#shin gets a job. at what cost

[hanato-hoshi]

what if instead of the death game they signed the application form for lobotomy corporation

[sugarlywhispers]

b.katsuki x reader (fem)

a.n; i blame this completely over the Olympics, again. sorry, but it has me on chokehold and i'm not resisting against it LOL 😜

Okay, hear me out...

Third date with Bakugou Katsuki.

The first one, of course, was very awkward and tense and sometimes even a bit worrisome. We are talking about dating Bakugou Katsuki, the one aggressive and violent Pro Hero that everybody has a hate-love feeling towards for; because the man looks and acts –and can– step on your head and crush it with malicious intent and yet, he's Nº 2 Pro Hero on the ranks and you just know that if he's around, you are completely safe. But he's big and tough and harsh in his talking and walking –how can anyone look that scary by just walking, you're still wondering, but it's real. He's fucking scary.

The second date was way more relaxed. He cooked for you. In his massive penthouse that probably costs more than your annual salary. Yep, morherfucker is rich rich. And you think he deserves it really. After all the troubles he goes through to keep the whole country safe –and even the world–, he completely deserves it. You just forgot how well he does his job to get to be that rich. You don't care about money though. You're dating him because you saw him helping a granny cross the street and that was the cutest thing you ever saw. So, back to the second date, he cooked for you, and damn... now you can say you'll keep dating him because of his food. Man cooks like the gods, like a fucking professional chef of the most expensive restaurant on earth. And also, you noticed how relaxed and in peace he looked in his own environment and he looked. So. Freaking. Attractive. Hot even. He looked just so... deliciously handsome.

So for the third date, and because he picked the second one, this one was of your choice. You decide to go ice skating. And you did not expect what happened at all. 

One would expect that Pro Hero Dynamight, civilian name Bakugou Katsuki, being who he is, would have exceptional balance and even a hidden talent for this. You’re wrong. Everyone is wrong. The second the blades of his skates touched the Ice Rink, he fell. Your eyes opened wide and you definitely were holding back your laugh as he struggled to get himself up by holding the handrail around the rink.

“Need some help?” You asked, getting close to him with no trouble at all. He looked up at you annoyed, struggling so hard to get up and keep his balance that his cheeks turned pink. How. Freaking. Cute. You’re glad that dating the Pro Hero came with its perks –like closing the whole rink just so only you and him are there, enjoying your date on a late wednesday night.

“Shut up. No, I can do it…” He declared, but another fall on his knees made you giggle while sliding backwards and away from him with ease, hands up in surrender. Katsuki looked at you once his stood for the nth time holding the handrail like dear life with a frown on his face, watching you how easy you made it look, “How the fuck are you doing that?”

You giggled again, amused by all of this situation. Sliding back towards him and extending your hands, you said, “Come one, let me help.”

Katsuki buffed but he placed his hands on yours, whole body trembling, barely holding himself up. The image of him sticking his ass up and body bending forward while his feet barely moved made you laugh out loud and he yelled another “shut up!”.

You changed your grip to his forearms and again slid backwards to make him move forward, his legs still trembling and his eyes never leaving the floor. He looked so cute, it made your heart flutter. The smile never left your face as you spoke again, “I used to skate a lot when I was younger. I even prepared myself to compete, but an injury put me out of the game.” 

He immediately looked back at you at your words, “What happened?” He looked curious, but also worried and kind of sad.

You shrugged, “I landed pretty badly over my right leg after a spinning jump once. After that, the shin splints became unbearable and I couldn't continue…” 

He looked down at your leg, watching you move attentively, “Does it hurt now?”

You shook your head and smiled at him, grateful for his worry, “Naah. It would only hurt badly if I tried to skate the way I used to… Guess I demanded a lot of myself back then.”

Katsuki didn’t comment further on, but he kept his attention on your leg. Didn’t that make him even cuter! 

It took you a while –long while– to finally be able to let go of one of his forearms once he was ready on his balance; his other hand still held yours strongly.

Time went by, both of you laughing and smiling while skating around the rink, hand in hand. You’re so happy that you could stand on the ice again. It brought you so many fond memories of when you were a kid. Skating was the only thing that could easily make you smile just because; the wind in your face made you feel free, content. and Katsuki could clearly see that.

For a moment, he got distracted by how beautiful you looked… and he lost his balance again. This time bringing you down with him. He was fast enough though to catch you and make you land over him. Your amused and loud laugh was contagious, so he couldn’t help but smile. He's having fun –even if he knew his body was going to hurt a bit the next day for how many falls he had.

“You’re so clumsy…” You laughed, joking kindly and funny.

“Oh, yeah? Then why don’t you show me what you can do?” His smirk made you suddenly stop laughing. It’s a clear challenge, yet curiosity shined in his eyes.

“Alright, hero… watch and learn,” you helped him stand up and directed him towards the handrail. 

Once he was away from possible harm, Katsuki watched you skate around the rink as if you were flying, gliding around with so much confidence and ease, as if you were made for it. Your hair floating behind you for how fast you were going, dancing beautifully with the air. He was hypnotized. Completely mesmerized by each little form you decided to enlighten him with. He particularly felt fascinated when you decided to spin fast and so many times he couldn’t count how many, then you stopped like it had been nothing and kept gliding around. 

You looked so nice and professional, Katsuki felt a little pang of pity for the world. It would never be able to share how beautifully perfect you looked at the moment.

A few more glides around, until you stopped in a very experienced way right in front of him, a huge smile on your face and a shine on your eyes that were proof of how immensely excited and happy you felt.

Did katsuki say already how fucking beautiful you were?

Just to prove his point, he instantly grabbed your face and kissed you for the very first time.

And fuck, he planned on keep kissing you as much as you would let him.

He let you go for a moment just to say, “That was beautiful… You’re gorgeous.”

You smiled one more time before sliding your arms around his neck to kiss him again. He moved a bit to surround your waist with his arms…

And that’s when he forgot about the handrail and sent you both again towards the floor.

[katsumiiii]

hobie brown x gn! reader

omg was at work and had a hugeeee hobie moment!!

hobie being a nuisance and popping up at your job. let’s say you work at a local pub right around the corner from his apartment complex, be sure to be on the look out for rabid hobies because he will come and beg for your attention.

he always thinks you look so cute in your uniform, a simple black tee and some tight jeans, you never really see the appeal but his gaze lingers appreciatively at the curve of your ass and the plush of your hips.

your coworkers think it’s so cute whenever he pops in, doing everything in his power to gain your attention for more than 30 seconds at a time, whether that be sending you a coy smirk, or looping his fingers between your belt buckles and pulling you in. his goal is always the same, wanting desperately to see that flustered look on your face, and he will get it, no matter the cost.

today the bar had been particularly empty. only a few customers toggled in and out, and they all had simple requests, a glass of beer and the check. the day went on without a hitch, night soon seeped in and you were starting to close down, checking out the last six individuals which sat at the bar.

“surprised hobie didn’t pop in today.” your coworker teased, brushing the side of your shoulder as you wiped off the countertop below you.

“shhh, don’t say his name, you’ll summon him.” you shuttered playfully, grinning at your quip.

“funny funny, so is he sick or wh—”

“wha’s going awn? who you havin’ a chat about?” speak of the fucking devil. you slowly tilted your head towards the seat in front of you and watch as hobie leans his upper body towards your own, sniffing as he licks his bottom lip, tongue clashing with metal.

“what the fuck?” your coworker cackled, shaking their head in disbelief.

“hobie, what a surprise.” you sighed, rolling your eyes.

“well you don’t sound too chuffed to see me, love.” hobie tapped his fingernails against the freshly wiped counter, his black polish (which you painted) shinning dimly from the lights above.

“well usually you’re here earlier so I didn’t know if you were coming to bother me or not.” you set an arm beneath you and placed your head against your palm.

“bother? didn’t know that’s what it was.” he shrugged his shoulders, inching his head closer to your slouched figure.

“really? then what would you call yourself?”

“your only source of entertainment. ‘m livenin’ up the place, a bit drab in here ain’t it?” hobie turned to observe the area around him, chuckling at the lack of customers.

“well we are supposed to be closed, bee.” you muttered, turning to place your cleaning supplies into an opened cabinet on your left.

“really? wouldn’t ‘ave guessed that.” he sucked his teeth at the sight of you bent over, nodding his head in appreciation. “why don’t you put that down and come gimme a kiss, hm? been waiting on one all night.”

“yeah, you say that every time you come see me.”

“don’t make it less true.”

[yandere-romanticaa]

As a request, may I ask please for a reader running away from the Fatui debt collector and ending up by getting caught by Childe ?

The strong regard in which the Fatui held their contracts in could almost rival the nation of Liyue itself. By signing your name on the paper you signed off your entire life away, perhaps even your very soul if the situation or person called for it. The Fatui were rolling in mora and their Harbingers were some of the richest people to ever grace Teyvat. Their bankers know what they are doing, no penny is ever left unchecked and all of the clients pay what they are owed, no matter the cost.

You were one of those unfortunate clients.

On paper, their professionalism was okay, maybe even great if you're delusional enough. But everything came at a cost and you realized that the Fatui were only ever interested in keeping their side of the contract intact.

After mysteriously being laid off your job and losing every earthly possession you ever owned, you were left with no options other than to turn to the Northernland Bank. Despite its somewhat sketchy reputation there was also a decent amount of individuals who were quite pleased with the banks services, which is exactly why you felt all the more urged to go there. Everything was going smoothly for the first few months. You managed to pay rent and get some other basic necessities in order such as food and clothes but you were still far from the safe zone. You never managed to pay your debts on time which made the clerk at the bank frustrated with you.

"We can be kind to you only for so long." she'd say.

"Don't make the same mistake again."

You promised her that you wouldn't and you intended to keep that promise.

Unfortunately, life almost never plays out the way we want it to.

