#its been great i love this i haven felt this in to the manga since picture perfect

[macey-wacey]

This arc has truly been the "mac gets everything she wants" arc

[albertonykus]

Doraemon Movie Review: Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime Odyssey (2004)

What is Doraemon? The title character of the Doraemon manga and anime is a blue robotic cat from the 22nd Century who keeps an array of high-tech gadgets in a portable pocket dimension on his belly, and has traveled from the future to improve the fortunes of a hapless schoolboy named Nobita. Although relatively obscure in the English-speaking world, Doraemon is a Mickey-Mouse-level cultural icon in East Asia (and some other regions, too). The Doraemon franchise was a big part of my childhood, and there are still elements of it that I enjoy now.

Doraemon has released theatrical films almost annually since 1980, most of which involve Nobita and his friends (kind Shizuka, brash Gian, and crafty Suneo) getting swept into adventures thanks to Doraemon's gadgets. Despite being of potentially broad appeal to fans of science fiction and animated films, there are very few English reviews of the Doraemon movies, so I'm embarking on a project to write about all the films that have come out so far. Good luck to me…

Movie premise: Nobita does something about the local stray problem by sending abandoned dogs and cats to a safe haven 300 million years ago. The stray animals then start their own civilization.

My spoiler-free take: This film contains the right elements to be a great Doraemon movie, but has room for improvement in the handling of its story.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT

Review: This movie is a landmark, being the last film to come out of the classic Doraemon anime that started in 1979. All the remaining Doraemon movies from here on out were (and will be) released following the 2005 anime reboot.

Befitting the old anime series’ final cinematic hurrah, this film has an interesting art style that almost seems “transitional” between the visuals used for most of the classic series and those of the reboot series. There’s no other Doraemon movie that looks quite like it.

The storyline of Nobita in the Wan-Nyan Spacetime Odyssey has many ingredients that could make a great Doraemon movie: there are time travel shenanigans, emotional connections between the protagonists and movie-exclusive characters, and decent action sequences with creative application of gadgets. However, I thought that the execution of the story was not as fluent as it could have been. There are times when the plot simply moves too fast, leaving little time for major developments to sink in, and the reveal that Sharmee, a cat idol singer who Doraemon falls in love with, was working with the villain would have been more impactful had it not been shown to the audience before being made known to Doraemon.

In addition, the characters make a few strange decisions in the name of plot convenience. For example, at one point most of the protagonists and their allies escape from the villain’s base while knowing that Doraemon is still imprisoned inside, but only decide to go rescue Doraemon after they’ve already left the base. Luckily for them, the villain chooses that very moment to leave the base himself in his time machine, bringing the captive Doraemon with him, which saves the heroes the trouble of having to go back inside. What are the odds?

Also, Doraemon’s romantic subplot with Sharmee felt awkward considering that he was shown going on a date with his girlfriend in the beginning of the movie. (His girlfriend is a regular house cat, if you’re wondering.)

On a different note, it was hard for me not to feel a sense of wistfulness as this movie ended, not so much because of the content of the film itself, but due to its status as one of the last works from the 1979 series, which was the Doraemon anime I grew up with. I think the main voice actors on the current Doraemon anime are excellent, but this movie made me realize how much I’m going to miss the old voice cast.

It’s wild to think about how long this franchise has been going. A child who was the same age as Nobita and his classmates when the first Doraemon movie was released would have been 34 by the time this one came around! And though there has been a changing of the guard, this remarkable robot cat and his friends show no signs of stopping anytime soon.

Star rating: ★★★☆☆

[seokiloquy]

Mind Boggling Pt 2 - Miya Atsumu

Soulmate AU: At particular times (Once a year/ certain age/ hours/ or randomly) soulmates swap bodies for some time. (Specifics vary from story to story but I love this au wholeheartedly)

You guys wanted a part two and I forgot. Manga spoilers ahead.

Word Count: 2K

Pt 1 | Pt 2

It was loud in the gym. The Black Jackals were split into two teams in the centre court of their official gym. Coaches Foster and Sato were at the side of the court. Foster stood atop the metal platform attached to the nets pole, whistle in mouth, ready to make calls for the scrimmage. Sato held a pen and binder, taking notes as he wandered along the sides of the court listening whenever Headcoach Foster had something to add from his higher viewpoint.

A point went to the B team and the blue and yellow ball rolled under the net. It weaved between the various players’ feet, to Atsumu who was waving in a silent request. Scooping the ball into his arms and making his way to the backline. He turned around, twisting the ball in his hands for a moment, before becoming still. The team waited for a moment, expecting him to start his ritualistic steps in preparation for one of his jump serves.

"Tsum-Tsum, if you don't serve the ball goes to the other team."

"I know, but I can't!"

