#only seen a few episodes but this is exactly the vibe I get lol

[otakween]

Digimon Frontier - Episode 45

At first I was enjoying all these callbacks to previous locations but now it's getting kinda old. I feel like it's making the digital world feel really small that the few places they've already been just happen to be the remaining places to save. Oh well, only 5 episodes to go!

Notes:

It feels like LordKnightmon is far more dominant and gets more screen time than Dynasmon. I think they forgot to give Dynasmon an interesting personality lol. When they were first introduced I thought LordKnightmon was going to have more of a side kick role since they were kinda silly, but they're super OP.

The part where Junpei was rotating the city from inside the big furnace building would have been more effective had they explained that the town was set up like that in a previous episode. Like...cool but, why is that a thing?

It was nice to see a Tomoki/Koichi interaction. I feel like we haven't seen them chat much.

They just casually construct a super complex catapult on the spot lol. Who brought that knowledge to the table exactly, the Toucanmon?

I feel like all of the very specific digimon that tried to fight the royal knights were bosses I've fought before. Zanbamon was definitely a boss in DW3 and I think there was a boss fight with 3 Airdramon in one of the other games. I'm not sure if they did that on purpose or not.

The animation was super jank in this episode. They used a lot of animation "cheats" like shaking a still frame and just reused a lot of shots from previous episodes. The 8 years olds probably didn't notice but I sure did! >:l

They finally thought of a way to get the other kids to participate in a battle! It at least worked as a distraction. I'll take it.

The big Koichi plot twist...was unfortunately spoiled for me on MAL (ironically from someone speculating, not from someone who had already seen the show). I wish I could have been completely caught off guard like I usually am :/

I'm not convinced the Koichi is dead...I'm thinking coma, like that one dude from Tamers. We'll see though. That'd be messed up if he was fully dead and stuck in Digital World purgatory 😵 Wait...I'm getting Dot Hack vibes again.

Imagine if this was a JRPG and instead of winning boss fights to progress you lost every time. Wouldn't be very satisfying. I guess the idea is that it doesn't really matter if they lose everything because they can just get it back when they defeat Lucemon. Knowing that, this all feels like a big waste of time tho (like in universe you can't blame them for trying, but still).

I spotted a pretty funny continuity error in the dub. When Insekimon first appeared (on the moon) they just called them Gotsumon, but in the previous episode they called them Meteormon because they couldn't hide the fact it was a digivolution lol. I didn't notice until I heard the recap.

[marley-manson]

Xena season 4 finale(ish) post, warning for spoilers for certain mutuals who are currently watching the show, or anyone else.

FANTASTIC climax to Gabrielle's arc this season, good god. When she throws that fucking spear... chills. This is another contender for favourite Xena scene of all, it's so incredibly effective. The way these last few episodes have really hammered down Gabrielle's pacifism with her arguments with Amarice, her choice to let Brutus go instead of having him executed, her stupid powder and non-lethal fight shenanigans, the return of Eli in this episode - and it's all there just to make the moment where she picks up that spear as impactful as possible, and it works. Even her first kill and that fallout all the way back in season 3 now feels like it exists just to set up the emotional impact of this scene, it's that good.

And god the scene itself is amazing to watch. The way she mows down soldier after soldier as brutally and efficiently as possible, the way she visibly shifts from fighting to protect Xena to lashing out in frustrated rage as she realizes that escape is impossible, her lack of regret afterwards. The cheffest of kisses.

This episode was fantastic in other ways as well. I love that the show makes it clear that Xena only lost here because Callisto is a fucking cheater lmao. She would've killed Caesar when she intended to if Callisto hadn't intercepted her chakram, and she would've escaped the prison if Callisto hadn't broken her back. Caesar didn't defeat Xena, Callisto did, and only because Callisto has ghost magic going on. And that's very fitting too, because if it was just Xena vs Caesar it might've felt a little thin for an epic conclusion - but with true fan-beloved archnemesis Callisto involved, it feels appropriately impactful. Also love that Xena intended to just quietly assassinate Caesar lol. Circumstances are a little different than The Debt, since Caesar did declare his murderous intentions first, but the vibes are similar and I love them.

Also Caesar's sexualized vulnerability in this ep sure was a choice, but a good one imo - the sex nightmare (including a prolonged shot where they're positioned to mimic gender-reversed missionary) as well as Callisto getting handsy with him. And again like, idk exactly what the intent was here, but the vibes do feel like a call-back to his dubconny sexual encounter with Xena, and the fact (? taking their exchange in When Fates Collide into account, when Xena says she must've been his worst nightmare) that he was/is afraid of her. Idk, it adds a nicely complex layer to their interactions and mutual enmity, not quite undermining Xena's resentful hatred, but suggesting it's a two-way street, and for a good reason, especially with v traumatized Callisto drawing a parallel between the two of them in how Xena fucked them up. And given that they both simultaneously die by each others' hands-by-proxy in a pair of intercut scenes at the end, it does fit this story nicely. Both achieve a cathartic, and arguably deserved, vengeance.

Idk if I can say that was the intent definitively, I mean, the show also just has a hard-on for dominant women lol, it doesn't frame Xena as an actual rapist at any point, and it certainly hasn't made an impression on fans either based on the fact that I've like, never seen this dynamic between them discussed before. But Caesar waking up in terror after dreaming about Xena fucking and then stabbing him - in a context that suggests this is a recurring nightmare, given Caesar saying "dreams" plural and the fact that he hasn't even seen her recently - sure is a striking image to start us off with and contextualize Caesar's obsessive hatred, yk?

Oh man and finally I adore Callisto in this ep, and not just because she looks good with short hair lol. Also like, that shot when Xena and Gabrielle are being brought out to the crosses and she catches a snowflake on her tongue like a delighted child might be my favourite Callisto moment of all <333 And speaking of that moment, the direction and editing of this episode was also just amazing. Beautiful, many striking images, excellently paced.

Basically this was a nearly perfect episode, extremely satisfying and poignant and engaging and intriguing, and if it had actually been the end of the series it would've been a very fitting end. In some ways seasons 5 and 6 almost feel like bonus seasons lol, take them or leave them, with this as the true thematically resonant and emotionally satisfying ending.

[chimkin-samich]

Am I the only one completely confused by the story line for Clouds? I mean, I understand Sun loves his coworker, but why on earth is he so upset and hurting himself? What am I missing in terms of story? Either way, absolutely loving the art 🤩

Omg hello!

So...

In terms of story, Clouds is supposed to be an intro...

Yes, it's farther in the story already but the plan was to put that first so that we can put smaller comics with what happened previously as flashbacks not to be too repetitive and/or make a storyline that was already seen before.

If that makes sense...

So no, ur not missing anything thecnically yet.

But basically in this storyline,

Sun and moon are... Well.

Let's just say they're dealing with a lot of stress.

Moon can often have depressive episodes and rage outburst (in this au they didnt exactly get rid of the virus, they just put more and more upgrades to make moon more stable and "able to live with it") so we like to immagine a lot of guilt and being scared of himself on his part.

while Sunny, the poor boy, before moon got the upgrades he kinda had to deal with everything by himself for years.

We talking about screaming kids, upset parents, human staff acting like jackasses to him, all the while having a corrupted moon to keep at bay in his headspace, and the undying fear that the virus might corrupt him too one day.

So overall his anxiety got worse, and that often led to self destructive outburst.

Which, years later became a die hard "habit", often coming up under extreme stress or manic episodes.

*self insert* here, also called "Thari", (they/them or she/her)

Is basically a theater kid that generally doesnt fit the usual vibe of the other staff from the plex.

They're dramatic, hot headed and an absolute nerd.

And the boys, Sunny expecially, think that if Tari was ever to find out how they feel about her, she'd leave or be creeped out or start acting mean to them.

And they're terrified of ruining the friendship, expecially with one of the few people that actually treats them like people and makes them "feel alive"

So they think that by telling her how they feel, they're gonna end up alone.

And badly treated.

Again.

