#kafka…cut the cameras.

[allpromarlo]

i’m really glad we got a scene with tb and the stellaron hunters in 3.0 because it lays all the ‘tb is a 2 month old android’ narratives to rest

[hiiikiko]

𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖒𝖆𝖓!𝖊𝖑𝖑𝖎𝖊 𝖍𝖊𝖆𝖉𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖔𝖓𝖘

tlou m.list | caught in your web m.list

[a/n]: hi! i hope you’ll all accept this, i hv work today n i’ll be workin until like 9 p.m but i’ll make sure to write tmrw !! n ty for all the likes on this series ♡

‿̩͙‿ ༺ ♰ ༻ ‿̩͙‿

♰ before ellie got bitten, she wore glasses but after she didn’t need them anymore. she still wears them with the lenses popped out though because she thinks she looks weird without them, although she doesn’t wear them at school that often

♰ when she gets in a fight with tommy or maria, she sneaks out her window and finds a nice quiet roof to sit and listen to music, sometimes smoke but she’s cut back since her vigilante career began

♰ she has backpacks hidden all over the city so she can make a quick change. there’s one at school, the library, oscorp labs, the planetarium, and your apartment

♰ she knows you can handle yourself but that doesn’t stop her from following you home, like, come on! new york city is pretty dangerous and don’t you like having your very own vigilante??

♰ might be a little stalkerish but she sometimes hangs out on the roof of the building across your apartment building so she can watch you go about your evening, she doesn’t mean to do it but somehow she always ends up there

♰ she carries pepper spray even though she has literal superpowers

♰ she’s trained her spider sense to be even more heightened so that she can fight with her airpods in

♰ she has a playlist for fighting bad guys

♰ even though she’s city renowned spiderman, she still helps the elderly cross the street and help cats out of trees (she’s a little hesistant to help the cats because of how hard it is to mend scratches on her suits fabric)

♰ she owns a spiderman figurine like what did you expect? she’s a fan girl of the avengers, she owns all their figurines and they are in mint condition so why wouldn’t she own her own?? like that has to be the coolest thing to her

♰ concert tickets are expensive so sometimes she uses her powers for “bad” and sneaks into venues (she says it’s anti capitalist but really, she’s just being cheap)

♰ she has nightmares about turning into a real spider, kinda like franz kafka (she actually read this book in freshman lit and it scarred her)

♰ another one of her biggest fears is like what if she’s having sex with someone and she’s fingering them and her webs somehow shoot up into them?? like how do you explain that to a doctor?? this keeps her up at night

♰ seeing you in spiderman merch makes the tips of her ears go red and her heart race

♰ she cringes whenever she sees spiderman edits on her fyp

♰ onlyfans ppl who make content in her suit kinda scare her LMAO

♰ she actually doesn’t mind that everyone assumes spidey is a man, it helps her hide her identity but it kinda pisses her off that people can’t tell she’s a girl?? like do you not see the boobs . (her suit actually flattens her and all the protection gear inside gives her a pretty boxy figure so you can’t really tell)

♰ she has a hate/love relationship with her webs because on one hand she’s scared of touching people and on the other, she likes that she can ‘glue’ her camera to her hands when she’s on more dangerous photo ops and that she doesn’t have to get up from her bed to get her guitar (although, one time she hit herself in the face because she didn’t get it fast enough)

♰ ellie’s a different type of spiderman.. she’s actually very violent! especially against criminals who hurt others just for fun, she’ll beat them to a bloody pulp and leave them their for the ambulance to find (she leaves a note apologizing to the emts and sheriff, but it’s not like she killed them! nobody thinks that spiderman could do this so they assume there’s another vigilante out there, a more violent one *ahem* deadpool)

♰ she met deadpool once.. never again

♰ much like her infected bite from the game, her spider bite has caused cobwebs to grow in her veins

[sea-webs]

A place you can never go back to, a person you can never be again

| anger I’m good at // letters to felice - franz kafka // @/weaksorry // jeanette winterson - written on the body // @/bestofgentleearth // rain by laura creswell // Mary Oliver - the fourth sign of the zodiac ll somewhere deep in my camera roll // "How I Got Out of Feeling Trapped and Found a New Life", by Cuurio; // Erik Pevernagie |

(rambles below the cut)

Me? Making a fictkin webweave? Must be a day that ends in y.

No specific kin for this one, just sort of general feelings about being fictionkin

I really like the 7th image... Idk why it gives super big oh yeah that's how I see myself and them (my kins.) I like the last one because it's like. I was In There in The Bad Places but also in this life I've watched it. Very much the vibes of how it feels I suppose. All of these really are but it's 12 am as I schedule this and I am feeling rambly

Image five is so... Idk. In almost all of my canons I don't think I'd change anything if I went back. Even if I knew exactly what would happen. Maybe I'd tell the people I love that I love them more than I did but that's it I think.

[seelestars]

thinking about… highschool hsr men who want to confess to you on valentine’s day, but they’re too nervous to

dan heng who asks for march to give him advice, to which she agreed to after teasing him a little. and that’s how he found himself stopping by your locker with a box of chocolates in one hand, shyly tapping your shoulder to grab your attention.

“..hey.. can I ask you something?” you had to admit seeing him all flustered and shy with the tip of his ears red was a cute sight. so, you gave him a sweet smile, deciding not to point out his flushed face. “of course.”

as soon as you said those words, he blurted out the question he’d been wanting to ask while holding out the box of chocolates to you, “will you be my valentine?” with his cute face and nerdy personality, you couldn’t find it in you to refuse, pulling him in for a kiss as an answer.

luka who is confident in his abilities to charm you, even though deep down he was a little nervous of your reaction.

walking up to you after class while a charming smile on his face, holding a cute fluffy teddy bear in his hands. he places the teddy bear down on your desk, admiring your awed look. “..you got this for me?” your voice was quiet as you felt the fluffy fur of the teddy bear. “by the look on your face, I’m assuming you like it? great!” he gives you a look of excitement, eager to ask you the question he’d been holding in. “anyways, I wanted to ask if you’d be my valentine!“

“id love to.” you gave him a warm smile combined with a slight nod, your response and expression making his heart throb. “I knew youd say yes! so.. that means, you won’t mind if I do this, right?” there was a slight mischievous tone in his voice as he leaned in closer before you suddenly closed the distance between your lips, causing him to turn red.

blade who watches from a distance, contemplating whether or not to ask you to be his valentine.

with some encouragement from kafka (he couldn’t stand her cooing “if you don’t ask them out someone else might instead bladie~” in his ear), he built up the courage to approach you while you were eating lunch with your friends.

your friends gave each other knowing looks when he asked to talk to you alone for a moment, a confused look on your face as your gaze darted from your friends to blade.

“what was it you wanted to talk to me about?” you had let him lead you to a more secluded and quiet area, where he was sure nobody was listening (silver wolf was def recording somewhere) before taking a deep breath. “..will you be my valentine?” there was a very subtle blush on his face as he awaited your response. “aww of cours—“ you were cut off by the snapping of a camera, both you and blade turning your head to see who it was, only to find silver wolf standing there nonchalantly taking photos of the two of you. ..safe to say you won’t be hearing from silver wolf for a while.

[inbetweenknacksandnooks]

saHSRau - My Personal General World Building

I really like the Self-aware HSR Au. I didn't even know that self-aware AUs were a thing until I saw Valerie's Idle Chats, and (I can't find them now, but when I do I'll say their name)'s saHSR talking about how eidolons more-or-less help them become more self-aware, and they said the reactions of all of the HSR characters and how they would act with each eidolon level-up (but you're a no-roll account, so it's only the free characters). I love both of these to this day, and only spiraled from there.

Each saHSRau has their own set of rules, and how it works. There was one that made it so that self-awareness increases with Eidolon level. A few where for some reason or another, you, or your games are cursed to be self-aware. There was even a super-creative one I saw where instead of simply one person having a saHSRGame phone, the game itself is self-aware, and every single player is more like a star that offers encouragement and leveling-up. More like an interconnected-support-system! There's been some really sad angst that I 100% approve of for HSR, too! It's great!

