#on the other... cartoons aren't my style and never have been. i feel like i'm breaking so many anatomical rules

[t0o0ldf0rthis]

a slightly more realistic Strickler

[green-alien-turdz]

Art tips for beginners? :3

I'm gonna try n be helpful here, but please keep in mind that I've been drawing my whole life, so I can't give you the perspective of someone who is just startin out.

1: Don't give up. Cheesy as fuck, I know. But you are gonna get pissed n fuckin angry when somethin doesn't turn out how you wanted it to. Don't let this discourage you! Use your mistakes and errors to keep on improving. There's no need to tear up drawings or delete anything that you aren't 100% satisfied with because you are growing in your abilities. AND TRUST that it is so rewarding to see your progress over time.

2: Challenge yourself n expect to hate it. Try all sorts of styles (cartoon, realism, or even just photo studies), do few details, do loads of details, do timed drawings, etc. Test the limits of what you can do. Similar to the previous advice, you need to allow yourself to be angry n hate the product that comes from this because you will eventually start finding your own creative style n process.

3: Don't pressure yourself beyond belief. You will not be an 'amazing' or 'visually appealing' artist from the get-go. If you are gettin burned out, allow yourself to take a break from time to time. With this though, once you start gettin more comfortable, even when you're burnt out creatively- I HEAVILY encourage you to keep doing small drawings OR other creative things to keep your mind going.

4: Experiment wit different mediums n shit like that! Explore! There is so many different forms of art to fuckin enjoy. Digital, traditional, watercolour, acrylic, clay, fuckin anything. When you get into non-digital mediums, keep cost in mind, but there are plenty of cheap alternatives that are great when you're startin out (also once you get 'better', you can control these much better, n they don't look like the initial cheap product). I personally use a lot of dollar tree shit n I used to steal from the art class in my school (but that was more out of necessity, if you can avoid it, please do. You can get in HUGE trouble if you're caught). But the main message is to experiment n try new things because there's so many different mediums out there.

5: Take in the world around you. Look at everything n think about how you could portray that in art. Really study the world. The faces people make when they don't think they're makin any, the grime that most people ignore building up on everyday objects, how people's body language says a LOT about how they feel, the way light casts in obscure ways, etc. Instead of just viewing the things around you, really look and take in the experience of bein human. Even impressionistic art holds these intricate details. You just have to be open to the experience.

6: Appreciate, but don't compare. I cannot stress dis shit enough, your art is your own, it is no one else's, so there's no need to harp on "oh this person draws x,y,and z better than me" n blah blah blah STOP! Dawg, you are doin your own shit, don't worry about if you're not on the same 'level' as others, or don't have the same 'capabilities' as some mfs. When you see other people's art, appreciate the things that they can do, but appreciate what you can do too! Especially when you're first really gettin your foot in the whole art shit, it is important to not judge your abilities compared to others who may have a lot more experience under their belt. I think it's totally okay to look at art n be like "oh that's super cool, I'd definitely like to improve on things like that", but never use it to put down your own art. This shit is subjective bro, you'll get to where you want to be. It takes a lot of time, it's not linear, but you WILL. It may not be how you expected it to look at first, but that's okay! Give yourself grace. Art is for you, at the end of the day.

You are gonna fight with yourself n the art itself, but that's totally normal! Art is one of the best forms of expression n I really hope the best for you. I know I was vague as shit n this isn't no tutorial on how to draw a realistic portrait or some shit- but that's because there's no right way to do this. Go balls to the walls or just dip your fuckin toes in. Approach it how you want, there's no right or wrong way to do art. I hope that this was somewhat helpful n I wasn't just spewin shit outta my ass n I truly wish you a good art journey

[flower-boi16]

I Watched The Hello Neighbor Cartoon (It's bad)

So just today while I was scrolling through my recommendations on youtube I saw a review of the Hello Neighbor cartoon that I never knew existed up until now. Just by looking at the show I didn't have very high expectations but I randomly decided to watch it cuz why not? I mean, it has an 8.6/10 on IMDB so surely it must be good right?....ya no. Anyways...the show sucks, here's why.

1. The Animation & Vissuals

The animation is...bad. It just looks very stiff and cheap looking, and the characters aren't that expressive either, they all look bland and soulless (which also describes their personalities incredibly well too). So much of it feels choppy as hell, like I'm watching a show made with two dollars on flash. I would say that this looks like a cheap Canadian cartoon (and I say this as somebody from Canada) but...even then there are Canadian shows that look more appealing than this.

The art style also looks bland, again, the characters barely have ANY real expression to them, and it really looks like a low-effort kids show more than anything else, which makes the show's attempts at being "scary" fall flat. Don't have much else to say here, the animation just looks that bad.

2. Comedy

There are a few times when the show tries to be funny...and it fails. None of the jokes here really made me laugh....at all. Though there were times when the show did get a laugh out of me...and they were when I wasn't supposed to laugh. Like that scene in episode 2 with where our main girl sees a bunch of neighbor heads I just couldn't help but find it VERY amusing, plus the credits which is just the neighbor goofily staring through the window where "dRaMAtiC" music plays in the background and it just looks VERY goofy. Aside from that, when the show is trying to be funny...it's not. It's just not.

3. Characters

A majority of the characters are honestly not worth talking about aside from Trinity and Nicky ig, they are all just...so boring. None of the kids' personalities are remotely endearing in the slightest and they are all just extremely one-dimensional.

Trinity is our main character and...I'm sorry but she just isn't interesting in the slightest. She has literally no personality or depth as a character and makes her a very boring protagonist for the story. She's also pretty inconsistent in episode 2 where she's all like "no we can't follow around the neighbor" when last episode she was perfectly on board with that and Nicky's plan? Then there's Nicky who also kinda sucks. Like the other characters he isn't that interesting or endearing at all, and they also don't even give a reason for why he thinks the neighbor is a murderer. Like, what made him assume the neighbor murdered his own kids??? It honestly would've been really cool if they merged aspects of Dipper from Gravity Falls and Webby from Ducktales 2017 together for his character because I could really see the potential here, but what we have now...ya.

The other kids are, again, not worth talking about because of how boring they are. They aren't funny or entertaining to watch at all, they all feel so bland and soulless. The other kids simply just exist and not much else. I really don't have that much else to say about the characters.

4. The "Horror"

So the show tries to be scary...but it isn't. Honestly, It's hard to pinpoint what parts the show wants me to be scared of because it's really hard to find a show with this art style scary in the slightest. Nothing about it is that "creepy" at all, though I don't even know this is supposed to be a horror show despite it being based on a horror game since I never felt scared watching it all.

I guess the show's overarching mystery is kinda intriguing...? But when the characters are so bland it's hard to even get invested in it. Don't have much else to say here.

5. Plot Holes

Ah yes, no bad show would be complete without plot holes, now would it? I'll just list some of the plot holes in each episode here:

Trinity SEES THE NEIGHBOR KILL SOMEONE IN THE STORE and for SOME REASON decides to run away instead of, oh I dunno...TAKING A PICTURE WITH THE EVIDENCE OR CALLING 911 IMMEDIATELY!!!!

