#is it good? WHO KNOWS but i think it’s a solid romp

[wordsgood]

thinking about posting my prophecy girls tma au fic. it’s too fun to languish in my google drive forever

[cineflections]

You know, if there was one manga that would be adapted to live action and succeed, I never would have guessed it to be this one.

I'm ofc talking about the One Piece Live Action on Netflix

A whole day binge right after release, I was READY, and thankfully, I was not disappointed. There are cuts and streamlining of the story, characters coming in earlier than in the manga/anime, and some of the emotional bits don't hit as hard as in the original. Still, I can feel the love the production team has of One Piece. The characters are goofy and lovable, but they are also serious and straight-faced.

One thing that I noticed throughout was the constant close up to faces and sometimes straight on, as if almost breaking the 4th wall. The very first scene with Luffy is like this, but there he DOES look into the camera directly, but the pov of the camera is revealed to be a newsbird. It's like a statement that they know this is a silly pirate romp, they know that some people will not take this seriously, but they will not do 4th wall breaks silly, but in-universe silly. Does that make sense?

I laughed at several points in the show, big and wide smile on my face and pointing at the screen several times...

But I do wonder how much of my laugh was on the show's on merit or if I was only calling back on the the source material. At times I did feel the straw hat crew not being as iconic as in the manga/anime. The extreme reactions, the over the top noises and actions, at the same time I realize that real people generally don't act like that.

I appreciate the show runners attention to details. Putting stuff in to tease future arcs, adapting some cover stories, some of the complete unhinged behaviors of characters (Garp I'm looking at you!).

This show adapted Romance Dawn, orange town, syrup village, baratie, and arlong park.

There are so many moments that are almost scene by scene taken from the manga. Luffy in the barrel and meeting Koby. Alvida with her giant spike club. We got to see some pre-captured Zoro moments (particularly him killing a baroque works agent!), Nami being a sneak.

Then we meet the one and only clown Buggy! They hammed him up, they made him a showman and a real clown (with a real bulgy nose as well, props!). I loved Buggy. Goddamn what a show stealer. Excellent casting, his devil fruit was show cased so well and it looked good!

Usopp's introduction is the most changed. The kids are gone and the Black Cat pirates never call in the entire crew or Jango. Instead of the fight on the slope by the beach it's instead in Kaya's house from which they cannot escape. The actor for Kuro nailing the mannerism and hand movements, altho his "teleporting" looks a bit wonky.

With Baratie we are finally introduced to Sanji! Who's British now 😆. And Mihawk's introduction tho! Badass and just so over the top and goofy. I love him so much! This is where we got the biggest change where we instead get Arlong and crew coming in smashing the place up (a tiny bit). Arlong may not be as tall as he should be but I love the practical approach instead of CGI, which means he actually feels present! All the fishmen we see are guys in costume and prosthetics!

Arlong Park felt a bit more rushed than the earlier parts, but I do think they nailed *that* scene tho.

If the bar for live action adaptation was below the ground, I would say now there's a new bar, which is on the ground 😅. I think it's a solid show but it might be my bias talking. I do have some gripes tho.

One thing that was constant in East Blue Saga was how much village people hate or are scared of pirates. I think they got the marines right, and the pirates, but they failed to really have the village people be a character in their own right. In the manga and anime the villagers are mostly a monolith who will think and act alike in situations and be part of the happenings either by watching or fighting. We got just about none of it here, except a mention in Arlong Park. They did some really good and cool world building with lots of people populating the sets in the background - but that's it, they're just extras to fill out the screen. There are ofc a few exceptions but I felt it was not enough.

I wish they had Luffy be more agile when using his gum-gum powers. Whenever he springs a pistol or a whip is stands in place, which I found boring (and they did so well with Zoro's fights!). I do think the explanation is that they decided for Luffy to be coming into his powers as we go. That we will learn with him all the things he can do (him not knowing he can blow himself up like a balloon proves this). I hope that in season 2 (please netflix!) they show the growth in his fighting!

But to end this long post. I just wanna say how much I fucking love the dude playing Mihawk. Goddamn he's so fun. MVP.

For the straw hats, I would say that Usopp feels the closest to manga version, and Luffy feels the most distant from it. But I don't dislike this, and I think the actor for Luffy has so much potential to really make the role his own.

It will never be "just like" the manga and anime, but that's ok! It's a new adaptation (in live action) made by people you can tell loves the source material and really really tried to make it work! I respect that, and I respect this show. Please watch it on Netflix! It's a fun and silly time, just like it should be!

[foxofninetales]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love!

Thank you (and all the others who tagged me) for this ask!

It was so hard deciding! I still don't know that these are my favorites, but they were the ones that spoke to me as I was scanning my list of works.

Gunpowder and Ink, (DMBJ) but very specifically the ficlet where Wu Xie and Pangzi meet for the first time, In Which Something Lost Is Found and Something Unexpected Is Recovered, which is a glorious romp involving vaguely Regency-era shenanigans, mistaken identities, and okay maybe a tiny bit of arson. This is VERY specifically written with the TLT2 versions of these characters in mind, and I'm very pleased with how the characterizations came out. Plus, possibly the best opening sentence I have ever written.

Hold Me Fast, Let Me Not Go (DMBJ, KanSang) I love a fairytale rewrite, and I especially love a good Tam Lin story. This one was written in a single day after I saw this piece of art from @psychic-waffles and went a little bit mad. Kan Jian's solid, earthy perspective is such a perfect lens for this story, in such contrast with the wild, unearthly beauty of the fey.

Unreliable Narration (DMBJ, Liu Sang + the Iron Triangle) Beyond characters and plot and setting, writing is about the joy of words and all the delightful acts of sleight-of-prose that you can accomplish with them. I'd had this idea in my head for a while before I felt I'd grown enough as a writer to attempt it. My goal was to create a story that was as satisfying on the second read as the first, and I think I managed it. The third paragraph from the end is one of my favorite pairs of sentences I've ever written. Plus, whump!

Where the Heart Is (DMBJ, Liu Sang, Wang Meng/Wushanju) This was another of those story ideas that had lived with me for a long time before I finally wrote it. I just really love the concept at the heart of this fic, and how different this familiar world is when viewed from another perspective and on another timescale.

Cabbages and Kings (Liu Sang + the Iron Triangle) Sometimes in exchanges you draw the perfect recipient to write a story that will resonate with both of you, and @dinomight was mine. I wonder if this will ever stop being my favorite of all the things I've written. There is so much of my heart in here: comfort, and home, and cats, that time of year when the world begins wrapping itself in winter, and finding a place where you can be loved for who you are. So much of writing this was trusting the story: most of the worldbuilding just spilled onto the page without conscious thought. I also really enjoyed using this particular writing voice - wry and thoughtful and very aware of the tiny beauties of the mundane.

Bonus mentions: The Language of Flour for teaching me that I could write humor, and Intersection for teaching me that I could write at all.

[monkey-network]

Good Stuff: Best Movies of 2023

This was NOT a great year for blockbusters, huh? This was probably Disney's worst in years, multiple flops including what was meant to be their centennial anniversary film. It looked remarkably by the numbers, but think of the conglomerate's losses... Anyway, this to me was a pretty great year for films. Like 2022, I'm amazed at the variety we got that says more about the shifting tides of people's interest in movies. It was the most times I've been to the theater. We got a big worker's strike over the summer, especially large push back against degenerates trying to push AI to do more than just shitposting. And it was enough for me to know Adam Sandler, Godzilla, and Hayao Miyazaki could get the better of Disney. With this said, let this be a first for Good Stuff and count down my favorites of this year.

12. Renfield

My suspicions were on the money and I'm glad I gave this a shot in the theaters. Cage was the best Dracula I could've asked for in what you might say was an Adult Swim-esque dark comedy. It definitely has that style of gruesomeness and humor given Robert Kirkman and the Writer/Director behind Moral Orel made this. Unfortunately, Ben Schwartz stuck out like a sore thumb even if he fulfills his purpose in this, reminding me of Christopher Mintz-Plasse in KickAss; I feel he or Jason Schwartzman would've been better suited. Plus it can feel all over the place, an identity crisis that you can't even grasp after it finishes. Then again, I just had fun watching and would gladly rewatch for Cage and Hoult who are the highlights of this.

11. Migration

Call it blasphemous, but I enjoyed this more than the Mario movie. It's essentially Rio mixed with National Lampoon's Vacation, with a lovable cast, solid animation, and an eazy breezy road trip story. I've always looked to Illumination for simple enjoyable romps and I got what I expected here. Gave me Amphibia vibes in a way, replace frogs with birds. Everything surrounding the villain is my only real issue, he was an obvious and very nothing bad guy, but it's overall better paced than Super Mario Bros where it felt like you watched an eternity in 3 minutes. Still don't get the air of folk looking down on this for just being serviceable when it's honestly become my favorite Illumination movie next to the first Despicable Me.

10. Killers of the Flower Moon

Sad to say this is the weakest Scorsese movie for me, mainly because it felt like we're following the wrong main character. Lily Gladstone is incredible in this, among the other great performers, but she felt sidelined in favor of DeCaprio and De Niro's perspectives. It's like if in 1995's Casino, we just follow Ginger throughout the moment Sam introduces her. I liked the turmoil Leo's character goes through, but it paled in comparison to Mollie who was more affected by his and Hale's actions. That does not mean it's all bad. This can be a beautiful, dynamic, and ruthless movie that just made me feel bad for watching it; running with the words "harsh reality" throughout the 3 and a half hour runtime.

9. Good Burger 2

I watched Good Burger 1 & 2 this Thanksgiving weekend, and just had a blast. These are the kind of movies that are charmingly stupid but not insultingly so. Kel Mitchell's Ed is emblematic of how much dumb fun this duology is where he's actively comical but not smoothbrained to ruin your time. This I say is like Home Alone 2 where it is just beat for beat the 1st movie with minor developments but that doesn't really matter when it's just as well put together. It never feels like Kenan nor Kel missed a beat and the drama not overstaying its welcome. It is just "Good Burger Again" without it feeling like diminishing returns compared to other rehashing sequels.

