the worst of all possible things and I refuse to answer.

Monopoly, I hate myself :(

Probably Minecraft! I haven't gotten into it because I know if I start I will NEVER STOP. Who would do things like build a hundred foot tall statue of Mako-chan? A-THAT'D BE ME.

the game. Of LIFE! *shrug emoji*

I don't believe I'll tell you, because I AM a salty little fish and it was HARD to cut that 11th choice off my vote.

Holligay and I are going to be the leads in a new buddy film. What's the premise? How does it end?

Be gay do crimes. Thelma and Louise. Duh. :P

I have no idea but only just surviving disaster is how it ends.

You break down in a small town during a roadtrip- your stay is full of hijinks and ends with you teaching the townsfolk the true meaning of friendship.

Doctor Holligay, Esquire, PhD, renowned Jewish femme of many talents, is assigned one Operative Jet Wolf as her bodyguard on a foreign diplomatic mission/vacation/culinary tour of the world ("same difference, shut up, narrator"). One problem: Operative Wolf needs a bodyguard herself, as the good doctor discovers when in one night her toilet is destroyed ("IT WAS A SECURITY THREAT") and Operative Wolf nearly breaks a leg falling down a small set of stairs ("THEY PUT A CLIFF OUTSIDE THE DOOR"). Worldwide shenanigans ensue as Holligay and Operative Wolf learn the true meaning of friendship, and also how to take care of themselves... by taking care of each other.

I’m not sure about the premise, but DEFINITELY it ends in murder.

Someone posted a major spoiler during one of your liveblogs. The two of you track them down seeking revenge. It turns out it was the original creator of the series trying to stop you. For some reason Holligay is a CGI badger.

It's clearly a buddy cop movie, and like all good buddy cop movies, it ends with Doc almost dying, and you saving her, and slapping her wound in the hospital as the credits roll.

It ends as it began: with Holligay roasting you.

A straight detective and her lesbian partner have to solve the case of the missing cinnamon buns. It ends with nobody getting the guy OR the girl and you drive off into the sunset together, perps behind bars sans cinnamon buns.

I don't know what it's about but I know it will be the only movie that ever existed.

Holligay is the lesbian chief of staff to you somehow being elected President and she's basically running the country while you're the charming face of the administration

Nerd and cowgirl meet at a bar, justifyingly murder some gross dude, go on the run from the law and have a life-changing road trip, on the way Nazis are punched

carrying a delicate object through a forest after your helicopter goes down

Thelma and Louise, but instead of dying, your deaths are clearly faked and you live on a ranch in Montana with your respective spouses and animals. One time a cop comes by the restaurant/bar you joint own with Doc and says, "You look familiar." Doc, in perfect lesbian, answers, "Jet's just got that criminal look, on account of how much she'd love to steal my cheesecake recipe. More pie?"

Queer Eye with a Straight Goy. The two of you do the show but in your own special ways.

Doc Holligay is the wild-west no-nonsense sheriff. Jet Wolf is the all-fun cyberpunk cop from the future. They punch nazis and argue about food. It ends as a tv series ala B99.

Your lives are already a buddy film, don’t get greedy.

Hands and socks. You know how it ends.

See Grumpy Old Men for details. How does it end? Badly.

I can't imagine the premise, but I'm pretty sure the planet explodes.

A Coen Bros film. It ends poorly.

Wait? You're not already living this now?

REI HINO

Sure. Why not?

HINO REI

<3<3<3<3

REI HINO!

Rei who? ;)

REI HINOOOOOOOOO

Plush Is being hugged by Zoisite in your banner.

MINAKO AINO

MAKOTO KINO

The best

SOCKS

MICHIRU KAIOH

It's time tooo.... REI! THAT! HINO!

sponsored by Here! curry

LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES USAGI LOVES REI [THIS REPEATS A LOT A LOT AND IS GLORIOUS] [...] LOVES USAGI LOVES REI LOVES JETWOLF

(THE REAL ONE)

Isn't how you spell Makoto Kino!

THE REAL ONE™

obviously

IS NOT A RHINO

In conclusion: Rei Hino

Rei Hino is giving this Giftening finger guns

BEAUTIFUL, STUNNING, SHOW-STOPPING, TALENTED, AMAZING, WONDERFUL

Hot stuff, lights my fire, blazes it regularly. I am out of fire jokes.

PASSION FLAME, SAILOR MARS

These hot feelings are C'EEEEEST LAAAAA VIIIIIIE c'mon rei-chan why aren't you singing along

IS THE BEST (I know who I'm talking to)

Ara!

DID DOCTOR HOLLIGAY PHD NOMINATE THE OPTION OF TALKING ABOUT MICHIRU KAIOH FOR 6 HOURS!!

If Hot Pocket were to plan One Last Heist, what do you think would be his objective? What would be Mina's role in his master plan?

Master Hot Pocket seeks BREAD. His friend and loyal companion, Mina-pup, acts as a distraction, as he has learned the humans are easily distracted by cute. While she does her sworn duty as Best Friend and Cutest Goodest Girl, probably with lolling tongue and glee at all the pets she receives, he picks the locks on the newly childproofed pantry, and Master Howard H. Pocket FEASTS AS NO CAT HAS BEFORE.

Every bag of flour in Montana; Mina runs distraction with her adorable puppy eyes

Open every container, leave none unmarked. Mina is the lookout who greets whoever comes and is completely ineffective at her job.

TAKE ALL THE FLOUR. Do it straight from the source: FlourCo Inc. What does a 10-pound cat do with eighty thousand tons of flour? If you can't figure that out, there's a reason he's the brains of this outfit. Mina would obviously be the bumbling lovable distraction to security or other people.

Bread. Mina is The Face who provides distraction to the Keepers of the Bread by walking up to them and being herself. Mina has absolutely no idea that Hot Pocket is using her in this manner because Hot Pocket is that Machiavellian, but Mina is a pocket full of sunshine in canine form and probably would just be happy to help out.

Hot Pocket knows that no mammal of the floor believes in flour anymore. It went away a long time ago. It doesn't exist. But what he also knows is that they're wrong. A lack of opposable thumbs won't hide the truth from him. He'll find the stash, and when he does, he'll stick his paw in it. Mina, with her limited climbing skills, will lick its remains from his claw and prove his discovery. As well as provide a warm place to curl up on for the aftermath of their adventure.

His goal is to sample every edible thing he can get his teeth on. Mina pulls triple duty as step stool, distraction, and scape goat

The Silver Crystal. Mina would play the role of Sailor V.

He is getting ALL THE FLOUR. Mina is a lovable distraction.

Looting all the carbs in the pantry. mina is distraction.

mina's role would be the "dopey" but talented best friend who it looks like HP is going to betray for the sake of the plan but then it all comes together when HP mounts a dramatic rescue. i dunno i'm still in film mode from that last one.

The Holy Bread Locked Within the Cupboard. Mina would be the distraction, but she'd forget what she was supposed to be distracting from and end up leading you to him.

I am the Void. I am the Night. I am the Darkness with no hope of dawn. The Flour trembles before me in it's bleached fluffiness. It shall not escape my chaos, which will descend upon it like the Terrors of the Deep, claws and teeth and gnashing. It will howl at my claws. It will scream for my teeth, sharp and white, stars in the night of my fur. I shall tend and tear and -- Dammit, Dog-thing! How am I supposed to be terrible and terrifying with you wagging your tail and panting at me!? Oh, you found a good warm sunbeam? I guess I can stalk stuff later. I am the Void. I shall absorb the Sun's light and warmth and bring it into my Darkness where it cannot escape...

I'm new here and don't know all the complex lore of Jetwolf(fairly sure Mina is dog), so I'm going to assume that Hot Pocket is an actual hot pocket and his heist is robbing Fort Knox using Mina as his loyal stead/get away car. Then he explodes a microwave or something.

i lik the bred

Mina as the distraction while he takes one last tastes of EVERYTHING

objective--stealing more chips; Mina--surprise betrayal

The scene: Mama Jet's pantry The Objective: the bag of cake flour Aunt Doc made Mama Jet buy but she's never used Mina: confused but excited escape vehicle and/or scapegoat

RAIDING THE KING ARTHUR FLOUR FACTORY. Mina is of course adorable and keeps everyone's attention while Hot Pocket swan dives into the flour like Uncle Scrooge

Hot Pocket would definitely try to steal a monument, Carmen SanDiego style. Mina, of course, is the multi-talented and super cute face of the operation.

I have no idea who Hot Pocket is

HP would try to scale the tallest building in the world. Not to steal anything, just to be up there. Mina would be the adorable diversion.

It would be to get whatever food you've left on the counter. Preferably bread. He would tell Mina that he'll give her some of she acts as a distraction. She's a good dog so she does. He's a cat so she gets no food.

Truly, truly, THE GIFTENING winner is us all.