The player’s head tilted and shoulders slumped forward. “What do you mean you can’t? You’re a volleyball player.”

Atsumu glared at the freshly snow bleached player, "Damn it, Koutarou. I don't know how to serve. How do you expect me to do anything?"

The wing spiker wore a blank look, eyes unfocused as he stared past the blond’s head at the gym's white wall. His eyebrows and jaw began to push in opposite directions. Flopping his head over his shoulder he waved over to the team's coach, who looked a bit more than peeved that the practice match wasn't progressing.

"Hey, coach! (Y/N)'s here!"

Still holding the ball you sent the older man a meek wave. His head drooped. After taking a quick look at the binder in his assistant’s arm he called over you and one of the players on the other side of the net. Once both of you got to Foster’s side he yelled at the team to keep playing. You quickly tossed the ball to Koutarou.

"Okay, Sakusa. For now, until the end of practice, you're going to join coach Sato and teach (L/N) how to play. Luckily due to Miya's muscle memory, it'll hopefully be easier than teaching an absolute amateur. So get to it."

Foster silently asked Sato for his binder and pen to continue notes as he was gone. The younger coach handed it over with no complaints and set forward in the direction of one of the other courts in the large room. Kiyoomi gave you a nod. You watched as the dark-haired player bent his wrists so his fingers touched the bruised inside of his arm. They cracked, making you wince. Looking away from the flexible joints of Atsumu’s teammate, you gave a final look towards the other players before following the silent man and coach to begin your individual practice.

Sato had made a quick stop to the side of the room where his bag seemed to be and pulled out another folder. It was smaller in size, probably meant to be used as a backup copy or just had information that didn't have to be altered over time. He also grabbed a ball from the square basket and gave it an underhand toss to Kiyoomi. 

“So, (L/N). This is a bit new, isn’t it?” Sato laughed, “well as you should know, Miya plays in the setter position. Meaning he is usually the second player to handle the ball. He is a well-rounded player but his best strengths relate to his strategy and sense for the game. He-”

“Coach Sato?” You interjected, receiving a quick hum and look of approval from the man. “As much as I enjoy hearing your praises for my boyfriend, I already know most of this.”

The coach nodded quickly, “Right, right. You’re absolutely right. You’ve probably watched him play for years.”

The man fumbled over his words. It made you laugh but elicited no reaction from Kiyoomi, who was rubbing his hands together.

“It’s alright, but it might be better to get started before practice ends.”

Sato nodded and set down the black folder. You noticed that it had the BJ’s logo and player stats printed on the front. “Let’s start with bumping then.”

Practice progressed for a bit over an hour until Foster yelled at everyone to hit the showers because we ‘all smelled like fat pigs after a run through a mud pile mixed with onions.’ Throughout the available time, you had managed to get bumping down rather easily, and although you could execute on a lot of the other skills needed to play, you didn’t have the same game sense that Atsumu had to put any strength behind your movements. You were slow. Getting to the ball was easy (until they sent an ace serve your way), you quickly learned every movent and how to complete it (until you had to move fast and tripped), and you understood the rules (until they asked you what they were.) You were doing great.

Home felt like a safe haven in comparison to the cold gym of the Black Jackals training facility. You couldn’t wait to walk into your house and crash onto the deep couch that sat in the middle of the living room. Getting out of Atsumu’s car to walk up to the front door of the house was a chore. Tired arms and legs make it hard to pull out his key and get the door unlocked, but relaxing on the couch would be worth it.

Your body was already on the couch, eating away at a large pizza. The tv was on, playing compilations of volleyball moves and techniques from various angles and teams.

“Tsumu. Please stop using my body to pig out on food. I need to be healthy too.”

Hearing Atsumu whine through your own mouth made you cringe, it always sounded higher than you were used to.

“It’s our body (Y/N)! Let’s enjoy it.”

Letting out an amused scoff, you dropped his sports bag next to the plush couch before flopping onto it, next to him. You grabbed a slice and took a large bite before he could stop you.

“Hey don’t do that! I need to stay healthy!”

“So do I, you hypocrite!’ You took another bit before lightly slapping your body’s hand away.

A moment of silence passed and both of your bodies settled back into the couch.

“So, practice?”

You sighed, taking another bite, “You’re going to need to teach me how to play, should the switch happen during a game.”

He smiled, “Really?”

Letting out a low groan (which you were happy to hear as it came out of Atsumu’s mouth), “I don’t want it, though. Today was enough.”

“Nope. Coach’s orders. Come on, we’re getting started.”

As he jumped up from his seat, the large shirt you were wearing rolled upward, exposing a small line of your stomach. You glared for a moment, it has been a while since you’ve exercised. At least you wouldn’t be feeling the pain at the moment, maybe tomorrow when you got switched off. That wasn’t what had caught your eye though.

