#shaman king elemental

[littleeyesofpallas]

[sixteenseveredhands]

Stone Turtle of Karakorum, Mongolia, c. 1235-1260 CE: this statue is one of the only surviving features of Karakorum, which was once the capital city of the Mongol Empire

The statue is decorated with a ceremonial scarf known as a khadag (or khata), which is part of a Buddhist custom that is also found in Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan. The scarves are often left atop shrines and sacred artifacts as a way to express respect and/or reverence. In Mongolia, this tradition also contains elements of Tengrism/shamanism.

The city of Karakorum was originally established by Genghis Khan in 1220 CE, when it was used as a base for the Mongol invasion of China. It then became the capital of the Mongol Empire in 1235 CE, and quickly developed into a thriving center for trade/cultural exchange between the Eastern and Western worlds.

The city attracted merchants of many different nationalities and faiths, and Medieval sources note that the city displayed an unusual degree of diversity and religious tolerance. It contained 12 different temples devoted to pagan and/or shamanistic traditions, two mosques, one church, and at least one Buddhist temple.

As this article explains:

The city might have been compact, but it was cosmopolitan, with residents including Mongols, Steppe tribes, Han Chinese, Persians, Armenians, and captives from Europe who included a master goldsmith from Paris named William Buchier, a woman from Metz, one Paquette, and an Englishman known only as Basil. There were, too, scribes and translators from diverse Asian nations to work in the bureaucracy, and official representatives from various foreign courts such as the Sultanates of Rum and India.

This diversity was reflected in the various religions practised there and, in time, the construction of many fine stone buildings by followers of Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity.

The prosperous days of Karakorum were very short-lived, however. The Mongol capital was moved to Xanadu in 1263, and then to Khanbaliq (modern-day Beijing) in 1267, under the leadership of Kublai Khan; Karakorum lost most of its power, authority, and leadership in the process. Without the resources and support that it had previously received from the leaders of the Mongol Empire, the city was left in a very vulnerable position. The residents of Karakorum began leaving the site in large numbers, until the city had eventually become almost entirely abandoned.

There were a few scattered attempts to revive the city in the years that followed, but any hope of restoring Karakorum to its former glory was then finally shattered in 1380, when the entire city was razed to the ground by Ming Dynasty troops.

The Erdene Zuu Monastery was later built near the site where Karakorum once stood, and pieces of the ruins were taken to be used as building materials during the construction of the monastery. The Erdene Zuu Monastery is also believed to be the oldest surviving Buddhist monastery in Mongolia.

There is very little left of the ruined city today, and this statue is one of the few remaining features that can still be seen at the site. It originally formed the base of an inscribed stele, but the pillar section was somehow lost/destroyed, leaving nothing but the base (which may be a depiction of the mythological dragon-turtle, Bixi, from Chinese mythology).

This statue and the site in general always kinda remind me of the Ozymandias poem (the version by Horace Smith, not the one by Percy Bysshe Shelley):

In Egypt's sandy silence, all alone,

stands a gigantic leg

which far off throws the only shadow

that the desert knows.

"I am great OZYMANDIAS," saith the stone,

"the King of Kings; this mighty city shows

the wonders of my hand."

The city's gone —

naught but the leg remaining

to disclose the site

of this forgotten Babylon.

We wonder —

and some Hunter may express wonder like ours,

when thro' the wilderness where London stood,

holding the wolf in chace,

he meets some fragment huge

and stops to guess

what powerful but unrecorded race

once dwelt in that annihilated place

Sources & More Info:

University of Washington: Karakorum, Capital of the Mongol Empire

Encyclopedia Britannica: Entry for Karakorum

World History: Karakorum

[seyaryminamoto]

COMMISSIONS ARE NOW OPEN!

Hello, everyone! My circumstances are getting a little bit more complicated and it's been fairly tricky to find a job over the past year (aaand it's only going to get worse...), so it's time for me to fully, officially, reopen commissions. Some prices have increased since the last time I did this, mainly in the hopes that this reflects my improving skills a little better. Some options are quite costly (particularly the animations and comics) because they demand a ton more work than one might expect. Terms are also more strict than they used to be in order to ensure a more professional dynamic between myself and anyone who commissions me.

Send me a DM if you have a commission in mind, but first, make sure to read through the Read More. I want to expand on what's stated in the final picture to ensure better clarity on the terms of my services:

I'm open to working with any fandom or OC, be it one I'm familiar with or not. I'm also open to working with crossovers, as well as making book/fic/album covers, and even drawing real people as characters of a fandom of the commissioner's choice.

I am open to drawing ship/romance content but, tied directly to the next point...

I reserve the right to refuse any commissions that make me uncomfortable in any given way. This does not mean that everything besides my OTPs and the headcanons I support is guaranteed to be rejected, but it does mean that, if the behavior of the commissioner or the specific subject of the commission does not sit well with me, for any given reason, I will decline the commission. I won't work on something that squicks me, nor with someone who displeases me. No artist should.

Animals, mythological creatures, gore and +18 requests are fundamentally valid but must be discussed thoroughly first. None of these areas are my forte as an artist, as much as I've dabbled in them here and there, so, in order to get it right, I may need extra time and I will most likely modify the base price for any requests that includes these elements.