#THE GIFTENING 2019 #THE GIFTENING 2019 admin stuff #long post for ts

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docholligay · 4 years ago

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St. Raphael 3: With All Your Strength

THE CATHOLIC BOARDING SCHOOL AU. This is actually up to part 8 on the Patreon, part 9 hopefully coming tomorrow, but I wanted to give y’all a couple that were only ever on the Patreon, so there’ll be a couple parts released today! All posted parts listed here

Physical pain, Haruka liked. Well, perhaps liked was the wrong word, but it was easy to understand, familiar, and it felt like something she deserved. Mortification of the flesh, that old prayer when words of forgiveness were not enough.The aching with every breath gave voice to her bruised heart, and she languished in it, even refusing the medication. It wasn’t bad, it didn’t really hurt, she said, lying, which was another sin to add to the tally, but then the punishment could do double the work. They took it as a positive sign that the injury had been frightening but not altogether dangerous, and she was released to her room, though given a few days’ freedom from school.

But it was an avoidant pain, and soon the Lord took that from her as well, and the much deeper and more bloody emotional pain of a hope began to fill the space. Michiru sat in front of her still, and Haruka could not have even told you what country they were studying, her mind only studying each time and date that Michiru spoke to her, only concerned about the social ramifications of each word from her lips. There were so few now. A polite notation that she was pleased Haruka was well. Condolences for her fall.

Not only did Michiru not love her--it had been vain and stupid to consider she might--but, it seemed, did not even like her.

The ache behind her breastbone could no longer be mistaken for a corporeal injury, and it festered and stewed deep within her.

And so, it was only seven days from that dance at Saint Sebastian's that Haruka hit a wall Mina might have seen coming on her calendar, if she had cared to look.

“I’m not going.” Haruka sat on her bed, cross legged and cross armed as if it prove just how cross she was, and frowned deeply.

Mako’s face was hard as the stone on the building, and just as unimpressed. “I’ve spent weeks making this dress. You’re going.”

“I’m gonna look stupid!” Haruka protested.

“You’re going.” It seemed like once again the very things that had exploded between them years ago--namely Haruka’s dramatics and Mako’s immovability--were about to explode once more, over a carefully sewn pink dress. She stepped toward Haruka, clutching a spare piece of fabric, briefly considering exactly how many Hail Marys murder got you.

And she HAD labored. Not just on Haruka’s, but all the dresses. She had been designing since the summer, collecting oversized dresses at thrift stores, seeing how she could make the gaudy rhinestones into a delicate accent, how she could use an outdated sateen to offset the cream fabric taken from an old wedding dress. She had scoured sales and remnants. She had sat up late, sketching and re sketching, looking at pictures of her friends, and now, two days before the dance, Haruka was throwing one of her fits.

She was going, if Mako had to put her in that dress herself.

Mina, for a very rare moment in her life the voice of reason, stepped in, touching Mako’s arm and drawing her back. “Hey, hey, hey. Mako, just...she’s going.”

“NO I’M NOT!” Haruka turned over on her side, flopping dramatically.

Mina nodded at Mako. “Just let me.”

Mako took a deep breath and huffed it out, her fists balled, but gave a sharp nod in return and headed back over to her side of the room.

Mina sat on the edge of Haruka’s bed, considering for a moment what she might say. She was clever and silver-tongued--enough people had said so, and it hadn’t always been a compliment--but sometimes, with Haruka, there seemed nothing to say. Haruka more complex than people gave her credit for, and it wasn’t that she didn’t have all the fine onionskin layers of her own bible, it was simply that so many of the pages had been colored by her own struggle with herself, and sometimes they simply stuck together in a single oppressive ball.

“Ruka, what’s the deal?” She leaned over her. “I know you don’t like dresses that much, but c’mon, you wear a skirt every damn day. Mako put a nice collar and stuff on this one, it’s not the girliest thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Not that.” She mumbled angrily into her pillow. “Just don’t want to go.”

“You just don’t want to go, in the most dramatic way possible, a week before the dance?” Mina rolled her eyes. “Give me some credit.”

Haruka turned over, her eyes mournful, half whispering. “I don’t want to look stupid in front of her.”

“Sister Mary Clare?” Her eyebrows twisted in confusion. “Pretty sure she’s used to seeing you look awkward in a dress, Ruka, she’s known us since we were eight.”

Haruka gave a brief glare. “Michiru.”

Mina sighed. In some ways, it was hard to understand where this had come from--Haruka had had a crush on Michiru since she was 13, and all of a sudden it was becoming a source of great and terrible pain. Was it the chocolate and comics? It had to be. Often, Mina reflected, hope only deepened the pain of failure, cutting open the dull ache with fresh vigor.

She touched Haruka’s shoulder. “Buddy, she’s seen you in a dress before. Nothing’s changed” Even saying it, she knew it was a lie, at least for Haruka.

Haruka closed her eyes and fell back on the pillow.

The human capacity to act an utter fool is capacious as the sea, and so, Michiru and Haruka passed by each other, gliding like ships, silently and darkly past each other, never imagining what might lie in the heart of the other. No flag were flown in signal, no smoke came over the bow, there was only a quiet bobbing in the water, and an inability to articulate that feeling which God had given them but man had put asunder.

Unfortunately, the only people they had managed to buffalo entirely was themselves, and the school began to notice that the girl who had always been a princess in tower now drifted into the clouds themselves, and the girl whose temper soothed a tender hurt became more apt to break and boil, and though no one could have guessed at the reason, the world saw the tense brokenness in them both, a window cracked with the glass holding in only by its own support.

But someone is always watching, even, and knowing, even in our darkest hours, and it is in these moments that a Saint may find occasion to step in.

Michiru had been quieter than usual, a turn of events Rei was not certain could have been possible, if you had asked her earlier in the year. She had always been a taciturn person, but lately her quietness had not seemed as some guardian angel, content to watch and to know, but it had taken on a pale grey flavor, that took Rei time to identify, until, turning over in bed one night, it came to her.

As unbelievable as it was, Michiru was sad.

This mystic knowledge whispered into her ear by God himself (Herself, Rei would correct), Rei set out to discover the cause of her sadness. Michiru had few family visits, but that was not terribly uncommon here, and it occurred to Rei that Michiru seemed unhappier when she was returning home anyhow. She didn’t seem ill. She was doing well in school. She was, as ever, remarkable at her violin, and her paintings were praised.

It was mystery she could not fathom, no matter how many charts she drew, bent over her desk late at night. And then, considering Michiru, sitting quietly at the lunch table that day, she doodled on her paper, hoping that in the tangles & knots of her pen, and picture would begin to reveal itself. And then she remembered. Just the smallest twitch of Michiru’s eye, and it was looking at--

She ran out the door of her room, and down the hallway, to the room at the end of the hall where Michiru slept. SHe banged on the door as if it were a foot thick, her knuckles aching with the pleasure of having solved the puzzle of Michiru Kaioh.

The door swung open, and Michiru stood, her silk robe wrapped around her, looking at Rei in disbelief.

Rei leaned inside the door, hand on the doorframe. “You like Haruka.”

Michiru’s lip curled slightly, but she shook it off. “Come inside.” She shut the door behind Rei and turned on her officially banned but unofficially well-known hot water kettle, and began to spoon tea into a tea ball. “Yes, she’s a very sweet girl, I think most people do.” But her cheeks pinked, just slightly, just enough that someone who had known her most of her life could notice.

“No,” Rei’s relentlessness stirred, her desire to know, her desire to be right, “you,” she could not quite form the words, as Mary stared down at them, “you...you know,” Michiru’s face puzzled, and Rei could not tell if it was because she was unaccustomed to Rei being at a loss for words, or Michiru herself being caught out, “you like her, in that way.” Rei was not sure how Michiru would take the accusation (for it was difficult to imagine anything coming from Rei as anything else,) and, if she balked, if it would be for ethical reasons or the very idea that should feel romantically at all. Michiru always was terribly practical.

But, to Rei’s great surprise, there was no denial at all.

Michiru looked down to the floor. “What we feel is endlessly less relevant than what we do.”

Rei’s eyes widened in the splendor of her correctness. “No! Really?!”She caught herself--to look like she was unfamiliar with the concept would look unworldly, and out of all the things she hoped not to be, a peasant in Michiru’s eyes was one of them. “I mean, I obviously this is completely fine, I just, you don’t look like...seem like.”

Michiru gave her a stern look, and Rei realized had failed in her attempt to look cosmopolitan.

She cleared her throat. “Haruka must like you. I’m sure of it.”

“Oh?” Michiru poured tea for the both of them. “And why are you so very certain?”

Because you’re both lesbians and I just assumed you’d get together, she immediately realized was wrong. “Ah, I mean, you’re basically the princess of this school.” Good recovery, Rei.

Michiru gave a huffing chuckle and handed Rei her tea. “It has been my experience that to be so far above others is to miss out on their company entirely.”

It sounded sad, and vulnerable, in a way that Rei had never heard Michiru sound, and looked over at her as she settled into her velvet chair, looking terribly soft in the moonlight. People, often even Rei, seemed not to think of Michiru as a person, but a figurehead, an aspirational painting of a human being, an idea. Seeing her, heartbroken over a girl, somehow made Rei love her all the more.

And with Rei, love meant help, whether requested or not.

