#so much character development could have been done

[agarafile]

shinyduo/gempearl nation we are SO BACK so it's time to overanalyze these freaks again

something about the genuine resignation and belief that gem has about how, no matter what she does or how she presents herself to be, her reputation as 'geminislay' always leads to her being perceived as dangerous and a target in the life series. so she has just kinda resigned herself to fit into the role and expects others to not like her from the beginning. i would say this is kinda character development for controlfreakazoid3000 (but also. it doesn't feel like it)

HOWEVER pearl's reaction when she heard gem say that was so important to me. it's such a little interaction but i think it speaks as how in pearl's eyes gem has always been more than geminislay and her 'all-knowing' competent nature. and it's not like grian's reaction who hears gem and accepts her words as the truth despite the skepticism. pearl hears her and she REJECTS the idea; at first, she might think it's gem just being silly and lying for the funsies, but by the end of the conversation when she quietly goes "what do you mean" before gem decides that they should be villains, i think pearl realizes that gem sorta does genuinely believe it. maybe we are finally seeing them take steps into resolving their issues and understading each other ESPECIALLY with that last conversation in pearl's episode (which is driving me up the wall the fact that it was INTERRUPTED-).

shiny duo your dynamic and storyline will never not be peak

YAY OVERANALIZING GEMPEARL!!!!

you are so right, anon!! i love how pearl takes gem serious with that small convo, bc it is a core trait of gem's character. she is paranoid over it. but also? pearl is the one that had to learn, from experience, that a previous season doesn't matter when starting anew. pearl being the one to guide gem through it? delicious food for thought, fr

i think it is really interesting how their dynamic is shifting this season. shiny duo really does graviate into each other's orbits naturally, so working together is a really rational next step for them. grian phrased it as looking for "the strongest members" but it is important how they are not only strong on their own, but how they work together. and shiny duo works so well together

their goals are aligned most of the time. they compliment each other's pvp style (gem is a sprint and crit, she shines best with close combat, while pearl is good at the long combat style, bows and timing and using resources in her favor, especially her common use of wolves). and they are loyal. omg shiny duo is a very loyal pair. obviously to their teammates, but especially to each other. even when in their "divorce era", you could see how dedicated they were

WHICH!!! BRINGS ME TO MY POSSIBLY FAVORITE DYNAMIC WE'LL GET THIS SEASON!!

shiny duo is protective of each other. pearl has already shown she heavily disagress with the way gem reputation follows ger through seasons when she hasn't done anything. gem is quick to defend pearl when it seems she is being even remotetly made fun of. all this while pearl says she is "going to take care of gem". all this while glorifying the violent impulses they have. all this while gem call her "my pearl"

i am very excited to watch them this season, really. i loved their toxic yuri, but i am so ready for the mutual support that will happen this time around. i still cannot believe they even teamed up!!!

narrativly speaking? shiny duo still has A LOT to work to do. i don't think they can fully trust each other yet. but by god, they want to. they want to so much they are willing to hold onto each other and ignore the dagger they are pointing into the other's back.

[wisteria-lodge]

Gonna add a disclaimer so people are aware of my biases before talking about my main point with this Ask, I have mixed-feelings on Hinny — in that I don’t love them canonically and would’ve preferred Harry end up with Luna  if he had to get with a girl, but that I do love the concept of what Hinny could’ve been (i.e. them bonding over experiencing loneliness/afraid of being possessed/Tom Riddle/growing braver together) instead of what canon gave us (Harry suddenly realizing Ginny’s hot & brave + chest monster = Romance). With that said, I know many people wished that JKR wrote/developed Hinny more in the books - but ironically, I think it was for the best that she wrote very little about their actual relationship. Maybe this is a stretch but given how all her other romantic HP relationships are handled (and even in her other books outside of HP) - I feel like if JKR did put a lot of effort into writing Hinny’s romance she would’ve severely butchered it. And what I mean by that is that she would’ve tried extremely hard to sell Hinny as this “Perfect Match” to the point it would’ve negatively affected both Harry and Ginny’s character in the long run.

Y’know the quotes that often make people pause and go “-Huh?? 🤨” with Hinny?:

“—I knew you wouldn’t be happy unless you were hunting Voldemort. Maybe that’s why I like you so much.” (From HBP)

&

“She was not tearful; that was one of the many wonderful things about Ginny, she was rarely weepy.”  (From DH)

I get the feeling we would've gotten way more dialogue like this if JKR’s put a bigger spotlight on Hinny to paint this picture of an epic, heroic romance - to which I say, thank god she didn’t. And this is just two obvious instances of canon!Hinny being written strangely, with there being other moments people have pointed out in more well-written metas.  

My main point being: the more JKR writes about Hinny, the less and less appealing it ironically becomes (from my perspective anyways).

Besides Harry being able to legally become apart of the Weasley family through marrying Ginny (which has more to do with Harry’s desire to have a normal life/be apart of a family than having to do with Ginny herself as a person), the many empty blanks JKR left readers about their relationship ironically “helps” the pairing as it leaves it up to the readers to do the heavy lifting of justifying their relationship post-canon via headcanons that fit their personal likes…. which is just a whole other can-of-worms that begs the question; can a canon pairing be considered good if fans are the ones making it interesting  and not the author? This would fine if Hinny wasn’t canon (since the fun in shipping is all about putting characters together and imagining what could make them work), but considering that Hinny is canon it leaves a lot to be desired writing-wise in the romance aspect. Again, many of the reasons I tend to like Hinny are because of concepts/ideas fans come up with — not because of what JKR wrote. 

