#sorry for the audio quality. I only sing for fun and am rolling with a mediocre mic. I'm just here for the silliness though 😌

[circusballoon]

Video of In Stars and Time sprites of Siffrin with singing by yours truly.

Dashing through the House With all my friends in tow Vaugarde is freezing So to the King we go The bell will go "Ding ding!" Loop won't go away [Teehee!] What fun it is to start again- What fun it is to start again- What fun it is to start again Every other day Oh, loople bells, loople bells Loop loop all the way Oh, what fun it is to loop Every other day, ay! Loople bells, loople bells Loop loop all the way Oh what fun it is to loop Every other day...

this is, uh, VERY different from the usual goings on of this blog but at the same time this blog exclusively exists for the purpose of being like *POINTS* I MADE A THING and me struggling to figure out video editing for this absolute silliness feels like it requires pointing so

*POINTS* I MADE A THING!!

This is mostly for the @isat-secretsanta-2024 folks (namely @a-weepin-willow and @pearl-crystals, who wrote the chorus, so I added a verse for fun)

[haveihitanerve]

Guess who!! Yes I'm back, tis been a while

A video of Bruce singing gets leaked and his kids find out he's an amazing singer, and now they won't stop pestering him to sing for them

okayyyyy- see i am one of the firm believers that Bruce will sing only for his kids- so Dick was raised on Bruce singing him to sleep, sometimes on patrol when Dick would burst into song, Bruce joins in and harmonizes, all of his kids have been serenaded by him, either for bed or like hospital visit or just because bruce sings at home sometimes/while hes working... but i do likey-

It wasn't even something that he had done on purpose. It was just natural, sometimes, to sing. He would hear a good song on the radio and hum along. Play music while working a case. He didn't make it obvious he could sing- cough cough dick cough

But Selina. She had an obsession with it. Trying to catch him singing. Trying to record it.

"You're so good!!!" She would gush when he cut off whenever he spotted her recording. Bruce would shake his head. Wave her off.

But she must have caught him at some point. Because now there was a video. Bruce bit his lip to stop his scream as the late night host showed it off. This would not end well for him.

"Yo! Guys! Get in here!" Tim bellowed through Wayne Manor. He was already on the phone with Barbara and Dick, and they were heading to their apartment as fast as possible to watch.

"What's up?" Jason asked, entering the den where Tim was sitting on the couch.

Tim gestured to the TV. "B's on." Jason rolled his eyes, but flopped onto the couch next to his brother. Tim was the only one who consistently watched every Bruce interview. A habit that never died from his obsessive stalker observant stage before Robin, and now was even more prominent as he was actually connected to Bruce. Wanted to check he wasn't getting asked stupid questions.

Jason snickered as he spotted his brothers laptop open to the hosts persona information. Any wrong move, and Tim would destroy him for Bruce.

"Why did you call Drake?" Damian sniffed, entering the den with Cass. Tim shushed him, pointing to the screen.

"Just watch- I went back." There was a scream as Steph fell from the window, breaking in as always. She straightened, landing with the ease of someone who had trained with both the Batman and Catwoman, and hurried over.

"Did you see it?" She gasped excitedly, taking a seat next to Tim.

"I'm showing them." He hushed her hurriedly. Intrigued, the others took their seats, Duke strolling in last. He cranked the volume up higher and they leaned forward, eager.

"Now, recently, a particular video has taken Gotham by storm," The host was saying. Jason cocked his head, tugging his phone from his pocket to search for said video.

"Just wait." Tim coaxed, hands rubbing together like an insane man.

"We're watching." Barbara mumbled through the phone.

"Oh dear, I do hope it's not that one." Bruce was saying, chuckling, fake nervousness and smile on his face. The host laughed along, waving his hand to gesture the video play.

Jason choked on his tea and Steph's fingers dug half moons into Tim's arm as she watched with baited breath.

The video was of Bruce, in the manor, light instrumental music playing in the background. The video quality left something to be desired, crouched behind the couch, blurry, and audio a bit scratchy, but it was undoubtedly him.

"Am I blue? Am IIII Blue? Ain't these tears in these eyes-" The video ended abruptly, most likely because the recorder had been caught, but the damage had been done. Bruce looked near the tears he had been singing about.

Steph's grin was blinding. Dick's cackle erupted through the speaker of Tim's phone. A slow smile spread across Jason's face. "Oh this is going to be fun." Damian murmured.

"Damn it!" Jason cursed as his foot connected with the table.

"Language." Bruce immediately responded, more impulse than actual chiding.

"Yeah yeah." Jason grumbled. "Sorry. It's just... I've been a bit blue lately. Can't think straight."

He hurried out of the room before Bruce could see his grin. Bruce, on the other hand, was gripping his spoon tightly.

"Man," Dick complained, scrubbing at his eyes underneath his mask. Bruce frowned at him from the nearby roof, leaning closer.

"You okay?" He rumbled, reaching for a tissue or something to offer his son. Dick waved him off, dabbing at his eye with his gloves.

"Yeah- I'm fine. There's just something in my eyes. Probably tears." He winked, falling backwards off the roof. Bruce's jaw cracked from the force with which he was clenching it.

"Fu-" Steph grunted as she slammed into the floor, hands reacting too late to protect the hard landing.

Batman landed a step behind, hands moving immediately under her arms to lift her. "'m fine." She grumbled, wincing as she attempted to put weight on her left foot.

"Clearly." Bruce agreed, wrapping an arm more firmly around her waist to take most of her weight.

