#just letting y'all know they exist is enough for me to get the catharsis from them

[gamebunny-advance]

158...

That's how many posts I have in my drafts.

[sword-dad-fukuzawa]

on wtf happened yesterday, rant/essay ahead

so here's what i think happened the other day: i'm so incredibly not up to date on the current mdzs discourse (which is apparently a war between wwx antis, who are apparently jiang cheng stans, and wwx fans) that the slightest hint of anything that could be perceived as seeing wwx not as "angel baby boy who has suffered too much!" means the wwx fans pull out their bazooka guns. and lose all of their human decency, apparently.

also, for some fucking reason people are making a novel about "gay dudes with swords solve mysteries and have badly written sex" into some treatise on classism. what the fuck. it's. it's not that deep. it's really not that deep.

i keep seeing weird backlash on twt too? i see people absolutely enraged and foaming at the mouth at "those who believe jgy and xy are misunderstood babeys" because said people are "illiterate," "are live action onlys," and generally "wwx haters."

what?

what?

i have not seen a single person in my life who genuinely believes jgy and xy are misunderstood babeys who have done no wrong. i'm a xy fan! yes! i admit this! but it's because i really like amoral, gay-coded villains with a dramatic streak and a penchant for murder, not because i think xy is a great guy. i just think he's compelling and the donghua made him pretty.

so like- do these people exist, first of all, which goes into "does the backlash come from misunderstood tweets or the hot takes of twelve year olds?" because the people who were sending me gross shit were, according to their bios, fully grown-ass adults. GROWN ASS ADULTS. i'd have expected you all to be less of a piece of shit but apparently not.

dude, mdzs fandom is a trip and a half. like, my post that got shit was me saying that wwx and jc, if they ever properly reconcile, will probably end up in a fight. wwx is probably getting punched.

this, obviously, makes me a terrible person for wanting wwx to get punched.

listen. they're fictional.

do i need to repeat that? fictional. they do not exist. and i know better than anyone how attached you can get to fictional characters! just look at my ao3 account. but if you are so attached that the merest hint of your fave getting smacked or something makes you violently angry then you need to take several steps back.

i didn't explain this in the post because it was a one-off sort of thought i had, but here. here's the explanation, as someone who has watched the donghua and read the book and written fanfic for mdzs.

jiang cheng is a violent person! he just is! lots of repressed rage! and this isn't inherently a bad thing because the cultivation world is inherently violent. he and wwx have a complicated relationship where they've sacrificed a lot for each other but also hurt each other, irrevocably. i can hear you say "wwx didn't mean to hurt him tho-" but that does not matter. good intentions only go so far when it comes to interpersonal relationships.

i've always been a fan of the "beat the shit out of each other and make up" form of reconciliation. it's generally unrealistic, but something about the catharsis of it is something that deeply appeals to me.

hence my post that if the yunmeng bros ever make up properly, wwx is getting punched.

and the mdzs fandom made this innocuous, shitposty hc about classism, called me an abuse apologist, and a bunch of other shitty things.

did we read the same book?

jc and wwx didn't have an abusive relationship? at all? it was jc's parents that were abusive, emotionally neglectful, etc etc. not jiang cheng. i don't know where the "abuser jc" thing comes from.

and i resent people saying i dislike wwx. if you follow my blog, you know he's one of my favorite characters. as in, my favorite mdzs character. i wrote an essay on how much of an impact he had on my life and the way i consumed media.

in conclusion: i'm still fucking confused but at least i had hot takes for the genshin fandom to get pissy about and i have deliberately baited them at least once or twice. mdzs, y'all got no excuse.

if you're in deeper with the mdzs fandom and ~the discourse~ than i am, feel free to let me know what pile of manure i accidentally stepped in. otherwise, if this post makes you angry, keep your thoughts to yourself. this is my official statement that i do not want to hear any of it because i've gotten enough harassment from the mdzs fandom, thanks. just block me and move on.

[solesurvivorpaigeargot]

I absolutely LOVE Sketchy Saturdays and I always look forward to them!! As for my question(s)? What made you decide to start doing it(I'm glad you do but I was just curious!)?