Rei, as always, had a plan. People needed a leader, sometimes, and sometimes it was Rei’s job to be so. It was more comfortable for people to sit, unmoving, in the world the way they always had, but Rei had a certain pride in her ability to move people. And Michiru’s silent pining over haruka, however much she denied, could not sit any longer-- a ship in harbor may well be safe, but the bottom will also get rusted out and it’ll get moldy from lack of use. Michiru was her friend, and it was Rei’s job as Michiru’s friend to set this in motion.

It was a bit selfish, too, Rei would admit only to herself. The matter involved intrigue and secret knowledge and forbidden love, and it was all very exciting to a girl who had spent most of her life contained within the same grey walls of the school.

She slipped a note into a locker, covering her face casually with her cardigan as she did it, and lay in wait, for a response.

It was only half an hour later, in the domestic arts section, as requested, that she got her opportunity.

Rei spoke through the the bookshelves, a hissing whisper that caught Mina in its grasp. “I have information you may find interesting.”

“Rei?” She moved a book and peeked through the shelves. “What the hell are you doing?” She looked down at the piece of paper, pressed on the edges with a stamp. “I should have known this was you. Can you lesbians not do anything in the most dramatic way possible at least once?”

“I’m NOT a lesbian, Mina.” Mina could see her ever-expressive eyebrows through the tomes on ribbon embroidery.

“Well, this incredibly ridiculous gesture seems to suggest otherwise. Trust me, I would know all about it.”

There was a pause. “Then you are--”

“No, I freelance, but, anyway what the fuck, are we here to swap coming out stories?” She pulled out a needlework book and put her eye up to the gap.

Rei pulled back, her shoulder blade just touching a book on breadmaking. “I told you, I’m not--”

Mina hissed her words through the books. “God, don’t act so scandalized, it’s an all girl’s Catholic school, what else are we supposed to do?”

Rei pinked, though she could not explain why, and shook her head. “It seems that I have to be the one to pass on the forbidden knowledge here.” Rei smiled smugly.

“Hino, everyone knows you wear lace panties, what do you got for me?”

Rei’s pink turned a brilliant red. “Will you stop and just listen to me for even one minute, you are INFURIATING, and--”

“Anyway, this super secret intel.” Mina stared at Rei. “Well?”

Rei held her chin up proudly, recovering. She looked down again, eyeing Mina for any sign that might give her away. “Michiru has taken an interest in Haruka.” She leaned in and her whisper became low and harsh. “Romantically.”

“Gasp.” Mina’s affect was flat. “So why are you telling me?”

Rei put her hands on her hips. “So you can tell Haruka.”

“Why doesn’t Michiru tell Haruka?”

“Michiru is not going to tell Haruka, Mina.” There was an edge of obvious irritation at Mina’s insistence that such a thing was even possible.

“Of course not, because we’re dealing with fucking lesbi--HI THERE SISTER.” Mina sprung back from the books in jump, bringing a book on Amish quilting with her. “Hello!” She brandished the book at the sister. “Let me tell you what, I am just...fascinated by these...star...quilt..things. I’ve been meaning to take up more domestic arts, I mean--”

“Move it along, Mina.” The sister shooed her out of the dark corner of the library, quilting book still in her hand, as Rei looked very interested in Julia Child’s Art of French Cooking, as if she’d ever even correctly salted a piece of meat.

Mina walked out of the library, staring at the star on the book’s cover, and noticing how all the small pieces of fabric became one solid picture.

“She was sick, or at least that’s what Rei tells me.”

Haruka shook her head. “Are you sure?”

“Hino’s a lot of things,” She passed Haruka another cigarette as they sat out on their rooftop perch, “but I don’t think she’s a liar. What would her motivation be?”

Haruka thought for a moment. “I don’t know. I think Rei thinks I’m stupid.”

“You think,” she took a puff, “literally everyone thinks you’re stupid. The only person who thinks you’re stupid is you. Why do you think Father Joe has you sign up for shop every year, because you just look,” her voice became high and she batted her eyelashes, “soooo dreamy in that plaid skirt and sweater vest?” she passed over the cookies. “No, it’s because you’re really good at that. Build Michiru a bookshelf or some shit, I don’t know how lesbians court.”

Haruka smiled as she considered such a wild and fanciful idea. What if she made it with some inlay? White birch against dark rosewood, it would be beautiful and elegant and how Michiru would smile every time she looked at it with the knowledge of how Haruka had labored and cut over every detail, how much talent it had taken to make such a thing, how she would delicately put her finger to her lips and say that Haruka had made it when her friends asked.

It was a silly dream, but it was hers.

She looked over at Mina. “So she’s definitely going?”

“I didn’t ask.”

“Why not?” Haruka scowled, taking a cookie from the tin.

“Because I’m not your fucking carrier pigeon, Ruka, Jesus Christ.” She blew the smoke into high curls on the air. “You ask her.” She grinned. “No reason to be nervous, now that we know she likes you.”

Haruka bit her lip happily as she grinned up at the sky. “It doesn’t feel real. I mean...I know it’s hard but, we only have like two years of school left, less than two really, and then she can go to college and we’ll get a little apartment together. I’ve always wanted a cat. I think I’m gonna try and go to technical school, I like carpentry and mechanical stuff. You can do pretty good with that, and I know her family’s rich and all, but I could get a nice ring, I think, and I’ll work--”

“Buddy,” Mina clasped her hand tightly. “You’re gonna have to ask her out before you marry her.”

Asking out, was, of course, an impossibility. Where would they go? The chapel? And, even with the knowledge given her by Mina, through Rei, it all seemed too terribly frightening, out alone on a cold plain, praying for salvation.

Her St. Joan medal hit against her chest as she tapped Michiru’s shoulder in history class. Michiru turned to her, and she was nearly overwhelmed by the scent of Jasmine wafting from her hair.

Focus.

“So the dance is this weekend.” She fiddled with her pen.

Michiru had not yet recovered from the feel of Haruka's fingertips on her shoulder. “Ah yes, that bi-annual organization of awkwardness. I never really much enjoy the Saint Sebastian’s dances. It’s terribly awkward to be asked to dance by a boy you scarcely have heard of, palms sweating, cologned heavily, tripping over my toes, much less to have it happen over and over again in a gymnasium that smells of teenage boys’ socks.”

“But you’re going to go?” Michiru looked up at her, and saw what she thought might be hope in Haruka’s eyes, and though she immediately cursed herself for it, her heart fluttered in her chest, a hummingbird above Haruka’s tempting flower.

“I suppose. My parents purchased me a dress, and it would seem odd if I didn’t.” The words did not seem to come from herself, but from something deep within, as if the Holy Spirit spoke through her, simply a vessel.

“I...I’m glad.” Haruka scratched the back of her neck awkwardly as the Sister announced the end of class, and books began to shuffle and move.

Michiru stood up, and daringly stepped onto the precipice between her heart and Haruka’s. “Yes well, I hope I find someone handsome to dance with.”

The words flowed out of Haruka’s mouth before she could stop them. “Oh, I hope you do too, I’m sure you will, you’re beautiful--or,” she blushed heavily, catching yourself, “I mean that’s what the Saint Stephen’s guys say.”

Michiru smiled with more true delight than she had felt since she was a girl. “Well, I thank you for you confidence.” She walked to the door of the classroom, practically gliding across the tile.

“Michiru!” Haruka called after her.

Michiru turned expectantly. “Yes?”

“I hope I see you there.” Her heart swelled. “Maybe we could…” Haruka’s mind reeled, looking for something possible. “Talk. I don’t dance much.”

“I would like that very much.”

The threads of the tapestry gathered and knotted, another detail set into place as Michiru’s shoes tapped along the floor, Matching every beat of Haruka’s heart.

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mariposalass · 5 years ago

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Should you Fight my F/Os? [The Mains]

I saw a lot of people are doing this such as @withlovefromlyell @jaklovemail @plucky-belmondo @astralshipper and @goldenworldsabound. So I am going to be making this as well. (not tagging anyone at the moment, but feel free to do this if you like to)

💗Romantic💗

Philip Hamilton (Hamilton: An American Musical)

My dearly beloved can be very scary even if he isn’t armed with a gun! He will just mince you with words, and possibly rapping from the musical & giving non-French speakers nosebleeds by speaking in French. (5/10; looks like a cinnamon bun but could scare you with words)

☮️Platonic☮️

Isabelle Miravelez (Ikaw Lamang)

Yeah, she never fought anyone physically in her series, but be forewarned, she has a resilience of forged iron. In one series I have done in deviantART, she was once trained in Arnis (a Filipino martial arts) and can disarm anyone with or without sticks. Also, her actress does have some of the most intense emotional outputs in her roles and I won’t be surprised if she catches you off guard with just a single Kubrick stare, swipe your weapons with ease, or bonk you on the temples with sticks. (4.5/10; has looks of Maria Clara, intelligence of a genius, martial art skills of Bruce Lee, and a big scary outburst when provoked)

Kirby (Kirby)

I agree with Plucky: Kirby maybe adorable and is definitely a sweetheart, but he is a Star Warrior in spite of his age. Seriously, he has killed gods (real and fake), eldritch abominations, and monsters bigger than him, survived the beginning of World of Light, can split a planet in half in Super Star & Super Star Ultra, and has beat up a monster over a piece of Strawberry Shortcake. It gets worse if you piss him off, nobody dares to hurt Kirby’s feelings! But he will still try to befriend you no matter what. (-poyo/10; fear the small and powerful, although still friendly)

Marina (Toei’s The Little Mermaid)

Unfortunately, Marina doesn’t fall under the category of ‘can fight for themselves in battle’. If you want to hurt her, you first have to deal with her many adopted siblings who can tear you apart and also deal with Ven as he is dating her. No really, I do mean it. (N/A/10; highly recommended not to be fought with at all lest you want to incur her adopted folks and boyfriend’s wrath) @husband-of-lucoa won’t you agree with what I said here?