"B!!" She whined, but let him take it. "I can walk." She muttered. Bruce huffed a laugh, herding them both back into the cave.

"Of course you can. Think of me as a cane." That got a laugh from Steph, even as she let out a yelp as he let go to grab some gauze. "Sorry," Bruce murmured, helping her onto the med table. She waved him off, letting him prop it up and feel around.

"Sprained. Should be fine in a few days." He started to wrap it and Steph let herself recline, letting out a heavy breath as his fingers brushed a little too hard against her ankle. "Sorry." He mumbled again, but she just nodded back.

"You gonna be okay?" Bruce asked, helping her sit up. "Your room is still set up. It won't ever not be. You're staying here tonight, at least." Steph nodded her agreement, not willing to fight over it. Besides, she wanted to stay needed to torment him.

"You know what would really make me feel better?" She asked as he carried her up the stairs after they had changed back into civvies.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "What?" His voice was flat, suspicious.

Steph smiled sweetly, wrapping her arms around his neck so he couldn't drop her and escape. "If you sang for me."

Bruce groaned, and as suspected, his arms relaxed marginally, prepared to drop her and make a run for it, though of course he didn't actually let her go. Steph grinned.

"Its really your fault," She pointed out. "If you had just told us-"

"I never kept it a secret." he grumbled, bringing her into the den, where, as planned, the rest of the kids sat. Dick smiled at his father, accepting Steph from his arms and setting her down next to Tim. He smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and tugging her closer.

Jason cleared his throat, holding up a microphone from Dick's twelfth birthday. No one said a word, just blinked expectantly at him.

Bruce sighed. They'd all gotten those damned puppy eyes from Dick, he was sure of it. As if to confirm, his eldest batted his eyelashes extra, and Damian even rubbed his eyes, sticking out his bottom lip. Unfortunately, being aware of the source did not lessen its effects in the slightest.

He snatched the mic from Jason, cleared his throat, and began.

@jellynber

[negasonicimagines]

Tell Me I'm Not Funny

Request: darkandmysteriousbutheartofgold!ellie and wholesomeanddoesn'tunderstandwhyelliedoesn'tlikeher!reader where they're both part of the friend group but ellie just thinks reader is straight and messing with her pls

Notes: I don’t usually write MCU!Peter, so if he comes up in any future fics (like as the reader’s stepdad 👀 I’ve loved spideypool longer than I’ve loved Negasonic) you can safely assume it’s Andrew Garfield. But, for this time, this is MCU!Peter. Everyone in the friend group is 18-20, just to be clear.

This really isn't my best work, but it's a fun little slice of life piece. A lot of my ideas are pretty cinematic, I can picture them in my head but sometimes those pictures don't really translate into words. I may revisit this one day.

Warnings: D-slur (reclaimed by Ellie in one line), allusions to prior assault (an unwanted kiss that could've been more had another character not stepped in), and that's about it. Oh, and a little swearing, but this is an imagine for a character from Deadpool. If you can't handle swearing, you're on the wrong blog.

Synopsis: You’re into Ellie, but she’s with your good friend Peter. She treats you like you don’t even exist, and in the few instances she does acknowledge you, it’s usually just to make some sarcastic remark. You’re head-over-heels, though, and decide to deal with your unrequited love by writing her a song she’ll never hear.

“Fuck, that movie was terrible,” Michelle groans. “I’m just glad it was a matinee show and we didn’t have to pay as much to see it.”

“The special effects were good, but can’t Disney just leave stuff alone?” Peter agrees.

“Next thing you know they’ll be making a live action Toy Story, as if the original wasn’t traumatizing enough. I don’t want to imagine Watermelon as a sentient being. She’s seen some shit,” you snicker.

“Who’s Watermelon?” Ellie asks with a dark chuckle, and you clam up. How had you forgotten she was here?

“Oh, uh, nobody.”

“Don’t tell me you still sleep with a stuffed animal,” she snarks. “You really do need to grow up.”

“Don’t be mean, Ellie,” Peter protests.

“Watermelon is cute, everybody likes cute things!” Yukio adds.

“I think a live-action Toy Story could be cool,” Ned says. “It’d look really good if they did stop-motion animation.”

“Oh, you’re right!” you chirp. “It’d be quite the undertaking, but it would look badass.”

“I think you’re using that term a little loosely,” Ellie grumbles, and you have to stop yourself from frowning, instead you laugh it off. Why does she always pick on you? Sure, she’s got a witty remark for everybody, but she’s way harder on you. It hurts, she really is so gorgeous and funny and mysterious and everything you want in a woman, but she acts like she can’t stand you.

Ellie and Peter head off together, Peter still hasn’t gotten around to getting his license and Ellie seems happy to give him a ride. You really don’t stand a chance.

You and the others pile up in MJ’s SUV for some late-night band practice.

“I don’t know if I can do it,” you admit to Yukio in the furthest row back.

“You can,” she insists. “You’re a way better singer than Lola, anyways.”

“I’m sorry about that. I didn’t mean to give her the wrong impression, I-”

“For the millionth time, Y/N, you didn’t. If she hadn’t left the band, we would’ve kicked her out. Not just for cheating on me, but for hurting you.”

“I guess,” you sigh. “Why can’t you sing instead?”

“Because I’m flat.”

“Yukio, breast size doesn’t have anything to do with singing ability, you’ve just gotta practice,” you joke.

“Shut up!” she giggles, punching you in the arm. “Plus, when you sing, the songs are being sung as they were written. We’re getting the real feelings.”