8. Leo

Can you believe this got better publicity than Disney's Wish? Even YMS could appreciate this movie, that's how you know Sandler has his recognizable game when you least expect it. But Leo is a surprisingly good comedy that has actually sincere moments. Being Happy Madison's 2nd ever animation, it's like Adam waited to refine the production as opposed to putting a cash grab together like one would expect. It's not all good, especially trying to be a musical, but seeing it once you'd be impressed how much good it does with the risks it takes.

7. Nimona

Like Migration, everything surrounding the villain is the one big issue I have with this, especially when it comes to affecting the film's message. At the same time, she pales in comparison to the dynamic pairing of Ballister Blackheart and the titular shapeshifter. Nimona is my favorite character of 2023, her energy and confidence matched by the struggle she bears existing alone and the facade made to band-aid it. Her and Ballister's journey alone made me glad this got out of development hell, being Blue Sky's final production posthumous. To me it wasn't about being a take that to Disney, it was about the fact a movie like Nimona got to exist as great as it did. Hoping Stevenson is satisfied with their adaptation, because it definitely earned its flowers.

6. Emesis Blue

Offhand, it openly sucks that Letterboxd refuses to let this stay on the site to log, but it can't be overstated how much of a marvel this was. Repurposing not just the characters, but the lore and mechanics of Team Fortress 2 into a feature length horror thriller. The animation's top notch where it can have godly framing that was on par with the known legends of horror film making. SFM animations can be beautiful on their own, shitpost or otherwise, but Emesis Blue goes a step beyond by having a compelling story fitting for the universe on top of, again, every frame being a painting.

5. Shin Kamen Rider

I've never really saw any Tokusatsu shows. Not that I hate the genre, just could never get into it while recognizing the glorious looking chaos found in clips. Knowing Hideaki Anno directed was what got me into seeing this film and it opened my mind quite a bit. This was the legacy film that definitely had Anno's touch in both the action and drama. While the climax can notably drag, you never feel left out of what was essentially the original Kamen Rider's origin story. It doesn't have the complex VFX of stuff like Marvel, but the costumes and fight scenes makes me wish we got more of this in America beyond Power Rangers.

4. TMNT Mutant Mayhem

Advertising before release really didn't make this appear like a promising film. If there's anything I learned from this year though, appearances can be deceiving. Like Nimona was for her movie, the creative choices for this made it the TMNT movie I never knew I wanted. To me this felt akin to the Lego Batman movie where it's not only a good love letter of the franchise for more than its fanservice, but this spin on the characters is able to have a new sincere view of them without overhauling everything about the TMNT. That and it has the greatest needle drops I've had in a long while like how do insert He-Man Fabulous Secret Powers and expect me to hate this?

3. Godzilla Minus One

I call this a great year for films because it marks the first time I got to see a Toho produced Godzilla, with subtitles, in an real movie theater. Needless to say, it felt like I got to enjoy the 1954 film again anew. Not a remake mind you, but the parallels were uncanny and this spins here work just as well, if not more here than with the original in a couple places. Both are still strong movies nonetheless. Minus One is a refurbish that dishes out what people always wanted and uniquely giving a little more while never sacrificing why the OG is that timeless. With it getting more than a limited release, I'm glad this got to be more than a niche celebration of the kaijuu king.

2. Oppenheimer

This film's been meme'd to heaven, hell you could say it got meme'd to success thanks to its dual release with Barbie, but it didn't undermine getting hooked to watching this anyways. This really has become my favorite Nolan film, a compelling biopic that doesn't exactly herald its titular lead in the best light thanks to the paradoxical storytelling. Oppenheimer gives us the largest ensemble I know, and delivers in the most breathtaking moments I never knew I could get. Cillian killed it among the many who made the three hours of people sitting and talking in rooms actually tense and intriguing to thread. Plus it gave us the beauty of Josh Peck being the guy to detonate the test bomb like cherry on top of this cinematic cake.

1. The Holdovers

I remember watching Alexander Payne's Sideways with Paul Giamatti as a high schooler but couldn't appreciate it until rewatching this year. It's one of the best mid-life crisis comedies you could see, still fresh in its easy going presentation and music. The same can be said for this film, made to feel like it came from the late 70s or 80s with the old opening logos that I didn't think you could do in these times. Out the gate, this was the holiday story I was shocked would be as relatable as it was, with the trio of Giamatti, Randolph, and Sessa each having their story that resonated with me strongly. With the right amount of time, Payne offers an remarkably cozy, down to earth movie where from reserved to outgoing, it did a lot for me emotionally. Like Netflix's Klaus, I kinda want this to be a traditional rewatch for the holiday seasons. One that everyone should try at least once, especially if they feel the disillusionment of the season where this might lift their spirits one way or another.

If there's anything to learn from this year, it's that the meta has definitely shifted. Even when the many on my list didn't make billions like the Avatar films, the variety and risks made spoke more than the big dogs like Disney and WB putting out unprofitable blockbusters that ranged from very by the numbers to you don't need to see The Flash to know how god awful it just was. More people are & should branch out beyond the major mainstream names. Not that the big dogs aren't ever gonna make great films in the coming years, but we should appreciate more than the big budget features you can tell are playing it safe. Time can be patient for great cinema, sleeper hits or not, so take advantage while you're young.

[omgitsaime]

Movies I'll Probably Never Make: Open for Business

Three quirky best friends go against their principal's wishes and open up an anonymous advice column in their high school's dying newspaper.

Written: 2015-2016 (I was 14 and 15, y'all!)

If you liked these, you'll probably like this: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), Sixteen Candles (1984), To all the Boys I've Loved Before trilogy (the books especially, given the time this script was written), Paper Towns (2015), Pitch Perfect (2012), Pitch Perfect 2 (2015)

Characters: Allie (14, Not Like Other Girls, always knows the right thing to say, aimlessly in love with Brad, clueless about Peter's feelings for her)

Peter (14, video game enthusiast and definitely smarter than you, fiercely loyal, always coming up with new ideas, has a crush on Allie)

Trevor (14, class clown, golden retriever boyfriend, the only things in life he takes seriously are Brianna, the advice column, and his friends)

Brianna (14, rich girl cheerleader with a heart of gold, fashion forward, always trendy, Allie's soon to be step sister, Trevor's girlfriend by the end)

Brad (15, popular football player of the junior varsity team struggling to find himself, well meaning but easily influenced, big heart, Not Like Other Jocks, redeems himself by the end)

Callie (16, lead writer of school newspaper, book smart, but not all that street smart, determined and not afraid to break a few rules to get what she wants)

Ben (17, editor in chief of school newspaper, quiet, reserved, a little more reluctant to break the rules, but will do anything to get into a good college)

Principal Cochran (late 40s, principal of the school (guys, it's been almost a decade, I don't remember the name of the school lol), stuck in his ways, overly strict, money obsessed, think Principal Rooney)

Why I stopped writing: I literally lost the script. I know I sent a draft to an old friend of mine, but that email has been lost to time, and now that I don't have the base, I can't remember which direction I was going in with the story before I stopped writing.

Themes from this story that appear in my other stories: Found family, platonic love, individuality, fighting manmade systems, lots and lots of 80s pop.

One interesting plot thread/character arc is that almost a full decade before the likes of Andrew Tate came onto the scene, telling young boys to be "alphas" and that they need to discard "low value women," Brad's plot was that he felt guilt over the prank he pulled on Allie to secure a spot on the varsity team, and over the course of the film, decides that being a man lies not in who he hurts, but who he helps. I was literally a fourteen year old girl writing this. I don't know what prophecy came to me in my sleep, but...holy shit.

Would I revive this story: Hell yeah! This is such a cute and solid story, with 80s influence, sweet moments, and honestly, the kids need a fun high school romp that is just about enjoying life and being 14. @sizzlingsandwichperfection-blog, I'm so sorry. I am so, so sorry for the abuse we put you through back in the day. We really took you for granted.

Fun Fact: The one and only surviving artifact of this film is the Spotify playlist. It is peak mid 2010s quirky teen comedy, and if you're old like me, this'll take you straight back to high school. I think you guys will love it.

Let me know if y'all think I should make this a series! I have a lot of scrapped scripts that I lowkey still think about lol

[shejustcalledmeafish]

I’m going to make you share Ianto audio opinions now :D Sorry I know there’s like 9 million of those

Dhhdhdhd you’re all good, everyone needs to know my hot takes on their favorite blorbo that is just A Guy

Fall to Earth: Very good! The beginning of a long saga of Ianto having audios with women who are cooler than him, also he’s a dumbass and Myfanwy has insurance now

Broken: honestly, this one is overhyped in my opinion. It’s still very good, but people scream so much about it and I’m like “…poodle goo”. That said, it is a classic, content warnings for depression and suicide attempt, but it’s really doing its best to establish the janto dynamic behind s1

The Office of Never Was: this one features a darker side of Ianto which is very interesting, but also I barely remember any of the details due to me listening ages ago, but like yeah I think it’s good

The Last Beacon: PEAK GO LISTEN IMMEDIATELY, beloved romp and Ianto-Owen character dynamics

Serenity: definitely my preferred Janto audio, dumbasses in the suburbs, violence and swinging attempts and Ianto just slowly losing his mind (affectionate)

Expectant: okay so this isn’t good. I wouldn’t even necessarily say it’s fun. There’s not even that much Ianto in it. But goddamn there’s something about it, so many things that are mentioned and not explored and there are slippers and whale songs okay (also gross birth noises so be warned)

Dinner and a Show: yes very good! just a good fun romp at the opera with aliens and cheap knock-off Welsh Prosecco

Ex Machina: genuinely such an interesting concept, unreality warning heavy, but I really enjoyed it

Rhys and Ianto’s Execllent Barbecue: oh my god this is literally a masterpiece on grief and masculinity and also there’s a cool time bubble and a guinea pig, mandatory listening

Coffee: fun and painful and just like, a lot of it is kinda basic but when it hits it HITS

The Great Sontaran War: okay genuinely a pretty solid one, goss needs to stop trying to write marginalized people, but there’s a sontaran in a trailer park with a cat named Group Marshal Cat and Ianto is just trying his best, so

The Grey Mare: okay it’s not bad, but it is a pretty basic spooky tale, I heard someone describe it once as a plot that it didn’t have to be Ianto, and that’s pretty fair

