#one of my favorites you've done and you've made so many bangers

[yeleltaan]

by the always delightful @yellowfingcr

// Losing my MIND over this.

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 13/04/2024

Locked In The Underground

Season 4 Episode 2 Featured on: SiIvaGunner's Highest Quality Rips: Volume C

Ripped by Jamangar

Whaaat? More Undertale?? Say it ain't so!!

Look, I lamented it a bit over on Logan Paul's Shop, and its something you can even see for yourself by viewing the Undertale tag on the blog archive. In terms of games to have been featured on the blog one way or another, Undertale/Deltarune are leagues ahead of the competition. And I am torn on this, still. Like on the one hand, I want the blog to cast a wide net of rips, to not just cover my personal favorites, but to cover as much of SiIvaGunner's history and growth. But on the other hand...Undertale IS a huge part of that history and growth, it has been since the very beginning, and as I discussed in Your Best Nightmario and Shiny Smily TALE the game's very DNA and themes is just a perfect fit for everything that SiIvaGunner stands for. Well, there's that - and there's how rippers like Jamangar just keep absolutely outdoing themselves with how much leverage they can get from this 9-year old game's soundscape. Its rips like Locked In The Underground that remind me of WHY Undertale rips are so prevalent on here.

If you've been reading for a while or just kept up with SiIvaGunner in general to the degree I have (or are from the team!! hi team!!), you may well recognize Jamangar's name. Much like ShonicTH with Trial of the Heart and many others on the channel, Jamangar has carved out her own very specific niche in terms of what she contributes with. That niche is the same one you'll hear in World Out There and Story of Undertale: There are few SiIvaGunner contributors who have as much expertise in ripping Undertale as Jamangar. Yet all of these three rips feel quite different from one another - Story of Undertale is a magnificent journey throughout just about the entire Undertale campaign with instruments changing along the way, wheras World Out There was an incredibly resonant mashup/melodyswap, a full-on shot of nostalgia on all the senses. Indeed, Locked In The Underground follows their footsteps in quality, yet is excellent in a subtly different way - its just a flat-out banger.

I don't know what it is about Bruno Mars' music that makes it work so incredibly well in mashups. Perhaps I have BotanicSage to thank, with Pokemon GSC Is What I Like and 16BIT Magic both permanently etched into my soul ever since I first heard them - but Locked In The Underground takes on the very same challenge, and in my eyes passes with absolutely flying colors. I mean, it only takes a few seconds for the rip to sell you - as soon as you hear Mars' "oh-yeah-yeahs" followed by Undertale SFX playing to the beat, you KNOW Jamangar's made far more than a mere mashup here. It helps, of course, that CORE is already one of the most stand-out songs in the game, much like Colress' battle theme was to Pokémon Black & White's soundtrack in Light! (Potentialseeker Colress) - its hard NOT to get excited seeing a CORE rip knowing just how distinct of a sound any take on the track will have, due to the pure quality of the track underneath.

So much is done to have Locked In The Underground truly fit together. The melodyswap is fantastic on its own, having CORE's lead instrument play in tune with Mars' vocals yet rising high in volume to the song's chorus, and CORE's synthetic backing paired with the drums of Locked Out Of Heaven create such a unique soundscape to boot. But beyond that, there are tons of little flourishes - small segments where CORE's original melody peeks through in the backing, Undertale sound effects sprinkled in to censor expletives or punctuate key moments of the song...like Semi-Charmed All Star, you get the impression that Jamangar GETS both of the songs used, that she's "studied" how Locked Out Of Heaven works in order to have the mashup work so perfectly.

Really - Locked In The Underground is the kind of rip that just feels like a shoe-in for the blog, as one of the most popular rips made during 2020. Funny enough, beyond the obvious combination of Locked Out Of Heaven and Undertale, you could even read the rip's title itself to be referencing the feeling all of us had during the pandemic - sort of reframing its pleas and shouts, in a way. But then Locked In The Underground also isn't the kind of rip where I'm desperate to know more about its possible lore and inner workings: I know Bruno Mars, I know Undertale, I know Jamangar, and she made one of the season's cleanest bangers by doing what she does best. That's awesome.

[recurring-polynya]

Sorry for kurobasposting in your inbox, but now that (I assume) you've met all the Generation of Miracles, I need to know if your favorite is still Murasakibara. Also, we talk so much about squad dynamics in Bleach, I can't help but think about team dynamics too, like Touou gave me such Squad 11 vibes, and it made me wonder which team you liked best (and if any of them reminded you of Squad 6👀). Also, in a Bleach Sports scenario, do you think kouhai Renji would be devastated when team captain/senpai Byakuya graduates and passes the mantle onto him? I'm imagining a Portions for Foxes kind of AU where Renji agonizes about leading a team, but Rukia lowkey fantasies about how hot he'd look doing it. Think about the pep talks he'd give!!!!!!!! OK I'm done.

No apologies necessary! I am very happy to talk about Kurobas!! I don't talk about it nearly as much as I have thoughts about it, because nearly all my thoughts are tied up around How Much Bleach It Is, because its insane basketball-themed powers system was so incredibly Bleach-structured, and even though the main cast was not very Bleachy at all, so many of their random opponents were just straight up Bleach characters.

Who is my favorite Miracle? I cannot answer this question. I hate them all. They are all my favorite. To me, the Generation of Miracles exists on some plane orthogonal to "liking" or "not liking." Each and every one of them is an Entity, and I am obsessed with them.

Kise is the most human of them. He works so hard and loves basketball so much. He was late to the GoM and to me, there's this degree of sadness that he deserved to have a better time. Also, he wants to be friends with everyone so badly and they are so mean to him. "I would be friends with you, Kise," I say to myself, and then I remember that he's a model and it's like, "You know what? Never mind."

Midorima is 100%, unapologetically himself all of the time, and I respect that, but also: he's terrible. My opinions on him oscillate wildly. I do think he deserves his skill level more than anyone else on the GoM. I want to push him down the stairs.