“Speaking of… I have something new I’m thinking about sharing tonight. Do you mind if I text you the demo?”

“Ooh, a first look! Hell yes!”

You text her the audio file and she puts in a wireless earbud, nodding along. Her smile gets wider and wider as she listens, and when she’s done, her assessment shocks you.

“Oh my gosh. You’re into Ellie.”

“What?!” you squeak. “No way!”

“You are! But, uh-”

“Don’t even say it. I know I don’t have a chance in hell. She only tolerates me for the sake of you and Peter.” Despite the gloominess of your tone, Yukio gets a mischievous glint in her eye, it confuses you. But, that’s just Yukio. Her thoughts are all over the place; she and Ellie balance each other out that way. They dated a couple of years ago, but it didn’t work out. They decided they were better off as friends.

“Screw that other song, we’re using this as the lead single. Everybody’s gonna love it, do you have the sheet music?”

“Yeah, uh, it’s in my bag.”

“Awesome.” Yukio’s grinning like she’s won something. Is the song that good? “We’ll have to practice this one a lot, we definitely need to have it ready by the concert this Friday.”

Right. Liz’s 19th birthday party. Apparently Peter had convinced her to let the band play, it’d be cheaper than hiring a more established artist.

“Our first paying gig? I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” you remind her. She scoffs and rolls her eyes.

“We’re mostly gonna be playing covers of Liz’s favorite songs, and she only has so many. We’ve gotta beef up the setlist with originals, and this is perfect! Has that pop-y fun vibe, it’ll fit right in.”

“Yeah, but if it’s that obvious how I feel about her after one listen-”

“Only because I already had a hunch after Daft Pretty Boys,” Yukio clarifies cheerily, and you sigh.

“Fair enough.”

The gang makes it to Michelle’s house, travelling down to the side door and going into the basement from there. MJ’s parents have encouraged her creativity from day one, and were ecstatic when the band was formed. You speculate that they’re mostly happy that she’s made friends. Writing and photography can be lonely hobbies.

“Y/N has something new for us!” Yukio chirps.

“That fast?” Ned’s surprised as you hand him the sheet music. He skims it. “Holy shit, this is a wicked solo! Thanks, Y/N!”

“Well, I’m hoping highlighting everybody else’s talent will disguise my lack thereof,” you chuckle.

“Don’t be stupid, we’ve all heard you sing backup,” MJ says. “You’re Ryan Ross, she’s Brendon Urie. I’m just glad we booted her out before she decided she was gonna be the only pangolin in The Pangolins.”

Everyone laughs at that.

“Let’s try it,” Michelle continues, and everybody agrees. After a sound check and a few runs of the song, it’s still clumsy, especially on your part. You’re not really used to playing and singing at the same time, outside of backup vocals, which require far less focus.

“I suck,” you mumble, but it happens to be into the microphone.

“You don’t!” Ned insists.

“With that attitude, we’re not going anywhere,” Yukio says. You hate it when she gets to the tough love stage of her support. You wish she’d stay in the shallow reassurances stage, it’s easier to brush off. “You wouldn’t be the lead singer if we all thought you sucked. We would’ve just put an ad in the paper. You’re awesome, get over it!”

You sigh.

“Fine. Thank you.”

“Say it,” she insists.

“I’m awesome,” you huff, it’s hard not to smile when Yukio tries to look serious.

“Damn straight,” Yukio says. “Or, I guess not, considering that was about Ellie.”

“Yukio!” you squeal.

“That’s about Ellie?!” Ned exclaims.

“Obviously,” MJ scoffs, fiddling with her tuners.

“Is it that obvious?!” You can’t help but feel embarrassed. Ellie probably knows exactly how you feel, maybe that’s why she dislikes you so much. Her boyfriend’s stupid friend has a crush.

“Wait, but at the beginning…” Ned trails off, before laughing. “Oh my gosh, I get it.”

“Get what? Oh… Y/N, have I ever told you how much I love you?” MJ asks.

“I- I love you, too?” You’re puzzled by their words, but you’ve got enough on your plate.

“Let’s go ahead and practice some of Liz’s favorites while we’re here,” Yukio suggests. “It’s a pretty big set list.”

You practice until dinner, getting a pizza and deciding to make a night of it since it was a little late for Michelle to be dropping you all off at your assorted residences.

You all sleep on a pallet in the basement, and despite your worries, you manage to get some rest.

Over the next few days, The Pangolins practice at every free moment, until it’s finally time for the party.

“So, just pictures of everything?” Oh, shit. She’s not supposed to be here. How are you supposed to sing that song with her here?

“Yeah! I know with how many people are coming, I’m probably not going to get as much time as I want with everyone, so pictures will be a good way to remember the night.”

“Why not just invite less people?” Ellie wonders.

“I want all my friends to be here,” Liz explains. “How’s the sound check going, Y/N?”

“It’s going great,” you say into the microphone, demonstrating the quality and volume with a smile. “Thanks for letting us play here tonight.”

“Well, Peter said you guys are great. Are you really gonna debut your best song so far tonight?”

“Oh, um,” you stutter, stepping away from the microphone. “Maybe not.”

“What? Oh, come on, please, it’ll make the night even more special! You’re playing covers of all my old favorites, sing me my new favorite!” Liz presses, but she’s not being demanding or bratty, she seems genuinely excited.

“If the birthday girl says so, who am I to say no?” you concede. Hopefully Ellie will be too distracted taking pictures. “You have way too much faith in me.”

