#practical effects are TOP TIER

[potionpeddlerpatchy]

Welp. American Werewolf in London is a movie

[team-frightfur]

(Theyre also blushing but i cant figure out why). Both Kenzan and Johan are more focused on Judai tho, which could either be bc theyre both gay for him or cause this takes place post s4 (so theyre happy to see Jou enjoying life again after his depression). Then you have Fubuki and Asuka in the corner. Fubuki is doing his standout uncoordinated cloudcuckoolander bit by not wearing blue/black/white/yellow like everyone else (get with the program, man!) Instead he's going for that... christmas ensemble? With the rare red....tho now I see it, there's also judais pants and the coke bottles and the red cups and oh my god it was a red/blue/green/yellow colour scheme all along. ANYWAY, while Asuka is more serious with her modest clothing and walking boots, she has this small smile. Like, clearly she's not super duper ecstatic over his dumbass ukelele serenades, but she'll humour him today of all days, not just because it's a special day but because she looooves having her brother back.

Final verdict: this pic honestly just gets better the more you look at it. It makes me wish i had synesthesia just so I could taste the cozy hot chocolate vibes. Like its truly utterly immaculate. Kudos to you for all time!!!

[leafington]

𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙞 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙣, 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙮 𝙣𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙜𝙚𝙩. - kento n.

content warning !! - enemies to lovers w nanami (i caved), blackfem!reader, ngh modelceo!reader, ceo!nanami, me putting my business and entrepreneurship knowledge to use, light intoxication, suggestiveness at the end

a/n - IM BACK YALL WOOOOOO, sorry for making u wait @jellicatty 🙁

For years, Nanami has held himself to competition with you and your company. If he had a tier-list of all the people he hated, you were a close second to Gojo. To say he hated your guts was an understatement, some thought he just had some sort of lingering grudge, others assumed you two just got off the wrong foot but they couldn't be far from wrong. That man practically wanted you dead, and that's a hard call to make from someone who was raised well.

His mother was nothing short of a good woman, she taught his son to do great things—respect elders, women, and children alike, offer up his seat to those who needed it more than him, never pray upon someone's downfall no matter how hard they made his life. Each and every time he comes across your presence, he closes his eyes and mentally apologizes to his mother.

Your being insinuates such hatred within him. The way you arose to popularity out of nowhere due to what? Daddy's money? Your looks that earned you sexiest woman alive four years in a row? He wasn't accepting that 'model starting their own company' bullshit, not that he didn't believe one couldn't, just not you.

He recalls the very first moment he met you, three years ago when you made his life hell. 'Japan's Top Model, L/n Y/n, announces her official clothing line.' Who knew a simple headline could turn his future upside down? At the time, he'd only heard of you once or twice over a news article or a random scandal that just so happened to sneak into his algorithm. But this was different, it effected him in every way possible.

Suddenly, he has competition. 'LVS' stocks had reached a pinnacle point within just a few weeks of launching, he'd never seen those abbreviations before, the next, his own business was constantly being compared to by this new threatening company. All things after that basically consisted of Nanami fighting for his top spot. You can't even describe how upset he was when he first met you. A beautiful woman, buttering up the chairman into letting you attend the business meetings that he [Nanami] went to, pretty tits bouncing when introducing yourself to the other members of the council, and that gleam of something in your eye when you finally met with Nanami.

"So you're the one hogging No. 1?"

He doesn't give a damn how many of the other pervs fell for your charm, to him, you were the devil in disguise.

Nanami Kento despised you with every fibre of his person. Even at this formal event.

"Sexiest woman alive"? Damn right you were. He can see how easily the others fell for you, if he didn't have his head screwed on tight, he would've been the next one to take you in the office.

That black sleeveless maxi dress kept him on his toes the entire night, curves and assets prominent. The way you held your glass of sparkling rosé, chatting it up with whoever that unfortunate soul was that thought they would get you in their bed after this was all over. Nanami held his own drink, a good amount of scotch that'd get him through the remainder of the event without bashing someone's head in. He's trying to listen to his colleague brag about his latest product of his work that's been selling well, but you being in his line of sight smiling and giggling seemed way more appealing.

In no way is Nanami a man who occupied himself with women, until he found a good place to settle and retire, a relationship didn't have any room in his life. To the best of his abilities, he ignores the now reciprocated exchange of stares, only sipping from the modern glass whenever he felt he needed the extra loosening.

And loose he was.

You look good. Too good. He turned his head to avoid indulging, not with the woman who's downfall he's prayed upon. Though it's far too late because that scotch is getting it's moneys worth having already downed three glasses and bringing him closer and closer to the woman he claimed he loathed.

His compliments were unlike anything he's ever thought of you. "You look stunning tonight." "Your stylist did an amazing job." "The pictures do you no justice." Drunk words are sober thoughts as they say. His eyes were telling more than his words, he wanted you bad.

Compared to any other elderly male he knew what to say to have you feel won over, even if you were well aware of his hatred towards you. So.. though it was just for a night, you returned the favor. Addressing his compliments with your own, insisting that the media makes such false claims about his person, feeling him up, and eventually dragging him to the bathroom to show him exactly how you shot to the top.

"You minx." He hisses as your kisses trail lower from his jaw. "Oh? What happened to all that talk you were doing?" You effortlessly tug his tie off, allowing it to hang from his neck. "Do you do this with every man you want to surpass?" He grits, fighting his natural urges to give in. "Very few, only the ones that act uppity and look good in a suit."

"Fuck... I hate you so much."

©2024 leafington dont steal please!! :)

[oneatlatime]

The Headband

I don't care how dormant a volcano supposedly is. Living in the maw of one would absolutely freak me out.

Zuko out for his nightly constitutional lurking practice.

I want this snuggy cape.

No better disguise than a cloud 1.2 metres from the ground. That's where all clouds hand out. Cool puffins though.

Enemy puffins approve of new fluffy Sokka.

Did Sokka just dive headfirst into rock?

I do not like this angle. Looks like his head's on backwards.

This episode is three minutes in and already I'm loving the comic tone.

Wow Katara, with the enthusiasm you're showing for stealing those clothes, they must belong to pirates.

These are some top tier nonsense sound effects. Far too few of those in recent episodes.

Beat up Sokka quota fulfilled!

Toph has by far the best outfit. Love the gold accents.

We've had two seasons of blatantly blue Katara not being identified by the Fire Nation as a Water Tribe person. I think the necklace can stay.

His headband is an airbender arrow. So much for disguising himself.

I would love it if linguistic drift meant that Aang was going around tossing out slurs completely unaware.

WHAT is this face

"Just slob is fine." I ADORE characters that are so secure in themselves and in their belief in the decency of others that all attempts at ridicule slide off like water off a duck's back.

He does it again! "Wow. Are you a bully? This is so exciting! I've always wanted to meet a bully!"

Onji - get better taste in men. Why are you even dating this prick? Did you have any say in becoming his girlfriend? Blink twice if you need help.

These Fire Nation kids are all so mild. Contrast them with Zuko and they might as well be a different species.

What is Hide and Explode?

Sokka is showing a mastery of slapstick that I haven't seen since The Fortune Teller. Glad to have it back.

Is this the first time someone has recognised Zuko by his scar? About time.

Was it really necessary to beat up the guard? Seems a bit much. Zuko could have just asked nicely. That usually works for Iroh.