Restricted Items Archive Entries 031-049: this is my personal favorite honestly, both for the almost anthology type vibe of all the entries, and because this author Gets Ianto and it’s just so fun and also a bit ouchy as it should be

SUV and The Lincolnshire Poacher: okay, haven’t heard these, but based on vibes poached from my friends, SUV is good, and Lincolnshire Poacher is slowburn Ianto whump and I mean slowburn because he doesn’t show up for a while, so don’t expect him right away, but I’m not gonna write it off

The Torchwood Archive: very good, domestic janto in the most weirdest and in character way honestly, lmao

Outbreak: YES SO GOOD, be warned for a virus plot and scratching noises, but like worth it for all of the vibes, who doesn’t want to have your boyfriend try to murder you because he loves you and your best friend mock you for your shit tie, so good

Believe: okay so his plot is probably the most interesting/best one, but overall it’s really just not that good, not really worth it

Torchwood One: god fuck you Alyssa I forgot about these, okay okay

Before the Fall: technically individual stories, but it’s really more like one big one, Rachel be girlbossing

Machines: Blind Summit is the one for Iantotent, man sorta gets supersoldiered and everyone forgets about it, I personally really like 9 to 5, the premise Bangs. Also the law machines is here, it’s okay I guess

Latter Days: Retirement Plan lets Ianto James Bond it up, Locker 15 is solid, the Rockery isn’t a Ianto story but it is my favorite from the set so 😤

Nightmares: honestly, the best set, both My Guest Tonight (not a Ianto story), and Lola are very solid, LESS MAJESTY IS FARCE AND FUCKING HILARIOUS

TLDR: honestly he doesn’t really have a Bad one, but some are better than others :3

[frauleinandry]

a persona 3 reload review

uuuuuuh so i was meant to post this like... two weeks ago, but then real life hit me in the head like a frying pan. now that i've had the time to edit this though, here are my thoughts on p3re! this is also a minato route review, as i played kotone's in P3P (i know it's not his canon name, but i don't want to use makoto due to P5 confusion).

on the whole, reload is a fantastic game. the gameplay easily rivals P5R, and surpasses it in some aspects. the new content is typically great. i also enjoyed minato as a character (well, as much of a character as persona protagonists are anyway), though that leads me to the main gripe i had with reload...

... and that's the lack of kotone's social links. to be precise, two of her social links, the absence of which greatly hurts the overall story.

don't get me wrong, i'd still rank reload a solid 8/10, but it could have been a 10/10 with the addition of those two links (plus one other spoiler thing), and I think that's a shame.

my in depth analysis is under the cut - note, it's very much not spoiler free.

okay, so, i'm gonna split this into 3.5 segments - the good, the mixed, and the bad (you'll find out what the 0.5 is later).

1. the good:

minato - while i'm still a kotone girlie at heart, he's not a bad protagonist at all! his dialogue options have a very distinct personality to them unlike joker and yu, and his character arc is one of the best of all of the persona main leads. an aloof, apathetic boy who learns to love the world/his friends so much he's willing to die for them... it's good!

koromaru - minor, but worth mentioning. you can pat him, and it's so cute. in fact, everything about him is perfect. from his all-out attack screen, to his animations, to... well, everything. no joke, if I needed to sell this game to a non-persona fan, i'd use him as the main draw.

hangout events - while I think being able to chat to everyone in the dorm already made SEES one of the more developed casts, having additional scenes really helped flesh out the party members who are less prominent in the plot (fuuka, pre-january aigis, ken). more things to do at night is also great, given there was nothing to do in the evening after maxing your social stats in the older versions. the perks they give you are great too, but i'll talk about that more later.

voice acting - not gonna lie, i generally don't like the persona dubs, and normally always play with the JP audio. given reload features some of my favourite voice actors though and was basically fully voiced, i decided to give it a chance this time. and i don't regret it! while some actors are definitely stronger than others, none of them were actively jarring, and quite frankly, they hard carried a lot of the social links. kudos to the cast!

strega - while they could have gone a bit further with it (jin needed a linked episode for sure), takaya finally got the development he sorely needed, and his and jin's final battles were actually interesting, instead of being annoying distractions from nyx. in fact, i'd say takaya's new content is easily the best of the new reload exclusive material. in portable, he made no impression on me whatsoever, but now, he finally gets to be the anti!minato he deserves to be.

1.5. the tartarus (aka good part 2, electric boogaloo):

i have so many things to gush about in terms of the new combat/exploration system, i decided it needed its own section! the glow-up tartarus got was massive. i was pretty disappointed when i heard they were keeping it randomly generated, but somehow, atlus pulled it off! i'll talk about individual things below.

collectables/monad doors - one issue with OG tartarus is that it's monotonous. breakable collectables make it much more entertaining to romp through though, as smashing things is Fun. the monad doors interspersed throughout are another good addition - if you want a break from roaming, you can challenge them, but if not, that's fine!

floor layout - another thing that makes tartatus more fresh to explore is that the HD graphics really make the differences between the blocks pop out. the generally smaller floors with more unique layouts really helps too.

shifting - it's baton pass, though without the ridiculous power/sp bonuses that made baton pass a little bit too gamebreaking in persona 5. in other words, perfect!

theurgy - out of all the battle-specific improvements, theurgy and the personality traits have got to be my favourites. showtimes were fun, but too random/gimmicky to be that useful, and ultimate skills tended to fluctuate between being absolutely gamebreaking or too SP intensive to be worth using. blending them into one feature with a content-specific gauge fixes all the problems with them while keeping everything that made showtimes/ultimate skills good.

ambush mechanics - this was one of the things i was most worried about before playing reload. ambushing in P5 is fun, but ambushing in the other persona games...? not so much. reload manages to fix this though by making the shadows less sensitive, which makes the early game a lot better, and but introducing dash-ambushes once the floors get bigger. if the persona 6 ambush system works like this, i'll be happy.

navigator skills - fuuka being retooled to work more like a playable character was an A+++ decision. making her skills player-activated but with an SP cost is so much more immersive than randomly getting a stat boost/enemy info.

unfortunately, while i think most of the tartarus additions were great, there were a few new mechanics which weren't... dreadful, per say, but could have been implemented better.

great clocks - they're better than nothing, but quite frankly, i would have preferred it if benched units got 50% exp instead. they incentivise you to drop two units for a period of time, which is annoying, given i want to use everyone on my first playthrough. late game, great clocks are also a pain to summon, for reasons i'll talk about below.

twilight fragments - i think they're a neat idea in theory, but they need to be easier/more reliable to farm. once you finish off the bulk of your social links/elizabeth's requests, replenishing them becomes a nightmare, which is annoying because you need them for great clocks.

2. the mixed:

while reload did a lot of things right, as per above, there were some things that didn't quite hit the mark.

linked episodes - i'm gonna be blunt. anyone who thinks these are better than social links is smoking something. one thing i like about party member social links is that it gives them a subplot outside of the main story, focusing more on their mundane struggles as opposed to their supernatural ones. half of the linked episodes just develop the main plot more though (and really should have just been included in it), meaning the linked episode exclusive subplots are underbaked.

another problem is that some of the linked episodes are just... kinda badly written. ryoji's completely lacks his existential dread, akihiko's comes off as a poor attempt to make his arena behaviour less OOC, while shinjiro's... it feels like persona 5 writing, in the worst way possible. it's like atlus completely forgot that subtext is a thing that's Good, actually.

while I have been fairly critical of them so far though, there are a couple of linked episodes i liked. koromaru's actually worked with the format, given he's a dog, but the real winner here was takaya. i loved all of his. if linked episodes appear again, i'd rather they be locked to antagonists like him.

art direction- i'll say right now - the UI is fabulous, the model shaders are great, and tartarus looks fantastic. the environmental design on the whole though is a bit iffy - a lot of the environments didn't translate to the super HD very well, and the lighting sucks in general. i needed to turn down the brightness it was so eye-searing. the animation of the 2D cutscenes is also pretty mediocre, and while the 3D cutscenes tend to look better, they're held back by some of the character models looking a bit goofy (mitsuru's is probably the biggest offender). i also think they were too scared of making the sprites 'ugly', and therefore on the whole they're slightly less emotive than the ones in the older versions of the game, which is a pity.

3. the bad:

minato's social links - the vast majority of the minato-exclusive social links are just flat-out not great. serious props to the voice actors here, since they hard carried them. quite frankly, they're just... bland, except for maya's and suemitsu's, which. uh. have problems. on the topic of social links, while i'm happy the romance isn't mandatory anymore, i don't like how half the girls explicitly confess to you. i much prefer the more subtle vibes of the P5/P4 romantic options, as yeah, most of them can lead naturally into romance, but they don't make the MC feel like a harem anime protagonist (derogatory). it kinda brings to mind this twitter post; sometimes, subtlety is simply better.

the absence of shinji and ryoji's social links - i can live without saori, rio, and most of the new and improved SEES member social links, but this is where i draw the line. while shinji dying is better storytelling, just like with chidori, having the option to save him is also important. lock it behind new game plus, yes... but keep it. also, him priming kotone to support akihiko one he's gone is far better than him just flat-out telling minato that he's dying. ryoji's missing social link though is infinitely worse. where is his slowly mounting horror as he starts poking holes in his backstory? his desperation to validate that he's actually real? that he exists?! like yeah, it's nice that the linked episode doubled down on his bisexuality, but i'd rather keep the psychological breakdown aspects of it, y'know?

the difficulty - i started playing reload normal - the level i'd typically use for a blind run of a persona game - aaaaand swapped to hard the second i unlocked theurgy. even then though, the game was a cakewalk until january hit. while i love theurgy, the game is absolutely not scaled around it, especially since you can charge/concentrate them. doing that, you can easily rack up thousands of damage without even going ham with fusion. unfortunately, reload is just... really easy.

the plot's too faithful to the original - while reload added new content, it pretty much left the story untouched outside of the beach scene. that's... not good, as persona 3's narrative had some pretty big problems. the biggest issue is the unchanged pacing - the strega storyline really needed to start a month earlier, and ryoji needed an extra month to integrate with the characters due to his lack of social link. this is one of the things i'm explicitly docking a point for - reload still doesn't kick off until the yakushima arc, which is well over a third into the game.

despite my criticisms, i do want to note that my experience with reload was predominately positive. it's (extremely) sad that you still need to play portable to experience the full persona 3 story, but p3re is still a fantastic game, and has a lot of gameplay features i'd be delighted to see in persona 6.

that's all i've got to say for now - until next time!