“If you don’t quit with the self-deprecation, I’m gonna duct tape your mouth shut,” MJ interjects.

“But, Daddy, how will I say my safe word?” you tease, giggling at your own joke with the rest of the group. Yukio’s laugh seems the loudest. Ellie glares.

“We should practice a song!” Ned suggests.

“Ooh, a private show!” Liz seems excited.

“Any requests?” you ask her. Ellie’s resting scowl intensifies. If she’s more pissed off the more you open your mouth, you’re not sure how she’s gonna survive a night of you singing without going nuclear.

“Oh, oh, Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne, please?”

“You’ve got it,” you agree.

The song goes smoothly.

“What happened to the old singer?” Ellie asks, clearly unimpressed.

“You didn’t tell her?” you ask Yukio, grateful for the excuse to turn away from the sharp-tongued girl you adore.

“Didn’t want her to get the wrong impression,” Yukio explains. “She already makes enough rude comments towards you.” Yukio leans over her drum kit to give Ellie a pointed look.

“Oh, wait, shit, I didn’t mean it like that. You, uh, sound good, Y/N.”

You can’t help but whip your head back to look at her with a flabbergasted expression.

“What?! It’s true,” Ellie defends herself.

“Uh, yeah, but you just said something nice. About me. Liz, do you mind checking her for a fever?”

Liz obliges for the sake of going along with the joke before quickly withdrawing her hand.

“Jeez! I know you were kidding, but she’s burning up,” Liz declares.

“My internal temperature is higher due to my mutation,” Ellie quickly explains, looking a bit bashful. “Besides, I say nice shit about Y/N all the time.”

“No, you don’t,” the whole band says in unison, including you.

“Well, clearly I shouldn’t if everyone’s gonna make a big fucking deal about it,” she retorts, rolling her eyes. “I’m gonna go get some pictures of the decorations before there’s a bunch of fucking people here to block them.”

She stomps off in her heavy boots, and The Pangolins get back to work, putting on the final touches and making sure all the blocking looks right.

Soon enough, guests start flooding in, and Liz zips around to greet them, eventually meeting up with Peter and keeping him with her. He and Liz eventually pull Ellie away from her picture-taking, confident she’s done enough and needs to just relax and enjoy the party.

So much for distracting herself with work, she thinks.

They sit on the couch and eat, the dining room was monopolized by The Pangolins due to its elevation and space.

Ellie’s mesmerized by the way your fingers move until she hears Peter talking to Liz. They really are a cute couple.

“You really do need to hang out with us. Yukio told me Y/N thinks Ellie and I are a thing,” he says.

“Gross, you’re like my annoying little brother,” Ellie remarks.

“And you’re like my bitchy older sister,” Peter retorts with a shit-eating grin.

“Both of you, quiet! They’re about to play the new song. You’re in for a real treat, Ellie.”

“What does it have to do with me?”

Liz gives Peter a confused and slightly irritated look.

“I haven’t said anything to her, I didn’t know how,” Peter squeaks, blushing a little at the look in his girlfriend’s eyes.

“Explain, quickly,” Ellie demands.

But, then you start to sing again.

“Y/N-” Peter starts.

“Shut up.”

“But you asked-”

“I said, shut up,” Ellie insists.

“You know me as your boyfriend's goofy friend. I seem to have this effect on women, and your friends aren't as goofy as I am. I try my best to keep you entertained, always laughing at the jokes you are saying. I nod my head when you make a point, oh oh…

“Kiss me, kiss me with your eyes closed! Whisper that your heart shows all I want is you, yeah, you… Hold me, hold me I'm your bunny! Tell me I'm not funny, tell me I’m legit! ‘Cause I feel weak, in your hands and your feet… A precious end, I’ll never feel your touch…”

Ellie continues to listen to the song, all expression drained from her face. All the yearning in the words and your voice, all you want is…

Ellie looks at Peter, who’s looking at her with a triumphant smile.

“I told you.”

Ellie feels like she’s about to faint. She notices you’re talking to Liz— when did she leave? —your hand over your mic. Despite the knowledge that Liz is taken, Ellie gets jealous. You look so happy to be talking to Liz, to just about any girl you talk to.

She wishes you’d smile at her that way.

You nod at whatever Liz said, and the band starts packing away their instruments. Liz sets up her phone on some Bluetooth speakers, and songs that sounded so much better when you were singing them start to play.

No! Ellie internally protests. Sing for me again, please, sing that stupid song about how you think I don’t like you.

Yukio’s dragging you somewhere. Gosh, Ellie wishes it was her holding your hand.

Suddenly, though, you and Yukio are approaching her. She knows what she has to do.

“So, what’d you think of our- Eek! Finally!”

Ellie parts from the kiss to tell her to fuck off and not ruin the moment before kissing you again.

“Holy fucking shit,” you breathe. “Uh, I thought you were-“

“Dating Peter?! Seriously?! Do I need to write ‘dyke’ on my fucking forehead? I practically already have with the way I dress and act and-”

“I, uh, I try not to make assumptions,” you mumble, fingers touching your lips.

“I’m, uh, sorry for not asking.”

“No, it’s- It was good. I’ve wanted you to do that for a while. It’s just that that was the first time somebody’s kissed me, since, uh…” Your eyes dart to Yukio, who’s ruffling Ned’s hair and laughing.

“Yukio?!” Orange flickers in Ellie’s eyes for a moment, but she keeps it under control.

