#storytelling is brilliant with amazing character writing

[stripesysheaven]

a question for the lost fandom. what shows remind you of/give off the same vibes as lost? even if you can’t describe exactly why, feel free to mention it anyway, as long as it feels similar to you i want to hear about it (also feel free to add on to the post or mention it in the tags/replies, whatever you’re more comfortable with)

i’ll start: watchmen (hbo) and evil (cbs)

[dragonrider9905]

Before TBB Ends...Regardless of HOW it Ends...I've Got to Say Something...

In 2021, TBB was released, and over the last few years, it's grown to mean a lot to me. Not just the stories, the storytelling, the characters whom we've fallen in love with and hope to see more of someday, whose stories we've learned important lessons from, but how it profoundly affected my life.

And it is something I am incredibly grateful for.

Regardless of how the show ends, if it's something I'm going to love or be totally heartbroken over and hate, I'm so glad it happened and went on this journey.

For one, it gave me the plug to start writing. Writing was always a dream of mine but it wasn't until I discovered fanfiction, because of TBB, that I actually realized it. I had this idea of writing and thought I'd never really be able to accomplish that. The show enabled me to move past that and I've been able to be enflamed by my love for writing. It brings me so much happiness. No other show pushed me to write like this one.

Secondly, my writing has allowed me to touch and interact with people. I can't tell you how much it means to me and how thrilled I am to hear and learn my work has touched you in some way. I'm humbled by your words and taking the time to actually read and appreciate what I've written.

Thirdly, I've gone on so many adventures, crazy amazing adventures because of what other brilliant minds I met through the show have written. There are SO many great stories that just hit me so.....I was touched by your stories that you wouldn't have written if you hadn't watched the show!

Lastly, but CERTAINLY not the least, I have made SO many friends and writing buddies because of this show. It has connected me to so many cool people that I otherwise may never have found. I've grown really close with some of you, while others, though we may not be friends per say, I hope we can someday. In the meantime, I will admire your work from here. You guys mean so much to me and I can't even begin to express how wonderful it's been getting to know you over the past few years. The fun experiences we've shared, the theories, the stories, all of it. I am not putting this as well as it was in my head so please forgive that.

This includes but isn't limited to: @eclec-tech @photogirl894 @apocalyp-tech-a @lizartgurl @jedipoodoo @arctrooper69 @carolinetano7567 @trapezequeen @ghostofskywalker @masterjedilenaaa @ladysongmaster @moonstrider9904 @klmwrites @techs-stitches @ovaa-bi-bia @frostycatblr-fandom-files @imabeautifulbutterfly @sverdgeir @oceansssblue @marvel-starwarsfangirl @jedi-hawkins

How about you? What are you guys grateful for? Reblog and share what TBB meant to you!

Copy and paste the red as your header and let's see how many people we can get so share their stories!

I will end with no other quote than this!

"With love comes loss; it's part of the deal. Sometimes it hurts, but in the end, it's all worth it. There's no greater gift than love."

[iamnmbr3]

what are some really outstandingly written and creative hp fics. (please no wholeslae canon rewrites tho. AUs are fine).

Here are a few fics that I find to be especially outstanding and creative and well written.

Amulette d'amour by The_Carnivorous_Muffin, Vinelle (words: 58,092 | not rated | Tom Riddle/Alphard Black)

Tom is commissioned to repair a magical amulet.

Why I rec it: Listen. This fic is absolutely phenomenal. It has a fascinating and well developed exploration of wizarding society, brilliant and highly complex and multifaceted characterization, and very original and unique plotting. It's extraordinarily well written and is both thought provoking and dramatic as well as laugh out loud funny in places. It's not a fic premise or pairing I would ever have imagined but it's legitimately an outstanding piece of writing that will live rent free in your head.

At Your Service by Faith Wood (faithwood) ( words: 95,752 | rating: E drarry )

Hogwarts students are in danger; Harry is determined to save them all. There’s only one thing he knows for certain: Draco Malfoy is somehow involved.

Why I rec it: This is the closest to book 8 that I've seen. Stylistically it really recalls the feel and structure of the canon books and it has a lot of really cool plot developments and world building. It follows on nicely from the rest of the series and expands on whats there. It feels like a book 8 where drarry happens.

the pleasure, the privilege by asterismal (asterisms) (words: 19,901 | rating: M | Harry/Voldemort | CW: Horror, Extremely dark themes)

It begins with Vernon Dursley’s body, dead across the table. In which Voldemort is dosed with amortentia, and nothing is better for it.

Why I rec it: It takes a crack plot premise and runs with it and really makes it work in a serious way. This fic is DARK and very unique and creative in its plot resolution. It kept me on the edge of my seat and is incredibly innovative and dramatic.

Running on Air by eleventy7 ( words: 74,876 | rating: T | drarry)

Draco Malfoy has been missing for three years. Harry is assigned the cold case and finds himself slowly falling in love with the memories he collects.

Why I rec it: Brilliantly well done characterization and amazing world building and plot. The relationship and characters all develop so naturally and the writing is incredibly beautiful. It never feels rushed and yet you can't put it down.

Denude by Faith Wood (faithwood) (words: 4,172 | rating: E | drarry | CW: Underage)

This is a HBP AU. It's set a few days after the Sectumsempra scene and takes the story in another direction, asking the question: "What if the Sectumsempra scene had a greater impact on Harry and Draco?" Harry and Draco are sixteen. In medias res beginning. Non-linear storytelling.

Why I rec it: Stylistically it feels like it could be taken out of book 6. The characterization and dialogue is so spot on and its very emotionally evocative.

Sparkling Cyanide by Asenora (words: 1,415 | rating: G | Gen | complete)

Tom Riddle had nothing to do with the death of Hepzibah Smith. Hokey had just had enough of being a slave.

Why I rec it: Amazingly creative world building and premise and characterization. It feels brand new and yet wholly plausible and right.

[jamethinks]

Progress Designs of the Desmonds

Back at it again with another long ass post about the Desmonds. This time we're talking about their actual features because I'm seeing a lot of comparisons so I must share my piece as it's my duty 🙏🏾

*Donovan jumpscare* had to take the photo down while I write this lmao go away man.

Based on character introductions and background information, I think it's safe to assume Donovan was the first one to be designed. The obvious goal was to create a cartoonishly ugly man to portray the primary antagonist. And I must say, wonderful job. That man is just absolutely repulsive to look at. His design reminds me heavily of the Frankenstein monster, from the pale skin to the grey streak and the weird stitches on the sides of his head. His big bulging eyes make him such an unnerving presence, I can always feel him looking at me. That one panel of him with baby Demetrius with hair on his head and a soul in his body is very interesting to me. It's like he lost all life over his time as prime minister (or having to deal with Damian who knows). I also love how his design doesn't lean too much into Jewish stereotypes (aside from that massive nose). A bit refreshing in the grand scheme of things.

The next would obviously be the wonderful Damian. As always, I have no proof of this claim but istg at some point, it was said that Damian was to look more like his dad, but they changed it to make his character more approachable. Makes it even funnier to think of how he looks nothing like his father, like he really had to rework that one lmao. Damian is obviously very stunning, unlike his hideous father, which makes good contrast. His most stand out feature are his slanted downturned eyes, the use of straight edges give him a sharper look making him appear more mature than his peers and direct opposes Anay big fucking googly eyes. But also gives him a permanent slightly sad look which kinda sells how depressing his life is.

