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solomiracle · 11 months ago

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Do you have any ideas about Levi and the no-brothers party? That idea is so cute I can't resist asking more

Like Dark/Red/White Magic, cleric, rouge, tabaxi or stuff like that?

context: here and here

gonna admit that most of my rpg-esque/fantasy ideas come from anime, gacha games, and turn-based RPGs so my ideas probably won't align with yours anon >n<

this is gonna be pretty long oh boy BUT BEFORE WE DO THAT quick shoutout to these two posts i saw a while ago!! they're ideas for the brothers' dnd classes :D (im too scared to play dnd)

ANYWAYS RAMBLING BELOW

Not-Lucifers

Roles/Classes: Mainly DPS (Black Mage, Warrior, etc) with some survivability for themselves, and maybe their teammates. If they're more support oriented, they give opponents many debuffs. And while very uncommon, some Not-Lucifers are summoners (Not-Lucifers always have magic on some level, even if they don't use it themselves)

Races: Out of all the Not-Brothers, Not-Lucifers have the most variety in races. Humans, demons, angels, elves, mermaids; basically every one you can think of, there's a Not-Lucifer variant

Ranges: All (Short, Mid, Long)

Almost always immortal

Not uncommon for them to be under some curse (sometimes the cause of their immortality), esp if it makes them broody and depressed

As you said anon, half of the time they're villains (with backstories that tug on Levi's heartstrings and he ends up crying at his PC over them)

A lot of Not-Lucifers have family trauma, some of them are even the cause of it (and either want to atone or further themselves into despair, hopefully the player can help the latter ones out)

Not-Mammons

Roles/Classes: THIEVES!!!!!!!!!!!! also Rogues, Archers, and Gunslingers (sometimes magic ones!). A mix of DPS and support, mainly focuses on buffs/debuffs

Races: Often humans, sometimes small animal-based beastmen (rabbits, weasels, etc) or halflings short kings

Ranges: All

Sillies who are at the mercy of the RNG gods :) they roll nat 1's 50 times in a row

Hell most Not-Mammons are actually kind of ass as units but Levi loves them for their personalities and he gets very very upset if people (both characters and players) trash talk them

Backstories often about families (having a lack of one and going out to find their own, being looked down in theirs and leaving to prove everyone that they're strong like some shounen protag, maybe just stealing to earn some money for their families) and/or getting into trouble (a couple Not-Mammons are just dudes running from debt collectors)

If the game has some sort of expedition mechanic, if sent out, they bring back extra money

Okay this isn't that related but I just imagined Mammon in a turn-based RPG with a cute little crow on his shoulder that's in his attack animations awawawa cries

Not-Satans

Roles/Classes: Mages, Alchemists, Warriors and even Bards thrown in here and there for flavor (and Beastmasters of course). Not-Satans are mainly supports with buffs, debuffs, and shields, who are still capable of dealing some damage

Races: Elves, humans, vampires, occasionally demons or beastmen or angels

Ranges: Short, Mid

Many Not-Satans are scholars, a couple of them being members/in charge of magic schools

There "softer" Not-Satans (Bards, buff oriented mages and alchemists) are sometimes romantics; a few of them are even married!

Some of them are similar to Not-Lucifers in a couple of ways... some are villains, some are suffering from curses, some have family trauma... (a couple of them have bitter feelings for their father/older sibling...)

For the DPS oriented ones, some of them have the "more damage dealt/less HP = becomes stronger" mechanic, esp for the villains and bosses

dante from granblue fantasy i mean what

Not-Asmos

Roles/Classes: Has the widest range out of the Not-Brothers! Full healers, full supports, full DPS, the Not-Asmos have everyone! But to keep things simple, let's say buff/debuff oriented Mages.

Races: Mainly vampires and demons (specifically incubi/succubi), but there's a lot of elves, mermaids, humans, and cute animal beastmen too

Ranges: All

You know how Asmo will put on his cute little damsel in distress act? Some Not-Asmos will do this then one-shot most opponents without breaking a sweat. Sillies <3

More than a couple of them are villains, plenty with taunt/charm mechanics and "gross monster disguises themselves as something cute" stories

A small amount of Not-Asmos are closer to his more genuine and insecure side, clearly hiding their fears with fake smiles and hype. Levi adores them and wishes he could help him them out...

POISON DAMAGE. SCORPION... so much goddamn posion damage

Not-Beels

Roles/Classes: DPS, tanks, and defense!! Warriors, Knights, Beserkers/Barbarians. Those guys with the BIGGGGG weapons. Giant axes, hammers, shields... the more depressed/creepy ones will just pull a Goldlewis and hit you with a coffin

Races: Often beastmen (bulls, carnivores like wild dogs and big cats), sometimes humans, occasionally orcs, rarely dwarves and angels

Ranges: Short

WILL consume all of your items. Ally or opponent. Get used to it

Not-Beels with light-hearted backstories often have them surrounded by food all their life (think living in a family bakery) or being renowned fighters or beast hunters. Not-Beels with sadder backstories however...

FAMILY TRAUMA!!!!!! OFTEN WITH SURVIVORS GUILT!!!!!!!! Some Not-Beels are the last members of a species, the final remnants of a noble house, people who couldn't save their loved ones or even were forced to kill them... Not-Lucifers can't even begin to compare to the level of atonement some Not-Beels are going through

But if they have the sad backstories and still have loved ones, Not-Beels are extremely protective of them

Not-Belphies

Roles/Classes: Mages centered on debuffs and damage, along with those rude healers who roll their eyes when you're on 1 HP and begging for help

Races: Same kinds of beastmen as Not-Beels and Not-Mammons, along with elves, demons, vampires, and humans

Ranges: Long

They'll fall asleep mid-battle and then get mad at opponents (and allies) who wake them up. Opponents will then be crushed by falling stars, allies might get stardust in their hair

Unsurprisingly a few of them are villains... the fans either adore them or watch videos on their fights just so they can replay the moment they die over and over again

A couple of Not-Belphies are nobles or even royalty, which comes with a special flavor of family trauma! Plenty have left their families, by their own choice or not

Debuffs will be mixed in with damage. Opponents falling asleep will get hurt, opponents waking up will get hurt, opponents getting their head filled with false dreams and illusions will get hurt, opponents getting hit by meteors will get hurt

They're all so eepy :3

#sorry i ran out of energy when writing the twins (it's 7:22 AM)#why did this take me like 3 days to finish #from me #brothers #1 #2 #4 #5 #6 #7 #imagines #obey me imagines #asks for amb

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crassinova · 1 year ago

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Tell me about your OCs 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

UPDATE DEC 14 2023 if you saw the last one no you did NOT NO YOU DIDNT! NO YOU DID NOT THat was embarrasing so now heres a cooler and BETTER ONE

TW: Drug abuse, Religious trauma (implied homophobia)

uaga what was i gonna type down here again????? oh well uhh thankyou everyone and fuck you tenna

Images below are placeholders for now before i remake/made all their reference sheets. again if anything sounds weird blame my lack of vocabulary and everything

anyway thank you for reaiding

“Chancellor” (He/Him)

A mysterious stranger who is seen wandering in the wastes, appearing and disappearing. He is perceived as a guardian angel to people who were once saved by him from danger. Though some others think differently, believing he is a “prolific serial killer” due to his abundant kills and getting away with it freely. Previously seen in the Mojave frequently tagging along with the lone courier, MJ Akabine, until he disappeared to the Commonwealth to occasionally aid the sole survivor, Cain Cross, on finding his son…while also being chased by the synth detective again. It makes you really wonder what his story is if the detective is so adamant on knowing more about him, especially how little is known about him.

Trivia:

Is occasionally seen in The Tops theatre at 10PM to listen to The Lonesome Drifter. Assumptions is that its his favorite singer since he’s seen more often when the drifter was introduced in the tops.

He can play the guitar!

Has a fear of fire…why is that necessary???

Marty Jean “MJ” Akabine (they/them)

An eccentric and sneaky gunslinger and part-time mad scientist who can always lend a hand (metaphorically and literally) to people who are in need of help. Though despite his quirky and eccentric behavior towards their close friends and victims they are quite an anxious mess! ( their charisma is a 1 or 2… or even at the negatives).

Occasionally been seen dragging raiders/ dangerous people to a recluse area to experiment on them to make new unique healing items and for curiosity sake. If the victim is lucky to survive their experiments they set them free, expecting the victim that they stop their reign of terror.

Back when they were a courier…well an ex-courier they had a strong obsession on becoming stronger so they can prove to people he is capable of surviving the wastes. They were really insecure about everything about themself like “What will make me stronger?” or “Will this makes me stronger?” which in their solution to that is to take drugs and force themselves to use more blunt fighting methods because they think it’ll make them “stronger”. That didn’t go so well.

Trivia:

Has a special interest in all kinds of small little creatures like insects and bugs as they are dressed like a cazador that are mostly populated in the Mojave.

