#the continuation of that scene would be 2025

[bookwyrminspiration]

shannon introduced elysian stepping out of thin air claiming to be a power source, called it the biggest secret of the lost cities she's been keeping for over a decade, then said peace see you in at least 3 years. and honestly. power move

[bugpill]

If I see any more misinformation about Kamala Harris to dissuade people from voting I will explode.

1. She did a lot of work as a prosecutor to dismantle the system. When she was DA in San Francisco she was labeled as being “soft on crime” which she in turn claimed was “smart on crime”. Harris made a program called Back on Track so that low-level nonviolent drug offenders could enroll in school rather than doing jail time. She has believe and continues to believe that supporting people prevents crime far better than criminalizing people.

Yes, she put people behind bars. I know she called herself the “Top Cop” and I fucking hate that. However, the number of people who served time in jail was significantly reduced due to her program. She’s not a saint, but she tried to reduce harm as much as she could in her position. Since then, she’s called for even more action in terms of legalizing marijuana and I believe recently fully endorsed it publicly.

2. She is not transphobic. Harris backed the state of California when it tried to deny gender-affirmation surgery to a trans prisoner, but as attorney general, she could not deny the state’s Department of Corrections as a client of hers. Essentially, she had no say in the denial of surgery herself, as she had to represent the department’s interests over her own. Once she realized what they were doing, Harris actually worked behind the scenes to get that very policy changed so that any inmate who needs that care could get it. Additionally, she has lead efforts to put an end to gay and transgender “panic” defenses in criminal trials.

3. Kamala Harris is Black. For some reason, people like to say that she isn’t, and that she’s Indian and pretending to be black… for what reason? Depends on who’s telling the lie to begin with. Kamala Harris is Black and South Asian. Her father, Donald Harris, is a Black man who was born in Jamaica. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was born in India. Speculating about her race with so much evidence towards the contrary is so wrong. If anyone tells you shit about this, just send them her whitehouse.gov biography.

4. Harris (reportedly) has different opinions than Biden on Palestine. Whether or not she makes a clear stance against Israel, I don’t know. That hasn’t happened yet, but I’ll remain hopeful until further notice. She reportedly tried to push Biden towards “a policy on Gaza that was both more humane and in alignment with international law” but wasn’t listened to. The only reason why this is one of my points is that I’ve seen a lot of people stating that she is totally behind every decision and stance Biden made as president, which isn’t necessarily true. I don’t want to give her credit for being pro-Palestine if she isn’t, just to be clear. That is not what I’m trying to do here.

I desperately want her to stand for a free Palestine. I cannot make the promise that this will happen. All I can hope for is that her policy will be less harmful than Trump’s- who wants Israel to “finish the job” and promises to “throw (pro-Palestinian protestors) out of the country”.

Conclusion: the fact of the matter is that people make shit up all of the time. Sometimes it’s propaganda they accidentally absorb, sometimes it’s deliberate misinformation. People often take rumors as facts, and we need to be more vigilant about it. What I know is that some people will do anything for you to not vote tor Kamala Harris, when in reality she’s our only hope here.

Is Harris my favorite person ever? Absolutely not. Does she share my exact views and opinions? Nope. Would I rather vote for someone who more aligns with my personal views? Yes.

Is voting for Harris the only way to stop Donald Trump and Project 2025? Yes.

Disclaimer for the blog: To be 100% transparent, this is only my (Fanya’s) opinions. Although this is a shared blog, I cannot claim that my stance and my voice speaks for everybody involved in this blog. Some members are not American. Some may have different takes. All I know is that all of us are anti-Trump. Don’t go after my friends if you have beef with what I’m saying. I’m trying my best here.

[potofsoup]

i love your fourth of july comics every year but this years feels extremely optimistic about biden’s abilities in the face of him letting roe get overturned and funding a gen*cide at worst or letting it happen at best by taking the bare minimum of regulatory action… i mean can he really be trusted at all anymore to do the right thing or act in line with the people’s demands? and how do we know the people behind project 2025 won’t just rig the election again to get in under false pretenses?

Hihi! Thank you for reading and enjoying my July 4th comics every year! I am in a non-US airport en route to a month-long trip in a place with sketchy internet, so sorry in advance for sloppiness in my response (and potentially going radio silent).

But:

I don't think he "let" Roe get overturned, since that was the Supreme Court's overwhelming conservative majority, which really started with Mitch McConnell refusing to approve Obama's appointee and forcing it into a 2016 election issue. The fact that Trump got to appoint 3 Supreme Court Justices is what got us here.

Re: Biden and the Israel/Hamas war ... on the one hand, there's definitely more that he could have done, but on the other hand, they are a whole other country over there. It's Hamas that initiated the Oct 7 attacks and took the hostages. It's Netanyahu and his right-wing government who decided to retaliate to such extreme extent. Biden can talk about how he would really like Netanyahu to stop fighting and step down, but at the end of the day that's not his call, any more than he can stop the Sudan fighting that is near-genocidal either.

So, to come to your question #1: "Can he really be trusted at all anymore to do the right thing or act in line with the people’s demands"?

For me, it's a resounding YES. Guyz, he has passed so much good domestic policies. My spouse works in green energy and the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act halved his anxiety and gave him legitimate hope. The tumblr post I linked to in my comic has links to many of the other great things that Biden has done. Tbh I voted for him in 2020 because "a moldy onion is still better than Trump", and I've been pleasantly surprised. Like how he tried to cancel student loans, the Supreme Court overturned it, and then he came back 6 months later with a different way to do it that didn't lead to a court challenge.

Is he perfect? Hell no. There's tons of stuff that I wish he did more about, or he went further on, but also he's just one guy heading one branch of government who is heading into an election year. (Just like FDR promising not joining WWII, while behind the scenes doing all the Lend-Lease Act stuff). And "the people" have lots of demands, many of them conflicting.

I'd also like to push at the unspoken part of your question... "Can he really be trusted to do the right thing..." compared to whom? Because right now the answer is "compared to Trump." And compared to Trump... I don't even trust Trump to respect the results of a legitimate election. Heck, he might just take his favorite state secrets, sell them to the highest bidder (or just show them off to someone for funzies), and then claim Presidential immunity. A decent Democrat who got stuff done vs someone who probably wants to pardon himself and all his friends and do Project 2025 stuff is not even on the same level. (Do I wish that there was a viable Democratic alternative to Biden? Sure! But who?) Heck, at this point -- imagine if it's Kamala Harris vs. Trump. Who would you vote for?

As for your question #2: "How do we know the people behind project 2025 won’t just rig the election again to get in under false pretenses?"

We don't. But also what can we do besides showing up to vote?

Actually, I need bullet points for this:

The 2022 midterm elections brought in fewer-than-expected election-deniers into crucial electoral offices at the state level, which means that hopefully most state electoral boards will continue to have integrity

Yes, voting is harder but at least we can still vote. So it's about getting out there and getting your vote counted. For some states, it involves waiting in 8 hour lines. For some states, it involves bringing 2 forms of ID. Document. Track. Make sure it's dropped off in a real ballot box and not a fake one. Don't believe messaging that the voting is happening on a different day or location, etc.

A 50.1% majority is easily challenged. A 55% majority, less so. Which means getting people out to vote.

The more people know about and think about the reality of a second Trump term (versus being disappointed by a Biden term), the more they will be motivated to vote against Trump.

Finally, let's be real here: I'm braced for a 2nd Trump term. That said:

I'm still going to go and vote for Biden, because the only way to prevent a 2nd Trump term is to vote.

A Trump term where either the House or Senate is controlled by the Democrats will be *very* different from a clean Republican sweep.

Even with a clean Republican sweep on the federal level, States have so much more power now, and voting the state level stuff will help shore up Democratic goals for the future. States get to draw voting districts however they want. States get to decide on abortion policies. If you live in a deep Red state, there still might be things to vote for that make it easier to live in now, and turn it purple a few elections down the line.

So at the end of the day, it's "Vote AND". Vote and keep living your best life. Vote and tell others about Project 2025. Vote and have hope. Even if Trump wins, at least you'll have voted against him. Vote and stay to build up a progressive wave for the next election.

[bluebelly-sun-serpentine]

Genuinely terrified of what's going to happen in November. It's hard to believe people are willing to usher in project 2025 in order to wash their hands of the issue. Abstention isn't going to make any of us less complicit in crimes against Gaza, and I don't know, I just think it's a bad idea to give the reigns of power to proud christofascists whose eschatological wet dreams literally require war in Israel/Palestine.