Speaking of: Iroh! Hi Iroh! Didn't think you'd still be alive.

Noodle Ozai. Did Aang get put in preschool by accident?

Those hippies should do a song about Secret Rivers.

Tired of spending three years talking to Zuko without making any progress, Iroh decides to attempt a new technique and deploys the silent treatment. It works just as well as three years of talking.

Colour me completely unsurprised that the Fire Nation has a pledge of Allegiance.

This school must have some gnarly punishments if questioning the teacher garners this reaction.

This man's head is alarming.

This man is also surprisingly nice for a fascist agent of the state bent on suppressing personal expression.

Movements? Aang you were showing her MOVEMENTS! GASP! FILTHY!

I love this fight. It's been a while (maybe back to season 1) since Aang's preferred fighting style was 'Nope'.

They haven't committed to the bit this hard since Bonzu Pippinpadalopsicopoulous, the Third!

It's funny how we spent two whole seasons haunted by nothing but threatening shadows of the Fire Lord, and then an episode after his face is finally revealed they turn him into part of the decor. He even gets a noodle version.

Play Spot the Firelord with this episode. I count four.

Sokka is having way too much fun with this.

Just going to sneak a reference to child labour in there. Gnarly punishments indeed.

Local Emos Experience Happiness for the First Time; Immediately Implode.

I'm sorry but Mai's cloak has such Santa vibes.

That is some serious side eye.

"You get to be normal all the time." Aang is pulling no punches today.

Where did they get this many candles? Actually, where did they get that many matches? They don't even have a Firebender on staff.

Poor kid is objectively correct. I guarantee your parents don't want you dancing in a cave. It will be good for you though! just don't lick the walls.

No wonder the Fire Nation got rid of dancing. Those moves are awful.

Zuko! "I brought you this food that I know you don't like because I need your help." Buddy. Why.

I could do without the heavy-handed Katara and Aang romance. Also, when exactly did Katara learn advanced gymnastics and choreograph a whole routine with Aang?

I hate this twerp so much!

That song the band is playing right as the adults bust in is better than the songs featured earlier in the dance montage.

I love this guy.

i know that the soundtrack probably went from diegetic to non-diegetic as soon as the chase started, but I love the idea that the school band provided theme music for searching for Aang.

Delightfully eerie. and also very Spartacus.

Actually with the guards starting to dance, it WAS the school band providing a soundtrack for the Aang hunt.

Is Momo at the reins?

How is this assassin good at keeping secrets and not being followed? He creaks and clanks.

Final Thoughts

I loved this. This type of episode is when Avatar is at its best: heaps of goof, a side helping of heart, subtle and not-so-subtle critiques organically incorporated, tonally contrasting storylines that combine to form a whole greater than its parts, and even one-note characters who are given depth.

Aang was in his element as a normal kid; Sokka was having a great time being super agent / team dad; poor Katara and Toph got like two lines each but still had fun with what they did get. Even Momo got some sight gags.

Aang is so personable. I think it's the combination of great social skills from a good peripatetic upbringing and being a peacetime child.

I think Zuko experienced every possible human emotion this episode. I loved seeing him snark with Mai (those two are way too good together), but his scenes with/revolving around Iroh were confusing and intense. Which is probably how Zuko would describe them too. Seems he's speedrunning his season 1 bad decisions arc.

I'm not fond of this new silent treatment approach from Iroh, but I have to admit that talking to Zuko didn't work for years, so what else is there to try?

I wasn't expecting a Footloose homage and a Spartacus reference in Avatar of all places. But it works. And it works if you don't catch the references too.

I am severely disappointed in Fire Nation fashion. I was expecting gloriously eye-searing red/gold/yellow outfits. I got black/tan/brown with dull red edging. It's probably a visual commentary on what imperialism does to its own people. And the price of dyes. But I was really looking forward to reds and golds! At least I have Toph's outfit.

I loved the liberal use of sound effects in the Gaang's plot. I love comic sound effects on their own, but they really enhanced the contast between Zuko and the Gaang's plots.

There was lots of heavy stuff under the surface this episode, what with the squashing of the self and the discrimination against colonials and the propaganda and the revisionist history and the assassin. But I feel like being silly today, so I'm not going to dig into it. That's one of the great things about this show. Not all, but many episodes are structured so that you can choose your level of engagement and consequent angst.

This episode was funny, and fun. A much-needed palette cleanser after the drudge of the season opener. The last time there was an episode this unapologetically silly was probably Avatar Day. In other words, it's been far too long. Definitely going on my rewatch list.

I really want Zuko's snuggy cape.

[brutermonger]

Such Good Beasties: Top Tier Monster Effects

This is one of my Top favorite werewolf practical effect costumes and it's a crying, whimpering shame it wasn't And hasn't been used More. It is by KNB EFX Group and they have crafted quite a pack of werewolves for film, TV including Ginger Snaps 2 and Cursed (2005) staring Christina Ricci (Love HER 🥴💖) among their diverse library of creature creations.

I Still to this day Can't believe a practical suit of This quality was used in a direct to video Nickelodeon KIDS Movie (The Boy Who Cried Werewolf 2010).. ??! 😕😦

The snout is Wide and powerful with just the right amount of "wolf" but also something "other", unnatural.

That's a Huge head.. that's what she said😏 (grade A comedy here 😅)

The ears got the right amount of perk from the head and body. Gives it a nice "devil horned" silhouette

Love also the eyes have a dark/black sclera which highlights how large the eyes are and the yellow, pupil-less iris. (Nooo who Hurt him??? 🥺)

Such a GOOD Beastie props to KNB EFX Group 👏😌

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: August 2024

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting cooler. The summer is waning. But the monthly media posts carry on. Here's how I spent the month of August.

……….FILM……….

Wendell & Wild (2022) I don't want this to be one of the last major stop-motion film to ever be made, but the filmmakers put so many stories into this that I wonder if they thought this was their last shot. Essentially a 12-course meal from a great restaurant: the accomplishment is impressive but the whole is overstuffed and some of the smaller portions were undercooked.

Love Lies Bleeding (2024) The lightly surreal elements of the movie were great, but there's a point late in the story when that surreality kills all of the momentum.

Spice World (1997) Still holds up.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) Still amazed at how well this pulls off what it seeks to do. But maybe I'm biased because I love practical effects, puppets, and action scenes that serve the narrative. We may not get another D&D movie but I'm glad we have this one.

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) Based on other live-action multiverses, I went in with modest expectations, and this was a pleasant surprise. Maybe it's because it continues to do what Deadpool does well. Thoroughly entertaining in the moment.

……….TELEVISION……….

Neon Genesis Evangelion (Episode 1.14 to 1.20) It's been a couple of years since I stopped watching (mid season!) but luckily one of the episodes was essentially a recap of what's happened so far. Really ramping up in the abstract and the philosophical and I'm a big fan. These kids are meeeeeeeessed up.

Made for Love (Episode 2.01 to 2.08) I only really caught the first season in pieces but I knew enough going into this season that it really clicked! It hit me the same way early Black Mirror episodes felt, only with more humour, depth, and nuance. It's a real shame there's no plans for season 3.

……….YOUTUBE……….

