#jay is a bookworm don't @ me

[ochibrochi]

shakespeare nerd birds

[long-live-astronerd-ghost-king]

DPXDC prompt. Dead on main. Someone who knows you better than you know yourself.

Perhaps Fentons are not able to recognize their child, despite the fact that they hunt him day after day. But for childhood friends, who saw each other in absolutely ridiculous situations that parents are never allowed to know about, just one sneeze and a bored sigh is enough to realize that this weirdo fighting next to him is the same guy with whom you tasted soap and then stood looking at each other from different corners and giggling.

And so, the dialogue after the battle with the creatures of Infinite Realms, to which Constantine had to invite a potential ally not yet approved by the League:

Phantom: Well, mom always said you were bad news...But a crime lord, seriously? What happened to your plans to become a literature teacher? Red Hood: Hey! For Gotham, this is a very high-paying in-demand job. And I don't want to hear anything from Casper. At least I have my own business. What kind of part-time job do you have? Are you selling sheets to your buddies from this green goo? Phantom: This is ectoplasm. And they're not my friends, and anyway… Constantine: King Phantom, do you know Red Hood? Phantom: Do I know him? Ha! This street rat was Splinter of my beginnings until my family moved out of Gotham.

Red Hood: Wait, wait a minute. Phah...Holy shit. I thought I was the best example of what it means to be a disappointment to a family, but you beat me here. Oh, man, only you...The ghost king who is the son of the ghost hunters? Seriously? Hahah! I thought your rebellious phase ended the moment you told your father that you wanted to be an astronaut and not inherit the family business.

Danny*groans and covers his face with his hands*: My life is over.

Red Hood: Literally~ No, of course I always knew that your parents' disregard for safety in the laboratory would someday kill someone, but I didn't really expect this? Like, wow… Phantom: What makes you think it was an incident in the lab? I mean, there are so many possibilities around. It's ridiculous and…hah Red Hood: Dude, look me straight in the face and tell me I'm wrong if you dare. Phantom:…Fuck you, stupid bookworm. Red Hood: Stubborn nerd. Phantom: Red bucket! Red Hood: Pale toadstool! Nightwing: Um, can you guys please stop fighting? Red Hood: What are you talking about? This is how we always communicate. Phantom: Yeah! Well, in our defense, my sister always thought we both could use a therapist. Oh, man, he made me lose my train of thought. Where were we, J? Red Hood: Since when are you able to think? And I complimented your new hair and skin color. Phantom: Right, right… But, hey, not all of my parents' hypotheses really have a right to exist, and you know it! Hm, did I mention that you're built like a fridge and how does this leather jacket suit you? Red Hood: I believe not. And who's talking about your parents' work? You were an airhead when you were alive too to be honest. And as I see it, not much has changed. Why the hell are you still starting a fight with puns? Stop telling your opponent your position. This is terribly stupid! Phantom: Oh, please, these ghosts are definitely not a threat to me. What's wrong with having a little fun? The fact that you don't have weapons to handle something stronger than a blob ghost is your problem not mine, loser. But let's get back to our greetings. Red Hood: Sure. Then listen here…

~~~~~

Nightwing: Jay, why didn't you say right away that you knew Phantom? We've wasted so much time wondering if it's worth summoning him, and you just stood there and said nothing. Red Hood: Pfff…Because I didn't know that until today. He used to be human. And we haven't seen each other for a long time. So how was I to know that he would take such a ridiculous pseudonym? Nightwing: Then why the hell didn't you feel worried about teasing this creature? Red Hood: Why should I? It's just Danny.

~~~~

Tucker: Oh man, 84 murders, attempts to kill Joker and to much fights with Batman and Black Mask and… Danny: Yeah, yeah. It's all very interesting, but it's not what I asked you to find. Get to the point, Tucker. What I will wear to our dinner tonight depends on this. Tucker: Seriously? As far as I'm concerned, whether he's single or not is less important than all this shit. Aren't you afraid to show up at his house? Danny: I'm invited. And for that matter, I'm Amity Park's former public enemy number one. Which one of us should be worried, hah? So he's not dating anyone, right? Don't try to distract me. Tucker: Dude! Danny: Ugh, in my experience, when he acts like he's lost his mind, he usually has good reasons for it. And if not, given some of the events of my alternative future, I have no right to judge him, so…

[hoonvrs]

21st CENTURY GIRL

extra: random

TWENTY < MASTERLIST

S. NOTE the real end💔

SYNOPSIS where jay 'claims’ he has a girlfriend but none of his friends believe him because how are you a girl in the 21st century and don't have any social media, right? and if you and jay continue to let them think your relationship is fake for entertainment purposes, nobody has to know.

TAGLIST ( CLOSED ) @dazed-hee @seongclb @enluv @yenqa @satsuri3su @mangowonyo @neocockthotology @treasxreblue @loves0ft @yueriots @lunavixia @mariji @txtlyn @bluxjun @mrchweeee @jackass1123 @the-poetic-side-of-me @flwrshee @jiawji @fakeuwus @ilovehimyourhonour @calumsfringe @en-dream @luvistqrzzz @weird-bookworm @miko1ly @deobitifull @donghyckl @jayujus @skipmay @minl0u @eeeeeeeeeeeeweeeeeeepeeeeee @sngvhs @nyxvrse @sasfransisco @latriii @redm4ri @sxftiell @xiaoderrrr @staerax @captivq @jlheon @tmrx2gther @dammit-jjk @aernx @hyhees @spilled-coffee-cup @ddazed-lhs @elavin @lhspeachie

[thebisexualdogdad]

Jason Todd x Male!MMA fighter reader headcanons

*Oliver Stark used as a fancast*

● you're a personal trainer by day and underground mma fighter by night

● meeting Jason at the gym you work at and always checking each other out

● you'll be with one of your clients and smiling at him across the room while he tries to impress you by upping the amount of his weights

● "I noticed you've got a lot of scars, must have a lot of good stories to tell" you say when you finally talk to him for the first time

● "well how about you let me take you out to dinner and tell you some of them"

● while he doesn't exactly lie about how he got his scars he doesn't tell the entire truth about him being a crime fighting vigilante either

● he plays it as he just happens go be at the wrong place at the wrong time a lot

● you guys spend a whole lot of time together at the gym

● competing to see who can lift more

● and run a mile quicker

● sparring until you can't feel your arms anymore

● he's at the gym so much all of your clients know him

● "So how long until I get biceps as big as your boyfriends Y/N?"