All this to say JKR not writing more for Hinny benefited the pairing more than her actually writing for it did, which could be said for a lot of romantic relationships in HP and says a lot about JKR’s writing skills in romance. Wouldn’t be surprised if she gets help from a Romance Author to write Hinny and adds new scenes between Harry and Ginny in the HBO show to 1)fix the writing issues Hinny had in the books, and 2) ensure people know that they’re the superior pairing (which is subjective at the end of the day with any fictional pairing and varies between people’s personal tastes). 

In the grand scheme of things, I think a majority of people are fine/feel whatever 🤷 about Hinny since it gives Harry his ~Happily Ever After~. It’s not revolutionary and the tropes it follows has been done before in literature, so it was a safe bet albeit one people debate whether it was well-executed. Still though, I find it funny (or sad?) that the reason I’m okay with Hinny for the most part is because of how much JKR didn’t do for the relationship in canon which left me to imagine whatever.

I think this is the case with a lot of HP worldbuilding and characterization, not just Hinny. The books generally do a pretty great job of giving you juuuust enough breadcrumbs that you can string them together into something interesting. And then, when JKR tries to fill in the "gaps" in the worldbuilding with Pottermore content, interviews, the Fantastic Beasts Movies, the Cursed Child... the fan response is overwhelmingly 'what?' and 'noooo.' Even the most canon-compliant fic and meta writers out there are now in a position where they have to pick what parts of "canon" they consider "canon" because it really is that contradictory.

I've written about JKR's apparent issues with/aversion to writing romance, and I think Hinny is probably hit the absolute hardest. It is *staggering* how little Hinny content actually exists on the page. It's a lot of “Harry could not help himself talking to Ginny, laughing with her, walking back from practice with her” and “[Harry] was supposedly finishing his Herbology homework but in reality reliving a particularly happy hour he had spent down by the lake with Ginny at lunchtime.” Mostly, their compatibility as a couple is expressed through their compatibility in battle scenarios - they do a lot of non-verbal communication, and generally seem to be in the right spot/have the info the other needs/fight well at each other's backs. The only scenes of Harry and Ginny interacting as a couple outside of that context are:

“You’d think people had better things [than our relationship] to gossip about,” said Ginny, as she sat on the common room floor, leaning against Harry’s legs and reading the Daily Prophet. “Three dementor attacks in a week, and all Romilda Vane does is ask me if it’s true you’ve got a hippogriff tattooed across your chest.” Ron and Hermione both roared with laughter. Harry ignored them. “What did you tell her?” “I told her it’s a Hungarian Horntail,” said Ginny, turning a page of the newspaper idly. “Much more macho.” “Thanks,” said Harry, grinning. “And what did you tell her Ron’s got?” “A Pygmy Puff, but I didn’t say where.”

“I suppose I’m just going to have to accept that he really is going to marry [Fleur],” sighed Ginny later that evening, as she, Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat beside the open window of the Gryffindor common room, looking out over the twilit grounds. “She’s not that bad,” said Harry. “Ugly, though,” he added hastily, as Ginny raised her eyebrows, and she let out a reluctant giggle. “Well, I suppose if Mum can stand it, I can.”

Ginny looked up into Harry’s face, took a deep breath, and said, “Happy seventeenth.” “Yeah . . . thanks.” She was looking at him steadily; he, however, found it difficult to look back at her; it was like gazing into a brilliant light. “Nice view,” he said feebly, pointing toward the window. She ignored this. He could not blame her. “I couldn’t think what to get you,” she said. “You didn’t have to get me anything.” She disregarded this too. “I didn’t know what would be useful. Nothing too big, because you wouldn’t be able to take it with you.” He chanced a glance at her. She was not tearful; that was one of the many wonderful things about Ginny, she was rarely weepy. He had sometimes thought that having six brothers must have toughened her up. She took a step closer to him. “So then I thought, I’d like you to have something to remember me by, you know, if you meet some veela when you’re off doing whatever you’re doing.” “I think dating opportunities are going to be pretty thin on the ground, to be honest.” “There’s the silver lining I’ve been looking for,” she whispered, and then she was kissing him as she had never kissed him before, and Harry was kissing her back, and it was blissful oblivion, better than firewhisky

And like - that's not much. And it's certainly not the extremely compelling fanon Hinny where they're bonding over issues of personal autonomy, and their uniquely complicated relationship with Voldemort.

And, of course I have to end with my own favorite 'huh?' Hinny quote.

“Well, that was a bit stupid of you [to not talk to anyone],” said Ginny angrily, “seeing as you don’t know anyone but me who’s been possessed by You-Know-Who, and I can tell you how it feels.” Harry remained quite still as the impact of these words hit him. Then he turned on the spot to face her. “I forgot,” he said.

