#replies from the lab

[madeofvoid]

Just FYI, it's kind of messed up to call Toshiro (Shuro) a 'bitch ass weaboo shit', regardless of your opinion of him, he's a Japanese man written by a Japanese mangaka. 'Weaboo' has really negative connotations with Japanese people, mostly because of how it's been used by people to refer to anyone excessively obsessed with anime and Japanese culture. I'm not even going to say anything else about the rest of that post because I can't even find the words for it.

People can enjoy things however they want, whether in depth or shallow. But please think before you post stuff like this. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and guess you were just trying to be funny or cute but that's not an excuse to act in a way that can easily be construed as racist, regardless of your intentions.

I'm glad you're enjoying Dungeon Meshi, and I'm glad you're having fun. Please have a good night.

Oh boy. One of these messages. I've only heard of them in legend. Alright.

Hi anon, I'm nora madeofvoid, and I've written four published papers on the subject of racism and ethnic diversity, as well as a few on sociology and modern culture. I was once the lead TA to the Dean of Sociology at my university. I have been a keynote speaker at events with congressmen in attendance. I have been lectured by them in turn at those same conventions(god i wish tampa 2018's closing ceremony was on youtube, what a riot). All of this to say, with full honesty and in good faith, that I am probably the worst person to open this discussion with in a freeform environment; I have no reason to be concise. Conclusions and TL;DR the bottom because I've had no better use for this part of my degree in 4 years and I will not shut up. That said, I'm not bothering to be collegiate on tumblr, either. Oh, and fair warning I'm not a good person. That shit is tiring.

You make a fair point. But the rest of the initial post provided context and perspective of which to view what I intended to be a haha funnee rant about a fictional man with a samurai sword.

First. Suspend your disbelief. Shuro exists as an analog of eastern culture as a whole in a world where the countries and culture as we know which (presumably) only exist in a handwavey "the east is where that comes from" fantasy way. Japan does not exist here, so I didn't bother thinking of it. This is where Elden Ring comes in. Another fantasy world with landmasses which are presumably analagous to ours and cultures that may or may not have developed in an absolute hellscape that are analagous to ours. But they are not ours. We view them through this lens as a way of gaining perspective and familiarity with a world that is entirely alien.

So, I have to disagree with the racism bit. Because it fundamentally can't be. And I, understanding this, made fun of the next best thing: his RPG class. In rpgs, there is often a class that makes you a samurai. be it the literal samurai class in FFXIV, or the katana/bleed builds in Elden Ring. In both cases, picking them opens you up to being called a weeb. I hate to say this specific phrase, but back in my day that was a term of lighthearted namecalling and endearment. Had I called him a squinty bug eyed rice picker, now THAT would be racist. Not to Shuro, but to actual real life asian people(to whom I apologize for that). And that's what you pointed out, so we agree there. Same with caling kabru a melon muncher. explicitly racist. Not to him; for all we know that mentalist weirdo has never seen a watermelon before. But that would be racist to blacks(scholarly designation referring to peoples of the pan-african persuasion as a whole. please don't make me go through my papers to find the citations)

I apologize if I put you off there with the most racist things I could think of as an example, but thats exactly what those are. Examples of what I would consider racist in the first place. Notice that I called Kabru a "mentalist weirdo" instead of anything else. A dig at his toolkit instead of him directly. Thats how to ethically insult a person, by the way. You could call me a wackjob airhead mad scientist, and that'd be on the same level.

I'm not going to say that calling a Japanese man a weeb isn't racist. Because I don't fucking know. You're telling me it is, and I trust your good faith opinion. Was Shuro's race what I was aiming at? No. Couldn't have been. He's not Japanese. His race is Tallman. He is a Tallman from the vaguely defined "east." And for some reason he has a samurai sword. Weeb shit of the human-noble-fighter variety. Anyone who has played an RPG will call that out. A better comparison would be calling a fantasy city guard a pig as a nod to real world cops. A dig at the toolkit, nothing more.