I am a really simple person: I like character who work hard. I can never love Aomine because he does not go to practice and does not show up for games on time. On the other hand, he is electric on the court, he's the funnest player to watch, by far. I also enjoy his Color Commentary the best. He has merged so completely with Grimmjow in my mind that when I was watching TYBW last week, I was like "why is Aomine here?" and then the next time I watched KNB and he yelled "If you don't beat Rakuzan, I'll kill you!" at Kuroko, I was like "thanks, Grimmjow." I think he has a really toxic relationship with basketball, and should probably quit and do something else instead.

Murasakibara is so precious to me because I love him in a way I have never loved another character. He doesn't work hard, either, but he also Doesn't Want To Be Here and is making it everyone else's problem. I cannot justify it in the least, but I get unreasonably excited whenever he shows up. I actually screamed out loud when he put his hair up in a ponytail.

Akashi might be the greatest anime villain of all time, and that counts Aizen. The scope of his villainy was small, but he brought his A+++ game to it. My favorite Akashi moment was when he was being defeated by the power of friendship and he cured his own multiple personality disorder during a time-out and came back with his own, even better version of the power of friendship. I mean, I hate him, obviously. He has ruined so many people's basketball experience for basically no reason whatsoever. Poster child for eating the rich.

It's hard to like any team better than Seirin because every player on Seirin is a banger, and their teamwork is second to none. I don't think there were any other teams that I liked the full bench as much as Seirin.

I think the match against Yousen was my favorite, maybe because I just love a good defense. I am obsessed with the way Kimuro was just like "Friendship with Kagami ended, uh, uh, Murasakibara is my new best friend!!" Why are they always hanging out???

Shuutoku is Squad Six, I am sorry to say. It just is. Legacy team with long history of consistent greatness. Midorima is Byakuya if Byakuya was raised as a human teen instead of the most important person in Soul Society, and also he got into astrology for some reason. Takao is not really anything like Renji, but his rapport with Midorima is extremely Byakuya-Renji coded. The Sky Direct Three Point shot was one of the high points of the entire series for me, and I think Renji would have cried actual tears if he watched that episode. (He would refuse to pull Byakuya around in a little cart, tho)

I also kinda like Kaijou, but maybe it's just because Kasamatsu was my favorite non-Seirin, non-GoM side character by a long shot. Maybe it's because he works so hard and feels so hard and takes being captain as such a responsibility. Maybe it's his knee socks.

I would not have called the Touou - Squad 11 connection, although I can see it. Imayoshi was Basketball Gin, to me, and Sakurai was Basketball Rikichi.

I adore the scenario you outlined where Renji goes through the entire five stages of grief because Senpai is Furthering his Education. A real Bleach-KNB fusion (Orihime no Basuke) would have to focus on the Karakura kids, but Renji and Byakuya's team would be their first rival team, the one that you get to cheer for later on as the series progresses. Rukia would have transferred from Renji and Byakuya's school to Karakura High and would coach Ichigo and Orihime's team, which would make such good emotional tension.

Bonus answer to the question you didn't ask: Kiyoshi - Hyuuga - Riko OT3.

[thatuselesshuman]

How I get shit done in a way that works

For reference: I have many illnesses (some that now force me to use a cane in the short term) and autism

So I was cleaning my room today and I realized that I have a process of getting things done that may help some people, so here I am sharing it on ye ol Tumblr. Feel free to comment on it, disagree, add advice, and generally just yap cause I am in no way a professional

Anyways...

Step One: The most important step

As the title says, this is the most important step. This step starts with putting on a banger playlist or an audio book or anything that'll get you in the zone. This is important cause if it's not a vibe I'm not gonna do it.

The second part of this step is knocking out the easiest thing that'll make the most difference. Using me cleaning my room as an example, I packed up the large pile of clothes I have to donate that was covering a lot of my floor. It only took like five minutes and it made my room look a lot less messy. This is important because I typically have a hard time starting a project because I think of all of the things I have to do, the time it'll take, and I'll get overwhelmed and just not do it. Knocking something out that makes the task seem way less daunting and therefore allows me to start.

Step Two: Break it up

The next step is to break up the rest of your tasks into small but not menial tasks. Using the same example, I broke up my room into: pick up shoes, pick up dirty clothes, pick up trash, put shoes into the shoe cubby, put away any other miscellaneous items, hang up clothing, and vacuum. These tasks are doable but still make a difference in the cleanliness of my room, which motivates me to get to the next task. If the task is too small, it seems daunting to the rest because you can't see them making a difference. If the task takes too long, you'll quickly get discouraged because the amount of time it could take to do the rest seems like forever.

Step Three: Give yourself grace

I lied, this may be the most important step. After every task, you have to allow yourself to quit if you want to. Even if you only get the first step done, you must allow yourself to quit if you feel the need. If you force yourself to keep chugging on despite being overstimulated, tired, etc, then the task may get done in the short term but you'll be way less likely to ever even start next time. If you get overwhelmed after the first step, then that's fine. You can try again tomorrow or in an hour or two. Forcing yourself isn't the answer.

Plus, I find that after I get into the swing of things, I don't want to quit. Very rarely do I find myself quitting after the first, second, or even third step. Sure, occasionally I'll have a rough day and I'll quit early on, but then I'll just try again. Living in your body isn't a 100 meter dash, it's a marathon, which means you can't go 100% the entire race or else you'll never finish.

Step Four: Reward yourself

Once you accomplish your goal, reward yourself. It doesn't have to be anything big. For example, after I finished cleaning I rewarded myself by making my favorite dish for dinner. When you reward yourself, it allows yourself to feel accomplished and happy with the outcome. You'll remember that feeling next time, which will make it all the more easier to start.

TL;DR: You got this! You've gotten this far. You've lived too damn long to be bested by something like this. Tackle that task, I believe in you!

[lacrimosathedark]

Alright Hazbin Fandom. Let's talk about AI.

AI is always a grey area, especially with how new it is and how slow protections are to being instated.

I initially listened to "[character] sings [song]" type AI covers because to me it felt like auditory fanfiction, and it being character-specific and not person-specific gave it a level of distance. But fanfiction has specific legal protections where AI as of now does not. For example, you can't make money off of someone else's IP. There aren't solidly such protections for AI.