Probably ate someone, theres no evidence of it but he probably did or not idk

has a strong father-son relationship with Chancey. The coat he has on right now is from Chancey before they have to seperate paths. They just "slightly" modified it

He got that name because two (or three) of his groupmates named him at the same time. Which formed Marty Jean Akabine. (though in reality its my indecisive ass having trouble choosing Jean and Marty so i used both. Oh yeah the name "Marty" idea is when i remembered the protag from back to the future for some reason and thought it was cool)

Cain Cross (He/Him)

A sole survivor from the great war who was under cryogenic stasis beneath vault 111 for 2 decades, a man lost in time trying to find his lost son to rebuild his life. His life before the Great War was decent to say the least, if you ignore his struggles. He was apart of the Cross family, a religious and wealthy family that want what’s best for their children, to be pure and free of sin. For what seems to be a straight male with a loving family with a wife and a child, he kept that act for as long as he can remember in the name of everyone, to his parents, society, and God. All what his parents taught him go in vain as he prayed on and on wishing he could wash away the sins he made with a man during the 2nd Battalion. The guilt lingers on due to the fact he never told his wife about the affair before she died.

Trivia:

Gay (if it isnt obvious enough. He likes Maccready) and also asexual

Really likes detective media like the silver shroud, his parents didn’t like him liking childish things so he reads them in secret.

he wears shades because to look cool and because i would also be irritated if the sun keeps blinding me

think of johnny cage but hes not egotistical and suffers from internalized homophobia

Abel Cross (He/They?)

Back before the war, they were perceived as the “The golden child” due to his outstanding grades and leadership skills. Their parents noticed his potential in the business and planned his entire life of being a business man… a life he never even wanted. He wasn’t fond of the attention as they like their time alone (and also with his brother, Cain). He wanted to do art which was something he was passionate in because it gives him freedom to do whatever with a canvas, he wanted to be free, to make their own choices. But he wanted to make his parents proud of him, they already planned his life around and he didn’t want to disrupt their plans so he forced himself into business. And for what? a couple of bones and a person who doesn’t exist?

Trivia:

had a huge identity crisis after the war (imagine having your parents shape your life and identity that you have no free will. he started to draw and paint more after the war so that’s good atleast)

Despite his charismatic personality he really just wants to sleep and watch his brother play video games and make art and eat hot chip and lie (he’s bisexual)

Lustful. Though he has to keep it a secret because of his parents strict behavior (Cain is aware of it but he doesnt tell because he isn’t a snitch(i wont elaborate than that because im uncomfortable just talking abt it further for now))

fun fact abt the Cross siblings: they have a matching snake tattoo that representing “sin” and freedom from their religious background. (based on the serpent in the Adam and Eve story)

YIAPEEE DONE ATLAST!!!!!!! thank you for reading this behemoth of text!!!!! there are more fallout ocs to be told but these 4 are the ones that I like so aahwhahhwhahwaaaaa !!!!! Shout out to my friend tenna for reading this once in a while I really hate them

#asks #I had to rush writing this cus I had to study for math and I was really hungry starveing I was starving #thank you for asking <3 <- that’s a face #ofc questions are encouraged if u wanna know something%#there will be more drawings in the future and a art dump. I’m just busy with school I’m so tired #saved

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existential-muffin · 2 years ago

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Newbies' Trigun Stampede/98/Maximum Analysis

To start off I was introduced to Trigun by fanart on Pinterest while looking for art inspiration. So thank you to all the fandom artists!! I'm not really into anime too much, so this has been the first anime thats had my attention in a long while.

I began this series by watching up to episode 3 of Stampede and then decided "I can't wait, I must consume".

Immediately watched the high trip that is Tri98 and then came the heart crushing Maximum. Also have to thank @genkooii for the link to the proper translation to Maximum. Here is the link to that post if anyone wants to read as well.

I'm really happy with the way I followed the series and love it so much. Each version having its own charm and still keeping Vash's core at heart. But there are differences and somethings i find that were done better than others. I'll give my feelings for each first and then compare them.

Begining with the first 3 episodes of Stampede The animation was new and interesting. I didn't know about the hate for CGI until later on. I agree that it does look different, but I quite like the potential it has. Its beautiful in its own right. For story, I have to admit even as a newbie, the pacing was rough for me. I realized this after Vash saved Jenora (again) barely had time to breathe and then EG Mine shows up. (I learned later that I stopped just before things ramped up even more) I like tragedy, but subtlety goes a long way. Will come back to Stampede again further down.

Next is the OG Trigun 98 anime. I didn't realize how much I missed the 90s anime aesthetic?? There's just something about it. Even though it is dated in appearance, there are some great frames and angles this anime had that just makes it so intense!! This version did have fillers, but I felt like they weren't out of place. I have to admit here that I have a bias for this version. I grew up as a Fallout New Vegas fan, and this just gives me the same vibes. The questioning of morality with no real defined answer? How people struggled to survive and how fucking wacky they were!??? All while the protag is basically a wandering gunslinger/cowboy. Loved it. Gotta have those spurs that jingle jangle jingle, while having an existential crisis.

And here we are at Maximum.. man, words can't even describe how Stamp and Tri98 didn't prepare me for this at all. It's like that hair-clutching-hysterical-crying that settles into soft calm laugher and happy tears. It was really painful, those tough and tender pages i read... I loved it. This version does have a combination of both the above. And Stamp is more based on this version. But the pacing, while quick, had the subtlety I craved. The action was cool and interesting, but i now understand why it was said as "hard to follow". It can get a bit confusing. Overall, I ate this manga up when I definitely should have been studying, haha!

I actually went back to Tri98 after Max and definitely felt the differences between them. It was a bit surreal. Had to separate the two in my mind, but I still love them both.

Return of the Stamp! Now having finished all prior media, I looked at Stampede with new eyes. I'm glad I waited because I binge watched the episodes. I definitely understand why older fans were concerned, but this was my original, and I am going to stick by Stamp's side for as long as I can. Hmm how to describe how I feel now that season 1 has ended... this Trigun is in neutral for me right now. Though the animation is enough to make me go bonkers over the expressions and lighting, it's not enough for me to say it's outrageously good storytelling wise. But it does convey emotions well when it wants too. And they are definitely setting the stage up for Vash and more trimax story. I'm eager to see the results. I enjoy it overall. Season 2 will truly decide for me.

Okay here is the comparison part and will likely contain SPOILERS

Pacing

Stamp- as I mentioned much too quick but hopefully since this prequel season is over they will have more time to space out the story a bit

98- quite like this pacing. Has world building and mystery towards Vash for the first half. Makes it intriguing. The later half does go by quicker. Plants are hardly mentioned or explained.

Max- always in motion. Only in the first OG(prequel?) Trigun manga is there filler, which is what Tri98 is based more off of. But also this filler still had meaning and made you think.

Character relastionships/Interactions

Stamp- very little, Meryl is basically the only one who develops with Roberto and a tiny bit with Vash at the very end of the season.

I feel like something was lost between Wolfwood and Vash in this version. Woodwold being cold and Vash saying he looks kind, if you haven't seen the other media it's nice. Technically, there's nothing wrong with it. But i now see this is one of the tropes older fans complain about. It lacks the depth the 98 anime, and Trimax WW and Vash had. It gets straight to the point but loses a sort of dynamic. This anime didn't have the luxury of time I suppose. I don't hate wolfwood here. How could I? When he made such a soft expression at Livio. He still has that need to protect and thats what really matters.

98- another reason I like Tri98 is because they actually had the characters interact more. Meryl and Milly came to see Vash more and more and understand, he isn't at all what they or others thought he was. They had more time to be inspired by him. Meryl is definitely more aggressive and very direct. I don't hate this version. It's a straight man to Vashes over exaggerated goofiness. For the anime it works but I hate that for how abservent she is, that she really couldn't see Vash as the stampede?? Kind dumb but it's a wacky show, had to have a sillier vibe.

WW I like how they are actually friendly to each other at first. When the person who made you smile/soften up, has a harshly contrasting moral view to your own, it creates a certain sort of tension. Loved Vashs and WW friendship here. His death was kinda sadder since he died feeling like he didnt acomplish much. Vash's moment of breaking down while eating donuts was heart-wrenching . Also Vash using the Punisher vs Knives, such a good scene!!!

I actually really like Milly and Wolfwood together. It's cute. Millys more capable then I thought. Love her.

Max- Meryl and Milly have much less time with Vash. I do like how they are inspired by him still, but they only come around every so often to say a baller couple of lines than they dip. Don't get me wrong, I understand why, and I love how they are the representation of the good in humans, but they no longer feel as close. Which is saying something because 98 Vash was still a really distant dude. It just feels like the gap between them and Vash is more apparent. But they also had a really big issue at hand, so understandable. When Vash is called out for not letting them help more, he acknowledges that he can't afford to think about it at the moment. These characters were still great on their own.