I know vote shaming doesn't work and I don't know what to say. There's no real reset after this election. Our hands aren't going to be clean no matter what. There's not going to be one big blow up where things are bad for a little bit before the dust settles and we somehow start working on fixing things. The religious right are long-term planners with the worst kind of short term goals and they absolutely will continue to stack the courts, secure even more tax breaks for the wealthy, make the world more unsafe for anyone that's not white and male and christian and rich, and I really want to stress this. These people don't care about Gaza. They don't even care about Israel except in the sense that they need it for their disgusting little end-times prophesies. They're a death cult.

I am not a liberal and I have not voted for Biden in a single primary and I really am just as horrified as anyone that we didn't get a primary this go around, but I will vote for him. I wish we had deeply progressive candidates on the ballot who'd make more bold choices but we don't. His handling of this genocide and his refusal to call it what it is is going to be seen not just as the horror that it is but also as one of the biggest fumbles made by an otherwise fairly adept politician accustomed to making bigger moves behind the scenes than while mugging to cameras. But I'm also just barely old enough to remember people voting for Ralph Nader and then Jill Stein in general elections to keep their hands clean and make a point and I'm old enough to remember how ineffectual that turned out to be. I'm trying to imagine a world where Al Gore had been president, had it not come down to some 600 votes and some hanging chads. Had I been old enough to vote in that election I might have held my nose and voted for neoliberal gore despite his involvement in a deeply corrupt administration. And you know what, in hindsight I'm almost 100% sure we'd have been better off as a planet if more people had done that. I don't know what kind of response Gore would have had to 9/11. Maybe it would have been no better – and it's hard not to draw parallels between the stupidity and profound cruelty of the US's response to those attacks and the stupidity and profound cruelty of Israel's response to last October's attacks. Who knows. But I DO think we wouldn't have been careening toward total climate catastrophe quite as quickly as we have been, and I do actually think that one less bad thing is one less bad thing, and when you're interested in material reality harm reduction actually IS important.

[pochiperpe90]

[ENG] PARDO - Interview with Luca Marinelli

“Luca Marinelli is a true phenomenon!” This is how Paolo Virzì, who directed him in Tutti i santi giorni in 2012, defined the actor a few years ago. He was absolutely right. Throwing himself body and soul into each of his roles, Luca Marinelli does not limit himself to playing a part, but manages to transform himself completely, creating intense, charismatic, unique characters. From the young introverted mathematician in La solitudine dei numeri primi (2010) by Saverio Costanzo, to Roberta in L’ultimo terrestre (2011) by Gipi; from the criminal in Non essere cattivo (2015) by Claudio Caligari to the cult character of the Zingaro in Lo chiamavano Jeeg Robot (2015) by Gabriele Mainetti; from the proletarian intellectual in Martin Eden (2019) by Pietro Marcello, to the King of Terror in Diabolik (2021) by Manetti Bros; from Nicky, the immortal warrior, in The Old Guard (2020) by Gina Prince-Bythewood, to Pietro, a fervent mountain enthusiast in Le otto montagne (2022) by Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch; Luca Marinelli has been able to give life, thanks to his prodigious versatility, to an extraordinary range of characters who all bear the unmistakable sign of his talent.

Maria Giovanna Vagenas: In your current career as an actor there are two important works coming out soon: the television series M. Son of the Century by Joe Wright and The Old Guard 2, by Victoria Mahoney. While waiting to be able to see them, I would like to start by addressing a perhaps less well-known but equally essential side of your work: your debut as a theater director in 2023 with Kafka's Una relazione per un’accademia, for the Festival dei Due Mondi of Spoleto. How did this project, on which you collaborated with the German actor Fabian Jung, come about?

Luca Marinelli: The first idea for this project dates back to ten years ago when I saw Fabian at his graduation performance at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Art in Berlin. I found it extraordinary, and on that occasion I had already told him: "In my opinion you should recite this text!" Then there was a ten year gap. Towards the end of the pandemic, I proposed to him that we work together on Una relazione per un’accademia. At the beginning we had to be both on stage a bit, later I understood that it would have been more sensible to mount this piece with just one actor and I asked him if he would like to be directed by me.

MGV: What was your approach as a director? 

LM: At the beginning of this project I was more of a kind of acting coach - Fabian acts in Italian, even though he doesn't speak it - then I began to understand what it meant to be a director, to take responsibility for everything the public will come to see, to make many decisions and to take care of an entire team. In this context, the exchange of ideas with Fabiana Piccioli, who deals with the light design of the show, was essential: the theatrical piece is in fact a kind of dialogue between the actor and the light, the space and the audience. Being a theater director is also a question of trust. In the cinema the director is very present until the end of the production process, but in the theater you get up to a certain point and then that's it, because the real work, evening after evening, falls to the actors and technicians, that is, to those who are in the scene and around it. The director is no longer part of the performance, he’s almost the first spectator of his own work. It was a very beautiful experience for me, because being "outside", that is, not being on the scene but in front of it, is truly something completely different! In February-March 2025, we will take this show on tour around Italy.

MGV: Do you plan to continue along this path in the future? Is it an experience that has opened up new perspectives for you?

LM: It's a road I'd like to explore, that of theater. I would like to return to the stage as an actor-director, a bit like a master, let's say. I feel that theater is much more accessible to me, while I know very little about the technical side of cinema and for which I have great respect, so for now I don't feel like it.

MGV: You come from a family close to the world of entertainment. It seems that as a kid you watched a lot of movies with your grandmother. I would be curious to know how your desire to become an actor was born in this context. 

LM: My father is first and foremost an actor who is also dedicated to dubbing and my grandmother, as you said - a great cinephile. I owe a lot to every member of my family, whether they work in the arts or not. However, I cannot tell you where this desire comes from, each of us has a drive within us, and is attracted by something. Indeed, I grew up watching many films and, thanks to my father, I happened to know this work in various forms. But when you are very young it is difficult to say: I want to do this! I felt very attracted by the world of theater and cinema, by the idea of ​​expressing myself in a way that went beyond words, which approached images, sounds, the body. I wasn't fully aware of it from the beginning, but now I feel that it's exactly this: I love observing an interpreter's body, listening to their voice. I love seeing a group working together and I love teamwork. The profession of actor contained within itself a bit of everything that nourished my curiosity. This desire has been growing more and more. My family has always been very supportive and has never hindered me in anything. Rather, I was the one who hindered myself, until, at a certain moment, I gave myself permission to approach this profession and entered the Silvio D'Amico National Academy of Dramatic Art. They were three wonderful years during which I gave free rein to all my curiosity and desire for expression. The relationship with my class was fundamental and magical. From there, little by little, I moved forward. Almost immediately, cinema arrived with Saverio Costanzo who hired me for La solitudine dei numeri primi together with Alba Rohrwacher. I auditioned while I was still at the Academy and was acting in the final recital Dream of a Summer Night directed by Carlo Cecchi. I finished the Academy and immediately went on set for the first time.

MGV: You found Carlo Cecchi again as an actor on the set of Martin Eden (2019) by Pietro Marcello many years later. 

LM: Of course, and it was wonderful to meet again! I consider Carlo my teacher, he is the first who truly made me understand the importance and urgency of this profession. 2012 was the last time I was on the boards of a stage and was with him. Carlo Cecchi had become very fond of us all and with this graduation essay he managed to take us on tour. Basically we did two theater seasons from 2010 until February 2012.

MGV: Are there other directors, among all those you have collaborated with, that you consider to be your teachers?

LM: I met some great directors during my journey, each had their own vision of art, so it's as if I had many different teachers along a single professional journey. I would practically name them all, but I would also name the actors I simply observed in films.

MGV: Between the actors who inspired and influenced you, who would you quote?

LM: For the sake of equality, I only mention the actors of the past. There are many who have struck me but I always evoke Anna Magnani, Silvana Mangano, Marlon Brando and Massimo Troisi. These are the first huge names that come to mind. When I 'met' them on the screen I immediately realized I was faced with something unique and great. I like to mention these four names also because they belong to a moment in my life in which I still didn't know what I would do, but I was drawn towards them.

MGV: Non essere cattivo (2015) was Claudio Caligari's last, poignant and wonderful film, released posthumously. What are your memories of him?

LM: Claudio Caligari was a gigantic meeting for me, from him I learned how important expression and communication, sharing and respect are. I understood how much this profession is life and how much life can be put into it. I witnessed enormous courage and a great knowledge of filmmaking. I also learned the dedication and immense respect that one must have for the public, for what is proposed, for how one interacts with those who come to see a film, without ever putting oneself on a pedestal but being all together. Caligari taught me to never judge myself, nor others, nor the stories one tells nor the characters one plays but that one must stay with them, inhabit them. These are the few things, fundamental for me, that come to mind. Beyond this, every single memory is a source of inspiration and guidance for me. And then the certainty that love and passion are the only things that really keep us here and now, alive.