🏠Familial🏠

Harry Potter (Harry Potter)

As for my big wizard brother, Lord have mercy on you if you dare to fight him. Because of the crap he has to deal with in canon, his dueling skills grew significantly to the point that he managed to beat Voldemort in the end of Deathly Hallows and could easily disarm more experienced adult wizards before turning 18. Also, he has a temper to match and it can scary if he is peeved off, including hurting the fam bunch and me & Kairi especially. The one thing he hasn’t mastered really is hand to hand combat, so he can get punched in the face during a fist fight. Other than that, he is one of the most powerful British wizards of all time, so feel free wand dueling with him. (Has defeated Voldemort 3 times/10; can beat you in a wand duel with no sweat)

Kairi (Kingdom Hearts)

While the first games and pre-Re:Mind KH3 doesn’t have her kick ass much, you will be damned if Kairi isn’t willing to give up during a battle or fight even when in a disadvantage. In KH3, she has started on Keyblade Mastery and teamed up with Sora to kick Xehanort’s behind in the big battle in Re:Mind. She is also a Princess of Light and her purity & caring soul can kill you if you’re not pure of heart. (5/10; Dark hearted people and non-humans beware)

👧Kiddos👦

Edelgard von Hresvelg (Fire Emblem: Three Houses)

Ho boy, Edelgard, Edelgard, my dear daughter... She is scary in the battlefield, is the powerhouse among the house leaders in her game, and has the clever mind to match. How else is she able to sneak an entire army into the Holy Mausoleum in the end of the Academy Phase regardless of the house you pick? That Axe wielding skill is pretty darn excellent, Authority is pretty high too, and she does look like she can snap you into half. Definitely wins the Kubrick Stare contest with Issa, Hermione, Harry, Michiru, and the Doctor. What’s more: if you are in the Blue Lions route and entering the end of the War Phase, she uses her twin crests to turn into a scary powerful Demonic Beast! Yikes! And she is the only house leader who can tap into magic spells with very little problem (since the Adrestian Empire specializes in axes and magic alike, though not as wide of a range as compared to Dorothea, Annette, and Lysithea). Unless you don’t want to get destroyed by the person who goes by the moniker of the Flame Emperor, please don’t provoke her. (2/10; Enter at your own risk)

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fairestmusesismoving · 5 years ago

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RULES: tag 9 people you’d like to get to know better

TOP 3 SHIPS: Snowing/Snow White and the Prince - OUAT/Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Yep I’m really, really see through here. But Snow White and her Prince are my favorite. If you’re looking at the classic, they’re two ACTUAL TEENS trying to avoid the wrath of a queen who really wants to kill them. Yet they’re holding it together. The Prince’s deleted content is fascinating and it actually gets used by Sleeping Beauty’s Philip. Sorry guys... That was supposed to go to The Prince. A lot of this stuff pops up for OUAT so it’s nice to see the recognition. Haruka and Michiru - Sailor Moon. My first ever ship! I was probably seven when I realized how much I loved them so much. Everything about them really makes me tingle. Their dedication to each other and making sure the future works out for Usagi and Chibiusa? It’s pretty amazing and GOALS! for me. Also when they raise Hotaru with Setsuna? Also goals. Javert and Valjean - Les Miserables. Yep I’m that trash. Meeeeee. But I also ship Javert with anything close of closure, happiness, relief, etc. If it’s Fantine or Valjean, awesome. If it’s getting a dog and just finding a way to settle down after a long time, yeah that too. Uh... I just really like this book/musical and if most characters could end up happy-ish that’d be lovely. Honorable Mentions: Tiana and Naveen (Princess and the Frog), Tigger and Rabbit, Tigger and Kanga (The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh), Doc and Grumpy (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), House and Cuddy, House and Wilson (House, M.D.), Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills (Sleepy Hollow), every dead couple in Markus’ Heitz The Dwarves (this isn’t a joke), and... I can’t really remember but there’s a long list. LIPSTICK or CHAPSTICK: I love my lipstick and my lips hate me for it. LAST SONG: The Fairytale of New York by The Pogues LAST MOVIE: Elf READING: It hurts too much to pick up books and hold them, so I can’t really lift them... So I haven’t read much lately.

tagged by @thecharmingknightemma (<3 you)

tagging: @imbicilite @thecursedspinner @thoseofonen @reincarneth @itisweselton @notyourlostbird @drcgonhide @grcwingstrcng @ycungmagick @mothersofdisneymagic @crowncdlegends @blade-of-light @woodensouled Mmmn and there’s nothing else in my nogging so if you’d like to do this, please feel free cause I’m still chasing that brain fog away.

#get to know you meme #rp meme #munday #mun on fire

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muffinmoonn · 5 years ago

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Sailor Moon for the ask thingy 🥺💕

i started answering this but then i went to a movie and forgot sdkjnfskdf

Favorite character: 💞💞USAGI💞💞

Least Favorite character: im too attached to this series to hate any of them kdfnksjd

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): harumichi, usamamo, seiusa, chibiusaxhotaru, reixminako, amixmakoto (oops thats 6 ksdjfndks)

Character I find most attractive: all of the senshi are beautiful;;;

Character I would marry: idk..... i’d say haruka or michiru but i dont want to tear them apart.... maybe princess kakyuu cuz she seems like she’d treat me right

Character I would be best friends with: usagi!!

a random thought: i used to have a huge crush on usagi as a kid but i didnt know it was a crush i’d just be like “nah i admire her” but now that i think about it, i was definitely in love with her jsfdnjfsdk

An unpopular opinion: crystal is alright but the 90s anime is better imo. i dont hate crystal but the 90s anime will always have a special place in my heart. plus no offense but the style for crystal is kinda.... bad. the style for seasons 1 and 2 was really bad (i know they were trying to resemble the manga but it just didnt work) and in season 3, they look.... idk just not that great. def better than the first 2 seasons but the proportions r just.... weird. its like a precure kinda style but not done well sdkjfnd

My Canon OTP: usamamo and harumichi

My Non-canon OTP: seiusa and chibiusaxhotaro (im indecisive ok)

Most Badass Character: all of the senshi tbh

Most Epic Villain: galaxia, she’s also very,,,, pretty,,

Pairing I am not a fan of: shittennouxsenshi nastyyy

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): hmmm idk abt characters but the writers on the 90s anime def screwed up season 4 imo. there was just so much filler, like more than usual ksdjfksd idk it just wasnt as good as the other seasons

Favourite Friendship: usagi and the inner senshi (i headcanon that they all have a crush on her too heh)

Character I most identify with: USAGI

Character I wish I could be: haruka!! i aspire to be that level of suave

#muffin ask

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sailorportia · 6 years ago

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What are your top 5 ships? Doesn't have to be lwa

Thanks for the ask! 💋

1. Diana Cavendish x Akko Kagari (Little Witch Academia)

This is literally the ship that got me into fandom. I love those dorks. Rivals-to-friends-to-lovers? Yes, please! Just look at them! How precious they are!!

2. Catra x Adora (She Ra: Princesses of Power)

Friends-to-enemies-to-lovers? YES YES YES! All of hopes and dreams are riding on this ship becoming canon. I will kill someone if it doesn’t xD

3. Oumae Kumiko x Kousaka Reina (Hibke! Euphonium)

GODDAMNIT WHY WASN’T THIS SHIP CANON! AAAAAAAAAAAA!!! THEY’RE SO GAY!!! I love this anime so much and I especially love Kumiko’s lesbian ass getting dragged around by this distinguished oblivious bisexual. It’s definitely the best ship in the series unless you count Kumiko x Asuka which I in fact do but if I wanted to start fights I would’ve put Hanakko on here too.

4. Kotozume Yukari x Kenjou Akira (Kirakira Precure a la Mode)

Yukari x Akira is like the updated, improved version of Haruka x Michiru. Both characters are amazing on their own, and when they’re together I just fucking melt. I love me some adorable butch-femme pairings. Oh, and they’re pretty much canon in the series. And they literally kiss and get married in the extended media. They have a fucking duet and it’s uh-mazing!!

5. Marinette Dupain-Cheng x Adrien Agreste (Miraculous Ladybug)

You know a het ship is good when I, Canada’s premiere man-hating lesbian, love it. I’m actually posting this from beyond the grave because all the stress of this ship killed me. I love the dynamics between these dorks and how their secret identities complicate things to ridiculous hair-pulling extents.