I never listened to covers involving Loona because I knew Erika Lindbeck has expressed not liking her voice used for AI. I stopped listening altogether because Amir Talai expressed he did not like the AI covers with his likeness and the majority was Alastor, so I stopped out of respect for him.

My mind also initially compared it to Vocaloids and other synth voices, but the difference is those voices were recorded for the purpose of writing and covering music. The actors knew what they were signing up for and were compensated.

There has been a major issue in the Hazbin fandom of not just AI covers, but using AI to speak as characters and making money off of it, with the express DISAPPROVAL of the voices they're stealing. And this is NOT OKAY. That is so many levels of theft and disrespect it's astonishing.

Look, you aren't evil if you've ever enjoyed an AI cover. I know a lot of us have seen and enjoyed the AI cover of "Your Stupid Face". But you should be aware, from here on out, that as long as you are using AI for this purpose, especially if you're posting it, even more if you are making money off of it, that is both not okay and could also get you sued.

I'm not joking.

Stop supporting the use of AI voices, at least until there are proper protections in place. Do not make and share them. Do not listen to them. Report them if you can.

And if you REALLY love the "[character] sings [song]" type covers, support people who actually sing as the characters!!! Fan songs and fan covers are usually much better quality anyways, and you're supporting actual artists!

I'll even give you some to start you off.

Silva Hound writes music for Hellaverse projects now, but they also did fansongs (and Addict) between the pilot and series. "Radio Play" is a personal favorite of mine I listened to on repeat, but other bangers include "Royal Flush" (with Mick Lauer, Husk's OG VA), Redemption Arc (with Elsie Lovelock, Charlie's OG VA), and Vox's Interlude.

PARANOiD DJ is THE guy for this stuff. He made a bunch of old fan songs and a couple of covers himself, and has also made songs WITH cast members, Krystal LaPorte, Edward Bosco, and Michael Kovach. I'm sure you've heard "Smile Like You Mean It" and "Use Me Up" and the Angel & Vox version of "Valentino". That's this guy. And there's so much more. Seriously, check this guy out.

MilkkyMelodies isn't usually my taste, but she's pretty prolific atm and she's done quite a few fansongs, some of which are other character rewrites of songs from the show, like Stayed Gone for Lute and Lilith, Hell's Greatest Mom for Lilith and Rosie, Poison for Emily, Respectless for Vaggie and Lute, there's a lot. She's one to give a try at the very least.

Caleb Hyles does mostly rock/metal versions of songs, but he's also made some fansongs and fancovers. He wrote "Wash it Clean", a Lucifer song, he's covered Karma (that Jojo Siwa song that has no right to be as funky as it is) as Angel Dust, and he and a few others did a Hazbin version of "Hell's Coming With Me", that big Poor Man's Poison song that was everywhere, yknow "I am the righteous hand of God and I am the Devil that you forgot" that one.

McGwire has a few fan songs, though I admittedly have only listened to one, but that one is a fucking BANGER and it's "Welcome to Hell", a Husk song. It's SO GOOD.

And there's probably more but this post is already long.

But THESE are the people you should be supporting, not people stealing other people's voices.

And hey, if none of this gets through? Have you seen The Little Mermaid? Remember, no matter how fab she was, Ursula was the villain. And even she had the owner of the voice she stole sign a contract. None of yall have contracts with these actors and no right to their voices.

Feel free to reblog with any other fan artists you may know so we can get them more traction and support than people who don't know what boundaries are.

[hannahbarberra162]

hi!!! i wanted to leave another appreciation ask for you!! lately you've been pumping out SO many bangers, between the incredible endings of can't fix a broken heart, crocodiles gambit, your personal oc work and under the microscope plus so many others like how that ive started to name them im realizing the devil works hard but you work HARDER idk what you do for work but i hope you're not over stressing yourself with all this writing!! its so eloquent and the dialogue is so engaging I have no clue how you get these chapters out to us so fast!! i know ive said it a lot but i hope to be able to call myself ur biggest fan haha and i think its always nice to be reminded of how great you are! so i wanna remind you!! i just got done reading the crocodiles gambit and although i adore your yandere fics since you make them so psychological and suspenseful i gotta say i LOVE this one. it's so sweet and tender at times (also freaky which thanks lol 👅) but crocodile is characterized SO well and the reader actually has a fun personality which i love, yet is enough of a blank slate to project onto which i also love. the way you address trauma and wounds also resonates with me so much, it's so so heartwarming to see that and honestly everyone needs someone to care for them in the way you write love 😭❤️ ur writing makes me SICK in the best ways i have to take small breaks and delegate with myself to go over the complexities of each paragraph it's TOO MUCH!!

you also mentioned in my comment on can't fix a broken heart (which i JUST saw bc ao3 didn't give me a notification 😇) that my comments make you feel like a real writer- im so very happy BUT i have one qualm; you ARE a real writer!!! how could you be my favorite writer/author if you aren't a real writer?? makes no sense... so take that! you write, so you're a writer! and you're my favorite one at that! don't downplay your own work- someone out there will always appreciate it, even if you yourself can't all the time (someone being me and so many others- i have no clue how to check tumblr followers since i downloaded the app specifically to follow you on it so if ur follower count isn't in the zillions ill riot)

i hope you're having a great day, week, month and year, thank you for EVERYTHING you do for us and write!! i have a question but im going to leave it in another ask with like... a 1-3 day buffer so i dont feel like im bombarding you haha. thank you so much for interacting with my fangirling over you and thank whoever out there made you a one piece fan (which feel free to tell me how id love to know) because you are the best writer in the fandom

I'm actually gonna cry (I did cry). This is so thoughtful, so kind, so sincere. You can send me as many heartwarming, nice, uplifting messages as you want. You can't see Tumblr followers, and I don't focus on it because of people like you. It doesn't matter to me how many people follow me when there are wonderful people like you who encourage and inspire me. I do have a full time job and other responsibilities but this is my escape and hobby. Thank you so so much Celine. You really don't know how much you impact my heart <3.