Summary:

In Clouds it's kind of the moment when Sunny realizes it's more than just a crush, freaks out, overthinks and crashes

(also the whole angsty thing we pulled up out of our sleeve, was heavily inspired by stuff that indeed happened to the both of us without going too much in detail, so I guess it also counts as a way to cope lol)

[jadebread64]

time for me to post my bullshit ramblings on the new doctor who episode in no particular order like a maniac lol

(SPOILERS AHOY, DONT CLICK ON THE READMORE IF YOU HAVENT SEEN THE EPISODE)

obviously seeing tennant and tate back in their roles is so cool, they feel exactly as they should, it doesnt even feel like 15 years have passed when you watch them its great

DONNA CANONICALLY HAS A NONBINARY DAUGHTER AND IM SO FUCKING HAPPY ABOUT THAT

NOT ONLY THAT BUT HER ALSO BEING PART OF THE METACRISIS TIME LORD SHIT IS SUPER COOL

lmao im not even joking when i first saw the meep™ i literally thought "aww it's so cute i hope it doesnt end up being evil" and LO AND BEHOLD

OH MY GOD DAVID TENNANT JUST SUDDENLY PUTTING ON A FUCKING JUDGE WIG AND DOING A COURTROOM SCENE WITH THE MEEP AND THE WRARTH WHILE DONNA AND HER CONCERNED FAMILY JUST OBSERVE

also i think the wrarth voices are so funny cause in the trailers they're like *auurhghghg scary monster sounds!!1!* but in the episode they just sound british like every doctor who space alien should

i think the new TARDIS looks really cartoony and i think it's kinda fun, idk if ncuti is gonna end up with this TARDIS set (i'd imagine the bbc doesnt have the budget to make a whole TARDIS set for 4 episodes then just make a new one lol) but i think it looks kinda plain at the moment? idk if they added some chairs and bookshelves n shit like the capaldi one and make it look more lived in overtime it might be one of my favourites just for the whole classic who vibe it has. either way it's perfect for david he gets to run around like a little kid in there and thats all that matters lol

also tennants new suit looks so fucking good and honestly wish he just had that in series 2-4 instead of the brown suit

i think it's so funny how literally not even 5 minutes after entering the TARDIS donna just fucking spills her coffee on the console and the whole thing just explodes and goes to shit immediately lmao

ALSO WE'RE GETTING A FULL ON TENNANT/TATE ADVENTURE NEXT WEEK???? AM I IN 2008 OR 2023 I CANNOT TELL ANYMORE TIME HAS NO MEANING

im really hoping we get to see whoever the fuck neil patrick harris' character is in the next episode, im 99% sure it's gonna be the celestial toymaker but only because the doctor who youtube account kept posting celestial toymaker clips and i think they're being cheeky bastards lol (/positive)

(/sarcasm) i cant wait to see all the queerphobic assholes shitting on this episode for having the few pronouns/binary lines in it and going "dOcTor wHo iS wOkE nOw yUcK" even though doctor who has been progressive since literally 1963 with the daleks (which got a fancy new colourization that i need to check out still but thats a whole OTHER THING LOL)

oh yeah and david's acting is really fucking good in this, like when he thinks wilf has died and he just sorrowfully says "i loved that man." like MY HEART CANT TAKE THIS

plus when he thinks he has to sacrifice donna to save everybody, holy shit his perfomance is incredible

this is just a me thing but seeing a doctor who episode live as its broadcasting is so cool, i've been watching this show for like 8 years (i think??) and i usually just ended up finding it on dailymotion or some shit like a day or two after the episode aired so i'd always be late for it lol (btw for the people coming after me i dont pay for disney+ at all lol) so watching it the at the same time as everyone else was very cool especially since i nearly slept in through it lmao

anyways i think thats all if i remember any more things i'll add em in lol

plus some bonus ramblings before the episode aired

[yobotica]

Fandom Homework

Idea by @razielim, I like the idea of sitting down and talking about the stuff I want to be working on! Mostly pretty rambly here, so I'll put it all beneath a cut:

It's all gonna be about the WIPs, baby! I think the thing that comes to mind most on 'boy I wish I could finish this' is actually the fallout AU I have for Assassin's Creed. ShaunDes, of course, but I think the ultimate plan was to try for OT3 with Clay on this one. I've never done it, but I get a lot of comments for that on my other fics and I think it would be interesting in this setting if I can make it work. I think the current plan for this one is more a sort of main 'how the group got together' vibe (all the moderns) and then snippets/side stories for some of their adventures. I do have an overall plot involving everyone figuring out who they are, secrets coming to light, etc. I just gotta get it all written is all.

Second is obviously to finish my in progress titanfall fic, which I usually just refer to as Weary, lol. While I've never once really felt pressured that updates are few and far between by comments on AO3, I sometimes regret posting it before it was finished. I never post WIPs as they're worked on because I am the slowest writer - once I get going, I can write pretty fast, it's just the getting started that trips me up. That, and i end up writing a lot of stuff that it turns out, it's not time for, or it's just not right for the story. I think I'm at like, over 15k words discarded for this fic overall, some of which has been repurposed/used already (just later than when it was originally written), but most of which has not. (Yet; I know at least two bits are just too early).

Third is a fic that is almost 10 years old and unfinished. It's only been posted up to chapter 10 on the assassin's creed kinkmeme, the last chapter of which was posted in 2016. It's almost complete, actually, sitting at just under 55.5k words, but I can't quite pin down the ending. Then it needs to be edited. Insert sad-cowboy emoji.

I'd really like to revisit my old DS9 stuff. I never published any of it on AO3 - in fact, I can't even remember if I've published any of it anywhere. It's some of the earliest stuff I've written, and it's pretty rough by my standards, but it's still something I'd like to get some time into and whip up into something readable at some point.

I want to learn how to draw transformers! I've wanted to for a while, but I recently watched Transformers One and it was gorgeous. There's a lot of different styles for the whole franchise, but I like that one a lot. That and Transformers Prime, which I haven't seen yet, lol. I'm a pretty recent fan, to be honest, but me and a friend have spent a lot of time making transformers OCs that I'd love to be able to draw just for fun. (It's the only reason I play Forza Horizon 5 at all, is to make the car forms for those that can be made in that game.)

I'd love to get works written for a few fandoms I've been into for a while, but never written for. Stuff like Dishonored, Legacy of Kain/Soul Reaver, Inception or even Dragon Age. Mostly based on vibes rather than concrete ideas (except for dishonored, which I have exactly one (1) idea that could be used for fic), but still. It's something I'd like to do.

Oh! I need to finish and edit the FFXV fic I have in progress! It could be considered complete enough, to be honest, but it feels incomplete to me for some reason. I wrote up to a certain point, then lost all steam. It's set post Episode Ignis alternate ending, a really, really cute and sweet fic.

I think one thing I'd like to do is maybe just post a collection on AO3 of my WIPs. I don't think of anything I've written as abandoned, even if it's been years since I looked at them, but I also do think some of it was pretty good! I don't know how readers feel about this, though.

I'd like to get more Deus Ex fic written, too. I had a few things perk my interested for kinktober but October was mostly a really shit month for me, so I got no writing done at all. I definitely don't mind using those prompts late or anything, but I still haven't got any creative juice for writing right now, so they're just sitting there, waiting for their time.

I've also had a few ideas that I think I might never write but maybe folks might be interested in hearing about or adopting themselves? Like prompts, maybe. Adoptable fic ideas. Mostly it's stuff I'd love to read but not research to write myself, but that feels a little selfish, lol. But I also just think they're fun to talk about and gush over even if they never actually get written.

I think this was nice to sit down and write out. I don't post very much about myself or my work, but I've enjoyed seeing people talk about things they'd like to get done or things they have in progress and thought I'd share. I'm wishing you all well and hoping you all have something creative you'd like to look forward to doing as well! <3

[dontmindme2600]

Hi again......If you don't mind, can I ask, what are your top 10 (or top 7) favorite media (can be books/ manga/ anime/movies/tv series)? Why do you love them? Sorry if you've answered this question before......Thanks....

OH MY GOD I’D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE MY BAD BECAUSE I LEFT THIS SITTING IN MY DRAFTS AND TOTALLY FORGOT TO ANSWER THIS!! Anyways, top 7, in no particular order:

Hunter x Hunter: I’m not as into this as I was in middle school but it’s never left my mind. Definitely my favorite shonen, Togashi’s originality with the series is really refreshing. (I also love Yu Yu Hakusho by him!!) As weird as it gets the characters and story are always a blast to follow. The villains also go hard. I finished the 2011 anime and I have up to volume 13 of the manga! I’d love to catch up fully since it’s being updated again, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. It’s something that I’ve always been inspired by even if I don’t want to make something that’s gonna be EXACTLY like it anymore lol.

