#like a character with such a distinct sense of self & confidence but also the want to share that with the world in how theypresent themself

[imaginarypasta]

love love love characters who dress weird & out there & unique & ugly

[onedeadkitty]

Mizus Gender

He/him they/them she/her pronouns for Mizu

I know the writers of the show wrote blue eye samurai with Mizu as a woman disguised as a man in a way similar ish to Mulan but uh

They accidentally made it deeper than that ??

If you removed like 2 lines of dialogue in episode 5 you could even make an argument for trans masc Mizu. Or at the least gender queer.

Being transgender is not a concept in this time period. But trust. People have always wanted to be other genders, probably for the entirety of human history. And how someone would go about being trans in a world with no true understanding of the concept, might be similar to what Mizu IS DOING RIGHT NOW.

Living as a man. PERMANENTLY. Not temporarily to achieve some near goal like Mulan and the many other stories with this concept. Mizu has lived as a man nearly their entire life and no intention to ever live as a woman in the future.

Mizu admires their freshly binded chest in the mirror as a teen.

When alone Mizu refers to himself as a man.

When alone with Ringo, (someone who knows the secret) Ringo also refers to Mizu as a man.

Mizu threatens to straight kill Ringo at the the very use of the word “girl”.

When, and ONLY when seeing 2 MEN kiss does he think of Taigen.

Not to mention madame Kajis indelicate insinuation of gay sex to Mizu, something I believe wasn’t for no reason. OR Madams iconic line “you are more man than ANY come through my door” (I’m convinced she has an idea of Mizus true sex but doesn’t care to accuse or call them out for it)

They HAD lived as a woman in the past. Only for about a year, and they did it to get married for her mothers sake. To save her from a life of prostitution. She was able to be happy, because it IS POSSIBLE to be happy while not presenting how you like. It’s a strain and some can never be happy doing so but it’s possible and people do it all the time to make their lives easier or to keep the peace with family or for many other reasons.

Episode 5 gave HUGE VIBES of going back into the closet when living with your parents or just visiting. And Mizu looked SO uncomfortable and awkward in woman’s clothing and doing “wife things” (partly cause they have never done that before) and maybe it was my own projecting but I felt so uncomfortable FOR Mizu.

These things don’t necessarily mean being a transgender man specifically. Gender is actually really complicated and has ALOT to do with what society deems it.

Mizu is a masculine person. Being what Japan wants women to be isn’t in line with what Mizu is. A violent, practical, stoic, cold, masculine, confident and capable warrior.

dressing up as a woman with the makeup ONLY to try and make her husband happy. She didn’t WANT to. “To soften her husbands heart, the bride… danced” performed femininity FOR HIM. Only for Mikio to betray her for, in his eyes, being more masculine than him, by beating him in a physical fight.

Mizu is both the ronin and the bride. Mizu will be whatever they need to in order to achieve their owed deaths. They HAVE to be a man to get their revenge but that doesn’t mean Mizu WANTS to be a woman. (To be fair who WOULD in that time but I digress) and it doesn’t mean they WANT to be a man. They WANT their revenge. Everything is secondary to that.

Mizu is so different from other characters…

I grew up in a kinda misogynistic place and my mom really didn’t let me “do boy stuff” or dress masculine in any sense until my late teens. I my self don’t know if I can even call myself Trans. But I’m masculine, I like looking like a man and dressing as one but I don’t WANT to be a man necessarily. But I don’t WANT to be a woman. I feel like we as a society put to much distinction between the two and the people who don’t fit either side get left out at times.

Mizu is such a relatable character to me, like no other characters complicated feelings about their own sex and gender have ever come close.

They are for those who don’t have a strong sense of their own gender. Especially those who are biologically female and hesitant to lean into their sex because of the societal baggage.

Once people realize that how you dress, how you act, and what you do in reality have nothing to do with your bio sex and everything with what society has forced people to do based on factors out of our control is the day we can finally stop having these conversations.

Do what you want, gender is fake.

But Mizu is forever 🫶

[optimisticartistic]

Let's talk about Voices

I'm sure someone's already made a perfect post about Harlan's voice acting ability and the fact that all of his characters are so unique and distinct, that even characters with similar voices can be told apart. It is in fact a plot point that when we do meet a new character with a similar voice to a previous one, that it is a point of in-universe suspicion for Arthur.

This means that, rather than voice, we tell characters apart by cadence: not just what they say but how they say it. What weight their personality brings to their voice.

With that in mind, let's talk about our golden boys: John, the King, and Yellow.

John

A relatively flat affect: his pitch doesn't tend to have many particularly noteworthy or abrupt highs or lows, unlike Arthur. A good, even narrator.

Emotions come in bursts of extremes; John runs hot and cold, and his emotions tend to remain fairly obvious due to his word choice. While he can harbour grudges, for the sake of progress he will usually let them go.

Word choices tend to be blunt or straight-forward, reflecting the urgency with which he often has to say them. This also leans directly into his very dry sense of humour.

When more “poetic” words do come into play, they're treated with something like reverence, beautiful things he doesn't want to shatter.

SWEARS. This bitch swears like it’s fucking punctuation, Jesus Christ. What the fuck Arthur.

The King

Grandiosity. He knows he's hot shit, he is confident in the fact he is hot shit, and has no self doubt whatsoever about his powers or capacity to ruin your life. All of his words come with an edge of condescension, even during intense emotions.

Eloquence. He talks like he's reciting poetry or Shakespeare, and while his cadence remains relatively even, he's a lot more prone to distinct shifts in pitch to make himself sound more lyrical or important.

Put your tentacles in the air and step away from the thesaurus, sir.

Resentful. The King actively looks down on anything lesser than him, and acts like everyone is. Plus, like- Arthur stole his shit*. This god has a grudge the size of Azathoth and will make it your problem, and this underlines all of his dialogue with Arthur.

*Arthur did not steal his shit, the King is just a petty bitch and a sore loser

Yellow

Explosive emotions, that he struggles to engage with. When he is upset or angry those emotions linger, and this makes him come across as capricious and immature.

A constant sense of self-doubt in trying to describe things, that comes up as hesitancy and defensiveness.

Grandiosity but like. In the way where he knows he is not, in fact, hot shit, and is desperate to try and prove it to control his situation.

A genuine sense of curiosity. While he and John both share this, John is much less reserved with it, while Yellow has learned to hesitate first.

Also swears! Not as much as John, but Arthur is teaching so many toddler gods to swear it's so fucking funny.

So, with John and the King in mind specifically, here's a pop quiz courtesy of episode 18:

Who does this sound more like?

[jbaileyfansite]

Interview with Interview Magazine (2024)

Before he was known as the dashing Lord Anthony Bridgerton or Tim Laughlin, the character in Fellow Travelers for which he won a Critics Choice Award earlier this month, Jonathan Bailey caught the attention of Phoebe Waller-Bridge with his confident, self-possessed audition for her show Crashing nearly a decade ago. “You came in like a fireball,” said the Fleabag star on Zoom with Bailey, recounting how, while reading for the role of the sex-obsessed Sam, Bailey asked permission to lay his script out on the floor in front of him like a rainbow. “You had no embarrassment. You didn’t actually refer to it again, but you took those few seconds to just completely set up what you exactly needed for that audition, and then you were so free.” In the years since, with roles in Bridgerton, the Showtime drama Fellow Travelers, and the upcoming Wicked movie adaptation, Bailey has become one of the most sought-after actors in the business, capable of generating sparks with whoever’s on screen with him. Waller-Bridge attributes this to the 35-year-old’s distinct understanding of tension. “You’re like a chemistry machine,” she gushed. “There’s this incredible erotic energy that people are so excited about.” Last week, from a hotel room at Claridge’s in London, Bailey talked to Waller-Bridge about longing, orgasms, frosted tips, nostalgia, Shakespeare, and his very first role: playing a raindrop in a stage production of Noah’s Ark.

PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE: Hi.

JONATHAN BAILEY: Hi.

WALLER-BRIDGE: I’m taking my glasses off. Now I can be real.

