#shes fits quite well without me doing anything to drastic to my own art style

[thebirdarts]

Finally drew Celia in Araki's style! its 70% a study from chapter 44 of Jojolion [Love love deluxe part 2] because i saw Karera Sakunami's curls, fell in love, then saw her hair coloured golden and went i have to redraw this as Celia! [original & more notes under cut]

Human algebra is the name of Celias stand, Part 5 bc shes a part five oc, and issue 13 as a reference to thirteen the johnny cash song. relevant to celia? eh. soundtrack of my teen angst? yes

artistically i could have spent more time but im very happy with it! Celias hair took the most time to try and make work, but i ended up giving her curls a lot more volume and uniformity for a slightly more manga/animation friendly style

[winterbites]

(Major JoJo's Bizarre Adventure anime spoiler warning) My review of...

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Stardust Crusaders and Battle in Egypt (I'm counting them as one whole season but as two parts) is, admittedly, my least favorite season of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure. 48 episodes long across the two parts, the show is definitely enjoyable but I personally wouldn't watch it again for anything other than a few cool fights. However, once again showing his viewers just how crazy his work can and will get, Akari makes JoJo's Bizarre Adventure even more bizarre starting with this season. For this review, I'm going going to take both parts into consideration. As usual, I'm going to keep my review as neutral as possible even if Stardust Crusaders isn't a top pick for me.

Unlike its predecessors, Stardust Crusaders has no narrator for the majority of the season, only showing up to speak the occassional thoughts of characters or animals. Akari always keeping things fresh, I think this is good for the show; we're no longer in the past so we don't need a narrator to tell us events as they happen in front of us.

First, I'm going to talk about the new element Akari brings into JoJo's Bizarre Adventure with Stardust Crusaders: Stands. An absolutely badass idea, Akari plays with this new element of the show beautifully. Unlike many other shounen manga/anime, the ability to control a Stand isn't solely about who has the biggest dick energy attack, but instead Akari turns the tables and uses the Stands for strategic battles; this way, it doesn't actually matter who's stronger or weaker, but instead who's smarter (which very much counteracts the art style of buff men quite nicely). Due to the Stands and mental/wit battles instead of physical battles the way it usually is in the shounen genre, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure takes a very unique turn for the better and works incredibly well given the context of the series.

Now lemme tell ya about the intros: I LOVE the both of them, and I'll start with Stand Proud from the first part of the season. So much energy, wonderfully timed visuals and the fantastic 3D-looking 2D animation; there is nothing about this intro that I don't like. It's ranked as my second favorite intro in terms of song choice, is tied for my number one in terms of visuals, and is tied for my favorite in terms of sound effects. The beautifully drawn night sky, the small addition of sketched art, the subtle hints of enemy Stands in the background, and the background constantly changing in such drastic ways are such terrifyingly engaging imagery that it makes me cry tears of happiness. Not to mention the hard to see hint of Dio at the end, only people who are active on-lookers or were shown that he's there at all will see him. I also love that, in the beginning of the intro, you see 5 stars, alluding to our 5 main characters, but then a 6th star appears, which alludes to Holly Joestar still sick in Japan. Also, the physics of Jotaro's chain and shadow is absolutely ravishing, it's little effects like that that really get me going, as well as the gradual breaking of glass at the end of the intro. The entire sequence is a masterpiece by my standards, truly a job well done.

Now, as for the second intro, I don't like it as much as the first one but it's still great in its own right. I adore the mixing of vocals, going from hard rock to the softer sounding male and then mixing them both for a wonderful Ora Ora Ora duet. I lean in towards my computer screen each time I watch the intro because the fast moving visuals are so enrapturing, not to mention you can see subtle changes in the faces of the characters and their body stance between the fast-paced frames. There's even one point where the group is lined up and the beat strikes, quickly switching them out for their Stands before swiftly changing to the next image. I also admire the way the credits are so well integrated into the intro, jumping and spiking along with the enthusiastic beat, emphasizing the song without being in the way. And when Dio uses his ZA WARUDO to stop time during the second version of this intro, I go into orgasmic bliss because it's so awesome; you can even see that piss bucket SMIRK while hearing his soft footfalls and I love it. Once again, there is nothing that I don't love about this intro.

Just like with Phantom Blood, there isn't much I can say about the soundtrack as a whole, but is fantastic in that it reflects the current situation and could easily switch up its beat when a battle turned.

As for the outros, I love Walk Like an Egyptian and its spirited inspiration, beat and vocals (fantastic job by the Bangles). There's no song quite like Walk Like an Egyptian so it's always a win in my book whenever it's used, especially in such a fitting case. I don't really like the second outro because, unlike every other intro/outro of the series, Last Train Home is a more somber or melancholy song, which doesn't really fit the show in my opinion. It's certainly a nice sounding song, but I'm just not crazy about it.

As for the characters, while I don't like them as much as other characters from other seasons, they certainly aren't bad either; we even get to see character development throughout both parts. Some characters become more mature, more level-headed and smarter with situations, and each person is internally unique as exemplified by their Stand. Some were more likable than others but, in general, the cast was pretty damn cool.

Now that I'm done gushing about all the things I love about this season, I'm gonna gush about the things that made me dislike this season more than the others, and I'm gonna start with the female side character Anne. This girl... did absolutely nothing throughout the show. In her defense, she didn't get in the way of the characters, but she didn't do anything for them either. She was even dropped out of the group halfway through the first part of the season, being inconsequential the whole way through. There was also some kind of weird sexualization going about her too: her age is never stated but she's definitely prepubescent (given the dialogue, she's probably 11 or 12 years old) but she had the body of a teenager and fawned over Jotaro. Once again in her defense, young girls fantasizing about older men (I personally enjoy the company of older men as they tend to be financially stable and more responsible) and having more developed bodies compared to their peers isn't odd at all; instead, it's actually very normal and healthy. However, Jotaro is 17, which is a lot older and, generally, the older the man (or woman) is the weirder it gets.

Speaking of sexualizing little girls, I want to turn attention to the Strength Stand user orangutan, Forever. This literal animal had the hots for Anne, and tried to do stuff to her that I can only describe as attempted rape, so that was a thing. Obviously, that's some fucked up shit that wasn't actually necessary to the story since Jotaro found out about Forever anyway and beat the shit out of him.