Cowboy Bebop: I tried to limit myself to one (1) Shinichiro Watanabe anime for this list, but his other stuff fucks as well. I love Spike. (bet you never would’ve guessed!!) It’s hard to put into words in a way that doesn’t sound incredibly dumb. But. Every character introduced has their own unique worldview, backstory, flaws, etc. It sounds so fucking stupid because yeah, that’s what a character is supposed to have?? But this anime does that REALLY well?? I think what I’m trying to say is that the show does a great job of presenting different lifestyles and perspectives without worrying about making the audience uncomfortable. The anime is all about human connections and how they impact the characters and I LOVE that. It was also pretty moving to me, lots of great emotional moments. The episode where they find Faye’s old cassette recording and the one with Gren’s death will always stay with me. (Also the Andy one, but only because I think it’s funny as hell.) Watanabe is my favorite anime director ever and if you love Bebop I recommend checking out some of his other stuff as well! (Also props to an anime director that isn’t afraid of diversity in his character designs)

Witch Hat Atelier: I’m not nearly as caught up with this as I would like to be but!!! I love the writing, worldbuilding, and characters. I wish more manga were like this. Not like, aesthetically, but like quality wise. Everything is done really well and the art and paneling is GORGEOUS omfg. Also Kamome Shirahama is a very cool and progressive person and it’s just nice to read a manga by someone like her. I’m hyped as hell for the anime and can’t wait to see WHA reach a larger audience!! (Even with all the bad stuff it may bring, lmao)

Invader Zim: This one is probably the most different from the rest of the list lol. I’ll rewatch a few episodes of this every once in a while. It’s one of the only shows I watch that actually makes me laugh out loud. I also don’t think I’ve really seen anything else like it??? Sure there’s stuff that’s it’s pretty similar to but you cant really say, “wow, this is exactly like ____!” which is super cool. There’s not a major character in the show that I can say I hate or even just am neutral on, I love them all. I’m not usually a fan of stuff the gross-out humor it does, especially in the first season, but just about everything else about it just lives in my brain rent free. I think it’s a really unique and funny show and I just vibe with it stylistically as well. Seriously, I love the art style and just overall,,, edgy vibe. I absolutely do not care that it’s a kid’s show and I unironically think it’s super cool lmao. I know should probably check out some of Jhonen’s other stuff but I haven’t done that yet…

The Ace Attorney Trilogy: This one is more so just Shu Takumi in general. It’s a hard choice because I love Apollo Justice as well, and I also considered Ghost Trick (also by Takumi) but Agh!! The trilogy is the most iconic to me so I’m going with that. I just love seeing and interacting with all the unique characters the series has to offer. I’ve always liked how Takumi isn’t afraid to stray away from the generic skinny anime designs for his characters, it makes his characters feel very unique and memorable. He seems to be against having most of his characters be one dimensional, giving them their own struggles and aspirations, regardless of if they’re a “silly” character or not. I love it! It makes them more memorable and enjoyable than many other visual novel characters to me. (Please remember that I also love Ghost Trick holy fuck it’s so good)

Yakuza 0: I’m going to be 100% for real and admit that I discovered this series because of a bunch of stupid clips I saw of it on YouTube. It wasn’t the dame da ne memes, this was before that. But like, clips of all the silly stuff you can do in game like dance, receive a chicken as a gift for winning at bowling, assign said chicken a position at your real estate business, etc. So I bought it on a whim looking for a laugh. And. Holy FUCK. I did not expect the actual real serious story of this game to hit me as hard as it did. Just a good, moving story. I was THOROUGHLY emotionally invested in both Majima and Kiryu’s storylines by like, chapter 2 for both of them. I think it made me cry?? The fact that you can experience both that and the stupid shit, on top of the fun combat, makes it an S tier game for me. I plan to continue with the rest of the series (so far I’ve gotten through Kiwami 1 and 2 and loved them) but 0 has so far been my absolute favorite.

Pokemon: It’s not a perfect series but I always find myself getting back into it for a while every year. I’ve been a fan since I was just old enough to read, what can else can I say? I don’t have a super deep reason for this it’s just something that’s always been comfortable and fun!! The worldbuilding, story, music, and characters, really shine through in some of my favorite games in the series. And regardless of story, the gameplay is always fun.

It’s hard for me to determine my favorite anything but for this I tried to go by:

-How often I ended up going back to these

-How much each work made an emotional impact on me (not just the deep stuff, can also include things like making me laugh)

-How much each of these inspired me (like as in inspired my art or made me think “I want to make something like that!!!”) I think I’ve thought to that at least once for everything in here! It’s actually kind of scary because they’re all so different-

I’m probably missing something here but this should give you an idea!! If I spend any longer on this I’m just gonna keep changing it lolllll

[laf-outloud]

https://www.tumblr.com/laf-outloud/733852081367269376/httpswwwtumblrcomlaf-outloud7338145430521446

I’m confused by people being shocked that J2 might work together again.

I sort of get it if people don’t want to see Jared work with Jensen again (prequelgate and so on), or just specifically don’t want Jensen on Walker (AAs are a nightmare and no one wants them near any show), but I’m pretty surprised that people actually don't expect them to get back on screen together at some point. Or see it as some "that ship has long sailed" situation.

Both Jared and Jensen bring up doing an SPN revival on their own. They don’t just say, "sure" when people ask them about it. I get people thinking this is just fan service, but if a fan doesn’t bring it up first, they certainly don’t have to say something at just about every con. I think they truly do want to do at least a mini series or something. Whether they’ll get the go ahead for it is another story. Also, they've been getting more and move nostalgic lately at cons, and more and more like old-school J2 on stage. I know, cons are for show, but the quality of their interactions over the last few cons just feel more fond than they did (for the most part) last year, for example. They always have good chemistry, but it’s been especially good lately. Yes, they do lots of stuff that is "for show" but there is just a different feel when they seem like they are truly vibing.

As for Jensen on Walker. I’m 50/50 on whether it will happen. But, I certainly won’t be surprised if it does.

Still, Keegan’s photo (which is what has people worried, I guess) was taken during the Nov 5th weekend when hellers were celebrating their embarrassing meme scene and waiting for Jensen to maybe make a mention of it, so the pic of J2 could have been in response to that, just in a delayed post. A little reminder that Supernatural was about the brother (not Destiel). Or, maybe J2 are actually still good friends behind the scenes and Keegan just wanted a pic of them and their long hair. 🤷‍♀️

I just think the fandom in general does a lot of projecting, and I’m certain,y not immune to it either. Jared doesn’t ever want to work with Jensen again, and him saying he does is just fan service, but it’s never going to happen (projection). J2 are vibing exactly like old times and are clearly still besties who already have a whole Season 16 of SPN planned out (projection). Jared has moved on and never plans to look back at supernatural (projection). Jared and Jensen are happiest when working together and they’ll make it happen no matter what (projection). Anyway, my point with these examples is we don’t actually know how Jared (or Jensen) feels about doing an SPN revival or having Jensen on Walker besides them saying they are interested publicly at one point or another, but assuming they don’t/do want these things because we don’t /do want these things, could lead to some unpleasant realities down the line.

Just out of curiosity: Will you still tune in to Walker if Jensen does get a recurring role on it? And would you watch SPN reboot/revival if it happened?

You make a lot of good points! The photo could have been counteracting the Destiel thing... but I also think Keegan being a Sunday con attendee, and having worked with Jensen and Jared together, has only every really seen SPN as the show about brothers, so his caption doesn't surprise me.

And you're right, none of us know what J2's relationship is really like right now... and fans (myself included) certainly throw our preferences around, lol! Personally, I don't think their con behavior is back to what it was post-prequelgate/end of SPN, but we all see things differently.

As for your questions... I would probably still watch Walker if Jensen had a recurring role... but I wouldn't be as excited to live-tweet or reblog gifs/screengrabs from those episodes. In fact, I'd probably avoid social media altogether simply so I wouldn't have to see AAs (and frankly, Jensen) try to make the show all about him, while completely dismissing Jared (and the other cast member's) contributions. They may be delusional, but they have the power to ruin every fandom they enter.

An SPN reboot is a harder question, mostly because it would have to be the exact right set of circumstances (right producers, writers, time-frame, lack of extras, etc.) for me to even consider watching.

I think the only reboot that I'd be glad to watch with both Jensen and Jared would be the one they talked about a while ago... Lonesome Dove. It would be about 10 years down the road... certainly enough time (I would hope) for the SPN fandom to settle down, and would be a chance for J2 to work together again without all of SPN's baggage.

[lion-buddy]

I must ask: what's your favorite Precure series (or Precure character), and why?

ah! you see the thing is, I’ve only ever finished star twinkle hehe. but i have seen a few episodes of tropical rouge and the 2020 miracle leap movie too! im also planning to watch the new all stars F movie when i can!! [hopefully soon ahh]. So yeah I don’t have much to say about any other season

but!! I have a lot to say abt star twinkle! like a lot. I watched star twinkle because I saw Yuni's wiki page, got interested, and proceeded to stay up till 4am watching it all. So yeah! I really enjoyed it, I don’t even know where to start

yuni is my favorite character if it wasnt obvious lol, she is literally like. the perfect character from personality to design. shes an antagonist aligned shapeshifting phantom thief catgirl with a blue/yellow/rainbow color scheme who struggles with self perception and relationships in general and gets found-familied by the narrative [whether she likes it or not]. [[this sentence is meant to all be said in one continuous breath]] TLDR she could not be any more perfect, she scores a 10/10 for character of all time. i could say a lot abt yuni!! but ill hold myself back for now since i feel that could be a whole essay of its own. hikaru is also a character that's growing on me a lot. im not sure how to put it into words, but! shes really really interesting to me, which surprised me since i dont typically lean towards her character type. maybe i can find the words to talk abt her one day, bc i see way too much slander directed at her, she does not deserve all that

ok but star twinkle itself! i adore its themes of friendship, forgiveness, and learning what it means to grow up and grow apart. typical for a show of its demographic. what really got me was how it expanded on all of that, it introduced the concept of figuring out your place in the world, and learning how to continue living happily even if the people you care about most aren't here with you. it kinda hit really close to home for me. its so obvious how much the whole cast cares for each other, and i could see them building up to a finale where they would all have to say goodbye to each other forever. i wasnt sure if theyd actually commit all the way but!! they sure did!!!! watching them get separated at the end like that really hurt!!! like a lot!!!!!! im such a baby when it comes to cast separations but. man. star twinkle did it really well.