MGV: In 2019 you played the complex character of Martin Eden in the film of the same name directed by Pietro Marcello, and you won the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival. What did this role mean to you? And what was it like working with Pietro Marcello? 

LM: The collaboration with Pietro arose from a secular prayer which has been fulfilled over the years. I was a great observer of his work and his art and finally being able to work together was a great gift, a true exchange based on trust. We all found ourselves in a moment of grace, in a state that allowed us to work with great concentration and dedication together. As for the role, I think Martin Eden is one of the most beautiful male characters of the last century, in one of the most powerful novels ever written. I owe a lot to this character, not only a very prestigious award, but also important artistic and personal growth.

MGV: You have played an extremely wide range of roles, spanning from one film genre to another. Beyond your exuberant talent and the extreme versatility of your performances, what is striking about your acting is the generosity with which you embrace each character, offering your all. How do you prepare your roles? 

LM: It's like a kind of love at first sight; I fall in love with the story, with the character and from that moment on I begin to see everything in that direction. It is an almost routine behavior that I have never schematised. If someone were to ask me, "How do you approach a character?" I would answer that I have no idea, but every time I do it more or less in the same way. There is certainly a certain affinity with the director and an involvement in the script and the character. Little by little I'm starting to eat all the information I can find. I am often offered films to watch, and then I discuss them with the director. I love working with imagination and thinking about every element of the character. I like being with the costume designer, working on the costume and then creating the look of my character with makeup and hair. I'm very happy when I can have my say too. As I said before, I fall in love with the character and I begin to see everything in that light. My wife always tells me: "You've already started!" I don't notice but she does! "You've already started!" it means that everything has started to take on that colour, but I don't do it on purpose, I believe that there is a more intelligent, unconscious part inside me that organizes my work. It's a bit like this!

MGV: A few years ago Paolo Virzì, who directed you in Tutti i santi giorni, said of you: "Luca is a phenomenon, he's intelligent, witty, but at the same time he's crazy, he becomes what he's doing. All the great actors have a kind of lack, a defect, they know who they are and therefore they are enthusiastic about becoming the one who proposes to them!" What do you think? 

LM: I agree with him, all this is said with deep love and therefore I accept everything he says about me. I love Paolo so much and I think he understood me more than I understood myself. In fact I think none of us really have a clear focus on who we are and what we can be. Of course this is an interview from a few years ago, perhaps now I know slightly more - but only slightly [laughs] - who I am because I am closing, so to speak, the first act of my life, given that this year I will be turning 40!

MGV: Being an actor is a collective profession. Over the course of your career, a very significant bond has been created between you and Alessandro Borghi, with whom you collaborated for the first time in Non essere cattivo and who you met again on the set of Le otto montagne of Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch, Jury Prize at Cannes. Could you tell me about your working relationship and your friendship?

LM: I'll start from the beginning of what you said; for me this isn’t a job we do by ourselves. This art doesn’t exist without the other. Even a monologue is not done alone but with the audience. Acting is always a way of expressing oneself and communicating. I adore, as I said before, teamwork, over the years I have happened to work with many wonderful colleagues who have become important friends and then there was this magnificent meeting with Alessandro during Non essere cattivo, a film that carries within itself something sacred due to how it was approached, and due to the strength of the great Claudio Caligari who created it. The two of us found ourselves actors in this extraordinary work which united us so much, creating a deep bond between us which at that moment was needed, let's say, for the film but which the film then gave us for life. Since then this friendship has continued and gone forward, without interruption. After Non essere cattivo for six years we were no longer able to work together, then suddenly another wonderful film arrived, full of love: Le otto montagne and thanks to two fantastic directors, Felix and Charlotte, we managed to make this friendship coincide again on the screen too. Alessandro and I are good together. At work, to put it in a football metaphor, for me it's like I always know where the other guy is so I can make a cross almost with my eyes closed because I know he gets the ball, stops it and shoots it towards goal! We have great chemistry and on set, we don't need to worry too much. I hope we can work together again soon. I happened to see an interview where we said that we promised ourselves not to wait another seven years to do it, but now it's been almost three years already so we have to hurry!

MGV: For a few years now you have also started an important international career by participating in important productions such as The Old Guard by Gina Prince-Bythewood with Charlize Theron which was a huge success on Netflix, the series Trust (2018) by Danny Boyle, written by Simon Beaufoy and starring, among others, Donald Sutherland, and a production for German television: Die Pfeiler der Macht (A Dangerous Fortune, 2016), by Christian Schwochow. How did you experience dealing with all these new production realities?

LM: In every latitude there is a slightly different type of approach but essentially the work is always the same. The thing that always excites me is that, ultimately, we all find ourselves in the common language of acting, of art. I was lucky enough to work with some wonderful international casts, not only every single actor but also the technical departments and directors were wonderful people. Ultimately, the place changes geographically, but the work remains the same.

MGV: As a member of the Jury of the International Competition, what will your evaluation criteria be?

LM: I was just looking at the list of films in competition and judging by the images that accompany them I already like them all, so maybe I'm off to a bad start! [laughs] I don't actually have any specific parameters. I certainly won't judge only the performers, but I will look at the film as a whole. However, for me it is essential to start from the assumption of great respect for the film itself, because every film is a work that requires great efforts from many people and for this reason must be evaluated with consideration. Having said that, I would like to have a good dialogue with the film, an intelligent dialogue on an intellectual and emotional level. In short, I hope that a film leaves me with a thought, a sensation, an emotion.

As usual, sorry for any mistake and my English

[allieebobo]

Monsoon Games: Roadmap

I'll continue to tweak this rough roadmap according to the responses I get from the google form, but here's the plan (ideal-case) for the next 1-2 years!

If you haven't filled out the form yet, please do, as answers would be super valuable in helping me better gauge, prioritize, and budget my next steps as well as tweak the pricing for the tiers!

Phase 1: Now till end-2025

Full-time urban planner

Part-time game dev.

Likely to be mostly solo-work and choice-script based

Phase 2: Beginning 2026 till end 2026

Part/Full-time game dev

Likely to involve / bring in an artist/coder, depending on eventual decision on game format (ren'py, Godot or choicescript)

Phase 3: Beginning 2027

Launch phase 2 game

Re-evaluate what to do next, likely back to my full-time job, but to KIV this based on what happens in Phase 2

Details below the cut!

Again, if you have comments, suggestions, preferences, do leave a message or email (allieebobo@gmail.com). If you're interested to collaborate, or to find out about what games I'm thinking of, click here.

Phase 1a

Timeframe: now till end 2025

Scope: Keep rolling out choicescript updates for CT:OS and Merry Crisis. This will form the base of content for ko-fi/patreon (with subscribers continuing to get early-releases until these games are complete).

Phase 1b 

Timeframe: start sometime 2nd half of 2025, run concurrently till end 2025)

Scope: Write a choicescript 'concept demo' for 2 new games I've been haunted by over the past couple of years. (I'll release more info on this if I think they're viable). Whether or not they become more complex games, I'll at least have the choicescript demo. 

Phase 1c 

Timeframe: optional, but to start as soon as funding is obtained

Scope: Depending on interest, I want to consider doing a port to ren'py for Merry Crisis (or CT:OS, but likely MC) for a more visual-style game. This would involve either hiring a coder to help with the port, or doing it myself. More importantly, will need to commission art for this.

_____

Monthly-subscriptions for both Phase 1a and 1b would include the following tiers: 

$3/month (existing): Just to support me :) 

$6/month (existing): Early-access links to CT:OS and Merry Crisis

$9/month (new tier): Same as above + Early-content (e.g. lore, character snippets & art, non-interactive stories, dev logs) for new game(s)

$12/month (might not go for this tier, but including just as a concept): Same as above + Expanded early-content (e.g. interactive choice-script based demo access)

Phase 2a

Timeframe: Beginning 2026, probably 6-9 months or more depending on scope

Scope: With CT:OS and Merry Crisis completed, I hope to then turn my sights to converting the choicescript demo created in phase 1b into actual complete games. This could either take the form of: 

A full choicescript game

A full ren'py (visual) game

A full Godot (2D) game

About 2-3 months into Phase 2a, I will also have enough content to launch a kickstarter, which would hopefully bring new backers on board and funds to speed-up production of the game(s). For folks who prefer supporting once-off instead, they'll also come in at this stage :) 

Phase 2b: 

Timeframe: Probably 6-9 months into 2026

Scope: Once there's a playable beta version of the game, I'll then do testing with subscribers and other beta-testers, and do de-bugging.