● "it takes a lot of dedication to get biceps like these" Jason says flexing proudly

● Jason actually learns a lot of new moves from training with you

● Dick after a fight where they took down twenty bad guys "that was impressive Jason where did you learn that from"

● "Y/N taught me, you should take a few lessons from him maybe you could actually be a good fighter too Grayson"

● "ha ha very funny don't forget who's been doing this longer"

● going on long motorcycle rides with Jason

● you two race throughout Gotham weaving in between cars

● and loser has to pay for dinner

● Jason doesn't do much upkeep of his apartment

● he's got leftovers in his fridge that are so old its created its own ecosystem

● and there's dirty laundry laying all over the floor

● "when was the last time you did a load of laundry?"

● "well considering I haven't worn any underwear in over a week I'm gonna say a while"

● the very first time you went to his place you were surprised by all the books scattered around

● "I didn't take you to be such a bookworm"

● "do I get to keep my bad boy title if I tell you I'm banned from three libraries for not returning books?"

● this leads to a lot of coffee shop dates where you just quietly read next to each other and enjoy one another's company

● Jason goes to all of your fights

● he always gives you a good luck kiss in the locker room, "go out there and kick some ass babe!"

● you win the majority of your matches so there's a lot of celebrating with Jason after at the bar

● but the one time you got the shit beat out of you Jason had to fight the urge to not to murder the guy right there in the ring

● he and your manager carry you back to the locker room and get you cleaned up and Jason is pissed

● "Jay you gotta calm down I've done worse to people in the ring"

● "yeah but those guys aren't my boyfriend"

● your manager "you've got a lot of passion kid you ever think about signing up to fight?"

● "trust me I do enough fighting just not for money"

● your manager "what, are you involved in a gang or something?"

● "something like that"

● Jason thinks you still don't know about his secret identity but you figured it out a long time ago

● you don't say anything because you want him to feel comfortable telling you himself

● whenever that may be

[crippling-pages]

~mya's (new) intro post~

Hello there! My name is Mya! And this is my intro post! <3

Facts About Me:

Mya [] Girl [] She/her [] Minor [] 13-17 [] Aromantic Asexual (Aro/Ace) [] Arab [] Bookworm [] Writer [] Quotevain [] Swiftie [] OneRepublic Fan [] Pinterest Addict [] Tam Song Obsessed [] Tam Song x Biana Vacker is my life []

Fandoms:

Keeper of the Lost Cities [] LEGO: Ninjago [] LEGO Friends [] Percy Jackson [] Hooky (Webtoon/Book) [] Lockwood & Co. [] Shatter Me [] The False Prince/The Ascendance Trilogy [] The Land of Stories [] A Tale of Magic [] A Good Girl's Guide To Murder [] Five Survive [] Trolls [] The Reappearance of Rachel Price [] The Inheritance Games [] Fairy Tale Reform School [] Royal Academy Rebels [] Miraculous Ladybug [] Malibu Rescue [] Erin & Aaron [] Sonic the Hedgehog [] Richie Rich (2015) [] Ducktales (2017) [] and more! <3

Ships:

KOTLC: Tam and Biana {} Dex and Stina {} Sophie and Keefe {} Fitz and Dex {} Keefe and Fitz {} Linh and Marella {}

PJO/HoO: Percy and Annabeth {} Nico and Will {} Frank and Hazel {} Jason and Piper {} Leo and Calypso

Ninjago: Cole and Vania {} Nya and Jay {} Zane and Pixal {} Kai and Skylor {}

LEGO Friends: Mia and River {} Emma and Ethan {} Emma and Matthew {} Olivia and Jacob {} Mia and Martin {} Olly and Paisley {} Leo and Zac {} Zac and Sky {} Nova and Liann {}

Lockwood & Co.: Lucy and Lockwood {} George and Flo {}

Hooky: Dorian and Monica {} Dani and Nico {} Will and Damien {}

Miraculous Ladybug: Chat Noir and Marinette {} Ladybug and Chat Noir {} Marinette and Adrien {} Marinette and Luka {}

Sonic the Hedgehog: Silver and Blaze {} Sonic and Amy {} Amy and Shadow {} Knuckles and Rouge {}

FTRS/RAR: Gilly and Jax {} Heath and Devin {} Sasha and Logan {}

The Inheritance Games: Max and Xander {} Avery and Jameson {} Nash and Libby {}

Other: Pip and Ravi {} Bel and Ash {} Red and Arthur {} Conner and Bree {} Branch and Poppy {} Chote and Gina {} Tobias and Amarinda {}

Links:

-My Quotev Account

-My Ao3 Account

Some of My Fanfics:

"Hashtag Hilarious" - A KOTLC Human AU, with Tam and Keefe being besties and roommates; one day, Keefe convinces Tam to make a shared social media account together. Chaos follows.

"Lilies For Lilly" - A Ninjago fanfic in where it's the anniversary of Cole's mother's passing, and this time, he goes to drop off some Lillies.

"Don't Touch Me (Don't Talk To Me)" - A Trolls one-shot, in where Branch let's himself be rude to John Dory (A second part to this is called "Wet William" which is Bruce's turn).

"Random Hooky Stuff" - Just some Hooky content there's almost 0 out there. Drabbles, headcanons, incorrect quotes, ships, fluff, and angst. All of the above!

"Tiana One-Shots, Skits, Memes, And More!" - A Quotev book with a bunch of Tiana (Tam and Biana) related content is in, blessing the world with more Tiana.

"KOTLC Characters React And Have Fun!" - A Quotev fanfic in where the KOTLC crew react to human stuff and just have fun.

"5 Days {KOTLC Sleepover Fic}" - A KOTLC Sleepover Fic on Quotev, and this sleepover lasts all week. Drama appears, and fun memories are made.

Some Fanfics in The Drafts (or in my head)

KOTLC Human Coffee Shop AU ("Keepers of the Coffee")

KOTLC Rewrite

KOTLC Human Musician Mash Up Tour AU

KOTLC Road Trip AU

Ninjago Movie Secret Identity AU ("Two Faces Of the Same Life")

Ninjago Regular/Human Tea Shop AU

Ninjago Normal Life ("Cuckoo Crazy")

Hooky High School/College AU

Percy Jackson x KOTLC Crossover

Ninjago x KOTLC Crossover

Hooky Coffee Shop AU

KOTLC Hogwarts AU

KOTLC Song Twins Circus AU

Some Quotes:

"Because when I annoy, I annoy hard." -Tam Song, Nightfall.

"Look, I know I don't talk about it, but it happened to me before. Losing someone dear to me. I can't let that happen again." -Lockwood, to Lucy.