[nerdieforpedro]

Tell me how you want me

Fanfiction 18+ MDNI

Word Count: just under 5k

Masterlist / Marcus Pike Masterlist

Marcus Pike x plus size OC (Isabella)

Summary: Marcus Pike is not trying to go to this cookout. It turns out though, he found a sleepy woman that happens to be the best thing that could happen to him.

Warnings: Smut, light BDSM, edging, oral sex (male and female receiving), established relationship, rough sex, after care, unprotected P in V

“Hey just stop by, I promise it will be quick.”

“Your backyard parties are never quick, especially when the cooler comes out. I’m not going.”

“Molly says she wants to see you, make sure you’re still alive. So do your nephews.”

“You didn’t have to mention the nephews Phillips…” Agent Pike sighed, leaning back in his chair. Pike was a sucker for the two little hellions, adorable since they’re both five years old, but double the trouble, he didn’t know how his wife did it with the long hours they have to file reports on these criminals who think they can hide behind art purchases funding their drug money.

Fellow Agent Phillips had been trying to get his partner Pike to stop buy his house for a backyard BBQ. His wife Molly insisted on it, she said he needed to get back out there in the dating game. Phillips said that they shouldn’t butt in because he’s a grown man and hadn’t indicated at any point that he wanted to be set up. Molly was not one for a no, so Phillips decided to ask Pike to join them for the last cookout before the fall really kicked in. It was still sticky and humid during the day but now cool in the evenings.

“I’ll stop by for a bit, say hi to Molly and the twins, then I’m out.” Pike stated flatly.

It would be very hard to do, but the last few years, he had gotten better at putting himself first, guarding his heart. He wouldn’t throw it away anymore as he had better standards for himself. Standards that had lead to some dates and some romps in bed but nothing substantial, not like he had with Teresa, but looking back, was it really? Had he ever really a solid relationship with a woman outside of family, acquaintances and colleagues? Pike knew he loves to please, but he was trying to work himself out of a decades old habit that found him in relationships where women he’s with call him a good man but they leave him for another guy they marry. Pike saw the evidence on social media.

The fated weekend comes and Pike is at Phillip’s house as promised with gifts for the boys and Molly because his parents taught him manners when visiting. It was one of the many selling points Molly mentioned when making the rounds with Marcus, he grinned and smiled through it all, only to be saved by Dean and Bobby running up to him and wanting to push them on the swings connected to the play set. Pike was so thankful for rude little boys.

“Uncle Pike, was mommy walking you around like a show pony?” Dean asked and he tried to climb up in the swing, his brother Bobby laughed to him as he was already in the swing.

“Mommy said it’s a waste he isn’t coupled up? Does that mean like Mommy and daddy? Some of Mommy’s wine friends mentioned that too.” Bobby told his brother, proud to know something he didn’t. Pike sighed at their discussion and knew he was going to have a long talk with Phillips about this.

“Don’t listen to what you mom and dad say, your Uncle is just fine.” Pike smiled, he was mostly telling the truth. After about ten minutes on the swings, the twins were bored and thought of something fun.

“Uncle, you wanna hide from those ladies? We know a good hiding spot! Daddy’s office, he has it but he never uses it. He usually does his papers when he’s with you at work.” Dean chimed, Bobby took his uncle’s hand and lead him into the house, telling the adults that they were going to show him their tablet. It was solid enough of an excuse to not garner any odd looks. Dean kept a look out while Bobby got Pike to the hallway.

“It’s the room at the end of the hall.” Bobby said and waved, tapping Dean on the shoulder so they could pop upstairs and play on their tablets and maybe raid the fridge later.

“Hey Bobby, did we take Auntie Izzy in there too?” Dean asked his brother once they were at the top of the stairs, Bobby thought for a moment and shrugged.

“I think so but she probably left by now. She usually goes home and we can find her online and play Pokemon Go with her.” Bobby answered not worried at all. His Auntie Izzy didn’t take to his mother’s meddling well but she was really fun with different games and she actually knew about SpongeBob and Paw Patrol so she was awesome in their book.

Agent Pike thought he was in the wrong room, but it was an office. There was just a woman laying across the couch in what looked to be a yellow off the shoulder dress, that had a slit in it. It exposed her very thick thighs and maybe a birthmark on the right one, she has white nail polish that matched her fingernails and toes. A smooth mole was on her right shoulder as well, her cleavage glistened with a thin layer of sweat as her chest rose and fell. It appeared she was asleep. White flip-flops were on the floor next to the couch and full fuchsia lips formed a small ‘o’ as she let out a coo. Her round honey tinted face appeared to be completely at peace. What was she dreaming about? Her hair was in an updo, coils in a cute poof above her head, because he was laying on her left side, her hair had teetered to the right a bit. The woman shifted a bit to the right and her cleavage peeked out a bit more from the top of her dress as did her thigh, Pike knew if she shifted again, he may see her panties, which would’t be bad for him. It was like a painting, one of the many he studied, the many artisans of the past had sculpted, painted and sketched full figured women through the eons. He wondered if he had any artistic bones in his body if her would be able to capture of majesty of this moment. The beautiful woman simply existing.

How long had he been standing here again?

Pike took a step forward to get out of the doorway, in an attempt to turn around and leave but knocked over a bookend and this a stack of books that was a the end of a shelf built into the wall. “Shit…” He whispered as he heard stirring behind him, movement. The agent turned and saw the vision of a woman sitting on the couch, rubbing her eyes, trying to get the sleep out. She was now sitting up, her hair still slightly to the right and both thighs on full display of her dress and further moved up. Pike cleared his throat, he needed to hear anything, it was so quiet. “Sorry about that.” He managed to speak softly. The woman nodded and chuckled. Her laugh was cute.

“It’s okay. I was likely asleep for too long. Are you a friend of Jack’s?” He heard her ask, she must know Jack and Molly well to refer to him by first name, or maybe she just didn’t work in law-enforcement, they always used last names. Pike nodded and turned to face her.

“I’m Pike, Marcus Pike.”

“You must work with him, not many people go with their last name first.” She laughed again, this time deeper though, her full lips moving as Marcus watched them, having a goofy smile of his face. “I’m Izzy or Isabella. I prefer Izzy though.” She stood up and pulled her dress from between her belly and thighs, she stepped forward for a handshake. Pike obliged and took her hand in his, it was soft but she had a firm grip. His calluses from using his gun slid against her palm and he sighed, feeling like he was exhaling all of the air in his lungs. She was up to his shoulder, not inducing her poof, looking down at her, he wondered if her lips as sweet as they looked. “Nice to meet you Marcus.” She smiled up at him, letting go of his hand and turning around to slip on her flip-flops.

“Nice to meet you too Isabella, er Izzy.” He corrected himself, he head her giggle as she checked her pockets. Women really do love dresses with pockets. “Are you avoiding the party as well?” Pike asked, he hoped so, then he would have something to talk about. After giving herself a quick pat down and it appeared as though she had everything, Izzy answered.

“Yeah, Molly insisted I come to get out of the house, but she just had a few guys she wanted me to meet. Wasn’t into it, so I asked the boys for a good hiding spot.” She put her hands on her hips, her arms jiggled with each movement. Pike couldn’t stop watching her. “Then I fell asleep after getting too comfortable.” She tossed a hand up with a shrug of her shoulder.

Marcus was racking is brain, should he ask for her number? Might be a bit too soon, coffee! Coffee is fine usually. Situation is a little awkward, but what wasn’t with the entire cookout debacle. “Izzy, would you want to get out of here and grab coffee?” He asked, cheesy? One hundred percent but why not? He wasn’t sure if he had ever studied anything or anyone in this much detail and he still wanted to know more.

Izzy’s eyebrows raised as she thought and agreed. “I could go for some coffee. You got Dunkin rewards? If not, I have some.” She pulled her phone out her pocket and grinned.

Pike matched her grin with his own, feeling playful, “Wherever you wanna go, I’m up for it.”

It had been four months since Isabella had heard words that changed her perception of men. ‘Wherever you wanna go, I’m up for it.” The accountant really had thought he was just giving her cheesy lines, which was sweet in a way. Marcus Pike was a man who followed through no matter if it was a promised phone call, a random lunch arriving at her office or a flirty FaceTime when he was at the office late. Time with him was well spent and always enjoyable. She never felt embarrassed by him and he seemed to find everything she did did cute which he told her often. By contrast, he was growing in a beard and mustache that looked sexy on him. It wasn’t too little and not too much, just right. She usually ended up touching it while they were out at dinner or matching movies at home as he touched her thighs.

Pike always made a point to have her climax at least once if not twice before entering her and chasing his own high. Izzy wondered what he might like but she felt a bit embarrassed about asking him, though anyone with any sense would instruct you to just ask. That was easy. Izzy never did things easy, it was not her way. Instead, she shopped around for a sheer midnight blue teddy with a matching crotchless thong. She had told Marcus to come by after work, shower and relax. He had been working a complex case with a few museums including the Smithsonian and how to coordinate the return of different pieces without pissing different countries off. She didn’t quite get the intricacies of it, but it sounded stressful. The office worker also had bought some handcuffs and a few candles that melt into oil and lube that she could massage him with or use to fuck him with. “This will be fun!” She exclaimed, hearing a knock downstairs followed by her phone ringing. He was here.

It wasn’t unusual for Pike to stay over at Izzy’s brownstone, it was much more comfortable that his studio apartment that was close to work, but cozy, as Izzy had put it. She had four bedrooms, one was an office, one was her master bedroom with a large walk-in shower that they had made very good use of, especially that built in bench seat. He relished in her pleasure, especially after she let it slip that she had only been able to climax using toys before. Marcus wouldn’t have that, plus hearing her scream his name made him want to grab her, twist her, make her more moist each time he heard it. He was greeted by his girlfriend answering the door in her black satin robe. He knew what the robe meant. “Hey babe. Sorry I’m so late.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I’m just glad you’re here Marcus.” Izzy kissed his lips softly, touching his cheek, her fingers trailing down to his jaw and poking his Adam’s apple. “You want to eat first or shower?” She asked, there was chicken Alfredo she could warm up for him.