#lwa #little witch academia #diakko #spop #catradora #hibike! euphonium #kumiko x reina #kirakira precure a la mode #yukari x akira #miraculous ladybug #adrien x marinette

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joshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh · 5 years ago

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Sailor Moon Sailor Stars episode 29 (195) was pretty good! We’re at that bit at the end of every Sailor Moon season where the episodes are all just part of one big single final confrontation type thing, and so I have maybe a bit less to say about each episode, but this episode was still fairly eventful. The first big takeaway is that, and Usagi didn’t even know this, instead Ami calls to ask, but Mamoru never made it to the university. Hence not getting any of Usagi’s calls or mail or anything like that. That’s uh, certainly unexpected. I don’t know if that means he basically just got a new identity and hid from her forever for some reason, or if, well, he died in an accident. And the episode doesn’t know either so uh, yeah that’s a thing. A really worrisome thing. I hope Mamoru’s okay, Jesus. But then if he’s dead and the show has meaningful character permadeath and also by extension Chibiusa’s not born and now the widowed Usagi doesn’t need to feel that guilty about dating Seiya I feel like I can take this. Who knows, maybe this’ll be expanded upon further in a bit. This episode also sees Three Lights decide to put on their final concert to find the Light of Hope before disbanding, which makes sense, their mission’s nearly complete and they won’t have much reason to remain afterwards so may as well officially give the fans what they want beforehand. They’re pretty good as an idol group for people that hadn’t even been to Earth before lol. Just so happens that Tin Nyanko attacks then and there, where we learn that her white half is basically her good Sailor Soldier half, since Usagi technically healed that half, so now the Starlights want to finish Nyanko off, Haruka and Michiru want to stop the Starlights from fighting, and Usagi and the gang want to finish healing Nyanko, and by god I can’t wait for these 3 parties to resolve their beef. Fireball Princess actually steps in and basically tells them all to shut the fuck up and work together since that’d be best, and she’s right, but then Galaxia appears, kills Tin Nyanko, takes Fireball Princess’ True Star Seed (it’s red so it’s true, but it’s still octahedron, so is Usagi’s just weird or do true Star Seeds specifically come in way more shapes and colours? Who knows), tanks a Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss from Usagi, and fucks off before the episode ends, so yeah. Just kinda fun epic final battle stuff that doesn’t give me much else to say and there’s nothing wrong with that really. I liked this episode. The end.

But you know me, I get close to a Sailor Moon season finale and just decide to jump a few days ahead of schedule. So I’m gonna keep watching. Next up is episode 30 (196) which was also pretty good. Setsuna’s back to join the fight too, and so is, Hotaru, just kind of out of nowhere. I’ve not been big on her usage this season at all, damn. She gets to use Silent Wall and it gets a few seconds of an actual move animation, so that’s cool I guess, but like, Hotaru definitely just feels like padding at this point, I wish she could’ve got more screentime as Sailor Saturn where she didn’t just feel there because we needed someone else to make a huge cast even bigger. Anyway the episode basically just has the Starlights being fucked up by Galaxia, the entire Outer Sailor Team just running around looking for Galaxia, and the Inner Sailor Team being locked outside of Galaxia’s HQ by a barrier they can’t get through. Sure would be cool if they remembered Sailor Teleport but they don’t. Instead Chibi Chibi shows up, who is now officially Sailor Chibi Chibi Moon by the way, and with no knowledge of her relation to Usagi or any prior mention of her being a Sailor Moon specifically I’ve got no idea what the fuck’s up with that, and she gets them all inside Galaxia’s HQ to protect the Starlights. And because a final battle at the end of a Sailor Moon season wouldn’t be a final battle at the end of a Sailor Moon season without all of Usagi’s friends being rendered useless, Ami, Minako, Rei and Mako all have their True Star Seeds stolen, which are colour coded to their respective usual colours by the way. I feel like I’m kinda tired of this happening to be honest, neat that they’ve got True Star Seeds though, and it confirms for me that Usagi’s was definitely real too, plus even if it meant they’re all useless like, they do get to shine quite a lot and this season’s bloated with characters so if it’s an excuse to let some others do stuff when they’ve got the chance, I think I’ll take it. Moreover, it means Kotono Mitsuishi gets to fucking scream, and oh my god that “kaishite!” was amazing. I’m never not impressed with her performance as Usagi, seriously it’s god damn incredible just how well she can emote so strongly. One of the things I imagine I’ll struggle to get used to the most with Crystal is basically the entire voice cast being replaced, but I’m glad Usagi’ll be the same at least. But yeah. Also, and I can’t believe I didn’t fucking immediately call this, but Mamoru’s not with us because Galaxia took his True Star Seed too, it’s golden because he’s the guardian of Earth and stuff. By god do I feel like an idiot for not guessing that in advance, that seems like a really easy one to predict, fuck. Episode basically ends after that, and my few aforementioned gripes aside, it was another solid one, the Inner Soldier’s “deaths” felt a lot less cheap than those of the first season and I think I liked their last words a lot more this time too, so hey that’s all neato. Anyway, moving on.

Next is episode 31 (197) which proved to be an interesting one. On Usagi and the Starlight’s ends it’s basically just being inspired to keep fighting by Hotaru and Chibi Chibi, and then the bulk of the episode is the Outer Soldiers fighting against Galaxia. First thing’s first, Galaxia reveals that she manipulated Nehelenia into getting revenge so that Hotaru would be awoken and her Star Seed would be good for collection, and I actually totally forgot that that even happened, but I respect that the filler arc here actually has implications on the greater narrative, fuckin Doom Tree Arc piece of shit accomplished nothing in comparison so that’s really great. And then where things get fucky is that the Outer Soldiers pretty much realise they can do fuck all, and Galaxia tells them that they can either die, or surrender their Star Seeds and work for her. And uh, Uranus and Neptune choose the latter. They better be playing some sort of 8D fucking chess because I cannot for the life of me understand how either of them can rationalise that decision, especially given that all of their dialogue ever suggests they don’t mind dying if they’re dying together, so why go back on everything you stand for unless you’ve got some ulterior motive? Fuckin, worrying is all, because Setsuna notes that they seem to be serious as well, so if they are acting they’re really good at it and if they’re not then, like what the fuck. Really not a fan of that twist whatsoever, even if it turns out to be some grand plan I can’t help but see it as a contrived excuse to get more Sailor Soldiers to fight, which like, we don’t really need. So I wasn’t big on this episode specifically. But oh well, more to come so we’ll see how those fare.

Episode 32 (198) had the misfortune of needing to follow up on the Haruka Michiru twist I already wasn’t a fan of, and I can’t really be content with the explanation. They did have some grand plan, because they turn around to attack Galaxia, though it fails because she had no Star Seed, except they do all of this after fighting and hurting all of the Starlights, and Sailor Moon, and taking the Star Seeds of Hotaru and Setsuna, which just feels like way too much damage for contrived reasons. And here’s the thing, you could rationalise that they did this plan to really convince Galaxia that the mind control worked, except Galaxia tells us that the mind control hasn’t ever failed, thus I think if they just, got mind controlled, and then immediately attacked Galaxia rather than take out Hotaru and Setsuna and do all that other damage, she’d be just as surprised, so there really was no reason to commit to such a bit. Nothing was accomplished and god damn I’m upset with their usage this season. At the very least, Haruka has some nice last words to Seiya that I liked. Remember when I was saying I was worried Haruka’d just note that she was wrong about Seiya and like, move on without any real impact? Yeah we got way better than that, so I’m happy at least. Episode also has a nice scene where the Starlights and Sailor Moon all kind of definitively affirm their friendship and choose to work together which was a satisfying moment after how long they’ve spent being unable to do that. And then, exactly as predicted, Galaxia reveals herself to be the legendary strongest Sailor Soldier that sealed Chaos within herself. So uh, neato. Pretty solid episode aside from dumb Haruka and Michiru contrivances.

Episode 33 (199) was really solid though. It’s one that kinda spends a lot of time on the same thing, that being the Starlights standing up against Galaxia to protect Usagi, and finding the strength to actually make Galaxia bleed, and meanwhile Usagi’s being typical Usagi, begging for Galaxia to try understand her, they’re both Sailor Soldiers, they can understand each other. Galaxia doesn’t need to do all of this, if she spoke to others, they could help her. I really love super idealistic Usagi so this is nice, and it all feels like fitting shit to say to Galaxia specifically. Honestly I’ve really enjoyed Galaxia, she’s probably my favourite of all the major antagonists, even though she’s for galactic conquest there’s a bit more to it than just, she’s like that because she’s evil, you can sympathise with her though she’s not strictly crafted to be a sympathetic villain, she’s unquestionably a villain, but one that took a couple of missteps that can be worked out, rather than just, oh I’m big bad. Plus I’m a fan of the design. She’s coolio. So yeah episode was nice, cool semi-final episode battle stuff, etc etc.