"Better question; are you a narc?" -Tiny Diamond

"I am the M.C... the Mighty Cole!"  -Cole, Rebooted

"I guess I'll just send some happy shadow thoughts into your head." -Tam Song, Flashback 

"-And dying to see Tam. My sister's a fan of silver bangs." -Fitz Vacker, Unlocked.

"Quick, quick Tell me something awful Like you are a poet trapped inside the body of a finance guy" -I Hate It Here, Taylor Swift

"Kill him then claim my throne and my queen." -Dorian Wytte, to Monica. 

"I looked around in a blood-soaked gown And I saw something they can't take away 'Cause there were pages turned with the bridges burned Everything you lose is a step you take So make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it You've got no reason to be afraid" -You're on Your Own, Kid, Taylor Swift

"Dude, save your daddy issues for another time." -Tam Song, Neverseen.

"Maybe not. But that doesn't mean you stop trying." - Tam Song, Legacy.

Side Blogs: @flasher-boi-endal @a-poet-yet-forced-finance-guy

DNI IF: Homophobic, racist, sexist, Trump fan, Israel supporter, etc etc. THIS IS A SFW BLOG! PLEASE RESPECT THAT!

That's about that! <3 Have a beautiful day or night! Mya out!

[new-tella-us]

Seduce Me Situations!

Nicknames! What would Mika call her potential love interest and what would they call her as nicknames?

James- "James" is a short enough name to not really need a nickname, though Mika does call him "Jay" every once in a while. If they're dating then Mika's preferred pet name for James is "Sunrise" or "My bookworm", one is referring to his preferred color and the other his nerd-like tendencies. She's probably called him "Nerd" before too. James doesn't really give Mika a nickname until they're dating, then she's "Love". I can also see him call her "Doll". He probably would have called her something sun related if she didn't get to it first.

Erik- "Erik" is even shorter of a name but Mika still managed to shorten it to "Eri". She also calls him "My liege" whenever she wants to teasingly match Erik's flirtatious energy. If they're dating, Mika probably goes down the cheesy pet names like "Dear", "Love" "Darling", "Sweetheart", etc. Though a unique name that Erik loves to be called is "Orchid", Mika called him that as Erik's eye and hair reminded her of the orchids she would usually see. Erik, of course, calls Mika "Princess" (or "Highness" in the Harem route) and that's basically her name now. There is no Mika, only Princess.

Sam- There is no shortening "Sam"; Sam is usually the shortened name. Instead, Mika calls Sam just "Sam" for the most part. Though, she might playfully sneak in a "Jerk" sometimes. After they start dating, the nickname "Jerk" becomes almost as common as Sam's "Doofus" nickname for Mika. Also "Babe" I can see Mika calling Sam Babe. I don't see Sam being much a nickname person. Though something Mika will never call Sam is anything monster related. That is a nickname no-no.

Matthew- Finally! A name that doesn't need a stretch to shorten it! "Matt" or "Matty"! Probably Matty, Matty is cuter. At first, Matthew was a little embarrassed by the nickname "Matty" but he learned to like it. After they're dating, I can see "Blue Jay" being a sweet nickname, especially since Matthew can canonically summon birds. I can definitely see Matthew calling Mika "Miki" before they're dating, especially when the "Matty" nickname started. After they start dating, I can see Matthew occasionally calling Mika "Kitten". Why? ...All I'm gunna say is that if you know Matthew's wiki page, you know why. A little bonus, they absolutely use some of the most cringy, old people pet names in a joking/teasing manner.

Damien- Okay... hear me out. "Damin". That's a weird ass shortening but it's an inside joke. Another would be "Carrot" especially when they're first getting to know each other. After they start dating, I feel like the default nickname for Damien would be "Sweetie" or "Hunny". It's just so classic romance and they fit that. As for nicknames Damien would call Mika, again the classics. "Sweetie", "Hunny", etc. An interesting one would be "Usagi" or "Usa". Usagi is the Japanese word for Bunny/Rabbit and Damien's second language is Japanese so I think it fits.

Diana- There's a canon one! Di! (Which unfortunately fits most of her endings) But others that Mika would come up with would be "Dia" (Also a little inside joke) and "Ana". After they start dating, I can see Mika and Saero scheming nicknames togethers but they can never really agree on a lot of them as Mika uses the name Diana and Saero uses the name Ezaeur. One they did agree on was "Lily" as a nod to Diana's ancestor. As for what Diana would call Mika back, she already uses "Dear" a lot. She might add "Darling" in a few times too.

Bonus Round! Demon Nicknames!

Raestrao- Rae Uzaeris- Uza, Eris Aomaris- Mari, Amo Zecaeru- Carrie, Ru-Ru Izroul- Izzy, Roulx Kaard Ezaeur- Ez, Zae

[mangocustard16]

Moot game !! Tag your moots which match the questions ! :D

Moot/s you got close with under a month.

Moot/s you wish you interacted with more.

Moot/s who you admire/look up to.

And lastly, Non moot/s who you wish to be moots with!

Moot/s you got close with under a month.

omg like sooo many!! but i definitely bonded the quickest with @kkooongie, @weird-bookworm and @nonononranghaee 🤭❤❤

Moot/s you wish you interacted with more.

for sure @blue-jisungs and @seuonji TT i really need to stop overthinking before interacting with people 😭😭

Moot/s who you admire/look up to.

@wheeboo i wish i could write half as good as her🥺🥺❤ and stan half as many groups as @slytherinshua 👹 <33

Non moot/s who you wish to be moots with!

AAAAA this oneee ohmygoshhh i really don't know if i should tag them 🙃🙃 i'm so sorry if i made you uncomfortable!! @fairyhaos like i'm a fangirl for yenaaa 🎀❤ and @jayflrt i'm so freaking sure that heeseung is the one who hired jay (watch me be completely wrong 💩)

[hummingbird-games]

Postmortem: #CrushedVN Edition

Okie doke y'all! It's been some time so I guess we're good to dissect this project!

(I almost didn't bother with writing this up, but at the end of the day I do the dev diaries and the random--game development related--posts for me to look back on and prove I'm learning. Getting better. Not regressing. So. Might as well move forward!)

Background/Inspiration

It's like if you took my late 2022 brain and threw it into a blender!! Most of these are self-explanatory (Boys Love media I adore with emphasis on early to late teen experiences.) Let me draw your attention to The Edge Of Seventeen: not sure how many times I've rewatched, but it makes me tear up every single time. Main character Nadine is awkward AF, still hasn't come to terms with the death of her father years prior, isn't on the best terms with her mom or her older brother, and even ends up on rocky terms with her best friend too!! Anyway, that feeling of being young, and a little angry and a little sad and not feeling quite right on the inside but eventually reaching a place where things fiiiiiinally start to work out...it's just a sliver of what I wanted to capture and infuse into Crushed.