I think this will be a Short Video by Matthew Colville A really great reflection on making art in the social age, the algorithm, communities/audiences, and how these can clash with the natural impulses of creativity. VIDEO

I'm What the Culture Feeling (The full story of Kendrick Vs. Drake) by F.D. Signifier Almost 3.5 hours but for someone like me (who knows next to nothing of this world, these artists, or this conflict) it expertly breaks it all down to paint a complete picture. Really great watch. VIDEO

……….READING……….

Cards On the Table by Agatha Christie (Complete) Top-tier Christie. The premise is so fun, and while I know the multiple detectives appear in other stories, it's a nice introduction to these characters. This book made me want to learn how to play Bridge.

The People of the Black Circle and A Witch Shall Be Born by Robert E. Howard (Complete) I have this collection of Conan stories and after a years-long break, decided to read a few more. Both great! The latter puts Conan in an almost supporting role and it's fun to see him take on a secondary role to the story. Keeps it interesting. And the former is such a classic pulp story (cults, magic clothing, a giant snake) that I can't help but love it.

Delicious in Dungeon Volume 14 by Ryoko Kui (Complete) It's been a 6-year-long journey for me and while I couldn't be happier with how it ended, I'm sad that it's over. Still so impressed with how well it stuck the landing for me. Do I wish there was more of a wind-down with these characters? Sure. But I really respect an artist who knows what they want to say/do and says/does it. Very excited to see what Ryoko does next.

Hellboy Library Volume 1 by Mike Mignola with John Byrne (Complete) Without being hyperbolic, this is one of my favourite contributions to the craft. So confident and fully-formed right out of the gate. Excited to reread this series.

……….AUDIO……….

The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappel Roan (2023) Technically I started listening to this at the end of July. I saw a positive review, figured I'd check it out, and it felt like that was at the same time everyone else in the world was talking about her. Love an album with such a focused perspective.

Currents by Tame Impala (2015) In recent years I've been really enjoying Tame Impala's one-off songs (Barbie and Dungeons & Dragons soundtracks, their collaboration with Gorillaz, etc.) so I figured I'd really dig into this album. Easy to listen to both casually in the background and with a magnifying glass just pouring over the lyrics. Love it.

……….GAMING……….

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) Only got a few sessions in this month but the crew is still reassembling the skeletal pirate they trashed years (real time) ago. Now they're about to face a big electric centipede to recover his legs.

Oz: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The Mof1 crew split the party and one half casually shopped and planned while the other half discovered a secret testing facility full of captured magic-users.

Wonderland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) We got in a single session of Wonderland and it was a small party but a lot of fun! Also the first true character death of our playtesters. Luckily we had backup characters though character 2 ended the session losing their arm. Hey that's Wonderland.

And that's it. See you in September!

[bun-lapin]

congrats !!!!

laughter + fluff + idia, gn! reader and romantic please? gift as a backup as well, thank you!

Thanks so much~! As one of my first mutuals, I was really happy to see your request for the event! I hope you enjoy what I came up with for this prompt! I got a little carried away and wrote a lot more than I initially planned lol I've always wanted to write a story where you play video games with Idia. I bet he'd be so much fun to hang out with and just have fun~! <3

Prompt: Laughter Genre: Romantic, Fluff Character(s): Idia Shroud, gn!reader CW: hand holding, hugs, cheek kiss, playing video games

Stepping into the dimly lit building, you blink rapidly as your eyes suddenly transition from the bright afternoon sunshine outside, to the rainbow hued, artificial lights that now surround you. The electronic music and sound effects of various games played loudly through cheap speakers, mix in the air around you like the energetic noise of a festival. Taking in a deep breath, you smell the scent of fried snacks and sugary drinks from a nearby concessions stand. You turn to the figure at your side, smiling at the way his eyes first sweep gloomily around the room but then soften as they meet yours. Taking his hand in yours and giving it an affectionate squeeze, you say, “Thanks for bringing me to your favorite arcade today, Idia. I’m really excited to spend the day with you!”

Idia shrugs his shoulders with feigned nonchalance but you see the corners of his mouth twitch into a fleeting, bashful smile. “I’m excited too,” he replies softly, as he squeezes your hand in return. He turns his head to look around at the mostly empty arcade and a small frown creases his brows, “Sorry it’s so dead in here today. I still can’t believe how severely underappreciated this business is by the local community.”

You let out a light laugh and give Idia a small, reassuring pat on the arm, “It’s alright. With less people in here, that just means we can play any game we want without waiting!” You scan the various arcade cabinets in your general vicinity and a brightly colored fighting game catches your eye. Pointing to your selection, you ask Idia, “What about that game? Do you like that one?”

Idia’s eyes go wide with sudden excitement and his mouth opens into a radiant, sharp-toothed grin as he practically shouts,” Do I like it? That’s Wreck-It Rumble! I used to play it all the time when I was a kid. It’s a top-tier, certified classic in the arcade fighting game genre!”

You smile excitedly at Idia. Gently pulling on his arm as you step towards the game, you say, “Well then, it’s decided. We’re playing that one first!”

The two of you make your way over to your selection and as you stand in front of the flashing game cabinet, Idia fishes a handful of arcade tokens from his back pocket. As he drops a couple into the game’s coin slot, he looks up at you with a playfully smug smile and says in a teasing tone, “There’s no way you’re winning this game. I know every single combo move for every single character!”

The game starts up and the two of you begin selecting your characters. You glance over at Idia with a playfully raised eyebrow and ask, “Want to make a bet? Loser has to buy the winner any snack they want from the concessions stand!”

Idia flashes you an excited grin and nods his head in agreement, “It’s on!”

The first round begins and Idia immediately slams the buttons on the arcade cabinet in a complicated combo move. You quickly jump into action as well, trying out a variety of button presses to see what fighting moves your character is capable of. As the two of you frantically control the characters on the screen, your energetic movements cause your shoulders to occasionally bump against each other. Each time you make contact, the two of you glance at each other and exchange a quick, affectionate smile. The first round swiftly ends in Idia’s favor and he lets out a gleeful shout in victory.

As you begin the second round, you utilize the information you learned in the previous round and your character fights Idia’s with more skillful attacks and dodges. Steadily whittling away at his health bar, you glance over at Idia from the corner of your eye. You laugh softly when you see his brows furrowed in concentration and his eyes blazing with determination. The second round is a very close match but eventually, you manage to finally defeat Idia. You throw your arms up and laugh victoriously. Idia pretends for a moment to be annoyed at his loss, but then pulls you into his arms for a quick congratulatory hug, a warm smile lighting up his pale face.

With the third and final round starting up on the game screen, the competitive mood surrounding the two of you reaches a fevered pitch. You both raise a hand over your respective controls, readying yourselves to send out your most effective attacks. The match begins but then suddenly, the lights in the arcade flicker and every game cabinet around you goes black as the power shuts off for a few seconds.

You and Idia stare the black screen and then at each other in disbelief. The arcade manager, standing behind the concession stand counter, calls over towards the two of you, “Sorry about that! Looks like we had a brief power outage. If you could come over here, I’ll get you a refund on your tokens and some free drinks for your trouble.”

Looking back into each other’s eyes, you and Idia share a look of amazement at this unexpected outcome and then you both dissolve into a fit of laughter. You hold each other close as you laugh and, when you both calm down a bit, Idia looks at you with an expression of gentle appreciation and joy. Brushing a soft kiss against your cheek, he takes your hand in his and the two of you walk over together towards the concession stand.

[morrithal]

AITA for using my daughter's girlfriend to achieve immortality?