“No, no, of course not, uh… The old singer, Lola. She and Yukio were dating, but apparently I was the one she really had her sights on, and… She was entitled. Thought that because she wanted me, I must want her. That wasn’t really the case, I was already pining over you. Didn’t stop her from forcing a few kisses on me and trying to go further. If Yukio hadn't shown up early with cupcakes, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

“I am such an asshole,” Ellie says softly. “Can I kiss you again? The right way.”

“I’d say what you did before was pretty right, but sure,” you consent.

Her kiss before had been rough, needy, and impatient. Just the way you like it. This, though, this is gentle, soft, and exploratory. You tangle your hands in her hair and kiss her harder. She moans into the kiss before pulling away, bewildered.

“That was…” Ellie trails off, trying to find a positive adjective that won’t sound to frilly or lovesick.

“A mistake, wasn’t it?”

“Oh, fuck, no. I’ve been wanting to do that for a long time,” she corrects you. “Just- Didn’t really know how. Even when you were kinda flirting with me at first, I just thought you were messing with me, so I- I am so stupid.”

“So am I,” you scoff. “I thought you were dating Peter.”

“I was spending a lot of time with him, but… I was just using him as an excuse to avoid you so I wouldn’t embarrass myself anymore. And I was asking him for advice. I figured if he could land somebody as far out of his league as Liz, maybe I stood the slightest bit of a chance with you. But I kept fucking it up. I’d just get so nervous, all of my compliments would turn into insults, all of my teasing turned into straight-up cruelty. I don’t know how you actually like me.”

“I’m a little bit of a masochist, I’ll admit,” you tell her. “I’m really glad you don’t hate me.”

“I’m really glad you don’t hate me,” Ellie replies, but she can’t help but think that what she‘s really saying is ‘I love you, too.’

She takes your hand, and you two rejoin your friends, swept up in a group hug. They wanted this to happen almost as much as you two did.

[tokupedia]

Linkara’s Kamen Rider Fourze review

@atopfourthwall

REVIEW KITAAAAAAAAAAAA!

Hello, Channel Awesome fans! I am one of the many western representatives of this little fandom Mr. Lovhaug is about to encounter in the comments section of the video you see before you.

Now the first thought that some annoyed fans of his unfamiliar with KR might ask is…”Why this? This isn’t a comic!”

Ah, but a comic book creator is responsible for its inception, or in this case a manga creator: Shotaro Ishinomori. He was known for creating a lot of superheroes in Japan among other things. Plus, Kamen Rider has been adapted into superhero manga stories like Kamen Rider Spirits or Futo Detectives and its original incarnation’s main character was a manga drawing concept first before becoming a TV star.

And for those disappointed that Secret Origins Month was cut short, well this counts as an origin of a super hero, just one you are not familiar with. So ..you get three origins to heroes this year instead of four *shrugs* Plus, Lewis deserves a break and a honeymoon after all that non-stop work. :)

0:33-0:34: “Known for having an insect-like look” Hmm… fair enough. The core trait of a Kamen Rider is that they have detailed and round compounded eyes on the mask. (most of the time, some play with that aesthetic or drop it altogether). The original 15 Riders were themed after different insects and this bug theme carried over on and off again until Double. (OOO briefly brought it back with the Gatakiriba Combo). The producers, costume designers and staff also decided to play around with various costume themes aside from bugs like Oni, Japanese folklore with trains, a Vampire with a stylized pumpkin head, chimeras, wizards, video game genres ..and cars. This season’s hero as of late 2017, is organic things like animals fused with inorganic objects! (A Hawk mixed with a Gatling gun for example).

If one were to ask me personally about what the draw is, it is the slightly heavier focus on characters than fluff and a balancing stance on being as over the top and crazy as possible or having dramatic and quiet moments that invest you in what is going on….also crazy-awesome weapons and karate cyborgs and/or men in belt activated power suits who can stop/destroy evil by kicking and punching them really hard!  And bikes! Cannot forget the cool motorbikes!

Fun fact, the original Kamen Rider’s actor also played Segata Sanshiro!

0:57-1:02: “Patreon sponsors will get a KR: Dragon Knight review if they donate enough $$” Given the pattern I’ve seen so far based on this and the preceding Gokaiger review, odds are you are more likely to encounter/collide into a request for either another toku series from 2011-2012-2013 or an anniversary event of media like Gokaiger vs. Gavan or Ultraman Mebius. Am I the only one noticing that he has done anniversary seasons of different franchises and both are from 2011?

1:03-1:25 GAH! MASKED RIDER! *DEMONIC HISS* Yeah, some KR fans can agree this was a horrible mistake as Saban tried too hard to force Kamen Rider into a Power Rangers mold…which doesn’t work because there are tropes and elements that separate the two that cannot be removed to fit that format. Also the fact that KR was absent from TV for most of the ‘90s aside from clipshow specials and a 12 minute crossover with Ultraman in one said special. Using clips from the darker Shin Kamen Rider movie and the two movies directed by Keita Amemiya was just a hodgepodge mess when blended with Black RX.

1:26-1:28: Ah, Dragon Knight! A good series adaptation screwed over by 4Kids execs for those wondering why it was cancelled despite winning an Emmy.

1:43-1:53: Even Linkara dislikes Ferbus, the Jar-Jar of our fandom.

1:55-2:36: Four-Zay. It has to do with Japanese pronunciation of the “e” sound. Don’t feel bad about the complaints though, we are getting drama right now here about the correct pronunciation of the current secondary hero Kamen Rider Cross-Z. It is just one of the pitfalls of being fans or observers.

