#i was a weeb in 2010 can you tell

[smimon]

[floatingcatacombs]

Bro Your Taste....

12 Days of Aniblogging 2023, Day 5

Watching the Elitist Anime Superbowl play out earlier this year on Tumblr reawakened something in me. Seeing Evangelion lose to Mononoke like that in round two felt downright heretical. But why? I started but never finished NGE and I haven’t even seen Mononoke, so I shouldn’t have a dog in the fight. And yet, there’s an unspoken yet established hierarchy in my brain that tells me that Eva is better than Mononoke. These polls were a bit of a wake-up call for me that this isn't actually a common framework or approach anymore! So I thought it might be worthwhile to give an account of what anime elitism meant, and means, to me.

tldr (from KC Green's anime club)

Rather than going through all the shows in the bracket, it may be more useful to start by identifying which internet communities skew elitist in the first place. I started watching anime in the early 2010s, so Usenet and early forums and email discussion groups are lost on me. But I did my time on 4chan, for better or for worse. /a/ is perhaps the textbook example of an elitist community, and I would say that they’re responsible for establishing most of the modern weeb canon. The anime blogosphere, though diminished these days, is also a tastemaker, especially when you start seeking out “hidden gems” to make your taste seem cooler and more unique. I originally considered making Floating Catacombs a WordPress blog to try and link up with some of these folks, but ultimately determined that the baked-in audience of Tumblr would better serve my purposes (and they’re owned by the same damn guy now anyways). Lastly, as those previous communities declined, patchwork groups of elitists began to form on Twitter, where many still reside to this day arguing and ass-kissing amongst one another.

Elitism is, in part, an acknowledgement that the vast majority of anime is dogshit. Just look at any given season and count up the isekai shlock, blatant wish fulfillment high school romances, and mediocre shounens ripping off other mediocre shounens. At least 75% of anime is stuff you’d have to pay me to watch. Of course, this isn't unique to anime, being just as true of live-action TV. The difference is that prestige television doesn't have to compare itself to soap operas or reality TV, whereas anime is still commonly treated as a genre in of itself rather than as a medium. As long as that’s the case, anime elitism will always have a place, as a way to say “oh I like anime but not like that” so your taste doesn’t automatically get lumped in with the most low-quality and/or sexually dubious shows of the time.

And obviously, elitism can just as easily be framed as a reaction against the masses. There’s liking Mushishi for the sake of liking Mushishi, and there’s liking Mushishi because its serenity and thoughtfulness reflect well upon you for being able to appreciate it, unlike those dirty Redditors and MyAnimeList denizens who need fanservice in everything they watch. Unfortunately, this means elitists have a tendency to elevate some truly pretentious stuff that looks cool but just isn’t very compelling or deep under the surface. Ergo Proxy is my personal go-to example of this– how it beat out Stand Alone Complex in that Tumblr poll is a mystery to me. I’d argue that Lain is also overrated in this way, but I don’t want to hurt all the sad neurodivergent extremely online women who probably make up my entire audience.  

One thing I've noticed is that elitist communities don’t make a ton of art or fanfic or other creative works. For them, the primary way to participate in fandom is to argue over whether or not a show was good, or if a given part of a show was good (waifu wars, etc). This makes the output of these sites fairly ephemeral (in particular, imageboards automatically delete threads to make room for new ones), but it also means that people will constantly repeat themselves and get in the same arguments to make themselves persistently heard. We’re still arguing about Evangelion 25 years later, after all! After using shows as a cudgel against other shows for a long enough time, you can start to form a hierarchy of notable anime in ways that you can’t really with Tumblr or Reddit or any other community that largely hops from show to show as they come out.

The canon for anime elitism is mostly contained to the late 90s and 2000s, and I think there’s a few reasons for that. As I brought up in the Patlabor post, the 80s are something of a dark age for broadcast anime, while the 90s contain some of the last beautiful breaths of cel animation. The 2000s were when 4chan had an outsized presence online, so it makes sense that a lot of shows deemed elitist come from the era where their taste was king. By the mid-2010’s, after GamerGate, moot’s departure, and the blatant fascism on every board, 4chan’s cultural clout had effectively zeroed out.

There’s also the blunt argument that simply fewer cool artsy anime get made these days. Ping Pong is one of the last truly “elitist” shows I can point to, and that was nearly a decade ago. Due to the overlapping issues of anime overproduction, poor working conditions, and production committees seeking ever-safer investments, a lot of the stuff that comes out these days has a very workmanlike quality to it, competent but never targeting excellence.

OHHH YEAHHHHH

But my final reason for the decline of elitism is a wholly good one – more people are appreciating the good stuff these days! Watching anime has somehow become a normal hobby for the teens that grew up after me, no longer something that needs to be hidden and consigned to small school anime clubs. While battle shounen still reigns supreme, it’s probably leagues better than the comparable stuff from 10 or 20 years ago (though still pretty damn misogynist most of the time). More importantly, new fans and old-guard elitists actually agree on the good stuff! Works like Mob Psycho 100 and Trigun Stampede were huge hits and bridged the gap between these groups through their quality and style, and in Trigun’s case by re-adapting a classic. The breakthrough success of Bocchi the Rock demonstrates that people can vibe with more experimental animation now, and it doesn’t have to be relegated to its own sphere outside of the anime mainstream. And Oshi no Ko has a difficult “dude trust me” pitch but successfully synthesized the pretentious and the mass-market in terms of both its audience and its themes. (I would guess. I haven’t actually seen Oshi no Ko either. An important, unspoken part of anime elitism is lying about half the stuff you’ve seen and just going with the flow on how people around you felt about it). Combining an old-school 90’s-2000s feel with insane pacing and fights, Chainsaw Man similarly captured a wide audience. Even if people have qualms with the overall quality of the adaptation, that one episode shot like a movie won me over. It’s good that some of the most popular anime can be artsy as well, and if that’s what ultimately does elitism in, it will be a happy ending. May poptimism save us all.

In the meantime, elitism lives on in the manga world, where smug assholes can talk about how they liked a series before it got adapted. Manga is very popular these days, but that's mainly driven by people diving into the source material for anime that they enjoyed. This leaves fundamentally unadaptable manga as the last bastion of elitism, which makes sense when you consider how people talk about Berserk.

I’ll leave you with some rapid-fire hot takes of mine.

Steel Ball Run is not that good and its ranking on MyAnimeList as the second best manga of all time is nonsense. It will receive more proper crit in a few years once the inevitable David Production adaptation shines a light on its more troublesome bits.

After rewatching it this year, I can say with clarity that Everyone Is Sleeping On Concrete Revolutio

Goodnight Punpun kind of sucks! Might just be me.

As far as beloved 90’s psychological anime goes, 4chan and Reddit historically love Eva, while Tumblr overwhelmingly went for Utena in that poll. This whole thing smacks of gender.

The Gundam fandom historically has something of a reputation for misogyny, so it’s really funny and good that my exposure has instead been almost entirely trans women on tumblr. We will inherit the mecha genre.

Actually, screw manga, there is only one vector for anime elitism now, and it’s Thunderbolt Fantasy. You gotta get in on Gen Urobuchi’s Wild Puppet Show.

[ishikawayukis]

hi belle im angry again i cant DO this HAJSKSKS just saw someone start shit about the woozi appearance on [that one drinking show]. we all saw it coming but i’m so full of rage these days ajkakdksks they said he’s not “on the same level” as ¥0ongi as a producer?? as a former 4rm¥ myself that’s.. true because woozi is better LMAO it’s hard being in your late 20s and getting tested by children who are loud and wrong

anyway! to calm down, YESSS I LOVE F*CK MY LIFE SO MUCH idk what it is but it reminds me of late 2000s to early 2010s music. it tickles the emo that still resides in me. super is sooo good and catchy, and watching the behind and seeing them be so proud of it makes me giddy icb they were giggling while monitoring when usually theyre 👹👹 it’s nice when weebs (them) cater to weebs (me)

LMFAOOOOO dude i snorted, also can't say i disagree, it probably is just a matter of preferences but i do like woozi as a producer a lot more too LGHLSK. that fandom is incredibly infuriating but you can't even take seriously what they say because they'll go as far as to discredit the own members just to prove a point so like, they're just stupid ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

NO BUT SAME something about the vibe feels kinda nostalgic to me too but not like they were trying to hard to make it so? you can just tell where a lot of the inspiration comes from. and yesssss i loved how proud they looked whenever they were monitoring you could tell how happy they were with the results. love that when woozi let's his inner weeb out the rest of us thrives as well LMAO

[z0mbojpeg]

HOW TO GET BULLIED IN SCHOOL/HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE/WHATEVER THE HELL (FNF EDITION!)

welcome,to how to get bullied in school,high school,college,whatever works to you! i'm your host,Z0mbified,a funkin' idiot to the ones who knew me in 2021,today i'll cover you on a step by step tutorial on how to make your parents disown you and never come back!

[AUUUGH,Z0MBO,I AIN'T READIN' ALLAT!!: step 1,optional,fnf costume,step 2,merch section,backpacks,shirts and shit,basically everything thats related to merch(unofficial ones,the official ones are good,if they were on brazil me personally i'd buy 'em),step 3,say blah blah blah is from fnf,when they clearly aren't.]