Payments will be done through PayPal or Wise. The final, full-resolution piece will not be delivered until full payment is completed. Half payment is expected at the start of the process, the second half at the end. The client is entitled to two revisions of the art process to ensure expectations are met. If a piece does not match your expectations after the revisions, the commission will be considered cancelled and you won't need to pay the second half of the expense. Any commissioner who wishes to pay upfront from the get-go does so at their own risk. Revisions are always included, but there will be no refunds if the final piece is not up to the commissioner's standards.

The commissioner is allowed to publish and share the commissioned work across social media, provided it follows the rules of each site (as in, don't post any +18 artworks on sites that do not allow it, pretty much). I can offer basic Glaze and Nightshade in order to protect the artwork from AI theft, to no added expense. Credit MUST be given to me as the artist whenever commissioned pieces are posted elsewhere.

For anyone who wants a list of fandoms I'm better acquainted with:

Avatar: the Last Airbender

Legend of Korra

Bleach

Digimon

Code Geass

Inuyasha

Dragon Ball

The Mentalist

The Dragon Prince

Disney

My Hero Academia

Dragon Age

Hades (Supergiant)

Cowboy Bebop

Hollow Knight

Star Wars

Ghibli Films

Overwatch

Full Metal Panic

Artemis Fowl

LOTR

Farscape

Haikyuu

Fullmetal Alchemist

Naruto

Stranger Things

Spy X Family

Kaguya-sama

Chronicles of Ancient Darkness

Eragon

Thor

Harry Potter

Free!

ASOIAF

Shaman King

K-ON

Critical Role/Legend of Vox Machina

Dungeons and Dragons

Blue Eye Samurai

Arcane

Castlevania

Again, any fandom, character or OC is valid, but I'm far more likely to know what I'm doing and to have my own opinions, for better or for worse, when it comes to anything on this list.

If there are any further questions, feel free to DM me and we'll sort them out!

Thanks for reading so far, and I look forward to working with you!

[the-desert-beast]

WOULD YOU LIKE TO EARN TOO MANY GODDAMN BAGS FROM THE MAD KING'S LABRINTYH???

WELL HERE'S HOW!!!!!!

A recent patch allowed for boons to grant you "kill credit" meaning that when an ally with a boon you gave them kills something, you earn loot too! As such, Herald is now an AMAZING way to loot a fuckton of bags from the Mad King's Lab.

First, some lab farming etiquette tips.

Low damage is your priority. Unequip exotic+ trinkets, and if you have the bag space, swap your exotic+ armor for masterwork gear of a support/survival stat set.

SPAMMING AUTOATTACK IS YOUR BEST FRIEND!! NO RAID ROTATIONS! except for boss doors. bosses have so much goddamn health.

NO POWER GEAR; power deals Too Much damage far too quickly, as the open world mobs in the lab Do Not Scale with the amount of nearby players. Power gear & builds will cause you to melt mobs before anyone else can tag them!

NO MOUNT ATTACKS: Mount abilities deal too much damage for the same reasons as above.

Let the tag/Commander open doors! Don't open Boss (purple) doors when running with a Mob (green) Doors only group!!

NOW HOW MAKE MONEY (GET BAGS)??????

For Tag Herald, You'll want to run Invocation, Salvation, and well. Herald. My build looks like this

My Revenant is running level 75 or lower Masterwork(green) Shaman's gear, no trinkets, with a level 75 masterwork Shaman's Shortbow.

Shortbow lets you tag plenty of mobs when they're stacked! With the help of shortbow 4 & 5 you can tag some stray groups of mobs yourself!

Snag a Relic of Speed from the survival relic chests or off the tp! This relic + the Herald trait "Rising Momentum" will give you enough speed to keep up with the groups this year! (I tend to outrun them, so you can change this trait if you like. remember the low damage rule!)

Now for actually picking up the bags you'll want to leave one or two facets of your choice pulsing boons. Light, Elements, Strength, and Nature are all good options.

I leave Light & Elements active the entire time, using my Elite Consume skill when I fall behind or the group has no mobs to smack for a stretch of the lab.

For more bags, max out your magic find!! Lick those spirit banners!! Eat those Chocolate Omnomberry Creams or Omnomberry Bars!!! And lick a utility item that gives magic find!! I use the festival utility items (Crystallized Nougat, Pumpkin Oil, Sharpening Skull.) They're pretty cheap and they give you +30% Magic Find. The more magic find, the more bags!! If your guild has a Magic Find buff- nab it!!! Don't forget your magic fin boosters too. you want to get to around 250+ - 300 magic find!

you can check your magic find on the equipment panel, it's the last attribute listed on the right.

A little clover icon + the % of your magic find!

i think that's everything, happy farming! Remember to keep your damage low and to stretch every 30 minutes to every hour!! stay hydrated and take care of your eyes & posture!

HAPPY MAD KING FEST

[zac-salazar-01]

Hello my fellow Tumblrsapiens it's me again

now you will learn about my original Sentai

Yojutsu Sentai Obakeranger (Yokai arts squad ghost Rangers)

Motif: Yokais, Sorcerer/exorcists, magic

It is inspired by animes such as Shaman king Yokai Watch Jujutsu Kaisen and the concept of Onmyodo (Japanese exoteric magic), among other things.