Listen y'all, I just pulled and pulled and pulled from real life experiences. I was inspired by authors Julian Winters, Leah Johnson, and Jay Coles' works (all Young Adult authors LOL! Fitting since I seem to be creating things for the teens at this juncture in my life). This all provided the base for Corey and his inner world. Also, I've been wanting to create a bookworm character...no time like the present right???

As for deciding to specifically create a boys' love visual novel of all things?? First, y'all must understand that I fought the original idea and anything related to it. This was coming off the heels of me suddenly seeing (another) wave of players throwing fits about indie games forcing you to play as a femme character. First off, no one is forcing you to do anything. Secondly, we are still at a point in video games where the majority of characters you play as are male. Forgive some of us for wanting a little variety 😑Thirdly, for those looking for games where there's even more inclusivity (choosing pronouns, playing as nonbinary/trans, and etc) I really wish that players would seek out those games that ARE being made and support them so the developers don't lose steam and drop their projects. It's so disheartening to make something that's meant to be consumed and BOOM, silence.

Anyway, all of that to say that as a developer herself who's tired of watching girls' media be regulated as Less Than, made fun of, and just overall disrespected, I wasn't interested in making any games that didn't center a female character. But back to my main point!!!

I had Heartstopper, the webtoon, infecting my brain. I was so not immune to falling in love with Nick and Charlie like everybody else. But then I was hit for the 34573847th time that I was engaging with white queer media. And I knew that if Nick and Charlie were Black Brits, they wouldn't be getting half the attention they are now. Even less if the boys were girls and we had a sapphic relationship on our hands. (But that sapphic story from Hummingbird Games is still brewing, and Corey and Jacob's story was ready first.)

Also....the biphobia is real. It's insidious. I could write a whole book about how the straights and the gays need to get their shit together. I could then write a sequel about how the Black community can be some of the worst offenders when it comes to our Bi Fam and say some of the most ignorant and devastating things. But I had limited time on my hands and decided to write a short VN instead. Once I let Corey just be, exist as the person he is, everything fell into place.

Things That Went Right...

I took a very niche, very Specific To Me, very nestled in the space between my heart and my brain and wrote a script just so I could be a part of a game jam specifically highlighting and supporting the work of Black game developers.

And I submitted the bitch on time.

I'm always down for anxiety rep!!! As a fellow anxiety haver, I say the more visibility the better!!! At the same time, it's not a one size fits all, and there were some things I dealt with that I'd never seen depicted and I figured I might as well be true to my experiences. Maybe someone would take solace in Corey the way I've taken solace in other characters for reflecting my lived experiences.

I tried new things I was scared of or didn't have time for with HSD or didn't feel confident enough to sit and learn previously: partial voice acting (and holding auditions to incorporate more), a text message system (which wasn't my own but part of learning to code for me means being able to take what others have done and replicate and/or use it myself), and implementing music and sound effects with intention. I've done it with film, but games are a close cousin in a lot of ways. A LOT of ways. I should remember that.

I still didn't do too well in the marketing department but for this game, it didn't feel like a failure. I also didn't really try. Oops. I've got to do better. I went into Crushed knowing it wouldn't have half the audience HSD does, and yet the feedback I've received for Crushed has made me want to break down into tears of relief.

I launched the game around 10 something at night my time and proceeded to be sick with anxiety for about 3 days. For three whole days I legit felt like I was going to die. And then I wanted to laugh because didn't I just make a game to express a version of the human condition?

Things That Were Different...

HSD showed off my skills when it comes to intensive planning and sticking mostly to that plan. Crushed was a jam entry that became more extensive over time and found me flying off the seat of my pants.

I also had less (aha, zero???) budget this time around. Because again. Jam entry. It wasn't supposed to be a Big Affair. But now that it's over and out to you guys, I'm not mad. You could say that it all worked out.

If I Could Go Back, I Would...

For one, I would have smacked the voice in my head that said "let's add more voice acting now". I love the feature, but there's no reason why I couldn't have done auditions after release. I was impatient and restless waiting for art assets, and my idleness led me to take on more things just to not feel useless. I Have Learned My Lesson, thanks.

I Had The Pleasure of Learning...

There will always be an obstacle in the way of game development. (And sometimes your body will be your own worst enemy, yuck.)

I don't know who my audience is (yet) for HBG but I'm always a part of it. And that's not a bad thing. If I hadn't felt so strongly about Crushed or even HSD, neither project would have happened because I would have given up a long time ago.

To the Future...

Empasis on future, but the world of Crushed isn't exhausted. It lives in the bigger universe of HSD:JY but took on a life of its own. So it's no surprise that Corey and his friends became even more precious to me. Not that I know when I'll be able to work on it, but right after finishing and publishing the demo, I outlined a rough draft for a kinetic novel sequel told through Jacob's POV. In my head, Corey's story was always half of a whole, and busting out Jacob's outline so quickly confirmed that.

(What I didn't anticipate was how loved Oke and Keegan would be, or that there would be a want for their story outside of myself??? Between us and this postmortem, I hope to sort out their deal and get the satisfaction of seeing another type of love story/dynamic I can't get enough of and share it!)

Closing Thoughts

The comments I've gotten concerning Crushed and noting the appreciation for its slice-of-life/grounded-ness is reassuring! Maybe I'll branch out to other genres, but realism will be something I always come back to. Also, making Crushed wasn't too traumatic soooooo that means I'm still making games LOL! Can't get rid of me yet!

- Gemini 💛

(some links of other posts where I went on tangents concerning the creation of Crushed; these can also be found by searching the tag "crushed vn"!)

Music Inspo and Crushed

Memes Tag Game

Game Dev Commentary: Bonus Content

[evilpenguinrika]

Hosie Fankids: 2nd Iteration

I love making fankids I can't help it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

This could be considered an AU to my main canon Hosie Fankids. Like, don't get me wrong. I LOVE how much I've developed Lana, Hayley, Jay, and Leo and I will continue to write their stories. But I also like the idea of exploring other avenues for my Hosie fankids, and that being "what if Hope and Josie only had twin boys instead". So ta-da, the 2nd iteration of my Hosie fankids that exists in their own little universe away from my main Hosie fankids canon.