So, with that all said, I've decided that I'm going to lay my ground rules for my personal HSRsaau here, under the cut:

AU Building.

Part 1: Ground Rules and General Awareness

Self-aware does not mean sentience, as every character in this AU is already sentient, including NPCs.

Self-aware instead means that they're aware of the player (you), though the degrees of just how aware they are differ.

Every single character that you've gotten via warping is self-aware. There are some characters that you haven't gotten that are self-aware to a degree, e.g: Certain bosses (mostly rollable ones (Sam, Gepard, Kafka, Yanqing, Bronya, Argenti etc), Alternate forms of characters you can roll for (Svarog, Sunday's Boss Mode, Aventurine's Boss Mode etc) and ones that would ordinarily have human consciousness but aren't rollable (Cocolia, Phantylia etc). POV Characters (Sparkle, Robin, Aventurine, Acheron, Topaz (Dan Heng on the Luofu also counts, even though there wasn't an explicit POV Switch button) etc). POV Characters are only aware of you when you're playing their POV. and characters that you can interact more-directly with, via UI (March 7th's Hunt form during the event when you try to make her stronk, Eris the receptionist in the Belobog Museum quest, and Siobhan via the drink-making menu).

Even among these NPCs/Bosses that I've listed, they have differing levels of self-awareness. For example, the rollable bosses have a higher awareness of you when you're fighting them than Cocolia or Phantylia would. In addition, they're not aware of you at all when you're not fighting them. The bosses that have human consciousnesses, but aren't rollable, aren't even sentient during the Echoes of War, since they're basically dead. So they're only aware of you during their boss fight until you kill them in the story. However alternate boss forms of rollable characters do NOT follow this rule. Even after you defeat Boss!Sunday during the story, he'll still be aware of you during Echoes of War fights.

Think of Echoes of War fights as Purgatory. Simulated/Divergent Universe fights DO NOT count as being self-aware, since everything there is all coded and not reflective of HSR's "reality". If Kafka gets defeated in SU, she's not gonna feel it in actuality.

When the game is open and is at the Main Menu, is when your characters feel a sort-of presence around them, and when you actually start it up, the characters stop whatever they were doing and take their "places", hence the loading screen.

When you're actually in the account you're currently playing, your characters can hear you, along with whatever is around you, and at Eidolon levels 2-or-higher, your characters can actively see you.

Microphone and camera rules apply, meaning that they're technically seeing through your phone camera, so if you just cover up dat bad boi they won't be able to see you.

Now, where they see you/where your face is.

Rather than it being constantly-present, or changing with your camera angle, your characters more-or-less just need to want to see your face to look at it. Think of it as finding out you could move a part of your body you didn't know you could move until now.

They can choose to fullscreen your face in their head if they want, but by default it's more like a mini-facecam that they can see while fighting or walking, until they "close the mental tab" so-to-speak.

You might recall that I said your characters don't get in their positions until after you've selected your account & pressed play.

This is mostly because if you have multiple accounts, like I do, it gives them an opportunity to know which account you actually want to play on, before actually getting back to position.

If you exit out of HSR by pressing the home button, and go to another window, like YouTube or Google Chrome, then your buddies will hear audio from whatever tab you're in, along with your microphone (so they'll hear what you laugh to if you're watching something funny or something)

Also, they won't be able to see through your camera in this mode, and if they try to, they'll only see whatever window you've opened, instead of through your camera.

Eidolons are more like a "trust level" measurement. With more eidolons your characters feel like they can trust you more and more, leading to the Eidolons benefits for their combat, along with benefits for them beyond a higher combat prowess (I'll get to those benefits and changes in Part 3)

Characters that you have borrowed from your friends (like during CoC, Calyxes, or EoW) are not sentient in the slightest, nor self-aware, as you're not their "Guardian".

If your friends use your characters often, don't fret, because your characters aren't aware of it, either. It's more like a dream/day dream they have.

To sum up Part 1's AU Building:

Every character in the Self-Aware HSR AU is sentient. Self-aware means that they know of your existence, not whether or not they're sentient.

All characters you've rolled for are self-aware, along with rollable boss characters, alternate forms of boss characters, and POV characters. Some other characters with a unique UI that you can interact with in special ways are also included.

Echoes of War are like purgatory to rollable self-aware boss characters, like Sunday.

If a character dies in the story, they're dead irl and aren't Sentient throughout Echoes of War.

The Simulated/Divergent Universe enemies and bosses are not connected to the sentient characters, as it's simply code within HSR.

Characters you've rolled for can hear your through the microphone. If they have 2-or-more Eidolons they can see you through the camera.

If you have HSR's tab/game window open, and keep it open while you open a different window, the characters can hear whatever audio it plays in conjunction with yours. They will be unable to see your camera in this mode, however.

Eidolons equate to trust level. Part 3 explains more.

Characters that you've borrowed from your friend are not self-aware when you're fighting with them. Neither is your characters when they're fighting for your friend. Your characters are likely unnerved by the non-sentient character that came from this "friend" of yours, especially if you already have the character.

Part 2: Your "Role"/Your General Effect.

All of the characters you have, feel different about you, and when you'll logged off, gather up and talk about what you are, what you do, and why you're trying to strengthen them in the first place.

You "controlling them" in terms of where they walk to and move, is more like them getting a strong urge to move a place in a certain way. At Eidolon levels 3-or-higher, rather than them getting an urge to go to a certain place, it's more like them letting you take the reigns to where they move.

A variety of feelings and sensations are crossed, different to each character.

Some feel you as a warm blanket, others more like a calm breeze, a guiding light. Funnily enough, some even feel you as a nuisance, since you're constantly taking them out on adventures when they need to work, or would much prefer to find out what you are from afar.

But none of them hate you, and they feel a fleeting feeling of dead space around them when you leave.

Ones that frequent your teams are the ones that feel this comforting presence you give the most, and are aware of what you're capable of, and hope to never leave your side. You make them strong, sure, but you do much more than that.

You persist and persist to help them accomplish their story-quests and goals, do your best to level up their traces, give them the best stats in relics. Make them complete. There's a certain kind of admiration they have to you at that point.

While they're aware that you're a higher power that's making them stronger, they don't firmly know that they're in a game (SCREW YOU EXISTENTIALISM!). At the very least they can theorize about it, but it's only a hypothesis.

To sum up Part 2's AU Building:

You're not "controlling" the characters, and it's more like a strong urge and they're unsure what it's caused by.

The urge completely goes away after they get their 3rd Eidolon, and it's mostly just them letting you take the reigns. They can stop moving or move by themselves whenever they want to.

Whenever you're interacting with them (playing as them, having them on your team, making them stronger in the menu), they feel your "presence", though what exactly this "presence" feels like is different to each individual character.

Though some might be annoyed by you calling upon them to fight, none of them want you to leave them forever and overall feel better when you're around them.

None of them know that they're in a game, and it's simply a theory that a few of the characters have.

Part 3: EILODON LOOOORE!

Eildon means, "An idealized person or thing". I mentioned earlier that Eidolons are basically their trust level towards you. They have certain goals they want to accomplish, and ways they want to improve themselves, and they give you their trust for various different reasons.

Some think you might be an Aeon, some see you as a friend that'll help them reach higher heights, and some might just see this as an exchange or a means to grow stronger, and give you their trust so that you can help them modify their equipment, or gain a new power.

Here's the stages of Eidolons and what they do:

E1: The easiest to get. The character probably decides, "Well, whoever this person, Aeon, thing is, they don't seem to want to harm me. So I'll give them a little bit." Thus, you become a warm acquaintance, and they feel a warm wave of power wash over them.