Speaking of that murder, wouldn't have that got onto the news or something? Like, did nobody report it??? And if we assume someone DID report it, since the neighbor was the last one there who COMMITTED THE MURDER, wouldn't the officers put two and two together and realize it was the neighbor?

Also why did the neighbor commit the murder in the first place??? What was even the point of that???? Did he not have any money to pay for it???? Why????

The fact that there is just. A tunnel under the school. For some reason, which NEVER gets explained by the way.

When Nicky gets captured by the neighbor, where tf are his parents???? Did they not recognize their child is missing??? Why didn't they file a missing child report or ANYTHING???

There are more plot holes than these but these are the most egregious ones to me. Also the ones I already mentioned in the characters section. Besides, this post is getting long enough already so I'll just end it here....

6. Conclusion

So ya, the show sucks, 3/10, see ya.

[clay-cuttlefish]

All of Vic's cartoon appearances.

DC Showcase: Blue Beetle

A 60s-styled short using the Charlton incarnations of Vic and Ted, plus Captain Atom and Nightshade.

I'm on board with Vic being an objectivist for the sake of a janky throwback. There is no Rorschach energy here, this is entirely a parody of Ditko.

The comedy's not super inspired but hey, it's 15 minutes, it doesn't overstay its welcome. Look at these losers go.

Batman: The Brave and the Bold - Mystery in Space!

Vic is so shaped. Just a little guy.

Most of these teasers are meant to show off who the guest hero is and what they do, but not Vic. He's just chilling. Zero explanation of what his deal is other than "guy who is Around."

BatB - The Knights of Tomorrow!

Of all the heroes who have been on BatB, Vic is probably the least qualified to go to Apokolips. Why did he agree to this.

Unsurprisingly he falls in lava. Sad. Well there are other heroes.

BatB - Darkseid Descending!

And then he singlehandedly saves the world from Darkseid while most of the Justice League International blows up. King.

I love BatB's commitment to weird little dudes. It plays fast and loose with characterization (it's a kids show that's mostly about Batman and does it with everyone, I'm not gonna nitpick it) but it's got a lot of interesting randos.

I think this is the only time Jaime and Vic appear together? Actually appear, not just as nonspeaking cameos in a big event.

Scooby-Doo! & Batman: The Brave and the Bold

I watched this while babysitting and I had a great time. It's a kids movie, but hey, I have Scooby-Doo nostalgia and a soft spot for campy Batman, this does both very well.

Vic shows up, is annoying on purpose, and gets his shit rocked and his identity stolen. Extremely Vic behaviour.

Justice League Unlimited - Fearful Symmetry

I know this is a beloved portrayal. Jeffery Combs' performance is well regarded for a reason. It's the biggest adaptation Vic's ever had. It acknowledges his comic connections to other characters. I get it. I just do not enjoy him as the baseless conspiracy theorist and it drives me up the wall that it's the best he's got.

Like I'm sorry but he would not fucking say any of this. He's annoying and bad at superheroics for many other reasons but he is extremely aware of the real roots of corruption, he's not going to be repeating antisemitic conspiracy shit. Even when he genuinely sucks he sucks in very specific ways.

JLU - Double Date

Points for being partly based on Cry for Blood.

It makes me so sad that I don't like this take on Vic and Helena's relationship. I wish I did.

JLU - Question Authority

I do actually like Vic getting deeply upset by the thought that the bad future is predestined and trying to throw himself under the bus for it. That feels fitting to me even if the details aren't.

There's a version of this story that lives in my brain where Vic is more of his stubborn, no-nuance early reporter self, and he breaks into the secret government facility to try and leak everything to the world only to get his ass kicked instantly by Captain Atom.

JLU - Grudge Match

This is the world's dumbest nitpick but Vic fucks. It's the one part of being in a relationship he doesn't suck at. I have no real problems with this sequence, it's funny and does the conspiracy bit better than his main appearances, but I discovered while rewatching that this is a thing I have opinions about and where else am I going to put these extremely stupid thoughts.

JLU - Destroyer

It's just rude that Vic is in the suitup montage but has his mask on the whole time. Let him transform.

I liked his JLU episodes a hell of a lot less this time through than when I first watched them. It's generally a good show, but knowing that this version of Vic is the most accessible one is incredibly frustrating, and the overall strength means that I'm annoyed about missed potential. BatB was never going to be the serious showcase of his nuance or whatever, but JLU could have been an incredible adaptation, and it just isn't for him. Sorry JLU fans.

[zippdementia]

Metroid Retrospective: Super Metroid

And Super Metroid complete. For the 50th time in my life (I haven't kept track but I wouldn't be surprised).

Completion time: 2:05 (I could have done sub-2hr but I went to some of my favorite unnecessary rooms just for fun and took an extra minute to "save the animals")

Item rate: 55%

Super Metroid is a phenomenon. Released in March, 30 years ago, it remains enjoyable, approachable, fresh, and relevant to this day, an accomplishment that few other games can match, and extremely few action/adventure games.

Also, few games do atmosphere this well. Even coming recently from games with far more complex graphics, like Zero Mission and Fusion, there is something wonderfully somatic about the sprites used in Super Metroid. Sprites might not be super detailed, but they feel "weighty" and enjoyable to look at, the same way old cartoons (in the style of Cuphead, for instance) are just fun to look at. Super Metroid's art is simple but perfect. Every single bit of every single graphical block or sprite is absolutely necessary to illustrate what it is and give the feel of it, and no bit is wasted. It's like it has found the purest essence of sci-fi, action, and horror. The same praise extends to its soundtrack. And honestly, even to its story, which is distilled down to the most critical parts and which still leaves me emotional after 50 times viewing the ending. The whole thing is timeless.

Beyond this, the lasting nature of the game comes down to the move-sets given to Samus and the willingness of the developers to let players use these move sets to sequence break -- to break the order of play that the developers intended by reaching items, locations, and bosses early. I'm not a master sequence breaker, but as an example I managed to reach Kraid without the High Jump and to collect the Wave Beam and Power Bombs early, which saved me about thirty minutes of playtime.

Because of this openness, Super Metroid becomes like a huge playground. If you are new to it, then it leads you on an exceptionally atmospheric journey, with scripted moments and sprite animations that still are impressive and well paced in 2024. For these players, they may never even discover half the moves you can do, like Shinesparking and Turbo Bombing, because they aren't needed to beat the game.

But if you are experienced and know how to use these tricks, then the game becomes something else entirely, a series of reflex challenges to see how much you can "break" the game using these techniques. It's like a game that made glitching part of its mission (because the game doesn't actually glitch out when you sequence break).

I think that many open world games which claim to give the players choices actually don't; they give the illusion of choice but compensate by making those choices unimportant or very brief in their effects on the game world. Super Metroid, though it doesn't let you change anything in the story, actually does give you choices that matter and a world that is open world not by default but becomes more so the better at the game you get.