WW- by far the only real human relationship Vash has ever had. And I don't mean in the romantic sense, but a sense of actually getting to know someone on a personal level despite their tense differences. Learning, inspiring each other while opposing each other. To have faith in someone. Vash is either on a pedestal or on trial when around most humans and I like that WW brings him down to his level. In the worst and best ways, he makes Vash truly human. I thought his death in the anime was painful but this was so much worse.

Livio and Vash bounding over their lost of WW will always get to me. The spaghetti scene. T_T Glad that Vash has another companion that could help in the physical fighting to come. Livio vs Elendria was a great!!. Liked how Livio was a combination of WW and Vash. A surprise break out character for me.

Does it make you think?

Stamp- Kinda spoon feed the tropes to you. I don't expect this to happen in the 2nd season. You could feel the subtle messages in the last few episodes of the season. I feel like they are done being overly flashy, time for the thick sauce of you-gotta-think-about-this-now.

98- despite it being so much like an abridge series, the episodes do make you think. Thats whats so good about it. The unsuspecting "here is haha funny man, now think about the uselessness of being good in this world". Love the episode with the rich girl and her criminal dad. Shows her position like most humas on Gunsmoke/no man's land. Moral grey kinda thing? That the world they live in isn't simply black and white.

Max- better dust off the old noggin and soak it in your tears.

Sadness

Maximum wins. IWANTHIMTOGETAHUGANDATHANKYOUANDAND---'

Stamp close second might surpass Maxs trauma in time. Who knows.

98- Someone mentioned that this Vash isn't suicidal. That is how low the bar is to make him the happiest of all the Vashes. Technically, he also got the best ending, for now, at least.

Knives

Stamp- oh no.. hes hot...and they definitely made him more intimidating than 98. Coming back to episode 4 was a thrill ride, but this version of Knives is very yandere. He does care for Vash but very manipulative and narcissistic. Gaslighting galore. I kinda understand it because of the manga now, but the whole pregnant plants and all that really puts this Knives on the less redeemable scale. His piano theme is amazing tho!!

98- barely there, the ending fight was cool, and I enjoyed it a lot. I did still like him in this version, but it had a lukewarm water kinda feel. The lesser of all the knives.

Max- the great thing about Maximum is that it shows so much depth to the story that i knew before, and to Knives. How sad and alone he really his. How his intentions are really just to save his kind from a threat that broke his mind with their cruelty. I don't disagree with him, actually. What he saw l, what humans do, does go toe to toe with Vash's optimistic. Knives is so human compared to Vash in my opinion. It's kinda odd and so poetic. Also when the plant hivemind was ripped away from him, I felt sad. He was alone again. Still wrong for him to obsorb his siblings tho...

VASH the man the myth the lengend

Stamp - Hmm, this has Trimax Vash attitude, but more on the meek side. My first impression was that he was a cute and kinda like a kicked puppy. I want to pat his head. In this version I wasn't thrown off by him being an all loving protagonist he just had the vibe off the start. Watching him in the later episodes did make me tear up. He's so soft and does have that tenderness that all Vashs' have. A cinnamon roll, too pure to good for this world.

98- he uses his smile as a sheild and plays it off better than the other Vashes, but his pain is still there. He is also pathetic, in a loving way lol. Before getting to know his story, i thought he was crazy. I was like every other character that he met. I didn't understand his struggle. I just saw the crazy man who made things difficult by choosing to avoid killing. Him getting serious and holding fast to his beliefs amazed and stunned me. Had me step back and see his point of view. Highly respect his willpower. However I don't entirely agree with him. Which many have pointed out thats the point of Vash. He is also much more confident and sly than Stamp Vash. Which is weird because it makes him seem more experienced and I think Stamp is older? He manages to use his pervy and over the top silliness to disarm people and get the advantage in most situations. He's smarter than he looks. I enjoyed the ending for this Vash, because it touches on his moral code after having to kill Legato. Him finally looking forward to the future without Rem being the main focus to his life and decisions. There wasn't enough time in Trimax and I would have liked some pages on it. But he was a bit busy saving the planet... He may be louder than the other Vash's but he still strives for a world that is made of ----- LOVE AND PEACE!!

Maximum- this Vash is like an older dad of the other two. He is worn down and you can feel it but he will NOT stop fighting. He is a tad more direct than the other Vashes and I was surprised that he has a tiny mean streak when he's irritated. I like this. He isn't always hiding behind that painted smile. He definitely gives off more of that Angel theme the manga has. An older creature that is indeed different from humans but wants to care and look out for them, but people are so scared of him. Poor dude. Every Vash holds the same core elements, the tenderness, the wit, and the determination. But this Vash really nails it down that he is the OG. And man, some of the lines for Maximum were just chefs' kiss. Had me just staring at the pages pondering. But he is so broken and mostly picks up the pieces alone. I am bitter that he never got any comfort or closure at the end. I am grateful it was a hopeful ending but HE LOST SO MUCH!!

All of them need a hug and therapy

Personal Ranking

I can't choose between Trimax and Tri 98...................................... Fine. Okay, it's Max for the plot, but you'll have to pry 98 Vash from my cold death hands!!!

3rd -Stampede - I really love the look, music, and some of the emotional points, just not enough storytelling for me to appreciate it more. I also feel like it's a bit too early to judge. So much can happen in the 2nd season.

#trigun stampede #trigun maximum #trigun 98 #trigun analysis #vash stampede #trigun vash #vash the stampede #millions knives #nicholas d. wolfwood #meryl trigun #livio the double fang #milly thompson #meryl stryfe #my thoughts

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operationslipperypuppet · 11 months ago

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jax/protagonist of frooze your own adventure for the ship meme (joke)

actual answer, dealer’s choice of: telaine/melora, alanis/ulfgar, or marabelle/cobb

obviously jax/protag is a ship for me. the chemistry is so clear

anyway as the dealer i’m gonna pick all of the above because i’m feeling slightly unhinged

telaine/melora

1. What made you ship it?

as i’ve said, they used to be best friends and i love that vibe. but also the bitterness of telaine right off the bat. there’s clearly so much there but there’s also love and it’s so fun

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

their hearts still beat as one. melora had her reasons and telaine never heard her out, but can now. telaine gives up her body to save bahumia and help melora despite everything that happened. and for a while they were gods who could walk the planes together as a party and i honestly love to think about how that worked before it shattered.

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on the ship?

i don’t think so!!

alanis/ulfgar

1. What made you ship it?

the combination of “tell alanis i said what up” and alanis saying that ulfgar is a great tactician so he doesn’t need to showboat during that war council

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

alanis spent lifetimes and lifetimes trying to stop thiala and every time she also tried to save ulfgar. they know how powerful they are and they go off to fight together often. they clearly have all this baggage but kind of don’t let it ruin them once the crick rot is gone.

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on the ship?

idk if it’s unpopular but i don’t think it ever happened after thiala fell. alanis couldn’t risk it.

marabelle/cobb

1. What made you ship it?

cobb’s story with gunslinger’s girl that on the ship. the realization that she was why he carried syringes around. the fact that even though she betrayed the crick (or so he thought), he still cared for her deeply

2. What are your favorite things about the ship?

the vibes of them battling together are incredible. but also the whole forgiveness scene in marabelle the terrible. and the fact that when he’s close to death he yells “i’m coming marabelle” in that baggin it with balnor

3. Is there an unpopular opinion you have on the ship?

nope!

#these are simply too fun #asks #stone-stars #ask game

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jacquzzi · 2 years ago

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I thought it would be fun to keep a public record of everything I'm working on/have plans for. If any of these interest you check out my AO3 or drop an ask.

CURRENTLY WRITING:

Freedom, Adventure, Family(One Piece): Exploring all the changes in a world where Luffy sailed at the same time as Roger and Whitebeard. **currently on indefinite hiatus due to One Piece fatigue**

Over the horizon(Pokemon PLA | B&W): The PLA protag is a separate conscience from Dawn that was formed when she went into the Distortion Dimension. After Completing the Hisui Pokedex she regains her memories and struggles with having the memories of 2 people she both is and isn't.

SEEDLINGS: Things that have stuff written but don't currently plan on continuing

Iron Sands(Fullmetal Alchemist)

Just Break The Rule, Then Youll See The Truth(Persona 4 &5)

Gunslinger Keyleth(Critical Role | The legend of Vox Machina)

IN THE WORKS BUT NOTHING POSTED:

The Abundant Oddities of Patty Lowell(Devil May Cry)

And just for the hell of it here's every fandom that has an entry in my ideas document.