E2: They decide that they want to know a bit more about you, hearing you through your microphone, your laughter, whoops and hollers, "awh! Dannng!"s has sparked their interest. They trust you a bit more since you're so unfiltered towards them. This desire to get to know just what you are, who you are has unlocked the ability to look through your camera to see you, or whatever else your camera might be showing. Additionally, if you put HSR in the background and open a new window or tab, they'll be able to find out what you're looking at and watching!

E3: Now knowing a bit more about you, and trusting you more, they realize that you're the feeling that's guiding their intuition, which leads to them knowing more about the world you inhabit. Due to this, they're also aware that they can move on their own, even if you're guiding them, but they allow you to take the reigns most of the time, since they now have far more control over what they do, or where they go.

E4: They can get access to your apps, most of the stuff you browse (Incognito and Guest mode not included). Though they can't open up anything themselves, and can only access your currently-opened things.

E5: Now that they trust you much, much more, they figure that they might as well try to make your life a little easier. Expect a few extra credits, material and even stellar jades you didn't know you even had to start appearing!

E6: Now fully given their trust over to you, they can sense when you're phone is turned on, open up HSR to encourage you to play, and almost have omnipotence on your phone/computer, including the ability to watch what you're doing, even without HSR being open in a separate window.

No, I'm not summarizing this. This section is pretty short.

A/N: I'm not entirely sure I like the last 3 Eidolons, but I can't think up anything else atm, sooo, :p.

Anyway with the current AU building up and settled, I'll... uhh... hm... I don't actually know what I'll do!

I'm not very good with AUs and AU stuff, especially when the reader in question isn't active in the AU.

I'll probably just say what the gals of HSR think about all this, and call it a year or something.

[82mitsu]

{18Trip} <PROLOGUE SIDE-A: Still blank> 000-A06 An eccentric youth

A translation of 18TRIP's PROLOGUE SIDE-A by 82mitsu. ENG proofreading by sasaranurude.

Man selling flowers: And we’re here… Is this okay?

Kaede: It’s more than enough! You genuinely were a big help. Thank yo—

Kaede: Ah, right. Sorry, I still haven’t asked for your name.

Man selling flowers: Aaah, uh… Then, here.

Kaede: And this is?

Man selling flowers: My shop. Drop by once everything’s settled.

Man selling flowers: When you want flowers, or want to have your laundry done.

Kaede: Laundry? And, flowers…? What kind of business …?

Man selling flowers: ‘Kay, I’m off.

Kaede: T-thanks again!

Kaede: ….HAMA nice trip!

Man selling flowers: ….HAMA nice trip, too.

Kaede: (...What an interesting guy.)

Kaede: Okay… gotta search for Kafka!

Kaede: Hmmm… He isn’t here either, huh.

Kaede: (Where did you run off to, Kafka….)

Kaede: That day, where did we go next based on that sightseeing guide I made…

Headband boy: Hey hey, you over there!

Kaede: Eh… me?

Headband boy: Yeah! Y’see, I got this once in a lifetime favor here~....

Headband boy: Use this camera and film the whole shebang of what I’m ‘bout to do!

Kaede: Eh, eh… eeeh!?

Headband boy: Okay, I’m blastin’ off…

Headband boy: “NO, WAIT!!”

Kaede: Eh, what is he doing…!?

Headband boy: “These stairs still aren’t safe! You caaaaaaaan’t!!”

Security guard A: You over there! Stop where you are!

Headband boy: “Damn it…The Space Dimension Over Journeyer isn’t fully charged yet…!”

Security guard B: What are you mumbling about…Either way, remove yourself from the premise! Entry is forbidden to those who do not follow the dress code!

Headband boy: “I know! But this machine isn’t able to endure an incomplete Over Journey…!”

Headband boy: Get it all on camera! Properly!

Kaede: Eh… is he saying that to me…?

Headband boy: “Let me through! Why are you letting him go on his own!”

Security guard A: Dangit…! You sure can put up a fight…!

Security guard B: Enough of this tomfoolery!

Headband boy: Uh-oh…!?

Kaede: (Ah… looks like they let him go…?)

Headband boy: Phew… so a cut here, huh.

Headband boy: Hey! Didja catch that!? Did you!?

Kaede: Ah… sorry. I was taken so aback I didn’t do anything…

Headband boy: No freakin’ way! Then one more take… 

Kaede: Wait, wait! The guards will just stop you again if you do that!

Headband boy: Dummy, that’s what I need! In scene 87, I shake off the organization restraining me and go travel across the multiverse to save my buddy!

Kaede: I… I don’t know what kind of filming is going on here, but I think you better stop causing problems… All the guards are on high alert too. 

Headband boy: Booo! Even though I was sure you filmed that explosion of emotions earlier!

Kaede: …Huh?

Kaede: Hey, what’s that in your hand?

Headband boy: This? Just some papers I rolled up, but… no shoot is complete without it! It being a megaphone!

Kaede: Ah, no. That’s not what I meant… That paper on the outside. May I have a look at it?

Headband boy: Yea, sure! It’s just one I snagged up after it came down fluttering through the air from above earlier. 

(Guide page)

Landmark Tower is a symbol of HAMA! You can see all of HAMA from the observation deck Sky Garden.

When I went to do extra activities for school, I searched for the hospital where Kafka was staying. As you’d expect, I wasn’t able to tell where his room was located.

Kaede: I knew it… another page from the guide I made…

Headband boy: Huuuh.. extracurricular activities for school, eh. Hard to imagine that nowadays.

Kaede: Eh, why?

Headband boy: ‘Cuz y’know… that. Look over there.

Renga: “—On the second floor of the landmark plaza, you can partake in Burger Emperor’s speciality, diamond french fries for 34,000 yen!”

Renga: “Potatoes of the finest quality from Île de Noirmoutier, worth 40,000 yen for one kilogram, rinsed with water stemming from an aquifer roughly 450 meters deep beneath the Andes Mountains for exactly 38.8 seconds and then fried crisply by an out of this world cuisinier!”   

Kaede: (That’s the Ward Mayor Nishizono Renga I ran into at the airport yesterday…! Actually, like 30,000 yen for fries…!? Is this some ad for a five star hamburger joint!?)

Renga: “—This is the place to be for high class service at any given time. Urben and lugsurious, gorgeous facilities perfectly reserved for someone of your steetus, I bid you a warm welcome to Landmark.”

Headband boy: See? Ain’t no way a buncha elementary schoolers would waltz into such a hoity-toity place. 

Kaede: That can’t be…!

Kaede: (Is because of that Ward Mayor’s policies that the Landmark changed like this…!?)

<<previous chapter / next chapter>>

prologue directory: A01 / A02 / A03 / A04 / A05 / A06 (x) / A07 / A08

[monkey-network]

The Beauty of 12 Angry Men

I remembered in 6th grade lit reading Franz Kafka's The Trial, a story about everything judicial being set in stone for someone completely out of the loop. The bureaucracy behind Josef K.'s fate is never given a cause, no method helps him, and after a year he's at the mercy of a situation nobody said would be fair to him. It was a striking story to me, and lead me into recognizing Sidney Lumet and Reginald Rose's 12 Angry Men as a similar yet antithetical story. The film keeps everything in the dark except for the titular jurors trying to piece the case together for a boy expected to get the death penalty. The matter though, is that the defendant's fate was clear from the start and the journey is about getting to that thread's end. What follows is one of the most well written, performed, and staged movies I watched in my entire life and I just wanted to finally talk about it. So, let's talk.

Setting the Stage

It takes three minutes almost exactly for the title to appear. You get the mission statement from the judge, a good scan of the main characters, and a single moment of the defendant's face, basically the only time you ever get to see said defendant for the whole movie. After that, we the audience are locked in the deliberation room where the film starts to shine after the credits role.