“Tsumu, did you take my bra off?

The morning following that late-night practice in the backyard you told Atsumu that he had to work out whenever he was in your body. You were sore, extremely so, but at least Atsumu could push himself and you’d only need to deal with the after-effects. He wasn’t a fan of the idea though, preferring his original plans to lounge and eat junk all the time. A quick glare and glance got him to agree. 

Learning volleyball was harder in your own body, it had gotten easier over time, but you still didn’t like having to work extra. Atsumu would often make it unbearable with his boasting.

“Come on. You love me.”

“Maybe so, but I’m not making you a giant onigiri.”

“Come on, Samu!”

The second twin chuckled before sliding a regular sized snack your way. Despite the disappointing size of the rice ball, you smiled thankfully. It was your favourite kind. 

“Shouldn’t you be in the stands watching the game?”

You waved a hand dismissively as you pulled your bit away from the tasty rise ball. You wanted to take another bit right there.

“Ah, there’s a tv right there, and I wanted to give you and your workers some company. And besides,” you took another bite, “He won’t even know I’m- Fuck.”

“Bring it to me!”

Off your fingertips, the ball soared through the air. Directly in your line of sight, you watched its direction get interrupted by the carrot-headed wing spiker. Shoyo, bubbly as ever, landed from his towering jump and bounded toward you to give you a high five.

“Tsumu! Great toss!”

“Thank you Shoyo, but it’s not Tsumu.”

The stadium was loud, too loud. You had spent the majority of the final set with Osamu, eating food and watching the live broadcast going on through the rim of the stadium. Getting back into position for the other team’s serve, you gave a quick thought to what Atsumu might be thinking. You couldn’t dwell on his likely dejected attitude for long though because in under a second that ball was flying right over your head and into Inunaki’s arms.

Hopping on your toes you made a quick sidestep to get underneath the rapidly falling ball. You listened for the squeaking footsteps behind you. Tilting your head back while looking up, your fingers made contact with the ball. They bent, creating a cushion and with a light flick of the wrist and push from the tips of Atsumu’s fingers, you sent the ball flying into Koutarou’s palm.

It went out.

Sighing, you sent him an apologetic wave to which he pouted. 

Rallys were stressful. But after a couple of minutes and an amazing spike from Kiyoomi, you had been rotated into serving. 

You breathed in deeply, spinning the ball in the palm of your hand. The chant’s of the Black Jackal’s fans roared behind you, lifting your fist in the air, you copied Atsumu’s movement’s and waited for them to go silent.

There was a loud yell.

“Do it (Y/N)!”

Atsumu, I swear to god.

Flipping a look over your shoulder, you saw your own body jumping around at the edge of the bleachers. Atsumu seemed to be in his own world, forgetting all the rules he set up for himself in the game until one of the band members told him to quiet down. None of the fans should be able to recognize you immediately. Romance isn’t used to advertise sports. But knowing the dedication of some people, it wouldn’t take long for them to realize the predicament both of you were in. Most people’s soulmate type was common knowledge, especially celebrities. 

You didn’t have time for this. Sending a glare Atsumu’s way, you quickly began your serve. It was weak for a pro, and people definitely noticed, but it got the job done.

27-25.

After the game, when Atsumu found out outside the change rooms, you berated him. Mildly amused glares were sent between the two of you. When you tried to get into the change room he held you back.

“You did a good job for your first game.”

You huffed, “That’s a lie. You’re just trying to not let me wash your sweaty body in the showers with the rest of the team.”

The inability to hold down a blush was something you struggled with and had learned to dampen over time. Seeing it happen from Atsumu’s perspective was entertaining, though. 

This isn’t great but oh well. 30 minutes after writing this I gave myself light bangs. - Bacon

Posted: 02/07/2020

[rwbyconversations]

The Princess and her Pauper- A Weiss/Emerald Character Contrast

One of the greatest weapons in the arsenal of a creator is the art of contrast. In storytelling, characters that contrast, often referred to as foils, can serve to highlight particular qualities of each other. How one acts to a situation and the other reacts. It’s why rivalries form the backbone of many a great story with conflict in its theme- why the most memorable moments in action titles like Devil May Cry 3 and Metal Gear Rising are when two rivals who serve as foils for each other come to blows in a winner-take-all clash of wills. Not all foils need be rivals, however- George and Lennie in Of Mice and Men are built as foils, with George being wire-thin and razor-sharp mentally while Lennie is a lumbering giant of a man with the intellect of a child. 