I only have one complaint about the game and that is that having to hold down a button to run is painful. Switching weapons is a little clunky, too, but doesn't ultimately disrupt my gameplay. However, I have no idea how I ever played this as a kid without realizing how awkward it is to have to constantly hold a run button.

There. I found something legit to complain about. One complaint against a game that forever changed the genre and has been the foundation for hundreds of later games.

World record speed run for Super Metroid currently stands at about 45 minutes, by the way. And people are still discovering new ways to beat it.

Current Ranking:

1) Super Metroid

2) Fusion

3) Zero Mission

4) Metroid 1

Games remaining:

Metroid Prime (SWITCH)

Metroid Pinball (DS)

Prime: Hunters (3DS)

Metroid II: Return of Samus (SWITCH - Gameboy emulator)

Metroid II: Samus Returns (remake of II) (3DS)

Metroid Fusion (SWITCH - GBA emulator)

Metroid Dread (SWITCH)

Fan made: Another Metroid 2 Remake

If I can find a way to play (have played in the past):

Prime 2 (WiiU via Prime Trilogy)

Prime 3 (WiiU via Prime Trilogy)

Other M (Wii)

Not playing:

Federation Force (3DS)

[thessalian]

Thess vs Transphobes' Misconceptions

It occurs to me that I have a story that can be given to every asshole who says shit like, "Kids aren't trans - they're being brainwashed and groomed by the horrible pedophiles in the media calling for so-called 'rights'!" and "Schools have no business telling kids about that LGBT stuff; they're too young to understand that!"

Picture the scene: Montreal, QC, 1985 or so. Now, I specify the where and when because it does actually mean something: Quebec was super Catholic for a very long time, and while it was getting less so in the 80s, it was still pretty prevalent in the general mood of the boomers who were our parents, and whatever the fuck the generation was that were their parents. Not that there weren't gay people, bi people, trans people; gods, no. Just they were a lot more circumspect, and quite often in very deep denial. (Hell, my mother only came to terms with the fact that she's bi a few months ago, despite being head-over-heels in love and lust with one of her best friends when I was a kid. But she was raised Catholic, so I guess her denial shouldn't be a surprise, especially after Mum made her feelings known and the best friend ran for the hills. I swear I want to punch that woman in the mouth for being such a bitch about it, even if she probably is approaching seventy by now. ANYWAY.)

So I'm in elementary school, and one of my best friends is this kid named Alex. I remember him surprisingly well - very red hair, very brown eyes, lots of freckles. And we were both fans of the Jem and the Holograms cartoon. And Alex insisted that Kimber Benton had been born a boy (or, y'know, a trans woman - we were kids and didn't really have the right terminology available to us at that point, not to mention that the terminology has changed a lot over the last few decades). He had a whole lot of weight behind his headcanon too, and I wasn't about to contradict him - hell, even then, I knew not to harsh someone's squee when it didn't really matter to me either way.

But it mattered to him. It mattered desperately to him. And one day, I found out why it mattered so much to him. He didn't say it outright; it was a lot of very nervously dropped little comments over the course of a conversation about a recent episode. But it was pretty clear to me, even at, like, eight or so - he needed Kimber to be a trans woman because if she was, with her bright red hair kind of like his ... then he could be too. I don't think he ever came out and said that he felt like he was a girl, but I'm pretty sure he came close - that or I was just way more perceptive than the average eight-year-old.

Nothing really changed, outwardly. We were in elementary school, in a pretty Catholic province, in the 80s - hell, at the start of what we now call the AIDS epidemic. Preferred pronouns, style of dress, even borrowing my lip gloss ... none of that was on the table for my friend. But my friend knew, absolutely. I do remember inviting my friend over for a sleepover - I think I mentioned that maybe we could play with my makeup kit. My friend said "No, Mom won't let me have a sleepover with girls" and just ... so many reasons I couldn't understand why not, but I could understand being entirely afraid of what your mother would say if you broke the rules.

My friend went to another school the next year. We never saw each other again. I don't know what happened, and I only hope my friend stayed safe until she could get away and be who she wanted to be. And I will call her she now. Whether she's out there living her best life or ... gods, please not the victim of some conversion therapy nightmare or worse ... she deserves that at least.

And she was eight years old when she knew. So don't you go telling me that kids can't know that they're trans when they're that young. My friend was eight, and she was a girl, and she knew no one would let her be a girl because of the contents of her pants and what a doctor called out when she was born. I hope she's allowed to be that girl now. Well, I guess it'd be woman now, but you know what I mean.

(As a side note - if I had a 5p piece for every non-cishet AMAB redhead named Alex I'd had in my life, I'd have ... 10p, but it's weird that it happened more than once.)

[otakween]

Digimon Hurricane Touchdown / Transcendent Evolution! The Golden Digimentals (2000)

This was weird...I didn't really like it. It was pretty at least?? Okay pretty might be an understatement, some scenes were aesthetic af. It was just the writing, pacing and inconsistencies in the animation that tanked it for me. I got so bored that I took an hour break 30 minutes in lol. I thought I'd be mad that they cut these movies (OVAs?) up for an American release, but now I'm thinking that might have been the right move...

Digimon introduced: Gummymon, Chocomon, Terriermon, Lopmon, Antylamon, Wendigomon, Gargomon, Kerpymon, Seraphimon, Magnadramon, Rapidmon,

Notes:

-Dang those titles are long! I wonder why Digimon has this weird history of having movies that aren't really movies. I read on some wiki that the Ojamajo Doremi movie was sandwiched in between the two parts which is...a choice (kinda reminds me of the Angela Anaconda thing lol).

-I liked Wallace's design, voice and concept (even though he couldn't pronounce his own name lol), but I didn't really like him being so aggressively flirty with the girls? Felt awkward and forced. Also, Western stereotypes strike again!

-How could Wallace possibly not know about the digital world by now?

-The concept of twin digimon is really cool and Terriermon and Chocomon are adorable. I liked Terriermon's voice a lot. I thought he might be voiced by a young child, but I guess his VA was in her 20s...

-I'm kinda confused about who worked on this. There were times when it seemed like there was an attempt to mimic Mamoru Hosoda's style but then it would switch to a style with really heavy line-art that was like almost the opposite style. Also, they would sometimes freeze frame randomly or use shots from the show which was jarring for a theatrical release.

(Look at this cursed Patamon with lips!)

-Some of the best shots in this were close-ups of things (a digivice, a mouse, an airplane, etc.) Like whoever did the background/object artwork really popped off.

-Mimi's star hair looked so good in this style! It looked awkward in the TV series but here they made the stars kind of holographic and dialed back the colors.

-Literally every new digimon introduced in this was great, but I feel they kinda blew the Seraphimon and Magnadramon introduction. They appeared for like two seconds and didn't do much. If you're going to introduce digivolutions that epic, they should probably take the final blow in my opinion (in other words, they should have just been introduced some other time).

-A Wendigo reference!? In MY Japanese cartoons?? I guess they did their North America research...His design is pretty wild, but I like it.