/facepalm/

[my-sun-m00n-and-stars]

Cad Bane Character Analysis: Part 9--Evil Plans

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In this blog series I will be going through all of Cad Bane's appearances in Star Wars Canon, and making commentary on what each piece of media reflects about his character.

It's time for my favorite Bane arc! These episodes are so wonderfully stupid and silly. Let's dive in.

Jabba has hired Bane to steal the floor plans to the senate from Padme's droid.

TODO IS ALIIIIVVVEEE. Like I mentioned before, we learn from the Trivia gallery that Todo is rebuilt by Anakin after he blows up, and he escapes and finds his way back to Bane.

How cute is that? He's like a trusty dog. I can't help but wonder at what Bane's reaction would have been to Todo showing up on his doorstep once more. Outwardly, he would be nonchalant and exasperated. But I think secretly he would have been pleased, and a bit touched. He does value loyalty above all else, after all. This marks a turning point in their relationship, where Bane starts to see his value a bit more. From now on he doesn't bash him as much as he did in the holocron arc, and shows him a bit more respect.

He's also working with an IG unit. I think he works with droids when he just needs a chauffeur/menial tasks completed that he doesn't want to pay someone for.

How did he know that Threepio and Artoo would be there? The only explanation I can think of is that he was watching them from when they left Padme's apartment.

I wonder whose idea this little act was. I bet it was Todo. He knows that he's a diva that could sell it.

Bane takes threepio over to the industrial sector, where he has set up a little evil lair. Looks just like where he grew up! I don't think that was intentional, but he probably feels more comfortable in an area like this, where he knows what to expect.

Another scene of him being very touchy with his prisoner, except this time it's a sexless droid. Like I said before, I think he just likes making his prisoners uncomfortable, irrespective of his own attraction to them. He can't help that he has sexual tension with the entire cast.

He starts torturing threepio. I'm not too sure what the purpose of torturing a droid is, given that they don't have pain receptors. Threepio is exclaiming, so maybe it's overloading him? I think Bane just does it for the love of the game, honestly. He looks a bit bored, though. The only things he interacts with this episode are droids. They don't provide enough personality for him, I guess. That's why Todo is special.

I also notice that all throughout the Clone Wars, he has this tick of examining his nails---only he doesn't have nails. There's nothing to examine except his fingertips. I think he developed it from 1) Hanging around Jango and other sentients with nails more, and 2) Wanting to always display casual, indifferent body language to those around him. Or 3) He wants to make sure there's nothing on his fingers that could inhibit his shooting.

He's surprisingly expressive in the next scene, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration. He does not like it when things don't go his way. People often describe him as cool and collected, but honestly? This man has zero emotional regulation. He is a D1 crashout. He IS calm under pressure and in the face of danger, but the minute there's anything that bothers him emotionally, you're gonna hear about it.

He is so done with threepio's shit. I lost count of how many times he sighed and shook his head this episode. He's such a drama queen.

He's so corny. Such a dramatic line. Further contributes to the idea of his inflated ego and grandiose self-image. He's really drinking his own kool-aid.

He's got his ship, the Xanadu Blood, back!

Xanadu: An idealized place of great magnificence and beauty. So together, the ship name could mean that he likes causing harm to opulent or good things. Or, it could mean that his blood comes from an idealized place. Just something to chew on.

He also somehow regained this ship from Jedi custody. That must have been an adventure in of itself. He really wanted that starfighter, huh?

Woof, that's a lot of money. In cash, no less. Would Bane even have a bank account? Or does he just keep his money under his mattress? He must have some kind of fraudulent account set up somewhere. It's impractical to take every payment in cash. But at the same time, I doubt he would trust some other entity with his money. Hmm. I'll have to think on that one.

He does not give AF who he's talking to. He does not like to be laughed at. The only person he stomaches disrespect from is Sidious, and that's because he KNOWS Sidious could beat his ass.

Back at the nonchalance. Come on, Bane, you know that you're going to take this job. You're salivating at the prospect. But you can't let it show, can you?

Why is this twi'lek lowkey eyeing him up? Me too, girl, me too. She saw that fat stack of cash he just got.

Look how pleased he is with himself. He LOVES hearing that. He gets to feel superior.

This implies that he knew ancient Huttese. I wonder how many other languages he knows? That's so neat. He's probably self taught, like how he was with most things. I doubt Lazlo was giving him language lessons.

What an enterprising spirit. He can be extroverted when he wants to be. He just barges in on this meeting with the five Hutt crime lords, not a care in the world as he advertises himself. It's all about networking, baby. Jabba always looks so pleased with him in this episode. Finally somebody competent.

My biggest takeaway from this episode is that he can be quite expressive and dramatic with his body language. I think that Cad Bane is not just who he is, it's also a character that he plays up. All of the suave one-liners, the body language---he knows it further adds to this image he wants to curate of himself. But make no mistake, he's not pretending. This is method acting. This is who he is. He just enjoys exaggerating himself.

Let him romanticize his life, y'all. He's having fun.

Next

[wildstar25]

MiqoMarch Day 11 - Loss

[luck-of-the-drawings]

so REVENGE, HUH? or justice, if that makes you feel better. it tastes the same when cooked just right. 'I REALLY WANTED A BROTHER.' such a shame to burn a bridge you so desperately wanted to keep, especially when it wasnt even you who started the fire. especially when you hope that not a single fragment of that bridge ever washes ashore.[MAY IT ROT FAR FROM MY SIGHTS] an unfortunate loss! atleast he has his friends.