The story revolves around a young man who, upon arriving in a new city, discovers that it is haunted by terrible spirits known as Onryo but the city is defended by yojutsu shamans. Soon after saving the life of a Nekomata (cat yokai) he awakens his yokai power and becomes Obake Red, joining the team and beginning his journey to become a shaman.

The rangers are:

Obake Red: a young man obsessed with the supernatural and the occult and even though he doesn't have shaman blood he can use yojutsu techniques, this is one of the mysteries of the series

His element is fire and his yokai partner is a Nekomata (Two-Tailed Cat)

Obake blue: A serious young man and strategist and was the former leader before Red's arrival and because of this, a rivalry ends up being created between the two, he wants to honor his clan of shamans at all costs. His element is wood and his yokai partner is a tengu (raven man)

Obake yellow: The youngest on the team. Imperative and playful but he hates when people treats him like a child, his element is earth and his yokai partner is a Tsuchinoko (snake yokai)

Obake Black: Before being called by her family to be a shaman she was a sukeban (juvenile delinquent) gang leader she is the typical tomboy and doesn't like too much feminine things she is tough but deep down she has a soft heart

Her element is water and her yokai partner is a kappa

Obake White: She didn't really want to be a shaman, she actually wanted to follow her dream of being a "cosplayer idol" but her family repressed her, but among her teammates she can be herself and that's why she appears almost always with a new cosplay when he arrives on the scene. Sweet and cheerful, she is the heart of the team

Her element is metal and her yokai partner is a jorogumo (spider woman yokai)

OniSlayer: a man who renounced his shaman side who made a pact with an oni in order to take revenge he does not use spells but rather martial arts with oni energy

His color is purple, his element is darkness and his yokai partner is Shuten Douji

(I imagine his ranger suit design to be very inspired by Gosei Knight, Gaisoulg and Rio from Gekiranger)

The collectibles are Yo-Fudas, cards inspired by Ofuda talismans that are responsible for the team's spells, weapons and zords

Each ranger has their own deck of Yo-Fudas based on different yokais of their respective elements

About the mechas, I think of something a bit similar Go-Onger, Go-Buster and Goseiger, zords that are half yokai and half vehicle

Red: Nekomata/ racing car

Blue: Tengu/ fighter jet

Yellow: Tsuchinoko/ Shovel

Black: Kappa/ submarine

White: Jorogumo/ Snowmobile

OniSlayer: Oni/Tank

The main five Rangers have a shared mecha (gashadokuro/ Dekotora) that serves as the mecha main body (similar to the Korean toku Legend Hero) and can make multiple combinations

The villains are the Onryo, vengeful spirits whose mission is to resurrect their leader (Tatarigami) so they can create "hell on Earth" and take revenge on the living.

Its method of creating monsters is very similar to that of Miraculous Ladybug

They choose a human with bad feelings such as grudge and malice and incorporate an evil spirit into their body that ends up creating a monster linked to something (an object in most cases) while the monster causes chaos the possessed victim begins to perform the ritual to send his soul to Tatarigami so that he can be reborn (the ritual ends with the victim 💀 themselves)so the Rangers have to defeat the monster through exorcism (the monster also attacks people with the aim of accumulating people's negative energies to help with the ritual)

So that's it, that's my idea. Again, anyone who wants to give ideas on how to improve this story (specially about the villains) it would be greatly appreciated.

[felikatze]

Talking more abt FE/ISAT AU because you cannot stop me.

I've come to think that having both Craft and Magic in the same setting kind of doesn't work that well. But without Craft, I run into the issue that the weapon type distribution of the party is absolutely Fucked.

Going by Fates weapon triangle logic, Siffrin, Mirabelle, and Odile are all red, and Isa's neutral, and that's it.

So. How do I do magic but keep types?

Easy. Affinities!!

I just. Mash craft types and affinities together so that all combat just runs through the Tellius magic system, in which the three types of Anima are also weak to / effective against each other.

That way I don't need to deal with pesky things like "nobody here has lances, what is this, the first FE Warriors?" without just nixing the weapon triangle like Echoes does and 3H slyly pretends not to have.

AND. Personally my elemental assignments are brilliant.

If we also take into consideration the Tellius duology's magic system interplaying with Laguz types, we got our assignmets pretty easily!

Sif, as a dragon, would be weak to Thunder, so they're Wind. This also works great because Wind tomes are lower might yet also lower weight - meaning Wind users have higher effective speed.

In return, Isabeau, as a Wolfskin (fates class, but easily slotted in with beast tribe Laguz) would be weak to Fire, which makes him Thunder. Which works even BETTER considering that Thunder (generally) has higher might/weight, and lower accuracy! For more of a punch!

This leaves for Odile to be Fire, which feels both ironic (paper is fire...) yet appropriate for Odile in particular, as Fire is the middle of the road and standard spell type.

AND YOU MAY NOTICE... we have kept the exact rock-paper-scissors effectiveness alive. Siffrin's type is strong against Odile's but weak against Isabeau's.

Now then... Mirabelle....

She's a Light magic user, obviously. She has the association with healing, which is just straight up Light Magic in a lot of games instead of being a separate weapon type (Echoes, 3H) + I already put her in Priestess, which is yknow, a Sword/Light class.

