#mg star wand

[yusyed]

I made a bunch of object OCs a while back so why not show them off now!!

They're all contestants for the HIT game show, Mind Games!

Reblogs > Likes

[rainbowdelicartz]

I DID IT!! I FINALLY FINISHED THE REF SHEETS FOR ALL MY PIERROT STUDIO MG MASCOT SELF INSERTS!!!!!

And yes, I named and based her design after Dinah from Alice in Wonderland (the Disney animated version) to compliment Simba's name!

Dinah is a Love Fairy Cat who lived as a resident of the Lovely Dream until the point where Lovely Dream started needing help from Persia. She debuts alongside Bon Bon in the 32nd episode as she is supposed to be his caretaker and guardian during his time on Earth and when she meets Persia, she becomes her moral guide to keep Persia's thoughts and actions in check (AKA prevent Persia from having another jealous outburst that caused her to break her first wand in Episode 31)

She is very serene, level-headed, motherly, kind-hearted, loyal, and empathetic as she is very much someone who wears all their emotions and who they are as a whole on her sleeves since she just loves using those traits to help others with their morality and their problems related to having issues with honesty in their lives (aka telling the people they love how they actually feel). She also has minimal ice powers (creating icy breezes out of nowhere and able to conjure snowflakes and snow at will) along with her ability to fly

She and Simba got along from the moment the two met, despite the two having a different demeanor to the other. Dinah's calm and honest approach to life actually helps Simba with not being as grumpy all the time and gives him room to let loose with his personality, Simba does an amazing job being Dinah's advocate at times when she's being way too nice at certain situations

Once the series ends, Dinah decides to stay behind with Persia and Simba as she grows very attached to Earth and wants to start anew with Simba. When Persia is older (around 15-16), she gains back her powers, and Meso-Meso, Gera-Gera, Puri-Puri, and Bon Bon return to her side so she can join alongside Yumi, Mai (Magical Emi), Yuu (Creamy Mami), and Miho (Fancy Lala) to form The Majokko Club!

Things she likes consist of ladybugs, spring/summer (grew to love it over the cold of Lovely Dream), fish (esp trout and salmon), Valentine's Day, hearts, paper crafts, painting, flying, apples, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, sunflowers, roses, daisies, pine trees, cranberry apple tea, and star gazing

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I really really hope you guys enjoy her and her design, I had a really fun time with it since her sketch is from last year lol!

Have fun yall!!

[ART COMMISSIONS ARE OPEN!!!]

[mahou-furbies]

I wish more MG series had more cohesive/unique designs for Henshin items. Like, I'm just bored of seeing the same pink item carried by everyone in a team. At least in TMM the pendants are mostly gold and the red is minor enough to not clash with anyone, or the different colored pens/wands in Sailor Moon.

Hell, I'm working on a death/angel series and just decided that the henshin items would be something sentimental to each girl, like a necklace belonging to a dead parent, or a bracelet given by a childhood friend you haven't seen in a decade.

Yeah the magical item in team series tends to favour the pink heroine which is a shame. I wonder why it's not more common to just palette swap it for everyone? That should be really simple and producing different coloured versions of the same toy doesn't sound too difficult either. The next step could be adding a different detail for everyone, like a heart shaped vs star shaped jewel.

Also the characters having their own personalised items that were important to them even before being the magical item is a great idea and should be used more! I think Ojamajo Doremi had something like this when the girls brought in an instrument they already owned and it was given magical powers, though the instruments also transformed into the identical wand items in the process.

[sc3n3-c4rtm4n]

NU Magic girl au (or would it be magic boys? Whatever :T)

Buckle up because your in for a LOOONG ride to know more about the characters in the AU!

Btw

Ig I got inspiration from @satirn (I really love they're art and their aus)

Lemmie tell you the main weapons and stuff:

Jimmy:

-NeutronBots

Neutronbots are only summoned by the Neutron bracelet on his arm and it's also what makes up the next item I will mention

-Electric magnetic bow

It can attract any metal objects that Jimmy calls for and it's made out of Neutronbots.

Transformation:

ITEM THAT TURNS THEM INTO THE MG- the Neutron bracelet

Outfit/overall appearance:

The typical school girl outfit, like sailor moon.

The skirt, neck thing, and bow are red. But as for everything else, nothing changes except for the fact I gave Jimmy bangs :)

SpongeBob:

-Bubble bombs

The bubble bombs obviously originates from the first NU game. SpongeBob also carries a bag of them and makes a ton of them before battle.

-Kitty paws Karate gloves

Its just his Karate gloves but with some paws, claws, and a spiky wrist piece thing.

-Bubble bows

Its just bows made of very strong bubble soap( or I can brush it off as cartoon logic)

Transformation:

Transformation item- magic bubble soap

Outfit/overall appearance:

Little bows (fabrics are blue and white), brown skirt, red tie, and black boots.

Danny:

Ghost Ray:

It originates from the show bit it's a little bit more powerful

Fenton Thermos:

Just like the last one, it originates from the show. He can release ghost as an attack (Jimmy thinks it's a terrible idea since he has to catch all of the ghosts again only for him to release them again.) and he can suck them back in there.

Transformation:

TI- not really an item but he just screams "I'm going ghost!" then a little black and white spirit appears.

Outfit/Overall design:

I made Danny's hair a little longer, little ghost bow (the ghost it green btw), black skirt, white belt, green bow, white boots, white gloves, and the bow is green(ghost), black(fabric), and white(secondary fabric the uncolored part)

And lastly...

Timmy:

-Magic star sword

Its a cool sword wished up by him and it can be summoned by him saying "Star slicer, GO!"

-Star Gun (or flinger)

The idea originates from the game but it has an update... well in appearance. It actually looks like a green gun,BUT IT STILL SHOOTS STARS!