[jiisoooo]

watched kpop demon hunters and surprisingly really enjoyed it (I had low hopes cuz I wasn't feeling the first 30 minutes but it got better!)

however it would be sooo much better as a show bc there was just so much crammed in only 90 minutes! Like the concept is really cool and fun and there's so much more to explore with it

[ttomuras]

the last five chapters were extremely rushed and the ending feels generic and boring to me. like i literally joked about how there is going to be a timeskip, deku is gonna be a teacher and they’ll have a pull-out-your-ass solution about how deku can still be a hero. joked in a “this is too goofy” way just like ppl joked about “this is our hero academia”. this feels v?? goofy?? but in a not fun way for me

[sulfurrrr]

s2 of arcane was so pretty and fun to watch but. idkkkk the way they kept adding characters and storylines and stuff made the entire thing feel like an advertisement for LoL.

[geddy-leesbian]

I've got 2 long rants about how much I despise 99% of Umbrella Chronicles and CVX sitting in my drafts not sure if I want to post them bc it could be swinging a bat at a hornet nest for sure

[blackdigitalrose]

You and Idol Precure♪ - EP 17

I can't be the only one that's disappointed by the result? After that amazing set up in 16, the main trio don't end up saving Cutty, despite all that build up and ties to him, no digging deep and finding a new song out of a shared desire to save Cutty upon learning of his support and knowing this isn't what he wants.

Nope, instead we get the two newcomers, with zero connection to Cutty to come in and save the day in a very pointless manner and so effortlessly to that the original trio's efforts just seem pathetic and all for naught in comparison. It just feels like they dropped the ball on this one.

[white-cat-of-doom]

Griddlebone Playlist

This playlist is meant to outline the complex (and fundamental) emotion of love, and the pitfalls and joys of chasing after something grand that requires another to reciprocate the affection.

More specifically for this set of songs, the want for love while having the feeling that something is not quite right, either with the other individual involved, or within your own mind. Through isolating oneself into hollow emptiness after heartbreak, and due to feeling devoid of being wanted, it is hard to be vulnerable and let anyone back into a place of emotional attachment.

Did you ever actually feel what 'love' was? Are you really deserving of being loved? After everything, wherever can you find it?

川口雅代 (Masayo Kawaguchi) – Melty

ROMY – LOVE コマーシャル (Love Commercial)

越美晴 (Miharu Koshi) – 恋はファニー・フィーリング (Love Is A Funny Feeling)

宮原芽映 (Mebae Miyahara) – 悪魔のように微笑んで (Smiling Like A Devil)

いしだあゆみ & ティン・パン・アレイ・ファミリ(Ayumi Ishida & Tin-Pan-Alley-Family) – 私自身 (Myself)

麗美 (REIMY) – シャドー・ブレイ (Shadow Play)

竹内まりや (Mariya Takeuchi) – プラスティック・ラブ (Plastic Love)

工藤順子 (Junko Kudo) – 夕顔姐さん (Ms. Yugao)

Meow Meow & Thomas Lauderdale – Hotel Amour

Tracks 1 and 2, 3 and 4, 5 through 7, and 8 and 9, are meant to represent different sections of time in the life of the Queen.

Signature song with playlist: Meow Meow & Thomas Lauderdale – Hotel Amour

Track One: 川口雅代 (Masayo Kawaguchi) – Melty

“ううん･･･ ････何でもないけれど 少し 不安になっただけ" ("Ugh... ...It's nothing, but I just felt a little anxious") 知られた分だけ わたしから 冷めてゆくのが こわいから (I'm afraid that the more you know, the more you'll grow colder from me) "･･･そうよ･･･” (That’s right…”) すき間もない程に 昨夜 ひとつになったの (Last night we became one, with no gaps between us) しがみついたら 微笑うけど どうしていいのか わからない (I smile when I hold on to you, but I don't know what to do) Melty 手を引かれて 溶かし溶かされ 充たされるはずなのに (My hand should be pulled away, melted, melted, and filled up) Melty つかめないの どうしてかしら? 肩すかしされた 気分 (I can't grasp it, why? I feel like I've been ignored) 何にも言わずに 抱き寄せて (Without saying anything, I hold you close) 朝の光が あなたの景色変えないうちに (Before the morning light changes your scenery) “いやよ” ("No, no") ･･･言いかけてやめるのは うまく 言い聞かせるつもりね (...I'm trying to convince you to stop when I say it) 困らせたいの! (I want to embarrass you!) "お見通し” ("Foresight") 小悪魔ぶっても かなわない (Even if I act like a little devil, I can't compete) Melty 手を引かれて 溶かし溶かされ 充たされるはず充たされるはずなのになのに (My hand should be pulled away, melted, melted, and filled up) Melty つかめないの どうしてかしら? (I can't grasp it, why?) 何かが 違ってゆくの 何も言わせず 抱き寄せて (Something is going to be different, don't let me say anything, hold me close) めかくししてね ちぐはぐなこと 言わないうちに (Before I get too confused and say something foolish) Melty 手を引かれて 溶かし溶かされ 充たされるはずなのに (My hand should be pulled away, melted, melted, and filled up) Melty つかめないの どうしてかしら? 肩すかしされた気分 (I can't grasp it, why? I feel like I've been ignored) 何も言わずに 抱き寄せて (Hold me close without saying anything) めかくししててね (Please cover your eyes) 朝の光で 見えないうちに (Before you can see it in the morning light)

The initial apprehension of being more intimately involved, emotionally and physically, with another person comes with the realization that she felt nothing when it happened. She should be able to feel a deeper connection, but something is not right, and instead pretends and acts accordingly like everything is fine.