It fits her healing + it means she gets stuff like monster effectiveness! And Light magic is typically associated with holyness and gods and some such in games, so it works with her being religious!

In return, this obviously means the King has dark affinity, lol. This means he and Mirabelle are both effective against each other, which mirrors how Mirabelle is weak to rock but also a paper type. + Dark magic is obviously associated with monsters and evil and gunk in most games, typically fitting only the major villains and the oddball shaman on the heroes' side. AND!! Dark magic gets a lot of secondary effects like Light magic, which means the King's instan death attack is really just a more advanced version of Eclipse.

...Also Petrify and Medusa are both dark magic, lmao.

in conclusion. I am a genius of crossover worldbuilding. Thank you.

[modkatisbacc]

Character Info for the WoW x Ninjago AU!!!

Cole: Half-Human Half-Dwarf. (Yes it's because Dwarves... Earth...and also because of Magni, and me comparing DR!Cole to Magni Every time I turn around) Lou is human, Lilly is a Dwarf (Aaaand maybe a bit more than that) He is a Shaman, joined the Earthen Ring pretty young, since they realized "Oh hey this is Lilly's son!" Therazane took one look at him after Lilly died and said "Yep, gotta watch this one." (The Elemental Lords are A Tiny Bit Different in this AU, but not too different.) Sent by Therazane back up to Azeroth (He found his way into Deepholm when he ran away from home.) to train under Wu. Cole also has a Earth Elemental that just pops up whenever it wants to. Mostly just keeps an eye on him and makes sure he's alive. Said Earth Elemental normally hangs around Lou, as Therazane doesn't believe he can protect himself. He is 15 in the beginning of this story, and The Oldest (TM) until he isn't.

Kai: Kultiran Human Fire Mage/Warrior Multiclass A Blacksmith, up until the day his sister was taken by a roaming band of Scourge *A squad that is detatched from the others, and operates under Different Orders, not controlled by the Lich King* on the command of Garmadon, the Earth Warder. After this, he becomes desperate to get Nya back, which Ragnaros takes advantage of. Ragnaros, knowing that Kai may not respond positively seeing a fire elemental just showing up randomly, sends a bounty hunter after him, with strict instructions, in which 'don't let him know what you are, and don't hurt him, I NEED him.' the Bounty Hunter was unprepared for Kai trying to attack him on sight. When Kai arrives in the Firelands, extremely confused, yet mostly unharmed, Ragnaros spins a tale against Neptulon, as he knows that he is the one who has his sister, Nya. Ragnaros also hangs information about their parents over Kai's head, and how they betrayed Azeroth, leading to Kai's Early resentment over the two. He is soon sent to Wu, he is sent to Wu because Ragnaros knows he will not harm him, and he wants Kai to become more powerful- and Wudormu can do just that. He is 14 in the beginning.

Jay: A Human boy who lived peacefully in the Sea of Sand *Also known as Tanaris* with his parents until Al'Akir noticed his presence. Al'Akir took great interest in his blooming connection with lightning. Jay is a Shaman/Monk/Rogue Multiclass *The only Shaman move he really has is Lightning itself, and he uses it in the other two classes moves.* When Al'Akir noticed that Jay wasn't really willing to just up and leave his parents alone in the middle of the desert. He wasn't really worried about their safety, per say, as he knew from a young age that the Bronze were keeping an eye on them from their home that was east of them, he was just content on staying with his parents. Seeing this, Al'Akir sent his minions to kidnap Ed and Edna, trapping them in Uldum. With Jay willing to do anything to make sure his parents are safe, he agrees to do whatever Al'Akir wants him to do. He sends him to Wu as a spy, much like Kai, as he knows he is gathering the other elemental champions. He doesn't want to mess up and get his parents killed, so he's a LOT more standoffish and awkward in the beginning than in canon (dont worry though the Real Jay will shine in soon!) He is the youngest of the four, being 13 when the story begins.

Zane: He is a ????????? Neptulon wasn't very sure what he was when he found Zane. Zane is a Frost Mage/Rogue Multiclass. Neptulon could sense he had a great ice power within him, and he looked *Very* Human, but something was off with him, like someone was hiding something- from everyone including Zane. Zane was wandering around in Northrend, helping protect villages from the scourge. One day, the Lich King himself *Not Arthas in this AU* shows up in a battle- and Zane, worried that he will attack the civilans, goes after him alone. Now of course he couldn't take him on, especially by himself. He ends up getting thrown off a cliff into the ocean. A Water Elemental finds Zane, who is very hurt, though confused on why he had not drowned yet. When he wakes up, he is in Vash'jr, in Neptulon's domain. After he recovers, Neptulon gives him a choice on whether to go back to Northrend, or to follow him. Zane, feeling a strange connection to the elementals decides to stay. He makes quick friends with Nya as well. He is sent to Wu for training, and is 14(????) when the story begins.

Nya: When the Scourge kidnapped her, she was quickly rescued by a few water elementals. Thankfully, the Scourge group weren't trained very well and took no time to run off. Nya is a Frost Mage/Warrior Multiclass. She follows the elementals back to Vash'jr, wanting to learn more about Why she was kidnapped, and why they saved her. Neptulon decides to train her against naga and teaches her more about controlling water straight away, though since it requires her to Go With The Flow, she tends to stick with being a Samarai of sorts. She is sent to Wu, but does not make it there at first. She finds a thread on Garmadon and the Scourge and she takes off to learn Why she was taken. Neptulon allowed her to find her own way, knowing it will take her back to Wu anyway. She is 13 in the start.