Funny enough, you can thank Sanji for making me an OP fan. He really brought me into this whole world - I fell in love with the man and it's been nothing but brainrot ever since. Yandere / dubcon is one of my favorite things to read and write, but I do enjoy a softer fic here and there too. Feel free to send asks / requests! I can't promise they'll be good or timely, but I do think about all of them

Thank you, Celine. I had a hard day IRL and this really made me feel better.

[justaboot]

Ahh, tagged by @hueberryshortcake (thanks! also this was the thing someone tagged me in and lost weeks ago so bless <3)

how many fics do you have on ao3?

omg 8, what even are they.

what's your total ao3 word count?

174,260 oh my GOd

what fandoms do you write for?

- I've only posted for DT but I've got a 10th Doctor/River fic in my drafts

what are your top five fics by kudos?

And a Sixpence in Your Shoe

In Situ

I've Got Time

Everyone Loves a Reunion (A come from behind win?)

Gentle as it Goes

do you respond to comments? why or why not?

- I try so hard to reply to everybody, but I've got weapons grade anxiety so sometimes I'm worried people will think I'm self-important. I've actually found I'm less likely to respond to tumblr mutuals? More anxiety? Unclear but I'm smashing my face into my hands at every comment.

what's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I can't handle ending on angst. Gentle as it Goes, definitely, but I hate it, I cannot handle splitting the party.

what's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Sixpence definitely has the most Disney Fairytale Everything Works Out ending, but writing I've Got Time's button fixed something in me I think.

do you get hate on your fics?

The first comment I ever got ever was DellaHate gbless, thanks AO3 User DellaDuckShouldDie for your insightful comment of "Della Duck should be destroyed."

do you write smut?

I've written it for other things, I'm not shook by it and its a great storytelling tool just like everything else, but not cartoon characters. I...I have one explicitly human DT fic that. I. Well. We'll see. Its a genre test run for something original and they're pointedly human, but I guess I'll cop to that one?

do you write crossovers? what's the craziest one you've ever written?

I hate crossovers stay away from me I cant wrap my head around it

have you ever had a fic stolen?

Nah. Where would you go with it, we're all in the same room.

have you ever had a fic translated?

No but that'd be so cool!

have you ever cowritten a fic before?

girlfriend and I made an absolute banger of a spn fic together on a 12 hour roadtrip. Its not written down but we've got it beat for beat.

what's your all time favorite ship?

The Doctor and River will never fail to make me lay down they're them I dont even know what to say

what's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

-I've got 1/3rd of an OG3 prequel episode fic written, but it has to be part of a series and that's just...not gonna happen.

what are your writing strengths?

oh god i dont know don't look at me dialogue? I get a lot of comments about in-character dialogue/behavior lets go with that.

what are your writing weaknesses?

I have "I'll finish it later, let me start this new one real quick" disease.

thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

I haven't done so, I'm fine with French but I'm terrified across the board of The Comment From A Native Speaker.

first fandom you wrote for?

Let me tell you about Tid, my halfling OC based on my Lord of the Rings Online character who played very little of the actual game and just ran laps around the shire. Elementary school core.

favorite fic you've ever written?

I am putting Sixpence on the award shelf for having finished something so big and I've Got Time was me getting a good grade in therapy. Right now I'm actually really proud of Dear Fellow Traveller? They're just lil kids and omg they're swimming in the Little Lake watering hole in the sierras I did that how did the author know

Tagging.... @writebackatya and @shychick-52

[c0d33]

2, 8, 11, 23 :)

2. Album of the year?

I've listened to a lot of great albums this year, but if I'm sticking to ones I found in 2023, then I'll go with the Chicory: A Colorful Tale soundtrack! It's a great mix of absolute bangers with some really nice music, and it has plenty of variety between all of the tracks! I especially like Abandon Me and Gulp Swamp :)

8. Game of the year?

Oh boy, it's hard to choose just one. I played so many great games this year that choosing just one to be my game of the year would feel like a disservice to the rest, so I'm just gonna list all of my favorites that I started this year :D

Warframe

Easily my biggest timesink of the year, I started Warframe in April and have put nearly 560 hours into it already. It's gameplay is just so satisfying and addicting once you get past the initial hurdle of the new player experience, and is probably the least predatory F2P game I've ever seen in my life. It's just been an absolute blast and I'll absolutely be putting more time into it in 2024!

Lethal Company

Probably not a big surprise, but Lethal Company is insanely fun. I've been playing quite a bit with some of my friends, and every session is an absolute blast and can send me into hysterics at some points. Plus, I love the monster designs :)

Chicory: A Colorful Tale

An awesome game that's really fun and puts out a great message, I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Chicory! Great gameplay and soundtrack, highly recommend it!

Chants of Sennar

Very enjoyable puzzle game about deciphering languages! There was one part in particular that completely blindsided me and was easily the highlight of the game for me, but I won't spoil it just in case anybody reading this wants to play it themselves

Ultrakill

Also probably not a big surprise if you've looked at my posting activity in the past few days. Extremely fun gameplay, awesome character designs, great music, etc. :)

Honorable mention to all of the games that I didn't start this year but I still played and obsessed over, like Battlefield 1

11. Something you want to do again next year?

Tough question, since there's not really anything super special I did this year that I haven't done before, but I suppose I do want to try cooking more! I've been more and more interesting in cooking and baking ever since I made empanadas earlier this year, so I wanna try finding more recipes and making more stuff :D

23. If you could send a message to yourself back on the first day of the year, what would it be?

Another tough question! I think for me personally, not a lot changes between the first day of the year and the last, so I wouldn't really have many serious things to say since we're basically in the same position. I think one thing I would say is to try not to sacrifice myself too much to other people. I took a lot of mental health hits this year by essentially acting as a therapist for people (By my own decision, absolutely nothing to do with them), so I think I would tell myself to take it easy. I don't have to solve every issue, and as much as it pains me to see my friends in pain, I would often be in more pain after hearing their struggles. That isn't to say I'd completely shut myself off from hearing them out, but I would try not to overextend myself emotionally in these circumstances. That is the struggle of being as much of an empath as I am

[starfolk7]

1 for Lies of P and your other fandoms (how yould you forget Pino and friends? xD)

Omg you're right I blanked and forgot to list that in the tags MY BAD JFHDHD

1. List 3 positive things about your current fandom(s)

I guess I'm gonna organize these by fandom lol

Pokemon:

- Diversity! Since it's been around for so long, there's tons of fics to read. If you can think of it, someone has probably written it. There's a Mewtwo fic I found in college that's basically a retelling of the events of the first movie, but holy shit it's written so beautifully it made me cry in front of my friends rjrhdgde. It's a dense read, but still one of my absolute favorite fics to this day. That's just an example of things you can find!

