#miraculous awakening critical

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Miraculous Movie vs Show: Which did Romance Better?

Neither the movie nor the show is a solid piece of storytelling. They’re both riddled with flaws and with fun, cute moments. So, for my own entertainment, I decided to consider both and decide which one did the essentials better. First up: let's look at some core elements to decide which has the better romance?

Adrienette

While Adrinette is barely in the movie, it’s in it enough for us to compare the big moments: Marinette falling in love, their developing friendship, and Marinette asking Adrien out. That first item is an easy win for the show. While the umbrella scene and the library scene have similar pacing and emotional beats, the umbrella scene still wins hands down because it’s more than an act of basic human decency. Adrien is being kind to a person who wildly misjudged him, establishing a key element of his character and making us understand why he deserves a role beyond ‘pretty-boy crush’. It also elevates Marinette’s crush to something that feels true. Like she fell for him, not his looks or celebrity status.

The other two points are where things get tricky.

Because the movie didn’t drag the status quo out for 5 seasons, movie Adrienette has something that show Adrinette basically never did: a friendship. Movie Marinette talks to Adrien. She learns about his life. They hang out with their friends. She eventually works up the guts to ask him out! Her movie crush feels like more than a surface-level crush even though the scene that established the crush failed to give us that impression.

If movie Adrienette had more screen time, then it might actually have won this point, but its brief nature and the weakness of the setup make this one a win for the show. While the show has largely butchered Adrienette, the umbrella scene can’t be overlooked when comparing the core elements (setup, development, ending). It’s the scene that made me actually start shipping the square because, prior to that, Marinette’s crush felt like nothing special and you did wonder why Adrien won over Chat Noir. Without the umbrella scene or something similar, the movie makes that question stick around: story wise, why is Adrien winning here? He feels like a pretty generic crush.

Ladynoir

If we look at the same three elements (setup, development, ending), then show Ladynoir and movie Ladynoir don’t have all that much to differentiate them. Similar meeting, similar moment where Chat Noir falls in love, similar team bonding, similar romantic confession moment where Ladybug shoots him down for Adrien. The big thing that sets the movie apart and the reason why I’m giving it the point is the fact that the movie focuses on Ladynoir being partners. 

While the “better together” element is not well executed in terms of explaining what the heck it even means, it’s there and that’s something that the show has completely failed to give us. Outside of the yin-yang symbol and the fact that Creation and Destruction are clearly a pair, there’s nothing in the show to explain why Chat Noir needs to be there. In fact, one might even question why Fu handed out the ladybug and the black cat when those are the miraculouses that the villain wants and only the ladybug seems necessary to fix things. In the movie, that question is answered right from the start and that makes it the clear winner.

Identity Reveal

The show has had three of these, the movie had one. Since two of the show’s reveals lead to the end of the world and the third involved them not even knowing that it was an identity reveal, I feel like I have to give this to the movie. It’s the only one that’s fully satisfying for the audience.

If I was just comparing the movie and Oblivio, then I’d have a harder time calling it because I love Oblivio, but Ephemeral and Chat Blanc are such slaps in the face to ‘the power of love always so strong’ that the movie has to get the point.

Getting Together

This is tied to the identity reveal in the movie, but not in the show. In the show, we have the Chat Blanc moment, the Ephemeral moment, Oblivio, and Kwami’s Choice. Because I judged the first three of those in the previous section and because they got reset, I’ll be nice and compare the movie to Kwami’s Choice, which does deserve some praise.

While the overall message of that special was idiotic, the moment where Adrien figured out a way to get around Marinette’s talking issues was adorable. It’s the sort of stuff that I love to write for them. The movie didn’t give us that. The dance in the snow is adorable, Adrien crying makes you want to hug him, but it is a rather generic moment that could have happened between many couples. The hand thing? That's unique to their characters. It shows Marinette’s issues and Adrien’s kindness beautifully, so I’ll give this one to the show.

Romantic Tension

I needed a deciding item and this is the one that I’m going with! It’s something that the movie did well while the show doesn’t really have it, which is a big flaw for something that decided to randomly reverse the crushes. You see, if movie Ladybug suddenly fell for Chat Noir, then I’d buy it. When show Ladybug did it? It was blatantly obvious that it was just filler to add tension. I also didn't buy Adrien's flip, but let's not get into that!

As the story moves along, movie Ladybug is shown to care deeply for her partner through their developing (if confusing) "better together" message. Their song scene is adorable and romantic and it feels genuine. Show Ladynoir could never pull something like that off because Ladybug has always kept Chat Noir at arm's length due to the need to preserve the status quo so that a 2-season story could be drawn out to 6+ seasons.

There's a thin line between romance and friendship. Walking that line makes for a good story. The movie walks the line. The show runs away from it screaming because you can only walk a line for so long. Eventually, you have to pick a side. The story has to end. Draw out the tension too long, insert too much drama, and your audience will start to view your end-game couple as deeply unhealthy because you've done so much to keep them apart that the viewer has started to wonder if getting them together is actually the right call.

Final Thoughts

While the movie is far from perfect, its romance is going to feel far more genuine for established fans who wanted a well-paced romance for the love square. The show has done too much to drag things out and preserve the status quo, turning an adorable love story into an angst-fueled disaster.

As someone who loves seeing tragedy bring couples together, that’s a massive disappointment, so it’s nice to have the moments from the movie even if the movie didn’t do the work to earn the moments. And it didn't. It really didn't.

If you’re not already a Miraculous fan, then I would not recommend the movie as I don’t think that the romance (or really any element) will feel satisfying. While the show is flawed, it gives fans the setup they need so that they can watch the movie and insert the missing pieces that were needed to make the story work. Without the show, the movie falls apart because nothing is properly set up. And, yes, my Ladrien loving heart is sad that we didn't see any hero/civilian moments, but I'm not holding that against it. Movies are short and need to focus on the core elements of a story. Ladynoir and Adrinette are the core of the romance and the movie did both of them decently well.