[fitsofgloom]

Akemi Negishi dancing in veneration before the inebriated island god who's just delivered her and her son from the deadly coils of the octopus in "King King vs. Godzilla." I've always been drawn to Toho's Showa Era conceit of revering select Kaiju as gods. Godzilla, King Kong, Mothra, and King Caesar were all hailed as divinities invoked or activated at various turns by the calls of shamans and priestesses. The current Legendary series has run with this, casting its roster of monsters as old gods and elementals who still have adherants in the world and gain new ones through acts of heroism.

[the-monkey-ruler]

so i did a deep dive today for this thank you for the new headcanon

i’m thinking yuán as in 猿 - 犭 = 袁

ape - animal radical = long cloth

like how 猻 - 犭 = 孫 = 孙 (simplified)

猻 is from 猴猻 hóusūn which means monkey

monkey - animal radical = grandson

孙悟空 • sūn wùkōng • grandson awakened to nothingness

袁巫支祁 • yuán wūzhīqí • long cloth great shaman/witch/sorcerer/wizard to support/bear/sustain

if you look at old chinese paintings of gibbons, they look like they have black bodies and white heads

btw i high recommend an evaluation of robert van gulik’s the gibbon in china and its place in modern sinological discourse on the academia app. it’s free and ripe with information about how gibbons were viewed and depicted in ancient china. robert’s book is damn expensive tho. i envy anyone who has their hands on it.

here’s an excerpt that surprised me:

The third theme is suggested in the following: “The gibbon is better than the monkey , the former is clean, gentle and recluse, the latter is dirty, noisy, greedy and vulgar” (“Mei yuan su hou”美猿俗猴) (TGIC 58). RvG thought this idea was pragmatic. Ancient Chinese literati like Wu Yun (“Poem of the Black Gibbon”) (TGIC 54-56), Li Deyu (“Poem of the White Gibbon) (TGIC 56-57), and Liu Zongyuan 柳完元 (773–819)21 (“Essay on the Hateful Monkey-breed” or “Zeng wangsun wen” 憎王孙文) (TGIC 54-56). Each compared the quarrelsome and volatile monkey with the aloof gibbon (TGIC 56). The lament is evidently directed against the people at court who caused their patron’s downfall (TGIC 57). Wu Yün, Li Deyu and Liu Zongyuan contrasted the violent and vulgar monkey with the high-minded and well-behaved gibbon. So the monkey is described as greedy, cruel and undependable, and ugly in appearance” (TGIC 57).

oh and the novel calls wūzhīqí great sage water ape… they were totally born from water. water egg? water womb?

and since it’s semi-popular in lmk fandom to make six-eared macaque a wind monkey due to the macaque king, that would leave red-buttocked horse monkey a fire monkey. red is the color of fire and the horse’s element is fire. in buddhism there are 4 great elements: earth, water, fire, and air so it all weirdly fits.

Oh damn you did such an AMAZING deep dive in both the language and history!! I adore it!!

I am aware the theory that Macaque King is the Six Ears is a common theory and with that the tie in with being the Great Sage of Ventilation, not just in LMK.

It would be cool if the Spiritual Primates had a connection to the elements, even if it is not the five. I actually forget that Buddism had its own elements that are technical since I always counted akasa/space.

But perhaps if the idea that each primate is also birthed from inanimate objects perhaps something like

Stone - Wukong

Pearl - Wuzhiqi / Gibbon

Magma - Baboon

Tree Root - Macaque (since air is also connected to wood in Chinese lore)

If they were ever to use the Gibbon as either the same Wuzhiqi from the Yuan Xiyouji she would be an amazing addition, or perhaps they could have used the Sage leaning background as well. In either case, there's so much history when it comes to both primate lore that I really think there can be a lot done with these findings

[littleeyesofpallas]

(not including Zinc from the original anime. also i dunno wtf was up with rip&rap)

I'll never get over how fun The Patch were in Shaman King. I dunno what it is about an organization with a loose uniform and themed names in a shounen manga that just hits the right spot. I always loved how Silva was an obvious play into the native american aesthetic, but then Goldva is clearly just a goofy spin on Silva and not the start of a real theme.... and then somewhere past that point Takei just fully committed to the base elements concept and never looked back.

[theresattrpgforthat]

THEME: Anime

This week’s recommendations are all anime-inspired games! From Parasite to JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, to Mew Mew Power, these games give you awesome powers, emotional turmoil, and the bonds of friendship!

Over Arms, by Rookie Jet Studio.

Over Arms is a rules-light tabletop pen-and-paper role-playing game designed to replicate media like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, Persona, FATE, Shaman King and more. Over Arms is set in a world where select people are able to develop an "Anima", a powerful psychic manifestation of their own psyche and will. These "Anima" are able to  assist their "User" in a myriad of ways in and out of combat based on the strengths of their individually unique abilities. In Over Arms players can expect to weave stories of mystery and intrigue as they discover this new world around them and within.  