- Sub-fan bases. Basically, if you're a big fan of a certain Pokémon, a type of Pokémon, one of the games, etc., you're going to find your people very easily. Kind of falls under the first one a bit but ya know lol.

- Some of the cutest and also the most badass fanart comes out of this fandom. I have both art of a Sylveon with a lollipop and art of Mewtwo breaking out of their armor from the first movie. The duality of man djrhdgs

SoulsBorne

-Maybe I've gotten lucky and just found really nice people, but so far my experiences in the community have been largely positive! I've met some of the loveliest people by posting my Dark Souls and Bloodborne fics, and it really got me back into writing OCs again (you know that's my lifeblood lol)

-Character and lore analyses. Not that I agree with all of them, of course I don't, but if you want an analyses of anything in these games, there's some mad lad out there that's done it, whether it's a post or through an entire fic. Gives you tons to think about!

-ART!! Holy shit there's so many amazing artists in this community. We don't talk about how much SoulsBorne art I've snagged at conventions (I got more of it and Elden Ring stuff at Magfest don't look at me fjfhdhd)

Lies of P

-I haven't been in this fandom for long, but so far everyone I've met has been very sweet! They're also super OC-friendly. I can't tell you how many Stalker and Puppet OCs I've seen, among others, it's really amazing!

-Probably gonna say this for all of my fandoms but the ART OMG. There's so much gorgeous fanart floating around for this game it's insane. Still on the hunt for more Romeo pieces tho rjrhehe

-Headcanon diversity. Do you want a totally mute P? One that talks sometimes? One that's Had Enough? What I'm getting at is there's a P out there for everyone! People have been exploring all the different character angles on him and it's wonderful to see.

Ultrakill

-THE HYPE. Since this is an early access game still in development, the hype that cranks up every time an update is announced is INSANE. I don't think I've ever seen this level of it for an indie game. I got in just in time to witness this for the Violence update and the rush it gives you seeing everyone so excited is amazing!! It helps that every single update has just been an absolute banger. We have reason to be super excited, the devs do stellar work!!

-LORE. Do you wanna feel like Charlie at the corkboard in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia? Because that's where I'm definitely at right now. Since we're in the last act of the game, there's so much speculation and so many theories about how the game will end. On top of that, people have been playing in the lore sandbox ever since this game started. I know I've def been up at night wondering how the hierarchy of Heaven works and what certain layers of Hell were like before Certain Events TM (I'm being vague because I know at least one person wants to play this bear with me lol). Basically there's tons to explore and the community collectively goes insane about different bits, we have fun here lmao

-I'm bundling art and memes into this one because oh my GOD. The tonal whiplash is a rollercoaster ride. You can go from the most heart-wrenching art of Gabriel you've ever seen to a piece that goes "V1 is a shrimp now" and sometimes you just need that snap back to some levity. The memes are absolutely top-tier. It helps that the voice actor for Gabriel already does memes and shitposts on his YouTube channel, so he just carries that over for Ultrakill stuff sometimes and y'know what? This game is dark, I'm gonna need these memes for when the ending makes me bawl like a baby. The Violence layer already has me feeling the creeping sense of dread (if you know you KNOW).

[legion1227]

Panic! At The Disco: Viva Las Vengeance Review

For years, I considered Panic! At The Disco as my favorite band. They are no longer my favorite band.

Like probably many, my first exposure to the band stemmed from the radio play of one of the band's biggest hits, "I Write Sins Not Tragedies." I recall hearing it a lot as a child on the radio and in my household. Over the years, I discovered other songs that I loved even more from them than "I Write Sins." Between 2005 and 2013, Panic! dropped five albums with numerous bangers. Many fans consider this era as Panic's peak. "When The Day Met The Night," "Nine in the Afternoon," "But It's Better If You Do," "Sarah Smiles," "Miss Jackson," and "Collar Full," are beautiful ballads with either high octane energy or elegant croons of Brendon Urie and other skillful band members. Those are just a handful of examples of Panic! members Brendon Urie, Ryan Ross, and Spencer Smith, to name a few, at their best.

The quality of Panic! At Disco's music was questionable after 2013, as every member of the band not named Brendon Urie left the group. 2016 saw the release of their sixth studio album, "Death of a Bachelor." DOAB is arguably the last great album Panic! dropped. "LA Devotee" is their best song dedicated to Los Angeles. (As opposed to the vocally peculiar Dying In LA.) And the song that shares the same name as the album, "Death of a Bachelor," is an excellent ode to the style of music seen back in the days of Frank Sinatra.

Then, Panic! followed up with their seventh album, "Pray for the Wicked." I loved that project upon release, but over the years, my feelings waned. There are some songs I still enjoy, but no song compares to their older releases. Panic! used to be more punk in its youth, but since "Death of a Bachelor," they've leaned more into a pop sound with some bops and more flops.

Then four, long years passed. Panic! made a triumphant return! On August 19, 2022, Panic! dropped "Viva Las Vengenace," their final album.

And this is it. /This/ was the album to make me ashamed to call myself a Panic! fan.

First of all, calling the band Panic! at the Disco hasn't been truly proper for a long time. The band's founding members were long gone except for our lead singer, Brendon Urie. As everyone left Brendon, they took their unique sound from long ago with them. This just leaves us with either generic popish instrumentals or forgettable nonsense. Again, the newer sound worked for some songs, but not every. No song truly encapsulates the vibe, energy, or what made Panic! during 2005-2013 so special. There have been some exceptions since DOAB, but most do not reach the same heights.

This album is just Brendon Urie! at the Disco. And it sucks.