And lastly, episode 34 of Sailor Stars, and the 200th and final episode of Sailor Moon. I’ll get really sentimental about that later, for now, let’s actually talk the episode. It was great. I think Usagi being given the Sword of Sealing to defeat Galaxia but choosing to not use it at all is sick, like seeing a cute anime girl with a sword and not using it is kind of a shame but then it’d break character for Usagi to start attacking Galaxia now just because she has a sword to do so, so I respect it. So it’s kind of just that typical epic Sailor Moon finale, same as what we had last episode but just, way grander in scale, the OP’s an insert song, Usagi’s trying way harder to heal Galaxia, even gets on the Serenity outfit which is weird since Eternal Sailor Moon is supposedly her true form, but whatever, she ends up naked for most of the episode anyway, just letting herself, her wings and her True Star Seed do all the talking, which I actually really liked. Don’t wanna come across as perverted or anything but given that I don’t like Eternal Sailor Moon’s design and tbh I’m not that big on the Serenity dress after this long either, yeah naked Usagi is definitely preferred. And then I’m satisfied enough with the explanation for Chibi Chibi, being Galaxia’s long sent away Light of Hope, which the nature of its usage in this episode basically meant Galaxia saved herself from being overwhelmed by Chaos, with a little bit of help from others of course. That’s pretty sweet, I like the real Galaxia hidden away, she’s super pretty, and of every Sailor Moon villain to survive in any capacity, she’s my favourite. Actually I guess the Amazon Trio technically survived since they ended up in Pegasus’ forest. Hmm. Don’t know about them vs Galaxia to be honest. Well, Galaxia’s just better than every single villain that’s not them, but maybe is better than them. And then I’m happy everyone was able to be brought back afterwards, like I appreciate permadeath but it’d feel really fucking cynical if the series ended with the deaths of nearly every single main character, plus unlike with season 1’s deaths I didn’t actually know for sure if these guys’d be okay so, woohoo. And then, the goodbye to the Starlights is a delightful scene. It feels like a really earned goodbye, all that talk about them not being shooting stars anymore, but actual stars, it’s great, the sentimentality was really touching. And then I think, best of all, Seiya’s words to Mamoru. They got me, I was about ready to cry. Seeing Usagi and Mamoru together again after so long, god I still think Seiya and Usagi are a better couple but like, I’m happy that Usagi and Mamoru won out anyway, especially after that airport proposal all those episodes ago. I think making the “Usagi didn’t pick up on his love” joke was a bit odd since we’ve seen her know it in the past, dude actually kissed her on like the cheek or something, so idk Usagi being ditzy felt a bit stupid. But otherwise just, a really great episode. And by the way, if Seiya’s words to Mamoru about got me to cry, the ED being Moonlight Densetsu did make me cry. It’s just so fucking crazy to think that I did it – I finished Sailor Moon.

Really do plan on getting sentimental about that in a different post though because I finished Sailor Stars so I should talk about Sailor Stars. I definitely think in some ways, it’s the best season so far. I think the main plot and villain are the best yet, and while the minor villains aren’t quite Amazon Trio they’re still some of my favourites, because even though they’re not all brilliant, none of them really suck like the Witches 5 for example, they kind of all manage to feel like their own identities rather than evil henchmen #1, #2, #3 and #4 or something. Usagi is also at her best yet this season, displaying a level of development and emotional maturity that I really wanted, yet was so surprised by anyway. And then the Starlights are amazing, some of my favourite characters in Sailor Moon for sure, specifically Seiya is absolutely incredible, and like I’ve said like a billion times I think Seiya and Usagi are just a better written couple with more meaningful buildup than Usagi and Mamoru ever really had. I also like that the characters are in high school and the impact that has on the status quo, it’s enough of a meaningful change to be noticeable but I also respect that they keep it kinda feeling like more of the same thing anyway, because yeah high school isn’t actually that different from what comes before. The season opens on a filler arc but it’s one that they connect to the main arc and one that actually resolves something that needed resolving, it like retroactively makes SuperS better, which is impressive given that that was for sure the weakest season overall. But speaking of weaknesses, it’s not like Sailor Stars is without those. The biggest weakness to me is the Outer Soldiers and their usage – Haruka and Michiru are generally more annoying than anything else, and the obstacles they present to the plot feel contrived, I was initially so happy to see them again but it quickly got to the point where I just wished they’d stop, especially in the last episodes as you just read me complain about. Setsuna’s also back with literally no fucking explanation given how when we last saw her, ignoring a movie, she died. And she basically has the same problems Haruka and Michiru have albeit on a way smaller scale, so small in fact that you kinda have to wonder what the point even was. And perhaps most confusingly of all is Hotaru, who likewise, feels wasted. She’s in the filler arc to dump exposition, she disappears for basically the entire rest of the season, but then she joins in at the very end I guess because we needed a reason for Galaxia to free Nehelenia? Hotaru really doesn’t get any development this season and it’s a crying shame, she’s there because they want everyone here for the last season, surprised Chibiusa didn’t show up at the end to save the day. Thematically the season’s fine, it’s pretty standard Sailor Moon stuff about love and trust and working together and all that jazz, though I think after SuperS, which went all in on its dreams theme and managed to make that really interesting in an otherwise not brilliant season, Sailor Stars feels kinda like a downgrade. And then while a lot of the episodes are really fun, there aren’t that many standout character episodes. There are nice moments for characters who’ve been lacking those, particularly Rei, but as I guess as a result of the fairly bloated cast this time around, we don’t really see full character episodes at all. Maybe I noticed it more because Ami didn’t get anything compared to what she’s had past seasons but idk, this season definitely felt way more Usagi centric than I’d like it to be, even if Usagi is at her best here. But while none of those are really nitpicks, I’d still say this season is overall a fantastic time and a pretty great end to the series. 8/10, and thinking about it as I’m writing, yeah it probably is my favourite season. Season 1’s too simple, R opened on a really shit filler arc, had a not great main villain, and a fair amount of eh episodes, S has mostly total shit villains, and SuperS just, urgh fuck Chibiusa. Sailor Stars has problems but I think the good outweighs the bad in this season more than any other.

And uh, that’s it. End post. I’ll get sad and sappy in a bit.

#sailor moon #3.1.20

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precuredaily · 5 years ago

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Precure Day 140

Episode: Futari wa Precure Splash Star 42 - “Welcome Back! Michiru and Kaoru!” Date watched: 3 July 2019 Original air date: 3 December 2006 Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/xgCNJSJ Project info and master list of posts: http://tinyurl.com/PCDabout

The title kinda spoiled it

Another excellent episode! We left off with Saki and Mai in a bind because the Fairy Carafe was stolen and Dark Fall’s agents were revived and now more resistant to Precure’s attacks. Dark Fall holds all the cards and Saki and Mai are stranded in the Land of Fountains. It’s a good setup! Where do we go from here?

The Plot

Princess Filia reveals to the girls that the Fountain of the Sun is in the Land of Greenery and uses her own power to transport the girls, their fairies, and herself there... but she loses her corporeal form and ends up as a sphere of light that possesses Korone, Saki’s cat. Meanwhile in Dark Fall, Gohyaan has revived the rest of the generals, but Akudaikaan chews him out for not kidnapping the Princess when he had the chance, as she knows the location of the Fountain of the Sun, so Gohyaan dispatches Karehaan and Dorodoron to track her down.

This is the only time all 6 of these characters are together

Back at the Sky Tree, Filia explains that she needs the Fairy Carafe to return her body, but the villains appear before she can tell the girls more. Saki and Mai transform into Bloom and Egret but their power isn’t enough to defeat the enhanced warriors. Filia pointedly comments that the two spirits (Flappi and Choppi) alone aren’t enough, so she, Korone, Moop, and Foop gather their power and wish for a miracle. In a very emotional sequence, they connect with the slumbering Michiru and Kaoru, who receive the last remaining energy from the Fairy Carafe, and then revive and rush to the Sky Tree to save their friends. It’s a touching reunion, and some words are exchanged between both the sisters and their friends, as well as the villains who were eliminated before they changed sides. Ultimately, words aren’t enough, and Michiru and Kaoru fight Dorodorn and Karehaan.... and they’re winning! The power that Moop and Foop especially lent them, combined with their powers of darkness, are the perfect counter to the blend of dark and light that the villains possess, and the sisters are able to negate Gohyaan’s powerup (Dorodoron flees instead). This allows the Precures to perform Spiral Heart Splash and destroy Karehaan, who dissolves into a bunch of mini-Gohyaan heads that bounce off.

The four girls finally have a moment to take in their reunion, and Saki and Mai cry tears of happiness as the camera zooms out and the credits roll.

(speaking of the credits, stick around at the end for my take on Ganbalance de Dance finally)

The Analysis

What a great episode. I could probably write pages about Michiru and Kaoru’s revival scene, the dialog and music and visuals all come together to make an emotionally powerful sequence. Bloom and Egret are overpowered, Michi and Kao feel so helpless and they can’t move, but they can tell their friends are in danger and they struggle their hardest, so their feelings connect with the energy Filia is trying to send and create a miracle. I love it. Also, you can really tell that Nishio Daisuke worked on Dragon Ball prior to this series because the sequence of the two powering up and emerging from the water is EXTREMELY evocative of something DBZ would do. Joke’s on me, he only worked on FW and MH and had no hand in this series, he was tapped for Powerpuff Girls Z instead. Still very Dragon Ball, I wouldn’t be surprised of some of the other staff had their hands in that before working on this.