In conclusion, while Shuro's fictional culture can be read as an analog of real world Japan, the man himself is not Japanese. He isn't even Human, or H.Sapiens Sapiens. He's a Tallman. He is a Tallman from a vaguely defined region of the world that in some ways mirrors asian culture, but is still fundamentally different. Hater that I am, I cannot in good or bad faith toss racial slurs at him. Doesn't apply. So I aimed at his RPG class, human noble fighter with a samurai sword. Which, if you've ever sat down for a TTRPG or partied up with someone who plays that class in an MMO, they're all weebs. That in mind, I called him a weeaboo shit. Because as far as I'm concerned thats the best way to shit talk him without becoming a PragerU talkpiece.

You brought up Japan there, not me. And you responded based on your own viewing of a show, whether in depth or shallow, and applied it to the real world. Personally, I'd call that a surface level observation. It's too easy to look at a fantasy character from "the east" and call them Japanese. Thats only the first layer. Kinda fucked up if you think about it long enough.

Tl;DR You can't be racist to fictional characters themselves. The cultures they represent, yes, but only if they are explicitly from that culture. This is not an isekai. Shuro is not a Japanese man, so the rules don't apply. The weebshit comment was aimed at his RPG class, hence the elden ring references. Learn to suspend your disbelief when interacting with shows. You'll stress yourself less. Enjoy Dunmeshi.

[triptychofvoids]

bites your Medic's arm and scurries away like a little rat<33

ah-ah-ah, not so fast anon! this isnt the first time nor will it be the last that someone has thought they could get away from me so easily. oh well!! one of these days youll learn

[pineappical]

would anybody be interested in commissioning me to help pay for some lab tests ?? feel free to dm me for info! (i accept payment through ko-fi only though 💔)

[breezy-cheezy]

Who are Rook and Trey (if you don’t mind my asking)? (Love your art btw)

*Takes a DEEP breath* How much time you got- /half joking

Aight so. Rook Hunt and Trey Clover are two characters from a phone game I've been into recently, Twisted Wonderland. Yes. The. The Disney one. Written and Drawn by Yana Toboso (the artist/writer behind Black Butler. No I'm not kidding.) HEAR ME OUT kjhsdjkgdf

It's one of those gacha/visual novel-like games that gets marketed as like a dating sim, but has some of the most. Un-romantic settings/characters I've EVER seen. As an aro/ace, I applaud this lmao. Also amazing character and story writing like what the heck.

Very....boys will be boys energy but not the mean way, more of a “y’all are so stupid and ridiculous” in a fond way??

Actual answer under read more because I'm insane:

So every character is like. They aren't the Disney characters themselves but more like BASED on them? Sometimes several. I'm making a powerpoint on this to connect all the dots, here's Trey's lmao

Heartslabyul house! Based on: Mad Hatter, 3 of Clubs, King of Hearts, etc. Generally chill. You think he's the normal one, then he turns around and gives you an hour lecture on how to brush your teeth properly. Ok mom.

He also reminds me along of Ignis from Final Fantasy 15. He's. That type. But also not?? Still instant attachment that way LOL

Thing is he's VERY devoted to his childhood friend/Dorm leader, Riddle. But he will never admit this, not even to himself. (due to Trauma and also being totally completely normal. Uh-huh.)

SO IN WE BRING....ROOK HUNT (who is already on that slide HAHA)

Different house (it's a school setting, like Hogwarts but more Themed Houses based around. Different Disney villains) and SO. How do you explain Rook. Well he's based off the Huntsman from Snow White, mainly.

Gives these vibes. Incoming. Smiley. Will give affection. Somewhat of a threat.

Theater kid set loose. French. Loves beauty in all its forms. Drama, sparkles, has SO much love (platonic, I must preface, every time I use that, I mean in an unromantic manner) to give and is VERY vocal about it. Compliments you constantly and finds uplifting things to say even when you did horribly on something. You fell on your face? He will tell you you fell with magnificence or something idk he's just LIKE THIS ALL THE TIME, he means EVERY WORD TOO-

This dude will not lie. His eyes are too good, he is too perceptive. Oh also he hunts some students for sport, there's that little detail (HE NEVER HURTS ANYONE as far as I know he just. Watches. Love this lil weirdo. Some of his lines are "let's play tag!" and I'm like oh NO LMAO) so like I laugh at him but he's also MILDLY TERRIFYING AND CAPABLE LIKE DUDE-

Anyway, TREY you meet early since he's in the first house you deal with, Heartslabyul. But my first exposure to ROOK was through Trey's Lab Card story, which is honestly a fun time on its own. They are science club buddies!!