Naturally, when you have a child that looks nothing like one parent, they have to be a carbon copy of the other one. And so we get Melinda aka Damian if he was a middle-aged woman. Melinda has a very mature and sophisticated appearance, very similar to her son. Her downturned eyes again give her a sharp appearance with a hint of sadness. Much like her son, she's very distant from her husband and clearly doesn't like the position she's in. There isn't much to be said about her since most of her design borrows heavily from Damian so I would just be repeating myself. Anyways, I love when mothers get to have their Reese Witherspoon moment. When daughters are one to one clones of their mothers a fairy is born ✨️

Lastly, we have probably my favorite design of all the Desmonds. Our dearly beloved, Demetrius. He is the epitome of storytelling through design. It's very rare for characters to look like an actual blend of their parents. Most of the time, they would just pick the patent they're most similar to or different for contrast. In the case of Demetrius, however, effort was put into perfectly merging both of his parents to really make a son. He fits perfectly into the family, blending in put and standing. His long body with slick back hair makes him look so scary and daunting. His eyes are round but not scary like Donovan's or cute like Anya but just vacant. Truly head empty, no thoughts. Such an ironic appearance for such a brilliant child. He reminds me a bit of an owl, notorious symbols for intelligence despite being complete dumbasses. He has a very round appearance, which makes for nice contrast (that's the only word I know apparently) for his sharp attitude. He doesn't have the same sadness and his mother and brother but a sort of exhaustion and dissociation that's somehow even sadder.

It's amazing how many beautiful and intricately designed characters spawned from such a horrific disgusting repulsive nerve-wracking nauseating man. Like Donovan is truly one of the ugliest things I've ever seen. An exception job at creating something so utterly grotesque and revolting. Really he looks like a rotting corpse how to Melinda manage to fuck him TWICE? Jesus she's the strongest character here man fuck Yor.

Anyways, if you made it this far, here are some bonus notes on character designs in sxf

From what I can remember, Anya is the only other main character with large round eyes. I guess the evidence to the whole telepathy theory

Anya is also one of my favourite character designs. Her pins remind me of Kasumi from bang dream and to a much lesser extent Batman. She's a star and a cat

Nightfall was designed to be the absolute opposite of Yor from her physical characteristics to her personality and even alliance. It makes extra cunt (that's a double entendre)

Franky is my least favorite character design but I can't hare him too much bc he looks Jewish like that guy from glee

Bond has the worst character design simply because his paws are biologically impossible, and his ears do no match any dog breed I can find. How dare you make me use my imagination

Although Yor is supposed to be white (kinda), she has the appearance of a traditional Japanese woman with the long black hair, pale skin, soft voice, and love for red. This helps signal a warm and ideal female character, perfect for the female lead and main love interest

Loid's blonde hair and blue eyes give him a rather effeminate appearance, but discussing that implication further would require a crash course in race science. For now just picture him dying his hair every few weeks

To this day I don't get why Martha cut her hair. She ate but still

Henry has a massive forehead, and it scares me. Rihanna what are you doing here. He'd another well designed characters who's role in the story is clear just by looking at him. Love the depth added with the backstory to his monocle 🧐

And underrated character design to me is Mrs Schlag. She looks like a bulldog, which is such a great detail. Bulldogs are known for being nanny dogs but also extremely aggressive. A great fit for the signature, miserable old lady teacher who you have such a love-hate relationship with

How many gay men do you think went to the Berlint General Hospital Psych ward to he treated for homosexual tendencies only be so gagged by Fiona's lethal Bob that they immediately get released because the uneducated heterosexual doctors confuses their gag-ment for attraction? How many twinks have been saved from conversion therapy because of that bob? Troye Sivan owes her his life and career

I think Sharon is the hottest of the office ladies. Idk she's so mad men coded I need her to burn me with that cigarette

Bonus: I was starting to run out of words to describe Donovan

Also:

If you made it this far, have a wet Bond for all your troubles

[erisweekofficial]

We're beyond excited to celebrate @futurehunt, another of our amazing Azris writers! Known for her captivating work, A Court of Shadows and Ash—if you haven't read it yet, it's an absolute must-read!

Her storytelling is a masterclass in suspense, with every twist and turn leaving readers on the edge of their seats. Her ability to weave together intricate plotlines and rich lore across multiple works is nothing short of brilliant. The connections between ACOSAA and her other pieces, like "My Old Friend, Fire," are seamless and incredibly clever.

Not only is her prose stunning, but her deep understanding of the characters, especially Eris, adds layers of depth to her stories. It’s no wonder her writing sparks such admiration—she brings the world and characters to life in a way that's impossible to forget!

Read on to learn more about Hunt's thoughts on Eris and what reality tv show he'd host!

Give us a name for one of Eris's brothers

Balor! In Celtic mythology, Balor is a tyrannical evil force also known as the "Evil Eye". Not only do I love the name, but I think it's very much something Beron would name one of his sons.

Give us a name for one of Eris's hounds

Magnolia! I have a headcanon that all of his hounds are named after tree species.

What's an Eris fic that you'd like to read, but haven't come across yet (what tropes, concepts, etc). ?

Regency era Duke Vanserra. I feel like this must exist? Perhaps I haven't looked thoroughly enough. There's something about imagining Eris in tailcoats— with a red, silk cravat, of course— that makes me feral.

What are Eris’s hobbies or interests outside of his duties as a Vanserra?

Anything that connects him with nature and his land. I know he's secretly a farmer at heart.

If Eris were to fall in love, how would he show it, and would he find it difficult to express?

Through the most deeply thoughtful gifts. I think it's safe to assume that Beron Vanserra wasn't teaching his younglings how to verbalize their feelings, so I believe Eris communicates his love through gifts that show the care and attention he has for his partner. In one of my fics, A Court of Shadows and Ash, this is the exact dynamic I try to represent in Eris's relationship with Azriel. I won't spoil anything for those who haven't read, but Eris sure does know how to give a good gift ;)

What game/reality tv show would Eris host? (Real or Made up)

What Not to Wear. Hands down

[justanotherrpmeme]

Praise starters

"You are truly amazing at what you do. Your talent is unmatched."

"Thank you for always being there for me. Your support means the world."

"You have such a brilliant mind. Your ideas never cease to impress me."

"I admire your strength and resilience. You always find a way to overcome challenges."

"You have a heart of gold. Your kindness and compassion inspire me every day."

"You are an incredible leader. Your guidance has made a significant impact on our team."

"Your creativity knows no bounds. Your work is truly exceptional."

"I appreciate your honesty. Your straightforwardness is refreshing."

"You have a way with words. Your writing touches the hearts of so many."

"You are a true inspiration. Your determination is contagious."

"Your sense of humor always brightens my day. You have such a quick wit."

"Your dedication is commendable. You always give your best in everything you do."

"You have such a beautiful soul. Your positivity radiates and uplifts everyone around you."

"Your talent for storytelling is incredible. You bring characters and worlds to life."