(WARNING,THIS WAS NOT MEANT TO OFFEND ANYBODY,IF I OFFENDED YOU,PLEASE KNOW IT WAS NOT MY INTENTION.)

enough with the chit chat,lets begin!

STEP 1(optional) = BE A FNF COSPLAYER

we all know the cosplaying community that we may love or hate,some are nice,some are not,either way,we all know how to get everybody to hate you!

how? you may ask,

just show up there with a friday night funkin' costume! they'll all think "wtf this kiddo doin'"(BONUS POINTS IF FNF MOD) and staff will immediately take you out! and i do not mean on a date,i mean you'll be banned forever!

STEP 2 = SHOW UP WITH MERCHANDISE

don't you love it when you have a weeb friend who goes to whateveryoursituation is and gets judged? well,join in aswell!

with these outfit combos,you sure will never see your parents ever again!

RON BACKPACK,20 BUCKS:

DAD N MOM HOOD(CHRISTMAS SPECIAL),44 DOLLARS AND 99 CENTS:

FOR THIS OCTOBER,COME FRESH AND NEW WITH THE SKID COSTUME,4 DOLLARS AND 99 CENTS

MAKE SURE TO HAVE THE FNF POSTER ON YOUR HOME,THAT WAY,IF YOU EVER GET BITCHES ON YOUR DICK,IF THEY NOTICE IT INSIDE YOUR CHEESE SMELLING ROOM,THEY MAGICALLY DISSAPEAR!,CHEAP PRICE! ONLY 2 DOLLARS!!

EVEN AFTER THE PANDEMIC'S END,IF YOU WANNA HIDE THAT BRITISH MALE LOOKIN' ASS TEETH FROM YOU,MAKE SURE TO HIT UP THESE MASKS:

LEMON DEMON MASK,WILL MAKE SURE TO MAKE YOUR GOOFY ASS SMELLIER THAN A LEMON,5 BUCKS ONLY

RUV MASK,[insert highly overused mid fight masses joke here]

WANT BONUS POINTS ON GETTING ZERO SUNLIGHT? TRY OUT MY PERSONAL FAVORITE,"THE BOOM CHAKALAKA" COMBO!

WHITTY PHONECASE

WHITTY HOODIE,THIS WILL MAKE SURE TO GET EVERYBODY GIVING YOU THE "BOMBASTIC" SIDE EYE!,FOR SEVEN DOLLARZZZ!!!!

THIS ONE FOR MY CLASS CLOWNS,WANNA FUCK UP YOUR REPUTATION AND MAKE AN ABSURDLY FUCKING UNFUNNY JOKE PINNED TO YOUR SHIRT? WELL,NOW YOU CAN! WITH THE BRAND NEW "mommy y do nobody liek me anymoar :((" SHIRT PIN! COMIN' IN CHEAP WITH THE PRICES AGAIN,ONLY 4 BUCKS!!

SINCE I,Z0MBIFIED,HAVE NOT FOUND ANY MORE MERCH,PAIR THE POSTER WITH SOME STICKERS ASWELL! THESE ONES HAVE A CATCH,THOUGH. THEY'RE ALL FREE!!

DROP THE MIC,BECAUSE THIS SHIT'S CLEARLY ASS!

i don't even have words for this one

WANNA GET NOSTALGIC FOR A ERA YOU'VE NEVER BEEN BORN IN,DUE TO MOST PEOPLE IN THE FNF COMMUNITY AVERAGING TO 6(yeah,people in second grade play fnf aswell,don't ask me where i got this info.) TO 13 YEARS OLD!! THEN GET BACK TO THE CLASSICS WITH THIS 2010 STYLED LOOKIN AHH STICKER!!

AND NOW,THE ESSENTIAL "what even is the color of grass?" STARTERPACK FOR PEOPLE TO HATE YOU,TELL PEOPLE THAT,CHARACTERS FROM OTHER MEDIAS ARE ACTUALLY FROM FNF KNIGHT FUNKIN!!

POPULAR EXAMPLES ARE:

"tricky is from fnf"

"tankman originated from fnf"

"ohh,that hank guy from accelerant hank mod? yeah he's from fnf"

ALL OF THESE,AND MAYBE SOME MORE,WILL GET PEOPLE TO HATE YOU!!

i sure hope this tutorial helped you out,thank you for viewing it all and have a safe journey scrumbling! (scrolling + tumblr)

[bakapandy]

BakaPandy’s FAQ

Hi, I’m Pandy, welcome to my tumblr! I thought I’d make a little post about me and some frequently asked questions I get. Please read this before sending me an ask!

ABOUT ME

Who are you?

I’m BakaPandy, but you can call me Pandy! Pronouns are she/her/hers. I’m 27 years old and I draw for fun or whatever catches my fancy.

Where are you from?

USA

Do you draw professionally?

No, I draw as a hobby. I work in the medical field.

(While I’m glad people are interested in what I do, I’d rather if you don’t ask me questions about it as I would like to keep my professional life private and separate from fandom)

How did you come up with your username?

I was a 11 yo weeb in the 2000s - early 2010s where everything had “baka” or “kawaii” or “sugoi”, etc. The name bakapandy stuck from way back then and has become a bit of a brand and changing it is just too much effort. 

How can I support you as an artist?

I have a Ko-Fi!

Reblogs are always the best. And feel free to comment! I love reading comments, replies, and tags. They always make my day.

Unfortunately, I don’t have the time to take commissions, but I do appreciate any sort of support!

ABOUT MY ART

Do you take commissions or requests?

Currently, no. Since I have limited time to draw because of school, I’d prefer to spend it drawing something that I want to draw. I do read suggestions and ideas if they end up in my inbox but I can not promise that I will draw it. 

Where did you learn to draw?

I’m self-taught. Lots and lots of admiring other people’s work and practicing a ton.

When did you start drawing/How long have you been drawing?

I’ve loved to draw all my life, but I got invested when I was about 10 when I truly dedicated time and effort into improving. So I guess it’s going on 17 years now.

What do you use to draw?

I use an 11in iPad pro, apple pencil, and Clip Studio Paint iOS

I’ve previously used a Wacom intuos, but switched over to the ipad pretty much exclusively a couple years ago

Can I use your art for my profile pic?

You can use my art for icons, phone and desktop wallpapers for YOUR OWN USE ONLY without asking me, though I’d really appreciate if you’d credit me if you use it in a public domain. 

Can I share your artwork on other sites?

No, please don’t repost my artwork anywhere else. You can always link to my blog or the page of the drawing (if there’s a thumbnail involved that automatically generated, then that’s fine), BUT PLEASE DON’T RE-UPLOAD ANYTHING. Share my work with whatever function is given to you on the site (reblogs for Tumblr, retweets for Twitter, etc.) so that it comes DIRECTLY FROM ME. I really appreciate your cooperation for this.

Can I translate your work?

The ONLY exception I make for reposting my artwork is for translation purposes. I don’t require you to ask me, but I would you appreciate it if you did. I’d also love to see it! 

PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE MY SIGNATURE AND PLEASE CREDIT ME AS THE ARTIST AND AUTHOR IF YOU DO. 

Where else can I find your art?

I have a Twitter and Instagram

FANDOM RELATED

Will you ever draw Free!/sourin again?

Honestly, I don’t know. I loved Free! and SouRin for so long but my creative energy for them fizzled out and I just don’t have anymore ideas...maybe when I finally see Final Stroke, I’ll make something?

Who are your favorite Naruto characters?

In case you couldn’t tell from my art content, I love the Sand-Nara family. Gaara has always been my favorite since I was in middle school.

Who do you ship with Gaara?

No one. I headcanon him as aro/ace.

What do you think about Gaara ships?

They’re not my cup of tea but people can ship what they want. Go live your best lives.

What about Boruto ships?

I don’t ship the kids. I just like them all being cute and friends. 

Recently, though, I got into Konohamaru X Log lmao.

Please note that Log is an adult and I consider him separate person to Mitsuki. I do not ship or endorse KonoM*itsu in any way, shape, or form. They are not the same people and have entirely different personalities. 

Do you have ANY ships in Naruto?

Pretty much only ShikaTema is the one I’m the most invested in. I follow along with the canon ships (e.g. NaruHina, SasuSaku, ChoKarui) but I have no particularly strong feelings for or against them.

Other ships I enjoy in passing: KakaGai, NejiTen, SaiIno, NejiLee

Do you have a Naruto OC?

I have one OC and her name is Kotori, and she’s Shinki’s daughter haha. She’s a joint OC with my friend @bichobolitagaarashusband

Usually though, I prefer to stick to canon characters, relationships, and dynamics

Do you not like Naruto OCs?

They typically don’t really interest me so I don’t really engage with them. But people can do what they want and I’m not going to criticize them for it. I have Kotori and tbh I really only interact with one OC mostly bc he belongs to my friend haha

[stardustsynchro]

I found that GX edgelord ''Loli Supreme King'' whatever his name is again on WarmToast's content center and the dude just doesn't learn. Let me give you my two cents on YGO. The whole problem is opinions in the community. Everyone is about themselves when most anime fandoms are respected, but YGO's fandom just doesn't even understand how to cope and learn about their problems.

He claims 5D's wasn't perfect and mocks it while others roast him.