Over Arms provides players with loosely structured play in order to help the table navigate different parts of the narrative, including investigation, combat and a Conclusion phase. Players will also control their Anima alongside their player character, with separate abilities and actions only available for the Anima. Character creation includes dice allocation to stats and character classes called Anima Type. An additional piece that you can include is called “The Mirage”, designed for a dungeon-crawling style of game, where you can fight strange and powerful foes. The fact that the Mirage is optional means that this ttrpg has a modular feel that allows you to determine exactly how you want to play.

If you want to check out this game before putting your money down, you can take a look at the Quickstart rules!

My Friends Are My Strength, by Peizur.

My Friends Are My Strength is a PbtA RPG where players use powers to overcome threats thrown at them, form meaningful bonds that serve as the foundation of their strength, and try to achieve a goal that means more to them than life itself.

If you like the idea of solving your problem with the power of friendship, this is the game for you. Rather than giving you pre-arranged playbooks, My Friends Are My Strength gives you the pieces and asks you to create a custom playbook for the character that you want to play. One of my favourite elements is a character element called Plot Armour. Your Protagonist gets 3 uses of Plot Armour, which allows you to turn any roll into a 12+ after the fact. Use up all of your Plot Armour? The Director is now able to end your storyline. It’s a powerful ability, so use it wisely!

There looks to be a Kickstarter in the works for this game, but for now, the Itch.io page for this game is Pay-What-You-Want.

Never Knows Best, by Fraser Simons (Samjoko Publishing).

Never Knows Best is inspired by an anime called FLCL (Fooly Cooly) and wears this influence on its sleeve. This game and its rules focus on my own interpretation of the source material, rather than attempting to emulate the anime as closely as possible.

Never Knows Best (NKB) is a roleplaying game about middle school kids facing impending adulthood, growing up, and society’s­—sometimes nonsensical—expectations and obligations. It’s designed for three-five players plus a game master (GM) who facilitates the game.

While this game is still technically in ashcan edition, it certainly doesn’t look like it. The playbooks immediately communicate the emotions sitting inside each archetype, and the rulebook is just over 50 pages long. The core concept of this game is that your children have the ability to transform into robots that reflect their unique personalities and skills, which enable them in fighting monsters that represent society’s obligations. There is also still room for the table to define exactly what they’re fighting against, and how their counter-culture manifests. The rules are Powered by the Apocalypse, which I think makes so much sense considering the heavily emotional themes of this book. If you’re interested in stories about pre-teens grappling with an adult world that expects them to simply fit in, paired with giant metaphorical action scenes, this game is definitely worth checking out.

This World Summons Too Many Heroes!, by Nick Duff.

This World Summons Too Many Heroes!! is a tabletop rpg about regular people being pulled into a fantasy world to become heroes, demon lords, goblins, talking swords, or any kind of adventurer you could think of! Go on an isekai adventure in the Kingdoms of Ceria, where summoning scrolls have been scattered across the countryside and people are recklessly using them to steal people from other worlds and bring them into this one with new powers gifted to them by a goddess of reincarnation.

Built on LUMEN, this game’s main focus in power-fantasy combat, with unique abilities for each class and a modular weapon-building system that allows you to create the anime protagonist of your dreams. Your party also has a clearly defined quest - collecting summoning scrolls - that fills in the awkward part of trying to sort out what it is you actually want to do in this game, while also giving you the ability to play each session like the episode of an anime, with each summoning scroll potentially being related to a unique villain or NPC. If you love fantastical anime, you should take a look at this game.

Empty Cycle, by Rookie Jet Studio.

EMPTY CYCLE focuses on the mental and existential issues of being a teenager and growing to maturity in a boring town where there is nothing to do. EMPTY CYCLE draws heavily upon the melancholy and existential crises we face as teenagers in such a place and uses these focal points of loneliness, uncertainty, and sadness in order to craft a meaningful and action-packed journey.

Suddenly, everything changes when otherworldly beings known as "Parasites" arrive on earth and begin to affix themselves to our protagonists in order to survive. Parasites are humanoid, planet-hopping alien beings that are able to take on a new human form based on their hosts Complex, Emotions and Desires, often using an attractive appearance to persuade and influence their hosts for a mutual gain between the two life forms.

Another game by Rookie Jet Studio, Empty Cycle also gives your characters unique and fantastic powers, but places the game in a much more terrifying setting. The stakes are big, and the monsters bigger. I can see a character being forced to grapple with changes in their bodies that they might appreciate and despise at the same time.

Mew Mew Magic, by Alice V.

Mew Mew Magic is a collaborative storytelling game for 2-6 people using the No Dice, No Masters system. It is a game about young magical heroes who have to worry about school, saving the day, and their magical destinies. Inspired by shows like Sailor Moon, Tokyo Mew Mew, Winx, and Pretty Cure.

Speak directly to the young child watching Saturday morning cartoons with this game. If I remember correctly, No Dice No Masters is another term for the Belonging Outside Belonging system, by Avery Alder. This means that this game is designed to be played without dice, but also as the option to play without a GM. This means that the setting elements of the world are co-designed and co-directed by the group, rather than sitting solely on the shoulders of one person. I love the colour-themed playbooks in this game, it vividly reminds me of Tokyo Mew Mew and other similar Magical-girl themed shows I watched in my youth.