Rooster Teeth’s RWBY is a series that loves to set up connections between its central heroes of Team RWBY and the villainous factions under Salem. Although the connections between current villains Team WTCH and RWBY have not yet been solidified (Watts screentime when), RWBY’s initial foes in Team CRME (Cinder, Roman, Mercury and Emerald) all complimented aspects of RWBY’s personalities. Ruby and Cinder were both leaders, Ruby through example and optimism and Cinder through manipulation and fear, Blake dual-contrasted with Adam and Roman, Yang with Mercury and (regardless of what TVTropes tells you), Weiss contrasts with the sharp-tongued, fast-fingered gem thief Emerald Sustrai. 

Despite having not technically met in canon*, with their appearances relegated to sharing fights in the Volumes 2 and 3 OP, with their dialogue being two lines in a Chibi episode, Weiss and Emerald are almost perfect narrative foils for each other. I am convinced that they were purposefully written to contrast each other, and if/when Emerald has a redemption arc, you can be sure that this material will be used to show how similar Weiss and Emerald can be... not that either of them would admit it. And for the record? This is my OTP and Weiss and Emerald rank in my five favorite characters each, so this is going to be a self-indulgent mess. Consider it my two and three hundred follower specials wrapped into a neat little bow.

In this post, I am going to show the narrative, backstory and character contrasts between Weiss Schnee and Emerald Sustrai, and why I think they could have one of the best-written rivalries/friendships/bond in the entire show if Miles and Kerry play their cards right in the coming Volumes. As usual, the post is under the Read More for the sake of users on their phones.

(Art source: @nibbles-scribbles)

* (In before “Didn’t Weiss fight Em at Haven during the Checkmate scene?” offscreen doesn’t count and Let’s Not Talk About Haven This Is A Happy Post)

Part 1-  Lonely eyes, well, it sure looks like you just might be looking for something

Weiss and Emerald’s backstories on paper couldn’t be any different- which, again, is one of the purposes of narrative contrasts, connecting the impossible. Weiss lived in the lap of luxury her entire life, part of a family that probably had the combined net worth of half of the Fortune 500. The Schnee Dust Company was such a profitable venture that it bought out rival families and took them out of business. Weiss’s every need was catered for, she had a loyal servant in Klein, and became a popular attraction at parties thanks to her singing voice.

And she couldn’t have been more soul-crushingly alone. 

A young Weiss sits at a piano, basking in the praise of the adults around her

Weiss, narration: Words of praise were often overflowing around me. Whatever I did, with a little effort, I did better than average. I expected the praise as a matter of course and believed I deserved it all. As the daughter of the Schnee house, I would be the best. Nothing else would do. 

Weiss reaches out to her father who is walking away from her. The door shuts in her face. Weiss’s face comes into the panel. The smile is gone. 

Weiss, narration: My father felt the same way. So his indifference... was expected.  - RWBY Manga,Shirow Miwa

Weiss was little more than a toy when she was a child, something Jacques brought out for the guests to coo at, but they never cared for Weiss herself: 

Everyone only cared that I was part of the Schnee family, not that I was me. They were honoring the Schnee name. I thought all that praise was for me. It wasn’t. It messed with my head when I figured that out.

Weiss’s Volume 5 focus song, and the first chronological song about her, The Path to Isolation (AKA Mirror Mirror 0.5), is about when Weiss realizes how alone she is in Atlas with the realization that people only care about her for her money and surname, and not for Weiss as a person. We see this in person with her interactions with Henry Marigold in Volume 4 and Jacques spells it out later:

I don’t give a damn what you want! This isn’t about you!  

Miwa’s manga alongside Path To Isolation makes it clear that Weiss lived in the lap of luxury, but it was a cold, sterile lap where she never felt loved even with Klein’s presence and Winter’s distant love, thanks to Jacques’ distance driving Weiss further into her personal hell. Weiss lived a tragically lonely life in her childhood and its effects are still seen on her even in the present day. For a long time, all she was was an accessory to Jacques who got pushed into his obedient shadow.

Emerald’s backstory is less concrete than Weiss, but from what we do know it’s no less painful. She lived alone on the city streets with no parents (dead or neglectful we don’t know) or friends to look out for her, and every day was a struggle to survive. By the time we see Emerald in Volume 3′s flashback, she’s barely holding it together and is stick-thin.

Her clothes are frayed in various places, held together with belts and straps, and Emerald is nearly emaciated. She’s jumpy, paranoid and resorts to blatant daytime robbery of a jewel store just to cover the costs to get some food for a night. When Cinder finds Emerald, she finds a cornered street-rat barely staying alive. 

If Jacques manipulated Weiss through inaction, Cinder in turn twisted Emerald through action, providing the young thief everything she ever wanted. Cinder gave her a warm bed, food whenever she wanted it and possibly even the love of the mother that Emerald might not have had. Chibi Season 3 in fact had a skit where Emerald (within a dream) jokingly notes that Cinder really is “The mother figure I may- or may not- have never had.” Regardless, Cinder learned from Salem the best way to get people to follow you is to give them exactly what they want. She gave Roman some Dust and a chance to commit crimes, she gave Mercury a target and people to hurt, and she gave Emerald a sick, twisted lie. She made Emerald fall in love with her. 