-Not a whole lot of explaining going on this movie. Chocomon "disappeared one day" and then reappears as Wendigomon and is all confused. Where did he go? Why did they treat all of Chocomon's digivolutions as some kind of disease? Usually when digimon digivolve they call them by their new names, but they never used anything but Chocomon. Were the "bad digivolutions" kind of like Skullgreymon?

-Terriermon's ears are spectacular. I love that they drag on the ground and that they puff up when he flies. A+ mon design.

-I kinda wanted to laugh when Wallace was like "there are digimon in Japan!?" But then I remember "digimon" is a portmanteau of two English words so there's that. Why do his digimon mostly speak in Japanese? For convenience I guess, but it's confusing...

-Seeing Hikari and Takeru ride Amtrak was a hoot. Also, I think this is my first time hearing Denver mentioned in an anime (my friend used to live there lol).

-Why did this billboard look so weird?

(It looks like an animation/editing mistake?)

-The whole "random American movie character" thing reminded me of Melissa from the first My Hero Academia movie. I feel like anime has the tendency to go abroad when they want things to feel special.

-Kinda funny how the dub censors guns but then there are characters like Gargomon who literally has funs for hands. Good luck with that!

-Everyone's baby versions were adorable. I especially liked Daisuke's lack of teeth :)

-Did they break a rule at the end there with Chocomon's digiegg reappearing in the real world? Probably.

Yeah this plot was just...weird. And then there there were a bunch of drawn out scenes with no soundtrack and kinda creepy vibes. It just felt like they didn't know what they wanted to do with this one. Nice to look at, but left me kinda hollow.

[ilovescaredysquirrel2]

What I think of the live action Disney remakes 🤮😡

Okay, I'm going to start off with making it clear that I like SOME Disney movies, but not all of them, and that includes live action remakes. The 2016 Live action Cinderella, Live action Jungle Book, and Live action 101 Dalmatians were incredible. The ones I have complaints with are the Live action Mulan, and the others that are currently being crapped out one after another. I'm not complaining about the Live action Little Mermaid for racial reasons, because her skin color doesn't matter, it's a 200 year old fairytale adaptation and her skin color was never confirmed. Snow white on the other hand, frankly it doesn't make much sense and feels a like changing everyone's skin color is a bit awkward (I mean, she is Snow WHITE). However, people with differnet skin colors may feel different and if they approve, then I approve too. I'm not one of those people who grew up with the old Disney movies and got overly attached to them... instead I grew up and got obsessed with cartoons from Nickelodeon, Sprout, and Qubo.

About the live action Little Mermaid, again, who the heck cares about her skin color, I'm just mad that they didn't make much changes to her outfit. Like, they could have gave her a little top made of seaweed that covers the breasts more, but I do approve of her newer outfit over the 1980s movie. Like, nobody hates Ariel's design more than I do, in fact it's the second thing that comes to my mind when I think of bad character designs (The firsts are Tim burton stop motion, and Goat story's designs, do not ever watch goat story, it's the scariest thing!). I'm also angry about Tinker Bell's design too, in both the live action and 1950s movie, she's supposed to be 12! Betcha didn't know that, huh? If I were to redesign Tinkerbell I'd actually give her a full length dress to fit in with the time period, plus she's a fairy. I'm just really uncomfortable with the old movies portraying underage girls as "Sexy" and no one seeing anything wrong with it for all these years. Does it make me think the live action movies are going to be any better? NOPE!

The ones I'm most angry about are the live action Lilo & Stitch and the live action Moana because those are actually Disney's own stories that aren't based off any fairytale or story, and making them live action is like a slap in the face to the original animated version that people worked hard on. I get that Lilo and Stitch doesn't have the most aesthetically pleasing art style (I think the old 40s and 50s ones look worse) but it's an amazing movie for it's time, and it stands out as being an original story and not adapted form anything. As for Moana, it came out in 2016 and it's way too soon to make a remake of it. Like, I understand for something like Little mermaid or Pinocchio because they're old as dirt, but for Moana? Like, there's nothing politically incorrect about Moana that they need to change to fit in with today's standards. If they make a live action Moana they have to make a live action Tangled too.

Another big thing that ticks me off is when they forget about ACTUAL live action Disney originals like Teen Beach Movie and Enchanted. Especially Teen beach Movie, that was incredible and creative and it had girl power and I love it! Ross Lynch and Maya Mitchell both did an amazing job, especially Ross. Anyway, not all live action Disney movies are horrible but these ones that they've been announcing lately, like I swear they announce a new live action movie every week, thinking that people will get excited but really they don't give a darn. Wait until Disney makes a live action Finding Nemo with kallmeKris as Dory, the world is gonna go insane! (I'd rather have KallmeKris than Ellen)

[juukeboxx]

Mutant Mayhem Hype!

Hi everyone!

So today is a big day: The first official teaser trailer for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem was released! The trailer will be linked in case you haven’t seen it or want to watch it again. But I wanted to just share my thoughts on the trailer and share my hopes and dreams for this movie, which will all be under the cut.

Here’s the trailer:

First and foremost: I am so excited for this movie. Everyine has been waiting so long for this first teaser trailer and I'm not gonna lie, I was sort of in disbelief when it dropped. There's a lot to cover so I'm going to break it down into sections, and the last section being what my hopes are going into this movie.

The Turtles

I know that people have talked about the designs of the turtles themselves since they were leaked a while back, but I adore how these turtles look. This is something I'll mention throughout this post, but it's very clear that Seth Rogen has taken a lot of inspiration from the original 80's cartoon when designing these characters. What's nice about it is that he's given their desings their own little twist that makes them unique and fresh i.e. Mikey's braces.

I absolutely adore the voices they chose for these turtles because they are actual teenagers. Nicolas Cantu as Leo, Brady Noon as Raph, Micah Abbey as Donnie, and Shamon Brown JR as Mikey. I don't know of any instances where the turtles have been voiced by actual teenagers because as far as I'm aware they've all been voiced/played by adults. This also just feels like another breath of fresh air for the series.

What they've shown of the turtles so far seems pretty promising.

Teenagers Acting Like Teenagers

One of the first things they show in the teaser trailer is the turtles goofing off the way teenagers do, and this absolutely made my heart soar. I feel like in other versions of the turtles we always see them so caught up in conflict that we never really get to see them hang out, goof around, and get to act their age. Rise was one version that I think showed this the most so I'm really glad to see more of it in this movie.

This Movie Looks Stunning

I'm sure other people have made this comparison but this movie really does give off the same vibes as Into the Spiderverse. It wouldn't surprise me if Seth Rogen and the people who have been working on Mutant Mayhem took inspiration from that movie. The imagery in the movie is absolutely gorgeous, and I love that it has this "hand-drawn" style. Like Into the Spiderverse, I have a feeling they wanted to achieve this look as sort of a call back or an homage to how the turtles got their start: As a comic book.

I personally really like that the colors aren't super overwhelming. In some shots from the teaser trailer there are nice bright pops of color that really stand out and liven it up. I'm not an expert, but I think it's a really nice design choice.

