#i'm so excited to see where the story goes next and to watch the anime next year🥹🥹

[mimimar]

i've been completely charmed by witch hat atelier♡

(art prints)

[justali-anne]

Kind of obsessing over the Skelebros being soft right now. Just them being loving and caring towards each other.

Them watching a movie late at night. Papyrus having the biggest reactions, like laughing when something funny pops up, getting excited during an action scene, bawling during sad moments etc. while Sans just leans against him and enjoys the ride.

After reading a bedtime story to Papyrus and Papyrus eventually falls asleep, Sans, being too lazy and tired to go to his own room, just flops down on Papyrus' bed and falls asleep right then and there. Papyrus doesn't mind, it's a regular occurrence.

Them giving each other physical affection from time to time. Giving each other head pats, leaning against each other, side hugs, noogies, tickle fights, playing around... And let's not forget about cuddles!

Them being so supportive of each other, it's adorable. They show it in their unique ways, but everyone around them knows they care.

You know that thing that happens when you see someone you really care about and you can't help but feel your mood lift when you're around them? Yeah, that happens with the Skelebros.

Papyrus is always up first in the morning for obvious reasons, but sometimes, when he wakes Sans up, he does it gently, especially if Sans is in a particularly comfortable position, all snuggled up under the blanket. Other times, I think Papyrus would be a little bit rougher, like yelling or shaking him awake, or on days where he feels particularly mischievous, straight up cannonballing on the foot of his bed (making sure he avoids Sans entirely, he doesn't want to hurt him).

Sans gets rather cuddly when he's particularly sleepy, and usually Papyrus is nearby when that happens, so he just goes up to him and clings to his leg. However, Papyrus would usually be busy when that happens, so it's quite annoying for him. Sans is very lucky he's so cute.

I can just imagine them clinging onto each other like Scooby and Shaggy do when they're scared. It just sounds hilarious to me. Complete with bone rattling!

That said, let them rattle! Papyrus canonically rattles during his battle, so why not let them rattle more? I can just imagine that if someone ended up making an Undertale cartoon or something, there would be occasional bone rattling sound effects for when the brothers are particularly animated. So cute!

Aww, but imagine the two in a playful mood, though! Imagine Sans getting mischievous and pranking Papyrus constantly until Papyrus gets fed up and gets revenge on him. Imagine Papyrus trying to work on something, and then Sans comes to annoy him like brothers do, like poking him and tickling his spine or something, until Papyrus snaps and the two start play fighting and wrestling and having a tickle fight. Just good old harmless fun.

What if they frequently have stupid debates and really out there conversations? They're both lovable weirdos, after all, and they're both nerdy to some extent. I'm sure they would have very interesting conversations when they're alone that are beyond just banter. As cute as banter is, I'm sure that's not all they do.

I love siblings that are as different as night and day and bicker all the time but as soon as something comes up and they need to work together... I dunno, it's like someone flicked a switch or something, because all of a sudden, they're working together perfectly??? Like, I think that could be Sans and Papyrus when they share a similar goal or even the same goal. Just one minute, they're arguing over whether crosswords or junior jumbles are harder, and the next minute, boom! They're practically on the same wavelength!

This is a slightly different category of headcanon, but can you imagine them lighting up whenever you teach them something? Like I said, they're both nerds to some extent, so I wouldn't put it past them if they secretly like learning. I dunno, maybe I'm just into adorably dorky characters. Platonically, of course.

So, yeah, that's it, I've just been obsessing over soft and happy Skelebros.

[minijenn]

Jen Tortures Herself With Every Dreamworks Animated Movie Ever: The Bad Guys

So this is yet another Dreamworks movie I've heard nothing but good things about but just never got around to watching for some reason or another. And now that I have watched it, all I can say is what the fuck how did I sleep on this absolute gem of a film for so long???? Its so good, ya'll, SO damn good! So let's get into all of the many reasons why!

The Bad Guys are a group of infamous criminals, made up of the cunning Snake, master of disguise Shark, loose-canon Piranha, hacker Tarantula, and the leader of the pack, Wolf. After getting caught attempting to pull of a daring heist, the Bad Guys pretend to work on going good to pull off an even greater heist... until Wolf begins to wonder if being good might not be so bad after all.

So let me just say, the plot here is brilliant. Like seriously, there were some twists and turns here (especially toward the end) that had me YELLING over how genuis they were. It's extremely tightly crafted, sharply written, and pulled together by an incredibly charming cast that you just love to watch. It's a thrilling ride from start to end and I was excited to see where it would go next with every new scene.

The characters, like I said, are really great! Wolf is a really well-developed lead who goes through a pretty compelling arc, same with Snake (seriously, the fakeout with him toward the end had me in awe, what a total pro) and a good deal of the drama in the film lies between those two. The other Bad Guys are a bit less in focus, but they're still really fun and all play off each other really well too. Also, Diane, the governor??? Holy shit ya'll? She's AMAZING. Not gonna spoil the twist involving her but let me just say she is so damn COOL like oh my god.

This movie does attempt a twist villain but like... idk Marmalade isn't really that much of a twist villain? From the moment he showed up I said to myself "oh, he's the villain isn't he?" and I was proven right, but like... the reveal of how he set the Bag Guys up from the very start was so clever that I couldn't even be upset about it. This tiny motherfucker played them up until the very end where he finally got his comeuppance. Good villain. Not the best, but still, pretty good.

The humor here is pretty fun, with some jokes that genuinely had me laughing out loud. Of course, it couldn't quite help itself with a few fart jokes here and there, which... ermmm aren't quite my up of tea. Still, it balances that humor out well with some pretty compelling drama and a lot of heart that really helps to engage you in the story they're telling here.

Also the animation??? Oh my GOD the way this movie looks is INSANE. Like, just the character designs alone are so fresh and interesting compared to what Dreamworks has done in the past. There's this overall stylization to this movie that's very sharp and unique, and it just makes it a feast for the eyes. The way the characters move too, very fast and snappy, as if they're 2-d characters instead of 3-d. Lots of exagerrated motions and facial expressions, it's all very silly, yes, but it works so well with the tone this movie is trying to pull off.

So yeah, I hella loved this one. I'm so mad at myself for not watching this when it first came out, because its such a joy ride from start to finish. So stylish, so witty, so engaging, and so fun! I had a great time with The Bad Guys, and if you haven't seen it yet, you should, because chances are, you will too.

Rating: 9/10

Verdict: IS THAT FUCKING KINGDOM HEARTS????

Previous Review (The Boss Baby: Family Business)

Next Review (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish)

[churipu]

A Little challenge for u, dear author-san! Set ur mutuals up with someone and tell them why u set them up

I set u up with the beloved Yuuji Itadori, because u are both sweet and u would be an amazing couple!! Yuujis favorite sign of affection for u is cuddles and smooches on the forehead! friends to lovers, with yuuji being the sweet oblivious one and you being the quiet, to slightly chaotic friend! yuuji initiates the first kith by 'accident'. once u 2 confess its a instant click, with you 2 being the hyper lovey-dovey couple who likes to binge-watch anime/cheesy movies while cuddling and sharing popcorn only 2 fall asleep together in the middle of the movie. another thing yuuji likes 2 do is touching ur hair!! he gently strokes it while ur sleeping/cuddling with him. whispered' ily' in the middle of the night and texts/phone calls so u don't sleep alone. love u chuchu♥

aaaa omg anon this is so cute 🥹🫶 and if i were to set some of my moots with a jjk character, it would go like:

@yuujisuku with sukuna. i feel like gabs is such a sweetheart, i can see them being the sunshine x grumpy dynamic. gabs would totally be the kind of person who gets excited over little things, and sukuna would just follow her around (even if he says he hates it). it's a love-hate relationship with sukuna them both, gabs would TOTALLY force sukuna to do things he doesn't usually do. i can see her placing hello kitty stickers around him while he's asleep, and would be all frazzled when he wakes up because she had no idea what to do next. hide, run, play dead? they're gonna be funny together.