What do you think? I may do more of these show vs movie things if people found this one interesting.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Sadly, I agree. I went into this looking for a different take on Origins and that's about it. Instead, I got the highlight reel for an AU without any of the meat that would make it its own thing.

The movie essentially relies on you knowing the show. It doesn't introduce the characters or the relationships or even the lore like you would in a normal movie. It just assumes that you already know all of that stuff. Take away the show and the movie falls apart, but the movie's different enough that you can't rely on the show. It needed to stand on its own two feet and develop this new world. Instead, it wasted time on largely mediocre songs that rarely felt needed.

This is a common issue with musicals that try to tell a complex story. They might have killer songs (ex: Greatest Showman), but when you actually look at the plot, it's nonsense. The best musicals are simple (ex: anything with fairy-tales) because the songs kill your run time.

There are several cute moments, but on the whole, I was not a fan. This would have been greatly improved by cutting most or all of the songs OR by having it be an origin story and saving this movie's ending for the sequel.

Highlights:

Elements of the Ladynoir banter

The Ladynoir song

Plagg & Tikki picking their Chosen

The idea of the ending, even if it wasn't earned here

Chloè being a more normal mean-girl bully without the insane power that she's granted in the show

Chat Noir's solo love song/singing voice

Gabriel being a good parent before the loss of Emilie. That's a personal headcanon that I always have and always will cling to as it makes his character far more interesting.

The power of love actually doing something positive for the good guys

The Ladybug and the Black Cat being treated as pair in terms of powers, even if the execution of that idea was odd

Lowlights:

No miraculous cure until the very end? We saw a lot of damage in those first two fights!

Whatever the heck they did with Plagg, especially when it came to his relationship with Adrien. Who approved the fart jokes? I know those are common in kids media, but they've never been a thing in Miraculous.

Adrienette being wildly underdeveloped

Tom following Marinette around/being a little too pushy, though I did like some of the dorky dad moments.

Chat Noir/Adrien being a bit of a jerk and never getting to show the kindness that defines him when he's being written well. Even the supposed Adrienette crush scene in the library is just basic human decency instead of him actually being kind.

Marinette's clumsiness. This is such a cliched way of giving a heroine a "flaw" without actually giving her a flaw, but at least the show uses it for humor and little else. The movie took it too far, making it feel like she needs medical intervention or something. She's not just mildly clumsy, she can't even walk to school!

Marinette's lack of friends. This is kind of a thing in origins, but it's one of the flaws in that episode, imo. It's common for heroines to have no friends at the start of a magical girl series, but that's because most magical girl series have a "let's make friend/learn about friendship" element. Miraculous doesn't, so there's no reason to give Marinette this issue. This is exacerbated by Adrien's setup, which screams "has no friends and needs to learn about friendship". Why Marinette was also given this issue is beyond me. The no friend thing makes even less sense in the movie because the movie focuses on friendship even less than the show does! You could cut Alya and Nino and lose nothing.

A severe lack of identity shenanigans. This is Ladynoir's movie, not a love square movie. I do love Ladynoir, but a big part of the fun is the identity-related hi-jinks that you get from the other three sides. You could cut the square concept entirely and have this movie play the exact same way.

The butterfly is just the evil miraculous now, which disappoints me as someone who has put a lot of time into lore fixing.

Meh-Lights:

Adrien not being isolated. I really like this setup for him, but the show never explained it, so it's a bit of a mixed bag that leaves you scratching your head and wondering if you're supposed to view the Agreste's as terrible parents. Getting rid of this does remove that issue, but it also massively changes Adrien's character. He's no longer trapped in his home and new to the world. He's just... some guy. Chat Noir is no longer a way for him to be free. Like, is he even a model in this? I don't remember it ever being mentioned.

The Emilie teaser at the end, which was just confusing and made the ending make no sense. Does Gabriel not know about this? Is Nathalie the one who hid Emilie away? I don't think so, but that is kind of how it comes across.

No akuma multiplication when you don't purify them. I've never liked that concept as it makes no sense lore-wise, but getting rid of it and still doing the purification was odd. Especially since there are no longer akumatized objects, which begs the question of how akuma are truly defeated.

Chat Noir uses cataclysm all of once and Ladybug never uses lucky charm. That not a major disappointment, it was just weird. Same goes for the yo-yo letting her fly.

Marinette's fashion design getting more love was fun, but ate screen time that should have gone to other things since she doesn't actually design anything in the movie.

Changing how Gabriel gets the miraculous. The show never explains how Gabriel knew about the miraculous in the first place, so having it be something that he seeks out after Emilie is gone makes so much more sense than random treasure hunting because they're too rich to consider adoption or surrogacy. Only magical slave children will do. At the same time, this changes everything about Fu and the Guardians, which was a weak point of the show in many ways, but it's still a core element of the narrative. Changing it without explaining the new lore leave me with a lot of questions, but so does the show, so meh.

In summary, I enjoyed a lot of the moments in this movie, but on the whole it's a dud. It tried to do and change far too much given its runtime and status as a musical. I'll probably re-listen to some of the songs, but it wasn't the fun alternative to canon that I was hoping that it would be.

Last night I sat down with my 15 year old niece (also a ML fan) and finally watched the movie.

Friends, it's not good.

The Good:

The animation is really pretty

The background djwifi is cute

The akumatized villains are really cool

"Watermelon!" 😂

The Bad:

I hated Adrien. We don't see any of his series kindness and he's kind of a jerk actually??? And I really didn't appreciate his pity party after Ladybug's rejection or his making everything about that when PARIS IS LITERALLY ON FIRE. Also he was pretty callous in the way he rejected Marinette.