If you're interested in more Magical Girl-themed games, you can also take a look at my Magical Girl ttrpg recommendation post!

[nayialovecat]

Finally! King Tatucan, who turned out look the way he looks in my head. In his full combat gear. Yay!

If anyone is curious, King Tatucan is a character from my completely original novel "Empire of the Sun and the Moon", which I may publish someday (when there will be a bit more tolerance in Poland). The action takes place on an alternative Earth in Mesoamerica in unspecified times. It is set among peoples resembling the average of all peoples living long ago in present-day Mexico and the Yucatan Peninsula, but with a newly created culture, religions and rituals. There are many differences between our world and this one: a slightly different climate (although I try to stick to the species of plants and animals), different Americas' shape (they are closer each other), completely different paths of development of tribes and countries in the both Americas, and the most important difference: that Europeans never discovered America. Honestly, I don't know if Europeans even exist there. Currently, in the place of Europe, I have a large crater after the fall of a meteorite/eruption of a supervolcano xD

The plot itself focuses on the romance and complicated political and cultural relationship between King Tatucan (son of the Sun) and the shaman from the Moon tribe, Hochuma, who was supposed to kill him as he was a threat to his people. A typical romance and slice of life, sometimes with elements of action, i.e. common life fiction, which is what I feel most comfortable writing.

There is a lot of LGBT in it and my views on many important topics, a bit utopian cuz why not. Lots of detailed erotic scenes or gore scenes (ripping out people's hearts and sacrificing them, disemboweling animals, bloody rituals, etc.) mean that if I ever find a publisher, the novel will be marked 18+ xD

[megahorous]

Finished re-readin' Shaman King, having the ending on Book for the first time ! It was the greatest story of all time

-- Actually, I think it's a little better in the beginning--before all the Alive Powder, etc.--but it's still pretty cool

-- Their oversouls were more interesting before they became the elemental warriors; everyone already does that with the elements [earth/fire/water/air]. Avatar...Captain Planet...Shaman King....in fact, that's what inspired me to create the Nutrition Warriors back in the day, who, as you know, used the food groups instead

-- If I were Shaman King, I'd want to make a world wherein everyone could relax and live in peace, just like Yoh [wanted]. And I'd make Ordernateur, etc., real . And everyone gets a house that they can decorate however they want, like in Animal Crossing. And find love, if they want

-- Back in the day, my mother thought OBVIOUSLY Yoh would become Shaman King but he would say to the rest "you're in charge of this, you're in charge of this, etc." which of course didn't quite happen. But maybe he did in the original anime, since we never found out who became Shaman King there !

-- It shows an older Opacho, I was once interested in seeing this because there seemed to be some confusion on her gender, not that it really matters of course but just curious. Speaking of which, I wonder if "Princess Hao" is trans icon [?]

-- It looks like there's more character information at the end; will have to look at that later. As noted before, kind of sad that they apparently didn't keep in touch with Ren and Jeanne, but nice to see everyone All Growed Up !

[bellakwan]

The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King is an animated Disney film released in 1994, directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. It tells the epic coming-of-age story of Simba, a young lion cub destined to become king of the Pride Lands, a vast African savanna. The film is set against the backdrop of a lush and vibrant landscape, rich with African-inspired imagery and culture.

In what ways does the film’s score situate the story with its narrative context? 

Hans Zimmer's score for The Lion King plays a crucial role in situating the story within its narrative context. The use of African-inspired instrumentation, such as drums, flutes, and vocal chants, evokes the landscapes and cultures of the African savanna, where the story is set. This musical backdrop helps immerse the audience in the world of the film, enhancing the emotional impact of key moments and reinforcing the themes of family, identity, and the circle of life.

The presence of African languages, particularly Swahili and Zulu, plays a significant role in situating the context of the film within the African setting. Swahili, a widely spoken language in East Africa, including countries like Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, serves as a linguistic element that enhances the authenticity and cultural richness of the narrative. Zulu, a South Africna language, is present in the beginning of the classic song, "Circle of Life," provided by Lebo M., a South African composer.

2. How do songs use character performance to push cultural authenticity in the film's diegisis?

The songs in The Lion King not only advance the plot but also serve to deepen the film's cultural authenticity through character performance. For example, the character of Rafiki, voiced by Robert Guillaume, performs the song "Circle of Life" in a manner that draws from African musical traditions. Rafiki's energetic and spiritual rendition of the song reflects his role as a wise and mystical shaman within the Pride Lands, adding layers of cultural richness to the film's diegesis.

It's important to recognize the potential for misrepresentation, appropriation, and perpetuation of stereotypes. Robin Armstrong's exploration of musical colonization and appropriation in films like "Moana" provides a framework for understanding how colonialist perspectives can manifest in the portrayal of culture and identity in cinema.

One of the primary concerns with the colonialist lens is the tendency to exoticize or essentialize cultures that are depicted in film. In the case of The Lion King, while the film draws inspiration from African landscapes and cultures, there is a risk of reducing these diverse and complex traditions into simplistic or stereotypical portrayals. This can perpetuate harmful stereotypes and reinforce Western perspectives of Africa as a monolithic entity, rather than recognizing its diversity and richness.