I don’t care about Salem! But I owe Cinder everything.

Cinder twists Emerald around her finger and makes her almost entirely dependent on Cinder’s approval and love. And make no mistake, this is (at least from Emerald’s warped perspective, the poor girl) love. 

This is not the face of a heterosexual woman upon seeing Cinder Fall. 

Em sadly closing her eyes behind Cinder just... gets me, man. I care for that mint-ice-cream too much Jesus Christ.

Cinder, of course, doesn’t love her back. I don’t think Cinder knows what it means to love beyond that she can use other people’s love in her pursuit of power. She manipulated and tricked Emerald, making the thief fall for her in a worthless attempt to impress her. And every time Emerald stepped remotely out of line, even if by complete unintentional accident, Cinder harshly made her judgement clear and forced Emerald back into her obedient shadow. Cinder definitely didn’t love Emerald. But damn if she didn’t know how to abuse her.  

Emerald: We don’t need him (Mercury), everything was going fine- A slap is heard. Emerald shouts in pain. Cinder: Do not mistake your place.

As pointed out expertly by @alexkablob, Emerald’s body language when Cinder gets angry in this scene is very telling- she almost shrinks and hides herself, trying very hard to avoid Cinder’s wrath in that immediate moment. The mere threat of reprisal has Emerald assuming a more subservient position

Here’s what connects Weiss and Emerald from their backstories. Both had terribly lonely childhoods, with Weiss lonely in a crowd as she realized people only loved her for her money and name, and Emerald forced to live alone as a street rat with no one to rely on. Jacques manipulated Weiss through making her seek his approval which manifested as physical abuse, and Cinder as well manipulated and abused Emerald into falling in love with Cinder or seeing her as a replacement mother figure. Both were lonely children, abused and scorned by everyone around them, especially those who had the most direct power over them. Both of them, tragically, are victims of those above them who see them as tools and not even as people. Ones who occasionally fall out of line and need... percussive maintenance to fix. Weiss and Emerald have some of the darkest backstories in RWBY and in their tragedy, they compliment each other beautifully. 

(Source: @nibbles-scribbles, who gave me permission to use her art)

Part 2: Sight Unseen

Now that we’ve covered their backstories, let’s actually contrast Emerald and Weiss on a fighting and character level. 

Weiss and Emerald fight each other in the OPs for Volumes 2 and 3. They are so far on the very small list of fights in the OPs that have never occurred and are in fact the only notable fight to not happen ever four years since it was first teased, especially since it happened in two sequences. 

Both characters use revolver mechanisms in their weapons- Weiss for her Dust and Emerald for a ranged component. Both are agile fighters who dart around the battlefield and can be very damaging in the right circumstances and are the most fragile member of their respective teams (Weiss having the worst solo win/loss record of anyone on RWBY and Emerald being a stealth fighter who dropped very quickly when Amber focused fire on her being my evidence). 

What’s interesting in contrasting the two is their Semblances. Emerald creates vivid hallucinations for a single target that effects all five of their senses but ultimately is a purely mental effect on the subject’s reality. Her Semblance can’t create physical matter. However, Weiss’s Semblance is a purely physical one that lets her influence and change reality on a primal, physical level- be it for Glyphs, time dilation or using Summoning to create physical constructs to fight for her. Depending on if Weiss’s Summons can be affected by Emerald’s hallucinations (or if Weiss being hit with Em’s Semblance has consequences for her Summons), the two could serve as hard counters in the event of a fight. 

Long story short a fight between these two would be really cool.

Character wise, one of the more interesting bits of contrast between Weiss and Emerald is how they approach friendship. Both are equally sardonic and have razor-sharp wits on anyone who irks them, but while Weiss is cold at first and softens as she gets to know and trust people, Emerald throws up a facade of being chummy with people, a facade she hates. If her friendship with Mercury is anything to go by, Emerald can make some very biting remarks at the expense of those she’s close to. If her love for Cinder is anything to go by however, Emerald is very tender and affectionate when it comes to the people she loves. She rushes to give Cinder a hug in Volume 2 and in Volume 4, acts as Cinder’s translator, being almost sickeningly tender and rushing to come to Cinder’s side when she asks. 

And while Emerald’s a villain, it would be a shame to waste a rivalry between her and Weiss. Both are passionately devoted to their leaders and are willing to cross the world for them and fight in this endless war for them (note how Weiss volunteers for the war while Emerald is drafted). Emerald hates Ruby because she maimed Cinder at Beacon, while Weiss hates Cinder because... bitch shoved a spear in her. It’s more than enough conflict to kickstart a rivalry and as proven despite their lack of screentime, the contrasts between them write themselves.