Hoooo boi the Sketchy Saturday Origin Story: I suppose there's two versions.

The short version reads " Moving stress, deployment depression, and isolation VS. my utter determination to DO SOMETHING whilst trapped in my home " -- Sketchy Saturday was the result of that title fight, so I guess the fandom won in the end? XD

The long version, however... Well, buckle up, cause this is gonna be a ride.

It may surprise y'all to know that two years I was eyeballs-deep in the South Park fandom. The blog still exists; my mainblog, JustCallMeButtlord, built to interact with the audience of my fanfictions-- the New Kid Stories, called NKS for short [gonna be porting those to Ao3 soon, just gotta figure out what robo-reader I'm gonna use to make a quick n dirty podfic out of the series as well as help me hunt down typos my eyes galze over]. The first 'season' of stories had ended, 8 completed fics, and I was puttering about with a bonus holiday story that was several months out of season. Not that I CARED because I was on GUAM where seasons don't exist and my time blindness gets even worse becasue without seasons changing it feels like time never progrsses even after being on the island for three cocksucking years.

I don't hate Guam, I am just not built for constant heat. I am a snow creature; I like below-freezing temperatures so I can layer up in fuzzy, fluffy things and drink hot drinks and cuddle loved ones and/or furry animals. It's a lovely island, I adored my first week there... I just wasn't made to live there.

HIlariously, NKS started out of the stress of moving to Guam. Two years and 8 fics later, the place we were renting was no longer within our price range and my hubby and I were forced to move onto base. Under the leader whom I refuse to name, military pay was given a precentage raise... but it was ripped out of bonuses and OCONUS pay. OCONUS is what a military member is paid when they're stationed Outisde the CONtinental United States. This usually means overseas bases like Japan, but it also means Hawaii, aaaaaand... GUAM. So that percentage pay increase for the military at large meant belt-tightening for every service member abroad, and we were forced to move onto base.

In case y'all haven't noticed by now, I'm a raging socialist with some issued with authority. I DO NOT LIKE EXISTING ON BASE. I do not like existing in a place where the national anthem plays twice a day, every day, at 6 AM and then again whenever the hell sundown is that day. And there's an unspoken rule no one tells you that when it plays you're supposed to stop what you're doing, face the nearest set of speakers playing the song, and stare in that direction with your hand over your heart until its over. That, if you're driving, you have to put on your emergency flashers and pull over. No one tells you this. NO ONE TELLS YOU THIS.

And then, before we had secured a place on base but we had set a move out date for the rental house, the Pandemic happened. While we were between homes. The base is talking full lockdown, Guam authorities want to shut down the island but businesses are terrified of not getting the tourist season business, we don't even know if we'll be allowed to move on to base.

Surprise, I stopped writing for a while... but I picked Fallout 4 back up again. I had been forced into the series years earlier by a toxic relationship, but the game itself hadn't been bad-- just the way I'd been forced to play it by someone who was firmly not in my life anymore. When confronted with character creation, I wasn't sure whom I wanted to make... but decided to go back to an old character. A VERY old character, whom I hadn't thought of since I'd finished ME3 at least 4 years prior, and a character I first conceived of when I was 14-ish... which is now about 15 years ago.

Paige.

I've talked before about how well Paige's story maps onto Fo4, but this was before I knew that. I knew the opening, her losing her kid, and that fit with her-- but something clicked while I was playing and the part of my brain that likes to create started wandering off. Soon enough I've got a couple chapters of a ficlet that I'm TOTALLY just writing as a personal one-shot to de-stress, no way I'm publishing this, I don't wanna get distracted from NKS, I got a whole 'nother season to write! Who cares if no one is reading it anymore because South Park Fandom doesn't like continuous plots.... right?

I was burnt out as hell, the move was looming, the Pandemic was getting worse and everything was getting scarier.

Then the news came through that hubby would be deploying again.

He wasn't supposed to, but the Navy decided the safest place for their sailors was the middle of the ocean, so if you WERENT in quarantine you were going on the boat and you were living there. Didn't matter if your spouse would be alone, unpacking a whole home by themselves.