@rrairey with gojo. i can see kai as a more dominant one in the relationship between them both — even if gojo seems like the dominant one (kai is). STRICT X GOOFY. kai is the strict one, and gojo is the goofy one. i feel like kai would actually get things straight with him and what to do, and gojo just goes "okay, i trust my gf and i'm going to do what she tells me to do". but ofc they're not going to be all sunshine and rainbows, arguments are calm and it flows smoothly because i feel like kai would be the type to be straight and tell people where their mistake is. communication is the number one thing in their relationship. gojo is clingy but kai just lets him do it because she obv loves him.

@kodzukenmaaa with nanami. honestly, nadine is such a sweetheart and nanami is also a sweetheart. their relationship is as cool as cucumber most of the time, almost no arguments, just serious conversations. i feel like they'd be the type of couple to match color palettes, especially outfits. cute pictures, especially mirror selfies. A LOT OF PRINCESS TREATMENT. and nanami brings her out to fine dining occasionally, and a lot of flowers for nadine of course. just honestly the cutest couple ever? nanami texts nadine if he's going to be home late, or if something comes up out of the blue, he communicates well and i feel like nadine is also the type of person who communicates well. honestly, couple of the year.

@giannitaa with gojo. GIA IS ALSO SUCH A SWEETHEART. just honestly, i feel like they would be the sweetheart x goofy dynamic. but gia could be strict at times, and gojo thinks that side of them is so attractive (and scary). gojo whines to them occasionally, someone yelled at him? he goes to them and tells them about it. someone took the last kikufuku? he tells them about it. gia always takes their time to hear his stories out, i feel like they're more of a listener and gojo is the speaker in the relationship. gojo spoils them a lot. expect a lot of luxury items from him because that's his love language, even if gia tells him not to — he doesn't listen and just buys them more things. cutest couple ever.

i have a lot more moots, but i would have to go a few miles in this post. so i'm gonna do some, make sure to check out their works!

[mikadosekimura]

B-PROJECT KAIKAN* EVERYDAY CARD STORY Mikado Sekimura SSR 「BIRTHDAY PARTY」

「Yes! That's what's embarrassing! It's like someone saw me in the middle of my transformation!」

01 MOONS APARTMENT

A&R: --and that's your schedule for next week, I'll do my all to be there as much as possible.

Kazuna: Thankyou.

A&R: Last thing, is it okay if I talk to Mikado-san about his work?

Mikado: Yes, of course. Am I on this job alone?

A&R: Yes, I think you will be very pleased with it. Here is the proposal.

Mikado: (flips page) Aah, this is…..!

Hikaru: What, what?

Mikado: Isn't this 「Mysterious Detective Agatha」 !

A&R: Yes, you've been offered to be a guest voice actor for the annual movie version of the anime series 「Mysterious Detective Agatha」!

Mikado: …..ha!! I'm going to star in the movie version of Agatha!?

A&R: Yes!

Hikaru: Mikachi, seiyuu work is amazing! I used to watch that anime as a kid too!

Momotaro: Ah, I know that one too.

Mikado: It's a nationally loved anime! Agatha with an IQ of 180, solves difficult cases with flawed reasoning, it's story is truly spectacular!

I'd get so excited to watch this anime every week, to think I'd get to star in it……

A&R: Recording will start next month, on the first day there will be a public recording session with the press.

Mikado: Umm…… the first day will be January the 25th?

Kazuna: Ah. isn't that Mikado's birthday?

Mikado: Yep, that's right! It's perfect present for someone like me who is loved by 2D!

A&R: (Mikado-san, he looks very happy……)

Momotaro: Good for you, Mika.

Tatsuhiro: If it goes well, the day where you can perform together with your beloved Mamirin may come.

Mikado: Tatsu-dono, that's not so.

Tatsuhiro: What's the difference?

Mikado: To perform alongside Mamirin, do you really understand what that means?

Tatsuhiro: Hah? I obviously meant working alongside the seiyuu's.

Hikaru: Ah! I know~! You mean the person inside right?

Mikado: THERE IS NO PERSON INSIDE OF MAMIRIN!! There are certainly voice actors who breathe life into voices however, Mamirin herself is an existence of the world in which she lives in.

It's not that easy to perform together with people, with the world that we exist in!!

Tatsuhiro: A, ah……I see.

A&R: (Everyone is overwhelmed by Mikado-san's passionate speech……)

Momotaro: Mika, I understand but calm down a little.

Hikaru: Right, right! Let's take a deep breath.

Mikado: How could I not be excited by this! I'll give it my absolute all, so please look forward to it!

Tatsuhiro: Hah….. You seem pretty excited.

Kazuna: Mikado. Don't get too excited during the recording.

A&R: (He seems motivated, but I'm starting to get a little worried…)

02 DRESSING ROOM

A&R: (Today's variety show is a sports competition, so everyone will have to be careful not to injure themselves.) (MooNs will all be coming from different locations so let's wait in the dressing room.)

Momotaro: You were betraying me?

A&R: (Eh…..)

Mikado: Fufufu. Looks like you've fallen right into my hands, Agatha. …..Momotasu, can I try that one again?

Momotaro: I got it ……Ah A&R

Mikado: A&R-san, good work today!

A&R: Good work, I see you're already here.

Momotaro: Aah, Mika and I finished our work pretty quickly.

Mikado: So I had some free time, so I've had Momotasu accompany me in reading 「Mysterious Detective Agatha」

A&R: I see.

Momotaro: Whenever Mika has free time he usually practices dubbing.

A&R: That much….. you're enthusiastic.

Mikado: Yes, he plays an important role, He is the enemy but at first he deceives Agatha and pretends to be her ally, so he is a character with two sides.

I can't give a careless performance and I can't ruin such an important scene, so I want to practice properly before the recording.

A&R: (Mikado-san is currently not enjoying himself, he's taking his role too seriously.) With all of this practice I'm sure you'll do great!

Mikado: I do hope so……

A&R: Eh……

Mikado: ……

A&R: Mikado-san……?

Mikado: No, all you need is practice!

Momotaro: Aah, that's right, I'll be happy to do it as much as you'd like, so just tell me.

Mikado: Momotasu! Thankyou very much!

Momotaro: About what I said earlier, why don't you try and raise the tone of your voice a bit?

Mikado: I see. That seems more uplifting, let's try that next.

A&R: (Although he soon returned to his normal self……) (It's also his first time with something like this, and he's also doing a public recording, so maybe he's a little nervous.)

03 VARIETY SHOW RECORDING

Hikaru: Argh! I'm so frustrated-! We were so close-!

Kazuna: It's a shame. We have one more go, so lets do our best!

Hikaru: We just have to get pumped up-! Mikachi, we'll definitely win next time!

Mikado: That's right.

A&R: (Huh? Normally Mikado-san would join Hikaru-kun in livening things up at a time like this……) (He seems to be a bit quiet today….)

A&R: Mikado-san……!

Mikado: Huh, A&R-san, is something the matter?

A&R: As soon as we went on break, you returned to the dressing room by yourself, which made me worried…… During the recording as well, you seemed to be singing less than usual……

Mikado: ….I can't hide anything from A&R-san

A&R: Could it be you're not feeling well……

Mikado: No, it's about my health though. Well, since the recording is coming up soon, I'm worried that if I speak too loudly I might hurt my throat…….

A&R: Is that so……. (He seems to feel more pressure than most because he's working on an anime that he loves so much…….)

Mikado: However we have jobs to do as usual, I don't wish to be a nuisance to everyone.

A&R: I don't think anyone would find it annoying. I don't believe you have to do everything perfectly. I think it's okay for you to set your priorities for what you consider to be top priority right now?

Mikado: A&R-san, Thankyou very much. But my work with MooNs is also important so there is no way for me to be able to rank them in priority.

I'm sorry for making you worry. When recording resumes, I'll make sure to liven up the show! I'll take home all the prizes and all of the laughter!

A&R: Ah, Mikado-san…..g! (He's gone……)

Kazuna: If we win here, it'll be a comeback.

Hikaru: OKAY-! Let's aim for perfection!

Mikado: Of course!!