I could see the ladynoir angle at least but it wasn't clear at all why Marinette even liked Adrien. I didn't ship the square in this at all though.

The singing. I don't understand why they made it a musical, but it wasn't a good choice. And using different VAs for singing can work but for Marinette it was jarring. We go from soft English speaking voice to deep French-accented singing voice and just no.

The whole plot line just felt really underdeveloped??? Like what even happened with Gabriel after his reveal at the end??

The ???:

So we're just making the butterfly the evil miraculous, eh?

Fu was just...weird

I think I need to go rewatch Origins as a palette cleanser.

Have you watched the movie? What did you think?

[bubsgirl291]

Miraculous Awakening and Lore Rekindled are single-handedly reforming and reviving my love for the first two franchises with pink-coded female leads that I’ve ever loved, and I’m so happy about it

[xhanisai]

You can talk about how much you enjoyed the film without bashing the show and you can talk about how much you love the show without bashing the films.

Of course, everyone has the right to voice their opinions and express that they disliked this or that.

But you look hella stupid when you're making ignorant takes and saying stuff like "omg astruc's writing is so shit lollllll love the film" or "the film gives us what WE want unlike the show lollll"

Both are different with their own sets of restrictions and budgets and having different creative teams and direction. The show is still ongoing and has not finished whilst the film can only rely on becoming a hit so that they can continue and flesh out the story in sequels.

[tizzymcwizzy]

so i finally watched the ml movie in a language i understand with good visual and audio quality. its still bad.

i may write an essay.

[ninadove]

Wait for me, Father. I’ll be there soon.

— Zagreus (Hades) and Melinoë (Hades II)

[sapphic-agent]

Let's Talk About Miraculous: Awakening

This isn't going to be a long or thorough analysis/review of the new movie, just some things I really enjoyed about the characters and some other things as opposed to the show. It's going to mostly focus on the positives of the movie so if you didn't like it, this might not be the post for you.

Note: I'm not hating on the show in any way. I like the show. Could things be better in it? Yeah, but I still enjoy watching it. No hate to the show, Thomas, or any of the crew. Light criticism if anything.

SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE

Marinette

The movie didn't change much about her, but as some have said it's nice that her being clumsy doesn't revolve around Adrien. Technically in Origins she was a little bit of a klutz before meeting him, but it was never on the scale it was around him throughout the show. It's nice that it's just something she's known for and it feels a lot more well-balanced with her character. She genuinely feels like a normal teenager who just happens to be clumsy around her crush, instead of being clumsy because of her crush.

Her having a literal reputation for being clumsy was also funny. I don't know, I just liked it.

I also like that her lack of confidence was more internalized. When she was walking through the halls and "hearing" what people thought of her, it felt like a genuine anxiety attack. It's not super complex, but it's enough that you know the intention behind it. And you really feel bad for the kid because you know how she feels without her having to outright say it and it's a feeling anyone can relate to.

It's also nice that we get to watch how being Ladybug builds her confidence. In the show, Ladybug is a literal mask that she wears because she feels like she has to be self-assured and strong and resilient. It's daunting and it takes a lot out of her mentally and emotionally. In the movie, being Ladybug actually helps her a lot, kind of similar to how being Cat Noir helps Adrien be all the things that his father would never let him be. Instead of being required to be those things, it just comes to her naturally the more she grows into being a hero.

(This isn't necessarily better than the show, I just liked how it was done)

Adrien

There's been some controversy around how Adrien was written in the show. But for me, he felt a lot more real.

I know that Adrien in the show is touch-starved, mentally abused, and isolated. I know that that's why he can be oblivious and somewhat of a pushover and struggles with emotional maturity. I understand all of that and I'm sympathetic to how they're conveying that (or trying to depending on how you look at it) in the show.

But I'm not going to lie and say that I didn't fucking cheer when he called Gabriel out in the movie.

Adrien in the movie almost feels like a mixture of show Adrien and original Felix. Closed off and averse to forming emotional bonds but genuinely kind and still wanting to form those bonds even if he is hesitant. And honestly? I dig it. I like that he's capable of uglier emotions like anger outside of being Cat Noir. It's great that Cat Noir is an outlet for those feelings in the show, but it feels realistic that it bleeds into his life as Adrien.

(Similarly to what I mentioned above with Ladybug and Marinette, it feels like being Cat Noir helps Adrien do this. It's really nice to see and I'll talk about it more later)

A lot of people complained that these qualities are OOC for Adrien. And I won't say they're wrong, but remember that in the show it's only been a year since Emilie disappeared. In the movie, Adrien lost her when he was a lot younger. So it makes sense that over time and with his father pulling away, he closes himself off. I think that this difference is more important than people realize.

Gabriel

Probably the most improved character in the movie.

As time progressed in the show, Gabriel became less and less sympathetic. And this probably happened around the time he began to place Adrien's wellbeing under his goals. He shifted from being overprotective, controlling, and distant to completely and unequivocally abusive. At some points he doesn't feel like a real person anymore, just purely power-hungry, obsessive, and cruel.

Movie Gabriel completely rectified that. Don't get me wrong, he still shares some of those qualities with his counterpart. But we see the toll being Hawkmoth has on his wellbeing. We see the regret he has when he pushes Adrien away or upsets him. We see how his grief over losing Emilie really affected him to the point where he can't even function. Everything here makes him feel so much more sympathetic, but it doesn't act as an excuse. He's still the villain and he still has to face consequences to his actions.