After weeks of endless job hunts, no one wanted to take you. It made no sense whatsoever! You had no criminal record, were always diligent on your previous job and had no enemies. Whenever you'd have an interview the people behind the counter would always be quick to shush you and tell you that they could not take you in. The last place you applied for, a small flower shop, was so quick to turn you down that it should be considered the world record. The moment you said your name out loud it was as if a switch was pressed and the owner switched gears entirely. Her demeanor went from calm and sweet to anxious and downright terrified as her entire body started shaking. She was beyond forceful as she shoved you out the door and told, no, begged you to not come back, ever.

In those brief moments you shared with the woman she became fear personified. You never understood why but right now that didn't matter.

Not when Fatui agents were pursuing you in the darkness of the night.

They were like the harrowing winter wind, sharp and swift. They barged into your home and demanded you pay what you owed unless you wished for more serious consequences to take place. The hooded agent pressed his large blade against your neck and his fire red eyes tore into you, daring you to make a move.

He was not expecting you to actually do something, let alone kick him in the shin.

A cryo mage and a hydro skirmisher were hot on your tail but you managed to quickly outrun them.

Panting, you hid behind a large pile of wooden crates near the harbor. There was little to no light aside from the stars, providing you ample cover against your assailants. This wasn't unfortunately only an advantage for you alone as they too could make use of this darkness. Not only were you outnumbered but also found to be completely and utterly defenseless. With little to no combat training and no vision to speak of, this endless chase became more and more unbearable. Options were also limited - keep hiding and make a run for it outside of the city but risk getting chased all over the content or come out of hiding and face the music.

Neither option was good. Death was all but guaranteed. The Fatui did not understand the concept of mercy.

That was a sentiment that the 11th Harbinger knew all to well.

He watched you from a window, ocean blue eyes tailing after every single move of yours. His chin rested on his hand while the other toyed with a white glaze lilly that grew close next to him, the soft petals providing him a much needed source of silly entertainment. In his eyes you were this glaze lilly - gentle, beautiful. Easy to break. It took him no effort whatsoever to tear your life to shreds and keep you docile. Tartaglia was a little bitter how you did not remember him back when you were younger, which might be the reason as to why he is being so harsh right now. He always liked to play rough and the sight of you shaking made his blood rush with pure and utter glee. Everything was going according to plan and he could not have been more satisfied. A wicked smirk danced on his lips as he ripped the glaze lilly from the pot, its green stem now firmly in his hands. A wave of determination came over the young man as he let out a quiet laugh to himself.

As fun as this was, he was done. No more games, he was going to have you.

It was time to step into the heart of the action.

Like an acrobat, Childe leaped out of the window and landed gracefully on both his feet, the bow on his back firmly set in place. His fingers twitched in anticipation as he creeped up closer and closer towards you. He was so quiet that not even a mouse could hear him.

It really wasn't your fault for screaming so hard, he thought to himself. Anyone would have gotten scared if someone just came up to them like that. As a matter of fact, he even found it kind of cute!

The shrill screams naturally caught the attention of the people he told to hunt you down and in a flash they stood before the two of you, panting but ready for action. The measley subordinates were, unsurprisingly, startled to see a Harbinger out in the open like this, prompting them to immediately lower their heads and bow deeply.

You were too caught up in your own paranoia to hear Childe mumble a quiet "You are dismissed." command to them. You trembled, fat tears caking your face as the ginger turned to face you, a small smile on his lips. He scared you enough for now, hasn't he? Reaching out towards you he held your quivering body, your face pressed deeply against his chest as you wept loudly. The grey fabric of his clothing soon turned a much darker shade due to the heavy tears but you could not care less.

Tired, you were so tired.

Despite having no clue to the identity of the man who held you so gently, there was absolutely no chance you were letting him go. You made your decision right there and then - snaking your arms around his thin waist you stayed like that as you let out everything out of your system, the pain, the fear and every other dark emotion which clouded your heart, all the while having no clue that your savior was the one who brought out all of this misery to you.

He could be a sadistic bastard, Childe knew this. He went too far in tormenting you and was most surely going to make everything up to you.

Right now though all he could do was sit on the ground and cradle you in his arms as his heart wept alongside yours, but with much different reasons than yours. He was a walking paradox, both the tormentor and the savior. All in due time though, you would grow to love it.

He would make sure of it.

🥀 TAGS: @genshinarchives, @mod-kisa-blog, @juuuuuj101010, @kalopses-sonderes, @b10h4z4rd, @xiaopleasecomehome, @yumekos-gamble, @mayulli, @cc-6789, @saturnalya, @mewmeowmika, @ranposgirlboss

[bbsmuts]

Reminder

Due to several recent issues, I want to clarify the regulations of how this account works. I wouldn't bother normally, but this is becoming a recurring (and bothersome) problem and I want to address it now.

Firstly, I am not accepting fic requests right now, as was made clear on the questions icon in my profile. I hate to turn down people who have ideas, but I want to work through at least most of my draft list before piling more onto my plate. Requests are closed until further notice, so please, stop sending me pitches.

Secondly, since I've had some asks with this theme recently, I'd like to remind my readers that I only write for idols who are 18 OR ABOVE, no exceptions. Turning 18 in a few months doesn't cut it; if she's not legal yet then I'm not writing it. I get it if you weren't aware that the idol was still underage, but that doesn't change the fact that I do not write for under-18s. Check before you pitch.

Thirdly: NO CREEPY SHIT. I also made this abundantly clear in my introduction post. I do not under any circumstance write scat play, blood play, beating, stalking, etc. There are other people who do, so take your freaky fantasies to them. And again, I do write noncon/dubcon, but I'll only take that so far.

Fourth, to clarify, I only write for K-Pop and a very selective number of people outside of it. I am open to new people, but still very selective. If you have a suggestion for a new non-K-Pop girl, feel free to ask about her. Here's the current list. • Over-18 female K-pop idols • Allissa Shin • Pokimane • SNH48 • Rocket Girls • Pretty much any female J-Pop idols

Fifth, I beg of you people, please stop sending me requests for money. I'm very sorry if your house got blown away by an Israeli missile, but I don't give my money or banking details to random strangers on the Internet, especially on a site like Tumblr. And besides, if you're actually living off scraps in a tent in the middle of nowhere in the Palestinian desert, how are you contacting me online?

And lastly, no, I'm not in prison. After my post about not being on Tumblr anymore (which has since been revised, check it out), I got at least a dozen DMs asking me if I'd been sentenced to prison. The answer is no; as a law-abiding citizen, I am not in jail. What's keeping me from being active a lot is personal life reasons and a hike in the amount of work I have to do for my very time-consuming job. Writing is a hobby, my job is what keeps the food on the table and the extortionate bills payed. You can imagine which one I prioritize. (Seriously, though, why does water cost so much)

Thank you to everyone for your support, and please bear these points in mind when interacting with me.

-상훈

[rvllybllply2014]

Flower shop, coffee shop au this how about a donut shop au? Totally not inspired by my nightmares from working at a donut shop for almost 6 years and through the pandemic. Also the fact that it’s coming up on the ten year anniversary for that shit job.

Tully donuts is the most popular donut shop in the river lands, Oscar Tully works there part time and has to watch Davos and Aeron dance around the fact that they both want to fuck each other. Davos works the production shift, getting up at 3:00 am sucks but it really sucks when he doesn’t get to see Aeron until 6:00, and Davos has to stay through everyone else’s breaks.

Davos always loved the night but after working at the donut shop for years he’s begun to love the mornings, well Aeron is like a ray of sunshine to Davos. Without fail Aeron walks into the shop and it’s like the sunshine is specifically shinning on Aeron and just barely gracing Davos with its warmth. But since Davos is a Blackwood and Aeron is a Bracken he has to keep his feelings hidden. Unfortunately for him Oscar is a pretty observant teen, he sees how Davos insults, or tries to insult Aeron in a flirtatious way.

Oscars had enough of Davos shit attempts at flirting with Aeron, if he hates Aeron so much why does he constantly go back to the break table to talk to him? Anyway there’s an opening in production with a pay raise and Oscar knows that Aeron could use the money, just last week Aeron was complaining about the cost of his textbooks. Oscar asks Aeron if he’d be willing to switch from just the morning shift to production, he will have to wake up 3 hours earlier but it will be a nice pay raise. Aeron agrees automatically, it doesn’t matter that he’ll be working a lot more with Davos. Aeron needs the money and he doesn’t want to have to work a second job.

Davos is the one that has to train Aeron on how to ice the donuts, and decorate them. He starts Aeron out on the easiest thing, the chocolate machine. All Aeron has to do is take the tray filled with donuts put it in the slot that holds the tray, flip the wired part that keeps the donuts from falling in to the chocolate over the tray, and then flip all of that into the chocolate; pull the lever that makes the chocolate rise and then pat the donuts into the chocolate. After those steps Aeron just needs to let the lever go and let the donuts drain upside down for a moment and then flip them all over. Should be easy but this is the first time Davos has been this close to Aeron and his stupidly beautiful eyes and kissable lips and fucks it up royally.

Needless to say the manager for production only allows two trays to be fucked up before he tells Davos to show him how to ice the pink/white/carmel donuts. It’s slightly more complicated, since it’s hand dipped and involves twirling your wrist to get rid of excess icing. It’s going good until Aeron is told to go ahead and try it, Aeron does really well, but all Davos can think about is Aeron using that twirling technique on his dick. After 20 restroom breaks in 20 minutes, Davos kept having to go there to calm his dick down, the manager decides to have Aeron tray up donut holes while Davos finishes icing donuts.

Aeron already knows how to flip the screens holding the donut holes onto the tray so Davos doesn’t need to show Aeron how. But Davos still distracts himself by thinking about what other balls Aeron can handle well. Once that’s finished Aeron is told to fill the bismarks and some long johns. Again Davos is told to keep icing the donuts since Aeron already knows how to fill bismarks and long johns, and once again Davos can’t help but think about how Aeron could fill him up or how he could fill Aeron up.

Davos still insults Aeron, saying that he doesn’t know what he’s doing and he’s terrible at the job. Aeron doesn’t care he knows that he’s good at his job. Anyway Aerons car breaks down before work, so he calls the manager who says they’ll send someone to get him. Oscar had already told the manager to send Davos to pick Aeron up if he’s ever had car trouble. So that’s how Davos spent 15 minutes alone with Aeron in a car, how he also confessed to Aeron that he actually really likes him.