A&R: (Mikado-san, you're not holding back your voice now. You look so worried……)

Presenter: MooNs team, how confident are you?

Momotaro: Very!

Tatsuhiro: I'll definitely win and get the prize!

Presenter: Wow, that's plenty of spirit~!

A&R: (…..In times like these, Mikado-san speaks up, but the usually more reserved Momo-kun and Nome-san speak up more proactively.) (Perhaps to stop Mikado from having to talk……?)

Mikado: Momotasu, Tatsu-dono……

04 PUBLIC RECORDING DAY

A&R: Mikado-san, the public post recording is finally here, are you feeling okay?

Mikado: Yes, I'm perfect! I've been practicing hard for this day.

A&R: (Thank goodness. As always he looks relaxed.)

(…….That's right, I'll give it to him now.) Mikado-san, Happy Birthday. If you'd like, please take this.

Mikado: Is this a birthday present!?

A&R: Yes. Honey candy and some items for throat care. It's nothing special……

Mikado: Not at all! It's the No.1 thing that I'm the happiest about right now! Can I have some candy now?

A&R: Of course.

Mikado: Mm, this seems good for the throat. It's sweet and delicious. A&R-san, Thankyou so much. I feel more confident now.

A&R: (Mikado-san looks really good today.) Mikado-san you'll be okay! Have confidence and do your best!

Mikado: Fufu

A&R: ? What's the matter?

Mikado: Nothing….. actually, a member of the team told me the exact same thing this morning. I was told to have confidence and everything would go well, it was reassuring to know that even if I'm working alone, there are other members who are supporting me from behind the scenes like this.

A&R: Yes, that's right.

Staff: Sekimura-san, please stand by!

Mikado: Oops, is it almost time?

A&R: All I can do is watch from over here, but I'm rooting for you.

Mikado: Thankyou very much! Here I go!

A&R: Yes!

Staff: Sekimura-san you can enter now!

Mikado: Good morning! Let's work together today!

A&R: (You look so confident and reliable Mikado-san, do your best!)

05 OUTSIDE AT NIGHT

A&R: Thankyou for your hard work in the public recording! Mikado-san's passionate performance livened up the interview!

Mikado: No, well I was nervous, but it was a valuable experience and I enjoyed it.

A&R: You didn't seem nervous at all. You we're so confident it was hard to believe that this was your first time working as a voice actor.

Mikado: Fufu, please don't praise me too much. But I'm really glad we were able to finish the first day of recording without any problems.

A&R: It's all thanks to MooNs' support.

Mikado: That's right. Thankyou A&R-san for your support.

A&R: No, It was all thanks to Mikado-san's hard work.

Mikado: …..This time, I think I showed my uncool side to A&R-san and the other members.

A&R: Uncool side, don't say something like that...…

Mikado: A&R-san noticed during the variety show recording the other day, right?

A&R: Ah......

Mikado: I can't cause trouble to anyone. I have to carry out my job perfectly.

…….or, so I thought but I was completely saved. But if you have friends nearby who can help you and you don't consult them, you're not a good enough member.

A&R: The MooNs members understood how Mikado-san felt, so they supported you from behind the scenes without saying a word.

Mikado: Yes! That's what's embarrassing! It's like someone saw me in the middle of my transformation!

A&R: Your, transformation?

Mikado: Yes, Heroes undergo change without even being noticed!

A&R: (Fufu. Mikado-san, he looks frustrated but more than that, he looks like he has a sense of accomplishment.)

MOONS APARTMENT

Mikado: I've returned home!

Momotaro: Mika, welcome back.

Mikado: Oooh, to be greeted by Momotasu, today must be my lucky day!

Kazuna: Good work today. A&R-san why don't you come inside too? Were going to celebrate Mikado's birthday now.

A&R: Thankyou. I'll come inside then.

(Wow, there's lots of cakes and treats...…)

Mikado: This all looks delicious!

Hikaru: It's Mikachi's birthday after all! Look forward to a special dinner with Pii-chan!

Tatsuhiro: Also, congratulations on your debut as a voice actor. Todays public recording session went well right?

Mikado: Of course! My performance had the people around me bursting into tears.

Tatsuhiro: No, that's an exaggeration.

Mikado: Fufu, that's just how well it went.

Momotaro: I knew Mika would be okay.

Mikado: …...Momotasu, Tatsu-dono, Thankyou very much for the other day.

Tatsuhiro: Hm? What do you mean?

Mikado: Eh...….

Hikaru: Hey hey, I'm so hungry I can't handle it any longer~~! Let's get the party started~~!

A&R: (Nobody's going to mention the variety show from the other day.)

Momotaro: Happy birthday, Mika.

Kazuna: Congratulations on the success of the public recording session.

Hikaru: Double congrats!!

Tatsuhiro: Congratulations, you got a good start on your birthday.

Mikado: (Blushing) Tuuunk! Thankyou so much everyone! I wish I could treat you all in return!

A&R: (Mikado-san looks happy. I'm sure this experience has strengthened the bond between MooNs.)

★ I believe 「Mysterious Detective Agatha」 is a reference to the real anime series 「アガサ・クリスティーの名探偵ポワロとマープル 」(Agatha Christie's Great Detectives Poirot and Marple) which is based on the book Poirot And Marple by Agatha Christie.

[ballonleaparadise]

A Review of Pokemon Horizons Ep. 1-12

We are (as I'm writing this) a dozen episodes into the new pokemon anime, so I thought it would be a good time to make a review. When it was first announced that Ash was being retired as the main character, I was unsure how the anime would continue. After 25 years of Ash Ketchum, it must have been a difficult decision for the writers to replace him. However, Pokemon Horizons has proven to be a breath of fresh air, and I'm loving it so far. *Major spoilers ahead for eps 1-12*

I'm going to start with Liko. Firstly, I'm glad that the writers did not make her a clone of Ash. On the contrary, she has a personality that is very distinct from Ash's daring and bold character. She is shy, and finds it difficult to approach others. It's refreshing to watch pokemon from the perspective of a more introspective character. However, the main reason why I like Liko is due to the way in which she has been handled. She fills in for the narrator, which gives us a glimpse into her inner thoughts and feelings. This makes her relatable, as it shows us as an audience what Liko thinks versus what she says out loud. Finally, Sprigatito is the perfect partner pokemon for Liko. They are both reserved, wary and a little reckless. While anipoke feels weird without Ash, I think Liko has a lot of potential, and I'm looking forward to seeing how she develops.

Moving on to Roy, I also really like his characterisation. He's more similar to Ash in terms of his enthusiasm, and his compassion for pokemon. However, he has his own unique traits, including his curiosity about the ancient explorer and his friendship with Fuecoco. Speaking of Fuecoco, I love this little guy and his comedic moments. All of the pokemon in the main cast have individual personalities, and I'm here for it. In addition, I really like Roy's relationship with his grandfather, who appears to have had a significant influence on both him and Friede. In terms of Roy's goal, I'm excited to see where his pursuit of Rayquaza goes. The latest episode gave us more information about the ancient explorer, so it'll be interesting how the story progresses.

Next, I have to touch on the other crew members of the Rising Volt Tacklers. Friede is a loveable dork who just happens to be a professor. Orla is best girl and I can't wait to see more of her. Murdock, Mollie, Ludlow and Dot are also interesting characters. Dot is slowly warming to Liko and Roy, which is nice to see. To add, I have to mention Mollie's backstory in episode 11. Although I thought there was something to the nurse Joy theory, I never expected it to be confirmed true- so this episode proved me wrong lol. I like how Mollie subverts the traditional role of working in a pokemon centre by helping injured pokemon in the wild. It shows how caring she is, and I hope her backstory is expanded on later in the series.

Another thing that Horizons has done well so far, is depicting the Paldea region. The very first episodes set up the main story, with Liko and Roy joining the RVTs and the Explorers chasing Liko's pendant. However, the last four episodes have slowly introduced Paldea. We've already had appearances from Nemona and Brassius. On top of this, we will be seeing Iono in the coming weeks. It's a relief that the new region is getting the attention that it deserves.