The reason for the space theme was to celebrate the 50th anniversary of man’s first flight into space, hence the astronaut motif of Fourze’s costume!

4:10-17: It’s a Space Station. Though it would be easier to identify as such if Sir Alec Guinness was present. 

4:35-37: It is a kind of male cowlick pompadour, he is reflecting the style of a high school Yanki in popular Japanese fiction. But, unlike them, he isn’t a jerk. Also, I really like saying pompadour. Pompadour, pompadour! Pooom-paa-douuur!

4:50-58: “Better to be an idiot than a tool” I want that phrase on an arts and craftsy bathroom sign that you get at a flea market to hang on my wall.

4:59-5:30: I can accept you not liking the visuals and critiquing the opening but sorta liking it, that’s fine. But... this is our jam, so let’s crank it! Ladies and gents of the uninitiated to Kamen Rider, for your possible audio pleasure I give you...SWITCH ON! by Anna Tsuchiya! Woooooooo!

5:36-42: Don’t tempt fate man. Toei is a vicious beast when it comes to Kamen Rider related materials on the interwebs, ask Des or anyone in the toku community. Also since you mentioned the complaints about subbing: *Queen music* Another one gripes the subs, another one gripes the subs, and another logs on and another logs on. Another one gripes the subs! Hey, he’s trying to do a review, but another one gripes the subs!

... Sorry.  Also, fans, be thankful he took time out of his busy (and now married) life to even do this. He could have ignored the request to do a Rider series and gave you nothing...just sayin’.

5:43-50: heheheh....Setup.

6:19-29: aaaand pay off of a man surprised by a burger toy being in a show when he was only being sarcastic about one being there. This burger thing actually has some possible explanation behind it. See Kamen Rider had changed TV sponsors in the start of the 2010s. One of those new sponsors? The American fast food giant, McDonald’s. Yeah, as part of a deal with the toy company Bandai and TV Asahi, the mighty Golden Arches could sell Happy Meal Toys (or Happy Set toys as they are known in Japan) of Kamen Rider characters and promote Bandai’s Ganbaride and later Ganbarizing arcade game by handing out special collectible trading cards in the kids meal. The Foodroids, as the assorted mini bots are called, are all coincidentally based on McDonald’s food products like McNuggets, burgers, a milkshake, french fires and the Japan exclusive McHotDog Classic. Still, not as cool as the McMegazord or a Mr. T Holographic Trading Card.

6:45-48: “Always follow the nice one talking about friendship and stuff, that person will become an all powerful god or something.” Wait....is that a Madoka reference? Hehehehe...should I tell him?

7:16-22: Well, the idea is that Gen wants to be a good friend to everyone by reaching out to people and trying to help them, even if they won’t admit that they have problems. He’s just that nice of a guy. And...it works. There is an excellent article that the now defunct Comics Alliance did a while back on Fourze that explains it better.

7:41-55: Amanogawa High School (shortened to AGHS by some fans) is a Japanese education structured school but has an American high school aesthetic, especially with social cliques and the environment reflecting one. 

(Minus the budget cuts and selfish parents and politicians refusing to pay more taxes to further improve learning and engage in creative activities, increase a teacher’s pay or failing to maintain the building and spending all the special education and tutoring money on a new football stadium)

8:01-05: That is the power of Koichi Sakamoto at work. Yes, THAT Koichi Sakamoto.

8:28-30: Powder-izer? Sounds like an Avon product, what is this... Powder-izer you speak of, stranger of our ways? I kid, I kid. I know that one’s going in the New year’s bloopers. Go easy on him folks, to err is human.

9:10-13: Yuki is useful at times and is a good friend, it depends on who’s writing the episodes how the characters act. Sometimes a Rider series can have up to four writers working on it, hence why some shows suffer in quality while others are more consistent.

9:53-10:00: “It’s a Bomb!” Ha!

10:24-26 Saw that coming a mile away...and still a good reference joke.

10:27-30: Fourze’s suit design is loosely based on another creation done by Shotaro Ishinomori, Skyzel from the Space Ironmen Kyodyne show of the mid 1970s. Fans of Lucky Star already know of that series thanks to the humorous karaoke of Konata singing the opening theme song. It took a bit of getting used to when fans first saw the suit, but most of us grew to love it!

13:07-17: That is Tomoko Nozama, a precious little cinnamon roll who is a geeky goth that is into the occult and urban legends. She will be an important thing later, but that comes past the point where he stops.

13:28-47: No surprise, this show is about the younger Millennials and the Japanese writers actually do research on subjects beforehand in some cases. Unlike the luddite schlock kings of tinseltown, who think com-pew-tors are magic boxes or write them as such thinking the audience is stupid.

14:05-08: *Driver.

14:24-30: Well, if that didn’t shock you, I know a scene in a little show called ToQger that will make you yearn for the days of seeing a bike go into space. Or a Shinkenger V-Cinema or even...Amazons.

14:40-46: Ah, legacy. The original plan for this series was that the kids would investigate the Kamen Riders and their legends and gain the powers of past Riders in switch form...which was turned down by execs due to Decade doing something like that a few years back. The idea in some ways was salvaged in expanded non-canon materials, Legend Rider toys and the Ganbaride game. Since Linkara went a bit fast on that shot, the Riders you see before you in the footage are Kamen Rider 1 (the first Rider if the number didn’t give that away), Super-1 (Rider #9 from 1980 and also astronaut themed like Fourze, only mixed with a hornet), Black RX (Evolved form of Kamen Rider Black from the late ‘80s) and Kuuga (first Kamen Rider of the new millennium) and a scanned newspaper photo clipping of Futo Tower’s destruction by the evil Kamen Rider Eternal from the Kamen Rider Double summer movie. (great film, check it out after you watch a bit of Double!)

