#inspired by new ovas

[marshmallowgoop]

No matter how special it is, a kid's lunch is still just a kid's lunch.

I dunno, I liked "The Genius Restaurant" (Episode 1,089).

Happy (belated) birthday, Jimjam.

[Song link] [YouTube link]

[owlyflufff]

haikyu's dumpster batte is only going to be around 1 hour and 24 minutes, oh it's genuinely bokuakaover

[notdysfunk]

sooo about that... we fuck it and ball regardless? I own rollerskates now :D

Y'all ever get so hyperfixated on something it's ALL you look at/think about all day, learn a lot about it and then like have post-hyperfixation dread? 😭 Like "Oh my god I need to do anything but think about this right now, what am I doing"

[ocreoart]

Fallout New Vegas: OVA

Really loved that inspirational speech part at the Hoover Dam, what was your favorite part of the OVA?

[coolfireguy73]

I'm not sure if I'm 100% happy with the 90's effect but :/

Took inspiration from the OVA (my beloved JoJo OVA) that's why the colors are a bit different, tho I kept Kakyoin's hair and eyes the same as the anime.

Trying some new things with the colors and shading.

Hope you'll like it :)

[my-plastic-life]

Inspiring Women: Rumiko Takahashi

New custom doll is here! I'm sure we all know about the Mattel Barbie Inspiring Women doll line, right? Well, I took it upon myself to create one of my own because I'm sure Mattel will never make one lol. Click here for behind the scenes on how I made this doll!

I opted to create an Inspiring Woman Barbie based off Rumiko Takahashi, the Japanese manga artist who created my all-time favorite manga and anime, Inuyasha. But that isn't the sole reason she's deserving of this title. Yes, that creation got me into all things Japan and introduced me to the entire anime genre, but this mangaka has excelled in her career for 45 years - a profession that has been primarily male-dominated since its inception.

I also created a box for her designed after the official Mattel Inspiring Women boxes. The outfit she's wearing is inspired by the one she wore during the 2023 knighthood honor she received. Accessories include her most recent book, Rumiko Takahashi: Colors 1978-2024, as well as her 35th anniversary book that comes with removable genuine sketches, plus the first volume of the Inuyasha manga (original Japanese version). The doll I used was the Asian sister of Ariel from the live action Little Mermaid, but I cut her hair and styled it differently, painted some age lines on her face, removed her pink eyeshadow, and gave her some glasses. I also gave her a curvy body with the same articulation that dolls in this series have - movement at the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, and knee. Because I'm that much of a perfectionist. :D

Doll in the Inspiring Women box. The scene behind her is an actual photo of Rumiko Takahashi's studio.

Back of the box, all made by me based on actual Inspiring Women boxes.

Fun facts: Takahashi has never been married, and she has stated in interviews that she doesn't plan to. In addition, she works with women exclusively as she writes and creates. She has specifically said that she wouldn't hire a male assistant because he would be "troublesome." She prefers the atmosphere of a studio of women working together without distraction. Her work stands out among other shonen pieces because of its creativity, complex characters, and nuanced romances. Her woman and girl characters are never accessories to the guy hero, which was often the case in early shonen stories, especially. Takahashi often likes to implement strong, independent, multi-facetted female characters in leading roles into her stories. Talk about girl power!

Now for more information as to why she's so deserving of having her own doll in my collection. :D Strap in, because this post is a doozy!

BIO: Rumiko Takahashi (born Oct. 10, 1957) is the best-selling female comic artist of all time, selling more than 170 million copies of her work in Japan alone, and one of the names by which to reckon the evolution of anime. She is one of the wealthiest women in Japan, all of her longer running manga have become TV series, and nearly everything she has written has been adapted into animation (OVA or TV). Perhaps more importantly, her influence and the nature of her series since 1980 have been cited as large contributors to the perception and acceptance of anime as a medium today.

Rumiko with her new Colors book. Outfit inspired by the one she wore when receiving her knighthood.

All of Takahashi’s work has become popular throughout the world, and with more than 20 years of publishing her manga art, she earned the title of The Princess of Manga.

Takahashi's professional career began in 1978 when she was a university student. That year, she worked on her first full-length series entitled Urusei Yatsura. It became one of the most loved manga and anime comedies in Japan. In 1980, when she began to publish regularly, she began her second major series, Maison Ikkoku. This series is now considered to be one of the all-time best manga romances.

As her stories appeared and attracted many fans, Takahashi grew in popularity as an artist while improving her writing and artistic abilities. In 1987, a huge year for her career success, three of her most well-known stories ended and she began work on Ranma ½. The series continued for nearly a decade until 1996, when it ended at 38 volumes. Ranma ½ and its anime adaptation are cited as some of the first of their mediums to have become popular in the United States. While publishing Ranma ½, Takahashi was hospitalized several times for peritonitis. But even during her second hospital stay, the series did not stop.

35th anniversary book has removable sketches - real photos actually drawn by the artist. The background is an actual photo of her basement (note all her figures!)

During the latter half of the 1990s, Takahashi began her fourth major work, Inuyasha. With this series, Takahashi is also often said to be the first woman to successfully set foot in the Shōnen genre and leave a lasting impact on it. To date, Inuyasha is her longest-running series, ending in 2008. In 2020, it received a sequel series titled Yashahime: Princess Half Demon.

In the basement library (actually in her home) with the first volume of the Inuyasha manga.

On July 30, 2008, Takahashi noted her 30th anniversary as a mangaka, and on July 8, 2009, during Shonen Sunday's 50th anniversary celebration, characters from three of her most popular series (Urusei Yatsura, Ranma ½, and Inuyasha) joined together in a short crossover to welcome everyone to the celebratory milestone. That same year, VIZ Media, one of the entertainment industry’s most innovative and comprehensive publishing, animation and licensing companies, announced the launch of a brand new imprint, Shonen Sunday, featuring the works of some of the top shonen manga creators in the world today. Takahashi's series RIN-NE was the first to be featured in the new imprint, and was the first manga novel ever to be published simultaneously in Japan and North America.