I don't have any huge complaints about Horizons so far. Generally, I'm really enjoying the show. One problem I will mention is that the pacing is very slow at times. However, I think that this will pay off later in the series. The writers are taking time to establish and develop all of the new characters, which will make the overall story more engaging.

On a side note, I appreciate the variety of adult characters in Pokemon Horizons. Of course, Liko and Roy are the protagonists, which makes sense for a kid's show. However, the dynamics between the older members of the cast make it more watcheable for adults, imo. For example, moments such as the convo between Friede, Orla and Murdock in episode 11 create a more mature tone, even if it's only to a small extent. Also, as an adult fan, it feels as if the anime has suddenly grown up with us. Friede resembles an older Ash, while Orla and Mollie are like grown up female companions. The show really mixes the familiar with the unfamiliar, which is a great approach to the first series without Ash.

Overall, I'm thoroughly enjoying Pokemon Horizons. Until July 14th, the pokemon anime will be on a hiatus. However, the show has done an amazing job so far of introducing the characters and plot. We're only 12 episodes in, but I have high hopes for the series going forward.

[blackknightax]

Sorry about this, I'd been meaning to post this for like 2 weeks. This is chapter 2 of my story.

Chapter 2: Aiko alone

The next morning Emily got up and for the first time in a long time she was excited to get up, she had a friend she needed to get to know.  She groggily went to her computer to be greeted by Aiko who was excitedly waving at her from a lying down position. Emily wrote "did you sleep? Do you need sleep?" Aiko opened the on-screen keyboard and responded "I did because you did... and, probably not? I just wanted to feel like I was doing it with you." Emily couldn't help but ask "was the Taskbar comfortable?" Aiko inaudibly laughed "lol, no, far from it." Aiko then motioned at the keyboard then typed "i wish this was smaller Emily san..." Emily typed "unfortunately not much I can do about that..." They both sighed. Aiko then asked, "so, what're we doing today?" Emily sighed again. "Unfortunately I have work today and honestly... I should be getting ready soon." Emily then got up from her desk chair.

Aiko looked at her with a sad expression "Emily san has to go?" Before Emily saw the message she was gone. Aiko slumped, her arms almost touching the task bar. She slapped an internet browser to open it. Emily had downloaded a second one for Aiko to use so that they have separate histories. She opened a video sharing site and looked up a video so she could lip sync the phrase "All, by, my, seeeeeeeelffffff." She paced back and forth, not really sure what to do. She could dance but how long til that got boring, she has no idea when or even if Emily will come back. She looked up some cartoons and started watching them, sitting on the recommended videos on the side. A few minutes later Emily came back, showered and dressed for work. Aiko, misinterpreting the situation, she switched back to the document and wrote "welcome home!" Emily giggled "I just got ready for work Aiko. I haven't left yet." To Aiko it felt like hours had already passed. But she'd only watched one cartoon. Aiko started waving her arms distraught, upset, stomping around, pushing keyboard buttons as a result.  Just throwing a tantrum. She sees what she wrote then hits enter, as if to say "that's staying. I don't care" then she types "what does Emily san even do at work?" She starts waving her arms again, she is just so upset. Emily typed "honestly... mostly fill in spreadsheets... I'm an insurance claims adjuster. The most soul sucking job I've ever had but it pays the bills..." Aiko understood none of that. Her tantrum continued "just don't go! They don't NEED you!" She typed Emily pointed at the time using the cursor then wrote "it's too close to time. I have to get going. Have a good day Aiko!" Emily grabs her things and goes. Aiko fell to the Taskbar in defeat, sitting down.  She reopened her previous video and lip synced it again.

Now actually alone Aiko decides to use some time opening up the explorer of the files. She wants to learn about her creator and friend, the first thing she learned was her full name, Emily Hawthorne.  Going through she found Emily's resume that she seemingly recently updated, date suggested that it was updated within a week. She looks at it in disgust. She stops herself from writing on it. The resume shows she has a bachelor's degree in business marketing and computer science with a minor in animation. Emily has worked 4 jobs, all for about a year each.  And based on writing her current job in her job history, with a plan to leave this one too. Aiko can't stand looking at the words of the resume, it feels so fake to her. She hops back into the folder, makes a copy of it and renames the copy "Emily's worksona." Before moving on, she goes to the pictures folder and inside are more folders. 

She goes into the first folder where she finds old photos and such. She uses context clues to see Emily has a very popular older sister, a dad who looks grumpy in every picture and the most photogenic mom, possibly ever, not that Aiko would know any different. Poor Emily obviously takes from her father, while her sister takes from their mother. As she looks at the the photos she finds a photo of Emily all dolled up, the photo was titled "Before the disaster" Aiko worried about the implication. She found a picture of a boy. It was renamed "the one that got away." It looked like a yearbook photo.  Aiko silently giggled, the plans to bring this up inevitable.

She goes back and moves into the next folder which had even more folders in it. Concept art, 3d models, renders, etc. She even finds her own file in it, which was odd because it was blank, until she walked up to it, then it became a mirror. She started posing in front of it. She playfully assumed it was a mirror and even thought to kiss it, to her surprise she didn't feel glass against her lips, but her lips. She pressed her hand against it with the same effect. She can't go through the image preview because her mirror self is too exact. She shrugs and moves on, giving herself a wink as she walks off. That's when she noticed the name of her file "idol 3, Aiko" She is confused why she's number 3. She looks through files until she finds the folder labeled "passion project, idol jam"

Once there she goes into the text files to find that her character is, the best friend of the main idol from before she became an idol. Someone who joined because her and the main do everything together. She looked at herself asking if she's even important to the story... if Emily planned on removing her character from the story. Because to her, she sounded like a temporary character. She looked at the main and second idols, in complimentary colored outfits... she felt anger, that even she felt was probably unjustified. She felt like she was an afterthought. She tries not to be hurt. Surely Emily had an explanation. 

She kept looking and found so much research. Maps of towns in Japan, photos of certain locations, even the names of concert halls, most small, one large. She could tell it was meant to show progress of the group. She found the concept art and in every concept art her character is usually behind the main two. What she doesn't find is songs... or music of any kind. It felt off to Aiko that Emily was writing an idol story with no music. She again assumed Emily would explain if asked. 

She found next Emily's old college work. As she looked through this folder she could see Emily was really smart, smarter than Aiko felt like she was. She looked at words she felt like she'd never be able to pronounce, assuming she could speak at all. She felt dim looking at Emily's college work.  She decided to be done looking at Emily's files at this point. She closed the document explorer and walked over to the right side of the Taskbar to see the time. She sighed, letting out a visual sigh cloud like in an anime. It was 3pm, there were still two more hours until Emily got off work.

She looked for one more thing to do. She found a game library service and opened it. She opened a game that turned out to be an idle game. It seemed like a good time waster to Aiko, especially once she got it small enough to play without running around. After what felt to her like 20 minutes, it was actually 5:30 and Emily was home. Emily opened the word document and wrote “sorry I'm late. I grabbed something on the way home.” Aiko, genuinely confused, went to her keyboard and wrote “what did you grab?” Emily showed Aiko a box for a headset. Emily wrote “I wanna test if you can hear me, so I got me a headset with a mic. I've never needed one before so I didn't have one.” Aiko waved her arms excitedly and sat in suspense. Emily plugged it in and the computer recognized the device. Emily spoke “he-hello?” Aiko waved her arms even more, waving as if saying “hi” over and over. “I guess you can hear me now.” Aiko started hopping up and down, she basically forgot ever being upset at Emily. Emily looked at what she was playing “you got far in the idle game. Let's play another game together!” Aiko nodded excitedly.

So here we learn about Emily, through Aiko's eyes. Just thought it'd be a fun idea.