_____

Monthly-subscriptions for both Phase 2a and 2b would include the following tiers: 

$4/month: Just to support me :) 

$8/month: Subscriber-only content for all new games in development (e.g. character snippets & art, dev logs)

$12/month: Same as above + Little interactive patches/expansion packs for CT:OS and Merry Crisis 

$16/month: Same as above + Expanded early-content for all new games (e.g. non-interactive stories, scene peaks/teasers, interactive twine or choicescript based playable content, access to beta version of the game when ready in phase 2b)

Kickstarter tiers: 

$12 once-off for a specific project (a selection of content from the pool of characer snippets & art, dev-logs that $8/month subscribers get) 

$25 once-off for a specific project (same as above + a selection of content from the pool of expanded early-content) 

$35 once-off for a specific project (same as above + special perks e.g. ability to design a character or item or request chapter) 

Phase 3

Timeframe: Start of 2027 onwards 

Scope: When at least 1 game is launched, hopefully by start of 2027, I'll re-evaluate and see what to set my sights on next! This probably also means going back to full-time urban planning :)

[winterisol]

im in the trees, im in the breeze (1/?)

Rosquez Future Reconciliation Fic (2028-TBD)

Part Two. || Part Three.

Word Count: 1.9k words Warning(s): Description of motorcycle crash, tones of mistreatment

Valentino feels like he's being haunted by Marc Marquez, like as a cruel joke, as some sort of punishment from the gods no matter how hard he tries, Valentino can never escape Marc. Every corner he takes, every person he meets, Valentino is never free from the reminders. The reminders of his failures, of the worst moments of his life.

The sound of engines roaring filled Valentino’s ears, the screech of new tires echoing across every garage. The scent of gasoline and burning rubber, the sight of a buzzing paddock, it was a place all too familiar.

People often described racing as an addiction, the rush of riding at 300 KmpH, the highs of adrenaline after every win, and all the glamour that came with it. If you asked Valentino if he agreed with this statement, ten or even five years ago he would have said yes, saying that racing was like a drug to him. A want so strong it felt like a need.

But now, perhaps because he is older, racing didn’t feel like an addiction, no it was his home. 

Even after MotoGP, Valentino craved a piece of this familiarity, which WEC filled gracefully. However, just like his time in MotoGP, all good things come to an end. And Valentino was not getting any younger, he achieved enough, winning Le Mans 2026 and 2027. So just like MotoGP he hung up the leathers, bidding farewell to another chapter in his life.

Now he spent his time working on his one true passion. The VR46 Academy.

Currently he stood in the VR46 garage, staring down the timing table. Headphones covering his ears, eyes trailed a VR46 team bike, a number 49 currently displayed on the screen.

Diggia was a strong P3, the chequered flag waving as the garage around Valentino erupted into cheers. But he found his eyes wandering glued to the screen as it changed scenes, drawn back to a familiar number, its bold font and bright red colour almost taunting him.

93. Currently parading around the circuit in his usual P1 with Fermin Aldeguer a far P2. Distantly Valentino thought of Pecco who had fallen all the way down in tenth after an issue on the start. He wondered if Pecco felt bitter as his teammate celebrated, if Pecco kept thinking of what could have been if not for the issue.

Pecco’s teammate took to the new Ducati like a fish to water. In 2025 it was close, but Pecco was more consistent, more confident, and more experienced, at least in Ducati. 

2026 is when his teammate truly took off, having a stunning run of form at the end of the season, winning four races and five sprints, safely ensuring the title in Valencia. And then there was last year, a truly close battle between the two titans of Ducati. Pecco just about taking the title after an unfortunate incident in Valencia, another rider crashing into Pecco’s teammate in corner one, soundly ending his chance at the championship. 

And now, Pecco’s teammate was once again ahead in the championship, a dominant weekend at Sachsenring in contrast to Pecco’s crash in the sprint, a rare mistake from the five time MotoGP champion.

Since the beginning of the season there were the whispers, whispers of Marc Marquez, the youngest MotoGP champion, the new alien, babychamp, whispers of how he would finally surpass Valentino Rossi. How Marquez would finally get the tenth world championship, eight in the premier class, two from below.

But it wasn’t until this weekend, at the end of the race during the post-race press conference someone asked Marquez. 

“Marc, congrats on another victory this season, as we enter our summer break you must be thinking about how if you are able to continue this run of former you’ll surpass Valentino Rossi. Have you spoken to him about this?” The journalist asked.

Valentino pretended not to listen. Even if he was

“Ah, he was my idol growing up, but I do not care about that. Sure of course, it’s nice to have these numbers, but that’s not my goal, or even focus. I’m riding to enjoy winning with a team that has given me a great bike. And, uh no I see no reason to speak to him over something like that.” Marc responded. His face with his typical PR smile and tone of voice all too casual.

 The last part dug a nail into Valentino’s chest, a dull pain as every word processed in his head. Marc was careful with his words, but no matter how vague it was more than clear what Marc Marquez was trying to say.

Marc did not care about Valentino.

-

Valentino came to the next race. 

He had no original plans of being in Austria. No important team events, no big meetings, not even a sponsor to appease. No. Valentino came just to watch the race, or at least that's what he told Pecco when the other man found Valentino standing in his garage wearing a casual grey hoodie and jeans, not a single neon 46 logo in sight.

Valentino tried his hardest to focus on Pecco who was comfortably in P1, noting each lap time and sectors, logging each corner Pecco was still losing time. If his eyes also wandered a little bit more to the left towards the other side of the garage, it was nothing more than coincidence that the garage happened to have a large 93 written on its walls.

Following the end of qualifying Valentino found himself wandering around the paddock. By this time most people went to watch the Moto2 qualifying taking place, leaving the paddock relatively empty. 

Before slipping between the motorhomes and towards his own, he paused to tie his shoes. Looking up, a sense of déjà vu hit him, and there he was, standing in front of the Marquez brothers’ motorhome, inside the sound of a familiar, boisterous laugh bleeding out from its thin walls. Marc has always been a creature of habit

It took everything in his rational brain to quickly pivot away, deciding that he was better off going to his own motorhome, safe from any stupid thoughts. Like talking to Marc Marquez.

Entering his motorhome, he flopped on to his couch, staring at the mini kitchen, letting himself indulge in memories that he usually represses.

Laughter. Warm arms around his waist. Sat on the floor, a warm back pressed into his chest. Smell of xocolata desfeta filling the small space. A warm hand on his cheek, bringing his face closer until-

“Vale, are you going to watch the sprint?” A voice says, breaking the memories away.

“Oh, Celin, why are you here?” Valentino awkwardly stumbles, flustered by the younger boy’s presence.

“I’m going to hope you didn’t mean it in that way. I’m here because I left my airpods.” Celestino snarks back, pointedly grabbing the airpods from his kitchen counter and making his way out of the motorhome.

“Celin, you know I didn’t mean it in that way-” Valentino began.

“It's fine, you probably didn’t know this but I am a rider for KTM Tech3, I tend to show up for something called races.” Celestino cut off, spinning on his heel and marched off, presumably to his garage.

Dropping his head into his hands Valentino sighed. Just another one of his many headaches which has only gotten worse in the past few years has been Celestino. 

When he was younger he was the baby of the academy, the only person who could connect and control the chaos that was Marco Bezzecchi. He had always had an attitude, but Valentino always had a soft spot of the young spitfire.

So when Celestino began to struggle in Moto2 if it wasn’t for Valentino’s soft spot, Celestino would  have probably never made it to the top class.

But he did it, and to his own merit Celestino did it on his own. Finally making it into MotoGP in 2026, the kid did well, even with all the talk about how he was too old to be a rookie. 

Silently Valentino agreed with the criticism, himself shocked by KTM decision to replace Viñales with Celin but he was never going to admit that outloud. 

But their relationship would only take a turn for the worse as Celestino enter MotoGP. Perhaps it was the younger rider’s desire to prove himself to Valentino when all Valentino wanted was for the kid to be safe and happy. Or perhaps it was something more.

Franky said Celestino acts this way because Valentino never let him grow up. Mig thinks it's just in Celestino’s nature to be a little bitch. Bezz doesn’t see a problem with it, saying it's the “fun” part of Celestino’s personality. While Pecco only shook his head disapprovingly, telling Valentino to fix whatever went wrong in their relationship. And Luca, stared Valentino down with a knowing glare.

The truth is probably a mix of all of the above. But Luca’s look is something deeper, a haunting stare that sometimes appears in Valentino’s nightmare. Piercing blue eyes that know too much.

