#melon's rambly rambles

[melonpond]

girl help people are being incredibly kind and genuine towards me and I don't know how to process that

[melonimili]

more drawings of these two because they make me so emotional :(((

[cliffs-sniperrifle]

GUYS

NAME REVEALS NAME REVEALS IM SICKKKK

[pup-pee]

he is the dirt under my fingernails

[nyaskitten]

The most essential piece of Wyldfyre knowledge I can impart upon you all is that she is short, buff, and fat.

[crazy-grrrl-on-the-computer]

Here I am back at it again with the Boueibu food analyses //bricked

I’ve been staring at the Melon Monster for years, trying to unpack what “the melon was just playing melon” and “melons are tops” meant because it’s definitely interesting wording, but nothing was coming up… until I came across a collection of articles and videos talking about the Yubari King Melon, a hybrid cantaloupe that has been specifically cultivated for its desired traits and is subsequently considered “the best melon” in Japan.

To be considered a top-grade melon, one must be perfectly round and have an exceptionally smooth rind. Upon harvest, part of the stem is left on top to add to its aesthetic appeal. [x]

Hmmmm don’t you look familiar!

As the Melon Monster alludes to, the Japanese fruit industry is an interesting rabbit hole to fall down, but this video offers a pretty good insight into the Yubari melon specifically.

According to this article, the Prince melon was developed in Japan and first sold in 1961, gaining immediate popularity in average households due to its low price. On the opposite end of the melon spectrum, the Yubari melon (developed in 1951) is exclusively grown in Yubari, Hokkaido and is so expensive it is considered a luxury fruit, which is in no small part due to its limited availability each year and sought after sweetness/aroma. Yubari melons are often given as gifts to show appreciation during the summer gift-giving season Ochugen and there are annual auctions where pairs of these melons regularly sell for millions of yen.

Furthermore, according to another article I found, the history of melons in Japan goes all the way back to the Makuwa (oriental melon), which Uriya gets his name from and which allegedly came to Japan during the Yayoi period (3rd century BC to 3rd century) via China. How prestigious! That certainly explains the choice of costume and no wonder the poor Melon Monster remarks that his existence is anachronistic when told by his peers that melon is just another fruit nowadays!

Here he is, trying his best to be a Yubari melon, cherry-picking what he thinks are his best and most interesting traits in an attempt to meet the expectations of others around him as someone with value, and the Battle Lovers immediately curb stomp every single one of his efforts by not only outsmarting him in the most effortless way possible (using the internet to solve his riddles and surviving his traps as though they were a children's obstacle course) but mistaking him for a common melon. The melon (Makuwa) was only playing melon… playing at something he could never hope to be… pretending that anyone could ever see value in him. But he is only an ordinary melon, so why would anyone go the extra mile for that?

[With this in mind, I feel like this monster must have sprung into existence as a result of a conversation about the popularity of melons similar to the origin of the Chikuwabu Monster (many thanks again to @intra-fiducia for the wonderful translations!! <3). XD]

On a side note, I wrote briefly about the paulownia box being a representation of how Uriya is trapped by his own anxieties and self-consciousness in his attempt to meet everyone’s expectations, but I didn’t realize that sometimes the gift of melon is delivered very cutely in one. So there’s an extra layer to that line about no longer needing to stay in one! Melon can be enjoyed in many forms and varieties, like the Battle Lovers said! He doesn’t have to be the best because the people who like melon pan, melon soda, and shaved ice will like him just the same for what he already is.

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

*breaks down ur door*

WHICH ONE WOULD U LIKE AND WHAT WOULD YA NAME IT?!

(Don’t mind me, just wanting to know)

ohhhh the black one for sure. i'd name it... Cardigan!

[relaxxattack]

Hi i want to thank you for the QPR vs Moirail venn diagram. Its a rly excellent way of showing the difference. My gripe is about human romance, and how people will either 1- conflate it in a 1:1 ratio with Matesprit, or 2- claim it is “all the quadrants”. I personally feel both are false equivalency, and that the human romance is similar to both pale and red rom* and SO i was wondering if you agreed w that assessment, or if not, if you have the time to explain your thoughts on human traditional romance vs the quadrants (perhaps w another nifty graph)?