Moreover, the colonialist lens may lead to the appropriation of cultural elements without proper understanding or respect for their significance. While the film's score and visual aesthetics draw from African musical traditions and imagery, there is a danger of these elements being co-opted for the purpose of entertainment without meaningful engagement with the cultures from which they originate.

3. In what ways does the film use musical “framing” to structure the score within familiarized styles?

The Lion King utilizes musical framing to structure its score within familiarized styles while incorporating African influences, creating a blend of familiarity and exoticism that appeals to a broad audience. This approach allows the film to maintain accessibility while still immersing viewers in the African setting and cultural context. Robin Armstrong's exploration of musical colonization and appropriation in films like "Moana" provides a lens through which to analyze how this framing functions within The Lion King.

One way in which the film employs musical framing is through the use of Broadway-inspired arrangements and melodies. Many of the songs in The Lion King, such as "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" and "Be Prepared," feature catchy tunes, dynamic orchestrations, and theatrical vocal performances characteristic of Broadway musicals. This familiarized style helps to engage viewers and draw them into the narrative, creating a sense of excitement and emotional resonance.

[lionews]

"I wish there were more kings that are basically OCs for the game's events. I'm really disappointed the only one I've really seen is Katie's side king, it has so much fun potential. Give me pretty celestial lion rulers from July, and champions from May, or wise shamans from November. They're my favorites to stud to honestly, I love seeing how much thought people put into them"

I actually did have an idea for one that's basically a wholesome alternative to Axel the Collector (considering naming them Midas, but still on-hold) who would be based on celestials and sends muties to the nature reserve to protect them from poachers. I previously mentioned the concept here in more detail, but I'm just trying to figure out what to do for rewards and waiting for when I have a bit more motivation to do it consistently.

It'll most likely be a quirk or side quest connected to a clan I want to start based on a fandom tho, which does have some slight solar elements, as I don't think I can run multiple clans. So I'm tryina find a way to connect those while leaning more onto LD lore for the actual OC. It might be more of a seasonal (likely March cuz poachers) or occasional thing to make it more manageable.

.

[jumpscaregoose]

The Asakura Twins are Neat Basically

just me shoving a bunch of thoughts together with basically no structure so I can have words to look at when I force my english classmates to deal with this later (and also because I'm a dumb nerd who likes being a dumb nerd)

I probably talk in circles a lot here so be forewarned

tldr: Yoh and Hao are fundamentally the same person except for a couple things which makes them excellent foils and characters and it's cool and I love them and

I think Yoh and Hao work so well as protagonist and antagonist because on a fundamental level they are the same person. This isn't even me making stuff up, they're frequently described as each other's "other halves" or as originally being the same soul.

They're both even called the same thing as kids.

In his chapter of Zero (one of my favourite Shaman King spinoff manga. Go read it if you haven't it's only like ten chapters and is brilliant) it's shown that Yoh even acted like Hao when he was younger (between the ages of four and ten based on other flashbacks). This Yoh openly hates everyone, and wants to isolate himself from them.

This panel specifically really reminds me of Hao. Not sure if this is canon but my hc is that Yoh was born with the same soul as Hao (without some stuff like memories or Spirit of Fire) but acts differently because of his interactions with Matamune and the ghost girl from Zero.

When they talk in the Shaman King's commune near the end of the manga, Yoh even expresses that he does still hold the same views of humanity, he just applies them differently.

This is so cool because on the surface level the Asakura twins read as stereotypical shonen characters: the power of friendship paragon hero and the pure evil villain. They oppose each other on principle, but so much about them (views of humanity, genetics, appearances, and even personalities) are or were the same. These characters only really differ in their mindsets and applications of their views. Hao has given up on humanity and just wants them gone, whereas Yoh believes in the good in people and that things can be better.

They don't have the same dynamic you'd expect from the aforementioned shonen tropes either. Every conversation they have is surprisingly civil. The cafe scene, onsen scene, and even Kurobina's intro scene; they just talk. It's cool.

I've talked about how Yoh acts like Hao in his Zero chapter, but Hao also displays traits we associate more with Yoh (these names are losing meaning by the second. By that I mean Hao is ridiculously chill. This is probably in part because he's so much more powerful than everybody else that he doesn't need to be worried, but I think it's also because he's just built like that. He brings a baguette and binoculars to the Shaman Fight and randomly shows up to hang out with his brother a couple times (including the one where he just invited himself to sleep over). He displays the same laid-back vibes as Yoh, he's just more murdery when he's not doing that.

I feel it's appropriate to call them narrative foils, but I think it's a bit deeper than that. The Asakura twins aren't just similar, they are the same in every element except what makes them oppose each other. And it is very interesting to watch these two characters interact with each other.

I mentioned the Shaman King commune scene before, and I think it really shows what I mean (it's also my favourite scene in all of Shaman King, period). At this point, Hao has basically won. He's the Shaman King, everyone's dead (but this is Shaman King so that's far from permanent), and he just wants to talk to his brother before he consumes his soul. It's a great scene because it reveals how identical they are, specifically the apathy they share. They just sit and talk for a couple of minutes before Yoh rejects Hao's offer to stay in the commune (demonstrating their difference in mindset yada yada) and the (cool part) of the scene ends.

And I think it's neat.

They're neat.

That's it.

(for now)