For the longest time watching movies, I was so used to big colorful settings, the characters going places even if it's just another place to talk, where it's a gamble if you can memorize those places. Oppenheimer last year became the widely regarded movie that consisted of next to nothing but conferencing in rooms. Even in older movies, things were never shot in the same spot for long. This film was the first instance where they stripped everything and worked with bare bones staging. All it is are the men in that one room. No flashbacks, no cuts to anything beyond the group speaking. The only other places you get are the adjacent men's restroom and the courthouse steps at the film's very end, scenes of which add to less than 4 minutes. And you would think it gets boring, but 'focus' is the keyword behind everything. The fact there's next to no music adds to it having an actually engaging script that doesn't manipulate or go to unnecessary places to get the point across.

12 Angry Men is what I'd call a "dynamic stage play" where you could imagine yourself seeing this in a live theater, but it wouldn't have worked as well without the secret main character that is the camera. This film knows how to prevent things from getting too static; the cinematography is... well-paced in laments terms. Again, in that one room, you're engaged in where it's focused, how it moves with the characters, when it cuts especially when it closes in on the jurors at their most serious. From a technical perspective, it's immersive at its simplest. No juror feels left out even when out of frame and nothing distracts you from the brilliant acting everyone brings to the literal table. After seeing this, I felt like this was the kind of movie I'd want to make. One that can work with so little but feel as tightly coordinated as any other similar to this. Then again, I wouldn't have concerned about this movie on technicalities alone. Let's get to the story.

The Stakes of Uncertainty

The trial is a first degree murder charge where if unanimously found guilty, the defendant would be sentenced to the electric chair. Everything surrounding this film hinges on the one person who votes not guilty, juror 8. Number Eight makes it clear that his vote is not about bias, there's never a hint at him or anyone having a relation to the defendant outside the case. His vote is the biggest gamble dependent of everyone retracing their steps of the details surrounding the trial, and what I love most about this is the fairness.

Eight doesn't know if the boy's not guilty, he never forces anybody to side with him, but recognizes that the defendant's life is a serious matter and shouldn't be as open shut as everyone else makes it in the beginning. The film shows within reason that the trial wasn't as clean cut as it seemed. And I know the movie isn't judicially accurate and everything's circumstantial, assumptive, and so on. If there's any real issue the film has for me is that they never indict Eight for sneaking in the switchblade even though that scene is still a goddamn show stealer.

Henry Fonda excellently portrayed a man who knew how to play the cards right

Then again, the increased flimsiness of the trial made with the uncertainty of the outcome is the point. We never get the sentencing after the men leave that room, it's all about Eight showing the others that the boy's life deserved more deliberation than the others were willing to give him. Hell, it discusses that trials like this can and have existed where measures of the outcome are made beyond the defendant's control. Breaking through the easy decision every other juror had was more valuable, and Juror 8 did that responsibly while never trying to be above anyone. That in turn is what makes this ensemble cast nearly flawless.

The Angry Men

Before ever seeing it, I've seen a couple jokes of this movie's premise of how it was nothing but said 12 men who sure were angry. Having now seen it myself, it's amazing how much we get to know about the jurors yet only two are ever given names. You'd think the film would give them simple archetypes and gimmicks, but even if you disregarded the acting chops everyone brings, the writing was able to balance who they each are relative to the case and each other. You can memorize which juror is which yet that never makes them just a number on the table.

To me, the best part about this film is how the group is able to collectively debate about the trial with individual motives and understandings. Jurors Eight and Three are the focal characters, they're the most opposing, but I don't consider them the main characters. A Youtube video I watched explores this better than I ever could, but everyone is in this together, regardless of how present they are in the movie and you notice this in their behavior. The character writing made with the simple staging does so much while explaining so little.

Juror Four, who reveals himself to be a stock broker, is the most clinical about the details. He does his best in retracing the trial as factual as possible, discussing the evidence in a way not even Eight is able to fight. What makes him crack though is when it came to jurors Eight, Five, and Nine bringing up certain conditions of the defendant and witnesses that he didn't care to notice. Juror Nine is the opposite, concerning about the witnesses' conditions and probable influences which helped reveal factual doubts in their testimonies.

Juror Seven from the getgo is made the most detached of the group. By the way he's dressed, constantly checking the time, while capable of paying attention Seven is the most dismissive of the case for the simple reason of just wanting to leave for baseball. This is where he comes into conflict with jurors Two and Eleven especially. Eleven is expressively respectful toward the judicial due process, mentioning himself being an immigrant, which makes him eventually fed up with Seven's disinterest. He's not somebody who changed his vote easily nor adds a lot to the debate himself, but recognizes Eight's efforts of a fair discussion and naturally confronts Seven about his constant snide attitude towards the case.

One of the film's strongest moments, where the build up was genuine even if you felt it was unexpected

Everyone makes sense with is established about them in the beginning and I could go on about the little things. Juror Nine, being the first to switch his vote, is the only one who meets with Eight outside in the film's end. You can tell by Juror Twelve fiddling with his glasses and concerned of having the info laid out sequentially is the most flippant about his vote. Juror Five being more likely to change his vote out of sympathy, having grown up and is more knowledgeable of the slums given that's the defendant's home. Nothing about this movie or ensemble is complicated, but the through-line behind everyone's choices in this gets to be more complex than realized. Everything about this is encapsulated in my favorite scene of the whole movie.

Pulling It All Back

Juror Ten is the most openly bigoted of the ensemble. From the start he is racially motivated in his vote, but that's not expressed until a little later. Of that point, he's certain of himself like juror Three about the vote being clear while scoffing at Eight's opposition. When the cracks of the case start to show, Ten's arrogance starts to show and his words become charged. He becomes the most hostile toward everyone and especially gets a rise out of Juror Five when talking about "these people". Everything comes to ahead when the vote is 9 to 3 for not guilty. Ten finally has his outburst, his racial rant unspecified but striking all the checkmarks of a man that stuck in his ways. Then it happens.

Everyone put up with his remarks up to that point, but here they finally step away and we get the most striking moment of a man finally alone with his thoughts. After Juror Four tells him off, Ten goes to the corner desk and basically shuts down for the remainder of the movie. This was the film's strongest payoff in every sense. It wouldn't have worked without the buildup just as much as the civility that came with everyone involved. Nobody had to throw a punch or challenge his beliefs, you never know if this changed Ten as a person, all that matters was that Ten knew he exasperated any goodwill from the jury and finally checked out the conversation. 12 Angry Men knew how to make the characters see their errors naturally, never feeling like they played up the drama for everyone to get their moment.

Conclusion

To me, I'm reminded of when in 6th grade, my literature teacher would have these Socratic seminars discussing the books we'd read. You could say it was the most involved I was in that class. This film knew how to capture that feeling, how towrite a roundtable where the stakes are high from the start but doesn't make it sanctimonious. Again, Juror Eight doesn't force or manipulate the others to see things his way. They try to convince him initially, adding up to a tangled but mutual engagement and it always feels like you're with them in the moment. You feel Eight's uncertainty is as sincere as his conviction, the same going for everyone else involved. The fact they're all sitting in sequential, helping you naturally follow who is who, is the cherry on top.

Before watching this, I didn't presume much beyond a simple courtroom drama which I enjoy ever since Ace Attorney. What followed after was just being more than impressed by how concise and thoughtful this was made. No second felt wasted, no detail felt trivial, ALL THIS and not even mentioning it being like a "bottle episode". Believe me, this post is long enough fanboying about a film from the 50s. It earned being the most ergonomic and engaging movies I've ever seen. If this essay wasn't enough, I recommend it at least once in your life as it's free to watch. What else is there to say?