Next is, once again, Dio's motives. I love Dio, I really do, but he's just not that much of a well-explained character. His goal is explicitly stated this time around: he wants to rule the world. Fantastic, but WHY does he want to rule it? Who knows, it's never said why.

My next problem is with the villains of the show, they all seemed the same and reused to me. While each Stand (expect for two that did legit the exact same thing of stealing souls and putting them into objects) was unique given the user, whenever they were defeated they did one of two things: they either begged for forgiveness, which would always result in getting the snot beat out of them, or they swore their absolute loyalty to Dio (less of them did this) and died. Some of them would run away, but all of them (save for two Stand Users) never made another appearance, so most of them were just throw away characters.

Finally, my biggest problem is with Iggy, the last party member in our group of main characters who showed up at the beginning of Battle in Egypt. I know Akari wanted to make an animal Stand user to be a part of the cast and I know that Iggy was dragged out to Egypt against his will, but that doesn't make him any less of an infuriating character. For nearly the entire season, I absolutely hated Iggy: he was more useless than Anne as he intentionally turned his head the other way when the group was in trouble and/or DYING, he tried to sell Jotaro out to save his own skin as soon as he was introduced, and he had the absolute worst ambition of any of the characters in that he basically just wanted to be a pimp. After getting fucking up by an avian Stand user that totally should have won the fight (the finishing icicle appeared so much more slowly than all the other volleys, plot armor truly is invincible) and getting his leg dismembered, Iggy finally stepped up to the plate that he probably should have been on to begin with and earned my respect. Seriously, why would you so eagerly make an animal Stand user only to not use him for the entire show and then kill him off when he's barely shown what he can do? It makes no sense and it's so frustrating.

However, Akari truly has magic hands because as soon as Iggy actually started doing something, he immediately became a badass in my book and I cried another river to his death.

Speaking of deaths, just as a side note, why kill Avdol, bring him back, only to kill him again? As I understand it, Akari killed off Avdol the first time around but then realized that if he was going to kill a main character, he should probably make that character more important. But then Avdol died again and his death still felt insignificant. A good opportunity to learn on Akari's part, but I feel like bringing Avdol back to life didn't make much sense either.

[natsthinkitythinkthinkthonk]

Seishun Buta Yarou wa Bunny Girl Senpai no Yume wo Minai - Thoughts

Now that I’ve finished the series, I figured that now would be a good a time as ever to get down to reviewing the series.

If you haven’t seen my first impressions on the series and why this series is NOT a ripoff on the Monogatari series, click here. That link goes to the second part of the first impression. This was by episode eight. 

Most of the reviews on MAL are horrendously mean towards the series. Most of them are under five, and I truly think that this series is undeserving of those reviews and is worth your time.

*This is me adding onto my previous post You should probably just go watch the series. 

Story and Characters: 

The same things I said in my previous review pretty much apply, so I’m going to say more of the same things: 

I found that the more I watched this series, the more I grew to like it. It was witty. The dialogue played off the characters well, and it really shaped their personalities. The sarcasm and the blunt nature of the two main characters were refreshing considering the fact that this is an anime where cliches rule just about everything else. It filled the needs to become as popular as it is (bunny girl on the poster), and yet I still found myself being entertained by a not-so-new story. I know people think it’s a Monogatari series ripoff, but it’s not quite as extensive, complicated, or provocative. There are no weird Shaft face tilts and animation, sexualized “imouto” scenes (remember your toothbrush), drastic violence, or fanservice being shoved down your throat. I mean, there’s fanservice, but it doesn’t get in the way of the story like I found the Monogatari series did. I also found the cast of characters far more likeable. But yes, both stories revolve around a teenage guy trying to solve problems for girls. We have the notorious “adolescence syndrome”, and they directly apply to a person’s emotional trauma this time though.

I find that a lot of these characters didn’t fit the specific mould that you thought they would. You have a smart girl who’s into physics, but she secretly likes one of her guy friends who has a clingy girlfriend (who is the worst). We have a child actress who quits over personal issues. We have a girl who wants to start over at a new school where she knows no one. We have a little sister who was harassed and bullied in school and is now a shut-in (if that ain’t me). We have a half-sister of the child actress who happens to be an idol and a mysterious girl from the main character’s past. Everyone in this series aspires for happiness and acceptance from others and themselves. Well, besides the main character. He is driven by his own desires (or so he says). These human emotions are actually kind of realistic. 

Some said that the problems took too much time to sort out, I would disagree. This story is portrayed at a good pace. It’s fast enough that I didn’t find myself extraordinarily bored. There are exposition dumps from time to time, but they weren’t intrusive. Plus, the person who did these dumps eventually got incorporated into the story as well. I think viewers are a bit slow to realize that these people are being portrayed as vulnerable. Humans avoid and have a hard time accepting things at times, and people say, “Oh, it’s easy to get over sibling problems.” No, no it’s not. Especially in that kind of environment? I think the pacing was just fine.

I said last time that I would have a hard time picking my favourite character or my favourite mini-arc and that I would probably have to say that Futaba’s was my favourite because I like her as a character. I agree with what I said before, but each character and arc has some really enjoyable moments and realistic portrayals. Kaede’s arc was a close second because it hit so close to home for me. The sibling arc too. Actually, I did like them all.

I shouldn’t spoil any more than that. I just liked the anime.

Art

I agree with what I said before. I have also grown to really like the art style of this series. It doesn’t have any weirdly coloured hair, and it makes the characters look pleasant and expressive without having to rely on “anime faces”. It’s not the type of series for that. They design every girl in a way that’s realistic and attractive enough to make the fanbase insist that every one of these girls is the “waifu” of the season. 

This was done by Cloverworks which helped A-1 Pictures with the new season of Fairy Tail and Darling in the Franxx. Besides that, their other work is not the greatest. They did not do a good job with Ace Attorney or Persona 5.

With that being said, this series isn’t too demanding, but they certainly go above and beyond with anything. It was okay.

Sound

For some reason, I still don’t find myself liking the OP yet, but the ED has grown on me a lot. With each arc, you have a new girl, and with every new girl, they get to sing the same ED. That means Seto Asami, Atsumi Tanezaki, Nao Touyama, Yurika Kubo, and Maaya Uchida all get their own solos. They generally reused animation for the ED, but it kept consistency.