Aeron just laughs and says he knows, Davos maybe shit at flirting because he still flirts like an elementary school kid. Davos was never as subtle as he thought he was. Aeron also says that Davos would never dare to ask him out, but since he’s finally gotten his head out of his ass would he like to go on a date sometime? Davos is so surprised that he almost crashes the car but agrees to a date.

When Oscar comes in later that day Aeron thanks him for putting him on production, and he also says that Oscar lost their bet. Oscar gives Aeron $5 while saying congratulations on asking Davos out, but he really thought Davos would’ve been the one to do the asking. And that’s how Oscar kept the sanity and peace of the donut shop, by forcing Davos to confront the fact that he really was in love with a Bracken. Oscar also gets to tell the story years later at Davos and Aerons wedding.

[icycoldninja]

Can you write the DMC men with a zookeeper reader?

It’s a very tiring and ridiculously demanding job but since she loved the animals so much, she’s willing to sleep at the zoo’s office to watch over them when one of the animals need overnight assistance

She tells her multiple experiences working with different animals and the ones that are (surprisingly) the easiest for her to work with are tigers, jaguars, snow leopards, cougars because even though they are predatory animal, they can be very affectionate and will spend time bonding after lots of attempts from her being respectful towards their boundaries, positive reinforcements ( ex: not biting her broom equals free treats ), no direct eye contact, using a soft tone like how a mother would talk to an infant, etc while not anthropomorphizing the relationship

But the animals that she’s very wary to work with, or if given opportunity, she will avoid working with them at all costs are surprisingly mostly the non-meat eaters like zebras, cassowaries (especially in their breeding season) and her biggest fear, chimpanzees…She told them how the zebra gets most zookeepers to be ended up in the ER because of how unpredictable they are, how a cassowary one time kicked at her shin with their jurassic pedicure resulting in her being off duty for nearly half a year before she can somewhat limp to work again. Finally, she tells them to ask all zookeepers “ what are the list of animals they prefer to not work with ?” If a zookeeper do not have chimps amongst their answers, they’re most likely have not worked with one (fortunately)

She tells them the one time she nearly got her arm ripped off because she carelessly decided to put her arm into their feeding space to retrieve their eating bowl, which unbeknownst to her, a chimp is hiding out of her sight, ready to tear her arm off had she put it in. She was scolded by her manager for that one but she’s glad that some senses had been knocked into her

(This is based off of an actual story btw)

At last, of all the animals, the ones she downright hated working with the most are definitely the hairless apes with nothing but an Iphone and a sense of entitlement. One time, at an old zoo she used to work, a mom tried to put her kid over the railing to get him a better sight of ( out of all the animals ) a Polar bear which resulted in the kid falling into the pool, right around its feeding time. All zoo staffs including her had to euthanize the poor bear to save the kid…Till this day, she still mourns over the bear and the amount of anger would surge through her every time someone mentions that woman and she would silently cuss at her because her negligence could’ve killed her kid and the bear as well

Yes, sure!

Sparda boys + V x Zookeeper!Reader headcannons

¤ Dante ¤

-You are a very caring animal lover and Dante thinks that's adorable.

-Your stories about what you do at the zoo are some of the most entertaining he ever heard, and serve to calm him down after a nightmare or too much alcohol.

-Would actually like to meet these animals that you are so fond of taking care of--given that most are felines and Dante is pretty much a fat lazy cat, they'll get along just fine.

-Wants you to be careful when dealing with those nasty chimps with their damn iphones. Hearing you almost lost your arm to one of them doesn't help matters much.

-Will visit you and drop off supplies for you if you decide to spend the night at the zoo office.

-Understands thar you miss that poor euthanized bear, but doesn't share your sentiments. How can he, anyway? He never knew the thing.

■ Vergil ■

-Vergil is not fond of animals, will tolerate them, but would never have the patience to care for them.

-You have earned his respect for being able to do something he never will.

-Will portal into your office whenever you decide to stay the night with all your overnight essentials packed in a rugsack.

-Enjoys heading your stories. As someone with little to no experience in animal care, he appreciates this knowledge.

-Does not want you to continue dealing with those barbaric chimpanzees for fear of further injury, but if you must, then he has no choice but to allow you to.

-Pats you on the shoulder to calm you down when you get upset over the deceased polar bear. While he will never understand why humans are so bothered by these sorts of things, he will do his best to comfort you.

□ Nero ���

-Nero loves to watch you take care of the animals. You're so gentle and loving around them, like they're nothing more than household pets.

-He enjoys listening to you yammer on excitedly about all your experiences at the zoo, filling his ears with random factoids he'll never use.

-Hates that you spend nights at the zoo because come on, that can't be comfortable. Wouldn't you rather be cuddling with him in your nice, warm, fluffy bed?

-Then again, you're such a sweet soul who's kind to everything and everyone--you probably wouldn't even notice the discomfort.

-Understands that you're upset about that poor bear and is a little moved by its story, but just a little.

● V ●

-Being an animal lover himself with several familiars, V understands your commitment to the zoo animals.

-Indeed, they are magnificent creatures. If he wasn't afraid of being ripped to shreds, he would have petted some of them.

-Enjoys watching you work, though he can't stay for long because if he does, Shadow will claw at the enclosure walls, trying to get in to play with the other felines.

-Misses you when you have to stay the night at the zoo, but he knows your animals are important to you, so he says goodnight and greets you with a kiss when you come back in the morning.

-Likes listening to your stories, especially the ones about those mischievous chimps.

-Sympathizes with your feelings regarding that polar bear. Had the mother not been so neglectful, it wouldn't have had to die.

[makapatag]

“Violence for violence’s sake is not the rule of beasts but the nature of divinity.” Gubat Banwa is a game of rapid kinetic martial arts, violent sorcery, heartrending convictions and bouts of will. Warriors that channel gods face sorcerers that master black arts, martial artists who have unlocked a new form of cultivation clash swords with those that perfect the night alchemies. When the crocodile’s teeth are cast, convictions are unsheathed, and steel sparks: the Umalagad must declare that: “The river of life ever flows! Rejoice in the glory of combat!” and they enter violence

SWORD AND ENLIGHTENMENT. LOVE AND GLORY. VIOLENCE AND LIBERATION. 

Gubat Banwa is a  Southeast Asian fantasy martial arts Role-Playing Game, inspired by the refulgent cultures of Southeast Asia. Raise your spears, KADUNGGANAN, you elite warrior-braves and asura-knights who travel The Sword Isles to prove their conviction and dictate the fate of the world. Revel in larger-than-life war drama like in Asian Dramas, ballistic tactical martial arts grid gameplay in the vein of Lancer or Final Fantasy Tactics, and find glory beyond heaven. Wield the Thunderbolt of Liberation! Rejoice! In the Glory of Combat!

Itch.io: https://makapatag.itch.io/gubat-banwa

DrivethruRPG: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/.../Gubat-Banwa-1e-Playtest

Gank: https://ganknow.com/services/18713-makapatag-gubat-banwa-1e

Included are!

A unique Southeast Asian-inspired Fantasy setting, with an emphasis on martial arts as a background for war drama and violence, from a Philippine-centric view. Garudas fight against unglu. Martial artist warriors master the Principle of Cutting by meditating upon the teachings of the Violent Bodhisattva. Rituals and superstitions must be performed or else risk the wrath of the ancestors. Vast kingdoms arise with God-Kings at their helm, claiming to be Shiva-Buddha incarnate. You and your warband stand at the center of this violent mandala!

A corresponding narrative system made to help play out war drama in this setting, along the veins of Final Fantasy Tactics, Hero, House of Flying Daggers, Malazan, Tigana, Game of Thrones, and Tactics Ogre!

Want to try out the Thundering Tactics Battle System that fuses modern narrative sensibilities with D&D4e style tactical combat and wargaming dice pools. The Turn Order is known as the Rhythm, and you don't activate a unit; you fulminate a fighter. The game heavily relies on terrain abilities and emphasizes movement, especially with it's 3-Beat System, which lets you do 3 Actions per turn (some actions might cost more than 1 Beat!)

A Discipline System inspired by Final Fantasy Tactics Jobs, Digital Devil Saga's Mantras, and Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne's Magatama. Mix and match your Techniques! Change Disciplines with a single Downtime Action! Be a Death Dancer that heals with alchemies, or a Tigpana (Spiritual Archer) that rides upon a crocodile! 

A narrative system wherein describing or doing dangerous and cool things is encouraged, as that is how you get Thunderbolt Tokens, which let you dictate your fate. This same narrative system prioritizes 5 Approaches instead of Abilities, in the vein of L5R, with each approach based off of the 5 Elements of Gubat Banwa's natural philosophies and esoteric tradition.

Said narrative system comes with a baked in Honor system that interplays with Debt, which is how you get others to do things for you. And NPCs can accrue this same debt, forcing you to follow them. If your Honor ever falls below 0, you must play a new Kadungganan!

An enemy system that allows for Solo and GM-less play! Roll an Enemy's Gambit Dice to find out what actions they do when they Fulminate. Adapt and act accordingly, make for dynamic fights!

Event tables and generators for every possible thing you might encounter while journeying in the Sword Isles, to fully immerse and play in its cultures! As well as Lore to fulfill any questions you might have.

Finally, baked in is the starter adventure: The Sword Devil. So you can jumpstart your games!

[fy-wonwoo]

240105 shingong (shin pd) instagram update:

Finally today’s the first broadcast

I’m just rambling about a few things

If I feel like kicking myself (from embarrassment) later, I’ll quietly delete.. ㅎㅎ

Of the years I’ve been a PD, this is the program that had the highest production cost ㅎㅎ

We went at peak season so it was hard to even get plane tickets.. and the expenses in Italy were higher than I could’ve ever imagined

And the special tourist spots cost 10million Korean won to get permission for even simple filming ^^;

And (it wasn’t) just the filming but post filming costs (too).