14:50-53: Behold, the most Redbubbliest logo in our fandom!

16:40-44: *spits drink and laughs* Does....does he know what KR Ghost is? Even if he doesn’t, that is too surreal, given Ghost’s poor reception among some fans after a certain point punctuating the joke.

16:50-56: Well, Japanese Superheroes don’t really always go for the secret identity thing. It is admirable that they are willing to risk their own privacy and lives just to save someone. They don’t do the dumb thing some comic book heroes do where they have to choose between their secrecy or saving a life, they just suit up and go right to it! Plus, with such a large community of heroes with them or the confidence they can defeat their foes, risk of death is minimal in most cases unless a “defeat flag” is triggered.

18:30-34: Miu grows as a character, she does become a little nicer and realizes the value of true friends later.

19:05-08: Shun is a jerk at first, but there is a good reason for that involving his life at home.

Yeah, the fourth episode is a bit weak.

Happy you like Gentaro!

21:40-22:04: Well, it depends on the suit and Mr. Seiji Takaiwa’s direction by the film crew. Some fights are fastpaced, some slowly build and others fizzle out with a beatdown or curbstomp. I’d argue that it is more Gentaro being new to fighting in-suit as he later learns things like kick boxing, gets better at using his Astroswitches and mixing his fighting style with the use of his jetpack. Koichi Sakamoto did a good job on the out of suit fight action and the battles got more intense in the movies due to a higher budget.

All in all, a fun time for everyone! Now I did see the comments of those who were curious about where to start with Kamen Rider and I’ll answer with the usuals that most recommend: Black, Amazon, Kuuga, Den-O, Double, the original 1971 show, OOO, Ex-Aid, Drive and Gaim. 

Before leaving this post, I have something to personally say to Mr. Lovhaug and the KR fandom will agree this is a good choice…

That quote from Mr. Belt is useful when somebody ties the knot!

Count up your sins and make amends. Believe in hope and your friends. Let the desires of a bright tomorrow, overcome every sorrow, and may you love each other ‘til Diend!

May your love for Viga always be in top gear and your lives together burn bright!

The Kamen Rider Fans of the USA, UK, etc.

Thank you for your time Lewis and giving our heroes a moment in the spotlight! We are grateful! 

A. Fox

[shutupxdance-blog]

THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES! 2

『♬♬♬』

The scanline sun is setting behind Cíoroc, casting flickering light onto his face. “Here we are once again, viewers! Another day, another death, that’s just how it goes! It’s routine you came here for, and it’s routine we’re going to give you, baby! Two episodes is a decent amount of time to get invested in someone, don’t you think? But we didn’t even have a secret reveal motive to accelerate the progress of character development! So let’s take a look back and find out the story of the sun and the moon on another episode of 『THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES!』”

“I am prabha!” Prabha — Agni’s — voice says, as stock footage of palm trees waving in the wind cuts to low-quality film of a young boy at a dinner table in a luxurious home, laughing at a joke told to him by his father as his mother looks on with an adoring smile, “I exude radiance!” A wave of static washes over the screen, and the same boy, slightly older, holds his mother’s hand as she guides him through a bazaar, looking around with a smile on his face at everything that catches his eye. “That’s… my mother,” Agni’s voice continues, his tone entirely different, “Her life is my price.” A rapid montage follows  — his mother running her fingers through his hair, singing him a lullaby, Agni and his parents out as a family, always smiling. Then another glitch of VHS static corrupts the grainy footage, leaving an area of white noise where his father was standing.  “After my father died, she just, I don’t know, stopped seeing me as her child,” the voiceover says as the Agni of the past attends a private school’s class, looking bored more than anything, “It was like I was a stranger. “I still love her, you know. She’s- she’s all I have left, I suppose,” and suddenly the words are coming directly from Agni on screen, sitting at an interview table across from a smiling Cíoroc. “Even if she doesn’t care for me anymore, she’s the only person on Earth I had.”

A glitch now erases the entire image, rolling over the screen to replace it with a young boy, the youngest of three, wearing pyjamas and knelt in a moment of prayer. Pluto’s voice — Jude’s voice — has been recorded over it. “There’s the planet Pluto, of course! It’s tiny, overlooked, and no one ever groups it in with the other eight.” The camera pans out, the grainy VHS footage showing a small, squat house backed by a thick, dense forest. “People only care about it because it’s left out- they pity it. They want it to be included so they can stop feeling bad.” Older, but still a young boy, the Jude on-screen is part of a choir, looking uncomfortable and out of place at first, but easing into it as he sings.  “But, Pluto is also another name for Hades! It’s the same principle! It’s evil hiding in plain sight. A demon right in front of you, hiding because people think I’m so. . . harmless. But I’m right here.” Jude’s brothers, holding a football, ask him something — there’s no sound to the audio, but he refuses, and they run off into a field without him as he walks up the stairs to his room.  “I’m right here, and I want people to see me. I don’t want to be tread over anymore.” Jude smiles at school, he smiles at his family, he smiles at church. In a bathroom, he crumples into himself, sobbing. “I mean. In this, like, sorta deal, y' always give up yer soul, don't'cha? That's what I did.” Jude, fifteen or so, is sat on a log at a summer camp while a preacher gives him a banal smile. “I'm leavin' it all behind. Ain't no hell or heaven where I'm goin'.”  