Track Two: ROMY – LOVE コマーシャル (Love Commercial)

指の中で タバコふかし 何もないのに 愛にまみれた (I smoked a cigarette in my fingers and was covered in love, even though there was nothing there) 気にするコトが 自分以外の あの人に対する 愛の神経 (What I worry about is the nerves of love for someone other than myself) いつか見た あの人はいない 私の人には ならなかった (That person I saw someday wasn't the same person I was) 私はなまけて ただならぬ犬より (I'm better than a lazy dog) ただの人を 選んでみただけ (I just picked a person) 私のコントロール あえてコントロール こわくてコントロール あえてコントロール 心に 私まかせ コントロール (My control, dare to control, I'm afraid to control, dare to control, leave it to my heart to control me) 頭の中で おもいふかし 何があるのか 夢のざわめき (I wonder what's going on inside my head, The buzz of dreams) ただならぬ人だから あえて こわがって あの人に対する 愛の恐怖 (Because he is an extraordinary person, I dare to be afraid of him, and the fear of love towards him) 抱かれる日は 心 うきあし もうひとりの私 かくしきれない (The days when I'm held in your arms, I feel happy, and I can't hide my other self) 私のコントロール あえてコントロール こわくてコントロール あえてコントロール 心に 私まかせ コントロール (My control, dare to control, I'm afraid to control, dare to control, leave it to my heart to control me)

A reflection on not feeling love when, or to the level, you think you should, while worrying how it will affect your partner. There is a comfort in being together with someone, but that surface level connection will eventually face the challenge of it being something more for them, and she is not prepared or ready for that.

Ultimately, it is up to Griddlebone to move forward in the best way that makes sense to her, and that path is one alone.

Track Three: 越美晴 (Miharu Koshi) – 恋はファニー・フィーリング (Love Is A Funny Feeling)

彼は時間に遅れて 私は指輪を忘れた だけど ゴメンも言わずに つまらぬ言い訳ごっこ 空は春 時は今 幸せですと言わんばかり だけど 二人の心は ちぎれ雲 (He was late and I forgot my ring But we don't say sorry, we make boring excuses, And the sky keeps saying that we're happy now in spring but our hearts are torn apart by clouds) 恋はファニー・フィーリング かまわず回る 恋はファニー・フィーリング 慣れっ子 だけど (Love revolves around funny feelings, but love is used to funny feelings) 彼は口笛吹きながら 私 ため息つきながら 通り過ぎる 街角 小鳥の歌だけ響く (He was whistling, I pass by with a sigh, Only the song of a small bird echoes on the street corner) いろんなことが あったけど みんないい思い出ばかり だから ここらでピリオド それがいい (A lot has happened, but we all have only good memories, So it's good to have the end around here) 恋はファニー・フィーリング 手を振りながら 恋はファニー・フィーリング 深刻ぶらず 歌いながら 笑ってサヨナラするわ オー ファニー オー ファニー ファニ ファニ オー フィーリング オー ファニー オー ファニー ファニ ファニ オー フィーリング (Love is a funny feeling, while waving, Love is a funny feeling, don't take it seriously, I'll laugh and say goodbye while singing Oh Funny Oh Funny Funny funny oh feeling Oh Funny Oh Funny Funny funny oh feeling)

In a goal to subside the loneliness and longing to feel proper love, Griddlebone moves through relationships over time to find the elusive 'love' she believes is out there. Scared of getting too involved with someone she holds minimal emotion for, she breaks off any connection before feelings develop from the other party, and plays it off as something lighthearted.

Despite her efforts, she cannot find someone who fulfills her inside the way she thinks love should be.

Track Four: 宮原芽映 (Mebae Miyahara) – 悪魔のように微笑んで (Smiling Like A Devil)

罠をしかけ待ってるん 悪魔のように 微笑んで (I'm setting a trap up and waiting for you, smiling like a devil) さあ ドアを 叩いて ドアを ひらいて (Come on, knock on the door, open the door) 泣きまねの 電話 かけて 街灯り 胸はずませ (I made a phone call imitating crying, and the street lights made my heart flutter) あの人を 呼び出したの (I called that person) 数えては 時間をかせぐ (Counting the time to buy myself some) 優しさを 言い訳して 赤い血が 流れる前に (Kindness, before I make excuses and red blood flows) 嘘をつく ずるいあなた 忘れてよ あの娘の事は (Forget about lying You're so cunning about that girl) 罠をしかけ待ってるん 悪魔のように 微笑んで (I'm setting a trap up and waiting for you, smiling like a devil) さあ ドアを 叩いて ドアを ひらいて (Come on, knock on the door, open the door) 待つだけの 女なんて さよならよ 今夜こそは (Say goodbye to the woman who only waits, tonight) 愛の 糸 足にからませ あの人を もう逃がさない (I'll let the thread of love entwine around my legs and never let that person slip away again) 罠をしかけ待ってるん 悪魔のように 微笑んで (I'm setting a trap up and waiting for you, smiling like a devil) さあ ドアを 叩いて ドアを ひらいて (Come on, knock on the door, open the door)