I had a friend on base. We hung out. I met with my DND group on weekends; we all lived on base now, so we could meet up in like five minutes... and then restrictions tightened. You could be fined up to 5 grand for gathering in groups greater than 5, even outdoors, and detained if suspected of going to a home that wasn't yours. I still met 2 of my friends once a week for walks; get outside, be active, talk to other humans, but besides that? I was locked up alone in a new house in a place that I did NOT like existing in.... with a fresh new hyperfixation developing.

I think it was about a week into the new house that I made the new blog. At first I tried to run it side by side with the South Park stuff, but it wasn't long before all my attention was here... aaaand it also wasn't long before I was confronted with a lot of my own despair; of lockdown, of isolation, of watching a broken system crumble and not being able to DO anything about it, and I started to kinda lose my shit. I fuss-- I can't leave things alone, and I couldn't leave this feeling alone; of being fully and entirely helpless and hopeless.

And then I sketched a thing for a friend, and it made them happy. They were having a rough time, too, and I put something together because I couldn't think of anything else. And it helped. It lifted them up, and it lifted me up, too. Someone else had recently reblogged one of those pallet challenges that floats around Tumblr, and I decided FUCK IT LET'S DO THIS THING AND CALL IT SKETCHY SATURDAY!

Little secret, the very first Sketchy Saturday request? Was me. I was so scared no one would noticed the event, I sent myself the very first request, back when the event still took anons. Soon as that first picture was up:

BANG, suddenly four more; some people off anon. I met people that day, talked to them after the very first Sketchy weekend was over, chatted about the games and characters and art and writing and just... felt human for the first time in a really long while.

I figured I'd hold on to Sketchy Saturday until the deployment was over-- once hubby was back, I'd decide whether I was keeping it or not... but he came back, and I was still super into it, and he was supportive, sooooo I kept going! And then we did Sketchy Secret Santa, and people loved it, and my volunteers are excited about being Sketchy Elves and Secret Helpers and just OH MY GOD I DID A THING GUYS. I DID A THING-- that was just me all December and January long lmafo.

AND JANUARY! Because AH HECK, WE MOVING AGAIN! Because hubby finally got orders, and OH MY GOD we're going back to WA... but it's still a move half-way around the globe, and I was SURE I'd have to shut down the event for a month while we got our shit in order and NOPE, because here come the volunteers from Sketchy Secret Santa, and they wanna fill in all month long! Like... I didn't even ask for that shit, guys. They offered it so the event wouldn't have to take a gap.

Jesus I'm getting teary just remembering it.

So yeah. Sketchy Saturday is here because I got really lonely and stressed out while Fallout 4 provided me with some... catharsis for my situation, and then a pandemic happened.

And then y'all happened, and I'm still here. :D

[meshugana1]

Tit for...

This is the fulfillment of two very similar requests. Enjoy.

   Life was hell at Diana Penebscott’s School for Gifted Women, for some that is. By looking at it’s student population you’d be fooled about just what most of the girls are gifted with. It would be damn hard to find an IQ higher than a hundred, and even harder still to find a bust line below double D’s. They exist though, and unfortunately, all of both categories belong to my friends and me. What kind of asshole god sets things up this way? Even the faculty represent this disparity well. It wouldn’t be so bad if they let us alone, but something about perceived weakness makes them dig in their five-inch heels. “Well, well. If it isn’t the itty bitty titty committee! Gonna work up some science to fix yourself flatsy?” That was practically their war cry. The other girls and I, not given the boon of boobs, just naturally gravitated towards each other. It was a survival mechanism.

   The faculty never lifted a finger for us. Half of them sported chest that were just the same as their students, and the other half were alumni that enjoyed the current status quo. “It’s just playful hazing,” they’d say, “don’t let it get to you.” That in and of itself wouldn’t have been to hard, save for that traitorous viper Alexis. She was one of us once, the underclass at the school. That and my best friend. But then last summer, her “daddy” bought her into the popular girl's favor. We all watched as she came bouncing onto the campus in a low-cut shirt, so painfully eager to show everyone her new chest. She instantly gravitated past us and our weak waves into the embrace of Wendy, the head cheerleader. Why an all girls college with no football team needed to pour money into a cheer team was beyond me, but they were there, and like many other institutions they formed the top of the student hierarchy. They welcomed her with open arms, and I…I was actually stupid enough to think that this might be a turning point for the school. I thought that maybe she might show the other girls that we weren’t different, that it was all skin deep. But the day after, she was there, shoulder to shoulder with all those other bitches as they hurried mockery at us. That would’ve been hard enough, but she was the first one to grab a tomato from the salad bar and aim it right at my face.