So right off the bat you have a very :D :D vs calm =w=;;; dynamic, which I love. But then we have....Trey, who denies how much he cares for people, for Riddle. Who shows care through his actions, baking, Due to Reasons, words of affirmation might murder him on the spot. And then we have Rook, who is a font of flowery warm appreciative words who loves and loves loudly, watching this like 👀 I see you. (incoming shots of Halloween Event part 2)

The guy calls him Chevalier des Roses to his face. Constantly. Rook has little nicknames for alot of people (most dorm leaders he calls "King of Roses" (Riddle), "King of Lions" (Leona) etc.) but he calls Trey a Knight. Of Roses. He's calling Trey Riddle's Knight. And it's very cute.

(Halloween event tossed them together and it was WONDERFUL)

But yeah Trey has his own reasons for shying away from the title. He's a baker's boy, he has no sword or armor or anything, also it's embarrassing as heck-

But Rook still sees how he treats people. He calls a knight for what it is. Rook himself ADORES his dorm Leader, Vil, and sees Trey trying to hide this same devotion and just goes "you are like me!!!" Trey: oh please no I could never-

Also they're SUCH. PARENTS.

It's just. A really good dynamic I'd LOVE to see more of, y'know? An understanding, somehow being understood by someone more than you know yourself. Rook is also weird as HECK sometimes (what do you mean you can see how Leona is yawning ALL THE WAY ACCROSS THE FEILD) and Trey nearby is. His friend. He's just like "I'm so sorry he's just like this" and it's VERY funny akjshdjksdhfs he may have to hold Rook back from blowing up the labs again, dude gets carried away.

I do love this very CUTE fan art here.

Twisted Wonderland has some lovely character dynamics. Also no one is "normal", but Rook is just another level of w h a t.

It feels like alot of interactions were just "hm spin a wheel, see who we get, slap them together" and it WORKS. SOMEHOW. Platonic Rook Trey is just one I've become extremely fond of and it's a rarer one....

You probably weren't expecting that much but it was a fun thing to answer. And THANK YOU About the art!! I wish to post more!! After school ends....soon.

[prussianmemes]

Why the hatred for Indians?

ok saar

[ruthlesslistener]

i haven't even begun my move yet and i'm already burned out

[randomnameless]

I don't understand the fans who think Patricia could be Shez's foster mother and want it to be revealed that she was. I can already tell them how that would go:

Cornelia: "The woman who raised you was actually Edelgard's mother/Dimitri's stepmother!" Dun dun dun!

And then it's never mentioned again.

Patricia's an empty mystery box.

TBH I sort of get how infuriating it is to have Barney's mom mentionned in passing but nothing ever came out of that plot point, because, being interesting in useless things Fodlan games don't want to explore is why I'm still blogging about those games lol

Take Citrus, we knew in the base game (SS) that she was one of Rhea's artificial being to bring Sothis, and we had to wait for the DLC to learn her name and more than just "she was a homonculi who died in childbirth" (even if that "more" is relative).

Barney and their mom are complete mysteries, were they raised by Cleobulus, a random NPC, Patricia herself, who knows...

I wouldn't say she's an empty mystery box, because she plays a role in Dimitri's tragedy and explains some things about Adrestia and Supreme Leader (who is in denial about her Mother being a concubine and not Ionius's twu luf! - if Supreme Leader is in denial about this despite knowing best, what does it mean for the rest of her beliefs?).

Sadly, for all the "deep politics" (tm), the Fodlan games dgaf about Patricia, when she could have been, frankly, a treasure trove for more serious interesting AUs, instead of the WTF about her life being ignored to avoid developing Supreme Leader so she could only pander to the self insert.

Imagine for a second the shitstorm that should have happened if it was known the Faerghus King married the Emperor's concubine and one of the Emperor's daughters was residing in the Royal castle? Forget "sheltering refugees is a casus belli" nonsense Nopes tries to sell, you could make all sorts of AUs where Adrestia declares war on Faerghus for, idk, "abducting" the Emperor's wife (not the official one though!) and daughter - even if Arundel, still siding with Ludwig, ran away to Faerghus for a certain reason...