also also its ost is really really good??! this is aside from the intro and outro themes, im focusing on the instrumental backing tracks that play throughout the episodes. i was surprised to find them on youtube, and found myself blown away by how emotional they were. its got such a strong central motif that plays throughout the tracks, and obliterates you at the end when it shows back up to deliver an extremely emotional farewell song. i have cried several time listening to it, i dont think any ost has ever done that to me [aside from a few select songs from various medias. and undertale lol]. but yeah. listen to the star twinkle ost if you havent it will make you feel things.

i could also add that the movie kills me every time. watch the star twinkle movie if ur at all interested in anything ive said. its a good starting point if u want to see some action and get the vibe of the characters

on the topic of movies, final little note! im really interested in the new all stars F movie and prim, or cure supreme. literally know nothing about them but!! im staring so hard, they look exactly like my type of character. also the songs that have released are really really good ahhh scratching at the walls i hope it releases somewhere soon so i can see them in action. hopefully itll get me interested in checking out other seasons as well :]

[hyohaehyuk]

copy&pasting this bc if the account gets deleted or smth the content get lost forever

for the screening, the cast had assigned seats (jacob and delainey in the same row, sam behind jacob, eric behind sam, assad on the other side of the aisle, the same side as rolin, hannah, and mark johnson). sam and jacob were off to the side chatting during intros and never sat in theirs

delainey got applause from the audience upon her first on screen appearance, the only cast member to get one

daniel had a fair few interview beats which got laughs from the audience

afterwards, an actor from the venue came up and gave a little speech as though he was from a sister coven to the TdV in paris. then we were dismissed to the party, which was upstairs

initially post party, assad and luke were in the front larger room of the reception - sam and jacob were, i believe, already gathered in a far back corner in the second room, along with some other people. eric didn’t stay for the party

the venue had a couple little ‘shows’ - at one point the whole cast and some other guests went up several flights of stairs to a room (delainey commented on how many flights there were as we climbed) where a version of the no pain scene from the books was reenacted by venue actors

kalyne coleman was there, i saw her chatting with jacob. i let her cut in front of me for drinks as an excuse to talk to her. there’s a nod to grace in the episode and it sounded like that was a surprise to her (a pleasant one!)

my conversations with the cast were deeply unsubstantive, i was too pleased to be there to come up with anything too clever or probing to say tbh

when i spoke to jacob, i started by saying “sorry” (just reflexively) and he immediately, very warmly, was like what are you apologizing for! when i said how excited i was for the season and he said something like 'i hope it doesn’t disappoint’ (which i did think was surprisingly pessimistic for a premiere party lol but having seen the quote about hoping ppl still like louis by the end, maybe he is actually a tad concerned! i did obviously say i didn’t think it would)

sam was the best at these meetings because he very naturally asks questions back. i told him i loved him in the newsreader as well, and he asked whether i was pirating it (i’m not exactly, i had a vpn). then we all walked off to do that no pain scene experience

after the no pain scene, we exited down some stairs which opened to the second smaller room. assad was behind me so i asked him who did it better (these actors or the show), and we joked about that. he then introduced himself to me, and when i couldn’t help noting that i did in fact know who he was, he said he would never want to assume. sam came up to us and assad introduced him to me, and i got the joy of saying we’d met!

(SKIP this bullet if you don’t want newsreader vibes-based spoilers) sam asked me what i liked better, iwtv or the newsreader. i said iwtv but that newsreader was great and season 2 was so sad! he said season 3 is the last of the series, and told me it’s dark and bleak, worse than season 2, maybe only a second of peace/happiness at the end. so. there’s that to look forward to….

he also told me about the crossover staffing between shows (emma and the DOP). i tried to ask if he was responsible for any of that but dont think i articulated it well but he said 'you want to work with the people you like’

my delainey convo was brief, i turned while we were walking up to the no pain thing and realized she was next to me, so just took the opportunity to let her know i was excited about her in next season

around 10-ish, sam and jacob left to (i believe?) go to levan’s friends bar, along with hannah and others i didn’t recognize. assad and luke were around for another 30-40 minutes after that, then the whole thing ended at 11. i didn’t notice when or with who delainey left

delainey, as far as i noticed, did the least mingling; assad and luke did the most. generally speaking (and as expected) sam and jacob hung around together or in the same spaces. also perhaps as expected, assad and luke were hanging around together for lots of the night. at the end of the night, when it felt less burdensome to ask, i got a pic with those two. they were very cool about it, luke was sweet, we’d spoken earlier, he stuck out his tongue for one of the shots and he found me again later to chat

that photocall video i took (above) was after the 'no pain’ experience.

i was lucky enough to attend the premiere on tuesday (as the +1 of a contest winner); in case this is of interest (and, indulgently, to preserve it for my own memory), here are some tidbits from my night:

for the screening, the cast had assigned seats (jacob and delainey in the same row, sam behind jacob, eric behind sam, assad on the other side of the aisle, the same side as rolin, hannah, and mark johnson). sam and jacob were off to the side chatting during intros and never sat in theirs

delainey got applause from the audience upon her first on screen appearance, the only cast member to get one

daniel had a fair few interview beats which got laughs from the audience

afterwards, an actor from the venue came up and gave a little speech as though he was from a sister coven to the TdV in paris. then we were dismissed to the party, which was upstairs

initially post party, assad and luke were in the front larger room of the reception - sam and jacob were, i believe, already gathered in a far back corner in the second room, along with some other people. eric didn't stay for the party

the venue had a couple little 'shows' - at one point the whole cast and some other guests went up several flights of stairs to a room (delainey commented on how many flights there were as we climbed) where a version of the no pain scene from the books was reenacted by venue actors

kalyne coleman was there, i saw her chatting with jacob. i let her cut in front of me for drinks as an excuse to talk to her. there's a nod to grace in the episode and it sounded like that was a surprise to her (a pleasant one!)

my conversations with the cast were deeply unsubstantive, i was too pleased to be there to come up with anything too clever or probing to say tbh

when i spoke to jacob, i started by saying "sorry" (just reflexively) and he immediately, very warmly, was like what are you apologizing for! when i said how excited i was for the season and he said something like 'i hope it doesn't disappoint' (which i did think was surprisingly pessimistic for a premiere party lol but having seen the quote about hoping ppl still like louis by the end, maybe he is actually a tad concerned! i did obviously say i didn't think it would)

sam was the best at these meetings because he very naturally asks questions back. i told him i loved him in the newsreader as well, and he asked whether i was pirating it (i'm not exactly, i had a vpn). then we all walked off to do that no pain scene experience

after the no pain scene, we exited down some stairs which opened to the second smaller room. assad was behind me so i asked him who did it better (these actors or the show), and we joked about that. he then introduced himself to me, and when i couldn't help noting that i did in fact know who he was, he said he would never want to assume. sam came up to us and assad introduced him to me, and i got the joy of saying we'd met!

(SKIP this bullet if you don't want newsreader vibes-based spoilers) sam asked me what i liked better, iwtv or the newsreader. i said iwtv but that newsreader was great and season 2 was so sad! he said season 3 is the last of the series, and told me it's dark and bleak, worse than season 2, maybe only a second of peace/happiness at the end. so. there's that to look forward to....

he also told me about the crossover staffing between shows (emma and the DOP). i tried to ask if he was responsible for any of that but dont think i articulated it well but he said 'you want to work with the people you like'

my delainey convo was brief, i turned while we were walking up to the no pain thing and realized she was next to me, so just took the opportunity to let her know i was excited about her in next season

around 10-ish, sam and jacob left to (i believe?) go to levan's friends bar, along with hannah and others i didn't recognize. assad and luke were around for another 30-40 minutes after that, then the whole thing ended at 11. i didn't notice when or with who delainey left

delainey, as far as i noticed, did the least mingling; assad and luke did the most. generally speaking (and as expected) sam and jacob hung around together or in the same spaces. also perhaps as expected, assad and luke were hanging around together for lots of the night. at the end of the night, when it felt less burdensome to ask, i got a pic with those two. they were very cool about it, luke was sweet, we'd spoken earlier, he stuck out his tongue for one of the shots and he found me again later to chat

that photocall video i took (above) was after the 'no pain' experience.