BAILEY: I’ve just had a gin and tonic, actually. I had a meeting and he really wanted a glass of Whispering Angel, so I was like, “Well, I’ve got to dive in.”

WALLER-BRIDGE: What’s the time there?

BAILEY: Oh, I’m literally around the corner from you. Literally, I’ve come into Claridge’s Hotel and checked in for an hour just to have a Zoom.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Oh, god. That’s so chic. Jonny, I want all of your secrets.

BAILEY: I feel like you’ve got quite a few of them already.

WALLER-BRIDGE: I do, actually. And we’re not going to talk about any of those. But I did also get to do a little bit of research on you.

BAILEY: Oh, god. What have you got?

WALLER-BRIDGE: Jonathan Stewart Bailey, I’d like to jump straight in with the fact that the first professional job you had was playing a teardrop, or a raindrop?

BAILEY: There were teardrops, but yeah, I was playing a raindrop.

WALLER-BRIDGE: You were a crying raindrop.

BAILEY: A crying raindrop in Noah’s Ark.

WALLER-BRIDGE: And how old were you then?

BAILEY: I think I was about 5 going on 29. I was really upset because it didn’t rain. The bitch that played Noah, she forgot the cue for the rain to come. So my dance didn’t make it, but at the end of the show they allowed me to do it once everyone had applauded.

WALLER-BRIDGE: I asked you that specifically because you’ve also said that your grandmother took you to see a production of Oliver in London and that’s what changed everything.

BAILEY: Yes.

WALLER-BRIDGE: So was the raindrop before or after that? I am getting to something, I promise.

BAILEY: I think it was probably afterwards. I was really young when I went to see Oliver.

WALLER-BRIDGE: I’m interested because I read that seeing it made you decide you wanted to perform. Can you tell me the specific thing that made it click?

BAILEY: I’ll tell you, the most bizarre thing is that I had three seasons at the RSC under my belt by the age of nine. There was a moment where I played Prince Arthur, the kid in Shakespeare who gets his eyes gouged out and has to escape a turret. I remember doing that production and thinking I was aware of the power of words, if that makes sense. You’re so porous at that age, I think. It is such a gift, isn’t it, to be shown what iambic pentameter is.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Do you still feel passionate about Shakespeare now?

BAILEY: I do, actually. It’s my dirty, filthy habit.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Your dirty little habit. I know what you mean, though, how if you come to it quite raw, and it’s not something that you’ve had shoved down your throat at school, there is nothing more epic and spectacular.

BAILEY: And being around people who are just so committed to their vocation, whether they’re writing or creating. The smell backstage at the RSC at the Barbican was like cigarettes, stage makeup, Joe Fiennes, and hope.

WALLER-BRIDGE: That’s a lot of beautiful smells you’ve got going on there.

BAILEY: I know. Talk about top notes and bottom notes. I was like, “These men, these titans of theater!”

WALLER-BRIDGE: That’s extraordinary that you were exposed to that kind of level of professionalism. Because you are consummately professional, and I remember that. You have this incredible ability to be completely live and spontaneous and wild at the same time as being so incredibly professional, and that’s why working with you felt totally safe. I know that I’ve got a professional actor coming today, but I have absolutely no idea what’s going to happen because you still managed to keep that spontaneity and danger.

BAILEY: I suppose it’s sometimes dangerous. Today I had to do an interview. Crashing came up and I described working with you as being on the constant edge of an orgasm and also hysteria.

WALLER-BRIDGE: It did have a kind of wild, beautiful energy.

BAILEY: There’s a chemical alchemy when you get the right group of people led by the right people.

WALLER-BRIDGE: I haven’t had that in quite the same way since, where everyone has equal importance in the story. That’s the thing that feels quite rare, actually, there’s like six of you and they’re all as fucked up as each other. I remember your audition. You came in like a fireball and you already felt like you had a Sam energy. You sat in your chair, took out your script from your bag, and then you were like, “Give me a second,” and you laid out your script around you on the floor. You had no embarrassment about what you needed or in front of you. You didn’t actually refer to it again, but you took those few seconds to just completely set up what you exactly needed for that audition, and then you were so free. And I just wonder if you’ve felt that particular type of confidence your whole life?

BAILEY: That’s a really good question. I’ve got three older sisters and I wonder if they are a structure. I’ve definitely been in environments where I don’t feel free, and then you give the worst performance of your life. What I’ve found in the last few years is that, of course, you have to adapt so quickly to work out what you need in order to be able to be free. I think if I don’t have the equivalent of that on the floor, I panic or get really scared.

WALLER-BRIDGE: There’s something about that, which is being able to play dangerously in a safe environment. I feel like that’s got so much to do with an understanding of tension, which I think you have. You’re like a chemistry machine. Obviously, with Bridgerton and then in Fellow Travelers, there’s this incredible erotic energy that people are so excited about.

BAILEY: I really think it comes from Crashing.

WALLER-BRIDGE: It doesn’t come from Crashing, it comes from you. I think you’re the king of tension. I think you understand what that is.

BAILEY: I think you can give yourself butterflies, can’t you?

WALLER-BRIDGE: Is that what you’re looking for, the butterfly all the time?

BAILEY: Yeah, I’m always looking for my butterfly farm. The misty, slightly smelly greenhouse full of butterflies.

WALLER-BRIDGE: That’s your tummy?

BAILEY: Yeah, that’s my tummy.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Did you always dream of playing leading man roles growing up?

BAILEY: Not at all, no. I never thought I would be able to.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Why?

BAILEY: I’ve realized that I’m completely in awe of other people and performances and creative endeavors. I go to the theater and I love a performance and I’m like, “How do they do that? I can’t see the seams.” So therefore, I feel like I must be driven by that. And when something comes my way, there’s a fear that it won’t work.

WALLER-BRIDGE: What’s really exciting to me is when I see palpable dynamics between characters, which you have done multiple times, like the relationship between Tim and Hawk. There’s so much opportunity for intimacy and that kind of danger. And when you get to play those sorts of roles, when you know that you can stand in front of each other and you don’t really need to do anything because it’s giving you something, it must’ve just been a joy walking into this world because it’s like a banquet of stuff to play with, right?

BAILEY: Totally, and it feels sort of vital and sexy. I do remember this one memory, which I guess I’ll share with you now. I did play and there was a tiled wall,at eye level with a mirrored border around. And there was a guy, we were into each other, and I remember just looking up in the middle of a conversation and he was looking at me in a reflection. And I was like, “This is what life is about.” Anyway, I think that it must have something to do with feeling the most alive in that.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Do you know Esther Perel?

BAILEY: Yeah, I love Esther Perel.

WALLER-BRIDGE: So she’s written about how she believes that your next orgasm begins at the very end of your last one, which is basically our whole life just building up to our next orgasm.

BAILEY: That’s just fantastic. It’s just so positive and hopeful—

WALLER-BRIDGE: And so beautiful, isn’t it?

BAILEY: It is.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Everything that you encounter in your life, every conversation that you have, is in some way building up to the next euphoric physical experience. Every single character has to have that inside them one way or another, because every human does. And I think with Fellow Travelers, because you long for them so much as an audience and you want them to have everything that they want from each other, but they’re also brutal to themselves and to each other, there is something so extraordinary seeing characters in that time portrayed in the way that you guys have portrayed them.

BAILEY: One thing that we’re all born with is the sense of longing. Longing comes before anything else, doesn’t it? Whoever you put on the wall, laminate the poster or whatever, it’s there. And actually, if you long for someone, more often than not you don’t think you are worthy of it. And that, to me, is a way into characters.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Do you remember your laminated poster longing person?

BAILEY: I think I had the Simpsons, which was obviously me trying to disguise myself as much as possible. Lucy Liu was a big one for me, too.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Well, I can see that.

BAILEY: I suppose there’s the laminated wall in my literal bedroom and then there’s the laminated wall in my gay—

WALLER-BRIDGE: Mind.

BAILEY: Who was yours?