Truthfully Valentino and Celestino relationship took a turn for the worse because Celestino befriended a little Spanish bastard named Marc Marquez.

Unlike Marco, Pecco or even Franky, Celestino never idolised Valentino, of course he respected him, but never had a god worshipping phase like all the others. Perhaps it was because he knew Valentino at such a young age, and could see through the facade.

So when Celestino came bouncing back from a RedBull sponsorship event, eyes glowing as he recounted how great Marc Marquez was, Valentino couldn't help but feel jealous. Soon the random sponsorship event turned into Marc inviting Celestino out to a dirt bike track in Spain, and suddenly Celestino looked at Marc like he hung the stars. Just like Marc used to do to him.

The worst part was that Valentino could see parts of Marc in how Celestino acted. And this scared Valentino more than he is willing to admit.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Valentino exited his motorhome and returned towards the Ducati garage, slipping into Pecco’s garage just before the warm-up laps began.

Pecco was on pole, but Marc was a close second with a stroke of luck dragging both Aprillias up to third and fourth. Behind them was Pedro Acosta in the factory KTM and next to him in the final slot of the second row was Celestino.

Like always Valentino watched the lights carefully, hands flexed as if he was out there on the grid about to make the start. And then the lights went out.

It was Marco who would get the start wrong. His bike going sideways, front tires folding right on the start line as Marco tried to release the throttle. But he was nothing more than a passenger as his bike careened towards Celestino. 

Everything else felt like slow motion,  Celestino’s rear wheel being clipped by the sliding Aprilla, before the bike let go completely, throwing the younger rider into the air. 

Marco was already thrown off his bike, safely sliding on his back, probably leaving this incident with nothing more than a big bruise on his ribs and an even larger bruised ego. Celestino however dove left first, his left shoulder taking the brute of the force as he seemed to bounce along the tarmac, as if he was made of nothing more than rubber, rather than flesh and bone.

Valentino held his breath, fearfully watching as Marco raced towards Celestino, the younger man trying to quickly get up as on track marshals raced towards both of them.

But then the camera widened its shot pulling away from the runoff as it pans to another rider stranded in the middle of the circuit. 

The rider was cladded in the bright red Ducati colours, concerning laying on his stomach instead of his back. And like watching a car crash in slow motion a bike slowly approaches him and even from the screen it was clear the rider got the turn all wrong, and suddenly the bike is getting closer, too close. Until it finally makes contact with the stranded rider’s shoulder, clipping it before the other rider also loses control.

Red Flag.

[befemininenow]

Once again, I thank all of you for your amazing support!

Now, who are these new gen creators I'm talking about? I think it's safe to say it's those of us who started sometime between 2022 and now, 2024. Who knows if it may extend by 2025. I think this shift started due to a need of more positive trans girl affirmations at a time when anti-trans sentiment started fuming across the world. For some, it was also a need for a push to feminine transition in and out. If it weren't for these girls, Tumblr would have continued to eliminate our safe spaces and leave us with awful content from fake mistresses and daddies.

Without further ado, I'm giving my special gratitude to @ggs-trans-inspo, @vikkipnkcaptions, @victoriawang96, @happilylexi, @touristclass, @femtg00, @atswallows, @vnvnvn, and a few others I may forget, but are also important. All of these girls started on the formerly mentioned years and have made an impact on the feminization caption scene you see today. Although I don't tag anyone without their permission, I wanted to tag this as a neat surprise. As someone who is also part of this new generation, I cannot seriously thank you enough for making a change and influencing others into positively embracing their feminine side. Keep up the great work and may this 2024 bring you all the best of luck!

As for the rest, I highly recommend checking out their pages if you haven't done so. You will find something that will resonate with you. Take care!

[drivestraight]

I was trying to think of which scene I had the most visceral reaction to in ETA for the directors cut… and there’s one scene I literally had to hide behind my hands and breath for a solid two minutes before I could continue. It’s at Zandvoort 2025 when Lando thinks Oscar was going to say “I love you” and Oscar doesn’t realize whats happening until he’s already left the room. I would love to hear about writing that scene, when it came together, how early in the fic writing process you knew it was going to play out that way, anything you want to say about that scene

YEAHH!!! LETS GO!!!!

so basically. zandvoort in general was one of the very first scenes i figured out. i think literally like. on day 2-3 of working on the fic. so very very early in the fic writing process i knew how it was going to play out.

so just as like, a framework for timeline: i started the fic on august 30, and finished it on september 30. so it was like, september 1 or 2 (looking at my dms with lia to figure this out haha) that zandvoort's first moments came to light.

however, i tend to write in order. not chronologically, but in order of how it's presented in the fic (though it's not, like, set in stone - esp with nonlinear narratives i occasionally move scenes around) so i don't think i started WRITING zandvoort until like, mid-september, maybe around september 20.

so like. how i had envisioned zandvoort initially was: oscar's recently signed the red bull contract, landoscar are still together, oscar is keeping it from lando. the morning of qualifying, landoscar have this sweet moment in the morning, and then max fucks up in media and ends up telling the world. those were the bones of it, and i kinda just kept it in mind until i had gotten there in the narrative.

i hadn't actually planned for the I Love You until i was writing it. that was something that came like, during the actual drafting process. i remember writing it and being like wouldn't it be sick if lando thought oscar was going to say i love you. lmao. and then i wrote it. and really liked how it came out :)

basically the whole thought process behind the scene was: how do i communicate that lando loves oscar, and for the first time oscar sees it, and realizes it. how do i communicate that lando thinks that oscar loves him too (he does but, not in the same way, probably). and how do i communicate that oscar cares, and loves lando too, but in a selfish way. so i tried to focus mostly on physical descriptions and indirect descriptions of emotions to get it through to the reader. it was a sort of balancing act - i didn't want to be too obvious, but i didn't want it to go over people's heads.

here's a sort of line by line thought process:

Saturday morning, Oscar woke up with a numb arm, a crike in his back, and Lando’s hair in his mouth. They’d spent the night spooning, and they’d gotten twisted up in a weird position sometime during the night. Oscar’s phone alarm kept blaring. He groaned and tried to extricate his limbs from Lando’s hold, but Lando was, like, hugging his arm. “Turn it off,” Lando started slurring, squirming. “Y’hafta let me go then,” Oscar mumbled, but he found himself unconsciously pressing closer, sleepily nuzzling his cheek against Lando’s curls. Lando huffed, but he eventually let go of Oscar’s arm, and lifted himself just enough for Oscar to slide his arm free. Oscar rolled onto his other side, and he located his phone and turned off the alarm. Groggily, he rubbed at his eyes, then went to sit up, only for Lando to roll on top of him, and snuggle into his chest. He was so warm. He smelt nice. “Lando,” Oscar murmured, trying desperately to stay awake, even though he knew how nice it would be to sleep a few more minutes.

this whole part is like. Driving home the idea that oscar hadn't actually wanted to leave. he wanted to stay. but he already signed the contract, and he was selfishly trying to have the best of both worlds. like, the whole not wanting to leave the bed/leaving anyway is a sort of parallel to how oscar leaves mclaren. re: lando was keeping him to the bed, and even though oscar knew he had to leave, he lingered.

“What?” Lando asked, eyes closed and mouth only half-open. “I have to—” Oscar said. “Need to get dressed.” “No,” Lando said. “Mmh. Stay. Just for a few more minutes.” Really, Oscar couldn’t. He set his alarm for the latest possible time he could, but he still had to get ready two hours before Lando. He had a meeting with Christian and Mark and had to get to Red Bull’s hotel before anyone noticed. He told Lando that he was having breakfast with a friend from school who’d flown out. “Lando,” Oscar said, and he knew what he needed to do.

one of the theses of the fic is that. oscar does what he needs to do... even if it means lying/hurting other people.

“What—mmph!” Lando squeaked, when Oscar grabbed Lando’s hips and flipped them over. He pressed Lando into the mattress, licked into his mouth, and Lando breathed out a content sigh. He kissed him until he stopped writhing, was distracted and boneless enough that Oscar could sit up, find last night’s clothes strewn on the floor, and quickly put them on. Lando was pouting behind him, but he’d gathered up the sheets around his body in the meantime, the white fabric sitting on his shoulders by the time Oscar was dressed. He was watching Oscar, and there was a look on his face. Moony-eyed. He shuddered and hesitated. He really had to go now. Had to stop by his own room and brush his teeth, put on his kit, and speed to NH Zandvoort. But Lando was— He looked like he was—

in love. this is probably the first moment that oscar realizes that lando was in love with him, and it was - kind of a painful thing. for the first time he's realizing what they've done, and how badly it's all going to turn out. and it's that sort of - oscar really, really likes lando, loves him in the way that he knows how, and he feels guilty about it, but he's too selfish to stop things, holds on even though he knows they'll both be worse for it.