[m1ckeyb3rry]

DHDGSJSJS touching grass for an embarrassingly long time SORRY I fear this is not quite the end of the grass touching….it should be soon though within the next week or so then I can go back to being chronically online ugh

PLEASE get rid of that /j im /srs episode Karasu PLEASEEE I lowk wanna see more of him in action at Bambi Osaka omg I remember when people were still theorizing Kira comeback lowk kinda fun reading all of their “analysis” but fr like npcs are needed…no npc shaming here their unimportance is important LMAO

LMFAO WAIT SENDOU FITS SO WELL peaked boyfailure energy i lowk forgot about him oops

LMAOOO dw 2k event will be nagipalooza trust…also OOPS thought i read the otoya one was a req somewhere my b but either way wait speaking of how’s that going? The otoya inspo before Karasu inspo is really funny though LOL

I HAD A FEELING I was trying to pinpoint who the dead boy was and figured Niko was the only reasonable option even if it wasn’t exactly him LMAOO

RIN ISEKAID BY A SHOT FROM SHIDOU TO THE HEAD LMFDOAOAOAOAAO im crying that would be a really funny crack fic

YESS THATS THE AUDIO LMAOOO omg you get me!!! But LOLL imagine Niko taking notes on who has the most vibrant hair like “yup ok they’re a main character I’m not gonna play against them they’ve got plot armor” and fr the otoya chive strip overpowers the 80% white on his head would not categorize him as white haired LMAO

LMFAOOO the stop fighting tiktok has me laughing but also omg eightbit did that scene kinda dirty omg

AUAHAHA I SAW THE ISAGI DRESSED UP AS KAISER ONE it’s actually hilarious the posing sent me

Oh wait that Aiku edit kinda….ok if he fr just cleaned up that stubble I would’ve been an Aiku fan a long time ago I just cannot get over the stubble…..this edit fr being aikus wingman though….we’re still in the homeboy zone that stubble lowk is a dealbreaker rn I won’t allow it….

OSISUHDIS KARASUUUUUU bro his voice…HIS VOICE >>>>>> Karasu my number one eightbit please continue to feed us

CRYING THATS SO LORENZO CODED he would def do that in oaeu and even in canon LMAOOO

I refreshed the page so I could send in this ask and got jumpscared by that….that….emoji….????? You used in your latest reply I’m gone

- Karasu anon

ALDHSHAHSJ IT’S OKAYYY it’s midterms week for me this week to be honest so i’ll probably be somewhat mia as well 😭 we are in this together but trust we will both be back and better than ever soon enough!!

PLSSS okay because i would eat up seeing him in bambi osaka ngl ughhhh i love him so much he’s literally my man LMAOAO anyways yeah i’ve seen the kira comeback theories circulating idk i think at this point it’s not going to happen but some of them were cool!! agreed though sometimes npcs can just stay npcs it’s okay 😭 focus the backstory and development on characters that are actually important HAHAHA

no because i ALWAYS forget about sendou except for his few mentions in the oaeu but he lowkey fits the vibes insanely well especially given his egoist bible info like he’s just silly 😭 you’ll never catch me caring abt him but sometimes when you need a character you need a character yk

AHDHSHSH 2K WE CAN ONLY HOPE my next event will probably be 1.5k i think…ik people do 1.2k a lot but i’m already kinda close to that and i’ve posted ONE 1k event req so uhhh yeah i’ll wait until 1.5k i think every 500 followers is a good rhythm and gives me some downtime too because i have so many fics i need to work on for myself too 😫

ngl i’ve been very scattered in my writing attempts UGH haven’t felt truly inspired by anything in a bit…wrote a couple sentences for pursuit and then closed the doc…wrote a page or two for a 1k event req and then closed the doc…wrote a bit for nagi’s oaeu and then closed the doc…fixed a typo in the in-progress-since-june chapter of PEREGRINE 😭 and then closed the doc…so the going has been rough 😓 i was briefly inspired for the oaeu and aiku did come and speak through me for a bit which was nice (can always rely on him for that) but then i was just not feeling it 😔 i didn’t end up starting the otoya one shot but lowkey maybe i should just try working on that and seeing if i get anywhere 😰 worst comes to worst i’ll rewatch violet evergarden or smth and be inspired to write the most soul crushing one shot for someone or another

NIKO IS ALWAYS CATCHING STRAYS LDFJJSNDS bro cannot catch a break reader’s uncle was fr in his isagi era or smth…anyways yeah it was him!! i love throwing in sly little #hehe references every now and again

OKAY BECAUSE LOWKEY THE VISION HAS ME CACKLING imagine it has one of those cheesy ass titles like “My Rival Hit Me in the Head With a Soccer Ball and Now I Have to Save the Cold Unifier of Japan!” or smth like that LMAOAOAO hold on who are we picking though…stan rin in yukimiya’s body or ninja otoya (i’d include gardener karasu but that’s not a fair option because we all know who we’d pick if he was a choice)

WAIT SPEAKING OF GREEN the blue lock additional times have made me realize otoya’s eyebrows are also green??? so he’s canonically green haired TO ME like the white isn’t even there fr…LMAOAAO niko predicts chigiri’s awakening before it even happens because no “background character” would ever have hair that bright 😭

PLSSS lowkey 8bit did not come through for us icl 😔 at least they made karasu and OTOYA ESPECIALLY really fine…next ep is looking like there will be some nagi and yuki action i’m hoping that means we get better animation since 8bit is just like me and loves nagi KDHDJSSJ

NO BECAUSE THAT EDIT IS FR WINGMANNING THE WINGMAN idk what it is but it’s fr making me go hmm….agreed the stubble just isn’t it i can’t get over it!! it’s like how kaiser looks 10x better with his shaggy gold emo hair than with whatever tf he has going on like come onnnn you have potential but i just can’t fully see the vision yet 🙁🙁🙁🙁🙁

KARASU’S VOICE IS SOOOOO NAHDJSDBHDDHSJDJHDSBS anyways i’ve been getting SOO many edits of him and otoya lately it’s amazing my fyp is literally flooded and yk i save EVERY ONE 😭 they’re lowkey popular now they kinda missing the times when they were #secret and it was only elite people who liked them 😔 JKJKJK ofc i’m glad we’re getting more content now TRUST but like…i better not see y’all mischaracterizing my boys…😒😒😒 those are MY emotional support idiot lovesick losers DON’T MAKE THEM PLAYBOYS PLEASEEEEEE I KNOW OTOYA’S A DUMBASS FLIRT BUT HE’S SECRETLY A RIZZLESS LOSER PLSPLSPLS

HELP i love throwing in random reaction images every now and again…wdym you didn’t like it…😕😕😕 (<- joking)

[yyawnjun]

i've been okay! just having some super boring days😞 how about you? i hope your days are less chaotic than before🫶(oh lol! I hadn't seen that meme before, but now I love it😂)

i get you! seeing them have fun and be genuinely happy makes my day better! speaking of the pool episode, I dreamt about them recently. we were playing in the pool together. i don’t know why, but it was a fun dream whicu i don't remember well tbh😢 have you ever dream of them or any other group recently? we definitely need a part 2 of that episode (it felt too short😭) and hopefully more cooking team episodes too🙏 i love P_friends episodes as well, especially their friendship dynamic

great minds think alike. maybe we really are twinning😄 i've been thinking about what emoji would fit thetak well since they’re both my bias, so I went with this 🌤 emoji, haha.

have you seen this yet? this made me laugh so much lol! around 7:22 mark is one of my fave moment, my heart just melt but at the same time lmao @ jiung https://youtu(.)be/c90AdLCyjnU?si=I8A2bpe9z988KkJb

(me too! i'm seriously so happy for them🫶 also, i'm really happy to talk to you as well!☺️)

hihii!! super boring days are still necessary!! mine has been quieter luckily ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ̀ˋ (i love sharing piwon memes omg djasd)

OMG YOUR DREAM SOUNDS SO FUN- plsplspls if you remember more and u wanna tell me don't spare any details, i love hearing about dreams. (hope u will dream about them again!!!). ykk that recently i have dreamed about p1h 🤭.

it was so so random, i remember finding them walking around at night in a big city that i visited a few months ago. i remember greeting them and asking them for a pic (i had my pics with only me nd theo too, i was trembling the whole time!! ) and then i don't know exactly how, but they ended up sleeping at my house (that didn't look like my house??? they didnt have a place where to sleep??). and the next morning, i had breakfast with them and i woke up FHJJKASD. it was so sweet, it always warms my heart when i remember it. and have u ever dreamt about other groups?<3

we truly are twinning!! and that emoji is so perfect for thetak sobs, nonnie you're so smart.

uhh you mean this video? (i had some problems w the link, hope i did it right!!). IM WATCHING IT RN THANKS TO YOU, and it's already so funny. i immediately skipped to 7:22 and I CANT STOP LAUGHING- intak and jiung acting like a divorced couple will never be not funny. i love how easily they can make fun of each other, and how seriously they were taking that ask adkjasja

UH and have you seen this interview?? i loved how they matched vibes so well!! it was so nice to see them happy while talking with her; they def should do it more often.