WALLER-BRIDGE: You know what? It’s really interesting, because I was the eagle in the Rescuers Down Under. That wasn’t necessarily a sexual longing, but it was a romantic idea, that overwhelming sense of watching the Rescuers Down Under and being able to run out of the back of my house on my own, age 10, and jump onto the back of a giant eagle and he’ll fly me around. But in terms of just a hottie that I really fancied, I think it was probably Leo [DiCaprio].

BAILEY: Oh, yeah.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Are you a nostalgic person?

BAILEY: Yes, I think so. I think a lot about my younger self. I’m always like, “Guys, remember this?” It’s slightly annoying, but I’m always drawing a line between the past and now for sure.

WALLER-BRIDGE: That’s how you measure your life, by remembering the time that’s gone by or what 11-year-old you would think of what you were doing?

BAILEY: I think I’m probably more romantic than nostalgic, if that makes sense.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Go on.

BAILEY: Well, I just think I’ve fully committed to the idea of everything being brilliant and then I work backwards from there.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Well, having starred in two hit period dramas and also being a huge part of the fact that they are a hit, that’s why I wondered about what your relationship is with the past and history, and how much you actually knew about McCarthy America?

BAILEY: Oh, no. Have you got a quiz?

WALLER-BRIDGE: I actually don’t. Do you want one?

BAILEY: No, that would be the worst.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Do you enjoy historical novels? Do you live in the past in any way in your mind? Or you are kind of like, “We’re here and we’re moving forward?”

BAILEY: I do think I’m here and moving forward. I really struggled with history at school, I could not take in information about the past. When it came to exams, I would remember the page where things were written but I couldn’t stitch together epochs and eras and kings.

WALLER-BRIDGE: It crashes my brain, too. I have a friend, and you can say to her, “June 24th, 1999,” and she can tell you pretty much what she was up to.

BAILEY: That’s amazing.

WALLER-BRIDGE: You can see her go into the diary in her mind. She has a very different wiring of her brain. But speaking of longing, are there any fictional or real life couples, gay or straight, that captured your heart over the years?

BAILEY: Oh my god, what a question. What about Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling in Blue Valentine?

WALLER-BRIDGE: I think Morticia and Gomez Addams were the most romantic couple.

BAILEY: Yeah, I see that.

WALLER-BRIDGE: They understood it. They got it all.

BAILEY: Also maybe Ryan and Marissa in The OC.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Any gay male couples that you ever looked up to or were romanced by?

BAILEY: Well unfortunately, there just weren’t that many were there growing up.

WALLER-BRIDGE: So wild.

BAILEY: But I met Matthew Rhys recently, who I just love. And I was thinking about that relationship in Brothers and Sisters. And then there was Queer as Folk. Russell, T. Davies changed the game. So many people owe so much to him just purely for visibility. There is no Tim and Hawk to a 2023 audience without Queer as Folk.

WALLER-BRIDGE: But did you feel frustrated?

BAILEY: Well, speaking of history, I was doing media studies with an amazing teacher and I decided that I was going to do my dissertation about the representations of Hutus and Tutsis and the Rwanda genocide, looking at Hotel Rwanda and Shooting Dogs. And then Brokeback Mountain came out and I was like, “Hang on, how can I possibly create a world where I can go and have a free pass to go to the cinema to watch it 10 times?” I’m really proud of my 17-year-old self, I wasn’t necessarily out, but I changed the topic to representation of homosexuality in Brokeback Mountain and I watched that film 10 times. And this amazing teacher, Dr. Brunton, who probably had an idea of what was going on, was just like, “This is brilliant, keep going, keep going.” And I think it was the best mark I ever got.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Do you still have it?

BAILEY: It must be on a hard drive upstairs in the attic. And obviously, that completely changed me, something chemical happened there. But it’s funny, I’m not clear on memories. And I do think it’s a common thing for a lot of people, growing up and having to survive and be basically in fight or flight, there’s a murkiness to how I recall.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Of course, because you couldn’t be truly present because you weren’t being completely yourself.

BAILEY: Totally, yeah.

WALLER-BRIDGE: When you look back and start unpacking it, do you feel overwhelmed with sympathy for how hard you were having to work as a 16-year-old, coming up with excuses to see the movie that you wanted to see?

BAILEY: Yeah. But I spent more time trying to be sympathetic towards the people that were around me who didn’t support or couldn’t help. I look back and I go, “Hell.”

WALLER-BRIDGE: Yes. But you are representing that and living that for so many people now. Your speech at the Critics Choice Awards the other day was so sublime and beautiful and straight from the heart. You are so electric as a human being and that is the most important thing. There aren’t many people in the world that can do that, that can stand there in front of people and speak from their heart about what it means to them to be given this opportunity. And I know that your career is just going to be the most extraordinary journey. When I first met you, I remember sitting with Josh [Cole], who was the producer on Crashing, and we were like, “If we get this guy, it’s going to be the game changer for the show.” And I know that every single person now wanting you on their project is feeling the same thing.

BAILEY: I definitely feel overwhelmed by that, but it’s lovely to hear.

WALLER-BRIDGE: Can I just ask you one question which I couldn’t remember about Crashing?

BAILEY: Yeah.

WALLER-BRIDGE: The frosted tips were your idea, wasn’t it?

BAILEY: I had this conversation today. I think it’s in the script. But my reference picture was Justin Timberlake in double denim.

WALLER-BRIDGE: No, I don’t think it was [in the script], because Sam’s a character that I hold closest to my heart because, in so many ways, he represents how I feel about maybe my inner life. I just love him so much, and your ability to play every single little corner of him that I dreamed of.

BAILEY: Maybe that’s the answer I was looking for when you asked if I was drawn to any romantic couples? No, it was just about wanting bleach blonde hair.

Source

[iwritenarrativesandstuff]

Just started Medjed arc of P5R; here are my current thoughts on the characters I know so far:

Joker: Look, I know people say he's a "self-insert" but I really, really see a few very distinct personality traits in him. He's lost in thought a lot. He zones out. He's really goal-driven. He's clever. He's a risk-taker. He's wary of consequences. He takes a little while to trust people, especially adults. He's suspicious and easily annoyed. He's on your side. He wants to help. He's a snarky little shit. His compassion is as much his defiance as his bitter disdain. He's hesitant. He's confident. He's bluffing. His respect is earned. His assistance isn't. He's free. He's chained. He's larger than life. He's a dumbass dork of a teenager. Incredibly fun character to play as, 10/10. I love that you can actually see him becoming more confident as time goes on. His dialogue options also become sillier/snarkier/more teasing as he becomes closer with people. It's just fun. I have a lot more thoughts on him but I'm going to stop here. I'd love to do a bit of an analysis on him once I finish the game - I'd like to go back through his main story dialogue options and his idle and specific scene animations. Plus, they seriously popped off with his character design. There's so much I could say about that alone.

Ryuji: Ryuji, my beloved. I wish you were less horny in uncomfortable ways in some scenes - I think, as well as Atlus not knowing what teenage girls are like, they also have not... spoken to people raised by single mothers, or mothers who got out of an abusive relationship... but anyways, asides from that, I love Ryuji. I think his desire for popularity makes a lot of sense - he's only ever stood out in a bad way. He just wants to be liked, you know? And he doesn't think he's enough the way he is. He's trying his best. I need him to shut up so bad but also I hope he never shuts up, you know. He's genuinely so funny, and he's the most ride or die of anyone. Ryuji gets angry on everyone's behalf when they can't muster up their own anger yet. Everyone say thank you, Ryuji.

Morgana: I do not get the hate for this not-cat; he's so funny to me. He's becoming a little more aligned to the thieves' morality, which is probably for the best since at the beginning he was definitely down with accidental murder and totally open about his pragmatism. He actually encourages this in Joker. It's just funny. I love my emotional support not-cat bestie who sits in my desk at school then tells me to go strike shady deals with random people in back alleys. You can definitely see a change in Morgana though; he's becoming more excited about helping people for the sake of it (like Joker, he too has gained purpose), but he's also becoming more insecure.