One Piece

Batman

Percy Jackson

Critical Role

Persona(3,4,5)

Cyberpunk(2077 & Edgerunners)

Pokemon(Anime, ScarVio, X&Y)

Devil May Cry

#gunslinger keyleth au #freedom adventure family #A new Dawn #iron sand

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kingjasnah · 2 years ago

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What do you dislike so much about era 2 of Mistborn? Besides Wax being one of the most 2D characters of Brandon’s recent work?

its just not for me! i will admit it IS partly wax....though ive come around on him just because i think that anyone who has had that much shit happen to him has a lot of potential to get really interesting. i mean i like wayne. i like melaan. i like marasi in certain situations and steris is one of the best things to happen to the entire series. wax is just like...the 2012 jumped out you could swap him for any protag with a trenchcoat from any urban fantasy novel of that time and there would be no difference.

mostly i think era 2 has some really cool ideas and visuals but the messaging doesnt compare to era 1 at ALL. the fight scenes are mostly good its just like i cant be sustained on gunslinger vibes and revolving anti-metalborn bullet chambers when the rest of the story reeks of 2012 liberalism. the last time i read shadows of self (probably my fave of the three currently out) i was banging my head against the wall at the "of course workers should fight to get paid but rioting is BAD" section (it doesnt help that i had just reread the discworld watch books at the same time if u know u know). i literally feel like everything that was cool about era 2 has been twisted into ok cool but what if we were a cop about it. there's portraying realistic politics.....and then theres being a cop about it. if wax goes full villain era i take back almost everything ive ever said about him but for now. sorry :/

#theres some religious stuff thats like ok i fundamentally disagree with this and thats making reading hard #but thats one isnt anyones fault it is just another factor in my personal dislike #shadows of self is good because i think the paalm insurrection stuff was cool but the politics make me want to die #for real if anyone didnt like era 2 i do recommend the watch books. or if you did like it. there are similarities there are differences but #imo the watch books are......quite a bit better #asks

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gizkalord · 3 years ago

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I want another set of sw protags with multiple super Iconique outfits all the time. Luke showing up for just 1 minute with a bright yellow jacket that we’ve never forgotten since. Leia and her cloud city outfit and braids. Han with cowboy gunslinger meets adidas skinny track pants, and That Vest. Lando and his fantastical swishy capes. Enough with the grungy earth toned outfits. We peaked with the OT and we’ve been downhill ever since.

#star wars #mags.txt #for legal purposes this is meant to be comedic #sw ot #original trilogy #luke skywalker

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trigunpls · 2 years ago

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*gives you a more polite anon* I understand people’s apprehension over CGI but this is Studio Orange, which has been doing CGI the best for YEARS. It looks so much BIGGER, if that makes sense. Everyone and everything has more Weight that 2D animation doesn’t have time for. Plus, if we can all pull back the curtain a bit, Trigun’s visual stylings were always a bit rough. Unique and interesting!! But…good looking? Not always.

I’m so excited I could do backflips. I cannot believe this is happening. I literally DREAMED of winning the lottery just so I could put money towards a Trigun reboot bc I wanted it SO. BAD. Idc if it looks like Ex-Arm, Trigun’s strongest fighting point was ALWAYS. it’s characters. Meryl and Milly were revolutionary female side protags in the 90’s. Nicholas has ALWAYS been an phenomenal character who was too nuanced even for Nightow to capture perfectly(/positive). And Vash, well Vash is STILL a subversion of most gunslingers/male leads in action/etc.

The only physical detail I’m worried they’re missing is his Myriad of scars. It was really important to the message of Trigun that it was hard, impossible even, for anyone else to take the abuse he willing put himself through. A beautiful message that many MANY people NEED to understand.

Being a martyr is hard, painful work. Being the one who changes things is Hard, Painful work. Being the one who helps is Hard. Painful. Scarring work.

And you should still choose to do it.

UGH GOD FUCK I LOVE TRIGUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Vash rider

i like you, vash rider

#here's another great anon!

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ravenoftheskyes · 4 years ago

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The Caligula Effect propaganda hours because people are vaguely talking about it in relation to other things.

So, what is The Caligula Effect? (I’ll refer to it as TCE sometimes under the cut!)

TCE is a game that’s similar to Persona 5 Royal’s Third Semester. Except the one creating the perfect world is… Hatsune Miku!

Ha, just kidding. She’s a Vocaloid knockoff, that’s for sure. A lovely Virtuadoll named μ. (pronounced Mu)

μ had a partner named Aria. The two Virtuadolls swam through the internet, the realm known as the Metaverse-Es. (This came out before Persona 5, I swear.)

μ and Aria saw all the grief, sadness, all the terrible things about reality that people put out onto the internet. And they thought that reality must be nothing but pain, right?

So they created Mobius. The eternal loop. Three years of high school, you repeat them over and over for the rest of your life.

And they grant all of your wishes.

It’s perfect, right? But what if you wanted to leave?

That’s where Aria and μ split.

Aria wanted people to be able to leave, but μ didn’t. She thought the real world was nothing but pain. She just wanted to wipe their memories and make Mobius even better.

So Aria was thrown from ruler status, shrunk to Chibi size, and is doomed to wander Mobius forever.

And that’s where you come in!

A few years later, your protagonist awakens to the realities of Mobius.

The Male Protagonist’s name is Ritsu Shikishima

The Female Protagonist… she doesn’t exactly have a name.

Also, there’s a female protag in this game! …Well, in the remake at least. The Caligula Effect: Overdose.

So Aria runs into ya, you’re traumadumping to a pixie-sized Vocaloid, and you gain superpowers based off trauma. If only life worked like that!

So you get two very cool guns, and you start a stellar as hell combat system. My only complaint is that it can sometimes be too easy, but I do hope they fix that in the sequel! (Coming out in October, hopefully)

Now I’m not the best at explaining combat, but basically each character has three actions per turn, and cooldown times for skills.

The game is based off chaining attacks.

For example, the Protagonist could spam their basic attack, Dual Trigger, three times.

Or, if the enemy has a shield up, they could use their Shadow Pierce to break the shield and launch the enemies. Then another team member, like Shogo, could use his Gunslinger attack to hit the enemy while they’re in the air and deal massive damage to those pesky Digiheads.

Also, the enemies in this game are called Digiheads. They’ve been brainwashed by μ’s song and are trying to kill you because you know that Mobius isn’t real and are trying to leave, and therefore you’re heretics in their eyes.

And that leads me to the main conflict of the game. You’re trying to escape Mobius with the help of Aria and the Go-Home club, and you’re up against the Ostinato Musicians.

The Go-Home club is a hell of a team, they’re not exactly friends at first but through the course of the game, you bond with them and they bond with you.

This game was in fact written by some writers who worked on Persona 1 and Persona 2, and this game has something called Character Episodes. They’re kind of like social links, except there’s no time-management aspect and you unlock more ranks as you 1. Level up their friendship level with you by having them participate in combat, and 2. Progress through the story. The Go-Home club has amazing development and there are characters you might hate at first, but then you go through their character episodes and end up loving them.

The Ostinato Musicians are fairly one-note villains at first, so why should you care about them?

The Musician Route, that’s why!

Some time after the second arc, you run into the mysterious conductor, Thorn. She tells you that you could also see another side. Play both of them. Be a Musician and a Go-Home club member. You know the people who just can’t stay, why not get to know the people that just can’t go?

And I’m telling you right now, that’s the biggest and best feature that the enhanced re-release added. You get to know the villains better than the surface. You get Character Episodes with them. You play both sides. And then at the end, you betray one side.

Fight to return home, or fight to stay. That is the question.

Mobius or Reality?

That’s your choice.

Also, the soundtrack is a goddamn banger. Popular Vocaloid composers were hired to write this soundtrack, like cosMo@Bousou-P (The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku) or Deco*27 (Ghost Rule). It just has that Vocaloid feel.

This game as a hell of a lot of love in it, and while the first game might have flopped, they’re still making a sequel! They made an anime. They made a self-cover album with all the Musicians VAs singing the songs their characters composed.

Though, quick warning, there is one canonically trans character and she faces a lot of transphobia throughout the game. There’s also a lesbian but she doesn’t face much homophobia in the game.

In summary, this game is lovely, amazing, and just all around brilliant. Please give it a chance, it has a slow as hell start, but it’s just so amazing, and it’s one of my all-time favorite games.

#the caligula effect

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carriagelamp · 4 years ago

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~ Queer Lit 30 Day Book Challenge ~

I decided to do this challenge I came across for June! Originally it was designed as a “day-by-day” thing, but my June was way too hectic to do a write up every single day… so I decided to make a nice compilation for the end of the month instead!

This is perhaps not the “purest” form of the challenge but I wanted it to be personal for me. Growing up when I did and where I did, I had very little exposure to queer books, especially age-appropriate queer books. That being said, there’s some books on this list that are really only “queer” by technically, or through a secondary character rather than the main character. I debated whether to include these but finally decided that, yes, I would. I owe it to myself. Even though some of these books that aren’t “as queer” as other, they were (or are) really important to me as a queer person and my journey is understanding that, so I wanted to acknowledge them!

More info about the books and the challenge under the cut!

Day One: First Queer Book You Remember Reading

Color by Taishi Zaou and Eiki Eiki

Remember how I mentioned a lack of available, age-appropriate queer books? I was one of those kids who was definitely exposed (probably too young) to queer manga/yaoi. It wasn’t necessarily what I wanted, especially as a wee ace teen, but it was the best I had at the time and it meant the world to me at the time, to see same-sex relationships even if looking back on them is very “YIKES”.