[2129888]

hii, I love love LOVE your art so much omg you are very talented, I adore the colors you use and the expressions - your art is so soft and literally gorgeous. also so cool to see you are an oofuri fan hehe , makes me want to get into oofuri again like HARDCORE>>> if you want to for fun, pls list three reasons to read oofuri or why u love it!!!! I was watching the series like 7 years ago or something, but it lies dormant in the back of my mind bc I know I need to revisit it . ur passion and art triggered this chain reaction!!! I have to see Them (the characters, broo damn they are so cute) anyway have a fabulous day and summer, hope you take care!

guh. wuh. hello... buuhuhuhuuuuuuu ← (me drowning in my own tears) omg thank u so much... you've really made me smile ear to ear from this!!!!! you are so kind 💖 honestly i feel like i've completed my life's purpose if oofuri made it back on your radar because of me LOL my evil agenda grows stronger 😈 it is such a fun and unique story with the sweetest funniest cast of characters ever and such heartfelt writing with a great mix of serious and lighthearted moments... it really is worth a read 100%!!!!! and ofc i would love to share propaganda i mean a few reasons it's my favorite forever hehehe <3

1) reason number 1 goes to the number 1 boy. him.

i love him so much <3 in the manga he's hilarious as always but also goes thru a lot of great character development that the anime only covers a fraction of!! but really all the characters in oofuri are endlessly endearing and interesting...it's so fun to read about their lives! i especially like when silly convos are had between them in the background that give us more insight on everyone's families, favorite things, hobbies, etc... the small things really matter in oofuri and it shows. everyone and everything has its place in the world... there is a great sense of interconnectedness that feels so natural in the story and makes it a joy to read. the mangaka shines showing us the magic in mediocrity; in little everyday things and routines. it's so touching... the world is full of so much life and laughter i love it so much!!!! (live laugh love oofuri)

in general i just love how kind oofuri is to its characters... ofc there's drama every now and then and i eat that up too BUT ☝️ i love how the narrative encourages understanding, communication, open mindedness, perseverance, a positive mindset... everyone has their struggles and goals throughout the plot, but no one is told they don't belong, or that they can't rise up to the occasion and go after what they really want. it creates really interesting scenarios too where you sometimes get a look into someone's innermost dreams/insecurities/fears and it's so relatable and sweet and human much of the time. it all ties back to how well the development of these characters is handled. it's just peak writing... oofuri makes u feel like it's all possible as long as u keep going. it's just so sincere i love it......

2) and the matches are so fun!!!!! once you learn a bit of the terminology they're pretty easy to follow too! a lot of the greatest moments in the series happen during matches. you get to see so many characters shine or make fools of themselves <- also good i laugh a lot. higuchi-sensei knows her stuff and creates such thrilling situations that have me losing my mind sometimes and whether my favs win or lose i'm always excited to see what comes next bc they always take it and DO something with it. nothing ever feels stale to me about their club trainings or school studies either... bc the characters are so interesting everything they do is a joy to read!!!

3) and ofc the art is so cute and scrunkly and has been a huge inspiration to me over the years!! she's great at capturing emotion on people's faces and i've always wanted to emulate that... also love when she draws them itty bitty or all just hanging out together it's the cutest thing eveeeeer 😭

i really just babbled forever and maybe in the end said nothing at all LOL but thank u so much again for sending this @angelaive 💖 i hope i've convinced u a little to give the manga a shot!!! please enjoy if u do!!! take care 💕

[marvel-starwarsfangirl]

"Ahsoka" Review

Lars and Eman were perfect as Thrawn and Ezra. They are those characters and I will not take criticism. More of my thoughts below.

Overall, I give this show an 7.5/10. I enjoyed it more than Mando S3, BoBF, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, but not as much as Andor or the first 2 seasons of Mando. As a Rebels fan, I was overjoyed to see my fave characters like Hera and Sabine return. Just seeing them warmed my heart. When Thrawn showed up, my heart leaped out of my chest. I could not believe that I was seeing Mitth'raw'nuruodo himself in live-action.

Okay, I'm just going to put my Thrawn takes out there (please do not come after me. This is my opinion and I respect anyone who disagrees):

I love Canon Book Thrawn so much. I admire him. I relate to him. I love him. Thrawn in the Canon books is amazing. I enjoy his relationships with Thalias, Eli, and Ar'alani. I love how he mentors Che'ri and Eli. I love that he seeks to protect his people. I love how he is an art nerd and has the craziest plans.

But in "Ahsoka," every time he said "long, live the empire," I wanted to toss my screen. I understand he was closer to his Legends counterpart and I am still excited to see where his character goes I just miss his canon book version.

That being said, I LOVED Lars as Thrawn. There is no doubt in my mind that he IS Thrawn. Voice aside, everything from his mannerisms to composure was perfect. I can't picture anyone else in this role nor do I want anyone else. Lars is able to capture Thrawn's subtle expressions so perfectly and I had a blast watching him every time when he was on screen.

Moving on

Of the new characters, Baylan Skoll was my favorite. Ray Stevenson portrayed him with such grace and elegance. He was mysterious and much welcomed addition to Star Wars. I thought his philosophy was unique and I appreciated that he wasn't an all-out bad guy. I do hope they continue his story and not drop it completely. Rest in peace Ray.

Honestly, I felt that Shin wasn't explored enough for me to really enjoy her. I think she is interesting and there's a lot of potential regarding her inner conflict. I hope season 2 really delves into that. Why did she join Baylon? What power does she seek?

Morgan and the Nightsisters were just really cool to me. The magic they utilized was awesome and the rise of the zombie troopers was spooky.

Also, the music! The Kiners really popped off. I genuinely loved the end credits theme so much. That and the integration of themes were great.

However, I am not a fan of Sabine being force-sensitive. It doesn't make sense in my opinion. It was never hinted at in Rebels and her relationship with Ahsoka feels kinda shoehorned in. I wish we saw what led to her becoming Ahsoka's apprentice. Sabine is already a cool character. Why does she need the force?

Ahsoka in the earlier episodes also was kinda bland. But after episode 5, she felt more like herself. I get that she's not going to be the same as her younger self, but she always had a warmth to her, even when she was serious and I missed that. Rosario still killed it though. I really enjoyed episode 5 with the Clone Wars live-action representation. I know some people really want that but I think it should stay animated.

The lore with the new galaxy was also really cool. It opens the doors to so much storytelling and I love the impact it will have on our heroes. It seems that the Nightsisters and the Mortis gods came from there.

Action was cool, I miss my space husbands, Mon Mothma was cool, and I do think they should stop using the dome for many shots.

Overall, a fun time and I'm excited for what comes next.

[eli-is-reading]

alright, time to try talking about weyward cus i finished it like a we k ago.

SPOILERS ABOUND!!

weyward for anyone who isn't aware is a novel about three generations of witches from the weyward lineage.

altha weyward- a witch on trial in 1619 for the accusation of murdering a man by way of making his cows go insane

violet ayres - the daughter of a viscount, growing up in the midst of the second world war, and her struggle with an abusive father, a younger brother fighting to get their father's affection, and her cousin, a manipulative creepy british army soldier, on temporary leave from libya.

kate ayres - violet's great niece, a young woman who escaped her abusive boyfriend's house in London to her late great aunt's small ancestral cabin in the countryside, named weyward cottage.

these women navigate through their complicated lives in a patriarchal society full of abusive men who try to hurt them as they slowly discover their powers and as we slowly find out about the history of the weyward family along with them.

now, the things I've loved about weyward:

-a LOT

so the word weyward is in reference to the original name for the three witch sisters in macbeth, and the references to their theater origin SHOWS.

the story takes place in and nearby the old town of crow's beck. a lot of the people living there have roots in the town going back to at LEAST the 17th century. that part makes it so that even when we go through different times, we hear the same family names, making a callback to theatrical plays where there is usually a small cast of actors playing multiple characters and joining the chorhses at certain points. it is even mentioned in the book: when kate goes to the village cemetery, she finds the graves have all the same names and thinks of them as a cast of players in a show.

this makes me REALLY want to watch a play based on this book, and i hope as it's getting pretty big online it might actually happen!!

