#so like imagine act 1 still happened but in the Ghibli Howl’s Moving Castle world lol

[fluffypotatey]

ok so for the hmc arcane au, i am now leaning more toward Ekko being Markl and ohhhhh the brainworms

Ekko meets Jayce similar to how they first met in arcane s1

in this au, Benzo owns an apothecary shop of some kind with a side of gadgets and tinkering

Ekko is still Benzo’s adopted kid and acts like the big guy’s apprentice, manning the cashier when Benzo is in the back or out looking for more supplies for example

it is during one of those times that Jayce walks into the shop to buy a couple items he needs to restock

the kicker: Jayce is new to the shop :3

Jayce is not aware of how shopping goes about in Zaun compared to Piltover (at this point in time)

Ekko knows this >:3 he sees how green this bumbling, fancy-looking guy is and swindles him for all he’s worth, cackling after at how easy the guy was

(not that Jayce really cares bc he’s a magician here and can commit fraudulent currency whenever he wants, thereby making him so unaware on how much of a ripoff he got lol)

Ekko even goes as far as to follow Jayce to see where this rich af dude lives and is so disappointed when Mr. Fancy Pants leads him to some common apartment (or so he thought 👀)

anyway certain bts things happen that coincidentally run similar beats to s1 act 1, leaving Ekko orphaned and traumatized, causing him to run to a place he hopes might keep him away from certain specific people and allow him to mourn the death of his found family

said place just so happens to be Jayce’s place

and wouldn’t you know! said place begins to start moving

leading Ekko to begin living with Jayce and help the bumbling, vain fool from not blowing his cover so much

[experimentaljournal]

My range of texts

BOOKS

·        “We’re all mad here” ― The Cheshire Cat from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol

 ·        "If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is because everything would be what it isn't.” ― Alice from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol

 ·        “All the best people are mad.” ― The Mad Hatter from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol

 ·        “After all this time?” (Dumbledore)

“Always” said Snape.

― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Chapter 33, The Prince's Tale

 ·        “To you, who stayed with Harry right to the end.” ― (Dedication) J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

 ·        “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” ― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

 ·        "It is only in the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye." From The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

 LYRICS

 ·        “Be patient, is very good advice,

But the waiting makes me curious,

And I'd love the change” ― Disney's Alice In Wonderland Movie (1951) - Very Good Advice (Lyrics)

 ·        “Deep in the meadow, under the willow. A bed of grass, a soft green pillow. Lay down your head, and close your eyes. And when they open, the sun will rise. Here it's safe, and here it's warm. Here the daisies guard you from every harm. Here your dreams are sweet, and tomorrow brings them true. Here is the place where I love you.” (Lullaby Lyrics) ― Jennifer Lawrence from The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Movie

 Strange things did happen here

No stranger would it be

If we met at midnight

In the hanging tree

 Where I told you to run

So we'd both be free

 [Original line:] Wear a necklace of rope

[Line modified for effect:] Wear a necklace of hope

Side by side with me

 ―"The Hanging Tree" Lyrics (Jennifer Lawrence with James Newton Howard from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 Movie)

MOVIES

·        “Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour.” ― Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games

STUDIO GHIBLI MOVIES

·        "Sometimes You Have To Fight For The Things That Are Worth Fighting For.” - The Secret World Of Arrietty (2010)

·        “They Say That The Best Blaze Burns Brightest When Circumstances Are At Their Worst.” - Howls Moving Castle (2004)

·        "Always Believe In Yourself. Do This And No Matter Where You Are, You Will Have Nothing To Fear.” - The Cat Returns (2002)

·        "It Doesn’t Really Matter What Color Your Dress Is. What Matters Is The Heart Inside.” - Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

·        "Everybody, Try Laughing. Then Whatever Scares You Will Go Away!” - My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

·        "Life Is Suffering. It Is Hard. The World Is Cursed. But Still, You Find Reasons To Keep On Living.” - Princess Mononoke (1997)

·        "Once You've Met Someone, You Never Really Forget Them." - Spirited Away (2001)

·        “It’s Funny How You Wake Up Each Day And Never Really Know If It’ll Be One That Will Change Your Life Forever.” - The Secret World Of Arrietty (2010)

·        "Deny Death, And You Deny Life." - Tales From Earthsea (2006)

·        "You Should Never Judge Others By Their Looks." — Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008)

·        "But If His Love Isn't Pure, She'll Turn Into Sea Foam." "That Is Where We All Originate, My Darling." — Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008)

·        “I’ll always love Ponyo. Whether she’s a fish, a human, or something in-between.” — Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea (2008)