I feel like Yu-Gi-Oh GX was the reason this dude likes ''edgy'' stuff. But he goes hypocritical on others who like 5D's just because of ''plot-holes''. Most weebs like anime only for ''dark'' and ''edgy'' stuff, but not all shows can be what others tell them.

I bet most of them fall into the "weeb" category, because GX Season 4 was Japan-only, too (you can watch it on Crunchyroll, though).

But yeah, Season 4 does have some light-hearted moments before all the darker stuff kicks in. Plus, can I just say that I hate Nightshroud as the big bad? He got only two appearances in the show before Season 4, one when he dueled Jaden, and one when he & Atticus dueled Zane. Yubel, however, was foreshadowed since Season 1, and we even see one of her different forms in Season 2 (as a silhouette). Adding this to all the other things I mentioned, it’s pretty easy to understand why 4Kids/4K Media started dubbing the show a year late & ended up skipping Season 4 as a result.

Also, I hate the fact that 4K Media takes all the blame for what the Federal Communications Commission has them censor…

Other reasons why fandoms are divided by opinions are streaming sites and lack of promotion for shows, and others who hate it over any logic.

Which is an example of why fandoms never accept themselves.

The whole fandom is divided enough as it is. No one cares about your opinion Loli man. If you can't take 5D's seriously then don't bother watching it. This is started to turn like the early 2010s when the internet was enough bad and one wasn’t well critical.

There are a few factors 5D's is peak fiction for most people, but some don't like it. I prefer 5D's over modern anime or mainstream anime. This dude got rekt when I feel like he wasn't even listing to most people what they say about 5D's.

And most people who claim 5D'S wasn't planned well or say shit about its ratings in Japan that is a lie. 5D'S wasn't anyone's fault that the show had problems, but it was because it was good that most people started to not take YGO anymore seriously to the point Konami never again made good series.

So if you ever see people just avoid them or either roast them and report for trolling.

There is a reason I don't listen to Dylan from YGO Everything when the dude doesn't even understand how most fandoms love and hate a show on their own opinions and his or others tend to go out of hand.

To conclude this statement. I don't listen to mainstreamers or care about most modern anime tubers. I don't listen to some edgy-good-for-nothing GX fan who doesn't grow his age or thinks about what will say to him.

If my topic made zero sense because it wasn't well planned or had points to be tackled I don't even care about topics because my blog is everything that I post and make. There is a reason I don't f*cking care about GX post Season 2 anymore. I stop watching it mainly because the weebs killed with their opinions about ''dark'' and edgy''

[manicdragondreamgirl]

I haven’t had chemistry since like 2008, and I’m also an idiot who likes to make my friends upset, so I rated the periodic table in order to tilt my friends:

Hydrogen - this is like your childhood friend who has always been with you more or less and always will be down to get a drink and chill even tho you haven’t spoken in years. Solid bro imo 7.5/10

Helium - always down for a good time, even if probably created Alvin and the Chipmunks which in some places is considered a war crime. 4/10

Lithium - Gives me bitchy vibes and is flammable as fuck if I remember. Skinny bitch with an attitude 3/10

Beryllium - idk this sounds like a sailor moon villain lol for that it can have a 6/10

Boron - more like BORONG amirite ha ha wait no seriously I have no idea lol 5/10 clean neutral rating

Carbon - *screaming* 2/10 I will not be taking questions

Nitrogen - cool cool cool tight tight tight 9/10 Nitrogen just is the cool hot chick you wish you were

Oxygen - kid who takes up all the glory for the group project even tho you did all the work, 4/10 for natural charisma

Fluorine - lol what are you knockoff chlorine lmfao bitch 3/10 reminds me of the dentist

Neon - I can vibe with this boy for his contributions to signs which cause my eyes to scream 8/10 modernized Art Deco thanks you

Sodium - 10/10 this is me and I won’t be taking questions next element

Magnesium - magnesium is a close relative of magnificent and therefore I think the case is closed folks 9/10

Aluminum - 10/10 for providing a home to my Diet Coke addiction I’d be dead without you

Silicon - 6.9/10 :smirk:

Phosphorous - This has a very soundly name and it’s welcome to do that but idk, not a fan, seems like he’d be smelly, 2/10

Sulfur - 1/10 pretty sure that dog farts are purely comprised of this and as such if I was leaving negative ratings I would

Chlorine - 7.8/10 for being in pools so we could swim without brain eating amoeba in the south you a champ

Argon - he seems like a nerd jk this guy has a good color 9/10 for just being himself

Potassium - I hate bananas and this word gives me the physical sensation of biting into one but only by thinking of abstract letters and making them into something which we can nutrientise from bananas and to me that shit is bananas, b a n a n a s — 3/10 for making me sing hollaback girl thru adhd word association

Calcium - hm my brain went to mega milk so you get a 2/10 today bud I don’t make the rules

Scandium - pretty sure this is fake lol what’s next faxdium, e-Mailite and copinium? 5/10

Titanium - this song’s a banger and also is the only thing that lets me wear earrings 10/10

Vanadium - if your erection lasts for longer than like idk it’s supposed to then don’t take vanadium wait what do you mean it’s not an ED treatment 4/10

Chromium - decent bloke shame the browser eats all your memory 5/10

Manganese - if a weeb tries to tell me how to pronounce mayonnaise one more time... 1/10

Iron - excellent tool against the fey, in your blood, what a bro, 10/10 this bitch slaps

Cobalt - has a powerful energy; I respect him. 8/10

Nickel - if I had a nickel for every time someone made this joke lol 5/10 he’s doing his best

Copper - taste bad 3/10

Zinc - isn’t that the dude in the green tunic and white tights who saves premcess Lelda or something lol 7/10 those games are good

Gallium - seems like a prick 4/10

Germanium - sounds like a child pronouncing geraniums which are superior 3/10

Arsenic - bad vibes coach 1/10

Selenium - isn’t this just sailor moon lol 10/10 love this bitch

Bromine - farmine wherever you aremine - 9/10 I love a good bro

Krypton - he’s okay I guess 5/10

Rubidium - yet another Steven universe villain who will be redeemed I imagine 4/10 seems a bit dull

Strontium - I feel nothing when I see this lad’s name and that seems like a shame 1/10 I don’t like it

Yttrium - this is an atrium in Yharnam, or something 8/10 would love to sit in one and make contact with higher beings

Zirconium - oh wait THIS is the sailor moon villain from the dead moon circus! 9/10 I enjoyed that arc

Niobium - seems sassy, I like that in an element 7/10

Molybdenum - I hate this one, rancid. 1/10 for making me have flashbacks to difficult Ancient Greek vocabulary there is no fucking way that sound combination is anything but Beta and Delta borking and then Latin being like oh imma steal that

Technetium - 6/10 decent name but seems a bit forced

Ruthenium - 5/10 kindly old lady element I guess lol

Rhodium - 10/10 this ain’t my first rhodium babee this lad has good vibes what a name what a king

Palladium - 10/10 for making me think of paladins

Silver - 12/10 I’m breaking the rules for this silver is the best it is so cool and also it is the other best tool for dealing with supernatural creatures when iron has failed you highly suggest Even if I am extremely allergic to it going into my ears...wait hold on

Cadmium - 2/10 sounds like a total douche

Indium - 8/10, i just think it’s independent and neat

Tin - 10/10 good ear sounds when involving rain and roof shapes and automatically reminds me of Nora Jones’s come away with me album which is also 10/10

Antimony - 7/10 decent protagonist good name all around seems rad

Tellurium - tell ur mom what? That’s so early 2010s league of legends humor bro 2.5/10

Iodine - strikes fear in my soul from having it poured on my wounds but this is why I have more pain tolerance than god 5.3/10

Xenon - I think this is a declension of Xena warrior princess which is a win in my eyes, 8/10

Caesium - kind of has a cunty Latin name, 4.5/10

Barium - yeah boss, bury’im! 7.5/10 I love a good mobster gag

Lanthanum - A bit pretentious on the Tolkien spectrum sorry bud 3/10 sounds like you’d be the dickwad elf everyone hates

Cerium - 6.5/10 I like this one, gives me a clean vibe

Praseodymium - the fuck who sneezed all their alphabet soup onto the paperwork and called it an element Christ we can’t keep doing this 1.5/10

Neodymium - oh my god what did I just say 1/10

Promethium - thank Christ we’re back to greek 9/10 Prometheus was a Chad I could get behind

Samarium - 5/10 gives me boring wizard vibes

Europium - 4.5/10 don’t rename opium chrissake can’t take these nerds anywhere

Gadolinium - 5/10 it’s a starship knockoff but it’s trying to be bold with the G sound

Terbium - 2/10 I don’t vibe with this one

Dysprosium - sounds like an antidepressant that has a lot of shitty side effects 3/10

Holmium - sounds like someone anxious asking their beloved to hold them 8/10 I like hurt/comfort fics

Erbium - you can’t just describe something as herby you daft bastard 2/10

Thulium - sounds like a spell I like it 8.5/10

Ytterbium - macguffin in a shite sci-fi show that gets highly overrated because BBC produced it and superwholock stans emerge and go utterly feral 1/10

Lutetium - bards are an element I agree 10/10

Hafnium - sounds like a river (my dog) sound and has a cute vibe, I’d offer it head pats 7/10