Transformation:

TI- a Pink heart wand with a yellow star in the middle, and some cute wings :) (transformation looks like the Pretty Cure transformation or the Sailor Moon transformation) it was made by Cosmo and Wanda

Outfit/Overall appearance:

I took inspiration from the cat costume from the show that Timmy accidentally wore in Sleepover and Over. But accept there's a different bow (it's pink), Pink skirt, blue neck thing, Pink ribbon, and brown shoes with white socks.

Welp that's everything right there :)

I hope you enjoyed the designs and descriptions :)

Also go check out @satirn acc, they're art is very good and I love the character designs.

[rosaeglanteria]

Hey it's me again is it ok if I ask about my future spouse 's cultural background? What is it like?(Mostly I want to know if they are Indian? )

Mg 🖤 , i already got a reading from you if you don't answer I understand

Hii Mg, don't worry you can send a question whenever you like, the readings will be open for a long time 💛

So you got

The moon + seven of wands + the star

With the moon and the star i think they might come from a muslim background. As for if they are indian or not i pulled letter + cross so i'm not exactly sure. Do you come from a muslim background too? Because the overall vibe i got is that you will share the religion.

Let me know if this resonates with you!

[josephnewbrown]

Tadarise 40: Redefining The Ed Treatment Experience For Men Worldwide

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) might be a small phrase, but its impact on a man's life can be monumental. The inability to perform when it matters most can dent not just confidence but also relationships. This is where Tadarise 40 strides in, not just as another ED treatment, but as a revolutionary experience that's rewriting the script for men worldwide.

Understanding Tadarise 40

The Science Behind the Game-Changer

Tadarise 40 is not your run-of-the-mill remedy. It's a potent blend of science and hope. The active ingredient, Tadalafil, takes center stage. It's like the director of a movie – it orchestrates a steady flow of blood to the right places, making sure the leading man is always ready for his performance.

More Than a Pill

But it's not just the ingredient that's making waves. Tadarise 40 is designed for the modern man – it's quick to kick in, with effects that last. Imagine taking a pill and within minutes, feeling like you're in your prime. It's not just about function; it's about that surge of confidence that comes with knowing you're in control.

Worldwide Impact

From Bedroom Blues to Bedroom Booms

ED isn't a localized woe; it's a universal concern. Men everywhere have been dealing with it silently, letting it eat away at their self-esteem. Tadarise 40 is changing that narrative. It doesn't matter if you're in New York or New Delhi, the impact is the same – a chance to reclaim your masculinity.

Breaking Barriers, Changing Lives

Accessibility is a cornerstone of Tadarise 40's philosophy. It's not locked behind closed doors of privilege. This isn't just a treatment; it's an invitation to rebuild relationships, reignite passions, and rewrite stories. And the stories are pouring in – tales of men who thought their best days were behind them, now basking in the glow of newfound virility.

Advantages and Benefits

Unveiling the Confidence Booster

Picture this: you're back in your twenties, brimming with vitality. That's what Tadalafil Tadarise 40 mg does – it unlocks the doors to a world where performance anxiety is a thing of the past. With heightened endurance and a longer performance window, you're not just in the game; you're owning it.

Beyond the Bedroom

But Tadarise 40 isn't just transforming nights; it's revitalizing days too. The bounce in your step, that gleam in your eye – it's not a secret anymore. Partners are noticing the change, and relationships are finding new depths of intimacy.

Safety and Considerations

Navigating the Journey

Safety is a non-negotiable, and Tadarise 40 gets it. But like any journey, there are guidelines. It's not a magic wand; it's a helping hand. Mild headaches or a stuffy nose might be part of the initial voyage. As with anything, a chat with a healthcare professional ensures smooth sailing.

The Golden Rule: Moderation

Remember, the stars shine the brightest when they're not overwhelming. The same goes for Tadarise 40. It's powerful, but respecting the recommended dosage keeps the show going without any unwanted plot twists.

Changing the ED Treatment Landscape

Shifting Paradigms, Renewing Lives

Tadarise 40 isn't just a player in the ED treatment market; it's the game-changer. It's rewriting the treatment script, erasing stigma, and letting men across the globe know that they're not alone. The days of suffering in silence are fading, replaced by a chorus of men embracing their second chances.

Future Beckons

And this is just the beginning. The world of medical advancements is ever-evolving. Tadarise 40 could be the prologue to a series of breakthroughs that reshape how we perceive and approach ED. The future holds the promise of more accessible, more effective solutions.

Taking Action

Embrace the Change

If erectile dysfunction has been the antagonist in your story, Tadarise 40 is your hero. The first step might seem daunting, but it's a step toward redefining not just your nights but your days too.

Consult, Act, Transform

Consultation is key. Sharing your concerns, your hopes, and your medical history with a professional can pave the way for a tailored approach. Tadarise 40 is not just a treatment; it's an experience, and experiences are best when crafted uniquely.

Conclusion

Tadarise 40 isn't just a pill; it's the key to unlocking a new chapter. The narrative is changing – from the despair of ED to the hope of rediscovery. It's about embracing a chance to live life on your terms, to reignite the spark, and to redefine not just your intimacy but your identity. The journey is yours to take, and Tadarise 40 is the compass pointing to a world of possibilities.

[successpool]

Can you tell me the insecurities I have right now are true or is it just me overthinking and things haven't worked out because the timing is not right and something better will happen ? - MG, 0301

i got the star reversed, king of cups reversed, eight of swords reversed, two of pentacles reversed, wheel of fortune reversed, the lovers, page of wands, and the strength card. So right away that signifies to me that things haven’t been going right for you. You’ve been dealing with setback after setback and it’s caused you to just give up on yourself and spiral into your own negative emotions. You feel stuck and trapped but it’s because of your negative self-belief and self-doubt. You can break free from that anytime. You just need to take a step back and reassess yourself, what you’re doing, your priorities. You’re focused on all the wrong things right now, because you feel so bad about yourself. But that’s exactly what you need to focus on right now -- yourself! Speak kindly to yourself and work on getting through your issues and being more confidence. Like everyone says -- fake it till you make it. But the best way to regain your sense of self is through the princess of wands card -- through tapping into your own creativity and being open to do anything. You need to tap into your curiosity and try to learn as much as you can about the world/the things you want to do and then go and do them.