Ann: She remains my favourite of the Thieves. If Ryuji is the original drive and Morgana the original method, then she is the original conviction. The strength to stand with victims. The desire to force those who hurt others to understand the feelings of said victims. She has the rawest fucking lines at the end of the Kamoshida arc. She loves Shiho so much, and I really feel like her and Joker are on the same page when it comes to things deeper than their surface level interests. Get you a friend like Ann fr. It's a shame that later scenes have her mostly just getting mad at the guys when they uhhh... act like horny guys towards her. Feels bad man, especially because I love the aspect of her character that wants to be more comfortable with her sexuality and have that be on her terms. <- That's really cool, actually! Why couldn't we do more with that...? As a note though, I seriously love her admiration towards female cartoon villains and that one mean girl model. I think that's so funny and also such a mood. I do not believe for one second that Ann is straight. I hope she becomes the sexy and confidant morally-ambiguous thief of her dreams, and also that she gets a girlfriend. It's what she deserves.

Yusuke: He's so dramatic. Do you expect me not to love him? I really loved his conflict during Madarame's arc - those revelations were absolutely brutal, and Yusuke really handled things well, all things considered. Again, like Ann, there were some raw lines in there. But then, of course, the slump on the other end, when the adrenaline wears off. That Yusuke's painting only showed the dark side of desire tells me that he is still grappling with the effects of all these reveals. He has a lot to process.

Makoto: I just think she's so cute. Her design is adorable. She's such a sweetheart. On the flip side though, while I don't find her as intimidating as the game seems to, I definitely would not want her mad at me. While, as I mentioned before, I found the lead up to her joining the thieves to be a little janky, the actual moment was great. I love that she has a support system now. She really needed that. I hope there are more scenes with her in group settings tbh. While I'm enjoying her one-on-one dynamics with Ryuji and Ann, I do feel like she doesn't really... gel with the group as well as, say, Yusuke did. I think they need to drag her out to more activities lol.

Sojiro: I still don't know yet? He seems like the tough love sort. I do enjoy getting to learn random coffee trivia from him, and it seems like he cares in a kind of gruff way. He also gets a lot of suspicious people coming by. Guess I'll find out more later.

Maruki: Again, I don't know much still. He's endearing and dorky. That salt bae thing still lives rent-free in my head. I feel his frustration with not being able to help more. I get it man. I will say though, the fact that we get to see scenes with the thieves and Maruki, with no Joker present, is... odd.

Kasumi: I... I don't know how to feel. She's too nice. She's too polite. All of her scenes are so weirdly convenient. I like her just fine, but there's something seriously off. I almost feel like she's an outlier on purpose, like she doesn't blend into the world. Unlike Maruki, who is new to Royal but blends into the story quite nicely, Kasumi really stands out, to the point it kind of feels like that was the intention. She is adorable, though, I won't deny that, and I do want her to succeed and all, I just... hm. I don't know how to feel about her.

Akechi: I could fix him (smack him upside the head). <- okay but seriously, he is so obviously suspicious, he so obviously knows about Joker, he's such a smarmy little shit. I would despise him irl, but he's absolutely the funniest character in the game right now. Everything he says has me either cackling or my jaw dropping at the fucking audacity. He's also really interesting to me. Love a character whose every line means three things rolled into one. He feels dangerous and weirdly endearing at the same time. What the hell is his problem (affectionate + derogatory).

Yoshida: YOSHIDA MY ABSOLUTE BELOVED. I love him so far. He's my favourite confidant right now. He just makes me so happy man I love him so much. Yoshida takes the hard road and he's got the conviction, but you need support from people to really turn your life around. Hey, that's kind of what the game is about, yeah?

Takemi: Oh I love her confidant so far. I don't know that she's one of my favourites, character-wise, but I was especially taken with her dedication to that medicine, and Joker's response to her saying that she doesn't suit everyone coming to her for medical help by countering her with an "it suits you". Very sweet. I'm getting close to finishing her confidant; I just need to level up charm.

Mishima: I'm almost done his confidant too! I actually enjoy Mishima's character. I feel like his downward spiral made a lot of sense, and I like that he's both helpful and made me feel a bit uncomfortable. I especially like that he's pulling himself out of that fame mentality by himself, without his heart being changed. We just gave his shadow something to think on.

Kawakami: Idk how I feel about this, but the perks are good. I'm curious about her though.

Sae: She seems dedicated to her job. Forming a confidant with her during the interrogation was something I did not expect and had me going "ohohoho". But man, some of the stuff she says to Makoto is way out of line... I'm glad she's at least aware as soon as it leaves her mouth, and I cannot imagine the constant stress and scrutiny she's under but... still. Girl. :/

Iwai: I'm going to properly start his confidant soon. He's cool. I feel like he's not nearly as scary as he makes himself out to be.

Ohya: Don't know much about her so far, but she's a disaster, and I will always enjoy a good disaster woman.

Lala: SHE'S PERFECT. I wish there was a mechanic where you could get advice from Lala-chan. She's looking out for everybody. She's good. :)

Chihaya: She told me I'm gonna die... :(

[aikoiya]

LoZ TotK - The Symbolism Behind Link's Rings & the Handshakes

I actually don't really see the scene where Sidon kneels to Link & gives him a ring in a proposal way.

For one, the ring that appeared was on Link's right-hand pointer finger, not the left-hand ring finger, which is an important distinction as a ring on the right pointer is symbolic of authority, leadership, self-esteem, & confidence. It was also the most common place for a man's signet or crest. In some parts of Europe, it was even forbidden for people below a certain rank to wear one as it denotes a very specific family status. It's also a common place for fraternal or family rings. Which actually makes perfect sense for Sidon as a person as well as his relationship with Link. Seeing that, before the Calamity, he likely believed that his sister would marry Link who would then be his brother-in-law as indicated here.

Now, admittedly, a man's right pointer is used for wedding bands in the Jewish culture, but somehow I doubt that Sidon is representative of being Jewish.

There is also the way that Sidon's holding Link's hand when he makes his vow as a sage, which appears to be in more of a two-handed handshake which are typically used by politicians to convey that they are warm, trustworthy, friendly, & honest. Specifically, Sidon's hand is on top of Link's, but very specifically isn't touching his arm or wrist, which is supposed to convey sincerity. If his hands had been touching either, then it would indicate that Sidon wanted something from Link. I've also seen it said that it's a sign of gratitude & that when someone shakes your hand like that, they are conveying that they are genuinely, sincerely happy to see you.

Yes, he's kneeling, but keep in mind that Sidon is also very tall & it's possible that Sidon wanted to give them a more even playing field.

As such, all the signals I'm getting are pointing towards this interaction being platonic & possibly fraternal in nature.

If this were a confession or a proposal, the way that Sidon would be holding Link's hand would be far more tender than it is.

However, let's walk through the other rings & possibly their handshakes as well real quick & see if there's a trend.

Yunobo's was the right thumb which symbolizes wealth & influence, as well as strength of character, willpower, & freedom of thought. Which could work as he's the president of YunoboCo. Thumb gestures are also associated with interaction & friendship. Again, this works. Add to that the fact that the ring was passed via fist bump, which can be used as a sign of giving someone your respect or approval as well as signifying a companionship between the 2 involved, which you also can see Yunobo's expression of respect & approval for Link when he does it.

Tulin's ring is on the right pinky, which in the case of a man's right hand specifically, represents things you have accomplished personally as well as intelligence & communication skills. It is often where you wear family crests. Also fairly accurate considering Tulin's arc was about proving himself fully-fledged to his father. I couldn't really get a good look at Tulin's handshake, but it appeared to be a typical, friendly shake. So, not much there.

Mineru's is on the right middle finger, which symbolizes structure, balance, conscience, order, & purpose. It can also reflect things for which you feel responsible or ways that you seek balance in your life. And, I could see this working for her, I suppose.

Her handshake...

No idea what the hell kinda shake that is, but I'll do some research & get back to you.

I'm seeing that turning one's palm face upward is a sign of submissiveness, but I dunno. Someone did bring up the fact that this was essentially Mineru holding her brother's hand one last time, which is important here, because for every other Sage, the thing highlighted was their relationship with Link, but it's possible that whatever the hell kinda handshake is going on here might have some significance to Mineru's relationship with Rauru.