Secondary Characters and Cast

This cast is absolutely stacked y'all. If you haven't seen it on Twitter I'll list the rest of the cast here:

Jackie Chan as Splinter

Ayo Edibiri as April O'Neil

Giancarlo Esposito as Baxter Stockman

Seth Rogen as Bebop

John Cena as Rocksteady

Maya Rudolph as Cynthia Utrom

Rose Byrne as Leatherhead

Natasia Demetriou as Wingnut

Paul Rudd as Mondo Gecko

Hannibal Buress as Genghis Frog

Post Malone as Ray Fillet

Ice Cube as Superfly

I don't think it comes as too big of a surprise that a lot of the other characters featured in this movie are going to be voiced by well known actors, but I'm honestly really pleased with this lineup. And based on this lineup I think we're going to see some really interesting takes on some of these characters like Leatherhead and Wingnut.

As a sidenote, I am so excitied to see Leatherhead in this movie. In general Leatherhead is just one of my favorite secondary characters.

The designs, like I said before, have taken a lot of inspiration from the 80's cartoon. Splinter's, what I can assume is a kimono (though I might be wrong), has the same pattern as Splinter's kimono from the 80's cartoon. April of course has her signature yellow jacket and I love that he outfit looks so casual but it's perfect for running around trying to get the best scoop. Bebop and Rocksteady's clothes are pretty much right from the 80's cartoon and I absolutely love it, and personally I think that Bebop and Rocksteady look great in this art style (honestly this applies to all of the characters).

I have a feeling, and at the same time I'm hoping, that the first official trailer or the next teaser trailer (whichever one comes first) shows off some more of these designs or even shows the designs of some of the other mutants that are going to be featured.

Hopes for Mutant Mayhem

I know that this is only the first trailer of many between now and when the movie releases, but I genuinely have high hopes for this movie. This is going to be the first TMNT movie getting a theatrical release (clairfying with theatrical because the Rise of the TMNT movie was a Netlfix original) in 7 years since Out of the Shadows released back in 2016.

Even with this trailer being just under two minutes I think that they are taking these characters in the right direction and I'm genuinely excited to see their personalities shine. When Seth Rogen posted descriptions of the turtles on his (I believe) Instagram I knew that they were going to do these characters justice.

When Mutant Mayhem is released in August and I go to the theater to see it, I wanna walk out and say “That was amazing, I want to see it again”. From the developments over the months and with the release of this official teaser trailer I hope that I can say with confidence that not only did I like it, but also that it was a Ninja Turtles movie made by Ninja Turtles fans, for Ninja Turtles fans.

[teetlestansecond]

i haven't been productive at all and even though nobody asked for this i'm thinking about my ocs and until i can be productive and work on my fic or my inbox we'll just be talking about my characters so!!

more oc headcanons !!

artemisia! 🛍️

she's the person in a group that will order the closest thing to chicken tenders on any menu, even at the fanciest restaurant.

lo-fi queen, if she isn't listening to her usual music she'll play one of her lo-fi playlists.

she's developed an intricate tagging system for her wardrobe so she knows what color, fabric, and style each item is.

she rarely wears sunglasses out, but when she does it's a very specific, hot pink pair that she claims makes her feel like barbie.

a firm believer in aliens and even firmer believer in making friends with different species. she was utterly devastated that the first aliens they encountered were so set on violence.

atari! 👾

if you let her choose your hangout activity, she will take you bowling.

believes beyond a shadow of a doubt that there's a queen song for any situation you can think of.

she set different ringtones for each of her contacts, even if it would have been easier to not do that.

instigates the stupidest fights ever between leo and donnie because watching them argue over the pronunciation of "gif" brings her more joy for the hour they go at it than she gets in the rest of her week.

she could live in a thrift store, she loves them so much.

as a firm believer in the medic leo headcanon, i know she gives leo all her notes and textbooks from her nursing classes.

rhys! 🛼

believes in his heart that going to get korean barbecue is one of the most luxurious things you can do.

he's a chronic movie hopper and he's good at it, he'll pay for one movie and end up watching three.

could not keep a surprise secret if he wanted to. genuine secrets aren't a problem but he gets so excited about surprises that he'll end up giving it away accidentally.

he's a dancer at heart, but he's also a talented drummer and considers sheila e. his idol.

fashion king, can and will put together the most iconic looks you have ever seen in your life.

talise! 🔮

they have a massive collection of journals and almost none of them have been used. the ones that have are nowhere near being filled, aside from the ones they're using as their grimoire.

they always carry a piece of selenite in their purse, they're not going anywhere without it.

they have seen every 90s sitcom and will force others to rewatch their favorite episodes as a bonding activity.

secretly an even bigger comic nerd than the boys, but they almost exclusively read superhero comics.

they love a good slasher movie or thriller, but won't watch outright horror movies.

vinny! 🧪

she has a cloaking device disguised as a scrunchie and a false identity, both of which she used to obtain a driver's license and a car. sometimes when she's not having a good time she goes on night drives and finds the most obscure little places to distract herself.

she will force someone to sit in the kitchen with her whenever she cooks so she can pretend she's on a cooking show.

she watches old cartoons more than she watches anything else and will physically fight people who give her a hard time about it.

a little bit obsessed with architecture and interior design and rants often about her dislike for postmodern design.

she has never been able to pick a favorite color, but gives everyone different answers to confuse them.

[99lostsouls]

To my pen pal:

Hello again! I guess both of us need to start writing more then. But yes, I guess it is pretty exciting. Seeing everyone getting their letters definitely helps contribute to that.

And yeah, people were getting a bit too comfortable in their own dormitories. Which isn’t a bad thing! I’d be pretty annoyed being downgraded as well (and I was, but not anymore!), but for someone to have to deal with all this on their own? For what little time they’ve had, they’ve made progress. And I’m sure having someone like you helping them out is bound to make them feel better too. Although I am curious… why do you not attend classes? If that’s a question that can be answered. It might be a silly one, but I’ve always been quite curious about stuff.

As long as you have something to want for, it is never too hard to gift someone. Getting something is better than getting nothing at all, right? But drawing is a nice thing to pursue! I’ll keep this in mind. But for myself… I’m not really a good artist. My doodles in my workbooks will prove that much. I like music, but not actually playing the instruments myself. I probably have the skills for it, but I don’t know what instrument to play…

This place looks like it would suit a piano. Maybe I could sneak one in and play some tunes for practice. This place could use some. Or maybe we could convince everyone to just sit and listen to some music? If they don’t yell and claw at each other first. Tensions feel high with certain people here…~

Another question for you before I stop writing. Probably should’ve asked it earlier but I kinda forgot. What kind of stuff do, or would, you like to draw? There’s a lot of stuff here you could take inspiration from if you don’t quite know yet… if you’re interested in the older style, that is.

I think that’s everything now! And hey, we’re writing to each other. I pretty much consider you my friend now. :) Can’t wait for your reply! Write to you soon!

From your pen pal (friend?)