In her studio showing off genuine sketches. Featured here: Featured here: Lum from Urusei Yatsura, the Tendo house from Ranma 1/2, and Inuyasha character heights. This outfit is inspired by the one she wore at the Rumic World 30th anniversary ribbon-cutting.

Early in her career, Takahashi expressed that though she doesn't write love stories often, she loves a good love story. While none of her works are straightforward romances, many of her works early and later on have compelling romance subplots that are integral to the characters and world. Her works like Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2 are known for their romances. Takahashi's romances are varied, and they are trendsetting. They set the standard for popular romance tropes like slow-burn romances and love triangles. The love triangle between Kagome, Kikyo, and Inuyasha is one of the most iconic in all anime.

In her studio showing off genuine sketches. Featured here: Ranma from Ranma 1/2, Lum from Urusei Yatsura, and Mao and Kiba from Mao.

In her studio showing off genuine sketches. Featured here: Yashahime, Inuyasha 20th anniversary, and Inuyasha, Kagome, and Moroha.

Outfit inspired by the one worn during the Rumic World 30th anniversary ribbon cutting.

HONORS: * Takahashi won the New Comic Artist Award in 1978. * Winner of the 1994 Inkpot Award at The San Diego Comic Con in America. *In 2016, ComicsAlliance listed Takahashi as one of 12 women cartoonists deserving of lifetime achievement recognition, stating that "any one of her projects would be the career highlight of another talent." In 2017, Takahashi was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame as part of the 2016 class. *In July 2018, Takahashi was inducted into the Eisner Hall of Fame. She was previously nominated for entry in 2014, 2016 and 2017. *In January 2019, Takahashi won the grand prize at the prestigious Angouleme International Comics Festival in France, becoming the second woman and second Japanese manga artist to win the award at the festival. * In 2020, Takahashi was awarded Japan's Medal with Purple Ribbon. First awarded in 1955, this honor is awarded to individuals who have contributed to academic and artistic developments, improvements, and accomplishments. * Takahashi was inducted into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame in October 2021. The Harvey Awards are one of the comic industry's oldest and most prestigious awards. Recognizing outstanding achievement in multiple categories, the Harvey's have been a fixture of the comic industry since 1988. * In April 2023, Takahashi was conferred the Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) by the French government. She is the first female mangaka to receive this honor.

Books: 35th anniversary (with removable genuine sketches inside), Colors: 1978-2024, and volume 1 of the Inuyasha manga.

Genuine sketches, all fit inside the 35th anniversary book.

Source photos (first is from being bestowed a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, second is from the Rumic World 30th anniversary ribbon cutting in 2008):

[spacepajamas956]

New Headcanon: Teru started working out after meeting Mob partially because he was inspired by his motivation and stuff but also because he saw that his club was full of buff guys and thought that if he worked out too, Mob might find him more appealing.

Evidence: In episode 5 when his clothes ripped away, he wasn't as ripped as he is later in the show. AND in the Spirits and Such outing OVA, Teru asks Mob if he likes anyone from his club. It's important to note that Teru KNOWS his club is full of buff dudes. He KNOWS.

[acquired-stardust]

Anime Spotlight #4: Gunsmith Cats (1995)

It's time for another spotlight! Join Ash as she takes a look at one of the coolest anime of the 90s along with some of the circumstances of its creation as well as some of the cultural context of the time with this article.

If you've been looking for something to watch or just want to pass a little time reading, Acquired-Stardust has you covered - check under the break for another entry in our series of spotlights on games and anime that are well worth your time!

It's November 13th, 1994, and the Chicago police department has recieved some reather peculiar guests for a tour of the facility. They've come all the way from Japan, cameras in hand and fresh off exploring the streets of the Windy City scouting locations as well as a trip to a gun range, for a film project. They're staff from Oriental Light and Magic, a studio operating out of Tokyo, and astonishingly their film project isn't live action - it's an animation.

Animation is not an art form that has historically garnered much respect in the west. Although by November of 1994 we would be well into the Disney Rennaissance, it's actually so early into the more recent mainstreamification of animation that Cartoon Network's first in-house production Space Ghost Coast to Coast (1994) is only a mere six months old.

In a time long before Toonami and 'Pokemania', when most Americans thought animation, cartoons, to be a form of entertainment for children and would likely conjure to mind images of one of many incarnations of Tom and Jerry or Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! (1969), it's hard for the average person not paying attention to the medium at large to conceptualize the phenomenon that Japanese animation has become in its native market as well as in limited American markets as an import for several decades, and the depth that the medium would have.

The officers of the CPD, proudly posing with and demonstrating a "Chicago typewriter" submachine gun to an impressed group of Japanese OLM staffers, had no way of knowing that that revolution would go on to capture America wholesale in just a few short years. That tidal wave was approaching fast, and OLM themselves would come to play a big part in it. Oriental Light and Magic, or OLM, would go on to be known for themselves helping to usher in Pokemania by animating the Pokemon anime, with the Gunsmith Cats team in particular being responsible for the bulk of Pokemon's movies.

The studio would also handle Berserk's incredible 1997 adaptation, as well as assisting on majorly influential titles like FLCL (2000) and recent craze DAN DA DAN (2024), but the only projects the OLM of 1994 has under their belts as a studio is providing graphics for three video games. This relative lack of experience as a company at the time (though not as individual talents under the OLM banner) makes the results of their outing all the more impressive.

Gunsmith Cats has something of a convoluted existence. Originating as a manga spin-off of Kenichi Sonoda's previous effort, the 1989 OVA Riding Bean, Gunsmith Cats as a manga is something of an alternate universe retelling and remix of Riding Bean that sees previous sidekick Rally Vincent take the reins as the lead role with her own new partner as a combination gunsmith/bounty hunter in Chicago.