"You are an exceptional listener. Your empathy and understanding make you a trusted confidant."

"Your attention to detail is remarkable. You never miss a thing."

"Your courage is inspiring. You face challenges head-on without hesitation."

"Your generosity knows no bounds. You always go above and beyond to help others."

"You have a natural talent for bringing people together. Your charisma is captivating."

"Your dedication to self-improvement is admirable. You never stop growing and learning."

"You have a remarkable sense of style. Your fashion choices are always on point."

"Your cooking skills are out of this world. Every meal you make is a masterpiece."

"You have an incredible work ethic. Your commitment and discipline are unmatched."

"You are an amazing parent. Your love and care for our children is unwavering."

"You are simply extraordinary. Your presence in my life brings me joy and happiness."

[imagineitdearies]

firstly, perfect slaughter is so brilliant! you must be so proud with what you have created. your characterisation of Tyrus fits so well into the story and his relationship with Astarion is amazing. i don’t have the right words to express how much i love this.

one thing that also really stuck to me was cazador’s characterisation and his sick and twisted obsession with astarion and tyrus, you have clearly done so much research to understand his character.

which brings to my ask (apologies if you have already spoken about this): cazador says some really interesting things about astarion before the fight if you don’t bring astarion with you. it got me thinking about what are the factors that really drive cazador’s obsession with him specifically, considering most info the player gets is from astarion directly. i want to get your take on it, is it a deep rooted, subconscious fear/hatred that astarion has the capability to rebel, like in someways he is similar to cazador before he killed vellioth or is it more ‘simple’ as astarion is just the most fun to torment in comparison to others??

long ask, sorry

Hi anon! Thanks so much 😊 definitely feeling proud of PS, it's really shown me the high-level storytelling I'm capable of when I feel passionate enough about a project!

I think I've talked a bit about Cazador's obsession with Astarion but I'm not sure it was on my tumblr, so I'm happy to throw in my two cents! Like you've already listed out, though, there's multiple theories and likely all are true to some extent.

Thoughts below the cut:

When I think of Cazador Szarr, I think of how much fear can be a poison. A little of it is healthy, but when you let fear drive every decision you ever make, you're on a swift tunnel downward into all the no-good emotions: distrust, loathing, contempt, malice, sadism, etc, turned outward and inward. So yes, when you're a person who's let fear drive basically all your emotions and decisions, what kind of individual would make these ugly reactions flare up even more drastically? Yup, someone you fear. Now why would he fear Astarion extra--I have a few theories:

As you said, he sees Astarion's defiant nature (e.g. "the boy has always been troublesome" he writes in his journal) as similar to his spawn self, and therefore believes he has a similar potential to rebel and overthrow him. (This idea not only plays into Cazador's fears, but also his internal self-loathing.)

I like the fanon idea that Astarion shares a semi-similar personality and even physical traits with Vellioth, which certainly would trigger the hell out of Cazador and fuel the need to go extra hard on him out of anger, but also leftover fear.

When I meet the other spawn in bg3, there's just such a stark difference between Astarion from the very start of meeting him--he retained his sense of self in a way the rest really don't seem to have. They all act and talk a certain way, feel almost actually like siblings despite no physical relation, while he stands out like the black--silver?--sheep of the family. Therefore, outside of just his defiant nature, because it's not like he was always defiant with Cazador (i.e. Leon calling him a "lickspittle"), I'd argue Astarion simply has a resilient force of personality. He won't "drink the kool-aid" and lose himself in the name of survival. And maybe this is a hot take, but I think Cazador deeply fears ridicule and judgment. Having a spawn who retains a personality and even worse, opinions of him beyond fear and submission...how terrifying.

Of course, there are factors besides fear that could be examined. We cannot ignore Astarion's canon line: "He[...]did take special pleasure in my pain--he said my screams sounded sweetest." You can argue Cazador enjoyed Astarion's screams only for deeper, more contextual reasons like those outlined above, but I headcanon (and included in PS) that Astarion had the hard combination of a more resilient spirit but a lower pain tolerance than his siblings. So it was easier to get him screaming, but harder to truly break him, which is a hell of a lot more fun for a certified sadist like Cazador.

Alright, that's probably enough yapping from me! Cazador is quite the interesting beastie, isn't he?

[positivejamwriting]

For the fic rec ask game-- 15. Fic(s) that inspired you to write? and/or! 22. Fic(s) you could do a whole PowerPoint Presentation on

Oooh! Thank you for the ask- I think these both kind of fall under both categories, so, double answer!

There are two fics that have really stuck with me through almost a year in the bg3 fandom.

The first is bile in her throat by @amorficzna. This is one of the first Gale/Shadowheart fics I read and BOY is it an amazing retell of two kindred spirits in an otherwise evil party. The best kind of character studies are the ones that dunk your favs in the absolute worst situations and see what comes out. The imagery of Gale and Shadowheart walking through the carnage of their former party, of desperately playing house in a destroyed Last Light Inn, of climbing the brain together-- and UGH that ending. With all the religious imagery and Mystra/Shar looming over the both of them, they get these two as foils like nobody else.

The second is the iconic As the Raven Flies by lividstatue. An in depth look at Gale's relationship with Mystra that handles the toxicity and grooming of their relationship with such beautiful nuance. Every single line is well thought out, and the early chapters utilize such good dramatic irony because seeing bright-eyed young Gale hurts so hard when you know what's in store for him later. The way it's broken up into six points in time is brilliant storytelling and I find myself coming back to it when I struggle with pacing in my own writing.

[doumadono]

Do you have any blog recommendations?

You're so amazing, I love your writing! Keep doing you bb, don't let that anon get you down. *hugs* ❤

Aww, your sweet words mean the world to me! 🌟 Sending you lots of love and positivity! ❤️ When it comes to recommendations, I've got a couple of blogs in mind that I'd love to suggest to you, dear Anonnie!

@gamergirl-niffler - she's undeniably adorable and holds a special place as a loyal and dedicated friend of mine. Her blog is a treasure trove of delightful headcanons and numerous posts about games. It's definitely worth taking a look! 🎮 She's a talented writer! Following her will lead you to discover not only incredibly intriguing headcanons but also an abundance of GIFs from anime and games! ❤️

@mrskokushibo - her blog is a haven for incredible writing. As a highly talented writer, she possesses a natural ability to describe even the smallest details in the most enchanting ways. If you're a fan of Attack on Titan, Demon Slayer, and Jujutsu Kaisen, you're bound to discover a plethora of fantastic content related to these interests ❤️

@muzansfangs - undoubtedly one of the most skilled writers in the Demon Slayer & Bleach fandoms. Her storytelling prowess, intricate plot construction, and knack for leaving us on the edge with cliffhangers are simply too brilliant to overlook. And beyond her writing talent, she's a remarkably wise and lovely person! 💕 Please, consider following this talented woman!