Anyway, Riju's ring is on the right ring finger, which depends on the culture we're talking about. The right ring finger, of course, symbolizes engagement here in the west, but that'd be creepy af in this situation, so hell no. Now, in some religious organizations, this is also a symbol of a sign of the individual's authority & religious devotion. Not to mention, it's also associated with the sun, as well as beauty & creativity. If nothing else, authority, the sun, & beauty works for her as the Gerudo Chief. Not to mention, her fighting style in AoC was pretty damn creative.

As for her handshake, it at first seems to be a regular one until just after, when she pushes back & away, indicating that she is performing "the pusher." This is done by extending the arm so that Link can't get closer to her, which would be interesting as it'd indicate that she needs both physical & emotional space to be comfortable. This suggests that she's hesitant to let others get closer to her. Which is interesting considering what we read about her in her journal.

I suppose that in a way, I believe that I see these vows & rings as being more signs of the Sages swearing oaths of fealty to a king.

After all, Link gains the right arm of a king in this game. It's also been implied throughout both games that there's something going on between Link & Zelda. This game, specifically, suggests that they are not only living in the same house, but sleeping in the same, very small bed. Which would mean that they were common law married.

If this is true, then it's possible that Link could become, depending on how Hyrule's customs involving such things work, King of Hyrule & if not that then Prince-Consort.

Ganon's declaration at the beginning of the Japanese version of the game that "I am the true King of Hyrule" even gives a bit of an impression.

There's also how the illusion in the castle showcased 2 thrones sitting side-by-side rather than just one.

As such, it's clear that Ganondorf at least believes that the 2 are together.

While up in the air, I feel like there's enough evidence to suggest that my theory could be possible.

LoZ Wild Masterlist

[rythyme]

I don't think they were saying Boston was lying about wanting romantic exclusivity but not physical exclusivity. The fact that Nick said "I think you should roll alone" tells me more about Nick than Boston, namely that Nick thinks you can only have a relationship if you're monogamous in every way (because that's what he wants for himself). But I'm confident Boston would be great in an open relationship and he's going to New York so who's to say he won't find that there?

Within the context of the show, i.e. from a Watsonian perspective — yeah, I 100% agree. What Nick said is more of a reflection of him. He doesn't think what Boston is asking for is possible with anyone, not just specifically with himself. That's Nick's problem, not Boston's.

But thinking about the creators of the show and how they wrote that scene (i.e. from a Doylist perspective), I don't think they were making that distinction clear enough. As presented, it seems like we're supposed to think that Nick is right when he says those things. If that's not the case, then I think it was poor execution on the creators' part. The tone of that scene was not giving me a "Nick is in the wrong" vibe.

It also just seems like a weird place to take Nick's character arc? Nick's arc has been about exploring relationships and building his self worth, so it's strange for the culmination of all that to be a scene where we're supposed to think he's coming to the wrong conclusions. A more satisfying and natural conclusion to that arc would have been "I am monogamous and you're not. I can't change you, nor should I. We should break up. I wish you the best in your next relationship."

And to make it even more confusing, the show *does* reference characters in an open relationship. Boston is trying to sleep with a couple like that in episode one! We've also seen plenty of coupled characters kissing other people, even in this very episode. And Nick kissed Atom for christ's sake. I just can't wrap my head around this narrative choice.

Overall it just feels? Really weird to me?? What was the point? Why did Nick and Boston have a "forgiving each other" arc if they were just going to be rushed into this conclusion in the second half of the finale? It doesn't make sense to me!

My best guess is that this wasn't originally the planned ending for Nick and Boston. I'm not sure why it changed — maybe there was some meddling on the production/GMMTV side, or p'Jojo decided to pivot after seeing how much fans hated Boston? Either way, it feels disjointed and poorly executed in a show that otherwise does a pretty good job of building up to import character and relationship development moments.

[embracing-the-ineffable]

Neil Gaiman's intentionality and possible literary connections with the sign, "DON'T PAY THE GUY IN THE BLUE GLASSES HE DOESN'T WORK HERE" (East Lynne?)

Most people think the sign on Mrs. Sandwich's door is a reference to Crowley, and maybe it is, although he doesn't have BLUE glasses (yet).

So I woke up thinking about the theory that Mrs Sandwich is actually God, plus all the signs at the bottom of her stairs. The God theory could account for most of them, except for (possibly) the one about blue glasses. Neil has said the inspiration for that sign came from historic signs around Soho, but that doesn't mean there's not another layer of meaning. (If there's one thing he's taught me with season two of Good Omens, it's definitely to dig deeper!)

Good Omens is full of references (direct and indirect) to other stories, so I searched around online and found two interesting books:

The first is Boy in the Big Blue Glasses, by Susanne Gervay and illustrated by Marjorie Crosby-Fairall. It's a contemporary children's book about a kid, Sam, who gets blue glasses and feels like no one recognizes him anymore, except for his best friend. He goes on adventures to rediscover himself, his sense of humor, and his confidence - all while overcoming his fear of not being accepted and working to embody his true self (who he sees as a super hero, among other things).

Ok, there are parallels there with both Aziraphale and Crowley and the quest to be seen, understood, and accepted for who they truly are, but it doesn't feel like a strong connection.

More digging brings me to a Victorian novel called East Lynne, by Ellen Wood. Already, I feel more hopeful - this fits more neatly with other GO book references, like Pride and Prejudice.

In East Lynne, the main character is Isabel, and she is seen as being very emotional/passionate, very emotionally perceptive, and having extremely expressive, distinctive, and beautiful eyes.

She marries Carlyle, who is very kind but not nearly so able to read body language or understand emotions, and is able to "circumvent his emotions" and "separate business from feeling".

Because of his poor emotional perception, Carlyle contributes to a breakup with Isabel. Also contributing? Someone named Levison, who wants to use Isabel and tricks her into thinking the worst of her husband and running away with Levison instead.

Eventually, after a good bit of trauma, Isabel dons a disguise which includes blue glasses (which are seen as the primary part of her disguise, as her eyes are so distinctive) and returns home as a governess to take care of her children.

So … That sounds familiar, hmmm? We've already seen Crowley as a governess, and he DOES have beautiful, distinctive eyes and is more emotional and impulsive than Aziraphale. And we could argue that Aziraphale's willingness to "separate business from feeling" was a strong driving force in their separation at the end of s2. Factor in The Metatron as a possible Levison, complete with lies and manipulations to break them up so he can use Isabel/Aziraphale, and I think there's definitely a connection.

Here's a really long but interesting analysis:

If East Lynne is the right Clue, perhaps this foreshadows Crowley wearing another disguise (complete with blue glasses?) and back in heaven in season 3. East Lynne doesn't end the way we hope Good Omens will, although Isabel does finally tell Carlyle everything, and he forgives her. We can hope Aziraphale and Crowley will likewise find the value of better honesty and transparency with one another!

(Disclaimer: I added East Lynne to my reading list, but I *just* had this idea and wanted to share, so the plot and character summaries are only from reading descriptions and analysis online, not from directly reading the book. Yet.)

I'm adding this Clue to my collection of Clues / meta of metas!

[mtdthoughts]

Dali's Left-Handedness (Migi & Dali Thought)

If you pay close attention, you'll likely notice that Dali is left-handed.

In fact, he has been left-handed since the very beginning.

As the title suggests, this post will be about this fact and possible symbolism. Do note that spoilers throughout the story are mentioned.

Another important detail is that when Dali is front of people other than his brother, he'll pretend to be right-handed, which is best shown in the way he eats.

Yes, even when he panicked when Akiyama was about to check the closet, he still delivered a slap with his right hand to keep up the act.

It's also worth noting that Dali is the only left-handed character in the entire story, possibly emphasizing Dali's distinctiveness as a character. Personally, I'd go further and say that he's the real main character, though I am biased...

While I'm sure that Dali may have been acting right-handed (possibly out of discomfort) to be considerate to Migi, I think there's greater meaning to this.

For example, his left-handedness could symbolize:

Individuality and uniqueness as mentioned earlier.

Concealment and psychological depth, which makes sense since Dali often conceals his actions and feelings (even from Migi) and is (in my opinion) the hardest character to read.