The score is nice. It doesn’t stand out, but it plays nicely into the show. I didn’t find myself attached to it, and if anything maybe it was a little plain and forgettable.

Again, same thing applies as before: The voice acting is something that I really wanted to add to. I said before how Seto Asami and Kaito Ishikawa both played off each other well as the two leads. But now that Nao Touyama and Atsumi Tanezaki were added to the mix, I found myself really both of their performances. Nao Touyama’s character Koga goes into a fake relationship with the main character for reasons. Keep in mind, Nao Touyama’s most famous role is Chitoge from Nisekoi, so I think this choice makes a lot of sense. There is a pivotal scene during that arc that definitely cements the whole thing though. It was also very brutal. Atsumi Tanezaki’s portrayal of Futaba was great. I couldn’t have picked a better choice to play that character. She plays on the witty dialogue, the vulnerability of adolescence, and the dilemma that this character faces in a way that didn’t sound fake like some characters do. Her voice sounded realistic. The general casting for this show was great. Maaya Uchida surprised me playing Mai’s half-sister. She was pretty good in that role, but with such a strong cast, I can’t say she was the best. That might just be from a lack of screen time though... But Yurika Kubo surprised me a lot. I haven’t heard her before, and she did this role well. With her shifts in personality, emotional hardship, etc. I felt for the character because you just wanted her to succeed. You thought she was just a token “imouto” at first, but Yurika Kubo added to what I really liked about that arc. 

Score: 9.1/10

Extra thoughts:

I definitely want another season. Some things weren’t finished too well. There were no guys besides Sakuta who experienced adolescent syndrome. We just want some more interactions between this amazing cast. Come on Cloverworks, I know a movie is coming, but this is your only notable series. Run with it.

[bearxclaws-archive-blog]

We know what Anita's relationship is with Sanji, or how she feels towards him at least. What's her relationship with the rest of the crew or how does she feel about them?

🐻; anonymous

Sorry in advance if this gets a little long, but there are quite a few Straw Hats. I’m including Jinbe and Carrot into this as well, whether or not Carrot actually becomes a Straw Hat too. Meaning these will all be her feelings as of the current arc even though I haven’t quite gotten to the rest of those rambling posts yet.

LUFFY ;

She, like most of the crew, respects and adores her captain. 

When they landed on her island and most of them were captures, I can guarantee you that Luffy shrugged it off at first in his usual ‘they’re stronger than they look, so they’ll be fine’ way. But when she sees the anger in his eyes knowing they might not be okay, she quickly comes to admire how protective of his friends he really is. The fact that he got them back and relented when Anita argued with him about who got to take down the Vice Admiral gave her more respect. I realize Luffy might not like that she begged at his feet for her to join, but it was only because she wanted to get stronger with them and save her friends and family that she did.

Anita is a big goof, so Luffy is one of the ones that she gets along with the best, along with Chopper and Usopp. Especially when I consider all the silly headcanons @xstrawhat and I have come up with. They argue over food and who the real alpha bear is, but I feel like Anita is totally and completely loyal to him. He’s her captain, and no one else can take that position. She owes him everything for giving her the chance to be better than she is.

They’re basically brother and sister.

ZORO ;

Zoro is her favorite drinking and work-out buddy. He’s the one that shows her tough love when she needs it. You know the kind; she’ll be moping about something or feeling sorry for herself like she does on occasion, and he’ll sass her out of her. Tell her to pick her sorry ass up and do something about it rather than being a baby. At least he does when he knows it’s appropriate. There are some moments when he knows it isn’t going to help because he isn’t totally heartless. He does care for his crew, and that includes her. So when she’s having those really bad days and being verbally slapped doesn’t work, he’ll sit there with her and share a drink.

He’s also the one that helps her bulk up the most. The strength she gains in her human form does translate to her bear form, so he’s the one she goes to when she wants an intense workout and wants to get beefy like him.

Okay, maybe not exactly like him ‘caus the boy is ripped, but she’s pretty muscular.

Zoro is also a good nap partner, especially when she’s in her bear form. The two nap together often.

NAMI ;

Anita was intimidated by her at first, honestly. She was sexy, smart and damn good with that Clima-tact— still is! But she’s gotten over that and come to highly respect Nami’s intuition and ability to sense the weather. As a bear, she can sense some things and she does have a good sense of direction on her own, but Nami’s skills are far beyond that and totally worth admiring.

Plus, she’s the reason why Anita’s wardrobe is so different in her Straw Hat verse. I know that doesn’t seem like a significant thing, but it is. In her Main Verse, she’s all dark and earthy colors and baggy clothes. Nami likely wouldn’t allow that and help her find things that still fit her style but aren’t so dirty looking. Grunge is still her style more than anything else, but a little blue and white and other nicer colors start to slip in. Anita starts to feel a little more confident in her looks because another pretty woman is showing and telling her that she’s actually kind of pretty and not a dirtball.

She’s also nice to snuggle. Can’t tell me for one second the girls don’t just get into a sleepy cuddle puddle sometimes and end up drooling on each other.

USOPP ;

Because Usopp is the most chill in her opinion, Usopp is probably the closest thing she has to a best friend. She loves the rest of the crew with all of her heart, she really does, but there’s just something about Usopp that makes her want to go to him first if she has a problem.  .  . especially if that problem happens to be Sanji.

He can be quiet and understanding one minute, then playful and goofy the next. He has such a vast personality that she feels like she can count on him for just about anything. And she kind of hopes she’s been giving him the impression that he can count on her because she’s not so selfish that she doesn’t want to be there for her friends. Especially since the two of them likely have the lowest self-esteem on the ship, next to their cook ( but that’s just my personal headcanon since I write him too. )

I’ve said this a billion times too, but SHE LOVES TO LISTEN TO HIS STORIES! Doesn’t matter if it’s a new or old one, she still sit from start to finish and ask for another one every single time. Doesn’t matter if they’re made up, either. Each story is different in its own way and she adores that he’s so creative. It’s the same with his art too. She isn’t the least bit artistic, so she can easily praise everything he does because he has a talent she doesn’t and loves it.