The same way that the manga remixes elements of Riding Bean into a new, more focused and well rounded effort, Gunsmith Cats' 1995 animated version does much the same - certain characters and elements are refined and streamlined, certain rough edges are smoothed out and it ultimately coalesces into a project that is an incredible testament to the power of inspiration and obsession, as well as the OVA format as a whole. Despite diverging from the manga with an OVA-original antagonist with an extremely cool design and backstory, it's hard to complain about what we got.

Sitting atop a rather large hill of intersectionality, Gunsmith Cats represents and encapsulates the peak of various shifting landscapes in both American and Japanese culture and isn't all that dissimilar in style and substance to Hideo Kojima's fantastic 1996 adventure game Policenauts (for which you can read my article on by clicking here). A tribute to lifelong obsessions with cars, guns and American movies, Gunsmith Cats is one part Blues Brothers (1980), one part Leathal Weapon (1987) and one part Bubblegum Crisis (1987), guided by anime royalty of a now-previous generation in Kenichi Sonoda, who crafted it with the touch that only an obsessive fan can possibly hope to achieve.

It is an incredibly animated, wonderfully scored tribute to three of the things that American and Japanese media both ran on in the 1980s: guns, cars and girls. To that end OLM, as seen in a documentary included in the DVD release apparently produced by ADV Films, sought to draw out the potential of Gunsmith Cats with extremely extensive research into cars and guns with their trip to Chicago in pre-production, and their excursion absolutely paid off in spades.

The keen eye for detail present in the original work as well as the deep research and scouting undergone by OLM shines incredibly brightly here, coalescing into a romp the likes of which is only able to be executed with a level of quality and detail only possible in an OVA. Extremely authentic to its inspirations and a very specific brand of American culture that has long since faded, Chicago is rendered in stunning detail and has largely managed to avoid falling into the infamous 'Japanifornia' amalgamation many adjacent things do.

Guns and cars look and sound authentic, rendered with a similar level of detail and care to the city of Chicago itself, and the character designs by Kenichi Sonoda and Norihiro Matsubara practically leap off the screen to a degree that one could say the cars, guns and city itself are just as much the stars of the show as the human characters.

As for those human characters, they are similarly appealing in both design and personality, and the scenario in which they play is a very authentic take on one you could find in many big American movies of the era in which Gunsmith Cats looks to pay tribute featuring slimy ATF agents (no doubt inspired in part by previous incidents earlier in the decade that would color Amercian perception of the bureau for the remainder of the 90s), gangsters, corruption, informants and a particularly ruthless Russian (or is she Ukranian?) antagonist.

But Gunsmith Cats doesn't just stun visually. Its soundtrack, composed by jazz musician Peter Erskine, would undoubtedly serve as partial inspiration for landscape changing classics such as Cowboy Bebop (1998) which the opening animation, extremely similar to the iconic "Tank!" in both visuals and music, can attest to. Peter Erskine's score shines brightly here and even has an elaborate car chase scene in which it is allowed to take center stage.

As previously mentioned, sound effects such as firearms and Rally Vincent's iconic Shelby GT500 are largely captured from their real world counterparts recorded during the crew's excursions to America. The sounds of Chicago were so meticulously documented and applied that supposedly even an ADV employee at the time from the area recognized the overhead rail heard in the series as being just down the street from her parents' house.

Tasked with the English-language adaptation, now-defunct studio ADV Films was in top form with the production despite it only being their sixth, featuring some very strong cast members (those with an ear and eye for these things will note numerous cast members in various other ADV Films adaptations such as Neon Genesis Evangelion) as well as a strong script. A small thing that helps sell the overall authentic experience is the direction, notably featuring some panicked screaming in various scenes that sound less like the brand of phony made-for-animation yelling that one might be used to and much more like real human reactions.

As is typical with ADV Films the cast, writing and direction is extremely strong but can be a bit hit or miss, as many find protagonist Rally Vincent's sidekick, Minnie May Hopkins, to be annoying though I quite enjoy her. The strength and success of the English version, according to English-language writer/director Matt Greenfield recounting a discussion with Gunsmith Cats director Takeshi Mori, was vital in securing the funds necessary to produce the third and final episode of the OVA which had otherwise underperformed in Japan.

The main trio of the assertive and slightly androgynous Rally, tiny explosive-obsessed gremlin Minnie May and information specialist Becky all play off each other very well and are a lot of fun, though Minnie May is likely something of a sticking point for modern audiences due to her young appearance and mild sexualization, but it's important to remember that Gunsmith Cats follows a number of characters pretty deep into Chicago's criminal underworld and to not be lead too far astray by the cute and friendly art style it possesses.

These are characters who have likely been involved in all sorts of shady, horrible things which is easy to forget until some of the violence, not unlike the level of which you might find in films such as Die Hard (1998), comes crashing through to remind you that it is unafraid to give us glimpses of the rougher edges and underworld that the characters inhabit. Another of the rougher edges to Gunsmith Cats is its not-infrequent use of fanservice, something extremely standard at the time that has become an enduring trope of the medium but can often put people off to varying extents.

Gunsmith Cats is not just shockingly competent, it might be the greatest anime popcorn movie of all time. It has practically everything you could ever look for in an anime or even just an entertainment experience, and it has it all in abundance. It's rare that anything ever lives up to the 'good old days' that one forges in the fires of nostalgia, but Gunsmith Cats unquestionably does and is a shining example of just how good now-retro anime could be. It's a great testament to the OVA format as a whole, where a budget would be applied to a smaller number of total episodes to inject a huge dose of quality into a shorter runtime than a longer TV series would get.

Despite its strong Japanese dub I highly recommend you check out the series in English for the effort that ADV Films put into helping make the series as authentic as possible as well as its strengths on its own merits. The Japanese audio track on the whole is also a bit too muted for my taste, with voices and especially the unique soundtrack being a bit too subtle and quiet to really appreciate. With a total runtime of roughly an hour and a half, Gunsmith Cats' mere three episodes are an extremely fun ride and there's very little to lose by giving it a chance. Its soundtrack by Peter Erskine sets it apart from most other anime, and further music released as part of an expanded universe of radio dramas and original music albums provide some of the coolest anime tunes of all time with Water Club Band's "Groove From Heaven" and "Shelby G.T.500", and I highly recommend seeking these two songs out if you can find them.