You can read the first iteration Hosie fankids here

//

(note: Josie was the one who carried the twins!

second note: i'll try and see if I can't find some time and spoons to do a quick character design sketch for the 2nd iteration Hosie fankids as well!

edit: now with pictures!)

//

Elijah “Eli” Lukas Mikaelson (15) is the son of Hope Mikaelson and Josie Saltzman, and the twin brother of Auggie. He takes after his Mom Hope because he’s more aloof and builds up heavy walls between him and anyone who is not family. He keeps to himself and prefers to observe other people than interact with them. He tends to go lone wolf a lot, doing his own thing and never bothers to let anyone know what he’s doing.

Eli is fiercely protective of his family to the point of it being near possessive. He hates when unfamiliar people interact with his family because he’s scared they will hurt the people he cares about. He’s also overbearingly protective with it comes to Auggie and his relationships because his twin wears his heart on his sleeve and willingly gives it away to whoever he’s with–which makes it easy for Auggie to be heartbroken. He hates seeing his twin brother hurt all the time, so anytime Auggie’s with someone new, Eli will hover around his twin or secretly threaten his brother’s new beau to treat him right or else.

The forest is his favourite place to go when he wants to clear his head and be attuned to his senses. He loves the smell of the woods and the way the soil dips beneath his weight. Eli especially loves going to the forest after it rains because the smell of wet soil always grounds him when he becomes too overwhelmed and oversensitive to things happening around him. Eli is also a huge bookworm and loves getting lost in the stories he reads. He dreamed of becoming a fantasy author when he was younger and has written a few stories–mostly short stories–and has entered them in a couple of story contests and won a couple of them.

Eli is a Tribrid, just like his Mom Hope. He’s not great at magic but he’s also not terrible, though he will sometimes avoid using it if possible. Eli feels more comfortable with his werewolf abilities despite having never activated his curse yet. Eli doesn’t have plans to actively do that since it does mean he has to take a life. He’s content if he never activates his curse or not.

Aside from that, Eli is a pretty good fighter from being trained by both his Mom and Grandpa Alaric. Eli has even taken a few martial classes after school. His fighting style is a mix of MMA, Kickboxing, Kung Fu, and Muay Thai. He can also fight with weapons, but he prefers not to because they often get in the way when he’s in the zone of battle, preferring to use his body as a weapon than anything else.

When he and Auggie were ten, Eli got kidnapped by a group of people who were after their Mom. They were trying to grab both twins, but Eli used magic to shield Auggie away so he ended up being the only hostage. Eli did his best to fight back and survive until his Mom and Momma found him. This event affected him badly and it’s the main reason why he’s distrustful of other people and so possessively protective of his family.

He and Auggie are aware of the Merge and are trying their best not to think about it–they’ve mostly compartmentalized it until they need to worry about it. Their Mom Hope and Momma Josie have been doing their best to figure out a way to stop the Merge without either of them becoming a Heretic or vampire.

[Physical description: 5’9” short dark chestnut brown hair and blue eyes]

.

Augustus “Auggie” Joseph Mikaelson (15) is the son of Hope Mikaelson and Josie Saltzman, and the twin brother of Eli. Auggie is more gregarious and the life of the party. He’s popular with everyone in school, not because of who his family is, but just because he’s an all-around awesome guy. He’s also a bit of a mischievous goof and loves a good prank or two. But other than that, Auggie is always the guy people go to when they need help.

Auggie is protective of his family, especially his twin, and always does his best to include Eli in anything even though he knows Eli will turn him down. He’s always worried about Eli because of how recluse he can get. But he also knows it’s because his twin prefers to be alone or with familiar people, and that’s fine! Auggie appreciates Eli a lot and will do whatever to protect him because of all the times Eli has comforted him after every heartbreak, Auggie feels like he owes it to Eli to give back.

He’s a huge nerd. The biggest, dorkiest nerd in existence. Auggie is in the school’s LARP and tabletop RPG club. He’s mostly the DM because he likes to be the one who tells the story and watches his club members have fun. He’s also in the theatre club but as crew. Despite being so beloved and enjoying the attention, he loves being the one who supports others a lot more. He finds way more joy in letting others shine through than taking their spotlight.

Auggie is a Tribrid, just like his Mom Hope, and a Siphoner like his Momma Josie. He loves magic, loves using magic, and loves being a Siphoner because it allows him to challenge himself. He will carry a manageable supply of small trinkets with magical essence stored inside so he can siphon if he finds himself in battle and is alone. He has an affinity for Elemental magic and Ancestral magic. Auggie avoids using Dark Magic if possible, mainly because he’s scared about what will happen to him if he does. When he has no choice and uses Dark Magic, he will secretly put all the negative side effects into a small coin that his Great-Aunt Freya gave him. Nobody knows about this except Eli. He has no plans on triggering his werewolf curse as he doesn’t like the idea of taking a life to do so, nor does he have plans to become a Heretic.

He’s not great at hand-to-hand combat, not like his twin brother, though his werewolf abilities do help him with his quick reflexes. But overall, he prefers to be long-distance when he’s in battle so he can have time to think about alternatives or find exits he can go to if he feels like he’s unable to win.

When he and Eli were ten, Auggie watched Eli be kidnapped by a group of people who were after their Mom. They were trying to grab both twins but Eli used magic to shield Auggie away from danger. Auggie was so distraught that when he ran back to his Mom and Momma for help, he was completely inconsolable. He had to be looked after at his Aunt Lizzie, Uncle MG and Uncle Ethan’s place while his Mom and Momma went to save Eli. When they came back with his twin in tow, Auggie refused to leave Eli’s side. This event is the reason why Auggie feels like he has to pay his twin back for protecting him.

He and Eli are aware of the Merge and are trying their best not to think about it–they’ve mostly compartmentalized it until they need to worry about it. Their Mom Hope and Momma Josie have been doing their best to figure out a way to stop the Merge without either of them becoming a Heretic or vampire.

[Physical description: 5’6.5”, shaggy cinnamon brown hair and brown eyes]

[givemewallywestorgivemedeath]

Anyone remember the show The Amazing Spiez?

It's a spinoff of Totally Spiez and these kids are the new trainees (they get mentored by the Totally Spiez characters). They're all siblings and their parents used to be spies as well before retiring.

Anyway, anytime I joke about Wally and Linda having twins again all I'm thinking about are these kids. Four crime fighting, biracial, colorful spandex clad, grade school aged siblings? Even Megan and Mark (the twins) remind me so much of Irey and Jai with their whole 'bookworm, socially awkward, tech expert brother who looks exactly like his mom' and 'outgoing, energetic, golden child of the family, super athletic sister who looks exactly like her dad' thing.