A new connection with someone shows promise, but she discovers that her partner is a cheater, something that hurts Griddlebone in a way that she has not experienced before. Not used to being treated as a second thought, and feeling like she is not worthy of love if made so inconsequential, she plots to destroy and expose her partner for what they have done to her.

All the joy and hope that she felt in locating a person that is right for her is now crushed, and she vows to not let herself be taken advantage of ever again in the pursuit of love.

Track Five: いしだあゆみ & ティン・パン・アレイ・ファミリ(Ayumi Ishida & Tin-Pan-Alley-Family) – 私自身 (Myself)

ひとりソファーに寝ころんで 恋の歌聞くでもなし 歌うでもなし (I lie alone on the sofa and listen to love songs, but I don't sing them) 私は日暮れを見つめています (I'm staring at the sunset) 部屋の窓には東京湾の 船の灯が小さく揺れて (In the window of the room, the lights of the ships in Tokyo Bay sway slightly) 一人ぐらしに疲れた時は 結婚なんか考えてます (When I get tired of living alone, I think about marriage) 夜汽車で旅に出る時は 色のない写真のように 素顔のままで 東京駅から出かけています (When I travel by night train, I leave Tokyo Station with my bare face, just like a colourless photograph) 幾度か恋にこの身を灼いて 歌を忘れた私だけれど (I have forgotten how to sing because my body has been burnt by love many times) 淋しさだけを心に積んで 今日もぽつんと歌っています (But today, I sing alone once again with only loneliness in my heart) くちづけ交す恋人にさえ 私の気持は言えないでしょう (I can't even tell my feelings to my lover who kisses me) 人に知られず流した涙 (The tears I shed without anyone knowing) 私は今日も歌っています････ (I'm still singing today...)

Moving on from her heartbreak, Griddlebone refrains from being involved with anyone else for a lengthy period of time, as that means she cannot be hurt once again. However, she cannot help but feel that the emptiness inside her continues to grow as time passes, even if she tries to remain strong willed. Her thinking is that she does not need anyone to sustain her happiness if she keeps the love she has to give tightly held internally.

Track Six: 麗美 (REIMY) – シャドー・ブレイ (Shadow Play)

淋しい��顔と 言われるのに馴れても (Even if I get used to being told that my smile is lonely) 真夜中の鏡 覗けばつぶやくの (When I look into the mirror in the middle of the night, I whisper) Say, Love is the shadow play, shadow play Love is the shadow play 恋しても (Even if I fall in love) Love is the shadow play, shadow play, shadow play ひとりぼっちじゃ怖い (I'm scared of being alone) 街角の華やかさに 気がつけば急ぎ足 (If you notice the glamour on the street corner, hurry up) 片思いのままなら 恋も失くさず済むでしょう (If you keep your love unrequited, you won't lose your love) Say, Love is the shadow play, shadow play, shadow play Love is the shadow play, 密やかに (Secretly) Love is the shadow play, shadow play, shadow play 遠くあなた見てる (I'm watching you from afar) 気づかないで (Don't notice) darling 壊さないで (Don't break it) wow wow Love Love Love Love Love Love, darling, Love Love Love Love is the shadow play

Her loneliness begins to swell to a point of action, and Griddlebone cannot ignore it or remain dormant for much longer. She is unhappy being completely alone, and wants to feel any form of connection with another, but does not want to be hurt again.

Feeling unworthy of being loved due to her faults, her past pursuit of love becomes less of a task to complete and more of a buried burden she has to carry.

In order to protect herself from emotional suffering, she develops a cold façade to protect herself with.

Track Seven: 竹内まりや (Mariya Takeuchi) – プラスティック・ラブ (Plastic Love)

突然のキスや 熱いまなざしで (With a sudden kiss and a passionate gaze) 恋のプログラムを 狂わせないでね (Do not cause a malfunction to the love program) 出逢いと別れ 上手に打ち込んで (Type in encounters and separations well) 時間がくれば終わる (When the time comes, it ends) Don't hurry! 愛に傷ついた あの日からずっと (Since the day I was heartbroken, I've been having a life) 昼と夜が逆の 暮らしを続けて (That's been reversed between day and night) はやりのDiscoで 踊り明かすうちに (While dancing the nights away at the popular disco) おぼえた魔術なのよ (There is a magic I've learned) I'm sorry! わたしのことを決して 本気で愛さないで (Never love me seriously) 恋なんてただのゲーム 楽しめばそれでいいの (Love is just a game, all I need is to have fun with it) 閉ざした心を飾る 派手なドレスも靴も (The showy dresses and shoes decorating my closed heart) 孤独な友達 (Are my lonely friends) わたしを誘う人は 皮肉なものね いつも 彼に似てるわなぜか 思い出と重なり合う (The men who flirt with me are Ironically always similar to him for some reason My memories with him are overlapped) グラスを落として急に 涙ぐんでも わけは尋ねないでね (Don’t ask me why even if I drop my glass and suddenly glisten with tears) 夜更けの高速で 眠りにつくころ (When I fall asleep by the highway at dawn) ハロゲンライトだけ 妖しく輝く (Only halogen lights are mysteriously shining) 氷のように冷たい女だと ささやく声がしても (Although somebody is whispering that I’m an icy cold woman) Don't worry! I'm just playing games I know that's plastic love Dance to the plastic beat Another morning comes