Once more, the jump in quality as the camera now shows footage from the show itself is startling. Jude picks flowers, carrying a veritable bouquet of roses as he walks out of the garden. Agni looks intensely at an outfit in the changing room, holding it up and examining it before putting it down with a shake of his head and picking up another one.

“M' prize?” Jude’s voiceover says as the more recent version of him on the tape smiles at something Agni says. "I wanna be someone else. Not, like, a new face or nothin'. I wanna. . . change into th' person everyone wants me t' be. Confident. Strong. Happy." The footage is suddenly intercut, the Jude of years ago smiling at a boy, a different boy, at camp. On a stage, some rehearsal for a play is going on, and the boy is dressed like a devil, making a face.  "I wanna be someone happy."

“Fame, recognition, glory. Whatever you want to call it,” Agni’s voice cuts in, the sound of a soft breeze undercutting the transition. He’s at a party, high society, talking to other people, similarly dressed in cutting-edge fashion. When he turns away, some of them start to talk behind his back, shooting him judgemental glances. “I want people to know my name, recognize my work. I want to be worth more than my weight in gold.” Then, it’s back to him and Jude, relaxing by the pool, a bottle of soda lightly held in his hand.  

“Hey, that’s quite a prize! Why don’t you tell us why you’re angling for it?” Cíoroc says, smiling from the other end of an interview table, the crocodile lulling the fish with his easy grin.

“It’s-frustrating. I’ve worked my ass off for this job that I didn’t even want,” Agni replies, as the footage cuts to Jude’s hands around his throat, Agni struggling desperately. His voiceover is as calm as ever — it’s from a different Agni entirely. “But all anyone can talk about his how similar my work is to hers, or how I’m probably just getting her to design it, as her son.” The Agni on screen, through all of this, just isn’t dying. “I can’t do this anymore, living in the shadow of my mother.”

The shadow of his mother looms over him in their ornate house as they sit in the dinner table, just the two of them, silence deafening. The footage fades, and Jude is kissing the boy from camp, water levels climbing around them. The lower levels of the watchpoint they’re in are already flooded. The water shimmers, and all of a sudden it’s pool water, and Jude — Pluto — is shoving Agni’s head — no, Prabha’s — underneath it. “I can't go on livin' like this,” the Jude being interviewed replies, cadence eerily close to Agni’s earlier response “I jus'. . . either I'm dyin' here, or I'm gonna do myself in soon. Livin' is just- it's hell, plain 'n simple. I ain't eatin', sleepin', I can't do nothin', and each day, m' head jus' gets worse. I wanna live. I wanna learn what it is t' live fer real."

Agni is limp. Jude gets up, eyes glazed, staring at something that isn’t there, and starts walking towards the villa. A rosary drifts through the pool water before being sucked into a filtration system. “My plan? Go back to work,” Agni comments, letting out a breathy laugh as on-screen, Pluto lays Prabha’s corpse out peacefully. “What else would I do? I can only take a break for so long. Besides, finally getting my well-deserved fame? That’s some real motivation. Oh, my next line will be the best I’ve ever released. Look forward to it.”

A cheerful, confident Agni winks cockily at Cíoroc across the table. The view dissolves, first to more of those swaying palms, and then to Jude, sat in the same seat, shrugging.  "Jus'. . . back home, I guess. I'unno if I'll go back t' school or nothin'. Might get back on th' stage. Might go 'n help out Theo when he takes over papa's shop. But. . . I know I'm givin' the whole family a big hug 'n sayin' sorry. I ain't gonna disappoint them no more. I'm gonna live."

And with those words, the show cuts back to Cíoroc, a portrait of Pluto spinning around in a 3D animated graphic that lands firmly on the grid of blue lines behind him, a shimmering moon at the center. “See! It’s ironic because he didn’t! Live, that is,” Cíoroc cheerfully explains, reclining on a beach chair and sipping a cocktail through a colourful straw. “It’s a shame when someone dies, because their story ends. But sometimes stories are meant to end! Sometimes you just need something to come to a stop once and for all instead of just trailing out, getting more and more boring, until nobody cares anymore! Maybe we’re doing them a favour? But hey, darlings, that’s not my place to say. Pluto didn’t manage to become a different person,” he continues, as similar portraits start to appear on the grid, “Just like Nadir from season two, Shizuka Gozen from season seven, Piedad from season ten, Runaway from season sixteen, Nanashi from season twenty-one, Cuckoo from season twenty-eight, Johnny from season thirty, and Hollow from season thirty-four.”

A sparkle of orange light erases the background, leaving behind an orange-red sun on a purple background, and a new line of portraits. “Prabha doesn’t get the recognition he wanted, and neither do Qing from season three, Magician from season eight, Set from season fifteen, Cornelius from season nineteen, Fantôme from season twenty-seven, or Askari from season thirty-five.” Cíoroc grins at the camera. “Man, didn’t we all have a lot of fun with them? Especially Qing, hahaha! I hope in a couple of seasons we can look back on this one as a classic. I mean, that’s all you can really hope for when you’re making TV, right? Hope to make a good impression and keep people talking about it as long as you keep going.” He stretches idly. “Tomorrow, our contestants will wake up to find out that it was all a computer simulation all along!” He winks. “Or was it? Stay tuned for very serious existential questions on HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN!”

The rest of the broadcast consists of Cíoroc very slowly drinking his entire cocktail to rapturous applause.