@dabismoon - there are numerous things I'd like to express, but above all, she stands out as a talented writer. Her natural portrayal of characters consistently leaves me in awe. If you're a fan of Dabi from My Hero Academia, following her is an absolute must 💙

@ectologia - if you're a fan, much like myself, of impeccably written fics, following them is a necessity. The manner in which they construct plots and their mastery of language is so flawless that it feels like you're immersed in a captivating book. They're a creator of dark content, so if you appreciate something with a darker tone and if you desire a reading experience that borders on ecstasy, consider giving them a follow 🖤

@dabisqueen - yet another exceptionally skilled writer, who introduces us to Dabi in a multitude of fascinating settings. Her pornstar!Dabi fic is an absolute must-read for fans of this character. The way she crafts her descriptions and portrays characters immerses you fully in the story from the very first paragraph! 💙 If you're a fan of Dabi - following his Queen is a must!

@mizading - not just a gifted writer but also an incredibly sweet person. I've been with her almost since her first moments on Tumblr, and let me tell you, witnessing her growth as a writer brings me immense joy — it's like watching a star being born! ⭐ Following her will bring you a lot of nice things to read!

@shonen-brainrot - how could I overlook this small yet incredibly talented beast?! Her headcanons consistently leave me breathless — mainly focused on My Hero Academia, she introduces us to unconventional situations in her headcanon sets. Despite her immense talent, she remains super humble and is one of the kindest individuals I've encountered here. If you're a fan of MHA, giving her a follow is a definite must! ❤️

@lifeform286 - another exceptionally creative individual who also happens to be a wonderfully pleasant person to engage with! His writing and art consistently exhibit a polished and refined touch in every aspect. If you're a fan of the ShigaDabi ship from My Hero Academia, do yourself a favor and give him a follow 🤗

@bakubunny - a truly creative and talented creator! The way she describes everything keeps me super engaged in her headcanons and stories. As a multifandom writer, I'm confident you'll find something for yourself in her den! She's such a gifted writer, and I aspire to be as good as she is one day!

Among the numerous blogs I follow and adore, these stand out as my absolute favorites due to my deep appreciation for their writing 📝

[redinkscrawl]

Redd Reviews: THE MASQUERADE by Seth Dickinson

Genre: SciFi/Fantasy

Major Tropes: Hero corruption arc, slow burn, enemies to lovers, enemies to friends, morally gray characters, women's wrongs, righteous rebellion, bury your gays*, unreliable narrator

Representation Rating: A

(brown lesbian mc, mostly LGBT and nonwhite characters, written by a queer?** author. Some disability rep but could be better/have more imo.)

*On the subject of bury your gays, there's nothing I can say that @canmom hasn't said better. But rest assured, while gays are buried, other gays survive and may even thrive.

**The only reference I can find to Seth Dickinson being queer is in that same blogpost by canmom, which states that Dickinson was questioning his pronouns on Twitter at that point in time. I can't find his Twitter, found no note of queerness on his website, and have only seen him referred to as he/him. That said, this is a wonderfully queer book, and it sure seems like a queer author wrote it.

Young and brilliant Baru Cormorant's home has been slowly invaded, slowly and insidiously taken over by the Empire of the Mask. So she vows her revenge. But what extremes will she have to go to to take down the empire from the inside?

Full of political and economic intrigue, ship battles and sword fights, and twists and turns, these books are the book series I've always wanted to write.

My Thoughts

Overall

"This is the truth. You will know because it hurts."

These books are fucking fascinating. The worldbuilding is strong, beautifully done, and incredibly interesting to boot. The characters are AMAZING and extremely rich. The fictional cultures are complex and gorgeous. The plot becomes increasingly more unhinged, beginning with accounting and political intrigue and ending with cancer cults. And the plot is so smart. So are the rest of the books. (Keep a dictionary handy!) Beauty and brutality in equal measure, these books may make you cry or laugh or both, but they'll definitely keep you turning pages.

My verdict: READ THESE BOOKS.

Book 1: The Traitor Baru Cormorant

This book is one I'll never forget. The highs are high, and the lows are low. If Dickinson has one gift, it's making you care about the accounting and minutiae of this damn rebellion. This book has so much heart it can hardly contain it, and a deep reverence for the common people, despite being about a savant in a powerful position acting against other individuals in powerful positions.

Baru as a character is just... chef's kiss. You root for her when she does good, you root for her when she does evil. It's all but impossible to not want her to succeed.

Fascinatingly, The Traitor Baru Cormorant works as a standalone novel, which makes sense since it originated as a short story. But this is a rare quality amongst firsts in fantasy series, I've found. To me this just demonstrates Dickinson's skill at storytelling.

The names of characters and places are frequently very difficult. I love them. Most characters have distinctly ethnic names, though not necessarily from real ethnicities. Many are difficult for my English-addled brain to pronounce, but they are beautiful and distinct. The world is exceptionally immersive.

If you didn't like the political intrigue and minutiae of A Song of Ice and Fire, you won't like this book. If you did, this is 100% the book for you.

The twists are delicious and the ending is ultra emotional, and expertly executed. I was sobbing. I wanted to throw the book, but I had to keep reading.

Rating: 👛👛👛👛👛/5

Book 2: The Monster Baru Cormorant

This book falters, just slightly, for me. It's still a fascinating, somehow quick read, but it just didn't hit me the way the other two books did. Baru spends a lot of time seemingly achieving nothing, and while every plot point is vital to Baru's character later on... they don't always seem worthwhile at the time. I just can't give The Monster Baru Cormorant a perfect score.

I don't like the switch to first person for Xate Yawa's POV. I found it jarring and out-of-place in a novel that is otherwise third person, and where Yawa is not the main character. This bothered me less and less as the novel went on (and into the next,) but still. The choice doesn't make sense to me, since we already get character's thoughts through the third person limited POV. I'd like to pick the author's brain about this.

I do love how much we learn about the world of The Masquerade in this book. The world expands exponentially, as evidenced by the expanded map. I'm kind of obsessed with the concept of trim; the concept that all things are connected to all things, and one should live accordingly, to put it simply. The Oriati culture is fascinating and just so, so beautiful.

Rating: 🗡️🗡️🗡️🗡️.5/5

Book 3: The Tyrant Baru Cormorant

This book is INSANE. And gods, Seth Dickinson really keeps you reading! The tension is off the charts and the cliffhangers hit where it hurts. Some might call some of the cliffhangers cheap, but since the characters believe in the tension, I believe in the tension. That makes all the difference for me.

This book shines in the logistics. Clearly Dickinson did his research on, like, everything. Economics of course, but also ship parts and naval strategy and brain injury and every other detail I can't remember but that made the story feel so, so real.

The horrors released in this book shook me, and the hopes birthed in this book are delightfully optimistic in comparison. The end of this book is a relatively triumphant, happy ending...which is kind of crushing when you remember that there's going to at least be a fourth book.

I can't state enough that this book is crazy, but I can't tell you much more without spoilers. A definite page-turner. If you liked the first two books, you'll love this one.

Rating: 🗺️🗺️🗺️🗺️🗺️/5

Book 4: Upcoming

And I can't wait.

Rating: 🎭🎭🎭🎭🎭/5

Check out waffalet's elf girl maker here.

[thegirlwhowrites642]

Some people says hinny in cos was similar to Orpheus or some even compare them to spiderman. What are other literally significance we can see in whole hinny love story?