This may sound bad but hear me out. I (350sM) am a successful religious and military leader within a new alternative faith system. Many years ago I lost my wife while my daughter (now 30sF) was very young, so naturally I have been very protective of her. We lived in a tight-knit community where the majority practiced a religion I was involved in but am no longer a part of. My daughter was very involved with this community and was a talented follower of this goddess.

My daughter also had a girlfriend at the time. I just want to say upfront that I am NOT homophobic. Two of my closest coworkers are LGBT and it doesn't bother me in the slightest. But let's just say that when my daughter died of unpreventable causes, I didn't treat her girlfriend extremely well. It's not something I'm proud of, but it happened. Seeing that there was pretty much nothing keeping me tied to this religion, I found a new goddess that suited my life and goals better and used this to trap my daughter's girlfriend in another plane. Because of her parentage (my original goddess) she's effectively immortal, and I was able to siphon off some of that for myself.

Let me be clear, this was all for my daughter and my community. I knew that by living longer and becoming unkillable, I would have more time to devise a way to bring my daughter back. Plus, this new goddess was much stronger IMO, so my community would be safer as well. There were some people who didn't love the change, but I really did have their best interests at heart. I was even able to preserve some of my family members through this transition and gave them VERY prestigious positions in our new society (toll collector, head doctor at our local hospital, etc.).

And yes, I figured the girlfriend would be lonely in her new extra-planar living space, which is why I sent members of my new religion to visit her and fulfill their joining rites in one fell swoop. It's not my fault she wasn't appreciative of this, since I went through a lot of trouble to build a temple leading up to her portal with a very involved trials just to get there. Everyone who visited her was highly qualified and earned their place. Plus, I'll say again that she is immortal, so whenever she dies she comes back--I've been killed many times due to all of this, and it isn't even that bad.

But anyway, now my daughter is returned from the dead and won't even speak to me. I assume she's mad because of her whole girlfriend thing and also possibly my new religion (dropped the second goddess for a much stronger god, with great benefits and a structured tier system I very quickly rose to the top of, if it matters). She even helped to murder one of my associates I sent to collect her. I think she's planning an attack against the tower I currently reside in, which if you ask me is a little ungrateful.

[hadesoftheladies]

female separatism and consciousness-raising is the answer, and practicing it my day-to-day life where i can is sooooo rewarding

male friends talking shit and draining you with all their hypothetical red-pill bullshit? cut them off. now i have more energy.

men shitting on your art/analysis just bc you're a woman? doesn't matter, hundreds or dozens of women like what I had to show/say. now im happy :)

watching female sports, female-centred movies, listening to female musicians, following female athletes and writers and philosophers, don't have to deal with any of the tiring misogynistic shit and i get to engage with content i love

female only gymns, female friendships and communities, female colleagues and professionals, female uber drivers . . . literally completely decentering men from my life has increased the quality of my happiness and lessened my mental load

not arguing with my brothers, uncles, cousins about stupid podcast bro mythology, and instead talking with my sisters, aunts, mother, younger girl cousins about feminist issues and them agreeing and waking up to their own power and finding joy in the empowerment? TOP TIER EXPERIENCE. way more effective and way more rewarding

when you start measuring feminism's progress--not by whether men are approving of it or not--but by whether women are engaging with it and joining forces . . . you start to have a MUCH more optimistic picture of the future

male allies are great, but feminism is most successful when women's solidarity is strong . . . and we're getting there

[smolweeblets]

Get Good

Hana "D.Va" Song x Reader

Its quite a mystery how youve dated D.va for this long without playing a single game with her. Although she's been pestering you about it for a while, you never really took her up on it. It wasnt like you outwardly didnt want to play with her, it was just that you did not know how to play the games she liked. It was all just too stressful, they required too much thinking for your taste.

Alas, today was the day you found yourself finally caving in. There really was no question that this would happen eventually. Hana’s persuasion tactics were always top-tier, and this has been a game shes been excited about for a long time.

Her persuasion was so good that she managed to get you two to play together on stream. Youve been in a few of her streams while she gamed before, so it really didn't make all that much of a difference to you. She got you your own setup beside her own, so you both could monitor and respond to chat, since they were quite fond of you.

Youve always joked that Hana only wanted you there because her streams got a few thousand more views when you were there. She genuinely did just want you to be there to watch her, seeing as when you were there, chat was usually ignored in favor of talking to you.

And so the stream was set, she even announced that this stream stream would be a special one with you in it beforehand. Her fans were pumped, and so was she, constantly showering you in love and affection after you agreed.

Admittedly, you were a little nervous, you knew nothing about these games, but Hana reassured you that it would be okay. She was going to learn about that game for the first time as well, she said. So you both would be in it together.

What you failed to remember was that Hana is an already seasoned gamer, so picking these things up were second nature for her, while you were stuck learning the basics 30 minutes in.

Eventually, she got a little impatient, and decided that you two should enter a match already. You tried to protest, but seeing that everyone in chat agreed, you just rolled along with it. You figured if you fail miserably at something it would just be clipped and be a small meme. That was something you could live with.

“You ready babe?” Hana held your hand and grinned, causing chat to move at a dizzying speed. It almost gave you motion sickness with how fast it was going.

“Yeah, at least I hope so” You chuckle as the game loaded.

For first few rounds you were always the first to die. You apologized profusely after each death, and Hana waved it off, albeit seeming tense as you were practically giving the enemy team free resources.

“Im so sorry Hana! I swear ill take better cover next time-” You sheepishly apologized.

“Its fine babe, but man. You really are trash at this” She chuckled. Chat agreed with her, telling you to get good and start contributing to your team.

Oh.

You werent expecting that to sting so much. It was true of course, but in a way you couldnt explain it just… hurt.

Nevertheless, you shook off the comment. It was nothing to get upset over, Hana was just stating facts. You tried your hardest to hide the awkwardness in your chuckle, it seemed you were successful as Hana had her game face back on.

She made you want to jump right back into it yourself, motivated to do better. You avoided looking at chat for the moment, knowing they probably were just going to get you down. You focused on the game, putting in your all. It was effective, it seemed your team was actually winning this time, and your kills werent zero!

Hana congratulated you with every elimination, finally giving you a small feeling of accomplishment.

But alas, disaster had to strike sometime. Apparently, the opposite team had a hacker, and even though Hana could eliminate them, she was killed in turn. Of course, this lead the gamer to be triggered for the rest of the match.

There was only one person left on the opposing team. You were so close to winning!

Only problem being, you were the last one alive. Hana watched your screen like a hawk. Pointing and micromanaging everything you did. Chat could see everything you did through the spectate on Hanas screen. God, this almost felt more stressful than your finals, and those were no joke.

Hana failed to notice your trembling hands and the beads of sweat rolling down your face. She was too busy watching your screen, chastising you for every mistake you made. You tried your best to follow her instructions, harsh as they were.

“To the gate babe!! We're almost there!” Hana putting down her headset to stand behind you did nothing to help your stress. It didnt matter, you were almost finished here.

You were by the final objective, oh so close to success. You started activating the final task, at the final few percent until Hana suddenly screams at you to take cover. It was too late, Hanas loud voice in your ear amidst your already stressed state caused you to panic and react late.

You died. Hana punched the back of your seat in frustration.

“I'm really sorry, maybe I should just-” You set down your headset on the desk and looked to Hana apologetically.