   I’m not entirely sure which part of her betrayal sent me over the edge. I was never mean to her, never a cross word. I wasn’t catty with a single one of them, yet they hounded all of us to no end. All because they won the genetic lottery. All because of those fucking tits. Why did I have to be born smart? Why can’t I just be like them? And, naturally, when I thought the pit I had slipped into couldn’t get any deeper, who should come up to me but Alexis? “Hey there, couldn’t help but notice you looked a little down. I’m sorry about that, but you know how it is right? Gotta show I can hang with them. I’m sure you’ll develop a little bit more one day. I mean, if I could give you some of mine I would, ya know? But wishing won’t make it so. Toodles! By the way, you might wanna stay away from the common area, we’re kinda staking a claim to it. Bye.” Even the way she spoke to me was different. Like she thought all of it was just a part of some game. But as the hatred crystalized in my blood, I couldn’t get that line out of my head. ‘If I could give you some of mine…’

   The steam of the hot showers clung to the nubile young bodies of the women and cleared away the sweat and toil of their expansive routines. “Alexis,” Wendy said, “you did well at practice today and all, but you seriously need to stop talking with that flats patsy, understand? We have a reputation to maintain.” “I know, it’s just kinda fun to string her along. She still thinks we’re friends, isn’t that sad?” “Totally, she just needs to like move on and focus on her stupid book junk. Don’t forget to wash up everything, looking good is ninety percent of the job.” Alexis gleefully did as she was told. No matter how many times she looked at her new breasts she simply couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that they were hers. Her father paid well for them too, it took a very well trained eye to see any falseness to them. Her fingers tickled along their underside, still surprised by the way they curved perfectly into her cupped hands. At first she was determined to be different, to not succumb to the way of the other girls. But she couldn’t help seeing things differently now. Breasts were a real gift, and she wasn’t about to waste hers on her former friends. It was so difficult for her to resist the subtle slippage of her hand down to her moist entrance. But she was snapped from her pre-onanistic daydream when she heard a gasp over the hissing of the showers. “OMG, Alexis! Look at your butt!”

   Wendy gaped in quiet shock as he underling swung her torso around searching for the best angle. Wendy and the entire cheer squad watched as the newbie’s butt began to undulate. As if it were being pumped with air then deflated over and over. Alexis felt stinging friction on her ass and spun in place trying to catch the cause. Each revolution gave more detail to the women. Alexis’s ass was quite plump, but as she turned once it looked a little bit flatter. Even more so on the next turn. Her hips caved in and became like twigs. Her hands were frantically slapping at her toneless bottom, almost like she thought it was asleep and tried to wake it. It was like she never had an ass to begin with now. The squad had developed a collective pit in their stomachs as the newbie’s ass vanished. Alexis grabbed what barely counted as a lump of flesh at the base of her spine. Tears mingled with the metallic water of the showers as she slunk to the floor. Too shocked to notice that her most loved breasts began to pulse as well.

   Alexis only noticed when her heaving sobs pushed her ribcage into her crossed arms. She had spent years feeling her flat chest against her arms as she cried, but now she derived terror instead of comfort. Her arms flung away and she saw her implants fade into her torso as if they had been punctured from the inside. “Jesus Alexis! What kind of implants did your dad like, buy you?” There came no answer. All Alexis could see was her father's fifty thousand dollar present flush away, as well as any chance at popularity. Alexis was afraid to raise her head. Her ears twitch in anticipation of the volley of insults to be cast her way. Fraud, liar, cheat. But when none came, she did look, and she saw as each one of her squamates breasts began to pulse and whither before her unbelieving eyes.