Part 3) Dry your eyes now, baby, broken wings can’t hold you down

In the event (by which I mean when) Emerald undergoes a redemption arc and leaves Cinder, Weiss will definitely play a significant role in facilitating her joining the heroes, much like Blake did with Ilia. Weiss is honestly the only RWBY member who really can facilitate this redemption in the coming Volumes- Ruby will likely never forgive Emerald for her role in Penny’s death, Blake has basically done this arc already for Ilia, and Yang will be too caught up in her Raven/Blake issues. I have no doubt that Blake’s own abusive past can be used as a bonding point as well with Emerald (a common vector used for fans of the rare ship Cat Burglar), but Weiss perhaps more than anyone else shares a fundamental understanding of Emerald’s “love.” The love of someone determined to win any shred of approval that they can from the monster that haunts their nightmares every night. 

Given how Emerald has allusions to Aladdin and Weiss is Snow White, their relationship also works in referencing their fairytale sources- Aladdin saves Jasmine in his story, after all. Rags to ritches is also one of the most prolific tales out there, especially ones where a person destined for greatness falls in love with a member of high society and rises through the ranks. Weiss is a princess after all, and every princess does need her pauper so that she may find true love. Weiss has already tried her hand as the upper echelons of society romantically (Henry and Neptune) and they were found lacking.  

(Source. Art by @nibbles-scribbles​)

In some cases, literally. 

Does this need to mean a romantic connection, especially when Emerald will be coming off her last lover being abusive? Perhaps not, but a close bond between them would be impossible to avoid. However, a romantic attachment between Emerald and Weiss would be a beautiful thing to see develop. Two women, nearly broken down by their oppressive abusers, coming together and helping each other heal from their past traumas? I don’t know about you but that sounds like it could be a great story to me. Emerald already wears a lot of white too, so their color schemes unite smoothly. 

To conclude this extended love letter, Emerald and Weiss are two sides of the same coin. Young women beaten down and abused by those with power over them who had desperately lonely childhoods. Women who developed into strong and capable warriors with Semblances that altar different facets of reality, who could have a natural rivalry that leads into a smooth friendship and maybe even more beyond, all of which could be backed by organic references to both of their fairytale sources and allow for a wonderful string of character development for Weiss and Emerald as they heal from their past traumas. This may be a rare ship, one that may have gotten all the references it ever will when Emerald complimented Weiss’s dress.

But damnit. It’s my rare ship and I’ll go down with it, I’ve made too many great friends thanks to it. If you’d like to see more EmWeiss content, check out my great friends @goldibox, @dabby-the-house-elf (the main for @nibbles-scribbles whose seminal art I’ve used throughout this piece), SassyUnicorn7′s A Fight To Remember (one of the best fanfics for both EmWeiss and Yang/Merc, and Sassy herself is a delight to know who lights up my day when I get to talk to her).

(Thanks to @weisscoldglare for this)

Thanks again for reading. 

[crispynipple]

Ok so i know its been a few weeks since haikyuu season three ended but ive been thinking a lot recently about what Tendou says in the last episode and i dont browse the Haikyuu tag enough to know if anyones talked about it yet so if not im here to talk about it. So in the final episode of season three after Shiratorizawa loses, we get a scene with Tendou saying the following: “Farewell, my paradise” as seen in the photo below.

So when i first heard him say this, of course, being the Tendou fanatic i am, i did get a little emotional. I thought he was talking about all the straight wins that he acquired while attending Shiratorizawa. But this scene truly got me thinking, “why is it so bad that he lost before going to Nationals, when he has gone the past two years?”, then  i realized, he isn’t talking about losing, he’s talking about the safe haven he found at Shiratorizawa, or more specifically, the Shiratorizawa team. In a previous episode we gathered insight and flashbacks of Tendou’s childhood days playing volleyball. When he was just starting out playing volleyball, no one wanted to play with him because he was the weird kid, or a “monster” as they said in one of these flashbacks.

They even go as far as to say he looks like one. For what reason they believe that, i have no clue. I mean, hell, the kid on the right looks like something straight out of a toilet wand commercial but whatever. They leave Tendou alone and exclude them from playing simply because they dont like him. Later in this episode we get to witness a scene where Tendou finally gets to play with the other kids and he wins a point against them. Now going back to the second season for a second, we get to see Tsukki talking to Bokuto and Kuroo about how he has never truly experienced a moment where he loved volleyball. Bokuto then tells Tsukki, “it’s a matter of whether ‘that moment’ exists for you or not...If you experience that moment,...”