Please share your thoughts

Harry and Ginny: three famous love stories before theirs

I still hold the ridiculous hope that one day I'll be able to write a deep full analysis of Harry and Ginny's soulmate dynamic and callbacks to other popular love stories are a part of that analysis. But because you asked so nicely, I want to discuss a bit the two examples you brought up and I'll tell you about another that is one of my favourites.

Orpheus and Eurydice (Greek mythology)

The whole matter of the Chamber of Secrets parallels Orpheus and Eurydice's story, Harry is Orpheus and Ginny is Eurydice.

It is assumed or strongly suspected that Ginny is dead, and Harry goes after her anyway and finds her in a state between life and death. Eurydice dies but Orpheus still pines and searches for his wife, and the existence of the possibility of bringing her back substantially puts her in a position between life and death.

Harry through parseltongue, a particular talent of his, is able to access the Chamber (which is underground). Orpheus through music, a particular talent of his, is able to access the underworld.

Through their journey, both Harry and Orpheus are obliged to leave behind their companions.

Lockhart in the journey loses his memory, a reference to the Lethe in the underworld, the river of forgetfulness.

Art is an important element to remain alive and get out: Fawkes's song (and tears) for Harry, his music for Orpheus.

There's also the element of not looking in order to succeed in saving the girl, Harry can't look into the basilisk's eyes, and Orpheus can't look back at Eurydice.

Tom is an evil version of Hades. Ginny is also both a representation of Eurydice and, in a way, Hades's wife, Persephone.

The obvious difference is that Harry actually saves Ginny.

Peter and MJ, The Amazing Spider-Man (1963 - ongoing)

If we talk about the cinematic versions of Peter and MJ we find a parallel with Harry and Ginny in the break-up scene.

At the end of the first movie of Spider-Man starring Tobey Maguire, Peter refuses MJ, recreating the classic scene of the hero lying to the love of their life about their feelings in order to keep them safe. To protect them they push them away. And the scene happens at a funeral. Now, Harry does break up with Ginny at a funeral for very similar reasons. But the very important contrast is that Harry is extremely honest with Ginny, he doesn't lie about his feelings for her. It's a reference and yet a subversion of the trope (a thing JKR often does with them -> The meaning of Ginny's name).

But let's talk about comicbooks Peter and MJ.

MJ is a character that is talked about in the first issues of The Amazing Spider-Man comics as the "nice girl" who is the niece of the neighbour (a friend of Aunt May). Aunt May keeps trying to set Peter and MJ up but the fact that MJ keeps being described as a "nice girl" makes Peter believe she'll turn out to be ugly, so he avoids meeting her. In issue #25 she appears for the first time but is hidden behind a plant. It's only in issue #42 (November 1966) that we really meet her for the first time. She appears in Peter's doorway making arguably the most iconic entrance in the history of storytelling:

And so it is, that Peter discoveres how MJ is actually a fun, brilliant, extremely good-looking redhead.

Does this remind you of the appearance of anyone else in another doorway?

The door opened and a long mane of red hair appeared. “Oh hello, Harry!” said Ron’s younger sister, Ginny, brightly. “I thought I heard your voice.” -Chapter 4, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, JK Rowling

Until this point of the story, Ginny has been Ron's shy younger sister. We keep being reminded of her, she is constantly associated with Harry's love life, we know that she is supposed to be in a way that we are not allowed to see, we see her but not clearly, like she is hidden, and then she makes this outstanding appearance. She is confident, speaks directly to Harry and makes a funny clever joke about Harry shouting like a maniac. She grabs all the attention and defeats any negative expectations. OotP is in many ways Ginny's debut.

Personally, I think this is the most interesting parallel, but there are some others that I think are worthy of being mentioned.

MJ is in competition with another love interest, Gwen, but she always ends up being the winner, in the sense that she always comes off as the more charming, brilliant, show-stopping one. The one Peter always ends up having more chemistry with (fan fact: this happened in spite of the original plan of the writers).

In OotP, there's a subplot of constant confrontation between Ginny and Cho, and Ginny always ends up being the winner. Not only in absolute terms of her personality but specifically in terms of her ability to connect with Harry (this on the other hand was very much done on purpose).

A turning point in Peter and MJ's relationship is a harsh conversation where Peter is completely distraught over Gwen's death but MJ refuses to make him indulge in his self-pity:

While the subject at hand is different, it is a scene that holds similarities to the lucky you scene in Harry and Ginny's story. Harry is all rattled about the possibility of being possessed and he is throwing himself a bit of a (understandable) pity party. Ginny is the one that doesn't back down from the challenge of confronting Harry about it, regardless of how horrible that "I forgot" is, and she is there for him. That is a turning point in their relationship because Harry sees Ginny in her entirety for the first time.

'All been talking about me, have you? Well, I'm getting used to it.' 'We wanted to talk to you, Harry,' said Ginny, 'but as you've been hiding ever since we got back — ' 'I didn't want anyone to talk to me,' said Harry, who was feeling more and more nettled. 'Well, that was a bit stupid of you,' 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 wheeled round. 'I forgot,' he said. 'Lucky you,' said Ginny coolly. 'I'm sorry,' Harry said, and he meant it. 'So... so, do you think I'm being possessed, then?' 'Well, can you remember everything you've been doing?' Ginny asked. 'Are there big blank periods where you don't know what you've been up to?' -Chapter 23, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, JK Rowling

Another thing that MJ and Ginny have in common is a very clear identity and storyline that makes them independent from their love interests despite said love interests being the main characters. They also both acquire fame due to their jobs despite coming from a poor family and they both have traumatic pasts (even if for different reasons). They are also both the youngest in their family.

Peter and Harry are both obviously the main characters with special abilities and they are both orphans who lose a surrogate parental figure. Peter though, gets a much better childhood than Harry.

Laurie and Amy, Little Women (1868-69)

What if I told you that Harry and Ginny have a lot in common with a couple of characters from the work of Louisa May Alcott settled in the Massachusetts of the 19th century?

Laurie is a rich lonely orphan that meets a poor loving family with many children (the Marches). He gets really close to them, and he grows up with them. He is specifically best friends with one of those kids (Jo) with which he has a very tumultuous kind of dynamic and he ends up developing romantic feelings for her. Amy is the youngest of the March family and always seems to hold a soft spot for Laurie. Laurie even saves Amy's life at a certain point, partially helped by Jo. Despite a few years of age difference, Laurie and Amy always get along really well, and they even flirt frequently once they are a bit older. But between his feelings for Jo and his age difference with Amy, for years it's not possible for Laurie to develop proper romantic feelings for the youngest March.

The parallels with Harry and Ginny seem quite obvious. Harry is a rich orphan who befriends a poor loving family with many kids that treat him like one of their own. He is specifically best friends with one of the kids, Ron. Ginny is the youngest of the Weasley family and has feelings for Harry from the start. At one point in the story, Harry saves Ginny and for part of that rescue, he has Ron by his side. Once he grows up a bit, Harry develops feelings for a girl (Cho) with which he has a very short tumultuous relationship. It needs to be clarified though, that while Laurie's feelings for Jo are quite intense, Harry simply has a hallway crush on Cho. Regardless, there's a Jo in Harry's story and she is represented by a fusion of Ron and Cho. And, as it is for Laurie, it takes years for Harry to acquire full proper romantic feelings for Ginny, despite the fact that there was always a certain tenderness between them. What keeps Harry from developing proper romantic feelings for Ginny in this case is not really the age difference but the general lack of time spent together, due to Ginny's paralyzing romantic feelings mixed with Harry's complex life (even if not being in the same year at school doesn't help). Cho also serves as a distraction for a while.