If you've ever wanted to get into retro anime it's hard to find a better place to start than Gunsmith Cats. Its DNA runs through anime as a medium due to its connection to creator Kenichi Sonoda, one of 80s anime's uncrowned kings, as well as its undeniable influence on things such as Cowboy Bebop, to say nothing of OLM's later success. How many other anime can you say had an animation director solely in charge of making sure the firearms looked and performed authentically?

Grab yourself a drink and a snack and let OLM and ADV take you on a thrill ride through the "City of the Untouchables". Oozing with charm and quality, it's every bit the fun American-style action movie of which it is a pastiche and there's fewer better places to spend an hour and a half in the whole of the medium than on this absolute classic as slick and stylish as Rally's beloved car.

A gem hidden among the stones, Gunsmith Cats is undoubtedly stardust.

-- Ash

[ficsinhistory]

Time, Comics and Chaos Energy.

Hi again people! I came with a new theory of what can happen in the fourth movie! That will probably be just another delirium of my mind but well, if Tumblr was not made for theories and madness for what was done then \ ⁠⁠ (⁠ツ⁠) ⁠/?

As is commonly known, Sonic films uses a lot from games to base their stories. However, I think from now on, Jeff and the writers will also be based on comics such as Archie, Fleetway and IDW.

Why do I think this?

Metal Sonic and Metal Army.

This Army does not appear in the games, but the idea of ​​Metal Sonic supported by old versions has already been addressed at Archie - in which case different editions of the same metal - and more similar (and the possible source of inspiration) the Fleetway Brotherhood of Metallix. An event that metal gains too much self -awareness and usurbs Eggman's place.

This fact is not only excellent to use in the movie, but works with other media like Sonic CD and the OVA.

And this opens doors to other amazing uses like:

Amy Rose

First, I think her cover came from the first sketches of Amy of Fleetway.

( Iconic 🤩🤩🤩)

Amy already has a very strong connection with time travel and Little Planet. However, the comics work more with this, with some for example putting her with her using Time Stones to venture into her version of Archie. As I said before, I theorizer that Amy will be a Little Planet native who has a connection with the Stones teams and this can generate a very good, very good movie story in the fourth movie. Maybe as a guardian of the Stones.

Silver

Silver has a very interesting point in Archie's comics and I think that as he will have a lot of relevance in the future probably, it would be nice to see. There, he presents a technique with a Time Stone named Chronos Control. A technique that is taught and allows you to travel in time without the aide effects, and would be a perfect explanation of how it does it. Since games and other media are not exactly a consensus on this.

Amy AND Silver

And to finish I think these two will be relevant in the long run. Why?

Because I think the movies go gives temporal properties to Chaos Energy. Yes, that supernova was not a simple explosion and no, it wasn't known until then. At least for most characters.

I believe that Little Planet residents know this property, thanks to the Time Stones and explore it frequently. I also think Amy is among the most powerful user.

This deleted scene shows that the time control of chaos energy was an idea in the production of the film, along some concept art showing that Sonic 3 also would have some time travel in it.

Therefore, I think the time distorted sending Ivo to the past and more specifically for Little Planet. There he dominates everything, builds metal to kill Sonic and seize the stones … je just didn't have antecipated Amy and her connection with the jewelry.

My personal theory is that she was sent to Earth for knowing where to find and use the stones, being proficient with what she would now as Chronos Control. This technique would teach Sonic and others and in the future would be what Silver would use to travel.

And no, Amy is not from future. She would be in the present, wokin in the present day to reverse the mess Ivo created going to pass and a bad future.

Basically that's it.

In short: Chaos energy has temporal properties that are known only by people from Little Planet, in which Amy Rose has more knowledge and is connected to the stones of time. Ivo comes back to the past, messes up the timeline wanting the stones and killing Sonic. However, Amy is an impecilho, being sent to the earth and growing here, fighting with the metal Army which summoned the post credits scene. And in the future, the technique she uses is enjoyed by Silver to travel in time.

And yes, metal has his arc OVA style, believing to be the true Sonic, as well as usurping robotinik of his reign.

Thank you for reading!

Tagging @iwasbored777 !

[animefeminist]

DEVILMAN crybaby, Legacies of Queerness, and Diversifying Remakes

SPOILERS for DEVILMAN crybaby, Devilman, and Devilman Lady. CONTENT WARNING: NSFW screenshots.

DEVILMAN crybaby has been tearing up the internet since it dropped a few weeks ago, sparking conversation about its use of sex, violence, horror, and taboo to tell a story about love and the end of the world. Not an inconsiderable amount of that discussion was centered around the series’ queer representation. What do you do with a series that features sympathetic representation while also roundly killing its queer characters off, and does it make a difference that everybody is dying?

This is and isn’t new: the first incarnation of the Devilman franchise to make it to the states was the late 1980s/early 1990s OVA, where it made a minor stir but not much of a lasting impression in western fandom. Meanwhile, Nagai’s five-volume manga and its many adaptations and spin-offs were inspiring everything from Berserk to CLAMP.

Because Ryo’s love for Akira has been there since the very beginning of an extremely influential franchise, it means that crybaby winds up not just reinventing a single work, but talking back to an archetype that its source material helped cement.

Read it at Anime Feminist!

[melishade]

⌛️

This ask game

So the Wild Life OVA.

It was something that I had originally planned on doing but decided against it because I was under the impression that it wouldn't gain much traction. So I'll just talk about it here.