Hana held her face in her hands, grumbling something incoherent. You could also see chat complaining out of the corner of your eye.

“Yeah, I'm sorry to say but you should probably hop off before you cause me to lose any more matches. Even my skill isn't enough to carry you.” She seethed, although not directly at you.

Still, it made you feel like absolute shit. You didn't even know why, everything she said was true.

“Yeah, uh, sorry chat, I'm gonna take my leave now, you guys have fun! I'll be in the other room if you need me” You tried your best to sound unaffected. Who were you kidding, you sounded like you were on the verge of tears.

And yet, Hana still didn't notice. Quickly switching her personality again and apologizing for the delay. She went right back into the rhythm of things, smiling and winning each game after.

It really wasn't all that serious, there was no reason to be upset. She knew that you had little to no skill or knowledge in these things. And you always knew Hana had the tendency to get a little rowdy with bad teammates. You sighed. No use in thinking about it now, best to just sleep it off.

And so you did, only awakening when you felt a dip in the bed, signifying the stream was finally done and Hana was set to lay in bed and take a break.

She sees your barely open eyes and looks sheepish.

“Sorry, did I wake you?” She crawls over to you slowly.

“No, it's fine.” You smile half-heartedly.

A moment passes before you decide to ask. “Did the stream go well?”

“Yeah! It was even easier than usual because everyone was still getting used to the game! Was a little boring though, so the stream was shorter than usual!” Hana beams. It brings a gentle smile to your face.

“I'm kinda sad you didn't stay for long though, you could've still watched even if you weren't playing.” Hana pouts as she starts to cuddle with you. Her arms resting on top of you and her face digging into your back.

“Oh, well… sorry.” A moment passes before you awkwardly continue. “... About that, uh there's something I want to share…” You trail off.

Hana gives a hum of acknowledgement into your shoulder. “Yeah? What is it?”

“Well… its sort of silly but… the way you called me bad earlier kinda hurt?” Your voice is laced with borderline embarrassment. Embarrassment that you were actually really affected by such seemingly simple words.

Hanas face is confused before she fully registers your words.

“Is that so!? I'm really sorry babe! You know how I get sometimes, I just get a little carried away–which is still no excuse at all! I'm really sorry I should have know–nh!” She was interrupted by your hand over her mouth.

“Hana, I appreciate the enthusiasm but you can tone it down a bit-” You wince at the memory of how fast she was talking.

She calms down quickly at your touch and takes a moment to compose herself. You let out a sigh of relief and smile gently at her.

“Sorry… uh, so you wanna talk about it?” She hesitantly offers.

“Yeah, but not really much to talk about… it just kinda stung when you insulted me, even if it was true–” You avert your gaze, seemingly finding a newfound interest in the wall right behind Hana.

“I'm so sorry you had to feel that way– I really should have known better!” You look down to see Hana frowning. It melts you a little inside. Just a little.

“It's okay Hana… Just letting you know for next time, yeah?” You smile softly while you gently pet her hair.

“Yeah, I'm really so sorry! Please stay on my streams though, you being there means everything to me!” Hana hugs you tightly.

“Of course! But I won't be playing anything just to be safe… unless youre going to play minecraft or something, now thats a game I can handle”

“Yay! Sorry again but thanks for not hating me! I really do get carried away sometimes–” Hana smiled sheepishly while she buried her face into your arm, causing you to chuckle quietly.

“Yeah, I know, it's something I knew dating you, just shocked me a little when directed at me is all” You sigh, relieved to finally get that out of your system.

Hana suddenly climbs on top of you and straddles you. She had the eyes of determination you found yourself swooning over very often. “I am going to spoil you so bad as an apology. Get ready for all the love and affection I can muster in me. It's a lot.”

“Oh god…”

A/n: Yep, im an overwatch writer now.

This was originally much angstier in my head but decided against it lolsies

[cerastes]

how do you, uh, utilize irene?

in a NOT carnal way.

what use does "makes idiot enemies fly" have that my specialists/supporters lack? s3 hits like a truck but there are many heavy hitters among guards so she never gets a turn. which operators does she best synergize with? in a NOT carnal way

Due to her height, 156 cm, Irene allows for various strategies, such as the top of the washing machine, the billiards table, the desk, an-- Not in a carnal way, right, I completely lost interest in this ask.

RIGHT SO, Irene's thing is that she's a pretty integral Operator that fills plenty of seams in a composition because she has a rare characteristic: Even though she has her devastating S3, she's not a specialist in just boss bursting, and can hold lanes effectively due to the very rare traits that Swordmasters have among Guards: 2 block, with decent bulk, good attack, and explosive skills. Irene in particular has her Module that grants passive flat 70 DEF ignore per normal hit (and she hits twice per normal hit, so 140 DEF ignores in two hits), meaning her damage is good outside of Skills too, due to the way DEF works in the game, and 50% of the time, she ignores 50% of enemy DEF thanks to her Talent. Irene is a consistent 2-block damage dealer with no real weakness. She's not a jack of all trades because she's actually good at all trades in which you would use her for. Not the best (except at burst and boss killing, in which she's top tier with her S3), but well above average.

Now, Ch'en, the other 6* Swordmaster, is burst-based almost exclusively. Irene has her S2 which takes less hits to charge and can hold multiple charges in order to actually be able to be used outside burst situations. If you are to compare the numbers on Ch'en S3 vs Irene S3, it would seem Ch'en wins out by a little, but in practice, Irene's S3 will likely deal more damage, because her S3 Floats enemies, and she ignores half the DEF of Floating enemies 100% of the time, and her hits have a small AOE, meaning that, unlike Ch'en who needs you to clear the trash mobs first in order to ensure all of her hits lands on the desired enemy with S3, Irene can do that all by herself, since hits on the trash mobs amassed around the boss (or tough enemy you want dead) will also hit the boss, while ignoring half defense for around half of S3's hits. This is why her damage output is so immense and consistent, unlike Ch'en's S3, which needs more micromanaging (such as using AoE damage to clear all mobs around the big enemy first in order to maximize damage).

Irene's S1 is also useful, making her one of the few 6*s that actually have three useful skills instead of a garbage whatever 1st skill and one or two actually useful skills (IE the majority of 6*s). S2's Float has a Weight limit (can only Float enemies with Weight 3 or less), meaning it won't Float heavy enemies. There's no such restriction for S1 and S3. S1 is an auto-activation uppercut that Floats an enemy and then hits them again, ignoring 50% of their DEF guaranteed (since they are Floating). It's her consistent "has to defend against bigger enemies and not just small fry" skill, a bit more niche, but still very useful and when you need it, it delivers.

Now, about Float: The thing with Float is that it's kind of like Bind: Sure, Stun is technically better, but also a lot of enemies you REALLY WANT to crowd control with Stun, are immune to it. There's almost no enemy immune to Float, and this includes bosses. Not even Gopnik is Float-immune. With S1, Irene can interrupt boss attacks (especially if you have more interrupts, like a shifter, since shifting cancels enemy attacks). Floating puts the enemy in the air, which affects some Operators' targeting behavior, but for the most part, putting the enemy in the air is the most unimportant part of Float, it's the fact that it's a consistent control effect that practically no one has resistance against that matters. In the case of handling fodder, if S2 doesn't outright kill them, it may give you a few extra seconds to set up better, especially early map, but again, that's more rare, since S2 will often just outright kill fodder or leave it so low that you don't need to worry about it (pretty useful in Calamity IS2, though, when fodder is tougher!). Supporters' Slow and Irene's Float fill different roles, basically. You have that right, though, you DO want to pair Irene with Specialists to continuously interrupt enemies (Specialists... Like Gladiia S2 or Laurentina? Coincidence? I think not).