“I’m gonna shower first, I feel stuffy from being in that office all day, you joining me?” The agent asked, dropping his bag after closing the door. One hand went to her hip, rubbing a circle to touch her thigh and ass while he kissed her shoulder. A soft sigh was heard from her lips so he then took a handful of her ass and squeezed. He heard a gasp and kissed her neck, clearly anticipating her joining him.

Though she was tempted, Izzy would stick to her plan. “No, no. You shower first and the pop into the bedroom. I thought of something for you.” She smiled, putting her ands on her hips before walking away and heading upstairs. Pike, stunned, picked up his bag and followed his love upstairs and quickly hopped in the shower. The last time she said she had something planned for him, she showed up at his office late saying she missed him and sucked his dick while he lied to his coworker and told him that he would lock up. Marcus fucked his girlfriend was in the bathroom. She enjoyed watching him struggle to keep a composed face, smirking up at him. It was then that Pike made sure that no one was in the office and his door was locked so he could bend her over the desk, slapped her ass before fingering her and plunging himself into her wetness as he spread her legs, her moans making him cry out her name. He left bruises on her thighs that night, ones that she told him not to say sorry for as she had enjoyed every moment. Isabella was also the same woman that held him and went with him to the hospital when his father had his stroke, thankfully he was able to recover mostly, but it wasn’t how he wanted to introduce her to his parents. He wanted to it be a nice family dinner. Not in a hospital room. But she was perfect throughout, making his mother nudge him and ask why he hadn’t brought her around yet.

While Pike was in the shower, Izzy was taking deep breaths, She went ahead and lit her candle and set condoms, handcuffs, but she didn’t have a blindfold. Hearing the water stop, she grabbed one of her scarfs and met him at the bathroom door, planting a kiss on him and wrapping her arms around his neck, standing on her tip-toes and put the scarf around his eyes. “Iz…what the hell?” Pike asked, chuckling. He never knew what to expect from this woman.

“I told you, a surprise. It starts now, so follow me.” She giggled and lead him toward the bed and sat him down, then pulled him close so his head rested on her breasts. She slipped off her robe and let it drop on the floor. Marcus’ arms wrapped around her back, he pressed his chest into her soft belly.

“Mmm…Should I be extremely worried or just quietly concerned?” He asked placing a small kiss between her ample breasts before nibbling on them.

Izzy licked her lips. “Neither, just listen to me and do what I tell you. I’m going to make sure to come first tonight Marcus. If you feel odd or uncomfortable about anything, just say…” Izzy paused to think of a word. “Rose.” She patted his head and took one of his hands and ran it upper her inner thigh. “You feel it Marcus? It’s been like this since you called me at your late lunch, hours Marcus…” She cooed, using one of her fingers to push his middle finger along her wet slit. Her legs widened a bit as Marcus slipped his finger in further, stroking her as he grew harder in his boxers.

“God damn woman….Tell me how you want me.” Marcus staggered, Izzy pushed him back on the bed and commanded him to scoot toward the head of the bed. He didn’t feel her get on the bed immediately, it felt like she was fiddling with something. “Izzy, what are you…” He was going to ask but she grabbed his wrists and cuffed them behind his head, kissing his lips again desperate for contact Pike lurched forward as she pulled back, panting. “Izzy, please….kiss me more.” A soft hand pushed on his chest and circled his nipple, rolling it between her fingers. Pike moaned loudly, struggling against the handcuffs, he needed to touch her, kiss her, caress her, grab her.

“Not yet. I want to watch you more like you watch me Marcus.” Izzy cooed, she released his nipple and slid off his boxers, the agent lifted his hips to make it easier. He bit down on his bottom lip as he whimpered. She hadn’t even touched his dick yet, would he last? Is this how he makes her feel? Anything like this? “Marcus, baby, you still with me? You remember the word right?” He nodded and she followed by asking if he wanted to use it, he shook he head.

“Please, tell me how to want me….Please…” Pike begged. Izzy loved the sight of the man who often made her hoarse for work the next day in a puddle go pleasure. His cock was wet with precum. She wanted to ride him them, but she would need his help for stability and she wanted to toy with him a bit more. Instead, she chose to remove her scarf and kiss his forehead, then straddled his lower torso so her ass would be rubbing against his hardness. “Fuck Iz….You haven’t told me to do anything yet.” He whined, which was true it was torture.

“Keep still.” Izzy commanded, bouncing her ass against his cock, smearing his fluid on her ass. She was kissing down his face to his Adam’s apple, biting it with her teeth before licking it. His hips buckled up in response and she bit his shoulder, “I said keep still.” Pike nodded and did his best, but he was failing the longer it went on, as she moved down, her hips did as well and her moist entrance was met with his hard cock, rubbing each other as she started to moan as well.

“Isabella please….” It was rare Marcus used her entire name, he was quite serious when he did. Izzy then reached for the candle and dripped the hot substance over his chest. Marcus yelped as his body shivered from both the heat and pleasure, Izzy started rubbing it into his skin, his chest, stomach and his arms, she used both hands to give special attention to his thighs, the dark hairs, tickling her fingers. Marcus did his best to remain still but his body was shaking, throbbing to release. “Please let me cum…” He asked out of sheer desperation.

Isabella sat back on the bed, admiring the sight of a spanning, sweating, lubed Marcus. She thought of taking a picture, but decided against it. She just soaked in the image. “Marcus, you think you can continue to stay still while I take care of you?” She asked, reaching for a towel that she had on a dresser, she wiped down his penis, his fingernails pressing into his palms. He nodded, but after she finished wiping, she flicked his shaft, causing him to make and audible grunt. “I need to hear an answer.” She stated, her finger tracing the veins along his shaft.

“Y-Yes, I can stay still. I’ll d-d-do my best. Please Izzy….honey…” He whimpered. Satisfied, Izzy ran her tongue from the base of his cock to her head, rolling her tongue around his head before sucking a little, not too much. Marcus did well in remaining still for the most part, but once she had his head between her lips, his hips buckled. He realized his mistake and quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again….please your sweet lips, let me cum…” She reached down with a free hand and pinched the skin of his testicles, before taking his girth into her mouth bobbing her head up and down while she rolled his balls between her fingers. Marcus screamed trying to resist the urge to buck his hips with her mouth, he was trying and failing, but this time she didn’t stop. Izzy used her teeth to lightly graze the skin of his head before rolling her her tongue around it, without warning, Marcus shot ribbons into her mouth as she shrugged to swallow, but downed as much she could, she did end up choking a little. In-between his breathy heaves, Marcus asked if she was ok and if she could uncuff him, he needed to know if she was okay. As Izzy took deep breaths she handed him the key, he un-cuffed himself and took her in his arms, rubbing her back. Her coughing calmed as he cradled her, kissing her forehead.

She looked up at him, her mouth with traces of him on it, “Did you enjoy yourself Marcus?” She asked, he was dumbfounded. What made her think he didn’t? His kissed her lips softly before grabbing a tissue to wipe them and himself off.

“You always surprise the hell out of me Isabella. I fucking loved it. How’d you think of that?” He asked genuinely wondering. She had never mentioned anything like this before.

“I tried to think of what you might do. You aways seem to watch me and be studying me each time Marcus, plus I thought the candle would be a nice touch.” She giggled, nuzzling into his chest. Marcus pulled her on top of him so her legs were spread, She yelped as her bit at the top of her teddy ripping it, Izzy grabbed it and help it to herself though it only covered one of her breasts. “M-Marcus!” His mouth enveloped one of her nipples as he sucked and tugged on it, he reached up and took the torn teddy from her, the grip she had on it loosened considerably. His other hand trailed down her belly which he loved to pat, she swatted his hand away and to strode further down until reaching her slick lips, running a finger over each of them as he parted them. “W-Wait… you’re not supposed to move…” She stated weakly. He was no longer cuffed and non-compliant to her demands. Pike pushed her on her back just as she had done with him, however he took hold of her ankles and held her legs up, closing her thighs around his penis which was half erect. He was the one teasing her now, running his dick back and forth against her entrance knowing he wouldn’t enter her. “Fuck…Marcus…” She cried, grabbing onto the sheets of the bed. After a few more pumps he opened her legs and pulled back, the cool air hitting her wet lips and causing her to moan. He positioned her knees on his shoulders, she knew what came next, her body tensed, but Pike just blew a kiss toward her folds, watching her, watch him as he smiled. “What are you doing down there?!” Izzy yelled indignant. How dare he just sit there? He was in position.

Marcus was loving seeing her mad, it was perfect. He was being a bit petty for what just happened, but she also did choke on his cum, eh, it was fair. His face lurched forward and kissed her thigh before using his teeth to bite her, then lick it again. He would make sure she thought about him again while she was typing at her desk in a meeting, just like he did when she left scratches on his back. What he wouldn’t do to her to make her think of him when they were apart. His lips gently pecked her clit as he felt her knees buckle, then flicked it with his tongue, he could make her climax from just her clit, but he decided to start twirling his fingers, slipped into her cunt and turn them, not pump them. Izzy cried out his name and he smiled and a dark laugh left his lips as tongue flicked again on her clit, her hips were moving where his fingers weren’t so he pulled them back out and took a hand from her knee and smacked her ass. “Not yet, you have to stay still.” He mocked her mischievously and inserted one finger. Izzy growled, wanting more, but gave in and remained still and he slowly pumped her and forming an ‘o’ with his lips around her clit, she really did try hard not to move, but she always seem to be moving, even when she was still. It was one of the many things Marcus loved about her. He removed his finger again and replaced it with his tongue, flicking around her walls as they closed around him, his nose rubbing her clit as his eyes met hers.