Tantalum - noooo you can’t be sad yuor so sexe haha 6.9/10 tantalizing

Tungsten - 10/10 this is a lad with history

Rhenium - 5.5/10 it’s ok

Osmium - 4/10 I wasn’t a big wizard of oz fan

Iridium - 9/10 sounds like iridescent and that’s in my top 10 favorite words and concepts

Platinum - 10/10 best Pokémon game

Gold - 7.9/10 all that glitters and all but it’s still pretty on some people, silver is better tho

Mercury - yikes 8/10 so it doesn’t kill me

Thallium - sounds like the brother character in a ps4 exclusive western rpg that oddly falls under the radar in terms of reviews and gets shafted at awards for no reason 7/10 I’ll support you tho

Lead - 2/10 that’s gonna be a no from me dawg pretty sure I still have lead in my hands from stabbing myself with my mechanical pencils

Bismuth - 6/10 sounds good in mouth and reminds me of biscuits for some reason, I’ll take it

Polonium - to thine own self be true so stop trying to act like the arts don’t influence science jk pretty sure this is named for Poland but hey that’s where we get the Witcher so you get a pass 6/10

Astatine - 1/10 I don’t even know what you are

Radon - 7/10 this motherfucker knows his shit and how to party, rad is right

Francium - I bring you francium...and I bring you myrdurdium... 7/10 for a good vine

Radium - killed the video star probably 9/10 I can get behind her

Actinium - as opposed to passtinium I prefer actinium in the voice of writing 8/10

Thorium - overrated Norse god 5/10 because lightning is still cool

Protactinum - sounds like some pretentious condom brand 4/10 wouldn’t do it with a dude who bought these

Uranium - I always thought she was a hot sailor scout 10/10

Neptunium - same for her I knew they weren’t cousins you couldn’t lie to me 4kids 10/10

Plutonium - sounds like a macguffin unfortunately 5/10

Americium - I read this with a pivotal letter missing and nearly died, 7/10 for the laugh

Curium - 10/10 gives me Curie vibes and also reminds me of curiosity which reminds me of—[old yellered before the association could set in]

Berkelium - what I shout when I want Burke (fam dog) to slaughter innocents and raze territories 2/10 world was not meant to know his commands

Californium - 1/10 California is cool with geography but probs could stand to chill with the ego sorry to my friends in Cali

Einsteinium - 6/10 it’s alright but we’re really running out of ideas huh

Fermium - 3/10 this one is porny

Mendelevium - 1/10 my brain didn’t like parsing this and I stand by my earlier statement of running out of good names

Nobelium - 0/10 you didn’t name any noble gases this cowards this gas can’t be a noble oh wait it’s NOBEL I take it back 5/10 seems an alright chap

Lawrencium - fear the old blood my sorry dead hunter’s ass I’ll never get back my life from the hours I spent trying to beat this lava shitting bastard 2/10 for being a boss who eats Taco Bell specifically before being challenged to have fresh lava shit with which to punish you for having the audacity to exist in his space

Rutherfordium - my god what a snob 4.2/10 I respect him a little but only because he sounds like a right lad

Dubnium - DROP THE BASS 10/10

Seoborgium - not sure about this one but it can have a 7/10

Bohrium - as an American English speaker this sound combination makes my pathetic throat become a black hole as I try to properly create the sound of it 10/10 I love when my body becomes a massive void in the universe

Hassium - lazy 2/10

Elements 109-118 can go fuck themselves I hate them all, collective 6.66/10 for their general demonic vibe

[etihw000]

You, Boun, Ninja and Taxi were my inspo for doing character designs, though I have to ask, what was the logic of the fashion you gave when interpreting the skins back at like 2013/2014? I could never figure out how to get that 2010s mcyt aesthetic of designs.

i’m gonna put this here for future reference: i do not want to answer asks that mention taxey. so if anyone else had sent in an ask involving her i probably deleted it and will continue to delete them, sorry.

but you tickled a bit of my rambling bones because i do like to talk, and she is part of what happened (i will hereby refer to her as T); so here we go.

i think you can separate my designs into two eras: before-T and after-T. before T came around, my designs interpreted the skins pretty literally. here’s bodil, here’s sky/ty/mitch/jerome, here’s bashur, and here’s jason.

my explanation on this: i was 13 and didn’t really like challenging myself. i’m pretty sure i took jason’s design from dopier, for example. so i took the easy way route out on a lot of things! 

but most notably, i didn’t want to draw complicated designs like sky’s. so the answer was very simple and clear: obviously, put it onto a sweater! i’m sure it was originally meant to be armor, but i didn’t want to draw armor. that’s too much thinking, too much highlighting, and i just wanted to pump out fanart for what i liked.

i didn’t like drawing checkerboards, so i switched them to lines.

i didn’t want to draw an anthro, so i just made it into a bear hat ala michael (i’m pretty sure this bear-type hat was more prominent in 2014, but it seems to have been simplified into just a hoodie with bear ears?).

i didn’t want to draw a humanoid watermelon nor did i even know where to begin with that, so i just drew bashur’s skin as a human and mirrored the design onto his hair and everything else was kept similarly.

it’s what happened with jason’s design - remember his astronaut-y outfit? yeah, i changed it to a hoodie shortly afterwards with an astronaut-y print. hated drawing that shit, challenging yourself is dead.

so in early 2014 (i came to the realization that i actually didn’t draw mcyt in 2013; i started drawing it in 2014), honestly just look at the skins you want to interpret and go with the simplest possible outcome. the end.

however, if you’re talking a bit later with the more unique designs - there was one notable thing that happened that caused it.

T.

see, i was a cranky little 14 year old child who got way too much attention. and with that attention came people copying my art - and one of them was T. 

i was highly uncomfortable at the time because, well, when you’re 14 you want to be unique as possible; you wanna stand out. and i was the only one who drew mcyt in this vaguely anime style way (because it wasn’t minecraft). and because we were all fucking weebs i assume people just started copying my art style wholesale.

see, people would mistake me for T. and vice-versa. i was extremely unhappy with this bullshit. “why are people mistaking me for this person,” i thought very unhappily to myself. and because i didn’t want to change my bloody art style, i decided designs were the way to go. so i went a bit crazy with it.

started out pretty simple. i cut ty’s shirt slightly differently (it still plagues his fanart to this day, i’m sorry ty). i gave bodil a beanie. everything was fine.

and then i still didn’t fucking want to draw checkerboards, so i just made a unique design for mitch. it followed with zek (the jacket on the right with the blue), who also had a checkerboard print. 

i did not want anyone replicating what i did, because it pissed me the fuck off something fierce. and i don’t know nor do i remember this clearly, but i’m pretty sure T started doing the same damn thing anyway. and i’m pretty sure it’s only T, because when I talked with swift and jasie they didn’t remember doing this shit. it was literally the two of us and whoever happened to be watching us do it.

it wasn’t meant to be easy to replicate. 

it was meant to be a bitch to replicate.

(i did it with rage too. the man didn’t even have a checkerboard skin. the long hair also plagues his fanart to this day, too. sorry rage.)

the other designs (ragegaming-era) were in 2015. and i was still the same angry 14-year old kid, especially since the T situation hadn’t gotten any better. we were still being mistaken for each other. people were genuinely confused about which of us were who and i don’t know how to explain to you how much anger was packed into my tiny 14 year old unsocialized body. 

i genuinely still don’t understand it now because our art styles were fundamentally different.

so i pitch you this question: what happens if simple skins meet this anger at being copied when even the simpler prints intended to be a bitch to replicate end up being mimicked, especially when the person you didn’t want copying you followed you into a wholeass new fandom? (we were more divided than now; TC and Crew were two completely different fandoms lol; we didn’t generally unite ourselves under ‘mcyt’)

you end up with other weird attempts. strangely asymmetrical cuts. even more complicated patterns. i apparently hid these but it was hell, i tell you. 

but i can assure you that the patterns on my designs were almost always symmetrical, albeit colored differently from the other side. the asymmetrical parts were different - a cut, a rolled up pant leg. something that you could do with a regular article of clothing. i know that in my circle there were some people that would have different length in shoes. i never did that. i would literally never write words on a shirt, too. i wasn’t one of those graphic tee people.

then i guess in late 2015 i got tired of it all and went back to the simple times of just not wanting to draw difficult designs before quitting altogether.

so you want to know what defined 2014 designs? 

it was a 14 year old’s absolute anger at being copied to fucking death and having to be mistaken for other people.

i hope this helped and i am now going to choose to forget that i ever decided to answer this ask. not because it was a bad ask, but because i don’t like thinking about T in particular. 

thank you for indulging my rambling bones. here’s a tl;dr for you:

Before-T designs (simpler)

the interpretations are literal.

if you can’t tell what’s going on, just make it a sweater and copy the patterns on the skin 1:1.

if there’s a different head (jason’s astronaut helmet, jerome’s bacca head) just make it a hood or a hat.

After-T designs (more difficult)

you still don’t wanna draw things out of your comfort zone, so stay out of the armor/anthro business.

give every design two layers - three at most. 

you love hoodies :)

if the skin is simple, use slightly different shades to add patterns (i believe he had a plain blue hoodie and plain black pants).

want to be even MORE unique than before? add something asymmetrical. remove a sleeve, roll up a pant leg, or something, but never shoes or gloves. they are sacred and you shouldn’t do that to them.

idk someone pointed out that i was apparently allergic to necks because i kept giving designs chokers or scarves or whatever. they’re usually solid in color

[sheathnknife]

my grayza story (and a love letter to the creators of the grayza fanzine)

High on coffee, bleary-eyed, I had been in the middle of studying for my college finals last night when I casually reached over for my phone, just to check my notifications, and instantly got hit in the face with this: “[PDF] GrayZa Zine”

(Warning: long and emotional rant down below.)