Irene's best synergies are, as stated, Shifters and Specialists, including a very special synergy and by far her best: Dorothy S2.

Irene with S1, as soon as an enemy, even a boss, enters the tile in front of her, will Float them for 1 second. During this second, put a Dorothy S2 Bind Mine on the tile the boss is no longer on because they are now Floating, thus, considered an air enemy. The boss lands, triggers the Mine, and is now hit with Bind for 6 seconds if they are the only enemy affected by the mine. In these 6 seconds, if your Irene is, say, S1M1, Irene can land 4 hits and trigger her S1 again, letting you place another mine down there, and so on. This is a true combo and can stall a boss for as long as you have DP and mines to put there. This works best if you DON'T M3 her S1, because at that point, she needs 3 attacks to charge S1 instead of 4, meaning you have to go through mines more often, resulting in a slight increase in damage short term but far less stall time overall. You can basically demolish melee bosses with this and heavily stall and damage ranged bosses (since they keep getting interrupted for the most part, which lets you heal any damage you sustain and also safely charge your burst, such as Mlynar, Eyja, Pozy, etc).

Irene can get a lot done. Her non-S3 factors might not be as flashy, but they are no less effective.

[mahou-furbies]

Once again it is time for

This year's event will be hosted by mahou Zeldas, because I've been spending a lot of time in Hyrule this year.

Mahou anime of the year:

(Futari Wa Precure Splash Star, Yes! Precure 5, Yes! Precure 5 GoGo, Smile Precure!, Mahou Tsukai Precure!, Hirogaru Sky Precure!, Otona Precure, Tokyo Mew Mew New s2, Magical Destroyers, Zettai Bouei Leviathan, Petite Princess Yucie, season movies for Splash Star, Yes5, Yes5 GoGo, Smile & Delicious Party, Crossover movie for Fresh Precure!)

Then the stuff I read:

(Saint Tail, Stellar Witch Lips, Magical Girl Tsubame, W.i.t.c.h. reboot, Smile Precure novel, Null Magical Girl, Magia Record Scene Zero)

I also keep up with what kind of designs Magia Record releases though I don't play it or otherwise follow the story.

Extremely Precure year this time around though that was not intentional, usually I only manage one backlog season per year. But I started with Smile, and then we were hit with the news that we'd have a Yes5/Splash Star sequel in autumn, and in preparation for that I had to power through some 150 episodes for the original series. And then I somehow ended up watching all of Mahou Tsukai in less than 2 weeks. And then there was Otona as well of course.

Now there's only three backlog seasons left, and they should be doable in a year if the Mahou Tsukai sprint is of any indication, though we'll see how that goes. I'd like to take a look at other similar shows too (like Doremi and Sailor Moon) but I want to clear Precure first before moving to the next thing.

The W.i.t.c.h. reboot was also a thing this year, which seems to have come and went with a thud. Which is a shame because I was looking forward to it, but... well it wasn't particularly good. I guess it can pick up of there's more to the story.

For the first time I've followed a Magia Record (game) story, with Scene Zero. The format is difficult but I am interested, so it's possible I'll look into more MagiReco stories once Scene Zero is over. The game has so many cute characters so I'd certainly like to know more about them.

This year I also took part in ArtFight and did some mostly mahou themed OC art, which was a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to doing the same next year as well if they host the event again.

Now onto the awards!

Best henshin design goes to Cure Sky! Blue lead Cure aside this is a top tier magical girl design, and that is mostly thanks to the cape, especially the red inside and yellow fringe. It looks so majestic! But being a half-cape prevents her from looking too stuffy. The thin twintails also look great with the cape in action shots. And of course she is also stupidly cute.

Also a shoutout to Saint Tail's simple but very effective look with a rarely seen colour scheme.

Best team design goes to Stellar Witch Lips! Similar enough to be a team but everyone has their own take on the theme, black makes for a good base colour and the sparkly tops look amazing.

Best powerup design goes to Cure Felice's Alexandrite form! She looks so regal and powerful, truly a nature goddess!

Best civilian design goes to Cure Sky in general! I just like her practical style and the clothes look all comfy.

Best hair goes to Junia! It looks so soft and poofy and her pastel colour palette makes everything even cuter.

Best magical item goes to the tiara and amulets in Petite Princess Yucie! They aren't that special to be honest but I'm always ready for magical items that don't look like cheap plastic toys.

Best henshin scene goes to Cure Sky! A lot of dynamic animation, the tinted split screen at the end is fresh for Precure, the modulation in the middle amps up the power, the dark background makes everything a little bit cooler, and the cape flip and wings at the end just look amazing.

Best fan creation goes to ArtFight in general! It was my first time participating, and getting to draw other people's ocs on a low threshold was great, and obviously receiving a ton of art of my own ocs felt amazing.

Best relationship goes to the group in Petite Princess Yucie! I really like how the side characters have distinct relationships with each other and not just the main character, and how not everyone gets along all the time (or most of the time with Glenda and Elmina). The fact that they're also rivals makes things more interesting and everything culminates successfully in the power of friendship in the end.

Best mascot goes to Saki's cat Korone! Not exactly a traditional Precure mascot but he does become more mascot-like towards the end. Absolute unit of a cat, gets a funny deep voice and even lands a hit on the final boss, and most importantly isn't annoying.

Best supporting character goes to Kintoleski from Splash Star! He's a pretty simple character but I like villains who are honourable and polite, and he managed to be consistently funny as well.

Best visual goes to Stellar Witch Lips! The story wasn't really anything to write home about but the ultra cute and sparkly art is just magical.

Best audio goes to Updradft Shining bgm! It's surprisingly epic for such an early series attack and it'd be cool if the franchise used music like this more.

A honourable mention to Tsubasa's eagle sound effect in the Majestic Halation attack, Mabayu's (MagiReco) silly "nuwawawa" scream of pain in a decidedly serious scene, and every "Haa!" from Ha-chan.

Best scene goes to the separation and reunion scene from Mahou Tsukai Precure! Or I guess that's more like half of an episode. Really impressive how they spent so much time on pretty low-key character stuff like this.

Honourable mention to the big battle towards the end of Petite Princess Yucie.

The Innovation award is given to a magical girl work that I think does something fresh for the genre. This year it goes to Hirogaru Sky! Precure for having a boy Cure, an adult Cure and most importantly a non-pink lead Cure! Which isn't particularly notable for the genre as a whole but a gigantic achievement for this franchise. Hopefully it wasn't just a 20 year celebratory fluke and we'll see more variety in the future too.

The Golden Mana award is the prize given to one thing I didn't like.

This year it goes to the henshin forms in Otona Precure, or more specifically the way it did absolutely nothing about them. No adults-as-magical girls, no new looks as 14-year-olds, and not even a new powerup form for the final finisher. Boo! I'm not really saying that the show is required to include new forms just because I wanted it or because it's common in the genre, but that would definitely have made me a lot more forgiving of its many other flaws. And this is my list so I get to complain about my preferences.