FAMOUS PRACTICIONERS QUOTES

·        “The Designer is the artist of today.” Bruno Munari

·        “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” Walt Disney

·        “One person’s craziness is another person’s reality.” Tim Burton

·        “Do everything by hand even when using the computer.” Hayao Miyazaki

·        "Humans have both the urge to create and destroy." Hayao Miyazaki

·        “You must see with eyes unclouded by hate. See the good in that which is evil, and the evil in that which is good. Pledge yourself to neither side, but vow instead to preserve the balance that exists between the two.” Hayao Miyazaki

·        “Fantasy, Creativity, Invention think. Imagination sees.” Bruno Munari

TV SERIES (GAME OF THRONES)

“Are you a sheep? No. You're a dragon. Be a dragon.” ― Lady Olenna from Game of Thrones

“Winter is coming.” ­― House Stark Motto from Game of Thrones

“Hold the door.” ― Hodor from Game of Thrones

“Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder.” ― Lord Baelish from Game of Thrones

“What do we say to the God of Death? Not Today!” ― Syrio Forel from Game of Thrones

“Valar Morghulis (All men must die). Valar Dohaeris (All men must serve)” ― from Game of Thrones

“When you play the game of thrones, you win or you die.” ― Cersei Lannister from Game of Thrones

“The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives.” ― from Game of Thrones

RONDOM (BOOKS)

You cross your arms. “Look, Joe. She’s alone. She’s scared. And she’s my friend.” ― from You (Chapter 19, pg. 175) by Caroline Kepnes

The Three Lord laughed. “You may ask anything you wish, little one. If it weren’t for you, we would be not here”. ― from Mistress of All Evil (Chapter 18 pg. 143) by Serena Valentino

The room had a central staircase with two set of stairs that both led to a second-story landing. ― from Let It Go, A Frozen Twisted Tale (Chapter 19 pg. 181) by Jen Calonita

The thing about the front bench was that it meant I had a good view. ― from How to Stop Time (Chapter London, 1599 pg. 157) by Matt Haig

Against this backdrop, once, or twice, or five times a year, somewhere in the world, there would be a recruitment. ― from Red Sparrow (Chapter 22 pg. 313) by Jason Matthews

You can’t blend in when you were born to stand out. ― from Wonder (Front Cover) by R. J. Palacio

My name is August. I won’t describe what I look like. Whatever you’re thinking, it’s probably worse. ― from Wonder (Back Cover) by R. J. Palacio

I am as harmless as a little child, but I don’t like to be dictated to. ― from Heart of Darkness (Chapter 2 pg. 60) by Joseph Conrad

Wendy: You are the littlest, and a cradle is such a nice homely thing to have about a house. ― from Peter Pan (Act IV pg. 134) by James Barrie

I was born and I have lived in a land of giants; giants have dragged me by the wrists since I was born out of my mother – the giants circumstances ―from The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (Introduction XXXIX) by R. L. Stevenson

BOOKS REVIEWS

“Has the power to move hearts and change minds” ― Guardian about Wonder by R. J. Palacio (Back cover)

“Outlandish… Heart-warming… Perceptive” ― Daily Telegraph about How to Stop Time by Matt Haig (Back Cover)

[ronnytherandom]

Accidental Animated Film Week, or Watch Me Continue To Know Nothing About Media Analysis While I Liberally Abuse The Semicolon In An Attempt To Sound Smart

18/1/2021: Hotel Transylvania Lots of fun but this is a weird one, varies drastically in some strange ways. The comedy takes hit and miss to extremes, simultaneously being laugh out loud hilarious and possessing moments of ungodly cringe. The pacing is unbalanced with the first half feeling awkward, taking a while to really get into; the latter much too fast and not taking the necessary time, some scenes seeming to serve their function as minimally as possible. This metronome of quality exists primarily in these respects and is quite noticeable, but doesn’t ruin the experience and I think that’s testament to just how good the rest of it can be, though there are still caveats. The animation is fantastic, incredibly expressive and creates truly hilarious physical comedy, and I feel this is to be expected of a Genndy Tartakovsky film, I grew up with and deeply appreciate his animated features. The emotional core of the story really begins to hit in the latter half and is very effective though the Zing concept I take issue with the name because it just sounds too silly without being humorous; its just a weird little gripe, the word zing annoys me. That said I was genuinely invested in this love story which is a feat, I’m not a romantic person at all. The acting is generally very good, I enjoy the expanded cast and Adam Sandler is excellent but Andy Samberg’s Johnny has an accent that gets on my nerves and feels like he’s being a bit too heavy handed with it. Again, just a little gripe. The message is clear and heartfelt, strange as it seems to make the message for the parents of the features target audience it still works and resembles in parts the “dadification” that’s been occurring in media (especially video games) over the past decade. Ultimately, it’s a good time so long as you can deal with a few groan inducing moments and a little strangeness.