[mikeedits]

Echo Creek 3: Dimensional Drag Race Preview

Mars: Once Again, That Is Correct, Oh Guys, Check This Out *Pulls Cover and now showing Mars’ 4 seated Jeep with new Weapons installed* Say Hello My Jeep with some cool weapons, such as; “The Rust Fog Machine” this Bad Boy Contains making Fog and when they enter the fog, Every Car Will Go Rusty. Next We Got “The Demon Tire Biters” They’ll Tear A Tire Up to Slow Racers Down. Oh and Star, I’ve Installed A Special Weapon For You *Shows Star the Machine Gun* This Will Shoot From Every Spell you’ll say, if you place your wand here *Points at the connector thats shapes like her wand*

Star: *Places Wand into the Connector and it was activated* Whoa *Looks at mars*

Mar: Well? Give It A Try *Press Red Button and A Stuffed Target Dummy came down*

Star: *Clears Throat as She Grabs the MG Handle to Get a Good Aim* Shooting Star Explosion! *The Machine Gun Shoots explosive shooting stars at the Dummy and its lit on fire* WHOA!!!

Mars: *Sucks Up Fire From His Hand For Energy* See? It Worked

Marco: What’s My Position?

Mars: For You Diaz? You’re gonna be My Guidance, and you’ll tell me what to get

Marco: So That Means, I’ll Be....

Mars: Yep, You’ll be on the passenger seat.

“Suddenly, a drunken robot comes to the trio along with his two friends and it was Bender Rodriguez, Phillip J Fry and Turanga Leela (Leela)”

Mars: *Sigh* Not This Guy Again

Bender: Well, Well, Mars Galax

Mars: Bender?

Bender: I’m Just Wanted to Tell You, Good Luck Losing Cause I’m Gonna Win This Race! *Hardly Laugh along with Fry and Leela and they’ve walked away*

Mars: YOU’LL GOING TO REGRET IT WHEN I WHEN AGAIN!!

Bender: *Far Distance* BITE MY SHINING METAL ASS!!!

Mars: *Groans and Giving Bender a Deadly Glare*

“Echo Creek Part 3 Coming Soon”

[tarotwitchy]

hi! i was wondering if i could get a free tarot reading? i just wanted a general love reading, if that's ok. thank you so much for your time! - MG

Positive Vibes, MG! 🔮💖

Seven of Wands and Ten of Pentacles - Something tells me that you have had a bad experience in past relationships... but have made it through, and you're actually comfortable in your current status. Whether you're in a relationship right now or not, you're quite at peace with yourself.

The Star - indicates that you have learnt the art of self-healing and preservation if called for. If anything goes wrong in your life, you know exactly how to set balance back into your life and to calm storming waters from within. I don't know you do it but you are able to sort of... compartmentalize your emotions, which is very valuable for oneself when in relationships.

Knight of Swords and Knight of Wands - I don't know your astrological sign... but whether you're in a relationship or not, your current or future partner is somewhat of an "equal". Equal in terms of drive, motivation, aggression, passion, zest, and ambition. Whoever they are, they're your match in a sense that your abilities and attributes in life are complimentary alongside them, and vice versa. I cannot confirm if this is truly a perfect romantic match. But this person is someone who's like a mirror. They can perfectly mirror your thoughts and emotions, and can read you like an open book. If you like that kind of partner, then I guess that's an ideal match for you! 😊

Seven of Pentacles and King of Swords - You have worked hard and come far in your life, as a whole. And your partner can see that. Remember to not invalidate your achievements for the sake of "false humility". People nowadays would discount their accomplishments just so they would appear humble and not to impose arrogance to people. Make sure that while you stay humble, you're also not stretching yourself thin on the expense of making your partner feel adequate.

Hope this really helps, and please don't hesitate to ask another follow-up question if need be. Feedback is appreciated as well 🔮💖

[bewitchedbunny]

Magical Girl Categories

I got bored, so I've decided to make some random post about Magical Girls, and its sub-categories, because I am a sucker for them and also because I want to school some ignorant people who believe that Sailor Moon was the first MG series ever created

Okay, the Magical Girl (or Mahou Shoujo) genre has its roots in Japan. Its first MG ever was Mahoutsukai Sally, created by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. Debuted in July 1966, the series was the first of the Majokko ("Little Witch") type, and inspired by the american sitcom entitled Bewitched, its japanese title being: Oku-sama wa Majo (TRANSLATION: "The Miss is a Witch"). Of course, after Sally, came lots of magical girls with lots of different formulas and plots, some of them similar, though...

⭐Majokko: Also known as "Little Witch", it uses the witchy formula, with broomsticks, wands, and such. It's rather simple, yet charming, in my opinion. Examples: Majokko Megu-chan and Mahoutsukai Chappy, both using the same formula as Sally's (a member of royalty from a magical world relocating to the mortal world), and both animated by Toei Animation.

⭐Magical Idol: Now, this one's about girls with magical alter-egos, where they are famous and popular (in most cases, these alter-egos are older than the girls). Examples: Creamy Mami, Magical Emi and Fancy Lala.

⭐Slice-of-Life: Another sub-category that's a simple one. It's about girls who are blessed with magical objects to help others and to make their lives more interesting and fun. Examples: Himitsu no Akko-chan and Pastel Yumi.

⭐Magical Warrior: This one is very popular. Thanks to Sailor Moon, which it was responsible for the revival of the MG genre, and opening doors to other stories such as the ever-growing PreCure franchise and Tokyo MewMew.

⭐Parody: Some of the MGs are parodies of the genre, showing us things out of the common plot. Examples: Puni Puni Poemi (absurd, comedy type) and Tonde Buurin (superheroine type, as an animal that no one would've think of: a pig).