Dishonourable mention to Nozomi's catchphrase in Yes5 and GoGo for exemplifying the selfish and pushy aspect of pink heroines like this that often goes uncriticised.

Best character goes to Cure Sky! In addition to the excellent character design she also has a fun personality, "earnest dumbass" is a great combo, and her determination is just great. I also like that she isn't super girly for once. The story of Hirogaru isn't that good so Sora too is held back from having a truly awesome story, but as a character she is still enjoyable enough.

Best work goes to Petite Princess Yucie! It has fun characters, great designs, good group dynamics, interesting world and a really strong ending. It's a shame they don't seem to do kids' anime like this nowadays?

Plans for 2024

Onwards to 2024! I swear this year I'm going to continue with MagiPro, I've been stuck at volume 7 for several years.

[msviolacea]

Thoughts on a very strange week. tw for discussion of death inside, mostly just introspection and babbling here.

It's still mostly unreal. You don't expect someone in their mid-40s to just drop dead at home. She had some fairly serious health issues, but it felt more like the "here are some really sucky things you'll have to live with for the next few decades," not ... this.

I knew Janine for what is, this year, exactly half of my life. Fandom brought us together, but after I recommended her for a job at the dysfunctional old office, that turned into more than two decades of professional camaraderie on top of friendship. I hadn't been as close to her as I was after we both left the old job, even after she ended up working at my new job, but by that point she felt like extended family. Someone who's always there, who you can pick up with at any point, who remembers all your weird family bullshit and strange personal quirks.

We always had music in common - music brought us together, and music ended up being the way we interacted outside of work more often than not. The last time I spent any time out of the office with her was last year, when she called and offered me her spare Matt Nathanson ticket, so we went and spent a Saturday afternoon singing and laughing at that new-ish venue up by the Twins stadium, then hanging out on the sidewalk afterwards for an hour, just catching up on all the things you don't talk about at work. I told her that she needed to come see our new house. She said that she'd love to, if the transportation worked out. (Her retinopathy was slowly stealing her eyesight, and had gotten to the point where she didn't feel comfortable driving in anything less than good light.)

She wasn't in the best friend tier, but she was in the family tier. And losing her feels like this weird numb void right now.

They did an informal gathering at the office yesterday, and I'm glad I went, because it showed me how much of an effect she'd had, now that she was in a department that allowed her to shine at the things she was good at. There's a whole cadre of 20-something research coordinators who just lost their "work mom," and are devastated. She knew who coached their old high school sports team, who watched the same reality TV as she did, who had medical issues that needed tending and who had kids getting over the latest school virus. She fussed over everyone, laughed with everyone, and was everyone's most enthusiastic cheerleader. (Everyone except herself, that is.) She entertained everyone with tales of her nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews, gossip and drama from the community theater troupe she worked with, and stories about her trips to visit friends and see concerts across the country.

She wasn't always cheerful. She had family issues, like many of us, and she never did find someone to share her life with and have kids with the way she wanted. She was high-strung when contending with the unknown in her professional life, though it seems that improved at least a bit in her current role - we all improved once we were out of that shitty office with its mold and self-important nurses who never left high school gossip behind. She was complicated and sometimes frustrating, but she had so much love to give everyone, and the enthusiasm to share that love wherever she went.

But now she's gone. And the world is a little dimmer for it.

After yesterday's gathering, I'm taking two life lessons away, things I'm going to work hard to remind myself of and put into practice in my own life. One, do the things you want to do, the things that are important to you, now. There's never enough time, and you don't know when yours will end. And two, expressing your interest in someone else's life is never the wrong move. There are sometimes when you live too much here on the internet where people try to convince you that reaching out to others is actually an imposition, because there's a weird philosophy that the only polite thing to do in this world is to leave everyone alone until they explicitly say they're interested in you. But that's bullshit. I sat there yesterday and listened to a bunch of people who were so, so grateful that Janine had made herself a part of their lives, large or small, and will remember her kindness and attention in some way for a very, very long time to come. Hell, I'm one of them. And to honor her, I'm going to try to come out of my introvert shell just a tiny bit more and try to be that light to someone else more often, when I have an extra spoon or two to spare.

I feel very odd this week. Odd, and emotionally drained, and not quite all mentally here. Death isn't a stranger to me, but that doesn't mean it doesn't punch me in the gut every time it comes calling.

Anyway. If you read this far, do me a favor - go listen to your favorite 80s or 90s boy band, or your favorite Broadway musical (especially Wicked), or your favorite boy-with-guitar singer-songwriter, and send a thought out into the universe for a woman you probably never met, but who deserves to be remembered anyway, even if it's just for the length of a song.

[etahrearchives]

Warverse TGG Food Headcanons

Pt 1: Angels

Sherbet

While he is fond of all frozen treats, he mainly eats the "plainer" ones at a regular basis (ex. shaved ice, fruit popsicles, and other watered down frozen treats)

Do not feed him ice cream or any really sweet frozen dessert. He will be in a sugar rush for 1 day at least and 7 days at most depending on the type

Ice cream in particular so far yields the longest result

Frozen yoghurt is a strange exception to this. Feed it to Sherbet and it'll act as a temporary power boost

Sherbet carries a few sealed cups of these during battle as emergency rations or last resort escape power ups

He doesn't make a habit of snacking on it after the war started since it's a rare produce

(If there was a game where Sherbet is in the team, there should be a frozen yoghurt as a healing item that heals him more than the other members)

Any and all frozen treats in the White Kingdom are exclusively made/authorized to be made by him, so even if the resources are there, it still takes quite a while for them to be available

Somewhere in the castle, there's one big room that serves as a freezer storage for all the frozen treats he makes

And maybe a section is there for some meat and vegetables as well, he's a flexible guy

Some angels are permitted entry, but only if they're the ones counting and restocking supply

It serves as a job for the angels that aren't capable of fighting for whatever reason

Rigatona (I realized that hers got a bit too long, so she will have a part 2 on her own separate post)

Pasta is a staple for the White Kingdom in the war, as not only is it easy to mass-produce, the dishes related to it are fairly simple while still being delicious and nutritious

Which is why Rigatona becomes an angry italian when anyone messes the recipes up

She's willing to turn a blind eye to anyone who do this in the warfield because resources are scarce and drastic times call for drastic measures

But if she catches you committing sins towards the spaghetti, you'll be half deaf for the next week and will wish you're fully deaf

While she may not look like it, Rigatona is the type of person who puts great importance in overall morale, and one of the best (if not only ways) are in food

Even in war, food are meant to revitalize and a warm meal for a collective dinner is a moment of respite, especially for those who are sick of war

It shows a lot in her cooking, anyone who had it can confirm her pasta is top tier, the best of the best

Before any meal, if Rigatona is present in the dining hall, she would lead prayers, thanking Etihw for her blessings and the chance to eat together

"May this meal gives us the courage and strength to fight another day"

In a way, these dining periods are a religious practice on its own

Part of this is why she despises Cranber, who eats as an act of violence instead of healing, using it to incite fear rather than relieve it

Ciel

If Cranber is in the end of "Will eat anything" picky spectrum, Ciel is her polar opposite

Not because she's extremely picky, but because she's vegan

Even when resources are hard to come by in the war, she still somehow succeeds in her efforts to have a vegan meal every day

And because of the aforementioned fact, Ciel also made it a habit to fast regularly

Remember how Sherbet mainly makes the "plainer" frozen treats? Yeah, part of it is also to keep Ciel from starving should her sources run out

This behavior is also one which Rigatona uses as an example for other soldiers, especially for those complaining about the food (and possibly a newcomer)

"Ciel eats only ONE tofu a day and can still kick your ass, what's your excuse??"