I’m sure I read others before this, but Color is one of the first that I really remember and which I a) actually owned and which b) wasn’t completely repellent in hindsight! I haven’t reread it in probably over a decade so I have no idea how it stands up, but at the time it read like a much more “realistic” account of two teenagers developing a crush and starting a relationship and as a questioning teenager it really helped me realize that this was a real, viable option.

Day Two: Queer Book That Reminds You Of Home

The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag

I hummed and hawed about this one for a long time because honestly I tend to read books that make me feel far from home. I decided to go with The Witch Boy though because it’s a story that challenges gender norms and stars a large family out in the woods, running wild and exploring magic, and honestly it gives me vibes that remind me of vacationing with my extended family. We’re also partially ginger and inclined to run wild in the woods. If we knew magic we’d have used it for sure.

This book is about 13 year old Aster, who lives in a family where the women all become witches and the men all become shifters. Aster, however, has no interest in shapeshifting and instead finds ways to study magic and learn the arts of witchcraft while constantly being pushed out by his female relatives… though everything might change when a new danger, that may or may not be connected to Aster studying magic, begins to appear.

Day Three: Queer Book That Has Been On Your TBR Too Long

Beneath The Citadel by Destiny Soria

That was an easy choice, this has been sitting on my bookshelf for months, staring at me accusingly every time I enter my room. I’m really excited to read it (Magical heist? Rebellion? With an asexual protagonist? Yes please) but for some reason I have not gotten around to it. Some day, baby, some day.

Day Four: Queer Book With A Name Or Number In The Title

George by Alex Gino

George is an absolutely charming middle grade novel about a child named George who the world perceives as male… but who knows she’s definitely a girl. The novel begins when her class decided to put on a play about the novel they had just read: Charlotte’s Web. George is desperate to play Charlotte, her favourite character, but isn’t even allowed to try out because it’s a “girl’s role”. George and her best friend struggle with how to handle this problem and manage George’s secret amid elementary school and home drama.

This book is really adorable – it was a nice, easy, cozy read for an adult, and would also make a great read aloud to elementary-age children if you want to introduce them to transgender characters.

Day Five: Queer Book Where The Protag Has A Fun Job

The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris

Not actually a queer protagnoist, but a queer side character who plays a major role in the series. Mister Vernon, one of Leila’s fathers, has arguable the coolest job: he’s a retired stage magician turn magic shop owner, which is complete with large rabbit, hidden room, and tons of fascinating gadgets to help a young practical magician learn their trade. He is hands down one of the neatest character in the series and is a major catalyst throughout the series.

The first book follows Carter, a runaway orphan who practices street magic to get by, as he runs away from his horrible uncle and winds up meeting a gang of magic-loving friends in a small town. Hiding from his uncle is only the beginning though, and the mysteries surrounding the town and Mister Vernon become thicker and thicker as the series goes on.

Day Six: Favourite Queer Graphic Novel

Check, Please! by Ngozi Ukazu

There’s lots of fantastic queer graphic novels out there, but I have to name Check, Please! as my favourite (and not just because I’m Canadian and am legally obligated to at least show interest in a hockey story). Check, Please! is the friggin cutest story about Eric “Bitty” Bittle, former figure skater and avid baker, who joins the Samwell University hockey team. The story is told in the form of Bitty’s vlog as he recounts the bizarre quirks of the Samwell hockey team, his struggle to overcome his fear of checking, and his growing crush on the team captain, Jack. Seriously guys, this is cavity-inducing sweetness and you can read it all online for free, here on tumblr @omgcheckplease or at its own website, checkpleasecomic.

Day Seven: Queer Book You Often Reread

Boy Meets Boy by David Levithan

Another book I haven’t reread in years, but this was the first queer novel I ever read (and owned!) so I read it obsessively, first the copy from the high school library and then my own copy (which is, let us say, well-thumbed by this point). It was pure fluff, in an aggressively diverse, relentlessly accepting, rainbow-coloured high school and it was exactly what I wanted in high school, and it still makes me happy whenever I remember it. It’s a straight-up high school romance, pretty traditional to the genre, but it has the most delightful supporting cast you could ever ask for. Maybe I should reread it again this summer…

Day Eight: Queer Book With A Happy Ending

Of Fire and Stars by Audrey Coulthurst

This was a bit more of a “yeah it was fine” book for me, but honestly… queer people deserve some average, run-of-the-mill YA fantasies. As far as my normal reading preferences go, run-of-the-mill YA fantasies are my bread and butter. And this one has a cute sapphic romance to go with it. It’s about Denna, a princess with a dangerous secret: she has a magical Affinity for fire, despite being betrothed to the prince of a kingdom that aggressively prosecutes and fears magic-users. So now Denna is in a strange land, trying to hide her increasingly volatile magic, solve an assassination that rocked the kingdom, and deal with the growing connection between her and the prince’s wild sister, Mare. It has court intrigue, a murder mystery, horses, and lots of confused sapphic pining so it’s totally worth picking up if you want a light summer fantasy adventure.

Day Nine: Queer Book With (Over) 100 Pages

River of Teeth by Sarah Gailey

I decided to try to get as close to 100 pages as possible! River of Teeth is a 114-page novella that I haven’t quite finished (work and covid stress happened) but which I am fucking losing my mind for. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s peak alternative history, about queer hippopotamus-riding cowboys in Louisiana during the early 20th (late 19th?) century. Like… I don’t know how to emphasize how unbelievably cool this book is. Genderqueer demolition expert with a giant crush and a penance for making things blow up and attempting to poison guests when they’re bored?? Check. Gay gunslinging hippo-riding cowboy with an angsty backstory (and also a giant crush)? Check. Sexy, fat, badass lady con artist with an albino hippo that she spoils? Check. Like damn guys. I’m not done the book and I’ve already bought the sequel because I know the second I pick it back up I’m not gonna stop until I’ve ploughed through it all. This book is the epitome of “refuge in audacity” and “rule of cool”. Is it over the fucking top? Absolutely but that’s the point.

Day Ten: Favourite Queer Genre Novel

The Red Scrolls of Magic by Cassandra Clare

I’ll be honest, I’m a little shaky on what counts as a genre novel (isn’t… everything… a genre??) so I decided to interpret it as “slightly trashy YA supernatural fantasy” because that sure is a hella specific genre I’m weak for.

I really thought I was done with the Shadowhunter novels, I thought they were a goofy series I left behind in teenagerhood that I could look back on with amused indulgence. And then I found out that there was a novel specifically about Alec and Magnus and! Oh no! Ding dong I was wrong. I fell back in hard because listen… I love them. They were one of the first canonical same-sex relationships I ever read about in an actual novel, they meant a lot to me then and still mean a lot to me now. I have nothing to say to defend myself here except that this book wrecked me and I can’t wait for the sequel.

Day Eleven: Queer Book You Love In A Genre You Don’t Read

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me by Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O’Connel

I am very rarely a slice-of-life / romance genre sort of person. I like my stories cut with a heavy dose of fantasy, scifi, action-adventure… something. So a graphic novel that’s not only a romance, but one about an unhealthy relationship and infidelity is like… super outside my usual range of reading material. But it was very much worth the read! The art was stunning, and the complicated emotions it tapped into really touched me. I’m very happy to have read it, and was so damn satisfied by the end.

Day Twelve: Queer Book With A Strong Sense Of Place

Belle Révolte by Linsey Miller

Linsey Miller is one author I very actively follow, I love her works and they always have very distinct, complicated worlds with unique societies and magic systems. Belle Révolte was her latest book and followed a prince-and-the-pauper type of story, in which wealthy Emilie des Marais is determined to learn noonday (magical) arts in order to become a physician, someone who can actually work to make her home a better place… but this is not something a proper lady would ever be allowed to do. So she flees her finishing school and meets poor, but magically gifted, Annette Boucher and offers her the chance to switch places. Annette goes back to school as “Emilie” and gets to hone her skills at the midnight arts while Emilie will use her name to sneak into medical school and fight her way up the ranks to physician. This is a challenging enough task, with rebellion roiling just beneath the surface and the country about to slip into a arrogant war that threatens the lives of hundreds…

Day Thirteen: Queer Book That Really Made You Think

Our Dreams At Dusk by Yuhki Kamatani

This is a four book manga series that is completely breath-taking. It’s touched by magical-realism and completely drowned in visually stunning metaphors and symbolism. Seriously, I’ve reread these books multiples times trying to digest how the wide variety of symbols overlap and contradict and compliment and challenge each other. I still haven’t really gotten a solid handle on it, it’s very fluid, so yeah… definitely makes me think.

The story starts with Tasuku Kaname who believes he may have just been outed as gay by a high school friend, and feels like he’s watching his entire world crumble around him. He is seriously considering taking his own life, when he runs into the mysterious woman “Someone-san” and winds up leading him to a drop-in center that’s run by a local non-profit, and is also a hub for a number of queer people in the community. The books follow Tasuku as he grows, learns, makes mistakes, and confronts his feelings, along with a number of other members at the drop-in center. It is completely beautiful, optimistic, but also quite stark and harsh at its look at homophobia and transphobia in modern Japanese society and how it can effect people in different ways. I just bought book four and can’t wait to read it and see how everything ends.