It's the Best

[antimatterz]

how they take selfies with you

dan heng, jing yuan, seele, gepard, march, sampo, kafka, blade, tingyun (separately) x gn!reader

honkai version. i posted the same thing on my genshin writing blog so if it seems familiar, that's why. might do this again if more characters are released. there's a bit of possessiveness in blade's but that's about all.

content under the cut | masterlist

dan heng

he's surpringly easy when it comes to convincing him to take selfies with you. as someone who's often found in the archive room, he also likes to keep his own little "archive" of all that you experienced together, no matter how big or small the moment might've been. however, to get him to actually lose his stoic demeanor in said pictures is a little harder. he often looks super serious in pictures but you manage to make him smile sometimes. and oh, when he smiles in pictures you just spontanously combust because his smile is <333

jing yuan

jing yuan is known to have a very soft spot for you and it shows in the pictures the two of you take together. gentle smile, an arm over your shoulder as you lean against him. as a general of the cloud knights, he is often busy. to make up for the times you're unable to see each other, a lot of selfies exist (and he looks at them whenever he misses you or has a rough day on the job). he likes to show you off a little, and he is more than happy to talk about you when someone asks him about the person he poses with on his phone wallpaper. told ya, he has a massive soft spot for you.

seele

this girl appears super tough, but i can totally see her loosening up around you! still a girlboss ofcourse but with a massive soft spot for you that brings out her fun side. though a lot of pictures are very dark due to her living in belobog's underworld, that doesn't stop the joy from radiating off them. she isn't a big fan of taking selfies but makes an exception when you join in. honestly i can see her trying to appear all cool with a peace sign but in reality she just looks super cute with your arm around her waist. oh, and just wait until she discovers the existence of filters. she will beg you to try them all out together!

gepard landau

especially in the beginning, selfies together are kind of a rarity because he's simply too awkward lol. you might have to use your puppy eyes often if you want to snap a picture with him. but don't worry, later on he'll let loose a little and maybe even take the initiative to take pictures together. at first he looks in the camera with a blush, rather stiffly. but after a while he gets more comfy with the whole ordeal. it all begins with a simple hand on your shoulder, but at some point he will find his favorite pose; gepard likes holding you against his chest as you take pictures together, which is the cutest thing ever.

march 7th

this girl absolutely loves taking selfies with you. the time you two spend together is basically a vlog, as she records all the things you do. "y/n, smile!" she exclaims somewhere around five times per minute, as you are faced with her phone and a smiling march who leans her head onto your shoulder and snaps a photo. she finds it adorable how you sometimes look a little confused as she surprises you with another selfie. she always looks super cheerful in your pictures together as she adores spending time with you, and it's contagious! your photos radiate joy.

sampo koski

he's probably a little hesitant about taking pictures together (he's scared he might end up finding them on those wanted posters, you know) but at some point he gives in and oh, it will result in the most extra selfies to exist. he isn't afraid of funny poses and silly faces and goofy filters and you two just have a lot of fun as you take picture together. however, as he is still sampo koski, they will eventually leak and end up on a poster so yeah, there's that. as you find a picture of the two of you together plastered on a building (with a statement that emphasizes that it regards the blue-haired male) you can't help but laugh, tearing it from the wall as a keepsake.

kafka

pictures might leak, which may expose her whereabouts, but this woman couldn't care less. she knows she looks stunning in pictures and when you join her to take a selfie? that's the prettiest picture to ever exist in her eyes (and i agree). they appear very casual but she's totally showing you off! she wears a coy smile, fingers curling over your shoulder as she holds you close, to let everyone know you're taken. her goal is probably to take a selfie with you with a stellaron in the background, basically her favorite things together in one picture.

blade

this guy likes to show you off, believe me. he wants everyone to know that you're his, and he always holds you close when you take pictures together. he barely looks into the camera, having his eyes on you most of the time. only when he places a kiss on your cheek he gazes into the camera slyly, as if to say "they're mine, back off." he knows very well how good the two of you look together and not only that, he secretly just loves to have many pictures of you. fun fact, he carries a polaroid of you together with him and gets blushy when the other stellaron hunters tease him with it.

tingyun

she adores you, and it shows! every picture you take together is so so cute and pretty and it's just goals. she always wears the sweetest smile on your photos and you're lying if you say that her smile doesn't make your heart flutter! your pictures together just look very comfy and loving, with the most adorable poses (cheeks against each other, finishing each other's heart, and so on). her ears perk up every time you open your camera and ask her to join. sometimes, she gets a little shy when you wrap your arms around her before snapping a picture, and her ears would droop a little which is also very cuuute. but the cutest thing? the joy in her pretty eyes hehe.

[sonicasura]

Kafka the Single Kaiju Dad

Here we are with the Single Dad iteration of the Like A Starfish AU! There are gonna be some differences involving this version unlike the other Skully related stuff. Let's get started with the setup.

Kafka gets his powers 6 months earlier than in canon specifically when he's asleep. Yup, I'm really going into our himbo's namesake with him waking up as a kaiju. Adding more to the chaos is that this happens during a sleepover with his Monster Sweeper coworkers.

No better way for Toku to sober up from a massive hangover then seeing your coworker's kaiju face. Kafka has a much larger starter support group to help figure out his new situation. (They only find about Tiny when someone suggests checking camera footage around the neighborhood.)

Anyway, it's a normal day at work about a week after the transformation. Things were looking up as Kafka gotten a pretty decent handle of staying human in public. And then someone accidentally fumbles with the Heat Saw right where his right arm is.

No better way to cause a massive panic then cutting your coworker's limb off. Kafka does grow a new one but there's still the severed arm to deal with. Thus they stuff the limb in a bag inside the corporate truck before their unaware substitute supervisor gets suspicious. (Kafka does have to lie about his cleaning suit being damaged.)

While they go back to work, the severed arm begins to change. It soon gains a life of its own as Tiny ain't the type to let anything go to waste. Something they are quick to learn when Kafka opens the back only to be met with a baby kaiju bearing similarities to his own.

Our himbo already knows who this whelp belongs to and where he came from. Kafka's lucky that he has a pretty big support group since he's gonna need a village to raise the newborn Skully. They're relieved the little baby is thankfully a docile little bundle in nature.

Skully here is physically different than the other iterations. Due to not gathering DNA from someone else, he looks much closer to Kafka's kaiju form in coloration and lacks his unique markings. (These are traits only developed by having a second 'parent' set of genetic code.)

Another thing is Skully can't take on a human form as he is pure kaiju in nature. (He'll need to ingest human blood from someone else.) Being born like this does come with a very unique perk. If Skully ingests material from certain kaiju then his form will immediately mimic their key abilities. Ex: No.10 gives advanced regeneration and boosted durability.

This ability is called 'Copycat' and allows him to even share this perk with others if in Combat Mode. Anyway Kafka ain't gonna join the Defense Force for obvious reasons. (He does help Reno get in though.) Skully will follow him and he's bound to go kaiju more often should the whelp be in danger.

That doesn't mean the chaos won't come for them. Weaker kaiju will immediately go after Skully thinking he's an easy meal. The Defense Force also get involved as No.8, the strongest recorded kaiju, having a whelp isn't something they can ignore.

Or the fact these monsters seem drawn to a certain sweeper's neighborhood. This Kafka is gonna have an interesting time when it comes to raising Skully. Luckily the kid ain't a picky eater and no one would care if stuff like kaiju meat goes missing from time to time.

@driokrine

[deathbxnny]

Have you ever heard of the saying “If you cant beat them, join them”?

…

Im so sorry Yanqing, i love you (platonically ofc) and i have nothing against you but it was a too good of an idea to waste

Im also sorry Jing Yuan but im not as sorry as i was to Yanqing

So can i request Jing Yuan and Yanqing’s reactions towards finally knowing reader’s reason for betraying them and their reaction towards reader’s death. Yes, you read this right, d.e.a.t.h. This is basically the continuation of that post.

So they both got sent a video that has reader talking angrily nonstop towards Kafka about some plan that involved Jing Yuan and Yanqing hurt, like this was not the deal they agreed on. It wasnt until Kafka revealed that they had tricked the reader that shut the reader’s mouth. She revealed that The Stellaron Hunters needed the reader’s betrayal to ensure the best future Elio can predict. And then suddenly the reader gets killed in the video by Blade. You can either make the reader have a painful and slow death or make them just have their head decapitated. Our tears are in your hands

How would Jing Yuan and Yanqing react to this video, this taunt, they got from the Stellaron Hunters?What are their reaction on just finally knowing the reason why their twin/kid betrayed them and then later just watched them die?