It's also really nice that the minute he saw that Cat Noir was Adrien, he stopped immediately. There was no manipulating him or taking advantage of him. He never even mentioned Emilie in a bid to get Adrien on his side like in Cat Blanc. He was just torn with regret over hurting his son in any way. Because bringing Emilie back was supposed to be just as much for Adrien as it was for himself, but that means nothing if he hurts Adrien to do it. It's a line he refused to cross.

Chloe

I enjoyed movie Chloe a lot. Instead of being whiny and bratty and always running to Daddy like in the show, she's a lot more mature and angrier, but doesn't want to be seen being terrible (possibly protecting her father's status as mayor instead of abusing it). She also doesn't specifically target Marinette until she does something to offend her (which is still a massive overreaction, but it makes more sense than her targeting Marinette for an "unsavory" reason which I won't say here because I don't want to get attacked by her stans). This sets up a Chloe redemption way better than the show ever did in my honest opinion (again, this is no hate to the show because I'm pretty sure the intention was never to redeem Chloe).

Like with Gabriel, she feels like a real person instead of just taking one of her attributes and then making it her entire personality.

Tikki

Hilarious. I don't have much else to say except that it was entertaining as hell to see her so chaotic, while still keeping her supportive and uplifting. That little scene with Marinette throwing the box only to get it tossed right back into her head was so freaking funny.

(The only downside to Tikki is that they didn't do the same with Plagg. The fart jokes were pretty juvenile. Nooroo, on the other hand, has seen some shit)

Master Fu

I'm loving that he comes across as a crazy old man, it's realistic and makes for some entertaining moments. I also liked his role as the narrator. He isn't as involved in the story, but he's still important.

LadyNoir Relationship

Perfect. The play fighting was so cute and the moment Cat Noir fell for Ladybug seemed so genuine and sweet.

Like I said above, being Ladybug and Cat Noir seems to help Marinette and Adrien cope in their normal lives. But it's also their relationship with each other that helps them do this. Being around Cat Noir helps Marinette let loose and build her confidence around others. Being around Ladybug helps Adrien express his feelings and drop his walls.

The movie stresses that their powers are stronger when they used them together (which was a great addition), but I think that also extends to every other aspect of their lives. They build off of one another and improve. It really drives home that they're partners who need one another.

Also, it's so reminiscent of early LadyNoir that I actually started to feel nostalgic. They've always been my favorite part of the Love Square because they always had the most chemistry. I'm so glad that the movie focused on developing them the most.

The Magic

The powers seem so... raw? I don't know how to explain it. But I like that the Cataclysm was so inky and gross. And the Lucky Charm was so restorative and healing in comparison. It really drives home how opposite they are and why they balance one another out.

I think the limits of the Miraculous' magic are really tested in the movie. They're a lot less structured and seem more versatile. They're definitely stronger which makes sense because the Kwamis are essentially gods. Even if the Miraculous holders' abilities are toned down, they should still be extremely powerful.

Overall

I loved the movie. Some things were better than the show, others not so much but it was a lovely homage to fans who have been around since the beginning. I would love to see a fanfiction series based off of what the movie set up, that would be really fun to read.

I'm going to watch the movie again so I might add some things to this post, but all-in-all, I think that everything I've mentioned above conveyed my feelings about the movie.

[cardiac-agreste]

Did you think I was done criticizing the movie? Think again!

The movie starts with Marinette's "I want" song, which heavily relies on imagery suggesting what she really wants is to be brave enough to pursue her dreams of being a designer. Everything about the intro's visuals is her designing things. Artful steps that lead her into the sky, passers-by who get nice new clothes, etc.

So she gets brave as LB and then pursues her dreams, right?

No. She just gets to kiss the boy.

Did she design her dress? Who knows; she never says she did, and I don't recall anyone even remarking on her dress being noteworthy (maybe Nino generically complimented her on her looks?).

Are we sure the movie wasn't just POV: Manic Pixie Dream Girl? BC it does seem like Marinette in the end was little more than Adrien getting the girl he wanted in spite of his behavior.

[t4tadrienette]

I actually don't like how they changed the story of how the characters met and how they became superheroes, I'll take the umbrella scene over whatever happened in there, I guess Ladynoir is the only one who stayed similar, but I didn't really like their interaction at the start, Marinette finally accepting being Ladybug to save Alya is better to me rather than whatever that was

[sylvanfreckles]

All right! Whumptober is all planned out, so I'm gonna make a little list so you know what to look forward to.

(I like spoilers, so I'm gonna give them out! A little...)

I'm doing about 1/3 multi-chapter stories and 2/3 one-shots. Some of the multi-chapter (two or three chapters, nothing bigger) are spread out over the month, but some of them are set up for consecutive days.

Miraculous Ladybug: Two one-shots and one three-chapter doozy (had to restrain myself...you know how a new hyperfixation gets you!)

Ace Attorney: Two one-shots

The Owl House: Three one-shots (which all fit in the Mama Noceda series from Febuwhump 2023)

Critical Role: One each for campaign one/Legend of Vox Machina and campaign two, two for campaign three

Buddy Daddes: One itty-bitty one-shot if you'll let me indulge myself

One Piece: Technically a one-shot, but it's also technically the long-awaited third chapter to "Can't Make an Omelet..." from Whumptober 2022

Jujutsu Kaisen: You know it, you love it, I won't shut up about it, and it's getting a one-shot

Fire Emblem Awakening: Three-chapter story spread out across the month

Fire Emblem Engage: Two one-shots and one three-chapter story, posting every other day toward the end of the month. It's The Boar and the Hare, the next installment in "A Conspiracy in Stone"

And finally, the fandom that started it all...Supernatural: A one-shot and two-chapter story (posting consecutively) for The Flare 'Verse, an alternate finale (because we don't have enough of those yet. I'm serious), and a two-part crossover with Tears of the Kingdom. Shhhh, it'll make sense when we get there. On the 27th. Trust me. (I'm honestly looking forward to this one, I have some stuff drafted already and I love it so much)

That's all 31! See you on October 1st!