Day Fourteen: Queer Book That Made You Cry

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Holy shit guys. Listen. Listen. If you don’t read any other book on this list, please consider reading The Marrow Thieves. It is hands down the best book I’ve read so far this year. Another book that doesn’t have a queer character as the protag, but as one of the main supporting characters and listen, his story fucking destroyed me as a person. That romance just… aaaaaaah. AAAAAAAAH.

Anyway. The Marrow Thieves is a Canadian dystopian novel. It takes place in a post-climate change world in which society has been ravaged – partially due to the wildly different and extreme weather patterns, but also through a strange disease that has spread through the population that has left people completely incapable of dreaming. Now unable to rest, process their lives, and dream of a future, people are being driven insane and only one group appears to be immune: North America’s First Nations people appear to be unaffected. And so they begin to be harvested, rounded up and collected in “school” in order for people to suck the marrow out of them to give to white people afflicted by this disease. The Marrow Thieves follows a First Nations boy named Frenchie as he flees the recruiters and tries his best to survive in this post-apocalyptic like wilderness, banding together with other First Nations people who are heading north, where they hope to find communities of their own people with whom they can shelter and start to rebuild their lives.

It’s a YA level novel, not very long, and such an insanely good read. I cannot emphasize enough PLEASE GO READ THIS BOOK.

Day Fifteen: Queer Book That Made You LOL

Mostly Void, Partially Stars by Joseph Fink and Jeffrey Cranor

Welcome to Nightvale always makes me laugh and it was a lot of fun to get to read the transcripts of the episodes. I’m a sucker for novelizations/transcripts of shows. It was a nice nostalgia trip and gave me an excuse to go back and relisten to some of my favourite episodes too! If you’ve never gotten into Nightvale… hey, it’s a classic! Podcast is fucking stunning if you’re into podcasts, and if you’re not but would enjoy a weird, queer, eldritch horror comedy then try the book! It’s the first “season” compiled in text form, exactly how it’s heard in the show.

Day Sixteen: Queer Book That Is Really Personal To You

Jughead volume 1 by Chip Zdarsky et al

Including this one because gee golly it sure did make me want to fight a lot of people for quite a while. It was one of the first stories I ever found/read that had an explicitly asexual main character… (and a character I already really loved! Which I now got to feel an even stronger connection to! It was so fun and validating!) so it was super awesome how like half of tumblr decided for a year there that this was apparently a cardinal sin. Imagine… one single version of old, long standing comic series deciding to retcon a character to represent a heavily under-represented community… imagine being so fucking angry about that that you decide to start a hate campaign on the internet. So much fun to live through that as an ace person. Anyway, these comics were nothing amazing but I sure do love them aggressively out of pure spite, even now that the aphobia on tumblr has died back down I will hold this to my chest and adore it.

Day Seventeen: Favourite Queer Book Sequel or Spin Off

The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy by Mackenzi Lee

Honestly do I even need to say anything here? Is there any queer person who hasn’t read Mackenzi Lee’s The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue series? If you are someone who hasn’t read it yet… go do that?? Absolutely stunning, one of my all-time favourite book series. It’s the perfect combination of hilarious and goofy, intense action, heartfelt character development, and a dash of “wait was that supernatural or??” This sequel was fantastic, this time focusing on Felicity, Monty’s sister, and her quest to become a physician despite being a woman in the 18th century. Awesome look at femininity, feminism, asexuality, and race. (Also… OT3? OT3.)

Day Eighteen: Favourite Queer Book By A Favourite Author

Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett

One of those “ehh is this technically queer? Not really but close enough, it is in my heart” books. It was one of the books I read as a teenager when I was still beginning to seek out and try to explore queer lit in so much as I could.

Terry Pratchett is, hands down, my favourite author, and though he doesn’t tend to write explicitly queer literature, his exploration of gender through allegory is top fucking tier. Everything to do with the dwarves in his series is fascinating, and a really great challenge/critique/exploration of gender, and this is the book that takes it to the next level (and brings in at least implicitly queer characters). It’s about Polly Perks, who lives in a small, war torn nation, choosing to join the army in order to find out what happened to her brother. However, as tradition dictates, she can’t join as a girl… so she disguises herself as Ozzer, a young man. There’s a lot of twists and turns, and as always Pratchett delivers fantastic humour and just absolutely delicious satire.

Day Nineteen: Queer Book That Changed Your Life

And Tango Makes Three by Justin Richardson

This was the book that made me realize that I, as a queer teacher, could have queer kid lit in my future classroom. Maybe a comparatively small revelation, but a really important one to me. It made me realize that this didn’t need to be something I kept a secret in my professional life and which could really positively influence children, especially queer children. It was the first queer children’s book I ever bought.

Day Twenty: Favourite Queer Book Series

Candy Color Paradox by Isaku Natsume

Alright… I’ll admit it, this isn’t actually my favourite series, but I’ve used my favourites in other spots. And this is a good one! Definitely more of an actual “yaoi” than the other manga I’ve included (here there be sex) but it has a very different vibe that what I’m used to from that type of manga. The main pair are actually both capable, mature adults, with careers they actively care about, and who get together in the first volume!

The rest of the series is less about them angst-ily toeing around their relationship, and much more about them learning to grow as a couple and balance their work and relationship and society. It’s funny and sweet, and I really enjoy these two losers. It’s a very low-stakes enemy-to-friends-to-lovers story, in which Onoe (a reporter) and Kaburagi (a photographer) are paired up on a news story they’re supposed to dig into together. What starts as a bickering rivalry gradually becomes respect, friendship, and love~ Onoe is a gremlin of a protag, so he’s a treat to follow.

Day Twenty-One: Queer Book That You Recommend A Lot

Mask of Shadows by Linsey Miller

To repeat myself: Linsey Miller is awesome! This is my favourite book of hers, the first of a duology. It’s kind of like an intense, edgy Tamora Pierce novel with murder. In this world, the Queen has a team of assassins known as the Left Hand. They’re an elite group that keeps the Queen safe and does the dirty work that needs to be done to protect the kingdom and keep the encroaching nations at bay. When the assassin Opal is killed, a contest is announced to find the new Opal. People from all over come to complete for the honour of being one of the Queen’s royal assassins, including gender-fluid thief Sallot Leon. Sal has some deep motivations to become Opal that go beyond a loyalty to their kingdom, but they’re going to have to survive their competitors if they even wants a chance at it… (Sal generally goes by either she or he in the books, but I’m using they in this instance since it’s in a more general sense.)

Day Twenty-Two: Queer Book That Made You Take Action

The Deep by Rivers Solomon

Uhh, I don’t really have any books that made me take action per se, but this one sure gave me a lot to think about. It’s about deep sea mermaids who originated from the pregnant slave women tossed into the ocean to drown during passage to North America. From those dying women, this race was born and were taken in by whales, raised and protected until they could descend into the deep ocean waters, to form their own safe society. Their collective past is so painful though that as a species they’ve developed a very short term memory. But a people can’t live without any ties to their roots and so one of them, the Historian, holds all the memories for their entire species and shares it with everyone once a year so that the community can be connected to their ancestors before once again returning the memories to the Historian for safe keeping. Yetu, the current Historian, is so overwhelmed by these memories, that she can no longer take it – she flees her people, her responsibilities, and her pain and escapes to the surface instead...

Day Twenty-Three: Queer Book By An Author Who I Killed Is Dead

Cybersix by Carlos Trillo

I cannot emphasize enough, this is not actually a queer comic, it is in fact a very homophobic, transphobic and sexist comic written by a horrible person.

That being said, he’s dead and I own it now the TV series was essentially about a genderqueer superhero and a very confused bi biology professor who has a crush on both personas. I had a passionate crush on both personas as a child, and I will cherrypick this comic until I die in order to enjoy the only kickass genderqueer/genderfluid noir antihero I’ve come across. I am valid and I am not open to debate or discussion. Do not read this comic it’s horrible (but consider watching the show).

Day Twenty-Four: Queer Book You Wish You’d Read When Younger

The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang

This is such an incredibly soft story with the nicest art. There’s so much understanding and compassion in it and its exploration of gender and self-confidence and being true to yourself would have been very reassuring to me as a child, especially by late elementary/middle school.

Day Twenty-Five: Queer Book In A Historical Setting

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

A retelling of Achilles’ and Patroclus’ relationship from childhood to the Trojan war. So yeah, you can imagine that this was also a candidate for Day 14 :’) I haven’t read this one in years but god it was lovely and emotionally destroyed me as a person.