(If there's a game with Ciel in the team, the benefiting effects on a healing item is reduced depending on how vegan they are)

(Example of this is if it's jerky, it is 25% effective, cheesecake is 50% effective, raw meat actually damages her instead)

(Yes, this means prosciutto instakills her, and she can't be revived until the battle is over)

If peace was established earlier, it became a running joke for the six generals that Ciel would not survive a day in the Black Nation, as vegan options there are nonexistent

Which makes her appreciate Lost's apple pie more

Her diet after the war would be much healthier, especially considering things are healing and options are expanding

She would gravitate towards fruits a lot more and would start to develop amazing fruit food and drink recipes

[splatsvilles-fashionista]

Writing an enormous analysis of the patch is all well and good, but what do the balance changes actually mean for the meta?

Well, for one, I don't think any of the top tiers are going anywhere despite their nerfs, not even Sloshing Machine. Splash, Machine and Stamper all just have too much to recommend them. That said I think Neo Splash is probably leaving the top tiers, as with the paint and points for special nerfs it'll have a tough time competing with the Tentatek Splattershot for the short-range Triple Inkstrike Shooter niche (as a reminder, Ttek's Tri-Strike only costs 190p!)

The big, big winner this patch, however, is Ballpoint Splatling. It is the top tier weapon that got hit the least by a significant margin, only gaining another 10 points for its Inkjet, which only really undoes a buff it got in 3.0. Ballpoint was already considered a contender for the single best weapon in the game by a lot of pro players, and now it is no competition at all. Double Ballpoint is probably gonna become a pretty popular competitive team setup, and that would be bad for Splatana Stamper in particular, as it doesn't have a great matchup against Ballpoint (good lucking try to use Zipcaster while a Splatling is looking directly at you!). If Stamper exits the meta then this would be the reason, not the nerfs it got, though they hardly help.

In response to the rising stocks of Ballpoint and Inkjet, people will start looking for an answer, and the newly buffed Big Bubbler might just be what they're looking for. It remains to be seen for sure, but after the buffs it takes an Inkjet four shots, basically half its duration, to break the bubbler shield, and that's when hitting the weak point. It still gets torn apart by Crab pretty fast, but Crab in turn is very weak to Inkjet, and hey, would you look at that, we've got a bit of a rock-papers-scissors thing going on.

The fun thing about the weapons with Big Bubbler is that I could see people going to any one of them for their Bubble needs. Jr is always a good go-to option, though it lacks punch in the fighting department. Blaster, Splat Roller, and Zink Mini Splatling are good alternatives if you want to scrap, though none of them have a lethal bomb, and that's broadly speaking a downside in competitive play. Finally, there's Squiffer and the new H-3D for long-range options, and I know some competitive players, like ThatSRB2Dude, were eying the latter even before the Big Bubbler buffs.

Another good thing about Big Bubbler is its new resistance to Tenta Missiles, and that might genuinely matter in the face of Wiper Deco (or Diper, as some people are rather condescendingly calling it), with its 190p(?!) Missiles. I really don't know why they cost that little, and I don't expect them to stay at that cost for very long. Missiles have always been very strong, but so far none of the weapons that have them, except Flingza, have had any meaningful impact on competitive play, and Flingza has been very heavily nerfed as a result. Wiper Deco does not just have the lowest points for special out of all Missiles weapon, it also the only one of them that can really fire off its Missiles and then go in to fight the people that are being targeted. This is a big reason why the Kensa Splattershot in 2 was as good as it was, and we've never had a weapon that could really replicate it, until now.

While Wiper Deco is looking threatening on the surface, it remains to be seen if it works out in practice. Without a bomb it will likely have a hard time dealing with Ballpoint, lacking the range and DPS to fight it effectively, and Ballpoint is looking to step up in a big way.

Speaking of unknown factors, there's also the S-Blast '92 and the Painbrush. S-Blast's kit is largely seen as underwhelming, but datamining has shown that the weapon itself is looking incredibly solid, a mix of many of the best traits of other Blasters with very few of their downsides, and that might be enough to carry it into competitive play. Painbrush is looking like it will have excellent range, damage and paint, but absolutely atrocious ink efficiency, some of the worst in the game, in fact. Inkbrush and Octobrush have both seen competitive success, though the former a lot more than the latter, and Painbrush might find a niche as well, especially in Splat Zones, though it remains to be seen.

But all of this is just speculation, though. All we can know for sure is that competitive play will very likely revolve heavily around Ballpoint for the foreseeable future, and that is going to be shaping the meta until the next patch. By hitting all of the top tiers with nerfs, some of them very hard, Nintendo more or less uprooted the status quo of competitive play even before you consider the new weapons, and I'll be very interested to see how things go from here.

[antimonyantigone]

Grief, Re-Membering

My dad died in 2021 and my mother is still struggling with grief a lot. Last night, I introduced her to the idea of "re-membering" which is a very active method of grief, and I want to talk about it. Unfortunately, "re-membering" has the worst search engine optimization of all time and there is not so much about it, but I also think it is one of the most natural and helpful grief practices that you see spread across world cultures.

Re-membering is the practice of including the deceased in your life. In a certain view, it's like micro-dosing a little bit of insanity to make the rest of your life easier. It doesn't come from remembering as in memory, but re-membering as, "to make a member of your family or community again".

The general idea, as I understand it, is that grief is complicated not only because a person has died but primarily because your relationship had changed. Re-membering is about fostering the relationship with a person who is no longer there (which feels...well, crazy sometimes).

Despite the way it sounds strange, it shows up in our culture and media all the time. The examples that come to mind for me include...

"Pouring one out" - The practice of pouring a drink, usually alcoholic or symbolic in some way, out onto the ground in memory of a deceased loved one. Also done for living people who are absent for important events. This is bringing the deceased back into the night out, or into your dinner party.

Talking aloud to the deceased, by greetings or goodbyes - There is a wonderful example of this in Encanto, where Mirabel says good morning to a portrait of her deceased grandfather, who she has never met. He's dead, she knows that, but he is still a family member to her, and she tells him good morning and puts him in her routine! This is like, top tier re-membering practices.

Traditions that involve having a meal or a celebration at a gravesite are also classic re-membering. This is seen in Day of the Dead, and it's also seen in several scenes in Fruits Basket where Tohru has meals with her friends at her mother's gravesite. (Tohru also practices this morning greeting re-membering that is in Encanto.)

Setting places at dinner table for the deceased, even if you put no food there.

Getting Christmas ornaments (or similar decor, etc) that the deceased would like, or reminds you of them, etc.

Reading books the deceased loved or that you had previously read together. Ghost time book club, baby.

Doing these, or similar things, with intention is effective and it is a little bit like compartmentalizing things. You decide to feel sad, or remember a person, so that you won't get caught by surprise by grief gremlins later in the day. For me, it also makes running into things that remind me of my dad, or seeing people who look eerily like him all of a sudden, much easier. And it feels like, natural. It might not fit the the bootstrap time-heals-all and you'll get over it school of thought, but I think it works well.

Anyway...that's uh, re-membering.