   The shower had become more tears than water that day. The squad had left without notice. The next day as classes began, they all assembled in the common area. All of them was stuffed bras and padded pants. None looked convincing. Wendy especially, her development was early, and the idea of stuffing never occurred to her before last night. Many of them still cried heavy tears as they looked at all their flat friends, reminding themselves of their own low state. “Well. Well. Well. Look at what we have here. The newest branch of the itty bitty titty committee. See anything familiar ladies?” Alexis recognized the voice of her old friend, but nothing else. It was as though she had been hit by the puberty truck overnight! Her breasts were mountainous and plotted their eruption from behind the flimsy buttons of her shirt. Her hips had become so large that her skirt was riding up her thigh. You could land a jumbo jet on that ass. Alexis and the squad stared openmouthed as she began to speak. “You know Alexis; I was pretty mad at you. But know that I know how good it feels to have a nice pair of sweater melons, and an ass that has caused a fender bender, I think I understand you. Too bad you girls couldn’t hold on to these puppies. I mean, I’d share some with you, but I don’t want to. Toodles, losers.” The squad watch her spill on a heel and strut away, mesmerized by the perfect sway of her ass.

   That was incredible. I mean…wow. Who would’ve thought catharsis could feel so good. I wasn’t kidding about how good these felt. Holy shit. Just the way they bounced freely as I walked, the attention they drew, and the tension between my buttons is making me so freaking hot. It’s amazing what a few nanites can do. It was a brilliant idea to put them in the water supply. I can take as much of their curves as I want, then redistribute the wealth as I see fit. Of course, one should ask themselves in this situation…why stop with the cheerleaders?

The End. Hope Y'all like it!

[recentanimenews]

Fans Give Their Hot Takes On The Anime Awards

More important than the Oscars, the Grammys, and the Havelock, North Carolina Chili Cookoff combined is the Anime Awards. It's that wonderful time when we can look over the past year of anime and bestow honors upon the ones that most touched our hearts. And with them looming ever closer, we asked some of y'all to give us your hot takes on who YOU think should take the trophy in some of the categories. And you didn't disappoint. Your answers ranged from surprising to thoughtful to inspired, so we decided to collect the twelve best of them and post them here for the rest of the internet to love and appreciate and then, as the internet does, nitpick into oblivion. 

  I'm gonna go down category by category, and what better category to start with than the big one: Best Anime.

  BEST ANIME

  "Yorimoi for AOTY" by Cameron (A Place Farther Than The Universe)

  A Place Further Than The Universe was the best anime of the year. It was the best anime by far and no other show came even close. There were plenty of other shows I loved this year like Laid-back Camp and Revue Starlight but none of those shows compare to the good good Antarctica girls. The show teaches amazing lessons and made me cry many times. The email scene at the end of episode 12 made me cry for hours and I still tear up every time I think about it. It's just genuinely one of the best shows I've ever seen. This is my new go-to recommendation for people who want to get into anime. Their adventure is so inspiring and it deserves anime of the year. 

  "Devilman: Crybaby" by Manic Stylo (Devilman Crybaby)

  It's been almost universally accepted by both formalist and populist anime fans that Devilman Crybaby has the qualities of an instant classic. From its unique visual direction, infectious soundtrack, and unrelenting use of adult content, Devilman Crybaby breathes new life into Go Nagai's classic manga and beautifully streamlines it for a contemporary audience. Remaining mostly faithful to its source material, director Masaaki Yuasa's sensibility for abstract and avant-garde visuals makes for a delightfully nightmarish fever-dream adaptation of Nagai's original concept (it's a match made in heaven...or hell in this case). As far as adult anime go, Crybaby is consistently balanced fare with uncompromisingly violent action for anyone who just wants a fun romp, solid thematic undertones for those who want more bite out of their shows, and tastefully implemented real-world commentary if you want more than just escapism. A hyper-stylized modern gothic masterpiece, whether it worked for you or not, Devilman Crybaby will not leave your subconscious any time soon.

  "Zombies But Still Alive" by Jouii-chan (ZOMBIE LAND SAGA)

    2018 has been quite the year for anime. It's my first year that I've been watching and keeping up with seasonal anime with Crunchyroll! But one show stood out to me, and that show was Zombie Land Saga. For the first few episodes, I was pretty doubtful about the series. I mean, an idol anime with zombie girls? That was just plain crazy!