The first single, "Viva Las Vengeance," when dropped, I felt mixed feelings until the end. Nothing stands out particularly about the track until the end. Brendon didn't regularly hit high notes in his songs back in the old days. But ever since DOAB, he's done it more often. Brendon gives himself big moments in songs at the end where he flexes how he can reach the highest of highs with his voice. It was impressive in "Pray For The Wicked," and it was in this single song. He attempts multiple high notes across the multiple songs on the album of "Viva Las Vengenace," and it does not work.

He comes off more like a banshee screaming. And if you've seen videos on Tik Tok, Twitter, or wherever, where he's performing the songs at the concert, you can hear how he sounds even worse live. He's ruined his voice to sound decent at hitting those high notes, and he's coming off like a nagging, dying cat. He tries hitting high notes in songs where it's unnecessary and just annoying. "Sad Clown," the tenth track on "Viva Las Vengenace" has an awful chorus due to how strenuous and needlessly extra he comes off as he belches lyrics.

This twelve-track project is a mess after the first song. It starts with the title track of the same name, "Viva Las Vengeance," which I maintain the belief that it is the best song on the album. It is downhill from there quickly. "Middle of a Breakup" is dull and uninteresting. "Don't Let the Light Go Out" has terrible lyrics. (You're the only one who knows how to operate my heavy machinery?) "Star Spangled Banger" and "God Killed Rock and Roll" are absolutely the worst songs on the whole album and the worst songs by Brendon Urie. Every other song isn't even worth mentioning. They all sorta mush together.

It's a bunch of pop nonsense. Bland instrumentals, uninspired lyrics, and vocal horseshit. I remember being so upset after my first listen because I waited four years for something great, and this is what fans receive instead. It just soured Panic! at the disco on me as a whole. If I'm in the right mood, I'll listen to their songs during their peak. But the will to listen to Brendon Urie's voice at all has died significantly after this project. Just like their band.

Brendon Urie released a statement days ago, stating that Panic! at the Disco was officially done. This news would've made me sadder a few years ago. Now, all I can say is I can't wait for Fall Out Boy to drop their album in March. Their single "Love From The Other Side" washes any song from "Viva Las Vengenace."

Oh, and Paramore is my new favorite band. Stream their new album "This is Why" in February.

(I gave their album a 2/5 a while back, but as I'm writing this, I'm contemplating dropping this to a 1.5. Shit's ass.)

[starcannon399]

Starcannon's game recommendations part 1

Sooooooo originally this was supposed to be something I'd put on a neocities website if I ever made one, but I'm lazy and forgot to work on that, so I'm just gonna make a trillion Tumblr posts instead. Theres a lot of games I feel like aren't well known enough, and it's bugged me to no end that so many game recommendation videos/sites/whatever usually just have the same 50 big popular games, or just a few semi hidden indie games. Some of the best games I've played have been found through the weirdest of places and I wanna make them at least slightly more findable, so this! Enjoy occasional posts of me rambling about less well known games I enjoy/think other people might like. I'll try my best to stick to more obscure stuff but a few more known picks might make it in anyway out of personal bias. These won't be in a particular order, so whenever I get the brain blast moment and write one of these, whatever I think of then is what you get.

Game 1: Vernal Edge

Platforms: Everything

A vibe as hell metroidvania with character action inspired combat. It's very slightly jank at times, some bits of the combat feel a bit slower than they should be, and getting lost isn't a super rare occurrence, but the varied and vibrant locations, tons of secrets/cool achievements, banger music, and fun bosses keep it enjoyable throughout. Probably won't take you too long to finish, and the story isn't the most groundbreaking thing in the world, but it's cool and that's what matters. Hard mode semi-reccomended for first playthrough.

Game 2: Jet Lancer

Platforms: PC, Switch

Ace Combat but in 2d (kinda)! A semi-bullet hell arena-ish shmup thingy and the first game that made me wish something like these posts existed. Jet lancer randomly jumpscared me on my phone's news tab one day and instantly became one of the most memorable games of all time. Its arcady gameplay, over the top story, varied mission design, and big vibe energy creates the feeling of an old action anime in the best way possible. If you want something deep and introspective, go away, but shmup fans and plane enjoyers will find a lot to love about this game. Also please play new game plus all the way to the end trust me.

Game 3: CrossCode

Platforms: Everything

Probably my favorite game ever. A fantastic action RPG that takes place within a fictional MMO, crosscode’s fluid and satisfying combat drew me in, but the story 

Mmmmmmmmmmmm the STORY 

It doesn't seem like much at first but the character writing is unbelievably well done, and the way the story's stakes end up both unbelievably massive in scale yet still very personal just hits in a certain way. It even has a not boring elemental weakness system! Just go play it please. Post game story dlc highly recommended even though it does have some flaws.

Game 4: Echo Point Nova

Platforms: PC

Shmovement at its finest. Echo point nova is an open world movement shooter with nearly unrestrained freedom. You've got tons of ways to move around the world, no space is wasted, and the things it does to reinvent its combat over time are very cool. Area specific gimmicks, tons of enemy types, and giant shadow of the colossus boss fights tie everything together into a nonsense explosion filled adventure. It's no immersive world like breath of the wild, and the story is basically nothing, but the fun combat and efficient world design makes this one of the best open world games I've played ever. Also the ENTIRE THING WORKS SEAMLESSLY IN ONLINE COOP, I beat the whole game with a friend and it was a fantastic time.

Game 5: Virtua Unlimited Project 

Platforms: PC

The unofficial mega man zero 5, at least in some ways. Despite a VERY rough English translation, virtua unlimited project absolutely nails the feeling of the zero games to an impressive degree for how jank the rest of it is. Everything feels just as expected, plus a few new movement options that slot right into the established formula. If you liked any of the zero games, this is for you, provided you're alright with a very nothing story with strange translation issues. Hard mode very recommended if you're familiar with the zero games.

That's all for now, I'll try and make this 5 games per post but don't expect any kind of schedule.

[readingoals]

Mid Year Book Tag Thing

I wasn't tagged by anythone but I thot this might be a bit of fun

Best book you’ve read so far in 2022

This is a very tough choice cause I've read some absolute bangers this year but at the moment I think my fave would be Why Didn't They Ask Evans by Agatha Christie. I just loved the characters so much and I think their relationship was one of the best I've read in any Christie novel. Plus the mystery itself was very well done.