“...it’ll really get you hooked on volleyball.” In this scene, Tendou truly experiences his blooming love for volleyball, and doesn’t let anyone let him not play and he decides to do his own thing. So, great. He’s gained his love for volleyball and continues playing throughout elementary school despite being bullied by the other kids trying to exclude him. That’s great, but then comes middle school. In middle school, he experiences what it’s like having a coach telling him how to play, instead of coming up with his own play style, saying:

Though this is how he plays and how he feels comfortable playing, he gets scolded for doing it and for playing how he wants. Even though Tendou is later quoted saying “but I’ve scored a lot of points on just my hunch”, his coach continually berates him, saying:

Though this in and of itself is correct, do you really think Tendou cares personally? If he truly cared whether or not he won, wouldn’t you think he would follow his coaches advice? We saw before that he only started playing because he felt good while playing, he felt good when he was able to score a point. That right there doesn’t bother him. He just wants to play volleyball where volleyball is more enjoyable instead of stressful(though throughout season three he was always striving to win more points to win and even playing against the opposing team emotionally). Add another obstacle onto Tendou’s list, a controlling coach. Boom, done. After Tendou walks away, he head towards what looks like a storage closet in the gym, where he overhears his fellow teammates talking about him, saying the following:

Once again, he’s being judged for something that is just a part of him, his personality. He has already experienced this one time before, when he first started volleyball. Tendou, after overhearing the conversation, then walks away, presumably to get away from people who are talking bad about him behind his back. Tendou throughout his volleyball career has had to deal with unhelpful teammates, a coach that tries to control how he plays, and teammates that try excluding him from any club activity. Tendou just deserves a hug can we make a protect Tendou squad? I just love him so much. #ProtectTendou2k17. Anyways back to the subject at hand. After finishing middle school, he then has to choose the high school he wishes to attend. Like most other Japanese students, he probably did some research according to the things he wants to do in future life and, of course, according to his club activities. Assuming Shiratorizawa was already a major powerhouse school before Ushijima went there(i believe it was) Tendou decided to go there not only for his studies but also to pursue volleyball further. When he goes to meet the coach of the volleyball team at Shiratorizawa, he says that he “just want[s] to play volleyball that makes [him] feel good”. I wish i screencaped him saying that but i didn’t unfortunately so you have to deal with me quoting him. After he expresses his feelings about the matter he shows this expression:

This is the expression of someone who has gradually lost their love for something this is a very solemn expression. He feels somewhat embarrassed that he has to express what he wants in such a plain manner to the coach. The person in charge of exposing the teams true potential in matches. He tells this to the coach specifically because he’s already gone through not being able to play the way he wants and having to conform to the ways the coach wants him to. If the coach at Shiratorizawa doesn’t allow him to play how he wants, Tendou most likely would’ve quit volleyball, considering the way he looks and how desperate he acts towards the coach about this matter. You can even tell the difference between how he acts in front of this coach than he did with his old middle school coach. He talked back to his middle school one but over time he gradually caved inward on himself and no longer is the free spirit he once was, all because of how he was treated during his volleyball years. But then the coach responded to him(and i wish i had screencapped this too ughh), “I don’t care, as long as you’re able to win” (more or less).

Can’t you just feel his expression and mood lift? He finally gets to play volleyball the way he desires, the way he loves to play, and on a team where he feels needed. And that’s exactly what happens. Over the course of his next three years at school, he finally gets to play a version of volleyball he loves, a version of volleyball where he always has the upper hand and it’s just overall so beautiful. Then the game against Karasuno happens, and Shiratorizawa loses. As we see in the manga and also in the anime i believe, Tendou says he isn’t going to continue playing volleyball. When he says “farewell, my paradise”, he isnt just referring to their constant win streak. He’s talking about the paradise he found in the Shiratorizawa volleyball team, a paradise where he can play how he wants, a paradise where he’s included in the matches, a paradise that didn’t and couldn’t last forever, and this makes me upset. Tendou is such a complex character and he deserves a lot more love than he gets. I’m not going to be re reading this through so f there are any spelling mistakes i apologize. And remember, #ProtectTendou2k17. Thank you for reading!

[marine4318]

Anime, Gentle Novel, or Manga? Which Do You Choose

This particular novel is one of the best-sellers in the sci-fi and fantasy category and the reviews from other readers are good. Not that I usually care what others think, but this time Used to do take note of the reviews and the fact it'd received 4,8 out of five stars. 小說 推薦

The setting is later on, our planet has shifted on its axis and wiped out most of the people, some that survived find they have developed powers that they must hide. Witch hunters are on a mission to destroy them in the name of God. This is a tale of a black and eerie future where beasts, witches and demons roam our planet, blood sacrifices are created to obtain familiarity with enemies or to gain strength in battle. Myths, legends and religious beliefs are interwoven in this apocalyptic future.

"David H. Burton is just a dark new talent in the genre. This one will make you leave the lights on for per week!" - USA Today Bestseller, Cathy Clamp.