  But as the show went on, I realized Zombie Land Saga was more than some silly comedy show. It was beauty. All the characters had great chemistry, and the music was great. It got me addicted to it with it's great music too. The best part of the show was how it showed the indomitable human spirit and how even through the toughest of storms, anyone can prevail. Sakura provided a great lead with her past sucking her of all her confidence, yet she overcomes this to lead Franchouchou to a great future. Zombie Land Saga was one of the surprises of 2018, and I was always hyped to watch the new episodes when they came out.

  "Violet Evergarden: An Anime for a Lifetime" by James (Violet Evergarden)

  Violet Evergarden is an anime that grabs your heart. The loss of a father, mother, daughter, son- the fears of rejection, regret, and failure- Violet Evergarden reaches inside you, and pulls tight on these strings. It's not just a post-war story; Violet Evergarden is a somber filled tale that elicits a strong sense of empathy from the audience. Beautifully rendered and well-paced, the story features a subtle escalation in heart ache and healing. Each episode takes the time to fully immerse the audience in a complex micro-story filled with very human lives. This anime understands the importance of a well developed character, and spends it's time wisely weaving this incredibly vibrant, living world. Story aside, the animation and artwork are absolutely stunning. When paired, the audio and visual cues truly bring the world of Violet Evergarden to life. From start to finish, there is no other animation that delivers a more compelling sense of catharsis and satisfaction, and that is why I believe Violet Evergarden deserves to be Anime of the Year.

    Best Boy

    "I Would Lay Down My Life For Toono Hiyori" by Nija (Free! -Dive to the Future-)

  200 words definitely aren't enough to properly convey my intense love and appreciation for my everything, the light of my life, the absolute blessing that is Toono Hiyori from Free! but I'M STILL GONNA TRY because he deserves everything. Starting out as a fun antagonist, turning into a slightly confusing antagonist, and then ep. 6 hits you with that ABSOLUTE GUT-PUNCH and I weep for him always. He did some things wrong (though I understand why he did them and wouldn't say I necessarily disagree tbh) but in the end he's just a lonely boy giving everything for the person he cares about the most without ever asking anything in return. Less important but still Important things include: he's a jerk sometimes and I love it. His frenemyship with Asahi? The funniest thing. He can and will ruin your life with a smile, he loves reading and coffee and has a really good fashion sense, he's very organised and on top of things, even if he's a social mess lbr... And if he likes you, he'll probably kill for you. All in all he's just the best and you, person who's reading this entry, should know that too. Bless his soul.

  "Katsuki Bakugo, A Living, Breathing Explosion" by Mimi Valentine (My Hero Academia)

  Katsuki Bakugo is easily one of the most dynamic characters of the year. Starting with his complicated relationship with Izuku, his hidden jealousy for a boy with no quirk, to outright anger at him suddenly having a quirk, to the rejecting the trope of "rival becomes evil for greater power," to confessing his feelings of inferiority towards Izuku, and the intense self blame for what happened to All Might. Katsuki has always shown that he has this heart, from treating Uraraka as his equal in the torunament, to fully acknowledging Izuku's growth ans strength. Seeing his slow dismantle from just a typical bully to a hidden broken boy only to show you that under all that anger, he's truly just a boy who wants to be a hero.

  "Why Rimuru Tempest is the bestest boy of not just this year, but of all time" by Kat (That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime)

  There were a lot of good boys this year, but who was the goodest? The undoubtedly most delicious smudge-muffin in existence?

My answer is Rimuru Tempest and here's why:

He is the kindest ball of squidge you could ever meet. He would stop and help anyone in need at the drop of a hat. In his previous life he DIED saving his kohai from an attacker and he would do it again.

He is adorable. How could you take one look at his face (or lack there of) and not fall in love instantly with this soft boy? Not only is he soft in his ball form but once he grants the wish of a dear friend, he becomes the ultimate soft boy. One you could probably hug endlessly and both of you would still be comfortable.