TO MY PEN PAL ( Friend! )

my apologies for the late reply! had to take care of an accident up at campus...

oh but I'm glad to hear you've gotten properly accustomed to the change! some people have a harder time with shifts from their normal. I know of that reaction all too well. do you have any favorite thing about ramshackle so far?

as for why I don't attend classes, the answer is simple silly. I don't have any classes to attend! you may wrack your brain as to why all you wish.

oh I'm sure you're a lovely artist my friend! art is somewhat of a difficult pursuit because of one fact alone. we're always our own biggest critic. It's a human flaw I've seen displayed in so many people over and over again. I find it fascinating. though, I'm not even sure if I'll fall pray to that myself. self-criticism is kinda built into me.

y'know I've always admired instruments myself! especially brass instruments like a trombone, french horn, tuba. they're so shiny you can see you reflection in them and their sound is big and LOUD! never fails to make me smile! I hope you're able to find your instrument of choice. life is easily told through music, once you find your instrument you'll be able to tell your own story.

Playing music here...you might want to ease everyone into that~ our student body is unfortunately well known for it's viciousness. I'd hate for someone to complain and get upset just by some piano. It's always better to test the waters first!

With drawing...is it odd to say i want to try a bit of everything? realism, cartoon, still-life, I want to dabble in it all. Your mention of an old style does remind me, a cartoon rubberhose style is one I'd like to try as well.

I know you said you aren't confident in your doodles just yet but maybe we can draw together, or just hang out. I'm just thrilled to have another new friend to talk to. I do love my dorm, but things are a little samey~ new possibilities are right up my alley.

I'll sign off for now, it's late while I'm writing this anyway. see you in the next letter my friend!

Sincerely,

YOUR PEN PAL

[writteninscarlet]

From how he was speaking it was easy to see how much they meant to each other. Clearly they had the obvious in common. But one similarity such as powers did not necessarily mean that two people were destined to get along together. They could instead have turned to harsh rivalry perhaps. Instead they had developed friendship, perhaps a mentorship as well. It was like when Wanda had found Agatha. Someone that could teach her the basics and the foundation of her witchcraft, and from there Wanda had changed to develop her own style. It was important to have people in your life who you could turn to for advice and guidance, and who you know would have your back. Especially as a vigilante in a world such as this. Perhaps certain media outlets did not particularly want ONE Spider-Man in the city, let alone two. But Wanda thought the city ought to feel rather lucky to have the two of them here. All those thoughts going through the witches mind, only to state simply and with a smile, "I'm glad that you have each other and that you work well together. I think it is important to have friendships like that."

She let him having his little say about feelings, a smile playing on her face. She would never deny being an emotion person. In fact, Wanda thought that emotions were incredibly useful and not to be discounted. Even feelings of anger and fear served their use. And whilst she perhaps had not been so lucky with love, she was lucky enough that she had experienced it. And now hopefully she was a little wiser. To fall in love during something like this? It was so cliche, so silly. But was it POSSIBLE? Well, of course. Nearly everything was possible to a witch. That didn't mean it was likely. "I'm not sure if something like that WILL happen, but I won't deny the possibility. Anything can happen. When a person spends a lot of time with someone else than feelings are more likely to develop. They aren't always romantic though. But I agree." A soft nod, her smile still in place. "If any feelings develop or if I should find someone I would like to date, then I will let you know. I'm not doing this to play with you or string you along. I truly appreciate the help.

She arched a brow as he continued, asking, "...Your experience of witches only comes in the form of Saturday morning cartoons, doesn't it?" Wanda relaxed, and gave a laugh, "Though I've definitely brewed a few potions, admittedly. I guess running my shop takes up a lot of time. But no, my world doesn't revolve around hexes." The witch grew a little thoughtful, thinking over their arrangement. It would only make sense to come to learn about one anothers likes and dislikes. It was surely such a simple thing to know about one another. Wanda could keep a lot of questions at bay, but there wasn't a reason to stop people asking all questions. "It would be good to get to know one another better. Admittedly, I'm curious about you beyond this fake dating so I wouldn't mind some hangouts to learn more before there's any strange questions."

@amazingwcbs

"Well he's Spider-Man, and since I'm Spider-Man as well, we sort of look out for each other. He's great and always has a lot of energy. Quick, fast learner and he's helped make my job a hell of a lot easier protecting the city, and considering I've been doing that for nearly a decade now, believe me when I say that I'll take all of the help I can get, especially when the Avengers are never home in the city, it feels like," Peter admitted, glancing into the distance where that bright 'A' logo that represented the Avengers appeared on the side of Avengers Tower. He couldn't blame them for almost not ever being present in the city, considering they were probably in some other country kicking robot ass, time traveling, or in space somewhere trying to diffuse the threat of a potential alien war or something like that. His imagination wasn't too strong with the ideas today, but it did sound reasonably enough like something you'd read in a comic book, so who wasn't making sense now? But anyway, it was time to focus back on the serious topic at hand, and where exactly this 'relationship' was supposed to go, especially if things got a little too real, and other people either got involved and feelings were compromised.

"Well yeah, makes sense. Emotions are a finnicky thing to navigate like roaring waters, and unfortunately things happen that you can't control, and it triggers something within your brain's emotional cortex, and well...feelings happen. Sometimes it's over something extremely admirable if not complicated, and other times it's something incredibly simple. So you're you, and I'm me, and I'm telling you right now that based on my history and what little information i know about you Wanda, there is a chance that something like this could happen. I'm not guaranteeing that it will, but sometimes the heart wants what it wants, and if things do get that far for either of us, it's something we should probably talk about. If you get involved with somebody for real for real, then yeah. Totally, we should call it off and we'll just wipe it under the rug like a forgotten memory." Peter sighed, wishing his big stupid mouth hadn't even brought up this subject to begin with, but then again...maybe it was good to have this conversation now. Get it out there so that they both knew what was at stake here.

"Believe me, I'm more than happy to help. It's not like my own personal love life has been raining down love like Cupid arrows or anything, so if it helps you out in a tough spot until further notice, or until you find someone real that works for you, then I'm your guy. Or man. Spider-Man if you want to use official titles," Peter rambled on in quipping fashion as he often always did. "But uh sure! Why not arrange some hangouts so that we can have practice in what we're talking about, and get on the same page and what not. I've actually got no idea what you do for fun. It's got to be a lot more than just reading spell books and cackling over the witch's cauldron while you prepare tonight's soup right?"

@writteninscarlet

[kjmellow]

I posted 429 times in 2022

That's 428 more posts than 2021!