The Wild Life OVA is supposed to take place a good few centuries after the main AOP story line and center around that kid with the dog that go inside the tree at the end of the story. But at the end of AOP, there is no tree. So this kid and his dog are just going on a trip all around the world. During this trip, they manage to get a ride from Optimus, who's using an updated version of the holoform so he doesn't get recognized by the locals via books and screenshots. The two travel for a bit, and Optimus has to say a few lies that the kid is suspicious of. But they do have the same destination: the sight where the power of the titans ended. They changed it into a memorial, and it's when they get to that memorial that Optimus reveals his titan form to the kid and his dog.

The kid is obviously stunned and asks for questions, but Optimus isn't too sure he should share it. Hell, Optimus shouldn't have even revealed himself to him in the first place, but he needed to honor Eren's memory. After some talking, they come to a deal: Optimus tells the kid his story of how things happened in the past. In return, the kid tells him and shows him what's changed in the AOT world.

So they travel together and we see the impacts that the humans have made after he returned to Cybertron. Hanji's research has been revolutionary. Levi managed to open up the tea shop he wanted. Erwin published tales of the Survey Corps. Armin and Historia have been memorialized as political leaders, etc. Optimus will point out inconsistencies in certain situations as the kid shows him new things that were never on the AOT world when he was there. Some of this stuff includes Optimus getting the Hamilton treatment, advanced forms of transportation, and a new slew of problems and people forgetting the past.

The Wild Life OVA is also where the audience is supposed to find out why Optimus came back after all this time, Megatron's death in 💧 : A sad headcanon, hinting at Optimus gaining feelings for Ratchet, stuff like that. But Optimus mainly came back to the AOT world in order to find out if his actions made any real impact at all. Some moments, he believes that it has, other times not so much.

By the end of the story, Optimus and the kid go back to Paradis, and Optimus goes to see the graves of his former comrades, the advancements Paradis has made, and all the new conflicts that arise. Optimus is about to leave defeated, thinking that nothing really changed, just that new problems evolved, but the kid manages to inspire him by telling him of all the moments he got to experience because of Optimus' sacrifice. It leaves Optimus feeling emotional, finally getting the closure he so desperately needed. He ends up thanking this kid before heading back to Cybertron via spacebridge.

The confession headcanon is the only one left.

[kerubimcrepin]

Wakfu OVA - Book 1, The Throne of Ice [PART 1]

"Finally, we have arrived to one of my most favorite parts of Wakfu... The OVAs!" <- If I said this, I would be locked up in a psyhiatric ward forever, however, there is some truth to that.

I am a big fan of uhh the bits of the second OVA that have Joris, Kerubim, and Atcham in them. Sadly, Book 1 is not that OVA. It will have Sipho posing as Joris, and, well... that's the next best thing, ain't it? At least we'll get to analyse if he's doing a good job or not.

Ecaflip demigod memory retention deniers will be like "Ush being a core member of a powerful cult at 9-10yo for multiple reincarnations is normal".

Anyway, group chats are real in this setting. And Harebourg is their discord mod I think.

Tot I'm begging you to elaborate on this, what do you MEAN by this, what do you—

STOP USING GRIMALKINE SISTERS BEING A PART OF THE BROTHERHOOD OF THE FORGOTTEN AS A FLEX ON THE HATERS! I'M SCARED!

Them in the Great Wave manga when they show up and say they're at fault for Jahash and Julith's whole shtick or whatever.

Ughh.

Le meilleur journal qu'il est -

boufboul

[cant make out the rest]

little text in the corner: fji de ij

Ngl considering the fact that the King of Bonta dies within the next two years, he might have a legitimate reason not to come: being in the process of dying.

They LOVE Joris in this kingdom.

I bet real Joris would like to remain silent because, uh., lying is bad? If he tries to say the situation isn't as shitty as it seems, it might seem condescending.

So, Sipho fails at being in-character moment counter: 1. Joris would not say shitfuck here.

Oh my god... His fangs... His blush... His eyes...

One of the things I really like about the OVAs are the changes to Joris's design. While yes, like most people I miss the finer details of the previous seasons — but his new design is more sleek, and a bit more... catlike. It takes a lot of inspiration from his Aux Tresors design.

It is not the intention of the authors, but the fact that he is drawn with a mouth makes sense on a character level: he is more understandable and human than he was in the first two seasons. While he used to be a mystery back then, now he is a friend to the Brotherhood of Tofu, — and, to us, the viewers, he's just a guy.

Anyway, there is a big question here — while it seems obvious that other nations are involved — Sadida wouldn't invite other politicians to this meeting, if them seizing the Eliatrope Dofus was a secret, — just how involved were other nations? Was it mainly a Bonta-Sadida project which they let others know about? Were others interested up until the moment the Dofus were stolen, and is it the reason nobody showed up?

It seems kinda too obvious to state, however: Guys, this confirms that Joris and Harebourg are enemies.

Though, let's be real, all three of the Crepin-Jurgens are kind of opposed to the Brotherhood of The Forgotten. The trio is very... god-neutral? The outlook those three have is more of optimistic-nihilism — "the gods suck sometimes, life does too, but whatever. I need to restock the store and eat a soup, why should I ruminate on this." instead of "WE NEED TO KILL AND DETHRONE GODS IMMEDIATELY", which... creates a bit of friction.

Something to note is that Joris and the Kingdom of Bonta were involved with hiding the Dofus.

So, the Dofus disappearing, the proposition, and the condition that Amalia should be accompanied only by the Brotherhood of Tofu, are already both a political incident in on themselves, and a bunch of red flags stacked together.

Just listen: the property of a nation (the Eliatropes), which was in custody of a different nation, and can be used to save a kingdom, was stolen by a different kingdom to unlawfully demand marriage and unification of two kingdoms.

If real Joris was here, I'm sure he would be quietly having a panic attack about the fact that there may be spies in Bonta, and that Harebourg was able to do this without, let's say, knocking him out after he got all the Dofus and stealing them.

So, Sipho fails at being in-character moment counter: 2. Joris would be having a quiet panic attack, and pointing out just how fucked this is. just how fucked this is.