My heart jumped in my mouth, my palms began to sweat, and with a slightly shaky thumb, I pressed on the notification. Now, you may find this to be a bit of an overreaction, but listen- I have been in the Fairy Tail fandom since 2010, and I left the fandom about 7 years ago (wow I feel old), not bothering to continue reading the manga after 400-ish chapters since I quickly realized what a clusterfuck the whole series had become and how OOC my faves were becoming (coughgraycough). Fairy Tail was the first anime I got seriously hooked on (besides Maid Sama). It started my weeb phase. 

It also happens to be the anime that slam-dunked me into shipping hell.

Grayza is the name of that particular hell.

I remember when I first fell in love with Grayza: it was during the Phantom Lord arc, when Erza rested her head on Gray’s chest (you all know what I’m talking about). And then Tower of Heaven happened, as well as Gray’s “I’m taking Erza back! She belongs with Fairy Tail!”. I was a wee lass, and my feelings for this ship were intense. I didn't even know that shipping as a concept existed back then, but I was doing it already- I drew tons and tons of fanart; I babbled to my brother about how beautiful their chemistry was, until he became sick and couldn't stand me anymore; boxes upon boxes of fanart are still piled high in my room, tucked away in a corner. Now that I look at them, they’re cringy, childish, silly, cheesy comics and much much more, but it was all a labor of love. 

Then, I stumbled upon this marvellous site called FanFiction.net. This is where I read my first Grayza fanfic. It was Warm Ice Melting Armour -one of my favorite Grayza fanfics even to this day- by the talented Irrevocable SaaSha. To this day, the first paragraph of that fic is branded in my mind: “She was curled up on the couch like a cat in front of the fireplace, the firelight reflected like liquid honey in her golden brown eyes, red hair spread out around her, like she was lying on a bed of scarlet fire. She was beautiful.”

I was in awe of the writing, starstruck even. I thought it was the most beautiful description I’d ever read. I still think so, even to this day.

And that’s when I decided- I wanted to write like that too.

So Grayza got me into reading and writing fanfiction. And reading and writing in general. English is not my first language, so I struggled. But it was a happy struggle, an endeavour I did not mind making. My first and second Grayza fics were totally abominable, but I was just a kid, eagerly playing around with these two dorks on paper with not a care in the world. I would lie awake in bed in the wee hours of the night, flashlight in one hand and a pen in the other, furiously scribbling away on a tiny notebook, and when I ran out of pages but felt too lazy to get out of bed, I would just write over my doodles.

It was a good time.

Again, my fics were totally shit (so much so that I deleted them many years ago out of embarrassment- a decision which I now regret; I wish I’d kept them up, for nostalgia’s sake), but everyone who reviewed was kind, friendly, encouraging. I talked to other writers, who were a thousand times more talented than little ol’ me but still so cheerful and humble. I badgered them by sending them PM’s asking for writing tips; I sent the daily readers of my fics little sneak peeks of the future chapters in their inboxes; I joined roleplay forums (always choosing Erza). Every once in a while a reader would PM me to tell me how much they loved my fic, how certain chapters made them laugh out loud, and that would melt my heart. 

I received my first hate comment from a Gruvia shipper, and I relished it. 

So basically, Grayza introduced me to fandom. 

I loved this ship with every fibre of my being. I still do. It’s my first OTP. 

Then Mashima fucked everything up. 

Juvia and Jellal got introduced. Gray and Erza’s interactions began to dwindle. I never hoped for my ship to be canon, but Mashima even forgot about their friendship, and that hurt. A lot. I actually like Jellal, and even ship Jerza on the side (just not as passionately as Grayza), but Juvia I did not like at all. I couldn't fathom why the majority of the fandom would ship Gray with her. It baffles me to this day.

And then it became canon.

Well, as canon as Mashima can make a ship, that is. By the time the last chapter came out, I was over Fairy Tail. I had moved on to better things, better media. But being the masochist I am, I still read the chapter (spoiler alert: it was shit). To calm myself and soothe my wounded heart, I went over to FanFiction.net -now a barren wasteland with old fics lazily drifting like tumbleweed and only a small number of new fics trying to emerge through the cracks in the ground- and read an old favorite of mine. 

It was like a soothing pick-me up after a harrowing day. But it was also a little sad, because all of my favorite authors, people I considered mentors and friends, had moved on. Have moved on. It felt like the Grayza fandom had kind of gradually, slowly, silently sputtered, coughed, and died, and I was one of the small numbers of people witnessing it.

Then, the announcement for the Grayza Fanzine came. I was excited, feeling a little bittersweet, as this would be the beautiful, heartfelt sendoff this ship of dreams would deserve. I desperately wanted to contribute, but my midterms were coming up, and I was busy with my studies, so there was no way I could churn out a fic with that mindset. So I mentally wished everyone contributing to the zine luck, and moved on, anticipating for the day I would get that notification on my phone.

 And then I got it.

I actually cried while I went through the zine. The fics, from what I’ve read so far, are all heartfelt and beautiful and managed to hit me in parts of my heart and soul that I thought I’d buried and mourned a long long time ago. The fanarts are all breathtaking. And the layout! I lovelovelove the overlapping blue and red stars scattered over the pages, the snowflakes! 

In the middle of the night, standing next to the kitchen (because that’s the only place where I could charge my phone at the time), with tears in my eyes, I felt like I was holding a gem in my hands. A treasure. And it is.

I couldn’t study after that. My anxieties about college and university had washed away: I felt like a kid again, in love with this ship all over again. For the next two hours, I thumbed through the PDF, marvelling at this labor of love, my heart raw and aching in all the right ways.

So thank you, everyone at @grayza-fanzine​ who made this zine possible. Every artist, every writer, everyone. I might not know any of you, but you all share my love for this wonderful, painful, glorious ship, and I think that is enough.

Thank you so, so much. 

[thehighwarlockofbrooklyn]

Pick 7 of your comfort films and the tag some people

I got tagged by @yearningtozier :D

1. Tag (2018) I honestly.....just love that a group of real life friends that this movie was based off of (though the movie takes.....a lot of liberties) just wanted to stay connected to their best friends and just....come back together for a whole month of every year just to play the wildest fuckin game of tag ever. It’s a fun movie, it makes me laugh, and it also made me cry. it’s not like the best movie ever but it literally tugs at all of my emotional strings. it’s absurd, it’s hilarious. I Love Hannibal Buress cracks me the fuck up. also they smoke so much weed and i’m a stupid simple bitch who always thinks that shit is funny.

2. not quite a movie but The Comeback Kid (2015) comedy special from John Mulaney available on Netflix. It’s my first instinct to watch this whenever I’m not feeling very Happy

3. What A Girl Wants (2003) what the fuck 35% on rotten tomatoes??? probably deserves it but this is my favorite childhood movie. I watched this so many times. and it will make emotional all the time. also taught a good lesson of “you shouldn’t be someone else to make others happy. be you and fuck everybody who resents you for it”

4. Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed (2002) JDGSKJG TWENTY TWO PERCENT ON ROTTEN TOMATOES. DOES NOT DESERVE. THIS FUCKING MOVIE SHAPED ME. KJDSHGKJH GO WATCH IT IT IS SO FUNNY I FUCKING LOVE THIS SO MUCH

5. Tangled (2010) this movie came out on my birthday that year. my birthday is right before thanksgiving so not only did this movie just rock my socks off it was so good, it was like a birthday gift sent from god. catch me singing I Want Something I Want by Grace Potter at any and all hours of the day. also catch me loving Eugene Fitzpatrick until the day i fucking die. I related so much to Rapunzel. I was a sheltered kid and I was always trying to break away from that and follow the exploration of my identity, which my parents discouraged at the time. but now im a grown adult who can dye their hair any fucking color i want, get those tattoos, the nose piercing, realizing im Not Female By Any Means, that I Like Girls, and am a Total Weeb. 

6. Moana (2016) THIS CAME ABOUT THE DAY BEFORE MY BIRTHDAY WOW I DIDNT EVEN KNOW. First of all, Lin Manuel Miranda wrote the original songs for it. He’s so fucking talented as a lyricist i love him. But the single from the movie How Far I’ll Go reaches into my fucking soul and then rips it out. Disney really spoke to my future adult self with this. As an adult I keep getting told my the adults around me that i have so much potential and that it’s in a place that I really Don’t Wanna Be (my hometown) but....I don’t wanna be here. I know my destiny isn’t here. And I keep looking out over the ocean of life and the experiences that she has to offer.....and I yearn just like Moana for the ocean. And in the end......I’m on my way to finding my own purpose and destiny than letting somebody tell me how and where to find it. I’m going to go out onto those open oceans life keeps calling to me from and I will Find Who I Am. I’m gonna cry.

7. Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse (2018) This.....this movie. Also speaks to me. I cry at the What’s Up Danger every. damn time. i just went to go look up that scene on youtube so i could link it here and i am now actually crying for realsies. that slap of his comic book issue at the end. FUCK. KJGDSHKJGHDSKJGK FUCK FUCK FUCK. that’s gonna be me one day guys. one day i’ll have the courage to make the leap of faith into the person i want to be and the things i want to do and the relationships i want to make and the influence i want to have and it’ll be like whisper of a moment “....like what’s up danger” where the city is upside down and he’s just free falling and then suddenly his mark of web hits and he’s flying into the future, making his mark and doing fucking fantastic fucking things. KGHDSKJGHKJSHGKJ i know i watched it like three weeks ago but i think i need to watch it again now.

I tag @madeinantiquity i actually don’t know what your comfort films are lol we do be tv show ppl doe

i got all deep and emotional in the end and I am NOT fucking sorry. take my emotions.

[floatingcatacombs]

Microsoft’s Anime Forays

12 Days of Aniblogging 2020, Day 8

Microsoft dedicates part of their developer network to instructional and promotional videos, to give developers in their ecosystem a better grasp on the tools that they’re using. This year I was baffled to find out that there’s anime on there as well.

Take a minute to watch this video.

It sure is a one-minute professionally animated short promoting Microsoft Azure data that features a blatant ass shot. How did we get here?

You might be familiar with the concept of an OS-tan, an anime girl personification of an operating system made for shits and giggles by techy weebs and shipped with other OS girls. Microsoft. After over a decade of free advertising through this fandom, Microsoft took note and started creating their own official OS-tan mascots. The more I read into it, this is apparently a non-negligible part of their advertising strategy in multiple East Asian countries. Go figure.

That’s not the only anime short they’ve churned out though. Back in the days of Windows 7, Microsoft debuted their first OS-tan, Madobe Nanami. Here she is in an advertisement from 2010:

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Interestingly, the focus is not advertising the operating system at hand, but rather encouraging hobbyists to build their own computers. I guess that would lead to more direct customer sales of Windows 7 because it wouldn’t be pre-installed. That’s an interesting marketing strategy, and I wonder if it paid off. Madobe’s manager, who we only see from behind, has a whole MyAnimeList character page dedicated to him. The world really is stranger than we think it could be.

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The one Microsoft anime character you may have seen before is the Internet Explorer magical girl, particularly if you were on tumblr in the fall of 2013. While the previous two shorts are fairly limited in their animation, you can tell that this one is a real labor of love. The intended message is that Internet Explorer 11 has beefed up security and antivirus protection, and this is displayed by IE-tan Inori Aizawa murdering a bunch of monster viruses, Madoka-style. While it’s certainly fun, I’m not sure if it convinced a single person to switch back to IE, because that browser has been three steps behind Firefox and Chrome in every metric that matters for years.

The prospect of a bunch of suits at Microsoft sitting in a boardroom, discussing how to use anime to achieve a wider marketshare, is a hilarious one to me. I wonder if it’s a single higher-up who really likes anime and keeps eventually forcing his ideas through. Either way, thanks for joining me in investigating the weird world of anime from the largest software company in the world.  I’ve been haunted by Claudia ever since stumbling upon that promotional Azure short, because unfortunately she is very cute. Hopefully this post provides some release before I accidentally get successfully marketed to.

Bonus: Mystery Microsoft Anime Shorts

I found this one in three parts in youtube, and it seems to cross over all of our favorite characters from the Azure and Windows 7 shorts. No idea when or why it was made, no idea what the words are because there’s no subs, but I can infer. I don’t know what to tell you about these. Most of the uploader’s recent videos are motorcycle recordings and honestly good for them.

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I got nothing

[colossal-guest-2011]

My experience with Todd Haberkorn

I first met Todd at Anime Central 2010, if you can call it a meeting. I got his autograph and a picture, and I attended a few of his panels. He mentioned he was going to Japan in a week or so for work, and I joked with friends that it would be funny if I saw him during my own study abroad trip to Japan that was in just over a week. Lo and behold, at my connecting flight in San Francisco, I saw him waiting at my gate, waiting to board the same plane as me. Internally freaking out, I snapped a sneaky photo and texted my friends. They shared the news on Facebook, and many hours and a long flight later, he saw it. I posted the pic and tagged him, and despite the photo accidentally having cut off his head, he admitted it was him and joked that the next time we shared an international flight, I should say hi.

Flash forward to Colossalcon 2011. Todd was one of the guests, along with a few other VAs we adored, so my best friend and I decided to take a road trip out to Ohio for the weekend, rooming with a few people she knew from the internet at a hotel up the street. We finally got the chance to be in Todd’s autograph line. When it was my turn, I said, “Remember last year when a girl snuck a creeper photo of you at the airport and said you guys were on the same flight to Japan? And that she should have said hi? Yeah, that was me.” We laughed about the whole absurd situation, and as he signed my item, he asked if I played soccer. Confused, I said no, I hated soccer, but I was a newly-christened marathon finisher, since running was basically free and I was a broke college student. He smiled and said something like, “Ah, I knew it had to be something like that. I could tell by the legs.” I was confused and (admittedly) a little flattered — I had always been a scrawny kid, but my muscles had developed well through high school volleball and my marathon training, and it did feel nice to have that appreciated. I was (and am) a socially awkward mess, though, so I attributed my flash of discomfort at my inability to accept a compliment. I asked for a pic, he agreed, and we went on our way.

Later that evening he had a panel, I believe about his fanclub that he had just started up. My best friend and I weren’t the ones who started it, and I can’t recall how we got involved (maybe via Twitter?), but we were in contact with the group’s founder, and we were essentially some of the first volunteers. After the panel, he hung around a bit to take pics and chat. When my friend and I approached, he said, “Hey! There’s my runner!” We got a pic, and then my friend mentioned that we were working with his fan club. He lit up, asked us to hang around while he did a few more pics with other attendees, and then asked if we wanted to go somewhere and chat. My friend and I, being young, weeb-tastic fangirls, excitedly agreed. He asked us to meet in the resort’s lobby.

When we met up, it was just the two of us and him. For a while, we just talked about his fan club, Team Haberkorn.It was still not really a big thing, brand new, and he animatedly talked about what sort of things he wanted to do with it, how he wanted to connect with his fans. For roughly 20-30 minutes, that’s all we discussed. Then he started some small talk, asking how our weekend had been going. I told him it was fun, going to a con at a big resort and far from my home, but since my birthday was on Monday, we were treating it like a pseudo birthday vacation. He asked how old I was turning, and I said 20. He excused himself for a moment, and when he came back, he had a clear glass from the bar. “For the birthday girl,” he said, handing me the glass full of pink liquid and ice cubes.

As a woman, you’re taught never to leave a drink unattended, and never to take a drink if you didn’t see it made. Not wanting to be rude, though, I carefully took a sip. I asked him what it was. He never said, just smiling and saying, “Something good.” In my head, I was thinking, “There’s no way he would have put something in this. Your friend didn’t get one, and if he tries anything, she’s right here, watching. It’s fine.” So I kept the drink. I don’t really remember details of what else we talked about, but I distinctly remember him telling us about how he had a long-distance girlfriend in college and how he would drive to see her every weekend to “read books” as he put it, complete with a knowing smirk.

Eventually we said we needed to go, since we had to get back to our own hotel. He asked us if we weren’t staying at the resort? And we admitted that we’d made our plans to come far too late for any resort rooms to still be available, so we had 7 people crammed in a small hotel room a mile up the road. Then he said, “Hey, if you guys want, I have plenty of space in my room. You’re free to sleep there if you want.” A combination of social awkwardness and weird vibes had us quickly and graciously declining. We said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. We didn’t talk the rest of the con, but I know he saw us at one of his panels the next day, and he smiled and waved.

At this point, despite my clearly-remembered unease, I wasn’t able to pinpoint what exactly had weirded me out so badly. It was a long time, years, that I was able to fully come to terms with the fact that a 28-year-old convention guest had said I had nice legs, bought me alcohol knowing I was 19, and invited me and my friend to sleep in his hotel room. I look back sometimes and shudder to think about what might have happened if we had said yes.

We saw him again at Colossalcon 2012, though his busy schedule and other things (unrelated to anything serious) kept us from interacting one-on-one outside of his autograph session. Online, he and I would occasionally bicker on Twitter or Facebook, egging the other on. In time, though, college kept me a lot busier, and I had no time for anime or cons or banter. I graduated, got a job, and did other things. Todd seemed to get more and more argumentative online, often taking big news stories and playing devil’s advocate. His fan club had gotten wildly popular, though my friend and I had only stayed on for a few months. He seemed to be more hostile, less open-minded, and much quicker to mock people in a way that didn’t seem like friendly banter. In October 2016, he and I butted heads for the final time. I’ll let the screenshots tell the story.

After that, he deleted me from his Facebook. What’s hilarious is that he then proceded to send me an Instagram DM, which meant me had to look me up. He definitely had my e-mail address from my brief stint as fanclub volunteer, but he chose this.

He and I have not spoken since, and I have no desire to ever speak to him again. In the years following the 2011 incident, I grew so much and learned just how skeezy he had been. He denies malicious intent, but I know for a fact that he has slept with two other convention attendees in the past, one of whom I know. Regardless of their age, that’s still scummy. I don’t want to think about if there have been other young women like me, maybe teenagers, excited at being singled out by their favorite anime voice actor, showered with compliments, given a drink or two, invited to a hotel room.