SANJI ;

…..MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

CHOPPER ;

Chopper is the baby of the family, so Anita is very quick to defend and protect him. When she knows there isn’t any way for her to distract or tank the way she’s meant to, her job is then to protect Nami, Chopper and Usopp. She doesn’t think they’re weak in any way because even at the circus on her home island, the smallest part ( whether it be in an act or something technical ) was important, but she knows that they aren’t as strong as the Monster Trio.

But she’s one of the one that frustrates Chopper the most when it comes to people sitting still during recovery. Sitting still makes her antsy, so she ends up getting up anyway. She won’t work out or remove her bandages like Zoro does, but she does walk around or attempt to sneak food from the kitchen.

I can see them training together, though, animal versus animal. Nothing that will get either of them too hurt, of course. But there’s something drastically different about how two animals fight that helps them with their different zoan forms.

Also threatens to eat him from time to time because she’s a shit. Sorry, Chopper.

ROBIN ;

I feel like Robin would be the one Anita interacts with the least because even after all this time, she’s still intimidating. Robin just exudes this alpha female aura in Anita’s opinion, and she’s way too smart. Because she is a ‘all brawn and no brain’ cliche, Anita feels like she can’t talk to their archaeologist casually without it turning into a lecture or a history lessons that she won’t remember. That, and she can’t read. She’ll have tried to avoid them knowing as long as she possibly could, but it’ll be obvious once she’s been around them for a while.

She didn’t feel much when Robin said she was going to leave, but she does relate to her a little knowing Marines destroyed her home. Parts of her want to get closer to Robin because she is amazing and powerful, but Anita assumes too dumb for that.

I would kill for some Robin and Anita interactions because I want to see if any of this would change with interaction. ‘Cause I’m not the least bit good at understanding Robin ;;

FRANKY ;

RO-BRO!!

Okay, listen. She is 100% into the super pose and does it every given chance, and it brings Franky to tears. She sees him as the dad of the crew and has more love for fatherly figures than she does motherly because hers was awful. Might be another reason why she’s not sure about Robin.  .  . Huh.

Anyway! She appreciates all of his hard work and is is genuinely impressed and amazed at the things he creates. I realize there’s the running gag that females aren’t impressed with his creations and have that flat look on their face, but?? Honestly, she would get sparkling eyes and wheeze over it. Might not freak out the same way they do, but she adores his creativity and talent in working with machines and building Sunny.

Sometimes, if she’s bored and has literally nothing else to do, she’ll ask if she can watch him work for a bit. The sounds his work are sort of comforting. Reminds her if Gus and his tinkering back home.

BROOK ;

Brook is her source of jokes, bad puns and nostalgia. Because he can play several instruments and is skilled at different kinds of music, I feel like he would know how to play songs that have a carnival or circus tone to them. Her home-sickness can get pretty bad sometimes, as well as her doubt over whether or not she’ll be able to beat the Marine that took over. Brook will be there with a song and soft, calming words and she’ll be fairly alright.

She wasn’t sure how to feel about him at first, but she’s watched him go from a creepy, talking skeleton from an afro to a still creepy, talking skeleton with an afro that can use a swords pretty damn well and do cool things with his soul.

Probably the biggest fan of Soul King’s music on the crew. None of them really seemed to notice he had a whole career during the two years ;; I mean, they noticed, but do none of them like the music he made during that time? Or is it just an ‘off-screen’ thing. Anita will listen to his music religiously because it’s right up her alley.

JINBE ;

Doesn’t know much about him aside from what she’s told and having met him at Fishman Island. She has no bias against Fishman so she doesn’t dislike him, but she’ll have to get used to how serious he is. Will make every attempt to make him crack a smile and likely fail every time. She’ll be a little surprised when she finds out he’s their helmsman because she thought he already had a crew. Slightest bit conflicted about him leaving his crew to join them, but doesn’t ask questions because Luffy agrees with it.

CARROT ;

Anita’s not a Mink, but I feel like her and Carrot would get along so well. Ahha, actually.  .  . Now that I’m thinking about it, she’ll probably dislike her a little at first because she hardly knew Sanji and snuck in to save him anyway and did more than she could, while she was being upset and petty over him leaving. Yeah, there might be a little tension there until Anita realizes that they lost someone during that whole mess.

Carrot is cute, and seeing her even slightly upset when they mention Pedro died will kill her inside. They can kind of share the ‘I lost my mentor / a man I admired a lot’ feelings. Plus, I can see them hard-core training together and going all out.

OVERALL ;

She loves them. They’re her nakama. She would do damn near anything for them. She’s as greedy as Luffy, determined to be strong like Zoro, appreciates food like Sanji, likes to have fun like Usopp, Chopper and Franky, can be calm and collected like Robin and Brook. I didn’t really think she’d have a place with them until Rachel said Luffy would want her aboard, so I really owe this verse to her and a few other people that encouraged me.

Thanks for asking!! And sorry it’s so long ahhhaa

[obsxduri-blog]

Intermissions I-IV: Catching Up

Blog Guest: Jou

I.

Preferred name: Jou Preferred pronouns: They/Them Timezone: USA EST UTC -5

Preferred writing style (script, para, either): Either Preferred writing genre: A roadtrip to hell with brief respites. Anything that causes characters to change, either drastically or over time. Characters developing bonds & relationships & affecting one another. (I’d say the typical “fantasy/scifi” but uh, Obscura’s already got that covered?) Genres you’re less interested/would rather not partake in: It’s just not believable to me if characters are 100% happy all the time, I guess? Any other writing preferences?: I’m so flexible it hurts.

Favorite color: Purple! Specifically, blue-violet. Favorite/lucky number: 3 (which I accidentally gave to Duri as well, for. Reasons.) A song/show/drama you’d recommend: Ore Monogatari!! & Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live. Fill in the blank: “You’re always free to message me about ___!” Plotting; cats; characters; anything you want, really. If you could choose a species in Obscura that you’d like to be, what would it be? Why?: Beast-blooded because I’m not a furry, but given the opportunity to be a real-life dragon, I’d take it.  What is your ultimate weakness; what makes you feel all soft and squishy inside?: FRIENDS.... Write the first thing to come to mind in caps: WEEEEH???? Three random facts about you: I am 5′10″ (178 cm) which means I am disgustingly tall (actually, the rest of you are very short). Currently attending art college! My two moods are soft & meme.

II.