There were additional production costs due to the long length of the program. Music copyrights (especially foreign music ㅜ)

As a result, the production cost came out to 10billion Korean won (around $7.6 million USD), something that I could’ve ever imagined in my life..

You may ask where did you use all that money but the costs.. ㅎㅎ were very high ㅜ very very high ㅜ

Even when we get PPLs, it was only a small portion of the production costs ㅎㅎㅎ

(I heard there’s a lot of programs that cost 10billion korean won, but it’s because it’s my first time using this muchㅜㅎ)

You may see a lot of areas that are lacking but I hope it’s fun. I hope it feels like you’re on a trip together (with seventeen) and I hope seventeen, these good friends/people, feel a little more friendly (to you). I hope that you see and know that they’re so kind and funny. And all the while, they’re amazing idols that are good at their job & I hope people would talk about that.

Instead of 4 letters, I hope they’d just automatically know Scoupsㅎ

I have a lot of hopes

First, this project has to do well so that there can be a next ㅜ

More than the viewer rates, I want to be greedy and hope it’s a hot topic or that it can set records in other meaningful ways.

While preparing, these 13 members…

To whoever watches this programs I would like for you to remember their names one by one

With that desire, we took the idea from music program rehearsals and discussed it with our marketing team to make shirts with their names on it. So that whenever you watch the program, their names would be featured on TV.

So that in the beginning of the program, anyone can easily know. Even if the members call each other by their real name, we put captions based on their stage name.

If there were moments where we had to put ㅇㅇㅇ&ㅁㅁㅁ, instead of the age order we (wrote) ordered it by how they come out on the screen so it could align

We worked really hard so that carats could see a familiar but new side of the members, and for those who are just getting to know seventeen, (I tried) to show a balanced side of these friends so that (they) can get to know them in a kind/friendly manner. I tried but idk if it worked well ㅜㅜ

After the broadcast ends, no matter what ratings the production team gets, I hope that SEVENTEEN’s laughter and sincerity remains

This is all I want to talk about

Tonight, Nana tour begins their trip. The rest of the stories will be told through the program so please watch with warm hearts^^ thank you in advance ♡

trans

[count-alucard-tepes]

OP Parents being stopped by their smol kid from leaving to work at the door

They cannot leave home without defeating the child in a battle! One last play fight before OP parent goes bye-bye for days, weeks, or even months.

OP parents wins, but at a tragic cost. . . A good kick to the shin cuz kids are rough and play dirty! Honorably or not, when in doubt, the point is to win the battle at all costs! It failed, but its not always the size of the dog XD

Kizaru✨

He wasn’t really the type to play fight with his kid but he wouldn’t want to upset them so he’d pretend that he lost and would dramatically fall to the floor, clutching his heart before pretending to die until his child cuddles up to him and giggles. He’d promise to get home before they fall asleep and giving them some kisses before heading off to work.

Akainu🌋

All this cuteness makes the Fleet Admiral blush and decide to arm wrestle his kid to see who would win. Of course, he would let his kid win and then kisses them goodbye so he could head off to work. He wished he could stay longer but he had an important job to do.

Ryokugyu 🌱

There’s no way in hell Ryokugyu is gonna lose even if he’s the dad and the adult…he’s gonna make sure he always wins…at play fighting…at rock paper scissors…eating contests (he’d break his fast for this). “Haha, bye little loser…I’m going to work”, he’d say before getting kicked in the shin, “you little shithead!?”, he growl before having the kid tied up by a over grown plant and would leave them like that for his S/O to discover.

Fujitora 🐅

He would be amused that his child would propose such a thing but agreed, he of course would let his little one win in a soba eating contest just so that he could head off to work. He knew they were so little to understand his job but he would try to compromise with his child.

Sir Crocodile 🐊

He would be annoyed that his child wants to do this when he has a meeting to attend for a deal at his casino. “Fine, let’s play paper, rock, scissors”, he’d suggest which his child beamed it. “Paper, scissors…hook! I win!”, he’d say using his hook as part of the game before he’d laugh and use his devil fruit powers to move immediately out of the room even if his kid was angry about the whole thing.

Doflamingo Donquixote 🦩

He would smile at his child’s proposal…since when did they become such a smart ass. He’d agree to playful fight with his kid before just deciding he’d take his child with him to the meeting, he knew he’d be there to protect them no matter what and he’d get to spend time with them too.

Benn Beckman 🔫

He sighed softly but nodded, “fine, just one time and I got to head off, sweet one”, he’d say before wrestling with his kid just enough to let them pin him down before he’d dust himself off, “alright, I’ll see in a little bit…be good to your mom”, he’d said before rushing off.

Katakuri Charlotte 🍡

He would smile weakly at his kid, “fine, a donut eating competition then…”, he’d say before bringing in some donuts and milk, they’d be regular donuts since his kid was small. He’d pretend like he couldn’t eat another bite but he just wanted his child to win. Once he announced his defeat, he’d kiss his child goodbye and head off to his mission.

Killer🔪

He would rub the back of his neck as he smiled weakly, “fine, arm wrestling it is and if you win…I’ll bring you something cool”, he said before taking a seat. After a dramatic struggle, he’d lose to his child and promise to bring them a reward from his adventures before heading off.

Kaido🐉

He would laugh at the proposal that his child brought up! The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree after all. He would playfully fight with his child and wrestle them before winning of course…he was not gonna lose to anyone even his little baby. He’d take the angry outbursts from his kid before laughing his way to his next venture.

King👑

He was getting late for a meeting but he wanted to make his little baby happy too. So he decided to have a flying contest, first one to reach the other side of the forest wins. He would hold himself back so he could watch his child fly, he was so proud of his little one. Once he was defeated by his kid, he decided to take them to his meeting as a treat and even let them play with Queen who seemingly was King’s child’s favorite person.

Queen👑

He didn’t care about being late for his mission but he proposed they had a red bean soup eating contest. The problem was…they both loved red bean soup so this could be a true battle worth fighting! Queen would tap out when his ship was about to leave without it but not without having a few laughs with his kid.

Izou🔫🔫

He would nod but decided they could have a more civilized contest like a kanji writing contest, he knew his kid was practicing quite a bit and just used this opportunity to watch his kid do it. He would declare his child the winner and take the painting to Whitebeard to boast about his child being so skillful at such a young age.

Dragon D Monkey🐉🐒

He would be thoroughly amused with his child’s proposal and would go all out to wrestle his child. He tried his best not to win as he wanted his child to be happy before he headed off to a mission. He made them promise to get stronger while he was away and he’d get them something special in return.

[gizkasparadise]

top five second leads?

i do love a good second lead!! going to go with second leads who gave me second lead syndrome the most:

dong mae, mr. sunshine. if he was the male lead, that ship had literally every single one of my dynamics. reminds me a lot of like, if renji and rukia from bleach were imported into a kdrama but renji instead of joining the grim reaper cops instead became yakuza A+++++

xiang liu, lost you forever. he is HORRIBLE husband material, but he's everything in a 90s anime villain romance wattpad, is very gender, and a problematic fave

wang jung, moon lovers: scarlet heart ryeo. he kind of? gets the girl in the end, but gd at what cost???

jiang wu, the legends. see entry #2 -- i apparently have a type when it comes to cdrama

runyu, ashes of love. i dont think he shouldve got the girl because he had a whole laundry list of issues, but LYX brought so much to this role that the character deservedly stole the show

bonus, other SLSers: baek in ho (cheese in the trap), kim shin hyuk (she was pretty), wu bosong (a love so beautiful), probably saya (arthdal chronicles, TBD)

favorite second leads just because they are good characters (non-romantic options or in another ship from the main leads)

yang hye sun, my roommate is a gumiho. she stole the show for me!!!

yoo jin gook, the smile has left your eyes. the only man brave enough to say "get a job! stay away from her!"

he ziqui, go ahead. i loved all of the main trio, but he was definitely my favorite character in go ahead

jisu, jae heon, and eun hyuk, sweet home. great ensemble cast, but these three were my favorites!

princess leyan & hao du, the long ballad. i completely gave up on this drama around ep 12, but i still watched all their scenes. best ship best ship i wish they had their own dramaaaaaaa

[kamenstranger]

Well, this was a big one, wasn’t it? I guess Ultraman was the big one, but getting a Kamen Rider movie released in the US, that was a big shock. Not without some compromises, but even so, it’s surreal to see a Kamen Rider in a theater. It was certainly an experience in itself.

But, I’m dancing around the meat of the subject here; the movie. Cool factor of a Kamen Rider playing in theaters aside, is it good?

The short spoiler free version is yes… but I do have issues.

First, some solid positives. Ruriko is great, a lot of the superfluous aspects of her character were cut down and she plays a much bigger role than either the Manga or original series. She puts up a cold logical exterior that hides her true emotions, but you get the impression there’s a lot more to her than she lets on, and Minami Hamabe does an excellent job showcasing different personas as the characters opens up.

Hongo is great, Sosuke Ikematsu brings a real tragic humanity to the character that perfectly embodies the sadness of being a Kamen Rider.

Likewise, Tasuku Emoto’s Hayato is a sharp contrast to Hongo and one of the best parts of the film, if tragically underutilized.

There are some great action bits, fun callbacks to the original, iconic musical beats. We even have a take on Ishinomori’s interest in Gaia theory being incorporated. Visually the film’s a lot of fun, great over the top set pieces in a way only Anno can deliver- some of the night scenes notwithstanding.

That said, the film is also front loaded pretty badly with a lot of exposition, a couple superfluous Kaijin-nigen or rather “Augs”, a lot of the fights are clunky, and the film often feels more like a series of vignettes strung together, feeling more like several episodes condensed into the time span of a movie rather than something written with the framework in mind. That will probably be the biggest sticking point for a lot of people.

I enjoyed the movie, I saw a lot of good, I saw a lot of blemishes. It’s a mixed bag that has its ups and downs, it's probably not going to be seen as good as Shin Godzilla and Ultraman.

From here on out, I’m getting into spoiler territory.