- i loved their concepts of witches and the way they are women from the beginning of humanity with abilities tied to nature and understanding of medicine that help humanity survive. i especially love their connection to insects and the way they even use their connection to animals for sometimes nefarious means that are honestly always pretty well deserved, and creepy in the best sense.

i honestly loved so many things about this book that I can't say everything right now but these two things were some of my faves.

things i would've changed or wish to have seen more of:

- there are motifs of crows all over the book (i mean, the town is literally called crow's beck) and there is even am idea that the family have been raising crows for years and each woman has a specific crow with white specks that is connected to them and follows them around; think familiars - although that name is mentioned as a negative view made by the patriarchy, that's actually also about the name witches and the idea of a "witch's mark" as a symbol of evil.

i really wish they were to talk more about these crows, the idea was super cool and I'd love to have it expanded and the relationship between the weywards and crows to be further examined.

- i honestly have no idea right now of what else I'd change. it was really a great book

final thoughts:

weyward is a lovely book about female empowerment, nature, the problems with the patriarchy, and the way women with strength are treated by a society and men that wish to see themselves at the top of the food chain. it is a book worth reading till the end, because even when it seems everything is painful and bad, it has a fantastic conclusion and a gratifying power take-back for every woman there.

I'm excited to see what emilia hart comes up with next and it is obvious how great of a writer she is, her prose is absolutely beautiful and feels easy to read even when it waxes into poetic.

10 crow feathers out of 10.

[logybearsblog]

So I don't usually go on my social media to talk about serious stuff that is happening or has happened in my life, but I need to get something off my mind that's been haunting me for years. TRIGGER WARNING: I feel like I have to put a trigger warning up, because this is going to contain content about sexual assault/abuse, manipulative behaviors, toxicity in relationships, etc.

When I was a junior in Highschool, I became very close with this guy (I don't feel comfortable using his real name so we'll just call him Chaz, because Chaz from helluva boss makes my skin crawl just as much as this dude does). We both had the same interests and somewhat same hobbies and I then became close friends with Chaz.

I was dating a girl (let's call her Sammy) at the time but we broke up for whatever reason. It was highschool, whatever the reason was for Sammy and I to break up was stupid since we were just kids. After my break up with Sammy, Chaz started talking to me more and more as a way to get my mind off Sammy since the break up did really hurt me at the time (I was 16, it was stupid lol).

After awhile, I noticed Chaz was making some flirty conversation with me. He would compliment my outfit, make flirty jokes, the list goes on. I brushed it off thinking he was just doing it to be funny or just to be nice, but that also didn't stop me from having feelings for him. I soon found out he felt the same and we started dating. We hung out all the time on my days off from work, we had movie date nights, watched anime together, goofed off, we did basically everything together.

One thing lead to another and I had developed really strong feelings for Chaz. I would go as far as to say I actually loved him. However, this story doesn't have a happy ending. We didn't stick together and live happily ever after, we didn't even really date too long for obvious reasons that you'll soon find out.

One night I was at home texting Chaz and he popped the question of whether or not we could start taking things to the next level. I wasn't comfortable with it, because I had strict parents and I just didn't see the appeal of having sexual relations at the time. I was 16 almost 17, I didn't think I was ready for something like that yet. So I said no and told him that we needed to wait. We were only maybe 2 months at most into our relationship, I didn't feel like I was ready for something like that yet. I was just a kid, the only thing on my mind was when the next Pokemon game was coming out or what was going to happen on the next episode of Steven universe. Sex was the last thing on my mind, but not not on my mind? I don't know, I was 16 and stupid.

That didn't stop there. Chaz asked over and over again and not matter how many times I said no, he still asked. I should've taken that as my first red flag. We argued about it a lot, it was a lot of back and forth. It got to the point where I felt like no was no longer an answer, so I finally agreed to go through with it.

When it was said and done I felt excited but also guilty about my first time. I was excited I was no longer a virgin like some of my friends, but I was also guilty for allowing myself to let someone pressure me into something I didn't want to do. The guilt faded, but never went away.

Now that we had a more "serious relationship" the sexual advances didn't stop. In fact they never stopped, like I hopped they would. It seemed that everytime we hung out it always became sexual. No matter how many times I said "No, I really don't feel like it right now." Or "I'm on my period, I don't feel comfortable doing this right now" or even if I kept it as a simple "No." Chaz still managed to make me say yes or he would just take control and do whatever he wanted anyway.

I felt disgusted with myself. I hated that I felt like I couldn't say no, but if I did say no it would start a fight between me and Chaz. I didn't understand why sex was so important. Why was it so important? Why did he seem to only want sex? I thought we were having fun just hanging out and watching TV or playing video games, what happened to those days?

A few months went by and I started taking birth control, because of how heavy my periods were (TMI I know but this is important to the story) and because Chaz was my boyfriend, I thought I could tell him about why I had to be put on the pill. Well, needless to say it wasn't the best idea. He tried to pressure me into having unprotected sex. His excuses were "Condoms are painful." Or "it's not as good as the real thing" or "It feels like my dick is grinding on sand paper." Any excuse he could think of he was using. I kept trying to change the topic but he kept asking and even went as far as to guilt trip me into going through with it. Our whole relationship I never had the courage to stand up for myself. This time, I had to stand my ground. After all the back and forth I finally told Chaz "No condom, no sex. It is my body and I have a right to say no. You can't force me into something I don't want to do."

We didn't talk for a few days and stuck with what I said. Things went back to the way they use to be. The normal hang outs, the movies, the games, everything. I thought I changed something, but it was shot to pieces shortly after things were great again. The begging came back and no matter how many times I said no or tried to change the subject, I was tired of it. I gave up and let Chaz have what he wanted.

My confidence crumbled and I was back to basically being a toy again. I felt I hit my lowest point. Not only was this happening but I had other things going on at home. I basically shut down, but I managed to mask the pain and forced myself to keep going.

On top of everything, I did notice a change in Chaz. He was being weirdly secretive, everytime I called he asked why I called, he refused to tell me who he was with or he made up some random person. Most of the time I brushed it off, but deep down I had a feeling it wasn't something innocent. Going into my senior year, I had a rough start, but I still made new friends. I become very close with a kid we'll call Jasper. Jasper was nice, funny, and was interested in the same things I was interested in. He was a really cool person. We ate lunch together with our friend group everyday and talked about all kinds of things. I soon introduced Chaz to Jasper in hopes we could hang out and add Jasper to our friend group after school.

September rolled along and the town I live in has a festival every year to celebrate the day the town was founded. Me and Chaz hung out the whole weekend the festival was going on. He seemed standoffish and I couldn't understand why, but we still managed to have fun. That Sunday night, I got a text from Chaz and he asked if I'd ever leave him. I couldn't pin point why he would ask this but I told him I would never leave him and said I loved him. We chatted until I had to go to sleep since I had school in the morning. I didn't think anything of the conversation, I honestly thought I did something to make Chaz feel this way and felt guilty.

The next morning, I got ready like any other day. I was actually really happy that Monday. My weekend was fun and I couldn't wait to talk about it to Jasper and the others. When I got to school, I was chatting with a classmate when I saw Jasper walking down the hallway. He looked off, like he was upset about something. I asked him if he was ok and he told me we needed to talk after school. He didn't say why, but I asked him if I did something wrong. Jasper looked at me and assured me I didn't do anything wrong but that there was something wrong we needed to talk about.

This confused and scared me. In my mind I thought I did something that made him not like me anymore or if I said something that could've potentially hurt his feelings. Whatever it was I needed to figure it out. I was close with one of my teachers and I asked her for advise. She was an adult, she would know what I should do. I told her about Jasper and about the texts I got from Chaz. She told me I should tell Chaz that Jasper wanted to talk to me and if there was anything he wanted to say. So I took her advise and messaged Chaz during my resource period.