He is the definition of epic. One of the first things he does with his new life is befriend and EAT a dragon. He ate him, whole. Then he proceeded to eat everything else in the cave. If you hurt one of friends he'll eat you too! Not before he beats you in a hilariously and awesomely one sided combat sequence though.

  BEST FIGHT SCENE

  "SSSS. Gridman's True Final Battle" by Donovan Bertch (SSSS. Gridman)

  The greatest part about SSSS.Gridman's final battle wasn't the sheer amount of quality animation and editing on display. It wasn't the satisfaction of seeing Gridman finally return to his original form, theme songs blaring, as he finally decked the villainous Alexis Kerib in his smug face. It wasn't even finding out what the hell SSSS actually meant in the end. All of those were wonderful moments that made the fight shine, to be sure. However, the greatest part was that when all was said and done, the fight wasn't Gridman vs. Alexis Kerib. It was the show's antagonist, Akane Shinjo, vs. Herself. Her sins, her insecurities, her self-hatred...it took a lot of effort, and it wasn't a total victory (given that Akane's final scene with Rikka shows her still processing her guilt), but few things are that simple. Even when the heroes came to encourage her, it was Akane who made the final choice that led to Kerib's downfall. Gridman may have landed the final strike and had the big speech about human potential, but Akane Shinjo defeated Alexis Kerib and saved her world. The action-packed duel was just icing on the cake.

  BEST VA PERFORMANCE (EN)

  "My Hero Academia, Episode 61: Bakugo's Breakdown (Clifford Chapin)" by Masky (My Hero Academia)

    In one of the most emotionally stirring episodes of the entire series, we finally see all of Bakugo's pent-up anger come to a boil in this what could be considered a huge turning point for his character development. As a character who is known for his angry outbursts, this episode let us have some insight into Bakugo's inferiority complex and really reminded us just how young and emotionally immature these upcoming heroes are, and yet how much responsibility is weighing on their shoulders. With such an important milestone for a character like Bakugo, the voice acting in this episode was critical. Clifford Chapin gave an extremely raw and powerful performance that truly echoed Bakugo's pain; a performance that exceeded expectations of even those who don't normally give dubs a try. It was real, emotionally-charged, and could be considered a landmark for just how far english dubs have come.

  "Clifford Chapin (Katsuki Bakugo)" by Katherine (My Hero Academia)

    My Hero Academia fans sure are spoiled with a fantastic same-day English simuldub in addition to everything we already love about the series! With great casting overall by ADR Director Colleen Clinkenbeard, Chapin's take on Bakugo is one of the highlights. He's consistently been such a natural fit for the role that I can't imagine anyone else voicing him, and always seems to give 110%. Season 3 has been no exception with some key moments to really shine, including a fan-favorite emotional confrontation. His vocal cords would probably disagree, but I'm definitely glad he's a part of one of my favorite anime from 2018.

  BEST OPENING SEQUENCE

  "Fighting Gold - Jojo's Bizarre Adventure" by Loon (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind)

    "Fighting Gold" is an intro I was honestly excited for long before it was even announce. I may be slightly biased as a manga fan and long time Jojo fan but in all honesty "Fighting Gold" is really a masterpiece in my opinion. It highlights the series so well with plenty of hidden spoilers as most Jojo intros have had before it telling the story perfectly if you break it down. It is an intro I will honestly never try to skip to get to the anime itself faster.

  BEST DIRECTOR

  "Akira Amemiya - SSSS.Gridman" BY Katherine (SSSS. Gridman)

    I would not be surprised to see SSSS.Gridman represented in quite a few categories this year, but its direction is where the show truly shines as one of the best of 2018. Akira Amemiya and Studio Trigger juxtapose the understated, day-to-day activities of our heroes with glorious, city-destroying kaiju battles without ever being jarring. However, that doesn't mean the former is only viewed though a mundane lens while the latter are just beautiful hype machines. Character moments have just as much flair as any fight with dynamic framing, art, and sound design, while tokusatsu battles are given so much attention to detail with how the kaiju move to pay homage to the live-action shows the team grew up with. Amemiya has a confident sense of visual language, and it shows every episode. SSSS.Gridman is subtle when it needs to be and bombastic when it wants to be, which is not an easy task to pull off.

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