Day Twenty-Six: Queer Superhero Book or Comic

Overwatch: Reflections by Michael Chu and Miki Montillo

I don’t really read superhero stories very often (the comics have always driven me a little bonkers, trying to find a way to enter the totally unapproachable Marvel/DC canons, and the MCU burnt me out years ago for every other sort of superhero story) so this is the closest I can get. Tracer’s a superhero yeah? Anyway, I, like every other queer person in the Overwatch fandom, lost my fucking mind when this dropped for Christmas a few years back and officially declared Lena Oxton not only the face of the entire franchise but also a lesbian. It’s an adorable little comic and Tracer’s girlfriend is a sweetheart.

Day Twenty-Seven: Favourite Queer Children’s Picture Book

Prince & Knight by Daniel Haack

There’s a number of sweet queer children’s books that are popping up these days, but this is my favourite just because it’s less about “explaining the gays to children” (though those books also have their place) and more of a cute little fantasy adventure in which the actual protagonist is gay. It’s about a prince who sets out to find himself a bride who can help rule by his side, but it quickly becomes clear that he isn’t interested in any of the girls. Instead, when a fire breathing dragon threatens his kingdom, he meets a brave knight who fights along side him. It’s very supportive and the art is lovely.

Day Twenty-Eight: Queer Book That Made You Feel Uncomfortable

Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann

This is a book with an asexual protagonist that I was originally really excited for. I know there are a lot of people out there who really enjoy this book and connected with it, but it didn’t do it for me. Maybe because my expectations were too high, but the protagonist’s experience with asexuality was vastly different than my own and the narrative voice ended up rubbing me wrong (and let’s be honest, slice-of-life romance is NOT my usual genre at all). So it’s not “made me uncomfortable because it’s Bad And Wrong” more just… totally vibed wrong with me. Maybe the perfect book for other people but definitely not for me, I had to return this one unfinished because it’s portrayal of asexuality just made me so deeply uncomfortable.

Day Twenty-Nine: Queer Book That Made You Want To Fall In Love

The Gentleman’s Guide To Vice And Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

This book had to make it on here somewhere, and honestly it could have gone in a lot of different spots, but I chose to put it here because the relationship between Monty and Percy is so incredibly sweet and authentic it really does make you want something like that. TGGTVAV (for anyone who has somehow not heard of it) takes place in the 18th century, and is about Monty, his best friend (and crush) Percy, and his sister Felicity going on a final “hurrah” tour of Europe before Monty's father finally tries to pin him down in England and force every part of Monty that’s deemed “unacceptable” out of him. So Monty intends to live this summer up… until everything goes off the rail and the three of them are suddenly fleeing across the continent with assassins at their heels and a strange, stolen artifact in their possession.

Monty has a lot of growing to do in this novel, and that’s one of my favourite things about it. For his and Percy’s relationship to ever have a chance, Monty needs to learn and change and actually communicate with other people, and it makes the relationship feel strong. Not a fluffy, surface level romance that often happens in YA but something built from the ground up by two friends who really want to make it work. Ahh, it’s lovely. One of my favourite novels.

Day Thirty: Queer Book With Your Favourite Ending

My Brother’s Husband by Gengoroh Tagame

A two-book manga series that was completely stunning. It deals with queer relationships and homophobia in a very stark, real-world manner that you don’t often get in manga, while still being incredibly loving and sympathetic. The book is about Yaichi, a single father whose estranged brother (Ryoji) recently died. One day, a Canadian named Mike arrives, introducing himself as Ryoji’s widower. Mike had come hoping to visit his late husband’s homeland to try to get some closure, and Yaichi ends up inviting Mike to stay. The whole story looks Japan’s societal biases, through Mike’s experiences, Yaichi’s thoughts, feelings and prejudices, and those of his daughter who adores Mike.

Seriously, this is one of the kindest, most earnest looks I’ve ever seen to internal prejudices that critiques them without demonizing the person who feels them. Instead it lovingly embraces grief, growth, and love. This series made me cry multiple times, was good enough that even my straight brother practically ordered me to go out and buy the second book when he finished the first, and the ending was just *chef’s kiss*

Honourable Mentions

A few books I really wanted to fit on my list somehow but couldn’t quite manage it, so here: All Out an anthology of historical fiction short stories about queer teens. The Tea Dragon Society series and Princess Princess Ever After, graphic novels by the amazingly talented Katie O’Neill. Heartstopper a webcomic turn graphic novel by Alice Oseman about a pair of rugby players. The Different Dragon a cute picture book in which the boy has two moms and which is about accepting different ways of being. And Lady Knight a part of Tamora Pierce’s Protector of the Small series because because Kel is word-of-god aro(and/or ace) and I’ve adored that series and Kel since I was about thirteen so by god I’ll take it.

Now for those that wanted to do their own challenge, I found it on @gailcarriger’s blog.

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hag-o-hags · 4 years ago

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I read a lot of books in 2020. Why did it take me until mid-February to post this? I’m tired. And old. Time is a lie. Have some superlatives.

Books What Made That Shit Worth Living Through:

All The Birds in The Sky, Charlie Jane Anders

The Majesties, Tiffany Tsao

The Twisted Ones, T. Kingfisher

The Golem and the Jinni, Helene Wecker

A Memory Called Empire, Arkady Martine

The Long Way To A Small Angry Planet, A Closed and Common Orbit, Record of a Spaceborn Few, Becky Chambers

Gideon the Ninth, Harrow the Ninth, Tamsyn Muir

The City We Became, N.K. Jemisin

Akata Witch, Nnedi Okorafor

The Hollow Places, T. Kingfisher

Space Opera, Catherynne M. Valente

Best Books for Not Rereading Discworld Again:

Rivers of London (series), Ben Aaronovitch

Orconomics, J. Zachary Pike

The Clockwork Boys, The Wonder Engine, T. Kingfisher

Books You Could Sell A Few Loose Concepts And Generally Be Like FUCK YEAH!:

A NATURAL HISTORY OF DRAGONS, WHAT IT SAYS ON THE TIN!, Marie Brennan

BROADSWORD LESBIAN SPACE NECROMANCERS!, Tamsyn Muir

MAGIC JAZZ DETECTIVES!, Ben Aaronovitch

HIPPO-RIDING GUNSLINGING OUTLAW RIVER HEIST!, Sarah Gailey

HITCHHIKER’S GUIDE TO EUROVISION FOR THE FATE OF EARTH!, Catherynne M. Valente

Worst Insufferable Slogs, DNF, Or Hardest To Resist Flinging At The Wall:

Rogue One, Alexander Freed (Star Wars sucks and I am no longer burdened by illusions that it doesn’t! The good bits are the exception!)

Caraval, Stephanie Garber (YA Syndrome)

A Court of Thorns and Roses, Sarah J. Maas (YA Syndrome)

The Road, Cormac McCarthy (Fred Savage voice: Is this a Jesus book?)

The Postmortal, Drew Magary (Margaret Atwood voice: Male fantasies, male fantasies)

This Is How You Lose the Time War, Amal el-Mohtar & Max Gladstone (Aziraphale voice: Oh. Po-Mo.)

The Gilded Wolves, Roshani Chokshi (BETRAYED by terrible narration, should have loved it probably)

The Magicians, Lev Grossman (protag is unbearable, highly punchable)

We Hunt the Flame, Hafsah Faizal (YA Syndrome)

Under A Painted Sky, Stacy Lee (#ownvoices but also teeth-peelingly gross to like everyone else. Also YA Syndrome)

Books That Support The Growing Feeling That You Need To Go Ask A Rabbi Some Questions:

Here All Along: Finding Meaning, Spirituality and A Deeper Connection to Life In Judaism (After Finally Choosing To Look There), Sarah Hurwitz

Most “I Have No Memory of This Place” And Must Therefore Reread To Continue the Series:

The Reader, Tracy Chee (yeah I read it like four months apart, sue me, I retained NOTHING)

A Natural History of Dragons, Marie Brennan

Seraphina, Rachel Hartman

Green Rider, Kristen Britain

A Gathering of Shadows, V.E. Schwab

The Star-Touched Queen, Roshani Chokshi

Cold Magic, Kate Elliott

Best Books by Authors More Known for Their Work On Camera:

Last Smile In Sunder City, Dead Man In A Ditch, Luke Arnold

Little Weirds, Jenny Slate

Axiom’s End, Lindsay Ellis

Best Movie That’s Like Fine As A Book But Actually The Movie Improves on the Source:

The Shining, Stephen King

Doctor Sleep, Stephen King (also best movie I’ve seen in recent memory that wasn’t Birds of Prey fight me bye)

#BOOKVAS #2020 reads #just read Gideon the Ninth okay that's the point of this whole entire post

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nozomuaoyama · 4 years ago

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Condemnation of the Guilty - Predictions

This is going here because it’s really long and I may have gone into too much detail to fit in a review.

Kasumi Ahiru - Card Shark Crime: Cheating at cards, but maybe something worse (because of her dislike of the word “unforgiveable”) Role: Decoy protag. A victim, since Kaede was a blackened.