:)

- Flower Anon 🌸

-----♡

A/N: This is so messed up, it's great lol. Poor Yanqing honestly. Also, thank you for the request and I hope I do well!<3

Content: TW!Mentions of Decapitations, Angst, hurt/no comfort, murder, reader dying, reader is Yanqing's twin, guns, Kafka girlbossing as she usually does

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

Yanqing and Jing Yuan were crushed by you betraying them. It made no sense to them. They had so many questions and the fact that they may never be answered, killed them inside beyond belief. They tried to move on however for the sake of their duties. They had no choice after all. It was all they could do and it worked for a while... until it one day just didn't.

It started with a video from the Stellaron hunters themselves. It was signed off by them, a taunt they didn't understand just yet. But once the video began, everything was finally making sense. It started off with you and Kafka talking, or well, you yelling at her in anger. You didn't agree with your family getting hurt. It was against your deal with the Stellaron hunters.

But you stopped, when Kafka let out a chilling, cold laugh. It was demeaning and evil, like she had just heard the most funniest joke in the world. And perhaps she had, as she took a deep breath and looked back down at you with a calm, amused smile. "You didn't think, that we'd seriously keep our promise, did you? You aren't that useful to us... or at least not anymore." She hummed, her head tilting in amusement at the surprised look on your face, as everything began dawning on you. They had fooled you all along.

You were speechless at this revelation, before you felt this looming, familiar presence behind you. Your eyes never left Kafka's, as it was your turn to let out a cold, bitter chuckle. You knew who it was. And that betrayal hurt you even more. "I trusted you." The silence that followed was deafening, the glint of a certain sword clear in the dark room. "That was your first mistake." The sword swung down, just as your eyes met the camera. You smiled, a bitter, regretful one, before your head was cut off perfectly and your body slumped off the chair. The video then came to an end there.

The silence in the general's office was loud. No one knew what to say or do. Yanqing was starring at the black screen with wide eyes, silent tears having unknowingly ran down his face a long time ago. Jing Yuan's face was blank and unreadable, not a single emotion present, except for the dark storm that raged on in his eyes. He put a hand on Yanqing's shoulder, who was now crumbling and breaking at everything he had just seen and heard. Jing Yuan had to be the strong one. He has lost a child already, he won't lose another one.

He turned his head to the awaiting soldiers and generals, who all nodded in agreement to his silent words. This meant war.

-----♡

A/N: I hope this is fine! Also sorry that it took so long and thank you again for the request!<33

[frodothefair]

Nisilë's Travel Adventures: The Prague Edition!

(@konartiste has already heard part of this story, but she has not seen the pictures!)

When I was in college, I went on vacation to Prague with my infamous mother. (We also went to Salzburg as part of the same trip, as we wanted a Kafka and Mozart themed trip, but that's a story for another day).

It's a shame I don't remember much about Prague -- though it was not because I was wasted or over-tired, as was the case for some of my other trips. All I recall is wandering around the city and my mother getting into fights with the locals -- I swear, that woman shouldn't be allowed in polite society. But it was a beautiful old town, and I quite enjoyed the unique architecture with the red and orange roofs, as well as the distinctive steeples. I own the OPI nail color "A Woman's Prague-ative," and it recalls the color of the roofs pretty nicely.

We also bought some really cute, teeny-tiny glass figurines, pictured above. They're a local craft, along with intricately cut glassware. We then went on a "haunted city" evening tour, and I got locked in a stairway landing the day we were supposed to depart. At the apartment-based bed and breakfast where we stayed, in true Kafkaesque fashion, you needed a key not only to get into your apartment, but to get out of the stairwell and into the street.

Incidentally, a couple years later, Mr. Nisilë's family went to Prague on vacation as well. One morning, Mr. Nisilë and his father, who were fondly experimenting with a souped-up Nikon camera at the time, got up really early and got an unebelievably high-quality picture of the iconic Charles Bridge, like the one at the bottom.

I say "like," because they proceeded to get home and lose the camera somewhere in the hoarding-nest that is Mr. Nisilë's parental home, and they never downloaded the pictures! I'm still mad at Mr. Nisilë about it to this day.

[crguang]

Just imagine having Kafka chained to a chair in front of you, and you interrogating her, but you end up losing focus, if you know what I mean... hehe ⊙⁠﹏⁠⊙

omg theres a similar ask in my inbox that i was just about to answer😭 im imagining it… she’d be so flirty and cocky probably to buy time and it would work because im weak. she has her hands cuffed behind her back and is like “you know, i usually let a woman take me out before we take out the handcuffs but… i don’t mind making an exception.”

she’d make crazy eye contact like HEAVYY, with that little smile on her lips it’s almost like she could eat you whole (cut the cameras cause i will let her🙁) you get nothing of substance out of her she just makes stupid comments like “has anyone told you that you flex your fingers when you’re nervous? don’t worry, it’s quite adorable.” she could use her spirit whisper at any time but toying with you is much more fun. and when she’s inevitably out of custody, she shows up at your door the next night to “do to you all the things she couldn’t say on camera.”

[plitaka]

Okay so because I’m gay and mentally ill I have decided to take it upon myself to go through Kafka’s demo frame by frame and overanalyze the shit out of anything I find interesting

It’s insanely packed with blink or you’ll miss it details so buckle up folks- this is gonna be a ride

Right off the bat she starts off with the same coin she also ends the demo with. This isn’t something that’s been part of her character so far nor do I think it has any real significance, so she just brought it to be extra and torment the poor souls she’s planning to slaughter anyway. Annoying dramatic bitch

Also just to get this out of the way now, this is indeed the Belobog museum, or at least its assets. The floor of some of the inner rooms, the staircases, the chandelier and the big golden clock thingy are the same, and in one of the shots you can clearly see the portraits of the former supreme guardians which is. Makes you wonder if they just picked the museum for grand dramatic interior or if she actually had reasons to have business there.

This. This fucking part is probably no longer than 5 seconds and yet, even with the video on 0.25 speed I had to constantly rewind and pause to catch everything and it still probably isn’t 100% accurate. Also I had to cut out a lot things because Tumblr only allows 30 images per post but like, you get the picture

“What do you see” over and over again as images of Rorschach tests flash across the screen so fast you barely have a chance *to* see. Personally I mainly see spider like things and butterflies. Among them are images are some flashes of the robo guards, which to me give the feeling of them getting caught in her web, losing themselves and their control to her mind games and technique.

Something else worth nothing is that this sequence is kickstarted by her throwing the coin and ends with it still in her hand, just thought that was an interesting choice

Before moving on to the next point, however, I want to point out the obvious irony of her telling the guards “don’t be afraid”. Truly words to hear from the woman who is incapable of feeling fear. And what is the name of the demo? Dramatic irony. We’ll get back to that.