But let's go back to Little Women and talk about when everything changed between Laurie and Amy. Laurie's marriage proposal to Jo gets rejected, which leads him into a spiral of despair and very debatable coping mechanisms that he puts into action all around Europe. But in his travels in Europe, he meets again Amy, now a grown woman, mature, beautiful and commanding, and with a man ready to propose to her. Laurie and Amy spend a lot of time together, they have fun, and they share common values and interests, but more importantly, Amy is the one able to shake Laurie out of his spiral of despair and self-pity. Laurie inevitably develops romantic feelings for Amy, but wonders about his moral integrity because Amy made it so easy for him to forget the hurt Jo caused him. Ultimately, Laurie puts his life together and realises that he was destined for Amy, that he would have eventually fallen for her anyway, that they are inevitable. Laurie and Amy marry and he officially becomes part of the March family.

Again, the parallels with Harry and Ginny are evident. It is when Harry is full of rage and sadness that he meets the real Ginny, a Ginny who has matured, has a boyfriend, is fun, shares interests and values with Harry, and seems the only one really able to shake him out of his misery. She affirms herself as a source of comfort and optimism in Harry's life and the more time they spend together the more Harry's feelings grow. Throughout the entirety of the proper explicit development of Harry's romantic feelings, Ginny is taken, let it be OotP or HBP, which doesn't help matters. And when Harry finally realises his feelings, like Laurie, he is faced with a moral dilemma: Ginny is Ron's younger sister. And while Ron is simply Harry's best friend, it is nonetheless a dilemma of loyalty, like it was for Laurie. Harry, in spite of his best efforts, eventually accepts that he can't escape Ginny or his feelings for her. He has no doubts about him and Ginny, he is confident about them as a couple, and he knows that it is what was always meant to happen:

'I just wish I’d asked you sooner. We could’ve had ages… months… years maybe…’ 'But you’ve been too busy saving the wizarding world,’ said Ginny, half-laughing. -Chapter 30, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, JK Rowling

Harry and Ginny eventually get married and Harry officially becomes part of the Weasley family.

Other analyses

It seemed to me that the question was oriented on stories that Harry and Ginny reference in their dynamic and so this was my answer. Other analyses of mine though that explore Harry and Ginny from a literary point of view and that you might find interesting are:

Harry and Ginny, two main characters

Harry is still looking at Ginny

Ginny and Voldemort's yew wands

The meaning of Ginny's name

Ginny destroying a Horcrux?

[knightsofeclipse]

I think it is such a mark of good writing how hard it is to pick and keep a favourite character. (It’s Reece, I’ve landed on Reece). That every new episode, ever clip compilation, every quote I see makes me go “ok but are they may favourite now?” Everyone has so much that is compelling and complex about them. And each new interaction draws from every previous one. Nothing is forgotten, everything is taken into account. I’m a writer, I understand how this process works. And I’m still so blown away every time how amazing Charlotte is at executing just everything. She’s so incredibly talented. 10/10, 5 stars, every glowing review in the book.

And I don’t see people talking about just how brilliant the writing is. The moment that just keeps getting me is Char getting Mia fired. I see lots about the Mialotte side of it, but no one’s really talking about everything that had to happen to lead up to it. The establishment of Char’s character as someone who is so trustworthy and honest — she would never do something so underhanded, especially not so openly — and how vocally against what she was doing she was up until that point. Whether or not her plan had been premeditated, all of the pieces were set up so that it could ONLY be Char who could take down Mia. And then Mia’s side of it, that it’s made so clear that Mia can see something is up with Char but she wants to believe Char is nothing like her. That Char wouldn’t manipulate her like that. Mia is blinded by her affections for Char and Char can see that. WE can see that. I feel like I’m not doing the scene justice in trying to impress upon everyone how nuanced and complex that interaction was. I feel like I’m just going to devolve into screaming from the rooftops “this is what good writing looks like!”

The storyline going on right now, everything surrounding Shibby and Roger, as well as what’s I’ve dubbed the “Charlotte Protection Squad” Siobhan showing up for Char alongside Marjorie and Mia — including the revelation that Mia and Shibby had a flirtation, even if it amounted to nothing — I think recontextualizes the conversation Siobhan and Sorscha had about “knowing what you like”. Shibby’s reaction to Sorscha asking “what is it that attracted you to the millionaire sixty year old” felt off at the time. Maybe I’m just too autistic but it felt unnecessarily defensive. Siobhan’s concession that maybe people can know what they like, her almost surprise at Sorscha insisting that clearly she “knows” she likes much older men, it just didn’t sound like someone who was sure. And I’ve seen this kind of situation before, where a scene doesn’t feel right initially but later episodes provide more insight into it. It’s giving foreshadowing — intentional or otherwise, it doesn’t really matter. Part of writing is rolling with things as they develop and then looking back and going “oh hey, I foreshadowed that”.

I could go on about how I felt like I was reading too much into Shibby’s character and her interactions with others and was just waiting to be proven wrong but every further interaction continues to align with how I interpreted her. And by go on I mean GO ON. But we’d be here all day — and probably night — and that’s a lot of quotes to pull…

A brief aside about my autism; storytelling and writing are my core special interests. They inform how I interact with every other special interest I’ve had. And The Nursery Nurse is my current special interest. I’m usually a silent lurker. It just means so much to me to feel safe enough to be able to break my silence and properly engage with a community like this. And although it may take some time to convince myself that anyone actually cares to hear what I have to say, it’s a really big step for me to even say it in the first place. Thank you all for creating a community like this, where everyone feels welcome. I feel like just being here makes me more of a person… if that makes sense.

I’ve changed my mind. I do have one more thing to say about Siobhan. I know why the fandom has latched onto her despite everything she’s said/done. And no, it’s not just because she’s hot — but, like, that helps. It’s because she’s a good villain. She’s a satisfying villain. She says and does horrible things, doesn’t pull her punches — for fear of “going too far” from a writing standpoint — and is always dispatched and put back in her place by the end of the episode. She’s beloved for the same reason Team Rocket is. She’s a fun character to play with and has an easily followed formula on how her interactions are handled. I’m just going to keep screaming it from the rooftops: ITS JUST GOOD WRITING. We like Shibby because she’s the right villain for the right job. Her level of villainy is on par with the rest of the stakes the series provides. And that’s such an overlooked part of creating a villain or any sort of conflict. It has to match with the level of intensity of the rest of the goings on. That is Siobhan’s place in the ecosystem.

And I may or may not be collecting evidence to suggest that Jodie has been the other spy the entire time. Like, from her first appearance the entire time. Totally prepared to be wrong on this, some maths just aren’t mathing for me though.