Nonconformity, as he and Migi are both considered outsiders in Origon Village due to their (obvious) foreign features and being from an orphanage. However, Migi is more able to "go with the flow", and Dali is likely much more self-conscious about his differences compared to others.

A logical, strategic, calculating, scientific, and "left-brained" way of thinking.

A struggle for acceptance, as left-handedness was historically stigmatized or seen as a sign of inferiority, and in Western cultures was even associated with evil or with the devil. Perhaps this shows that deep down, Dali wanted to be accepted and yearned for belonging (though he might not have realized this himself), which makes sense considering that the twins created "Hitori" in order to fit in. Hiding his left-handedness could also show his insecurities and perhaps self-loathing, which could have been caused by his dark and tragic past, his heavy responsibility of looking after his brother and serving as a good example for him, persecution from other children, and later his own actions that hurt Migi.

It wasn't until Episode 10 when Dali stopped pretending to be right-handed, and once he finally decided to join the Sonoyamas in Episode 13, he began eating with his left hand.

Indeed, once Dali was confident that Akiyama and Maruta would accept him, he placed his trust in them, and the revealing of his true self is symbolized through the display of his real voice, his real personality, and of course his left-handedness.

Finally, his decision to switch to his dominant hand after pretending to be right-handed in front of the Sonoyamas for so long could show how he was finally able to not only find acceptance and belonging but was able to accept himself as well after overcoming his insecurities. He no longer felt that he needed to force himself to fit in, because regardless of his differences with other people, he knew that he would always be loved and accepted by his family, his friends, and most importantly his brother.

[tredispade]

[Hey, you. I know I've been busy with irl stress and whatnot, but like, your portrayals always live in my head rent free. And not just our ship with the Al verse, though that honestly took me by complete pleasant surprise too. Your muses all have such distinct voices and are fun to plot with, I just want to throw everyone I have at them. They feel real and grounded, fleshed out and complicated and not merely a vehicle for mun kinks or self-insert fantasy projection. I'm so glad that we've been writing more and have developed what we have thus far, I can't wait to explore even more stuff with Soleil and Jenova, rrrrgh *HOLDS THEM GENTLY BETWEEN MY JAWS*, I'm so grateful you're there as my friend and fellow collaborator.]

( 🥺i appreciate you so much. especially with how much stuff you're going through!

i was also surprised how quickly and completely this verse has taken over for us. but then i highkey live for downtrodden muses having a chance at a happily ever after. no matter how unconventional it can be. though of course i still love drama too when it fits. but there is just something special about seeing characters that don't know how to love be loved.

i just been having a little bit of low confidence in my presence? if that makes sense. i know i'm not a terrible writer. i'm just bad about reaching out. i'll have to work on that more. i just worry that i'm like... bothersome with having such a fleet of muses or something like that.

again, thank you <3 i'm really glad that we've become friends and just yap about our blorbos all the time. )

[thesolemnhour]

Philautia 01 and 03 and Philia 03 for Agria please 👀💕

Thank you, Sphinx! These are amazing questions!! They really got me thinking about how for all of her stubbornness and self-possession, she really has some desperately people-pleasing tendencies.

Philautia – Self Love.

1. Does your OC have a healthy sense of their own worth and value? Or do they see themselves as failing to live up to their original potential? Perhaps they are convinced of their own sinful or inadequate nature?

Well, this is the question with Agria, isn't it! The answer really depends on what the words "healthy," "worth," and "value," mean, exactly. She would absolutely say yes! Agria thinks she's cool and smart and--critically!--good at things. It's completely external. She likes herself to the extent that she finds herself to be useful to other people, and she's excellent at finding ways to do so. A lot of that desire is totally self-driven: She likes doing things! She wants to know what she's capable of. But it's also a product of how she's been brought up. It's an implicit "if you really love me, you would do this for me,"-type thing that she carries forward. To her, if she fails or, god forbid, gives up, it's because she didn't love the people around her enough, which is a very difficult pill to swallow. Failing herself is already awful, but she cannot handle failing others.

3. Does your OC believe that it is important to love themselves in the first instance? Perhaps in order to be able to give and receive love authentically? Or because they believe first and foremost in "looking after number one"?

I don't think Agria has a great handle on what self-love actually is. She thinks she does; she's immensely confident and has convinced herself that those things are the same, but in her quiet moments, I don't think she really likes herself unless she's accomplishing something, and that's a feeling she has projected onto everyone else, too. She wouldn't ever put it this way, but in her heart of hearts, she thinks she has to earn love, to do something to deserve it. How she feels about herself is immaterial.

Philia – Affectionate, Platonic Love.

3. What qualities does your OC most value in a friend? Loyalty? Shared sense of humour? Or something else?

Agria likes a lot of things in a potential friend: shared interests and a sense of humor go a long way, and she's willing to try just about anything once if it looks like it might be fun. But more than that, she enjoys a character, someone with a distinct personality and perspective. For all that she hates being criticized, she hates being mindlessly flattered even more. She wants honesty, even if she might stomp her feet and whine after she gets it. She likes people who can match her considerable intensity. She is one of those intolerable people who like to argue for fun and enjoys being challenged to think about things differently.

[gyuyoungarchives]

💬 Dazed Korea [27052024]: Interview for Golden Dew Pictorial

"Do you remember me, Editor?" I too distinctly remember Park Gyuyoung. Just a month ago, on a rather sunny spring day, I happened to meet her at the Golden Dew 35th Anniversary pop-up exhibition. Amidst many artists and spectators, her incredibly cheerful smile was vividly imprinted in my memory. Since that day, I have been eagerly awaiting an interview with Park Gyuyoung, genuinely curious about what kind of person she is. After a half-day of photo shoots, we sat around a round table, with Park having changed into a black hoodie. Our conversation was just beginning.

"I like Dazed. It's always fun. The concepts are fresh, and the results are amusing," she said, expressing her fondness for Dazed, which made me relieved to realise that I wasn't the only one thrilled by today's event. When I first saw Park Gyuyoung, I naturally noticed her down-to-earth and approachable manner. "Did it seem that way? It varies, but I try to comfort myself in unfamiliar places by making jokes. It's not forced. When I truly become comfortable in that space, that's when my real self begins to show," she explained. I instantly sensed she was a genuine person.

Comfort is one of the keywords that runs through my interview with Park Gyuyoung. She has recently found joy in decorating her own space, infusing it with comfort. "I recently had the opportunity to redecorate my space. As I was selecting items, furniture, and accessories, I became more certain about what I like. I bought a chair that you can comfortably recline in," she shared. It turns out she prefers comfort, "I've tried flashy and prominent things, but ultimately, comfort and simplicity, that's more me," she concluded. Her acting is similar. It's not overdone; it's natural, effortless acting. "Right? My acting might seem a bit plain. It's unadorned, and that's how I am as a person, too. When I'm not in front of the camera, I'm just a regular person who wears sweatpants and slippers, casually strolling around the neighborhood."

When was the first time I saw Park Gyuyoung on the screen? Not in 'It's Okay to Not Be Okay' or 'Sweet Home', but, ah, it was in 'It Was Strange'. She appeared as a high school student, Baek Gyumyeong, with long hair. It suddenly came to mind. Does she think about growing her hair long again? "How do you know about that show? Yes, I had long hair back then. I've been keeping it short for now, but if there's a chance, I'd like to grow it out again. By the way, it seems you are a fan, aren't you? Haha." Her witty response made me laugh. Indeed, how could one not like Park Gyuyoung? Our conversation deepened even further from this question.

In a life filled with coincidences, starting as a university magazine model and now into her ninth year as an actress with a distinct style, I asked Park Gyuyoung what keeps her going. "Honestly, I don't think I have much of an explorer's spirit. When I'm faced with a situation, I just try to break through it. I feel like I'm someone who digs and digs to see the end, and somehow, that has turned into acting. It's fun. I haven't really thought about doing anything else because I have a strong sense of responsibility. I can say that confidently. And I don't want to feel ashamed of the outcomes."