Slowly, Oscar walked toward him. Lando’s puffy-eyed gaze followed him, a pillow line on his cheek like he’d just pulled his balaclava off. Oscar’s thumb traced it, and it was only then that he realized he had been cupping Lando’s face. Time felt external to him, unstuck and unmoored in this moment. Lando closed his eyes, tipped his head back, like he was waiting. This kiss felt different than the last. Lando’s mouth was soft and slack. Oscar lingered. When he pulled back, he kept his hands on Lando’s cheeks. He laid his forehead on Lando’s. Their noses brushed. Oscar could feel Lando’s eyelashes on his face. He felt so close but so far away. “Lando, I—”

my goal here was to show just how much oscar was, like, into lando. how it wasn't just about the sex, how it was also about the intimacy.

Oscar, for the first time, wanted to tell him. Oscar thought, for a moment, selfishly, that maybe they could still make this work. He wanted to make it work. It would be better if they were on different teams, if they weren’t directly fighting each other in the same machinery, without the team politics. Maybe they could still fight for a title and still have this. Maybe Oscar didn’t have to let go. “Later,” he started. “I need to tell you that I—” Lando started giggling. “Yeah, yeah, I know you do,” he said, and he gently pried Oscar’s hands from his face, and pushed on his chest. “Just go. I’ll see you on track. I don’t want you to be late.”

originally, lando's dialogue was just supposed to be "Yeah, yeah, I know," but again, i wanted to make it as clear as possible to the reader what he thought he knew.

Oscar swallowed. “But—” “It’s fine,” Lando said, grinning so wide it must have hurt. It hurt Oscar too. “You can tell me later. I already know you do. I do too.” Suddenly, Oscar couldn’t get any words out. He nodded stiffly, and headed to the door. It wasn’t until Oscar was in the hall, alone, and reeling, that he realized what Lando thought he was going to say.

that last line, again, was just to make sure that this scene stood out, that there was a severe miscommunication here, in case people hadn't noticed it. like i really really wanted to cover my bases and make sure that this scene was the beginning of the end. like. a nosedive into what would happen after qualifying :)

thank you for the ask !!! zandvoort was one of my favorite scenes to write. it was one of the scenes that i had pretty much fully planned out from the very start (along with qatar), that took more shape the more i wrote/approached the scene, so when the time came to actually fill out the scene, it was actually a really easy/smooth process (i think all of monza + zandvoort took maybe 1-2 days to write?). so yeah, loved writing this scene, and thank you again for asking about it <3

[eyecan02]

Picture it being Summer 2025 and BJ3 is Officially Greenlit and Tim Hires an Intimacy Coordinator

He doesn't realize until rehearsals are ready to begin that he doesn't really know how to go about filming a believable kiss between Beetlejuice and Lydia so he hires an IC to choreograph a Beetlebabes kiss scene that's unique, weird and romantic.

The IC would be showing what Michael would do with his hands and Winona would be giggling and fangirling whenever their faces would get close.

Im picturing a scene where Lydia wants to thank Beetlejuice for doing "the sweetest thing" anyone has ever done for her and says she wants to thank him.

Beetlejuice grins, closes his eyes and presents his cheek to Lydia, fully expecting a thank you kiss on the cheek. Lydia leans in with a soft expression and CHANGES HER MIND and kisses him on the mouth instead.

It's a simple press of the lips, but it makes Beetlejuice's eyes momentarily flutter open before closing them once more. We can see his shoulders sag as he visibly MELTS into Lydia's kiss and let's her gently lead the kiss with her hands resting on his shoulders.

His arms shoot up above his head, not trusting himself with freaking Lydia out and going overboard (like when he impregnated her seconds within seeing her in the therapy room).

Lydia's hands run up BJ's arms until they're palm to palm and pulls a move from Winona's character "Kim" from Edward Scissorhands and adjusts BJ's arms and tucks herself into him, letting BJ know its OK to touch her more.

They leans into the kiss for a long moment. Their lips separate for a bit as Beetlejuice continues holding her and has the most lovesick look on his face (like the "I am gonna make you so happy" scene).

Beetlejuice says, "That was...wow. And we didn't even use porno tongue." At Lydia's dry look, he says, "Right. You're totally right. Less talking..." His voice then lowers to Keaton's regular register as he leans in to meet Lydia's mouth half way. "More...this."

The kiss slowly grows more intensely as one of BJ's hands settle between Lydia's shoulder blades, fingers splayed out while his other hand slides up her arm until it's cupping Lydia's jaw.

BJ is now hunched over to lean into her more.

"You're so short," he mumbles against her lips.

"Shut up," she mumbles back with no real bite to it as her hands interlock behind BJ's neck.

For me, this would be the perfect Beetlebabes kiss. I wanted to add a gif for the kiss but nothing really fits what I had in mind. Let's do a reblog thread here where you post your ideal kiss gif/clip that best suits how you would picture a beetlebabes kiss.

[magicalgirlsandcerulean]

Boueibu VA comments (Happy Kiss vers.)

Original comments here. Also see the student council, Defence Club VAs' and Goura/VEPPer's comments.

Naoyuki Shimozuru [1] (Kyotaro's VA):

This is Naoyuki Shimozuru, who plays Kyotaro Shuzenji.

Congratulations on the 10th anniversary since the broadcast of the anime series and the announcement of the movie Binan Koukou Chikyuu Boueibu ETERNAL LOVE!, Chikyuu Boueibu series! Also, this time I'm very honoured to play my role alongside my LOVE! upperclassmen in this new work.

HAPPY KISS!, the anime which began airing in April 2018, has always been close to me from the beginning of my voice actor life and has also made people feel love for 10 years. I'm happy to be related to this kind of amazing work!!!

I want to support the Chikyuu Boueibu series, which has continued to give and spread love, forever and ever, even though my help may not be much.

Everyone, let's bask in Boueibu at the theatre!!!!!!!!!! [2]

Ryoga Komata (Ryoma's VA):

Are You HAPPY???

This is Ryoga Komata, who plays Ryoma Kirishima.

Congratulations on the 10 year anniversary, Chikyuu Boueibu series!!

Boueibu is a work which I have a lot of memories of at the start [of my voice acting career].

Boueibu, which was the first audition I received as a voice actor.

Boueibu, which gave me ma---ny first experiences.

And! My first! Movie [role]!! Is also Boueibu!!

I'm very happy to be involved in this work.

Even now, you've given me love and happiness, everybody.

Everyone who has given me love and happiness from the beginning, I hope you enjoy this work!! [3]

Takahide Ishii (Nanao's VA):

Are you happy? This is Takahide Ishii, who plays Nanao Wakura. Congratulations on the 10 year anniversary, Chikyuu Boueibu series!

To me, Boueibu is a work which I have a very deep emotional attachment to because it was a big step forward in my voice actor life. I'm very honoured to also appear as Happy Kiss in the movie that's meant to be commemorating this work's 10 year anniversary. Thank you. Also, I'm happy to portray Nanao again...!

This is also the first time I've played a character for so long. It's to the point that it's an indispensable work for me!

How will [the Happy Kiss characters] interact with their LOVE! upperclassmen...?! Please look forward to the movie's release! Thank you in advance!

Rikuya Yasuda (Taishi's VA):

I would like to formally congratulate Boueibu for the 10 years.

I was happy to be involved with Boueibu again and that I could be recording with the same cast from 6 years ago. Please look forward to watching this work, which is crammed with more than enough love.

Because it's a rare opportunity, also watch Happy Kiss or rewatch it and then please be sure to go to the theatre! If you watch 4 minutes a day, you'll make it in time for winter 2025. [4] Let's start today.

Shota Hayama (Ichiro's VA):

Congratulations on the 10 years, Boueibu!!

I'm very honoured I could participate as one of the lowerclassmen who is continuing the series, which is connected by the staff and upperclassmen's [5] love. Like the movie title literally says, this is a tale spun from eternal love [6]. When the movie is released, dash! dash! dash! to the theatre [7], then please watch Chikyuu Boueibu on the big screen and receive the big love. ⭐︎

Make no mistake - everyone will be happy by the last scene.

Takuya Eguchi (Karurusu's VA):

Congratulations on the 10 year anniversary! The days of recording Boueibu were irreplaceably fun times. I was happy I could play Karurusu for the first time in a long time!