“Shit, I’m almost there….Marcus!” Izzy yelled, but Marcus pulled away from her, licking his lips, she looked up at him and he leaned over her, moving up his body. “You…you…damn it…” She seethed, once was bad enough, but twice?! Izzy pinched his cheeks as he laughed, she only saw one of his hands though. Marcus used the other one to position himself at her moist sex, his tip already in, she felt him spreading her ever so much, but he stopped again. “Marcus please, let me move or fuck me…” She asked grabbing his shoulders and pulling him closer to her, he slid into her and filed her, stinging slightly as he normally preps her more. She leaned into his ear, “I didn’t move my hips this time.” The office manager felt like she had a win, he had edged her a bit too much she thought. Marcus just grinned and kissed her jaw, pulling his hips back so he was halfway out.

He grabbed one of her knees to spread her even more. “No you didn’t but I’ll still fuck you any anyway Izzy.” He smiled before plunging deep into her at an angle, hitting the very back of her canal, he felt her shudder and scream his name as she came, but he leaned down, sucked on her neck as he kept pulling in and out of her at a steady pace, she wanted him to go faster, but he was dragging it out, he was going to torture her. He even slowed down when he was withdrawing from her fully and plunging deep into her again, grabbing her hips this time. Her loud moans spured him on, the louder she became the harder he fucked her until his felt his cock start to swell again. Izzy wrapped her legs around him and Marcus panicked for a minute knowing that he had been a bit too eager and didn’t put a condom on.

“It’s fine, I’m on my pills pour into me Agent Pike.” She moaned, feeling herself nearly ready to come again. Marcus turned her on her back again and hungrily kissed her lips. Slapping his thighs with hers, he grabbed one of her breasts and rolled her nipple.

“You call me Marcus, Izzy….Fuck you’re so tight.” Marcus groaned. Spreading his thick seed into her, Izzy cried from he heat as her walls sucked his cum out of him, they arched into each other, their bodies sticky and wet from each other. Marcus kissed from Izzy’s forehead down to her shoulder and that mole he had seen when he first saw her sleeping in that office. He went to move, but she held onto him.

“Marcus, don’t move yet, just stay. Please.” Izzy said quietly into his shoulder, not looking up at him. Marcus brushed some of her hair off out her face and nodded pecking her lips. Eventually, the pair went to the bathroom and freshened up and changed the sheets before getting into bed naked. “Normally I only change the sheets before you come not after.” Izzy remarked, she used humor for when she was a bit uncomfortable. Pike wrapped his arms around her as they got in bed, she turned to face him. She held his hand after giving his ass a little squeeze. Marcus laughed.

“You never did tell me how you wanted me other than to stay still Iz.” Marcus asked, teasing her a little. Izzy faked a pout and lifted his hand to kiss it.

“I want you just like this, here with me.” Marcus kissed her lips as she laid her head on his chest, his hand rubbed her back, she drifted off to sleep.

“I don’t wanna be anywhere else.” Agent Pike slipped into a deep slumber, never forgetting the warmth on his chest.

[cadyrocks]

So I know that CAD is often and widely considered a punchline in the circles I run in. And not without reason - the early stuff is all pretty terrible for a variety of reasons, Loss is a tone shift so stark and out there that it can't help but be funny*. The jokes didn't work, attempts at being serious didn't work, and it rarely rose past the level of "mediocre Penny Arcade knockoff" (and, let's be honest, I don't exactly think very highly of Penny Arcade).

But for some reason, I never stopped following that RSS feed. And... uh... I regret to inform you that at some point in the intervening years, CAD got pretty damn good.

Some context: the most recent run of CAD focuses on our longstanding protagonists, Ethan and Lucas, in new personas as superheroes. Lucas can make DDR arrows appear, and Ethan can respawn after death. They're not exactly A-Grade, but for someone who's as much of a complete moron as Ethan is, being able to die without consequences is a pretty useful power to have. A power which "The Troll" (a minor villain who he previously dropped off a building, with some ambiguity as to how hard he tried to save him), appears to have taken away at the conclusion of a genuinely pretty solid arc about overcoming his ego. Or maybe not! It's unclear. But, y'know, you can't exactly test whether or not your power of respawning after death works, and if you've spent your whole life living without any kind of mortal peril... It'll fuck with you.

This arc, which, on the whole, works really well. The tonal shifts between comedic violence and earnest superhero drama feel natural and earned; Ethan is relatable enough that we can understand his pathos and feel what he's like even as he tries to raise money for a new graphics card by draining all the blood from his body, getting annoyed when the blood "despawns" on his death. Lucas similarly makes a sympathetic and effective supporting character.

The art isn't exactly gonna take the comics world by storm, but it's professional and has a consistent style without simply copy-pasting everything, a huge step up from the early stuff we all make fun of. If you told me this was a DC comic... well, it'd be a pretty big stylistic shift from the usual DC fare, but it'd probably wouldn't be the worst-drawn comic on the shelves. To be fair, he's been doing this for 20+ years, so you can expect some growth, but some people wouldn't necessarily expect much growth from Tim Buckley, so that's a pleasant surprise.

In addition to this, there's a few other projects under the larger CAD banner, and most of them work pretty well. The Starcaster Chronicles is a bit bogged down with melodrama but is generally an enjoyable sci-fi romp with some neat ideas and character turns (I really love the reason why Cort, our main character, turned into an outlaw). Console Wars, while a very dated concept, is still pretty funny when it shows up.

All in all, CAD has matured and grown with its author, and can comfortably take up the mantle of "a pretty solid webcomic", and that's probably worth mentioning every once in a while if we're going to keep making more and more obscure Loss memes.

*Although, worth noting, it was apparently based on real life experiences of the author he was processing, so while it's still really bad, it does feel a little mean to treat it like a huge memey joke. That ship has very much sailed, but, uh, I get why he banned HBomberguy from his forum. That was, I think we can say in hindsight, kind of a dick move on Harry's part.

[gellavonhamster]

monthly media recap: september 2024

who forgot? me? I don't know what you're talking about

read:

Weaveworld by Clive Barker - despite being an adult dark fantasy novel with sex and horror, spiritually this is every children's book about kids in a magical land. Be warned about some poorly aged descriptions, but overall, it's a wonderful love letter to the power of imagination.

The Lighthouse Witches by C.J. Cooke - my friend lent it to me (unprompted - "I'm bringing you a book I liked very much, I think you'll like it too), and I can see why she loved it. Very gripping despite the answer to the main mystery being very easy to guess. Or probably because of that - you know but the characters don't, which increases the tragedy of it all

Sailing by Gemini’s Star by Katie Crabb - a great conclusion to a great trilogy <3 I cried more than once. Wrote more about it here

watched:

The Phantom (1996) - a fun silly adventure romp. They really don't make them like that anymore, which is both for the better and for the worse. Catherine Zeta-Jones is breathtakingly beautiful, but what else is new

One Piece Film: Gold (2016) - actually a lot of fun, didn't expect it to be a proper heist movie. Nami and Carina... I know what you are

One Piece: Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island (2005) - oh this one is insanely good. The high stakes, the funny moments, the HORROR (I won't be surprised if I see that flower thing in my nightmares at some point). The animation is also very cool.

Barbe Bleue (2009) - I expected it to go the way of the girl being somewhat as monstrous as Bluebeard, but I did not expect that framing narrative about two little girls reading the tale to end like that. Much to think about.

La belle et la bête (1946) - cinema!!! Art!!!! Panna a netvor (1979) stays unmatched to me, but this one is also amazing, and I adore how the living statues/invisible servants were done.

The Cursed (2021) - I'm always torn between "having people of oppressed ethnicity curse their oppressors perpetuates harmful stereotypes" and "yeah they deserve to curse them actually". This issue aside, it's a solid werewolf-but-not-quite-werewolf horror movie.

[mermaidsirennikita]

Have you read the Maiden Lane series? I know is a long one so I was wondering if you could rank them? I have only read up to book 5

Omg YES. I love Maiden Lane. It's so good. An all time favorite series of mine. I will say: I haven't read Wicked Temptations a) because I hear it's kinda different from the others, not surprising because it's a first book and b) it took me forever to find in paperback (I mean to be fair I could've totally gotten it on eBay lol, but I forgot and I finally found it at a used bookstore) it's never in any of my library systems in paperback or E, and I didn't want to get it on my kindle if I could possibly find it on E. c) Now I'm down to two full length Hoyt historicals and she's a top author for me, so I'm kinda saving it.

But yes, of the ones I've read:

Thief of Shadows--I find this to be an incredible book, it has my favorite virgin hero of all time, I love the emotionality, the lack of a magic baby, an incredible hero/heroine dynamic. I will never not love this book.

Scandalous Desires--another one I just adore, it has one of my favorite "rakish her/moral heroine" dynamic. I love that she is very pure but she's not a virgin. I love the baby in this book, rare for me. I love the pirate ship setting. The way she says "I love you" during sex and he climaxes IMMEDIATELY lol.

Duke of Midnight--this is apparently a controversial but brave opinion, because Maximus is a SUPER alpha, kinda major asshole hero. I just love the quiet but firm way that Artemis responds to him, and his totally deluded dirty talk (he calls her Diana, he tells her while he's literally inside her about how he's gonna keep her in a hunting lodge and shit lol), the sex scenes are FIRE. The line "take my come for it's all I can give you" is WILD and I adore it. Also, HE IS THE NIGHT!!! AND HE HAS A GEORGIAN HOME GYM.

Sweetest Scoundrel--I really love a hero who seems like a rogue but actually has a deeply good and gentle heart once he realizes that the heroine isn't as tough as she seems, and Asa Makepeace IS that. I love that he's so respectful of Eve's boundaries while also really admiring her emotional strength and willingness to try new things with him. Also--that carriage scene? GIRL. GIRL. ICONIC.

Duke of Sin--I just really admire the absolutely insanity of this book. I also enjoy a villain hero who really doesn't reform at the end. He's just in love. He still does villainy, but he's found love and he prioritizes his love. Also, Bridget, similarly to Artemis, watches his carnage and goes "Well" which is a thing I have a weakness for. Just a heroine shaking her head and being like "I don't know what I expected.

Dearest Rogue--this one is really sweet, especially by the bananas standards of Maiden Lane. I love a bodyguard romance, and I also appreciated the fact that the heroine was blind and a good bit younger than the heroine but not infantilized. Plus, it's a good roadtrip romance.