Anyway, impulsively sharing this right before bed so I can pretend the internet doesn’t exist for the next 8 hours and come back less anxious about the mortifying ordeal of being known™️. That’s being a bit over dramatic… I’ll sleep now…

[ironwoodprotectionsquad]

Recently I refound a screenshot I took with a post from Twitter that frustrated me and seeing @kitkatopinions post reminded me about it and I kind of sort of ish touched on it in my reblog but I realized it would be a king winding tangent and I should make me own post but the thing that started all of this was the point about so called “irredeemable” characters and the post in question was talking about how we all think Ruby WILL save Salem. Not might or maybe. Not defeat Salem but SAVE her and between that and the comment about irredeemable characters I have thoughts.

As you hopefully know I am not against redemption arcs. I like them a lot. One of my all time favorite arcs is Zuko’s redemption and his reunion with Iroh. It’s an amazing arc amazing storytelling brilliant. However what frustrated me about fans of the show excited to see Ruby “save” Salem is that these same fans insist that their are other characters who are “irredeemable” and that is it “wrong” to even write fanfics that redeem them. And it continually blows my mind that fans can insist that no matter what Salem, the woman who wants to end the entire world and has killed at least thousands and possible more, will be redeemed and in the same breath insist that despite her heinous and vile actions, her victims are somehow WORSE and no matter what CANNOT be saved.

How has the fndm deluded themselves into thinking that if Salem can be redeemed their are characters who are somehow off the table on the whole redemption thing. She has killed so many, manipulated used broken so many people. But somehow, this isn’t a problem for them. It’s not a deal breaker for them while things like robbing stores or making a morally gray decision in the middle of a nightmare scenario….is?

Like if we’re going to be setting hard lines on what makes a person redeemable vs not Salem should be considered someone in the irredeemable category. Especially if we’re going to pretend that characters like James, Adam and Torchwick are irredeemable the person whose done worse and on larger scale bad thing then them should also be cool spidered irredeemable. Her being a uwu sad woman doesn’t erase the horrific things she’s done and the harm she’s caused.

However, if RW/BY wants to be a hopepunk….then it doesn’t make sense for anyone to be considered irredeemable. As I’ve said, what’s more hopeful, you or a loved one forever being doomed to be evil once you make a mistake or knowing that their is hope and goodness inside someone, no matter how buried and hard to find it is, it’s still their if you’re willing to fight for it.

I would much rather have a Ruby who unapologetically declares “I know you think you’re too far gone. I know you think the darkness has swallowed you so deep their is no way the light can even find you. But you’re wrong. I’ll be your light. I’ll guide you out of the darkness and back into the light because I refuse to ever leave anyone behind.” Over one who says “well sorry you passed your amount of evil things you’re allowed to do before I abandon you so…sucks to be you pal you’re forever evil now.

Hopepunks are supposed to be stories that whole feel hopeless, refuse to give up on hope. They are determined to bring hope and joy to the hopeless. Hope in a hopepunk is even an act of rebellion. And what better world to have hope be rebellion then a world torn by war against what feels like and endless army of soulless monsters, where people are so desperate to survive they are willing to compromise their morals in the name of surviving. A world that have given up on kindness meaning anything. Let Ruby’s kindness be rebellion. Let her refusal to give up on hope and kindness show a world shrouded in darkness that they can still be kind and have hope.

One of my all time favorite redemption arcs is Zuko’s, and something about it I adore and gets me emotional every time is the reunion between Zuko and Iroh. At this point, Zuko is sure his uncle can’t and won’t ever forgive him and he’s certain that it’s what he deserves but he still feels he at least owes him an apology so he does. But instead of being angry and rejecting Zuko, Iroh hugs him, he loves him and assures him that he wasn’t angry, just sad he lost his way. And he was so grateful and happy that he found his way again. Imagine a Ruby like that who doesn’t hate those who’ve lost their way, who only wants to help them find their way back if they do get lost. Yes I’m channeling a fair bit of Iroh and Sora in my discussion of how I want Ruby to be but they are such perfect examples of what the show teased us Ruby would be like.

And no, it would not be weak or childish or whatever other insult you want to throw at her for Ruby to be like this. Maybe naive but….isn’t Ruby holding onto her ideals in the face of adversity so much better though? Her seeing the unthinkable and surviving a living nightmare but still having hope and still showing kindness is so powerful. Her offering forgiveness to those who hurt her because she believes in a United world and wants to be the change she so desperately wants to see. We where teased at this Ruby but it just didn’t happen.

The fndms insistence that certain characters aren’t deserving of redemption only serves to weaken Ruby as this simple soul who will save the world. A simple soul doesn’t arbitrarily decide who can be saved and who can’t. They don’t abandon people who need them the most. They just unapologetically help people. They show kindness and compassion to everyone around them. That is the kind of character RW/BY promised with Ruby, not this person who abandons people when it gets hard or who runs away crying and waiting for the solution to just fall into her lap. And I don’t understand why the fndm insists the Ruby we have is even remotely as good as the Ruby we where promised.

Give me a Ruby who believes no one is ever too far gone. Give me a Ruby who truly and unapologetically fights for ever life.

[real-life-senshi]

10 (Mostly) Spoiler-Free Reasons to Watch Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon 2003 Live Action

A countdown to the 20th anniversary of Act 1 air date!

Reason 3: The side characters!

The love the screenwriter put into building the PGSM main cast - Senshi, Shitennou and Endymion is something to always celebrate as a fan of the series. Still, they are not the only ones who benefited from the live-action writing.

Many recurring side characters in the manga/anime had their characters further fleshed out / altered to have their personalities shine in the show. And even better, instead of being a background character most times, most of them actually have significant contributions to the brilliant storytelling PGSM gives us!

Tsukino Ikuko

Speaking of PGSM humour in part 2 of this series of blog posts, it is impossible for one to not discuss one of the most iconic changes and side characters in the live-action series - Usagi's mom!

In the manga and anime, Tsukino Ikuko is a sweet, caring, and typical mother in a Japanese household, except she has questionable lavender hair...

In the live-action, with the exception that Ikuko is a brunette which is quite a normal hair colour, everything else about her is... well, anything but normal. For lack of a better word, she is... eccentric, and is actually the person responsible for many of the shenanigans that occur in the Tsukino family. After watching PGSM, you can definitely tell from where Usagi inherited some of her traits...

Tsukino Ikuko, the yoga practitioner and creator of questionable omelette sauce, is great fun to watch. Her time on screen is not long, but whenever she appears, she SHINES and steals the show with hilarious antics and an amazing grasp of comedic cues worthy of a professional comedian! Not a minute of her screen time is ever wasted!

Tsukino Shingo

In the manga and anime, Tsukino Shingo is basically a smartass brat who loves butt-heading and teasing his older sister Usagi.

In the live-action, Shingo retains the smartass personality, but not much of a misbehaving brat. Instead, his character is further fleshed out that he is actually intelligent, sarcastic, sassy and... perpetually so done with Usagi and Ikuko.

Seriously, this kid is the responsible AND sensible one in the Tsukino household and the holder of all Tsukino brain cells. It is absolutely glorious and a wonder to see how all the sass could fit into his tiny body!

With Shingo and Ikuko together, any scenes of Usagi's home life is bound to leave you in stitches watching the chaos that goes on within its walls!