⭐Phantom Thief: Think of the Gentleman Thief plot, but with a girl instead! Usually, their deeds are to help others and to solve mysteries, and obviously, it involves having a double life. Examples: Kamikaze Kaitou Jeanne and Kaitou Saint Tail.

⭐Superheroine: This one is about girls fighting crime. It's most present in the western-culture, but the difference is that they tend to be rather girlier. Examples: Cutey Honey, Codename wa Sailor V and Nanako SOS.

⭐Western/Non-japanese: The MG genre had its impact outside the land of the rising sun, and their plots may vary. Examples include (we have lots of them): Jem and the Holograms (Magical Idol), Lolirock (Magical Warrior), Star vs. The Forces of Evil (Magical Warrior), Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Little Witch/Slice-of-Life mash-up), MLP: Equestria Girls (I consider it Slice-of-Life, as it shows normal situations mixed up with ancient magic and mysteries) Miraculous Ladybug (Superheroine) and so many others.

⭐Magical Boys: We have lots of girls, but very few are boys. There aren't many stories where boys are magical AND are the protagonists though... Examples: Steven Universe and Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE!

⭐Male-oriented: Most of them are angsty stories, all created for the pleasure of seeing young ladies being punished for their dreams! Examples: Madoka Magica and Mahou Shoujo Rising Project.

⭐Adult/Hentai: Most of them are bad parodies, surrounding on the rape theme... I won't talk much about it, as it makes me rather uncomfortable... Examples: Sex Warrior Pudding (a Tokyo MewMew parody) and Venus 5 (a Sailor Moon parody).

⭐Sci-fi: This sub-category plays heavy on the science-fiction and it has no magic at all; but some people seem to consider it a part of the MG lore for some reason. Examples: ESPer Mami and Miracle Limit-chan.

⭐Misc.: Some of these stories have magical concept, but also play on other tropes, so it kinda makes me a little confused... Examples: Onegai! MyMelody, Jewelpet, RiluRilu Fairilu, Flip Flappers, Tokimeki Tonight and Marvelous Melmo.

This research of mine may have some mistakes (correct me if I'm wrong), but I believe it's enough.

I did not have included the references and parodies shown in non-MG shows, because I think they weren't relevant to the researches I made.

I think this post goes for show how much I love the Magical Girl plot, no matter clichéd or overrated it can be! And please: don't go around saying that every MG is a Sailor Moon ripoff...

One more thing:

⭐~Stay magical, be positive and keep the faith!~⭐

[dreenicorn]

🦄🌟MG WIP UPDATE 5🌟🦄 Character flats...DONE!!! YASS QUEEN! 🤣 LOL ALMOST finished with the background flats. "Oh yeah, it's all coming together" 🤗 Still need to draw out their magical wands/weapons add their magic. Magical creatures for Star, butterflies for Moon 😆 and still haven't figured out what to do for Ryuko. Any ideas? For @gallery_guild 's "Magical Girl Art Show" #illustration #artistsoninstagram #digitalart #WIP #wipvideo #processvideo #update #magicalgirls #fanart #sailormoonfanart #sailormoon #anime #art #killlakill #starvstheforcesofevil #killlakillfanart #starvstheforcesofevilfanart #usagitsukino #starbutterfly #ryukomatoi #magicalattheguild

[magicalgirlagency]

I did it!

I managed to make a Kirby-themed MG as promised! And here she is!

⭐❤Starry Soldier Kiki-chan~!❤⭐

Backstory:

A young lady with sparkling stars in her eyes and a bright and brave heart, Kiara Sakurai (or "Kiki" for short) is the Guardian of Sweet Dreams.

Kiara's civilian form is shy and reserved. She loves studying astronomy, has a strong sweet tooth, and is a huge fan of magical girl aesthetics and fluffy kawaii things.

However, she has a little issue: she has difficulties on making friends.

Her struggle comes from past trust issues; she has been constantly bullied for her appearance and labeled as "brutish looking", and most people said she couldn't be into soft and sweet things...

...she is now 19 years old, and she hasn't give up on wanting to be a magical girl. People tell her that her dreams are "childish", and she should give up on them in order to grow up. But she still dreams about it, all out of spite.

She has earned her powers while stargazing, during a meteor shower. She was hit by a tiny heart-shaped meteorite that dissolved into stardust particles the moment it touched her body. And that's how she came to be the Starry Soldier.

What seemed to be the dream of a lifetime for Kiki, is yet to become a hard challenge; after all, with great power come great responsibility!

Powers & Abilities:

Friendship Beads: Kiki has two bracelets with magical beads that allow her to befriend other creatures! Just take one bead out, throw it at someone, and there you have it!

Hearty Hover: Our heroine can float in the air with ease, and slow her fall.

Dreamy Baton: What's a Magical Girl without her own magical trinket? Kiki's main weapon is a twirling baton, with golden hearts on both ends! It also acts as a magical wand for summoning purposes.

Starlight Swing: With her Dreamy Baton, Kiki can create a magical circus swing! By summoning two Milky Way strings, our heroine can swing playfully to the other side.

Pink Lemonade Shockwave: Another spell cast with her baton. She summons a giant wave of pink lemonade to wash out certain obstacles and enemies.

Starry Spin: Kiki can shapeshift herself into a heart and spin rapidly in any direction she desires.

Heartful Pocket: Kiki's heart-shaped chest plate acts as a pocket dimension where she stores her Dreamy Baton, alongside other weapons from her copy abilities.

Star Skates: To travel everywhere in the universe, Kiki's transportation method is a pair of small stars on her shoes that can be summoned with her baton.