Relationships become more of a pursuit of pleasure, rather than meaningful connection, for Griddlebone. A cycle of one night encounters to keep her company before the new day begins and she starts over again with someone new. Her self-worth starts to become tied with being seen as attractive and desirable by another person. She has convinced herself that this lifestyle will quell the void inside of her, although she knows in her heart that she is still painfully lonely. The isolation does not cease, no matter how many individuals she crosses path with.

Maybe one day she will not feel this way, but she believes it is her fault that everything turned out the way it has to this point.

Track Eight: 工藤順子 (Junko Kudo) – 夕顔姐さん (Ms. Yugao)

夕顔姐さん 部屋には 夏でもね (Yugao-san, even if it's summer in your room) こたつが置いてある 束ねたコードを つついてる 退屈な 白い猫が家族 (A bored white cat is pecking at the bundled cords next to the kotatsu table) 今夜のお座敷 長過ぎる いつもなら (The tatami room tonight is too long, as normal) 帰ってる時間 (Time to go home) お勝手の隅の 猫メシは 山盛りで (In the corner of the kitchen, there is a mountain of cat food) とても食べきれない (I can't eat it all) 明かりは点いてても 時計の音ばかり そろそろ聞こえて来る はずなのに (Even though the lights are on, all I can hear is the ticking of the clock) 夕顔姐さんの下駄の音 (The sound of Yugao-nee’s geta) 夕顔姐さんの下駄の音 (The sound of Yugao-nee’s geta) 夕顔姐さん 来年 数えでね 六十三になる (Yugao-san, I'll be turning 63 next year) 近頃男はダメだね 粋じゃない それが口ぐせです (Men are no good these days. It's not classy. That's what they say.) 衣ずれの裾は 萩の花 つい昨日 かけたパーマネント (The hem of my clothes was like a clover flower, a permanence that I wore just yesterday) 西に傾いた 大きな お月様 帰りを急がせる (The big moon leaning to the west hurries my return home) 浮かれ足の男 物欲し気な女 (A playful man, a wistful woman) 若いネオンの街に カラコロと (In a young neon city, colourfully) 夕顔姐さんの下駄の音 (The sound of Yugao-nee’s geta) 夕顔姐さんの下駄の音 (The sound of Yugao-nee’s geta) 細い路地に入ると 犬達が吠えだす 待ちくたびれた猫は夢で聞く (When I enter a narrow alley, the dogs start barking, and the tired cat hears it in a dream) 夕顔姐さんの下駄の音 (The sound of Yugao-nee’s geta) 夕顔姐さんの下駄の音 (The sound of Yugao-nee’s geta)

Years removed from the emotional low point of her life, the empty hedonism to fill the void inside her, Griddlebone has taken up residence with an older, single woman that has mirrored her own experiences in the search of love. The familiar sounds of geta beckon the arrival of her human home to Griddlebone, and her days are spent resting in the sun and keeping busy through the house, all while reminiscing of a past of incomplete love. She has become accustomed to a quiet, uneventful life where she is loved by Ms. Yugao as a sweet pet and taken care of like the beautiful Queen she is.

Still, there is an unshakable feeling that she has missed out on true love in her life, despite her current, content happiness.

Track Nine: Meow Meow & Thomas Lauderdale – Hotel Amour

Fun fact: Meow Meow played Griddlebone in the 2019 movie!

I looked for Love in the beautiful cities I looked for Love up in the air I looked underground though I knew that I shouldn't And still, no Love was anywhere I went to the place they call Heaven I went to the Hotel Amour I sat still and wrote Love some letters But Love doesn't read anymore I sang Love into my stories And I danced Love into my dreams But Love didn't find me Let alone blind me Love is nowhere it seems I looked for Love by pretending I wasn't I looked for Love close to the bone I fixed up some wings and I bought all the permits So Love could take flight when it was grown I followed the maps, I read all the signs I bought Love a building called "Home" I filled in the forms and I paid all the taxes Still, Love left me alone... My heart's still jumping out of my skin I've nothing to keep the feeling in I've nothing to do to make Love stay I've nothing to keep the darkness away You're all in the grandness of little things A leaf that's shaped like a heart A simple breeze, a feather Morning light, evening star And I'm singing to you my stories And I'm dancing with you in my dreams... Love... Love is everywhere... it seems

Throughout her life, Griddlebone has done everything she thought was correct to find and feel a form of love that made her feel complete, but could be deemed as unsuccessful in that pursuit.