Anyway, after that we see the camera pan away from her and over the guards as she uses spirit whisper. The camera movement is accompanied by a single rose petal that starts from Kafka and flies over the guards, which kinda feels like the visual representation of spirit whisper, a gentle rose petal innocently brushing across them as if carried by an invisible breeze

I wanted to make a joke about how her bounty is as large as her strap but seeing as I’m restricted in the number of images I can put I’ll just state the obvious and say she has the largest known bounty of the Stellaron hunters. I’m going to guess the only one higher than hers is Elio’s.

can’t be 100% sure this is what’s going on here, but the imagery makes it look like she’s taking a nice calming stroll and playing Vivaldi in her head while letting the guards slaughter each other, either by controlling them with her strings or with spirit whisper

Dozens of hands reaching out for her, trying to grab her as she’s cocooned in a vulnerable state, pupils visible. I’m sure we’ll eventually get an ingame explanation as to what’s actually going on with her eyes, but for now I do think this is a VERY interesting time to show them. She’s in a compromising position, she’s cornered and vulnerable, but she’s confident and cocky and always, always in control. To anyone else this would be horrifying, but she can’t feel fear, why should she care. Like genuinely this is terrifying imagery that in media is more often than not used to showcase or symbolize sexual violence of sorts and personally makes my skin crawl. I don’t want to get too much into it here I think it needs its own separate post, so for now I’ll keep it short and say that up until now, her pupils have only been shown in situations where she’s at a physical disadvantage (held prisoner at the divination commission, whatever this is etc)

Something a bit lighter to focus on is what she’s saying; “the silk is too fragile to be a treat… unless you’re more fragile than the silk.” Symbolism aside she always seems to refer to silk when talking about fragile things, which we know are, in her opinion, the most beautiful. I really don’t think she’s referring to herself here seeing as the next scene demonstrates she’s far from fragile, so I think she does mean it in a much more literal way and is talking about a spider web; too fragile to capture humans, strong enough to capture its intended prey, this being weaker bugs. All in all she’s probably insulting them by comparing them to bugs weaker than a fragile silk web.

Nothing much to say about the fight scene other than that it’s incredibly choreographed and confirms that Kafka is strong enough to roundhouse kick a guy in the head (god I wish that were me) and do backflips in midair while firing her guns. Also the elevator counting down the survivors as their forces dwindle is fucking rad.

“Destiny has thousands of faces, why does it choose to wear this one?” In the context of the scene this reads to me as her mockingly lamenting the guards’ fate as she beautifully takes them down one by one, but it’s also one hell of a peculiar sentence from someone working for a guy who supposedly sees destiny and directs his followers according to that. She’s a nihilist, everything is predetermined in her eyes, she’s one of destiny’s slaves, but destiny also has thousands of faces? Is she really so nihilistic that even her own worldviews are contrasting in her eyes? As I’m writing this it makes me think of dadaism more than anything else. To quote from wikipedia: “an early 20th-century international movement in art, literature, music, and film, repudiating and mocking artistic and social conventions and emphasizing the illogical and absurd.” Kafka herself in an artist in many ways; she’s an actress first and foremost, always dramatic and theatrical, following a script to a T. But she’s also a musician, everything about her steeped in classical music and references. Anyway, dada is an absurdist nihilistic movement, and you know which real life author known for his absurdism lived and wrote parallel to the Dada? Franz Kafka.

Genuinely Idk where I was going with this I just thought it was worth sharing, MOVING ON-

Neat way of visualizing what I’m assuming is supposed to be her spirit whisper. Also I’m extremely stingy with images (thanks Tumblr), but if you slow down the video around 1:17 you could see that the shot of her katana very quickly flashes into another spider, just wanted to mention that.

These are all narrative screenplay terms that flash by in like a millisecond each after the big ult (that, btw, has a similar shot saying ‘intermission’ right before she casts it but it flashes by so fast and with such bright colors that I couldn’t take a proper screenshot of it) and shown on the Belobog Museum’s projector. The most interesting one here imo is Oneiric Structure; “a cinematic story using dream like visuals, exploring the structure of dreams, memories, and human consciousness”, very fitting considering how much of her abilitieseing how dramatic irony is yet another narrative device.

All these movie terms and framings, however, feel to me more like a wink to Kafka’s roots than anything else. This is the third time she’s been tied to movies somehow (the web event, one of her leaked messages that actually mentions how she’d hate for her life to be turned into a movie), and this is one time too many for me to stop denying that the inspiration for her character was at least in part Makima from Chainsaw Man. I won’t elaborate too much not to spoil the 3 people unfamiliar with csm, but this whole thing feels like a homage, a love letter to Fujimoto’s own love letter for cinema.

Also she *is* an actress following a script, so there’s that as well.

The demo ends with her taunting the one remaining guard with the very same coin from the beginning, flipping it in her palm and asking the guard to guess the ending with heads or tails, prefacing it by saying “sooner or later, the curtain has to fall”. To me this indicates that she sees life as kind of a one gigantic play, with no fear and no value for human life everything is a performance to her, it doesn’t matter beyond what’s happening on the stage in the presence. But also the way this is all framed makes it very easy to assume she’s actually talking about the end of the guard’s life, and asking him how he thinks this encounter between them will end, lol.

Another thing about the coin that Meadows mentioned “her flipping the coin over and over is both like, play with fate, a distraction (like, think in movies, you see someone flipping a coin your eyes are drawn to it and not the sleight of hand happening elsewhere), and ofc her clear obsession with vintage shit”

This has been it from me for now, too dead to properly edit through this rn so I’ll probably go back and add some details once I’m feeling better. Would also love for anyone to chime in with their own conclusions since this is just one person’s interpretation. Especially if you have more knowledge than me about classical music and have ideas regarding the use of Vivaldi’s winter

[immemorymag]

Manfred Moncken was born in Bamberg/Bavaria, studied sculpture at Dresden University of Fine Arts, currently lives and works in Dresden. After graduation from the university Moncken concentrated more on photography. On his solitary journeys and mountain trips, he mostly captured the rough, raw and impenetrable nature. He wanted to feel estranged, isolated, cut by nature and transporting these alienated feelings into his art. Moncken photographed himself with long exposures technique and secluded to the darkest corners of nature by experimenting with capturing his body under low light conditions in plein air by illuminating himself with the weakest possible lighting. Moncken wanted to express the flickering shine of the bodily presence, the momentary transitory existence of human life. Existential philosophers and writers such as Albert Camus, Franz Kafka and Samuel Beckett have been influencing Moncken on his artistic path, Alberto Giacometti, Berlinde de Bruyckere,Egon Schiele, Francis Bacon, Dieter Appelt in visual were deemed as role models in the artist's life. Howeverever Moncken launches time to time new projects in sculptural art as well and his images viscerally attaches to textures, forms, details which are emphatic and essential elements of the sculptural language; on a daily basis he is working with camera, his chosen medium for artistic expression is photography. Moncken is an analytic and existentialist artist who creates images mostly resonating with the psychological inner fight of a man who has to cope with the chaos, the moral and physical disintegration of the world, the isolation, estrangement and anxiety of the XI Century man. His art mingled between the abstract flesh art of Francis Bacon, the brutal corporeal truth of viennese actionism and the sophisticated aesthetic of renaissance and baroque paintings. Moncken not just analyses and examines the human body in connection and correlation with nature and trackless forms of landscapes, he is experimenting with his own corpus by pushing and transgressing the physiological and metaphysical limits of the body.The visual display of the body subverted in space, opened, skinned, distorted, mutilated, threw into the void, put under metamorphosis or decay; the body as an endurer of physical violence, holder, bearer, carrier of endless pain and suffering of a humanity provokes and arises serious questions in the recipient's heads on life, death, universe and humankind.