Aiya Aoyama - Delivery Girl Crime: Delivering a bomb. Chisa might be behind it (she’s the Former Ultimate most likely to get someone in trouble). Role: The real protag, so a survivor.

Shiya Shikibane - Gunslinger Crime: Being a part of a dangerous organization. Her father was a marksman, after all. Role: Mastermind, unsympathetic killer, or a victim (because of her personality).

Kira Watanabe - Thanatologist Crime: Based on his outfit, grave robbing. Role: Too useful to live. I have no idea if he’s going to be the unsympathetic killer.

Maximilian Grohl - Drummer Crime: Since he dislikes being touched and is very sensitive about his backstory, I say he killed someone who hurt him in the past. Role: He’s comic relief, so I think he dies. Victim, because...I don’t want him to kill, okay?

Hachiro Katsuo - Revolutionary Crime: ...do I have to say it? Role: The chapter 5 victim as the resident nutjob. Or just any sort of killer, since his personality is a time bomb. Maybe he kills Kasumi if he finds out she lied to him.

Ryuunosuke Harada - Samurai Crime: Disowned as an heir and did shady things to survive. Role: Probably the rival. His arc would involve him learning to trust and getting his guard down, until he gets backstabbed by someone he gets close to. Late-game, obviously. Either that, or an extra death from illness.

Akio Saishi - Priest Crime: Assaulting some sort of...scammer, I guess? He seems like he’d do that. Role: Survivor. He deserves it. He’ll try to be an assistant, but Kasumi will not accept that. Aiya might.

Margot Sanders - Fashion Designer (Tailor?) Crime: Since she’s determined to be on top, fraud. Or sabotage. Role: If the motive is right, a killer. It’s hard to see her surviving, but it’s also hard to see her being killed because of her wariness.

Achiko Samegawa - Pinball Wizard Crime: No idea. Also sabotage? Role: Cocky athlete. Survivor, because she also deserves it. If she gets character development, anyway.

Yuuto Odayaka - Bed Tester Crime: N/A Role: ...okay, crack-ish? Secret agent sent to infiltrate the other prisoners, which will end up getting him killed when the truth comes out. This is solely based off his similarity to Yuuto Kamishiro from DR0 and his vague talent. (DVHS spoilers: Maybe I’m just paranoid after the Abe = Nagisa thing, but oh well.)

Shuei Moritaka - Mangaka Crime: Since his like is Yoshino, he might be a yandere for her, which opens up all sorts of horrifying possibilities. I’ll stop now. Role: If he’s not a yandere, he’ll be killed for being too invasive. Maybe by the mastermind. If he is a yandere...I don’t know.

Yoshino Rei - Racer Crime: Then again, she might be the yandere... Role: Mastermind, faking her sleepy personality. She’ll kill, and it will be so at odds with her fake personality no one will suspect her. Or just killed because she’s an easy target. She seems kinda boring otherwise.

Keiko Tokei - Statistical Analyst Crime: Something white-collar. Bribes or embezzlement. I’m almost certain on this. Role: Another possible rival. At the very least, she will attempt a kill, so I’ll just go ahead and say killer. Maybe the icy survivor.

Fumio Hojo - Barista Crime: Last one for which I have no idea, I promise. Role: Please let him live please let him live. (Victim. Too sweet to kill. Or to live.)

Ochiyo Kaiga - Drill Sergeant Crime: “The incident”. Someone got killed because of her. Or war crimes. /hj Role: She’s important. Either first to die, last to die, or survivor.

(Bonus: Favourites are Fumio, Max, and Keiko, all of which (except maybe Keiko) are going to die.)

#me #other fangans

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whistlewhileiblogit · 6 years ago

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Is Sadie Adler...too capable?

(Okay just wanna say if I have any details wrong please correct me as I am doing this all by memory! Also long post warning)

So, I have seen a lot of complaints regarding Sadie Adler's characterisation. Mainly, a lot of people have made the argument that she is a bad character (some claiming her to be one of the worst written in RDR2), because she is "too badass" "invincible", and essentially...without saying it...a mary-sue of some sort.

A lot of people have complained that Sadie is essentially indestructible as a character, and it is unrealistic that a woman who had never been a gunslinger, could magically become one in such a relatively short time.

Now, in some ways, I can see a point. But allow me to explain my thoughts, and the ways I took Sadie's personality and character through my initial playthrough of the game.

Now it's no secret that I adore Sadie. So you could argue I'm biased, but hear me out.

We meet Sadie early on in the game, where she's lost EVERYTHING. Her home, her possessions...her Jakey. The man she was in love with. Her husband and best friend.

Now we don't know much about Jake, though it is implied he is probably the only man who treated her as an equal (before Arthur, at least). Why do I say this? Because of the way we see Sadie behave when she is with the gang, initially.

She spends the first few chapters simply staying around camp. Most of the time she is either sitting solemnly alone in mourning, or working (and most likely arguing with Pearson). She is pretty much constantly in a bad mood, and makes it known to everyone in camp. But could you blame her? Again, her entire life had been destroyed.

So when Arthur has his first mission with her, he automatically assumes her not wanting to work with Pearson means she's lazy. She quickly shuts him down and explains how she and Jake used to share the work. She was as used to hunting as she was washing dishes. So already we know she should at least be able to use a gun decently. Whoa look at that! Rockstar sowing some seeds!

When they're at Rhodes, we see Sadie do the first thing she has had a choice in doing: she buys herself new clothes. This may sound stuoid, but remember, the dress she had previously wearing wasn't hers. It was most likely leant to her by Mary-Beth or another woman in the camp. Sadie then makes it clear to the shopkeeper she doesn't need help putting her supplies in the back of the wagon.

I've seen people be offended by her behaviour in this scene alone. "she was being a bitch to the shopkeeper for no reason! He's just doing his job!" and- as someone who works in retail- believe me, I get that argument...sorta. I understand it to an extent, but we have to remember; Sadie is living in a time where women were second class citizens. It makes perfect sense that she'd be passive-aggressive automatically. She constantly has to prove herself when everyone assumes she is simply a helpless woman.

Now in this very same mission we learn just how trigger-itchy Sadie is. And she follows down this path practically the entire game. She has bloodlust, specifically for any and all O' Driscolls. And for good reason (I also wanna mention the implication that she mauly have been sexually assaulted by one or more of them but won't get into that).

We see Sadie pour everything she has- literal blood, sweat and tears, into trying to avenge Jake. And a lot of people- ahem- a lot of men have had a big problem with her behaviour. But the thing is, if she had been a male, losing his temper and going on killing sprees over the death of his wife, his character would be praised. There are countless lists of male protaganists in games who have the tragic backstory involving a murdered wife and/or child. How many male protaganists are there that act exactly the same way as Sadie, for the same damn reasons, and aren't criticised for it?

Now I hate making this a sexism debate, I really do. But honestly, most of the criticisms I see of Sadie's characterization are just that; sexist.

Personally, I have to admit I am a sucker for the trope of the hardened character with a heart of gold (Joel from TLoU, Bruce Wayne, Arthur freakin' Morgan, Sadie Adler, etc), despite the connotations it has. I know it is an overused trope to use a protags fambam as the driving force of the plot, but in all honesty? It's done because it is something everyone can relate to. If you had a loved one or child murdered, you're telling me it wouldn't fundamentally break you as a person, even a little? You wouldn't want revenge?

When you think of it this way, of course Sadie's actions make sense! Watching Colm O'Driscoll himself die wasn't enough for her. Hell, even when Arthur and Sadie hunt down the remaining O'Driscolls, even after brutally killing the last big feller- Sadie sits down and has her moment of reflection. And it is clear, that even though it's finally all over- it still isn't for her. It's clear that she believed so strongly (or wanted to believe) that if all the O'Driscolls were gone, she could finally be at peace. And in this moment, she realises just how wrong she was.

Sadie recognises she is too far gone by this point, and even years later when she meets John in the prologue, she reiterates as much. I personally believe she might have been abke to heal even slightly had Arthur not died. I really think that in a way was the straw that broke the camels back. She talks to John about how she spends most of her time alone because she finds it hard just being around other people. She doesn't know how to act anymore. She is self-aware enough to realise she is a "broken" person.

Sadie is an amazingly written, tragic character. I suppose one could argue she was too good of a shot, though I don't see why she couldn't have been considering she knew how to hunt. Not to mention rage and heartbreak does things to a person. I am sure there are probably plenty of fair arguments against her- though the ones I have seen simply have been plain and rooted in sexism.

I just really want people to think about if Sadie had been a male. I can almost guarantee there wouldn't be nearly as much backlash as Sadie has received.

Also, I have read many complaints about her voice and y'all are entitled to your opinion but I think her raspy voice is sexy as fuck sue me.

#rdr2 #red dead 2 #red dead redemption 2 #sadie adler #arthur morgan #red dead 2 spoilers #long post #sexism #sexism in gaming #rockstar #john marston #rant #apparently I rant about everything now?#I am probably gonna wake up tomorrow remembering a shitload of points I wanted to make and forgot but here we go for nkw

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