So let’s discuss the pacing, because more than anything that’s the biggest issue.

The first 45 minutes are the most uneven of the entire movie. The opening sequence is however fantastic, it hits the ground running and sets the tone for the movie perfectly. But once Spider Aug is killed, that’s when things start to become noticeably sloppy. We’re hastily introduced to two Government agents that really don’t have any character to them, they’re just two agents who recruit Ruriko and Hongo to take down Shocker, while also keeping tabs on them and providing some limited support like safe housing. Yes they’re exactly who you think they are.

It’s at this point in my viewing I realized there’s a lot of exposition and set up being jam packed. Even before the two agents show up we have a big info dump in the middle of the Spider Aug section spent explaining what Prana is- which is basically the life force of the universe. A soul, the conscious, etc. It’s what all augmented Cyborgs run on, so get used to hearing it a lot as an explanation for everything. Nano-machines, son.

After Spider is killed and they introduce the agents, we get another exposition heavy scene on how SHOCKER came to be (Which despite the whole parallels with real life cults, never amounts to any sort of major social commentary) It comes off sloppy. They’re trying to cover all the things that are needed to set the foundation, but at the cost of presentation. The opening 20 minutes is basically Action scene> Massive info dump> action scene> massive info dump.

A complaint I’ve seen is Anno's reverence for the original series hampering the movie, that there's perhaps too much fondness or nostalgia- but never explaining exactly what that entails except maybe some of the visuals and the opening basically being the first two episodes of the OG series. Undoubtedly you've seen the locations that appeared in the original '71 series, or the use of snap zooms. That's not really an issue in my book, as it doesn’t seem to simply come from a place of nostalgia, but Anno recognizing that the locations and editing style also invokes a certain tone and visual vibe beyond the simple act of "I recognize that" out of the audience. They ostensibly serve the same purpose they do as originally intended. Sure, nostalgia is inevitable, but it's not the only point. It's also a small part of the movie.

No, where I think the film gets tied up is insisting on having certain monsters for the sake of having them. After that big info dump with the agents and our heroes allying with them, Hongo and Ruriko begin systematically take down SHOCKER’s senior members, the hybrid soldiers (And in one case a group of agents taking down Scorpion) Even though it’s only two monsters, it feels very cobbled together and disjointed with the rest of the film. Bat’s entire segment in particular feels like it’s there because they had to have a Bat Monster after the Spider, and they had some really cool ideas. The concept for a fake out, a kick ass curb stomp, and checking a monster off the list all came first– trying to fill in a story around it and justifying their inclusion came second. Bat easily could’ve been cut entirely and it probably would’ve helped the pacing immensely. Scorpion is there so they can have the Shocker Combatwomen and because her venom is used later by the agents to kill a surrendering Aug, which has some fucked up implications that’re a bit glossed over. A hybrid of Chameleon and Mantis Man; Kamakiri Chameleon, also pops up down the road with almost no set-up beyond revenge for Spider Aug.

Thankfully things mostly get better once we get to Wasp. The story is better paced out, has more coherence, and we have some hints that Ruriko has a history with Wasp as she’s more emotional than previously seen, and Wasp, Hiromi, treats Ruriko like an old friend. Ruriko also has some nice quiet moments with Hongo that adds to the humanity of the two.  In fact, I would go so far as to say the scenes between the two carry the film a great deal, particularly with so much action/exposition in the first act, it’s nice to slow down and focus on two characters and their personalities.

In particular it makes you appreciate just how Ruriko had the best change ups. No nonsense with thinking Hongo killed her father, she was a part of SHOCKER and is augmented, she’s a researcher and computer expert allowing her to upgrade Hongo’s gear. I like this take on the character, it’s different and allows her to be more involved. She has a real chip on her shoulder regarding her father who was always distant, she doesn’t even think much of his death, but by the midway point the facade starts to crack and open up.

After Wasp however, there’s not a whole lot left story wise. It’s mostly about taking down Ruriko’s brother, Ichiro Midorikawa (Mirai Moriyama), the Butterfly Aug, and assumed final Senior member. And man, Anno really wanted to use some other Ishinomori characters thrown into a blender. Ichiro turned on humanity after his mother was killed in a random attack when he was 6, and eventually his entire family is killed off over the movie. So he has a thirst for vengeance and is a blue Butterfly with a double half typhoon… this man is a V3 and Inazuman OC. I’m not even mad, but that’s what he is. (He also goes by Kamen Rider 0, which is a term that goes back to the OG series as a planned failed prototype Rider, and would later be used as a placeholder for New Kamen Rider/Skyrider, Black, and Shin. References!)

Ichiro has a cool calm demeanor, and his power is absorbing the prana of others and placing them in a purgatory-like realm, his goal being to do that to the world so no one else has to die a senseless death like his mother. He’s framed as being ideologically the opposite of Hongo, and there is something there about order and chaos, control and freedom. Sadly, I don’t find him an interesting villain. Moriyama does a great job in the role, but I don’t think he has enough to work with. Ichiro simply isn’t that developed nor does the film utilize the themes surrounding him. He’s someone that would make a great series villain, have flashbacks to his old self, the relationship with Ruriko. Really build him up overtime. But for a film? Not so much. And I shouldn’t have to read a prequel manga to fill in the blanks.

That aside, it’s Ichiro who’s responsible for turning Ichimongi Hayato into 02, and I want to re-emphasize; Hayato is great in this. He’s more upbeat and jokey than Hongo, he contrasts wonderfully, is a lot of fun, and we do not get enough of him in the film. We don’t even have much of him interacting with Hongo. You have the initial fight, a few words after, and then their only other interaction is during the climax.

Thankfully, while the narrative is a bit light after Nigo is introduced, the film wisely maintains character interactions with Ruriko that play a substantial role in providing much needed heart, showing a vulnerable more human side, while Ikematsu once again is bringing his all to showcase Hongo’s sorrow.

I should also mention Hongo’s backstory at this point, and it’s…weird. It comes very late into the movie and primarily is there to contrast with Ichiro.

The short of it is his father was a policeman that refused to use his gun in a hostage situation and it got him killed. Hongo took that kindness and willingness to help others to heart, but unlike his father, he is willing to use that power, the destructive means. And I get the intent there; it’s the same basis as the story Ishinomori told about hitting a bully. You have to use strength sometimes, not because you enjoy it, but because you need to, even if it breaks your heart to do it. There is something still a tad uncomfortable about the whole ordeal about Hongo wishing his dad shot someone, but I also suppose that’s the point. There is another important element to the story, which is that the end of the movie has Hongo giving up his helmet at the cost of his body. He has, in essence, given up the gun like his father. That’s something I would want to analyze on a rewatch. But my initial reaction to the backstory is “This isn’t good or necessary.” I don’t think we need to be given a reason for why Hongo is a kind person willing to use force, that can just be who he is. But Anno can’t help but impose parental complexes on a character.

I suppose the last thing to mention is that, yeah, Hongo “dies” during the final battle, but similar to the manga, his mind lives on. But instead of being a brain in a jar somewhere, his prana inhabits the helmet given to Hayato. It’s a nice twist on the concept.

Also worth mentioning that this is the most open-ended of Anno’s Shin series. Hayato gets a new suit, becomes Kamen Rider 2+1 (love that name) SHOCKER has a new Cobra Aug, and the film ends with Hayato riding off.

Oh, I also didn’t mention K, because he doesn’t appear to do anything important. Emphasis on appear.

So, Shocker was founded by a Japanese billionaire who created an AI system called I, a big machine, and later J (looking a lot like Kikaider) and the third and final before his suicide was K. K is an observer throughout the film, showing sympathy for fallen Augs, but also the heroes, never intervening against them. He just watches in secret, and I’m wondering if a sequel intends to develop a conscience for him and turn him against Shocker. That’s the only reason I can figure he’s here because otherwise it’s a very unnecessary and weird cameo. It feels like the Kyodain siblings appearing as villains in the Fourze movie, it’s just an out of place re-imagining for the sake of a reference.

But that's just one half of Shin Kamen Rider. While the story leaves a bit to be desired to say the least, how to the visuals fair? Well, it's a bit mixed as well.

If I give Anno anything as a filmmaker it’s that he’s typically visually engaging, goes extra hard when needed, but also knows when to dial it back. Even with all the Wikipedia level exposition at the start, the camera’s always moving, always making the frame look interesting, usually providing additional footage as a character explains a backstory. But, when we get to Ruriko and Hongo having a heart to heart, things are more simple, because it’s the characters drawing you in more than anything else.

Of course, where the visual truly lets loose is the special effects. When Anno is on, he is fucking on. The above is the perfect encapsulation of the film at its best going extra on the style, and the best I've ever seen at invoking the speed and power of Ishinomori's Manga panels. Transformations and finishers are unsurprisingly the biggest highlight. The editing and fight sequences are another matter...

We’ve got probably 3-4 different things going on here in terms of styling. There’s snap zooms and smash cuts like the 70s series, which… can look a little archaic, but I kinda like it. There’s a charm and sense of love there.

You’ve got more modern rapid cuts showing the impacts during fights, which never gets tiring. It adds a speed and franticness to the battles while still providing a clear shot of the impact.

It’s also just fun watching SHOCKER combatmen get their heads squished, or blood splatter against a tree like a bucket of paint. Speaking of, the fights are very violent, almost on par with Black Sun’s level of gore. Again, I’m fairly certain some of the monsters were thrown in here simply to have them be turned into a smear under Ichigo’s boot.

The other more predominant style is…not so good. We have quite a lot of fights that use a very shaky cam combined with rapid smash cuts and obnoxious closeups that invokes the absolutely worst in action scenes, devolving into an incoherent mess of blurry visuals that makes a Taken film look refined. You can get away with a little bit if it’s meant to show the chaos of what the opponents are facing, but not an entire sequence. The audience still needs to see what’s happening. The Scorpion Aug in particular has one of the absolute worst. I remember thinking to myself it looks like they shot this on a damn phone… later learning that several scenes were shot on goddamn iPhones.