In his series "Beyond the Flesh" the artist tries to connect and interfere with the human body with eternal vastness of landscapes and limitless voids which are distant, secluded and unreachable for human powers by delineating the elusiveness and insurmountable dimensions of the natural world. Moncken is constantly seeking the form to trustworthily and perceivable express the inextricable correlation and the massive contrast, both between the human living organism and his natural environment. According to Moncken, in our modern, digitized and technologically over manipulated world people are largely estranged from their innate naturalenvironment, meanwhile nature is positioned in a transcendental, impervious and unfathomable level. His artistic aim is to endlessly searching the possible connecting thread, the visual interface between the two poles: body and nature, nature and body, and depicting this complex, sometimes paradoxical interrelation by pushing both, the boundaries of the human body and the limits of tactible, cognizable nature by extruding the interpretation the furthest possible with aesthetic and visual expression. He would like to shed the light on the vulnerability and ephemeral existence of humanity, the transient and terminate nature of life.

text by Katalin Pusztaszeri

[nightfal1n]

Kaiju no.8 episode 8 impressions

Disclaimer: I already caught up with manga so some future plot points might get mentioned. spoiler under the cut

Animation goes hard on Hoshina's movement. They made it clear that Kafka won't make it without No.8's high regeneration rate (he also learned just now that he can't keep regenerating)

Igarashi grows on me now that he has voice (I know he's hot-blooded but seeing him animated take that to another level)

you totally feel frustration in Hoshina's voice when he realizes No.8 has gotten away and long pause before reporting that to Mina...Exactly how we felt with no.9 last week

The last numbered Daikaiju appeared was at Fukuoka (note)

Fukuoka Daikaiju incident happened 5 years ago, No.6 happened way before that so....that leave only no.7 which is interestingly we don't know much abot so far

Kikorun stopping Kafka like a responsible adult despite her being flustered secs ago

Memorial photo lol

Hoshina detective moment (Always think he'll find out sooner or later had the raid didn't happen //or let his feeling blinds him anywa)

If you see suspicious person on road, don't leave your car. turn back if you must

"I'm glad you're safe" -- said a guy who bled a dozen gallons last week/still on his patient bed

Kafka doesn't help

Iharu and Kikorun are real saviors

A6-grade meat

Hakua eating made me happy v _ v,,

Devious Hoshina as a mayhem about to start

...that being said, manga felt more chaotic here probably because we can see other members sitting still in the background whenever camera cut to Reno

That person who watch Aoi and Kafka's arm wrestle match be like °▽°

HARUICHI HAS PROBLEM WITH HIS DAD (Kikorun: YOU TOO!?!)!?!

Aoi "Hope all of them stay" Me "DONT RAISE A FLAG AOI"(# ﾟДﾟ)

Welcome to the 3rd Division

Kafka be like, for real?, am I dreaming (turns to Reno because he doesn't know what to do)

Everyone loves Kafka (,,- v -,,)b

Mina making sure Kafka knows Hoshina trust him (´；ω；`)

She calls Kafka using "Kimi" (she seems to switching to Omae when she's commanding the battlefield?)

Sword practice can be very intense, can confirm here

Hoshina talks about how he intend to handle no.8 like he forgot abt Kafka being sus (i feel him trust can be so blinding sometime)

Protective vice capt....

No.10 is so....red....can't wait until he joins comedic duo (ss2 plz)

[naraven]

HSR ACTOR AU

summary: everything is the same but honkai: star rail is just a tv show, nothing is wrong so nothing is actually the same, but!! i was brainrotting over this with @faesther and i think we both learned: we are both the most delulu people on this planet 😋

wc // 945

tw // the tingyun neck snap is kind of glossed over but not that detailed

[dan heng/dan feng]

A shaky camera records what seems to be a phone focused on a young man, and muffled giggling comes from behind the camera. The recording shows a greenscreen background and a set of what appeared to be ruins. The camera zooms in toward the man, hanging out alone. Literally. 

“C’mon, Dan Heng, do the thing! Do the magical girl transformation!” Cheers an energetic girl behind the camera, and one could assume she was the one holding the phone. Another girlish laugh joins in behind the camera as the camera shakes with each laugh. 

“They picked the worst time to be taking a break. I can’t feel my left rib cage when I’m not moving.” The man dubbed ‘Dan Heng’ grins at the camera while swaying back and forth two feet off the floor. On either side were wires holding him up, and unintentionally or not making him sway. A gray haired young woman pushes him slightly and the three laugh hysterically as he swings even more.

The camera pans to ‘Blade’ and ‘Yanqing,’ who were staring at the script before their mini break ended. The teenage boy idly twirls his sword around, almost hitting ‘Blade,’ before noticing the camera. He jogs over and opens his mouth to pretend eat the camera.

“Are you even in this scene?” He joins ‘Stelle’ in pushing ‘Dan Heng’ back and forth. 

“Doesn’t matter! Are you even ready for your big scene with Magical Girl Dan Feng?”

“For the last time, I am not a magical girl.” The man being swung around protests, and the camera does nothing to help the unflattering way his legs swing like pendulums as he continues to be assaulted on both sides.

The group continues fooling around before time is called, and ‘Yanqing’ goes back to join ‘Blade’ to start the scene once more.

“Oh no not the sword again…” ‘Dan Heng’ sighs, “I’m already heavy enough alone, do we really have to add another weight on here?”

“Don’t be a baby, it’s gonna slip out soon anyways!” The voice behind the camera cheers.

‘Yanqing’ goes over his lines once more, watching as ‘Stelle’ stops ‘Dan Heng’ from swaying any more. The camera shows the teen whining as he has his own wires to worry about now. ‘Blade’ and ‘Kafka’ head over their own spots in the scene.

“We really bullied a teenage boy in this scene, didn't we?” ‘Dan Heng’ mutters as ‘Blade’ helps relieve his sore sides.

“Not you, it’s the other you.” 

“Same difference.”

~~~

[horn-y]

“Surrender!”

‘Dan Feng’ deftly swam through the air, swerving swords whizzing past his ear. ‘Yanqing’, for his young age, was firmly in the zone. He prepared a counterattack against the boy and he spotted ‘Blade’ preparing an attack of his own. His laughter echoes around the entire set, sending chills down ‘Dan Heng’s’ spine. 

‘Dan Heng,’ not wanting to be one-upped, goes through the motions that he had practiced with the other two on the set. He turns around, focused and in the zone himself. He could feel the eyes of off-set actors and staff and the cameras pointed at him, as ‘Dan Feng.’

Everything pauses for a moment. He and ‘Blade’ make eye contact, and rush the young boy. ‘Yanqing’ braces himself and prepares to parry the both of them, and ‘Dan Feng’ has to commend the younger actor for his confidence.

‘Blade’ brings back his weapon, swinging down at ‘Yanqing-’

“Cut!”

‘Dan Feng’ pauses, the sudden strident sound catching the attention of everyone. Before he could ask what happened, ‘Blade’ leans toward him.

“Oh, your horn.”

‘Blade’ bends down to pick up a branch-like prop, and it looks very similar to what he put on for his ‘Dan Feng’ outfit.

He brings a hand to his temple, and sure enough, there's a lack of horn on the right side of his head. He groans, leaning onto the wire in frustration.

“Nooo, we were doing so well…” He cries, covering his face with both hands.

‘Blade’ reassures him as he helps him put his horn back on. His praises are kind and well-meaning, but he can’t help but feel bad about the whole thing. If only he had noticed this stupid horn falling off earlier…

~~~

[sister snapped]

*SNAP!*

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT-”

“AHHHHH WHAT ON EARTH!”

‘Welt,’ although hiding his own shock, turns to scowl at his fellow members of the Astral Express, “Didn’t you know this was going to happen?”

“NO??” ‘March 7th’ snaps her neck just as quickly as ‘Tingyun’ did, and ‘Dan Heng’ worries she might need to be reminded how to properly do such a stunt safely.

“Sorry, sorry, I forgot…” ‘Stelle’ calms down quicker but still has to swallow thickly. ‘March 7th’ clings onto her costars arm, the tension loosening as she pets her head.

Staff were on set, offering ‘Tingyun’ a towel. They asked, concerned, if she needed a break, and she insists that she could do a couple more takes. She turns to her ‘benefactors’ with a sly smile on her face.

“Sorry, I scared you that bad, huh? Just make sure your reaction isn’t too genuine in the real take.” She boops ‘March 7th’s’ nose, to which the girl blinks at.

“Phew, yeah, alright, I’m ready now! I won’t freak out too badly the next time for sure.”

‘Stelle’ sighs, “You sound like you’re talking more to yourself than to her.”

The director calls for the scene to start once more. ‘Welt’ pats both ‘Stelle’ and ‘March 7th’s’ head before going over to his spot on the scene, “Just remember not to yell that loudly again. You got this, you two.”

“Thanks, sir…”