For a taste of live-action Tsukino family dynamics, please enjoy the following two scenes:

Present day the actor of little Shingo - Takeshi Naoki is (of course) all grown up, and an acclaimed and prominent stage actor in many musicals and stageplays, especially in the 2.5D world. (Manga/Anime adapted stage productions.)

Some examples are:

Hyper Projection Play “Haikyuu!!” - Nobuyushi Kai

My Hero Academia The “Ultra” Stage - Iida Tenya

Black Clover the Stage - Yuno (main)

Furuhata Motoki

Motoki in the live-action takes in both roles from the manga and the 90's anime, where not only does he work in the location that doubles as the Senshi's secret base (manga), but he is also Mamoru's best friend from school (90's anime). But otherwise his involvement in the story kinda just ends there.

In PGSM, Motoki's character is more fleshed out in that besides being a pretty face (because let's be honest, Kikawada Masaya is good-looking!), but he also provides some ongoing comic relief for being a huge turtle fanatic.

BUT! He is so much more than just comic relief! His easy-going, kind and caring nature also helps him become a buffer/translator and insight-provider on certain aspects of Mamoru's character for Usagi when it comes to his best friend. He helps Usagi see past Mamoru's tsundere tendencies, getting past the prickly exterior and seeing the caring side of her eventual fated lover.

... And that's not even the main involvement when it comes to our Senshi team. He has a much more significant role late series. But I shall not say more to keep this spoiler-free!

For long-time Tokusatus fans, Motoki's actor Kikawada Masaya has also continued his tenure in Tokusatsu in other well-known franchises:

Kamen Rider The First (film) - Hongo Takeshi (main)

Kishiryu Sentai Ryusoulger - Master Red

Ultraman Decker - Captain Murahoshi Taiji

Osaka Naru

Across the manga-verse and anime-verse, Osaka Naru is well-known to be a Youma-magnet, rumourmonger extraordinaire, and Usagi's best friend outside of the Senshi team.

In the live-action, Naru continues to play both roles! But her character is a lot more three-dimensional, where she is both sweet and empathetic, but also territorial when it comes to holding her position as Usagi's best friend. So much so, she got bitchy and possessive and caused some teenage drama when she felt her position as Usagi's friend got threatened as Usagi becomes more and more embroiled in the Senshi business. Personally, that was one of my favourite storylines, where it just feels so much more personable and relatable regarding highschool drama and friendship issues. It is one that's close to my heart!

On the other hand, when Usagi encounters adversaries in her school life or love life, Naru is always here as a protector or to cheer Usagi up!

For those who don't now, another fun fact is Naru is played by Sailor Mercury/Mizuno Ami in one of the original Sailor Moon musicals!

The original side characters & villains

There are 2 other original side characters that have recurring appearances and an original villain character that is exclusive to the live-action that I'd love to introduce. (Well, technically there are 2 original villains, but one I'll actually introduce later). But since I said I'll make this mostly spoiler-free, I'll leave them out for now. haha

In my humble opinion, all of them are very well written. They are either there to cause drama - which the live-action has done well to amp up on the angst in the storyline, or there to cause chaos, which frankly is absolutely entertaining and a joy to watch!

And for the record, I especially ADORE the character with the sparkles in the middle. :P

You can watch the subbed versions of the series at:

Miss Dream Fansubs

Sea of Serenity Fansubs

The series is also on other online streaming sites, but be cautious to only visit them with good adware and firewall installed.

8 days till the 20th anniversary of Act 1 air date!

Part 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

[soulmuppet]

We're a DAY away from launch so lets talk about what you can expect in AFTERBURN!

Orbital Blues is known to be a game of SAD SPACE COWBOYS. Your depressed & downtrodden Outlaws travel the galaxy trying to making ends meet. Afterburn is about LOVE, EXCITEMENT and ADRENALINE.

Inside our first hardcover expansion you'll find:

A sprawling sandbox adventure "RED SHIFT RIDERS" written by our very own @samsleney !

An in-world spaceship catalogue all beautifully illustrated by @tinywoodsman

A Storyteller's Guide with tips and advice on running a game of Orbital Blues.

RED SHIFT RIDERS

Set in the "Tennessee-Five" a richly-storied star system home to several major movers and shakers in the Outlaw Frontier. Where the famous ‘Red Shift’ run brings many spacers, racers, and credit-chasers to the system in hope of collecting its life-changing prize pool.

The Spaceship Handbook

Features a dozen new classes of characterful spaceships. You might use this to generate a Crew Ship or to add variance in the types of spaceships you might find in the Outlaw Galaxy. All completed with illustrations, in-world adverts and flavour text

BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE!!

Because we were jealous INSPIRED by The Estate by Mausritter we wanted to make our own boxset. But how to make it retro? Put it in a VHS Case! (yes still make those) Rogue Anthems will feature pamphlets from an amazing series of guest writers from across the RPG scene.

It'll feature the brilliant talents of @WriterBlades , @mytholder , @makapatag , @RatWaveGH and Connor Shearwood (also @JellyMuppet is writing one)

We want to expand Orbital Blues from a single book with a couple of adventures into a fully supported system with everything you need for years of adventuring in the Outlaw Galaxy.

So come follow along and maybe help your Sad Space Cowboys find happiness

[wileys-russo]

This is a random and slightly chaotic message you don’t need to respond to but I promise it’s sincere.

I was re-reading filling the void tonight (for what might be the 27th time, with after the storm playing on a loop because I am never one to not stick to music recommendations authors give), and of course it was just as BRILLIANT and heart breaking as it always is. I mean seriously, the way that you describe the relationship between the three Putellas sisters, all the heartbreak and strife and love all at the same time? Especially with fresa and Alexia being so intertwined and yet so far apart? Genuinely one of the best stories on this app EASILY.

But it also made me think, because just the other day I was rereading hallmarks of sisterhood by @girlgenius1111 and the difference in how quickly r forgives them as opposed to how much longer the timeline is with everything that happened with fresa just genuinely made me sit back and smile a little bit. Like I know of COURSE there is a lot more backstory and conflict with fresa and everything (it is a completely different, and very wonderfully angst filled story after all), but still thinking of the two side by side reminded me of how cool storytelling can be. I love how the same set of siblings, with a somewhat similar storyline can still be portrayed so differently, and how both are so perfectly individual and creative at the same time. It’s so cool that we as readers get to experience such amazing works from both of you, that you share your brilliance with the world so willingly and selflessly. You are both just complete gems on this app, there is no other way to describe it.

ANYWAYS - this really had little direction and I probably should keep it to myself, but here we are regardless. Absolutely love your work, and just wanted to send another thank you for sharing it with all of us, if nothing else. Wishing you nothing but the best! 🩵

27 times!? im so sorry for the pain of each read oh my days the dedication i so commend you, and bonus points for listening along!

i very much appreciate this in depth analysis and i wholeheartedly agree. i think thats what makes writing so cool no matter if its fanfiction or a book or something is that you can take a handful of core characters and adapt and flex plots and other characters in with them to create a whole host of different stories each with intend to evoke different emotions in different settings.

this is so kind and thoughtful and im very grateful you decided to share, your own writing is also amazing!! thank you so much 🩵