Their dynamic is great and they work well together as a team. Recently I've seen a lot of people in forums and irl say that the third West kid won't work well or that the third West kid will screw up the dynamic.

I really don't think that will be the case. If it's a boy or if it's twins. I think the dynamic will be fine.

Hell, look at the Power Pack. If you want to see a comics based sibling team that works well then look no further!

I love these guys!

There's also the Shazam fam that has way more than four kids. And then Incredibles has three kids and their whole dynamic is fantastic.

There are so many examples of sibling sets of more than two in media that work really well. I mean, the kids in Narnia for starters.

I really don't know why some people are upset that Wally and Linda are having a kid. I guess I just don't understand why 'it could never work' when it really really could.

[calciumcryptid]

@insomniac-jay I got your ask about the Rogues and Watchers relationship, but Tumblr did a stupid and made me unable to edit it so I'm going to rewrite what I had here for you.

How do you make the Rogues even more queer? Simple, open a dialogue between them and younger queer people.

We discussed this, but the closest moment the Rogues had to a back in my day spiel was when they found out the shit the Watchers could get away with at work (dyed hair, piercings). Riddler and Bookworm were miffed because they had to cut their hair a certain way to get their job.

While some Rogues are doing community service they end up working for the Watchers and it is quite the scene to see the younger direct the elder around.

Killer Croc and the Watchers have a strained relationship, but at the end of the day he would lay down his life for them. Even if they rummage around his sewers and steal his snacks. They did give him a yacht one time which was weird but he isn't going to ask any questions.

The Rogues are so tight lipped about the Watchers around the Bats. They like their pseudo nieces nephews and others, and hell if they are going to let the Bats take them.

Harley Quinn can and will sit you down for a slideshow for all the Watchers greatest hits.

Sirenia gets vocal lessons from Music Meister, and even some of his old equipment. She is the reason he decided he wanted kids, and she is invited to him and Christine's place anytime she needs a place to crash.

Poison Ivy is in the process of figuring out a way to safely make them into plants.

The Watchers don't fuck with Catwoman due to get connection to the Bats. This does not stop Selina from trying to get into their good graces, even if Watchers keep making snide remarks.

Unsurprisingly, it was Jahzara and Vicia who eventually came around to her.

[einsteinsugly]

Tough challenge but how would you rank every member of the That 70s Show gang from your favorite to least favorite, no ties allowed?! I have the UO of liking Donna the least by far---not that she's a bad person, but she's just not a very engaging, compelling and entertaining character for me :) I'm sending this to a few people and am psyched to see your responses!

1. Eric- He's my favorite, no doubt. He's a stubborn nerd with a big heart and a questionable hero complex, and considering his season 7 arc of him wanting to get beyond just his geeky hobbies, T9S failed to do him justice (and tbh, he was downright annoying). I wanted to see him as a teacher like Mr. Feeny, not as a hella unrealistic professor of Star Wars.

2. Donna-I'm not gonna lie anymore, Donna's my second favorite. She's honest, smart, politically minded, a massive bookworm, and yes, she's a little temperamental. She's flawed but real, and wants to find success and happiness her foremothers seldom were able to achieve.

3. Hyde- On the surface, it seems like he is merely a rebel without a cause. But underneath, he's a smart guy who gives a shit about the people he cares about. Which is why him seemingly floating around without a cause in T9S/ceasing to exist after the first half of the OG show is so OOC.

4. Jackie- On the surface, she's a vapid, obnoxious rich girl, but throughout the series, she matures like a fine wine. She's smart, savvy, ambitious, and yes... she's very, very stubborn. T9S (and season 8) only addresses her surface level traits, and erases all of her growth (and tbh, since Jay is sixteen, her growth from seasons 5-7 is nonexistent in the world of T9S).

5. Kelso- He's a selfish fool, but as a character, he's strangely endearing. Brooke rounded him out, and with Jackie, he's just a selfish fool. With Brooke, he can be responsible (as responsible as he can be) and fun-loving. All at the same time.

6. Fez- He's fine in seasons 1-4 (well, most of season 4). He would still be number six, but I don't have anything substantial against him. But in seasons 5-8, he's an invasive, needy creep.

[nin-jay-go]

liveblogging dragons rising

all thoughts under the cut!

this is so pretty so far

oh this is a lesbian. kreel is like if the mad hatter was a lesbian

LOBBO IS MY NEW FAVORITE CHARACTER

"i'm going to kill your whole family" GOOD LIRD THIS IS DARK

"I THINK I MADE A BOMB" JSHFKJSKDJF

"elemental powers are complicated" yea dude they sure are

THEYRE BROTHERS YOUR HONOR

oh why is it RAIyu and not REEyu. i thought they were riffing off the japanese word for dragon for his name (ryuu)

lobbo my BEST FRIEND

oh THATS why cole's memorial thing was in the trailer. i see.

is this dorama guy here to . here to c. here to cause drama

(he's so fun actually i like him)

Oh What The Fuck

oh shit the showman is coming back?? excited

kai is fuckin dead

SCIENTIST LADY 😳😳😳😳😳😳

oh wait. if all imperium ppl have those markings, is this like the secret markings humans have? but visible? bc that'd be cool

my friend: [the cragling mud] looks like their eyes. i don't like that.

buddy why are you excited to eat mud...... buddy........... arin.....

sometimes i can still hear his voice 😔😔😔

dragon = nuke

THE CLOUD FUCKING KINGDOM ARE YOU KIDDING ME

thats a fucking mindflayer. what the fuck.

WHAT

THE NEW MASTER OF WIND??????? IS A CLOUD KINGDOM MONK??????? HUHHHHHHHH WHAT THE FUCK

i hate the cloud kingdom. whyyyyy is it the way that it is

my friend: it is interesting that the cloud kingdom is confirmed to be full of shit

WHAT IS THIS BOOKWORM LITTLE THING. I LOVE THEM CAN I HAVE TWENTY

alright time to see this so-called wind master

why does she sound like a self-insert 😭

EUPHRASIA?!?!?!!?!!!??!!?!?!?!?

*insert the crying of everyone with a morro lives / morro redemption au*

(like its fine for canon but alterline is weeping)

me: [the wolf] is a hologram with mass! my friend: that means it matters :)

sora has protagonist hair jdkfhgkjdfgkjh

oh!!! the imperium markings come in with age :0 or maybe they're a rank thing idk yet

ohhhhh the scientist lady (dr larrow?) is her role model :0 [this is the point where i lost subtitles lol]

did those kids call sora anna?