Sipho fails at being in-character moment counter: 3. At this moment, real Joris would come in, and say "YUGO THIS IS FUCKED!! Anyway we are going to beat Harebourg to death when we get there. I didn't want to say anything objectionable because Amalia would be sad."

He already did that in the manga. When Amalia and Eva asked him about his real opinion on Jiva getting the six Dofus.

While I think that Joris is someone who very much believes that the leaders of this world make hard decisions — and for this reason he MUST keep doing war crimes in Waven times to keep Bonta afloat, he MUST keep eating pig people and using slave labour and making explosive devices out of crackler babies, because really, 90% of war criminals quit just before true peace and prosperity—-

But, Joris is canonically enough of a feminist to be 100% pro-"pregnant women on a ship during a dangerous adventure across the world", so I think that outweighs his sense of "greater good".

In my opinion, he is more likely to think "very evil of you Harebourg, to force a woman into a relationship using the lives of her subjects. You're SICK, you're SICK, you have NO sense of romance or how a person should be treated!" and say "ughh we need to beat him up for this, Yugo. This isn't a very good deal for the Sadida. He's holding them hostage, Yugo. My main concerns are definitely not the way Amalia is being treated as an object but the political implications of that, Yugo."

Sipho literally committing character assassination out here. I will count this as the 4th time he does that.

Adamai is still very pissed off about Joris not asking before taking the Dofus. I think Joris deserves this quip very much. I wish Joris could hear Adamai be a hater towards him.

Sipho fails at being in-character moment counter: 5.

At this moment, instead of ignoring Adamai and continuing to talk, real Joris would make a funny face that implied he is in mortal pain due to someone he likes making a snide remark about him.

He is shown to be very much ashamed and worried about the fallout this will bring to his relationship with Yugo and Adamai in OVA 2.

Huppermages already did this, and it kind of failed when Ogrest's Chaos hit.

[wanderersrest]

An Abbreviated History of Mecha Part 1: The Mighty Atomic Prelude (The 50's and 60's)

Welcome to An Abbreviated History of Mecha anime. Today, we're starting at, as Fraulein Maria would say, at the very beginning. We're taking a quick peak at the beginning of the canon, which means that we're starting back in 1950 (specifically 1952). I should also confess right now: there are two series on here that are demonstrably NOT mecha shows. However, due to their sheer influence on Japanese media as a whole, I feel it is important to bring them up as being honorary mecha shows due to their sheer influence pop culture.

Tetsuwan Atom/Mighty Atom/Astro Boy (1952)

Starting us off is Osamu Tezuka's seminal manga series, Mighty Atom. Known over here in the west as Astro Boy, this series would be what kickstarts a lot of the modern anime and manga industry due to its sheer popularity. Astro Boy would also be one of two series that would be emblematic of how Japanese pop culture would portray the recent use of atomic energy. It should also be worth noting that realizing that Astro technically is a mecha is what got me to start using a broader definition of mecha instead of the classic giant robot definition.

Due to its fame, Mighty Atom has receive multiple adaptations throughout the years. Of note are:

The original 1963 anime.

New Mighty Atom (1980) which updates the series to 1980's animation standards.

The 2003 anime, which does the same, but to the standards of early 2000's anime.

The 2009 CGI movie.

Gojira/Godzilla (1954, honorary mecha series 1)

1954 would also give us Ishiro Honda's Godzilla, the movie that would make tokusatsu-styled live action stories in Japan. Godzilla, alongside RKO's King Kong, would play a large part in popularizing the concept of kaiju. And boy will kaiju play a big part in the history of the mecha canon. As we'll see soon enough, the history of tokusatsu heroes, kaiju, and robots are all intertwined with one another.

Godzilla has starred in numerous movies since the original, but for stories based off of the original there are:

Godzilla Raids Again (1955), a direct sequel.

Godzilla, Mothra, King Ghidorah: All Out Monsters Attack (2001), a Heisei-era production that uses the original '54 Godzilla as a manifestation of the horrors of World War II.

Shin Godzilla (2016), a re-imagining of the original movie set in contemporary times directed by Hideakki Anno.

Godzilla Minus One (2023), the most recent outing inspired in part by GMK.

Tetsujin 28-go/Gigantor (1956)

(Oh hey, this gif again!)

Tetsujin 28-go is the creation of one Mitsuteru Yokoyama and is generally regarded as the grandfather of the giant robot style of mecha. Tetsujin is unique amongst mecha in that it is controlled not by a pilot riding inside of it, but by a little kid with a controller. Tetsujin 28, alongside Mazinger Z, would help to codify a lot of the tropes common to the classic superhero mecha anime that would be prevalent in the 70's. Like Mighty Atom, Tetsujin would receive multiple adaptations throughout the decades.

Shin Tetsujin 28-Go/The New Adventures of Gigantor (1980), which updates Tetsujin's design to look more in line with something like Mazniger Z.

Tetsujin 28-go FX (1992), sporting a radically different look that's more akin to something out of the Brave Franchise.

Tetsujin 28 (2004), a faithful adaptation of the original manga (at least I think it is) directed by Yasuhiro Imagawa.

Cyborg 009 (1964)

Created by Shotaro Ishinomori in 1964, Cyborg 009 is another classic human-sized mecha series. Cyborg 009 would be the first of many hits for Ishinomori, and he will be mentioned again later in this series.

Oh boy... I am not a Cyborg 009 nut, but in terms of adaptations, Cyborg 009 has:

The 1966 Film

The 1980 Film

009 Re:Cyborg (2012)

The Call For Justice Trilogy (2016)

The 1968 Anime

The 1979-1980 Anime

The 2001-2002 Anime (I actually remember when Toonami aired this series!)

Cyborg 009 vs Devilman (2015 OVA)

If you want to follow someone who follows a lot of Shotaro Ishinomori's works, I'd recommend checking out YouTuber Mercury Falcon for more info about Ishinomori.