How long have you been rping?: Eight years, though is my first KRP. Do you write outside of rp?: Yes! Talk to me sometime about my 80+ OC’s. OwO Which days/times do you get the most writing done?: Whenever I have time to sit down.

If your muse(s) could describe you in a few words, what would they say?: “Haunted by a lack of sleep.” or something. I have difficulties describing others’ personalities, let alone myself, even in the frame of a fictional character doing it. What is the most wicked thing you could imagine your character doing?: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Witches, man. We’ll definitely see, though. If your muse(s) were real, would you fight them?: I’m pretty sure Duri needs a lot of therapy & some good friends, so no, I am absolutely not fighting this one. If other people or other muses want to fight Duri, though? By all means.

What object would you erase from existence if given the opportunity?: Headphone jacks in computers that don’t quite work. They’re hellish. If you had a billion dollars and could only spend it, what would you buy first?: Pay off my crippling college debt, buy a house big enough to move in all of my friends, get my transition rolling w/o dealing with insurance stuff...this is probably too realistic to be meme-y, sorry. If you could play any sport, what would it be?: Weight-lifting or hand-to-hand combat/self defense. Or parkour. Do you have any fun hobbies or talents you’d like to share?: I think I already mentioned going to art college, but yes, I do art! And that’s...pretty much my entire identity now...!!!! Do you have/want any pets?: I have six! Two dogs (Benny & Chooch) & four cats (Izzy, Dagda, Mozz, & Zoot).

III.

What’s the luckiest thing that’s ever happened to you?: One time I managed to win $200 in a scratch-off game on vacation? That’s objectively pretty lucky. I’m also just...really lucky to know the people that I do, have the friends that I have, and be loved like I am. If you could attend any concert or event right now without any obstacles, what would you choose?: Time travel me back to see Queen & David Bowie. ;_; I am a simple gay. What’s your dream vacation?: Big city with  Coffee, tea, or hot chocolate? Any style preferences?: I drink. SO much hot chocolate over the school year. I also really love tea, and I have been...sort of getting into coffee. Ish. I go to Starbucks sometimes because that fuckin’ Midnight Mint Mocha was literally made for me. A game you love ( traditional, video, etc )?: I LOVE AND HATE BIOWARE GAMES. They single-handedly destroyed my aversion to retaining canon & shipping canon/OC characters. Crappy ending? No problem! Didn’t happen! One of your favorite characters got thrown into the void because of an arbitrary choice meant only to punish people who didn’t take one specific choice early on???? They’re fine, they crawled OUT of the void. AU WHERE THANE DIES? NOT AN AU I LIKE. THANE LIVES ON HAPPILY WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND, RECONCILED WITH HIS SON AND HE’S. FINE. THAT’S THE NEW CANON.

Favorite/Number one go-to internet meme?: I type like you would expect the Internet to in private (lots of periods/commas, Capital Letters, trademark symbol, raNDOM CAPS). I like bone-hurting juice? Calling people furries? Least favorite internet meme?: Crave that mineral. Something that makes you want to flip a table?: Memes.

In your opinion, do you fit the stereotyped traits of your western zodiac sign? Do you believe that another sign fits you better? What about your muse?: I’ve been told by people with more expertise than me that I pretty much fit the textbook definition of an Aquarius: weirdo, mysterious, deep-thinker. I had to go look up Scorpio stuff for Duri, and like...she’s more like it as MagCoChe? Since that’s the kind of person she wants to be (intense, caring, brave, etc). She’s also pretty ambitious (#JustLittleWitchThings) & stubborn with that ambitiousness. So, I guess she does fit Scorpio! Just...not in the way you necessarily expect those things to manifest, since people tend to talk about Scorpios as though they’re very confident. Post a gif of what you’re currently feeling right now.

IV.

Do you prefer to brainstorm your plots or wing them? Do you have no preference in either?

I like to have some sort of skeleton of where to go, but I’m fine with winging it from there—I feel like the meat of a story can’t truly be found until you’re within it & writing it. That being said, I’m also very partial to plotting out where things will go in terms of those skeletons? I basically like having a guideline, and then playing with that.

What kind of writing memes do you like, if any (sentence starters, drabble memes, head-canon memes, etc)?

I just love memes in general! I feel like some surprising things come out of the drabble memes (I know I really enjoy reading what others come up with for those), but each kind serves their own function, especially in terms of what the mundane feels like writing.

What’s the easiest way to plot with you? Alternatively, what is the easiest way to contact you for plotting?

I am absolutely okay with plotting over Tumblr, but as long as I am awake, I am on Discord. (Other members can friend me through the OBS chat!)

What kind of movies/television series/dramas/anime/etc do you like to watch?

I watch a disgusting amount of superhero movies due to my stepfather’s interests. I’ve also been watching Star Trek: The Next Generation for the same reason, as a family activity. That being said, I gravitate heavily towards fantasy & scifi genres when it comes to consuming media of my own volition!

Would you be interested in the occasional group viewing of a movie/series/drama/cartoon/etc, if one were to be organized?

Absolutely!! I feel like movies are more feasible just because we all live with vastly differing sleep schedules & time zones, but I would happily do any. ovob

If yes to the above, do you have any specifics in time or day as to when you are available to attend? If no, is there any group activity that you would be interested in participating in (ie, games of some sort)?

I’m pretty much available whenever I’m awake/online? I probably wouldn’t be able to do anything from midnight to 10 AM or somewhere around there, but it also depends on my class schedule.

If you were caught up in a food fight, what food would you throw first?

Something that leaves a stain or sticks, so something with tomato sauce or a food like rice. Or maybe I’d just lob a full slice of pizza through the air in hopes it would hit someone topping-side first. Who knows?

If you could be any mythological beast, which one would you be and why?

Who says I’m not already an alien. Or a dragon. Or both. Have any of you ever seen me in the same room as an alien dragon?? I think not. 

Top five things that make you happy?

My friends because I’m terribly sappy, cats & animals of all kinds, talking about OC’s & muses, video games, memes?

Share a picture! It could be of your bias, a cute animal, a drawing, a meme, an anime wife—anything you’d like!