Personal Info:

Kiara "Kiki" Sakurai;

19 years old;

March 23th, 1996;

Japanese/Brazilian;

Pansexual/Gender-neutral (she/her and they/them pronouns are fine with her);

Autistic (her baton acts as a stim toy);

Dreams of becoming an astronaut;

Is mature, but at the same time childish (which sometimes can lead into a internal conflict);

Is very fond of PDA;

Loves soft and fluffy things;

Pink is her favourite color;

Her favourite sweet is anything strawberry-flavoured;

She hates spicy foods. She somewhat associates them with anxiety and chaos and can't handle them very well;

Cinnamon Roll, Too Pure For This World™

Fun Facts:

Her surname is a nod to Kirby's creator, Masahiro SAKURAI;

Her birthdate is actually the day Kirby's Adventure/Yume no Izumi no Monogatari was launched (March 23th, 1993);

Her Dreamy Baton is a reference to the Star Rod;

Kiki's color scheme is a nod to her sexuality if you squint hard enough (pink, blue, yellow; does that ring a bell?);

Her name, Kiara, means "light", "shinning". Pretty fitting to the star theme;

The premise of a Kirby-themed Magical Girl was to make something hella generic. Hearts, stars, ribbons, the cheesy yet meaningful Power of Friendship and Love trope; y'know, things that make a magical girl magical;

I might have or I might have not projected myself into her on the sexuality/gender and autistic bits...

Influences include:

And of course, Kirby.

I feel like drawing a Kirby-themed Magical Girl, just to celebrate Star Allies’ arrival.

‘Cause let’s be real here; fighting, befriending and saving the universe through the power of friendship and hearts it’s totally a magical girl thing!

[murasaki-murasame]

Lots of stuff’s been happening lately in Dragalia Lost lately, and I’ve also been trying to get into other gacha games on the side, so I suppose it’s time for another round of gacha game liveblogging, lol.

I ended up spending way too many resources on the second summer banner and the Valentines rerun, considering how little interest I had for the units in either of them aside from Summer Luca, but at least it all paid off with me getting some absurd luck on the current wind banner. I somehow managed to get all three of the new banner units in a single tenfold summon after raising my pity rate once, so that’s neat. I ended up pushing my luck and spending another tenfold voucher which got be absolutely nothing though, so I guess that was just the universe’s way of telling me not to get cocky. So now I’m just saving for the anniversary. I’m really tempted by Lin You being on rate-up at the moment since I really want her, but at this point I’ll just dream summon her for the anniversary so I’m just gonna skip this banner now that I have the new units on it.

I did manage to at least get Summer Luca, Summer Cleo, Pop-Star Siren, Valentines Orion, and Valentines Ezelith across the two previous banners, but in hindsight I really should have just quit after getting Luca. Oh well, lol. Funnily enough I ended up entirely skipping the dragon showcase [outside of free daily summons], since even though it was way better value than the Valentines rerun, I just have no real interest in pulling dupes of 5-star dragons I already have.

It also turned out I was totally right about us getting a Su Fang event rerun to start off September, so now I have my incredibly good wind dagger boi promoted to 5 stars with 45 mana nodes. The fact that I managed to get Vayu, and that we got a dagger skill damage wyrmprint, make me feel even better about investing in him. I’m also happy to get Peng Lai since he’s at least somewhat of an upgrade over Mercury who’s currently the only good water HP dragon I have.

Once the next MG treasure trove reward batch comes in, I’m probably gonna promote Noelle since she seems really good for Water MG. Which is good since my wind team is kinda lacking in terms of DPS, although the fact that I also have Victor now helps that a lot. I’m really curious to see if we get more support units like this that buff teammates of a certain element type. It’s a cool way to have support units that are really strong without being the absolute best unit to use for every single team.

I thought we were gonna get a Wu Kong banner here to go with the Su Fang rerun, but I at least ended up being right about it being a wind banner in general, and we got a 5-star wind blade and 4-star wind wand, which were the other unit types I was expecting to go with Wu Kong since they were some of the biggest gaps in the wind roster. At this point I can only assume that they might be planning a raid event or something where Wu Kong’s the welfare unit. But who even knows. Maybe they’ll do a banner for him at some random point down the road.

We’re also getting closer and closer to the anniversary, and we’re slowly starting to get news about what to expect from this month in general. I really wish we had more specific info about what the anniversary will bring so that I know what I’m saving for in the first place, but oh well. At the very least the gala’s always a good thing to save for, so that’s my fallback option if nothing between now and then interests me.

Thankfully we at least know now that we’re getting Chapter 10, HZD, and Void Nidhogg this month, so that’s neat. After how we didn’t get Void Nidhogg last week I thought we wouldn’t be getting HZD this month, but I guess this isn’t gonna be like HJP where we got the respective void battle before it came out. I did always think it’d make the most sense to release HZD for the anniversary to cap off the game’s first year, though, so this makes sense.

I’m really curious to see what Chapter 10 brings, with how much they’re hyping it up. Plus they dropped a not so subtle hint at the fact that they’re going to be ‘adding new summonable adventurers’ in the same timeframe as Chapter 10′s release. They typically don’t just randomly go ‘we’re gonna have another summon banner soon’ without giving some details about what it’ll be, so I think they’re intentionally keeping it a bit of a secret, but the timing makes it seem like it’ll be related to Chapter 10. And since they mentioned the chapter will involve the siblings coming into contact with each other, I guess it’ll probably be a banner with some of them on it. Which would [thankfully] be an easy skip for me since I’m not really interested in any of them as characters, and I’m not really in dire need to chase after new units just because they might be really powerful. Either way, if we get a banner like that next, I think the most likely candidates would probably be Chelle, Zethia, and maybe Emile or Valyx. They’re at least the ones that are more aligned with Euden so it’d make sense for them to be the first ones of the batch we can summon. Though I could see Zethia being the gala unit.

I wonder if they’d make a banner like that limited or not, especially when the anniversary events haven’t even kicked off yet. I feel like it’d end up just being massive bait if they make it limited, lol. But it also might be weird in it’s own way to make them regularly summonable units.