19/1/2021: Princess Mononoke Holy shit, why haven’t I watched this sooner. Transcendentally good! My new favourite film, an absolutely incredible achievement. For fear of wading into sub v dub controversy the English dub is good though I’m definitely going to watch it subbed at some point. Its Studio Ghibli, everyone knows that Miyazaki runs a fantastic operation, thus the art and animation is faultless. There are moments where every single frame is a true work of art. Induces nostalgia though I’ve never seen it before, the art style and tone of the soundtrack are endemic to the late 90s and remind me of the animation from my childhood. The message is also wonderfully nuanced, focusing less on Humanity’s responsibility for the natural world but rather a reconciliation between the ambition of humanity and the life of our world through respect and veneration of that which we’re dependent on to survive. I love the world so much; I think one of this film’s pinnacle achievements is conveying the impression of a deep living world with relatively little worldbuilding. Just watch it aight, everyone needs to watch it. Fucking Incredible.

20/1/2021: The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (rewatch)

Very Fun. Powerful nostalgia, I think I saw this literally hundreds of times as a child, may have had the whole thing memorised, and have always been a huge fan of the SpongeBob series. Even despite that I think there’s a lot of quality here. Pretty much every aspect of the film is enjoyable and well done, even if I think the moments featuring real people are kind of awkward. The gags and humour mostly hold up but I don’t think they have aged so well as the original run of the series, but there’s not much as can live up to that standard. Has a little to say about being a goofball, but ultimately its all about the gags for me with this one.

21/1/2021: Nausicaa: Valley of The Wind

Magnificent. Meaningfully very similar to Princess Mononoke, not quite as good, but still very worthwhile. I really like the mid-century sci fi vibe going on here and think the worldbuilding is excellent, though some of the expository dialogue is a little clumsy. I imagine there’s a little bit of nuance lost in the dub but cannot be certain as I don’t understand Japanese. That said, the voice acting is generally good. The art is magnificent, as it is wont to be in Studio Ghibli films; or in this case the proto-studio-Ghibli-film. That every culture has its distinct style is one of my favourite things, amongst which rank the Ohmu, Nausicaas glider and most of all Teto. Look at his little tongue! Most of all I love the ecosystem that arises from the polluted earth, how the earth cleans itself, it is a spectacular thought. I have an interesting thought about the soundtrack, specifically during actions sequences. The musical quality is good, especially the main theme, but there are issues with the editing of the action sequences’ music which intrigue me. Because the edit is always jarring and I don’t think the style of music necessarily fits the film; but I think it is a technical limitation, that contemporary audio systems were not necessarily able to apply the soundtrack in a less jarring manner. Just an interesting thought I had and I may look into the history of sound software etc. to see if that’s right. I think it is a beautiful work and well worth watching, I enjoyed it greatly.

23/1/2021: Howl’s Moving Castle

Good. Far and away less impactful than Mononoke and Nausicaa but still very good. Standard Ghibli points: Its beautiful, well animated and full of character. I find all the lead characters quite charming and well performed; it is set in a very interesting world with lots of interesting quirks and cool magic. Further it is powerfully meaningful, with a clear statement on confidence and empowerment. There’s just something about this one where the vibe is slightly off and I could not fully explain why. It feels disjointed, as though all the parts of the world are not fully connected. I feel like if you were to list the plot points in order some would be labelled “??????? Make it happen” as some events and conclusions are reached without purpose or motivation. Only some though and I’m not trying to seriously say it doesn’t make sense that’s just how I feel in post. I enjoyed it but I feel like I don’t fully understand this one.

24/1/2021: Spirited Away

Beautiful. This one I think is the best showcase of Ghibli’s style: the art is beautiful; the water is viscous and the spirits are fantastically grotesque. There’s a vibrant world shown here with a lot of charming characters and expressive animation which I think creates the most visually stunning of the Ghibli films that I’ve seen so far, though I fear I’m a bit basic and unsophisticated as I still prefer what I recognise as more traditional fantasy and sci-fi worlds like Mononoke and Nausicaa. I feel the story is also a well nuanced coming of age tale as it balances between relying on your friends and standing up for yourself. I also really like Yubaba or more generally how antagonism is handled throughout this movie; and to an extent in the broader Ghibli canon. Rather than create comically evil villains who exist purely to do bad these features all showcase antagonists with genuine sensible motivations driving their action and the only thing defining them as antagonists is the framing and perspective. On that point you could argue that Yubaba is the closest to a genuine villain but I think the materialist-critical aspects are more of an aside than a genuine statement, as appreciable as they are.