Ultra Q and Ultraman (1966, honorary mecha series 2)

(The urge to use a gif of Ingraman is strong)

Ultra Q and Ultraman are the first two entries of Tsuburaya's legendary Ultra franchise, with the latter in particular being one of the most famous pop culture icons of all time. Ultraman's influence on Japanese media is so large, that I'll be mentioning it at least once in relation to other series later on.

Ultraman, like Godzilla before him, would get the Hideaki Anno treatment with Shin Ultraman in 2022.

Giant Robo/Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot (1967)

Another one of Mitsuteru Yokoyama's classic manga series, Giant Robo deserves a mention due to its influence on tokusatsu. Giant Robo would usher in an era of tokusatsu that would rely on using giant robots as the main protagonist.

In terms of adaptations, there are two animated adaptations, but only one will be listed here:

GR: Giant Robo (2007)

If you want to learn a little bit more about the history behind Giant Robo, I'd recommend checking out blunova's video on Giant Robo for more info on this important series.

Conclusion

As the 60's would lead way into the 70's, we would see a lot more live action tokusatsu series involving giant robots. Of course, this would be untenable due to how expensive it was to do tokusatsu effects for television. However, one robot would appear in animation that would change everything.

(Read in the voice of Tessho Genda) AND ITS NAME IS...!!!!

[beevean]

I made the biggest inner groan at those panels in the preview, where Sonic basically goes, "Lanolin was right. Teamwork does make duh dream work." I'm really sick of everyone getting amnesia so they can keep beating us with this whole thing that Sonic needs to learn about friendship being magic and the power of teamwork. Despite that never being something Sonic had a problem with pre and post-Lost World. Heroes and Forces was all about the power of teamwork and shit and he fully embraced it.

Reduncy aside, this overused moral just falls flat on it's ass when Lanolin's shittyness to everyone is the reason Sonic and his friends had to go behind her back and "go solo". But, somehow, that's the take away we're getting from this contrived as hell conflict. Wasn't the Sonic the one who inspired Lanolin to be a team player or something in the first place, anyway? Why is it suddenly Sonic the one who has to learn this lesson, again? Not to mention it completely contradicts how Sonic was portrayed early on in the series, where he seemed to have absolutely no problem getting help from others. He seemed to enjoyed fighting alongside others, actually.

To be precise, that's not the preview of the next issue

It comes from #58, during the Eggperial City arc and before the whole mess with Clutch:

We already tore those panels a new hole for how it made Sonic - SONIC, the King of the Superpower of Teamwork - thank Lanolin for making him realize that the Superpower of Teamwork indeed works. Like. Heroes, Advance 3, Rush and Forces are standing here like "are we a joke to you?"

Some versions of Sonic, either the most outdated or the most OOC, do struggle with teamwork. Boom is the most obvious one. Prime too has to learn to appreciate his friends (because he's as dumb as a melted box of crayons). OVA Sonic is a bit prickly, Fleetway Sonic even more so. Even X Sonic, while perfectly sociable, is frequently shown needing his alone time. But IDW Sonic is not even one of those! Since #1, he was more than happy to work with Tails, Amy, Knuckles, Silver and newcomer Tangle to get the job done! Where is this notion that Sonic prefers working solo coming from??

This is not even touching the fact that after this arc, after the whole "pwease fowgive me for being too bossy 🥺" scene, Lanolin makes a big deal out of being a team when Whisper targets Mimic, but she herself runs the DC 2.0 with an iron fist to the point that the others are legit scared of coming forth to her. So which is it? Does she honestly care about teamwork? Or does she see her own teammates as unreliable and to be put in line? (we know the answer)

Hell, even in issue #57, we got scenes of Lanolin having friction with Sonic because she wanted to do things her way!

So why would Sonic even give credit to her? Where's the teamwork here? I ain't seen any teamwork yet. I only saw Lanolin blowing a gasket because Sonic and Tangle are too reckless for her liking.

anyway idw is a mess and i sincerely hope lanolin get shelved after this arc

This is one of the preview pages for #75. And I don't even give a fuck that Mimic got outed in the dumbest way possible for a spy. I want that panel of Lanolin realizing she has been an utter piece of shit for nothing to be the last time I see her.

[blackbutlerfandomnerddomain]

So it's the new year and I've decided to follow in a @oya-oya-okay example and make a WST X Black Butler AU!

So in the AU Ciel, Alois, Sieglinde, Doll, Lizzy, Finny, Snake, and Sebastian somehow get stuck in Twisted Wonderland. All this would take place around after the Blue Cult Arc has ended/when RCiel returned but all are struggling with memories including how they got there (Literally last Finny remembers is meeting Doll and searching for a escape with the F.O.L. Orphanage kids and Ciel was on a train while Sieglinde last remembered Ciel and Sebastian coming to her for help for Soma) while Alois only recalled his death as a bad dream and misses Hannah most since he recalls her comforting him while he bleeds out. Also in this AU they all technically have a Unique Magic or powers of sorts based on their abilities so when they appeared they were accepted as NRC students and placed in dorms but are aware they're like Yuu/MC in the case they're from another world while Sebastian helps out at Sam's Shop and subs sometimes while staying in Ramshackle for lack of bedding.

Alois, Sebastian, and Ciel's demon connections are made into some kind of UM ability or for Sebastian's case his contract making/soul eating abilities are blocked but he can do the other demon powers like fire or whatever. Ciel and Alois' demon contracts are now instead heighten in some weird UM curse or whatever (I'm tired yall from being sick, I promise I'm trying to make sense T^T) so Ciel's "UM" is based on his eye sight while Alois' "UM" is based on his voice/tongue.

This this for Ciel's "UM"-

As for Finny, he's confused to have magic based on his strength and speed while Snake is confused too based on his ability to speak to animals and also cause I decided when being transported here he ended up with a sharper bite so they assume he's a beastman. Doll's Bizarre Doll abilities are still the same mixed with her circus backstory but she's technically no longer a living corpse as before somehow. Like feeling as if she never died. But she has a UM deep down created in the mist of being transported here. But Lizzy and Sieglinde are confusing cases as I'm debating if they're magicless or have some kind of magic.. I DUNNO!