"So, today, with Park Gyuyoung shining subtly in Golden Dew's 2024 Heritage Collection, what's her pick? "It's the Open Your Heart items that I also wore at the previous 'Heritage & Beyond' pop-up exhibition. It's a necklace, earrings, and a ring inspired by the traditional Korean door knob at Changdeokgung Palace's Yeongyeongdang, which are simply beautiful. The ring has a fun moving element similar to an actual door knob, which I found quite interesting. It feels like the collection beautifully melds traditional Korean beauty into the present." If you want to quickly understand someone, looking at their jewellery helps because it reflects their personal traits, tastes, and character. In that regard, what is Park Gyuyoung's preference in jewellery? "I prefer simplicity over flashiness. I like clothing and jewellery that feel as if you're barely wearing them, comfortable materials, and I favour the subtle glow of their natural materials, something that blends seamlessly with my skin. I like things with a subdued presence."

Park Gyuyoung is an actress. How can one separate an actress from her characters? Previously, Park Gyuyoung has mentioned that her characters have greatly influenced her life. So, which character stands out the most? "I always find this question difficult. You know, why is it so hard? 'Which character has influenced you the most?' or 'Which character are you most like?' These questions are tough because every character is a piece of me. When I take on a character, I identify the most similar part of myself and live it out fully during that time. Every character I've portrayed has become a part of me, so I couldn't possibly exclude any of them. It's like saying there's no finger that doesn't hurt when bitten. If even one were missing, I might not be who I am today."

"When I have a goal, I push forward unwaveringly, without faltering. Could there have been moments of turmoil for Park Gyuyoung, who slowly progresses forward?" "It may not be visible on the outside, but inside, there's always some turbulence. I have my own breakwater, though, built to withstand any waves that crash against it. Even when there are trials, I try to think of them as a foundation for a better tomorrow, and for my own growth. 'I've grown today, I've endured!' I say, and since I'm not usually interested in what lies beyond what's visible, there's no reason to be unnecessarily shaken. I just look forward."

"What do you think is very 'Park Gyuyoung' about yourself?" "That’s a good question. Natural and honest. I'm not sure how it sounds, but I'm not really ashamed of who I am. I feel like I am a decently minded person, and I really work towards that. I hope this unadorned and confident appearance can be linked to actress Park Gyuyoung. Right, I don't really have specific goals. I live in the present. I approach acting with passion, and as for now, I go with the flow. Can there be greater happiness than living this way?"

"What kind of person would she like to become?" "Just watch and see. I don't even know myself. But I don't think I'll change much," she says with a laugh. Unabashed and refreshing. That’s the Park Gyuyoung I like."

|| Dazed Korea, June 2024

[binarystargames]

Liminal Void: Professions (like Classes but not really). What are we doing here?

So I'm thinking about what I'm doing with Professions in Liminal Void. A Profession is like...a class, kind of/sort of? It's got a starting skillset (basically a broad Skill category), a little passive ability that differentiates it, a few changes to being able to recover/reload/recharge in combat, and a starting equipment package (which includes an outfit, a capital-T Tool, and two consumables).

Beyond the mechanical aspects, though, there's a few things I've been thinking about. What is the purpose of this, and should I extend it further?

Worker Professions

If you haven't read the free quickstart, I've got 6 in there:

Laborer

Driller/Excavator

Pilot

Technician

Engineer

Foreman

And I'm also going to be adding 6 more:

Demolisher (person who breaks down ships/station walls/etc, has a big portable-wrecking-ball driver)

Doc (tor, making the distinction that this is probably not someone with theoretical so much as practical medical training)

Janitor (it's a janitor, has a self-propelled waterless cleaning device)

Surveyor (person in charge of measurement, has a ranging/highlight-for-targeting laser)

Sysadmin (has a movie-hacker-style device)

Welder (high-temperature specialist)

The idea is that for any given Level 0 scenario, you can pick 6 of these that best fit it (6 for easy randomization) and go, characterizing it in a different way. Your character is a lot more defined by equipment than this stuff, but it'll make a pretty big difference over time.

I'm quite confident in the first 6...some of the last 6 are kind of a stretch or might be too specific. We'll see. I might also add a few more if I come up with 6 more ideas.

Mercenary Professions

Obviously given the easy formulation (skillset, talent, outfit, tool, consumables) I've been looking at swapping "Tool" for "Weapon" conceptually (given the two mechanically work roughly the same way, it's just that weapons are better at offense, use ammo, and have very few uses outside of combat) and creating professions based around more martial (or non-tool-using) things.

Now. I have mixed feelings about this. The big thing I want to avoid is letting this into A Dedicated Combat Game. It's got the ability to do that for sure, but I want that to be opt-in - if a character is set up just to do that from the word go, it's going to slide way more in that direction by implication. If your character's main talent is "do guns better" then, well, guess what they're going to do, probably. I don't really want to set players up to just do that.

On the other hand, though, it's not like taking on mercenary contracts isn't a part of the game, and that can involve hiring help - or if someone dies, maybe that hired help becomes a permanent fixture. (Or even before then, I strongly promote the idea of troupe play for this.) And for that matter, some people just have a more martial outlook on life. Not everyone started their career as a space plumber or whatever, or even if they did, it's not really always the most relevant thing about them, you know?

Right now the compromise I'm thinking is:

Backgrounds that leverage 6/12 of the weapons (basically, not the more situational/"heavy weapon"/"this is basically only for cops" ones). Right now I'm thinking:

Hunter (typically of the bounty kind, has a Revolver)

Infiltrator (sneaky bastard, has a Rail Pistol)

Investigator (private eye/intel, has a Laser Pistol)

Marine (boarding/CQC specialist, has a Shotgun)

Sharpshooter (what it says, has a Rail Rifle)

Soldier ("being in firefights" specialist, has a PDW)

Explicit guidance to not start with these these at Level 0 for characters, except if it makes sense through play. For example in Escape from CICP-1 there are a few corpsec soldiers and raiders that could defect, so if one of them joined the party that could make sense, but everyone starting out is going to have a Worker Profession.

Guidance as to how best to use these when starting at Level 1: basically, make sure that your Background is something that helps them gel with the rest of the party.

Integration in play: describe what kinds of characters you meet and hire with these kinds of backgrounds. Explanation of retraining at Tier too, like if you were an Engineer but you basically only shoot people nowadays maybe that part's not so relevant anymore.

But we'll see. I might just put a bunch of the Talents I was gonna use for those 6 into a list for players to take during advancement.

Conclusions

As usual, I have none other than "I'm gonna try some shit out and hope it works", but I still like making a final header for these writeups so here you go.

Once again, there's a free quickstart for this game if you're interested.

[crom-cristianortiz]

Gaining Insight into the Creative Process of Concept Artist Crom - Cristian Ortiz in an Exclusive Interview.

Since he was a young boy, Cristian Ortiz has been driven towards illustration. His passion for the arts have led him to explore many disciplines within the creative industry-- animation, comics, storyboarding, game design and advertising.

But there's one thing that all of these fields had in common; drawing! Once he discovered 'illustration' as his rightful career path though it seemed like everything made sense--so with every decision since then his goal has been to become an illustrator.

Are you self-taught or did you have a formal Art Education ? 

I always drew and had personal projects going since I was really young but I wanted to see what was there to learn from places like St. Martins University where every summer I’d spend all my pennies on their short courses on storyboarding, illustration and design.

By the time I was seventeen, I had attended a foundational course in East London that taught me how to take on projects and briefs with confidence. Later on, at Middlesex University, my Illustration & Animation degree not only brought together an incredible group of peers but also permitted traditional illustrators to open up new perspectives for me which otherwise would have gone unrealized.

I eagerly saved every penny to attend St. Martins University's summer courses in storyboarding, illustration and design to gain an understanding of the possibilities within my field.

My past work experience has been exclusively in freelancing, so I am more familiar with it. If you prefer having direct contact with the people you are collaborating with and taking care of the administrative tasks yourself, then this is a great route for you to take.

Being an excellent game artist necessitates the ability to creatively transform a project brief into your own personal vision, while simultaneously infusing it with enthusiasm. An aptitude for bringing life and energy to characters and environments is key in this role, enabling you to craft unique experiences that players will love.