[undeadimpulsereviews]

Nights of Azure

Nights of Azure is a recent hack and slash action game from the makers of the Atelier series, Gust Co. Ltd, and published by Koei Tecmo. It was released back in October of 2015 for the Playstation 3, 4, Vita, and Windows; it was released a year later in March for America and in April for Europe. When I saw the game I knew nothing about it; it was always sitting on the shelves in the store. I was interested but skeptical; I’ve played games from Koei, but never fully played through a Gust game. I knew that this had nothing to do with the Atelier series, I believe it is its own stand alone series. After a while I picked up the game to finally see what was staring me in the face for quite some time; so what impression did Nights of Azure leave me? Well it’s rough, but it has potential; the game has it’s pros, like a pretty good story or likable characters. However, the game also has it’s cons; gameplay can be good but bugs and other issues hurt it, and the visuals need some work in areas. It’s not the best game I’ve played, but it’s far from the worst. Lets start at the story and work our way through.

Nights of Azure follows the story of two girls in a world filled with demons; long ago a war was waged and it ended with the demise of the demon king. Upon his defeat his blue blood was spilled upon the world; due to this humans, animals, and even every day objects began to turn into demons. Fast forward and we find the demon hunter Arnice as she arrives on a island effected by the blue blood. She is tasked with escorting the next saint so that she may keep the demon king from reviving; however, when Arnice finds out who the next saint is her spirit wavers. Lilysse, a fragile priestess and a close friend (or maybe more *wink wink*) to Arnice, has been chosen as the next saint. Will Arnices feelings for Lilysse get in the way of her task, or will she follow through regardless of the time they both shared? Is there a way to do both?

I really like Nights of Azure’s story, it’s really well done in how it weighs both options. The game has Lilysse with you almost all the time, so you get a lot of moments to learn about her and her character. Not everyone will like her of course but it’s understandable why Arnice wishes to keep her from her task. However, this is to save mankind, should one girls life mean the death of earth itself? Though, of course, there is stuff hidden behind the scenes; the group giving Arnice and Lilysse their jobs are kind of shady in how they handle things. It makes you question if this who saint business is really working. Though the story is nothing new; many games and other media have done this before. The recent game, I Am Setsuna, from Square Enix is one that comes to mind. Plus given that another game is in the works some of the story is left unresolved, or isn’t explained to well. There were a lot of moments near the end that I couldn’t follow; namely the endings of the game. There is more than one ending to the game, but how to get them and what is actually happening are unknown to me. It doesn’t feel like I fulfilled one of the specific goals either; when the game ends it just feels like I finished a normal mission and am on my way back to the hub. The story has it’s moments; it’s not a bad story, but it could still use some work. As for the characters, I think this is the games strongest part.

Nights of Azure has a small yet interesting set of characters; you have our main two Arnice and Lilysse, but then comes the supporting cast. A butler that wishes to protect the girls, but knows that the mission comes first; a merchant who is obsessed with getting filthy rich. A researcher who wishes to know more about the monsters, and a demon who goes against her kin. The characters are really likable and interesting even through the ups and downs of the game; I’d say this is due to the voice work more than anything. It’s clear that the actors were getting into their roles and really trying to sell what they had to offer. However, there are some character story elements that are never explained. You get some nice insight on Arnice and Lilysse’s past, but the supporting cast sometimes never reaches any closure. For the merchant and the researcher one of them was sent by the Curia, the group giving orders to Arnice, while the other is an impostor. This, as far as I remember, was never resolved; neither of them seemed like they meant anyone harm and in the end both should sincere worry towards the two girls. As for the demon, her story doesn’t come to a conclusion unless you choose to do an optional boss. She’s a really interesting character, but you need to beat the final boss once to unlock the fight; yet even then you don’t need to fight the boss, just go back to the final boss and you’re done. Arnice and Lilysse are really the only two that get much development in every direction; even the demon king and his story are poorly developed. You only really get the story of his defeat and that’s it. The characters could be better, but regardless of completed story or not; the characters are still interesting to say the least. Now while the characters might be one of the games better moments, the visuals are not.

Nights of Azure is, by far, not a triple A title. It’s clear that the budget for the game is small in comparison to other titles. That being said, the visuals aren’t all bad; however, it’s clear as day when the visuals take a turn for the worst.

I couldn’t get a video of just the scene along, but here is a little gameplay and the cutscene I wanted from a lets play of the game. If you wish to only watch the scene I will explain skip to about 26 minutes in; though you can see how the game plays as well as the first boss if you like as well in the video. In the scene following the first boss, Arnice meets with the demon king; the demon king speaks to her and introduces one of the mechanics of the game. Arnice can transform into different forms in battle, but instead of showing her actually transform the developers instead chose to overlay her model with a JPEG of the transformation. It could have been the model itself, but the visual looked so flat and lifeless I thought someone cut and pasted a picture and said screw it. Another problem I have is the needless desire to have sex appeal.

There isn’t to much of this in the game, but when you go to upgrade yourself like the picture above it’s unavoidable. The developers shrug it off by saying this is needed; that Arnice must wear almost nothing at all here for the ceremony to work. Why, I understand sexuality is far different in Japan than America, but at least give a better reason. That aside, I really like the design of the scenery as well as the Arnice and her many forms. The picture above is a great example of scenery; The huge unknown structure looming in the back in such a peaceful shrine, accompanied by relaxing music as well (we’ll get to that soon), or the dark and dreary neighborhoods of the island kingdom we’ve been placed in. The scenery of the game, while not always one hundred percent perfect is in my opinion the best of the visuals. As for Arnice’s other designs.

You’ll see a decent amount of Arnice and her transformations through the game; at the end of the game you’ll get a collection of concept art and other extras as well. The transformation above is the last you’ll receive and it’s my favorite in terms of design. The color scheme, the wings, the crown, etc. To me, this whole design is eye catching to me; though this is only one of five transformations Arnice goes through, each with their own unique play style and design. As for the music of Nights of Azure, it’s got some memorable tracks; however, it’s still somewhat forgettable. Though memorable or not, the soundtrack is really good. I went back and listened to a few songs to find what I wanted for the review and it holds up. Here are a few that really stuck with me.

Overall the visuals aren’t terrible in terms of the games budget, but there are still times even I feel improvement could have been done. The soundtrack is good, but there aren’t a lot of memorable songs in my opinion. Lastly we have the crux of the game, it’s gameplay.