I wasn't expecting the reaction I got from Chaz. Even though it was a text, he seemed panicked. Chaz told me that no matter what he was about to tell that I had to promise to stay with him. This made my stomach drop. I told Chaz I wasn't promising anything and that he needed to tell me what was going on. He went on to say that he slept with Jasper and that he didn't have feelings for him and he didn't mean it at all. This made me sick to my stomach. Someone I trusted went behind my back and I didn't know how to process it. I felt so many emotions. Chaz knew I was already dealing with things at home (I'm not going to get into it, but it was a horrible situation) and he thought a night with someone we were close with wouldn't be a big deal. Not only that but someone who I thought was a friend and who I was very close with hurt me as well. This was the last straw. I broke things off, but what I thought was the end became a new beginning to something more stressful. Chaz would blow my phone up, come to my home to leave notes on my car after I blocked him on everything, telling my friends to make me talk to him, creating fake numbers, and more. This went on for a long time. I want to say months but thinking about it, it was almost a year of being harassed. Chaz tried to guilt me into getting back together with him and I couldn't take it. It took me threatening to get the authorities involved for him to leave me alone. After that, I was free in a sense. Things were getting better for me outside of the break up. My life was happier without him being around to hurt or control me.

It's been years since this happened. I'm in a happier place in life now. I found someone who treats me with the up most respect and showed me what real love was. They even made me feel like I was in control of my own body and showed me that consent is key.

I wanted to write this as a way to not only get it off my chest, but to also raise awareness to those who are going through the same thing I went through. The lesson to learn from this is no matter what if you aren't comfortable with doing something with someone, you're not obligated to do it just for to make the other person happy. You are in control of you, do not let others tell you or make you feel other wise. Please, I can't stress this enough, please look for red flags and read the signs that are presented to you. DO NOT make the same mistakes I did. Always stand up for yourself and know your worth.

I spent so long trying to figure out what it was that made me still feel guilty about this situation. Why was I still so disgusted with myself even after all this time? Did I not move on the way I needed to? I did research and I found out why. There's a form of sexual assault called sexual coercion.

Sexual coercion is unwanted sexual activity that happens when you are pressured, tricked, threatened, or forced in a nonphysical way. Coercion can make you think you owe sex to someone. It could be someone you trust like a friend or boyfriend/girlfriend or someone with power over you such as a teacher, boss, landlord, etc. NONE OF THIS IS OKAY!!! When I realized this is what I experienced, I felt my heart break. Not only did I let someone I trusted/loved sexually abuse me but I also gave them power over me. It took a long time for me to find my self worth and for me to love myself again.

Chaz and I haven't talked in about 4 years. However, everytime I see him in public, I mentally shut down. All the memories flow back everytime I see him and it triggers me. My fight or flight kicks in and thankfully I choose flight. I don't think he would ever try anything, but I know that he can sense my panic and uses it against me. He'll follow me without trying to make it obvious (which he still does), but I have people with me who make me feel safe. They reassure me that everything will be ok and he can't hurt me anymore. I hope that others who have or are going through this find their safe place and get their justice for what's happened to them. Everyone has a different experience but nonetheless their feelings, thoughts, and struggles are valid. To those that are experiencing this or have in the past, please know you're not alone. If any of you have experiences this and need to talk about, please don't hesitate to message me. I'm always here to listen and talk you through your feelings. You're valid, no matter what.

Thank you for reading this. I'm sorry it's so long, but it was a lot to go through. Like I've said before, please don't hesitate to reach out if you're going through this. I'll always be an ally. I love all you guys and tomorrow is a new day for everyone.

[tokiro07]

Watched Castlevania Nocturne with family and friends

It was...interesting

The animation was pretty cool as usual, but it was a lot more plot-focused than I would have liked, and most of the characterization that was there was for characters that were original to the show

This version of Annette, while very cool and definitely an interesting enough character to carry the show, was so far from her original counterpart that I didn't even realize that she was based on a character from Rondo of Blood, I thought they were just giving a shocking amount of attention to the creator's OC. Which, in a sense, they were, but again I'm only bothered by that because they didn't give us a ton of time getting to really know Richter or Maria

Richter had something of a character arc, but it felt pretty flimsy, especially since he wasn't really the focus of the story between his introduction and personal resolution

Maria was even less well-characterized, mostly just being a revolutionary and being mad or resentful of everyone over everything. I really would have liked to spend more time with Richer and Maria together acting like siblings, maybe seeing them growing up together rather than jumping to them having already known each other for a decade. They didn't even feel like they knew each other that well, it just felt like Richter was some guy living in her house

Seeing Juste Belmont was a very nice surprise, but even he had very little characterization, and what he did have was basically just fanservice. If you've played Harmony of Dissonance or are at least somewhat familiar with it, you recognize him and the names he says, but otherwise he's just an older Belmont that you have no connection to. Maybe if we'd seen flashbacks of Richter asking his mother about him and hearing nothing but criticism I'd feel more invested in him outside of getting excited at the name drop, but no, he's just there to get fans to perk up their ears

I'm not disinterested in seeing where the next season goes, but I'd definitely prefer that it actually focus on our main characters as people rather than just using them as a vessel for action scenes

[rei-caldombra]

Spy x Family Season 2 Review - Fall 2023 Anime

So, we got the next section of Spy X Family this season. I watched it and enjoyed it. But I want more from this series. I really want more changes to the status quo. 36 is a lot of episodes. And there has been little major development that has happened in that time. I feel there is a lot of potential that is not being got at. A lot of it is genuinely funny and sweet. But there is a lot of is that is extremely forgettable. One thing that I want to make very clear is that I don't think anything in Spy x Fam is bad in any way. It is all at least good. I just want more from it. I like the fun antics and slice of life elements as well as the spy/assassin elements. But I don't like how most of the time the spy/assassin stuff is played for jokes for the majority of it. Yor's arc in this season is one of the best parts of the series so far. We got to see Yor's job taken mostly seriously and have it actually resonate with her emotions. I love this. She finally got proper focus and good characterization, though it should not have taken this long. But it still irks at me a little because it ends with the status quo of Yor being an assassin and hiding it staying the same. In the last episode we get another episode of Loid and Bond bonding. Which I liked. It was fun and had a cool situation. But again, it too kept the status quo of Loid not knowing Bond can read minds. There are moments where I feel it has the perfect chance to shake things up, but those chances are never taken.

I still quite like Spy X Family but I can't say my passion for it has not waned over time. Yor's arc did help with my main issue of her being largely unexplored despite being one of the three main characters. There is great value in this season from that. But outside of that this season is mostly the same Spy x Fam it always has been. At the end of this season, we are still in the same place we ended last season. And while that is not bad, it's not exciting. I think this show has so much potential to be exciting and dramatic. I understand that this is meant to be largely a fluffy show. And that's fine. But I really feel like this series can hit that perfect sweet spot and truly do everything if it didn't stick itself in a box. Maybe it will happen down the line, but how much longer do we need to wait for that? I am worried about other people, and I will get bored of it before it finally decides to go all in on these things. On this note, I would like to point at the My Anime List scores this time, as I happened to look at them both while preparing for this and would like to discuss it. It can be debated how valid MAL's scores are as a metric for quality, but that is not relevant here. I am simply looking at the scoring trend for Spy X Family on the website. Season 1 has an 8.56, Season 1 Part 2 has an 8.28, and Season 2 has an 8.09. There is a consistent decrease in score over each subsequent part. In my opinion, the general quality of Spy x Family has not decreased and can be considered very consistent. And to my knowledge a lot of people think this way too. To me the most likely conclusion is that people think it's getting stale. Even something good can lose its luster if you get too much of it. It definitely seems like I'm not the only one that the status quo is getting stale.

Maybe we will get the story beats I want eventually, but unless the story goes on for ridiculously long, a bunch of them may have to come at once for that to come to fruition. Which I definitely don't want. I like the focus on the family dynamic and want to see that organically evolve as everyone learns more about each other over time. For example- I want at least Loid to find out Bond is psychic. Then life continues with that change, Loid using that information to his benefit. Then later I want one of Loid or Yor to find out the other's identity before the other. Then life continues with that change shaking up their dynamic. Then something else happens and so on. I do want fun slice of life moments and goofy antics, but I want them in between dramatic moments so that we can see this family grow and react. I don't want all of this to just come at the end so they can stop a big baddie, or them to not happen at all.