Since the anniversary is on the 27th, and that’ll probably be when the gala starts, I guess this might end up being the only banner between now and then, if it starts right after this banner ends and goes for about two weeks, but there might be another banner after it before the gala. I think it’d make sense if we get a banner associated with an upcoming anniversary event, which might not start until about a week or so after Chapter 10 comes out. They mentioned that there’ll be a pre-anniversary log-in bonus/limited endeavor campaign starting on the 19th, so I think that might be when the hypothetical ‘anniversary event’ starts, so I could see the next banner maybe running until then, with there also being a bit of a downtime week between the Su Fang rerun and the anniversary event. Though for all we know they might do a void endeavor week then and spend the entire second half of September on anniversary stuff. At least that way we’d get Void Nidhogg before HZD, which would be convenient. And it’d be better than getting no new events aside from Chapter 10 from between the current event ending and the anniversary stuff starting.

We’re also getting HZD on the same day that the pre-anniversary stuff starts, so that’s interesting. I don’t think we’d get any limited endeavors related to that, though, since I don’t think they’ve done that sorta thing with the previous high dragon trials.

I think the pre-anniversary campaign will be along the lines of the half-year anniversary one, and so we might get like 2k+ wyrmite from it, but I also have a feeling that we’ll get daily free tenfold summons. A week seems like a fitting length for that sort of thing to run for, and it seems like it’s a pretty common thing for gachas to do for their anniversaries. Who knows what else we might get. I think it’d be neat if they finally update the 5-star voucher pool and give us one for free, though. Something like a free dream summon is possible, but I think a free 5-star voucher would be more realistic.

It’s worth noting that they specifically laid out the fact that we’re getting astral raid battles for the entire month after the current raid event ends, which should mean that there won’t be any other raid events this month. So if we get some sort of special anniversary event, I think it’ll probably be the same type of event as the FEH one, since a facility event would be kinda . . . boring at this point. I also never actually played the FEH event even though I started playing during it, so it’d be fun to try out that whole gamemode for the first time.

My main bet for the anniversary event and it’s associated banner is that it’ll be either a collab event with something like Granblue Fantasy, or they might focus more on DL itself and have a banner with characters like Leif and Patia. Or we might finally get DAOKO as a unit. Who knows. I feel like a GBF collab of some sort is basically inevitable, but they might not do it for the anniversary. I think the only other collab event that’d make sense for the anniversary at this point would be Fire Emblem Three Houses, since we’ve already gotten one FE collab event. And Three Houses’ whole set-up works nicely with the idea of having a banner with three featured units on it.

One way or another I think we’ll get some sort of special limited banner to go along with the anniversary event, and on top of that we’d probably get a welfare unit like we did for the FEH event. Which would probably be the GBF/Three Houses protagonist if it’s a collab with one of those games, or it might be Leif if it’s a non-collab event.

I’m also hoping that we get a new story unit from Chapter 10, but that might be pushing it a bit. But if we do, I assume it’d probably be Leif, Zethia, or some sort of Euden alt.

Anyway, aside from all the DL stuff, I’ve also been trying over the last few weeks to get into some other gacha games. Not because I’m getting bored of DL or anything, but just because I feel like it. But it’s been a bit of a rocky experience, lol.

I’m probably going to eventually get into GBF, but I’m at least waiting until some sort of gala event since those seem to be the best times to start a new account. I’m a little put off by how grind-y it apparently is, but I don’t care too much about PVP competitiveness so it might be fine.

I was thinking about maybe checking out GrandChase, but that doesn’t work on my phone apparently, and DL’s taking up all the space on my tablet, so unless I wanna emulate it [which I don’t], I’m just gonna put that one off for the foreseeable future. But at this point there’s other options that interest me more.

I really like the sound of Another Eden, since it seems to basically just be a traditional JRPG that happens to have a gacha attached to it, and it seems to have very limited micro-transactions, but I’ve heard it’s getting a Switch port Eventually [tm] so I’m just gonna sit back and wait for that to come out. It does sound like my sorta thing, though.

But the first gacha game out of the whole list I tried to get into, and the one that ended up disappointing me the most, was Food Fantasy. Oh boy, that sure is a gacha game alright. It’s the sort of game that I WANT to love, since it has really great character designs, art, and music, but oh boy it definitely seems like an example of aggressively-monetized Chinese gacha games. Basically every single gameplay mechanic can be sped up and made more convenient with premium currency [which is pretty slow to grind out for F2P players], and it feels like basically everything is designed around the assumption that you’re pretty much a whale who’s always gonna have the premium currency to spend on stuff like event items and stamina refreshes.

Over the last few weeks I’ve been doing research into the game’s history and getting more and more put off by seeing how many events it has that basically boil down to ‘spend real-life money to get stuff’, which is probably my most hated type of event to have in a gacha game. But it seems to happen super often in this game. I think the final straw that’s gonna make me delete the game entirely is how a new summon banner event started where the only way to pull on it is to spend real-life money on event items from the store. Of which there’s ten bundles that are each worth about $10 USD. Which adds up pretty quickly, lol.

Then there’s the fact that the version of the game I’m playing had apparently already gone through most of the limited banner units I would have been interested in pulling for, and since we’re like 1-2 full years behind the Chinese server, I have a very good idea of what to expect for the distant future of the game, and basically none of it interests me, and it seems to actually get more and more aggressive with it’s monetized events as it goes on. So that sucks.

I know that there’s apparently a whole cultural divide going on here and that basically every Chinese-made gacha game is SUPER heavily P2W, but oh boy it sure is off-putting to try and play one if you’re not interested in spending money. Which is a shame since I think if the game had been made by, well, a completely different company with a completely different design philosophy, I could have really liked it. But alas.

Also the main gameplay loop related to the restaurant sim is neat in theory, but oh boy it sure is a whole bunch of tedious micro-management in practice where you’re expected to play the game at fairly specific time intervals to be properly efficient.