Another thing I’m not crazy about is the night sequences, or areas that are dark. As much as SKR wants to replicate and build off of the OG’s visuals, these are lit worse than the Showa era stuff. The entire fight with the Shocker Riders in the tunnel system is barely visible, it’s an absolute mess of what could and should’ve been a highlight of the film. Even with the glowing eyes, nothing looks as visceral and raw as when the OG put the heroes in the dark.

However, the fight between Hongo and Hayato is really fun. This is going full Shonen ham with showcasing the Riders running at incredible speeds, jumping high into the air, and flipping great distances. Most of the fight is in CG, which is okay, not great looking, but I’m happy they didn’t do it at night to try and hide it. Although I do wonder why doing wire work and green screen wasn’t used for some sections.

Also, there’s a bit in the fight where Hongo’s leg gets injured. I laughed.

But while I do enjoy this particular battle, this also highlights a limitation of Shin Kamen Rider’s fight scenes, which is that the only really good bits are either quick cuts only showing the impacts, or heavily CG’d. Suit actors having well paced and well shot choreographed fights simply aren't here. And that’s made all the more damning by the currently airing series, Geats, having some of the absolute best choreography in a Toku in years. Hell, the fight between Black Sun and Bilgenia had a more interesting structure. Sure, Ichigo and Nigo having a DBZ fight is fun, having Wasp move at an inhuman pace can only be done in CG. But so many fights devolve into watching a cutscene.

One thing I can give credit towards being consistently amazing is the sound design. Every hit feels destructive, crunchy, squishy, and incredibly satisfying to the ears. The opening battle sets a pretty high standard and it never disappoints. Numerous subtle sounds, too. The film has multiple sequences where we’re keyed in on the sound of leather and zippers. Kinda sounds kinky, doesn’t it? But it is oddly enjoyable. Probably my favorite is Hongo removing his glove, which really doesn’t want to come off, like the armor is a part of him, with a sound befitting that.

We might as well get into some of the miscellaneous general aesthetics and visual choices, because we get a blend of everything here. I don’t want to spend much on the main suit itself beyond just how amazingly simple the design philosophy was. Take the original suit, mix some of the Sakurajima colors in there, add panel lines and some techno stuff. Bam, something modern that stays more true to the original than "The First" did and looking miles better.

What I find more interesting is how the suit is treated as a separate piece, it doesn’t just form, it’s something that has to be put on. Or, as is the case here, almost never taken off. It’s not dissimilar to what was planned for, uh, Shin. Likewise, the helmet is a separate part that has to be put on before transforming, like in the Manga and numerous conceptual ideas for other Riders.

They even go as far as to require Hongo to gather wind to transform, while Hayato can just easily take the wind in at a standstill. And that’s maintained, Hongo never even fans his hands.

The Riders are also monstrous under their armor, though not to the extent of Black or Shin. It’s a very subdued look comparatively, but very unique as well. It’s Showa-esque in a way; red eyes, green skin, and some clawed hands with spines. And I think that’s probably the best way to take later iterations of Rider and retroactively fit them to the 70s Showa inspired aesthetic.

I also like the speenlines on the Shocker masks, kinda reminds me of the Big Machine in the manga.

Ooooh boy, what a ride. We’re kinda at the part I’ve been dreading, and that’s my final thoughts.

So, when I was in the theater, I was struggling to figure out what my thoughts on the film were, and it’s something I’ve mulled over for a couple of days since. I undoubtedly did enjoy my time, but it also felt off, and there were a lot of issues bugging me. That’s a recurring thing with me and Anno’s films. I’m always happy to see the man’s work, he’s unabashed in what he does and I truly respect that. But there’s always some element here and there that irk me, even going back to Shin Godzilla.

I thought they had a great nuanced take criticizing the Government’s response to natural disasters, the overreach of the US’ influence, and a cynical outlook from officials where the biggest concern wasn’t loss of life, but economics. Yet all the same, there's a message of hope that there are those that care and are trying their damnedest. At the same time, the film is nearly undermined by a lack of a much needed human element from those disasters. We see property destruction, but never the people caught up in it. I thought it was toothless in that regard, less so than a film made in the 50s which had the gall to show a mother and her children in a sea of flames. Shin Godzilla has a lot of appealing elements, particularly visually, but I found it flawed.

With Shin Kamen Rider there were certainly more flaws than Anno’s previous outings, but the thing that I came to realize above all else is that it doesn’t feel like Anno wanted to make a movie, he wanted to make a big budget Mini series and crammed it into two hours. The number of ideas in here feels like they could be expanded upon and made into 4-6 roughly 45 minute long episodes for a first season. Spread out the expository dialogue, do more with Bat, Scorpion, and Chameleon/Mantis, build up Hongo and Hayato's relationship so they learn to work together before the finale, and expand on Ichiro. That sounds like a far better medium for the story being told here.

I enjoyed my time with Shin Kamen Rider. I'm glad I saw it. There's a great deal of love, knowledge, and admiration for the series.

But it’s clear that the ideas were too big for a movie, too expensive for a series, and the compromise is noticeable in the final results.

I have to wonder if Anno was drained after the combo of Eva 3.0+1.0 and Shin Ultraman but pushed himself to make this.

Meanwhile, I am once again here, knowing that I enjoyed the watch, but how much I enjoyed it is hard to pin down and I think all I can manage is: good enough. 

Because when I step back and take a look at what SKR does with all its pieces relative to the 121 minute run time, the characters, the setting, themes, the filmography… I think it does less than what Kamen Rider ZO does with its 48 minute runtime. Shin Kamen Rider feels like a production that was poorly planned, exacerbated by the pandemic, with a script that ballooned beyond the means of its intended format.

Even with the things I did enjoy, it feels like every positive comes with an asterisk. The finishers are incredible- the pacing is ruined to incorporate several of them. The speed and power invoked in the transformations are perhaps the absolute best of the franchise- but all the fights are more expensive yet less fluid and visually engaging than a television production. The pace improves midway- that quality is not consistent.

I’m bummed saying this, but it’s just how I feel on the matter. Again, Shin Kamen Rider wasn't a bad time, I wasn’t miserable. Hell, the audience I saw it with was clapping. If you got a ticket for the June 5th showing, I hope you have fun. Seeing a Kamen Rider movie on the big screen isn’t something you get often, ya know? Just don’t expect it to match Godzilla or Ultraman.

As for the possibility of a sequel, well, Anno’s already teased wanting to do Mask World, and I hope Anno gets to make it. Thankfully he’s taking an extended break, something I feel is much needed since, again, I think he was burned out while making Rider.

And I’m getting burned out on this review, so I think I’ll end it there.

As always, thanks for reading. If you like what I do, you can donate a dollar to my Ko-Fi page or simply reblog this post.

[snakeoil2]

“Now, I think that, seeing as you’ve been running about the world, you might be able to talk to Krimmic. Make him understand that running off isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Kallum said, turning a focused look onto Yoku. It wasn’t a glare, but it was a loaded expression. Yoku had never been good at reading people.

Eventually the two managed to reach the hall where the trio may have gone down. It was quite easy to follow the path of destruction. They stumbled upon the three harassing the kitchen. 

For a moment, the three were surprised to be chased down by a stranger. They tried to run again, but Yoku nabbed Krimmic before he could join the others. Lifting him up, Yoku studied the young kobold. He looked about five years old. Not yet full grown, he still had another year or so before he could be considered matured. His scales seemed to be a muddy red hue, except for his underbelly, which was a dirty white. Krimmic’s large ears dwarfed his miniscule horns. A thick brown fabric tufted by white fur was draped over his body. 

Two facets stood out to Yoku though. On his back was a long spear, for a kobold. It might have been a little short for most humanoids though. Oddly, a portion of the spear was made out of… bone rather than steel. The Dragon Fang Lance. It was a mark of pride for the tribe, but due to its size and weight, few kobolds ever used it. Other than that was a band wrapped about Krimmic’s wrist. A brass band studded with rubies and sapphires. It marked one as a leader amongst the kobolds. Kallum had himself one such band. But the one on Krimmic was different. It took Yoku a minute to recognize the magic in it. He didn’t have a clue what it did, but it was there.

Krimmic crossed his arms in defiance. He was a big, dangerous warrior of the clan, ferocious and strong. Alas, he stood barely up to Yoku’s shins on his own, so Krimmic’s authority was somewhat undermined.

“You’re Krimmic?” Yoku asked. Sure, the band pretty much confirmed it, but it was good to double check. “Yeah, so what?” Krimmic replied. “I think we need to talk,” Yoku said, easing himself to the floor. Krimmic was still about three feet off the floor, Yoku didn’t trust him not to dash. “So, you’re interested in running off? How come?” Krimmic scoffed. “Shouldn’t you know? You already ran off looking for glory and whatever.”

Oh. “Kallum, can you and the others get out?” “Yoku? What is it?” “I need to talk to Krimmic alone.” “… very well.” Kallum ushered out the kitchen staff. While he could press the issue, he’d had no luck swaying Krimmic. If Yoku had a way to do that, to connect with the lad in a way he couldn’t, it’d be worth it. Krimmic glared up at Yoku. This might be a tough sell.

“So, interested in adventuring?” Yoku said. “What are you after?” Krimmic’s face softened a bit at that. “Well, I want treasure! I want myself a massive hoard!”

“Oddly, adventuring isn’t the best way to get treasure. You think, oh, I can just run wherever I want, plundering who knows what, but then you get told about all the fees various guilds insist upon, and also food, lodging, and all the equipment you need to just get through every place. You need to get really lucky to get a job that pays well enough to cover it’s own cost. That’s assuming it doesn’t kill you outright,” Yoku explained.

Krimmic’s face had long since eclipsed listening and traveled to incomprehension. It was apparent that he had considered the logistics of this about as much as Yoku had.