[sennqu]

Tagged by @streptomycinn! Thanks!

Nicknames: I've been using Ku for around a decade now, but recently I've adopted Senn as a new nickname. It's less cutesy and is only slightly weeb-ish. (can anyone tell it's from sennen...)

Gender: cis female i guess, but re: pronouns any of he/she/they is fine by me. I just don't really care about my own gender presentation so long as I am Hot.

Star sign: apparently sag/cap cusp

Sexuality: bisexual as can be

Hogwarts house: haven't taken a quiz since the last movie was out probably! So i took a potter more copy quiz thrice. 2 out of 3 was hufflepuff. The other was slytherin so make what you will of that.

Favorite animal: cats!

Number of blankets: 1 if in my room, 2-3 when in a hotel room. Disclaimer: temperatures I'm used to don't usually get below 26'C unless AC aided.

Dream trip: i'm not actually sure. I just have a vague wish to travel. Maybe to a really nice beach, or maybe Batanes. Another goal to materialize and work towards!

When and why i made this blog: this blog is really new; it's only about a month old and is the third iteration. My first ever blog I made around 2012 2010(!?) and I made it because my then-girlfriend had an account and wanted me to have one too. But the first purpose I ever really found for my blog was Tsuri tama! That was 2012. It was my first ever online community fan experience (usually i lurk). And apparently it was such a memorable experience that until today I really thought I made my account just for it. I remade around 2014 for a fresh start, then I remade again this year for the same reason! Tumblr is a good space for me. It's got enough options for interaction, but without the usual anxiety that comes with it.

[sloth-incarnate]

Weeb Wednesday: Fullmetal Alchemist

Original 2003: 51 episodes     Brotherhood 2009: 64 episodes

Fantasy, sci-fi, adventure, drama, comedy, mystery, shonen

Fullmetal is a Japanese shōnen series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan magazine between August 2001 and June 2010; the publisher later collected the individual chapters into twenty-seven tankōbon volumes. The world of Fullmetal Alchemist is styled after the European Industrial Revolution and set in a fictional universe in which alchemy is one of the most advanced scientific techniques. Alchemy in this world is more akin to the spiritual/supernatural kind with which people are able to perform what seem to be acts of magic with principles based on scientific laws. The story follows Edward and Alphonse Elric, two brothers from a small country town. After their mother passes due to illness, the two decide to learn alchemy and attempt to break one the art’s most forbidden laws, human transmutation, in order to bring her back to life. However, after the experiment goes horribly wrong, the chemical reaction creates a vortex which absorbs Alphonse, the younger brother, and part of Edward’s limbs. In order to bring back his brother, Edward does the unthinkable and sacrifices another of his limbs in order to bring back as much of his brother as he could, managing to conjure back his soul and tie it to an empty suit of armor. Now the two search the land for the infamous Philosopher’s Stone, a famed alchemical artifact said to grant unlimited power, in order to restore their bodies to normal. 

Today is October 3rd, (Fullmetal Day) as well as Wednesday, so I have decided to talk about my favorite anime. Fullmetal Alchemist is probably my favorite show of all time. It has one of anime’s most original, riveting, and revolutionary stories ever written. It is an understatement to say that Fullmetal is, in simple terms, iconic. Not only is it a great show for beginners to delve into the world of anime, but it is also a great and rich work with many intricacies and thought-provoking ideals and dialogues. It is simple and relatable enough for younger audiences, while also being subtle, dark, and nuanced enough for more mature or experienced viewers. There is a reason why Fullmetal is one of the pillars of shonen manga/anime and that is because it tells a story that is both personal and universal both at once.

The anime series is actually divided into two iterations: the original from 2003, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood from 2009. There is a huge debate among fans about whether one iteration is better than the other, but I believe they actually are both good and vital to one another for a complete experience.

The original boasted great visuals and artwork, as well as an impeccable soundtrack. However, the issue with the first one is that, since it began airing before the manga was finished, the latter half of the story takes on a completely different direction from what the final product was. Another major complaint is the amount of filler episodes this first series has, something that felt more evident after subsequent viewings of the show. Nevertheless, despite all this, it was still an amazing story that captured millions around the world and brought attention to the series. Both series were also blessed with one of, if not the best English dub in the business. Definitely go dubs for this one.      

Brotherhood overall is a complete facelift for the show. Although the original boasted good visuals for the time, Brotherhood just took that and cranked it to 11. The animation is some of the most fluid and gorgeous in the medium, and certainly made Hiromu Arakawa’s designs stand out a lot more. Brotherhood also features heavier amounts of action and fight sequences. The music is as strong as ever, the ending of Brotherhood is definitely the better of the two, and again, this one follows the original manga, so this is often considered the “true” Fullmetal story. However, some issues that Brotherhood faced was that pacing was somewhat rushed, specially in the beginning, and some of the more impactful scenes which were redone in Brotherhood did not feel as fleshed out or did not have the impact that the first series had. Due to its faster pacing, a lot of characters are also not given as much time to shine, causing them to kind of fade into obscurity. With such a large cast, this is of course inevitable, but the slower pace of the first series overall made these characters a lot more well-rounded and dynamic.

The verdict on this is that both shows are equally important. The first series, rather than shonen, is more of a sci-fi, fantasy mystery adventure with a heavy emphasis on the drama aspect. A lot more focus is placed on the characters themselves as well as the world that surrounds them. It gives a grounded feel to an otherwise fantastical setting. This one is also accompanied by the movie The Conqueror of Shamballa, which overall gives a definite end to the Elric’s adventures as well as exploring the idea of parallel worlds. Brotherhood is definitely shonen. From the completely different opening episode, it is evident that this show will be replete with fast action and great moments. Brotherhood is fast, strong, and thrilling, and is sure to give you quite the adventure. Watch the original for character development and world-building, then watch Brotherhood for the true story.

Overall, regardless of which one you see first, you’re in for quite a ride. The show is a great discourse on a wide variety of subjects including religion and science, morality and lack thereof, military and corruption, shadow organizations and world order, family and relationships, existentialism and materialism, and of course, the main and recurring theme of the series, brotherhood. The bond between Ed and Al is definitely the driving force of this show, and whether you can relate to having a sibling or not, this show will make you cry one moment, then laugh the next. If you are an anime fan, and have not yet watched Fullmetal, you are doing yourself a disservice. FMA is a classic. 

[paulisweeabootrash]

New Year’s Cleanup: End of 2018 Mini-Reviews

It’s a mini-review pack!

Sometimes I watch shows that I have something to say about, but I don't feel like writing a real review of them.  Let's close out 2018 with some short appraisals of a few shows I watched this year that fit that bill.  Happy New Year, nerds!

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1. Chu-Bra (2010)

(based on 3 episodes)

I found this show purely by scrolling alphabetically through VRV's catalog of Crunchyroll shows.  The synopsis sounded like a total disaster, so I clicked on it, and it pretty much is, but surprisingly it's mainly because of the execution, not the premise.  This school life comedy follows Nayu Hayama, a middle schooler who aspires to design underwear.  It seems like it's trying to use an otaku-friendly mindless fanservice format as a vehicle to sneak in some endearing friendships and surprisingly informative information about puberty, ordinary adolescent insecurities, and, uh, how to properly fit bras.  But if you want that, just go watch Please Tell Me!  Galko-chan instead.  It is a much better show that won’t leave you feeling nearly as uncomfortable afterwards.

Classic W/A/S: 2 / 6 / 7

Weeb: There's a little bit of particularly Japanese attitudes and references that pop up regarding how others react to Nayu, but anyone who has gone to school with judgemental classmates or teachers should understand.

Ass: Brief actual nudity, plus tiresome levels of conveniently-timed gusts of wind and/or pratfalls lifting skirts, and groping that is played for laughs but ultimately pretty uncomfortable, especially because of the age of the characters.

Shit: The "ass" score, and how it’s executed, is closely related to why the show falls apart for me.  The whole show just felt icky.

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2. Love and Lies (2017)

(based on 4 episodes)

A complicated love story set in an alternate present where Japan decided to boost its birthrate through algorithmically-enforced matchmaking.  Drama ensues as a forbidden romance between a couple who are not matched to each other, Yukari (who, by the way, is named after the Yukari Law — the law that authorized the matchmaking system!) and Misaki, gets cheered on by Yukari's assigned wife, Rinina.  It's a beautiful and engaging work of speculative fiction and criticism of overconfidence in automation with varied, believable, and lovable characters and please just go watch it.

Classic W/A/S: 3 / 3 / 1

Weeb: There are some very distinctly Japanese allusions, most commonly and notably the "red string of fate", but if you're watching the subtitled version, anything likely to need explanation is explained on-screen.  The most foreign concept to an American audience might be the idea of a government agency that is widely trusted and assumed to be competent.

Ass: Brief partial nudity and allusions to sex because of course there are, the show is about romantic relationships.  Little that's fanservicy or gratuitous, though.

Shit: The only complaints that come to mind are a few off-looking facial expressions and the weirdly variable competence of the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare — not in their matchmaking, but in their ability to find Yukari in a park at midnight but not find Misaki's legal address.  But maybe that's intentional, and it seems almost in character, given their supreme confidence in the perfect system and obliviousness to anything being wrong with it.