(One more secret preview. The Flare 'Verse one-shot is a prequel and it's devastating. It hurts to write. It's gonna be amazing.)

[mokkamicci]

My initial reaction after watching the movie was I liked it, it was enjoyable, but I still preferred the show. Then I saw fandom's response to the movie, specifically those who were favoured the show more and they made some valid points. I felt like their responses sounded way more rational and their arguments were actually backed up by evidence. Meanwhile, those who were practically drooling over the movie had the responses of it being better than the show but barely delving into why the movie was better. Like they couldn't actually come up with any points held up by examples to express what parts of the movie were actually written better than the show. To me, both the show and the movie each have their fair share of criticisms and good things about them. I thought it was as simple as that "holy shit, two cakes!" thing, but now finding out that the movie stans were the ones who started harassing the show stans first, as opposed to both sides fighting at the same time, I'm seriously not surprised this happened. most likely those movie stans are ex-fans of the show who stopped watching around s2-s3 and hate Astruc's guts and are hardcore fans of Zag instead. Meanwhile the show stans are a lot more open-minded and appreciate the movie for what it did differently to the show and understand that obviously the movie was quite literally Zag's version of the Miraculous universe. Anyone with two eyes can see that the show and the movie are not the same. If anything you could consider that Zag's version is an alternate universe version of Miraculous. It's like what Spiderman No Way Home did to appease all the people who grew up watching Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield as Spiderman including Marvel fans who are used to seeing Tom Holland as Spiderman. All of them are wholeheartedly Spiderman, but just different incarnations of the same superhero. It doesn't mean that one is better than the other.

i was thinking about not saying anything because really i just want peace amongst the lands but as a person who likes torturing herself on bad social media sites i wanna say the situation with the 'movie is better vs show is better' thing isn't as simple as two camps sprouting simultaneously.

if anything, after the movie was premiered in theatres and leaked there was this camp who saw it that very loudly and harshly spread this whole hate campaign on the show, straight up worshipped the movie like it was the best thing since sliced bread, just started hating on the show like they were antis. in all honesty some people talked like they were being PAID. because 'movie is way better than the shitty show!!' was all i could see on twitter for over a month and i didn't watch it so i was like um maybe it really is groundbreaking?

but then the movie officially released and all of a sudden i saw a lot more 'tbh i didn't think it was that great' takes pop up in replies and comments and posts. it was evening out and then i started to see 'just let people enjoy the movie!! stop bullying us for preferring it over the show!' tweets and 'theres two cakes!! can't we just eat!!' type posts. and i genuinely think most people (on tumblr) want to keep the peace and aren't trying to cause harm. but it puts a slightly bitter taste in my mouth because people were straight up harassing thomas astruc over how the movie did everything so good and his show version was so awful lousy and cringefail. and regardless of how he responded or what your opinion is of him ifl people went too far in their 'support' of the movie at the expense of the show. and having this context and knowing how awful people have been could be sort of... eye-opening? i guess?

because its one thing for two camps to suddenly start fighting. its another when one side was poking the bear for no reason whatsoever for AGES only to start victimizing themselves when the opposite happened (and never usually to the same extent)

[leviaana]

Miraculous Movie Review (Rating: 4/10)

I watched the preview of the Awakening movie yesterday and really want to share my honest review. There’s going to be several things that I’ll criticize. So be warned!

Also: Spoilers!! DON’T read it if you haven’t seen it yet. This is my personal opinion. So please stay excited for it!! 🐞🪄

First of all, my overall rating for this movie is a 4/10. Just yesterday I was ready to give it a 5/10, but quickly noticed it had much more things that upset me than I initially realized when walking out of the movie.

I know it’s a pretty low rating coming from such a huge fan like myself, but that’s probably the main issue. I’m a big fan of the show, so changes in lore and characterization will be more apparent to me. For better or for worse, in this case, mostly for worse.

On the first glimpse the movie seems like a retelling - a soft reboot, if you will - of show’s origin story. The plot goes much further than that however, as it also provides a conclusion in form of a final battle with Hawkmoth as well as an identity reveal of our two main heroes.

In order to ensure the entire premise fits into a 90 minute movie, a lot of things regarding the shows lore were simplified. I say that as a neutral statement seeing as a simplification can be either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your opinion of the source material.

Personally, it left me rather unsatisfied but I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s start with the good things!

One of the things I really enjoyed was the animation! Seeing miraculous with such a high production value certainly felt like a cool summer breeze. While I do prefer the original character models style wise, it was still just nice to see them in this cutesie pretty style! The locals were gagging!

Ladybug and Cat Noir were especially gorgeous!

I also really enjoyed the singing. I watched the German dub and it was very neat!

Sad to say that was pretty much how long my enjoyment lasted. Everything apart from what I’ve mentioned above was… interestingly handled… to say the least. Let me elaborate.

1. The dialogue was awful!

Truly not the biggest fan of musicals but I couldn’t wait for them to start singing just in order for them to STOP TALKING 😩!

The dialogue was so awkward and stiff. All of the characters were interacting very weirdly with each other. At times it would sound like several lines of dialogue were cut from the final version, as the characters barely acknowledged each other verbally. They didn’t talk with each other, but past each other.

Moreover, every second phrase was a very cheesy one liner. “Believe in yourself.”, “Listen to your heart.”, “stronger together”. Super overdone.

The movie wanted to be inspirational so bad, it forgot to be genuine.

Some examples that I recall from memory:

“Mom, I don’t have any friends and I’m scared to go I school.”