You should be full of enthusiasm when constructing bold new worlds and fascinating characters - it's key to the creative process!

If you are an aspiring game artist with dreams of succeeding in the industry, then honing your artistic skills and practice is essential. Different styles come into play depending on what type of game artistry you are interested in. To become a proficient game artist, it is important to develop a vision for how you want to express yourself visually through practice - creating projects that test your boundaries and challenge your abilities will help identify where further development needs to be focused on.

Trends come and go, yet to effectively communicate your vision visually requires diligence, practice, and personal projects. Do you find that the final illustrations are distinct from the ideas originally in mind?

The pieces I showcased at "Illustrated 2016" in the Truman Brewery were close to what one may classify as Fine Art. But where does Illustration stop and Fine Art begin? Or, is there no distinct boundary between the two? To me, it's about pushing boundaries: striving for excellence and surprise factors. More often than not, I end up with something even better than what my initial vision was!

I believe people perceive my work as valuable because I make physical pieces on canvases and fine paper, instead of mass-produced prints. While labels can be irrelevant to me, the fact that my artwork is one-of-a-kind has caused its value to rise exponentially in recent times. With a professional background steeped in commercial work and pop culture, who knows what direction my art will take me next? 

What's it like to be part of the Creative Community in London? It's inspiring! In my experience, this city is a true powerhouse for creative individuals who are looking to collaborate and perfect their respective crafts. From indie comic creators, sign painters, game developers and more – if you have an interest in art or expression then there will always be a gathering that welcomes your enthusiasm. I've been fortunate enough not only witness these communities but also connect with them; never has there been such an energizing force towards creativity as what exists here.

London exudes magnetic creativity, which has attracted an eclectic community of artisans who are eager to collaborate and hone their crafts. This vibrant metropolis is alive with unique individuals wishing to share their inspiring skills and experiences with others.

[melinda-internetart]

Night Out: Rhythm in Motion

In this piece, I aimed to create the vibrancy of city culture, illustrating a night scene where stylish characters walk confidently through the night, expressing a sense of style, individuality, and self-expression. I wanted to celebrate the diversity and vibrancy of city culture, using bold colors and stylized figures to make the glamour and everyday magic of urban life. Each character demonstrates a unique sense of fashion, featuring details like vibrant clothing, distinct hairstyles, and accessories that reflect a confident, modern style. Two figures carry shopping bags in bright patterns, another wears eye-catching red boots, while a third holds an umbrella, adding a touch of elegance.

For the techniques, I used Adobe Illustrator to design the figures and environment, making sure the lines and shapes were bold and clean to highlight the dynamic energy of the city. I also used an app called Glitch Fx to introduce glitch effects, adding a layer of digital distortion. This technique adds texture and movement, evoking the feeling of a bustling cityscape where neon lights and city sounds blend into an energetic visual flow. The glitch effect serves to heighten the atmosphere, giving a sense of motion and the regular pulse of urban life.

Looking ahead, I plan to further develop the piece by adding dynamic motion effects, such as wind gently blowing through hair or clothes to enhance the sense of movement. I'll experiment with color change and lighting effects to create a more engaging environment, and I'm considering adding fluid sounds, like the buzz of the city or footsteps, to deepen the sensory experience. To add more depth, I’ll refine the background with additional details, like streetlights or passing vehicles, to make the scene feel even more alive.

Dreamscape in Pop Colors

In this artwork I wanted to create a dreamlike scene of a wolf sleeping under a vibrant, starry night sky, with whimsical elements such as a glowing sleeping moon, stars twinkling, a shooting star, and soft hills. Positioned behind the wolf, I also added a gentle sense of motion by making the flowers appear as if they were being blown by the wind, enhancing the dreamlike quality of my piece. My goal was to combine surreal elements with a bold, exaggerated visual style of pop art.

For the techniques, I used Adobe Illustrator to create clean vector shapes and sharp outlines to create the wolf, flowers, twinkling stars, the sleeping moon, and a shooting star. After creating the basic elements in Illustrator, I used Toonita Video to apply the pop art effect. This added an extra layer of vibrancy, enhancing the colors and giving the scene that signature comic-like appearance.

To further develop this piece, I plan to explore adding more depth through gradients and textures, refine the color palette for stronger contrast, and potentially animate some elements to enhance the sense of motion and life in the scene.

Glitched Realities: The Digital Tug-of-War

In this artwork, my aim was to explore the complex relationship between human creativity and the glitches that often lead to technological advancement. I joined a robotic hand, error messages, and a light bulb to represent the challenges that arise within the digital landscape. The light bulb symbolizes inspiration and ideas, while repeated error messages illustrate the unavoidable breakdowns in technology that can lead to progress.

To achieve this vision, I used Adobe Illustrator to create digitized elements, such as the gears, the robotic hand, and the circuit board. I also used the Glitch FX app to generate a chaotic, layered background of glitches that encourages a digital malfunction. This glitch effect was important in deepening the unpredictability and imperfections of technology, connecting against the clear vector elements.

Additionally, I added Toonita Video to add an animated quality to my artwork, merging static and motion graphics. This allowed me to create a dynamic visual experience, reinforcing the theme of technological evolution and the tension between creativity and digital errors.

To further develop my concepts, I plan to add more layers of glitch effects and animated elements. For instance, I could animate the error messages multiplying even more or make the light bulb flicker, symbolizing the continual struggle of creativity between technological setbacks. I also will consider adding short phrases in pop art speech bubbles or captions to define the narrative. This could provide viewers with understanding into the relationship between human invention and the glitches built in digital systems.

[magicalbats]

After your Alhaitham pet play fic, I can't decide how generous he would be when comes to going all the way with you. The way I read it is that he's not necessarily partaking in this for the purpose of his own physical pleasure, but rather he gets enjoyment from the instruction and control. If you want him in a physical sense, then I see him making you work for it. Unless I'm wrong?

And you’re 100% correct, anon!

My personal read on Al-Haitham is a little complicated and I think there are a variety of factors at play with him that just aren’t present with a lot of the other characters. I think we can all agree that there’s at the very least some autism present with him, right? Like I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone argue against it but I have seen many discussions talking about the evidence and I’m largely in agreement with it. Something else I take into consideration though is the fact he’s an Aquarius which just further places him in the odd duck category imo. 🤣 Basically I’m saying he’s got a double whammy going on.

And that’s not me shitting on Aquarians, I myself have my rising sign in Aquarius so I get it. For better or worse, I fucking get it. lmao

As far as the bottom line is concerned I get the sense that Al-Haitham is so confident in his own abilities that the moment he picks up on what you respond to he’s going to zero in on it and not really question his own role in the situation. By which I mean he isn’t going to try and examine or otherwise parse the dynamic itself more than he needs to. It just is what it is. He understands your reactions in such a simple, straightforward yet wholly accurate way that it doesn’t really need to be explored any further than that.

And of course that translates over to the needs of his own body not being at the forefront of his mind in such situations as well. If he’s acting with the intent of eliciting reactions out of YOU, then why would HIS urges be factored into the equation? It’s not self sacrificing and it’s not him playing a martyr. I also wouldn’t exactly call him a service top either. It’s just a simple matter of him being smart enough to pick up on why you’re responding the way you are and capitalizing on it in the proficient way he does everything else.

Now, as far as going all the way with you … I think that might be something you’d have to broach yourself just because he probably wouldn’t make that leap in logic on his own, if you know what I mean. Playing with you is one thing. Helping you get off is also its own thing. But jumping to having sex with you? I’m not so sure he’d follow it to the natural conclusion without you telling him you want to do it first. 🤔 Which isn’t me saying he’s oblivious or lacking in emotional intelligence or anything. Just that he wouldn’t presume you’d want to sleep with him JUST because you’re playing together. And the same very much goes for entering a relationship with you too. Apples and oranges. There’s a distinction here between this, that and the other.

All that being said, I AM tentatively toying with the notion of exploring this reader and Al-Haitham in their own standalone project so we’ll see. 🤭 Maybe I’ll get to show you guys exactly what I’m talking about.