(mmmwah, your asks always make me so happy. hope you're having a wonderful day!! <33)

[fandomtrashfox]

Thought dump now that I've watched Hazbin Hotel. (Major Spoilers)

I watched the first season of Hazbin Hotel and gave myself a few days to let it simmer in my head, and now I have thoughts.

(Note: I don't count anything Vivs has said on podcasts and livestreams as being canon, only what shows up in Hazbin/Helluva is canon to me, so please don't try to 'gotcha' me with anything from a ten-year-old livestream or something, lol.)

The opening scene mentioned that Adam and Lilith were equals and that Lilith left after Adam tried and failed to control her, right?

Well, as someone who was raised Christian, I'm assuming that might be a misdirect, given the bible's version of those events actually meshes a bit better with the vibes I'm getting from the story so far.

You see, in the bible, it's actually mentioned that god created Lilith to serve Adam, not that they were made as equals. God created Adam first, then Adam grew lonely and god created Lilith to be subservient to him. However, Lilith proved too independent and was replaced by Eve - who was literally 'made' more subservient due to being created through one of Adam's rib bones. (Side note: Adam eating ribs in the show is hilarious.) After Eve's creation, Lilith was basically kicked out of paradise and became a demon.

Now, I'm not saying that the story will/should make it exactly that, or that I expect it to be 'more accurate'. What I am saying is, I think at some point, we might end up getting a 'hey, god's a douche actually and enabled Adam like an entitled child and that's why he's such an asshole' angle to the story.

I think this fits mainly because there seems to be a 'heaven isn't all it's cracked up to be' vibe, as well as the fact that from what I've seen, the older testaments are the versions Viv is using mainly for inspiration and the older testaments, if you know anything about them, tend not to characterize god as being the most... 'merciful' sometimes. (Turning people into salt pillars, drowning the entire world, asking Abraham to sacrifice his son on a mountaintop, etc.)

With that in mind, I also feel like Adam's probably gonna come back. Not as an Angel, but as a demon. At the end of the last episode, we saw Sir Pentious return to life redeemed and in heaven, so it only makes sense in my mind that if it works one way, it must work the other way around, too.

I feel like it'd be a pretty cool plotline if Adam got pulled into Charlie's Hazbin Hotel to try getting redeemed only to end up actually becoming a better person through it. With Adam's redemption becoming a way for Charlie to prove she was right definitively to heaven and maybe having a narrative timer since Adam technically counts as a sinner and would likely be targeted by the exterminators, who would have no reason to believe this 'sinner' claiming to be Adam was actually the real Adam.

[twig-tea]

I'm going to append to this excellent list of recs (all so good!!) a few more BLs that in my mind qualify--not so much ride or die, but as shows that get criticized for having "no plot" or being boring, because they're about relationships rather than about events--and that I enjoyed! This is really Japan-heavy. Apologies to the OP for any of these that they disagree with, my opinions are my own etc!

Seven Days (Mon-Thurs and Fri-Sun) (Japan, grey)*

(anyone who's on BL Tumblr has seen @absolutebl recommend this show before but I can't not mention it) Premise is they get together in the first episode and spend the rest of the show learning what dating the other is like, and deciding whether they want it to continue. Still one of the best shows of all time. While it's still falling-in-love because they barely know one another when they get together, something about the relationship being the sole focus of the show makes it qualify for this in my mind.

Takara-kun and Amagi-kun (Japan, GaGaOoLaLa)

Again, they get together in the first episode and spend the rest of the show really feeling out their relationship. I think this show doesn't get a lot of love partially because it "has no plot" (relationship building is a worthy plot), partially because the blushing virgin trope turns people off (fair) and partially because it relies on the viewer to have familiarity with manga (also a fair criticism). There are jokes, comedic and dramatic beats that I'd only ever seen illustrated that were being acted out in live action without the added effects like in Kabe-Koji, and it admittedly only kind of works. I think my former life as a yaoi scanlator could be blamed for why I love this show so much; it's become a comfort series for me (even though the blushing virgin trope bothers me too, fwiw). I've already re-watched many times and it's less than a year old.

Doushitemo Furetakunai/No Touching at All (Japan, Grey)*

In this one two coworkers hook up and then don't talk about it, and assumptions are made on both sides about what's happening based on each of their past experiences. This one is a classic and remains one of my faves. If I had to compare it to a recent BL, it would be Tokyo in April Is..., if that gives you a sense of the vibes. I read the manga for this one before I watched it and it is such a perfect adaptation, which I admit is part of what I love about it.

Life~Love on the Line (Japan, Viki)

Since you can't really untangle wrestling the weight of societal expectations from a gay relationship, I think this one still meets the criteria. This show follows one couple from when they meet in high school through to old age, and so much of the plot is about the way they navigate and negotiate (and renegotiate) their relationship. Watch the movie version with the extended ending.

I Want to See Only You (Japan, Grey)*

Best friends in high school decide to date and then feel out what that means for their relationship over their last summer break before high school ends. This one has very low stakes through the whole thing and admittedly only covers the start of exploring their relationship, but I'm counting it because I liked the way the relationship change was decidedly undramatic. This show reminds me of what it was like when my best friend and I started sleeping together in our last summer of high school, in that we angsted a bit about it and then our friendship stayed exactly the same, just with an additional element. In that sense it doesn't do much exploring, and I am understanding of the criticism that "nothing happens" in this one more than any of the others on this list, but I'd argue the way nothing changes is just as valid as when everything changes! Fully willing to admit I'm biased on this one too lol

Papa and Daddy S1&2 (Taiwan, GaGaOoLaLa)

This show isn't perfect but it's one of the few with an established couple that has a first and second season, and one of the only ones exploring how parenthood affects a marriage. We do get the story of how they got together throughout S1, but it's more about how their relationship changes as they become parents and again when their kid goes to kindergarten. S2 is more about wrestling with the secrets one of them has kept about their past, and what it means for their relationship in the present. Plus some really excellent Taiwanese Pride representation and queer found family support networks in this show.

Me, My Husband, and My Husband's Boyfriend (Japan, GaGaOoLaLa)

Three (+) people trying to figure out if polyamory can work for them. Not my favourite, but relationship negotiation was the entire plot, and I did enjoy how messy this show got and how imperfect it allowed its characters to be, and that the ending was not perfect or pat but still happy and still poly.

Goodbye Mother (Movie; Vietnam, Viki / Tubi)

Toeing the line because this is about how the couple manage visiting one of their families in Vietnam without being out to the family they're staying with, but I would argue that their relationship with one another as well as with the mother is a key point of exploration in the film. Plus this movie is just so beautiful, and funny, and queer, and wonderful.

Bonus Recs that don't fully match the criteria:

Cornered Mouse Dreams of Cheese (Japan, Viki) they're not technically in a relationship and it doesn't end happily but the entire film is about the main character figuring out who he is, and he does that in the context of his relationships for most of the film, so it still feels tangential but related to this category.

Eternal Yesterday (Japan, GaGaOoLaLa) this one doesn't end happily and technically it's about a couple who love one another negotiating how to say goodbye to one another (because one of them has already died--magical realism) and what the character's death means for each of them, which makes this show just so utterly heartbreaking, but also really really interesting from a relationship dynamics perspective.

Bed Friend (Thailand, iQiYi / GaGaOoLaLa) this couple are friends with benefits for most of the series, and other plot stuff happens, but the actual important/driving plot is their relationship negotiation and development alongside the processing of and triumph over trauma, and it is incredibly well done and rewarding

Made on the Rooftop (Korea, GaGaOoLaLa) Ok so this film is about two best friends and their relationships, one of which is ending and the other is just starting, so neither really qualify, but it's about the way both of these relationships are being negotiated; we get flashbacks to see what happened in the ending relationship, and we get insight into what is holding back the new relationship. This film is so funny and fun and queer and heartbreaking and beautiful and there is at least one happy ending, so it's getting added here anyway.

*If anyone needs these grey shows, I can probably hook you up.

The Ride or Die Drama Couples List

So the other night I got a little sassy on main because some of the girlies were complaining that King the Land is focusing more on the couple moments (aka relationship development) between Gu Won and Sa Rang and doesn’t have enough plot. Which is a very typical fandom complaint about romcoms that I absolutely hate, because in a good romance the relationship is the plot, people! It’s bizarre attitudes like this that get us random murder plots spliced into every other romcom for the ratings, and I am begging y’all to stop the madness. 

Ahem. Anyway, that post seemed to resonate with some folks and get them discussing other dramas, and so inevitably @troubled-mind wandered into my notes and said gee Shan, it seems like maybe you should make a list of dramas that show us couples in a relationship and explore how they make it work and ultimately stay together. And I’ve warned y’all before, if you make a stray comment in my direction there will be a list coming your way. So here I am again, doing the absolute most.