WOMANNNNNNNN

"sora? the ancient imperium word for orphan?" HELLO??????

me: i want to kiss [larrow] on the mouth my friend: why do you want to go for the villain me: she's hot my friend: women in stem!

BRO SHE JUST GOT DISOWNED. JESUS CHRIST.

dr. lampshade floorpanel and dr doyll donmagar.......

lloyd: what's the shaming floor my friend: twitter sora: its a livestream me: so its twitch

i forgot to write this down but arin is the new master of SPIN

PERCIVAL TARTIGRADE

STOP DEADNAMING SORA LET HER BE NONBINARY

get flashbanged idiots

oh!!!! wildfire was raised by dragons!!! thats so fun

what is happening- OH WILDFIRE

friend: do you remember atla? the dragons

why is wu's ghost haunting the monastery my friend: its a wu-o-wisp!

TINY LLOYD WITH SAM VINCENT'S VOICE IS SO FUNNY JKHGSFKDSKDJH really couldn't get jillian michaels

OH AND THE S10 GI ON A BABY LLOYD LMAOOOOO

"this looks like a monastery!" no the fuck it doesn't you're in an underground Chamber

DONT LET THE FUCKING GOLDEN WEAPONS REPEAT

sora: i can't use my true potential my friend: then use your fake potential

mmmmm beatrix hot woman :]

I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS CELESTIA, PRINCESS OF EQUESTRIA my friend: i wanna see someone overlay this dialogue on top of footage of celestia

MEANERY

they're seriously gonna torture a BABY DRAGON?????

hehehe ras ear twitch :3

LLOYD HAS A CONCUSSION

THE GHOST OF MASTER WU

ZANE IS IN THE FUCKING EGG????

ZANE WAS IN CRYO??????

WHERE ARE JAY COLE AND PIX. WHERE ARE THEY

my friend, in response to sora's name reveal: we named the dog indiana

me: jay and cole are off on their honeymoon my friend: they're in the bahamas

"there can't be two elemental masters of fire! it doesn't make sense! also its rude!"

THE IMPOSSIBLE KID

STOP DEADNAMING HERRRRRRRR

miss beatrix can i kiss you on the mouth

i warned you about those stairs bro :y

THE DRAGON TALKS?????? and why does it sound like unagami

OH HES BIG

a conduit?????? changed forever????? 👀👀👀👀

he gettin ZOOMED

me and my friend: DID LLOYD DIE??? AGAIN????

now lloyd and arin BOTH have concussions!

oh he glowin

your holograms appear to be glitching maam

I WARNED YOU ABOUT THOSE STAIRS BRO :y

rapton is very pathetic

LLOYD'S WAR FLASHBACKS OH NO

lloyd voice i'm adopting you arin

OOP RAS IS CAPTURED. THIS IS ANTI-FURRY

oh. she has a mech.

so that means the weird green ghosty guy (and jay/cole/pix) are in season 2 :0 i'm so excitedddddd

final thoughts this was cool as shit. i loved this very much. ouoUOAUOAUAOAUOU

[hoonvrs]

21st CENTURY GIRL

15 sacrificial lamb duh

PREV < MASTERLIST > NEXT

S. NOTE miss me🥸

SYNOPSIS where jay 'claims’ he has a girlfriend but none of his friends believe him because how are you a girl in the 21st century and don't have any social media, right? and if you and jay continue to let them think your relationship is fake for entertainment purposes, nobody has to know.

TAGLIST ( CLOSED ) @dazed-hee @seongclb @enluv @yenqa @satsuri3su @mangowonyo @neocockthotology @treasxreblue @loves0ft @yueriots @lunavixia @mariji @txtlyn @bluxjun @mrchweeee @jackass1123 @the-poetic-side-of-me @flwrshee @jiawji @fakeuwus @ilovehimyourhonour @calumsfringe @en-dream @luvistqrzzz @weird-bookworm @miko1ly @deobitifull @donghyckl @jayujus @skipmay @minl0u @eeeeeeeeeeeeweeeeeeepeeeeee @sngvhs @nyxvrse @sasfransisco @latriii @redm4ri @sxftiell @xiaoderrrr @staerax @captivq @jlheon @tmrx2gther @dammit-jjk @aernx @hyhees @spilled-coffee-cup @ddazed-lhs @elavin @lhspeachie

[inkednotebook]

OC Questionnaire Tag

Thanks @willtheweaver for the tag!!

From my WIP Icing Waved Off, let's see what James has to say:

What is your favourite form of entertainment?

Oh man, that's hard! There's so many options to choose from! Obviously, I love sports. It would kinda suck if I didn't, seeing as I play in the NHL haha. But I love watching more than just hockey. I'm a huuuge Jays fan, and love watching their games during the off season. I'm not a huge movie person, or TV show person. Except Star Trek. I could (and have) spend all day watching that. Um... I do like documentaries! Especially nature ones. Those are so cool. And I love reading! The guys tease me about it a lot. Call me a bookworm, but whatever. There's not really a genre of book I don't like. I also love music - especially classic rock. Not a huge video game fan, but... Yeah. Um, sorry that was long!

Have you ever ghosted someone/been ghosted?

No. I haven't been on the dating scene in... ever, really. Just not my thing. I had a relationship in high school but we met because we were both on the school's hockey team. But after that I didn't really want to try dating apps or blind dates or anything.

Have you ever lost your faith? If so, what exactly made you question your beliefs?

My family and I were never super religious. My parents were both Baptists, and my sister and I were baptized and we went to church for holidays when we were kids. After my dad died, though... it was hard to want to go. And it was really hard to not be angry at God for taking my dad from us.

My questions:

Do you like outdoor activities?

What's your favourite board game?

Do you hold grudges? If yes, what's one you're still holding?

Tagging @ominous-feychild, @silverslipstream, @wishingwrites, @writingmargo, and open tag! xx

[lettersfromandie]

#JanuaryInJapan: 5 Japanese Books I Read in January

Ever since I started watching anime avidly last year, I gradually became more interested with Japanese culture. It began with just consuming anime, then reading mangas, later developed into being curious to learning Nihongo, and now I'm at that phase where I want to tuck myself with books written by Japanese authors.

Besides that, my 2021 new year's resolution is to read more books. At the same time, I also want to diversify my reading selection. So if I'm interested in Japanese culture and also wish to venture outside the YA genre, there's all the more reason to add books to my cart, right? 😅

Thus far, it's been a great start in accomplishing my new year's resolution since I had read 7 ½ books this month! (The ½ is a novel that I paused on reading last year and read again where I left off.) And five of those are Japanese books that I'm going to share in this blog post.