14 posts created (3%)

415 posts reblogged (97%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@dyonisia96

@nightscavalry

@johannesviii

@alyona11

@lelelego

I tagged 391 of my posts in 2022

Only 9% of my posts had no tags

#yes - 5 posts

#babies - 4 posts

#wow - 4 posts

#also op your board game q made me sad bc i've literally never played any of those and only heard of like two this girl had no childhood - 3 posts

#doctor who - 3 posts

#owo it's all of dem space-time blorbos!!!! - 2 posts

#the stars don't come out because they never left - 2 posts

#omg - 2 posts

#except i didn't play fnaf but have binged playthroughs from like five different people aaaa - 2 posts

#why am i in love with leela's outfit - 2 posts

Longest Tag: 139 characters

#if anything they barely interact with the tardis in what i've been reading and i've read like twenty-five books all about different doctors

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Seeing Sandman posts on my feed is so confusing because for such a long time the only Dream I saw shit about was that Minecraft guy and every time I see Dream my first though is The fuck that smp guy did this time and my brain takes a fucking minute to process that it's a wrong fandom

3 notes - Posted September 23, 2022

#4

WAIT DID THEY REALLY JUST

Did they just take THE SAME Bee and Puppycat and make it LONGER for Netflix??????

Does that mean I didn't have to rewatch it twice in a row to comprehend at least a lil bit what tf was going on???? I had to just wait for a normal show?????

Not like I mind, the cartoon is gorgeous either way (I'm on ep one btw and I think at least the first of Bee's weird dreams looked cooler in the og show) BUT MAN

I never thought I'd actually see the day

6 notes - Posted September 11, 2022

#3

Petition for Dana Terrace to leave our boi Hunter the fuck alone. Our blorbo has suffered enough.

7 notes - Posted October 16, 2022

#2

Hey hermits of tumblr here's a fun challenge for you:

Describe your character quirks i.e. list out habits and traits you have that would make you stand out if you were a character in a work of fiction. This is an exercise in finding something unique about each of us. And also a possible help for writers looking for something to add to their characters ;)

Here's my ✨ character quirks ✨

Hates wearing makeup but likes the process of someone applying makeup on her or doing her hair

Actually uses a set of like a hundred aquarelle pencils instead of eye liner/lipstick/masquerade makeup when she feels extra fancy (usually ends up making rainbow eye liner)

Sometimes acts like a cat around friends she's comfortable with (rubs head, lies with head on knees, purrs when receives pats)

Has a comedic amount of cats (four) and wants more

Has zero coherence in clothing style a bunch of fandom clothes being the only constant thing

Wears exclusively converse spring through autumn (as long as the weather is good enough)

Carries a book around most of the time; in fact spent her prom reading and tuning out the music (which she is extremely proud of and will tell everyone at the first opportune moment)

Swears a whole fucking lot

Quotes memes/films/TV shows a lot or at least really wants to with the only thing stopping her the fact that she knows a quote she has in mind is too niche to be understood

Absolutely cannot sleep with the lights on or during the day; will wake up at dawn if the curtains aren't drawn

Grandma friend: will try to feed you everything there is in the house if you come visit

Some people spend tons of money on clothes; others can't walk past a make-up shop; this bitch has no self-control when entering a bookstore (in fact she would refuse to spend too much on food but then she goes near a bookstore and wakes up an hour later with two bags of books)

Compliments friends in fairly smooth pick-up lines at any given opportunity

8 notes - Posted September 27, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

19 notes - Posted November 24, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ducktracy]

any tips on getting into the animation industry?

short answer: i don't really have any sound advice on this, as much as i wish i did. a lot of it came down to luck and timing, but that's not to say it's impossible! in short, be passionate, keep drawing, put your work out there, draw and channel what you're passionate about, be kind, and keep a positive attitude.

long answer: all of the above and more. i was REALLY lucky; i'm friends/mutuals with a lot of people in the industry and have been, and have a decent Twitter following. it just so happened that they were looking for people to staff up The Patrick Star Show, and one of my mutuals (now friend and coworker) recommended me to one of the supervising directors because they thought my style was an appropriate fit for the show and i could bring to the table what they needed. the director agreed and offered me a freelance character design position--he then saw an animatic i made of Porky and Daffy, really liked it, and thought i'd make a good storyboard revisionist instead, so here i am!

having a sizeable following absolutely helped and i won't beat around the bush there. HOWEVER, i was not and SHOULD NOT be hired for Twitter clout. i was hired because they thought i had the skills necessary for what they were looking for, not because i had [whatever amount of followers i had then i don't keep track of that stuff].

there are lots of people who work in the industry who aren't on Twitter/weren't hired from it, so don't fret. it helped me a lot in my case, as well as the pandemic--i'm nowhere near LA (though i hope to move out there so badly! i hope i hope i hope i hope i hope) so getting to work remotely has been a blessing in disguise.

i feel like drawing what you're passionate about is really important, as well as just drawing in general and keeping a good attitude; people who say you can't get in by drawing fanart are liars! the SB crew is well aware of my LT fanaticism and we joke about it a lot (usually with me starting it HAHA). being passionate about cartoon history has helped me a lot, whether it be my drive to draw or studying/applying the filmmaking and animation techniques into my own work. your passions WILL be recognized, as will a good attitude. rule of thumb is to not be a jerk of course, which is a no-brainer, but as much as i strongly dislike using "the animation industry is small and word gets around" as a threat to hang over someone's head, if you are a jerk your coworkers will take note of that haha. be kind to yourself and others! nobody wants to hire someone who goes "look at my work doesn't it SUCK????????? i deserve to die"

and keep in mind that i'm SURE opportunities will come, some of which you never dreamed would happen. i actually received a job offer a few months ago for another dream job and turned it down to stay on the Sponge--i was really heartbroken and it was genuinely one of the hardest decisions i've ever had to make, especially since it was the only job i could see myself leaving the Sponge for, but knowing i was considered in the first place really gave me a boost because it means my work is being recognized and i'm certain more opportunities will come further down the line, and i can always make my OWN, too. don't be discouraged if you feel like you're not being seen--there are always people out there who see you and recognize your worth, whether you recognize it or not.

one last point: you do not have to be a whiz to get in. i'm a community college drop-out who majored in graphic design as a last resort, this is my first job and first time getting PAID for anything, i don't have a license or a car, i don't live anywhere near LA, and i had no basic storyboarding knowledge. i've been very lucky to be mentored on the job and learning as i go (which is one reason why i turned down the other job offer, i didn't feel i was ready/still learning the ropes) and i've been met with nothing but support and encouragement and patience, which i'm very, VERY appreciative. so it's okay if you don't know everything. i certainly didn't and STILL don't.

i wish i could say "oh, do A, B, and C to get in and you'll be a cinch!" but that's not the case. luck and timing has a lot to do with it, and it certainly worked in my favor. don't let that discourage you, either. if anything, i've been taught that nothing is truly impossible. in the past year, i've met and worked with a ton of my inspirations and idols, some of whom lifelong(!), i got to teach 60 families how to draw the characters over Zoom, i've gotten other dream job offers, my name is in the credits and on websites like imdb, i could go on. i'm not saying this to brag--i'm saying that it's PROOF that the impossible is very possible. i have tweets that are years old talking about how i always dreamed of working on SpongeBob and how it inspired me to be a cartoonist. never did i once think in my life would it come true, much less be my first industry job or first job PERIOD. i'm so, SO lucky to be working with some of the most talented people in the biz.

it's not easy--as i said before, internet clout doesn't result in an instant job. i had a lot of extraneous factors that went into that decision. but if i can get in, then you can, too. best of luck, my friend! i know you'll be great!