Not at all. “What do you mean? How do you get jobs?” “You get lucky.” Krimmic was downtrodden upon hearing of the far more realistic life of an adventurer. Yoku didn’t really want to break his dream, even if he had talked to Kallum about getting Krimmic to stay. “Y’know what? Let’s make a deal,” Yoku said. He wasn’t completely sure about this, but he had an idea. “I’m planning on taking over Pakan. When I’ve got a base all set up, I’ll invite you over. You can get some experience for the whole adventure thing. Until then, you gotta stay here. How’s that sound?” Krimmic pondered the offer for a second. It seemed like he would accept, but there was a nagging voice in his head, pushing him to ask a simple question. “Why do you think I should stay?” Yoku heaved out a sigh. He knew someone would ask this question. “When I set out, I wasn’t sure the clan would be safe. I wanted to try and become so ferocious no one would dare threaten you guys. Instead, I abandoned you, right when the Conqueror appeared on our doorstep. I should have been there, instead I left. I don’t want you to go through that too.” “But. But you came back! You saved us!” Krimmic cried. “I still left. I don’t want anyone else to know how it feels to abandon those who depend on you.” Krimmic seemed… surprised?… to hear how Yoku felt. The idea that he’d abandoned the kobolds… Krimmic didn’t think he had. Klyps hadn’t thought so. Keef… Keef hadn’t been a part of the clan when Yoku left two years ago. “Alright,” he heard himself say. Krimmic wrestled with the fear that Yoku had now given him. The fear that without him the clan might be in trouble. “Great!” Yoku smiled again. “Now, do you know any good kobold rangers? I need to track a few people down.” “Well, Klyps is probably the best tracker in the clan,” Krimmic said. “Really? What happened to Krag?” Yoku asked. “Not able to smell a thing since Klyps jammed an onion up his nose.” “Ah.” /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Krimmic stared out the open window. There was a cart out in the yard, right by the gate. It was loaded high with maps of Pakan and some of Keep Rememberance’s best guesses as to where the tribes may be, some food, and one kobold carrying a sizable crossbow, for her. Her horns were more silvery than Krimmic’s, and her scales more brown than his Otherwise, it was quite difficult to tell them apart. They did have the same mother. Klyps had an anxious expression. She wanted a journey just as much as Krimmic did, but traveling all alone was worrying. Sure Yoku was a great warrior with numerous accomplishments under his belt, but the strength of kobolds was numbers and wits. Just two kobolds were not safe. Krimmic looked to his left as a voice rose. Keef was a new addition to the clan, sneaking his way in while they’d gotten themselves liberated from the Conqueror. His scales were far redder than the rest of the clan, and his underbelly far more yellow. His most distinguishing feature though were the pair of goggles over his eyes, followed closely by his bandolier of vials. Keef thought himself an alchemist, to the dismay of all involved parties. Krimmic enjoyed having him around. His many tricks were very useful… if they didn’t blow up in your face. “We could sneak on there. Yoku doesn’t seem too bright,” Keef suggested. But Krimmic was already shaking his head. “Yoku had me promise I wouldn’t go, he’s… he’s worried about the tribe,” Krimmic protested. “He always is.” Krimmic and Keef jumped as Kallum appeared next to them. For an ancient kobold in a wheelchair, he could be horrifically quiet. Was he invisible? Had he just greased his wheels? How did neither of them notice? Kallum turned a sad gaze out the window. Yoku was trundling back inside, grabbing the last few notes before they all took off. “Yoku ain’t none too bright, not at all. But he cares about us, and wants us safe. Whether that means trying to build us a home away from home, or fighting someone who hurt us. I think that if you went with him you’d be safe.” Krimmic and Keef glanced at each other. This kobold was the one immovable force which had stopped them from roaming free. And now… “Sir, are you saying we can-” “I’m saying that someone lost an important notebook, and Yoku’s spending a fair amount of time looking for it. I doubt he’d notice a pair of stowaways under a dozen blankets,” Kallum clarified. He put his hands to his wheels, and rolled off. Krimmic and Keef shared another glance, and shared a mischievous grin. 
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Yoku never really talked about his ability to see soul’s strings. It’s not that it was some big secret, it just wasn’t terribly important. It was honestly annoying. He’d look around and see dozens of strings springing into the sky. Different strings meant something, but Yoku never bothered to learn the details, passed learning how to turn off the special eyes. But when three soul strings rose from the cart, and only one person was supposed to be there, he knew something was up. Yoku turned to Kallum, a single questioning eyebrow raised. Kallum returned the look with a coy smile. Yoku got in front of the cart. He picked up the handles, and began to walk down the road. Klyps kept trying to make small talk, obviously intending to run interference for the two stowaways. “Alright, you two can come out,” Yoku said once they’d gotten out of range of the Keep. One kobold head popped out, shortly followed by a second. “How’d you-” “Did Kallum tell you to come?” Yoku’s tone brooked no argument. If the answer was no, he very well may have tossed them all back to the Keep. “He-he did. He believed you’d be able to keep us safe,” Krimmic stammered out. Yoku let out a gruff sigh. “Fine, but you two had better have something to contribute.”

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Sergeant Daniels sat at her desk. She was finishing up her report. Her higher ups had been mentioning having a band of Falkran Mercenaries try and clear out Pakan. If she couldn’t provide tangible proof of progress before then, they might be out of luck. Sure, they all wanted to see an Epanak unburdened by the Conqueror’s presence, but the little progress she had made being wiped away as the success and skill of these mercenaries? Unacceptable. Sergeant Daniels would take this fool, this brute, this villain, Yoku, and forge from him someone who could fend off each and every fragment of the Conqueror’s broken legions. A commotion erupted from the corridors of the barracks. Yoku had returned. Wonderful, maybe they could have a meeting on how they should go about finding the many tribes of… what is that. Daniels watched as a trio of kobolds, not even up to her hips, rocketed past, leaving a trail of robbed soldiers in their wake. Those soldiers, of course, did not stay in their wake for long, lest they be bowled over by a storming Yoku. Daniels had her work cut out for her.

[anakinskywalkerog]

AHSOKA EP. 1 RECAP

hi! so I’ve been like, totally MIA, super busy, avoiding Tumblr at ALL COSTS so I could avoid Ahsoka spoilers until I watched it. and now I am BACK and HERE and I want to share my THOUGHTS so get ready, spoilers for Ahsoka episode 1 under the cut

1. I LOVE SHIN HATI SO MUCH!!!!

you all know I love a darksider and that I also love a HOT darksider and now we have one who is a WOMAN and not a weird alien woman but like an actual badass hot chick who has the dark side EMANATING out of her eyes (I also very much love badass Reva who is hot but not *spoiler* truly a darksider). and Shin Hati is also a PADAWAN and she has a PADAWAN BRAID I’m dying, dark padawan energy? Shin HOTTY am I right (I want to dress as her for Halloween so bad)

2. I’m not sure why they made Sabine into this Padawan character 😂 I’m sorry but it just doesn’t make sense for her to learn the ways of the force!! there are literally lines in rebels about how she doesn’t use/“have” the force.

and like, I understand that there’s a lot of story we missed between her and Ahsoka in terms of what happened after the end of rebels and before now. but it doesn’t make sense for her to learn/want to learn to be a jedi. she’s mandalorian! the scene where she surpasses her mandalorian helmet in favor of her lightsaber? I don’t get it. I absolutely love Natasha Liu’s performance though. she captures Sabine’s essence very well. Maybe I will come around on this whole jedi thing when I watch the next few episodes. I also don’t get why Ahsoka would want to teach her to be a jedi? what happened to “I am no Jedi”??

3. I loved loved LOVED seeing Lothal in live action. So good!! I love how prominent of a storyline Ezra is, from the very beginning. I love that this is a continuation of Ezra’s story. and I LOVE THE LOTH CAT I cried when I saw him (if he got hurt in that battle I will sue)

4. I don’t really understand the aesthetic choices made in the graphic design/the end credits. They’re leaning into this weird ancient/nordic vibe and it makes no sense for Star Wars. I get every show is going to have its own aesthetic but the ancient EUROPEAN?? vibe is literally the antithesis of the original star wars aesthetic and it seems Jon Favreau-y, Marvel-y to me (like it’s okay for them all to share some basic design rules okay?!)

5. on the flip side, I like the soundtrack! it’s definitely different aesthetically but I like how it sort of leans into the epic fantasy vibe. I’m into it.

6. As much as I think Rosario and MEW are doing an excellent job portraying Ahsoka and Hera, I don’t love the costume/character design. the contacts are weird and idk I just feel like it’s such a big budget show and they could have done better!! but I can get over this.

okay those are all of my current and immediate reactions! overall I am very excited and I can’t wait to see where this goes and even when I post things I didn’t love/choices I didn’t understand, I want to make it clear that it is not hate on this show! I am very grateful it exists and excited to see where it takes us. These are just my absolutely unfiltered thoughts. Please comment if you agree/disagree. See you after I watch episode 2!!

[translations-dark-matter]

Living as an extra in an Omegaverse novel

Chapter 1

When it comes to main dishes, there is always a wine that perfectly matches them.

Like the relationship between the two main characters who are destined to fall in love. The main sub and the main gong are the relationship between the main dish and wine.

Since the main dish was followed by the main drink, the sub dish was just an appetizer that would enhance the taste of the main dish. No matter how good the appetizer is, it cannot surpass the main dish. In other words, the sub dish can never occupy the main.

"If I give this to Jin-ha, will he like it?"

The sub dish, who didn't know that, chose a gift to give to the main sub again today.

Se-hyeon looked at Shin Tae-oh, the poor guy.

Shin Tae-oh was the CEO of a construction company and came from a prestigious background, being the fifth-generation heir of a noble house. With a height of 190 centimetres, broad shoulders, a firm chest, and most importantly, a line that runs down to his perfectly sculpted buttocks, he was a man who embodied true artistry. 

He was a man who had a way with words and could lead conversations quite pleasantly. When it needed to be ominous, he was ominous, and when it needed to be cute, he was cute. That man with all those qualities was my boss, Shin Tae-oh.

"He's a guy like that, so he's the sub."

Naturally, someone lacking something becomes the main, and someone who has everything becomes the sub, unable to obtain even one main.

Se-hyeon looked at the gloves that Shin Tae-oh pointed to. They say it's a new product that just came out and it costs 10 million won.