So for the bookworms out there, this one's for you.

1. Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa (translated by Jay Rubin)

Rashomon and Seventeen Other Stories is a collection of Akutagawa's short stories and autobiographical writings. It contains 18 works (including the famous Spider Thread, Rashomon, and The Life of a Stupid Man) and is divided into four parts: A World in Decay, Under the Sword, Modern Tragicomedy, and my favorite part, Akutagawa's Own Story, in which his works are based from his personal life.

Apart from just reading, I also wanted to "study" since I believe it's the only way to be able to comprehend more his writings. Luckily, the copy I got is kind of like a study material too. It is full of notes and indices which I super appreciate. If it weren't for those added information in the book, I think I'd merely understand words in their face value. I think it's hard to grasp the message and what the words imply if you don't, in one way or another, "study" it. That's why I'm so happy that I bought a really good copy from Fully Booked even if it's worth two books. Lol.

If you want to delve right into Japanese lit, it would be perfect to consume works from one of the most notable Japanese writers. Even Haruki Murakami wrote an 18-page introduction about him in this one. If you do, I think you'll find one story familiar (at least to me that was my reaction, I didn't know it was Akutagawa who wrote it 😉). 

2. The Setting Sun by Osamu Dazai (translated by Donald Keene)

It follows a story of a Japanese aristocratic family in crisis and decline during Japan's transition after the Second World War. It is narrated by the family's daughter, Kazuko, who struggles in the midst of fragile existence with her ill mother and drug-addicted brother.

There is something about Japanese literature that will always make me feel that bittersweet emotion even in the presence of serious social themes. At first I thought I'll be diving myself into a social science reading material and geek about Post-World War II Japan. Little did I know that I would end up shedding tears (which is my usual reaction whenever I consume a deeply moving material). What I most especially loved in this book is the protagonist's letters to her "M.C.". It warmed my heart how genuine and unapologetic she was in writing her feelings and sentiments. Grabe. I am incredibly in love with her honesty and sincerity, that I wish I'd be able to write letters as beautiful as hers. Overall I am amazed by how Dazai can effortlessly write an utterly sublime story describing the challenges of human existence. I finished it in one sitting so it wasn't a heavy read. Definitely recommend.

3. The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa (translated by Stephen Snyder)

This dystopian novel takes place in a surveillanced island where people, and even things, are controlled by the Memory Police. From time to time, things disappear in the island and along with these disappearances, people also 'forget' about them. The Memory Police makes sure that these objects are completely vanished from the island and eradicate people who continue to remember them. The story follows on a female novelist whose editor, R, is one of those who are still capable of remembering the disappeared objects. Together with the help of an old man, she tries to help R hide away from the Memory Police.

Sci-fi/dystopian novels are scary because it is possible that they can happen in the future, whether we think it now as far-fetched or not. But this one gave me a different feeling. It is terrifying, but beautiful. Terrifying in a sense that its totalitarian-like setting is evident in today's milieu in different parts of the globe. I don't wish for the events to happen in real life, even if disappearing objects are too dreamy to think that it could possibly happen in this world (the future is uncertain, but hopefully not). However, it is also beautiful because of its writing. It is so compelling that no matter how depressing it is when an object disappears, the writer describes it as if it has its own funeral. I love how a vanishing moment, a short inkling, a lost attachment, can be described so exquisitely, that I can't ever forget how deeply moved I was while reading it. The ending made me want to blankly stare at the wall for a long time because it tugged my heart SO MUCH :'-) As of this post, I think this is my favorite book. HIGHLY recommend.

4. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami (translated by Philip Gabriel)

Kafka on the Shore revolves around two interrelated plots of two characters: a teenage boy named Kafka, who runs away from home trying to escape his father's "curse" similar to Oedipus myth; and a not-so-bright old man named Nakata, who is able to talk to cats and is in search for something.

Personally I did not enjoy the book as much as I had expected (like I super had high expectations for myself with this), and it's probably because the explicit content still lingered in my thoughts even if I'm already reading a rated-G page. By explicit content, I mean the "Oedipus myth" concept involved in the story. If you're familiar about the story of Oedipus, then I guess you already know what to expect in this novel... So, this novel isn't necessarily for everyone's consumption and it's not something I want to recommend in general. However, if that hadn't made me uncomfy, then I think I would've really loved it. I still enjoyed the journey of the two protagonists in the story though. Haruki Murakami said himself that the Oedipus myth contained in the story isn't really the main point -- that there's so much deeper sense and meaning to the story. He also said that it is full of riddles and you get to really understand it once you read it more than once (but I still have a lot of TBR so I only read it once hihi). I mean, Jenn Im, a Youtuber and book enthusiast, has it as one of her favorite books and even recommended it as a must-read. PewDiePie also found it disturbing but still gave it a 4/5 rating regardless. So I guess, to each their own. I'm just saying that it's a good book but you might find some parts disturbing.

5. The Ten Loves of Mr. Nishino by Hiromi Kawakami (translated by Allison Markin Powell)

Yukihiko Nishino hopelessly falls in love and in love again. It is divided into ten parts - representing different stories from the ten women that Nishino has loved over the course of his life.

"If you like Haruki Murakami and Yoko Ogawa, it's a safe bet that you'll love The Ten Loves of Nishino" this was printed on an alternative cover of this book. It piqued my interest because I admire Murakami's unique and magical realm and Ogawa's captivating writing style, so I thought that it was the perfect book to have a light read on.

I loved how Hiromi Kawakami described Nishino through the eyes of her love interests. Albeit the story is fragmented by the different experiences of the women in Nishino's past, these different stories aggregate to the conclusion that he is a hopeless romantic, but has a hard time committing to a solid relationship since he can't even decipher his feelings (let alone understand what love is). But even if we already presume that he is a "womanizer" (which is kinda obvious from the title itself), it'd still be interesting to know who he is from whom he "womanized" (similar as being curious on what other people think of us). Most would say na, "Ah, pakboi." Lol. But what if that's not the kind of person he is to one of his loves ? Nevertheless, I enjoy this style of storytelling wherein different point-of-views are integrated. Though personally not so thought-provoking, it succeeded in making me tear up 😢 Because no matter how he is labeled as a ladykiller, I still feel sorry for him. And more so wish him well, even if he's just a fictional character.

So that's it for this month's #JanuaryinJapan! I'm happy that these books compelled me to read more Japanese literary fiction. I wholeheartedly love the subtleties, imagery, and the uniquely-composed narratives in Japanese literature; so I am looking forward to relish more 💗

Love, Andie