Lord of Darkness--a "put a baby in me" romance, which I ALWAYS love. I love that this one has a mild-mannered professor type hero who like, wears spectacles and a "Night Before Christmas" sleeping cap lol. But he puts it DOWN. After an initially awkward encounter. I also love an initially awkward encounter.

Duke of Pleasure--the Return of the Ghost of St. Giles, one of the truly wildest "fakeout makeout" (except it isn't fake and is waaaay more than a makeout lol) scenes, and a cross-dressing heroine initiated into the sensual world~ by an older man. So fun.

Notorious Pleasures--controversial for cheating reasons (and Maximus is introduced and... really doesn't come off well lol) but I find it so fun. Very illicitaffairs.mp3, kinda low stakes compared to a lot of the other books, a solid romp.

Duke of Desire--this one is VERY dark and very intense, and while I think it's a beautifully written recovery book, I found it a lot heavier than Sweetest Scoundrel. Which isn't a wrong move, but it is a very sad, very emotional book you really need to be in the right emotional place for.

Darling Beast--I really need to reread this one, because I don't know if I was in right mood for it. And I do appreciate the interplay between the hero and heroine, the fact that the heroine has a job (and is an actress) and the fact that they can't speak to each other for a good while? Like I said, really need to reread.

But overall, even a mid Maiden Lane book is better than a lot of other historicals. Elizabeth Hoyt just has IT. I love the fact that these books are often about more working class or middle class characters, not just the nobility. I love the big, ambitious, wacky plots. I love the heat factor (she writes a great sex scene). It's just great.

[derekscorner]

Fated Rantings: Remnants Rambling

A Game Better Than It Has Right To Be

I recently finished what is my fourth romp through the Fate Series. It has been slow going due to life but truth be told I didn't want to rush either.

My go of Fate Grand Order is still ongoing, my first anime was Apocrypha, then I watched the 2006 Fate Stay Night, and now I've finished Samurai Remnant after 70+ hours.

Each of these has been good so far. I may hate gacha games but FGO has a solid initial story arc and it's Lost Belt 6 story is also great apparently. I'm not sure I'll get that far but I am determined to finish Solomon's villain arc.

While I'd rate Apocrypha a better anime than it's often given. I am still in shock from the sheer contrast of Astolfo in-story vs the internet osmosis he's become. While the 06 anime was decent for me I do admit I had already seen plenty of lore videos prior so I knew what was going on.

Then there's Samurai Remnant that is better than I expected. I tried it because I am a new Fate fan and Type-Moon doesn't localize things often. I'd argue it is my second favorite story so far falling just behind Apocrypha.

Imagine a Fate Stay Night remade in this style!

Game mechanics weren't perfect or without annoyance for me, I will admit. I feel like Iori gets knocked around far to easy and can be stun locked.

The barrier gauge among most enemies and bosses is honestly a pain and feels like it's padding a bit (until you hit max level anyway) and it is easy to get lost in the towns at first.

Yes you have a map but I did get annoyed more than once be slow traversal hazards or dead ends. Granted, this is an aggravation for extras.

When in-story it is all fine. There's story reasons or game mechanic reasons for why you will have to crawl around, sneak, and so on. It was very much an issue I gave myself for wanting to do every thing and search every corner.

Many other things that annoyed me at first quickly vanished later as I leveled up or filled out skill boards so I will not list them. It was a somewhat basic but unique (in ways) game play set up for what is essentially a visual novel.

I only mention it all because I think this game would be an amazing blueprint for other Fate games. I've already seen people hope for a Fate Stay Night remade in this game's image.

Whether it's a new route or just the old novel redone the hope is now there and I find myself agreeing with them. Samura/Remnant is a great prototype for taking visual novels that began Fate and turning them into a video game that can reach more people.

Story is where it Shines

I won't lie, I expected something 'okay' or "mid" as kids call it, but no. This story actually is rather good. Several characters have more going on than it initially appears and multiple runs are required.

You'll play this game 3 to 4 times if you want every ending or to finish ever digression mission. Something I highly recommend you do because you'll miss out on explanations for several plot points or character motivations.

Admittedly, there are several things that I didn't get answered despite my thorough go of the game. I completely missed the fact that Tsuchimikado's family can use divination for future sight. It was this very skill that allowed him to create the Waxing Moon Ritual.

The whole reason the ritual is flawed is due to him using imperfect foresight to orchestrate the event. The story tells you several times that the ritual is a sham compared to the Fuyuki Grail War but I don't remember it ever actually stating why.

The wish of Rogue Berserker was also something I missed in-game. I won't spoil who he is (or was?) but knowing his wish now makes his finale and leyline placement much more sensible.

Leyline you ask?

Ah yes, it's explained in-game but I'll spoil it here since it's not that much of one. Due to the rituals imperfection a number of extra servants are summoned to Edo.

They're "rogue" or stray servants who are bound to a leyline in the land. (A spot of particularly high mana essentially.) On top of the rogue servants a pseudo servant and ruler class servant are also summoned.

Of course, none of these extra heroes have much interest in the ritual. You can befriend them in the story but the actual war itself is carried out by the 7 actual servants and their masters.

As for the ruler, well, Gilgamesh really just proves why he never gets the role in the funniest way. He doesn't care about the false grail, he doesn't care about the half-assed ritual, and he doesn't care for his job as a ruler.

He literally fucks off, weebs out, and opens a store five houses down from yours early into the game. It is one of the funniest fucking things.

It's small things like this or Gilgamesh's antics that give the story life. I don't want my section above to paint the image of it being bad for some things going unexplained. It's entirely possible I missed the in-game explanation.

But do know that characters will sell this story too you more than the plot beats will.

The story itself, in terms of progression, is simple. Iori gets drug into the ritual like most Fate protagonists do. Many of the events triggered are usually by way of the other masters having an actual battle.

Iori is there, he's an active participant, but he mostly runs around seeking information or making allies while major events are kicked off by the magi or servants triggering them. The digressions show you a lot of these perspectives.

Iori isn't a fool or ignorant of magic, he's just not a man of status or means to pull the stunts many others cause. I would argue he "has no desire too" but that in of itself is a murky topic.

Overall, I do consider it a good thing because the story is character driven instead. So much so that I won't even dare to try and fit it all in a post. I'll let you discover that for yourself...except for Assassin.

Not a bad character by any means but he has a moment in the game mid way and to this very day I do not get why he does what he does. It's like they just did whatever they had to for that boss fight to happen...

I just find it a shame because his digressions are actually humorous. Many character interactions are funny at times. It's always the small things too, little scenes that you could miss if you rush.

Other Questions & Conclusions

To be honest there's more I could ramble on but it won't fit into one post and I do not feel like I can make more than two or three. One reason is due to me obviously missing details that I only learned later due to a video by Otakudaikun.

Another reason is due to the sheer number of characters. There's several I've only seen for the first time outside of FGO and do not feel like I can do them justice due to my lack of familiarity.

Others are so simple that I do not think they have much to be said. They're not bad for it they're just simple and true to their nature.

Such as Jeanne. I didn't even get into how disappointing it is for her personality to be muted. And make no mistake, this is Jeanne corrupted not FGO Jalter.

I didn't cover just how much Rogue Berserker hit me personally since I liked his legend as a child.

I'd need a whole post of it's own to talk about Rogue Rider and her antics. Sure you see a loli but by hell I know Amaterasu's lore in Fate, her nature, so I only get nervous seeing her grin. (though I do love her dynamic with Kaya)

Nor did I elaborate on how cool it is for the main servants (the ones paired with masters) to be legends from Japan or China. I actually learned a few interesting ones due to this writing decision.

There's the other endings as well but nothing is as deep as the 'Entreat the Darkness' ending imo. They're all decent though.

I even have this theory that Iori is the reason Musashi was summoned to t his timeline with no proof other than he wants to best his master and she wants a decent opponent.

What I will reiterate is that you should try this. It's a great place to start Fate and it's a good one to try if you already follow Fate.

Go give it a try, bye now~

================================================

Other Fate related ramblings here: https://derekscorner.tumblr.com/tagged/fated-rantings

[legionofpotatoes]

For real, your take on Mando season 3 is completely on point. But I get not feeling able to say it out loud without a disclaimer before, after, and in the tags to keep from getting shouted at in the reblogs. It's just the messed up nature of being in the SW fandom on Tumblr. Speaking your mind on your own blog is an invitation for buffoonery.

If I were completely honestly, I'm not in the least shocked that's what we got. I've long held the opinion that the worst part about the fandom is the fan opinions and expectations out of a new series, and the expectation that a formula for a show won't change, or that a character will maintain one set mentality/trope while simultaneously offering new, completely different story arcs. It isn't necessarily impossible to pull off, but it takes very careful planning and execution. And, unfortunately, that has never been a strength in this franchise, even before Disney ownership.

For most shows, it's the season 5 slump. After 5 seasons, all the flavor is gone and any additional seasons are painfully rehashed at best. For all the corporate financial squeezing that's been done to Mando since the beginning of the show to wring out revenue like its a wet washcloth, it really tracks that were in this place after only 3 seasons.

IMO the only thing that's going to save Andor is the fact that the end of the story has already been told in Rogue One and its confirmed that season 2 will end at that point of the timeline. If it was going to be a 3+ season show, I suspect we'd see the same treatment.

Anyway, I'll stop flapping my gums in your ask box. Your hot take encapsulated what felt off about this season to me. I couldn't put words to it, but it just felt....meh.

I just disable reblogs and try not to tag it in an inflammatory way, my gripes are genuinely like. basic semiotics and story sense, I'm not going after anyone's childhood or feel-goodness. This is all me-problems and me-expectations with a massive machine of commerce that will never give a shit lmao

I too wrote a couple of posts back in s2 days expecting something of this sort going forward after the weirdly presumptuous cameo-baiting of s2 and whatever in the goddamn hell boba fett did with its mando tie-ins, but an entire season of tirespinning sure was a surprising choice. I think writing for TV is fundamentally different than writing for film, so I didn't really see a clear parallel of incompetence within the franchise; and especially with season 1 being so solid in balancing both the overarching and the episodic stuff I felt like they had a neat ramp to milk a decently long character piece out of.