I've decided on their dorms based off their personalities and the morals of the dorm based on this post, so here are the dorms!

Ciel is in Octavinelle cause he's intelligence, cunning, and strategic mind would fit well with Octavinelle, the dorm associated with ambition and carefully laid plans. Also I think he'd get along with that dorm most.

Alois is in Ignihyde. Okay, I know technically Alois doesn’t directly fit Ignihyde’s technological or isolated nature, his desire for control and his obsession with getting people to notice him could translate into the dorm's theme of being misunderstood or outcast. Also I just personally love the idea of gamer!Alois and think he'd love it there

Lizzy will be in Heartslabyul cause-

Look I personally loved the Ciel In Wonderland OVAs and it lowkey influenced my idea of Lizzy's placement.

Also she has a bubbly and playful personality, combined with her occasional impulsiveness and emotional nature, makes her a possible fit for Heartslabyul which has a chaotic energy, and Elizabeth’s sometimes erratic behavior and her tendency to push the boundaries and her bad-ass side would fit well with Heartslabyul’s often unpredictable atmosphere.

Sieglinde I've decided to put in Diasmonia since apparently it's a rarity to be in it but also those in Diasmonia have natural talents which she does since she was born a super fucking genius! Also, I feel like she would feel at home in there most

Snake is in Scarabia because.... duh. Honestly, it'd be a perfect location since it's warm for the snakes and Kalim could Oasis cool water if needed

Finny's in Savannaclaw lowkey inspired by @oya-oya-okay too cause her points made sense but also due to the whole Savannaclaw is meant for strengths.

And finally Doll I've decided to put her in Pomfiore! Why? Well I did it mainly cause she needs some self love. Pomfiore seems to be perfect for those who want to make themselves better physically, emotionally, and mentally and with her character so far I believe she deserves some of that. Also while Doll is not necessarily "noble" in the traditional sense, her role as part of the Noah’s Ark Circus gives her a certain air of tragic beauty... Doll’s kind and nurturing nature, combined with the fact that she is manipulated and used by those around her, echoes the theme of Pomfiore, where there’s a focus on outward appearances and a hidden darkness or burden. Basically she's the swan for the group

Sketches are on the way besides the few I do have but not a lot yet!

Here are some so far!

(Both are messy-ish so sorry for how it looks, especially Doll's piece which I'll probably go back to do, she basically was given a spare of Vil's uniform)

I will come back and work on these profiles once I finish up the sketches but here are the character's info so far.

(I get some of the UM doesn't make sense, I'll try and make sense with it once I doodle more but basically Alois can only trigger his "UM" when he licks his thumb or wipe his blood on his thumb where the mark is and his eyes glow so I might animate that-)

I don't know much about shipping in this AU since I have my tastes and opinions on certain ships though I do find the idea of Ortho maybe crushing on Sieglinde pretty cute since they would bond a lot over mobility stuff and feeling stuck with their pasts.

But I do plan to have Lizzy being besties with Cater, Doll and Leona getting along well, Doll and Epel being besties cause they both can bond with being stuck in a dorm they don't agree with, Alois is for sure going to have a lil brother vibe with Idia and a older brother vibe with Ortho and being best friends with the rest of the Light Music Club, I feel like Sebastian should have a close friendship with Sam

Edit: I forgot to add nicknames Floyd would give them!!!

Alois - Spanish Dancer

Ciel - Sea Bunny

(Thanks again @oya-oya-okay for introducing me this adorable lil guy!)

Sebastian - European Conger

(Sorry Sebastian, it's a funny lil guy, I swear you're adorable-)

Finnian - Jack Fish

Lizzy - Kribensis

Sieglinde - Alien Betta

Snake - Sea Snail

[sonic7ischaos]

The Sonic community doesn't talk about Tails' characterization enough.

Like yeah, there's talk about his character arc, and how they fumbled it after Adventure 2 (really after 06, but that's a longer discussion), but nobody talks about the root of things like they do for Sonic. It's all secondary, external factors and moments where he was characterized BADLY, like Unleashed and Forces, never where and why they did it RIGHT.

Adventure 1-2 are the favorites right? They cover his growth, overcoming the worst of his insecurities to begin his journey out of Sonic's shadow, into his role as a hero Sonic's equal, partner rather than sidekick. But Tails isn't JUST his insecurity, just like Sonic isn't JUST his confidence. That's one of the roots, but it's not the whole thing. Tails is smart, but what's at the emotional core of that? Curiosity maybe? He's a sweet kid who wants to be like his hero Sonic, but what about Tails, aside from just being young (which is important to his character) makes that the way he handles it, rather than say, comparing himself to Sonic and shutting down, sinking deeper into self loathing? What other characters can we compare Tails to to help illustrate what makes him uniquely interesting and appealing? I mean, you can obviously compare him to Gohan, his entire dynamic with Sonic is inspired by Piccolo's dynamic with Gohan (and in fact, is something people writing either of these characters should keep in mind. Inject Sonic with a little early DBZ Piccolo, might make him feel more like Sonic). There's Alphonse Elric to Sonic's Edward Elric, the sweet young boy who loves and trusts his abrasive, cocky older brother more than anything. There's Shippo from Inuyasha, a veritable wellspring of character reference material for the Sonic series, you can find parallels to basically the whole cast here. Tony Tony Chopper is good too.

IMO, the actual best portayals of Tails, at least his core personality and character, come from the OVA, and Heroes. He's really clingy and emotionally dependent on Sonic in both of these, in a good way. It's cute, and really sells that Tails is still a little kid, something his modern depictions need more of. His personal growth wasn't THAT much, he can still be scared of lightning and excited to show his cool, annoyed older brother this new thing he invented, or strike the same cool poses to imitate him. Maybe he catches himself doing it and forces himself to stop, because he's supposed to be growing up and out of that.