Karehaan proves to be his own worst enemy. He doesn’t like working together, believing he’s strong enough on his own to dispatch the girls. He does make a better team with Dorodoron than with Moerumba though, as they don’t butt heads so much as Doro just kind of goes along with that Karecchi says, until it’s in his best interests to run. However, Karehaan’s arrogance and ignorance about Michiru and Kaoru’s betrayal allow him to overestimate himself and the threat the sisters pose. Together with Dorodoron, they actually do have the Precures on the ropes at one point, they could have defeated them there, but they hesitated too long and allowed the Kiryuus to save them. Ah well.

Princess Filia posessing Korone is..... weird, to say the least. For some unexplained reason, beyond simply habitating in his body, her power allows him to speak as well, independently of her, so you have this tiny cat talking in a pretty deep voice. Not the first time an animated cat has talked, of course, but since it’s not Filia speaking through Korone, it’s odd. I don’t remember how long this lasts, presumably up until the finale of the show... in fact I must have blocked it out of my memory completely because I forgot about it happening at all. Korone was portrayed as an intelligent cat up to this point, of course, but now he’s standing on his hind legs and talking like a middle-aged guy and it’s all so strange.

Last thing I want to touch on: animation. It’s uh.... not great here. Close-ups are passable, although the shading is often minimal. The faces may be a little off-model but it’s nothing extreme. Anything further out than a close-up is pretty bad though, especially for human faces.

I guess it’s the usual conserving budget for the finale syndrome but it’s still pretty laughable.

The Opening and Ending

Okay it’s time I finally talked about these.

youtube

The opening theme is called “Makasete★Splash☆Star★” or “Leave it to Us★Splash☆Star★”. While the FW/MH opening was a drama, the SS opening is more of a poppy, light rock number. The composition features lots of strings, bowed and plucked at key moments providing both the melody and the bass line. Some high brass comes in here and there and I think there’s some kind of synthesized percussion providing the rhythm. It could be an electric guitar, though, I’m having trouble picking it out. There’s definitely some guitar towards the climax of the song. Mayumi Gojo has been swapped out for Uchiaye Yuka on vocals, and she sings about how there’s strength in life and to use that as inspiration. All together, it’s a nice uplifting tune, and the visuals give us a good idea about what Saki and Mai are interested in, the fairies, and some action sequences. There’s even a scene of the Tree of Life glowing with energy that might be foreshadowing the end of the series? For the revamped intro starting with episode 31, they add a few scenes of Bright and Windy, as well as Moop and Foop, and impressively they edited all shots of Boom and Egret to replace the Mix Communes with the Crystal Communes.

Now, the ending!

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“Ganbalance de Dance” is a little bit notorious for being used, and reused, and re-reused. Yes 5 and GoGo both used reversions of it for their second ending themes, and I kind of get it, because it’s a cute tune, but there’s another more important aspect: this is the first dance ending in all of Precure. Why a dance ending? Well, there was a rather popular anime that aired in Spring of 2006 that featured a dance ending, and the world would never be the same. That show was “The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi” and the dance, the “Hare Hare Yukai” took the world by storm. It’s speculated that Precure adopting dance endings was a copycat move. The timing lines up, Haruhi started in April and ended in early July of that year so Toei had time to say “Hey this is really popular, let’s do that in our show.” Dance endings were already commonplace in the contemporary Super Sentai shows as well, so there was precedent. (although somewhat ironically, the Sentai of that year didn’t have a dance) Whatever the reason, they did it again and again but the cell animation was not always the best, so they switched to CG with Fresh and never looked back. However, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

The lyrics to “Ganbalance de Dance” are half instructions for doing the dance, and half general uplifting messages about positivity and believing in yourself. The dance itself is fairly simple, due to limited animation most of the movement is in the upper body, so the girls twist their torsos and extend their arms while keeping their legs mostly still. when they move their legs, it’s only to stick them out and then back in, or to do some small marching. None of the more energetic moving around that later shows will use, again, probably a byproduct of the animation. Notably, since it’s cell animation rather than more expensive CG, they draw the girls in all three of their outfits: school uniform, Bloom/Egret, and Bright/Windy. The villains also dance a little, and I should point out that the text behind them reads “Uzaina” with only one “a” at the end. Suffice to say, I understand but I’m sticking with two. Also look at these guys.

Kintolesky is not present because he hadn’t been introduced in the show yet, and sadly they never update it to include him. This also marked the first reappearance of Michiru and Kaoru, only to segue into a shot of Bright and Windy and then they’re never seen again, but hey, it’s something.

Anyway, it all comes together to make a fun ending song. I’m sorry it took me so long to write about it.

I may revisit this if I think of more things to say about the episode, but for now I think that concludes it. Next time, everybody celebrates Michiru and Kaoru’s return....... but first it’s time for We Are Splash Gays: The Movie. Look forward to it!

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: 0 Zekkouchou Nari!

No more miracle drop count

#Precure #Pretty Cure #Futari wa Precure Splash Star #FWPCSS42 #PCD140

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ariestarfairy · 6 years ago

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who did it better

It’s the age-old debate, granted I’m a little bit late to the party but my thoughts are not. It’s the Who Did It Better? Sailor Moon Edition! The epic battle of moon versus moon! Now keep in mind no matter what I say it is just an opinion, I don’t expect everyone to agree with it, this is Sailor Moon after all, not science. Disagree but be civil alright? Before I start this I was watching Sailor Moon Classic and reading the Sailor Moon manga roughly side by side. When I say I was reading the manga I mean not the manga that you know as manga but little comic book versions that were done chapter by chapter. I want you to also know that I was watching the Classic dubbed version and the errors in the dubbed version translated to the comics as well so at least it was consistent. When I watched the Classic subtitled version I was also reading a better and truer version of the manga (and it was actually a manga) alongside it. So why bother telling you this? I want you to know that my assessment of Sailor Moon Classic and Sailor Moon Crystal are not coming from a place of 90s nostalgia. That’s what a lot of people tend to argue in these debates, and because Crystal follows the manga for what it’s worth I can’t be accused of having that 90s nostalgia for Classic. So let’s break down the categories. Story Art Music Mythos Character likability Character development Ability/Power Growth Pacing I think I have hit most of the categories that tend to come up in a lot of these debates so let's go through them one by one. In terms of story, Sailor Moon Classic takes this category. The reason why Classic takes it over Crystal has everything to do with the fact that Crystal’s story is little more than a regurgitation of the manga and not a very good one. I’d almost rather read the manga for the extra bits that Crystal leaves out, it might not seem important but those little bits add up when telling the story of Sailor Moon. The first story arc of Crystal was already rough, but it turned into a dumpster fire when they tried to execute the Shitennou romance with the Inner Senshi. Classic told it’s own story and I think the execution overall is much better, Crystal felt like it was all over the place, especially in the first two seasons. The third season was better by miles, but it tripped out of the gate when it should have come sprinting out of the gate making it feel like a weak cash grab. No doubt it is, much like it’s shounen brother Dragon Ball Super. In terms of art Sailor Moon Classic also takes this category. Okay so it is not always consistent and it is not up to present-day standards, but that would be an unfair comparison. Sailor Moon Classic came out in the 90 and Sailor Moon Crystal came out in the 20-teens. They ought to be judged based on the standards for their own time right? If I judged Classic against the manga then yes the manga would win, but this is anime vs anime here and the quality for Crystal was just far below what it should have been, the inconsistency is way more jarring than in Classic, and the CGI transformations were cheap and they took me out of the moment. Even season to season they have a hard time staying consistent with the animation, granted season 3 was again an improvement over one and two, but my understanding is that there will be more changes with season 4 (the movie releases). For the music category, Sailor Moon Classic takes it yet again. The only thing I like about Sailor Moon Crystal as far as the music goes is some of the orchestrated stuff, I think that is better than Classic, but overall none of the songs are memorable, none of the transformation music is memorable, most people immediately think Moonlight Densetsu when they think of Sailor Moon and I can honestly say that there was maybe one song I personally enjoyed from Crystal and that was Eternal Eternity. The rest of the OP and ED songs were just forgettable honestly. In the mythos category, finally Sailor Moon Crystal takes it home for the win with the help of the manga because I did think the mythos in the manga was handled better than in Crystal, but Crystal tried. We actually understand our enemies, we know their history, we know their real motivation. Just looking at the first arc of each story as an example in Crystal we learn that Beryl wasn’t just some evil entity without a cause for the sake of being one like in Classic. We understand why she was so enamored by Endymion, where it wasn’t really clear before. She was a witch from Earth who was in love with Endymion and heart broken when he fell in love with Princess Serenity. We learn that the Shitennou were once loyal to the Prince Endymion, but their minds were poisoned against him. We get to see the darker side of Serenity’s anguish over losing Endymion. And one thing I liked was when they actually went to the moon in order to learn all of this history as opposed to being ejected into a different dimension by Kunzite which was just strange. I also like that we learn that all of the Senshi are princesses in their own right and get their powers from their respective castles and they have their own gowns which are awesome and I hope to one day see in Crystal. So congrats to Crystal and the manga by extension for the mythos. For character likability, Sailor Moon Crystal also takes this category (Crystal might be catching up). For whatever reason so many characters in Classic had their personalities altered to either extreme levels or shitty levels. Mamoru was a total dick and I can see why so many people dislike him, the Classic version of Mamoru was a real jerk especially in season one where he would make fun of Usagi’s weight and he was just borderline verbally abusive...well maybe not borderline, he was. Mamoru in the manga and in Crystal would never talk to Usagi or anyone that way, he may have teased her, but he was never cruel to her and you could see that he loved her much more in Crystal than you can see it in Classic. Usagi, don’t get me wrong I love Usagi, but it’s almost like she reboots every season, just about. We see her grow in one season and she’s just as immature, childish, and insecure in the next season. She’s far more mature in Crystal, even though she is clumsy and a bit of a crybaby at times, though when she grows she grows. Rei is just a straight up bitch in Classic and Chibi-Usa never stops being annoying, the only seasons I liked Chibi-Usa in were the seasons when she wasn’t there. She’s so much better in Crystal and in the manga, she and Usagi have a stronger bond and they care more for each other, and Chibi-Usa does what she can to cheer Usagi up as well. They are not opposing forces as much as they are in Classic. Michiru and Haruka are also woefully changed from the Crystal and manga version. In Crystal they want to work with and to the same ends as Sailor Moon and the others, Haruka desperately loves her princess and you can see how heartbroken she is when she can’t save her or when she fails her (especially in the manga). In the Classic they treat Sailor Moon and the others like they are in the way like they have to earn their respect, they often have different agendas from the Inner Senshi, and they come off as double agents too. Character development. Sorry, I have to hand this to Sailor Moon Classic, this is what I was dreading with Sailor Moon Crystal and anyone who has read the manga and is being honest with themselves should agree that the characters in Crystal and the manga are very much underdeveloped. Their histories, their personalities, their quirks are watered down and when you think you’ve gotten to know one character half a dozen more characters pop up to push them to the back burner. The Inner Senshi are quickly pushed aside when the Outer Senshi show up and you have even more Senshi show up in later arcs that the only characters you really get to know are Usagi, Mamoru, and Chibi-Usa. The others barely get a moment to shine. Ability and power growth goes to Sailor Moon Crystal. I always felt like the other Senshi were constantly lagging behind Sailor Moon in abilities, power growth, and transformations in Classic whereas they grow when Sailor Moon grows in Crystal so we get to see more abilities, transformations, and powers. Even Mamoru gets to be badass in a way that he wasn’t in Classic with his roses, he gets Tuxedo La Smoking Bomber which is pretty badass looking in spite of the name. Pacing is a tie! The pacing is pretty shitty for both of the shows, we can all agree on this much I think. Sailor Moon Classic was running alongside the manga so it kind of had an excuse, it had to have fillers so the manga could catch up. Still, it was stuffed with fillers, some of them I liked and they were fun, some of them were unnecessary and added nothing. Sailor Moon Crystal blows by really quickly, so fast you feel like you don’t get to know the characters very well, you don’t get a flushed out story, in fact, pacing contributes to the reason why Crystal fails in other categories and it kind of has the manga to thank for it. The Overall Winner is! Sailor Moon Classic!