Okay I didn't leave the lights on and I slept just great after looking over this online novel. Maybe my mind was colored by the truly amazing reviews from others, maybe I was expecting too much.

I was getting distracted, my mind wandered and thoughts of other things and places entered my brain, some words triggered pictures and scenes not strongly related this story. Confederation, dark cloaked man, Star Wars and huge breathing "Vader" enters the stage. Haven, Sanctuary, what does Amanda Tapping have regarding anything? How original, a wolf called Fang.

It just couldn't hold my attention, I really do really love a good fantasy story, but it felt as if the writer was trying too hard. The ideas where good, there have been just too many of them in my opinion, and the POV's (point of views), I do realize that it's impossible to inform an account with this nature without having several POV's, with many characters, the reader needs to learn what's going on in the minds of all of them; however, I felt there have been way too many breaks, jumping from POV to POV it didn't flow naturally.

Occasionally I'd stumble over a word that felt out of place, something which just didn't feel right. I understand you almost certainly think I'm being too critical, all novels have flaws. Yes they do, the truth is, if you're wrapped up in a good story your mind won't notice, it doesn't care, it doesn't stop to ponder, it keeps moving forward.

They are usual questions which come about sooner or later in just about any conversation about an anime show. It's almost just like whenever a movie comes out based off a book, a usual question is, "Did you browse the book?"

To be honest, this sort of bothers me. Why? Well, there are a large amount of light novel / manga readers available that don't care when someone did the exact same, but at the same time you can find many that nearly take offense. Such people usually respond any question or comment you make about a present with, "Well if your browse the manga... "

It's quite annoying. Personally, i believe that there is one huge difference between a video adaptation of a guide, and an anime adaptation of a light novel or manga. What is that? Volume. Movies take a long while to produce. Anime do as well, nevertheless they come air new shows four times per year (anime seasons). So, how will you compare a video, that is released once after quite a while, to anime that is released four times per year?

That's just food for thought. The actual question, that this article is about, is what should you select? Should you begin picking right up light novels? Or even you ought to pick up some manga? You know what, you should probably just watch the anime.

Let's go over some pros and cons of each of these.

Anime is generally my go to whenever I hear of a fascinating story. Why? It's easy. You are able to literally sit at your desk, lie during intercourse, and watch the sweetness of animation and pay attention to the dialogue. You are able to watch an account unfold before your very eyes, and never having to navigate through the language of a gentle novel or piecing together pictures of a manga.

The downside, usually, is insufficient depth. There is only so much an anime can squeeze into the summer season, as well as only so much they could show via the senses. It is possible to overlook some background stuff got cut, or not fully understand a situation simply because you are unaware what state the smoothness is in.

That said, it's still our go to.

If I just like the anime, I usually go looking to the light novel. Needless to say, I've to wait for a translation. A light novel is fairly an investment, as any book is, so I consider it as me liking the story enough to back it. I don't read translations online, I usually buy the book. One, because I enjoy obtaining the physical copy, and two, to guide the author.

The light novel, as with generally any book, usually goes into a lot increased detail compared to the anime adaptation. You get an even more in-depth look at scenes. You can see what's going on in the background. Mcdougal can tell you what a character is feeling rather than you trying to decipher it yourself. Additionally you reach exercise your imagination, creating the different scenes in your mind. Needless to say, illustrations allow you to with this specific as well.

What's the downside of any book? It's time intensive! This is the reason that is always my second option, to the anime. I wish to realize that I such as the story before I go into more detail. Another downside could function as the writing style. I could love an account to death, however if the writer's style is too odd for me personally, I am aware I won't enjoy it.

Then we have manga. I'll be honest, I rarely buy manga, so my thoughts are most likely a bit bias. However, manga are often quicker to learn when compared to a light novel, since you are coping with images. Rather than trying to create scenes in your head that will not accurately depict the story what sort of author intended, a manga puts the scene in front of you. You are able to literally watch it progress.

Similar to light novels, manga are far more in-depth than the anime adaptation. The downside to a manga, at the very least for me, is that you've to go to left. I understand that's a silly accusation, but it drives me nuts. The images could possibly be welcome, but, like myself, I enjoy creating scenes within my mind with my own, personal imagination, so a manga restricts that with a degree.

So what's the best? Depends on your taste, of course. Light novel and manga readers are more often than not going to appear down upon people that don't invest the full time they do into particular stories. That's just just how it is.

My thoughts are, if you find a story interesting, select the anime. Or, if you are someone that loves a good story, grab the light novel. From there, you are able to go to at least one or another, and/or select the manga. Typically I see manga as something that's visually appealing once I know the characters.

So, there you have it. My ideas on this whole anime vs light novel vs manga situation. Obviously, everyone is going to have a different opinion, and you're welcome to disagree.