Hikaru Midorikawa (Ata's VA):

The Chikyuu Boueibu series, which agitated the world back then - it's already been 10 years since it was broadcast????? That was already a long time ago, huh? (sarcastic laugh)

Making a movie to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the series is an expert move!! (LOL) Also, I'm happy I can participate in it. m(_ _)m What scenes have been prepared for us to be in? Look forward to it♪.

Personally, I'm looking forward to a big screen transformation scene!!!!! Even seeing it in TV size, it's cool, but if it's a movie, it's cool on cool! Right? (LOL)

Everyone, look forward to it too, right? (LOL)

By all means!! If you understand that, please enjoy it to the fullest♪.

Kosuke Toriumi (Taiju's VA):

This is Kosuke Toriumi, who plays Taiju Unazuki.

This unexpected movie! A considerable amount of time has passed since the anime's airing, so it was really unexpected to have a movie. While I'm thankful I could be part of this unexpected movie, everyone, by all means! I think you're waiting expectantly for it. No~, nevertheless, this unexpected-[The rest is omitted.]

Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Maasa's VA):

First off, congratulations on the 10 years! It was interesting to be able to play a role I really hadn't played in a long time. Also, please look forward to the surprising contrivances in the content!

The no. 1 problem is if my voice will come out perfectly. Until the day [of release] arrives, I'll be nervous, alright? (LOL) However, everyone, I think we've made an interesting work which you can support, as you always have. Until the day [of release], please await it in anticipation!

[T/N 1: Over the years, I've gone backwards and forwards on the exact spelling of Shimozuru's name, but the page from his talent agency Rush Style says "Shimozuru", so that's what I'm using now.]

[T/N 2: This might not be clear in a translation, but the Japanese word for "bask in" is also the verb used for taking a bath or shower. Also, that's 10 exclamation marks.]

[T/N 3: 1) Not sure if it was intentional, but Komata's comments were left justified to a slightly unnatural degree, so I've tried to replicate that in the formatting by having each sentence on its own line. 2) This last part was a bit of a double-up in the Japanese, so I had to replicate that in the English.]

[T/N 4: For those coming from the future, these comments were made on Binanshi in October 2024, so if you watched 4 minutes of a Happy Kiss episode a day from that day, you'd take 72 days to complete the series or until January 7th 2025.]

[T/N 5: As you may have gathered from the comments before this one, "upperclassmen" (senpai) in this particular case refers to the LOVE! generation and thus "lowerclassmen" (kouhai) are the Happy Kiss generation.]

[T/N 6: "ETERNAL LOVE!" is in English in the movie's name, but Hayama says it in katakana to explain it to the Japanese audience.]

[T/N 7: Reference to Ichiro's character song.]

Update: Missed a music note.

[sparktober]

Thank you all for an incredible Sparktober 2024!

What a wonderful festival this year!! It was wonderful to reunite with old friends and welcome some brand-new fans as well. The staying power of this ship and this fandom is amazing. Countdown to Sparktober 2025!

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Roll credits! Sparktober brought to you by: discord master of ceremonies and creative director of daily themes and questions @havocthecat, watch party captain @al-the-grammar-geek, bingomaster @mylittleredgirl, and @anretc who brought us the @swficathon twice this year! So much extra appreciation to Mod Al who kept us on track all month on tumblr and behind the scenes. 🏆 MVP!!

Special thank yous this year to @krisrussel for the always epic con pics, @nhawk-1 as chief researcher for prettyhellday (and bringing us stable friends in the pets channel), and what would Sparktober be without wonderful gifsets from @happycabbage, @samueltanders, and @sheppard-and-weir! (Also check out the #sparktober tag for some bingo fics that haven't made it to ao3...)

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What's next? Sparktober procrastination mascot @mylittleredgirl's invitation to...

Sparkvember!

All those creative ideas and WIPs you didn't quite finish? Just remembered that you pulled a bingo card on Oct 1 and haven't looked at since? Want to keep the party and creative encouragement going with new and old friends? Sparkvember may be for you!

The discord is quieter in the off-season but remains open year-round, and the question of the day will continue! In the off-season, track and post to #john x elizabeth on tumblr. Bingo card generator will stay up, and we'll update this tumblr with surprise events. You might want to follow @swficathon too in case there's a repeat of last year's off-season fic exchange.

discord invite | ao3 | bingo cards

Have an awesome year, everyone!

[beautifulpersonpeach]

It’s been almost two weeks since Yoongi’s incident. Any thoughts?

***

Do you reckon Yoongi has seen the movie Twisters yet? For some reason I feel that's the kind of movie Yoongi would like - tornados, explicit scenes, directed by a Korean (Lee Isaac Chung), more tornados... yeah I'd say it's right up his alley.

Or maybe he's watching Saltburn instead, over and over, like some sexually repressed sicko with an ice cream addiction.

Ice cream, not alcohol.

Anyway, my opinion from two weeks ago hasn't changed, but here's a tad bit more.

Frankly, seeing your ask annoyed me a little, because it reminded me of the peculiar compulsiveness that keeps the k-pop machine churning. At risk of sounding like a mildly conceited broken record, this ridiculous fiasco - first of the media's reaction to Yoongi acting irresponsibly, breaking the law, and then the fandom's response to it - exemplifies something I've said before. That the industry itself feeds the frenzy, and that the fandom, ARMY in particular, lives for it.

We shouldn't still be talking about Yoongi driving a scooter drunk from his studio. We shouldn't still be harassing journalists or fandoms over it. We shouldn't be egging ourselves into increasingly more manic episodes of paranoia and panic over Yoongi leaving BTS or BTS breaking up (it's not happening) or of the whole world secretly working to destroy BTS or of Yoongi dying from liver cancer. We most certainly shouldn't be turning Min Yoongi into some kind of martyr over it.

It's like masturbating in public.

Just sick and gross.

The man is fine. He is rich, embarrassed by his dumb and irresponsible actions, and by all accounts appropriately chastened. There was uproar when the news broke but that's because there's always uproar when a BTS member gets into a scandal, and this time an actual crime was committed. The media reporting was atrocious, but again that's par for the course, not just for Yoongi but most other high-profile celebrity cases in Korea; and unlike most of these cases, conclusive evidence was available to mostly vindicate him within the week and wrench out a blunt apology from the press. That's already significantly better than most other celebrities get.

Despite all the noise, there's never been any real threat to BTS or Yoongi as a result of this mess. He'll pay his fine, continue serving in the military, remain the recluse, and show his face again no sooner than September 2025 as Suga of BTS.

Seeing the scale of fall-out within the fandom just confirmed for me ARMY is nearly completely overrun with shooters. There's really no going back to the fandom as it used to be. It is what it is.

The one silver lining for me though, was learning that Yoongi is apparently still going to the studio. I'm curious to hear the music he's working on, but have made me peace with the fact that, again, we likely won't hear it until 2025 at the earliest.

[kef-meister]

Metroid Prime .... 4!

While they aren't Star Fox or F-Zero fans (I see you), the fans of the Metroid series have had their patience tested multiple times over the series' lifespan. On June 13th 2017, Metroid Prime 4 was announced to the world. Now, June 18th 2024, Metroid Prime 4 has been given a release window: 2025.

It's been seven very long, very interesting years. But instead of dwelling on that, it's time to go frame-by-frame on the release trailer and give some notes on why that particular part stands out to me. I've gotten so hyped I've gotten analytical. This is what it means to go even further Beyond. ________________ 1. "Cosmic Year 20X9 Galactic Federation Research Facility" Metroid (1986)'s manual states that the Galactic Federation was established "in the year 2000 of the history of the cosmos", and that the original story of Metroid starts in 20X5.

Given that the Prime games are allegedly happening in the story-lines between Metroid and Metroid II … there's a continuity error with the main series, which I'm hoping is addressed rather than hand-waved.

Metroid II: Samus Returns (2017) has a trailer claiming it took place "less than a year" since the previous adventure. So that'd be in either 20X5 or 20X6 - the latter of which would place it in the same year as Metroid Prime: Federation Force. If that's the case, then Super Metroid would take place in 20X6/20X7 … but Prime 4 takes place in 20X9???

That this sequence takes place on a Galactic Federation Research Facility is VERY interesting though, especially considering the Big Reveal later on. 2. Samus' Gunship!!! I've watched this frame-by-frame and I'm convinced that the ship which is landing is pre-rendered, whereas the stationary ship allowing Samus out is the actual model. It's an incredibly clever trick to save on resources.