* which is why Rose’s destructive tendencies during sburb & her descent into addiction on the meteor were not addressed by kanaya, who feared palezoning herself like she did with vriska

OH MY GOD! YES!!!! why am i getting such great asks today?!

no, you're EXACTLY right. people are constantly conflating matespritship in those two ways; "all of the quadrants" being especially irritating (since Some humans occasionally argue, Occasionally in a kinky way, and i guess that means that they totally have all of kismesissitude covered?? :/).

matespritship is its very own thing. of the two interpretations above, i feel the idea that it's 1:1 to human romance is the closest to true. i mean, that's what they literally say in the comic, for gog's sake.

humans do not truly incorporate moirallegiance, kismesissitude, or auspisticism into their lives in any meaningful way. while it's possible for humans to sometimes have romances that might seem more like one of those than matespritship, they're considered abnormal or toxic-- and they often ARE, because humans do not have the same sort of biological drives or social understanding of these things that trolls do. humans do not understand the true needs and ramifications, or even the ROMANCE of moirallegiance. humans would be hard pressed to understand a kismesissitude in a 'healthy' way. i don't even need to mention how auspisticism flies over people's heads.

so, yes, humans only have the one quadrant. (and karkat vantas, i am sorry to say, is not going to "human date" anyone as the "solution to his quadrant problems". this would literally be the same as him trying to stick only to matespritship, and we all know exactly how that turned out.)

however! matespritship is not an exact 1:1 on human romance either. the direct quote from the comic is;

"[It's] the closest parallel to the human concept of romance trolls have." [x]

this is not really expanded on much in the text, honestly-- the intricacies of the social and biological traits of matespritship aren't shown enough for us to draw clear distinctions between them and human romance.

however, i think you're right that rose and kanaya are the best example we have of that-- despite them both aiming for matespritship, they have cultural misunderstanding quite often from some of rose's flirting, or even just her needs, crossing wires into a pale threshold that kanaya is weary of.

it's entirely possible that the differences between troll and human "hearts" might have made it difficult for kanaya to really connect with rose's problems and discuss them with her.

which might explain why when things go "better" for them in the retcon, they're portrayed reading a book on troll romance together:

it could be implied here that searching for a more in-depth understanding of quadrants actually helped rose with her ability to connect to kanaya-- and maybe, reading into it a little too hard here, this also could have been an opportunity for kanaya to work through her vriska-based hangups with the pale quadrant. that's entirely speculation on my part, though.

at the end of the day, we don't really KNOW enough about the details of quadrants for me to paint a clear picture of how matespritship differs from human romance. i mean, i could try, but it would certainly be more of a headcanon post than an analysis one!

[yamsgarden]

sooo here it is, here's my dumbass longass meloghia drunk flirty karaoke storyboard dream i made weeks ago now materialized into this babyyy

[that-rackin-frackin-varmint]

A apt distinction between Dafpork and Baffy (followed by a long ramble)

Since the looney tunes show era, it's not uncommon for looney tunes fans and even modern looney tunes to define Daffy and Porky's dynamic to be of the bully and doormat variant. Doesn't help when the latter half of the classic looney tunes shorts assert Daffy to be dull but domineering, and Porky to be competent but meek.

I don't reject these portrayals, but I do find it reductive to reduce Porky's aptitude for hubris, or Daffy's capacity for emotional intelligence... sometimes intelligence, period. Especially when people write them in comparison to how they write Baffy's dynamic.

So, here's a comic strip that encapsulates both Dafpork and Baffy's dynamics in a way that helps me summarise my points. The premise is the same for both: Daffy tells the latter a joke.

Here, Daffy tells a harmless (albeit flirtatious) joke. And Porky responds by crushing his trash can over Daffy's head and remarking on the quality of his humor.

As best friends, this is their normal -- usually Daffy initiates by tormenting Porky, and Porky will retaliate (sometimes dishing out more than Daffy may have earned). Other times Porky initiates and Daffy responds accordingly. This is how they banter.

Now let's move onto Baffy.

Here, Daffy tells a joke, and Bugs seems all too familiarised to his antics. Then Daffy pushes for a compromise, Bugs gives in. And then Daffy makes him regret the decision.

As best friends, this is their normal -- Daffy initiates by tormenting Bugs, Bugs anticipates this and usually shuts him down. Daffy pleads with Bugs to humor him, Bugs allows it, and then immediately regrets it (to varying degrees of legitimacy).

This is to say:

Porky can fall into the trap of being a doormat, but when it comes to Daffy, is a lot more emotionally volatile to the point of explosive anger. They're also very good at playing to their roles in relation to each other, making their interactions in shorts snappy, varied, unpredictable and hilarious.

Bugs is more attuned to psychological warfare and mind games, but has a track record of giving into Daffy's whims against his better judgment. He also has shown/admitted many times that he has a soft spot for Daffy, which makes their shorts carry this level of unspoken familiarity that is rarely found in classic looney tunes.

In the shorts, Dafpork operate like the duo that click the moment they clock each other, while Baffy operate like the duo with undisclosed history. Which I find super interesting when in terms of chronology, it should technically be the other way around since Dafpork shorts are greater in bulk and came way earlier before Baffy.

All this goes to show that truly, in my heart of hearts, Porky is NOT as soft-hearted as modern looney tunes media may have you believe. And Bugs has an understated weakness to pitiable pleas from sensitive birds.