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3. KADO: The Right Answer (2017)

(based on entire series — 12 episodes)

Speaking of great works of speculative fiction you need to go watch, this is that, at least for most of its run.  Watch Ministry of Foreign Affairs negotiator Shindo Kojiro accidentally become humanity's ambassador to a radically-non-human alien while he's trying to go on vacation!  Explore the social and political implications of sufficiently advanced technology indistinguishable from magic!  Ponder the disturbing implications of being unaware of higher spacial dimensions but still existing in them!  Then nosedive into a poorly-set-up, literal deus ex machina ending that defeats most of that development and speculation and exploration!

Classic W/A/S: 1 / 1 / 3 for most of the series, then suddenly 9 at the end.  Seriously guys this ending is baaaaad.

Weeb: Not so much Japanese as just very sci-fi geek.  Not in references, but in topic.  This is a show for the committed sci-fi fan.

Ass: I watched it pretty early in the year and wasn't actually planning on reviewing it, but I don't remember any nudity or innuendo or anything at all.  If the mere mention of sex is too much, that’s the only thing I can think of justifying a point of Ass for this show.

Shit: Other than the terrible ending, my biggest complaint complaint by far is some aspects of the CGI.  The entire show is 3D rendered, which makes the intricate and shifting surface texture of KADO, the alien craft, look incredible (and suitably alien), but the human characters often end up looking oddly robotic, maybe due to a failure by the animators, maybe due to the software itself.  It’s frequently unpleasant to look at, but the story was so interesting I wanted to keep watching!

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4. Magical Girl Ore (2018)

(based on entire series — 12 episodes)

A couple of aspiring idols, Saki and Sakuyo, become magical girls... who are ridiculously muscular men after they transform.  A love triangle immediately ensues, with Sakuyo crushing on Saki, Saki crushing on Sakuyo's brother Mohiro, and Mohiro only returning Saki's feelings when Saki is in her transformed male form.  The rest is an over-the-top parody of magical girl shows, full of twists on or outright subversions of the usual tropes of those genres and frequent tangents and fourth-wall breaks.  But I think I've seen a lot of these jokes before in Excel Saga (which is such an old favorite of mine that I really should review it sometime), Pop Team Epic, or both.  A somewhat-surprising plot twist later and we're at a climactic showdown with the Big Bad.

Classic W/A/S: 7 / 4 / 3

Weeb: Jokes may still work in a "lol so random" kind of way, but are much funnier if you get the references.  The show relies heavily on familiarity with not just magical girl shows but several anime in other genres, the formulaic expectations set up by recent anime across genres, and even to some extent the animation industry.  This is a show by otaku for otaku.

Ass: Most questionable content occurs in the context of occasional parodies of fanservice — spun not to be genuinely sexy but to laugh at the way typical anime fanservice portrays women by treating male bodies the same way.  There's also quite a lot of partial male nudity in the obligatory hot springs episode, which is treated sexually because of the aforementioned love triangle.  (Psst, anime writers and directors: more fanservice shots of men in other shows, plz.)

Shit: A lot of gags are kinda just low-hanging fruit of "haha, look at this, it's a thing you recognize from other shows".  The things that aren't are pretty well developed, and a few things that appear to be art errors turn out to actually be part of the joke.

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5. Polar Bear Cafe (2012–2013)

(based on 6 episodes)

This mellow slice-of-life follows a group of humans and surprisingly-realistically-drawn animals, focusing on the patrons of Polar Bear Cafe (run by — surprise! — a literal polar bear named Polar Bear), especially on the terminally-lazy Panda's attempt to work part-time as a zoo exhibit.  Its slowness is a nice part of the atmosphere, but it's also not a show suitable for binge-watching.  You might end up falling asleep, and the running jokes get grating after a while.  Watch only an episode or two at a time when you need something happy and relaxing.

Classic W/A/S: 5 / 0 / 1

Weeb: Polar Bear constantly makes puns that only make sense in Japanese, which are explained as on-screen notes, but seeing a pun accompanied by a note is not nearly as funny as actually getting the pun.  I don't think I've ever seen an American show from any time period or genre that is similar to this show's format or pacing, so I'm also going to maintain that "mellow slice-of-life" is itself a concept that deserves a few weeb points.

Ass: Near-constant nudity... by the non-human characters.  Seriously, guys, this show is far more innocent than your typical Disney movie.

Shit: I'm sure there's something wrong with this show, but I'm blind to whatever it is because it's so cozy.  

[welcometomy20s]

April 7, 2022

Vocaloid Legends 2010 Part 1

29 - Good Sex (agoaniki) [Miku, Rin, Len]

Achievement Date: 10-01-18, Upload Date: 08-09-29 The title is a pun, and it’s nothing lewd. It’s just about someone finding reprieve from his daily life after going on a trip. Okay, the video is a bit disturbing, I can tell you that. But it’s quite a simple song, but quite catchy as well, with that Yokkorase! in the chorus.

30 - Miracle Paint (OSTER Project) [Hatsune Miku]

Achievement Date: 10-02-27, Upload Date: 07-11-22 Still OSTER Project’s most famous song. Vocaloid Jazz classic, and one that gave the pathway for the producer's future songs. Unlike above, this song is about something naughty as in it’s about a one night stand. I mean… it’s not hard to parse. As with her songs, the tuning is off, but the song is great, starting with the scat part in the beginning. Seriously, the brass section just goes off, and that’s true in most of her songs. And how the tension rises in the end in this extravagant way that is grand and awesome.

31 - Kokoro (travolta) [Kagamine Rin]

Achievement Date: 10-03-02, Upload Date: 08-03-03 Progressive Epic Trance it is. Probably the song that brought Rin onto the map, along with Meltdown, of course. Like Meltdown, this is also a sad song about a scientist who creates an android but can’t put a heart on them, until the robot wakes up hundreds of year later and downloads this heart program and she just feel too much emotions and has to shut down, but knowing the hard work their creator has done. As with the topic, the song is appropriately epic and a bit chilling. Just manages to avoid the cheesiness of the genre with the genuineness of the story and the lyrics. What a great song.

32 - Luka Luka Night Fever (samfree) [Megurine Luka]

Achievement Date: 10-03-07, Upload Date: 09-02-12 Start of the samfree intro series, and the most famous of the series. The dance is emblematic of the weeb explosion of the early 2010’s. (Can’t believe that’s basically history now! I was in high school! I could have been on the thick of it, and in some sense I was… but it just feels so much older than 2009, you know?) There is a part of the song that is frequently passed over in the cover version, which references a meme where you trick someone into seeing footage of an infamous erotic figure, which tells us how embedded in Nico Nico this song is, which makes it the perfect song for the era. Also that ‘come on’ and ‘woh!’ just put the cherry on the top on this sundae, you know?

33 - Two-Faced Lover (wowaka) [Hatsune Miku]

Achievement Date: 10-03-25, Upload Date: 09-08-30 Song that put wowaka on the map. Its incredibly fast opening is not just fast like Disappearance but stumbles and falls as Miku tells the conflicting feelings about love after a break up(?) akin to the last chapter of Ulysses. Of course, the tuning is phoenemonal, his tuning always echoes as if to reference the brilliance encased in the complex yet compact backing tunes and just… well, the sheer mastery of it. Some say there is a social commentary and I can see it, but I can’t make out the exact message. That’s true of many of wowaka’s songs, so expect me to waddle about for a bit.

34 - Cantarella (KuroUsa-P) [KAITO, Hatsune Miku]

Achievement Date: 10-04-07, Upload Date: 08-02-21 The first song of KuroUsa-P, part of a doujin circle known as WhiteFlame. Some reviewers said KuroUsa-P was not important in the history of VOCALOIDs, but I just beg to differ. Not only do they have a lot of songs in this list, they are probably the forefront of the songs that we typically think is VOCALOID. This is one of them. Cantarella refers to the Borgias, and like the name suggests it’s an sensual song with a fantastic violin background and general Romantic flavor. Lyrics are suggestive, but not much in terms of narrative, much like most of WhiteFlame songs. By the way, the song was originally written for a person named Merami Pop, who is an utaite specializing in Touhou songs and still covers songs to this day… Good friends with nayuta! (Is this the first Hololive connection from this series? Yes! But I don’t think it’ll be the last one.)

35 - *Hello, Planet. (sasakure.uk) [Hatsune Miku]

Achievement Date: 10-04-09, Upload Date: 09-05-24 First of the Lalala Eschatology series, one of the few series in which all of the songs are in this list and one that put sasakure in notability. His speciality is chiptunes, like this song, and as the series suggests, the songs are all about the apocalypse, specifically this song is about waking up after the apocalypse and regaining hope, although everyone else is dead. The repetition of Ohayo-ohayo in the chorus is incredibly cute and catchy, and the song is overly very light for a pretty dark topic.

36 - Last Night, Good Night (kz) [Hatsune Miku]

Achievement Date: 10-04-19, Upload Date: 08-07-31 Probably the most iconic kz song out there. Slow minimalistic ballad with a high-pitched Miku that deeply pierces into your ears, as the music rises higher and higher. There’s something to dismiss about his songs, since they're so distinctive, but people point to these kinds of songs as VOCALOID for a reason. This particular song is about a friend/lover leaving behind before having one last night. Its slow, deliberate pace draws the melancholy and a bit of hope that’s in most kz songs. I think it works great.