Best sequel you've read so far in 2022

I've not read a lot of sequels (I don't read all that many series) so I think it has to be Amongst Our Weapons by Ben Aaronovitch. I adore the Rivers of London series and AOW was no exception. If I'm being honest the last couple books of this series I've found harder to follow/remember what happened in them (which is more to do with my headspace than the books I think) but AOW had me completely invested. The start was a little slow but once I was in I was in. Favourite re-read

Okay there are two because I literally cannot decide. The first is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It's one of my all time favourite books and I re-read it every couple of years. The other is Zigzag Street by Nick Earls which I hadn't read for quite some time. Very very different books but I just adore them both. Genre you've been loving/reading the most

It's really no surprise that mystery has been my most read genre this year. I'm following the 2022 Read Christie challenge which means I'm reading 1 Agatha Christie book per month so mystery is definitely right up there for me at the moment. My second most read is Historical Fiction I think. New release you haven't read yet, but want to

I'm gonna be honest, I don't really keep up with new releases. Like if I'm in a bookshop and one catches my eye I'll pick it up but I have no idea what are new releases and what aren't. Looking at my shelf I don't think I have anything that was released this year that I haven't already read. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year

Like I said anticipated releases aren't really my thing. But I do know that Taylor Jenkins Reid has a new book coming out sometime towards the end of the year which I'll definitely pick up because I've liked everything else I'd read from her. Biggest disappointment

Take Me To Your Nerdy Leader and Sincerely Confusingly Yours by Hailey Gonzales. I really wanted to love those two because the series has an aro main character and I'm aro and I just had very high hopes that the books did not live up to. Biggest surprise

Parker Pyne Investigates by Agatha Christie. This one is very different to what I expected and to other Christie's I've read. It's a short story collection for one. And also very romance focused. I mean it's still a mystery book and Pyne solves a number of cases, including murder. But a lot of them are relationship based mysteries - unhappy marriages and the like. Which was definitely not what I had in mind when I picked it up, although still very enjoyable. Favorite new author (debut or new to you)

I don't think I have one. Most of the books I've read have been by authors I'm already familiar with. Of those that weren't - the two Hailey Gonzales books were disappointing, Crossroads by Jonathan Franzen was good in patches but mostly I hated it, and The Woman In White by Wilkie Collins was enjoyable but I'm not desperate to read anything else by him. I think the closest to a new fave author would be Emma Brodie since I really enjoyed Songs In Ursa Major but again I'm not like scrambling for more of her writing. If I saw she had another book I might pick it up but she's not a guaranteed buy yet. Newest favourite character

I think it has to be Frankie from Why Didn't They Ask Evans. I just adored her. Bobby also should get a mention since they worked as a team to solve the case. Book that made you cry

I don't think anything I've read this year has made me cry. Songs In Ursa Major might have made me tear up a bit, same with The City of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafon but I don't think either made me properly cry.

Book that made you happy

Zigzag Street obviously. It's so funny and because it's set very close to where I live it's just always a joy to read because I'm familiar with so much of what is mentioned. Special mention to Mostly Void Partially Stars by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor because the nostalgia of revisiting early Welcome To Night Vale episodes made me very happy also. Most beautiful book you've bought so far this year (or received)

I think these three count as the prettiest books I've acquired this year. The first is a collector's edition of Frankenstein. It's got foiling on it so irl its all shiny and pretty. The second is The Complete Novels of Jane Austen. I'm a sucker for flowers and stuff and I really like the colours on this one. And then the third is A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende which I'm currently reading. I actually borrowed this one from the library I work in, partly because of the cover. It's hard to tell from the image but there's a lot of gold foiling going on highlighting the title and the lines of the sea and sky. What books do you need to read by the end of the year?

I don't have anything specific in mind. Obviously theres another 6 Agatha Christie books to read but I don't know what all of them are yet (the next one has to fit the prompt "takes place on holidays"). I'd like to finally get around to The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo and maybe re-read Cloud Atlas. Then theres the rest of the Welcome To Night Vale books. And in my yearly goals I said I'd like to read 3 non-fiction books and I haven't picked up a single one yet but I've got a few I'm keen to get to - The Regency Revolution by Robert Morrison in particular.

[shoujocentral]

Top 5 Kannazuki no Miko Characters

KnM is one of my favorite anime of all time. The story is unique, the romance is beautiful, and the mecha battles, though divisive, are entertaining as hell. However, the best part of the anime by far are the characters. There's so many of them, and while some are... less impressive than others (*cough* Girochi *cough*), the ones that leave an impact REALLY leave an impact.

Today, I'm here to count down my five personal favorite characters from the Kannazuki no Miko anime. But first, and honorable mention...

Hon. Mention- Makoto Saotome

Mako is best girl. No doubt about that. She's energetic, upbeat, and one of Himeko's few friends. But all of that changes when she loses her entire Track and Field career in the first Orochi attack, and in her grief blamed Himeko. Of course, she eventually comes around and makes up with Himeko by encouraging her during her lowest point. FRIENDSHIP GOALS!

So... why is she only an honorable mention? Well, she's barely in the show. Her only times to shine are in episode 2 and 9, and she's basically non-existent for all the episodes in between. Basically, she's awesome, but awesome only in minimal doses.

No. 5- Reiko Ota

My favorite sub-villain of the bunch. Reiko has a kind of "don't take no shit from nobody" attitude, which is a personality type that I relish. She's a woman of few words, but every word that comes out of her mouth is just pure bliss. My personal favorite is her "Number 69" joke towards Corona (which is actually kinda messed up once you know Corona's backstory). I also love how she's the only one to call out the fact that Tsubasa is gay.

One of my favorite parts of the show is when we learn that Himeko is a fan of Reiko's books. This injects a bit of dramatic irony into her character since she became an Orochi due to her failed career as an author. It really makes me wish that she and Himeko interacted at some point. Oh well, that's what fanfiction is for ^_^

No. 4- Souma Oogami

Ladies, gentlemen, and those of unspecified genders, may I introduce the manliest man who ever man-ed! Souma may not be the most deep or complex character of the bunch, but you can't deny that he's a total badass. His Japanese voice actor has some of my favorite battle screams in all of anime, right up there with DBZ. I get chills everytime he shouts his signature attack "Nichirinkouretsu Daigekiha!"