“Just believe in yourself, Marinette.”

“Okay, thanks.”

Or.

“Tikki, I’m in love with Adrien.”

“Listen to your heart, Marinette.”

“My heart……Adrien.”

2. How did they manage to make Ladynoir banter … weird and uncomfortable to watch?

Don’t let these pretty movie shots fool you because Movie!ladynoir spent their time in a constant roasting competition that they were somehow both losing!

Not once did they manage to establish that flirty and charming atmosphere around them. No, they were draaaagging each other through filth. And maybe it could have been somewhat fun, god knows I love couples that can roast each other. If only the dialogue was better and didn’t reek of “we have no idea how young people interact”.

In a desperate attempt to make jokes, they let Chat call LB a sidekick or watermelon in every. single. scene. To say that it got annoying when the jokes didn’t land the first 10 times they were made is an understatement. No Milady, no Bugginette, no little wink or a kiss on the hand. Only watermelon and sidekick. Them talking in weird cut off phrases. With careless whisper playing in the background.

Don’t get me wrong, there are some beautiful moments. But their beauty can only ever do so much when met with weird pacing, dialogue and characterization. I’ll talk about that last part in a minute.

3. Everything was so on-the-nose.

The characters would constantly say how they feel and what they think aloud. Jeremy didn’t trust us with even an ounce of media literacy. Classic case of always telling, never showing. Not to mention the constant inspirational quoting in a desperate attempt to convey some deep message. Is this a movie script or my moms facebook page? I guess we‘ll never know.

4. Characterization: Marinette

Having Marinette be somewhat scatterbrained but overall still respected by her peers is not inspirational enough! Make her your average teenage outcast and a total loser. Dad, you’re embarrassing me in front of the cool kids!

If you enjoy that kind of characterization that’s okay! Personally, I thought it was very cliche. It just.. didn’t do anything for her as a character. Having her start off at a much „lower” point in life, with almost no support system, only makes her coming of age journey to eventually become a self accepting confident heroine take longer. Seeing as the movie is only 90 minutes, the moment we see her “shine” is when it’s all almost over.

5. Ladybug …?

Did I mention Ladybug doesn’t use her lucky charm? Not. once. No crazy plans to show that she’s smart and creative. Just a pretty girl swinging around.

6. Adrien

I have a bit more to criticize about the characterization of Movie!Adrien.

The longer I think about it, the more it becomes apparent that they really didn’t know how to write Adrien. His personality appears inconsistent, almost like they were trying to fit him in too many roles at once. He is either extremely closed off and mysterious (even towards his friends), a comic relief character, bathing in self pity or just outright cocky. Those hoping to see his politeness and selflessness will be disappointed. This character only is ever shown to be self centered. A perfect example is how he *didn’t do anything* to be called worthy of the Black Cat Miraculous. He was just one of the „chosen ones“. When the Adrien from the series sacrificed his own freedom to help Master Fu.

Another example is how this Adrien doesn’t really see anything in Marinette. He called her strange in their first interaction and never really lost a single thought on her throughout the rest of the series. No common praises, no support, just awkwardness and not the wholesome kind. In fact, I would argue Marinette and Adrien aren’t even friends in the movie, the only interaction to suggest otherwise was slammed as a 5 second scene in a 2 minute montage.

Even if you were to suggest their bond was formed off screen. We don’t really see it ever take root. He even turned down her gift and invitation to go to the ball with her. Yes, you guessed correctly. It was because he was busy bathing in self pity over being rejected by Ladybug. Yikes.

To sum it up, this Adrien really doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Ever. They massacred my boy.

7. Chat Noir

His charming smugness as Chat Noir crossed the fine line that turned to arrogance.

Considering how Adrien was characterized, that comes as no surprise.

As mentioned in my criticism towards the dialogue and the Ladynoir dynamic, this Cat is often seen discrediting LB with unfunny jokes. The moment you see him actually appreciate Ladybug, open up to her and Woo her, it’s all overshadowed by his entitlement to her affection.

Some may argue that we see traces of such attitude in the show as well. However, in a series, Chat Noir has many redeeming qualities as well as time to grow, change and move past these flaws. And boy, move past these flaws he did. In the movie, it’s all you get. Take it or leave it.

In one scene, he even lets her think he was hurt by an Akuma in order to catch her worrying about him. It was just a short scene and most people would look past it, but I think it’s these small details that really show how these movie characters tick in comparison to the series.

8. Akumas/Hawkmoth

Just a small detail that kind of ended up taking away the enjoyment of all action scenes is how the Akumas in the movie do not have a motive. There’s just some random people that you don’t care about before their akumatization and that you won’t care about after.

Hawkmoth doesn’t make a deal with them, ask for ladybug and chat noirs miraculous in exchange for his powers, none of that.

He just makes them evil and they do evil things for shits and giggles. The movies premise doesn’t even suggest he needs the miraculous. He just needs to get close enough to Ladybug and Chat Noir to steal Tikki and Plagg.

9. The Ending

I just wanted to dip into that ending real quick. In the movie, Gabriel is redeemed when he finds out about Chat Noir being Adrien. He apologizes to him and they make up. The scene surely will make people emotional, but from my perspective it was all rather predictable.

Whether or not Gabe was worthy of a redemption in the movie is a topic to discuss on its own. Personally, I was okay with it.

What I found more interesting however was…

10. The reveal

This is the moment most people have been waiting and yearning for. And I may sound a bit smug when I say that the movie served a good purpose to show us that a fast reveal would have never ever been satisfying!

It was super underwhelming because - of course it was!

Marinette and Adrien barely had a connection! For all we know they could have been total strangers and their reaction to each other’s identity wouldn’t have been any different than what we saw in the movie.