Although it never manifested for her as love with another, she has felt the unconditional love of someone that cares for her as the most important thing in her life.

Looking back on her life now as a senior Queen, Griddlebone comes to a realization that love can now be found all around her. It was never her fault for not finding the idea of 'love' that she felt she needed, and there may never have been an instance where she felt that she had found the prize she was after, but love was always with her in the little things of life.

@the-cat-at-the-theatre-door I am not sure if you are still interested in these after all this time, but in case you are, enjoy :).

[non-un-topo]

Sometimes I think about tua Dave Katz and how he was this sweet sensitive boy turned GI because of his uncle's 1960s toxic masculinity and homophobia + military vet culture, and how while he did multiple tours in Vietnam (implication when we first meet him), his favourite book was an anti-imperialist nerdy sci-fi, and also how he died without ever having escaped all of that shit, and how the writers just... forgot about him.

[le-agent-egg]

This is not me hating but is it ok if I ask how come you think THH is badly written?

Don’t worry about it! Personally for me, I really dislike how many of the characters were treated, especially with the first character (how Leon and Sayaka weren’t given proper time to develop, how Makoto in my opinion does seem a bit flat in terms of personality, how the writers killed Leon and Sayaka off first because they were sick of drawing them). The second chapter also irks me with how they treated Toko’s DID and Chihiro’s gender, though I will admit a lot of stuff in game with Mondo and Taka’s relationship was actually pretty well written and honestly really cute. And I think Sakura’s death was honestly (in my opinion) one of the best parts of the game, though this could just be because I love Sakura.

This is just a personal gripe but I feel like post chapter two the game gets almost slow, especially with killing Taka off before he got any development and Celeste’s really weird motive. Plus I wish the fifth trial was just a little more interesting, and that some of the survivors like Hina, Hiro, Byakuya and Toko got a little more time to shine in game. I’m happy they got expanded on in other media, I just wish THH (especially the latter half) wasn’t so Kyoko and Makoto centric.

By no means am I saying THH is completely terrible! Believe me, I love it and I love the characters, I just really wish everyone got expended upon in game more. That’s just my opinion, and obviously I’m missing out on a lot of both good and bad things in this post. (I’m very sleep deprived rn haha) Just to summarize I think it’s writing could have been really improved if everyone got just a bit more screen time!

(I do yap a little more in the tags, mostly just about 1-1 and 1-2)

[readymades2002]

something difficult about writing/storytelling but only in short disconnected bursts is that writing anything longform is very difficult. there isn't as much time to practice long-term character development or subtlety (implying character instead of immediately clarifying) when its not really meant to go anywhere but a notes app. its a little frustrating...i'd love to do something more longform though. i've considered maybe just doing some short writing scenes in my various original universes a lot recently mostly because i just havent had time to draw anything fancy recently </3 maybe that would be something...

[arolesbianism]

Remembers Tali exists and starts wailing and crying

[yanchive]

Man, I've been obsessed with the isekai trope lately. I've been imagining a scenario where the reader gets isekai'd into a yandere romance story as a side character. You're not the main character or a love interest. You replaced a nameless character who was solely created in the story to be killed off by the yandere love interests to further the plot.

After realizing that's the role you took on, you devise a plan to re write the story to keep yourself alive.

In the official plot, your death was the cause of getting too close to the main character. Your positive relationship with them was considered a threat to the yanderes, and so they wiped you out of the picture.

So, as any semi intelligent individual would do, you decided to avoid the main character completely.

I'd like to imagine the reader wasn't well informed of this story, didn't know who the yans were, and accidentally befriended them before they even got a chance to develop any feelings for the main character. You jumped into their lives before the events that led into the original storyline. Earning their trust and unfortunately causing some peculiar emotions in them to develop.

This fucks up the whole plot. I mean, that was your plan. You just weren't trying to fuck it up so bad that you unintentionally attracted multiple yans who decided you were the perfect match for them. You were a joy to be around. You were far more intertwined in their lives than the previous main character ever was. It was generic with them and their story. A boring, "yan see's their darling from afar for the first time and falls in love on sight." Type plot.

But with you, it was so much more personal. They grew to love you for way more than just your looks. They got to know you as a person before any sort of feelings of devotion could form.

This made their efforts to claim you so much worse than they ever were in the original plot. They were much more sinister and brutal. They usually only did massive amounts of stalking, blackmail, and the occasional murder when it came to the canon story, whereas they went all out for you.

Kidnap, murder, torture, blackmail, stalking, theft, harassment, etc. Everyone around you was a threat in their eyes. Everyone around you didn't deserve you.

By the time you realized what you've done, what you've created, its far too late to fix your mistake. You attempted to break off the friendships, avoiding them at all costs, closing yourself off and spending your time trying to find a way back to your original world.

But they don't take kindly to that. Not after everything you guys have been through. Before you could find the key back home to your world, you'd be whisked away, having your new world be the confines of your yans humble abode, away from society.

Bonus option: You attempt to bring the original main character back into the plot in hopes they could redirect the yandere back into chasing them and get them off your back. But why would they need this stranger? They don't know them like they know you. And they could care less to even try to get to know them. So, the original main character ends up taking on the role you were supposed to be. The side character who was meant to die to further the plot.

You're the main character now.