'A million won for a finger?'

Regardless of what thoughts he had in mind, Se-hyeon called an employee without showing any expression.

"Please wrap it up."

The question of whether Jin-ha would like it if he gave it to him.

In other words, that means 'buy it.'

Interpreting the meaning of the words, Se-hyeon conveyed Shin Tae-oh's instructions to the employee. A card that is in my pocket but cannot be swiped.

The employee disappeared with the card and gloves. After a while, I was handed something to pack and put in a small shopping bag, and I stood in front of President Shin Tae-oh.

"I will pass it on to Yoo Jin-ha."

"Okay." Ah, it's obvious that if I just give it, I won't receive it.

Yoo Jin-ha was an office worker at President Shin Tae-oh's company. He is a fairly conscientious employee who works in the design department and even became an assistant manager. So, the current president is currently in an unrequited love with an employee of his company.

"Your hands get cracked because it's cold, they say they give it to you because it's difficult to draw."

Stop making excuses.

Come up with something somewhat plausible. He said he was smart but always made the same excuse.

"Alright."

Although it was already visible what would happen to this armour, Se-hyeon carried out the order without saying a word.

***

Se-hyeon is the secretary. It's been over five years since I was possessed in the novel, and it's been a little less than three years since I became the president's secretary. I can't tell you how surprised I was when I first found out I was in a novel. 

However, he was not the main character, nor was he a villain who would die and disappear. He knew he was just an extra and he relaxed for a while.

"At least you don't die."

My father who earns a living by doing manual labour and my mother who saves money by sewing clothes, despite their hard work, have given me love that I envy no rich man's son for. Thanks to them, it wasn't all bad for Se-hyeon, who lived as an orphan before being adopted. I gained parents and a sense of family.

Living a poor but stable life had the biggest impact on me when I started looking for a job before graduating from college. Is there a way for me to live well while maintaining this family?

The solution came quickly. I planned to use the original work I knew as much as possible.

"First of all, since you know who the villain is, avoid him."

These people are truly people who cannot be rehabilitated, so for no reason, you'd get burned by being around them.

"The main character is so tiring."

It's a shock to be next to two people whose love for each other is firmly established through all kinds of crises.

Se-hyeon, who was worried, found a very suitable partner.

"Shin Tae-oh."

As a sub character figure, there is no major crisis and I have quite a bit of information. I can't say he had a very good personality, but he definitely took care of everyone. So, I thought that if I could stick with it, I could work for a long time. Once we decided on the opponent, it was easy from then on.

After the interview, I entered the frontlines and assisted with different tasks. Thanks to matching Shin Tae-oh's needs well, I even became his personal secretary.

It was easy to accommodate his personality.

Act with discretion and be mindful of your actions.

Shin Tae-oh's public image is flawless anyway. However, if you act out of line in private matters, you will no longer be compatible. As Shin Tae-oh doesn't keep incompatible secretaries around, all I had to do was maintain that.

Perhaps that's why, excluding a few secretaries, I quickly got promoted and secured my position.

In addition to my stable monthly salary, thanks to the occasional bonus from Shin Tae-oh, Se-hyeon's situation noticeably improved. It was enough to handle the responsibilities of my parents' lives, even though it wasn't abundant. Thanks to the reduced burden in their lives, my parents' health also improved.

"Of course, I'm happy too."

The studio he currently lives in alone is clean and worth living in, and Se-hyeon's life isn't bad as he works under a normal boss. On the contrary, it's too good.

Only one thing.

Se-hyeon held up a shopping bag.

'Except for what happens when you can't let go of your lingering affection for the main leads.'

Anyway, the story in the novel is progressing and the subplot is intensifying.

"I came to see Assistant Manager Yoo Jin-ha."

"Wait for me."

Se-hyeon called the main number in a business-like tone and stood on one side of the hallway.

As I was watching them without interfering with the passage of others, Yoo Jin-ha soon came out.

"Hello, Secretary Ahn Se-hyeon."

"Hello, I have something to discuss."

Jin-ha looked around and said that there would be no one in the restroom right now. Se-hyeon nodded and started heading in that direction, feeling the gaze of people.

The CEO's personal secretary meeting an assistant was the object of curiosity. However, Se-hyeon, who had no intention of explaining the situation to them, casually ignored their stares.

As soon as they entered the restroom, Yoo Jin-ha spoke.

"What's the matter?"

"The CEO asked me to deliver this."

"What is this...?"

If I asked them to open it themselves, they would refuse without even looking inside.

"It's gloves."

"I'm sorry, but I can't accept a gift Iike this. It's burdensome and I don't know why I should receive it again."

"He said he's giving it to you because it's cold, your hands get chapped and it's difficult to draw."

Se-hyeon relayed what President Shin Tae-oh said without a single mistake.

"Because it's cold?"

Jin-ha's hair swayed in the warm air coming from the ceiling. It's winter outside but it's warm inside the company. Yoo Jin-ha's forehead seems to be wet. Is it sweat?

"Anyway, he gave it to me for that reason."

The excuses are the boss's responsibility, but the embarrassment is mine.

"I'm sorry. I will decline."

"Understood."

Se-hyeon, who had no intention of forcibly accepting, grabbed the doorknob to leave the restroom without hesitation.

"Secretary Ahn Se-hyeon."

"Why are you asking?"

Did he change his mind midway and want to accept the gloves?

"Do you happen to have a lover?"

Yoo Jin-ha must be developing feelings for the male lead, so why would he ask such a question?

"Ah... Someone else asked me to inquire."

Perhaps Yoo Jin-ha noticed the reason behind my gaze and quickly added a remark. In that case, it's easy to answer.

No, I don't have one. And I have no plans to have one in the future.

"Yes, there is."

Although I happened to read this novel and entered this world, there was one thing I still couldn't get used to. That's a trait. No matter how many times I looked at the trait on my resident registration card, I couldn't get used to it.

Se-hyeon bowed his head in greeting and left.

Se-hyeon went back the way he came, ignoring the glances glancing at his face again. That's okay because I'm a secretary who just needs to satisfy President Shin Tae-oh's mood.

'Relaxing.'

This world.... my life.

Se-hyeon, who came into the body of an extra, was having a miserable work life today.

***

"He refused?"

"Yes."

There was no question as to why he refused. Instead, Shin Tae-oh glared at the shopping bag with dissatisfied eyes.

"Why don't you accept my gift?"

Would you accept it?

"Is the gift any good?"

You probably aren't that good.

"Or on the contrary, do you feel burdened by the gift?"

Huh. No. You are a burden.

I wanted to scold him and tell him not to blame the object, but Se-hyeon just stood there with an expressionless face. Unfortunately, President Shin Tae-oh cannot use the gloves because he bought them. Since his hands were different sizes, there was only one way to handle this.

"Shall I get a refund?"

"It's okay. Secretary Ahn can have it."

"Alright."

President Shin Tae-oh muttered, scolding Yoo Jin-ha, who did not accept his feelings again today, and Se-hyeon looked with loving eyes at the gloves he would wear starting tomorrow.

"However…"

Se-hyeon put his hand holding the shopping bag behind him and raised his eyes with feigned indifference.

"Does Jin-ha like king crab?"

Se-hyeon swallowed his saliva and answered.

"I'll make a reservation."

Next chapter

[curejiraiya]

For fun; heres all the secondhand KOP merch that is decently priced somewhere on the internet, and ships to the US without a proxy, that I am currently considering buying, but something is holding me back. (it's usually money, but for some it's me knowing I would be upset that I didn't have all 3 members of Over the Rainbow)

Here's me ranting about why I haven't bought some of these

I really want the KakeTai doujin lol but $25 is just more than I can budget 😔 I think it's a fair price too I just would be pissed at myself if I spent that on 4 books in a language I do not read.

I also really want the $10 Kouji and Kazuki mochi's but I'm being held back because the Hiro I have will have a different outfit. I wish I could find Kazuki and Kouji in their Athletic Core outfits.

I'm really eyeing the Pride the Hero soundtrack CD too. I probably won't get it because I'd be mad at myself for buying CDs in 2023

Also the ebay listing for those 7 acrylics for $25 is a steal, I just don't really like the cast of characters it's so random. Same with some of the paper stands, if it had like the strong duos or OTR or Shin Louis or something I'd probably buy, but they're just a random assortment.

In the Mercari stuff the $26 listing has a pin I REALLY want, it's the Kouji cafe pin and I have the Hiro one so it'd make a good set, but I don't really want much of anything else there so I can't see myself dropping that much (A few of those listings have additional shipping costs and that's definitely one of them)

Now that you've read to the end (hi) let me explain that I'm disabled and cannot keep a job and therefore have no income, but I got $90 in a settlement and I plan on spending all of it on merch lmao I just need to be picky because once it's gone I'm not getting any more.

Here's a bonus that I did buy today:

This photo sucks but I got the notif that the seller lowered the price on this one to $25 and I could not help myself oops!

I also almost got the diner amo cafe stuff on amiami but I couldn't decide if I wanted everyone or just OTR and I didn't realize preorders were closing soon so I missed them rip. I don't doubt there will be more up there eventually though, they did just announce a new amo cafe line the day after that one closed, but I'm not big on this new one. it's not on amiami yet though

Also no my biggest merch regret is not getting the Rainbow Live 10th anniversary Over the Rainbow acrylics. I love those outfits a lot a lot but I didn't go for them and it's like . not going to be possible now lol.

I also have like $60 left so realistically I could make a big purchase on Buyee from Yahoo auctions and get what I actually want, but god the fucking shipping is just so much it's disappointing.

I wasn't expecting to write a king of prism merch roundup holy shit I'm sorry have a good day 🤭 let me know if people enjoy this post and would want to see something like this again? or if you want a link to any of these specific items so you can poach them from me (if you buy the doujin I'll cry lmao) they all ship to America for like $10 or less. Also if money isn't as big of a problem for you as it is for me just buy from Buyee or ZenMarket please, if you can handle the $40 shipping you can get a ton of stuff at way better prices