Today I present to you a list of my favorite dramas that show you not only how the couple gets together, but also how they stay together. Criteria:

The couple doesn’t have to be together when the drama starts, but they do have to actually begin their romantic relationship no later than halfway through the drama’s run so that we have substantial time with them as a couple

The relationship development between the couple is a primary plot driver (so no dramas where there’s a great long term couple just hanging out in the background)

The relationship story may include some physical separation or even a temporary breakup, but not the betrayal kind–these are the sort that actually force an unaddressed issue to the surface and ultimately bring the couple even closer 

Happy endings only, these pairs are sticking together 

Ride or Die Drama Couples

Bad Buddy - Pat and Pran

(Thailand, YouTube)

This is tumblr so do I really need to tell y’all about Pat and Pran? There is a reason we all lost our minds over this show and it’s because we got to be in this relationship with them so intensely and see them fight to stay together despite it all. Their ending is bittersweet because of their families, but the show leaves us no doubt that they both think the other is worth it and they will always stick it out together. 

Dark Blue Kiss - Pete and Kao

(Thailand, YouTube)

Shout out to the OGs! Pete and Kao originally got together in the Kiss series (you can watch it, but you really don’t have to, fam) and Dark Blue Kiss brings them back three years into their long-term relationship to give us a peek into their struggles with the closet and the toll it takes on both of them individually as well as the strain it puts on their relationship. 

Flower of Evil - Hee Sung and Ji Won

(S Korea, Netflix or Viki)

Hee Sung and Ji Won are already married (with an adorable daughter) when this drama begins, and the backstory of their relationship is unspooled alongside the larger mystery at the heart of the show. One of the most fascinating and heart wrenching love stories I have ever seen, centered on a character who is so emotionally damaged that he genuinely believes he is incapable of love even as love pours out of him. Damn, I’m gonna make myself cry into my oatmeal.

It’s Okay, That’s Love - Jae Yeol and Hae Soo

(S Korea, Viki)

Speaking of crying, lord. Ahhhhhhh. Let me pull myself together. It’s Okay, That’s Love is a healing drama about two people who fall in love and support each other through serious mental health challenges. I don’t really want to say much more than that. Bring tissues, besties!

La Pluie - Patts and Saengtai

(Thailand, iQIYI)

My beloved! This Thai drama is about a pair of soulmates–or are they–who find each other and try to make their relationship work. That’s it, that’s the show. In this drama, the relationship truly is the plot, despite some of the fantasy elements being used to highlight its themes. La Pluie is about the importance of choice and a rebuke of romantic fantasies that fate and destiny will handle your love life for you. I and many others have written about it extensively, so if you decide to watch, you can go nuts on meta. 

Lighter & Princess - Li Xun and Zhu Yun

(China, Viki)

I really love this show. This is a long format drama so there will be longer stretches where the couple still has not officially gotten together, but the relationship between them is the heart of the entire show, and we get the distinct pleasure of watching them fall in love twice, and the second time figure out how to make it stick. Such a treat.

One Spring Night - Ji Ho and Jung In

(S Korea, Netflix)

Oh how I love this quiet little drama about two people who fall for each other while one is still in a relationship with someone else, and figure out how to untangle the mess they’re in. We get to see them not only fall in love, but figure out how to become a unit who can withstand the harsh judgment coming their way and become a family on their own terms. Bonus adorable child alert!

Tomorrow With You - So Joon and Ma Rin

(S Korea, Viki)

This time travel melodrama is one of those that I started with no expectations and then sat up part way through and said what gave you the right to be this good! This is another one where the relationship begins for dubious reasons, but the suspect motives are quickly taken over by genuine feeling. We really get to live with the relationship in this one and the message is all about treasuring the life and time we have together. 

The Rebel Princess - Awu (Wang Xuan) and Xiao Qi

(China, Viki)

I think the phrase Ride or Die was actually invented for them. Talk about a power couple. Once these two get to know each other (this is a historical so as per usual, their marriage wasn’t actually their choice but rather the result of some asshole’s machinations in a quest for power, joke’s on them though) they are in, baby, and their devotion and loyalty never wavers. This is a historical epic in war time, so the couple will be physically separated multiple times, but it only makes them stronger and each of their reunions sweeter. Their relationship is the heart of the show and the throughline in their chaotic lives.

What Did You Eat Yesterday? - Shiro and Kenji

(Japan, the ether)

Saving the best for last because this right here is the GOAT in this category. It sits at the top of my all-time favorite dramas list and I love it passionately. Because y’all? This drama is explicitly about a middle-aged couple learning how to be together in a long-term relationship. That is the entire plot. And it’s fantastic. Stop reading this and go watch it!

Honorable Mentions

Yumi’s Cells - Yu Mi and Goo Wong 

(S Korea, Viki)

This one is not on the list proper because (gasp) the couple doesn’t end up together. I know, I’m still sad about it, too, even though I went into this drama fully aware of the concept (a season about each of Yu Mi’s major relationships). But man. Yu Mi and Goo Wong just have that something, you know? Even knowing they don’t stick it out, it’s a delight to watch them fall in love and settle into a relationship together. Technically there is a second season featuring Yu Mi’s next relationship (Babi? I don’t know her), but I don’t want to recommend it and you can’t make me.

I must also give a shout out to the bl season 2s that exist expressly for the purpose of showing how the characters settle into a relationship after the first season get together:

Gameboys 2 (Philippines, Gaga) - Cairo and Gavreel

Minato’s Laundromat 2 (Japan, Gaga)- Shin and Minato 

SOTUS S and Our Skyy (Thailand, YouTube) - Kongpob and Arthit

Still 2gether (Thailand, YouTube) - Tine and Sarawat

Utsukushii Kare 2 (Japan, Gaga) - Hira and Kiyoi

And because this is my post and I make the rules, I am also doing some honorable mentions of the friends to lovers slow burns where technically they are not together until the final arc of the story but let’s be serious they are together the whole time and just don’t realize it yet so you know exactly what their relationship is going to look like:

Fight for My Way (S Korea, Viki) - Dong Man and Ae Ra

Happiness (S Korea, Viki) - Sae Bom and Yi Hyun

Hospital Playlist 1 and 2 (S Korea, Viki) - Song Hwa and Ik Jun

My Only 12% (Thailand, iQIYI) - Seeiw and Cake

My Ride (Thailand, Gaga or YouTube) - Mork and Tawan 

Romance is a Bonus Book (S Korea, Netflix) - Dan Yi and Eun Ho

Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-Joo (S Korea, Viki) - Joon Hyeong and Bok Joo

Whoops you woke the beast @troubled-mind. @rocketturtle4 @neuroticbookworm @chickenstrangers here are more for your mile long rec lists. :)))

[angels-of-death-posts]

Hey sorry if this is a weird question but what are your thoughts on shipping in the AOD fandom? Like for me i dont really like any ships between the main cast (aside from maybe ray/eddie) because they're all like a found family methinks BUT i still like to ask whenever i find AOD people

oh how I have waited for this >:)

(warning this gets very ramble-y toward the end, but I stand by what I said lol)

Personally, I’m not huge on ‘shipping’ per se, but I do love exploring different characters relationships and interactions, and from that I have a few pairings, though most of mine aren’t exactly romantic, because I think throwing in a whole “they do this because they’re in loOove” cheapens the story a bit. More on that later.

1. CATHY + LUCY

of course I had to start with these two, I think they’re the most prominent ship with, like, any in-text evidence. I find Lucy’s devotion and obsession with Cathy to be interesting, but I don’t really think Cathy feels (or even has the capacity to feel) the same. The ep.0 storyline shows a lot of evidence towards this, though we can see that Cathy does take Lucy’s emotions into consideration when she chooses her as her first personal murder, so there may be more to that relationship than meets the eye. Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the power imbalance between the pair, but I still like seeing content for it!

2. CATHY + DANNY

okay. I will admit that this is one of my favorites, but mainly in a these-two-are-both-terrible-people-and-would-be-horrible-for-each-other-but-their-interactions-are-funny kind of way. They are my exception ship in every way, especially with all the content we see of them together in the ep.0 storyline. I like that they are more equal in a sense that they both think the other is beneath them, so their banter is top tier. Also. They are both extremely hot. Together they would be unstoppable but they’d also probably end up killing each other. Underrated ship imo, even if it is toxic as hell and not super romantic (or even platonic lol)

3. EDDIE + RACHEL

I get where the hype for this one comes from, because he says he loves her and they’re around the same age and aesthetically they do look really cute together, but it’s really just not my thing ship-wise. I think that how Eddie’s attachment to Rachel is explored in the games is more to shows Eddie’s personality than anything, and we get to see that he is desperate for something to calls his own. He projects a lot of his own emotions on to Rachel, without much regard for her actual feelings. I get major “nice-guy” vibes from him, and as someone who had a friend in school who put me in a similar situation, which I think is where my icks about these two comes from. That being said, I still love seeing fanart of the two!