Like I said before, Nights of Azure is a hack and slash action game. Throughout the game you will take Arnice around the island taking one demons to achieve your goal. You attack with your sword, or when you get further other weapons as well; though Arnice is special. Not only can she transform in battle as I said before, but she can also recruit and command demons called servan. Each servan has something special about them; one could be pure brute strength while another could be a healer. Arnice is only able to have four on a team at once so choose wisely before heading out. Gameplay is pretty simple, if you’ve played a hack and slash before you should do fine; the biggest problem however is that the gameplay will start to get a little stale. I platinumed Nights of Azure; it’s an easy yet overly time consuming endeavor. Though if you’re like me and want to complete the game, you’ll find that without the story or characters to keep you moving the game will start to get going. I didn’t care when I was in the story, but post game when I was wrapping everything up it got really repetitive. Not to mention the game isn’t free of bugs either; they’re nothing to drastic like a complete crash of the game, but the frame rate may drop depending on what is happening currently on the screen. The game is fun while it lasts but once it’s over, it’s hard to stay invested.

Overall i give Nights of Azure a 6 out of 10, it’s above average, I liked what I played but it was clear that the game needed work. It’s not perfect, but the game can be more. I hope with the second title this series can become something good for Gust. It just needs more story in areas, more supporting character development along side the main characters, Visuals that fit the budget all the way through and some more lively gameplay. If they take the first game and add to it as in the second game I think that can be achieved. I recommend trying the game at least once; it’s not for everyone, but you never know if you might find it enjoyable. If you find the game at full price don’t buy it, get it on sale or at a lower price.

Happy Valentines day everyone, it’s a little later in the day, but I’m happy I could get the review out when I said I would. Next week on friday will be the review for Love at Fourteen. Until then however, have a nice day be you on your own or with the one you love.

[theclockworkbibliophile-blog]

Because You Love to Hate Me: 13 Tales of Villainy Book Review

Summary:

Leave it to the heroes to save the world--villains just want to rule the world. In this unique YA anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential BookTubers to reimagine fairy tales from the oft-misunderstood villains' points of view. These fractured, unconventional spins on classics like "Medusa," Sherlock Holmes, and "Jack and the Beanstalk" provide a behind-the-curtain look at villains' acts of vengeance, defiance, and rage--and the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that spurned them on. No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again! Featuring writing from . . . Authors: Renée Ahdieh, Ameriie, Soman Chainani, Susan Dennard, Sarah Enni, Marissa Meyer, Cindy Pon, Victoria Schwab, Samantha Shannon, Adam Silvera, Andrew Smith, April Genevieve Tucholke, and Nicola Yoon BookTubers: Benjamin Alderson (Benjaminoftomes), Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia), Whitney Atkinson (WhittyNovels), Tina Burke (ChristinaReadsYA blog and TheLushables), Catriona Feeney (LittleBookOwl), Jesse George (JessetheReader), Zoë Herdt (readbyzoe), Samantha Lane (Thoughts on Tomes), Sophia Lee (thebookbasement), Raeleen Lemay (padfootandprongs07), Regan Perusse (PeruseProject), Christine Riccio (polandbananasBOOKS), and Steph Sinclair & Kat Kennedy (Cuddlebuggery blog and channel). 

My Review:

Though this review is so late and I finished this novel a day after its release date, I did receive an early hardcover copy from Bloomsbury.

So, like the other anthologies I have reviewed, I will section this out by the relative short stories. I did receive the sampler package a while ago, so I was definitely excited for this anthology. I know you’re supposed to hate villains, but I love to read about them in novels anyway. This anthology takes classic villains on a whole new level with backstory and even some feelings! Let’s get to it!

Please note that the endings will not be spoiled, but I will finish each review with whether or not the villain is still a villain.

The Blood of Imuriv by Renee Ahdieh; Challenged by Christine Riccio

I read this one in the sampler and I read it again because it is so good! Rhone is a villain that seems to hold some grudges and anger. I mean, hell. He kicks a robot and enjoys it. 

To me, it appeared as if he has a sort of close relationship with his sister, Altais. The major scene in this short story is of one where they play a game together which seems kind of like a chess, but more dangerous. Think of Wizard’s Chess, but more virtual. 

So, it doesn’t last long of course. Some words are said, not intentionally, and Rhone loses his temper.

Still a villain? Yes.

Jack by Ameriie; Challenged by Tina Burke

The title gives it away. This is set during the time of Jack and the Beanstalk. However, the story is from the POV of the giant, who happens to be a female. She definitely does have some doubts about being an “evil” giant. Her dream is to actually be able to walk the ground below from the skies, even though giants are technically forbidden. She’s also afraid of heights, which stops her from looking over the railing from the clouds.

Now, she meets Jack as he steals that goose. However, he returns it after some time and the two grow a sort of bond. This kind of confuses me only because Jack is a normal human and this giant is...a giant. I prayed there wouldn’t be a relationship. That would just be odd.

Anyway, time keeps passing and Jack teaches her to let go of her fear so she can look over the railing at the ground below. While they grow closer, the giant keeps imagining crushing him in her hand. Disturbing much. 

Well...the ending is not really a happy ending. I’ll say that.

Still a villain? Yes and no. I think she still has a conscious and, if the story were to continue, she’d think more about her decisions.

Gwen and Art and Lance by Woman Chainani; Challenged by Samantha Lane

I read this one in the sampler, too. However, it is written as a text message exchange, so it’s pretty fast. 

We have Gwen who is kind of stuck in a love triangle between Art and Lance. She wants to go to the dance with one and the other wants to go with her. It becomes a pretty big mess and the ending is kind of dark and it’s hard for me to tell what actually really becomes of Gwen.

Still a villain? I’d say both Lance and Gwen are the villains and, are they? Duh.

Shirley & Jim by Susan Dennard; Challenged by Sasha Alsberg

This short story is revolved around Sherlock Holmes. However, her name is Shirley Holmes and she is a lot younger. This whole story is kind of in the form of a letter to Jean Watson and Shirley is describing her relationship with Jim Moriarty. 

Shirley seems to be completely in love with him, but it’s not all sunshine and roses. Jim challenges her, but she can’t help but fall for him despite his confusing personality. He likes to be secretive and deep and dark, but she still wants him.

However, he commits a major betrayal that Shirley can’t really get over, ending her letter to Jean with a promise to get Jim and “checkmate”. 

Still a villain? Eh, hard to tell.