The ship itself is the Hunter-class gunship from Metroid Prime 3! What stands out here is that Samus is leaving the ship from the TOP panel - where she previously would enter and exit this ship from the bottom lift just behind the cockpit. I think it's also missing the Ship Grapple upgrade. Then there's the recreation of Metroid Prime's intro with Samus' space jump; the music; the zoom-in; HUD turning on ... Uuugggh, 11/10. Give it to me now. Put it into my veins and make me a weird hybrid.

3. Samus' Power Suit! It's Metroid Prime 3's Varia Suit, right down to the missile launcher design. This makes me feel VERY certain this story is going to take place very shortly after Prime 3's conclusion - like how Super Metroid follows up almost immediately after Metroid II.

The Morph Ball seems to behave almost exactly like it does in Prime 1 with its wonky physics. Loving this, seems to suggest the Prime 1 Remaster had a very solid engine ready to re-use. Prime 2/3 remaster when? 4. The Heads-up Display The HUD actually matches Samus' actual visor design! After Prime 1, the visor changed shape but the HUD didn't - now it has the extra notch at the top. It's higher contrast; Energy goes into the top notch, and the Map (now all blue!) has directions on it now.

Missiles take up one of the four slots on the left is weird. Maybe there's less Beams. The HUD doesn't seem to react when Samus switches between Beam and Missiles???

The Combat Visor makes a great distinction between which things are friendly, which are hostile and what you're locked onto on its little mini-map in the top-left.

The Scan Visor isn't intrusive with its overlay - and shows 2D images instead of 3D ones. Seems to make a better distinction between things you have and haven't scanned yet.

Going off of Metroid Prime Remastered, I legitimately think there's a team at Retro Studios doing their best in regards to (visual) accessibility. Love that. 5. Space Pirate Action Scenes! These tube-tastic dipshits keep looking more and more like Halo Elites and it bothers me, but they're here and awful! Blowing up a door!

Around 1:05 there are Galactic Federation humanoids wheeling away a thing. We like things here. We also have some friendlies fighting alongside Samus here, but they're most clear on the minimap.

6. The Big Reveal Later On Holy shit it's Sylux MetroidPrimeHunters. Holy shit, it's about time this fucker showed up instead of being a 'secret ending' cameo. I am absolutely loving the guitar riff in the background for the stinger here.

I'm very convinced those floating jellies are Mochtroids - not Metroids. It'd explain why they aren't latching onto anything. The biggest question is whether Sylux used the egg he stole in Federation Force - or this GF facility has been making Metroids. The GF will never learn. 7. To Go Even Further Beyond Samus has left the building. In this shot she's still in the Varia Suit. These avians on-screen have longer necks and brighter plumage than the 'birds' we've seen on Talon IV; there's no other creatures on-screen.

BONUS: The logo looks like the rendering of a black hole. That's probably not important at all.

Okay thank you for reading. See you next mission!

[merinsedai]

Rooftops of London snippet 3

for @dreamlingbingo

Snippet 3/5 for my WIP: The Rooftops of London :)

Square/Prompt: D5: Accidental Marriage (plus adoptable prompt: Creature: Veela)

Title: The Rooftops of London

Rating: T

Ship(s): Dream of the Endless/Hob Gadling

Warnings: n/a

Additional Tags: Second Chance, Mary Poppins AU, yes you read that correctly, Dream is Mary Poppins, Hob is Bert, Dream of the Endless | Morpheus is Good with Kids, popping in and out of paintings, teaparties on the ceiling, Developing Relationships, potential flying of kites, Will Roderick Burgess be redeemed? Is it possible? Who knows, read on and find out, fat pigeons

Summary: In 2025, Dream awaits Death as the Kindly Ones ravage the Dreaming.

In 1910, two young boys send out an advertisement for their perfect nanny.

or, the tale of Dream attempting to Mary Poppins his way out of his 20th century nightmare

Read the first chapter on AO3 here

And snippet 1 here

And snippet 2 here

A scene from Chapter (??no idea anymore), where something has gone a bit wrong for Hob.

“Perhaps a briefing on Veela etiquette would have been helpful?” Hob hisses as he scurries along in Morpheus’s wake, glancing fearfully back behind him every few steps. Morpheus floats along serenely ahead of him, seemingly completely unconcerned by this rather unfortunate turn of events. Alex’s hand is held securely in one of his and the little boy is skipping along singing snatches of that blasted song. Randall is shuffling along behind them, sulking in the way only a pubescent boy can. Well, one who has just had his first instructive lesson on the fairer sex brutally curtailed, at least. Another time, Hob would have a lot of sympathy for the lad.  Not right now, however. 

“I did not think it necessary,” Morpheus replies, glancing behind him. Alex has begun fully swinging off his arm now, leaning precariously to the side so his free hand is able to trail through the dew-slicked purple grass, eliciting giggles of “ooh it’s sticky”. Anyone else of Morpheus’s build would have been sent staggering to the side by the virtual gymnastics going on, maybe even risking a wrenched shoulder. Morpheus just continues walking like it’s nothing. Not that Hob thinks that his… companion would ever deign to do anything so ungraceful as to stagger. Or even run… and Hob is feeling like running might be required here soon.

“Not necessary?” he gasps, quickening his steps a little to draw alongside Morpheus.

“No indeed, as a wise man of the world, I assumed you to be cognisant of the fact that one does not accept gifts from the fae.”

“Fae? You didn’t say they were fae! You said they were Veela!”

“Veelas are fae,” Morpheus continues, as if Hob should have known this very important fact, despite having never heard of a Veela until about two hours ago. “And especially never say thank you: you are now in her debt.”

“Oh come on! Her debt? She just handed me the thing! We were having a dinner party! How was I to know it was a gift! A blo–” he catches the curse before it finishes leaving his mouth. Little ears after all. “A piece of fruit!”

“More precisely: a pomegranate.”

“So?!”

Morpheus tsks and gives Hob a look out of the corner of his eye. “And here I thought you had been a student of the classics, Hob?” There is a twitch to his lips that speaks of suppressed amusement, and if Hob didn’t like him so much then he may quite happily have punched the other man for letting them get into this situation. 

“What’s a pommy-granit?” Alex sings songs, still swinging like a monkey. His hand glitters with the dew and he waves it in front of his face. “Look Morpheus, it’s so sticky, it’s not coming off!”

“A pomegranate’s a fruit, stupid,” mutters Randall sullenly. He really is put out at this hasty exit, though not nearly as put out as the Veela girl to whom Hob now seems to be betrothed, judging by the shrieking behind them that seems to be growing ever nearer. Morpheus simply looks at the boy though, and Randall blushes bright red to the roots of his hair. 

“Your brother is correct, Alex,” Morpheus says quietly to the younger boy. “But to certain societies it is both a fruit and a symbol. In this case, the pomegranate is a symbol of marriage.”

“So Hob’s getting married?” Alex asks offhandedly, still more interested in his sparkly fingers than the situation. Hob grimaces.

“I am not-” he begins hurriedly but Morpheus speaks over him.

“Oh no,” he says casually, and this time there is a definite smile on his face. One might even describe it as a highly amused smile. “Veela do not do betrothals and courtship. Hob is not getting married. He already is married.”

[wealmostaneckbeard]

Forever Winter: Not Just a Taylor Swift song

So there's this game that's going to be coming out in 2025 (or possibly the year after that...) called Forever Winter. Here's two trailers for it:

WARNING: CONTAINS DISTURBING AND VIOLENT IMAGES AND SCENES

"WHY WOULD ANYONE BE INTERESTED THIS!?!?!" the answer:

Any game that depicts warfare not as a power fantasy but as a living nightmare moves society towards a more peaceful future.

The general premise of Forever Winter is that you play as scavengers during an armed conflict in the future. You need to infiltrate battlefields, locate and collect resources, and then extract with the resources. The stuff you bring back helps refugee communities survive and gets your scavenger better equipment. You can arm your scavengers with a variety of firearms, as well as biomechanical body augmentations. But you'll never be strong enough to challenge the more powerful militaries fighting each other, so you'll always have to sneak around them. When your scavenger dies, you get a new one and send them out into the warzone to continue working.

From what I can see, the enemy units will be: Zombie hordes, infantry squads, helicopters, tanks, mechs, big mechs, even bigger mechs, and god dang land-ships. It also looks like there's going to be flying cows...

why is there a cow suspended from a balloon?

I don't know.

I'm imagining that there are tubes running from the cows stomachs to the balloon. As the cow digests food, the balloon inflates and the cow becomes airborne. As the cow begins to starve, the balloon deflates and the cow descends to the ground again. If the cow is following seedlings carried by the wind then this method of locomotion would make sense. It would protect the cow from ground based threats like the zombies or land mines.