This is definitely the sorta situation where I only feel this negatively toward it because there’s parts of it that I really like, and it could have been really fun if it was just designed differently. If it was something I entirely disliked I’d just ignore it and not care, lol. But it always hurts a bit when it’s something that you think has potential, and which actually appeals to you in a lot of ways. But then it does everything in it’s power to drive you away.

I’d totally be all over an anime adaptation if they make one of it, though. The character designs and music would make it entirely worth it. And even though the story is incredibly barebones, apparently there’s gonna be some sort of complete revamp to it eventually so maybe that’ll make it interesting.

I can’t remember if I talked about this previously, but I also tried Crash Fever twice and ended up deleting it both times, and I don’t think I’m gonna try it a third time. The core gameplay is fun enough, but there’s like no real story to feel immersed in, and the game’s visual aesthetic is so garish and intense that it’s actually kinda painful to look at for more than like ten minutes at a time. I actually like the character designs, but most of them are so overdesigned that you can barely tell what the heck’s going on with them, and overall the game is just filled with bright flashing lights and screen transition effects. On paper it sounds appealing enough that the game’s aesthetic is ‘Alice in Wonderland-themed virtual space with lots of neon colours’, but in practice it’s just Too Much.

Then there’s a whole list of gacha games that I’m aware of but which either aren’t released in my region or aren’t available on any of my devices, like F/GO, Magia Record, etc. But none of them really interest me much so it’s not a big deal. There’s also Pokemon Masters which I think is globally available but isn’t available on any of my devices [which I’ve heard is more a matter of your devices’s technical specs than your region], but from what I’ve heard that’s not really a big loss. It sounds like a bit of a shallow cash-grab all around.

Oh and there’s also Fire Emblem Heroes but I’m not really interested in that since I can just get Three Houses once I get my Switch soon.

Thankfully I ended up finding King’s Raid, which I might actually stick with for now, which is a relief. It’ll be nice when I get an upgraded phone since my current one feels like it’s screen is a little too small to comfortably play it, and it’s kinda laggy, but it’s not unplayable or anything.

Mostly I just really like the character designs, and how F2P-friendly the hero collection system is, since the gacha mechanics are only for items, and you can just directly buy heroes with in-game currency you can slowly grind up, and you can slowly work at befriending and recruiting units from an inn. Which is a neat system for a game like this. I also like that basically all of the main NPCs in the story are all characters you can eventually obtain one way or another. I really wish more games like this did that, since they tend to have such cool designs that are wasted on characters you’ll never be able to play as.

I might be in the minority on this one, but I also really like gacha games like this and Dragalia Lost that use 3D character models in-game, although DL’s art-style in general is more bright and cartoonish, while King’s Raid is closer to something like a modern Tales game, in terms of being more realistic in terms of colour schemes and body proportions, but still anime-y all around. I like both of them for different reasons. Though I also really like how KR has lots of aesthetic customization options, with how you can buy accessories and costumes for your characters with in-game currency that you can mix and match [which also reminds me of modern Tales games, lol], and each unit gets an upgraded outfit as you ascend them.

Also it’s one of the relatively few gacha games I’ve seen that has a fairly even balance between attractive male and female character designs. Which is always appreciated.

Finally, I think I might also try out Epic Seven since I’ve heard good things about it, at least now that I’m way beyond my limit of patience with Food Fantasy and I’m probably gonna delete it soon once and for all. But I don’t know if I’d want to bother playing it in addition to King’s Raid, honestly. And tbh I’m a lot less interested in the character designs and animation style as a lot of people are. It’s fine, but it leans too much toward the bland mid-ground of anime-y character designs that don’t really stand out from the crowd, and also the animation style for the character sprites, which clearly well-made, feel kinda creepy and robotic to me. But that’s kinda just how I feel about Live2D sprites in general. I also don’t like how they look in games like Magia Record. But who knows, I might still end up playing it. It at least sounds like the sorta gacha game that’s continually growing and improving and changing itself, so that’s always a good thing.

Anyway the bottom line is that gacha games are a bottomless pit of hellfire that nobody should get into in the first place :)

[storytellersinkpot-blog]

Publication Interview with Rebecca Grabill: Halloween Good Night

Author and MFAC alum Rebecca Grabill talks about her novel, Halloween Good Night. Halloween Good Night, published July 25, is a counting book starring your favorite monsters. 

Gliding through the moonlight

come the monsters big and small,

sliding up your stairway

and oozing down your hall.

They aren’t very scary,

in fact they’re rather sweet.

So snuggle into bed and let them whisper,

“Trick or treat!”

Why do you write?

I won’t be the first to say this, but I write because I must. It’s not self-expression or fame (who cares what I have to say?), it’s not some deep idealistic zeal to change the world (I’m far too cynical to do more than hope). It’s compulsion, plain and simple. When I go too long—a couple days—without writing, I feel uneasy, then agitated, then depressed, until I write again, even if all I can manage between newborn feedings and dropping teens at events is a few lines of a lousy poem. I have to write. There’s no other option.

How did HALLOWEEN GOOD NIGHT get published?

This is actually a fun story (see what a great teaser that is? That’s why I get the big bucks. Umm…). Anyway, I wrote the first draft of HGN during my MFA at Hamline, during my semester with the venerable and amazing Phyllis Root (whom I adore). I remember reading it at a student reading and thinking, “Yes, finally I figured this picture book thing out!”

Sadly editors weren’t agreeing. After graduation I did everything to the story from changing it to a direct “copy” of Over in the Meadow (super super simple and made me want to weep with self-loathing), to attempting to rewrite it in a little monster preschool setting. That’s where I realized I didn’t want to write a monster-goes-to-preschool book (well, I might want to, but I didn’t want This book to become That book). So I stopped re-envisioning it and revised to make it as sparkly as I could, and then I waited. I was also expecting a baby (#5) around then, so I was well practiced at waiting.