Of course, he does have a small bit of development towards the end of the series. He starts off with the impression that he needs to protect Himeko from the Orochi. But after Himeko revives Ame no Murakumo by herself, he recognizes her strength and wants to fight the Orochi by her side. Respekt Wamen, my man!

No. 3- Tsubasa

I love this edgy little gay boi! His mech is a darker version of Souma’s, he’s the first villain with a legit air of intimidation, and his fight with Souma oozes awesomeness! He even gets his own insert song, which is a total banger 😎

What I love most about Tsubasa is that, despite being 100% buttfuq insane, he talks to and treats Souma like a caring older brother. When he fights Souma in episode 5, he almost seems proud that Souma has embraced his Orochi powers and has become stronger.

Tsubasa also serves as a great parallel to Chikane. Both become Orochi because of their love for someone. The difference is that Tsubasa is able to see, through Chikane, what a monster he’s become. With that, he sacrifices himself to give Souma strength. Now that’s character development!

No. 2- Chikane Himemiya

"NANI?! Chikane is Number 2??? Get the torches and pitchforks!!!" I know, I know, but please have patience.

What can I say about this actual goddess that hasn't already been said? Even if you've never seen the anime, you can't call yourself a yuri fan if you've never heard the name Chikane Himemiya. She's beautiful, elegant, commands authority wherever she goes, and the biggest damn sweetheart you'll ever meet (specifically to Himeko).

Chikane is by far the most damaged character in the show. She was born into a wealthy family and raised under the highest of high expectations. She had to be perfect at everything, but no one ever took into account the toll this would take on her mentally. Literally, the first person who treats her like a normal human being, Himeko, she ends up falling in love with to the point of obsession. Yeah... she's clearly not all there.

In truth, Chikane falling for Himeko is the worst thing that could have happened to her. She lives in an environment where homosexuality is clearly not the norm, and thus has no way of openly expressing her love for Himeko. This causes her to see herself as "disgusting" and to make up for this, she tries to help Himeko hook up with Souma.

Of course, I can't talk about Chikane without mentioning the most controversial scene. Chikane's decision to make Himeko hate her so she'll sacrifice her to Ame no Murakumo... by sexually assaulting her. She did something terrible, unforgivable, and that's exactly why it's so effective. This is the scene that proves how imperfect Chikane is. She made a horrible decision because she's flawed, she's human.

I could go on about Chikane forever, but that's a topic for a whole other day. Right now, I need to move on to Number 1. My favorite character in Kannazuki no Miko...

No. 1- Himeko Kurusugawa

I know what you're thinking. I know I'm probably the only person on Earth who feels this way. But I'm standing my ground with this one. And here's why...

I identify with Himeko so much. When I was young, during later middle school and early high school, I was weak, unpopular, and cried at just about everything. I believed I was worthless and that eveyone else was better than me. But as I got older, I grew up and became a more confident person, someone who pursues what they want despite the many obstacles that stood in my way.

Granted, the reason for my growth wasn't because I was forced to become a mystical priestess and revive a giant robot god, but that's besides the point.

Coming from someone who may have been the most pathetic kid you'd ever see, what I look for in a protagonitst is someone who's flawed, but more importantly, someone who's vulnerable. In that sense, Himeko is a perfect protagonist. She's the last person you'd expect to be chosen for the task of saving the world. She's a 16 year old girl who puts eveyone's happiness before her own and blames herself for everything that goes wrong in her life. Even her body is unable to take the strain, as she faints almost everytime she faces a dangerous situation.

However, as the show progresses, we see Himeko grow into her own. She becomes braver, wanting to be there for the ones she loves. She becomes stronger, enduring the trauma of sexual assault and reviving Ame no Murakumo all by herself. She learns to love herself, realizing she does have a place in this world and people who care about her.

The only thing that doesn't change about her is her greatest flaw: her undying forgiveness. Her ability to look past everything bad someone has done to her. This applies most to Chikane. Even after Chikane assaults her, attacks Souma, becomes an Orochi, and DESTROYS THE ENTIRE WORLD... she forgives her. Because that's just the kind of person she is.

There's no greater strength that the ability to forgive the unforgivable.

Well, that was a mouthful. I hope y'all enjoyed my first Top 5 list. You may or may not like Kannazuki no Miko as a show, and I can understand that, but I hope my little insight into these characters swayed you just a bit.

Until next time, my fellow yuri lovers! ❤️😊❤️

[mollymauk-teafleak]

What are some of your favorite Hamliza AUs? Either in general or ones you've made up

Thanks for asking! My girlfriend is the queen of Phildosia AUs but for Alex/Eliza AUs, me and my very good and very talented friend @minky-for-short have been coming up with some absolute bangers, she’s got such a good imagination and makes them fit the characters so well. So far I think we have…

Supernatural/Monster Hunter AU (We’ve already got both fic and art for this and we’ve shared so many amazing head canons that are too good for me to just leave alone. Possibly the best day ever was when minky decided to tell me that there was a certain curse in the Supernatural canon that makes a person’s sex drive crash through the roof. Which sounded to me like the most Alexander Hamilton thing ever…)

Lounge Singer AU (This one is amazing, she’s already done some top notch art for this and I love it. Its so cute and sweet and it involves Alex and Eliza having sex on a grand piano which is always a good thing?)

Treasure Hunter/Archeologist AU (I love this one, its a little grittier than our other ones but then suddenly turned really sweet??)

Also! @lookatvanessasface gifted me with her Armed Forces AU which is beyond amazing and I absolutely need to write up because it was angsty and brilliant. And also her amazing Gap Year AU which I did write up as that beach wedding fic because it was sweet and adorable and lovely 

Also if you need amazing AUs of any ship and shape and kind then @oversaturated-ocean who is brilliant and amazing and responsible for the super sweet Kindergarten Teacher AU and loads of others that just make my life so much better