We never saw Marichat or Ladrien interact either. So that certainly lead to a less explored dynamics. Cue unsatisfying reveal.

They really tried to make it this big emotional final moment, but really? We just saw Ladybug and Chat Noir lean in for a kiss without their masks. Like in a new fit. Nothing really groundbreaking came out of it.

Any fake reveal in the show was better than that and I mean it with every fiber of my being.

And don’t even get me started on how Adrien only ever noticed Marinette when she revealed to be Ladybug. It’s just not it.

Final thoughts.

There’s sooo many more things that I could elaborate on but I think for now I’ve said enough to support my rather poor rating of the movie.

In my opinion, the movie relies too much on people enjoying the source material while trying to be its own thing. It risks leaving everyone unsatisfied.

Those who watch the movie as a stand-alone are met with weird dialogue as well as plot, characters and dynamics that aren’t at all fleshed out.

Meanwhile those who watch the movie because they like the show will be inevitably comparing the movie to its far superior source material.

[girllbossmalewifeduos]

Round 1 and 2 Matchups under cut!

Round 1:

Nick Hoult/Lynn Angel (All Saints Street) vs Princess Daisy/Luigi (Super Mario)

Robin/Chrom (Fire Emblem: Awakening) vs Miyako Shiminori/Yuuki Izumi (Shikimori's Not Just a Cutie)

Kida/Milo Thatch (Atlantis: The Lost City) vs Haru/Legoshi (Beastars)

Robin Buckly/Steve Harrington (Stranger Things) vs Bryce Tankthrust/Bobby Worst (Brandon Rogers)

Emma Perkins/Paul Matthews (Hatchetfield) vs Kyoko Kirigiri/Makoto Naegi (Danganronpa)

Barbie/Ken (Barbie) vs Jo/Brick (Total Drama: Revenge of the Island)

Round 2:

Marcille Donation/Laois Touden (Dungeon Meshi) vs Winner of 1:1

The Princess/The Long Quiet (Slay the Princess) vs Mandy/Billy (The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy)

Izumi Curtis/Sig Curtis (Fullmetal Alchemist) vs Zelda/Link (The Legend of Zelda)

Percival 'Percy' King/Ramsey Murdock (Epithet Erased) vs Nico Robin/Franky (One Piece)

Fuuko Izumo/Andy (Undead Unlock) vs Malfina/Connecticut Clark (Flork of Cows/Tumblr)

Marinette Dupain Cheng/Adrien Agreste (Miraculous Ladybug) vs Beatrice/Battler Ushiryoma (Umineko: When They Cry)

Gloria/Melman (Madagascar) vs Melissa Podebrat/Nine Fortan (Beware of the Villainess)

Vex'halia/Percy (Critical Role) vs Meryl Stryfe/Vash the Stampede (Tribune)

Millie/Moxie (Helluva Boss) vs Winner of 2

c! Pearlescentmoon/c! BigB (Limited Life SMP) vs Wildstyle/Emmet Brickowski (The Lego Movie)

Tiana/Naveen (Princess and the Frog) vs Yor Forger/Loid Forger (Spy x Family)

Candace Flynn/Jeremy Johnson (Phineas and Ferb) vs Granmamare/Fujimoto (Ponyo)

Mitsuru Kirijo/Akihiko Sanada (Persona 3) vs Winner of 3

Lilith Morningstar/Lucifer Morningstar (Hazbin Hotel) vs c! Zombiecleo/c! Ethoslab (Limited Life SMP)

Sgt Calhoun/Fix-It Felix (Wreck-It Ralph) vs Odalia Blight/Alador Blight (The Owl House)

Shego/Dr Drakken (Kim Possible) vs Starfire/Nightwing (DC Comics)

Nami/Sanji (One Piece) vs Winner of 4

Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife (Final Fantasy VII) vs Yuki Tsukumo/Choso (Jujutsu Kaisen)

Sharpay Evans/Ryan Evans (High School Musical) vs Mona/Plague Knight (Shovel Knight)

Aqua/Terra (Kingdom Hearts) vs Annie Leonhardt/Armin Arlert (Attack on Titan)

Hatsune Miku/Kaito (Vocaloid) vs Sandra Lynn Faeth/Jawbone O'Shawnessy (Dimension 20)

c! Geminitay/c! Scott Smajor (Empires SMP) vs Girlfriend/Boyfriend (Friday Night Funkin)

Connie Maheswaren/Steven Universe (Steven Universe) vs Miku/Tatsu (Way of the Househusband)

Asuka Langly Soryu/Shinji Ikari (Neon Genesis Evangelion) vs Noelle Holiday/Berdly (Deltarune)

Ochako Ururaka/Izuku Midorya (My Hero Academia) vs Winner of 5

Baiken/Anji Mito (Guilty Gear) vs Emily Wokerson/Tomothy Bichboy (Cameron Geller)

Kim Possible/Ron Stoppable (Kim Possible) vs Jude Duarte/Cardan Greenbriar (The Folk in The Air)

Morticia Addams/Gomez Addams (The Addams Family) vs Rouge the Bat/Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog)

Nene Kusanagi/ Touya Aoyagi (Project Sekai) vs Winner of 6

Jessie/James (Pokemon) vs Erina/Toshiro Kasukabe (Persona 5 Tactica)

Suki/Sokka (Avatar: The Last Airbender) vs Desiree Delite/Ron Delite (Ace Attorney)

Himiko Toga/Bubaigawara Jin (Twice) (My Hero Academia) vs Feixao/Jiauqui (Honkai: Star Rail)

All matches were decided via a wheel, please list all complaints to that!