[lavendersartistry]

points aggressively at @onyxonline and their Space Riders AU

YOU STARTED A HYPERFIXATION, THANKS

OK SO-

just to clarify:

THEY ARE THE SAME CHARACTER! THIS IS EVE EWE, ONE OF MY CRITTER OCS-

Ahemn, anyways-

For Space Riders, this would be the AU where Eve has her demonic heritage be more present. So technically for this AU, I see her a bit of like a alien princess?????

blinks in Star Wars reference

But her personality is still the same from what I have: Sweet, kind, bit motherly, serene.

Her pendant (lotus) would actually be a tattoo she would be born with instead of it being a signature piece to her space suit.

ANYWHOOO, TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK, ILL PROBABLY HYPERFIXATE ON THIS FOR A WHILE-

[melonpond]

He (sock puppet Mr. Hyde) haunts my every thought

[cliffs-sniperrifle]

This part from the clips kojima released is so cute to me I’m already so attached to tomorrow, dollman, and rainy, pleaseeee give me the ds2 release date kojima

[oddverse]

I adore your Pesci survives au. It makes perfect sense and it fucking rocks. Pesci keeping the necklace and holding it like that…ough…

However, I raise you, prosciutto survives au. Prosciutto barely makes it out of that train alive. He almost loses to the light several times, but he holds off long enough for Melone to get there and get him to a hospital.

He’s out cold for several days, and they had to amputate a leg because it got infected so badly, but sure enough, Prosciutto wakes up in a cold sweat. when Prosciutto awakes, the first word he says.

“Pesci…Pesci…Where…Where’s Pesci?”

Eventually coming to his senses, he realizes he’s in a hospital, and Risotto is waiting for him. No one else.

“Risotto! What’s going on? Where’s everyone, where’s Pesci?”

Risotto gets up and takes a knee. Then he looks directly into his eyes and said, with the most withheld, teary eyed expression he’s ever seen him make,

“Pesci died. Taken out by Bucciarati. The rest of the gang is gone too. Just you and me.”

Prosciutto hardly registers it, but it sinks in eventually. He remembers watching Bucciarati dismember him. Powerless, and too beaten up to stop it. Forever stuck in the shadow of that train, nothing but a poor example.

It’s cold outside today, isn’t it? For spring, at least.

melone too?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I’ve said something super similar in the last about a surviving Prosciutto/Pesci completely swapping personalities to cope.

Pesci, immediate shut down but he’ll live. He’d have his screams and wails, he’d beg and damn everything to hell, then he’d cry and cry and cry, because he failed, for real this time. But he’ll get up eventually, he’ll hate himself forever but he will get up, and then it’ll be time to be a man. He’d be obligated to be better, to make it, to let it not be in vain. (I could even see him getting into suits…)

Prosciutto on the other hand would be sore to the touch, just imagine a Narancia level freak out but it’s our ever collected Prosci. I don’t think his face would ever be dry again. He didn’t even win, Pesci was his trump card and he didn’t even get to win. He played too rough and now he looks like a jigsaw puzzle with a couple pieces missing, and for what? And for what

He’d probably die from heartbreak and I am not even kidding,

He’s just a poor old lady

[randomwords247]

I wanted to doodle more and colour more of them/do very minmal shading but it is 4 am I need to go to bed

Melon cult rek is hilarious and I need to draw more of it. Also I wanted to draw more Watcher!Rekrap2 and I really like how it came out ngl. Part of me wants to do it properly but we shall see

[josephine-zeppeli]

La Squadra Given Names HC

My headcanon names for La Squadra

Risotto Nero

His name would still be Nero because it works as a given name and I quite enjoy the idea of Nero being named after the Emperor. I’d probably adjust it with a middle name like Nero Valerio to distinguish him.

Prosciutto

When picking a name I chose Achille, the romanized version of Achilles since the character was dipped in the River Styx to protect him from death and Prosciutto’s character embraces death in a similar manner. Since I also enjoy Fem-Prosciutto I also chose the name Priscilla to work for her.

Pesci

Pesci’s given name would be Paolo and I chose this based off of Paolo Gucci and his eccentric persona but also the fact that he was kinda the butt of the joke in his family. I thought it fit for him

Melone

His given name is Marcello because I think the name is very pretty and fits his personality.

Ghiaccio

I chose the name Gianmarco since I also thought it fit him well.

Illuso

Raffaele was the name I landed on since I felt that the painter Raphael works well with Illuso.

Formaggio

I went with the name Florentino because I liked the contrast of the name meaning to be in bloom or to flower and his code name meaning cheese. He always struck me as a guy with a girly name that he tried to hide.

Bonus:

Squalo and Tiziano

Squalo is named Romeo and Tiziano is named Aurelio.

I thought Aurelio worked well because in the anime he has golden eyes and the beautiful platinum blonde hair.

I chose Romeo purely for shits and giggles but also because the two of them were a doomed pair of lovers.

I personally did not include Sorbet or Gelato since we did not get much of their personalities and I don’t have much connection to them but I’m all for making up names for them if someone wants them.