In Nopes, we don't even know what is Barney, a 100% human, a mixed race human-agarthan (since Solon makes it clear he doesn't see Ignatz as a human like him), an Agarthan, a construct, idk. Barney and Larva are so bland, you'd think they were only the tip of a giant iceberg, but upon closer inspection, they're just the tip of a half melt ice cube.

[chorus-communities]

"ahaha i'm not depressed i don't even fit the DSM criteria" - guy who hasnt been to work or college in 2 weeks, got laid off, hasn't showered in 1 week, and lays in bed 70% of the day doing nothing.

[opens-up-4-nobody]

...

[yngai]

today's the anniversary of john's last letter to ada written knowing he is already infected & begging her to go public with everything they uncovered together at arklay, turn on the lab's self destruct & to put him down if she ever saw him turned. she never read his last words, they were many on a list of letters sent to her & burned after her transfer to NEST where she was light on her feet beginning to befriend annette birkin (a relationship that eventually led to an affair), she forgot about john as quickly as he fell in love with her, happy july 8th everyone

[madeofvoid]

do you happen to be white?

No but a rivers of blood user killed my grandma if that makes you feel any better.

[triptychofvoids]

Do you like cupcakes? When's your birthday I'm giving you cupcakes for your birthday made from your favorite cake

Also, giving you paper hearts with nice notes in them because you're really cool ^^

i am not going to tell you my birthday, but i do like cupcakes! in moderation of course. and my favorite cake is black forest cake!! but its very difficult to be picky about cake, they are all good.

[pallases]

i don’t know how im going to stay up tonight

[skaletoncarnage]

do you think newt and hermann ever used snapchat during their letters era

[livingprophecy]

i am officially 10 days from the end of my semester, i am going to be getting back on here like crazy as soon as i finish (and i have a little vacation scheduled with my partner that i’ll be relaxing during), so thank you all for my patience i’m almost done <33

[supreme-leader-stoat]

You're fresh out of college and looking for a job. Everyone is hiring. Nobody who's "hiring" is actually hiring. You finally get a call back from somewhere you barely remember applying to (though the voice on the other end sounds synthesized). You pull up the job listing again real quick. The company name and the fact that the listing is for "Minion" are kind of concerning, but you know what, you've interviewed with enough evil corporations by now, you can handle one wearing its true colors on its sleeve. At this point it's a matter of making rent or moving back in with your parents, and as much as you love your family, you can't imagine spending another summer dealing with your brothers' antics. You agree to the interview.

The man who greets you is an enthusiastic older German(?) man who's either way too into cosplay or just that committed to the bit, judging by the lab coat. He made cookies. The tray of cookies is proffered to you by a ten-foot-tall robotic caricature of a 50s businessman. You take a deep breath to calm yourself. You bite into one of the cookies. It's delicious.

You ask the boss about his business model. "Oh you know, a little of this, a little of that, I bounce from project to project a lot." He mentions that his end goal is becoming the undisputed ruler of the surrounding counties. "Really? Not the whole world?" you ask. "I like to set realistic goals," he replies.

As he gives you the tour of his "evil lair," ingrained instincts are screaming at you to report this guy to some kind of authority figure. You remember the salary. You decide that you can always bust him after getting your first paycheck.

The boss asks when you can start. Caught off guard, you say "tomorrow?". Your boss(?) says he'll see you then.

On the way out, you bump into your stepbrother's girlfriend. Your boss introduces her as his daughter. You both silently agree to sidestep the subject for now and act like this is your first time meeting.

You show up to your first day of work. Your boss is putting the finishing touches on a giant machine that was definitely not there yesterday. You are nonplussed. You ask him what it's for and he launches into a convoluted explanation involving his parents always forcing him to put his shirts on backwards so the tag was in front. You think he should probably talk to a therapist.

Your brothers' exotic pet breaks down the wall. You stare at him. He stares at you. Incredulously, you say his name. "Oh, good, you two already know each other!" your boss says. You mention that you used to live with him. "What? Perry the Platypus, you never mentioned having a roommate."

This is what I like to imagine Candace Flynn's life is like, post P&F.