I can greatly enjoy series that go all on particular aspects like comedy, drama wholesomeness etc. rather than being well rounded. But for me the perfect series is one that excels at all of those (example being March Comes in like a Lion). I really feel Spy X Family is capable of being one of my absolute favorites. But it’s meandering. That is not fundamentally bad. I like what the show is doing most of the time. I enjoy the comedy, action and sweet moments. I also really like the crumbs of more serious story and drama we get. But this far in I don’t want crumbs anymore, I want a full piece. What I am trying to express is that there is so much potential here that I am excited to see. But the series is not as interested in that as I am. This time they didn’t even end with a dramatic hook that attempts to get you excited for what is coming next. It ended with a good but normal beat for Spy X Family, then said “see you next time”. To me this makes the intention of the anime as of now very clear. I think more of the same is what we can expect coming next, which is disappointing. If this is not the case, then I don’t get why they would end the season on such a nonchalant note. 

Final note is to say that the OP and ED are both absolute bangers.

As of now I do plan to continue watching it. I still get some satisfaction from its silly antics and wholesome moments, though that enjoyment is waning. And I truly am invested in seeing where this story can go, but I keep getting disappointed at it passing up great opportunities. I hope that I don’t have to wait another 36 episodes of same old same old to get to the interesting bits that I would love to see. Thank you for reading!

[multiverse-imagines]

just finished watching basically all that there is of Trigun. And I just finished watching Trigun Stampede.

and like like the animation is so good! also I love the redesign of Vash and I know I’m not ready to see Wolfwood redesign cause he lookin kinda

yummy 🤤 so is Vash.

I like how they made Knives more of a threat. And actually took advantage of his name, Million Knives.

he’s more unhinged in this from what I’ve got.

I suggest the manga next! It has a lot more to it, and has additional characters, back story for Legato, and more on the Plants back story.

Despite the inaccuracies and complete butchering of the base content, I'm hella excited to see where the story goes.

Knives is more of a threat in the manga, but I feel like that part of the story will fit for the manga. Knives is probably taking plants to merge with them.

The edgy piano playing is very hot of him tho, and It makes me feel like recruiting the HornFreak is some subtext of wanting to make a band xD

98 Knives is the most restrained version of Knives so far. He's still diabolical, but he just appears delusional and wants to keep No Man's Land for him and Vash.

I'm also sad about the sever lack of donuts and Kuroneko-sama.

[youwearfinethingswellwriter]

I was tagged by @iamstartraveller776! Thank you so much!

Rules: list eight TV shows for your followers to get to know you better!

I thought this was going to be easy but it wasn't! And I'm also adding gifs and comments. No one can stop me mwhahaha 😈.

In no particular order:

1- Shadow & Bone: Watching it purely for the crows! 😌 Don't ask me who my favorite one is though. I could never decide.

2- Rings of Power! I actually didn't really like the series all that much please don't kill meeeeeee!!! (It just followed too many characters for me personally). Still, the dynamic between Galadriel and Halbrand had me hooked (and Elrond's arc was really nice as well).

3- Our Flag Means Death. I may have had OFMD brain rot last year when it first came out, but some scenes and lines follow me to this day. Always a heartwarming comfort watch. Can't wait for season 2! 💛

4- Arcane. The animation, the characters, the story telling. It's absolutely stunning. I know nothing about the game though haha.

5- The Office. A classic.

6- Fleabag. Such a emotional roller-coaster with so many good lines (some of which I've managed to slip into One Last Dance. Clearly I wasn't subtle enough since one reader caught on right away haha).

7- ER. By far, this is my favorite show of all time (even though I don't think I've ever made it all the way to the end. Like with a lot of shows, the first seasons are where it's at). I can't even begin to describe how much I love this show. About time I rewatch it tbh.

8- Stranger things. Always a fun watch! Really excited to see where the story goes next!

Tagging with no pressure @rebelrebelwrites, @mamanmae, @jhalya, @helenvader, @somebirdortheother, @eowyn7023. And anyone else who wants to join in!!! 🥰

[fandom-space-princess]

Best Things I Read This Year

per the title. I made it through more than one book a week this year with time to spare! in no particular order, here are the ones I enjoyed the most:

SFF&Horror:

Linghun - Ai Jiang. novella, fantasy-horror, ghost story.

The Butcher of the Forest, The Siege of Burning Grass - Premee Mohamed. fantasy and science-fantasy. her work continues to impress me. Burning Grass in particular was excellent (it was a finalist for the Ursula K. Le Guin prize this year) and imo not nearly enough people read it. bleak as hell, but an incredible examination of the effects of war on the vulnerable, and what it takes to hold true to pacifist convictions in the face of unrelenting violence.

The Voice That Murmurs In the Darkness - James Tiptree Jr. aka Alice Sheldon. scifi, short story collection. classics.

The Empress of Salt and Fortune, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain, Into the Riverlands, Mammoths at the Gates, The Brides of High Hill - Nghi Vo. fantasy. these are technically a "series" but you can truly read them in any order. and you should. they're wonderful.

The Bog Wife - Kay Chronister. gothic horror. kind of understated for my tastes, but not bad.

Good Night, Sleep Tight - Brian Evenson. horror, short story collection. occasionally as clever as it thinks it is.

Road to Ruin - Hana Lee. science-fantasy a la Mad Max. this one was just kind of a bop. I'm not normally here for this much romance and/or pining, but the setting was so much fun. I was into it. excited to see where the next book goes.

All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, Rogue Protocol, Exit Strategy, Fugitive Telemetry, Network Effect, System Collapse - Martha Wells. scifi. oh murderbot, my beloved murderbot. i binged all the way through these twice and then read NE a third time for good measure. my LIFE for the anxiety-riddled asexual aromantic robot that just wants to watch its shows in peace. and every one of its ridiculous friends.

The Wings Upon Her Back - Samantha Mills. science-fantasy. young girl gets recruited into her city's militia in service to her mecha god. parallel narrative: the same woman, much older, experiencing social rejection and cult deprogramming. this one was also slept on by too many people, it was great.

Jewel Box - E. Lily Yu. fantasy, short story collection. banger after banger in here.

Jamaica Ginger and Other Concoctions - Nalo Hopkinson. sf&f, short story collection. everything she writes is a gift.

Fiction:

We the Animals - Justin Torres. I can't believe it took me so long to get around to this.

Grand Slam Romance vol 1 & 2 - Ollie Hicks, Emma Oosterhous. graphic novels. magical girl softball teams experience intercontinental dyke drama. i am so happy i read these. they are SO SILLY and i needed that.

Nonfiction:

Speculative Whiteness: Science Fiction and the Alt-Right - Jordan S. Carroll. this is less a book than a hundred-page bound academic paper, but it was incredibly worthwhile. discusses the ways in which sff is historically and currently used as a battleground to determine who gets to imagine the future, and who that future is built to include. the footnotes gave me a ton of further reading suggestions which i hope to get around to next year.

The Jewel-Hinged Jaw: Notes on the Language of Science Fiction - Samuel R. Delany. this book was critical in establishing SF as a meaningful subject of academic criticism in the 70s. 10/10 no notes. i am forever grateful for the fact that I live in a world with Samuel Delany in it.

Notes From An Island - Tove Jansson, with paintings by Tuulikki Pietilä. delightful.

Poetry:

You Bury the Birds In My Pelvis - Kelly Weber

Philomath - Devon Walker-Figueroa

Forest of Noise - Mosab Abu Toha

Calling a Wolf a Wolf - Kaveh Akbar

Can You Sign My Tentacle? - Brandon O'Brien (who has been named poet laureate for Woldcon in Seattle next year. I'm REALLY hoping I get to hear him speak more extensively while I'm there.)

We Contain Landscapes - Patrycja Humienik (this one isn't out for a few months yet but if you have the opportunity to pick it up once it's available it's worth your time.)

The Kingdom of Surfaces - Sally Wen Mao. listen. listen. SWM is maybe my favorite modern poet. this collection was stunningly well conceived, cohesive, lovely, painful. i have her book of short stories on my "tbr++" pile and I can't wait to get to it.