[blazehedgehog]

I mean no harm when I say this but I feel the main reason why Sonic has survived and has a passionate fantasy is because, in a way, it became an escape for people who didn't quite fit in with the rest of society. Sonic is so far removed from what a standard media franchise is that some might see it as "its a messy franchise, but it's my messy franchise." I know you have mentioned that it might be the good ideas in the games but can that really keep a franchise afloat? I can elaborate if needed.

No harm intended, but I've gotten variations of this Ask before -- or at least, I'm going to give you a variation of an answer I've given before. I'd just link you to one of those, but Tumblr search is notoriously bad and there are 7,000+ posts on this blog.

In short, I don't agree with what you're saying. To some degree, you are just describing fandom, all fandom, everywhere. Much like how every family has "weird uncles", every community has at least one oddball with a skewed perspective on life. Depending on the size of the community, there are multiples.

My opinion has always been that there are weird community shards out there for everything. I mean, there is, or was, a whole cult dedicated to Gadget Hackwrench from the 1989 "Rescue Rangers" cartoon. You can say that they aren't entirely serious, and that may be, but there's a spark of something in there that's real and caused them to do that.

Turn over enough logs and you'll find all kinds of things you didn't know where there. That's fine. That's the sign of a healthy fandom.

What's perhaps different about Sonic is that the franchise by its very nature casts a wide net. Sonic's identity crisis has brought in all types -- people who identify with any one of the five (soon to be six) cartoons, people who identify with the myriad comic series (four different books and countless specials at Archie, IDW, Fleetway, and all the manga), people who identify with specific generations of the games (classic, Dreamcast, modern, etc.), people who only identify with specific spinoffs (Sonic Riders, etc.) and then, perhaps most potently, people who are just in the fandom for the fandom.

I talked about this in my Le Monde interview, but media properties sometimes get big enough that they kind of reach a kind of perpetual motion -- where there are so many people in the fandom making so many fan "works" that it becomes self-sustaining. It literally takes on a life of its own. You get fans making content for other fans, forever. Whatever they aren't getting from the main franchise, they make up for themselves. And for Sonic the Hedgehog, a franchise with such a breadth of different interpretations, there are a lot of people who feel like they aren't being served.

When working with a corporation, there are rules that have to be followed. Style guides and character bibles that dictate what characters can and cannot do. Fans don't have those kinds of restrictions. They can write whatever stories or draw whatever fanart their hearts desire. And once you put something like that in to the fandom's perpetual motion machine, other people can feed off of it, and mutate it. Pretty soon the wheels come off and suddenly you have the first ever gay fanfiction, starring Kirk and Spock from Star Trek, something that would never be allowed to happen in the actual show.

And Sega, for their parts, has been very welcoming of the Sonic fandom. They've encouraged people to make fan games, they feature fan art on their live streams, and so on. Today's Sonic fans could very well become an artist on the Sonic comic, the person who helps save the Sonic movie, or the team that develops the most critically acclaimed Sonic game in the last 25 years.

That's just going to bring in more people. And more "weird uncle" types with them.

The vast majority of the Sonic fandom are fine, normal, well-adjusted people. The only reason you don't hear about them is because they are normal. But the Sonic fandom is huge and varied, and the Sonic franchise is under constant scrutiny from everyone looking for an easy dunk. Of course a lot of fans are going to get caught in that crossfire. When people are searching for something to make fun of, they're going to find it, for better or (more often) worse.

But don't take that as a complete picture of everyone that exists in that fandom. Because it's always going to be a very, VERY large picture.

[spongebob-connoisseur]

Who do you think does better job as the showrunner?? Paul Tibbit or Vincent Waller??

Hmmmm gonna say Vincent Waller.

I know this is probably my personal biases. Enjoying modern seasons + dislike of the middle era.

I just find the middle seasons that Paul was responsible for to be so bland and strayed too far away from what spongebob is about.

To be fair, both modern and middle eras strayed far from the original concept of Spongebob but I at least find the modern one enjoyable.

There's a lot of things I could list. The tone for the middle seasons was so mean spirited. Everyone being so cruel and mean to sponge. Even downright violent. Spongebob himself couldn't do a thing without messing up stuff. I can use Patrick as a good example of a character who really became so mean to sponge. Even so much so that there's multiple episodes where they aknowlege Patrick is a bad friend and person over all.

Character designs looked so out of place. They didn't fit the show's style much at all or occasionally weirdly sexualized.

Pacing was really off. Jokes rarely landed and so often there's a weird dead air between characters. Dialogue ends up being so bland.

Animation was so stiff. I get the modern seasons can be too expressive at times but I'd take that over how blank and expressionless the show was during this era. You only ever see them in the same perspective. Their expressions are so boring? Sometimes I feel like you can use the middle eras animation as a guide of what not to do.

I could go on but the middle era already has a lot of scrutiny. Not all of the middle era is like that. There's some good episodes but a lot of it just ain't it for me.

I don't want this all to be just me dunking on the middle era. I enjoy the modern era that Vincent Waller is responsible for. They fixed the pacing issue quickly. No more weird dead air. But they really went in the opposite direction. From nothing going on to EVERYTHING going on. I remember when I was first watching season 12, it made me a little dizzy.

Still the cleaned up most of the issues I had with the middle era. Like Patrick! There's still some duds but I like that they remember Patrick and Spongebob are supposed to be best friends and that Patrick genuinely loves sponge and Spongebob genuinely loves Pat back. I REALLY recommend The Whole Tooth or Patrick's Coupon.

Also the show is finally taking advantage of its bigger budget and actually having movement and expression. Sometimes too much but I don't mind it. When was the last time we had a cartoon with fun wacky expressions? Plus the more extreme expressions were season 12.

Seasons 9,10,11 had a better balance. I feel like expressiveness might dial down with season 13. There's not much episodes have been released for season 13 but the ones that have been seem to be cartoony but less expressive and I like it? I hope they keep going like that.

Oh also forgot to mention. The tone is nicer? Yeah it's not going to be mature™™™ like the classic era is. But its fun and lighthearted. Other characters like spongebob. He isn't treated as a pest like the middle era. Yeah he can be a little annoying but no one is downright malicious to him. It's a lot more fun and I'm also glad we have episodes of Spongebob that isn't just him messing up and destroying things/people trying to kill him ya kno?

Yeah I prefer Vincent's direction for the show a whole lot more. He gets a lot of hate since it isn't classic spongebob. But that's kinda the natural order of sponge. The same happened to Paul Tibbit.

In fact, a lot of the things people say about Vincent Waller is just copy and paste of what they said about Paul Tibbit. Because it isn't classic spongebob.

I feel bad tho for Paul Tibbit? Yeah the seasons he made aren't my favorite but mans got so much death threats and basically people saying weird shit like he should've never been born for what?? For making a few bad episodes?? Y'all okay?? Mans just accepted it. But its so fucked up.

Anyways I'm getting off topic. Who do you prefer and why? I'm curious and wanna know 👀