4. EDDIE + GIRL (spoilers for ep eddie)

(The girl from episode Eddie) I think I ship these two more than I do eddieray, bc at least the girl in this game wanted Eddie to kill her. I do think the reason Eddie gets so attached to Rachel in the first place is because of his past relationship with the girl, I think Ray became a bit of a replacement for her after she was brought to the building by Danny. Anyways they’re cute together, and there’s even some adorable little sprites of him helping her walk that I love.

5. GRAY + ANYONE FROM THE SERIES

The only person I ship gray with is myself. (JOKING)

(I also don’t see myself shipping Shin from ep.0 with anyone either, but maybe that’ll change as more volumes are released. )

6. DANNY + ZACK

I have seen a surprising amount of content for this one. 10/10 crackship, it makes me laugh every time I see it.

7. CATHY + ZACK

not my thing. Again, weird power dynamic makes it hard for me to enjoy this one even as a joke. I also project a lot onto Zack (lol) and the way Cathy treats him is …. well

8. DANNY + RACHEL

no.

And finally,

9. ZACK + RACHEL

some people will probably be confused as to why I’m bringing this one up on a ship post, but since it’s such a divisive relationship in this fandom I can’t just leave it out ya know? And I have some thoughts on their relationship as a whole so it’s going in the list.

I do NOT ship these two romantically, I think that they fit more into the category of found family, but that even that label doesn’t quite fit the dynamic.

They’re closer than friends but they’re barely even acquaintances. (they’ve known each other for like 3~ days!) They would both die and kill for each other. They understand each other on a level that no other person in their world ever could. Through their shared experiences, they survived layer after layer of hell and challenged “god” in his own church.

I think what’s most profound to me is that the catalyst for their relationship is Zack yelling out a promise he doesn’t even realize he’s making. That’s the only thing that made Rachel choose Zack to kill her over Eddie, and from there we get to watch these two unlikely allies struggle through the first genuine connection either of them has had for years. They’re parallels, and we get more insight to that as they make their way through different puzzles. As the game progresses, we see Rachel’s past get darker and darker, while there is light shed on Zack’s in turn. It really makes you wonder what sort of thing classifies a person as innocent or guilty, and whether you can truly judge a person shaped by their experiences.

Obvious issues of the ZR ship aside, I do get a little annoyed when fans that do ship it water their relationship down to “and then she grew up and they kissed” or some shit like that because I feel like they’ve missed the entire point of the story. Anyways.

Queer-platonic-relationship Zack and Rachel is probably the closest I could describe their relationship to fit my own personal perception of these two. Especially with my aroace Zack hc and the canonical trauma both of them went through at the hands of their parents. I think it would be incredibly hard for either of them to actually have a romantic relationship with anyone, but there’s no way they would ever live without each other if they escaped together and lived in the end.

[edalynn]

i’m actually like Very Upset that my excitement for new episodes is starting to get watered down by the anxiety of hunt/low becoming canon. it genuinely sucks so bad. i absolutely hate when shows try to force in (especially m/f) ships way too late into both the character’s development and the show’s actual lifespan. we literally DO NOT HAVE the time to do ship stuff between anyone other than luz/amity and raine/eda, because their stories have been intertwined for so much longer that it’s inherent to the actual plot!!! if they actually try to go through with it when they only have 5 episodes left, it’s going to be somehow Even Worse than if they dedicated entire episodes to a romantic relationship

hi you’re like the only other person i know who hates that ship as much as me LOL so just let me know if you want me to stop anonymously complaining but. god. wow i despise it.

NO NO NEVER STOP ANONYMOUSLY COMPLAINING ILY I ADORE UR ANONS.

But seriously same, it’s been happening to me the past few eps to the point of my gf telling me to like just completely block TOH tag for a bit bc i get so worked up anxious over it. It really REALLY fucking sucks because toh is big time special interest rn and very personal to me. So being distressed abt new episodes really fucking sucks. I feel the same way about forced in ships (especially het ones) and it’s very out of left field for the shows whole vibe. Especially when way back before lumity was even hunter as Dana said she wasn’t all the interested in writing romance in general. (Other than the main ones you mentioned.)

(From Dana’s ama after season 1)

And yeah. When ppl get mad about lumity or whatever it’s just. Exactly what you said. It’s PART of the story & plot. It’s NECESSARY to properly tell the story of these characters. When we only have 5 actual episodes left and more story to crunch in it would be a disservice to toh itself to cram that in. It wouldn’t fit and it wouldn’t make sense. It also would do a disservice to Willow’s character arc imo too. We’ve seen her go from a shy, bullied kid in the wrong track at hexside to being totally confident and a badass who sticks up for herself and her friends. And she did it all for HERSELF. It would make it cheap to tie that off with a romantic relationship. Same for Hunter, i.e. his storyline being very much about self discovery in a very different way. Finding out your history, who you are, and having to come to terms with that. Along with coming to the realization that you’ve been abused your whole life and now you get to take control back for yourself and maybe help save the world from your abuser in the process. And not to mention the part of his storyline that is just learning how to be a person, opening up to people, and discovering what it feels like to have people there for you at all. I have a lot of strong feelings abt Hunter’s storyline and I’d just be really REALLY devastated if they threw romance in.

[sugirandom]

I know, it's a very ornate church that kinda reminds me of European catholic churches where they really go all out on the designs. As smone who loves Anime for the 90s and 00s I do kinda have a weakness for action scenes in churches since they tended to use them a lot for some reason lol so that in itself is nostalgic for me.

Yeah, it's almost like he was recalling Atem's comments/snide remarks from previous duels and just keying them in so it would feel more like he was actually dueling Atem but the program might not be advanced enough to guess additional phrases if Seto says something different.

I own a few of the original YGO OSTs and the vocal best which includes all the opening and ending themes so yeah I was low-key obsessed with the original Japanese soundtrack. Yes, I'm sure the Japanese version will be more to my liking so I'll try to seek that out first, I'll have to see if I can get my hands on the DVD or Bluray since that might be the only legit way to watch the movie in full. I do agree that hearing Eric Stuart with a more faithful script is nice. It did get old that they made him so anti-magic and sometimes I felt like they went a bit too far with his sarcasm and 'i'm surrounded by idiots' vibe. Like yeah that's there in the Japanese one but he does have genuine respect for them as well so it's more balanced. I do prefer his indifference to magic in the Japanese version. I have seen a fair amount of the Japanese version, sadly I was fooled into buying bootleg DVDs when I was much younger but...I did get to see the Japanese version of up to the end of Battle City that way, just with really cringe subtitles. I did eventually learn enough Japanese where I can piece together what's actually being said for the most part.

I feel like Seto is all about looking forward so I think his not being keen on the past-life stuff was more a feeling of it not really being that relevant and it took time for him to come to terms with it affecting the present too which I think is certainly reasonable given he's a businessman.

I'll have to double-check but iirc it was a mixture of poor sales and not exactly having the full rights to the Japanese version that made them just give up on release Yugioh Uncut. I think they only got about 3 or 4 volumes finished with the final one either not fully releasing or being extremely rare. It's sad because i feel like both with Pokemon and Yugioh I'd love to buy the subbed versions. I guess at this point I'll wait till my Japanese is better and hope I can buy the rest of the seasons in Japanese legitimately.

It does give off a familiar vibe despite coming out so much later than the original Anime's airing. I remember the year it released I was in Japan and they were airing the original Anime to celebrate. I caught the tail end of a few season 5 episodes thanks to that! Anyway, yeah the Capsule Monsters does seem odd, I heard 4Kids asked the studio to make it so it's this weird arc that's not even supposed to be in the original Anime. As for the Pyramid of Light movie, it was fun seeing it in theaters for sure but it did feel like a weird side-story. I remember being mad that the bad guy was supposed to be Anubis. I hated them always portraying Anubis as a villain in media because Anubis is more like a guard than anything else if I recall correctly so it felt like yet another misinterpretation of a mythological god.

As the title says this is a mixed dub. Atem is in English and Seto Japanese. So hope you don’t mind. But I do just love the duels in the movie…!

Sugirandom: Ahh, yes I thought when this started that he was using a simulation, dueling in a church does seem dramatic lol. I guess having it be dubbed subbed mix actually made it easier for me to pick up on it being the simulation too because of the disconnect. I don't mind too much, the duel is always epic and it's nice to hear the dub alongside the OG soundtrack instead of 4Kids' music. I really like

Atem's japanese voice though so I'd like to see the whole movie in Japanese one day. I feel like in Japanese Yuugi and Atem sounded more like the same person, he had the deeper voice and different vibe but the voices weren't so different that it felt like the voice was from two seperate bodies.. IDK if that makes sense, I guess it felt like it was easier to imagine that Yuugi was 'possessed' by Atem's spirit in the Japanese version to me.

IDK why I went on that tangent sorry, the CGI in the movie is nice too, it's blended it in nicely and not distracting like some Anime CGI can be! Thanks again for sharing!