But I can't help but feel like my main problem with the disney/abrams/filoni/favreau era of star wars is its irrationally strong love for the aesthetic. it blinds them to good choices that will then make for interesting stories. gently deradicalizing, humanizing, and then literally AND figuratively getting din out of his shell so he could open up to a child's love could be such an effective, simple to parse, and wholesome core to structure the series around, but that would upend the aesthetic of their cowboy-ass romp a bit too fast and have an end and an identity and all that non-marketing friendly stuff. so they keep withholding his psyche, they keep giving then taking clear communication tools away from grogu, they keep teasing their bond but never outright stating it (I cannot believe after 3 seasons he still hasn't just looked at the baby and directly confessed he loved him), so they can keep bumping those goalposts back and forth while pretending it's progress. because they are in love with the aesthetic.

again, this is my main problem, I don't see this as a problem writ large or even something that represents a wrong way to do star wars. who the hell even knows how you treat a franchise that large at this point, what importance you assign to aesthetic vs. story, all that jazz. I don't know. they're the ones with the analytics data, so they definitely know better. and maybe that's the saddest part

[miupow]

puppy anon returning after another hiatus bc college and work is saur 💔 lia how can i slay in these conditions !!?? 💔💔

anyways! congratulations on making the decision to make craveverse! im super excited and looking forward to what you produce!!

i saw you express a question a bit back as to whether you should plot it out prior or go chapter by chapter - and idk if its still smthing ur wondering!! so if its not feel free to dismiss - but as someone who has done long fic before id say my happy medium is a little bit of both. you'd want enough to give yourself a couple chapters of buffer while you figure out how to work in the real meat of the plot, but also a few concrete plot points you know you want to hit later on so foreshadowing can be used early on. but also the key word here being "my" because every author should come up with their own mix to keep themselves invested and away from burnout. fanfiction, the medium, fails a little in regards to long fic imo bc it allows reader input at every chapter, which could potentially affect the authors view or or vision for the story.

in regards to overarching plot ideas . . . hmm. whats your ideal end goal you want to achieve w the fic - like a fun horny romp or a mystery series etc? and from there, branching out, do you have a plan for why mc went out into the forest in the first place? :o

anyhow! food for thought and i unfortunately love giving unsolicited advice !! 🥺😔 if any of this was like annoying or i crossed a boundary, lmk!!

- 🐶 puppy anon !!

HIIII PUPPY ANON!!! 🐶❤️ i missed u sm!!! i hope work n school is going well for you heehe :3

im so excited for craveverse too >< thank you for the advice, i think that’s honestly a solid idea,,, might plot out the first few chapters/plotlines and then let the readers input sway the rest ^^

for like. an overarching theme? i want it to be darker, ofc, a little angsty and suspenseful. need drama and conflict :> other than that, lots of sexual tension and smut <33 originally the idea for why mc went into the woods was just because she was dumb and curious, tho maybe giving her an actual reason would be a good idea, set up for some drama!!!

[ridley-was-a-cat]

What I Watched This Fortnight – 9/17- 9/30

Space Adventure Cobra – RetroCrush added this to their streaming catalog just as everyone was posting their remembrances after the mangaka passed away, so I figured I should probably see what it was about. What I got was a interstellar romp featuring a blond-haired frat boy with a gun-arm and a smorgasbord of comic book villains and nearly naked women that entertained me despite my better judgement. It’s directed by Osamu Dezaki, with all the pastel freeze frames and three pans he was known for, and still looks pretty darn good for a 40-year-old anime. If you’re ever in the mood for a turn-your-brain-off sort of adventure peppered with smugly delivered one-liners, this should deliver the goods. 7/10

Project Blue Earth SOS – I found this one night while randomly poking around Crunchyroll’s library, and it’s a nice little retro-futuristic sci-fi that’s much better than its MAL score lets on. It’s set around the year 2000 in an alternate timeline Earth where humanity has developed powerful engines that allow for near-light speed travel, leading them to be targeted by an alien civilization bent on subjugating the planet. Rising up in opposition are two brilliant teenagers, one the son of the manufacturer of the powerful engines, and the other the son of astronauts killed in a space disaster years earlier, who work together with a quasi-governmental secret agency to drive them away. The art style is vibrant and colorful with a delightfully 1950s ray gun sci-fi vibe, and the story had lots of twists and turns and revelations straight out of a midcentury B-movie. 7/10

Initial D: Extra Stage – This two-episode OVA follows the driver of the blue Sileighty from Usui Pass as she faces down a challenge on the road and one in her love life. The first episode, Beyond Impact Blue, has her racing one of the Lan Evo drivers from the Emperors after he insults female drivers as a whole and challenges her to what he assumes will be an easy race for him. The second episode, Sentimental White, has her go on a date with one of the divers from the Night Kids, who suggests that he would want his girlfriend to give up a dangerous hobby like street racing, leading her to do some thinking about her life. I didn’t feel like the racing was as exciting as it was in the main series, and I don’t love this mangaka’s approach to writing female characters or romance content, but I did like watching Mako take control and set a path for herself. 7/10

Space Dandy – I don’t know what took me so long to watch this series, as an episodic space comedy directed by Shingo Natsume featuring dozens of top-tier animators and guest directors is completely my kind of food. It starts off a little dubiously with the title character monologuing about tits and asses before heading off to his favorite breastaurant, Boobies, but it was hard to stay mad at this charming idiot blundering his way around the galaxy with his talking vacuum cleaner robot sidekick and alien cat freeloader, Meow. Some of the episodes were fantastic sci-fi short stories that packed a ton of worldbuilding and creativity into 20 minutes, and others were just sort of okay monster-of-the-week episodes, with a thread of a overarching plot loosely connecting them. The art and animation varied a bit depending on who worked on the episode, but on the whole, it was very good work and a lot of fun to watch. 8/10

Gunbuster – The old anime nerds have been talking up this series ever since Discotek licensed it, and Crunchyroll added it to their catalog this week, so I watched it. If you watched Aim for the Ace and thought to yourself that it would be better if it had more mechs and titty fanservice, this is the show for you. The first episode is an almost frame-for-frame homage to the beginning episodes of Aim for the Ace, which is kind of amusing when all the girls were training to be mecha pilots to fight the alien horde. It had some solid space fights and substantial sci-fi scenarios, and I appreciated how big the stakes felt. I only wish there were fewer lovingly animated bouncing titties. 7/10

Sasaki and Miyano: Graduation – This is one of those movie sequels to a series that’s kind of hard to put a rating on. On the one hand, it’s more of the story I enjoy with the characters I love, and it’s great to see some of the moments I remember from the manga animated and acted out. On the other hand, however, it’s not structured like a movie in the least, and runs through the material pretty quickly, leaving the viewer little time to take in what they’ve seen. It’s basically just two more episodes smooshed together without an opening or ending song. If you like the series, you’ll like this, but it’s not a movie-length story with a dramatic arc that stands alone. 8/10

[bwhitex]

Ho, ho, ho, you fabulous Queer as folk!

This holiday season, toss out that old wish list. Instead of zoning in on what you think you want, why not fling the door wide open to the unexpected delights that might sashay your way? Make it your New Year’s pledge to be gloriously slutty and supremely open. Who knows? Oh, the age-old game of "hit it and quit it," where promises are as fleeting as shooting stars, and the morning-after plan is often no more than a fantasy! But what happens when the stars align and the fun turns out to be top-tier, chart-topping, and unforgettable? Suddenly, those little white lies you sprinkled like snowflakes might start a blizzard you hadn't planned for.

You see, even the most seasoned players in this game sometimes forget the human heart isn't just a toy in a game of emotional Jenga. When you're out there delivering the best "gifts" of the season and you strike gold, will you be ready for the encore that everyone craves after a blockbuster performance?

Because let's face it, we're all human. We have a knack for clinging to the sweet stuff and running miles from anything that hints at a sour note. And when we find someone who turns the bedroom into a Broadway hit, we're more likely to "encore" than "exit stage left."

So, before you don that Santa suit and promise a one-night wonderland, ponder this: What's your strategy for when the night turns into a hit that no one wants to end? Can you navigate the aftermath with the same finesse you used to charm your way into their... stockings?

Now, talking New Year's and all that jazz, let's be the gift that keeps on giving, shall we? A man, with not just a mood for feeling Jolly, but one who is a step ahead, and fully aware of the natural outcomes that come his top 10 best sexual encounters. It's time to craft a cunning plan for your carnal cravings, and ultimately finding the best satisfaction for that. Who knew you could be such a winner this year. When you embark on your next pleasure-seeking voyage, don't just bob along on the waves of desire—chart a course as if you're on the hunt for the best sex ever. And hey, let's not forget the aftershocks of such seismic pleasures. Because, let's face it, an earth-shattering romp can seriously shake up your views in the best possible way.

Out with the fibs of "Oh, I'm just here for a quick roll in the hay." We all know the tune changes when the hayride turns out to be a five-star thrill ride. Suddenly, you've got a stage-five clinger who can't get enough because, surprise, repeat performances are in high demand when the show's that good.

This season, let's sprinkle a little wisdom in our wake. Picture yourself as Santa's cheekiest elf, schooling the clueless on the subtle art of matching their loud words with their naughty actions.

Now, let's chat about the birds and the bees and the consequences, please. Think about the intricate dance of intimacy and impact this year. The better we get at understanding our own and others' emotional and cognitive quirks, the more holly and jolly the world becomes.

So, you suave Santas, get your act together. Be the man with a master plan for the thrills and spills of those close encounters. Great sex? It's an experience to be felt, a connection to be nurtured. It's not just about the "what" and "when," but the "how" and the "who" that makes Santa's sleigh ride dangerously exciting.

This year, do the community a solid: Shift from "looking for" to "who I hope to find" in your quest for those steamy escapades.

Gear up, Santa's squad. Have a game plan for the sweet aftermath of finding what you're after. Trust in the quest for greatness in the sack it's out there, and it's waiting for you. Don't sweat the small stuff; focus on the big picture like how you'll handle all that festive joy you're about to unwrap.

Wishing you a season filled with mischief, merriment, and a sleigh load of unforgettable adventures!

Xoxo

One of Santa’s sauciest sidekicks