#sailor moon #sailor moon crystal #sailor moon classic #moonvsmoon

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gamerzcourt · 6 years ago

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7 New Fall 2018 Anime You Should Watch: Castlevania, Bloom Into You, And More (US)7 New Fall 2018 Anime You Should Watch: Castlevania, Bloom Into You, And More (US)video games

New Post has been published on https://www.gamerzcourt.com/7-new-fall-2018-anime-you-should-watch-castlevania-bloom-into-you-and-more-us7-new-fall-2018-anime-you-should-watch-castlevania-bloom-into-you-and-more-usvideo-games/

7 New Fall 2018 Anime You Should Watch: Castlevania, Bloom Into You, And More (US)7 New Fall 2018 Anime You Should Watch: Castlevania, Bloom Into You, And More (US)video games

The fall 2018 anime season is underway, and there’s a bunch of new series airing on Netflix, Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, and Hidive. Here are our seven top recommendations you should add to your queue.

Of all the anime this season, Bloom Into You is the must watch. This love story between two high school girls also addresses the pressures of living with low self-worth and the struggles of understanding asexual love. Despite the heaviness of the story’s drama, there are both brief snippets of hilarity and quiet moments of internal resilience that draw you into the changing dynamic between the second-year student council president–who can’t escape her dead sister’s shadow–and the young first-year–who dreams of falling in love but doesn’t feel the emotions that manga and music say she should.

Animated by Troyca, Inc–the studio responsible for the spectacular 2017 anime Re:Creators–and featuring music by Michiru Oshima–who’s composed music for anime like Fullmetal Alchemist and video games like The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess–Bloom Into You might be the most gorgeous anime this season, both to watch and listen to. The series is exclusively airing on Hidive in both Japanese and English.

Zombie Land Saga is about an ordinary high school girl who leaves her house to start her first day of school–only to be struck and killed by a passing truck. She wakes up 10 years later, revived as a zombie by an eccentric young man who wants to manage an idol group entirely composed of the living dead. The story mixes together idol tropes and common zombie story stereotypes to create something truly bizarre, but it’s all surprisingly fun to watch. The series airs in English on Funimation and in Japanese on Crunchyroll.

A bit more somber, Iroduku: The World in Colors is a series about a teenage witch, named Hitomi, who’s colorblind and lives in the year 2078. That is, until her grandmother transports Hitomi 60 years into the past to 2018. Now lost in a world she doesn’t completely recognize and lacking the know-how to complete certain tasks–like needing paper money to pay for things–Hitomi struggles to find the teenager who will one day grow up to be her grandmother so she can go home. The anime is already setting itself up to explore similar themes to what we saw in 2016’s Orange. Which isn’t surprising, as Yuuko Kakihara–who worked on the script for five of Orange‘s episodes–is the writer for The World in Colors.

This season also features a few new isekai–stories where a normal person from our world is transported to another–but the one you want to watch is That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime. It’s pretty much exactly about what the name implies. A dude from our world dies and he’s reborn as a cute little blob of sentient goo in a fantasy world of dragons and goblins. The series is a little weird at first, but stick with it–the manga that the anime is based on goes to some charming places. The show is airing in the original Japanese on Crunchyroll and in English on Funimation.

Ms. Vampire who lives in my neighborhood is a cute story about a doll-loving middle-schooler moving in with a centuries-old otaku vampire who looks to be no older than a high school first-year. The first episode tackles the “but where are the parents” problem that most anime have with a humorous twist, and flips the regular person meeting a vampire dynamic by having the normal girl be the strange one with habits that are difficult to comprehend. The first episode of Ms. Vampire who lives in my neighborhood possesses tremendous comedic timing and plays off your expectations of slice-of-life tropes in pretty hilarious ways. You can watch the anime on Crunchyroll.

Golden Kamuy returns on Crunchyroll and Funimation with a second season, continuing the adventures of our favorite band of ridiculous treasure seekers who are racing to find certain escaped convicts who have strange tattoos all over their bodies. When combined, the tattoos complete map that leads to a massive pile of gold, which pretty much everyone in the anime wants for themselves. Golden Kamuy‘s first season aired this past spring, and ended fairly abruptly in the middle of the anime’s story, so it’s good to see the show continue again so quickly.

Castlevania is also getting its second season this fall. Once again, the anime is exclusive to Netflix, but that also means you get the whole season up front. Capturing the aesthetic of the video game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, Castlevania the anime portrays the bloody tale of Trevor Belmont’s quest to defeat Dracula. Castlevania delves into murder, gore, and heroes and villains that are both right in their own way and also deeply flawed. Think Berserk or Devilman Crybaby. Castlevania can be unsettling at times, but the show captures the essence of the Castlevania video game because of it

The full list of anime series and movies that have been confirmed to premier this fall on Amazon, Crunchyroll, Funimation, Hidive, and Netflix are listed below. We’ll update the list if additional titles are announced.

Fall 2018 Anime Release Date Schedule (U.S.)

Amazon

October 5

Boarding School Juliet

Iroduku: The World in Colors

October 11

Le Cirque de Karakuri

Crunchyroll

October 1

That Time I Go Reincarnated as a Slime

October 3

RErideD: Derrida, who leaps through time

October 4

Zombie Land Saga

October 5

Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure Part 5: Golden Wind

October 6

Goblin Slayer

Radiant

SSSS Gridman

Sword Art Online: Alicization

October 7

Ulysses: Jeanne d’Arc and the Alchemist Knight

October 8

Golden Kamuy (Season 2)

October 12

Senran Kagura Shinovi Master

Funimation

October 1

Space Battleship Tiramisu Zwei (Season 2)

That Time I Go Reincarnated as a Slime

October 6

Ace Attorney (Season 2)

SSSS Gridman

October 8

Golden Kamuy (Season 2)

October 9

Tokyo Ghoul:re (Season 2)

Hidive

October 1

The Girl in Twilight

October 5

Bloom Into You

October 7

Release The Spyce

Netflix

October 3

Violet Evergarden: Special

October 15

The Seven Deadly Sins: Revival of The Commandments

October 26

Castlevania (Season 2)

October 30

Fate/EXTRA Last Encore: Illustrias Geocentrism Theory

GameSpot – All News

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