In fall of 2014 when I was barely able to function because of newborn and life, my agent called to say she had interest. Apparently an editor she knew was looking for a Halloween book, and she said, “Oh, I have just the book!” and passed it on to the editor and the editor happened to LOVE my story.

A few days later, on Halloween day, while I was hiding in the car and nursing the baby while my big kids were in class, the official offer came in. I got off the phone with my agent and floated around the rest of the morning. Until the kiddos were done with class, and then real life returned with, “Mommy, I’m hungry,” and so forth.

When you start writing, do you know what the ending will be?

Generally, yes. The ending is often the first thing I know about a story. Or think I know, since everything is open to change as the story and characters develop. This is especially true with picture books since these stories are so palm-sized and visual. I sometimes have an “image” in mind of the end before I even have a beginning. I certainly did with HGN. I saw a child tucking all the “scary” Halloween monsters into bed, mastering fear, being the adult, and the story grew from there.

On the flip side, I have a fantasy series in the works, and the ending has been a struggle for as long as I’ve been writing it. It’s been dormant for a few years, but now that I contemplate returning, I know that blasted ending will still be there, ugly as it is. I haven’t figured out what to do about it—yet.

What’s your writing process?

Um, cry, eat chocolate, drink coffee (decaf, see the in-utero comment above), cry some more… Just kidding. Sort of. Because of the demands of life, I have to guard my writing time (afternoons while the littles nap, big kids do independent schoolwork/pretend to do schoolwork, i.e. binge watch inappropriate Netflix or YouTube), and I have to accept that a little progress each day is better than no progress at all.

Basically, when 2pm rolls around, I put on my noise cancelling headphones and let the rest of the world shriek. And I write. I don’t do warm up exercises (please, as if I have time for that!), I don’t freewrite and brainstorm and play with my little Garbage Pail Kids figurines (ok, not much), I pick up where I left off the day before, and I keep going. I stop only when nature calls, when I need to tell one of the kids, “Yes, fine, whatever, go eat a bowl of ice cream with marshmallows and popcorn and watch Walking Dead” (not really, really I’ll just grunt and wave them away and discover later what they were asking me), and I keep going until finally I realize if I don’t stop Right Now nobody will be eating dinner.

This of course will all be blown to h@ll in December when the baby comes, but it’s what I’ll work toward even then.

As far as process for individual books, it varies so incredibly for each project it would be useless to describe. Some are written in a bout of inspiration, others are written and re-written dozens and dozens of times over the course of years. And yes, I do mean years. My current project started as an essay around 2003. It’s now almost “done” (whatever that means) and has been rewritten from the ground up at least six times, and heavily revised and restructured twice that many. AND I’m not sick of it, which means something. Hopefully something good about the manuscript and not something disturbing about myself.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

I homeschool four of my five children and feed the youngest sixth child—in utero until December—copious amounts of chocolate and cucumbers, but not together because I may be pregnant but I do have standards. I also love to binge-watch Netflix in the evenings and read books about food and sustainable agriculture.

I spend an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen because of medically necessary food restrictions—some mine, some belonging to various children. And I spend an inordinate amount of time Googling bizarre medical (and other) questions, which I could say are research, but come on, let’s be real. Weirdness and the abnormal, medically and otherwise, fascinate me.

I have kept chickens, though after a recent raccoon massacre I’m taking a break, and I have a large, ill-kept garden of mostly tomato hornworms and herbs. I also do photography (mostly stock) when the whim strikes at a time when I also have time, which doesn’t happen often, sadly. Sort of like an eclipse.

What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Don’t try to copy another writer’s process. Seriously, I LOVE reading about how Stephen King writes, or Hemingway, or Anne Lamott. I love it because I think somewhere in their process will be this Golden Truth I’m missing in my own process. I think if I adopt their Magic, somehow my writing will go from slow-plodding-work to flying on clouds of bliss. Except then I get pissy because their process won’t work for my life. Like seriously, if Stephen King were a homeschooling mother of soon-to-be six, would he have time to write ten pages every single day? If Robert Olen Butler were a mother of ANYTHING would he be getting up at 5am to write from his dream state? So that’s to say, don’t look for the magic wand, golden ticket, mythical Dream State. It doesn’t exist. The only way writing gets done is by writing. Period.

Also, listen to feedback. Especially editors/agents, but even Uncle Sal knows a good book when he reads it (usually). Your readers know more than you think. Are they wrong sometimes? Sure. But if three of five readers are saying, “This really shouldn’t be in verse,” then try it in prose no matter how attached you may be to it the way it is. The worst that can happen is you spend some time making a change that doesn’t work. The best is that you end up with something amazing. Risk, try, and for heaven’s sake back up to Dropbox or the cloud or something. And consider Scrivener because it’s awesome, and no they don’t pay me to say that (but they should!).

What are you working on now? Any upcoming events or other info you’d like to add?

I’m finishing up a Middle Grade novel about “influence” and happy little topics like race and cruelty and beauty and friendship. Or I think I’m finishing it. I’ve “finished up” this novel before, so I hesitate to say anything for certain. Then I’ll turn my attention to maybe some picture books or an early MG about a hog, or that ending-less fantasy. Or maybe I’ll be so thoroughly pregnancy-brain-addled that I’ll decoupage everything in the house. It’ been known to happen. Or tie-dye all the diapers… Hmm, actually that does sound fun.

That’s writing stuff. Once publication happens, there’s a whole new to-do list. I have an author questionnaire to fill our for one book (with things like the names of all my local librarians, all the famous people I know, Costco’s buyer and home phone number [kidding, sort of]), and another book that will be hitting editorial soon, and I have an October full of book-release events for Halloween Good Night, plus social media/blog/etc. to keep up with.

Anything else?

Be sure to check out my website: www.rebeccagrabill.com! And if you’ve read and loved Halloween Good Night, I would love love love to see some nice reviews pop up on Amazon!