Matches will probably start Sunday

[rachellaurengray]

Embracing the Unexpected: 40 Surprising Events That Could Happen to Anyone

Have you ever had one of those moments when you suddenly realized that life is full of possibilities you hadn’t even considered? Sometimes, we get so caught up in our routines and expectations that we forget how wildly unpredictable and extraordinary our lives can be. It’s in those moments of surprise and wonder that we truly grasp the vast array of experiences life has in store for us.

Here’s a list of 40 unexpected events that could happen to anyone, each one a reminder of the limitless potential for change and excitement in our lives.

Winning a Major Lottery: Finding yourself with a life-changing sum of money overnight.

Reuniting with a Long-Lost Sibling: Discovering and reconnecting with a family member you never knew existed.

Being Featured in a Viral Video: Suddenly becoming a sensation on social media or the news.

Encountering a UFO: Witnessing something in the sky that challenges your understanding of the world.

Receiving an Unexpected Inheritance: Gaining a significant amount of wealth from an unknown relative or estate.

Meeting A Celebrity: Having a chance encounter with someone you’ve admired for years.

Participating in a Groundbreaking Scientific Study: Being selected for a cutting-edge research project or clinical trial.

Surviving a Major Natural Disaster: Experiencing a catastrophic event and coming through it.

Discovering Hidden Family Secrets: Uncovering intriguing or shocking details about your family’s history.

Finding a Rare and Valuable Artifact: Stumbling upon something precious or historically significant.

Becoming an Overnight Internet Star: Gaining widespread recognition from an unexpected online phenomenon.

Witnessing a Rare Celestial Event: Seeing a once-in-a-lifetime astronomical occurrence.

Experiencing a Major Career Shift: Transitioning into a completely different profession or industry.

Participating in a Cultural Festival Abroad: Immersing yourself in an unusual and vibrant cultural celebration.

Encountering a Mythical Creature: Observing something that seems out of the ordinary or legendary.

Being Part of a High-Stakes Reality Show: Competing or participating in a popular reality TV program.

Receiving a Personal Message from a Historical Figure: Feeling a deep connection to someone from history through an unexpected experience.

Living Through a Historic Event: Being present during a momentous occasion that shapes history.

Having a Profound Spiritual Awakening: Experiencing a transformative spiritual realization or insight.

Discovering a Hidden Talent: Finding out you have an extraordinary skill or ability you never knew you had.

Becoming a Published Author: Seeing your writing or creative work in print and gaining public attention.

Joining an Exclusive Club or Organization: Becoming part of a prestigious or secretive group.

Finding a Significant Treasure: Discovering a hidden or buried object of great value.

Experiencing a Miraculous Recovery: Overcoming a severe illness or injury in a way that defies medical expectations.

Participating in an Experimental Art Project: Engaging in a unique and avant-garde artistic endeavor.

Winning a Major Competition: Securing victory in a high-profile contest or event.

Facing an Unexpected Heroic Moment: Stepping up to help others in a critical situation.

Embarking on a Spontaneous Adventure: Going on an unplanned trip or journey that changes your perspective.

Experiencing an Unexpected Romantic Connection: Meeting someone who profoundly impacts your love life.

Receiving a Unique Award or Honor: Being recognized in an unconventional or surprising way.

Witnessing a Historic Scientific Discovery: Observing or being involved in a groundbreaking scientific breakthrough.

Encountering an Unsolved Mystery: Coming across a puzzle or enigma that captivates your curiosity.

Becoming a Community Leader: Unexpectedly stepping into a role of influence or leadership in your local area.

Living Through an Unusual Weather Phenomenon: Experiencing rare or extreme weather conditions firsthand.

Joining a Revolutionary Movement: Becoming involved in a transformative social or political cause.

Discovering a Hidden Gem: Finding a secret or overlooked place that becomes special to you.

Experiencing a Unique Cultural Exchange: Engaging deeply with a different culture in a meaningful way.

Becoming a Subject of a Documentary: Having your life or experiences captured and shared in a film.

Participating in a Space Mission: Being involved in an exploratory or research mission beyond Earth.

Encountering a Profound Life-Changing Event: Experiencing something so impactful that it reshapes your entire outlook on life.

Each of these events serves as a reminder that life is full of surprises and opportunities. Embrace the unknown, stay open to new experiences, and remember that anything truly can happen.

[susannaius]

Different types of media offer different types of entertainment? Who would have thought!

ppl who say “the movie is better because in an hour and a half, it achieved what the show couldn’t in five seasons” like my dude. do you know what a show is? 

[starryknightwrites]

I love how unflinchingly earnest Miraculous Awakening is. It’s refreshing after seeing how much the show became bogged down by criticism.

(Light Spoilers Ahead)

Ladybug and Chat Noir arguing like actual children who hit the magic powers jackpot would. Name calling and arguing over who gets to be the leader. One step away from using “you INFINITY” as an argument.

Teenage angst and romance/infatuation are embraced with zero shame. Just out here falling in love after 30 minutes, complete with a ballad. Meetcute in the library. Spying in the library. Trust falling off of rooftops. Badly timed confessions. Dancing in the air. Being sulky. “Dad, you’re so embarrassing!” “I hate you, Dad!” Sobbing in bed to George Michael.

Nino and Alya are so great. Especially Nino. I heart Nino.

Love my daughter of food service entrepreneurs, practical and anxious softhearted disaster girl. Learning to be brave in the face of her fears and trust herself. Seeking who she really is and finding self respect.

Love my son of a moody creative and a thespian, theatrical and impulsive sassy sad boy. Tries to be low-key to protect himself but can’t help but shine. Learning to open his heart again after childhood grief. Seeking a reason and finding connection and healing.

Gabriel! This is the Agreste backstory/resolution we deserve.

Chloe’s hair.

ELSA EMILIE!

BABRIEN ❤️

Overall, I’m a fan.