The Blessings of Little Wants by Sarah Enni; Challenged by Sophia Lee

This one was a doozy and definitely dark. However, I think that’s what made me enjoy it. We have Sigrid Balfour attending a boarding school of some sort and she has magical powers, though she knows there is a certain extent that shouldn’t be reached.

She has a friend named Thomas who has powers, too. He can make her see things. The catch? Nobody else seems to notice him. It took me a while to catch on to this.

Thomas doesn’t even exist.

However, they both go on a journey to complete a magical quest that was never achieved. In order to do this, Sigrid must do something that will make your head spin. 

Let’s just say that...

Still a villain? Yeah. Yes. Mhm-hmm. Maybe.

The Sea Witch by Marissa Meyer; Challenged by Zoe Herdt

Ah, I loved this one! This is basically a backstory to Ursula’s life in The Little Mermaid and it definitely grabbed my attention.

Ursula had her powers already, but she wanted to use a certain spell to gain he love of a merman she was in love with herself. However, it backfired when she was found out by the merman and his friends. They taunted her and destroyed her cave full of treasures and spell books. 

She ran away to the shore and met a man there and it was kind of like instal-love. She decided she wanted to be with this man since he kept making her promises, so she pulled an Ariel. She wanted to give herself legs. The description of the pain seemed so realistic. 

She did end up reaching shore and finding her new man. However...it takes a drastic turn. 

We all know how Ursula ended up, but did you know that the merman was actually King Triton? 

Still a villain? Well, she is destroyed as well know from the films. But, yeah.

Beautiful Venom by Cindy Pon; Challenged by Benjamin Alderson

This short story is about Medusa and her backstory. Cindy gave Medusa a very unique background as Mei Du, who was meant to be married off to the emperor. It’s really not something that she wants and, while awaiting her leave, she is visited by a strange man who seems to be able to disappear without a trace. He entrances her and seduces her slowly until, on the way to the palace, she is left alone and the man rapes her. It turns out he was the God of the Sea. 

Angry that she has given herself up like this, the Goddess of Purity turns her into the monster believed to be from the inside. She is now Medusa and is hunted down by men throughout the years.

If you’ve read about the legend of Medusa, then you should know how it ends for her.

Still a villain? Not the classic kind. One that is angry about what has been done to her for no true reason at all.

Death Knell by Victoria Schwab; Challenged by Jesse George

I really liked this one. It was unique and definitely was the perfect fit for Victoria’s style.

We have death taking over a boy’s body. From what I gathered, death takes over someone’s body that it has killed. So, it’s like a chain. The body changes after very death.

This boy is hunting down a girl and she knows who he is immediately. Instead, she shows him a fun life for her last hours and it actually gives death some feeling, even though he doesn’t want to feel anything.

Uh...there is no happy ending.

Still a villain? I don’t think so. Maybe that’s just me.

Marigold by Samantha Shannon; Challenged by Regan Perusse

This was an interesting story. I believe it’s meant to feature the sirens and Marigold, a princess that Isaac is rather in love with, has been taken by these sirens. Isaac is set to rescue her because that’s how deep his run loves. 

However, it’s not an easy task. Marigold doesn’t actually want to leave. She feels more at peace there then with Isaac and it’s all very troubling, especially considering where they are at. It’s a foggy and mysterious place that holds its own beauty. 

Marigold’s brother has come with Isaac and Marigold actually tries to convince Isaac that George, the brother, is the one who has caused her to choose this life away from civilization. There’s your twist.

The ending is very dark, too. It’s something of your nightmares. For real.

Still a villain? Uh, I’m not sure if the villain is supposed to be a siren or George. If it’s George, yes. The sirens? Uh, undecided. I think.

You, You, It’s All About You by Adam Silvera; Challenged by Catriona Feeney

This one was very interesting. A girl is basically a mastermind with a mask made of skin. She sells certain drugs that can alter a person’s memory, mind, personality, etc. It’s something of the future, for sure. She can also make people do whatever she wants them to do, like kill.

The main part of this story is the fact she has a...lover? named Karl. He is basically her accomplice and their lives seem perfect together. 

However, there is a twist. This review is definitely hard to write without spoiling things, so I’m not going to go further. It’s definitely a story you should read, though.

Still a villain? Nah. I like her.

Julian Breaks Every Rule by Andrew Smith; Challenged by Raeleen Lemay

I really liked this one. Julian is basically a...psycho...who feels he must kill someone if they do or say something wrong that just annoys him. The murders seem to happen as if by fate. Like, he thinks about it and it happens.

There is one person he can’t seem to kill, though. Steven Kemple. 

The short story basically showcases Julian’s thoughts about Steven and the events that happen where he is present. He likes to call these moments “foreshadowing”. 

His last foreshadowing moment? He knows where Steven Kemple lives.

Still a villain? Yeah, but I like him.

Indigo and Shade by April Genevieve Tucholke; Challenged by Whitney Atkinson

This one is related to Beauty and the Beast, but it seems to be from Gaston’s POV. Brahm Valois is depicted as a big, hunky, egotistical blockhead. His own thoughts actually praise his own beauty. It’s disgusting. 

Well, there are rumors of people going missing and being killed by a beast, which Brahm has only seen himself. 

While in the forest where the beast resides, he finds a young woman reading. She seems to be very mysterious, but Brahm falls for her. 

Until it’s revealed she is the beast. It’s a curse that she wants to escape, but she doesn’t know how to.

No, there is no wedding like the Disney movie. 

Let’s just say Brahm finds a way that is difficult for him to do.

Still a villain? His attitude just says it all. Yes.

Sera by Nicola Yoon; Challenged by Steph Sinclair and Kat Kennedy

I read this one in the sampler and it is kind of disturbing. It’s not too long. But we have a child that basically grows up to be someone who can’t help but destroy people. 

I mean, she catches her own sister on fire.

Her own mother hated her. 

It starts with the present day with Sera, the child, walking through the city with men fighting and things catching on fire. After that, we learn about her childhood in different increments. 

The last part is in Sera’s POV and it does seem like Sera wants to be normal, but she doesn’t know how. She essentially gives up and accepts who she is.

Still a villain? I’m going say yes, because it’s freaky.

This anthology was one of the best I’ve read. I really want some of these stories to be longer as novels, but we can only dream. 

My Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Goodreads